1 2 CITY COUNCIL 3 CITY OF NEW YORK 4 -------------------------------x 5 THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MINUTES 6 of the 7 COMMITTEE ON RULES, PRIVILEGES 8 And ELECTIONS 9 -------------------------------x 10 April 16, 2008 11 Start: 11:32 a.m. Recess: 11:59 a.m. 12 City Hall 13 Council Chambers New York, New York 14 15 B E F O R E: 16 DIANA REYNA Chairperson, 17 18 COUNCIL MEMBERS: Joel Rivera Maria Baez 19 Leroy Comrie Erik Dilan 20 21 22 23 24 LEGAL-EASE COURT REPORTING SERVICES, INC. 17 Battery Place - Suite 1308 25 New York, New York 10004 (800) 756-3410 2 1 2 A P P E A R A N C E S 3 COUNCIL MEMBERS: 4 5 Lewis Fidler Robert Jackson 6 Melinda Katz Michael McMahon 7 David Weprin Vincent Gentile 8 Inez Dickens Daniel Garodnick 9 James Oddo Eric Gioia 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 2 A P P E A R A N C E S (CONTINUED) 3 Loretta E. Prisco 4 Appointee NYC Voter Assistance Commission 5 Reverend Diane Lacey 6 Appointee Member, Board of Directors 7 NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 4 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Good morning. My 3 name is Diana Reyna, and I am the Chair of the 4 Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections. I'd 5 like to apologize to our two candidates here for 6 appointment on our delay. As you can see, we're 7 running between Committee hearings. 8 Before we begin, I would like to 9 introduce my colleagues, members of this Committee 10 who are present here today. 11 Council Member Robert Jackson, 12 Council Member David Weprin, Council Member Inez 13 Dickens, Council Member Leroy Comrie, who is in the 14 back, Council Member Al Vann, Council Member Eric 15 Gioia. 16 To my right, Council Member Vincent 17 Gentile, Council Member Mike McMahon, Council Member 18 Lew Fidler, Council Member Maria Baez, in front of 19 us. 20 Today we have before us two 21 candidates for our review. Reverend Diane Lacey, a 22 resident of Manhattan, is a candidate for 23 redesignation and subsequent reappointment by the 24 Mayor to the Health and Hospitals Corporation Board 25 of Directors. If redesignated and subsequently 5 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 reappointed, Reverend Lacey will serve the remainder 3 of a five-year term that will expire on March 20th, 4 2009. 5 Loretta Prisco, a resident of Staten 6 Island, is a candidate for appointment by the 7 Council to the Voter Assistance Commission. 8 If appointed, she will be eligible to 9 serve for the remainder of a three-year term, that 10 will expire on June 30th, 2008, as well as for a new 11 three-year term, commencing on July 1st, 2008. 12 Ms. Prisco will fill the vacant 13 position formerly held by Elizabeth Sunshine. 14 We will begin with Reverend Lacey for 15 the Health and Hospital Corporation. 16 Health and Hospital Corporation is a 17 Public Benefit Corporation charged with the duty of 18 providing high-quality, dignified and comprehensive 19 health care and treatment to the public, especially 20 to those who cannot afford such services. 21 HHC's Board of Directors consists of 22 16 members who administer HHC, included within the 23 Board's membership, in addition to five ex-officio 24 members are ten appointees of the Mayor, five of 25 whom are designated by the Council for consideration 6 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 by the Mayor. 3 The term of office for directors is 4 five years with a vacancy filled under the terms of 5 original appointment. 6 Directors are not compensated but are 7 reimbursed for actual expenses. 8 Welcome, Reverend Lacey. Will you 9 please raise your right hand and be sworn in by 10 counsel. 11 COUNSEL TO COMMITTEE: Do you swear or 12 affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth and 13 nothing but the truth? 14 REVEREND LACEY: I do. 15 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Reverend Lacey, if 16 you have a comment that you'd like to share, or 17 testimony, please do so now. 18 REVEREND LACEY: Thank you very much. 19 I'd like to just make a brief 20 statement, and also either add in writing, or if you 21 have time, I'd like to add to my answers to 22 questions numbers three and eight, if that's 23 permissible? 24 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Certainly. 25 REVEREND LACEY: Since my first job in 7 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 New York which was in the 1960s, the middle 1960s, I 3 became aware of the critical importance of health 4 care availability, of access to health care for 5 people, especially those were uninsured and unable 6 to pay. 7 And, so, from that time I have been 8 an advocate, and trying to work both in paid and 9 voluntary positions to further the needs of all New 10 Yorkers. 11 I'm particularly happy to be serving 12 on a board of an agency that has the mission 13 statement that the Chairperson expressed, a mission 14 statement that speaks of extending equally to all 15 New Yorkers, regardless of their inability to pay 16 comprehensive health services of the highest 17 quality. 18 And even in the hard times, this 19 mission has been foremost for the Board members of 20 the Health and Hospitals Corporation. And, so, I 21 really feel privileged to be able to serve. 22 Sadly, each budget year, like other 23 agencies, we wait anxiously to see how deep proposed 24 cuts by the federal and the State government will 25 be. And I think it's only the limits of funding that 8 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 limit our ability to do even more advanced, provide 3 even more advanced care. 4 But these days our greatest concerns 5 include not only cost efficiency, but patient safety 6 and patient satisfaction. 7 And, so, I think that we are really 8 pleased to be able to pass our joint commission 9 surveys with very high ratings. And, so, we have 10 seen the quality of health care we're able to 11 provide. Using all the technology that is now 12 available to us, we've been able to move forward. 13 I've submitted answers to the 14 questions that you've asked me, but I wanted to just 15 add to my answers in questions number three and 16 number eight. 17 The question being access to health 18 care, and what steps should the Board of Directors 19 take, if any, to broaden access? 20 We've been very active in all the 21 measures that I've listed here. We've also 22 encouraged the Corporation to continue to support, 23 as the City Council has supported, the array of 24 child health clinics that are spread throughout the 25 five boroughs, and they are providing primary and 9 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 preventive health care, which is broadening again 3 the network of availability throughout the City. 4 Also, you'll be pleased to know, and 5 I'd like to send to your attention the new 6 bulletins, brochures that have been developed by the 7 Corporation, titled HHC options, and it is our 8 Charity care sliding fee scale program and the 9 brochure is now available in about 12 languages. 10 I, myself, serve a church population 11 that is both English speaking and Korean-speaking 12 and so I'm very happy to be able to have that 13 brochure in Korean. 14 And, finally, I just wanted to 15 amplify my answer to question eight, which was how 16 far along is HHC in implementing the electronic 17 health record systems in all its facilities? 18 Actually, it is fully implemented in 19 all facilities and has been so for 15 years, and we 20 are now in the process of soliciting bids to upgrade 21 the electronic health care system with the new 22 technology that is available. 23 That concludes my remarks. 24 ACTING CHAIRPERSON DICKENS: Thank you 25 so much, Reverend Diane Lacey. You're a very good 10 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 friend. 3 Next we will go to Miss Prisco for 4 the Voter Assistance Commission. 5 The Voter Assistance Commission 6 consists of 16 members, seven ex-officio and nine 7 appointed out of the nine appointed members 8 appointed by the City Council. 9 The Charter provides that these nine 10 members be broadly representative of groups 11 underrepresented in the general elections; two, 12 commuter voter registration, civil rights and 13 disabled groups; and, three, the business community. 14 The head of the Commission is elected 15 by its members, members of the Commission serve 16 without compensation for three years. 17 The Commission's mission is to 18 increase voter participation in the democratic 19 process. To achieve this goal, the Commission 20 monitors voter registration and voting in New York 21 City. 22 The Commission also works with 23 Mayoral Agencies, private groups and individuals and 24 community-based organizations, to promote voter 25 registration and voter participation. 11 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 Welcome, Ms. Prisco. Before I ask 3 that you be sworn in, I want to acknowledge my 4 colleagues who have joined us. 5 Council Member Melinda Katz, Council 6 Member Joel Rivera, our Majority Leader, Council 7 Member Erik Dilan, Council Member Dan Garodnick, 8 Council Member Jimmy Oddo, Council Member Leroy 9 Comrie. 10 Ms. Prisco, would you please stand 11 and raise your right hand. 12 COUNSEL TO COMMITTEE: Do you swear or 13 affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth and 14 nothing but the truth? 15 MS. PRISCO: Yes, I do. 16 ACTING CHAIRPERSON DICKENS: Thank you 17 so much. And I want to call upon the Chair of Land 18 Use, Council Member Melinda Katz. 19 COUNCIL MEMBER KATZ: Madam Chair, I 20 want to thank you. My colleagues know how unusual it 21 is for me to ask for this privilege, but I ask for 22 the privilege to vote now on both items? 23 ACTING CHAIRPERSON DICKENS: Yes. 24 COUNCIL MEMBER KATZ: Aye on all. 25 ACTING CHAIRPERSON DICKENS: Thank 12 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 you. 3 Do you have a statement, Ms. Prisco? 4 MS. PRISCO: Very brief. I think that 5 I answered most of my questions that were put to me. 6 I just want to thank you for the 7 opportunity of addressing you, and I can't tell you 8 how pleased and honored, how pleased and honored I 9 am to be asked to serve in this capacity. 10 As a teacher, one of my prime 11 responsibilities was to teach responsibility, the 12 rights and responsibilities of citizenship to the 13 teachers, to the kids that I taught. And I also have 14 a very deep concern for the lack of participation in 15 the voting process. Participation must be maintained 16 in a democracy. 17 As a trainer for the Board of 18 Elections, I also stress the importance of voter 19 assistance. I think that the interaction between the 20 people at the polling place and the voter who walks 21 into the door is really critical. And I hope to do 22 my part. 23 I'm open for questions. Thank you 24 very much. 25 ACTING CHAIRPERSON DICKENS: Thank you 13 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 so much, Ms. Prisco. And if any of my colleagues 3 have any questions, let me know. 4 Council Member McMahon, please. 5 COUNCIL MEMBER McMAHON: Thank you, 6 Acting Madam Chairwoman. I just want to say briefly 7 in regards to Loretta Prisco, first I have to 8 disclose in the spirit of full disclosure I have to 9 disclose that she is my neighbor, lives down the 10 street from me, in a wonderful neighborhood. And I 11 know her as a great neighbor, a great wife and a 12 great mother. But that's not why she's here today 13 and nominated by the Staten Island Delegation. She 14 is here today because she has devoted her life to 15 two things, that if you asked me name someone who 16 has done these two things, I think of her in both 17 categories, first is education. She is not only an 18 educator herself, now an adjunct professor, but a 19 former teacher in the Department of Education, but 20 she is someone who has been an advocate for 21 education and for reducing class size, and for 22 bringing guidance, real, meaningful guidance into 23 the schools, and she is someone who I think you 24 would call a teacher's teacher. 25 And in terms of political action and 14 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 encouraging people to partake in the American 3 political system, she is also the embodiment of that 4 description. 5 And I will say for the record, that 6 in the past on occasion we have not always agreed 7 politically, but what we've always agreed on is that 8 our motives were good, and that her motives are 9 above reproach and I could think of no person whom I 10 know who would be more suited to be on the VAC, and 11 I want to thank her publicly for being willing to do 12 this, because it's not an easy position to fill. You 13 need someone who is passionate about, you know, 14 probably the greatest right we have as Americans, 15 the greatest responsibility we have as Americans, 16 and, yet, it's not realized as often as it should be 17 by the public. 18 So, she will be great in this 19 position. We welcome her here to the City Council 20 today, and we look forward to her now adopting this 21 yet new hat and this new role as a great advocate 22 for the people in the neighborhood and the community 23 in which she lives. And I urge all of my colleagues 24 to vote yes. 25 MS. PRISCO: Thank you for your kind 15 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 words. 3 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: I'd like to 4 introduce Vinnie Ignizio from Staten Island. Council 5 Member Ignizio who was here present with us today. 6 And I'd like to call on Council 7 Member Dickens. 8 COUNCIL MEMBER DICKENS: Thank you so 9 much, Madam Chair. 10 I want to voice my strong support for 11 the renomination of Reverend Diane Lacey to the New 12 York City Health and Hospitals Corporation from the 13 Manhattan Delegation. 14 Reverend Lacey has demonstrated her 15 unremitting support for public health throughout her 16 personal and professional career. 17 She has been an asset to me in my 18 district, and a never-ending fight to ensure that 19 all of our facilities remain and provide the best 20 possible health care for our communities. She has 21 been a strong advocate to remain that HHCs would 22 remain beacons of health and wellness for all 23 communities. She is a tireless proponent of our 24 facilities across the City of New York, and through 25 her background she knows the critical need for 16 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 subsidized care for many people who cannot attain 3 health care through employment or pay out-of-pocket. 4 Last, as a leader in the faith-based 5 community, Reverend Lacey knows the critical and 6 moral connection between our churches and our health 7 facilities and services. 8 The faith community often serves as 9 the bridge and connection between people and need 10 and our City's health facilities. 11 For these reasons, I stand beside 12 Reverend Lacey and strongly support her for this 13 position. I ask my colleagues and urge them for 14 their support for this renomination and I thank the 15 Chair for this time. 16 REVEREND LACEY: Thank you, Council 17 Member. 18 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Thank you, Council 19 Member Dickens. 20 I wanted to comment to Reverend Lacey 21 that there were few words in reference to the lack 22 of funding for services, and it is one that we take 23 very seriously in the Council, and a pure example of 24 the work that this Council has done in achieving 25 breaking barriers in the faith-based communities, on 17 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 the topic of HIV/AIDS, seeing an increase among 3 seniors, an increase amongst married women, women of 4 color, those are all true and growing epidemic. And 5 I know epidemic is a very serious word to use, but 6 when we start looking at the increase of cases, it's 7 one that we should try to assess, and based on need, 8 contribute to the cause. 9 And, so, I know that those comments, 10 along with the many others that you had mentioned in 11 your statement qualify you as a very good candidate 12 for this particular Corporation Board of Directors 13 representing the good of the people for the City of 14 New York. 15 To Ms. Prisco, I apologize that I 16 missed your statement. I had to run in to vote at 17 our Transportation Committee. But the Voter 18 Assistance Commission, I am sure your service to 19 this particular commission will be one that, you 20 know, voters will count on you to provide the 21 fullest extent possible making sure that we bring 22 our Board of Election to the 21st Century, and 23 making sure that not one individual goes unnoticed 24 when we're talking about the needs of the public 25 being met and their particular right to be insisting 18 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 on taking part in the electoral process. 3 So, thank you for your service. I 4 know that it's very difficult for us to appoint 5 members of the public, especially when you're giving 6 of your time, many instances free, and so your 7 service is very important to the City of New York. 8 Thank you. 9 MS. PRISCO: Thank you very much. 10 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Absolutely. 11 Without further delays, I have 12 Council Member Oddo who would like to ask a 13 question. 14 COUNCIL MEMBER ODDO: Thank you, Madam 15 Chair. 16 Reverend Lacey, let me just begin by 17 thanking you for your service on the HHC Board and 18 for everything that you do every day for this City. 19 I will absolutely be supporting your 20 reappointment. Your resume and your reputation speak 21 for themselves, on top of which today is Inez 22 Dickens's day here in the City Council, when she 23 speaks highly of someone, we all listen. 24 Inez as a friend has helped me 25 achieve certain things, so I want to ask you to help 19 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 me and help Council Member McMahon and Ignizio. And 3 I'm going to ask you a question and it's going to 4 come across as a little bit snarky, perhaps a little 5 sarcastic. Do not take it as any disrespect to you, 6 but you are my partner in this dialogue. 7 Can you please name for me the five 8 boroughs in the City of New York? 9 REVEREND LACEY: May I start with 10 Staten Island? 11 COUNCIL MEMBER ODDO: Thank you. 12 REVEREND LACEY: Brooklyn, Queens, 13 Bronx, Manhattan. 14 COUNCIL MEMBER ODDO: Thank you, 15 Reverend. 16 That's the first time, in a very long 17 time in these four walls that anyone associated with 18 HHC has honestly acknowledged that there are in fact 19 five boroughs in the City. Council Member McMahon, 20 Council Member Ignizio, Council Member Ignizio's 21 predecessor, Council Member Lanza, now Senator 22 Lanza, myself, have literally had veins popping our 23 of our heads in this building, in this room, trying 24 to get your colleagues at HHC to recognize in fact 25 that there are five boroughs in this community. 20 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 We do not have a public hospital on 3 Staten Island, and we lose services, whether they're 4 colonoscopy services, mammography services, and we 5 are so frustrated. We are beyond our wits end to get 6 your colleagues to understand that we have an 7 underserved and underinsured and uninsured 8 population that are completely underserved in our 9 borough. So, I would just ask you, in supporting 10 your renomination, on every occasion from the 11 President, to Laray Brown, to every other Board 12 member, just remember Staten Island. Please help us. 13 We're not looking for anything other than equality, 14 and we are far from it today. Thank you. 15 REVEREND LACEY: May I respond? 16 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Of course, 17 Reverend Lacey. 18 REVEREND LACEY: Councilman, I feel 19 your pain. But I think that we do have to be 20 partners in understanding that it has been at least 21 a decade or more when we have struggled mightily to 22 keep hospitals open at a time when the State surveys 23 recommend the closing of hospitals, when the federal 24 dollars are cut time and time again, and when their 25 lacks the desire or the understanding of the 21 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 importance of the role of the hospital and hospital 3 beds as part of the centerpiece of a quality 4 healthcare system. 5 So, I certainly, as I said, I feel 6 your pain. We struggled over the years in Harlem to 7 keep hospitals open against tireless anger and 8 aggressive attempts which were some successful to 9 close hospitals. 10 But there is no doubt that Staten 11 Island needs a hospital and I surely, with your help 12 and the partnerships that we have across this City 13 and State, are going to continue to work to see that 14 you have that hospital. 15 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Thank you, 16 Reverend Lacey. 17 And I just wanted to reiterate, you 18 know, the resounding words of Council Member Oddo, 19 and the Staten Island Delegation, frankly, who does 20 a very good job of making sure that every member in 21 this body remembers Staten Island in the order that 22 you had just referred to, and that for a borough to 23 go unnoticed for the public needs of health care is 24 unacceptable. 25 And, so, we hope and expect that your 22 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 role in the Board of Directors will continue every 3 other agenda to raise the issue of Staten Island. 4 Thank you. 5 REVEREND LACEY: I swear I will do 6 that. 7 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Thank you. 8 Council Member Dickens would like to 9 say a few words. 10 COUNCIL MEMBER DICKENS: Thank you so 11 much. 12 I join with my colleagues from Staten 13 Island, Reverend Lacey, with Council Members Oddo, 14 Ignizio and McMahon, for the need, the dire need for 15 Staten Island to have an HHC facility, an acute care 16 facility. 17 The residents -- 18 REVEREND LACEY: I certainly support 19 that. 20 COUNCIL MEMBER DICKENS: Please. The 21 residents of Staten Island have to come off of the 22 Island in order to get certain testing done to 23 receive acute care, and that's not fair. They, too, 24 pay taxes. So, I join with them strongly. And ask 25 that you please be as strong an advocate for Staten 23 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 Island as you have been for Harlem. 3 Thank you. 4 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Thank you, Council 5 Member Dickens. If there are no final comments or 6 questions, I would like to call for a vote. 7 COUNCIL CLERK: Reyna. 8 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: I vote aye 9 proudly. Thank you. 10 COUNCIL CLERK: Rivera. 11 (No response.) 12 COUNCIL CLERK: Baez. 13 COUNCIL MEMBER BAEZ: Aye on all. 14 COUNCIL CLERK: Comrie. 15 COUNCIL MEMBER COMRIE: Aye on both. 16 COUNCIL CLERK: Dilan. 17 COUNCIL MEMBER DILAN: Aye on all. 18 COUNCIL CLERK: Fidler. 19 COUNCIL MEMBER FIDLER: Aye on all. 20 COUNCIL CLERK: Jackson. 21 COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON: Aye on both. 22 COUNCIL CLERK: McMahon. 23 COUNCIL MEMBER McMAHON: Aye on both. 24 COUNCIL CLERK: Weprin. 25 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: Aye on both. 24 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 COUNCIL CLERK: Gentile. 3 COUNCIL MEMBER GENTILE: Can I, Madam 4 Chair, explain my vote? 5 Okay, I think I can. All right? 6 I just want to congratulate both 7 nominees, but particularly Loretta Prisco, someone 8 I've known for many, many years. And thank you for 9 your service and volunteering your time on this 10 Commission. And I can't think of anyone better 11 qualified to be in the Voter Assistance Commission. 12 So, congratulations. 13 I vote aye. 14 COUNCIL CLERK: Dickens. 15 COUNCIL MEMBER DICKENS: Aye on both. 16 COUNCIL CLERK: Garodnick. 17 COUNCIL MEMBER GARODNICK: I vote aye. 18 COUNCIL CLERK: Oddo. 19 COUNCIL MEMBER ODDO: Yes. 20 COUNCIL CLERK: Okay, the vote stands 21 at 13 in affirmative, no negative, no abstentions. 22 Motion passes. 23 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: We have other 24 members, including the Speaker, who are on their way 25 up. I'd like to leave the vote open. 25 1 RULES, PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS 2 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: The Finance 3 Committee will continue in this room right after. 4 Immediately. 5 CHAIRPERSON REYNA: Congratulations to 6 the two appointees. 7 COUNCIL CLERK: Council Member Rivera. 8 COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA: I vote aye. 9 COUNCIL CLERK: The vote now stands at 10 15 in the affirmative. 11 (Hearing concluded at 11:59 a.m.) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 1 2 CERTIFICATION 3 4 5 STATE OF NEW YORK ) 6 COUNTY OF NEW YORK ) 7 8 9 I, LENORE NAGLE, do hereby certify 10 that the foregoing is a true and accurate transcript 11 of the within proceeding. 12 I further certify that I am not 13 related to any of the parties to this action by 14 blood or marriage, and that I am in no way 15 interested in the outcome of this matter. 16 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto 17 set my hand this 16th day of April 2008. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 --------------------- 25 LENORE NAGLE 27 1 2 C E R T I F I C A T I O N 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 I, LENORE NAGLE, do hereby certify the 10 aforesaid to be a true and accurate copy of the 11 transcription of the audio tapes of this hearing. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 ----------------------- LENORE NAGLE 23 24 25