'A Jewel': Borough President Vito Fossella Secures Critical Funds For Maintenance Of FDR Boardwalk10/31/2025
 Borough President Vito Fossella announced that he has secured an agreement from Mayor Eric Adams that will fund the repair and maintenance of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk in South Beach.
If approved by the City Council, the plan would allocate $1 million in the first year and $650,000 annually thereafter for the upkeep of the boardwalk -- an amount significantly more than what is currently being spent to maintain the boardwalk. “Our boardwalk is a jewel, with some unparalleled views of the Raritan Bay, and with amenities for enjoying a walk, fishing, or accessing our beach," said Borough President Fossella at a press conference. “Unfortunately, anybody who spends time in and around the boardwalk knows that parts of it have fallen into disrepair, for one reason or another.” Borough Parks Commissioner Joseph Homsey thanked Borough President Fossella and Mayor Adams for their support. "The FDR Boardwalk is a special place for Staten Islanders, offering incredible views and recreational opportunities year-round," said Commissioner Homsey. "A dedicated maintenance fund would help ensure the boardwalk remains in top condition for visitors to safely enjoy.”  Borough President Vito Fossella and District Attorney Michael McMahon stood in salute with members of the Merrill-Capodanno American Legion Post to raise a flag on a newly erected flagpole at the Livingston WWII Veterans Memorial.
The memorial bears the names of 280 neighborhood men who saw combat action during World War II. Flowers and plants decorated the memorial, but there was no flagpole. That prompted Pablo Hidalgo, the post’s vice commander, to reach out to Borough President Fossella, who joined with Dist “These were the guys who went off to war, served this country honorably and helped to liberate the free world,” said Borough President Fossella before the flag-raising. “And, as we know, here on Staten Island, we always pay homage and honor those who served because without the veterans, we would not have the freedoms we enjoy. Today, we say thank you to the veterans here across Staten Island and across the country by raising a new flag and flagpole in their honor.” Mr. Hidalgo thanked Borough President Fossella and District Attorney McMahon for fulfilling his wish to erect a flagpole at the memorial. “I am a veteran, a Marine, and now I am going to enjoy coming by here and seeing the flag and saluting my comrades,” he said. Together, they hoisted the American flag and a POW flag onto the new flagpole, giving the men whose names are etched into the Livingston WWII Veterans Memorial the dignity they deserve.  Borough President Vito Fossella honored Linda Lo for her decades of volunteerism at charities across Staten Island, including Catholic Charities, the Blue Star Families, AmeriCorp Seniors, the AARP, as well as at food pantries and soup kitchens. She was particularly startled when she learned there was a food pantry at Fort Wadsworth.
For her efforts, Linda was recently named the “New Yorker of the Week’ by NY1. After seeing that Linda received that honor from NY1, Borough President Fossella thought it was only fitting that she be named “Staten Islander of the Week.” Borough President Fossella referred to Linda as the type of person who dives in when she sees a need. “There’s a key word called virtue -- the virtue of just giving back,” said Borough President Fossella during a small gathering with Linda’s family and friends in his office. “All of those things are done in quiet solitude without fanfare and without any desire to look for attention or for a pat on the back. Linda, you show up when others don’t show up, you show up when others run away. Every time one person steps in, it makes a difference and Linda, you have made a difference -- and we thank you.” Linda’s calling to volunteer began after 9/11 and continued to grow after she retired. “I don’t think I do all that much, it just seems like I do,” she said. “I just have fun with all the organizations that I volunteer for. I love the people that I meet and they become lifetime friends.” Borough President Vito Fossella, Mayor Eric Adams Announce Joint Allocation To Staten Island Zoo10/22/2025
 Borough President Vito Fossella and Mayor Eric Adams announced a joint $7M capital project to reconstruct the Children’s Center of the Staten Island Zoo into a fully-accessible nature play and learning space.
“The Staten Island Zoo is a tremendously valuable institution and a cornerstone of the Staten Island youth experience, especially for kids to access and experience nature,” said Borough President Fossella during a visit to the Zoo. “The backbone of the Staten Island Zoo is teaching people their place in a great big world and we are happy to play a role in expanding that experience.” A new Sensation Station will transform the Children’s Center site into a “Sensory-Themed Nature Play & Animal Encounter” zone, which can be enjoyed by children of all developmental abilities and sensory tolerances. Children will be able to play and learn through interactive experiences. A new otter exhibit and Slotherium (for sloths, anteaters and armadillos) will be an attraction highlight. This is the first update to the Children’s Center since it was built in 1968. "Staten Islanders deserve the benefits of offering a world-class education and cultural center, and with our joint investments toward the Staten Island Zoo, alongside Borough President Vito Fossella, we are helping to deliver just that," said Mayor Adams. The project is the newest renovation plan for the Zoo, which serves over 175,000 visitors annually and over 20,000 school children in educational programs. “Our re-imagined Children’s Center will further our mission to foster appreciation for animals and natural areas, through the close-up nurturing experiences we provide our guests, especially children,” said Kenneth Mitchell, the Zoo’s executive director.  Borough President Vito Fossella, parents, and students rallied to oppose changes to the Gifted and Talented (G&T) Program for elementary school students.
The gathering was prompted by a proposal by a mayoral candidate frontrunner who has suggested eliminating the G&T Program if elected. “We’re here today to remind folks that elections have consequences and to shine a light on a program that may disappear if the wrong person wins in the upcoming race for mayor,” said Borough President Fossella. “For those who believe fully in improving education for all kids, removing or dismantling the Gifted & Talented program would be a big mistake.” Borough President Fossella pointed to Staten Island Technical High School as a testament to the success of G&T programs. “One of the best schools, frankly in the United States, is Staten Island Tech, in part because we allowed those kids to be challenged in the elementary schools and the middle schools," said Borough President Fossella. And, those kids are not only leaders today, but they’ll go into college and be the leaders of tomorrow. I can’t emphasize enough what a mistake this would be.” Benny Huang, a senior at Staten Island Technical High School and former G&T student, said the programs provide “life-changing and transformative environments.” “These programs not only pushed me academically, but they affected how I think, how work and how I view the world around me,” he said. “Starting an accelerated program was where I first started to feel challenged. It wasn’t pressure for pressure’s sake, it was a push to grow, a push to continually learn. I strongly agree that every student deserves that same opportunity for growth in early life. Cutting the Gifted & Talented programs -- it doesn’t provide a level playing field. Instead, it’s only going to eliminate the one place where curiosity, drive and creativity is encouraged, not diminished." Push To Improve Express Bus Service: 'There Is Some Progress, But There Is Still Work To Do'10/17/2025
Borough President Vito Fossella was joined by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 726 President Daniel Cassella and transportation advocates to provide an update on their ongoing work with the MTA to improve express bus service for Staten Island commuters.
Together, they have been working closely to identify the source of these issues and advocate solutions to the MTA. At a meeting with the MTA in July, Borough President Fossella secured some short-term and long-term commitments to improve service. Among the initiatives promised were the development of Quality Assurance maintenance teams, cycling newer buses from the other boroughs, and training more mechanics to make long-term repairs to buses. “For the last several years, we have tried to be the strongest advocates possible for the often-beleaguered Staten Island commuter, especially the express bus riders,” said Borough President Fossella during a press conference at the Yukon Bus Depot. He called attention to increased maintenance issues and bus cancellations since the Meredith Bus Depot closed in January, a move he had previously condemned. The closure, in addition to a flurry of maintenance and service issues, contributed to 530 bus cancellations in June, 971 cancelations in July, and 518 cancelations in August. Last month, the cancelations dropped to 174. Borough President Fossella said if a commuter misses one bus or, worse, two buses, it is the difference between being on time or late for work. He called on the MTA to implement long-term solutions, such as another garage and increased parking at both the Yukon Depot and the Castleton Depot. “So, in a way, we took a snapshot, we got their attention, there is some progress, but there’s still more work to,” said Borough President Fossella. “But folks, you need to know, we’re not going away. The MTA is going to have to continue to make investments for the good folks behind me.”  Borough President Vito Fossella stood with leading members of Community Boards 1 and 2, the leaders of several local civic associations, and local residents to oppose Intro. 1138, the Universal Daylighting Bill that is currently under the consideration of the City Council.
If passed, the law will mandate daylighting, the act of removing parking in the vicinity of a corner to improve visibility, within 20 feet before the crosswalk of every intersection across New York City. The Department of Transportation estimates the bill will eliminate roughly 300,000 parking spots across the City - nearly 50,000 on Staten Island alone. It has also publicly stated that the changes the bill calls for will cost $3 billion - more than double the agency's current annual operating budget. At the press conference, in the heart of Great Kills, Borough President Fossella argued that the "one-size-fits-all" approach is not practical and does not make sense for the issue of street safety. In a place like Staten Island, where owning a car is a necessity, not a privilege, particularly because our borough is a transit desert, he argued that universal daylighting is poised to be a major disruption on people's lives. "For a variety of reasons, among the lack of mass transit options, people across Staten Island need their cars, and we also know that parking is at a premium," said Borough President Fossella. "For whatever reason, there is an effort in the New York City Council to take away 300,000 parking spaces across the City. And then what happens if you park on the corner? You'll have to park somewhere else. It'll be a residual roller-coaster effect up and down the block." While daylighting may be necessary in certain intersections on Staten Island, the Borough President argued that the "cookie-cutter" approach is going to "take away something that is very fundamental to a lot of people" and do far more harm than good. He also relayed the issue of Universal Daylighting to the City of Yes, which will enable more density on Staten Island through allowing accessible dwelling units and eliminating parking requirements on large-scale developments - ultimately increasing the demand for parking. The bill is currently referred to committee. |