Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6

February 2015, Vol 6, issue 02         
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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.  

 

Yep, it's winter. And winter means ice and snow. Some of us remember when neighborhood kids--young entrepreneurs--couldn't wait for those first flakes to fall so they could grab a shovel, start ringing doorbells and earn a few extra bucks doing the work most adults dread.

 

When you don't clear your sidewalk you endanger emergency worker response times, letter carriers, delivery personnel, dog walkers and countless pedestrians. Most of those pedestrians are likely to be your neighbors. Shoveling snow isn't simply a good idea, it isn't just a neighborly things to do, it's also the law! 

 

In case you're not clear of your responsibilities under the law,  New York City Administrative Code, Section 16-123 outlines property owner's responsibilities. Effectively, you're supposed to remove the snow, ice, etc. from your sidewalk within 4 hours after it stops falling (not counting the hours between 9pm and 7am). If it's too icy, and removal could damage the sidewalk, you are supposed to apply some material--sawdust, ashes, salt, etc.--to make it less slippery until you can remove it. Failure to comply could result in a fine and/or up to 10 days in jail.

We know this could pose a challenge especially for absentee, elderly and physically-challenged property owners. If you've got a property on your block that hasn't been shoveled, call us at (718) 643-3027, ext 204. We can track down property owner information, reach out to them and determine if they need assistance. You can call 311 to report it, but the City's response may only be to issue a notice of violation to the property owner. And if a property owner is jailed* for failing to remove snow from their sidewalk, then who will shovel the snow?

(*Does anyone know if a property owner has ever been jailed for failure to remove snow? That must be some story.) 

 

Stay warm, stay safe and stay active. It's 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!
Open Nominations for Youth Awards

Do you know any exceptional young people doing extraordinary things in our community? We want to hear from you! Each year Brooklyn CB6 honors youth who have made a substantial contribution toward improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods through direct action or by serving as a positive role model for others.

We also recognize outstanding adults who work with youth on a voluntary basis, acting as a positive role model and keeping our youth engaged in constructive activities. Eligible adult candidates can be nominated for the Brooklyn CB6 Robert Acito Award for Youth Involvement, named after our former District Manager who served from 1980-1993.

Applications are available for our Youth Acknowledgement Award and Robert Acito Award for Youth Involvement. They can be picked up from the district office during regular business hours, or downloaded from the CB6 website. The Youth Acknowledgement and Robert Acito Awards will be presented at the beginning of the May 13, 2015 general meeting.

Nominations must be postmarked by April 3, 2015.
Apply for Community Board Membership
 

Now is the time of year to
apply for community board membership. Community boards are not self-appointing bodies. Our Board Members are all appointed by the Borough President, half of them at the recommendation of a local City Council Member. They serve voluntary, 2-year staggered terms.

Thanks to recent legislative changes, beginning with this cycle of appointments 16- and 17-year-olds may now apply to become a member. Aspiring activists, organizers, political science and urban planning majors can get an early start with real-life experience.

Becoming a member is a serious responsibility that requires a commitment of time, interest and energy. When you're ready to make that big step and apply for membership you can call the Borough President's Office at (718) 802-3700,
visit their website, or contact your local Council Member.

Application deadline is February 15, 2015.
HOPE for the Homeless
 

THIS EVENT WAS RESCHEDULED FROM JANUARY 26TH DUE TO THE SNOW EVENT. 

 

On February 9, 2015, the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) will conduct the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE). DHS needs thousands of volunteers to canvass parks, subways, and other public spaces to count the number of people living unsheltered in the city. Just one night of your time will assist with the collection of vital information that is used by outreach teams to help homeless people leave the streets for a better life.

  

The information gathered by volunteers during  HOPE 2015 is critical to the City's ongoing efforts, but they need our help to make it possible. DHS needs more than 3,000 volunteers, who are 18 years-old or older, to give just one night of their time to help count the number of New Yorkers living on city streets. They will provide you with all the training you will need to conduct the survey on the night of HOPE plus a quick, convenient online orientation when you register to give you the basics. Sign up to volunteer for HOPE 2015 today!

  

For more information or to register to volunteer go to  http://www.nyc.gov/html/dhs/ or call 311.

Things to do in the District 
 
Friday, February 6, 9am-3pm
Give Kids a Smile Day, sponsored by The Division of Dental Medicine at New York Methodist Hospital and the American Dental Association. Children, ages one to 16, are invited to attend and receive free dental screenings, including sealant placement, cleanings, x-rays and more, if applicable. Educational information will also be offered. The event will take place in the offices of the Hospital's Division of Dental Medicine, located on the first floor of the Kirkwood Pavilion, 506 Sixth Street. Walk-ins are welcome; no appointment is necessary. For more information please call 718 780 5412.

Saturday February 7, 10am - 3pm
10th Annual Seed Celebration and Swap at the Old Stone House & Washington Park. Zach Pickens of Rooftop Ready Seeds will speak about seed saving at 10am Presented by The New York Permaculture Exchange, The Park Slope Permaculture Guild and the Old Stone House.This annual event brings together gardeners of all stripes to engage in the traditional activity of trading seeds. Location: The Old Stone House, 336 Third Street.  
  
Saturday, February 7, 6 - 9 pm
Useful Objects, an exhibition of art, objects, artifacts and documents, pays homage to the enduring simplicity of the small, useful object, while it shines a light on a brief moment in history when art and commerce joined forces toward a seemingly utopian goal. Free. Location: Proteus Gowanus, 543 Union Street, #1C

Sunday, February 8, 6 pm
Second Sundays at Pioneer Works is a monthly series of open studios, live music, and site-specific interventions. The series showcases artists in residence along with musical performances and DJs, curated in collaboration with Olivier Conan of Barb�s. FREE. Location:159 Pioneer Street, Red Hook

Thursday, February 12, 7pm
Labor of Love: True Stories by Real People. We each have experience with the Labors of Love. So you will relate as some of New York City's finest storytellers tell stories of how Love with a capital L has been Work with a capital W. They will explore the relationship we have with relationships. The Storytellers are Caitlin Brodnick, Kate Greathead, Nisse Greenberg, Eli Reiter and Aaron Wolfe. $5 admission. Location: Proteus Gowanus, 543 Union Street

Friday, February 13 from 6-9pm
Gowanus Darkroom is now open!  Brooklyn's newest community black and white darkroom is now open for business. Join us for our grand opening reception on Friday, February 13th from 6-9 PM right here in our studio!  Come explore the darkroom, enjoy featured artwork from local photographers, and enjoy refreshments.If you're a photographer using analog techniques and you'd like to display your artwork at our opening reception, please contact info@gowanusdarkroom.com. Location: 160 7th Street Suite 212, Gowanus.

Saturday, February 14, 8pm - 11pm
The Morbid Anatomy Museum presents Love Cults, Drugs and the Hypnotic Arts: A Valentine's Day Lecture and Rare Film Screening. An Illustrated Lecture with Rare Film Clips with Mel Gordon, author of "Voluptuous Panic" and "Grand Guiginol". From time immemorial, love-lost women and men have fallen victim to the erotic manipulations of power-mad gurus and religious confidence men. This is a Valentine Day's admonition from one of America's foremost sex culture historians. Beginning with Franz Mesmer, it reveals how unsavory cultish leaders used narcotic concoctions and mind-altering techniques to stimulate sexual acquiescence and unnatural orgiastic desire. Admission: $12. Location: 424 Third Avenue.
 
Wednesday February 28, 7pm - 1am
Anti Freeze 2015: Gowanus Canal Conservancy's annual fundraiser. A Please join us for a spectacularly fun evening and show off your latest dance moves in support of an open, clean and alive Gowanus Canal and Watershed! In the spirit of our toxic waterway, local venue Littlefield will be decked out in true Maritime Mutant fashion. The following artists will keep the party going: DJ Sam Silver, Miles Pittman & the Gowanus River Ticklers, Love Howl, DJ Malik. Tickets: $20 - $125 Location: 622 Degraw Street.
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
Open Nominations for Youth Awards
Apply for Community Board Membership
HOPE for the Homeless
Things to Do
For the next meeting
Good & Welfare
Quick Clicks
General Board Meeting

photo by Bryan Bruchman

 

6:30pm, February 11th 
Old First Reformed Church 729 Carroll Street lower hall
(NW corner of 7th Avenue) Brooklyn, NY 11215

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

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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 
GOOD & WELFARE

Wishing a Happy Birthday to former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Borough President Marty Markowitz both of whom celebrate their birthdays on Valentine's Day.

Congratulations to Captain Natalie Maldonado, our brand new Commanding Officer for the 76th Precinct. Thanks, also, to outgoing C.O. Captain Justin Lenz, who has done an outstanding job during his tenure at the 76th. Captain Lenz, you left us better than you found us, the hallmark of a successful command.
QUICK CLICKS

The Parks Department has an $850,000 budget to improve St. Mary's Playground along Smith Street, which Council Member Brad Lander has enhanced with an additional $500,000 council allocation. If you live, work or visit the area around St. Mary's, please consider taking this short survey to help determine the best use of these Capital funds.

Because they love landmarks, the New York Landmarks Conservancy is launching its I Heart NY Landmarks Photo Contest in celebration of Valentine's Day. Submit a photo(s) of your favorite NYC landmark(s) by February 5th.

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

The Brooklyn Borough President's Office is looking to hire an Economic Development Advisor & Policy Analyst. Apply today!

Columbia University, the Regional Plan Association and Municipal Arts Society are conducting a survey relating to various perspectives and concepts framing responsive efforts to climate change, as well as recovery efforts following Sandy.

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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