THE CITY OF YORK OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER SCOTT M. STRINGER March 26, 2019 Richard Carranza Chancellor New York City Department of Education 52 Chambers Street New York, NY 10007 Lorraine Grillo President and CEO School Construction Authority 30-30 Thompson Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 Dear Chancellor Carranza and President Grillo, Our of?ce has been informed that the members of the School Siting Task Force (?Task Force?), which was created by Local Law 168 of 2018 and now codi?ed as Section 4-212 ofthe New York City Administrative Code, have been appointed and that the Task Force has met at least once in private. It is my View, consistent with the attached March 18, 2019 advisory opinion from the New York State Committee On Open Government, that the Task Force is a ?public body? whose meetings are subject to the requirements of the Open Meetings Law (OML). As you know, membership on the Task Force, which consists almost exclusively of New York City Government of?cials or their designees, is expressly provided for by law, as are the particular functions (review of potential school sites) and end product (a report on the results of the review) of the Task Force.1 Accordingly, the Task Force is a ?public body? as de?ned by the OML, because it was created by Local Law 168 speci?cally to perform a ?governmental function? on behalf of the City.2 Under the OML, every meeting of a public body ?shall be open to the general public.3 Even if a particular matter quali?es for discussion in an executive session, an executive session can take place only within the context of a meeting that is otherwise open to the public.4 I See generally NY. City Admin. Code 4-212 2 See Public Of?cers Law 102(2) 3 See Public Of?cers Law 103(a) ?See Public Of?cers Law 105 DAVID N. DINKINS MUNICIPAL BUILDING CENTRE STREET, 5TH FLOOR - NEW YORK, NY 10007 PHONE: (212) 669-3500 - -- Therefore, I ask that the Task Force refrain from conducting any of its meetings in private, open up all future Task Force meetings to the general public, and fully comply with all of the requirements of the OML. Sincerely, Scott M. Stringer New York City Comptroller Enclosure CI Michael Dinapoli Director of City and Federal Legislative Affairs New York City Department of Education 52 Chambers Street New York, NY 10007 Karin Goldmark Deputy Chancellor of School Planning and Development New York City Department of Education 52 Chambers Street New York, NY 10007 Tom Taratko Chief Executive of Space Management New York City Department of Education 52 Chambers Street New York, NY 10007 Lisette Camilo Commissioner Department of Citywide Administrative Services 1 Centre Street New York, NY 10007 Matt Berk Executive Director, Real Estate Operations City Owned Real Estate Department of Citywide Administrative Services 1 Centre Street New York, NY 10007 Danielle DeCerbo Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Department of City Planning 120 Broadway, 3lst Fl. New York, NY 10271 Howard Slatkin Deputy Executive Director for Strategic Planning at NYC Department of City Planning 120 Broadway, 3 Fl. New York, NY 10271 Eric Enderlin (HPD) Interim Commissioner Department of Housing Preservation and Development 100 Gold Street New York, NY 10038 Leila Bozorg Deputy Commissioner for Neighborhood Strategies Department of Housing Preservation and Development 100 Gold Street New York, NY 10038 Made From 100?: Recycled Papa Corey Johnson Speaker New York City Council City Hall Of?ce New York, NY 10007 Kaitlyn O?Hagan Senior Financial Analyst New York City Council City Hall Of?ce New York, NY 10007 Melanie La Rocca Vice President, Operations School Construction Authority 30-30 Thompson Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 James Patchett President and CEO New York City Economic Development Corporation 110 William Street New York, NY 10038 Joshua Mitchell Vice President, Real Estate Transaction Services New York City Economic Development Corporation 110 William Street New York, NY 10038 Shino Tanikawa Member, Community Education Council Dist. 2 School Siting Task Force parent representative Celia Green President, Citywide Council for High Schools President, Chancellor?s Parent Advisory Committee Made From 100?: Recycieo Pat-c!