Dear Neighbors,
The unsigned letter distributed throughout the coop since Thanksgiving is more than an attempt to damage our campaign — it’s a challenge to your conscience.
The authors of this attack want you to be afraid, or confused, or disgusted. Ask yourself, is this the best argument they can make for why the incumbents should be returned to office again? And, if it is, why not sign their names? To ask the question is to answer it.
We will not be intimidated by slander, and neither should you.
- Jim Keenan and Mike Turner are real estate professionals, and both agreed to and signed an unprecedented conflict of interest statement written by East River’s corporate counsel.
- Mike does not list with AirBnB or any other service and has never sublet his apt.
- Jim’s issue with Stuy Town is a private matter with his family and has no bearing on the coop.
Our campaign has been based on policy disagreements, not personal ones.
- We believe the current board majority is increasing our debt at a dangerous rate. The coop now owes $25,000,000 — that’s a $15,000 maintenance increase for each of you that the board just hasn’t told you about yet.
- We want security taken more seriously. Last week’s rape at the East River bandshell is a wake-up call to repair broken locks, security cameras, and lights around our property, and to crack down on deliverymen who keep keys to the coop.
- We think the recent change in sublease policy will dramatically reduce our income as owners are encouraged to rent instead of sell. The policy needs to be reexamined.
Do not let yourself be manipulated by anonymous smears. Vote to reaffirm the guiding principles of cooperative living.
Cooperatively yours,
James Keenan
Faith Schreier
Julian Swearengin
Mike Turner
P.S. It’s not too late to counter hateful anonymous attacks with open-minded, respectful policy-making. You can still vote! Come to the annual meeting on Tuesday at 7:30 pm, or return a general proxy to one of us or our delegates before then.
What anonymous smears? Is it a smear when a real estate broker, who has $$$$ to gain by showing prospective cooperators apartments and then taking a % and ultimately approving who buys apartments, and conceals fact he is real estate broker? And why the glee about Sheldon Silver? He did more good for this neighborhood than all of the anonymous CY zealots will do in their lives. I’m not commenting on his case because I wasn’t there, but dancing on someone’s grave is really bad karma.
There was an unsigned letter that’s been mailed around and slipped under doors calling Jim and Mike criminals. That’s what an anonymous smear looks like.
When Jim was on the board previously, he voluntarily excused himself from all sales approvals — not just the ones he was involved with, but all of them. This time around, he and Mike were asked to sign a conflict of interest statement written by the coop’s attorney to ensure the same responsible behavior. As long as that is taken care of, having a real estate professional who knows the market on the board would be a good thing.
By the way, I’m glad you found our site, you’re asking good questions — I hope you don’t mind me taking the time to answer the ones I can.
Why would they have to be “asked” to sign a conflict of interest statement? If you are ethical, then you know that by being someone who both sells apartments and sits on a board that approves the buyers, you’d have to be brain-dead to not see this as a conflict of interest. I didn’t have to sign a paper saying I won’t cheat on my husband or beat up my kids — I know it’s wrong. I don’t believe that, prior to being asked to sign a conflict of interest document, Mr. Keenan refused to show apartments when he last sat on the board. Mr. Turner introduced himself to my family and never revealed the fact that he sold real estate. I think that’s “lying by omission.” Just as bad as lying by co-mission. I will also always question why your group has to run as a block, has tricked at least a few old people who couldn’t define “proxy vote” if you held a gun to their heads, into signing over their votes, last year to Lee Berman, and this year, probably at a lesser rate because they were being watched. And the older woman who was added to the block — I am anything but stupid, and I have to ask myself why she is part of this block-of-four and the only logical answer, (and I know her), is that she has been duped into this because she has been embraced by your group, and is a perfect weapon to get some of the old-timers to vote for your block. I believe some of you have the co-op’s best interests at heart, and I believe others of you are in it to get the old-timers out, make a fortune through real estate dealings, create an environment that is for an age group of 30-54 with families. I love families. I have a big family. But I know there are single people who live here, people with no kids, grown kids, etc. and they have a right to be considered as well. I also think that the formation of your group had to have been clandestine because I was never invited to anything other than an ice-cream social to “meet my neighbors.” From what I understand, many of the key meetings are held in the apartments of a few people and you are no different than any other political group – you want what you want, and favors are handed out on the basis of what one has done for the party.
Well said!
Thank you whoever put out this paper.. the only one that deserves to be put under our doors.. CY are a bunch of liars and cheaters and i love that someone stood up and said the truth….. they want to kill our co- op, they should move!
Self-dealing is something we should all be aware of. Glad none of that has ever happened here!
If there’s substance behind the accusations, they should not be made anonymously. It’s a simple matter of ethics. Mike, Julian and James can’t defend themselves. You have the right to face your accuser.