LES Ready! (Formerly The Lower East Side Long Term Recovery Group) is a coalition of community groups and institutions that will cooperatively coordinate our response, resources, preparedness planning and training in response to Hurricane Sandy and in the event of future disasters. Our work will focus on Manhattan’s Community Board 3 area and the immediately adjacent neighborhoods that our groups may serve.
Future disasters may be events that disrupt/dislocate residents, disrupt power, communications, transportation, cause shortages in basic goods and services, threaten life and/or the community’s built environment.
The LES Ready! is inclusive and open to community groups, organizations, and institutions that wish to be actively involved in responding and preparing collaboratively.
As such, the Coalition will address the following to ensure that even the most vulnerable in the community are prepared, trained for and recover from disaster:
It all began when Superstorm Sandy made its way to New York and the Lower East Side. With the loss of power, water, communications and heat, residents, businesses and organizations across Lower East Side neighborhoods turned to one another to find a way through the disaster. From this “boots on the ground” experience of so many groups responding to the needs of neighbors and neighborhoods, the Long Term Recovery Group was born. Our first meeting took place March 11, 2013 hosted at the Chinese-American Planning Council.
Since that time, the Lower East Side Long Term Recovery Group (LES LTRG) has grown into a coalition of over 25 community groups and institutions. Our commitment to the neighborhoods and one another is that we will work to cooperatively coordinate our response, resources, preparedness, planning and training not only in relation to Sandy and its aftermath but in future disaster situations as well. Our Executive Committee and the full coalition meet once per month.
With a focus on Manhattan’s Community Board 3 area and the immediately adjacent neighborhoods that our groups may serve, the LTRG has recently taken on the name: LESReady! We work to ready our selves, our organizations and our neighborhoods for advocacy, future disasters and to sustain the response and rebuilding needed as a result of Sandy.
LES Ready! is inclusive and open to community groups, organizations, and institutions that want to be actively involved in planning, advocacy and responding to disaster related issues. We seek to ensure that all stakeholders, especially the most vulnerable in the community are prepared, trained for and recover from disaster.
The coalition is open to a variety of groups including: nonprofits, tenant organizations, small businesses, HDFCs, governmental agencies, political leaders, and national groups. Membership can be voting or non-voting. All groups are asked to identify what resources they bring to support the common effort.
LESReady! has launched this website and a Facebook and Twitter page to provide information for members and the general public on Sandy on disaster preparedness and community resources.
LESReady! demonstrates the resilience of the Lower East Side. Together we make a way when challenges arise. Together we help rebuild and recover. Together we advocate for resources and public policy that makes the Lower East Side, where we live and work, safer now and in the future.
1. The Lower East Side Long Term Recovery Group exists to cooperatively coordinate the response, resources, preparedness planning and training in response to Hurricane Sandy recovery and future disasters affecting the Lower East Side.
2. We will strive to:
a. Formulate, coordinate and provide for the dissemination of information related to Disaster Response and Preparedness that serves both residential and institutional use, collectively serving the welfare of the wider community.
b. Formulate, coordinate and provide for a long-term recovery plan in response to Sandy or future disasters, which serves both residential and institutional use, collectively serving the welfare of the wider community.
c. Advocate for additional long-term assistance in the wake of Sandy or future disasters to the most vulnerable affected and who are eligible for basic needs, referrals, and other additional needs that the LES LTRG might identify as necessary.
1. Organization working within Manhattan’s Community Board 3 and the immediately adjacent neighborhoods are eligible for membership.
2. The LES LTRG is inclusive and open to community groups, organizations, institutions and entities that wish to be actively involved in responding and preparing collaboratively.
3. A voting member in good standing is an entity or organization that: regularly attends LTRG meetings; has signed an MOU detailing resources available for this effort; a willingness to participate during and after a disaster.
4. Non voting members are government agencies or national entities that participates in an advisory capacity.
5. Voting and Non Voting members are approved by the Executive Committee on a rolling basis.
1. LES LTRG relies on a consensus model for decision making. Collaboration, discussion and reflection among members will support the decision making process.
2. When definitive consensus cannot be reached or an outside relationship may require a vote for purposes of supplying resources, the LES LTRG will engage in a voting process.
3. The determination to bring an item to vote when clear consensus is not evident will be the responsibility of the Chair of the Executive Committee.
4. Members shall be notified one week (7 days) prior to the taking of a vote unless disaster requires swift action. Under disaster conditions notice will be provided as best possible.
5. Organizations that are voting members have one vote to cast on matters coming before the meetings, whether stated or special or by other electronic means.
6. Matters brought to a vote must receive half plus one of those members eligible to vote when the vote is called.
a. Voting may be done through remote electronic process such as by voice, text or email.
b. Voting by proxy and cumulative voting are not allowed.
1. All meetings will be at the call of the Executive Committee, the schedule of which will be coordinated and published by the Executive Committee.
2. Meetings may be performed in person or by other approved electronic means.
3. An Annual Meeting shall be held , for the purpose of:
a. electing executive officers, committee co-chairs
b. addressing any other business properly coming before the Organization
c. Public notice of the Annual Meeting time and place shall be given by written electronic notice to all Members at least one week (7 days) prior to the meeting.
d. The date and place of the Annual meeting shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
4. Special meetings shall be called by the Chair or any two officers, or upon the written request of ten percent of the Members, providing the call shall clearly state the purpose for the meeting and prior written notice being given one week (7 days) in advance to all Members. Only business specified in the call for the special meeting shall be conducted.
5. During periods of disaster notice of meetings will be completed as best possible.
A quorum for transaction of business shall consist of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of voting Member organizations.
There shall be elected from the Members of the Long Term Recovery Group:
1. A Chair who shall preside at all general membership meetings, as well as chair the Executive Committee.
2. A Vice-Chair who shall preside in the absence of the Chair, or at other times deemed necessary by the Chair and perform other functions as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.
3. A Secretary who shall record and preserve all minutes of meetings, and perform other functions, as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee. If unable to attend a meeting, the presiding officer shall appoint a secretary pro tem for that meeting.
4. The Officers shall be elected for an initial term of one year with subsequent terms of two-years thereafter.
5. Officers are eligible for as many successive terms as the Long Term Recovery Group deems appropriate.
6. Officers must be elected from different voting Member organizations.
1. The Executive Committee shall be accountable to voting Members and consist of:
a. The Chair
b. Vice-Chair
c. Secretary
d. Six (6) at large voting members.
e. Non voting members will participate in advisory capacity.
f. No voting Member organizations may have more than one representative elected to the Executive Committee.
2. The Executive Committee will perform coordinating functions for the LES LTRG including but not limited to :
a. Support and coordinate collaboration and planning among LES LTRG committees.
b. Coordinate discussion and planning with federal, city and state representatives
c. Identify priority areas for action.
d. Coordinate funding, resource allocation and LTRG financial oversight.
e. Disseminate information to Membership.
f. Set the Calendar of general membership meetings.
g. Coordinate calendar of committee meetings with Committee co-chairs.
h. Coordinate nomination and elections of officers and Executive Committee membership.
1. The Long Term Recovery Group may create such temporary or permanent committees made up of its Members or other persons as agreed upon.
2. These committees shall have such authority as the Long Term Recovery Group directs.
3. Committees will have 2 co-chairs representing different member organizations.
1. The Executive Committee shall determine the appropriate process for
a. Securing nominations from among the Members for vacancies of any of the offices and the Executive Committee and facilitating the election of the same
b. Determine the process for selection of committee co chairs
2. Vacancies may be filled at any regularly scheduled or Special Membership meeting.
1. These Bylaws may be amended at any annual meeting or special meetings of the Long Term Recovery Group by a two-thirds vote of the voters present, providing that a full written account of the proposed changes have been sent by email to the primary organizational contact of all voting Members one week (7 days) prior to the meeting.
2. Amendments to the bylaws may be proposed by any voting member or committee and submitted to the Executive Committee for review and presentation to the voting membership.
The dissolution of this LTRG will be by two-thirds vote of the Members.