October 31 Deadline to Take the Manhattan Community Board 4 (MCB4) Community District Needs Survey | As of late, the individual committees of CB4 have shared a common Agenda Item: Consider the most pressing needs of the community for improved government services and capital investment. Their work (specifically, a letter generated by the Executive Committee) comes up for review by the full membership at Wed. Nov. 1’s Full Board Meeting. That makes Oct. 31 your last chance to take the Survey online, and have your opinions reflected when CB4 emerges with their Statement of District Needs. You can view MCB4’s previous Statement by clicking here. Doing so will make you a more informed respondent, when you answer the call to add your voice to CB4’s online District Needs Survey (click here to take the survey). Pro Tip: Consider what occurs to you as the top three issues facing the community board’s district (that’s the Chelsea/Clinton and Hell’s Kitchen areas; only those who live/work there are asked to fill out the survey, which provides a myriad of responses for the “issues” questions, and allows for your anonymity).

The Full Board Meeting of Manhattan Community Board 4 (CB4)—A Hybrid Event at 6:30pm on Wednesday, November 1: Online via Zoom & YouTube and In-Person at the Hotel Trades Council (305 W. 44th St. btw. 8th & 9th Aves.) | The first day of November also happens to be the first Wednesday the month–the traditional spot on the calendar when the full membership of CB4 convenes. Click here to view agenda items for the Nov. 1 meeting. Generated by the individual committees of CB4, letters (each one assigned an Agenda Item) articulate their position on a matter, and/or appeal to the recipient to take certain actions. Well-vetted by the time they reach the full board, committee letters are often voted on favorably. Sometimes, a letter will be approved pending changes the Board has just discussed; and in rare cases, letters will be sent back to committee for more work.  But that’s not all. Just as lively are the meeting’s other featured elements: Updates from elected officials or their reps, and a Public Session that lets you speak directly to the Board (uninterrupted and usually for 2 minutes).

The Nov. 1 meeting is expected to begin with an appearance by the Commanding Officer of the NYPD’s Midtown North Precinct. It’s part of an ongoing segment that sees CB4 rotate top leadership from every precinct within its area of coverage. Expect the CO to discuss the latest crime stats particular to Midtown North–and expect that as well as other comments to elicit a few follow-up questions from Board membership. Following that, a Public Hearing allows members of the, well, public to speak regarding CB4’s Statement of District Needs and Budget Requests for Fiscal Year 2025. Sign up to speak at the Public Hearing by clicking here. Later, the Board itself takes up the matter–in the form of Agenda Item 18, a letter generated by the Executive Committee.

To register for the meeting and view it via Zoom, click here. To view the live stream via CB4’s well-curated YouTube channel, click here. Note: Zoom registration allows you to sign up for a slot in the Public Session. Early sign-up to speak closes at 4pm on the day of the meeting. Those who do not sign up by 4pm can raise their virtual hands using the raise hand function through Zoom (*9 by phone) once the public session starts, with a 5-minute grace period. There will also be a sign-up sheet at the meeting for those attending in person. To attend the meeting via phone, the call-in number is 646-518-9805 (when prompted, the Webinar ID s 986 0945 5541). For info about all things CB4, you’ll find it on their website, which can be reached by clicking here. Can’t attend in real time? View it at your convenience, via CB4’s YouTube channel (click here).