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Q&A
Discussion on Hart Island operations and future plans
4:21:06
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4 min
Council Member Shekar Krishnan and Commissioner Sue Donoghue engage in a detailed discussion about Hart Island, covering its current operations, staffing, budget, and future plans. The Parks Department has taken over management of Hart Island and is working on improving access and facilities.
- The Parks Department facilitates visits for loved ones and offers public tours through their Urban Park Rangers.
- There is capital funding for projects such as slope stabilization and chapel preservation.
- The Parks Department is developing a conceptual plan for enhancing public access while respecting the site's nature as a public burial ground.
- The department anticipates continuing to manage Hart Island unless directed otherwise.
Shekar Krishnan
4:21:06
And then another shifting topics entirely to Hart Island.
4:21:10
So jurisdiction of Hart Island was transferred to the Parks Department as part of a 2019 law.
4:21:17
The Parks Department is responsible for for access for loved ones who are buried there.
4:21:22
HRA is responsible for maintenance and burial operations.
4:21:25
The f y twenty six budget executive budget includes six positions and three seventy two thousand for Hot Island operations.
4:21:32
Additionally, the capital budget for twenty five to twenty nine fiscal years includes 7,600,000.0 for various projects on Heartland.
4:21:41
My first question is what are the titles funded on Heartland?
4:21:45
Are there additional part time employees who work there too?
4:23:38
And I have been there several years ago, and it was a very meaningful visit too.
4:23:43
So what is the Parks Department's plan longer term with Hart Island?
4:23:47
We're doing all this work now.
4:23:49
Has the Parks Department given some thought to the longer vision for the island?
4:25:12
And do you have a sense of when that plan is coming out?
4:25:15
Is it
4:25:17
Got it.
4:25:18
Thank you.
4:25:19
And then finally, does the Parks Department plan on permanently operating the island?
4:25:24
Does it have plans to partner with other agencies, transfer management to other agencies, is it gonna stay with the Parks Department?
4:25:38
Got it.
4:25:39
Thank you.
4:25:39
Those are all my questions, Chair.
4:25:56
I personally want to add again, thank you so much, Commissioner.
4:25:58
It's been a real pleasure and honor to partner with you in this work.
Sue Donoghue
4:21:48
Thank you for the question.
4:21:50
We are incredibly proud of the work we've done on Island.
4:21:54
It was something that was handed to us at the end of the last administration, was overseen by the Department of Corrections, and the Parks Department has really taken that on and in particular our rangers in a way that is just phenomenal.
4:22:09
Our rangers facilitate tours, not tours, visits for loved ones from the island as you said.
4:22:15
And then we also offer twice monthly tours for the public.
4:22:21
And I would encourage anybody in this room to sign up and go on one of those tours.
4:22:26
The history that our rangers provide and the education about Hart Island is just phenomenal.
4:22:31
We've also worked closely with DDC to do work on the island.
4:22:37
There is a chapel that remains that we are stabilizing as like a ruin in place.
4:22:43
It's a really, really phenomenal place to visit.
4:22:47
In terms of the individual lines we can get back to, there are no part time staff.
4:22:53
There's not a bathroom facility on the island.
4:22:55
We don't have staff that is resident at this point on a part time basis on the island.
4:23:00
We have the rangers who conduct tours.
4:23:02
There's a ferry operator who facilitates getting people to the island.
4:23:06
We were pleased to get capital funding for some slope stabilization.
4:23:11
There is Along one side of the island, we have challenges.
4:23:22
So our natural resources group is doing some slope stabilization.
4:23:26
We're really pleased to get that funding.
4:23:29
But in general, you know, it really is a testament to the Parks Department and our urban park ranges, how they've transformed that into a beautiful place for people to visit.
4:23:53
Yes, we've given an awful lot of thought to that.
4:23:56
We actually have a conceptual plan that we are going to be soon releasing, or maybe did release already.
4:24:06
Heart Island, did we already?
4:24:07
Are we going to be releasing that conceptual?
4:24:09
We will be releasing We have a whole our planning division has spent a huge amount of time looking at how we can re envision access to the island.
4:24:20
We first did a transportation study because one of the big challenges was obviously getting there.
4:24:25
And then we know that we need to have facilities for the public, as I said.
4:24:29
So we want to have some kind of visitor center with a public restroom.
4:24:36
It's really important for people's enjoyment of the site.
4:24:39
But it is, and we certainly recognize as an agency, is a solemn and peaceful site.
4:24:45
And we want to be respectful of the fact that it is a public burial ground.
4:24:50
And so we anticipate that it will be available really through guided tours to be respectful of the families and the people that are buried there.
4:25:02
But it is also a beautiful place.
4:25:03
So we do have a plan that we'll be releasing soon about how we envision further enhancing it for access to the public.
4:25:15
should be in the next couple of months.
4:25:31
At this point in time, unless someone tells us otherwise, we are anticipating we will continue to, yes, manage it.
4:25:54
that.
4:25:54
Thank you so much
4:25:55
Thank
4:26:00
Thank you.
4:26:01
I appreciate that.
Justin Brannan
4:25:43
Commissioner Matt, thank you both very much.
4:25:45
It's been a pleasure working with you.
4:25:47
I look forward to working with you in the next couple of weeks.
4:25:49
And we'll hopefully get some more money for you guys in the budget.
Gale A. Brewer
4:25:53
We appreciate
4:25:55
you.
4:25:55
for your