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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Susan Stetzer, District Manager of Manhattan Community Board 3, on Community Board Funding
4:50:00
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144 sec
Susan Stetzer, District Manager of Manhattan Community Board 3, testifies on the urgent need for increased baseline funding for community boards. She emphasizes the growing workload, new technological requirements, and the importance of community boards in local decision-making and planning.
- Highlights the mismatch between increased responsibilities and stagnant budgets, impacting their ability to serve vulnerable communities effectively.
- Details specific challenges, such as processing over 70 SLA applications per month due to outdoor dining, up from 20-30 previously.
- Stresses the need for additional funding to support new technology needs, including equipment and staff for hybrid meetings and software subscriptions.
Susan Stetzer
4:50:00
Hello, my name is Susan Stetzer, district manager of Manhattan CB3 which covers Lower East Side and Chinatown.
4:50:07
I'm here to testify in the need for increased baseline funding for community boards.
4:50:12
This is particularly needed for staff to cover increased workload and new technology needs.
4:50:17
Community boards are independent city agencies.
4:50:20
We serve as a vehicle for communities to have input in decision making and participation in planning for their communities.
4:50:28
So many of you have served on community boards before pursuing elected offices, yet our annual pleas for responsible increase to our baseline budget goes unheard.
4:50:38
Policies are adopted that create unfunded mandates, but our budgets are not adjusted to reflect the new responsibilities.
4:50:47
Because of the increase in work without the increase in funding for additional staff, we are faced with less time working with and serving particularly our most vulnerable communities.
4:50:58
Because our costs have increased but our budget has not, our staffs remain stagnant because of our inability to reward merit or recruit new staff without adequate salaries.
4:51:09
Some CBs such as CB three have seen our work increase dramatically.
4:51:15
For instance, we formally had 20 to 30 SLA applications per month.
4:51:20
With outdoor dining we are now processing over 70 applications per month for just one committee.
4:51:26
This takes staff time away from responsibilities such as constituent services and outreach necessitating hiring of part time and freelance staff.
4:51:37
When OCM application window opens again, we will have an additional burst of applications.
4:51:43
We don't just process paperwork.
4:51:45
There's a lot of education necessary to work with the applicants and the community.
4:51:51
Since COVID, our technology needs and required expertise has increased.
4:51:55
We contract to provide equipment and staff to create hybrid meetings.
4:52:00
We have subscriptions for software.
4:52:02
We hire a technician to set up and maintain Zoom equipment and create Zoom meetings.
4:52:08
The need for more funding is clear and obvious.
4:52:10
And right now, we are working with organizations in the community to outreach for know your right trainings, trainings for small businesses, and how to protect their workers.
4:52:20
This is no time to save money at the expense of community boards.