Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6 November 2017, Vol 8, issue 11

Brooklyn CB6 General Board Meeting

Wednesday November 8, 6:30 p.m. PS 58 Auditorium 330 Smith Street (at First Place) Brooklyn, NY 11231 Draft 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 is limited to public session. Note: This meeting will be live-streamed. On the night of the meeting, view the meeting here.

Live-stream: November Board Meeting

A Bronx CB11 Meeting Streamed Live We are thrilled to announce that our November full board meeting will be live-streamed! Here is the link where you may view the meeting in real time, on 11/08 Council Member Brad Lander has selected Brooklyn CB6 to participate in the Live-Streaming Program, through the City Council's Digital Inclusion and Literacy Initiative. Six of our meetings--board meetings, committee meetings or public hearings—will be professionally live-streamed and digitally archived.   The program’s goal is to enable individuals throughout the City to view government in action and, as a result, create a more informed and engaged citizenry. We want to thank Council Member Lander for selecting our Board and hope that this will allow more members of our community and beyond to understand the duties of our Board and will encourage more people to get involved.

BkCB6 District Parks Updates

The Park Slope Playground Materials Plan See the Park Slope Green Infrastructure Schematic below to view the full report In September New York City’s Environmental Protection and Parks Departments met with to our Parks Recreation and Environmental Protection Committee and presented a program and plan to install green infrastructure to manage impervious areas within parks in our district to improve water quality in the Gowanus Canal by reducing combined sewer overflows. Additionally, the committee received an update about all the funded capital parks projects in the district. You may view the presentations below: View Park Slope Playground Green Infrastructure Schematic View Carroll Park Green Infrastructure Schematic View Boerum Park Green Infrastructure Schematic View Currently Funded Parks Capital Projects report

Community Data Portal

Land Use Map The Department of City Planning (DCP) has shared their updated Community Portal, containing new interactive Community District Profiles!  The new Community District Profiles will continue to be your gateway to data, maps, and other resources describing New York City's 59 community districts. The new Profiles tool consolidates a wealth of publicly available information into one place, all at the community district level! Visit this link to view BkCB6's profile and find: Key demographic characteristics Over 10 indicators illustrating a snapshot of socio-economic and select service performance indicators Maps showing BkCB6's land Use, zoning, facilities, and floodplain (all on one page) A list of active and completed land use applications via DCP's LUCATS database A one-page summary of your profile (available in the resources section) Downloadable data and other mapping resources in various file formats Below are screenshots revealing the kind of information you'll learn about our district and how we compare to other districts:

Our Visit to SIMS Material Recovery Facility

Our annual trek to the SIMS Material Recovery Facility took place on October 30th. The group included members of our our Economic/Waterfront/Community Development &Housing Committee, Parks/Recreation/Environmental Protection Committee, Transportation/Public Safety Committee and Permits & Licenses Committee. SIMS has a 20-year contract to sort and process almost all of the City's curbside recyclables collected by New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY). The City pays SIMS to accept the material (it costs less than landfill tipping fee). SIMS then sorts and sells the materials to recyclers for reuse. Profits are shared with the City based on a pre-arranged agreement.

When we arrived we mingled on the expansive roof-deck patio overlooking the Gowanus Bay and admired the facility's wind turbine and bioswale (they also have a huge solar array that generates 17% of their electricity and are planning for another).

As we checked out the interactive displays in the Education Center we were met by the Education & Outreach Manager Sam Silver who explained every step of the sorting process and answered questions.

Once we exhausted Sam with our questions, he led us to a viewing platform overlooking the "tipping floor" where we watched in awe as barges and truck loads of material were dropped off. The sun was setting which made for a stunning backdrop.

We learned that the first step in the sorting process is for the material to be met by "The Liberator" - every moment is Christmas for the liberator as it tears open bags to release a recycling bounty for processing.

Finally we were treated with the moment we'd all been waiting for: a viewing of the equipment that performs the actual sorting. The room is loud and the machinery is brightly painted. Workers in protective gear could be seen dotted throughout the facility.

The material is met with disk screens (to smash and sift out glass), a drum magnet (to pull away ferrous metal), and optical scanners synched with air jets to shoot the various plastics into separate streams.

Human sorters manually sort large items by tossing them into the appropriate chutes. I saw a shoe being tossed into what is likely the trash chute.

Plastics are eventually squished into cubes for sale to recyclers.

We learned that the biggest recycling mistakes New Yorkers make are: 1) To not recycling enough. Only 50% of eligible household reyclables are actually recycled! DSNY know this because they perform occasional audits of sanitation trucks to see how many recyclables end up in regular trash. 2) To erroneously place plastic bags in the recycling.  It's okay to put your recycling in a large clear bag for pick up, but please don't stuff regular shopping bags into your blue bin. Those can be taken to large chain stores like grocery and drug stores. The best solution is of course to use fewer plastic bags in general. If you're interested in scheduling your own tour for children or adults, visit the  Sims website .

Park Slope Center for Successful Aging

The Park Slope Center for Successful Aging (a program of Heights and Hills) has renovated and relaunched their space. They've done significant plastering and repainting of walls and ceilings, installed new lighting throughout, new ceiling fans, new floors, newly tiled and renovated bathrooms and new telephone system. Congratulations on the facelift. The Park Slope Center for Successful Aging 463A 7th St., Brooklyn, NY 718.832.3726 View their website here

Pumpkin Smash

Off to the Great Pumpkin Composting Patch Bring your pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns and gourds to Pumpkin Smash events throughout NYC. They will be turned into compost to revitalize our soil. Pumpkin Smash events are marked on this map with orange jack-o-lanterns, but we can tell you right now about the one happening in our district. Sunday, November 5, 2017, 9:00am - 12:00pm Rain or shine. Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens Greenmarket, Run By GrowNYC Don’t let your pumpkins and gourds haunt a landfill! Smash and compost it with the NYC Compost Project. Refreshments, raffles and more!

Gowanus Clean Up Update from EPA

EPA Update: On October 5, 2017, EPA began the dredging and capping pilot project at the Fourth Street Turning Basin in the Gowanus Canal Superfund site.  The results of this project will be used to evaluate and finalize the design elements for the full canal dredging and capping.  View the factsheet that gives more information on this project. Direct questions to: Natalie Loney, Community Involvement Coordinator USEPA - Region 2, Public Affairs Division Loney.Natalie@epa.gov, 212-637-3639 Learn more about the project on the EPA website.

Grant: Red Hook Orgs Eligible

A view from the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition gallery Building Community Capacity (BCC) in Red Hook Aligning with the goals of CreateNYC, the City’s first-ever comprehensive cultural plan, Building Community Capacity (BCC) is designed to strengthen art and culture’s vital and enduring role in NYC’s low-income communities. This multi-year grant program supports residents in their efforts to create a shared vision for culture in their neighborhoods, along with a strategic framework to support it. NYC Department of Cultural Affairs is seeking new partners for the next iteration of this program. BCC supports residents in low-income neighborhoods in their efforts to create a shared vision for culture in their neighborhoods, along with a strategic framework to support it. Red Hook is one of the eligible neighborhoods. The applicant team must consist of a community based development organization and a community based arts organization. Pre-Application Deadline: 4:30 PM Monday, November 6, 2017 <---this helps determine eligibility before undertaking the full application process Application Deadline: 4:30 PM Wednesday, November 22, 2017 Learn more here.

Public Artists in Residence Program

Mujeres en Movimiento, a project with artist Tania Bruguera in collaboration with the Office of Immigrant Affairs NYC Department of Cultural Affairs launched our Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) program in 2015. Based on the idea that artists are creative problem solvers, this municipal residency program embeds artists in city government to use creative, collaborative practice to address pressing civic challenges. They've done five residencies thus far (some still ongoing), including with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (Tania Bruguera), Department of Veterans’ Services (Bryan Doerries/Theater of War), and Administration for Children’s Services (The Lost Collective). They just released three open calls for artists for the next round of PAIR, for 2018. We’re seeking Public Artists in Residence for: NYC Department of Correction (Rikers Island) NYC Department of Probation NYC Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence  The residencies are one year (Jan 2018 – Dec 31, 2018), open ended, and for socially engaged artists working in any media.  The deadline to apply is November 12, 2017. Learn more about the program and view applications here.

Farewell Lyn Hill

We wish Lyn Hill, The Vice President for Communication and External Affairs at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital a happy retirement after 30-years serving the community though her work at the hospital.   Thank you for your service, and we are excited to know that Lyn has agreed to stay a public member of BkCB6! Photo by Brooklyn Paper

Farewell Det. Paul Grudzinki

We wish Det. Paul Grudzinki a warm farewell as he retires from the NYPD after 30 years of service. Pardon me for Asking has published a lovely report of his retirement 'walk-out' event. Read about it here. Detective Paul Grudzinski was appointed to the New York City Transit Police Department in 1987 where he started at the Transit Tactical Patrol Force. He “rolled over” to the New York City Police Department in 1989. Later that year he was assigned to the 76th Precinct and has worked there ever since (with a brief temporary transfer to the 60th Precinct in 1990, for the Coney Island Summer Detail). He has performed duty in various assignments within the precinct, including Patrol, the 9 mm Semi-Automatic Pilot Program, the Community Policing Unit and the Traffic Safety Unit. He has been assigned as the Precinct Community Affairs Officer since 2001, was promoted to Detective Specialist in 2007 and promoted to Detective 2nd Grade in 2016. Many thanks for your service to our community Det. Grudzinki! Photo by Jerry Armer

Mayor's Grant for Cultural Impact

Mierle Laderman Ukeles: Maintenance Art Application deadline:11:59pm Monday, November 13, 2017 In FY18, the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is launching the Mayor's Grant for Cultural Impact, a pilot initiative that will support partnerships between The City of New York's agencies and cultural organizations that collaborate to use arts and culture to reach underserved and vulnerable New Yorkers. Through the new initiative, DCLA will award up to six grants of $50,000 each to arts and cultural organizations working in partnership with city agencies to address pressing civic issues. City agency partners must provide a minimum contribution of $25,000 to the proposed project, which may be in-kind. View the list of eligible city agencies to partner with.

Things To Do In The District

Event at the Old Stone House Saturday, November 4, 10am Join CHiPS for our Annual 5K Fun Run/Walk in Prospect Park on November 4 at 10AM. This year’s theme is Superheroes! Awards will go to the top runners and best superhero costumes. All participants receive a free T-shirt.Children age 12 and under receive discounted entry and all ticket purchases benefit CHiPS, so bring the whole family and enjoy one of our biggest events of the year! Sunday, November 5, 2017, 9am - 12pm Pumpkin Smash at the Carroll Gardens Greenmarket Run By GrowNYC. Don’t let your pumpkins and gourds haunt a landfill! Smash and compost it with the NYC Compost Project. Refreshments, raffles and more! Rain or shine. Thursday, November 9, 7pm Sakhi Presents: Poetry Night at Interference Archive. Join gender justice organization Sakhi for South Asian Women for a poetry reading in conjunction with Interference Archive's current exhibition Take Back the Fight: Resisting Sexual Violence from the Ground Up. 314 7th Street--Interference Archive's new home Saturday, November 11, 11am Veterans Day Observance Ceremony, sponsored by the Court Street Merchants Association. Location: Carroll Park, Court-President Streets. Saturday November 11, 4-6pm Show & Tale: Soldiers, Sailors & Civilians. The history of Veteran’s Day can be told through the many United States veterans who’ve served our country and its people in our military as well as their loved ones and other civilians.From our “veteran” veterans – those World War II veterans who fought on the beaches of Normandy or in the island-hopping campaign of the Pacific Islands, and the vets of the Vietnam conflict, on up through to those younger veterans who’ve served in our most recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – all veterans & civilians have their stories to share about war. Show & Tale is like Antiques Roadshow meets The Moth, or your favorite Pinterest board come to life! Everyone is welcome – veteran & civilian alike – to share their stories with a 3 minute time limit. No judges, no prizes, no competition. And no need to practice! Just show your object and share its tale. Location: The Old Stone House. $5 Tuesday, November 14, 5-8pm Come to the 26th Annual Thanksgiving Celebration at Good Shepherd Services' Red Hook Community Center Beacon. Location: The Patrick F. Daly School/PS 15. 71 Sullivan Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231. Free. Register here. Monday November 20, 6:30pm Southwest Brooklyn Tenant Union Monthly Meeting at the CGA Training Center 201 Columbia Street. Questions email swbtu11231@gmail.com Monday November 27, 7pm Bystander Intervention Training at the CGA Training Center 201 Columbia Street. To register email Ben at bfgoogins@cganyc.org

Who's Who at #BkCB6 CB6 2017 Officers: ● Sayar Lonial, Chairperson ● Mike Racioppo, First Vice Chairperson ● Pauline Blake, Second Vice Chairperson ● Jerry Armer, Treasurer ● Ariel Krasnow, Secretary District Office Staff: ● Vacant, District Manager ● Ty Beatty , Assistant District Manager  ● Liza Santiago-Sierra ,Community Associate  ● Sarah N. Phillips , Special Projects Manager ● Helena Miskel, Office Volunteer Newsletter Production :  ● Sarah N. Phillips

CB6 Committee Chairs: ● Jerry Armer, Finance/Personnel & Law, Landmarks Co-Chair ● Richard Bashner, Waterfront/Community Development ● Paige Bellenbaum, Human Services ● Peter Fleming, Land Use; Elections ● Glenn Kelly, Parks/Recreation ● Ariel Krasnow, Housing ● Sayar Lonial, Executive ● Robert Levine, Landmarks, Co-Chair ● 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 ● Suzanne Turet, Education & Youth Services

Visit the Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6 website

Visit the Brooklyn Community Board 6 website

Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6, Inc. supports the work of Brooklyn Community Board 6 in improving the quality of life in the district. Friends provides 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.

Ph: (718) 643-3027 | Fx: (718) 624-8410 | fbcb6@brooklyncb6.org | www.fbcb6.org