ST. GEORGE — Borough President James Oddo opted again to skip a State of the Borough address, instead choosing to open the doors of Borough Hall to the public.
Oddo will host the second annual "Direct Connect Sunday" on Jan. 31 where Staten Islanders can visit Borough Hall to learn what the borough president's office is working on in 2016, talk with Oddo and staff about specific problems and get tours of the historic building.
"Although they already have figurative direct access to us 24/7 through our active social media accounts, 'Direct Connect' Sunday provides Staten Islanders with the opportunity to have personal direct access to us," Oddo said in a statement.
"For far too much of the last two years my staff and I have engaged in a full-fledged steel cage match with the bureaucracy, attempting to get City government to bring long planned projects to fruition. We continue that fight in 2016 so that our new visions and initiatives might take root, and to ensure the daily quality of life issues facing Staten Islanders are resolved."
During the event, staff will answer questions from the public and the office will have displays of plans and initiatives the borough president rolled out in 2015, along with his agenda for what to tackle in the new year, Oddo said.
Oddo has held two open house events at Borough Hall previously, once in 2014 in lieu of a traditional swearing in ceremony then, because of the popularity of that event, he decided to skip his State of the Borough address last year for the first "Direct Connect Sunday."
"Direct Connect Sunday" will be on Jan. 31 from noon to 3 p.m., at Staten Island Borough Hall, at 10 Richmond Terrace.
