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Getting the Word Out

July 3, 2008

St. Barnabas Hospital is building a 10-story health center on West Burnside Avenue at the Grand Concourse. As the Monitor reported in the spring, local residents only heard about the project at the last minute. Some were furious – not so much with the hospital, but with the local community board. They felt CB 5 should have reached out to the community beforehand, to give residents a chance to ask questions and voice concerns they might have.

If these residents had come to Community Board 5’s monthly meetings, or attended one of the board’s various committee meetings, they would have been aware of St. Barnabas’ plans months before construction started. Still, the Board could (and should) have gotten this information out through their Web site – like most other Bronx community boards do. Xavier Rodriguez, CB 5’s district manager, said the Board “ran into some hard times” with no one wanting the job of secretary, meaning meeting minutes weren’t being typed up. They are currently three months behind, Rodriguez said, but that they are catching up. He says up-to-date minutes will be online by October.

The Board can also improve communication between themselves and local residents by building a new and improved Web site. Rodriguez wants to have this in place by next summer, he says. If done well, we think it will be a huge asset to the community. Something similar to Manhattan Community Board 5’s Web site would be fantastic. Check it out at www.cb5.org. Bronx CB 5’s current site can be found at www.bronxmall.com/commboards/cd5.html.

Written by admin · Filed Under Editorials, Opinion 

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