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Q&A
Community feedback mechanisms for the buyback pilot program
0:35:45
ยท
133 sec
Council Member Linda Lee inquires about mechanisms for incorporating community feedback into the needle syringe buyback pilot program. Rebecca Linn-Walton discusses plans for community engagement and Council Member Lee suggests creating a community advisory board.
- The department plans to attend community board meetings to gather feedback
- They aim to engage with community members through various channels
- The goal is to inform the community about the program and its impact on local parks
- Council Member Lee suggests creating a community advisory board for the program
- The advisory board could include community board members, SSP representatives, NYPD, and parks department staff
- Rebecca Linn-Walton expresses enthusiasm for the advisory board idea and plans to discuss it with her team
- Council Member Lee shares her positive experience with community advisory boards in addressing controversial programs
Linda Lee
0:35:45
Okay.
0:35:46
And then is there a mechanism to incorporate feedback from community members and the SSPs?
0:35:52
Obviously, I know you regularly talk to them, but community members in terms of the ongoing pilot program.
Rebecca Linn-Walton
0:35:57
Absolutely.
0:35:58
That's who we want.
0:35:59
We we plan to be at community board meetings.
0:36:02
We plan to be talking to any other ways you have for us to be engaging with community members.
0:36:06
We wanna know it's working.
0:36:07
We wanna know that people are also knowing about it.
0:36:10
Maybe they don't know it's gonna be in their local park, and they haven't been going to their local park because syringe litter is an issue.
0:36:16
We want them to know it's clean, please come back and please be part of New York City park life because it's so important to all of us.
Linda Lee
0:36:22
Yeah.
0:36:22
And I know that sometimes with the pilot programs, know, some some folks want to have community advisory boards or committees and others you know I know that some of those things can come up so is that something that you've all thought about as well in terms of what you said like maybe that could include a community board member as well as someone from the SSP, someone from NYPD or parks just to make sure that things are working.
Rebecca Linn-Walton
0:36:47
We haven't thought of an advisory board, I think that's genius and I'll be taking that back to the team and I think they'll be pretty excited about that.
Linda Lee
0:36:54
I have to say in my experience with different programs that that have been maybe seemingly controversial at times, took the initiative to start a community advisory board for one of the programs in my district that was you know causing concern in the neighborhood.
0:37:11
And I have to say it worked well in the sense that it really sort of had them cooperate more and they felt heard.
0:37:20
Think the community members felt heard and they felt like their concerns were being heard and then they also had direct access to the folks that they needed to contact.
0:37:27
So I just feel like it helps with the neighborhood folks and then also just helps to make a smooth process and communication, I think communication is key and oftentimes they feel like they have no one to communicate to in terms of their frustration.
0:37:40
So okay, perfect.
0:37:42
I want to recognize council member Mealy who I know had to step out for a second and also council member Mamorato.
0:37:49
And I will go ahead and I don't know council member Feliz if you wanted to go ahead and ask questions first about your bills if you had any?
0:37:58
Okay.