7 BRONX WEEKLY May 17, 2020 www.BXTimes.com
City budget reveals improvements for Rodman’s Neck
BY JASON COHEN
Mayor Bill de Blasio released
his executive budget
a little over a week ago and it
showed that for once, Rodman’s
Neck was not forgotten.
According to the budget,
the reconstruction and soundproofi
ng of Rodman’s Neck, remains
funded. The following
will be funded as per the mayor’s
budget:
• Bathroom trailers (already
funded, estimated completion
2022)
• Burn and administrative
trailers (funded last year and
this year, completion 2022)
• Modular trailers and classroom
renovation (already
funded, completion 2022)
• New fi rearms training facility
($1.2 million this year,
$16.3 million next year, $224
million in 2023 and completion
2025)
• Renovated bomb squad
building, (funding next year,
$1.7 million from city, completion
2022.)
City Island Rising President
John Doyle said he is glad after
many years it seems the administration
is keeping its word to
improving Rodman’s Neck. On
Feb. 26, the 45th Precinct Community
Council Rodman’s Neck
Monitoring Committee held a
meeting where NYPD representatives
announced plans
to have temporary baffl ing in
place by the end of 2021 and
in the next fi ve to eight years
construct a permanent indoor
shooting range.
“There’s an importance
of everyday citizens paying
close attention to this,” Doyle
stressed. “We are in a much
better position than we have
ever been in 13 years.” In 2007
they were told the shooting
range was moving to Queens,
but those plans fell through.
Doyle told the Bronx Times
that after fi ve three generations
of administrations brushing
them off, he hopes these inclusions
in the budget are a sign of
good things to come.
He stressed that this is not
the fi nal budget and cuts are
coming. But hopefully, these
allocations for Rodman’s Neck
remain.
“Personally I’m pleased
that Rodman’s Neck is moving
along as planned,” he said.
“The proof will be in the temporary
baffl ing.”
While he was disappointed
he did not see any money earmarked
for resiliency, he understands
right now priority is
health and nothing is fi nal yet.
Here are other highlights in
the mayor’s proposal that relate
to City Island:
The Shore Road and Hutchinson
River bridges are slated for
$1.4 million in funds this year
with reconstruction to be completed
by 2026.
The Pelham Bay Skate Park,
which is due to be named after
an Islander with funds provided
by Councilman Mark
Gjonaj, is slated for $2.7 million
next year and to be completed
by 2023.
Budget reveals improvements for Rodman’s Neck File photo
Probation offi cers in NYC move from Forest Hills to Westchester Square
BY JASON COHEN
With more than two
dozen of their members
testing positive for
COVID-19, the head of
the Probation Officers
Union is still in the office
most days.
The union representing
Probation Officers
in NYC recently moved
from Forest Hills in
Queens to Westchester
Square, and is led by Dalvanie
Powell, a native
of the Bronx, who is the
first African American
woman to serve as president
of the United Probation
Officers Association.
“Moving to the Bronx
was a fresh start,” Powell
said. “I’m glad we made
the move.”
In 1990 she was elected
as a delegate by her fellow
members and has
since held every position
in the union except treasurer.
She was appointed
president in 2016 and in
2019, ran unopposed and
was elected to a four-year
term. The UPOA represents
over 800 Supervising
Probation Officers
and Probation Officers as
well as over 400 retirees,
which are mostly women
and women of color.
“It’s about trying to
keep individuals out of
the prison system,” Powell
said. “It’s law enforcement
absolutely.”
The union has been
distributing personal
protective equipment
(PPE) to all its members
and is preparing to start
working with folks released
from Rikers Island
amid the pandemic.
So far a total of 30 union
members have tested positive
for COVID-19.
While their office is
closed, they have been
distributing food and
supplies to the public.
Powell said this is an
unprecedented and the
members are checking
in on their clients virtually
to make sure they
are staying on the right
path.
“I have to commend
my members for adjusting,”
she said. “I try to
keep my members as updated
as possible.”
With 26 locations
across five boroughs and
countless clients on probation,
she has her hands
full, especially now during
the crisis.
They help them get
educated, obtain their
GEDs, land jobs, housing,
get mental health
help and any other type of
guidance that is needed.
She also noted that
people often confuse parole
and probation. People
get probation to avoid
incarceration, while parole
is for people when
they leave prison, she
explained. Powell added
that maybe if there were
more community centers
and YMCAs and
less liquor stores in the
Bronx, there might be
less crime.
With two YMCAS
coming to the Bronx this
year, she hopes things
will change.
“We do everything
we can to keep people
out of jail,” Powell commented.
“We should appreciate
life and what we
have. That’s the beautiful
thing, we are about
changing lives and protecting
lives.”
Dalvanie Powell, a native of the Bronx, who is the fi rst African
American woman to serve as president of the United Probation Offi
cers Association Photo courteåsy of Dalvanie Powell,
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