One takeaway from this piece I'm getting is that while Adams and Barron are operating on opposite ends of the acceptable ideologies for Dems in NYC, their "unapologetically black firebrand" shticks are almost identical! I could 100% see Barron giving Adams' "go back to Ohio" speech, for instance. Which imo raises the question of how much his continued success is a factor of his socialist bona fides vs his skilled wielding of identity politics... as well as the far more interesting question of whether socialism and identity politics are in opposition at all. Certainly to hear (white) DSA apparatchiks tell it, the two can't mix (see: the current reckoning re: Dianne Morales), which might explain their struggles to succeed in ungentrified neighborhoods.
Anyway, cool piece - you've got a subscriber in me. (Where were you when I was looking for good writers at BC?? lmao)
What shoddy reporting, especially the mindless repeating of the shibboleth, "In the mid 90’s, Barron furiously rallied his neighbors in opposition to the construction of a wood-burning incinerator. It worked, Barron helped organize the community, and the project was scrapped."!
In the Fairfield Industrial Park, a M1-1 District, south of Linden Boulevard, there were a number of illegal waste transfer stations in operation in contravention of various laws, rules, and regulations. Their illegal operations were countenance by the City of New York, particularly the NYC Department of Sanitation, mainly because of the political pressure by Staten Island residents to close the Fresh Kills Landfill. This was a section of historic New Lots that was of little interest to the rest of New Lots, being as it were, south of Linden Boulevard.
It was of interest to the Concerned Homeowners Association (CHA) which long had been fighting against the illegal businesses in the Fairfield Industrial Park whose operations endued to the detriments of the remaining residents. The CHA was alone in the fight, unable to get the local elected officials to become interested.
The United Community Centers, operating under the direction of Mel Grizer, was located far from the waste transfer station site on New Lots Avenue. The United Communities Centers had obtained an environmental grant for which it was showing no activity. The grant was about to expire. To justify the grant monies, the United Communities Center decided to take on an issue which the CHA long had been fighting.
Atlas Roll-Off was an illegal Construction and Demolition waste transfer station operating in the Fairfield Industrial Park. Because of the energy crisis in the late 20th century, regulations were approved to require the major utility companies, in this case, the electrical company, to purchase co-generated energy. The major utilities did not want to incorporate such small co-generation operations for a number of reasons which are not particularly relevant to this specific discussion.
Atlas Roll-Off had entered into a standby co-generation agreement with Consolidated Edison. At the time which is relevant to this discussion, that stand-by contract was about to expire. Atlas Roll-Off submitted an application to the State, whereby it would use the construction and demolition materials as a fuel source for the co-generation plant. The state had objections to such a fuel source. Barron had no involvement in contesting the application before the State other than holding demonstrations comprised of outsiders. Any United Community Centers involvement was minimal. The CHA was the organization filing the official responses in opposition to the application.
At some point, a carpetbagger appeared on the scene by the name of Barron. He hijacked the United Community Centers meetings and proclaimed himself as the issue leader. The United Community Centers effectively ceased to exist as a party to the issue.
In the face of the State's objection to the originally proposed fuel source for the co-generation station, Atlas Roll-Off proposed the importing of other fuel sources to the site. But time was running out. Its standby contract was about to expire. Atlas Roll-Off's final proposal was for it to use natural gas from (then) Brooklyn Union Gas as the co-generation plant's fuel source. Barron tried to work out a deal for himself with Atlas Roll-Off paying him off to stop his opposition.
With a co-generation station now possible with a clean fuel source, Consolidated Edison had had enough. It bought out the Atlas-Roll Off contingency contract.
Barron slunk away. The illegal activity in the Fairfield Industrial Park continued. While Cypress Hills has its Highland Park and monies spent on the historic reservoir, and Brooklyn Heights has its multi-million dollar park, the historic parklands in the Old Mill Creek, New Lots section have been alienated first by various City and State agencies and later by commercial and residential development. There is no money in the issue for him, and therefore there was no interest. Where were the Barrons when the State hijacked the Fountain Avenue and Pennsylvania Landfills, after all proposals by the local community to the property owner, the US Park Service, summarily were rejected? Essentially what is left are bald hills geared for the use of those outside of the community.
The Barrons provide no constituent services, even the most basic ones, unless it serves themselves - despite the self-serving examples cited in the article. Their agreement can be bought by payoffs to the various organizations they have formed.
Fascinating essay. Thank you
One takeaway from this piece I'm getting is that while Adams and Barron are operating on opposite ends of the acceptable ideologies for Dems in NYC, their "unapologetically black firebrand" shticks are almost identical! I could 100% see Barron giving Adams' "go back to Ohio" speech, for instance. Which imo raises the question of how much his continued success is a factor of his socialist bona fides vs his skilled wielding of identity politics... as well as the far more interesting question of whether socialism and identity politics are in opposition at all. Certainly to hear (white) DSA apparatchiks tell it, the two can't mix (see: the current reckoning re: Dianne Morales), which might explain their struggles to succeed in ungentrified neighborhoods.
Anyway, cool piece - you've got a subscriber in me. (Where were you when I was looking for good writers at BC?? lmao)
What shoddy reporting, especially the mindless repeating of the shibboleth, "In the mid 90’s, Barron furiously rallied his neighbors in opposition to the construction of a wood-burning incinerator. It worked, Barron helped organize the community, and the project was scrapped."!
In the Fairfield Industrial Park, a M1-1 District, south of Linden Boulevard, there were a number of illegal waste transfer stations in operation in contravention of various laws, rules, and regulations. Their illegal operations were countenance by the City of New York, particularly the NYC Department of Sanitation, mainly because of the political pressure by Staten Island residents to close the Fresh Kills Landfill. This was a section of historic New Lots that was of little interest to the rest of New Lots, being as it were, south of Linden Boulevard.
It was of interest to the Concerned Homeowners Association (CHA) which long had been fighting against the illegal businesses in the Fairfield Industrial Park whose operations endued to the detriments of the remaining residents. The CHA was alone in the fight, unable to get the local elected officials to become interested.
The United Community Centers, operating under the direction of Mel Grizer, was located far from the waste transfer station site on New Lots Avenue. The United Communities Centers had obtained an environmental grant for which it was showing no activity. The grant was about to expire. To justify the grant monies, the United Communities Center decided to take on an issue which the CHA long had been fighting.
Atlas Roll-Off was an illegal Construction and Demolition waste transfer station operating in the Fairfield Industrial Park. Because of the energy crisis in the late 20th century, regulations were approved to require the major utility companies, in this case, the electrical company, to purchase co-generated energy. The major utilities did not want to incorporate such small co-generation operations for a number of reasons which are not particularly relevant to this specific discussion.
Atlas Roll-Off had entered into a standby co-generation agreement with Consolidated Edison. At the time which is relevant to this discussion, that stand-by contract was about to expire. Atlas Roll-Off submitted an application to the State, whereby it would use the construction and demolition materials as a fuel source for the co-generation plant. The state had objections to such a fuel source. Barron had no involvement in contesting the application before the State other than holding demonstrations comprised of outsiders. Any United Community Centers involvement was minimal. The CHA was the organization filing the official responses in opposition to the application.
At some point, a carpetbagger appeared on the scene by the name of Barron. He hijacked the United Community Centers meetings and proclaimed himself as the issue leader. The United Community Centers effectively ceased to exist as a party to the issue.
In the face of the State's objection to the originally proposed fuel source for the co-generation station, Atlas Roll-Off proposed the importing of other fuel sources to the site. But time was running out. Its standby contract was about to expire. Atlas Roll-Off's final proposal was for it to use natural gas from (then) Brooklyn Union Gas as the co-generation plant's fuel source. Barron tried to work out a deal for himself with Atlas Roll-Off paying him off to stop his opposition.
With a co-generation station now possible with a clean fuel source, Consolidated Edison had had enough. It bought out the Atlas-Roll Off contingency contract.
Barron slunk away. The illegal activity in the Fairfield Industrial Park continued. While Cypress Hills has its Highland Park and monies spent on the historic reservoir, and Brooklyn Heights has its multi-million dollar park, the historic parklands in the Old Mill Creek, New Lots section have been alienated first by various City and State agencies and later by commercial and residential development. There is no money in the issue for him, and therefore there was no interest. Where were the Barrons when the State hijacked the Fountain Avenue and Pennsylvania Landfills, after all proposals by the local community to the property owner, the US Park Service, summarily were rejected? Essentially what is left are bald hills geared for the use of those outside of the community.
The Barrons provide no constituent services, even the most basic ones, unless it serves themselves - despite the self-serving examples cited in the article. Their agreement can be bought by payoffs to the various organizations they have formed.