Help Decide How to Spend $1 Million in Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights

BED-STUY and CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN, NY — Starting this Friday, Councilman Robert Cornegy, who represents both Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights, will start taking suggestions on how his office should spend $1 million.

The conversation will kick off the 2017 participatory budgeting process, through which members of the City Council let their constituents decide which community projects should be funded using a pot of money each councilmember controls.

Friday's event will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Restoration Plaza, located at 1368 Fulton St. It will feature a discussion of participatory budgeting, as well as a brainstorming session where projects can be proposed.

According to Cornegy's office, the councilman is also looking to recruit volunteers who will help lead future community meetings on participatory budgeting, collect ideas, and work with city officials to select the final list of projects that will be put up for a vote next April.

Going forward, residents will also be able to submit project proposals online (a website where that can be done will go live tomorrow, according to Cornegy's staff).

Robert Cornegy's district. Image via City Council

Cornegy's staffers provided a list of the five projects funded through the 2016 participatory budgeting process, totaling $1.588 million in support. They are:

• $350,000 for upgrades to the multi-purpose room and auditorium at the Marcy branch of the Brooklyn Public Library
• $70,000 for about 70 laptops for P.S. 59
• $248,000 for 4 science carts for Bedford-Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School
• $320,000 for 8 smartboards at five area public schools
• And $600,000 to resurface two basketball courts in Brower Park

You can find more information on 2016's winners below, courtesy of Cornegy's office:

Top image courtesy of 401(K) 2012/Flickr