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Council Member Keith Powers introduces the Rules, Privileges, and Elections Committee meeting agenda
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3 min
Council Member Keith Powers opens the meeting of the Rules, Privileges, and Elections Committee, introducing committee members and staff. He outlines the agenda, which includes reappointments to the Board of Correction and public hearings on appointments to the Landmarks Preservation Commission and Tax Commission. Powers provides an overview of the Board of Correction's responsibilities and structure.
- The committee will vote on two Board of Correction reappointments before addressing other appointments.
- Six public hearings will be held on mayoral appointments, including five for the Landmarks Preservation Commission and one for the Tax Commission president.
- Powers details the composition, appointment process, and duties of the Board of Correction, including its role in establishing minimum standards for correctional facilities.
Keith Powers
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Good morning, and welcome to the meeting of the committee on rules, privileges, elections.
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I'm city council member Keith Powers, chair of the committee.
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And before we begin, I'd to introduce the other members of this committee who are present, council member Brannan, Brewer, Brooks Powers, Hudson, Sanchez, Ayala, Farias, and I believe that is it for now.
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I'd like to acknowledge the committee council, Jeff Campagna, and the committee staff that worked on the appointments that we will hear here today we'll hear today.
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Chief ethics counsel, Pearl Moore, director of investigations, Francesca Della Vecchia, and deputy director of investigations, Alicia Vassell.
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Today's agenda agenda is a bit larger than most meetings of this committee.
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We're gonna begin with the reappointment of by the counsel of Helen Skipper and doctor Robert Cohen to the New York City Board of Correction because the Board of Correction tends to intends to meet on May 13 to consider the renewal of DOC variances to allow overcrowding at its facilities.
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To address overcrowding at its facilities, the committee will, out of necessity, vote on these two candidates before we move on to other We'll then hold six public hearings on mayoral appointments subject to the advice and consent of the city council, five to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, followed by one nomination for the president of the New York City Tax Commission.
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I'm also losing my voice, so bear with me.
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Our first public hearing will be on the nomination of Helen Skipper and doctor Robert Cohen for reappointment to the council by the council as members of the New York City Board of Corrections.
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You may join us on the dais.
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The BOC established by section six two six of the New York City Charter is responsible for the inspection and visitation at any time of all institutions and facilities under the jurisdiction of Correction as well as the evaluation of DOC performance.
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The DOC must establish minimum standards of the care, custody, correction, treatment, supervision, and discipline of all persons held or confined under jurisdiction of the Department and it shall promulgate such minimum standards in rules and regulations after the giving after giving the mayor and commissioner an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed standards or amendments or additions to such standards.
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The Board of Correction consists of nine members.
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Three are appointed by the mayor, three by the city council, and three by the mayor on the nomination jointly by the preceding presiding justices of the appellate division of the Supreme Court for the first and second judicial departments.
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Appointments are made by three respective appointing authorities on a rotating basis to fill any vacancy.
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The chairman of the board is designated by the mayor from amongst its members.
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Members of the BOC are appointed for six year terms with vacancies filled for the remainder of the unexpired term.
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The BOC may appoint an executive director to serve at its pleasure with such duties and responsibilities as the board may assign and other professional clerical and support personnel with an appropriation for such purpose.
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The BOC is required to establish procedures for the hearings of grievances, complaints, or requests for assistance by on or behalf of any person held or confined under the jurisdiction of the department or by any employee of the department.
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BOC also issues a report at least every three years on issues related to the department's grievance process.
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Such report must incorporate direct feedback from incarcerated individuals and propose recommendations for relevant improvements and include a section of recommendations on how to improve the grievance process for vulnerable populations, including incarcerated individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transgender, intersex, and gender nonconforming.
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Such report must be submitted to the council and posted on the board's website To our nominees here today, if reappointed by the council, Helenskipper will be eligible to serve the remainder of a six year term ending on 10/12/2026, and doctor Robert Cohen will be eligible to serve the remainder of a six year term ending on 10/12/2029.