QUESTION
How does the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) maintain records for lease agreements?
1:39:50
·
6 min
Council Member Brooks Powers raises concerns regarding the record-keeping practices of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) for lease agreements, stressing the importance of historical perspective in preventing past mistakes.
- Powers queries EDC's role in maintaining records for significant lease agreements, emphasizing the need for a historical perspective to avoid repeating past mistakes.
- Mikelle Adgate from EDC clarifies that EDC wasn't a signatory to the 2021 lease, which was administered on behalf of the city, and notes challenges arising from administrative changes.
- Powers insists on the value of transparent record-keeping between sister agencies like EDC and SBS, especially for accountability on decisions like lease extensions.
- Jennifer Sun from EDC acknowledges the need for better collaboration with Council Member Powers and community leaders to enhance record-keeping and accountability.
- Powers highlights the importance of leveraging EDC's role for greater accountability and transparency in projects impacting local communities, such as the JFK Airport redevelopment.
Brooks Powers
1:39:50
I'm curious on the note taking.
1:39:52
That EDC takes it.
1:39:53
I know before you were mentioning that during even the airport board, the staff notes But we have to be able for the the sake of continuity and being able to pass this information down Right?
1:40:06
Because I think about Sanco for, like, being able to look back to, you know, to not have to go through the same mistakes and Right now, we're in an awful position where we have no type of historical perspective in terms of what led to the lease ex extension or any of these components.
1:40:27
And so, you know, I'm just curious as to, like, what L EDC, as an agency, maintains records on behalf of the city of New York because these are multi $1,000,000 lease agreements that are established that generates 1,000,000,000 of dollars for the city of New York.
1:40:46
But how do we know that 1, it's being done and decency in order the way it's laid out and the lease are not when we can't even look back to 2021.
1:40:58
Like, when I say and look back to 1947, we can't look back to 2021.
Mikelle Adgate
1:41:02
Right.
1:41:02
But but chair, keep in mind that EDC was not a signatory to the lease in 2021.
1:41:09
Right?
1:41:09
That it was the city of New York that signed the 2021 lease.
1:41:14
And the SBS commissioner who signs on behalf of of the city.
1:41:19
So the city designates EDC to administer the lease on behalf of the city.
1:41:27
But, you know, while EDC likely participated in meetings and our predecessors were were, you know, probably a part of that.
1:41:35
It's, you know, a a sort of different ballgame when you are not the one I actually signing it, you know, it's the city of New York that is doing so.
Brooks Powers
1:41:44
Right.
1:41:45
But even so when EDC starts to assume its role, it's not like SBS is not a city sister agency where that information could be shared across agencies.
1:41:56
Like, it's not like talking about the feds or the states.
1:41:58
We're talking about assist agency that you could easily say, what are the notes on this?
1:42:04
Like, how are we record keeping on a a a lease agreement that took place in the middle of an existing lease that didn't really need to even be touched.
1:42:14
There's something there as to why we even extended the lease, and and I hear you about COVID.
1:42:20
But then when the negotiations happen, how what was the posture of the city on behalf of New Yorkers?
1:42:28
We don't have any, like, idea of that.
1:42:30
Right.
Mikelle Adgate
1:42:31
The I I agree with you, and I think something to keep in mind with that is it it's not quite as simple as, you know, only 3 years ago.
1:42:40
It's 3 years ago with an administration change.
1:42:43
Right?
1:42:43
And so from both a leadership perspective and a posture perspective, we would imagine that you know, goals and tasks change just by virtue of, you know, all of us here coming in shortly after that.
1:42:58
Time.
1:42:58
But I do hear your point about what can we do as the sort of contemporary EDC to ensure that we are tracking so that our, I don't know, 4 bears is the right word.
1:43:12
But, you know, future EDCers, are able to answer future council members' questions.
1:43:20
It's something to think about, and I'm very thankful for Jennifer's leadership in terms of the things that she's been doing to establish her transportation team for you know, very important matters such as this one.
Brooks Powers
1:43:36
Thank you again.
Jennifer Sun
1:43:39
I actually like to add just I think to address your question about what we can do moving forward.
1:43:45
I think what's come across very clearly to me through this testimony and through this hearing is that you have a long history, you and other elected, a long history in the community, You will continue to have a a long standing relationship with the Port Authority and the airport because of your proximity to this facility.
1:44:07
And so, you know, your level of care responsibility is distinct and important.
1:44:13
You know, so Our commitment I think today is to work with you and to have follow-up conversations to really draw upon your knowledge of what has happened in the past, what gap you continue to be frustrated by in terms of information.
1:44:26
And for us to have follow-up conversations about how we can make these airport board conversations more effective, you know, and make the most of that venue while recognizing that there are also opportunities hopefully outside of those airport board meetings as well to strengthen our partnership and ensuring that the JFK redevelopment project really delivers.
1:44:46
On its promise.
Brooks Powers
1:44:48
And I truly, truly appreciate your statement.
1:44:53
It is a JFK is a longtime neighbor to myself and the people that I represent in Southeast Queens as well as the speaker and council member Williams, and it's extremely important to make sure that we are reflecting what we're hearing on the ground.
1:45:13
Not all the time people from our communities could make it to a hearing to testify or stay for hours to listen to a presentation to be able to ask the questions that they have.
1:45:22
So they call us during the day or when they see us at events, and they express their frustrations, whether it's that small MWD that continues to go to these events, that continues to apply for opportunity that's not getting an opportunity when you have far takeaway, not really seeing anyone in the workforce on on the program or and I know that the Puerto Rico is trying to work to improve those numbers when you think about what how does the community benefit from it, you know, how are we leveraging this project to be transformative in the community?
1:45:58
These are the spaces that you know, we have concerns.
1:46:00
I definitely welcome the opportunity to work more closely with chair far yes as well as EDC to make sure that we are leveraging EDC to fulfill its role that's set out in the lease to make the port authority more accountable and more transparent.
1:46:18
Because right now, the port authority is flying in the dark with no no type of ramifications whatsoever.
1:46:28
And our community is sitting on the sidelines while the airport is being rebuilt.
1:46:33
And that's not okay.
1:46:37
But thank you.