Notes From March 8 Block Association Meeting

Notes on West 55th Street BA Meeting
March 8, 2010


28 people in attendance. Special guest: Gale Brewer, New York City Council Member. We started at 7:05 PM and ended at 8:10 PM. Many people stayed afterwards to talk, eat cookies and drink soda. Here are the highlights of the meeting:

1. Update on 501(c)(3) status. The IRS has asked for more information about the BA’s application. We are sending it. But to be safe, do not deduct donations to the Block Association from your taxes until further notice.

2. MTA cuts. Marilyn K. reported on the public hearing regarding MTA cuts that was held at the Fashion Institute on March 4. The MTA wants to cut lots of services and lay off employees to fill a $400 million shortfall in the budget

The issues that generated the greatest audience response and interest were proposed cuts to the student passes and Access-A-Ride. There was no interaction between the public and the MTA board. The board just listened to testimony without comment. One young student was, however, able to get the MTA chairman to agree to meet with a group of students on March 17, 2010.

Several people wondered why the MTA wasn’t using federal stimulus money for operating expenses, as other municipalities have.

Gale Brewer said later in the meeting that she suspected some kind of compromise may be worked out on the student fares. She was less sure that something could be worked out for Access-A-Ride.

See these links for more information:
MTA synopsis of the problem: http://www.mta.info/news/stories/?story=11
NYTimes on 12/14/2009 summarizes proposed cuts: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/nyregion/15mta.html
WNYC on 2/3/2010 says proposed cuts still won’t be enough: http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/149558

3. Winter holiday lights. The lights are coming down on March 18, 2010. The City will not let us keep the lights up year-round. [UPDATE: Due to all the tree damage during the recent nor'easter, Sav-A-Tree is busy with emergency cleanups north of the City. So they had to postpone taking down our lights. We'll keep you posted.]

4. Treasurer’s Report. Send an email to west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]com for this report or ask Christine or Jack when you see them.

5. T-shirts. There was consensus that we should create and sell T-shirts to promote the BA. If you have design ideas, contact Christine G.

6. Tree Bed Cleanup. Calling all volunteers to help clean out the tree beds, remove the pine boughs this Saturday, March 13 at 10 AM. Meet in front of 345 W. 55. [NOTE: This event was canceled due to rain and rescheduled for March 20 at 10 AM]

7. Happy Hour. We will try Kennedy’s at 327 W. 57th for the next Happy Hour. Monday, April 12 from 7 to 9 PM. There is a room in the back they call the Library, which we have booked. Cash bar. Frank F. says that if you eat dinner there before or afterwards, he can recommend the chicken pot pie and the fish and chips.

8. Trash cans mid-block. Mary B. did some research and found some pole-mounted trash cans for sale on the Internet. The next step is going to be figuring out who would be responsible for emptying the trash and what permits/permissions we might need to put the cans up.

a. Global Industrial (888-978-7759) has a pole/wall mount receptacle in black or green. 10 gallon capacity, 12" diameter x 24" height. #T9AB53238 $84.95. http://www.globalindustrial.com/searchResult?q=T9AB53238

b. Trash Can Source has an outdoor 10 gallon open top steel one dimensions not given. Towne series $108
http://www.trashcansource.com/ Search for “Towne Series”

c. They also have a pet station with wood slat exterior on a pole with sign and bag dispenser $257. They have these in Belmar, NJ but don't think they suit our purpose -- too small
http://www.trashcansource.com/ Search for “Pet Station”

9. Alcohol Licenses. The West 44th Street Block Association would like more people to attend CB4 committee meetings on the granting of liquor licenses to the many bars and cabarets that are opening up in the area. You can download a .pdf monthly calendar of all the CB4 committees at http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb4/

The committee that awards alcohol licenses is the Committee on Business Licenses & Permits (North of 32nd Street), chaired by John Owens and Chuck Spence. The Committee regularly meets on the second Tuesday of each month, beginning at 6:30 PM, at Westin Hotel, 270 W. 43 Street (near Eighth Avenue).

We will also start adding pertinent CB4 meetings to the W55 block calendar at http://www.west55ba.org/calendar

10. Census Jobs. Jack H. says the Census bureau is hiring folks for around $15 an hour and they have plenty of jobs where you don’t have to go door to door.

11. Gale Brewer, New York City Council member. Brewer began by recognizing Mary B. as a friend in the neighborhood. She also passed out flyers with some events she is sponsoring and gave out her card and contact information. She spoke for about half an hour, answered questions and stayed during the social time to talk further with folks.

a. MTA cuts. Brewer agrees that transportation issues are way out of whack. She hopes the student passes will get saved somehow. She’s not so sure the Access-A-Ride cuts will be successfully pushed back.

b. New York Public Interest Research Group. Brewer says this is a good group and that Gene? (didn’t catch the name) from NYPIRG is a good advocate for NYC and he believes the MTA books are finally honest.

c. High School for Environmental Studies. Brewer is glad to hear we are reaching out to them. Says they are particularly interested in internships.

d. The Windemere (the hulking big building at the SW corner of 57th and Ninth). Brewer gave a history of the tenant harassment that occurred at the Windemere. Says that the last 7 tenants have finally reach a settlement. The building (which is really two buildings) has been sold and is going to be developed as a hotel and apartments, with 20% of the apartments reserved for affordable housing.

e. Riverside South. Brewer says the parking lots from 59th to 61st are going to be developed and we should all pay attention to this. They really need a school there; it would help alleviate congestion at some other public schools. This is under Community Board 7’s jurisdiction but the meetings are open to all.

f. New voting machines. NYC is going to be using new scanning machines instead of the old lever-action machines in our next election in the fall. Brewer is on the technology committee that is dealing with this and is ready to work with us to have voting machines demonstrations at our meetings. Says we can get someone from the Board of Elections to walk us through all this.

g. Electronics recycling. Per Scholas will be recycling used electronics (cell phones, laptops, computers) on Sunday March 21, 2010 from 10 AM to 3 PM at Brewer’s District Office, 563 Columbus Avenue at 87th Street. Per Scholas then places the refurbished equipment in public schools or sells the electronics to support schools. http://www.perscholas.org/

h. Make Music New York. On the summer solstice every year (June 21), Make Music New York sponsors free public concerts on the streets of New York. This might be something fun for use to arrange for our block. Any volunteers want to contact them? www.makemusicny.org

12. Questions for Council Member Brewer. We spent the remaining time asking questions and listening to Brewer’s responses. It looked like everyone who wanted to ask a question was able to do so.

Q: Have you heard the new police sirens (The Rumblr)? They’re really loud and could damage people’s hearing.
A: No, Brewer has not heard them. She will look into it.

Q: Who is responsible for the condition of the sidewalks?
A: The owner of the property is responsible for the condition of the sidewalks. The City’s Department of Transportation is responsible to the condition of the streets.

Q: Have you seen the graffiti “9/11 Ha! Ha! Ha!” on Eighth Avenue?
A: No Brewer hadn’t. But she suggests calling 311 to report it. There is a graffiti team that paints over and removes graffiti.
A: Jack H says the Midtown North precinct is aware of it. Also advises calling 311 to get rid of graffiti?

Q: Can we get rid of the small freebie paper newsstands? They create litter and provide a surface for graffiti.
A: Brewer says she’ll have to think a while on that one. First Amendment freedom of the press makes it tough to get rid of newsstands.

Q: What’s happening with the construction site at West 55th and Eighth?
A: Several people in the group said they had heard the development company ran out of money. Brewer says there are regulations about so-called “stall sites” and how they should be capped off to make them safe.

Q: When will the new school in Riverside South be built?
A: It will likely take at least five years.

Q: What can we do about traffic at 57th and Ninth?
A: Brewer says she can help bring it to Dept of Transportation’s attention. There was discussion about whether the BA could write a letter asking for signage to turn the traffic onto 11th Avenue.

Q: Can you tell us more about the possibility of a hotel going up at the Windemere?
A: The Windemere is actually made up of two buildings. One will likely be apartments and the other a hotel. But the work that’s being done now is to shore up the structure and insides.