I'm sure that we all remember the game "telephone". Each time that the message is passed along, there is a bit more distortion not to mention delay. My other concern is that Bloomberg is a lame duck mayor. I don't know how much time is left in his term. There would be a delay in appointing a new commissioner and bringing him/her up to speed. The expertise lies with us (especially Gene, Annalyn and Ken). If there is a diplomatic way to work with Matt as, say, a facilitator, that may stroke his ego and smooth things out for us. However, I think that we must maintain control.
Maria----- Original Message ----- From: "Ellen Rubin" <ellenr5@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 9:38 AM Subject: [passcoalition] Re: Update, Matt
Like Maria and Ray I am concerned about allowing Mat to take the lead with DOT rather then PASS being the leader. Is there a diplomatic way to maintain our leadership on the issue of Safe Streets for those of us who are blind or low vision?Ellen At 07:37 PM 2/11/2011, you wrote:I agree with Maria's concerns. I think we need to give Matt the benefit of the doubt; that is, take him at his word, but keep the doubt in the back of our minds. I think he is committed to addressing our concerns. That said, his influence is probably limited, and we have no idea if he will have further health issues. So my bottom line is that we should proceed, but do so with caution.Ray ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maria Hansen" <mhansen1@xxxxxxx> To: unknown <passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Friday, Feb 11, 2011 13:29:23 Subject: [passcoalition] Re: Update, Matt > > > Karen, > I, for one, am a bit skeptical. Working with Matt may be finebut having him be the lead or point person on our side may not be the best thing for us.> It may be a bad precedent to have the Mayor's Office for PeopleWith Disabilities be our spokesperson. We do not know who the Commissioner will be under the next administration and Matt has serious health problems.> I think that we should diplomatically work with him but retainour position which we have been working hard to establish with DOT. PASS should take the lead and we welcome Matt's support.> Maria > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Karen Gourgey > To: passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 10:10 AM > Subject: [passcoalition] Update, Matt > > > Hi All, > > > > Got a call from Commissioner Sapolin yesterday. He is anxiousto move forward with adapting the prioritization tool. Also, he asked pretty directly that we work with him and that we and his office approach DOT as a united front. He has asked for a meeting next Wednesday with me and Gene to work out the tool and then strategize on a way forward. I also received the famous list of aps requests that DOT has. They sent it to Matt, and then he sent it to me. (and, I can't send it out till Monday due to a network outage at Baruch today.) Matt said in our conversation that he's committed to moving on the other issues we have, but that he wants to get a little traction on the APS's first, and he asks us to try this strategy with him. I told him I for one would be willing to try this. I think his idea is to present some places for DOT to start and just keep feeding them direction .> > So, are you all willing to have us try to work with him? Heseems really to want to try and seems to be asking us to give his way a chance. Please let me know what you think Also, that meeting is 2:00, possibly running till 4:00. Does anyone have an interest in coming?> > > > Thanks and talk soon. > > > > Karen > > > > > > Karen > > Karen, > I, for one, am a bit skeptical. Working with Matt may be finebut having him be the lead or point person on our side may not be the best thing for us.> It may be a bad precedent to have the Mayor's Office for PeopleWith Disabilities be our spokesperson. We do not know who the Commissioner will be under the next administration and Matt has serious health problems.> I think that we should diplomatically work with him but retainour position which we have been working hard to establish with DOT. PASS should take the lead and we welcome Matt's support.> Maria > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Karen Gourgey > To: passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 10:10 AM > Subject: [passcoalition] Update, Matt > > > Hi All, > > Got a call from Commissioner Sapolin yesterday. He is anxious tomove forward with adapting the prioritization tool. Also, he asked pretty directly that we work with him and that we and his office approach DOT as a united front. He has asked for a meeting next Wednesday with me and Gene to work out the tool and then strategize on a way forward. I also received the famous list of aps requests that DOT has. They sent it to Matt, and then he sent it to me. (and, I can't send it out till Monday due to a network outage at Baruch today.) Matt said in our conversation that he's committed to moving on the other issues we have, but that he wants to get a little traction on the APS's first, and he asks us to try this strategy with him. I told him I for one would be willing to try this. I think his idea is to present some places for DOT to start and just keep feeding them direction .> So, are you all willing to have us try to work with him? Heseems really to want to try and seems to be asking us to give his way a chance. Please let me know what you think Also, that meeting is 2:00, possibly running till 4:00. Does anyone have an interest in coming?> > Thanks and talk soon. > > Karen > > > Karen
