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1932 Arthur Avenue, Room 709
Bronx, NY 10457
TEL: (718) 579-6990
FAX: (718) 579-6875
email: brxcb6@optonline.net
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MINUTES OF
COMMUNITY BOARD
#6
Meeting minutes for February 17, 2010
Members present:
Francine Acevedo, Jannie Armstrong, Jose Francisco Avila, Virginia Bird,
Santhamani Choudhary, Claudette Coles, Will Crittendon, Annette de
Jesus, Diana Diaz, Margarita Espinosa, Frank J. Franz, Cheryl
Holt-Andrews, Marie Howse, Melissa Libran, Sara N. Logan, Magdamari
Marcano, Michael Menotti, Thomas J. Murray, Floretta A. O’Brien, Lorine
Padilla, Marie G. Riolo, Rev. Torrence Robinson, Wendy Rodriguez, Marie
Washington and Perquida Williams.
Members absent:
Rosa Peraza, Hector Torres and Magdalena Vega.
Representatives of elected officials
Aurea Mangual, Wilhelm Ronda and James Rouse representing Bronx Borough
President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
Jesus Fernandez, representing City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera
Edward Fleming, representing State Senator Jeffrey Klein
Yahaira Ortiz, representing Assemblyman Michael Benjamin
Wendoly Marte, representing Assemblyman Jose Rivera
Ailene McLaren, representing City Council member G. Oliver Koppell
I. CALL TO ORDER
The February 17, 2010 meeting of Bronx Community Board #6 was held at the
Belmont Library, which is located at 610 East 186th Street, Bronx, New York, and
was called to order at approximately 6:45 p.m. by board chairperson Wendy
Rodriguez.
II. INVOCATION
The invocation consisted of a prayer for inspiration and was delivered by Mr.
Thomas J. Murray, Chairperson of the community board’s Health and Human Services
Committee.
III. COMMUNITY PERIOD
The sole speaker during the community period was Mr. John Napolitano of VIP
Community Services. Mr. Napolitano informed us that VIP Community Services is
currently accepting application the Hughes Gardens apartments; a 42-unit
apartment building that it is under construction at 2031 Hughes Avenue. Fifty
percent (50%) of the units are reserved for residents of the community board six
area. The apartment building is to be VIP Community Services first “green”
energy efficient building.
IV. ROLL CALL ATTENDANCE
A roll call attendance was taken verifying the presence of a quorum of
twenty-five (25) members.
V. DISTRICT MANAGER’S REPORT
Ms. Ivine Galarza’s district manager’s report included, but was not limited to,
the following information:
• The community board’s January 28,
2010 anti-violence youth summit (A Call for Peace in Community Board
#6) was a huge success and was attended by over 400 people. Ms.
Galarza thanked all of the community organizations, sponsors,
community board members, elected officials and volunteers who helped
to bring the activity to fruition.
• Western Beef Supermarket plans to construct an 11.5 million,
35,000 square-foot supermarket in our district at 2050 Webster
Avenue to replace its smaller store that is located at Park Avenue
and East 178th Street.
• The chairpersons and district managers of the Bronx’s community
boards recently met with the Bronx delegation of the New York City
Council to discuss the severe cuts that Mayor Bloomberg has proposed
for the city’s 59 community boards. The cuts are slated to take
effect July 1, 2010. |
VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS
Housing & Land Use Committee: Ms. Sara N. Logan, Committee Chair
Ms. Logan informed us that the Housing and Land Use Committee met on Monday,
February 8, 2010 for the purpose of formulating a recommendation regarding
Uniform Land Use Review Procedure application # C-090143-ZMX for the rezoning of
property at and around 625 East Fordham Road (the Med Alliance health care
building) so as to facilitate the construction of a 13-story residential
building with ground floor retail space and underground parking.
The committee resolved to recommend that the community board approve the
application with the following added stipulations:
i. That the applicant agrees to hire
locally, as much as possible.
ii. That the applicant agrees to utilize local vendors, as much as
possible.
iii. That the applicant agrees to issue quarterly status reports to
the community board on the progress of the project.
iv. That the applicant agrees to provide the community board with a
timeframe for the completions of the project.
v. That, as a goodwill gesture, the applicant agrees to advise the
community board of any changes to the project.
vi. That the applicant agrees that the tenancy of the project is to
be for moderate income, co-op, or condos). The community board will
not agree to a low-income shelter or other similar program. |
Economic Development
Committee: Mr. Michael Menotti, Committee Chair
Mr. Menotti informed us that the Economic
Development Committee also feels that the application should be approved by the
community board. The committee is of the opinion that the application represents
a great project, one that will generate jobs and jumpstart activities on East
Fordham Road.
VII. DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Mr. Frank Franz informed us of his conflict of interest with regards to the
ULURP application and the project it entails. Mr. Franz owns a piece of property
that abuts the Med Alliance site and filed a lawsuit against the project when he
was under the impression that construction at the site had damaged his property.
Subsequently, the lawsuit has been dismissed with prejudice, meaning that he
cannot file it again. Papers to that effect were sent to Med Alliance’s lawyers
but they will not let Mr. Franz drop the case.
Mr. Franz further informed us that he would not recuse or disqualify himself
from voting on the application.
Ms. Rodriguez stated that Mr. Franz was informed by the Bronx Borough
President’s office that due to his conflict of interest he must recuse himself
and that he is prohibited from voting. Ms. Galarza added that in a three way
conference telephone call with the borough president’s legal counsel both she
and Ms. Rodriguez were told that the borough president’s office is in the
process of preparing a letter to Mr. Franz reiterating the fact that he is not
able to vote on the application.
VIII. ELECTED OFFICIALS REPORTS
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz’s report was presented by his community
liaison, Ms. Aurea Mangual, and included the following information:
• Borough President Diaz, in
conjunction with four Bronx churches, recently conducted a gun
buyback program that resulted in 1,086 firearms being collected and
removed from our streets.
• The borough president recently announced that the Consortium for
Worker Education has received a federal grant of four million
dollars in order to train individuals for “green” jobs, meaning jobs
in the growing field of emergency efficiency.
• Borough President Diaz urges everyone to participate in the
upcoming 2010 United States Census.
• The borough president will deliver his State of the Borough
address on Friday, February 26, 2010 at Evander Childs High School.
You may RSVP by telephoning (718) 590-6516.
• Borough President Diaz’ ceremony in honor of Black History Month
will be held on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at the Bronx Museum of
the Arts.
• The borough president is sponsoring a Bronx Luna Year celebration
on Saturday, February 20, 2010 at Dewitt Clinton High School. The
activity begins at 2:00 pm.
• Applications for community board membership are still being
accepted. Individuals who are interested in being considered for
membership on their respective Bronx community board may telephone
Ms. Mangual at (718) 590-2653 in order to receive an application. |
State Senator Jeff Klein
Mr. Eric Fleming, representing State Senator Jeff Klein, informed us that the
senator is sponsoring a breakfast in honor of Black History Month on Saturday,
February 20, 2010. Additional information about this event may be obtained by
telephoning the senator’s office at (718) 822-2049.
IX. ADOPTION OF MOTIONS
1) A motion to adopt the minutes of
Bronx Community Board #6’s meeting of January 13, 2010 was made by
Ms. Virginia Bird, seconded by Ms. Margarita Espinosa and was
unanimously adopted in a voice vote.
2) Pursuant to a motion made by Ms. Sara Logan and seconded by Ms.
Perquida Williams, the community board voted to approved Uniform
Land Use Review Procedure Application # C-090143-ZMX with the
following added stipulations:
a. That the applicant agrees to hire locally, as much as possible.
b. That the applicant agrees to utilize local vendors, as much as
possible.
c. That the applicant agrees to issue quarterly status reports to
the community board on the progress of the project.
d. That the applicant agrees to provide the community board with a
timeframe for the completions of the project.
e. That, as a goodwill gesture, the applicant agrees to advise the
community board of any changes to the project.
f. That the applicant agrees that the tenancy of the project is to
be for moderate income, co-op, or condos). The community board will
not agree to a low-income shelter or other similar program.
The vote on this motion was 17 in favor, 6 opposed and 2
abstentions. The six votes against the motion included one by Mr.
Franz who was advised that he was ineligible to vote on the matter. |
X ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ms. Cheryl Holt-Andrews
Ms. Holt-Andrews informed us that the brother of local community activist Karen
Washington, recently passed.
XI. ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business to discuss, the February 17, 2010 meeting of Bronx
Community Board #6 was adjourned at approximately 8:00 p.m.
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