Editor’s Note: Over the past several weeks, the Staten Island Ferry schedule has been changed at the last minute several times, stranding many commuters who rely on it for transportation back to Staten Island.
The managers of the Ferry have stated it is due to staffing shortages and beyond their control. The union has also stated that this is not organized by them, and is not a result of contract negotiations. Rather it is a result of many specialized crew members, such as captains, being out sick due to illness.
Staten Island Elected Officials’ Joint Statement on S.I. Ferry Disruptions
“The recent disruptions in Staten Island Ferry service are no longer isolated cases. The disruptions have become systemic. This leads us to believe that the matter needs to be resolved at the negotiating table. The Staten Island Ferry is a vital transportation service for tens of thousands of Staten Island residents. We do not want our ferry commuters to continue to be “collateral damage” in this process. It’s the commuters who are suffering from a situation over which they neither have power nor responsibility.”
Staten Island Borough President Vito J. Fossella
Congressmember Nicole Malliotakis
Assemblymember Michael Reilly
Assemblymember Michael Cusick
Assemblymember Charles Fall
Senator Andrew Lanza
Councilmember Kamillah Hanks
Councilmember David Carr
Banner Image: View from the Staten Island Ferry. Image Credit – Documerica
BP Vito Fossella
The Office of the Borough President has a responsibility to advocate for the entire Borough of Staten Island and all its residents, and represents the Borough's interests within City government. The Borough President communicates directly with the Mayor and the City Council to emphasize Staten Island’s budget priorities. In addition, the Borough President is responsible for reviewing major land use decisions and proposing sites for city facilities within the Borough. As the chair of the Borough Board, the Borough President leads Staten Island’s City Council delegation and Community Board chairs in the process of reviewing and approving the transfer of public properties to private use. The Borough President’s Office houses the Borough's Topographical Bureau, which maintains the borough’s official maps and assigns street addresses. The Borough President monitors the delivery of city services on Staten Island, and acts as a liaison between residents and city agencies when problems arise to devise solutions. The Borough President is also responsible for appointing one member to the Panel for Educational Policy and one member to the City Planning Commission, as well as some 150 members to Staten Island’s three community boards.