Hats off to New Kings Democrats today, whose City Council debate in the 33rd District (encompassing Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Brooklyn Heights, downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, and bits of Park Slope) was by and large a success. It's hard to assess these things from the moderator's chair, so Juliet Linderman will be submitting a monster guest post tomorrow morning about how the debate went. My highlights for the evening were Evan Thies' anticpatory look when Jo Anne Simon had to say something nice about him, Gazette Publisher Jeff Mann texting Levin Campaign Manager Deb Feinberg to write down Isaac Abraham's "Vito Power" line, Doug Biviano saying he built a raft that sailed across the ocean, and Steve Levin's constant wanting gaze in my direction whenever he answered my questions. I love you too, Steve.
Downtown! Things will be great when you're... Downtown! Don't wait a minute for... Downtown! Everything's waiting for you... At Community Board Two!
I couldn't wait another minute to attend this month's Community Board Two meeting, covering Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Vinegar Hill, and the Navy Yard. But what was waiting for me?... Announcements about parks construction, new automated postal machines, and a Brooklyn Public Library system that's so broke they're going to make you shelve your own books. Everything's waiting for you in another Community Board Running Diary...
6:15 PM: The meeting, held at Brown Memorial Baptist Church (484 Washington Street) is scheduled for 6 PM but we haven't started yet. I've been to this church several times before, and they have one of the best Watch Night services in Brooklyn. Ain't no party like a holy ghost party! This is how we do it!
6:21 PM: I recognize Ellen Whelan-Wuest, Dan Squadron's constituent liaison, sitting off to the side and go chat her up. They're still figuring out this whole power thing now that they're in the majority. Ellen says they finally found a district office in Manhattan but are still looking for a branch in Brooklyn somewhere near Court and Atlantic. I suggest she drag a desk on the G train to cut down on overhead. Plus, they'd get immediate feedback from the public! "There's a lack of phone service and I don't imagine there's a lot of internet service down there. It's only $2 a day. I'll look into it," says Ellen.
6:25 CB2 Chairman John "Mountain" Dew leads us off. We’ve got a post office presentation from Michael Fleming, not to be confused with Sean Michael Fleming, who is not here. He’s talking about new services offered at the Adelphi Station branch. This includes some new automated postal center machines, which are open for 24 hours at Cadman Plaza. We hear the post office wants to increase the price of stamps to 44 cents. As Jimmy Fallon says, if only there were a paperless way to send correspondence.
6:32 PM: The Times’ Andy Newman walks in, and disappears into the crowd. Looks like Walter Mosley is in the house. So is Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries. I saw Hakeem at a Sunday service in this Church once. Pretty awesome service. One time in Fort Greene, I almost accidentally ran over Hakeem with a car. Geoffrey Davis was driving. Long story.
6:39 PM: Greenmarkets' Jessica Douglas, Regional Coordinator for all Brooklyn Markets reminds residents that the Brooklyn Borough Hall market is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Douglas runs some amazing farmers markets in Brooklyn for those scared off by the crowds in Union Square and Grand Army Plaza. Asparagus, ramps, spinach, raspberries, and rhubarb are all in season this week!
6:58 PM District Manager Robert Perris, who looks an awful lot like notable author and pop culture critic Chuck Klosterman, talks about several construction projects including a traffic calming project in downtown Brooklyn and the replacement of a triple cantilever in Brooklyn Heights. I have no idea what that is. Either it's a gymnastics routine or a sex act. Hopefully Community Board Two nails the dismount. 7:27 PM: We're into Public Session! I spend much of the past half hour surfing for videos on trains crossing through small towns in rural Virginia, but this is pretty important. Uldis Skrodelis from the Brooklyn Public Library announces some dire financial news. The Library system, the fifth largest in the country, is facing a budget cut of $17.5 million cut (about 21 percent). Most branches will be open five days a week, for 25 hours, mostly in the afternoon, and staffing will be reduced by 175 positions, unless additional funding is secured. They are asking people to call 311, write letters to representatives, etc.
Lincoln Restler, a member of the Brooklyn Public Library Vanguard, a group designed to encourage 20 and 30-somethings to support the library, announces that the organization will be throwing several fundraisers in the future, including one tonight at Franklin Park Bar and Beer Garden. “Any event that’s designed for 20 or 30-somethings means I can’t go," says John "Mountain" Dew.
8:04 PM: The last speaker of the night, Nannearl Blackshear of Borough President Marty Markowitz's office, announced that they are still in the process of appointing and reappointing Community Board members but they are very close to finishing this up. I think Dave Chappelle speaks for all of us on this one.
Inexplicably, Parks Department coordinator Stephanie Thayer showed up with her own documentary film crew. Apparently reality television has run out of ideas. Actually, it's a documentary about McCarren Park Pool and they've been following Stephanie around to show their audience what a typical day is like for the OSA Executive Director. Apparently that includes attending community board one meetings. Lucky us.
Stephanie Thayer is a finalst in The Bachelor: Parks and Recreation Edition
6:34 PM And we're live! Gerry Esposito rolls through attendance and Chairman Vinnie Abate mumbles through the agenda. Turnout is light and even The Chairman, right, seems a little bored. 19 members are present, but we have some stragglers. Liquor licenses are quickly approved and Abate hands the mike over to the Department of Housing and Preservation Development to talk about 640 Broadway. She passes the mike to Daniel Pearlstein from United Jewish Organizations to talk about the project. Esteban Duran asks about whether this is related to the Broadway Triangle Project. Pearlstein says it's an unrelated project. Esteban's not done. About a half dozen United Neighborhood Organization members clap in agreement. HPD says it falls just outside the triangle area and they are separate projects. Doesn't look like much of an issue, but the Broadway Triangle is Williamsburg's Gaza Strip so anything is possible.
6:51 PM: Incoming text message from Jeff Mann, publisher of the Greenpoint Gazette, who is not at tonight's community board meeting with his reporters: "I'm on a boat! I'm meeting Ed Skyler and Mike McMahon! I'm doing something to support the environment!"
6:57 PM: Gerry closes public session and runs the roll call again. Now there are 35 members. We've almost doubled in population! Vinnie recognizes Paul Pullo Jr. for his marriage and offers his best wishes. One board member proposes to kill off the July and August meetings, possibly because the Swinging Sixties room is 90 degrees in February. Motion carries. Wow, did they just kill the the summer meetings? They did? We're hitting the beach. 7:02 PM CB1 heartthrob Ward Dennis gives his presentation about Waterfronts and fills in for Evan Thies for the Environmental committee. Linderman sighs a little bit. So does the Courier's Greg Hanlon. Not sure which is tastier. These delicious cupcakes or Ward "Delicious" Dennis.
7:05 "Hello, everyone! There is a rumor of an economic downturn in the United States. However, looking at the number of licenses in this neighborhood, this cannot be true..." CB1 mascot and Chair candidate Mieszko Kalita dives into a comprehensive report about all the restaurants looking for liquor licenses and other permits. Here's an excerpt from one: "They have a steakhouse. They will smoke meat on premises..." The Chairman tries to close debate but Mieszko won't let him. "No no... no no no... we have many more." We go on for ten more minutes.
7:17 Teresa Toro announces that after snubbing her last transportation comittee meeting, the DOT will come to the next committee meeting on May 27, and unveil their Kent Avenue bicycle lane plan. I'm writing a column about this later this week, so look for that link on Thursday.
7:21 Chris Olechowski, another likely candidate for CB1 Chair, gives a presentation about the Pulaski Bridge widening. Any major plans for reconstruction are 5 to 10 years away. More on Chris later. In the meantime, we're going to have a beard off. Vote for which community board one regular, Kevin Vincent, Mike Hofmann, or Simon Weiser, has the best beard. Kevin Vincent (Left), Mike Hofmann (Center), and Simon Weiser (Right)
NAG Co-Chair Michael Freedman Schnapp talks about Williamsburg Walks with the publisher of L magazine. The Chairman doesn't care if he's the publisher of a toilet paper roll and shouts him down. Only Mike gets to address the board. This year, there is more programming and the Greenpoint Y, Neighbors Allied for Good Growth, the Williamsburg CSA, and others are sponsoring. The Walks will take place on Bedford Avenue from noon to susnet. Mike is excited about Williamsburg Walks coming back. Really excited. Easy MFS.
Yassky staffer Rami "Heavy" Metal notes a press conference David Yassky is leading Thursday at City Hall at 1:30 PM about the MTA bus lot at 65 Commercial Street. 7:42 PM: And we've ended early! Sort of. Nominations were scheduled for 8 PM and it's 7:42. Gerry decides to redo his report for no apparent reason. He's talking about people stuffing envelopes with things that aren't letters or checks and he's very upset about it. No, wait, Gerry got uninvited from a mayoral event because he protested 15% cuts to the community board. The mayor's goons literally escorted him out of the meeting. I have to follow up on this, but Press Row is getting hungry. Time for cupcakes.
7:48 PM The Chairman: Anyone else want to kill some time?
8:00 PM And we're LIVE again! The Chairman opens up nominations for Chair. Chris Olechowski is named. So is Mieszko Kalita. Mieszko gives a 50 second acceptance speech. For the nomination. He hasn't even won yet. One member nominates The Chairman for the chairmanship.
"I can barely make it through tonight," he said.
We go through the other nominations for the executive committee. No real surprises. Rabbi David Niederman and Jaye Fox were nominated for Attendance Committee. Both of them were absent.
In addition to nominations, I would like to formally announce the first annual North Brooklyn Male Reporters Beauty Pageant 2009. Our contestants are Ben Muessig, Jeff Mann, Greg Hanlon, and me, Aaron Short. The vote concludes at the next community board meeting. G'night everybody!
The Albany Death Star, otherwise known as Empire State Plaza, the complex of state buildings that rule your life. — Photos by Aaron Short
Last Tuesday, I hitched a ride to Albany with a busload of Orthodox Jews to check in on the State Legislature to see what they were up to as their session winds down over the next two months. Turns out there’s a lot. From vacancy decontrol to extending abuse statute of limitations to fixing the MTA, state legislators have their hands full this spring. Reporting how Albany politicking relates to everyday life in Bushwick can be complicated, so sit back and let BushwickBK break down Six Important Thingsto keep an eye on this legislative session.
Short Takes - Can Parks Connect New and Old Residents?
Apr 30, 2009by Aaron Short
When Luis Garden Acosta, the venerable founder of El Puente, looks across the street onto the multi-lane expressway that has bisected the Williamsburg community for fifty years, he sees hope. From the enclosed concrete park at the base of the Williamsburg Bridge to a stretch of city-owned storage facilities on Broadway and Kent Avenue, Acosta envisions pockets of parkland throughout the South Side for children who play by the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, or spend their time cooped up in their apartments. Williamsburg already has one of the highest child and adult asthma rates in the city, as well as high rates of obesity and stress, which Acosta blames on the lack of adequate park space, away from truck routes and roadways expending exhaust on nearby playgrounds. “We don’t need the waterfront to be a huge storage bin for city supplies and equipment,” said Acosta. “Our waterfront is necessary for the well being of the residents of this community and using the waterfront for a storage facility is bordering on immorality.” Christine Holowacz of the Newtown Creek Monitoring Alliance and Neighbors Allied for Good Growth has similar concerns for parks in Greenpoint, urging elected leaders and city officials for new recreational space on 65 Commercial Street, the end of Manhattan Avenue, and along Newtown Creek. “We’re surrounded by water and we have no access to it,” said Holowacz. “The amount of people here has grown tremendously yet the park space has not.” Advocating for more park space throughout North Brooklyn is an issue that multiple community groups are beginning to take up. Last Wednesday, Open Space Alliance and El Puente hosted a forum for residents to share their open space and parks-related ideas with other community members. OSA volunteers distributed flyers throughout the neighborhood in both English and Spanish, and publicized it at several events leading up to the meeting. It was a small gathering but well-represented with community leaders from El Puente, Town Square, United Jewish Organization, Neighbors Allied for Good Growth, Churches United for Fair Housing, Community Board One, and OSA in attendance. The meeting came about after Councilwoman Diana Reyna spoke with Parks Department officials about reaching out to existing North Side community groups advocating for open space. One of Reyna’s most ambitious plans is to construct a plaza over Rodney Street, effectively decking the BQE in order to provide a new city park on the South Side. At a Community Board One meeting earlier this year, Open Space Alliance’s Stephanie Thayer approached Esteban Duran, a CB 1 member, former Reyna staff member, and South Side resident active with Churches United for Fair Housing. Duran embraced the idea of open space advocacy and called El Puente to set a date for the parks forum. “The biggest thing to keep in mind is that parks are not a luxury,” said Duran. “It’s an issue that everyone can get involved in. Parks are the extension of people’s houses. It’s their front yard and their back yard.” While much of the local news media last month jumped on the announcement that summer concerts will be shifting from McCarren Park Pool to the East River State Park, the cross-collaboration of groups from the North Side and the South Side is the bigger story. Parks advocacy could have the unintended consequence of creating common ground among long time Spanish and Hasidic residents with diverse newcomers looking for ways to get involved in their community. Acosta recognizes this, but he sees this work along the waterfront as arising from a strong desire to reclaim the local environment and as a way to bring Spanish, Polish, Hasidic, and young professional residents together to engage in activism. He believes it can be done because it has happened before. In 1994, Hasidic and Spanish communities along with then-councilman Ken Fisher worked together to fight the City on the proposed location of a $450 million trash incinerator. It is a victory Acosta remembers all too well. “We all have the self-interest of improving the air we breathe and the earth we walk on,” said Acosta. “El Puente means ‘The Bridge’ and we want to create a natural bridge for people regardless of color, class, or age group.”
The big developing story today is what's going on with the Kent Avenue bike lanes in Williamsburg. Businesses are opposed to it but Congresswoman Velazquez is pushing it. We're trying to find out what's going on and dispel a lot of rumors about whether a lane will be stripped to provide for adequate parking for local businesses or if some other agreement has been worked out. Will post as soon as it is confirmed. Steve Levin is feeling under the weather today. Don't worry, he definitely does not have swine flu. We checked. But please, somebody get him some chicken soup stat! Hey Tom Mylan, know any good chicken soup recipes?
"Wait a minute. Guys, did we forget to call David Yassky?"
City Council candidate Evan Thies threw another fundraiser with Recession All-Star Norm Brodsky, his lovely wife Elaine, and about thirty local residents, Monday night, at CitiStorage (Kent and North 11th Street), which featured spectacular views of the Manhattan Skyline at dusk. The romantic mood kicked up a full notch as a DEP sludge tank slowly ambled by the Manhattan side of the East River. This is the type of event where everybody is looking for something. I've known about this fundraiser for a while, but I still wanted to go to see Thies refine his stump speech and see who else showed up. It was the usual crowd of community leaders like MetroEnergy's Paul Pullo, right, (who spontaneously combusted before the speeches took place), attorney and interfaith leader Adam Perlmutter, the irrepressible Community Board 1 member and historic preservationist Ward Dennis (follow him on twitter!), CB1 member Heather Roslund, documentary filmmaker and CB1 member Dewey Thompson, and rock star mom Jane Pool. Jane had the only breaking news of the night. It involves Conan O'Brien. We can't talk about it. Jane also got in a fistfight with Henry Rollins of, yes, Black Flag, something like twenty years ago. Go ahead, ask him about it. He'll show you the scar.
Thies has been holding interviews with Working Families Party members and hopes to receive their endorsement in the coming weeks. He is also looking towards the support of other political clubs in Greenpoint and Williamsburg such as the Seneca Club, Smolenski Democratic Club, and New Kings Democrats, now that CBID endorsed Jo Anne Simon and IND will likely follow suit. Of course, the most important thing is adding more volunteers to the campaign and Thies is moving to do that as well. Most political observers believe it's critical for Thies to gain some momentum in the spring, before Mad Men calls him back for a new season. If you thought season two was intense, wait until season three!
Meanwhile, Jo Anne Simon had this to say about the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling (aka Ninja v. Pirate) that favored Mayor Michael Bloomberg's move to run for a third term:
“I am disappointed that the courts did not side with the people today, but with politics as usual. For any elected official, it is of the utmost importance to respect the public’s trust and stay true to the will of the people that they represent. I am running for city council so that our communities can have a seat at the table once more and to give them a meaningful voice as to how their government should operate. As a City Councilwoman, I will work tirelessly for a government that our communities can trust and one that will reflect their values and interests.”
"So we're in agreement, the wedding will take place next Spring, but only if we can get the permits for East River State Park."
Love was indeed in the air in McCarren Park in Greenpoint as residents, hipsters, a local karate youth league, kite-flying kids, hipster residents, softball players, this guy who looked like a young Malcolm Gladwell, and respective community leaders (above), enjoyed summer-like weather all weekend long. Every single square inch of McCarren Park was occupied by sunbathers taking advantage of temperatures in the upper 80s. Meanwhile handmade kites soared in the air above cerulean skies in a scene reminiscent of a Monet painting.
Indoors, Neighbors Allied for Good Growth threw an affordable housing conference keynoted by Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. The highlight was a film emceed by St. Nicholas' Neighborhood NPC Alison Cordero that showed community activism in Cooper Park, and other Williamsburg and Greenpoint neighborhoods. The other highlight was the spread, which included a plate of donuts from Peter Pan Bakery. Overall, I give the NAG Affordable Housing Conference 3 out of 4 donut plates.
Fascinatingly normal debate tonight in the 33rd District, hosted by Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats and Independent Neighborhood Democrats. To update everyone, there are now seven candidates in the race, as environmental engineer and Brooklyn Heights resident Doug Biviano made his first public appearance in the campaign. The highlight may have been Biviano's adorable children swinging from their mom near the end of the debate or finally meeting Evan Thies' lovely wife for the first time. I embarassed myself in front of both of them. I will not elaborate. At least the Kens (Ken Diamondstone and Ken Baer) were in good spirits. They need a theme song.
(Edited: I forgot. The third highlight was Biviano's near-Yogi Berra collection of one-liners, my favorite of which addressed eminent domain, "You have to set the language, it’s all about the language, I want to be a leader in setting the language." There's also the statement about the community forum led by State Senator Daniel Squadron, "Dan really hit Democracy out of the park with that one." Maybe it's more of a half Yogi.)
Isaac Abraham, the Hasidic Al Sharpton figure in this race, tried desparately to make things interesting, but not even he could succeed in stirring a murmur through the polite crowd. Welcome to the BH, yo! That's how we do it in the BH! Listen politely! Not even a couple of Brooklyn Bridge Park or Atlantic Yards jabs could shake up this soporific crowd.
I'm being too harsh. Diamondstone tried to rustle a few feathers with a short diatribe against the Kings County Machine (which would be a great name for a band), while Evan Theis and Jo Anne Simon sharpened their responses and likely solidified support within their camps. An Independent Neighborhood Democrats member, this is Simon's home turf, and she mostly played it safe, shining in questions on educational and reform. Thies, the second youngest in the race, showed an impressive grasp of policy may have gained a few supporters, but he needs to build a volunteer base as friends of Simon, Baer, and Diamondstone handed out flyers at the begining of the debate. The one candidate with the most to gain, Steve Levin, skipped out on this one, attending two events in Park Slope and one in Greenpoint (that would be Gazette Publisher Jeff Mann's 40th birthday). Here's betting the next time one of these events occurs, it'll be a lot more entertaining. Allright. Off to bed.
The Short List will return next week, as I am out of pocket for several days. Meanwhile, here's an article I wrote for the Greenpoint Gazette about the 33rd District campaign race covering Greenpoint, Williamsburg, DUMBO, bits of Fort Greene, Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Boerum Hill, which is beginning to gain momentum this month.
Campaign April
Apr 09, 2009by Aaron Short
A mere six months away, the campaign to replace David Yassky for city council in the 33rd District is intensifying as three candidates, Downtown Brooklyn Democratic District Leader Jo Anne Simon, Community Board One member Evan Thies and State Assembly staff member Steve Levin have each raised over $60,000 as of the second campaign finance filing period. Levin, Chief of Staff to Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez, had the most dramatic increase in fundraising this year, collecting a total of $76,691 in funds and spending only $15,650, leaving him with $61,041 cash on hand. This represents more than double the amount Levin has raised since the beginning of the year, when he filed his first campaign finance report. Levin has been keeping an exhausting schedule, canvassing different neighborhoods in the district nearly every night while also running Assemblyman Lopez’s office full-time, attending events and looking to secure endorsements. Levin recently received an award from the United Jewish Organization, recognizing him for his housing advocacy work in the community. He enjoys strong support from Lopez, also the Chair of the Kings County Democratic Party.
Simon, a disability rights attorney based in Boerum Hill, has reported raising $71,617 from over 400 contributors since March 16. So far she has spent $45,246, leaving her with $26,371 cash on hand. In addition to hiring a new campaign manager, Kelly Donnelly, Simon is the first candidate to open an office in the district, celebrating the opening with Brooklyn Assemblywoman Joan Millman on April 4. “We’ve been willing to take on the leadership of the party when we think they’re not right,” Millman said. “Jo Anne is standing here, saying this is a job I want, not a job that is a stepping stone to run for something else.” Thies has collected $62,915 from over 200 contributors while spending $28,841, leaving him with $34,074 cash on hand. Thies has been canvassing in the district, attending events and delivering stump speeches to several neighborhood organizations and political clubs. He is planning to open an office soon and hire campaign staff in the coming weeks.
“We’ve been able to organize people from very neighborhood in the district and they’re hosting events and fundraising, getting involved in the campaign in different ways,” said Thies. “Every day we’re growing and that’s the grassroots campaign we need to win these local elections.” Council candidates Ken Diamondstone, Ken Baer and Isaac Abraham, have also been campaigning hard, raising money, and attending events. Diamondstone, raising $41,488 while spending $13,209 in the most recent filing period, has been spotted visiting the Change Service Fair, a local volunteer fair in Park Slope. Baer, raising $18,439 and spending $10,619, has visited the Park Slope Community Council and addressed the Green Oaks political club in Greenpoint. Abraham has raised $24,127 while spending $15,377. Several candidate forums and debates appear on the horizon, for which candidates are beginning to prepare. The first forum, sponsored by Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats and Independent Neighborhood Democrats, will occur on April 20, with a members’ endorsement meeting on April 23 at the Park Slope Methodist Church. The following week, New Kings Democrats, a political club with a majority of its membership concentrated in North Brooklyn, is tentatively scheduled to host a formal debate on April 28 at Harry Van Arsdale School in Williamsburg. Future debates sponsored by the Greenpoint Gazette and the Greenpoint Star are also in the works. In the meantime, the candidates will be pressing newspapers, political organizations, unions and other neighborhood groups for endorsements. Several political observers believe that endorsements can carry weight but that organizing volunteers and meeting voters in the district face-to-face will be the key to winning in September’s primary.
burg, Greenpoint, Brooklyn Heights, downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, and bits of Park Slope) was by and large a success. It's hard to assess these things from the moderator's chair, so Juliet Linderman will be submitting a monster guest post tomorrow morning about how the debate went. My highlights for the evening were Evan Thies' anticpatory look when Jo Anne Simon 
had to say something nice about him, Gazette Publisher Jeff Mann texting Levin Campaign Manager Deb Feinberg to write down Isaac Abraham's "Vito Power" line, Doug Biviano saying he built a raft that sailed across the ocean, and Steve Levin's constant wanting gaze in my direction whenever he answered my questions. I love you too, Steve.
