Co-op City Times 9/07/19

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Vol. 54 No. 36

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Board directs look into waterfront possibilities

Hutchinson River — roughly from the Little League fields to the construction trailers — as a waterfront park for shareholders to enjoy. Reasoning Central Park has been a source of health benefits for Manhattan’s residents since the first parts of it opened to the public in 1858, the Board decided, “The quality of life for Co-op City residents would benefit from the development of Riverbay property for a … waterfront park along Hutchinson River.” With one director absent and one abstaining from the vote, the remaining 13 Board members voted to direct Executive General Manager Bob Klehammer and staff to start the process of seeing what’s possible for the land along Co-op City’s eastern border. Co-op City waterfront property stretching from the construcAnd that, Mr. Klehammer said, is exactly tion trailers to the Little League field on Co-op City Boulevard is the subject of a feasibility study approved by the Riverbay what the next 90 days will be about; seeing Board for a possible park. Photo courtesy of Google what’s possible — and, perhaps more importantly, what’s necessary — to potenAs upscale development creeps closer and closer tially develop the land in question into a feasible to the shores of the Hudson River in Westchester, sevwaterfront park. eral of those communities are developing, or have “It’s going to require us to, at least, have a licensed landscape architect who’s got some waterfront park developed, paths, parks and other amenities to take development experience to come in and look at this,” advantage of their proximity to the water. So why not Co-op City, too? Mr. Klehammer told the Co-op City Times. “It’s basiWell, maybe Co-op City, too. cally going to be here’s what we’ve got, here’s what At its Aug. 28 meeting, the Riverbay Board of we need.” Directors passed a resolution aimed at determining Mr. Klehammer said, in order for the land to be the feasibility of developing and maintaining four developed as a potential waterfront park properly, acres of Co-op City waterfront property along the there will be several other (Continued on page 2)

BY JASON CHIREVAS It’s increasingly difficult to find any inch of riverfront property in Chicago that hasn’t been developed and beautified for the local residents.

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RING Doorbell update Riverbay has not yet authorized a RING Doorbell installer to provide services in Co-op City. Protocol is being developed by Management. An update will be provided to the Riverbay Board at the Sept. 18 meeting and thereafter reported to the community.

2019-2020 Riverbay Board Committees formed and chairs appointed BY ROZAAN BOONE

At last week’s business meeting of the Riverbay Board, in addition to discussion and vote on several resolutions to ensure quality of life of Co-op City shareholders and forward movement on capital improvements and other management initiatives, the Board also appointed 2019-2020 committees. The Riverbay Board’s Committee on Committees which has been designated with defining the process by which Riverbay Board Committees are formed and operate, submitted recommendations for committees and their respective chairs to Riverbay Board President Linda Berk before the Board voted by acclamation on Aug. 28 to accept the assignments. The Committee on Committees is chaired by Board Director Claudia Sampson. First Vice President Bernard Cylich and Board Treasurer Sonia Feliciano are also integral members of the committee. “The Committee on Committees reviewed committee chair requests and submitted our recommendations to Board President Linda Berk at the Aug. 28 Board meeting,” (Continued on page 3)

Automated Pay Community Complaint for violators Stations to be added to of state & local animal laws revised garages starting Sept. 1 to include add’t documentation BY BRANDON ORTIZ

A resolution was passed on August 28 at a Board of Directors meeting that approves the installment of secured pay stations in all eight Co-op City parking facilities. These pay stations will accept cash, coins and credit cards in addition to providing change, if needed. Equipped with video intercoms, the pay stations effectively eliminate the need for garage attendants to handle cash. While garage attendants will still be staffed at the eight garages, the overnight shift for attendants is being eliminated, according to Riverbay’s director of Parking Facilities, Danielle O’Connor. Transient parkers can expect to transition over to automated pay stations on Sept. 15. In addition, affirming Co-op City’s commitment to a leadership role in fighting climate change and improving public health, the Board will also consider at a future Board meeting a proposal to potentially bring electric charging stations to the garages. A first reading of Resolution 19-38 was presented at the Aug. 28 Board meeting and states “Whereas, (Continued on page 2)

Co-op City’s occupancy agreement prohibits pets, although there are exceptions for reasonable accommodations for residents who have a verifiable disability that requires support animals. At the Aug. 28 Board meeting, a revision was made to standing resolution #19-21 requiring shareholders with animals to not only abide with New York City Animal Waste & Leash Law or else face a $250 fine, but to now also submit proper documents showing compliance with up-todate vaccinations and licensing annually. The Board approved resolution #19-21 in May 2016, outlining community complaint fines. Item (HH), failure to abide by the New York City Animal Waste & Leash Law, carries a fine of $250. The revision to the resolution adding the requirement for owners of support animals to also submit vaccination and licensing documents annually was proposed by Board Director Jerome Rice and seconded by Board President Linda Berk and Director Cheryl Jenkins. The revised resolution was presented at the Aug. 28 meeting and approved by a vote of 12-2 with one director absent. Community Complaint HH now includes the following language: “Failure to abide by the New York City Animal Waste & Leash Law and all other state and local laws, including but not limited to, the licensing and vaccination of dogs and other animals – $250.00.” Resolution 19-21 now has to be approved by DCHR and will become effective in Co-op City 60 days after DHCR approval is granted. BY TORIEA McCAUSELAND


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Pay stations

(Continued from page 1)

Co-op City garages provide 10,676 parking spaces and surveys have found there are presently 70 plug–in electric/hybrid vehicles using Co-op City garages,” and “Whereas, installing electric car charging equipment in Co-op City garages would increase the convenience and affordability for those residents who drive electric vehicles; and “Whereas, Management should evaluate and report to the Board on the feasibility and costs of installing and managing electric car charging stations, including but not limited to, charging equipment choices, equipment purchase & leasing options, cost recovery options, recommended number of stations per garage, usage guidelines, benefits to the Co-op City community and grant funding opportunities.” The resolution resolves that Management should evaluate and report back to the Board within 60 days after the Board discusses and votes on the second reading of the resolution at a future Board meeting. In the meantime, Management is continuing work to provide options to the Board in time for the second reading of the resolution. “We currently have two proposals; we are waiting on a third proposal so that we can make a recommendation to the Board as to what direction we should proceed in,” Ms. O’Connor said.

Second Reading - Resolution #19-41

(Reprint – Resolution 19-41, published on page 15 of the Aug. 31, 2019 issue of the Co-op City Times was defeated, not passed by the Board as printed. We apologize for the error. The correct version of the resolution appears below. Also printed here is the version of the resolution that was approved by the Board at the Aug. 28, 2019 meeting, titled Resolution 19-41B.)

SUBMITTED BY: Kevin Lambright SECONDED BY: Mary Pearson BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: August 28, 2019

WHEREAS, the Procurement Department solicited companies for pricing for Bid 3394 (REBID), Asbestos Abatement - Flooring; and WHEREAS, Riverbay received six (6) proposals which were reviewed by the Project Manager; and WHEREAS, Project Manager recommends ESG Environmental Services Group as the lowest responsible non-union bidder (recommendation attached); and WHEREAS, prior to voting on this Resolution no Director has disclosed to the full Board any conflict of interest as required by NY Business Corporation Law Section 713. NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED: that the proposed contract 3394 (REBID) with ESG Environmental Services Group, not to exceed $6,900,000 based on non-union unit pricing for a 3 year period be approved as recommended by Management in accordance with the Board of Directors Resolution #85-16 and amended by Board of Directors Resolution #95-44 and the President is hereby authorized to execute the contract (Continued from page 1) and Management is authorized to take all steps necessary to make this action effective. YES: Feliciano, Jones, Lambright, Marbury, Sampson, Saunders factors — grading, electrical, potable water, Wi-Fi, drainage and erosion conNO: Cylich, Jenkins, Johnson, Leslie, Pearson, Rice trol for the riverbank among them — that will have to be considered. “There’re ABSTAIN: Berk, Rosario a lot of questions,” he said. “Which, hopefully, this feasibility study will answer.” ABSENT: Richardson DEFEATED One other potential hurdle to clear before a waterfront park could be built is the zoning of the land in question — Mr. Klehammer said it’s currently zoned Second Reading - Resolution #19-41B for residential development — and whether Riverbay would need to be granted a variance, special use permit or have the zoning changed altogether. To learn SUBMITTED BY: Bernie Cylich those particulars, Mr. Klehammer said, might require the engagement of a zonSECONDED BY: Cheryl Jenkins & Andrea Leslie ing attorney. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: August 28, 2019 In addition to the possibilities and requirements of making the land hospitable to hosting a waterfront park, Mr. Klehammer said the feasibility study WHEREAS, the Procurement Department solicited companies for pricing for Bid 3394 (REBID), Asbestos Abatement - Flooring; and will also attempt to provide a preliminary budget for what building a park WHEREAS, Riverbay received six (6) proposals which were reviewed by the might cost. He said Management should be able to report back to the Board Project Manager; and on this matter by the end of the year. WHEREAS, Project Manager recommends Abatement Unlimited as the lowest responsible union bidder (recommendation attached); and WHEREAS, prior to voting on this Resolution no Director has disclosed to the full Board any conflict of interest as required by NY Business Corporation Law Section 713. NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED: that the proposed contract 3394 (REBID) with Abatement Unlimited, not to exceed $6,900,000 based on union unit pricing for a 3 year period be approved as recommended by Management in accordance with the Board of Directors Resolution #85-16 and amended by Board of Directors Resolution #95-44 and the President is hereby authorized to execute the contract and Management is authorized to take all steps necessary to make this action effective. YES: Berk, Cylich, Jenkins, Jones, Leslie, Pearson, Rice, Rosario NO: Feliciano, Johnson, Lambright, Marbury, Sampson, Saunders ABSENT: Richardson PASSED

Waterfront

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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

COMBING

Co-op City Times 2 n d

Find out what’s going on in Co-op City here...

NAMI Co-op City Meeting postponed National Alliance on Mental IllnessNYC Metro (NAMI) Co-op City’s Family Support Group will not meet on Thursday, Sept. 12. Meetings will resume on Thursday, Oct. 10. Meetings are held second Thursday of the month, room 35 of the Einstein Center, 7-9 p.m. For further info., please call (718) 379-2795.

NCNW Career Forum Land the job! Excel at the job! Develop your career! Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bartow Community Center, room 31. Guest speaker Deja Vu, Syndicated Radio Personality (WBLS, Sirius XM, ABC radio), CEO Deja Vu Speaks Ignite Your Hustle. Workshop entails: Let your resume do the talking, social media as a resource, entrepreneurship and more! Workshop is geared for millennials and adults making a mid-life career change. Adults of all ages are welcome to attend. Please register to attend by 9/7/19 at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landthe-job-excel-at-the-job-develop-yourcareer-tickets-69417484565

Bereavement Support Meetings resume JASA's Bereavement Support Group facilitated by Rev. Dr. Robert A. Smith, Jr. will resume its Monday meetings on Monday, Sept. 8, 1 p.m. in room 8, Dreiser Center. For more information, please call Dr. Smith at (917) 734-4058.

Assemblyman Benedetto’s Lobby Visits Assemblyman Michael Benedetto will be visiting the lobbies of more Co-op City buildings according to the following schedule. Both visits are 5:15 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 – 600 Baychester Ave. (Bldg. 16B) Wednesday, Sept. 18 – 120 DeKruif Place (Bldg. 7) These lobby visits give Co-op City shareholders an opportunity to discuss a broad range of topics with Assemblyman Benedetto and to hear about key highlights of the 2019 Legislative Session.

Board Committees

(Continued from page 1)

stated Director Sampson. “The president, as well as a majority of Board directors, accepted our recommendations.” Riverbay Board committees, comprised of Board directors and shareholders, meet during the year to provide policy recommendations for the Board’s consideration. Many of these recommendations are either approved by the Board after discussion and/or are fine-tuned by the Board before being forwarded to Management for implementation, if they are determined to be beneficial to the larger community and costeffective. Serving on a Board committee is, therefore, one way for shareholders to influence quality of life in Co-op City and affect change. “Board committees are an important part of the work the Board does,” said Board President Berk. “I want us to use the committees more than we have in the past. Through the work of committees, the Board should have a mechanism to identify areas that need attention, to motivate thinking of new ideas and to provide recommendations to the Board. The value of the committees is that they are made up of shareholders who should be working from a vantage point of experiences as a resident.” Board directors can attend meetings of all committees, except for the Audit Committee, which is only open to directors who are not officers of the corporation. To ensure continuity, many of last year’s Board committees will continue to work with their respective chairs. These include both the Audit and Disabilities & Accommodations Committees which Director Andrea Leslie will continue to chair. On the Audit Committee, Director Leslie will be joined by Directors Sampson and Cheryl Jenkins. Director Sonia Feliciano will also stay on as chair of the Buildings & Grounds Committee. She will be joined this year by new Board director, Angelo Rosario. Director Feliciano also serves on the Board’s Committee on Committees. First Vice President Bernard Cylich will continue his work with the Construction/Power Plant & Restorations Committee. He also serves on the Committee on Committees. Riverbay Board President Berk will chair the Board’s IT Committee. Second Vice President Rod Saunders will continue to steer the Board’s Legislative Committee. Director Francine Reva Jones will chair the Sales & Leasing and Parking Facilities & Storage Committees. She will also chair the Riverbay Board of Directors 2020 Election Com-

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mittee, a position she has held in the past. Director Jenkins will continue her work with the Cooperator Appeals Committee, and Director Kevin Lambright will take over chairmanship of the Security Committee. Director Rosario will chair the Contracts Compliance/Purchasing/Inventory Committee. Two committees, Budget & Finance and Labor, will comprise of the Board as a whole. While the above noted committees remain under the purview of the Riverbay Board, some will continue to be overseen by the Riverbay Fund to improve efficiency of their work. These include the Community Relations Committee, Education Committee, History Committee and Youth Committee as well as the Fund’s Audit Committee. At a meeting of the Riverbay Fund on Wednesday, Sept. 4, the Riverbay Fund Board, under its new president, Director Sampson, appointed chairs of the 2019-2020 Riverbay Fund committees. Director Sampson will chair this year’s Community Relations Committee. She will be joined by Directors Rosario and Mary Pearson. The Fund’s Education Committee will be chaired by Second Vice President Saunders. He will be supported by Director Sampson. First Vice President Cylich retains chairmanship of the Fund’s History Committee and new Board Director Michelle Marbury will chair the Youth Committee. The Riverbay Fund’s Audit Committee will be chaired by Director Daryl Johnson. First Vice President Cylich said: “This is the time of the year when committee chairs, appointed by the Riverbay Board of Directors and Riverbay Fund presidents, appeal, in the spirit of cooperativism, to cooperators to apply and join our respective committees. We are grateful to the volunteers. They have been invaluable in extending our vision and outlook while formulating policy recommendation to the Board. And often, they have become integral in implementing Board programs. Cooperators, don’t hesitate to submit your committee requests ASAP.” Shareholders interested in serving on a Board committee(s) may contact the chair of the respective committee or the Riverbay Corporation Board Office, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, N.Y. 10475, or by calling 347-913-4225. Membership is limited and all appointments will be determined by the chair of each committee.

Riverbay Board Committees 2019-2020

Audit Committee – Andrea Leslie, chair; Claudia Sampson & Cheryl Jenkins Budget & Finance Committee – Board as a whole Buildings & Grounds – Sonia Feliciano, chair; Angelo Rosario Committee on Committees – Claudia Sampson, chair; Bernard Cylich & Sonia Feliciano Construction/Power Plant/Restorations Committees – Bernie Cylich, chair; Angelo Rosario Contracts Compliance/Inventory/Purchasing – Angelo Rosario, chair Cooperator Appeals – Cheryl Jenkins, chair Disabilities and Accommodations Committee – Andrea Leslie, chair 2020 Board of Directors Election Committee – Francine Reva Jones, chair IT Committee – Linda Berk, chair Labor Committee – Board as a whole Legislative Committee – Rod Saunders, chair Parking Facilities & Storage Committee – Francine Reva Jones, chair Sales & Leasing Committee – Francine Reva Jones, chair Security Committee – Kevin Lambright, chair

Riverbay Fund Committees 2019-2020

Community Relations – Claudia Sampson, chair; Angelo Rosario & Mary Pearson Education Committee – Rod Saunders, chair; Claudia Sampson History Committee – Bernard Cylich, chair Youth Committee – Michelle Marbury, chair Audit Committee of the Riverbay Fund – Daryl Johnson, chair


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Co-op City’s donation program at community garages

Shareholders who utilize the donation bins placed at each of the community’s eight garages can donate clothes, shoes and linens as well as books, toys, CD’s and DVD’s. All funds generated from the donation bins are earmarked for the Riverbay Fund to help defray cost of community events, such as the Tunes on Tuesdays program on the Section 1 Greenway, Splash Days during the summer months and Wicked Wednesday concerts in Section Five. With national and world-wide emphasis on conservation efforts and green initiatives, Riverbay’s residential donation program began in 2011 with Trans-America. In 2013, County Recycling won the bid, agreeing to pay back $.25 per pound of donations to the Riverbay Fund, 15 cents more per pound than Riverbay was receiving from the previous recycling company. Ted Fisher, President and CEO of County Recycling, told the Co-op City Times in 2013 that he was honored and excited about the opportunity to serve the residents of Co-op City. “Our specialized donation program not only helps the environment by diverting textile waste from landfills, but they also provide much needed revenue to community programs,” he said. “Giving back is very important, and I’m especially proud to be able to help sponsor community events for the residents of Co-op City.” County Recycling as twelve recycling bins throughout Co-op City at each of the eight garages. Bins are situated at the front of Garages 1, 2, 4 and 6; and in the front and rear of Garages 3, 5, 7 & 8. All donated items must be bagged and be able to fit through the door to the donation bins. Shoes should be tied in pairs. No bags should be left outside of the bins. After placing your donations in the bins, please ensure that the door closes, which helps to prevent rodents and animals from getting into the bin.


It’s

HAPPENING in Co-op City!

Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

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Wicked Wednesdays - All Iz Well

Final Splash Day of the Season

Riverbay’s popular Wicked Wednesdays concert series wrapped up this season with All Iz Well bringing the crowd to their feet in the Bartow Center on Wednesday, August 28. Photos by Leandra Alexander-Peters

Co-op City kids got one last chance to beat the heat this summer at the final Splash and Fun day of the season, Friday, Aug. 30. The program, hosted by the Riverbay Fund and Councilman Andy King, features bouncy water slides and wading pools. Photos by Leandra Alexander-Peters


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be signed by the writers and include their addresses and phone numbers, which will be kept confidential, so that the editor – can•verify the• authors. or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. – •the– authenticity • – • – of•– – • Anonymous – – • –L•etters – •cannot – •exceed – •–350•words. – • –Ideally, they should be typed. All letters must be in the Co-op City Times office in Room 21, Bartow Community Center, by 3 p.m. every Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Views and opinions expressed in letters are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp.

Letters to the Editor

Co-op City’s College, Career and Resource Fair To the Editor: This 8th Annual event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Dr. Daniel Hale Williams Middle School 180, 700 Baychester Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10475. This event is free, no registration required. Who should attend: Grades 3 - 7, 9 to noon; Grades 8 - 12, 1 to 5 p.m. Careers: Let’s talk about an exploration of exciting careers at NASA. For the first time, we will have a representative from NASA. Why is that so important and exciting? Technology is here to stay and we want the next generation of scientists to come from Co-op City. NASA is more than astronauts. They are engineers, IT specialists, human resource specialists, accountants, writers, and technicians to name a few. It’s a federal government job that tackles innovations that impact the world. NASA offers internships, fellowships and scholarships to students age 16 years and a high school sophomore. Guess what, undergraduates or graduate pursuits are eligible. I have been in touch with a contact at NASA Langley Office of STEM Engagement and they will be sending a representative. They are also mailing a collection of materials—e.g. flyers and stickers—for participants. Therefore, Co-op City, please assist us in getting the word out. Resources: This year, we will have a resource to share information about “adolescent health.” Our young people are taking some dangerous risks—e.g., vaping, unprotected sex—and need information that will hopefully assist them to make better choices. Colleges: Will be represented from upstate New York to down South. I will be sharing the list as we go forth. Free money for college is a priority and we will share resources. Many thanks to the volunteers doing the work now and those who will assist the day of the event. Continue to share your resources: evelyntinez@aol.com. —Evelyn M. Turner

Well done, Riverbay employees To the Editor: Normally, before and on holiday weekends some people choose not to work, or to do the bare minimum, if that. I’d like to shout out those who went above and beyond and made some stressful situations for me very pleasant. Ms. English and Mr. Fraticelli in the CSO always are patient and very helpful. In the garage/parking department, Louisa was also very helpful. In maintenance, where do I start? A. Mota was extremely nice, informative and helpful. Paul and Supervisor Cruz came to the rescue and resolved an ongoing issue I had in my bathroom. As cooperators, we complain when need be, as we should, but when Riverbay Corporation employees go above and beyond, they should also be recognized and commended. Thanks to the team that worked this Labor Day weekend! —Tonya Johnson

Article SIXTH of your Occupancy Agreement provides, in part, that your lease automatically renews for an additional three (3) year period. You need to do nothing if you want your lease to extend for another three (3) year period. If you will be moving out at the end of your lease, notify Riverbay, in writing, Attention: Sales Support Office, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475, ninety (90) days prior to lease expiration.

On buses and board training

To the Editor: Kudos to the members of the ad hoc committee who worked long and hard and managed to put together a proposal that persuaded the MTA to revise its harsh plan of revisions and cuts to our bus service. The Co-op City Times should publish a complete list of the members of the committee. One thing that seems to be missing from the MTA’s revision is any mention of an extension of the senior discount to 24/7. Is this still on the table? By the way, kudos as well to the MTA for scheduling an additional visit by the MetroCard bus each month. Unfortunately, the September visit just happens to fall on Sept. 30, which is the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. I agree with and support Board Director Daryl Johnson’s objections about the mandated Board training weekend and the sanctions to be imposed on those who do not attend. I believe the training of Board members can be accomplished just as well by having the training sessions here, avoiding the large expense of holding them at a hotel. I also object to Riverbay paying the expenses for family members at these sessions. As far as the sanctions to be imposed on directors who do not attend the weekend, I think that not allowing these directors to write Viewpoints or to bar them from participating in Board business penalizes the shareholders by depriving them of information they should have and the voice they are entitled to. Finally, the members of the Debs Place Townhouse Association are appreciative of the Riverbay Buildings and Grounds Department for replacing our old and severely dented garbage dumpsters with new ones that have the words “Deb’s Place” stenciled on them. Of course, it would have been more correct if it had read “Debs Place” with no apostrophe just as it would be Casals Place and not Casal’s Place. We are thankful and we hope corrections will be made in the future. —Nels Grumer

Clarity needed

To the Editor: Is it me or is it poor drafting? I’m referring to the wording of resolution #19-40, which appeared on page 6 of the Co-op City Times issue of August 31. Can someone tell me if Board directors removed for cause will be barred from re-election for 3 years or for life? I think two paragraphs in the resolution are contradictory, and I would expect that resolutions leading to potential amendments of our By-Laws should be crystal clear, right? —Dave Lazaar We welcome your letters to the editor. If you would like your letter to be considered for publication, it must be signed. The Co-op City Times does not print anonymous or unsigned letters. Please include your address and phone number – which will be kept confidential – so the authenticity of the writer can be verified. Thank you.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Co-op City Times Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. (718) 320-3300, ext. 3375 cctimes@riverbaycorp.com

Rozaan Boone Editor-in-Chief

Jason Chirevas Managing Editor

Jennifer Piovanetti Operations Manager

Ralph Henriquez Production Manager The Co-op City Times welcomes issueoriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be signed by the writers and include their addresses and phone numbers, which will be kept confidential, so that the editor can verify the authenticity of the authors. Writers will be limited to one letter per topic. Anonymous or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Letters cannot exceed 350 words. Ideally, they should be typed. All letters must be in the Co-op City Times office in Room 21, Bartow Community Center, by 3 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Views and opinions expressed in letters and Directors’ Viewpoint are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp. Advertisements and classified advertisements in the Co-op City Times do not necessarily reflect an endorsement from Riverbay Corp. of goods and services, but present greater options to cooperators of products and services available. The Riverbay Corporation does not assume any responsibility nor is it a party to any contract or agreement between the cooperator and the vendor. All matter published herein is copyrighted by the Co-op City Times. Permission for reprints of advertising or editorial contents produced by the Co-op City Times must be obtained in writing from Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Ave., Bronx, New York 10475.

Important Notice to Shareholders of Adler & Broun Pl. Townhouses Building 26 A, B & C

Building 26 A, B & C 2440, 2420 & 2400 Hunter Ave.

Current Lease Expiration Date

Nov. 30, 2019

New 3 yr. Expiration Date

Nov. 30, 2022

If the Co-op City Times Was Not Delivered: Call 347-439-5632 on Saturdays only, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Public Safety Report

CCPD offers tips for back-to-school safety

As summer draws to a close, the Department of Public Safety would like to remind residents of the following tips to keep everyone safe for the “Back to School” season. This year, New York City public school students returned to school on Thursday, Sept. 5. Drivers, parents and students each have a role in assuring a safe school year. This is a good opportunity to take time out of your busy schedule to make sure all members of your household are familiar with the safety rules that pertain to them. Traveling to school on a school bus helps ease traffic congestion in and around schools, which adds to the safety of all students. Most school bus accidents occur when kids enter or exit the school bus. Children ages 5 to 7 are at the greatest risk. Children may be in a hurry to enter or exit the school bus. They may have little experience with traffic and be unable to judge the speed of oncoming traffic in order to safely cross streets. Children believe drivers will see them and stop and allow them to cross. It is essential motorists never pass a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. Never, ever pass a stopped school bus with the stop sign out or lights flashing, this can result in a summons being issued or worse. Instruct children to leave the bus and stand on the sidewalk where the driver can see them and never cross in front of the school bus. Young children may drop something and run into the path of the bus to pick it up. Parents need to instruct children they should get the help of the driver or another adult if they drop something. Children should never reenter the danger zone, 10 feet around the school bus on all sides. Teach children to take five giant steps away from the bus in all directions. Children should keep all items in their backpack. Backpacks should not be too heavy for the child to easily lift. This prevents the backpack from impeding the child’s movement. Send school supplies in to school over the course of several days, if necessary. Check with the child’s teacher if you feel the child is regularly bringing too many heavy textbooks back and forth. Backpacks and garments should not have any long straps or drawstrings that can get caught in the bus’ doors or railings. Sweatshirts manufactured prior to this safety rule or adult-sized sweatshirts that have drawstrings should always be removed when worn by a child. These strings also present a hazard on the playground. A manageable sized backpack that fits everything the child needs to carry and a sweatshirt without hood strings are important items to keep your child safe. Parents should always make certain children get to the bus stop on time, wait away from the street and avoid horseplay near the street. Parents should make sure an adult arrives at the bus stop early enough to receive young children from the school bus. Motorists should allow extra travel time and avoid areas around schools during arrival, departure and lunch periods. Use extra care to watch for children who may dart out in front of your vehicle to cross the street. Remember, it is always illegal to pass a stopped school bus with the lights flashing from either direction, even on a divided roadway. Children are our greatest resource; we must take every step to keep them safe. We remind cooperators of these summer rules: Consumer fireworks of any type are highly dangerous and are illegal in New York State. Zero-tolerance enforcement will be conducted by the Co-op City Department of Public Safety as well as the New York City Police Department. Barbequing is also not permitted on any of the public areas of Co-op City. Strict guidelines are set forth by the New York City Fire Department. Propane tanks are strictly prohibited by the New York City Fire Department in any multiple family dwellings. Charcoal grills are also prohibited within 20 feet of a building or structure. Electric grills are the only option for residents with patios or terraces. Residents are also reminded that bike riding is not permitted near buildings, in shopping malls or anywhere else signs prohibiting bicycle riding are posted. Be sure to stay safe as we enjoy the end of summer. Use caution near pools, beaches and other bodies of water. Ocean beaches are particularly dangerous this time of the year due to the effects of hurricanes. Offshore breezes, the remnants of various hurricanes and tropical storms, still cause residual effects along the East Coast. While this may be good for surfing, it is not good for inexperienced swimmers and children. Only swim in areas where and when lifeguards are on duty. After Monday, Sept. 2, 2019, some beaches may not have lifeguards present. These areas should be avoided. No one should ever swim alone. Children should always have adult supervision. No one should swim at a beach without a lifeguard present, no matter how good a swimmer they think they are. BY LIEUTENANT PAM APOLLO

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Public Safety Blotter 08/25/19 – 08/31/19

08/26/2019 – Adler Place Townhouses CCPD patrols found a dumpster on fire. FDNY responded and extinguished the fire. 08/27/2019 – 140 Donizetti Place A male with a marijuana cigar was issued a Criminal Court Complaint Summons. 08/28/2019 – 100 Einstein Loop Officers and FDNY responded here for a possible fire. The source was determined to be burned food on a stove. 120 Carver Loop Reports were filed for a car and a motorcycle damaged by unknown person(s). If anyone witnessed either of these incidents they are asked to notify CCPD. All information will be kept confidential and you can remain anonymous. 08/29/2019 – Buildings 1-8 Sporadic electrical outages occurred in these locations due to electrical upgrades taking place. More than 20 calls for service were covered by the CCPD Emergency Services Unit. If your weekend fun includes consuming alcoholic beverages, be sure not to operate a motor vehicle. Also be sure to buckle your seatbelt, obey speed limits and avoid distractions when driving. School is open, drive safely. Never pass a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. The Department of Public Safety would like to remind cooperators it is a violation of your lease to place food out for animals to eat. A Community Complaint may be issued for littering to anyone who puts food out for any reason. Well intentioned cooperators may think they are putting food out for stray cats or birds but the food ends up attracting rats, raccoons, skunks, coyotes or other animals which can be a threat to residents. Feeding wildlife, such as geese, also tends to change the migration pattern of these animals as they end up not flying south for the winter. This was the case a few winters ago in the New York area where many geese were found starved to death when they did not fly south for the winter and their normal food source was covered by deep snow. Food placed out for animals is often lacking in the nutrition needed by the animals and serves to upset their ecological balance. Please resist the urge to place food out for animals in Co-op City or elsewhere. Always remember, if you see something, say something. Call 911 and the Department of Public Safety at 718-671-3050. Callers may remain anonymous when giving information. The Co-op City Department of Public Safety would like to thank all persons who have called in suspicious activity or sent information via our website. It is by your actions the crime rate remains low and a high quality of life is maintained. Co-op City is a diverse community with people of all ages, abilities and characteristics. All persons should remember to respect each other and embrace their differences. Don’t forget to say hello to your neighbors when you pass each other in the hallway or in the street. Co-op City strives to accommodate all persons. It is also important to remember that not all disabilities are visible. Someone who appears to be healthy may have a physical or developmental disability. September is known as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, Cholesterol Awareness month as well as Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month. World Cerebral Palsy Day and International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day are also recognized in September. This is a good opportunity to learn about disabilities or conditions that may affect your friends, family members or neighbors. It is also a good opportunity to schedule a full physical examination with cholesterol testing and other tests recommended by your physician. Knowledge is power, the more you learn the stronger you become. Good health and safety go hand in hand.

If You See Something, Say Something!

Working Together To Keep Co-op City Safe! • Report any unusual or suspicious persons or activity to CCPD. • Do not allow strangers access to your building by holding the door. • Be aware of work being done in your building and when contractors are allowed to be on the premises. • Never leave your car or apartment door unlocked. • Do not leave packages or electronics in your car where they are visible. • Remember: You can make anonymous calls to CCPD.

Emergency: 718-651-3050 Non-Emergency: 718-320-3330 www.ccpd.us • @CCPDnyc


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Ad hoc committee says “Yay to the MTA” Director’s Viewpoint

Rod Saunders Second Vice President Thank you, thank you, thank you! To all cooperators who came forward on June 20, and to those of you who came back again, or for the first time on that extremely hot summer evening of June 27, thank you. To the Co-op City ad hoc Committee against MTA Bus Cuts members who came together to work for our community for a cause we could unite on, working for a better solution to our bus routes, thank you. To Riverbay Corp. management and employees who assisted in any way, thank you too. To every cooperator who answered our survey, to every volunteer who participated, and to every community-based organization who lent a helping hand – thank you. No commuter using Co-op City’s bus routes were happy (except possibly the residents of Section 5) with the changes made to our bus routes in 2010 & 2012. The proposal offered to Co-op City bus commuters back in May, under the MTA’s Bronx Bus Network, made everyone unhappy, especially the residents of Section 5! Therefore, I can honestly say that I was mostly satisfied last Tuesday morning, August 27, two months to the day after the MTA came here to roll out their extremely unpopular Bronx Bus Network Redesign, that the MTA, under the leadership of their president, Andy Byford, submitted their final offer to members of the Co-op City MTA ad hoc committee. When President Byford explained in detail the MTA’s revised proposal to the attendees of the meeting, he stressed the fact that it was not everything we requested within the ad hoc committee’s proposal, however, he believed that his final proposal met the spirit of what the committee’s proposal requested. President Byford, true to the words that he spoke to cooperators, members of the Riverbay Board of Directors, and elected state, city and federal representatives for Co-op City this past June 27, offered his revised bus route proposal which could now be taken back to the entire ad hoc committee to be voted on for acceptance, or rejection. Based upon the committee’s surveys (which continue to be taken), and the proposal that we sent to the MTA, reflecting precisely what our community has been asking for the last nine years, the ad hoc committee members in attendance voted to accept the MTA’s revised bus route proposal – with exceptions. Key to the acceptance of the MTA’s final proposal

was that the MTA was going to ensure Co-op City commuters that we are returning to the one seat bus ride. No longer will there be a necessity to transfer buses at Asch Loop for residents commuting to Sections 1, 2, & 4. One of the exceptions – the Q50 bus. Under the current agreement, the Q50 will no longer be routed into Co-op City. It will start, and end at Pelham Bay Park. The Throggs Neck and Queens bus stops remain in place. There are also off-peak scheduling times that need to be addressed for bus routes within Co-op City. Our seniors use off peak hours to travel within our community, avoiding rush hour crowds and younger students. Providing Co-op City with the service that it wanted came at a cost, for both the MTA and Co-op City. Based upon one last negotiating request, it is possible that the MTA may reinstate the Q50 back into Co-op City as a limited bus route. We await their determination. What the Committee Presented The committee’s proposal, “A Common Sense Approach to Bus Service” (thank you, Katrina & Lynette) is a 51 page document which was prepared by the members of the Research & Proposal subcommittee over a 5 week period. For the most part, 14 subcommittee members (subcommittee Chair Blossom Johns, Katrina Asante, Ron Altieri, Board Director Bernie Cylich, Denise Gerald, Stefani Hazel, Board Director Francine Reva Jones, Al Lynch Jr., Justin Russell, Jacqueline Smith, Robert Watts, Cheryl Weeks, Lynette Wright, and Rod Saunders), worked to put together a well-researched, comprehensive, and detailed proposal that would best support the wishes of our Co-op City bus commuters who use the bus as their initial, or main source of travel most days. Cooperators should know that ad hoc committee co-Chair Blossom Johns was relentless in our Saturday morning meetings to produce the proposal document. We created teams of individuals who took it upon themselves to research and develop proposed bus routes and stops. Katrina Asante, Ron Altieri, Justin Russell and Al Lynch were a tremendous asset in formulating the proposed routes.

A very special thank you has to go out to Lynette Wright, who, along with her own bus routing proposal work, put together the contributions of the other committee members into a coherent and organized final proposal document. The committee’s proposal to the MTA presented a host of facts, some even debunking the MTA’s 2014 report regarding the outcome of their bus route changes in 2010 & 2012. Included in our proposal are statistical outlines of our population (workforce, seniors, young students) using public transportation, a brief history of Co-op City’s changing bus service, and the main focus of the proposal – our redesigned concept of the bus routes as asked for by our cooperative community. Also included in the proposal were requests for shelters with seating, next bus technology at the bus stops, MetroCard purchasing machines at some Co-op City locations, and very important – the positioning of dispatchers at more bus stops to ensure that buses are on time, and are available to answer important questions of commuters. For his letters of support from beginning to end, thank you, Congressman Engel. To Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, thank you for making much of this happen for Co-op City. Thank you, state Senator Bailey, for your support, and we are looking forward to the continued support of NYC Councilman Andy King, as we press forward for more bus lanes, bus shelters with seats and lighting, and NextBus technology, all NYC items. Thank you to the MTA, from our community! I can be reached at rsaunders@riverbayboard .com.


9

Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Building 27 Association

Hello neighbors, summer is about over, where did it go? General meeting It’s time to get back to the business of the Building 27 Association; meeting will be Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, at 7 p.m. Possible speaker and flyers will be posted. Ad hoc committee Good work, it appears there will not be major changes. Thank those on the committee for the hard work being done. With 10 buses provided by MTA serving the mall – the Bx5, Bx12, Bx23, Bx26, Bx28, Bx29, Bx30, Bx38, BxM7 and the Q50 — surely MTA can also provide proper bus service for this community. Yet another mass shooting. We pray for divine protection. All of this evil has progressed within the last 20 years, again as labor pains, subsides and starts again. Tropicana Casino Building 27 Association Fundraising Committee presents a bus outing Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Sold out. Please note on your calendar the coach will depart at 8 a.m. sharp from Einstein Community Center. $40 per person, $25 slot rebate. Govt. ID required. Final payment was Aug. 27. Mail checks or M.O. to Margie Delgado, 140 Erdman Place, Apt. 11F, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. Please address checks/MO to Building 27 Cooperators Association. Pickup at Einstein only. Three drop-offs Bartow/library, Dreiser/H&R Block and Einstein Center. Contact Margie at 718-379-4629 and Sharon Sargeant, 718-6711905, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Come and join us. Happy Birthday to all celebrating during this month. The best of health to all. Contact Lydia Rondon at 718-583-3040 to share news of an illness, or the deceased of a neighbor. Pray for peace among the world leaders, now more than ever. “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness and third, common sense.” -Thomas A. Edison —H. Overman

Building 9 Association

Greetings, Building 9 family. Reminder: no roof parking beginning Sept. 6. This has been an action-packed summer. On Monday, Aug. 26, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto hosted his annual senior picnic at the Surf Club. It was a beautiful day on the waterfront, with food, music, dancing, bingo, etc. What a lovely time was had by all. Picnic attendees from Building 9 were: Dinora Tirado, Evelyn Mavins, Shirley Wells, Rosemary Bailey, Linda Holley, Mimi Hilliard and Linda Collins. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, Assemblyman Benedetto held the legislative lobby visit in the Building 9A lobby. The lobby visit was well attended by shareholders from both wings of Building 9. The major topic of discussion was the MTA bus re-design plan as it affects the greater Co-op City community. Thank you to Linda Holley, Wanda Randall, Janice Rosario, Robert Rosario, Evelyn Mavins, Mitzi Cleare, Shirley Johnson, Pam Small, Ellen Wilkins, Rosemarie Masucci, Dinora Tirado, Barbara Cloud, Teresa Gorden, Pam Small, Brenda Tolbert, Matse Jenkins, Irma Vega, Mr. & Mrs. Khubba, Nigel and others who stopped by to listen and to share their views with Assemblyman Benedetto. The Co-op City MTAAd Hoc Committee met with MTA New York City Transit President Byford at his office to discuss the finalized version of the bus redesign plan for Co-op City. The Ad Hoc Committee was able to add some final tweaks to the MTA’s plan. The final plan will soon be available for community review. The Ad Hoc Committee requested each building president lobby-sit in order to collect 100 survey/letters sets. I am proud to say Building 9 not only collected 116 sets in our lobbies, but many of our members had already completed and submitted their surveys printed in the Co-op City Times. Kudos to our building association members for always being willing to go the extra mile. Special thanks to the ad hoc committee members Aaron Carnegie, Blossom Johns, Leslie Peterson and Lynnette Wright for taking our fight to the MTA. On Thursday, Aug. 29, the NYPD 45th Precinct NCO Sector C Unit presented another Build-the-Block event for in-person, shareholder participation, questions and/or concerns. More than 70 shareholders were in attendance. This dedicated coverage is vital to our community. I presented our loitering/trespassing concerns. You may contact P.O. Griesinger and P.O. Williams with your concerns. I thank P.O.s Griesenger and Williams, as well as CCPD’s Detective Johnson for their work in support of the Co-op City community. The Tunes on Tuesday Dance Party held on Greenway One last week was awesome. Our association room was flooded by several cracks in an overhead pipe last week. Fortunately, Wanda Randall, Linda Holley and I happened to be in the 9B lobby. I immediately contacted management for emergency response. Some paperwork and other items on the tabletops were destroyed, but our pioneer photos and plaque were protected. As always, thankful, grateful and blessed. “Don’t react to toxic people. Not giving them the reaction they desperately seek is far more powerful.” -Clarence Darrow —Linda Collins

Building 24 Association

The Building 24 Association is planning to hold its first post-Summer meeting Thursday, Sept. 26. Look for meeting notices posted next to the elevators. Meet some of your neighbors and join us and guest speakers in discussing issues relevant to our building and Co-op City. Meetings are held in our association room located under the portico, to the right just outside the building’s rear lobby door. Light refreshments are served. —Bruce Silberman

Building 19 Association

Hello Building 19 family. Happy belated Labor Day. I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the three-day weekend. I just want to remind everyone that our next committee meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the association room in the back of the building. Also, please mark in your calendar that, our upcoming general meeting will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the association room. The topic we will discuss at the general meeting is about dogs in Co-op City. I hope to see everyone at the two aforementioned meetings this month. —Leon Tulton

Building 35 Association

The executive board of the Building 35 Association hopes all our cooperators had a great summer. The first meeting of the Building 35 Association will be held on Monday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. in our association room. This is a very important meeting to decide the future of our association. We will discuss schedule, officers, activities and any other subject deemed necessary by the attendees. We urge all cooperators in Building 35 to attend, and if you are unable but would like some input you may email me at baldsgm@gmail.com —Bill Gordon

If you SEE something, SAY SOMETHING!!! 718-671-3050 • Co-op City Public Safety


10

Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Bus Business

Director’s Viewpoint

Mary Pearson Secretary

The MTA – facing resistance to its threat to turn Co-op City’s bus system on its head – asked the community to come up with an alternate proposal. An ad hoc committee was formed to address the MTA’s plan of cutting back our bus service — a public service, by the way, owed to the taxpaying residents of Co-op City. The committee responded with fifty-odd pages. The result? I wouldn’t call the plan, “Not bad at all,” but I do say it’s “Not all that bad.” The Worst of the Worst Has Been Reversed If the deal between the MTA and the ad hoc committee stands as is, Queens and City Island travelers will still lose their one-seat ride into and out of Co-op City… at least for now. No horse trade is planned for the direct access City Island loss, but there is a push to exchange the promised BxM17 Wall Street express to prevent the Q50 cut. That would be an excellent (but, in my opinion, odd) trade if it could be pulled off. I call the still-non-existent BxM17 impractical because in a trial run earlier this year, the ride clocked in at 92 minutes! And that’s without picking up any passengers. That’s not at all practical, since the imaginary BxM17 faces, in my view, some mighty competition – the Soundview Ferry, and the ferry provides a quicker and more pleasant ride to the same location without clogging up the already overly congested area once it gets there. A bargain-priced shuttle is a great addition to the post-agreement Wish List. It’s also one that Andy Byford (if he still has a say in such matters) seemed eager to grant at that long ago June 27 meeting. Trade the BxM17 express for the Q50? Maybe. Trade the BxM17 express for a shuttle to the privately operated, city-subsidized ferry? In a New York minute.

And now, here come the big-ticket items. The Bx38 is no longer on the endangered species list. That was quite a surprise – nobody was fighting for the Bx38! But retaining the 38 will come as a great relief to many a Montefiore hospital traveler, especially since the Bx30 will be undergoing a reroute. It will soon stop making that right turn off Boston Post Road onto Gun Hill Road, and instead, continue heading southwest to Pelham Parkway. When I first read about the Bx26 split route I was miffed that Bay Plaza was being accommodated with yet another line. But no. This is actually quite a triumph. The Dreiser/Carver/Bellamy Loops areas have been without adequate bus service since 2010, and now, nine years later, here comes the Bx25 (Bay Plaza) traveling via Sections 4-3-2-1 (or some actual, non-consecutively numbered variation thereof) to restore oneseat service to Lehman College and all remaining stops along the way to all of the community. Way to go! The downside is, the Bx26 needs to give the Bx25 half of its lunch money (paid in frequency). And of course, as usual, the biggest winner is Bay Plaza. The Bx38 lives to run another day and dip into the Bay Plaza areas, and the brand new Bx25 – happily restoring service to the northern sections – also dips into Bay Plaza territory. On top of that, the Bx12 and Bx12SBS will still meander about and clog up Bartow Avenue when they could more easily and directly head to Pelham Parkway via Baychester Avenue instead, leaving some elbow room for the rest of us. Business talks and the resident walks, but thanks to the compromises reached by presenting the Redesign/Redesigned proposal, some might not have to walk quite as far as originally planned. A few weeks ago, I wrote that fixing Co-op City’s bus problem simply required time and puzzle solving skill. That the underlying problem – “Traffic is dreadful, the MTA is cheap, and people are selfish” – was the true challenge, especially the part about trying to fix

human nature. I believe we could have pushed for a once-and-for-all equitable transport system for the whole of the community. The decision to exclude my proposed Option II from the final MTA-submitted Proposal was, of course, in my opinion, a huge mistake. The Final Plan is not nearly as elegant as my tri-directional, three-segmented plan. I believe Option II could have made all our bus transit dreams come true – one-seat rides, total coverage, even less overlapping, and much quicker rides – without breaking the MTA bank. Although I submitted Option II independently to the MTA and elected officials, evidently it was only partially considered in the new MTA proposal. Yet still, a lot of service has been preserved and some has been restored. That’s very important and very, very good. And there is still more to push for. Luckily, in my opinion, it isn’t too late, because, as written in the Bronx Bus Redesign: Draft Plan, page seven (updated 8/20/19): “The Final Plan will be released in September 2019 and will be followed by another round of public outreach. We will hold public open houses to solicit a final round of feedback from customers regarding the Final Plan. We will also present the Final Plan to the Borough Board/District Service Cabinet and to community boards.” So keep working on that Wish List. Get back some Bx26/25 frequency. Fight for a ferry shuttle. If the Q50 trade doesn’t come to be, insist on a second free transfer for three-legged travel. Raise a ruckus for a Senior Fair Fare all-time express bus discount. And in the never-say-die category, support my plan, Option II. (Maps are still posted on “Co-op City 50th Anniversary” Facebook page for those with access.) See you at the Section 5 Community Fair! Today, Saturday September 7, noon to 6 p.m. You can reach me by voice or text at 718-219-2211 or by email at mpearson@riverbayboard.com.


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Section 4 Partnership

The next S4P gathering will be Friday, Sept. 27, 2019 Mark your calendars, set your phone reminders and join us, in the gathering room at 7 p.m. — sharp, please — Friday, Sept. 27, rear of Building 21B, 120 Bellamy Loop. Have you seen the 50th Anniversary T-Shirts with the Section 4 Partnership logo on the back? They are beautiful and on sale now. The Section 4 Partnership is raising funds for its third annual Christmas caroling event. Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, we will have our Christmas parade and, hopefully, you along with us. Come support our fundraiser, be a part of the parade and ride the Christmas parade float. Information is available by email, section4partnership@gmail.com, or phone, 347-915-4939. All are welcome to participate. About the Section 4 Partnership The Section 4 Partnership is comprised of every building in Co-op City that makes up the sectional geographic, which is referred to as Co-op City’s Section 4 — Building 20 - Asch Loop; Building 21 - Bellamy Loop; Building 22 - Coop City Boulevard; Buildings 23, 24, 25 - Benchley Place; The Adler Place Townhouses; the Asch Loop Townhouses and the Broun Place Townhouses. Come and get involved. Email: section4partnership@gmail.com. Phone: 347-915-4939 Everyone’s input is necessary for a positive impact… Help us continue this positive effort and reap the benefits of a united community. The Section 4 Partnership is making an important impact on the community of Co-op City each time we show up for events like Pioneer Day, the MTA rallies, Gospel on the Greenway, Wicked Wednesdays, Tunes on Tuesday, July 3 Fireworks, Hoops and Beats, The Ice Cream Socials, the grand opening of the Section 4 Basketball Courts and other notable events, meetings and gatherings. You don’t have to live in Section 4. You are already an important member of this team. You are a shareholder. Let’s show up! Let’s get it done! —Michelle Marbury

Building 25 Association

Let’s say goodbye to summer 2019, what a hot one it was. Hope it was enjoyable. It appears some of our neighbors are not heeding warnings of death or serious injuries due to items and debris being thrown from windows that may hit someone walking below. The next time you decide to throw something from windows, stop and think, do I really want to take a chance on hitting someone and engender trouble for myself or my parents? Like Aretha Franklin’s song says, “you better think.” Please pray for those affected by Hurricane Dorian. We wish all neighbors born in September a happy birthday, and for those who have been under the weather, we hope you get better soon. Our building association meets every third Tuesday of the month, generally from September through June, at 7:30 p.m. Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019, at 7:30 p.m., please keep an eye out for updated postings outside your elevators. If you cannot make it to meetings due to scheduling or other obstacles in your way, please log onto our building email address at building25ca@gmail.com and address your concerns or comments to any or all members of Building 25 Association. Friendly reminder, our building annual dues are $5 per family. We would like to thank the residents who have paid their annual dues. Dues are collected at our monthly meetings by Carol Eilets, treasurer, or Celeste Stukes, assistant treasurer. “Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower.” –Albert Camus —Wanda Bailey

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Building 13 Association

Welcome, new cooperators to Building 13. Our Building 13 Association meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Our guest speaker will be the director of sales. Recently, there was an article in the Co-op City Times regarding succession rights and the downsizing transfer pilot program. The application, movein and move-out requirements will also be discussed. The association room is located outside of the building under the portico. All cooperators, including those new to Building 13, should attend these meetings to get accurate answers to your questions. We want to keep our new elevators looking good. Please attend this meeting to find out your responsibility when moving in, moving out, what to do when expecting a delivery or moving boxes and other items from your unit to avoid a community complaint fine. As you are aware, the high-rise elevators are being restored. Once the elevator being worked on is inspected and approved to be placed in service, the next elevator restoration will commence. Again, we appreciate the patience you have shown. Some have inquired about the top floor in Garage 3. Electrician contractors had to complete work and hopefully as of this reading it has been completed and re-opened. Women Keeping It Real returns Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. in the association room. Women Keeping It Real is an inspiring, insightful and informative social gathering of women of all ages exchanging information, empowering and encouraging each other. Join us! The atmosphere is fun, the refreshments delectable and the topics varied. We welcome new guests but you must be 18 and over to participate. Something on your mind? Let’s talk. Thank you to everyone who took the time and completed ad hoc committee letter and survey regarding the MTA bus redesign. We met with the MTA and our efforts allowed us to make significant progress. We have not completed our pursuit of information from cooperators so, going forward, we will continue to obtain our statistics. Rivers Run Community Garden Join us Saturday, Sept. 7 for a Paint and Chat Workshop at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., sit back and enjoy the One Man Band of Juan Ortega, a very entertaining musician honoring Spanish Heritage Month. There’s also the NCNW Book Club, Saturday, Oct.12, 2019, at 4 p.m. The breeze is nice and the view awesome. The Sept. 7 and 15 events are sponsored by city Councilman Andy King and the Riverbay Community Relations Department along with the Rivers Run Community Garden. Checks for Building 13 events should be made payable to Building 13 Assoc. Inc. and mailed to 100 Casals Place #32K, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. Contacts: Gail Sharbaan, treasurer, at 718-671-3801 or Leslie Peterson at 718-320-1370 (daddpeterson@aol.com). Our website is bldg13assoc.com or e-mail us at bthirteen.assoc@yahoo.com. Thanks for making our team work. —Leslie Peterson We hope your Labor Day weekend was spent safe and that your activities were fun and rewarding. By now, students are back in their classrooms and getting settled for the new year. Please be mindful of students’ safety and everything that goes along with school opening. As the new year begins, we wish success to students, their families and teachers. Our Tot-lot is not for big kids, so when we saw big kids climbing the swings in the tot-lot we had to ask them not to climb the swing. The Section 4 tot-lot is for small kids. Neighbors, check out the renovated dumpster bins in our dumpster pad. Please take note, they are designated, named, cleaned and have wheels. Thank you to the Building and Grounds department. Recently, our bins have been in a terrible condition. These come as a welcome relief. Your executive committee distributed MTA petitions and questionnaires last Saturday for collection and submission to the MTA committee. Those collected surveys were submitted on the 28th. No due date was given for them to be in by. So, what was the point, since the committee approved the plan on the 27 of August. Welcome to new cooperators in 30A and 4A. New residents, please follow Co-op City rules, especially regarding BBQ, only electric grills are allowed and please take your newspapers in from your front door. Uncovered mattresses were dumped in our dumpster pad. Mattresses must be wrapped to be discarded properly. Any information on the doers, submit a note to 31B. Please bring your garbage to the main dumpster sites and follow the recycling color chart. Regarding the red garbage can, its lid needs to remain on. A disgusting bag of garbage was disposed of on the grounds by the flyer posting box. Disposing of house garbage, just dumping it on the grounds is disgusting. If anyone saw the person just leave the bag next to the flyer posting box, let a committee member know. Vacations are still going on. Do not turn off the convector when out of town. If you are worried about drips or leaks, place a tray under each convector. Do turn off electrical plug strips when you leave for days at a time. Our first meeting in September is the 25th. It will be an election meeting. All members of Broun Place Townhouse Association are eligible to vote. Membership in the association is required to be on the ballot. Dues are $12 a household, you can pay by check or cash to our treasurer, 22A. If you wish to run for office, place a note in 31B. Our Broun Place Executive Committee wishes David Garcia continued recovery and we are hoping for the best for John Roberts. May they have many good days ahead. Birthday greetings to all born in September. Please contact us regarding publishing tidings. Keep dancing and we guarantee happy days ahead! —Eva Kindaichi-Lazaar

Broun Place Townhouse Association


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Ownership

often recognize problems (within the community), come up with possible solutions and the chairperson then takes it to the Board to be considered for approval. One such committee is the Security Committee. I have Assistant Treasurer been chosen to chair this committee. Throughout the years, there have been many successful security comRecently, I had a conversation with a shareholder mittees. Those formed recently, in my opinion, have who was frustrated about the fact that we want to stress been effective and I applaud them. I would like to conownership amongst shareholders as opposed to tenant tinue that effectiveness moving forward. or renter. I don’t want to place myself in a position of I have been a fan of proper community policing judgement nor do I want to vilify someone for not from age 14-25. I was a member of a South Bronx teen understanding the differences. I will not take the time Anti-Crime Program for 5 years and then a member in this viewpoint to attempt to explain either. of the NYPD Auxiliary Police for 6 years. As my famto allow ily grew, I moved in different communities and became What I think we need is an open forum people to communicate their understanding or mis- an active participant in several community affairs. understanding of the differences. We should then have I am asking you to do the same here in our comknowledgeable professionals educate us so that we are munity. We are starting fresh with this committee so all on the same page. How can we work together to I would like everyone who is interested in becoming keep our cooperative safe and affordable when we a member of the Security Committee to contact me have mixed understandings of what it really is? I will, via email at my Riverbay Board email address (below) however, express that I believe that people who take so that you may be considered for the committee. We ownership of their residence tend to have a more need to make room for others who may not have had responsible, positive mindset in its development and the opportunity to join in the past. Our seating is limupkeep. This holds true in just about every aspect of ited so please contact me ASAP. There are no autolife. Some of you may have a different opinion and matic grandfathered members of the committee. Please, you are entitled to that. Either way, for us to cohabi- everyone who wants to be considered (old and new) tate fluidly, we must agree on the definition of our please contact me. If you do not get a direct invitation cooperation here together. from me, do not show up at a meeting. The cut-off date for email requests will be Friday, September 13, Committee Requests Most committees are open to shareholder partici- at 3 p.m. Keep in Touch pation. The committee is a place where most responsive Board decisions are birthed. You can be an imporThese are times when we need to keep an eye on tant tool in the decision making process here in your our family, friends and neighbors. There are people community. Collectively, members of a committee who want what we have and look for opportunities to

Director’s Viewpoint

Kevin Lambright

take it. We must protect and defend one another and our property. Remember, this all belongs to us. If you see something that seems suspicious, do not hesitate to call Public Safety. I look forward to your correspondence and feedback. I can be reached at klambright@riverbayboard.com or by phone at 646-7218185. Please Drive Slowly and Cautiously in all Co-op City’s Parking Facilities!

Coalition to Save Affordable Housing

The coalition welcomes all cooperators to join it Sept. 9 in Bartow room 28 at 7:30 p.m. Join other cooperators and Board directors as we discuss issues relevant to Co-op City and affordable housing. Our meetings are held on the second Monday every month; see below for a list of our meeting dates. At our next meeting, the MTA’s bus service plan, non-union workers in Co-op City and the upcoming Bardekova Ensemble Classical Music concert in October are on the agenda. We hope you’ll join us to discuss your concerns and take part in the conversation. Meeting schedule: Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 19, Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 9, April 13, May 11 and June 8. —Bruce Silberman


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Building 21 Association

Our next 21 Association gathering will be Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. Mark your calendars, and everyone from all buildings, plan to attend. If you have any questions regarding The 21 Association, you have three ways of gaining information. Email: 21association@ gmail.com, call 347-504-1821, or you can attend the monthly meetings, which are usually held every fourth Thursday in the gathering room in the rear of the B-section at 7 p.m. We will host candidates for Congress in the upcoming election. It is sure to be a spirited gathering. All are welcome. The Section 4 Partnership of Co-op City is planning its third Christmas extravaganza and activities for the remainder of 2019. The date is Saturday, Dec. 14. Have you seen the 50th Anniversary T-shirts with the Section 4 Partnership logo on the back? This limited edition collector’s item is beautiful and on sale now. The Section 4 Partnership is raising funds for its third annual Christmas caroling event. Saturday, Dec. 14, we will have our Christmas parade and, hopefully, you along with us. Come support our fundraiser, be a part of the parade and ride the Christmas parade float. Come, have some fun. Be involved. Make a difference. Floor Captains are an absolute necessity in every building. Thanks to the cooperators of Building 21 who have stepped up to the plate and volunteered to be Floor Captain for their floor. You are truly appreciated. We need more volunteers. All we ask of anyone kind enough to be a Floor Captain is as follows: 1. Contact numbers, for your floor only List all emergency contact numbers and distribute to each neighbor 2. Co-op City Times: Place them at each apartment door, delivered on Saturdays 3. Elevator notices: Read them and talk to your neighbors about them 4. Promote meetings, clubs and gatherings 5. Encourage your neighbors to: Vote, vote, vote in the Riverbay election Make calls to the Riverbay offices: Security 718-671-3050 • CSO offices 718-320-3300 Where do your passions lie? We are passionate about our community. Aren’t you? Come join us at Building 21 sometime. Each one of us, multiplied by all of us, equals a force for good. See you around the neighborhood! —Michelle Marbury

National Council of Negro Women

Miracle of Christmas Join Co-op City Section NCNW on Saturday, Nov. 16, as we travel to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Sight & Sound Theatres to see “Miracle of Christmas.” Our price is $170 per adult and $120 per child under 12 years of age. The ticket price includes admission to Sight & Sound, roundtrip motor coach transportation and lunch at Golden Corral. The payment schedule of $50 was due by Aug. 24 and the balance is due by Sept. 30. Non-refundable checks payable to NCNW Co-op City Section may be mailed to P.O. Box 93, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. Our bus will depart from 177 Dreiser Loop at 9 a.m. sharp. For more information, contact 718-379-3788, 646-270-1985 or 917-399-2643. Economic empowerment & professional development Land the job. Excel at the job. Develop your career. Join NCNW Co-op City Section at our career forum on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., room 31, Bartow Center. Open to all, but main focus will be for young adults just entering the workforce and those older making a mid-life career change. Please register at eventbrite.com/e/land-the-jobexcel-at-the-job-develop-your-career-tickets-69417484565 by Sept. 7. Keynote speaker will be Déjá vu, syndicated radio speaker — WBLS, Sirius XM, ABC Radio — Speaks/Ignite your Hustle Personality. Sharon Devonish Leid, CEO of NetStruc PR, celebrity publicist, speaker, TV host and author will also be speaking at the program. Save the Date Mark Sept. 28, 2019, on your calendars now. On that date, NCNW will have our Community Health Fair in room 31, Bartow Community Center, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mammography van from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. but you must register in advance at 917-319-6758. The mobile van will be located in front of the NY Public Library at 2049 Asch Loop. We will have health information, blood pressure screening, vegan food demonstration, prizes, raffles, and snacks. Also Zumba, yoga and qigong at 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Book club Our book discussions will resume Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. in room 11, Dreiser Center. We are all reading “The Sun Does Shine” by Anthony Ray Hinton. This Oprah’s Book Club Summer 2018 selection will be the first book we will discuss. NCNW Northeast Regional Leadership Training Conference Sections from the northeastern United States, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts will be attending the NCNW Northeast Regional Leadership Training Conference Friday to Sunday, Dec. 6 to 8, 2019, at the Westchester Hilton in Rye, New York. We will be discussing such topics as membership, section operations, protocol, programs and finance. All members of NCNW Co-op City Section are invited to help plan, create, organize and serve as an integral part of the Leadership Steering Committee. Membership meeting Our first meeting of the new season will be tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 8, in room 11, Dreiser Community Center at 3 p.m. —Joyce M. Howard

Section 5 Association

The Section 5 Association annual Family Fun Day for Buildings 26 thru 35 and the Earhart Lane Townhouses celebrated with families, neighbors and friends Saturday, Aug. 17. First we were thankful for a beautiful sunshiny, warm and breezy day. Today, the Co-op City Community Fair and Section 5 Reunion is here in the Section 5 Greenway, noon to 6 p.m. The Section 5 Association will be somewhere in the mix. So enjoy. We thank our politicians who took time out of their busy schedules to come by, supporting the Family Fun Day. The sponsors Thank you, Congressman Engel, Assemblyman Benedetto, Sen. Bailey, Councilman Andy King, Riverbay Fund, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Riverbay Corporation, Sect. 5 Association, American Legion of Co-op City Post 1871, Apple Bank, Amalgamated Bank, Drug Box pharmacy, Ashley Homestore and BJ’s Wholesale. Section 5 merchants/sponsors The merchants that serve the Section 5 community, thank you for supporting the Family Fun Day from its beginning: Food Universe Supermarket, Section 5 Pizza, Kenny’s Barbershop, Co-op City Pharmacy, DJ Smooth/the music and Einstein Stationary donation of school supplies and various colorful T-shirts. Thank you, and thank you. Section 5 Association donation of school supplies, Ms. Althea Cherbin, donated backpacks and Ms. Linda Werner donated the school supplies. Building 31donated school supplies, as did and many others. The entertainers DJ Smooth/music, Mr. Kevin has been with us since the beginning and he can jam the music. Thank you. Voncelli/the Bartow Swingers and the Dancing Gents, Ellie Minor and the Marvelous Dancers. The Rapper, Mr. Lo Green. We were treated with Mr. Mike Miller and the martial arts demonstration. Then there was the Velocity team. Section 5 teen center basketball tournament was over in the courtyard. Volunteers To Chairperson Ms. Linda Werner, she has been with us from the beginning. It is never easy, but rewarding. The volunteers: Mr. Werner, Mr. Carson, thank you. The committee servers of the hot dogs, water, Volunteer Coordinator Ms. Pauline Warren, Mr. Hedgpeth, Bill Gordon, a former Board president who continues to stay involved, building presidents, representatives and neighbors.

In memory We take the time to remember Eleanor Bailey, one who was committed to the Section 5 Family Fun Day. She was the volunteer coordinator, contact to our local politicians and prepared the waivers/registrations for the kids. She wore many hats and enjoyed what she was doing. How do we know that? Because she would offer her services and always said yes to whatever was asked of her. Thank you, Eleanor, may we all continue to strive as you did. She was the president of her building association and, yes, her people are still out serving our little ones and the community on Family Fun Day. Thank you for the memories you left us. Finally, thank you to Mr. Robert Hedgpeth, president of the Section 5 Association, for the determination to see the Family Fun Day through. Thank you. We wish you well and continue to rest and take of yourself. —H. Overman

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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

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16

Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

2019-20 Board Committees Set to Commence

several times over the past few years. A renovated auditorium is potentially revenue producing and the longer Francine Reva Jones it lays dormant, the longer our community misses out on the funds we could be earning. Since its closure sevAssistant Secretary eral months ago, the auditorium remains idle and unused by anyone, including shareholders, community organizations, etc. This, of course, means no income. We I hope you had a fantastic Labor Day weekend. expect these state-of-the-art upgrades to be completed Board Meeting At the August 28 Board meeting, the Committee in approximately eight months. Resolution #19-21, submitted by Jerome Rice, proon Committees presented the list of Board Committees and their chairpersons for the various Board of posed modifications to the service animal rules. This Directors’ committees, which was approved by the is a significant resolution because some people believe Board. This year, I will be chairing the Sales com- that cooperators are failing to adhere to the “no pet” mittee once again, as well as the Parking Facilities & policy in the occupancy agreement. All should be Storage committee and the Election committee. If you reminded that their occupancy agreement prohibits are interested in working with me on any of these com- dogs unless the resident is disabled and eligible for an mittees, please contact the Board Liaisons at 347-913- exception to our occupancy agreement. Those coop4224. The other Board committees that you might be erators who have service animals must be certain to interested in joining include: Construction, Power Plant abide by the NYC Animal Waste and Leash Law, includand Restoration; Contract Compliance, Inventory and ing, but not limited to, the licensing and vaccinations Purchasing; Disabilities and Accommodations; Infor- of dogs and other animals. Failure to obey this rule will mation Technology; Legislative; and the Security Com- subject Co-op City animal owners to a fine of $250.00. Your complaints about the Riverbay phone system mittee. Your involvement is encouraged. Also, several resolutions were passed. An Emer- might not last much longer. Management has informed gency Resolution #19-37 was submitted by Linda Berk the Board that they are working to complete the cusdealing with the renovation of Co-op City apartments. tomer service call center in Dreiser Center and that a Shareholders move in and out of our development each customer care director has been hired. With her expeday and in order to restore the apartments in an effi- rience, I trust that, very soon, cooperators will no longer cient manner so that new shareholders may move in, a need to wait on the phone for extended periods of time, pilot program was initiated wherein several contrac- or have their call go unanswered altogether. Ad Hoc Committee against MTA Cuts tors were used with the goal of focusing on a select few Thank you to my neighbors in Building 20, and all for future engagement. Therefore, rather than having a monthly vacancy of over 200 apartments, we will cooperators who signed the petition and surveys. The have considerably less vacancies. By executing this committee is attempting to acquire as many signatures resolution and filling the apartments more rapidly, this as possible to show that Co-op City is a heavily popwill help the bottom line of the Riverbay Corporation. ulated, diverse community that requires the transSimilarly, at a prior Board meeting, I voted for Res- portation services given to any other community. Coopolution #19-24 to renovate the Dreiser Auditorium. The erators travel locally as issue of the Dreiser auditorium renovation had been well as to Queens, Manplaced on the agenda for discussion and determination hattan and elsewhere and

Director’s Viewpoint

Building 30 A and B Association

Welcome back from our summer vacation. Our first meeting of the association will be on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the association room in Building 30B. The door opens at 7 p.m., with the meeting starting at 7:30 p.m. Please come to discuss the plans for the coming year pertaining to getting new members, association dues, holiday parties and who should be invited to speak to the membership. Our first Po-Ke-No game night will be Friday, Sept. 20, in the association room with the door opening at 7 p.m. and the games starting promptly at 7:30 p.m. There has been a change to the day of the week we will have our crochet classes. As of Sept. 19, our classes will be Thursday, promptly from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the association room. For those who are celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and new additions, congratulations. For those who have suffered a loss our condolences. Those under the weather, get well soon. —Linda Werner

we should travel with the same convenience as all New Yorkers, despite our many loops. That is what we are fighting for. The MTA had planned to eliminate nine bus stops. The Ad Hoc Committee proposal opposed their plan and the MTA was willing to leave the bus stops “as is.” According to MTA official Andy Byford, the other items that we proposed were not possible at this time due to budget restrictions. However, we will continue to collect information from the community for future use. We will continue to fight for the needs of our community. Disabilities Expo Please save the date and plan to attend the Disabilities Expo on Sunday, October 13, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Einstein Community Center. African-American Association The new officers will be installed on Monday, September 16, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in Dreiser Center, room 15. All are welcome to attend. NAACP, Co-op City Branch #2210 I was pleased to be selected as an honoree at the 5th Annual Community Service Dance Event on September 21, 2019 at 9:00 p.m. For more information, contact me at 718-671-5957. Building Association Meeting Your building association has probably been on hiatus for the summer. Please watch for a notice of your next Building Association meetings and attend. Kindly encourage your neighbors to attend, especially the 2050 year olds. The meetings are generally planned for 7:00 or 7:30 p.m., so that cooperators who work during the daytime may attend. Contact Should you have an issue you would like to speak with me about, you may contact me at 718-671-5957 or fjones@riverbayboard.com. Thanks for taking the time to read my viewpoint.


17

Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Rivers Run Community Garden

Join us today for our family-oriented Paint and Social beginning at 3 p.m. Be prepared to see the Picasso in you emerge. Next week, on Sept. 15, Juan Ortega brings us Latin and Jazz in celebration of Spanish American Heritage Month. Join us and add to the music and good cheer. See you there! It is almost time for the school children to visit the garden and to us, it is the best time of the year. This semester, our student visitors will plant tulips to go aside the daffodils planted by our previous visitors so in spring, we will have ongoing bursts of color. In addition, we are ready with garden bingo, Compost Corner, and other fun filled activities. It is always a pleasure hosting and providing Rivers Run as an out outdoor learning environment. Call us and set up a date for your school’s visit. Please tell your friends and family about this amazing place where we not only grow fruits and vegetables, but we grow knowledge and friendships. Rivers Run Community Garden is a movement towards improved mental and physical health. We provide all types of workshops including nutrition, meditation, edible and medicinal wilds identification, planting, building and crafting. We are the outdoor classroom for the local schools, daycares as well as residents and neighbors. We are a place of beauty and peace. Visit. Stay. Experience us. Event dates Saturday, Sept. 7, Paint and Chat at 3 p.m. Sept. 15 – Latin /Jazz Sunday featuring “One Man Band Sensation,” Juan Ortega at 3 p.m. Sept. 21 – Members Meeting at 1 p.m. Beginning May 1, 2019, Rivers Run is open: Tuesday – 4 p.m. to dusk Wednesdays & Fridays – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Membership requirements: $20 per year fee and 20 hours of work. There is a waiting list for beds. Members who are actively fulfilling the 20 hours of volunteer work requirement are moved up on the waiting list. Volunteers are welcome. If you’d like to reach out to us, please email us at Rivers_run@yahoo.com or call Denise Shelley at 917-232-2982 or me at 718-671-3801. —Gail Sharbaan

Debs Place Townhouse Association

The Debs Place Townhouse Association will hold its September meeting on Thursday, September 12. The meeting will take place in room 1 of the Dreiser Center. This will be our first meeting after the summer hiatus and there will be a lot of news to catch up on. This year, in contrast to previous years, we will have a guest speaker at our first meeting. Lois English, director of the Dreiser CSO, will be on hand to update us on any changes in Riverbay policy that have an effect on our area. In the 7 p.m. opening portion of our meeting, we will take care of association business, including a Treasurer’s Report and a report on the latest meeting the Building and Grounds committee. Election of new officers will be in order as well. Our guest speaker is expected to begin her remarks at 7:30. Those who attend should be prepared to bring up any problems that they have that can be dealt with by Ms. English. Our membership last year numbered 21, which is slightly less than 1/3 of Debs Place townhouse families. Those in attendance will be able to pay their association dues for the 2019-2020 season. Unless voted on by us in the beginning of our meeting, dues will remain at $10 per family and should be paid in cash. Those who are not able to get to the meeting may drop their dues payment with our treasurer in 18B. We are looking forward to seeing more of our Debs Place townhouse residents at our meeting, including any who have moved in over the summer. If you have any problems, give us a chance to help resolve them. Remember, our meeting begins at 7 p.m. with our guest speaker arriving at 7:30. The Debs Place Townhouse Association meets regularly on the 2nd Thursday of each month with the exception of January, July and August. —Nels Grumer

Black Forum

Emergency food pantry The pantry, 920 Baychester Ave., Building 1A, faces the yellow schoolhouse and basketball court at the back of the building. We open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon. We also open 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays until Sept. 12 for working guests who cannot come during the day. Pantry guests do not have to be affiliated with a church or place of worship to receive food support. We are not affiliated with any state agency/program and do not share your personal information with anyone. Guests must live within 10475 due to budget constraints and food shortage. Please bring an up to date photo ID when registering or picking up food for the first time. The only accepted ID is the ID NYC card or a non- or driver’s license. Your ID must show a 10475 address. Bring three clean/doubled shopping bags and a shopping cart. Guests will be issued a card that must be shown on every visit in order to pick up anything, even non-food items. Canned food pick up occurs on a 30-day rotation, once a month. Those who registered but did not pick up food by Sept. 3 were removed from our rosters. We needed to make room for others wanting to register. Those removed can reapply but may be placed on a waiting list. Light bulbs will be distributed at 920 Baychester Ave. to current registered pantry guests, one pack of four per household: Section 1 on Thursday, Sept. 5, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The other sections have already been served. Guests can only pick up bulbs on their designated day/time and must bring their pantry card to receive bulbs, no exceptions. Quantities are limited; first-come, first-served. The first 154 households per section will receive the bulbs. Defensive Driving moving to Bartow room 28 Next class is Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., $35 per person. Bartow Community Center, 2049 Bartow Ave., room 28. Space is limited because of the room change. Parking is also limited. Those who call will have first priority. Please leave a voicemail at 718-320-8035. Someone will contact you. Harrah’s Casino trip Join us Saturday, Oct. 19, for a trip to Harrah’s Casino in Chester, Pennsylvania. The cost is $45, due by Sept. 20. We are collecting money now. You are welcome to bring the money to the pantry during hours of operation, listed above. Rebate: TBA. No refunds. Call 917-209-5334 or 718-320-0033 if you have questions. Contact We look forward to hearing from you, coopcityblackforum@gmail.com. —D. Illis

Co-op City Democratic Club

The next meeting of the CCDC will be held on Sept.10, at 6 p.m. in the Bartow Avenue Community Center, room 31. I have invited three judges who have been nominated to the Supreme Court of Bronx County – Wilma Guzman, Bahaati Pitt and John Higgitt. They will be on our petitions for election Nov. 5, 2019, to complete their process. This meeting is open to the community. We have only four seats left on the bus for our Nordic Lodge & Mohegan Sun Casino fundraiser. If anyone else would like to attend, please call June Grimes for further information at 347-457-8249. The cost to go is $180 pp cash and we will be leaving from the library at Asch Loop at 9:15 a.m. on Sept. 21. Congratulations to the Co-op City Ad Hoc MTA Committee on its presentation of the 50-page proposal to the MTA. It took great strength to get to this resolve. It shows how this community can stick together and with one voice do what we must for the community and not for selfish gain. Everything is not in place yet, but the greater issues looks very good for Co-op City. If there is anyone interested in joining the CCDC, please call Shirley J. Saunders, female district leader, at 646-245-1795 for an application. —Shirley J. Saunders

COMMUNITY PROTESTANT CHURCH OF CO-OP CITY

1659 EAST GUN HILL ROAD BRONX, NY 10469 REV., DR. CALVIN E. OWENS, PASTOR CHURCH

(718) 862-9172 OFFICE (718) 862-9179

An interdenominational Church of love and understanding, consisting of people of many faiths, races and cultural backgrounds, seeking to live the spirit of Christ with relevance. CHURCH SCHEDULE WEEKLY: CHURCH SCHOOL - SUNDAY, 9:00 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE: SUNDAY, 11:00 a.m. NOON DAY PRAYER - HOUR OF POWER - WEDNESDAY, 12:00 NOON BIBLE CLASS & PRAYER MEETING - WEDNESDAY, 7:30 p.m.

MONTHLY: COMMUNION - 1ST AND 3RD SUNDAYS

ALL ARE WELCOME!


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Board Meeting Review, 8/28/2019 Director’s Viewpoint

Daryl Johnson We discussed a lot of very important issues during our board meeting on Wednesday, August 28, 2019. So, let’s review some of these matters that are affecting this community. Call To Action Here are some of the complaints that our cooperators are making about our phone system: “What is going on with that phone system? I called and called, and no one picked up. I called and someone put me on hold for 40 minutes.” A lot of these complaints were brought to the attention of our management. So, they recently hired a professional from a popular service to deal with these problems. And, now, she is going to be in charge of a new call center with several operators. These operators will be trained in phone operations and good customer service. During this meeting, she brought out that our phone operators receive a tremendous number of calls. Plus, they have to work with cooperators that visit their office. Shortly, you will probably see an article in the Co-op City Times about these matters. But, let’s look at this matter from another perspective. First, we need to provide great service to our cooperators. So, that means that we must develop great systems to handle their needs. And, we can handle their needs by providing additional systems besides our telephone system. For instance, we know that the majority of the calls will be about apartment issues. “I have a leak in my bathroom. I have a problem with my sink, etc.” So, we should work with professionals and design an outstanding website to handle these requests. Thereafter, cooperators can fill out their own service ticket. No computer? No problem. Lots of major financial companies use voice recognition systems to handle the same requests that are conducted over the phone with their employees. Pay your bill? How much do you want to pay? Look up previous charges? Pending charges? Dispute a charge? Transfer money? I can go and on. But, think, when was the last time that you saw a negative article or a news story about a major financial company’s phone system? When? It’s extremely rare because they know that they have to provide outstanding service to their customers. Therefore, we need to bring those same profes-

sional concepts here so that our cooperators can conduct their own business. We can even set up machines throughout the community that are similar to ATMs to handle the majority of the service requests from our cooperators. Bottom line: Did you know Riverbay should make about $235 million in this one fiscal year? Therefore, we need to step up and make dramatic improvements in the way that we conduct business with our cooperators. Ease on Down The Road The MTA previously came out with a plan to almost destroy our bus service. According to their plan, they were only going to allow the BX23 bus to go into every section of Co-op City. And, these BX23 buses would be timed to arrive every 3 minutes. However, did you actually believe that the MTA was going to provide enough buses so that the BX23 could appear every 3 minutes? Personally, I think that they knew this statement was a stretch. So, what did they do when this so-called plan was rejected? Well, according to a story in last week’s edition of the Co-op City Times, they supposedly created a new express bus route to go to Wall Street. Additionally, they made an agreement with an Ad Hoc Committee from Co-op City to have the Q50 bus start and stop at the Pelham Bay train station. Additionally, there was a reference about us gaining more BX23 buses. But, think, when will we get these buses? How many more BX23 buses will we get? One? Two? Did the MTA issue a written statement about this matter? If the answer is no, then do you think that we might have a problem? Also, I personally think that the new train station in section 5 and the extension of this express bus service to Wall Street is being introduced so that the Bronx can undergo a huge demographical change. In fact, developers have already purchased lots of properties throughout the Bronx. And, now, there is a 1bedroom, 598 square foot condo for sale right now on 138th for $529,000. But, your apartment is bigger than this place. Jerome Avenue? There’s a two bedroom co-op for

$180,000. A South Bronx Mott Haven rental? A 1-bedroom can be rented from $1,900-2,600 a month. Furthermore, online sources indicate that the people in the following neighborhoods have high unemployment rates along with high “rent burden” rates: Mott Haven/Melrose, Hunts Point/Longwood, Morrisania/Crotona, Highbridge/S. Concourse, University Heights/Fordham, Belmont/East Tremont, and Kingsbridge Heights/Bedford. So, lots of people will have no choice but to move away from the Bronx. And, these new transportation improvements will simply allow lots of people to move here and have a far more convenient means of traveling to work. Bottom line: Just a few years ago, some folks moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn to pay cheaper rents. Then, a lot of these folks had to move back to Manhattan when some of the rents in Brooklyn surpassed the rents in Manhattan. So, the Bronx is next. Close The MTA was going to devastate our bus service here. And, now, we’re going to lose the Q50 bus in Co-op City. But, that was their plan from the beginning. Additionally, our other bus service is going to basically remain the same. So, did the MTA use scare tactics to accomplish these goals? Thank you. Questions or comments? Please send a letter to: Daryl H. Johnson, Riverbay Board Director, c/o Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475. Also, please call me ONLY at 718-671-4544 if you would like to have a brief discussion with me. Okay, that’s it for now. So, please have a wonderful week. And, may God bless you and your family. Thank you.


Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Anglican Church

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Our first meeting for the fall season is scheduled The congregation of St. Joseph’s cordially invites from Dreiser Loop in front of the Rehab Center. Please for Monday, Sept. 9, 1 p.m. in room 1, Dreiser Comyou and your family to worship with us in Co-op City arrive by 7:30 a.m. to facilitate a smooth departure. munity Center, 177 Dreiser Loop. Looking forward at 155 Dreiser Loop, lower level. All are welcome. The church will be opened for your convenience. to seeing you and you and you and your family memWeekly schedule Save the dates for the annual dinner sale at the bers and neighbors, especially new neighbors. 1. Sunday service with Holy Communion and Sunchurch Saturday, Sept. 28, from noon until sold out, as well as the annual Atlantic City trip Saturday, Nov. Welcome Back Luncheon and Fashion Show day School are both at 9 a.m. Every fourth Sunday, our 30. Details to follow. scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26, noon to 4 p.m. at children participate in the reading of the lessons and every General information Marina Del Rey. $90, transportation provided for a fifth Sunday, our young adults assist in the service. To those celebrating birthdays during the month small charge. Contact Stella Baker, 718- 379-2088, We look forward to welcoming you to church for tickets. tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m. when we will of September, we wish you all a happy birthday and Ellie Minor will be conducting an AARP Driver celebrate The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost. best wishes for many more. Safety Class Friday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 26, Father Simeon Johnson, our supply priest, will be To the sick and shut-in, we have you in our prayers 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Classes will be held in the American the preacher and celebrant. and wish you a speedy recovery. Legion room 41, 135 Einstein Loop, Bronx, NY. Cost: 2. Please join us on Wednesdays for an uplifting There is still time to submit your 2019 pledge cards $20 AARP members, $25 non-members. Check or midday service starting promptly at noon. and you are encouraged to complete and submit them as soon as possible. money order only. No cash. To register, call 718-3793. On Thursdays, Father Johnson will be available Outreach program 4429. for telephone calls and visitations, interactive disOur church supports the feeding program at Grace Please contact Good and Welfare Coordinator cussions on various topics in the bible, 11 a.m. to noon, followed by a short noon-day service. Episcopal Church in West Farms. This program is in Frances Wilson, 718-671-5493, if you have a family member who has passed or one of our members who 4. Choir rehearsal is on Thursdays at 7 p.m., and desperate need of food. At St. Joseph’s, we collect is under the weather. we are always looking for new members. non-perishable food items on an ongoing basis. Please 2019 tour activities Group activities remember to donate. Dec. 10, Miracle of Christmas at the Sight & Sound The Episcopal Church Women meet immediately For additional information on all of the above, Theater with lunch at Golden Corral. Includes motor after service on the first Sunday of each month. All please call the church at 718-320-0844, or visit our coach transportation; 11 a.m. show, $150; $40 nonwomen in the church are invited to attend and parwebsite: https://www.stjosephsepcbronx.org for more information relating to St. Joseph’s Episcopal Anglirefundable deposit due at sign-up. Contact Hannah, ticipate in planning the activities of the church. The can Church, Co-op City, Bronx, New York. 718-379-7962, or Judith, 718-379-3370. men hold their meeting after service on the second Sunday of each month. “Happy are they who have not walked in the counWhen signing up for the above trips, please give your name, phone number and a deposit. Checks/ Upcoming fundraising events sel of the wicked, *nor lingered in the way of sinners, money orders made payable to AARP Chapter 4997 Reminder for our bus trip today, Saturday, Sept. 7, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!” –Psalm 1:1 with the name of the trip in the memo section of your to the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The bus leaves —Merville Chambers check/money order. Room 0, Dreiser Community Center, is opened Monday REMINDER—Carrying Charge Boxes or Thursday, noon to 3 p.m. for checks Shareholders are reminded that the carrying charge deposit boxes located in the community centers open on the mornto be dropped off in an envelope ing of the first business day of the month and close at midnight on the 10th of the month, which is the last day to pay w/group/trip leader name. They may also your carrying charges before a late fee is accessed. If the 10th of the month falls on a weekend or holiday, the carrying be mailed to the group/trip leader. charge boxes remain open through the next business day. —Riverbay Management —Delores Debnam

AARP Chapter #4997


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Setting the Record Straight

Director’s Viewpoint

Claudia Sampson In recent articles about the spending of shareholder resources by the Riverbay Fund and Riverbay Board, I take great exception to any allegations of wanton splurging on frivolous and unnecessary activities while the Board voted for a 1.9% carrying charge increase over a two-year period. Nothing could be further from the truth. From 4/1/2007 through 8/1/2018, there have been carrying charge increases ranging from the lowest 1.0% (2013) to 6.0% (2009). These carrying charges are inclusive of Section 8, DRIE and SCRIE. The proposed carrying charge increases also increase the vacancy loss (as of 2012 resulting from DCHR requiring Riverbay to strictly enforce their regulations whereby vacating shareholders are only held responsible for 90 days maximum of carrying charges or until a new shareholder moves in, whichever is shorter). Therefore, the Board voted to approve the 1.9% in 2019 and 2020 taking into consideration the increase in equity for new move-ins from $4,500 (effective 12/1/08 when equity increased from $3,500) to $5,500 effective Sept. 1, 2019. In addition, since January 2013, the new equity down payment required was raised from 25% to 35%. These are carefully measured steps taken by a majority of fiscally responsible Board directors and Management to meet the obligations of the Corporation to pay its debt and make capital improvements while keeping our homes affordable. We recently got DCHR to launch a one-year pilot to allow seniors and the disabled who meet income and age criteria to step-down to smaller units without having to pay the higher equity and maintain their original equity investment. Given the fact that some directors voted against the 2019-2020 budget, it’s evident that no matter how fiscally prudent these measures are to maintain an affordable and desirable housing alternative to what’s currently available in today’s market, there will also be charges of onerous carrying charge increases – although no substantial evidence is offered to prove these specious claims. Riverbay Fund’s Spending in Full Effect Riverbay Fund can receive $150,000 annually from the Riverbay Corporation. Here are the facts: according to Resolution 16-45 passed by the Riverbay Board in July 2016, the Corporation can make “annual allocations up to $150,000 for the purpose of establishing a supported Youth and Community Program Department.” However, the Fund has to request the money and justify the use. There are still some grants earmarked for the RF National Night Out, Black History Month and Senior Picnic events by Assemblyman Michael Benedetto. We’re awaiting receipt of the balance of the grant funds that will be applied to several community activities and RF initiated projects. We

were informed by Assemblyman Benedetto’s office that Albany approved the grant, and the funds will be available to be drawn down. Again, no shareholder monies were being squandered on frivolous items, unless one considers the aforementioned as such. I daresay that many would take strong exception to these unsubstantiated claims. Again, facts matter. As the newly elected RF president, one of my first goal is to ensure that Fund members who are all Board directors fully understand the policies governing contributions and funding from grants, elected officials, and shareholder donations to the recycling bins at the garages. Speaking of donations to the recycling bins, this is a great way to give back to the community. Rather than throw out your unwanted clothes and shoes, donate them to us so that we can continue to fund some of the programs you have come to enjoy, such as Tunes on Tuesdays, Wicked Wednesdays, Gospel Concert and many more throughout the year. Play it Safe and Slow Down – Do No Harm As the school year begins for New York City’s students, let’s not forget to pay close attention to the rules governing driving in zones where our children and other pedestrians are present. There are serious legal consequences, not to mention potential fatalities, caused by excessive speeding. And while we’re at it, can the daredevils on motorcycles and souped-up race cars slow your roll? We get it — your testosterone is amped to high-octane levels, but you’re not auditioning for the next sequel of Fast ‘N Furious! This is a residential community with seniors, people with disabilities and young children — all precious and vulnerable to reckless drivers. Pay attention to “Stop” signs and crosswalks especially in areas such as Dreiser Loop where cars, buses and trucks blow through oblivious to signs and people who have the right of way. We may need to petition the city to install speed bumps or flashing yellow lights as a last resort if this flagrant disregard for lives and limbs continues unabated. Committee Recommendations Finalized The Committee on Committees comprised of three Board Directors, Claudia Sampson, chair; Sonia Feliciano and Bernie Cylich, reviewed committee chair requests and submitted recommendations to Board President Linda Berk at the August 28 Board Meeting. The president

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

It is written that beauty is the appreciation of what our eyes interpret by our sense of quality that gives aesthetic pleasure. In other words, the admiration of beautiful things is a manifestation of man’s appreciation of life. Our sense of beauty begins at an early age, possibly from birth through early adolescence. We are unaware of our perceptions as we are bonded by natural choices. The type of flowers we prefer, the colors we choose, the time of year we prefer; nature offers us the four seasons, each presenting us with its own beautiful endowments. We are unknowingly guided by our values of the past, as GOD so intended it to be. Just imagine that of all the people in the world none are exactly alike in looks or personalities. Our blessing is in our many choices. Let it be known that the choices of attractions are not solely in the eyes, but in each heart and soul. So when you look into the mirror, see the beauty that someone else sees and be gratified. —Frank Mayes

accepted the following recommendations which the Board unanimously voted in favor of: Audit Committee – Andrea Leslie, Claudia Sampson, Cheryl Jenkins Budget and Finance – Entire Board Building Grounds & Grounds – Sonia Feliciano/ Angelo Rosario Committee on Committees – Claudia Sampson/ Sonia Feliciano/Bernard Cylich Community Relations (tbd @ RF meeting on 9/4) Construction/Power Plant/Restorations – Bernard Cylich Contact Compliance/Inventory/Purchasing – Angelo Rosario Cooperator Appeals – Cheryl Jenkins Education (tbd @ RF meeting on 9/4) Disabilities and Accommodations – Andrea Leslie IT – Linda Berk Legislative – Rod Saunders Labor Relations Board as a whole. Parking Facilities and Storage – Francine Reva Jones Sales and Leasing – Francine Reva Jones Security – Kevin Lambright Youth (tbd @ 9/4 Fund meeting) 2020 Riverbay Board of Directors’ Election Committee – Francine Reva Jones Please submit your request in writing to join a committee to Board Liaisons, Riverbay Board, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475 or via email: board@ riverbayboard.com. Be sure to include your contact information including your name, building and apartment. I can be reached for comments or concerns at: csampson@riverbayboard.com. Wishing you and your loved ones a most healthy and safe weekend!


Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019 On behalf of our pastor, Reverend Dr. Calvin E. Owens, and our church family, welcome to Community Protestant Church, a church of love and understanding, located at 1659 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, N.Y., 10469; telephone 718-862-9172. Regular church schedule: Sunday school: 9 a.m. Worship service: 11 a.m. Communion service: Every first and third Sundays Noon day prayer – hour of power: Wednesday at noon Prayer meeting and Bible study: Wednesday at 7 p.m. The following program is at the church’s annex, Asch Loop north: Neighborhood bible study: Thursday at 10 a.m. Sunday school is now in session every Sunday at 9 a.m. Sunday school is really a part of our history, and because someone cared and was concerned enough, many of us benefitted and know its value. In Sunday school, in a nurturing Christian education environment, an opportunity is provided for children to learn about the Bible, to grow in grace, to show love and respect for one another and to live more abundant lives. Worship service begins at 11 a.m. Everyone is invited to come and be a part of this special moment set aside each Sunday morning to be in the presence of God. We will be delighted to blend our spirits with yours as we bend both body and soul before our heavenly father. We encourage you to spend time with God, and if it be His will, with us at Community Protestant. Other scheduled events Sunday, Sept. 22, at the 3:30 p.m., please join us for our annual celebration of the hospitality and missionary ministries anniversary. Sunday, Oct. 6, at 11 a.m. for observance of All Clubs Day, honoring some of the organizations of our church. On these special occasions of the organizations we are celebrating, we extend our prayers and thanks for their continued loyal support of our church. All are welcome. Saturday, Oct. 5, the missionary ministry sponsors a positively inspiring gospel lunch cruise, departing from Chelsea Pier at noon to 2 p.m. Featuring live gospel entertainment by the New York Gospel Choir, live DJ and dancing, fresh buffet lunch, onboard games and outdoor observation deck. Bus departs Community Protestant Church at 9 a.m. and CPC annex in Co-op City at 9:15 sharp. Donation: $94, $50 deposit due immediately; $44 balance due by Sept. 15. For additional information, contact Julia Nicholson at 917-836-9701 or Sarita Tidball at the church, 718-862-9172. Saturday, Oct. 19, at 3 p.m., the trustees ministry sponsors a gospel extravaganza, featuring Bishop Mary Freeman, Rev. Dr. Lois Giles, Rev. Audrey Jones and Sister Keisha Washington, with Renewed in Christ and the Angels in Christ, liturgical dance ministry. Brother Troy Murray, worship leader. Donation: $25 in advance; $30 at the door. The doors of Community Protestant Church are open to all to worship and fellowship with Christian believers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You are cordially invited to come in, join in and receive your blessing. —Evan G. Mitchell

Community Protestant Church

Building 10 Association

Greetings, fellow cooperators. New Cooperators Welcome all new cooperators. We look forward to seeing you at the next general membership meeting. Co-op City ad hoc committee The Co-op City ad hoc committee is asking everyone to fill out the survey regarding the MTA. The survey is in the Co-op City Times and has been distributed to every building. The committee needs the completed surveys to justify the need for our bus services. The MTA surveyed 1,900 people here, the committee is trying to double that number and get a better and more current representation of our ridership here in Co-op City. Laundry room washing machines and dryers If a washer or dryer is inoperable, please report it to Coinmach at servicerequest.coinmach or call 877-264-6622. Bulk All cooperators are reminded to take all bulk garbage and furniture to the basement and place near the ash cart room, follow the signs. Please do not leave any items in the elevator area. Association dues Collection of building association dues has begun for the year 2019. Building association dues are $10 per apartment. If you missed the dues collections in your building, you can bring it to the association meeting or please see any executive board member. We would like to wish all September babies a very happy birthday. To the homebound and sick, we wish you a speedy recovery. To all who have lost a loved one recently, we give our deepest condolences. Have a great week. —Jewel Crawford-Duncan

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City

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General information The Traditional Synagogue is located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place, in the rear Lobby of 27B. It is on the ground floor of Building 27B, it is handicap accessible, no steps. Phone: 718-379-6920. Office hours are Thursday and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. Please call before you attempt to come over. If no one is in the office, please leave a message. The 5780 High Holidays This year, Rabbi Daniel Kronengold and Cantor Joseph Ringel will conduct our High Holy Day Services. For information about holiday tickets, please call 718-379-6920 and leave your name and phone number and we will get back to you. The following is the schedule for candle lighting and services. Erev Rosh Hashanah – Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. Candle lighting at 6:23 p.m. Mincha service at 6:30 p.m. Rosh Hashanah – Monday, Sept. 30, 2019. Services at 8:30 a.m. Shofar at 10:45 a.m. Tashlich at 5:45 p.m.:(at the water). Mincha at 6:25 p.m. Candle lighting, not before 7:20 p.m. Rosh Hashanah – Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. Services at 8:30 a.m. Shofar at 10:45 a.m. Sermon by Cantor Ringel. Rosh Hashanah ends at 7:19 p.m. Shabbat Shuva – Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. Services at 9 a.m. Erev Yom Kippur – Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Candle lighting at 6:08 p.m. Kol Nidre Services at 6:15 p.m. Yom Kippur – Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. Services at 9 a.m. Yizkor at Noon. Mincha at 4 p.m. Neila (closing of the gates) at 5:15 p.m. Maariv at 6:50 p.m. Shofar blown, fast ends at 7:06 p.m. Please come on time so our prayers will not be rushed, and we will not be forced to fast until later than required. Saying Yizkor for a loved one requires a pledge of Tzedaka (Charity). Please support our Shul. The synagogue has services on Saturday morning starting at 9 a.m. After services, we always have a kiddush. The synagogue has a Facebook page Traditional Synagogue. The synagogue needs donations. Whatever amount you can donate, big or small, would help the synagogue’s finances. The synagogue needs men to help make a minyan. Please come by 9 a.m., so we can take out the Torah. Traditional Synagogue is the only synagogue in Co-op City. Sabbath ends on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at 8:10 p.m. Candle lighting for Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, 6:47 p.m. Good and Welfare We sell tree certificates, in honor or memory of a loved one. The cost is only $15 per tree. Mazel Tov to all having Simchas. If you’re ill, wishing you good health. If you asked the Rabbi to say prayers for a sick person, you should make your donation to the synagogue. For those members celebrating their birthday/anniversary in Sept., please send me your names and I will note them. Fun and games After services and kiddush, some men and women play Rummikub. Your support for the Traditional Synagogue is greatly appreciated. Wishing all our members and friends peace and good health. —Bruce Gitelson


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Word Games 9:30-11a.m. Library 9:30a.m.-1p.m. Health & Wellness Support Group 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. YOGA w/Peggy 11a.m.- 12p.m., JASA main office Arthritis Exercises11a.m.-noon Card Games 2-4 p.m. Dominos 2:30

Word Games 9:30-11:30 a.m. New: Social Worker Royvi 9a.m. -12p.m. Walking Club 10:30 a.m. Caregiver Support Group 1:30 p.m., 1st & 3rd Tues. Card Games 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 13 Thu., Sept. 12

Wed., Sept. 11

Mon., Sept. 9

Einstein Room 49 unless otherwise noted

Tues., Sept. 10

Bartow Room 31 unless otherwise noted

Blood Pressure Every 1st & 3rd Wed., 9 – 10 a.m. Games 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Stay Well Exercise 10 -11 a.m. Line Dancing 11a.m. -12 p.m. Card Games 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Dominoes 2:30 p.m. NORC Computer Class Bartow main office 11:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m. Smartphone Class Beginner 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.; Intermediate 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Bartow main office Library 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Word Games 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Crochet & Knitting 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Spanish Class 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., JASA main office Dancercise w/Damion 1 - 2 p.m., JASA main office Card Games 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Dominoes 10 a.m., rm. 45 Health & Wellness Support Group 10 - 11 a.m. Karaoke by Steven 1 p.m., rm. 45 Dominoes 10 a.m., rm. 45 Spelling Bee 10 a.m. Body in Motion w/Ola 10 a.m.– 11 a.m. Spanish Practice Class 10:30 a.m., Computer Lab Zumba 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., rm. 4 Arts w/Becky 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Dominoes 10 a.m., rm. 45 Grandparent Connection Meeting & Exercise class 1st Thurs., rm. 40, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Arthritis Exercise 11 a.m., rm. 45 Spelling Bee 11 a.m. Word Search 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Karaoke by Steven 1 p.m., rm. 45 Arts w/Becky 10 a.m.-12 p.m., rm. 49 Men’s Line Dancing 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Dominoes 10 a.m., rm. 45 Word Games 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Art 10 a.m., rm. 45 Bingo 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Women’s Line Dancing 10 a.m. Pokeno 2-4 p.m., rm. 35 11:30 a.m. Blood Pressure 2nd & 4th Fri., 10 Chat Session 10 a.m. a.m. - 11:30 a.m., rm. 45 Piano Sing-along 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Free Oil Painting Classes 10 a.m. – Card Games 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. 11:30 a.m., rm. 38

For information, please call: (718) 320-2066 (Schedule subject to change without notice) Payments for trips @ the Bartow office can be made Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., & 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. only Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, The NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation. JASA WELCOMES EVERYONE AGE 60 AND OLDER! Payments for trips can be made at all 3 centers. Trip registration policy: There will be NO REFUNDS for all trips. All trips include roundtrip transportation– JASA will not accept checks under $5. All trips must be paid in advance. Drivers will no longer accept money for trips on the bus! In order to participate in any JASA Senior Activities or go on any Senior trips you must be a member of JASA. You may pick up an application in the main office or at any of the three senior centers. FREE LiveOn NY - SCRIE/SNAP (food stamps) Assistance – Fri., Sept. 13 & 27; Oct 11 & 25, 9 a.m. to 12p.m. JASA main office, 2049 Bartow Ave. No appointments! Walk-ins! First come! First served! Please make copies of your documents before coming to the office. Social Worker Royvi will be on staff at the Dreiser Senior Center, rm. 7 on Tuesdays, 1 to 4 p.m. Walkins! First come! First served! Mary’s Pool – $3, Fri., Sept. 20, Mon., Sept 23 & Fri., Sept 27. Pool aerobics for seniors. 10 a.m. to noon. Bartow – 8:30; Einstein – 8:45; Dreiser – 9 a.m. Aldi – Wed., Sept. 11, $3. Bartow – 9:30; Einstein – 9:45; Dreiser – 10 a.m. Join us for a Spectacular Lake George Steam Boat Cruise w/buffet luncheon, live entertainment and shopping at the Lake George Outlets – Thurs.,

MENU

Dreiser

Room 7 unless otherwise noted Crochet & Knitting 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Library 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session Dominos 10 a.m. rm. 45 9:30-10:30 a.m. Line Dancing 10-11 a.m. rm. 45 Stay Well Exercise 10-11 a.m. rm. 2 Around The Lunch Table 11:30 a.m. Artopia, Art Programs for Elders – 10 a.m. -12 p.m. Word Search 11a.m. -12p.m. Basic Cell Phone & IPad training 11 a.m. Bingo 1-3 p.m. rm. 35 Mind Teasers 12-1p.m. rm. 4 Diabetes Support Group 2nd Mon. Diabetes Support Group 1p.m. – Last Monday of the month 1 p.m. rm. 49 Counseling 1 rm. 8 Computer Class for Beg. 9:30 a.m.; Bereavement Gentle Yoga 1:15-2 p.m. rm 2 Int 10:30a.m.; Adv 11:30 a.m. Intermediate Yoga 2-3 p.m.

Alternate Kosher Meals are also available

Kosher

Non-Kosher

Chicken Marsala Fettuccini pasta Normandy blend Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit Alt: Egg salad

Oven fried chicken Baked macaroni Green bean sautéed

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session Juice 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Hungarian goulash Alert & Alive 10:30 – 11:30 Mashed potatoes Cultural Dance 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Aud. B Capri blend vegetaComputer Class 11 a.m.–12 p.m. bles, Whole wheat Mind Teasers 12 p.m. -1 p.m., rm. 4 bread, Fresh fruit Zumba 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., Aud. A Alt: Baked breaded Matinee 1 p.m. fish New: Social Worker, Royvi 1 - 4 p.m. Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Sewing 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (New) Tai Chi 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., rm. 10, until Aug. 28 Art Class 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Yoga 2 p.m. - 3 p.m., rm. 2

Mango Chutney pork roast Baked potatoes Normandy Blend

Juice Stir fry chicken Yellow rice Arroz con pollo Sautéed string beans chicken breast & rice Whole wheat bread Okra w/tomatoes Fresh Fruit Alt: Vegetarian chili

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session, Juice 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Baked salmon Blood Pressure 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Orzo w/fried onions 1st & 3rd, rm. 8 Cucumber salad Line Dancing, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., Aud. A Whole Wheat bread Fresh Fruit Piano Sing Along 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Alt: Sliced deli turkey Drama Club 1:30 – 4 p.m. Crochet & Knitting 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Juice, Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session Sweet & sour 9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m., 11 a.m.-12 p.m. chicken, Spinach Meditative Moments 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Rm 8 noodle kugel Purple Life Trail Fitness 11 a.m. Greenway California blend vegPokeno 3rd Fri., 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. etables, Fresh Fruit Bingo rm. 7, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Yoga w/Peggy 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., rm. 2 Alt: Gefilte fish

Beef & Pepper pasta Sautéed spinach

Fish w/creole sauce Black beans & rice Lettuce & tomato

Fee for lunch is $2.00 & $5.00 for guest

ALL meals served w/margarine and fresh milk *Menu subject to change without notice. Alternate Kosher Meals are also available Bartow Center (929) 399-1394 Dreiser Center (718) 320-1345 • Einstein Center (718) 671-5161

Upcoming Events/Trips

Sept. 12, $110 per person. Coach bus. Pickups: Dreiser Shoprite right next door to Amazing Savings – 6:30; Bartow (Asch Loop) – 6:45; Einstein – 7 a.m. JASA Closed for Rosh Hashana Day 1, Mon., Sept. Waiting list. Payment deadline Fri., Aug 30. Cash only!! 30. No refunds. Join us for a FREE 7-week workshop to help Walmart –Thurs., Sept. 12, $15. Bartow – 8:30; manage your chronic conditions – You’re welcome Einstein – 8:45; Dreiser – 9 a.m. to come if you’re living with a chronic condition or if Costco – Fri., Sept. 13, $5. Bartow – 9:30; Einstein you are a caregiver. Einstein Loop, rm. 35, Tue., Oct. – 9:45; Dreiser – 10 a.m. 8, 15, 22 & 29; Nov. 5, 12 & 19, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jersey Gardens Outlet Mall (The Mills) – Thurs., with FREE lunch in the senior center included! Sept. 12, $15. Bartow – 8:30; Einstein – 8:45; Dreiser Living Beyond Breast Cancer – JASA Bartow and – 9 a.m. Einstein senior centers recognize October as Breast Empire Casino – Tues., Sept. 17, $5. Bartow – 9 Cancer Awareness month. Join us in celebrating “A a.m.; Einstein – 9:15 a.m.; Dreiser – 9:30 a.m. Survival Story,” $4, Tue., Oct. 15, Einstein Senior Ridgehill – Wed., Sept. 18, $7. Bartow – 9:30; Ein- Center, rm. 45, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets available at stein – 9:45; Dreiser – 10 a.m. Bartow and Einstein Senior Centers. Dreiser Senior Center Walk w/Ease – Six weeks JASA Bartow and Einstein senior centers presents starting Fri., Sept. 20 to Fri., Oct. 25, 10:30 a.m. to “Hope for a Cure,” Alzheimer’s Awareness Month 11:15 a.m. Meet in rm. 7. Walking the greenway, – Sat., Nov. 9, Einstein Senior Center, rm. 38, 11 a.m. weather permitting; rainy day option will be in the to 2 p.m. Please call JASA main office to register. Lunch Dreiser Loop Community Center hallway. $2. Please sign up at Bartow or Einstein senior center Empire Casino – Tues., Sept. 24, $5. Bartow – 9 for lunch. Limited seating. a.m.; Einstein – 9:15 a.m.; Dreiser – 9:30 a.m. Sight & Sound Theatre – Thurs., Dec. 5, $150. See IKEA/Christmas Tree Store/Bed Bath and the Miracle of Christmas w/center stage seating. Enjoy Beyond – Wed., Sept. 25, $15. Bartow – 9 a.m.; Einstein a Penn Dutch luncheon at Good N Plenty. Bartow – 9 – 9:15; Dreiser – 9:30 a.m. a.m.; Dreiser – 9:15; Einstein – 9:30 a.m. Deluxe motor Central Ave – Thurs., Sept. 26, $13. Christmas Tree coach bus. Depart destination at 5:30 p.m. Payment store, Trader Joe’s and Amazing Savings. Bartow – deadline, Fri., Nov. 8. No refunds! Only 50 seats avail8:30; Einstein – 8:45 a.m.; Dreiser 9 a.m. There is a able.


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Newsong Church Taming the Tongue – Part 2 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. –James 3:9-10 (NIV) Last week, we looked at how our tongue can direct a conversation, and how it has the power to destroy people by saying hurtful things. James tells us that our tongues were designed to praise God, and ultimately be used in a delightful way to all people. So how can we bring delight to God and others with the words we say? How can we speak words of life to all people? It is possible! The Psalmist wrote… May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” –Psalm 19:14 (NLT) We must learn to think before we speak. When we’re tempted to say something out of anger that we know may be hurtful, remember this acronym… T.H.I.N.K. Is it True? Is what you’re about to say true? If it is, remember to speak it in love! Is it Helpful? Is it meant to build them up or to break them down? Is it Inspiring? Will it inspire a person to want to make a positive change? Is it Necessary? Often times, what we want to say isn’t necessary to say (just saying) Is it Kind? Can you say what you need to say in a way that is kind? Remember, as a child of God, the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. Pray and ask Him to help you before you have your conversation. Ask Him to help make your words constructive to others, and pleasing to God! James says it best... “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”–James 1:19 (NIV) Before you say what you need to say, remember this week to think, and pray before you speak! Join us this Sunday! Newsong Church is located at 135 Einstein Loop in room 45. Discounted parking is available in parking garage 7 & 8. While you’re enjoying our worship experience, your children will be enjoying “Kidsong.” At Kidsong, children from nursery to 6th grade will learn about Jesus in fun interactive ways! We also have a youth ministry called Against the Flow. At ATF, teens from 12-18 years old enjoy Christcentered discussion groups, café nights, and other outings. ATF meets every Friday night at 7 p.m. at 2049 Bartow Ave., room 28! If you have any questions. you can contact us: Church Office: 718-708-8385 Website: www.newsongchurchnyc.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/newsongchurchbx Twitter: @newsongchurchBX IG: @newsongchurchBX @againsttheflow.nyc Our Newsong family is here for you! Join us this Sunday and experience the difference! —Pastor Mike Tolone

No Co-op City Times? Call 347-439-5632 on Saturday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Be a RESPONSIBLE dog owner.

Curb Your Dog... IT’S THE LAW!

Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams and the Co-op City Baptist Church family invite you to join us tomorrow at 9 a.m. for worship service. Beginning next Sunday, Sept. 15, we will return to having two worship services, at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. The Co-op City Baptist Church is located at 135 Einstein Loop, lower level, room 50. Our telephone number is 718-320-3774. Visit us on the web at coopcitybaptistchurch.org Tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 8, we will celebrate Family and Friends Day and Grandparents Day at 9 a.m. All are invited to join us. Noon day service and all Bible classes will resume Wednesday, Sept. 11. Sunday school for children and adults resumes Sept. 15 at 9:15 a.m. Prayer service will resume Friday, Sept. 13 at noon. Evening prayer service resumes Friday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to join us from the comfort of their home for an hour of prayer. Prayer service is held using a conference call line. On Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. you can call 563-999-2090; when asked for the PIN, enter 660065 and you will be connected. Prayer Service is not held on the first Friday of the month. The last leadership class for 2019 is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The presenter will be Minister Yolanda Richard, faith-based engagement and outreach coordinator for the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies. CCBC ministry officers, members and friends are invited to join us as Minister Richard introduces attendees to FPWA and how to assist CCBC members and our community at large to access FPWA services.

You are invited to join the Scholarship Ministry on a trip to Mount Rushmore, the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota, July 17, 2020. The trip includes motor coach transportation, 10 nights lodging, 18 meals, visits to the spectacular Badlands National Park, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial and much more. The cost for double occupancy is $1,145. A $100 nonrefundable deposit is due by Oct. 27, 2019. For additional information, call 718-379-0541, 718-671-1271, 718671-1918 or 917-612-1245. Sept. 8 is National Grandparents Day. The United States Congress passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. The proclamation was signed by President Jimmy Carter on Aug. 3, 1978. September was chosen to signify the “Autumn Years of Life.” The official flower for Grandparents Day is the Forget-Me-Not. There are three purposes for National Grand- parents Day: 1.To honor grandparents. 2. To give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children. 3. To help children become aware of the strength, information and guidance older people can offer. The Co-op City Baptist Church exists to glorify God and to establish a living community of people who follow the teachings of Jesus the Christ through worship, prayer, bible study and fellowship. We seek to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the church through ministry. —Hattie L. Lucas

Scheduling Activities Calendar


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Goose Island Seniors

Goose Island Seniors get-together Saturday, Sept. 14. This is a party for all the members of the Senior Citizens’ Social Club of Goose Island Inc., known as Goose Island Seniors. It will be held in our Section 5, Einstein Center club room 39. Members may bring a person or two. It’s a cover dish party so bring your favorite dish or donate something to eat or drink. $5 donation at the door if no donation of food is given. Let’s party. Sing, play games, win prizes, etc. Time: Noon. To become a member, it’s $15 a year from January to December. It will cost only $8 now thru Dec. 31 since half the year is gone. Wind Creek (Sands) Casino Thursday, Oct. 17, at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Price: $40. Time: 8:30 a.m. from Einstein Loop, 8:40 a.m. from Asch Loop and 8:50 a.m. from Dreiser Loop. More information will follow. Call today. Seats are going fast. Bingo Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Time: 1:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Members only, in our club room 39. Admission, $5 for 3 cards, 12 games and jackpot. Extra cards are 25¢ each. Sunday bingo will be the fourth Sunday, Sept. 22. All are welcome, you don’t have to be a member. Karaoke Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. with Stephen in room 45. All are welcome. To all members Happy Birthday to our members who celebrate their birthday in the month of September: Mary Smith, Patricia Harris, Alma Alequin, Veratta Rhames, Bettie Ward, Joyce Wilson and Beryl Hines. Note Call Ann or Stephen at Goose Island Seniors, 718-379-9613, or visit us at the Section 5 Community Center, 135 Einstein Loop, room 39, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. Office hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to noon. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, noon to 8 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Stephen cell: 347-847-1941. Good health to all. —Stephen Roberts Sr.

Spanish-American Community Club

Travel events Price includes coach bus located on Dreiser Loop, front of H&R Block • Sept. 16 to 19, Monday to Thursday, Niagara Falls, Canada. Sold out! Passport required. Meet and greet upon arrival, guided tours, three breakfasts/three dinners and Niagara Falls cruise. Contact: Serita Grayson, 347-564-5722. • Oct. 14, Monday, MGM Casino, Springfield, Massachusetts. Sold out! Wait list. Contact: Serita Grayson, 347564-5722 or Barbara Williams, 718-320-0500. Theatre Committee Price includes van transport from Dreiser Loop, front of Rehab Center • Sept. 11, Wednesday, “Mambo Italiano,” Westchester Broadway Theatre. Showtime: 11 a.m. Price: $75. Deposit $40. Balance $35. Due Aug. 09. Contact: Marie Green-Ryan, 718-671-4949. • Nov. 15, Friday, “Radio City Christmas Spectacular.” Showtime: 2 p.m. Price: $80. Down payment $40 ASAP. Balance $40 due Wednesday, Oct. 2. Contact: Eleanor Barlow, 917-952-0861. • Dec. 10, Tuesday, The Edwards Twins, Westchester Broadway Theatre. Price: $80. Down payment: $40 ASAP. Balance $40 due Oct. 25, 2019. Contact: Marie Green-Ryan, 718-671-4949. We accept checks payable to Retirees of Dreiser Loop along with your name and telephone number. Committee members will be available in the Dreiser club room 19, 718379-0377, on Mondays and/or Thursdays, 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Good and Welfare We are sending get-well-soon messages to Ida Morton and to Lennie Murrell, and say recover well to be strong and sound. May good health envelope the both of you soon. To our members and friends on the mend, we hope that each new day brings you renewed strength and a little sunshine to brighten your day. Call Josephine Flowers, 718-320-0539, regarding illnesses and bereavements. Mark your calendar, our next Jazz Up Your Health With a Senior Spa Day will be in September, date to be determined. Call Claudette D., 718-379-4784 or Hattie L., 718671-8449 if interested in joining us. “Always end the day with a positive thought. No matter how hard things were, tomorrow’s a fresh opportunity to make it better.” –unknown author —Claudette Davis

On behalf of our president, Rosaura Cruz, the board of directors and the executive board: Welcome back, members. We hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer. Please join us on the second Thursday of every month at 8 p.m. Our next general membership meeting is scheduled for Sept. 12. Everyone is welcome. At our general membership meeting Sept. 12, the scholarship board of trustees will present the Tony Mondesire Scholarship Award. We kindly ask the recipient to be present. Social Friday will return Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 29, the club and the Riverbay Fund will co-host the free Hispanic Heritage Day celebration beginning at 1 p.m. in room 31 of the Bartow Community Center. Performers include Danza Fiesta (Puerto Rico), Garifuna (Honduras), Mariachi Citlalli (Mexico), Juan Ortega’s musical stylings and Dancers Dreamzzz. The club will also raffle off a TV. Since room 31 can only hold 200 people, you must reserve your ticket in advance. Only one ticket per person. To reserve, please contact Aida Gonzalez at 718-671-5922. See the flyer on our website for additional details. October’s general membership meeting will take place on the 10th at 8 p.m. Halloween Party The annual Halloween get-together for the adults will be held Saturday, October 19. Please see the flyer on the website for more details. October’s Social Friday is scheduled for Saturday, the 26th at 7 p.m. Members, renewal dues for the coming year are now being accepted. Dues are $30 per household. Additional information for all of our upcoming club events, as well as details concerning the club in Family Owned and Operated general, can be found on our website: spanamcccc.synthasite.com. You may also email the club • Large Chapel • Pre-need counseling at SpanAmCCCC@gmail.com or find us on Faceon premises book, search for “spanamcccc.” • Out of town services • Ample Parking —Carmen Rodriguez on premises

• Casket Showroom on premises

• Cremations

Retirees of Dreiser Loop

A dignified funeral every family can afford. All areas are handicapped accessible

Personalized & Professional Care • 53 Years Serving Our Community Worldwide Shipping including Caribbean, Africa & South America

718-231-7647 Call 24 Hours

Fax: 718-231-7665 www.mccalls.net • director@mccalls.net 4035 Bronxwood Avenue, Bronx, N.Y.

NOW WEBCASTING TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABROAD

Serving all cultures & faiths


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Chavurah Temple Beth El

Circle of Christ Church

Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” If you are looking for a place of worship in the local area that is aimed at teaching the transforming word of God, Circle of Christ Church invites you to fellowship with us this Sunday. We are a nondenominational, multicultural and loving church that accepts you just the way you are. Senior Pastor Elisamuel Colón and the body of Christ are committed to love people into a life changing-liberating relationship with God. We are located at 147 Dreiser Loop, patio level in the Dreiser Community Center. Our Sunday services are in Spanish and English. We have an anointed worship team and dance ministry that minister regularly. The English service has Bible-centered nursery program and children’s church in which children are ministered to from the cradle to 12 years of age. Please see our schedule below and follow us on Facebook and our website, circleofchristchurch.com. Circle of Christ Church responds to Isaiah 68:10, which says: Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. We have a food pantry that serves the community and we offer family counseling based on need. If you are interested please contact us at 347-945-1992 or on Facebook at Circle of

Christ Church.

English Services Tuesday prayer, 9 a.m. to 11a.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. prayer/Bible study Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Operation Grace Youth Service, 7 p.m. Saturday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. young adults Sunday service, 11 a.m. Servicios en Español Salmos 122:1 Yo me alegré con los que me decían, “a la casa de Jehova iremos” Nuestros servicios dominicales son en español e inglés. Tenemos un equipo de adoración ungido y un ministerio de danza que ministran regularmente. El servicio de inglés tiene una iglesia infantil centrada en la biblia y un progra.m.a de guardería donde se atiende a los niños desde la cuna hasta los 12 años de edad. Tenemos ministerios para todas las edades. Consulte nuestro progra.m.a a continuación y síganos en Facebook y en nuestro sitio web circleofchristchurch.com. Distribuimos alimentos y ofrecemos asesora.m.iento familiar según las necesidades. Si está interesado, contáctenos al 347-9451992 o en Facebook Circle of Christ Church. Domingo: Culto de Adoración de 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Jueves: Oración y Estudio Bíblico de 12-2 p.m. —Nancy Rodriguez

Evangelical UM Church of Co-op City Open Doors, Open Hearts and Open Minds

Come & Visit Us – You’re always welcome in God’s House, your house! We are a Bible centered congregation with spirit-filled worship, offering a variety of opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship and service to God and our community. We are a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and bilingual congregation, all are welcome! Services are held at 2350 Palmer Avenue, across from Building 30. Parking is available. Our pastor is Rev. Arnaldo Sánchez-Orta. Telephone number: (718) 320-3795; email: coopcityevangelicalumc@gmail.com. Schedule for Sundays – Come and receive a blessing Sunday, September 8, will a bilingual service 10 a.m. -12 p.m., Holy Communion & Homecoming service. English Service: 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.; Spanish Service: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Bilingual Service: First Sunday of each month, 10 a.m. -12 p.m. Children Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. Bring your children, they will have a great time while learning God’s word. Adult Sunday Bible Study: English, 8:45 a.m./Spanish, 10 a.m. English Prayer/Bible Study Night & Spanish Prayer/Bible StudyAfternoon Monday Evening Bible Study: 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Tuesday Spanish Prayer/Bible Study: 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Tuesday English Prayer Service: 7:00 p.m.-8 p.m. Young Adults Bible Study: Tuesday, 8 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Come let’s pray together! “Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” – 2 Chronicles 6:40 (NIV) Friday Night is Fun Night for the Youth (ages 13 – 21), 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.: Out for Summer Break, will resume in September. Food Pantry: Food Pantry distribution center at our church is now open. We are registering and distributing food on Thursdays, 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Those registering must present one of the following government issued up-to-date ID’s showing a 10475 zip code: Driver, Non-Driver, or NYC ID. Anyone 18+ of age can register. Only one participant per household may register. Health Education Workshop: Join us for a Health Education Workshop on “Causes of Memory Loss,” Tuesday, September 24, at the church, from 2:00 p.m.3:30 p.m. Free Basic Computer Classes: We are currently registering for classes starting mid-September, classes will be held on Saturdays from 3-5 p.m. To register, call the church, (718) 320-3795; if no answer, leave a detailed message with name, telephone # and someone will get back to you. Flea Market: Saturday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rain date: Sat., 9/28/19. Vendors wanted: registration, space & chair, $35. Addt’l. chair, $5. For application. Contact: Pauline, (718) 320-1552; Jackie, (361) 249-7033; church, (718) 3203795. If no answer, leave a detailed message and someone will get back to you. “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One…: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” –Isaiah 48:17 (NIV) Blessings, —Marilyn Méndez-González

The temple is having services for the High Holidays this year in the Dreiser Community Center. We look forward to seeing you, and please bring your friends. Your support is rewarding as we keep Judaism alive in Co-op City. Hear the sound of the Shofar. Bring in the new year 5780/2019. The High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, are just around the corner, and you are invited to worship with us. Services are as follows: All services are to be held in Dreiser, room 1. Rosh Hashanah Evening – Sunday, Sept. 29, 8 p.m. Morning – Monday, Sept. 30, 10:30 a.m. Yom Kippur Kol Nidre – Tuesday, Oct, 8, 7:30 p.m. Yom Kippur Day – Wednesday, Oct. 9 Morning Service, 10 a.m. Public Yiskor, 1 p.m. Public Yiskor, 2:30 p.m. Mincha and Neliah, 4 p.m. There is no charge for tickets for all services. Just come. Tickets will be mailed out to all our members, along with the form for names to be read or added on our Yartzeit list. If you have names you wish to have read, please fill out the form and mail it back. Please come and worship with us, as many of you have done in the past. On Yom Kippur, we will read the list of the departed loved ones who are dear to your hearts, and are on our temple Yartzeit list, and the names of those that have also been given to us. For further information, please email Rabbi Dennis Tobin at RabbiDennisTobin@aol.com or call him at 973-769-3915. We look forward to beginning the year of 5779 with you and your families. —Rabbi Dennis Tobin

RIVERBAY ANONYMOUS WHISTLEBLOWER HOTLINE

If you have knowledge or a concern of possible violations of law, accounting irregularities, or other suspected wrongdoing affecting Riverbay, you are encouraged to report it to law enforcement, or you may report it through an anonymous hotline by the following methods:

Go to an independent website, www.lighthouse-services/riverbaycorp, to complete an online disclosure form; Call the following independent third party whistleblower hotline at 1-833-290-0009 (English); or 1-800-216-1288 (Spanish); Send an e-mail to reports@lighthouse-services.com (the email must include “Riverbay” in the subject); or Send a fax to (215) 689-3885 (the fax must include “Riverbay” in the subject of the report).


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

Coalition of African American Churches & Community Organizations of Co-op City

Greetings to our coalition members and friends, we hope you are enjoying the summer. The Coalition of African-American Churches & Community Organizations of Co-op City’s next general membership meeting will be held Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019 at noon in the Dreiser Community Center, room 15. We are requesting all members to please attend. Please watch this column for further information. It is important two representatives should be sent from each organization to attend all coalition meetings. The coalition gives its deepest condolences to the family of Maxine Sullivan, our beloved sister, who recently passed away. Please inform the coalition of any suggestions you may have. Ms. Virginia Stewart is the president of the coalition. Phone number, 718-671-4506. The coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and improving the quality of life of cooperators while providing educational and culturally enriching programs for the community. We

also act as one voice for all coalition members where there are issues of common concern and human rights. We also sponsor the Friends & Family Day Celebration, and the annual Kwanzaa celebration events, both events are free for the community. Members of the coalition include the following: African-American Association; Co-op City Baptist Church; Retirees of Dreiser Loop; Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club; NAACP, Co-op City Branch and St. Joseph's Episcopal Church. Churches and organizations that desire to join the coalition may apply for membership by calling (718) 671-4506 or (718) 671-9610 for membership application, which should be returned with a letter on your church/organization’s letterhead and signed by the minister/president. Read coalition’s weekly column for information about events and issues. Remember the coalition’s motto is, “Coming together is the beginning, keeping together is progress and working together is success.” —Harman T. Leacock

NAACP, Co-op City Branch

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 135 Einstein Loop, room 36, Bronx, N.Y. 10475; 718-320-3210; email: naacpccity2210 @gmail.com Save the Date: Fifth annual Community Service Awards Dance, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, at 135 Einstein Community Center, room 45, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Advance $40. September 15 - 50th annual African Day parade, Harlem, N.Y. Membership meeting: Sunday, Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. Einstein Center, room #36. All welcomed. Bring a guest. NAACP 83rd NYS Annual Convention: Oct. 5-7 to be held in Crowne Plaza, White Plains. Contact office for further information. Honoree Spotlight: In the coming weeks, we will feature bio highlights about the honorees. This year's 2019 Community Service Award Honorees are Carlton "Chuck" Berkley, Ronald J. Hartridge, Francine "Reva" Jones, Lori Melton, Leah Richardson, Virginia Stewart and the youth honorees are Stephen Oyunbiyi, Ricki-Lee Riley and Jean-Pierre Santiago. This week we are proud to spotlight Ronald J. Hartridge, Francine Reva Jones and Lori Melton. Ronald J. Hartridge, community advocate, original chair, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s Bronx Fathers Taking Action Fatherhood Program. Founder of P.S. 153x Fathers of Helen Keller Fatherhood Program, which is now recognized citywide as the most successful fatherhood program in

NYC schools. Member of the Mayor's Citywide Fatherhood Coalition. Francine "Reva" Jones, community activist, organizer, educator of African American History. Past president, Coalition of African-American Churches & Community Organizations of Co-op City, Inc. and African American Association of Coop City. Currently involved in planning Friends & Family Day, Kwanzaa events and has initiated programs such as Black History Month Film Festivals, Wholistic Health & Wellness Fairs, Co-op City Spelling Bee and continues to serve on the Riverbay Board of Directors in Co-op City. Lori Melton, community activist, educator of Women's Rights and Human Rights, president of National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Co-op City Section; member of Manhattan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Society, Inc.; Graduate of NOMW Not on My Watch, Safe Haven Network International, a movement combatting human trafficking and domestic violence. Religious education youth teacher for 20 years. Initiated and chairs Black History Month Youth Celebration, Winter Accessory & Toy Drive, Back to School Supply Drive, Annual Can Food Drive, Career Day & Youth Day of Fun and Games. Congratulations! We look forward to celebrating all honorees at our event on Sept. 21, 2019. Come out and be part of this celebration of our community. For tickets and table reservations, please call 718-320-3210 or visit the branch office. —Jerome Rice

Co-op City Working Families Party

See you in September Co-op City Working Families/Indivisible group will be tabling at the Section 5 Community Fair today, Saturday, Sept. 7. Maps of a bus redesign option that could save Co-op City’s bus system will be on display. Come on by, say “hi,” and lend your support. The bus line you save may be your own! Or your mom’s, or your granddad’s, or your kids’, or… It ain’t over till it’s over. The last MTA final plan and outreach events are scheduled for September and October. Summer Break Want to reach out to an elected official? In the summer, these three tend to reach right back. In fact, you’ll probably see all three at the above mentioned Section 5 Community Fair on Saturday, Sept. 7. It’s “The Second Biggest Fair in the Bronx” so you might have to endure a ton of fun before you reach the WFP table! NYC District 12 Councilman Andy L. King; Andy.King @council.nyc.gov; 135 Einstein Loop, room 44, Bronx, N.Y. 10475; 718-684-5509 State Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, benedettom@nyassembly.gov; 177 Dreiser Loop, room 12, Bronx, N.Y. 10475; 718-320-2220, 718-892-2235, 518-455-5296 State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, bailey@nysenate.gov; 959 East 233rd St., Bronx, N.Y. 10466-3207; 718-547-8854 The Co-op City Working Families Mission As progressives, Co-op City Working Families members work to elect the most progressive candidates possible who will stand in the way of all regressive legislation. As a civic action group, Co-op City Indivisible — an aspiring Co-op City certified community organization — promotes progressive causes. As Co-op City WF/Indivisible members, we do both. We embrace progressive values by modeling inclusion, respect, and fairness in all of our actions; we work to make Co-op City a stronger community; and we insist our representatives serve as our voice in Co-op City, in the Bronx, in Albany, and in Washington, D.C. In these divisive times it is of the greatest importance to maintain a progressive point of view. In essence, the mission of Working Families/Indivisible Co-op City is to promote tolerance and end second-class citizenship. Become a warrior for justice and equality. That’s what this group stands for. Stand with this group. Next meeting We meet monthly in the Einstein Community Center on third Tuesdays at 7 p.m., usually in room 35, from September to June. Watch this space for details. Remember, you don’t have to have a family or a job to join Working Families, you can be single or retired and still join the Co-op City Working Families Party. All progressives are welcome. Feel free to text 718-219-2211 or email mpjazz@optonline.net anytime at all. —Mary Pearson

CO-OP CITY BAPTIST CHURCH 135 EINSTEIN LOOP (Section 5) • Rooms 50-51 Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams, Pastor

(718) 320-3774 • Sunday School – 9:15 a.m. • Sunday Worship Services – 8:00 & 11:00 a.m. • Midweek Worship – Wednesday @ 12 Noon • Bible Class – Wednesday @ 1:00 & 7:30 p.m. • Prayer Service – Friday @ Noon & 7:30 p.m. COMMUNION SERVICE EVERY FIRST SUNDAY. YOUTH DAY EVERY FOURTH SUNDAY. ALL ARE WELCOME TO WORSHIP WITH US.


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY September 7, 1977 President Carter agrees to transfer Panama Canal to Panama

On this day in 1977, President Jimmy Carter signs a treaty that will give Panama control over the Panama Canal beginning in the year 2000. The treaty ended an agreement signed in 1904 between then-President Theodore Roosevelt and Panama, which gave the U.S. the right to build the canal and a renewable lease to control five miles of land along either side of it. The desire for a shorter route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans had a long history, beginning with the Spanish explorers of the 16th century. Before the canal was built, ships were required to travel around the treacherous Cape Horn of South America, a journey that frequently resulted in great loss of life and cargo. From 1869 to 1877, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant authorized no less than seven feasibility studies of a canal across the thin Panamanian isthmus. In 1881, a French consortium of investors hired Suez Canal designer Ferdinand deLesseps to build a canal through Panama. The French project was called off in 1888, however, after workers died by the thousands from disease and construction accidents. In 1904, building a canal across Panama became a pet project of President Theodore Roosevelt; the effort was led by American engineer John Stevens. Although death from jungle diseases decreased with the implementation of an improved sanitation system, designed by Dr. William Gorgas, the project dragged on so long that Stevens quit in despair. In November 1906, in an attempt to boost flagging morale and dwindling Congressional support for the project, Roosevelt visited and posed for photographs at the site, sitting at the controls of an enormous earth-moving tractor. In 1914, after 10 years, Roosevelt’s perseverance paid off; the 51-mile-long canal opened on August 15. The engineer who took over for Stevens quipped at the opening of the canal that “the real builder of the Panama Canal was Theodore Roosevelt.” The canal facilitated increased passenger travel and cargo shipments between nations around the world and U.S. control over the canal helped guarantee America’s status as an international power. Transfer of ownership of the Panama Canal occurred peacefully as planned on December 31, 1999.—History.com


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Co-op City Times / September 7, 2019


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