Amazon Seeks Community Liaison to Soothe Angry Community

Eagle photo by Jonathan Sperling.

By David Brand

Good luck with that.

Empire State Development (ESD) is recruiting a “community liaison” to assuage a community that has condemned the pending arrival of online retailer and data repository Amazon.

On Dec. 27, ESD, which is shepherding the Amazon deal, posted a “community liaison” job listing on the website Indeed.com. The role pays $58,500 per year — no word on whether that includes a free Prime membership.

According to the job listing, the “basic function” of the role is to “manage community relations and outreach for Amazon LIC project.”

The job requires a college degree and “community relations, coalition-building, multi-tasking [and] good organization” skills and a “working knowledge of the Long Island City community. Fluency in Spanish a plus.”

The community liaison will work with Queens Community Boards 1 and 2, elected officials and community organizations and “help develop and implement community outreach strategy for Amazon LIC project,” the listing says

In November, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city and state would give Amazon roughly $3 billion in tax incentives to set up a corporate campus in Long Island City. Various community organizations and local leader have criticized the deal, which sidesteps the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Policy.

Despite the vocal backlash, a December Quinnipiac poll suggested that a majority of New York City residents support the Amazon deal.