Who Speaks For Rockaway?
The question above is not a frivolous one. Its answer could well decide the future of the Rockaway peninsula. We have our elected representatives, of course, and we chose them because we believe that they will do best for the public, both individually and collectively. While that is not always the case, our Constitution gives them the right to make those decisions. There are others, who are not elected yet are making decisions that greatly effect the community. One such organization is Community Board 14. The members of that board are selected by the borough president and by our representatives in the Assembly. One could argue that such as selection gives them credibility, but we believe that they are chosen more for their loyalty to the ideas of those politicians that their loyalty to their constituent groups. There are other organizations such as the RDRC that are given funds to revitalize and develop the peninsula. There is little oversight over what they do and little public discussion about the group’s decisions. Later this month, the Newman Institute of Real Estate will be holding a day of discussion on the "New Queens." One of the panels at this seminar will discuss the future of Rockaway and a number of people from Rockaway have been asked to take part in the discussions. Those people will be "representing" Rockaway without portfolio, yet they will be listened to when decisions are made. Many of those people are good people, with Rockaway interests at heart. Does that give them the right to speak for Rockaway? That, is the question!
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