Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6
March 2015, Vol 6, issue 03
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Welcome to The Sixth Sense - the monthly newsletter of Brooklyn Community Board 6, serving the neighborhoods of Carroll Gardens/South Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, Columbia Street Waterfront, Gowanus, Park Slope and Red Hook.

 

 

"The solutions of adult problems tomorrow depends in large measure upon the way our children grow up today. There is no greater insight into the future than recognizing that, when we save children, we save ourselves."   ---Margaret Mead

Children need love. They need support, respect and guidance. They are young and capable. Smart and energetic. How can we best nurture and cultivate our next generation of performers, thinkers, achievers and leaders? Helping them to find their voice, recognizing their contributions, getting them the tools they need to succeed. Education that develops young minds. Work that introduces value. Training in marketable skills. Experiences that teach life skills. It is up to all of us. We all play a part.

Parents can step up to a leadership position on your local Community Education Council (CEC). With duties that run from advising the Chancellor, to working directly with the district superintendent and reviewing district educational programs, the CECs make important contributions to their communities and help shape public education in New York City.

Students can apply for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) which provides paid summer employment for New York City youth between 14 and 24 years old for up to six weeks in July and August. Participants work in a variety of entry-level jobs. SYEP also provides workshops on job readiness, career exploration, financial literacy, and opportunities to continue education and social growth. The deadline to apply for a summer job is April 10, 2015.

Businesses can sign-up to become a Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) worksite. The deadline to submit a worksite application is May 16, 2015. Any businesses that have jobs available should let us know so we can help promote the positions.

Also, landlords, developers and cultural institutions can sign-up for the City's Space Registry, which is a list of pre-K available space for the 2015-16 school year. Check out the Pre-K for All Space Registry website which details the specifics and provides a submission form for interested people who have appropriate space available for lease.

Each year we look to honor youth in our district. It's a tradition we started back in 1988 when Brooklyn CB6 gave out its first Youth Acknowledgement Awards. Also, named for our former District Manager, the Robert Acito Award for Youth Involvement recognizes an adult member of our community who volunteers to work with children. Nominations for both awards are due by April 3, 2015. Please help us identify worthy candidates.

Bob Acito
Robert Acito, District Manager of Brooklyn CB6, 1980-1993

Praise a child and smile at a baby every day. They're the most important part of our community!


Enjoy our newsletter, and please let us know what you would like to see in future editions.
 
P.S. If you like what you see here, please use the "Forward email to a friend" link at the bottom of the page to pass this email along to a friend or two.  There are over 104,000 residents and thousands of businesses in our district.  We'd love it if they would all sign up!
 
Solarize Brooklyn CB6 is coming soon!
Stay tuned for the program launch date.


Homeowners, multifamily buildings, and businesses in our district are all eligible to participate.

The program will offer discounts from pre-vetted installers; a simple sign-up and installation process that includes free site assessments; and third-party education and assistance from Sustainable CUNY's Solar Ombudsmen. The installation partners will also offer various $0-down financing options, including low-interest loans for low- to moderate-income residents.

There will be a series of "Solar 101" educational workshops throughout the spring in different neighborhoods around the district. These workshops will offer homeowners and businesses the opportunity to learn how solar works, see how much money they could save, and ask questions to the program's installation partners and CUNY's Solar Ombudsmen. 

Solarize Brooklyn CB6 is made possible through a partnership between the City University of New York's NYSolar Smart Program and Brooklyn Community Board 6 as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Rooftop Solar Challenge II.
Gowanus iBID Feasibility Study

     

Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6, Inc. in partnership with the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation (SBIDC) is undertaking an Industrial Business Improvement District feasibility study to explore whether the formation of an industrial BID--or iBID--would be a good organizational structure that would help the Gowanus business community. 

 

An iBID is defined as a public-private partnership in which property and business owners elect to make a collective contribution to the maintenance, development, and promotion of their business district in accordance with their priorities. It allows businesses to work together to advocate, plan and organize for shared interests that support the industrial businesses in the neighborhood.

 

As a first step in the feasibility study process, FBCB6 and SBIDC are administering a Needs Assessment Survey to determine the most important issues to the local businesses. Chronic flooding, reliable Internet/telecommunications, improved public transit and parking, adoption of green business practices, and access to labor are all important to industry, as we learned from our Gowanus Brownfields Opportunity Area study. This iBID feasibility study is an outgrowth of our Gowanus BOA, as we continue our work to support our local industrial businesses.

 

For more information contact John Douglas of Brooklyn CB6 at 718.643.3027, ext. 203 or via email planner(at)brooklync6.org or Andrea Devening of SBIDC via email at adevening(at)sbidc.org.


The Gowanus Industrial Business Improvement District Feasibility Study was funded by City Council Member Brad Lander.
Volunteer to Help Solarize Brooklyn CB6
 
Mars rover  Opportunity would volunteer, but is busy with an other gig   
 
We need your help!

Successful solarize programs rely on grassroots effort and need local volunteers and neighbors to help get the word out and help green the community. Residents can sign-up to volunteer at events (training about solar will be provided) or take a leadership role in the campaign.

Community-based organizations, schools, houses of worship, and other local groups can request to get involved through hosting events or other opportunities by emailing solarizecb6@cuny.edu.

The program will also have a presence at local street fairs, green markets, and other events throughout the spring. If your organization is planning a public event, please contact us at solarizecb6@cuny.edu

Solarize Brooklyn CB6 is made possible through a partnership between the City University of New York's NYSolar Smart Program and Brooklyn Community Board 6 as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Rooftop Solar Challenge II.
Things to do in the District 

photo by Steve and Sara Emry

 

Saturday, March 7, 5-7pm, Ghana-style cooking class at Court Tree Collective. Come celebrate Ghana's 58th Independence Anniversary with chef Charles Cann. In this class you get to watch, learn and feast on Charles's "Red Red" Tropical Ghana style. It's one of the favorites enjoyed all over Ghana. Cost: $35 (includes beverages), Location: 371 Court Street 

 

Thursday, March 12, 8pm Musical Ecologies at The Old Stone House continues with the Brooklyn-based saxophone and percussion duo of Chris Mannigan and Danny Tunick. Musical Ecologies is a monthly symposium on music and sound held every 2nd Thursday at the Old Stone House. Admission by contribution ($10 suggested), Location: Old Stone House, 5th Avenue 

 

Saturday, March 14, 10am-4pm 

Get inspired to spring into gardening by visiting the Making Brooklyn Bloom annual conference at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Day-of registration for workshops and keynote begins at 10am. Advance registration not required. Enjoy a day of urban greening leadership, learning, planning, and action  Free.

  

Sunday, March 15, 6pm  

Proteus Gowanus presents the lecture: The Past Is the Future: Economic Alternatives from Contemporary Maya-What is wealth? Social anthropologist Kristina Baines discusses the movement between a traditional reciprocal labor system to a cash economy, and back again, in a Maya community in Belize. Kristina asks, "What does it mean to our health, heritage and future to use a cash-less system?" $5

  

Sunday, March 15, 1pm
The Annual Brooklyn Saint Patrick's Day Parade!  Parade Route: From 15th Street & Prospect Park West > Down 15th Street to 7th Avenue > Along 7th Avenue > To Garfield Place > Up Garfield Place To Prospect Park West > Along Prospect Park West To 15th Street.

 

Thursday, March 19, 7-9pm
Ahoy Dredgers! Join The Gowanus Dredgers for their annual celebration of their programs on Gowanus, Long Island City, Red Hook, Staten Island and Riverbank State Park Pool. 2015 Gowanus season is in flux with construction at 2nd Street and we seek carpenters, welders and masons! Location: The Roof @ Whole Foods Market at 3rd Ave & 3rd Street. 

 

Thursday, March 19, 5:30-7:30pm
Workshop: Tax Breaks for your Business, hosted by the Carroll Gardens Association. Find out what the federal tax obligations are for your small business. Please RSVP by calling (718) 243-9301 or email. Location: 201 Columbia Street. Free 

 

Saturday, March 21, 11am-3pm
Clean & Green: Spring Clean, Plant Propagation Workshop, & Green Roof Rehab at the GCC's Nursery and Compost Site, propagate our Spring stock for our nursery, and replenish sedums on our green roof. The Gowanus Canal Conservancy Clean and Green Program is a volunteer-based program that meets on Saturdays or Sundays from March to November to make the canal and its watershed more open, clean, and alive. Location: The Salt Lot, 2nd Ave.

Sunday, March 22, 11am-3pm
Compost Windrow Build Description: Build a compost windrow using 9,000 lbs of food-scraps from GrowNYC. The Gowanus Canal Conservancy Clean and Green Program is a volunteer-based program that meets on Saturdays or Sundays from March to November to make the canal and its watershed more open, clean, and alive.Location: The Salt Lot, 2nd Ave.

  

Sunday, March 22, 2pm

Municipal Art Society Walk: The Barclays Center, Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park, and Prospect Heights. Guide and journalist Norman Oder, who writes a watchdog blog about Atlantic Yards, will look at the history of the project; the debates about design, scale, eminent domain, construction impacts, and affordable housing; and the expected build-out over the next decade. On this tour, we'll also examine changes on nearby retail corridors and see some of the Prospect Heights Historic District just south of the site. $20 adults / $15 MAS members

Thursday, March 26, 6-9pm
Fundraising Dinner to Benefit Camp Brooklyn. Chef Marco Chirico invites you to an evening of Italian wines, savories and sweets at Marco Polo Ristorante in Brooklyn. Proceeds will go towards the Camp Brooklyn Fund. Get your ticket today online or mail a check to Camp Brooklyn Fund at 32 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Cost: $100/pp 

  

Saturday, March 28, 11am
Municipal Art Society Walk: Where Brooklyn Meets the Middle East. This tour with guide Mary Ann DiNapoli explores Brooklyn's earliest Arab American neighborhood that began in the 19th century as an offshoot of lower Manhattan's "Little Syria". Discover the area's cuisine, shops and restaurants as we examine how and why the area around lower Atlantic Avenue became a Middle Eastern center. $20 adults / $15 MAS members

 

Tuesday, March 31, 5-7pm 

Join Friends of PS 15 for a Book Talk with cookbook author, Leanne Brown the author of Good and Cheap, a cookbook with delicious, healthy recipes designed to feed your family for $4.00 per day. Join us for an evening of food justice talk, delicious healthy foods, and learn more about accessible healthy food options for you and your family. Location: In the Library @ The PS 15 Patrick F. Daly Magnet School of the Arts, 71 Sullivan Street 
We Love Our Volunteers!
 
Left to right: Asher, John, Raleigh, Kabi, Eric and Madelaine    

We put the call out and they came!

On a recent cold and blustery February morning some of our most intrepid neighbors stopped by the district office to give us a hand with a bulk mailing that just had to go out.

We'd like to extend our warmest gratitude to Madelaine Murphy, Eric McClure, Kabi DeGeer, Asher Freeman and John Roberts, and the biggest thanks of all to 4 year old Raleigh DeGeer who didn't quite volunteer but came out to help her Mom (and us) anyway!

You guys are the best--Thank you! 
Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6, Inc.  was established in 2003 to support the work of Brooklyn Community Board 6 in improving the quality of life in the district.  Friends seeks to provide planning, advocacy, research and administrative resources to supplement the limited capacities and budget of the Community Board, thus enabling it to properly carry out its City Charter mandated tasks of evaluating the needs of the district and advocating on behalf of its communities.
 
Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (Federal EIN 04-3780020).

Donations are welcome and are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
In This Issue
Solarize Brooklyn CB6
Gowanus iBID Feasibility Study
Volunteer to Help Solarize
Things to Do
For the next meeting
Good & Welfare
Quick Clicks
General Board Meeting

photo by Bryan Bruchman

 

6:30pm, March 11th 
PS 58 Auditorium
330 Smith Street
(enter Carroll Street) Brooklyn, NY 11231

Agenda for upcoming general meeting

Draft minutes of last general meeting
(Board members are encouraged to supply corrections to minutes.)

All posted meetings are open to the public; however, participation may be limited.
Quick Links
Who's Who at #BKcb6

CB6 2015 Officers:
? Gary G. Reilly,
Chairperson
? Sayar Lonial,
First Vice Chairperson
? Pauline Blake,
Second Vice Chairperson
? Jerry Armer,
Treasurer
? Ariel Krasnow,
Secretary

CB6 Committee Chairs:
? Jerry Armer,
Finance/Personnel & Law
? Richard Bashner,
Waterfront/Community Development
? Paige Bellenbaum,
Human Services, Co-Chair
? Peter Fleming,
Land Use; Elections
? Glenn Kelly,
Parks/Recreation/Cultural Affairs
? Ariel Krasnow,
Housing
? Gary G. Reilly,
Executive
? Robert Levine,
Landmarks
? Rick Luftglass,
Budget; Economic Development
? Eric McClure,
Transportation, Co-Chair
? Thomas Miskel,
Transportation, Co-Chair
? Mike Racioppo,
Permits & Licenses
? Mark C. Shames,
Environmental Protection
? Matthew Silverman,
Public Safety
? Benjamin Solotaire,
Human Services, Co-Chair
? Suzanne Turet,
Education, Chair

District Office Staff:
? Craig Hammerman,
District Manager
? LeRoy P. Branch, Jr.
Assistant District Manager 
? Liza Santiago-Sierra,
Community Associate 
? Sarah N. Phillips,
Special Projects Manager
? Helena Miskel,
Office Volunteer
? John Parsons,
Planning Fellow 
? Josh Thompson,
Planning Fellow
 
Newsletter Production:    
? Craig Hammerman, 
Editor-in-Chief
? Sarah N. Phillips,
Managing Editor 
Michele Ursino,
Header Photo, smiling NYPD 
GOOD & WELFARE
Congratulations to Assembly Member Felix Ortiz who was recently named to serve as Assistant Speaker of the New York State Assembly by Speaker Carl E. Heastie.

City & State released their Power 100 - New York City 2015 list which features among it many recognizable Brooklyn CB6 residents and friends. Shout-outs to CB6'ers Bill de Blasio, Chuck Schumer, Carmen Farina, Brad Lander, Chirlane McCray, and Nydia Velazquez.

Congratulations to Theresa Scotto-Spinelli who recently celebrated her 90th birthday!

Cobble Hill's P.S. 29 was recently awarded the prestigious Eco-Schools USA Green Flag. National Wildlife Federation's Ranger Rick was on hand, along with many local luminaries, to present the award to the school community on February 27th.

With sadness we note the recent passing of two long-time Red Hook resident activists John J. Burkhard and Frances D'Angelo. Our sincerest condolences to their families and friends. May the care and pride they both felt for their neighborhood serve as an inspiration and example for others. They will be missed.
QUICK CLICKS
Don't forget to push your clocks ahead. Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 8th. Our good friends at FDNY remind us that this is a great time to also change your smoke/CO detector batteries. Brooklyn CB6 has a supply of batteries, and FDNY is hosting many distribution events throughout the City.

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for the 2015 Building Brooklyn Awards. Know a recently completed new or renovated construction project that's had a positive impact on the borough? Nominations due by March 9th.

Our northern neighbors the Brooklyn Heights Association is looking to hire an Executive Director. Apply by March 31st.

Through its Homebase prevention program , DHS helps keep New York City families stably housed in their homes and out of shelter. This is a vital collaborative effort with other city agencies, their partners, and their employees.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a housing crisis,   download the Homebase map or    visit 311 Online to locate your nearest office.
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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
FROM THE CB6 AREA

Available at Fairway, Pathmark, Met Foods & other fine local institutions

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George Fiala
Kimberly Price
Publishers 
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