Last year, for the first time, City Council Member Stephen Levin invited public suggestions for local projects on which to spend $1 million in discretionary funds, then held a plebiscite to determine the winners. This year there will be another round of “participatory budgeting,” and CM Levin has asked the Brooklyn Heights Association to solicit volunteers to serve on the District Steering Committee for the 2013-14 cycle of Participatory Budgeting. His office sends the following information:
The District Steering Committee oversees and guides the PB process across the District. It will meet 6-9 times between August 2013 and May 2014. The first meeting for the 2013-2014 cycle will be on Tuesday, August 27th (details below), where we will discuss and decide on the rules and structure for the next year’s process. During each subsequent phase of the process, the Steering Committee will be responsible for making key decisions about issues that arise. Prior to the District Committee meeting we will also hold two informational sessions to give an overview of the project and answer any questions you may have.
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If you are interested in participating in the Steering Committee, we ask that you or someone else from your organization join us at one of two Informational Sessions of the 2013-2014 cycle.
The informational sessions will be held at these locations and times:
1. YWCA, 30 Third Avenue, Boerum Hill, Thursday, August 8 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
2. Polish Slavic Center, 176 Java Street, Greenpoint, Monday, August 19, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
There will also be a condensed third info session at Borough Hall, followed by the first meeting of the District Steering Committee, on Tuesday, August 7th from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
If you would like to attend any of the informational sessions, or have any questions, please contact Lisa Bloodgood at lbloodgood@council.nyc.gov or (718) 875-5200. There’s more information about participatory budgeting here.
