Vol. 59 No. 42
Saturday, October 19, 2024
October Open Board Meeting Held in Section 5 BY DANIELLE CRUZ
The Riverbay Board of Directors’ Open Board meeting held in Einstein Center’s Room 45 on Wednesday, October 16, included a Gallery Session before the Board voted on several resolutions. The meeting was called to order by Board President Rod Saunders, who started with his President’s Report in which he announced that the Board is still discussing the Riverbay Fund and assured shareholders that the Board is not looking to do away with the Riverbay Fund. “We’ve heard some issues about the Riverbay Fund and that is going to come to a conclusion,” said Board President Saunders. “That is not a public fight, that is a fight between two entities who will get it done, we’ll get it squared away, because the most important thing is that the Riverbay Fund has to exist. So, this is not about the nonexistence of the Riverbay Fund, this is about how the funds and where the funds come from and where it goes to and how funds are collected. This is what it’s about.” Board President Saunders also encouraged shareholders to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections. “We’re a voting community of more than 30,000 registered votes, and yet we haven’t had a primary where we’ve had more than 5,000 shareholders show up,” he said. “So, in the words of a group that was very active here in the Riverbay Board of Directors elections, I think all cooperators in this year’s elections need to “Show Up and Show Out.” After the President’s Report, Riverbay Executive General Manager Marvin L. Walton presented a summary of his Management Report and provided updates to the community about the ongoing progress for staffing the Public Safety Department, the Power Plant’s heat change-over, post-earthquake assessments, shareholder orientation, and the two-year budget planning. (Continued on page 2)
Shareholders Discuss Riverbay Fund, Subletting, Personal Responsibility & More at Oct. 16th Gallery Session BY ROZAAN BOONE
The October 16th Open Board meeting held in Einstein Center attracted a sizable crowd of shareholders who raised a number of issues with the Riverbay Board of Directors, the Legal department and Management. Opening the meeting, Riverbay Board President Rod Saunders said that he was encouraged by the turnout in Section Five. The first shareholder to address the Board, Reginald Mabry, criticized Board President Saunders’ “leadership and management style.” He expressed displeasure that all speakers who had signed up at the September 25th Gallery Session were not given the opportunity to speak before the Gallery Session was ended and the Board moved on to the business portion of the meeting. He also took issue with a statement Board President Saunders made at the last Gallery Session and questioned whether the Board President’s chairmanship of the Legislative (Continued on page 9)
New Yorkers Invited to Attend MTA Open House on 2025-2029 Capital Plan
$1.25
Riverbay Corporation Management Report, period ending Sept. 30, 2024 Management Report
Marvin L. Walton Riverbay Executive General Manager On behalf of Douglas Elliman Property Management – Managing Agent, I am delighted to present the Management Report for Riverbay Corporation for the period ending September 30, 2024. This Management report provides updates with the following items: • Staffing – Public Safety Department • Heat/Change-Over • Post Earthquake Assessments • Shareholder Orientation • 2-year Budget Planning • Convector initiatives (Continued on page 11)
Court Throws Out Legionella Case Against Riverbay Judge Finds No Factual or Legal Basis for Claim
On October 11, 2024, Bronx Supreme Court Justice Bianka Perez dismissed a lawsuit brought against Riverbay by Dorothy Parker, a resident of Building 21. Although the Plaintiff had been diagnosed with legionella, the Court dismissed her case, finding that Ms. Parker failed to establish that she was exposed to, or contracted legionella, at Riverbay, or that Riverbay was negligent. According to the decision, water samples taken after Riverbay installed a state-of-the-art water treatment system known as copper-silver ionization “demonstrated that Legionella growth was being controlled.” In dismissing Ms. Parker’s case, the Court also relied upon the expert testimony of Dr. J. Kavid Krause, a toxicologist retained by Riverbay, who concluded “that Riverbay was not responsible for plaintiff’s illness,” as well as detailed testimony by Riverbay regarding the procedures and safeguards in place to protect residents. The Court further noted that Plaintiff’s opposition, including the opinion of her own expert was “conclusory and devoid of analysis or reference to scientific data.” Riverbay General Counsel Jeffrey D. Buss praised the Court’s determination that Riverbay was not liable for Plaintiff’s illness. “The Court determined as a matter of law that Riverbay was not negligent,” said Mr. Buss. “The Corporation’s decision to install and maintain a state-of-the art water treatment system to provide additional protection to its residents above (Continued on page 8)
BY BRANDON ORTIZ
New Yorkers are invited to attend an MTA open house on October 21 to learn and provide feedback on the 2025-2029 MTA Capital Plan. Monday’s open house will run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. inside of Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall. For individuals unfamiliar with the 2025-2029 MTA Capital Plan, the event will feature informational handouts, posters and videos explaining key aspects of the plan. Participants will also have the chance to engage with MTA representatives about career opportunities with the MTA, as well as business opportunities for “Minority-, Women-, Disadvantaged- and Service-Disabled Veteran-owned firms,” as explained by the MTA. The $68.4 billion 2025-2029 MTA Capital Plan invests in various aspects of the MTA system from critical infrastructure upgrades to purchasing new buses and trains. Roughly 90% of the total $68.4 billion will go toward repairing and rebuilding the MTA’s infrastructure. With the MTA Board approving the Capital Plan on September 25, the Capital Program Review Board will ultimately review the plan and provide final approval. MTA officials have not yet released the schedule, but the agency said it plans on having additional open houses “in the operating region throughout the end of the year.” (Continued on page 4) When developing the 2025-2029
Early Voting Begins Saturday, October 26 Early voting in this year’s general election begins on Saturday, October 26 and extends to Sunday, November 3. Shareholders can vote early at the Dreiser Community Center during the following polling hours: • October 26: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. • October 27: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. • October 28: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. • October 29: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. • October 30: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. • October 31: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. • November 1: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. • November 2: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. • November 3: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The last day for individuals to register to vote in the 2024 general election is Saturday, October 26. Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.