Tour of Willow Lake Preserve at Flushing-Meadow Park on December 19th...

On Sunday, December 19^th I joined Urban Ranger Marissa Miller and about 20 other hearty souls for a frigid walk around Willow Lake Preserve in Flushing Meadow Park.

Click here to view these pictures larger

The Parks Dept is in the process of removing invasive species of plants, including phragmites, mugwort and others. They plan to plants over 13,000 natives trees and plants as part of the NYC Million Trees initiative at this site.

Even with the sub freezing temperatures we were able to see a varied assortment of wildlife including 100s+ Canada geese, 8 Great Blue Herons, a Downy woodpecker, numerous species of ducks (Mallard, Black Ducks, Hooded Merganser, Buffleheads) and the highlight of the morning walk was a low flyover by a Red-tailed Hawk.

I also observed large amount of scat, possibly from a Red Fox. It looked identical to the following photo(see below) I located online when I returned home.

Photo credit: http://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/red_fox.html

I would like to thank Queens Civic Congress President, Pat Dolan for extending me an invitation to this well worthwhile walk, despite the cold it was both informative and exhilarating.

City Charter: Queens Civic Congress - Says YES on Question 1 - No on Question 2

The Queens Civic Congress, a coalition of more than 120 major Queens neighborhood-based civic groups, hosted the first borough forum on Charter Revision in June 2010. Since then, QCC has participated in Commission hearings and spoken at town hall meetings across Queens. In September, at a public meeting, QCC delegates voted unanimously on the two major questions the Charter Revision Commission placed on the November ballot.

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On August 23, 2010 the New York City Charter Revision Commission (CCRC) adopted two questions to be placed on the citywide ballot this November 2. While CCRC considered the Queens civic community’s call for two-term term limits, several issues that civic leaders called on CCRC to include in its “top down” Charter revision were dismissed as “too complex.” For instance, CCRC ignored the Citizens Union’s support for non-partisan elections as “divisive.” The Commission also failed even to consider calls by civic organizations to enhance the powers of the Borough Presidents, Public Advocate, and Comptroller. It also chose to put aside calls for changes in land use regulation. At the end of a three month process, the Commission was able to produce only a convoluted question regarding term limits and an equally contorted question dealing with six unrelated issues, most of which could be addressed by City Council legislation.

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QUESTION 1

A Yes vote on this question would approve two-term term limits, but with a provision that the two-term limit not become effective until after the 2021 municipal elections. The Commission decided “in the interests of fairness,” it said, to give all city officials elected for the first time in 2005 or 2009 (including the Public Advocate, the Comptroller, the Bronx and Manhattan Borough Presidents and several Council members) the opportunity to serve three full terms. At no time in the months leading up to CCRC’s term limit proposal did anyone publicly mention or ask for a ten year delay before implementing term limits. The Commission ignored widespread public support for limiting changes in term limits to referenda and instead proposed to bar serving members of the Council from changing term limits. A NO vote on term limits would lock in the current three-term term limit law that the Council adopted in 2009 at the Mayor’s request. It would also allow the Mayor and Council to change term limits or eliminate them altogether.


The Queens Civic Congress reluctantly recommends a YES vote on Question One. QCC believes that despite postponing implementation of two-term term limits until 2021, the overriding concern for most New Yorkers is to restore the two-term limit, which they overwhelmingly voted for in two referendums, and according to recent polls continue to support. CCRC also overruled the public’s calls for referenda to change term limits and instead barred the Council from changing term limits for any elected official during that official’s term in office. A NO vote would present the Mayor and Council with a strong and possibly irresistible temptation to make the current three-term term limits permanent or to eliminate term limits altogether.

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QUESTION 2

The second question on the November 2 ballot combines several unrelated topics which appear to be “reformist”: New campaign spending disclosure requirements; a reduction in the number of petition signatures for candidates in municipal elections; the merger of the Voter Assistance Commission and the Campaign Finance Board; the strengthening of the Conflicts of Interest Law; and the inclusion of certain transportation and waste management facilities in the City’s siting map .

CCRC tucked two propositions that would hand more power to City Hall into the middle of its “reforms”: The merger of administrative tribunals and adjudications into an Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (centralizing more power for the office of the Mayor); creation of a new commission to review requirements for reports and advisory bodies, and waive the present requirements, subject to Council review, where the new commission finds the review of no continuing value (effectively limiting the Council’s oversight of mayoral agencies and increasing the Mayor’s power);.

The Queens Civic Council recommends a NO vote on Question Two. QCC believes that the Council, following public hearings could address most of these issues. QCC is concerned that the issue of administrative tribunals and that dealing with reports to the Council are, in fact, efforts by the Mayor to further centralize power in City Hall at the expense of public oversight and Council review.

A NO vote on Question 2 would send these unrelated “reformist” issues back to City Hall, which could submit legislation to the Council on each issue.

Queens Civic Congress - Statement of Principles for Charter Revision...

The Queens Civic Congress met at the Queens Farm on June 21 for the first and only borough-wide civic forum in the entire city on the City Charter Revision Commission.

Attached is a Statement of Charter Principles (see below) that QCC members agreed are key issues for the City Charter Revision Commission The Statement includes core issues addressed in the Queens Civic Congress Platform 2030 that member organizations adopted in 2009.

At the QCC forum, Queens civic leaders were clear in their demands for term limits, retention of the borough presidents and community boards--a message that the Commission heard.

Early on in the Charter Revision Commission's deliberations, the CCRC
decided to limit its proposals for this year's election.

 They decided to make term limits and voter participation major issues for the electorate this year.

And they decided to postpone consideration of complex land use issues and the structure of city agencies for future election cycles.

CCRC heard QCC and citizens who stood up for open, transparent city
government We will learn on August 2, when the Commission issues the
proposals for the November election whether the CCRC listened to us.

The final open meeting in Queens will take place at Queens Borough Hall on Wednesday July 28 at 6PM.

Meantime, please read the Principles and share them with your neighbors and friends.

QUEENS CIVIC CONGRESS

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES FOR CHARTER REVISION

Queens’s residents are passionately attached to their neighborhoods. Whether we live in Dutch Kill, Hawtree Creek or Maspeth, we want to be known by our neighborhoods’ names. We are the only New Yorkers who identify themselves by the place where we live and not by the borough. So it should come as no surprise that many of our neighborhoods have organized effective civic organizations—or that more than 110 of those civics have created a thriving coalition, Queens Civic Congress.

QCC members have adopted a response to the Mayor’s appointment of the City Charter Revision Commission, a Statement of Principles for Charter Revision that reflects the opinions of Queens’s civic leaders at QCC’s charter forum on June 21 and the QCC Platform (www.queensciviccongress.org), which the organization adopted in 2009.

The Queens Civic Congress strongly recommends that the Charter Revision Commission limit the questions it presents to the public in November 2010 to major policy issues that have engaged the public’s interest. The Commission should defer consideration of more complex issues like land use to 2011. Community boards, civic organizations and many New Yorkers are on hiatus for the summer and not available to consider or contribute to the Charter discussion that will take place over the coming weeks.

QCC also urges the Commission to place major proposals on the ballot separately.

TERM LIMITS

New Yorkers have voted twice in favor of term limits only to have their vote overturned by a City Council and Mayor who knew “better” than the voters.

The Queens Civic Congress recommends two-term limits for citywide officials and the Council.

QCC strongly recommends that the Commission include an “ironclad “provision requiring any future changes in term limits be made only by referendum.

NON PARTISAN ELECTIONS

Queens Civic Congress wants voters to be able to recognize the values and priorities of candidates, which they can best do when they know a candidate’s party affiliation. QCC is concerned that extremely wealthy individuals could buy election—which some New Yorkers would argue that we have already experienced.

Voters rejected non-partisan elections. When will supporters of non-partisan elections understand that NO means NO?

QCC recommends that the CCRC reject suggestions for non-partisan elections.

GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

Voters declared their support for the Office of Public Advocate in 2005. Why keep asking? The recent series of hearings demonstrated continued support for the Office of Public Advocate. QCC agrees. .

BOROUGH PRESIDENTS COUNT: BOROUGH PRESIDENTS SOMETIMES DO KNOW BEST

Mayors have been trying to curb the borough presidents’ limited authority since the 1989 City Charter eliminated the Board of Estimate. Over the past eight years, City Hall has reduced the Borough Presidents’ operating funds only to have the Council restore funding. In recent years, the Mayor has cut staffing funds for the Borough Presidents until most of them have less than half what they had in 2001. The Queens Civic Congress recommends that the Commission provide the Borough Presidents with sufficient funding so that they can carry out their responsibilities under the Charter.

Year after year the Mayor has cut the borough presidents’ discretionary funding which they use to supplement agency funding for youth and senior programs and essential local programs. The Queens Borough President, for example, has sponsored community based planning resulting in the rezoning of more than forty neighborhoods; sponsored more than twenty senior center programs; worked tirelessly with south Queens communities to obtain critical infrastructure; and established educational, cultural and recreation programs for the borough’s diverse immigrant communities.

City Hall’ s formula for base lining funding for Queens cultural institutions and libraries fails to reflect the Borough’s population or special needs

The Queens Civic Congress recommends that the Commission establish a funding formula that will provide for the equitable distribution amongst the boroughs of funds for libraries and cultural institutions.

The Queens Civic Congress recommends that the CCRC provide that the five borough presidents receive 50% of the City Council’s budget to be distributed on an equal per capita basis so that the Borough Presidents can continue to support programs and services their constituents require.

COMMUNITY BOARDS SPEAK FOR NEIGHBORHOODS

Community boards are neighborhoods’ first—and often the only—voice at City Hall. The community boards track service delivery; articulate local funding needs and are a key element in defining local development needs and aspirations.

QCC recommends base lining Community Board funding.

QCC recommends providing support for local planning through the Borough President’s office.

CITY AGENCIES

QCC recommends that CCRC divide the Department of Buildings into two entities-one responsible for issuing permits and a second to be responsible for

enforcing the building code, safety requirements and the Zoning Resolution.

THE CITY COUNCIL

QCC recommends that members of the City Council serve full time.

QCC recommends that salary increases for Council members shall not become effective for one full term.

QCC recommends that funding be apportioned equally to each Council district.

LAND USE

ULURP

Developers and so-called “free marketers” love to hate ULURP and its companion CEQR. Their model city is a place devoid of human scale.

Three decades and more of holding back the tide of uncontrolled development tells us that ULURP is key to a democratic city. Without the means to control and regulate development, New York would soon be unlivable.

The Queens Civic Congress recommends that ULURP retained.

QCC further recommends that additional actions be subject to ULURP—including legislative review:

• 
  
  
  Zoning text amendments
• 
  
  
  Transfer of air rights
• 
  
  
  Lot mergers

QCC recommends that Community Benefit Agreements be subject to public review and legislative oversight.

LOCAL PLANNING

The Queens Civic Congress recommends that the Borough Presidents have resources to provide planning assistance to community boards.

BOARD OF STANDARDS AND APPEALS

BSA for years has been the maker of ad hoc zoning regulations. Communities around the city have secured comprehensive zoning reforms of their neighborhoods only to see their efforts canceled by BSA decisions.

The Queens Civic Congress recommends expanding the BSA to include six appointees of the Mayor and five appointees of the Borough Presidents.

QCC recommends that a super-majority be required to override decisions where the Borough President and community board reject a variance application.

The Queens Civic Congress recommends making BSA decisions on variances subject to City Council review.

CITY PLANNING COMMISSION

QCC recommends that a super majority be required to override decisions where both the community board (s) and the Borough President have agreed on a land use issue.

LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION

QCC recommends that the Landmarks Commission establish an appeals process to the City Council.

CITY AGENCIES

BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT

At least five mayors have tried, without success, to reform the Department of Buildings.

The Queens Civic Congress recommends that the agency be divided into separate entities-- that promote development and those that enforce the Building Code and Zoning Resolution. QCC recommends using the sheriffs as inspectors to enforce building code and zoning rules.

QCC strongly recommends that the Department of Buildings be required to refer projects needing interpretation of the Zoning Resolution to the Department of City Planning for review and sign off.

PARKS

The Queens Civic Congress recommends that the Franchise and Concessions Committee be reorganized into a commission with five members appointed by the borough presidents and six by the mayor. QCC recommends that the Commission establish criteria for major concessions.

Forum News: State Delays Reservoir Redevelopment By Conor Greene - Forum News Group

The Parks Dept might want to argue with the Snapping Turtle (below pic) as to whether or not the Ridgewood Reservoir is a wetlands...It should be noted, that the snapping turtle is New York's official state reptile and is the largest freshwater turtle in the state...Furthermore, I have been told by a Herpetologist that the turtle pictured is probably between 15-20 years old...

Read original...

Parks Explains Need to Cut Down 65 Trees for Phase One

Snapping Turtle at Ridgewood Reservoir - David M. Quintana

While the city Parks Department is prepared to move forward with its phase one redevelopment of Ridgewood Reservoir, it appears that the second phase - which will determine the future use of the property - is on hold as the state decides whether the land should be designated a wetland.

As has been reported, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is currently investigating whether to classify the property on the Queens-Brooklyn border, which contains three basins, as wetlands. Doing so would complicate the Parks Department’s proposed plans for the site, which range from keeping it entirely natural to building ball fields in one of the basins.

“The determination to regulate an area is based on its characteristics and functions as a wetland,” wrote DEC spokesman Thomas Panzone. “In the years since the reservoir was decommissioned, the basins, or part of the basins, have developed some wetland characteristics such as seasonally or permanently wet areas and wetland-dependant vegetation.”

Panzone added that the agency’s investigation comes as a result of a request to map the reservoir as a wetland. That request was made by the public through local elected officials, according to activists that have been lobbying for the site to be kept in its natural state.

Those activists, including David Quintana of Ozone Park, were surprised to learn this week that Parks plans to cut down 65 trees as part of phase one. That aspect of the project, estimated at $7.6 million, includes new lighting and fencing along the perimeter of the basins and better handicap accessibility.

Parks says that, of the 65 trees, nine are dead and the remaining 56 are invasive species, have weak root systems or are compromising existing infrastructure. Three are being removed to create the ADA path. A parks spokeswoman added that “all of our plans for phase one were approved by all the appropriate agencies, and we will continue working with them as we move forward to develop this site.”

Quintana and others who attended a recent Queens Civic Congress meeting on parks say they were also surprised by comments made by borough Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski regarding the potential wetlands designation. According to several in attendance, she suggested the site might not qualify for wetland designation because the basins are not large enough individually, and would have to be connected to meet the size standards.

The DEC said that while wetland designation is normally based on size, “under certain circumstances other factors can be considered.”

There was also talk the DEC might instead classify the site a dam, which could require stripping the basins of vegetation, according to several attendees. The DEC noted that, while the Ridgewood Reservoir system contains a dam, it “can be managed in a number of reasonable ways.” Panzone added, “DEC is not aware of any proposal for stripping the basins and has not issued any such order.”

When asked about Lewandowski’s comments that the DEC is looking at it as a dam, the Parks spokeswoman responded, “That is not what the commissioner said and there is no discussion or plans of stripping the basins. As mentioned in the [prior] statement, the conditions on the site are being reviewed.”

Parks had been set to present three options for phase two to local community boards earlier this year, but that was delayed by the possible DEC intervention and wetland classification. Those pushing for the site to remain natural say they are hopeful the state’s involvement will prevent the city from building ball fields on the property.

“I think DEC s going to stall them, and that should be a long process,” said Quintana.

Steven Fiedler, who attended the meeting as a member of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said there is another complicating factor aside from the potential wetland investigation. He says there are two 46-inch pipes on Seneca Avenue and Vermont Place that the DEC wants sealed before any phase two work moves forward.

“That’s a huge undertaking that sets phase two back,” said Fiedler, who also chairs Community Board 5’s Parks Committee. “In my opinion, you are not going to see it for five years.”

Gary Giordano, district manager of CB 5, echoed the sentiment that state involvement is a good thing. “Whatever the technicalities of classification are, speaking for myself, and I think for some board members too, I’m hopeful that with the state DEC being involved, there is more of a likelihood that the reservoir basins will remain in very much a natural state,” he said.

Giordano added that he doesn’t expect to see any phase two plans in the near future. “I don’t think they are going to show anything, even to the community boards, until [the DEC investigation is complete] because one of the options may be an issue with DEC if it is to put ball fields in one of the basins,” he said. “I would think that certainly would be an issue with DEC. Sometimes more is less, and I don’t think anyone on our board wants to see those ball fields in the basins.”

A number of elected officials have thrown their support behind keeping the site dedicated for passive recreation, including Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven).

Going Green in Queens 2010 - A Greening, Educational and Networking Conference - March 27th @ Al Oerter Recreation Center, Flushing NY

Click image to enlarge...

The Going Green in Queens 2010 Planning Committee

The Queens Coalition for Parks

In partnership with the Queens Civic Congress

Announces the

GOING GREEN IN QUEENS 2010

A Greening, Educational and Networking Conference

Saturday, March 27, 2010

9:30 AM to 3:30 PM

At the

Al Oerter Recreational Center

131-40 Fowler Avenue - Flushing NY 11355

Easily Accessible by Public Transportation:

The #7 Train—Shea Stadium /Willets Point Station

The Q58 Bus- Corner of College Pt. Blvd and Fowler Avenue

And by Car - With free ample parking near venue

(right off College Point Blvd)

Free admission..!

Free workshops, free giveaways,free food, fun!

Please pre-register:

Herr281761@aol.com

Or

GGIQ2010@yahoo.com

Over 50 tablers/exhibits and 10 workshops - Tours of the new pool building

Going Green in Queens 2010 will be great!

Sponsored by:

• Citizens Committee for NYC-Partnerships for Parks

• Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Queens Chapter 31028

• With our media partner-The TimesLedger Papers

We are also collecting used cell phones for our 911 only program as

well as used eyeglasses and ink/toner cartridges for recycling

Look for us on Face Book and Twitter

Queens Locals Trash Waste Plan, Say Congestion and Odor Will Damage Maspeth Ave. by Sindhu Sundar - NY Daily News

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Maspeth community activist Christina Wilkinson objects to a proposal that would bring 65 trucks daily to the Maspeth railyard. - Pokress for News

At least 65 tractor-trailers loaded with garbage could rumble into Maspeth every day under a new waste removal plan proposed to start in 2011.

But as far as area residents are concerned, the plan stinks.

Waste Management Inc. is seeking a permit to convert its existing truck-based transfer station on Review Ave. in Long Island City to a rail-based system. Under the plan, trucks would haul trash 1-1/2-miles from Review Ave. to a railyard at Rust St. and Maspeth Ave.

That would eliminate 52 round-trips a day of tractor-trailers moving through Queens, said George McGrath, spokesman for Waste Management of New York.

The move is in line with the state Department of Environmental Conservation's goals to reduce environmental impact from truck and vehicle emissions.

But locals said it would hurt those living near the railyard.

"We're all for the overall decrease in the number of trucks," said Christina Wilkinson, a local activist who organized a rally last Saturday on Rust St. to oppose the plan. "But this will be concentrating truck traffic along certain roads in our community, and this is unfair."

Maspeth residents and small-business owners are already overburdened with air pollution and congestion from truck traffic along Maspeth Ave., protesters said.

"There will surely be more truck trips than Waste Management is reporting," said Corey Bearak, president of the Queens Civic Congress, an umbrella group for civic associations.

Area merchants also fear the garbage trips will drive away customers.

"I'm not sure how they're going to contain the odor," said Nick Diamantis, owner of the Clinton Diner on Maspeth Ave. "And I don't know what people would feel about eating next to a place with all this waste."

Community activists proposed alternatives such as building additional rail spurs at the current Review Ave. facility to eliminate the need to truck waste to the Maspeth railyard. The garbage could also be barged out along Newtown Creek, adjacent to the facility, activists said.

Community Board 5 urged Waste Management last week to implement these alternatives. It also sent the recommendations to the DEC and the city Sanitation Department.

"It's a perfect example of how a community has come up with an amendment to a bad plan," said City Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who attended the rally. "And I will support them in whatever way they need me to."

Assemblyman Mark Weprin Joins Queens Civic Congress to Express Concern About New DOB Development Challenge Process

Assemblymember Mark S. Weprin (D-Little Neck) has written Commissioner Robert D. LiMandri, New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), asking him to address the concerns raised by Queens Civic Congress, the Historic Districts Council, and the Four Borough Neighborhood Alliance about DOB’s new development challenge process.

“As a longtime advocate of open government, I believe that greater transparency within the DOB is clearly in the public interest,” said Assemblymember Weprin. “At the same time, DOB needs to address community objections.”

Mr. Weprin’s letter mentions three issues of concern to the community:

(1) Requiring people to file complaint forms instead of calling 311 will be onerous in many cases.

(2) Residents should not need to be familiar with building codes or zoning regulations to express concerns.

(3) The forty-five day challenge period is too brief. The clocks starts with the filing of the plans, but it often takes longer than forty-five days for construction to begin, so community members may not even know about a planned project until the challenge period is over.

“I will continue working with local civic associations and community groups, as well as with the Queens Civic Congress, to ensure that the public always has a say,” said Assemblymember Weprin.

Call Boro New Boomtown - Population Grew by Nearly 3% Since 2000, Census Data Shows by Brendan Brosh - NY Daily News

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AMERICA'S MOST diverse county is booming in the new millennium.

Queens' population increased about 2.9% between 2000 and July 2008 - meaning 63,628 more people now call the borough home, according to figures released yesterday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

That far outpaces the growth projected by the city, which estimated in 2006 that Queens would grow by 50,295 people by the end of the decade.

New Yorkers who may have considered moving to Sunbelt locales such as Florida, Nevada, California and Arizona chose to stay because those areas have borne the brunt of the recession, the Census report shows.

"We're seeing something remarkable in Queens - more immigrants are coming in than domestic migrants are leaving," said Joseph Salvo of the City Planning Department. "Even though we have foreclosures and other problems, it's not as bad as in other parts of the country."

The city as a whole has 355,432 more people than it did in April 2000, the report states.

Some of the city's projections are still on pace. The Bronx is slated to grow by 68,544 people by 2010.

Some locals hope the city will use the numbers to increase infrastructure funding.

"Queens is bursting at the seams - and a lot of that has to do with infrastructural issues," said Paul Graziano, president of the Historic Districts Council and an urban planning consultant.

"It's always been 'build first, ask questions later' in New York City," he said.

The Census report notes Queens grew by some 15,000 people between July 2007 and July 2008. Much of the growth was in the Rockaways, where hundreds of homes were built.

"In the last four years, our population went up at least 10,000 people because of all the building," said Jonathan Gaska, district manager of Community Board 14.

The peninsula is slated for even more construction.

"In a few years, Rockaway could have another 25,000 to 35,000 people," Gaska said.

Despite the growth, Queens recently lost two hospitals - Mary Immaculate in Jamaica and St. John's Queens in Elmhurst - which concerns local civic groups.

"Between Jamaica Bay and the Grand Central Parkway, we are extremely underserved in the number of hospitals," said Corey Bearak, head of the Queens Civic Congress, an umbrella organization for community groups.

"It's clear that we need to be focused and prioritized on infrastructure."

A Sad Day for Richmond Hill - Nancy Cataldi Has Passed Away...

I received the following very sad information today, Richmond Hill Historical Society President, Nancy Cataldi has passed away...Final arrangements have been made at Kearns Funeral Home, see below...

Dear Friends,

We are very distressed to report that the Society's President, Nancy Cataldi, died unexpectedly yesterday at her home in Richmond Hill.

Our information is that she will be waked out of Kearns Funeral Home, 85-16 115th Street in Richmond Hill, but final arrangements have not yet been made. We will let you know as soon as we learn what those arrangements are.

Nancy's death leaves a terrible void in our community, our organization, and our personal lives, and we cannot imagine how that void will ever be filled.

The Richmond Hill Historical Society
86-22 109th Street
Richmond Hill, NY 11418
718-847-7878

Funeral services for Nancy Cataldi:

The Family of Nancy Cataldi will receive friends at Leo F. Kearns Funeral Home, 85-66 115th Street, Richmond Hill (718-441-3300), on Wednesday and Thursday, November 5th - 6th, from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM and from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

A Funeral Mass for Nancy will be held at The Church of the Holy Child Jesus, 111-11 86th Avenue, Richmond Hill (718-847-1860), on Friday, November 7th, at 10:00 AM. A private cremation will follow.

Donations in memory of Nancy may be made to Bobbi and the Stray's donation envelopes will also be available at the Funeral Home.

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/bobbicares.html
http://kearnsfamily.com/?p=nrich

Voters Spoke on Terms Limits Twice - Let 'em Speak Again, Says Queens Civic Congress' Corey Bearak Guest Columnist - NY Daily News

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Let the voters decide term limits, declares the Queens Civic Congress (QCC), the borough-wide coalition of civic and condo, cooperative, tenant and other community organizations, which last month unanimously adopted a resolution that will be included in its CIVIC 2030 platform.

Unlike the closed-door deliberations that resulted in pending City Council legislation to unilaterally extend the terms of all Council members, the five borough presidents, the public advocate, the controller and the mayor, QCC's resolution followed a summer's worth of discussion in the Queens civic movement.

In August, QCC's executive committee - its members either current or former presidents of neighborhood civics - proposed a position that QCC circulated by regular mail and e-mail and posted on its www.queensciviccongress.org Web site for consideration on Sept. 15.

QCC member civics, in open discussion with media present, unanimously adopted a resolution that, "calls on ALL public officials and those who aspire to public office to commit to the use of referendum to attempt any change in the City Charter enacted in that matter, and state that position publicly."

Why? What makes this so important? The public already voted consistently - two separate times - on this issue. First, voters opted to enact term limits. Second, voters rejected its repeal. As a matter of good public policy and basic democracy, any change in term limits, from its revocation to its extension or its reduction must only be enacted by the same process that led to its 1993 enactment - voter referendum.

Also important, the second time term limits went to a vote in 1996, the City Council, populated by office holders who would have kept their posts by legislative enactment, placed the referendum on the ballot. These Council members clearly recognized the need to "Let the voters decide."

Interestingly, this time around, the term limits discussion at City Hall developed so that the opportunity to place the issue before voters by next month lapsed. The mayor asserts a claim of not enough time to put this issue before the voters. He argues against voter involvement as a "luxury" we cannot afford. Simply not true. Good government remains a necessity, never a luxury.

While the time has expired to place an initiative on this November's ballot, plenty of time remains to place a referendum before the voters in a special election following a Charter Revision Commission proposed by City Council legislation or by local law.

In his State of the City Address last winter, the mayor committed to appoint a Charter Revision Commission that could have considered term limits and any other possible municipal governance reform. To date, that commitment to appoint a Charter commission remains unfulfilled by City Hall. That process would have easily allowed for a term limits change to be proposed early last month and placed on November's ballot. Putting term limits on next month's ballot would have also coincided with the presidential election, which attracts the largest voter turnout.

Simply put, QCC opposes any plan to change term limits except through a public referendum. If City Hall and the City Council seek to repeal or modify terms limits, anything other than a voter referendum smacks of illegitimacy. Legitimacy and confidence in government depend on politicians recognizing the public will. Any failure to recognize two public referendums would reduce the city government to, in my predecessor's words, a junta.

QCC invites concerned organizations and citizens to join in support of our "Let the Voters Decide" campaign for Democracy in New York. QCC's Web site will list supporters.

Queens Civic Congress also urges New Yorkers to call 311 with this simple and direct message to City Hall - "Let the voters decide term limits."

Corey Bearak, an attorney and public affairs consultant, serves as president of the Queens Civic Congress.

Attorney Aims High as New Leader of Queens Civic Congress by Donald Bertrand - NY Daily News

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The Queens Civic Congress, an influential umbrella group for more than 100 community organizations throughout the borough, has a new leader for the first time in its 10 years of existence.

Photo caption: Corey Bearak (r.) is sworn in by Assemblywoman Barbara Clark as the new president of Queens Civic Congress.

Bellerose attorney Corey Bearak was recently elected as QCC president and formally took over the reins last week from Sean Walsh of Bayside.

"Sean told me about a year ago last summer that he planned not to run again and asked if I was interested," Bearak said.

The congress was formed in 1997 through the merger of the United Civic Council of Queens and the Eastern Queens Civic Council. At the time, it represented about 60 local organizations.

"We have always been a consensus organization, and I think we will continue in that way," Bearak said, noting that he hopes to better tap into the talent of the group's officers and committee chairmen.

"We will continue to make life in Queens better by taking stands [on issues] or trying to influence budget negotiations and policy," said Bearak, who also leads the North Bellerose Civic Association.

For example, getting libraries to open six days a week has been something the group has advocated for "budget after budget," he said.

The congress also has been pushing for zoning changes.

A lot of work needs to be done at "getting the attention of the Buildings Department. We still need a lot of work on code enforcement issues," Bearak said.

One high-profile initiative the group has opposed is congestion pricing.

But because he is involved in the issue professionally as a consultant, Bearak said he will recuse himself from discussions on that matter.

Other newly appointed officers of the group include Executive Vice president Patricia Dolan of the Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association, treasurer James Trent of the Creedmoor Civic Association and secretary Seymour Schwartz of the Briarwood Civic Association.

dbertrand@nydailynews.com

In Our Opinion...The Evolution of Zoning: Has It Stopped? - Editorial Queens Ledger

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Last week in front of Queens Borough Hall there were complaints about zoning laws that have affected neighborhoods and dcommunities throughout Queens. Many of the residents, community leaders and people on hand for the rally were frustrated. They felt the city and its developers trampled over their space while converting many of their quiet residences into business centers.

The Queens Civic Congress fronted by President Corey Bearak and rally coordinator, Henry Euler, blamed the overwhelming amount of developers that often avoid taking community civics and members into consideration before turning residential areas into the city's hands.

One person we spoke revealed this to be the case. The elderly gentleman told us that the government stopped paying attention to the people who know "what's really going on." Said person (who didn't want his name revealed) went along to say he has lived in his respected Queens neighborhood for 50 years and has not been able to gain the respect he needs to enforce zoning changes.

"It's not right," is how he described the situation.

During the rally, vice president of the QCC, Harbachan Singh, brought up the history of zoning throughout New York. The groundbreaking Zoning Resolution of 1916 in particular is what he shed light on. "Thank our forefathers for coming up with this," he said

This legislation established height and setback controls and designated residential districts that excluded what were seen as incompatible uses. It created soaring towers that epitomized the city's business districts and established the familiar context of three- to six-story residential buildings found in much of the city.

The new ordinance became a model for urban communities throughout American as other cities found that New York's problems of zoning were not unique. Mainly it separated the city for the less urban areas on the outskirts. These implemented ideals stayed in effect for a while.

It was only in 1961 that a new Zoning Resolution was set. It was more in-depth - coordinating use and bulk regulations, incorporated parking requirements and emphasized the creation of open space.

It also introduced incentive zoning by adding a bonus of extra floor space to encourage developers of office buildings and apartment towers to incorporate public plazas into their projects. Throughout New York, the 1961 zoning act dramatically reduced achievable housing densities, largely at the edges of the city.

According to the New York City Department of City Planning website: "Time passes, land uses change and zoning policy accommodates, anticipates and guides those changes. In a certain sense, zoning is never final; it is renewed constantly in response to new ideas- and to new challenges."

Many have raised such new "challenges." Now it is time for the city's response. Isn't it about time a new zoning act gets passed to add nuances to the ever-changing communities throughout the city?

Queens Civics Rally to Reform Zoning by Henrick A. Karoliszyn - Queens Ledger

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Last week in front of Queens Borough Hall there were complaints about zoning laws that have affected neighborhoods and communities throughout Queens. Many of the residents, community leaders and people on hand for the rally were frustrated. They felt the city and its developers trampled over their space while converting many of their quiet residences into business centers.



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The Queens Civic Congress fronted by President Corey Bearak and rally coordinator, Henry Euler, blamed the overwhelming amount of developers that often avoid taking community civics and members into consideration before turning residential areas into the city's hands.

One person we spoke revealed this to be the case. The elderly gentleman told us that the government stopped paying attention to the people who know "what's really going on." Said person (who didn't want his name revealed) went along to say he has lived in his respected Queens neighborhood for 50 years and has not been able to gain the respect he needs to enforce zoning changes.

"It's not right," is how he described the situation.

During the rally, vice president of the QCC, Harbachan Singh, brought up the history of zoning throughout New York. The groundbreaking Zoning Resolution of 1916 in particular is what he shed light on. "Thank our forefathers for coming up with this," he said

This legislation established height and setback controls and designated residential districts that excluded what were seen as incompatible uses. It created soaring towers that epitomized the city's business districts and established the familiar context of three- to six-story residential buildings found in much of the city.

The new ordinance became a model for urban communities throughout American as other cities found that New York's problems of zoning were not unique. Mainly it separated the city for the less urban areas on the outskirts. These implemented ideals stayed in effect for a while.

It was only in 1961 that a new Zoning Resolution was set. It was more in-depth - coordinating use and bulk regulations, incorporated parking requirements and emphasized the creation of open space.

It also introduced incentive zoning by adding a bonus of extra floor space to encourage developers of office buildings and apartment towers to incorporate public plazas into their projects. Throughout New York, the 1961 zoning act dramatically reduced achievable housing densities, largely at the edges of the city.

According to the New York City Department of City Planning website: "Time passes, land uses change and zoning policy accommodates, anticipates and guides those changes. In a certain sense, zoning is never final; it is renewed constantly in response to new ideas- and to new challenges."

Many have raised such new "challenges." Now it is time for the city's response. Isn't it about time a new zoning act gets passed to add nuances to the ever-changing communities throughout the city?

Queens Civic Congress Luncheon at Antuns - April 6th

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QUEENS CIVIC CONGRESS HONORS FOUNDING PRES. WALSH,
PARKS & PRESERVATION GROUPS

Senator Charles Schumer helped the Queens Civic Congress, the borough-wide coalition of civic and condo, cooperative, tenant and other community organizations, honor its past-President Sean M. Walsh, Esq. with its Queens Civic Award for Outstanding Community Service at the 6th Queens Civic Luncheon, Sunday, April 6, at Antun’s of Queens Village, announced President President Corey Bearak. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall delivered the Keynote address and made clear her opposition to the Congestion Tax. Queens Civic Congress also recognized two activist organizations who toil in the trenches to make Queens a better place: Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance received the Queens Civic Achievement Award in Preservation presented by Executive Vice President Patricia Dolan. Queens Coalition for Parks and Green Spaces received the Queens Civic Environment Improvement Award, presented by QCC Parks Committee co-chairs Vice President Barbara Larkin and Kim Ohanian. Fred Kress accepted on behalf of QCP&GS and Herbert Reynold accepted for Sunnyside.

Mrs. Marshall's Brooklyn and Manhattan colleagues Marty Markowitz and Scott Stringer also delivered greetings. State Senator Frank Padavan (also on behalf of Assembly Member Mark Weprin and Council Member Helen Sears also reognized Mr. Walsh. Councilman David Weprin presented citations to each honoree. Council Members James Gennaro and Melinda Katz spoke on their votes and advocacy against the Congestion Tax, and Assembly Member Audrey Pheffer explained Queens residents have not need to call her office on Monday because of her commitment to down the tax.

Other elected officials who attended included staunch congestion tax opponents Council Members Tony Avella and Assembly Member Rory Lancman. Other attendees included Council Members John Liu, Eric Gioia, Simcha Felder, David Yassky and Deputy Borough President Karen Koslowitz.

Neighbor to Neighbor: Going Green in Queens Inspires Eco Optimism By Barbara Morris - Times Ledger

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When a community volunteer joins a great group with equally great support groups, one would think any proposed joint project would immediately be anticipated a success. So it was when, at a meeting of the Queens Coalition for Parks and Green Spaces, QCP President Fred Kress and Corey Bearak, president of the Queens Civic Congress, told us we were going to have a greening event.

The other boroughs each had one, and we didn't want Queens left out. Each support group did a spectacular job. In the meantime, as we sat around the big table in the Overlook's meeting room, it was agreed we needed a name for our project. A brief contest led us to select "Going Green in Queens."

My head was spinning given the speed assignments were handed out, since the deadline we chose - Saturday, March 8 - was coming up. The event was held at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, thanks to the hard work of our creative outreach folks from Partnership for Parks: Helen Ho, Norman Chan and Hasen King, who worked closely with the city Parks & Recreation Department; the City Parks Foundation; and Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski and Assistant Commissioner Estelle Cooper. The selected location, with free admission and parking, is an interesting place. We were thrilled. Invitations to participants were sent out and, as quick as a wink, volunteers responded.

State Senator John Sabini, Corey Bearak & Me

It rained hard the day before the event, and on the morning of the event it rained even harder. As we were loading Fred's car with literature, free gifts and prizes, games and other goodies, however, the rain stopped. It didn't rain when we unloaded at the Hall. It was almost miraculous and put us in an optimistic mood.

When we arrived at the Hall, we were amazed that most of the long lines of tables were already being filled by enthusiastic folks with a fascinating array of educational material. Once set up at our own site, I tried circulating to see what type of information was available. Studied properly, my collection would minimally take months. This event wasn't, however, only about collecting literature or finding out from people monitoring the tables what their group was all about.

There were well-planned workshops. On the lower level boardroom, there were workshops about trees (How to Care for Street Trees 101, Masters Level Pruning - More than Just Dead Wood and One Is the Loneliest Number). In the auditorium and Wiscusi Gallery, there were workshops on water ("City of Water," a short film on city waterways and Make Waves in the Blue Movement - Queens Waterfront Communities Make A Splash! Parts I and II); environmental sustainability (Composting in the City - Indoors and Outdoors, Building Foundations for a Sustainable Future Through Green Building and Solar Energy and How Runoff Water Affects You and Builds Bioswales, Too!); and resources (Building Relationships with Elected Officials, Parks 101 and Grants and Community Building Projects).

Finally, there was a closing ceremony and free raffle during which city Parks Department Commissioner Adrian Benepe - who stood smiling as we all sang "Happy Birthday" to him - stood patiently reading an almost never-ending list of prize winners who had a choice of a gift.

Norman Chan, Commissioner Benepe & Queens Commissioner Lewandowski

I happened to be one of the lucky ones and chose one of those efficient green Treegators seen wrapped around well-watered street trees. At that same spot in the program, Lewandowski presented Benepe with a clock purchased at the Hall of Science that was said to run on fruit.

I don't know how that works or if you have to keep feeding it, but it sounds like a novel conversation piece. In her very informative keynote address, Lewandowski not only put a happy spin on the heavy rains by reminding us they'll bring beautiful flowers, but also told us some of the exciting future plans for our Queens parks.

When Benepe spoke, he expanded on the future plans for parks throughout the city. He ended our perfect day by saying he was at the other boroughs' greening events, but Going Green in Queens was the best.

More to come.

CHARLES OBER CHALLENGES QUEENS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION ENDORSEMENT OF ELIZABETH CROWLEY

Ober for Council

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CHARLES OBER CHALLENGES QUEENS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION ENDORSEMENT OF ELIZABETH CROWLEY

Charles Ober, today challenged the Queens County Democratic Organization executive committee to justify its decision to endorse Elizabeth Crowley, cousin of the county leader, U.S. Rep Joseph Crowley.

“Elizabeth Crowley has no apparent community based qualifications for city council other than her insider relationship with the Queens Democratic machine.” Ober noted. Ober, a Ridgewood Democrat is running for the city council seat being vacated by Dennis Gallagher. “Unlike Elizabeth, I was not even given the chance to address the full county executive committee to make my case.” Said Ober of the executive committee’s deliberations over the special election race in the 30^th district, which includes Glendale, Liberty Park, Maspeth, Middle Village, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood, and Woodhaven.

“I was told that it was a forgone conclusion.” added Ober, “I was also informed that if I did go forward with my bid for the city council seat, county was going to take me to court to challenge my petitions to make sure that I did not make it on the ballot. Either way I was not going to win, I was told flat out.” Ober also was told by the executive committee members that one of the reasons for endorsing the candidacy of Crowley was the money she has raised. “I would have hoped that county would have seriously examined the relevant experience of the candidates first and the contributions that each have made to the civic life of the district, not considerations that have little to do with the best interest of the people that live in the community.” Ober declared. “Executive county members made it clear that they will use the courts to keep me off the ballot, instead of letting the people decide who the they want to represent them, which is suppose to be the democratic way, not taking candidates to court to keep them from running and financially ruin them.” Ober said. “Why should political leaders outside our district, deprive the voters in district 30 a real choice, rather than an only choice.”

Charles Ober, is a 27 year resident of the district and has done extensive community and civic work over the last 20 years. Ober also has extensive private business financial experience that he intends to use to help serve the district.

Working with the Queens Civic Congress and Council Members Peter Vallone Jr. and Hiram Monserrate, for two years, Ober spearheaded the successful campaign for a graffiti nuisance abatement bill that Mayor Bloomberg signed into law, in 2005. That law provides an enforcement mechanism that requires irresponsible owners to clean their buildings of Graffiti or allow the city to clean them.

“We have to ask why it is that developers have been able to destroy the character of the neighborhoods and why local political leaders watched while the zoning laws failed to protect us.” Ober said. “And why it is that the City of New York’s building department failed to enforce building regulations.” He added. “With the problems facing our neighborhoods in central Queens, we simply cannot afford to allow the hidden agenda of machine politicians outside our district to determine the representation for our community.”

Ober ended with this comment “If this is what I have done as a community activist and volunteer, imagine how much I will accomplish for our communities and the residents, when I am elected as the next city councilmen. Let all the candidates compare their records to mine and let’s see who is the most qualified candidate to serve the residents of our communities and who has consistently served and produced for the people of our communities.”

Queens Civic Congress Honors Founder Walsh by Stephen Stirlling - Times Ledger

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The Queens Civic Congress honored its founder and past president, Sean Walsh, by giving him the group's annual outstanding community service award at a luncheon last weekend where elected officials praised the Bayside activist for his years of civic dedication to the borough.

The congress, a boroughwide coalition of civic, condo, cooperative, tenant and other community organizations, also recognized the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance with an achievement award for preservation and gave the Queens Coalition for Parks and Green Spaces an environmental improvement award at the luncheon.

But Walsh, a Bayside resident who founded the Queens Civic Congress in 1997, was the group's top honoree at the Sunday event at Antun's reception hall on Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village. Elected officials at the city, state and federal level turned out to praise Walsh.

"Sean has given so much of his life to the borough and the city," former Borough President Claire Shulman said. "He is an extraordinary person. He deserves all the praise we can give him."

Ron Kim, a spokesman for Gov. David Paterson, issued a proclamation honoring Walsh and a number of elected officials, including Borough President Helen Marshall and City Councilwoman Helen Sears (D-Jackson Heights), said the QCC founder had earned the respect of civic groups across the borough.

Walsh, who received the Queens Civic Award for Outstanding Community Service at the luncheon, currently acts as the president emeritus to the congress.

"People need to be inspired to come together on civics and community boards," Walsh said. "I think we all owe a debt to the leaders who came before us."

The congress also honored the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance with the Queens Achievement Award for Preservation for its work to safeguard the national register historic district, while the Queens Coalition for Parks and Green Spaces, a group formed in 2001 to maintain as well as promote recreational activities in borough parks, was awarded the Queens Civic Environment Improvement Award.