Public Testimony

The New York City Council, the law-making body of the City of New York, holds oversight hearings to determine how agency programs are working, and whether budgeted funds are being well spent. Parks is regularly asked to testify at these hearings to help share information about our parks, facilities, and programs

2010

Date	Committee(s) of the Council, or Other	Topic	Testimony By
Tuesday, April 27, 2010	Parks	Oversight - Parks Department Concessions and the Award Process and Introduction Number 21-2010 (identifying location of concessions within a park)	Betsy Smith, Assistant Commissioner for Revenue and Marketing Download (PDF, 143 KB)
Thursday, April 15, 2010	Parks	Introduction Number 123 of 2010 (Surface areas of playgrounds and playing fields)	Thérèse Braddick, Deputy Commissioner for Capital Projects Download (PDF, 108 KB)
Thursday, April 15, 2010	Environmental Protection	Oversight - Invasive Species Control in New York City	Michael Feller, Chief Naturalist Download (PDF, 154 KB)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010	Parks	Fiscal Year 2011 Preliminary Budget	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 125 KB)
Tuesday, February 23, 2010	Parks	Introduction Number 4 of 2010 (replacement of trees)	Fiona Watt, Assistant Commissioner for Forestry and Horticulture Download (PDF, 99 KB)

2009

Date	Committee(s) of the Council, or Other	Topic	Testimony By
Tuesday, November 24, 2009	Waterfronts	Oversight – Improving Public Recreational Boating Access in the New York City Waterfront	Dorothy Lewandowski, Queens Borough Commissioner; and Keith Kerman, Assistant Commissioner for Operations Download (PDF, 255 KB)
Monday, November 23, 2009	Parks & Recreation, Mental Health	Oversight – Are Parks Serving All People? An Update on Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities	Nancy Barthold, Assistant Commissioner for Recreation & Programming Download (PDF, 265 KB)
Friday, October 30, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Introduction Number 1083–A (requiring local representation on park conservancies)	Tupper Thomas, Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Partnerships Download (PDF, 243 KB)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009	Parks & Recreation, Civil Rights	Oversight – Update: Going Forward After Wright vs. Stern	Robert Garafola, Deputy Commissioner for Management and Budget Download (PDF, 251 KB)
Thursday, September 24, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Introduction Number 1047 (replacement of trees)	Fiona Watt, Assistant Commissioner for Forestry and Horticulture Download (PDF, 240 KB)
Wednesday, June 24, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Oversight: Update on Community Gardens	Jack Linn, Assistant Commissioner and Senior Counselor Download (PDF, 245 KB)
Thursday, May 21, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Introduction Number 916 (regulating removal of tree from private property); and Introduction Number 927 (unlawful damage or removal of trees within a Special Natural Area District)	Michael Schnall, Director of Government Relations Download (PDF, 227 KB)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009	Finance, Parks & Recreation	Fiscal Year 2010 Executive Budget	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 247 KB)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Status of Yankee Stadium Replacement Parks	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 244 KB)
Thursday, April 23, 2009	Parks & Recreation, Cultural Affairs	Oversight - Challenges Preserving New York's Living Collections	Robert Garafola, Deputy Commissioner for Management and Budget Download (PDF, 230 KB)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Fiscal Year 2010 Preliminary Budget	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 262 KB)
Tuesday, March 03, 2009	Parks & Recreation, Transportation, Governmental Operations	Street Trees and Sidewalks: Assessing the Parks and Recreation Pilot Program and Considering City Liability	Fiona Watt, Assistant Commissioner for Forestry and Horticulture Download (PDF, 247 KB)
Monday, February 09, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Introduction 739 of 2008 (Prohibiting the use of certain synthetic turf on surfaces used for recreational purposes); Introduction 896 of 2008 (Requiring signage warning of heat dangers of playground mats); and Introduction 918 of 2009 (Surface Areas of Playgrounds and Playing Fields)	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 243 KB)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Oversight: From Conception to Completion: Overview of a Parks Capital Project	Therese Braddick, Deputy Commissioner for Capital Projects Download (PDF, 244 KB)

2008

Date	Committee(s) of the Council, or Other	Topic	Testimony By
Wednesday, November 12, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Status of MillionTreesNYC	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner; and Fiona Watt, Assistant Commissioner for Forestry and Horticulture Download (PDF, 261 KB)
Friday, October 24, 2008	Parks & Recreation, Civil Rights	Oversight– Going Forward After Wright v. Stern: How to Ensure No Future Discrimination in the Parks Department	Robert Garafola, Deputy Commissioner for Management and Budget Download (PDF, 239 KB)
Monday, September 22, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Status of the Possible Athletic Fields on Randall's Island	William Castro, Manhattan Borough Commissioner Download (PDF, 258 KB)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008	Sub–committee on Landmarks, Public Siting, and Maritime Uses	High Line Park	Michael Bradley, High Line Administrator Download (PDF, 258 KB)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Status of Yankee Stadium Replacement Parks	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 244 KB)
Thursday, June 19, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Highland Park and Ridgewood Reservoir: A discussion on the restoration and enhancement of a community resource	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 226 KB)
Thursday, June 12, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Introduction 699A (provision of an annual report on funding for New York City parks)	Michael Schnall, Director of Government Relations Download (PDF, 222 KB)
Thursday, May 22, 2008	Finance, Parks & Recreation	Executive Budget Hearings for Fiscal Year 2009	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 247 KB)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Introduction Number 699 (requiring the Mayor to provide an annual report of funding and/or goods and services by non-governmental entities to New York City parks)	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 244 KB)
Friday, April 18, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Introduction Number 677 (prohibiting objects containing glass packaging or containers on or within 150 feet of a beach)	Kevin Jeffrey, Deputy Commissioner for Public Programs; and Betsy Smith, Assistant Commissioner for Revenue and Marketing Download (PDF, 239 KB)
Tuesday, April 15, 2008	Subcommittee on Zoning & Franchises	Hearing on Street Trees Text Amendment	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 231 KB)
Thursday, March 19, 2009	Parks & Recreation	Preliminary Budget Hearings for Fiscal Year 2009	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 244 KB)
Wednesday, March 12, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Introduction 674A (requiring the city of New York to prune trees, bushes and other vegetation that obstruct traffic control signals or devices)	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 229 KB)
Thursday, February 14, 2008	Sanitation & Solid Waste Management	Oversight – the results of the pilot program conducted by the Department Sanitation to collect recyclable material from public areas; and Intro. No. 673 (in relation to establishing a one-year pilot program for recycling in certain parks)	Keith Kerman, Chief of Operations Download (PDF, 226 KB)
Monday, February 11, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Introduction 674 (requiring NYC to prune trees that block traffic signs or signals within three days of notification)	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 231 KB)
Monday, February 11, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Tree Planting, Tree Pruning, and other Greening Programs	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner; and Fiona Watt, Chief of Forestry Download (PDF, 254 KB)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Crime Prevention and Safety Issues in City Parks	Kevin Jeffrey, Deputy Commissioner for Public Programs Download (PDF, 237 KB)

2007

Date	Committee(s) of the Council, or Other	Topic	Testimony By
Wednesday, December 19, 2007	New York City Planning Commission	Street Tree Text Amendment	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 227 KB)
Thursday, December 13, 2007	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – The Use of Artificial Turf in City Parks	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 263 KB)
Tuesday, November 13, 2007	Parks & Recreation	Oversight: The Department of Parks and Recreation's Lifeguard Program	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 244 KB)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Parks Department Concessions and the Award Process	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 81 KB)
Friday, October 19, 2007	Environmental Protection	Wetlands Transfer Task Force Recommendations	Bill Tai, Director of the Natural Resources Group Download (PDF, 30 KB)
Wednesday, October 03, 2007	Waterfronts	Oversight: All the Angles: Fishing in New York Harbor – Consumption, Conservation, and Commercial Fishing	Kevin Jeffrey, Deputy Commissioner for Public Programs Download (PDF, 226 KB)
Monday, September 24, 2007	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Community Gardens and Operation of Green Thumb	Jack Linn, Assistant Commissioner and Senior Counselor Download (PDF, 61 KB)
Tuesday, September 04, 2007	Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting & Maritime Uses	Barretto Point Park	Joshua Laird, Assistant Commissioner for Planning Download (PDF, 224 KB)
Thursday, June 14, 2007	Parks & Recreation, Waterfronts	Oversight – From Industrial Uses to Parkland: Adapting the Waterfront	Joshua Laird, Assistant Commissioner for Planning Download (PDF, 61 KB)
Thursday, June 07, 2007	State and Federal Legislation	Fresh Kills Park	Eloise Hirsh, Adminstrator of Fresh Kills Park Download (PDF, 41 KB)
Thursday, May 17, 2007	Finance, Parks & Recreation	Executive Budget Hearings for Fiscal Year 2008	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 69 KB)
Wednesday, April 11, 2007	Environmental Protection	Oversight: The use of biofuels in New York City: opportunities and obstacles	Keith Kerman, Chief of Operations Download (PDF, 44 KB)
Thursday, March 01, 2007	Parks & Recreation	Oversight: The City's PLANYC 2030 sustainability goal to ensure that all New Yorkers live within a 10–minute walk of a park and how best to achieve it.	Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner Download (PDF, 50 KB)
Monday, February 26, 2007	Environmental Protection	Introduction 505 (Extension of Wetlands Transfer Task Force)	Bill Tai, Director of the Natural Resources Group Download (PDF, 213 KB)
Wednesday, January 31, 2007	Parks & Recreation	Oversight on the status of the possible exclusive use of the athletic fields on Randall&s Island by NYC Private Schools	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 59 KB)
Tuesday, January 16, 2007	Waterfronts	Oversight – Managing the Erosion of City Beach Properties	Dorothy Lewandowski, Queens Borough Commissioner Download (PDF, 238 KB)

2006

Date	Committee(s) of the Council, or Other	Topic	Testimony By
Tuesday, December 19, 2006	Parks & Recreation	Oversight – Greener NY: A Look into Parks' Tree Planting Strategy and Other Greening Programs	Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Download (PDF, 82 KB)
Tuesday, October 31, 2006	Veterans	Introduction 230 of 2006	Jack Linn, Assistant Commissioner and Senior Counselor Download (PDF, 46 KB)
Thursday, October 12, 2006	Parks & Recreation, Mental Health	Wheelchair Accessibility in New York City Parks	Nancy Barthold, Assistant Commissioner for Recreation and Programming Download (PDF, 60 KB)
Wednesday, September 20, 2006	Parks & Recreation, Waterfronts	Marinas and Public Boat Landings	Keith Kerman, Chief of Operations Download (PDF, 61 KB)
Thursday, September 07, 2006	Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting & Martime	Landmark Designation of Astoria Pool and Orchard Beach	John Krawchuk, Director of Historic Preservation Download (PDF, 220 KB)
Wednesday, August 16, 2006	Environmental Protection	Preconsidered Introduction (Extension of Wetlands Transfer Task Force)	Bill Tai, Director of the Natural Resources Group Download (PDF, 42 KB)