BROOKLYN COMMUNITY BOARD 6
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
DECEMBER 7, 2015
PRESENT:
J. ARMER P. FLEMING G. KELLY
A. KRASNOW S. LONIAL R. LUFTGLASS E. MCCLURE T. MISKEL M. RACIOPPO G. REILLY M. SHAMES M. SILVERMAN
S. TURET R. UNDERWOOD
EXCUSED:
R. BASHNER P. BLAKE R. LEVINE
ABSENT:
P. BELLENBAUM
*** M I N U T E S ***
The meeting was called to order at 6:53pm. A motion was made to approve the minutes of the last meeting held on October 13, 2015. The minutes were approved with one abstention Eric McClure.
Board member attendance review. First Vice Chairperson Sayar Lonial reported that there were 6 board members who were up for
attendance reviews.
1) Lance Pinn – missed 5 meetings. He responded and provided reasons for each absence, all of them work related. He expressed an interest in continuing to serve and projected that his record will improve. Will continue to monitor. No further action to be taken at this time.
2) Richard Bashner – missed 7 meetings. He responded and provided reasons for his absences, all of them family/health related. He expressed an interest in continuing to serve and projected that his record will improve. Will continue to monitor. No further action to be taken at this time.
3) Karissa James – Newly appointed in May by Borough President. Has never attended a board meeting, having accumulated 4 consecutive unexcused absences. She did respond, suggested that she was a value member of the board, and wants to stay.
Motion made to remove Karissa James from the Board.
Vote: 12…..Yea 2…..Nay 0…..Abstention
Motion: Approved
4) Deana Esquerra – Newly appointed in May at the recommendation of Council Member Menchaca. Has never attended a board meeting, having accumulated 4 consecutive unexcused absences. Has not responded to inquiries.
Motion made to remove Deana Esquerra from the Board.
Vote: 13…..Yea 1…..Nay 0…..Abstention
Motion: Approved
5) Harriet Hughes – former President of 572 Warren Street Tenant Association, no longer President. Has not been to a meeting in 2015. Member since 2010, long history of attendance issues, virtually every year since originally being appointed. Has not responded to inquiries. She is
presently at the Cobble Hill Health Center. Term up in 2016.
Motion made to remove Harriet Hughes from the Board.
Vote: 13…..Yeas 0…..Nays 1…..Abstention
Motion: Approved
6) Marguerite Scott – Former President of Gowanus Tenants Association, no longer President. Has only been to one meeting in the last year. Long history of attendance issues, virtually every year since originally being appointed. Has not responded to inquiries. Term up in 2017.
Motion made to remove Marguerite Scott from the Board.
Vote: 13…..Yea 0…..Nay 1…..Abstention
Motion: Approved
If Board upholds the 4 removals there will be a total of 7 vacancies on the Board.
Preliminary Discussion of Brooklyn CB6 co-naming street review policy and protocols.
Requests for street sign renaming vary widely and make it a difficult process. Transportation Committee wondering how to evaluate naming requests. Craig Hammerman polled other Community Boards to see what they require and they have different processes. Threshold question is whether CB6 wants to continue doing it then, if so, what kind of protocols should we adopt and which committee should own the review process.
Current Process: 1. Petitioners supply request narrative and petition with at least 20 signatures of residents on affected block to the district office.
2. Item is put on the agenda of Transportation/Public Safety Committee (years ago it used to go before Landmarks/Land Use Committee), petitioners are asked to make presentation to the committee as a public review.
3. Recommendation from committee becomes resolution from the Community Board.
4. Resolution presented to affected Council Member who considers introducing an Intro. Council batches and reviews these requests semi-annually.
5. Council resolution presented to Mayor for signature.
6. DOT coordinates sign posting ceremony with Council Member who typically involves the petitioners in the ceremony planning. CB invited to ceremony.
Eric McClure: It is ok for Board to move the name forward but it is uncomfortable for the Board in some situations where families want it. Where should it go for review? What Committee? We should hear what Community needs to say, but we need criteria, otherwise it will all go to City Council and will be submitted without Community Board or public review.
Susan Turet: There is always an uncomfortable moment. The people who are being honored are not necessarily warranted.
Mark Shames: We should not be doing it. So let’s try it out with criteria and formal application, waiting time, not at Transportation, should be at Cultural Affairs (or Executive Committee). Executive Committee can screen them. Only leverage is to say no. That shields the elected official. Criteria, should come from a community group.
Sayar Lonial: Should not kick it away. Executive Committee. Criteria can be beyond local.
Ariel Krasnow: We should question whether the Community Board should make a statement against this program since no one seems to like this.
Eric McClure: Two year waiting would not set big hurdles. (payment, community groups). Could get signatures, some demonstration of support.
Craig Hammerman: To re-cap, the consensus is to develop protocols and give them a try before giving up our role in the process. We will put together an ad-hoc working group to draft protocols to go back to Executive Committee for further consideration. This will be reported on at the General Meeting.
Other Business: Gowanus Canal Advisory Group Report from Mark Shames
Retention tanks - one tank at 2nd Avenue.
1. Not controversial and going forward.
2. Other tank at Douglass Park. EPA wants the tanks to go where the Douglass Pool is since that has to be remediated anyway.
3. DEP wants the site by the canal which is privately owned. The site is better for CSO capture and release. Less expensive. Alloy - owner of the Canal site would give park site part of the deal if tanks are placed in Douglass Park. Additional park space is important because the tank takes space at ground which is the tank cleaning “head house”. City says that EPA plan (DD Park) would take much longer. City has not explained why. City would have to use eminent domain which could take a long time. EPA has final discussion.
CAG drafted a motion that EPA should base decision on technical staff and information not to be swayed by political. City says the extra time is to remove pool and remediate and replace pool. Plus keep pool going throughout duration.
Glenn Kelly: The city does not seem to have worked out or investigated other options. Eminent domain site is going for $75 Million. City is dragging out the process does not seem to be thinking it through.
Minutes submitted by: Ariel Krasnow.