LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The people are our watchdogs

Posted

To the editor:

(re: "Community Board 8 can’t ignore DOT over Broadway any longer,” June 15)

As a supporter of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, I am shocked to read the Point of View from the president of that organization. Public participation is the essence of that organization, just as much as the community board.

Bronx Community Board 8 members should be able to question, comment, organize and educate stakeholders in response to city agencies’ proposals. 

That is why there is a community board, why there is a councilman, why there are Assembly people, senators and federal representatives. Otherwise, we would just have mayors and governors, because if the engineers were as smart as has been stated, no one would question what they propose.

It must be nice to live in that perfect world, where things work properly.

But things are not working properly right now in the same park said organization protects. Runoff impairs the lake. Most of that runoff is caused by transportation facilities designed by engineers.

Incursions for an industrial complex to meet the needs of the thirsty city were created by engineers who decided to take park land for that purpose — it was successfully litigated by the same organization causing the engineers to obey the law.

Transparency is the essence of a democratic government. The community board is our little city hall. We should all just agree: There are times that we will disagree, and there are more times that we will agree, for that is what will make us a success.

One more point: People who have never governed might think that the system is good the way it is, but that is not true. I was the chairwoman of a community board for 10 years, and have witnessed the government’s limitations. The agencies don’t live in the area, don’t shop or park here, don’t wait for buses, don’t slip on icy streets, or use wet flooded ones.

The people are our watchdogs. The voice of the people must not be minimized or silenced.

KAREN ARGENTI

Karen Argenti

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