Fidler Running for Krugers Seat, Seddio Running for Fidlers

Councilman Lew Fidler is running for disgraced Carl Kruger seat in the 27th Senate District. As of 2012 we in Gerritsen Beach are not represented by the 27th district, but the 22nd district Marty Golden. However, Fidler currently represents us in the city council and his term is ending.

Acording to PolitickrNY, Frank Seddio is planning on running for Lew Fidler seat in the 46th District.

(NYC, New York) Joined by hundreds of supporters from the local community, Councilman Lew Fidler (D-Brooklyn) today, announced his candidacy for the recently vacated 27th State Senate District. Accepting the designations of both the Democratic and Independence parties, Fidler vowed to work with great cooperation, collaboration, and communication to restore the people’s faith in common-sense government. The special election to fill the vacant seat has been called for March 20th.

In a clear sign of the thorough and inclusive campaign Fidler is running, he released a list of 266 [attached] community, civic, and faith-based leaders who have declared their support, reflecting the great diversity and strength of effort behind the Fidler candidacy.

“In my campaign, the people come first, and I am most gratified to have the support of such a broad group of civic, religious, and ethnic leaders from every corner and thread of the district,” said Fidler. “It is because they know me and my record that they can trust I will work hard on things that matter. I have always viewed representing the people as a unique privilege, and a public trust that may not be breached.”

The list of supporters lining up behind the Fidler campaign is noteworthy for the inclusion of an overwhelming number of both Rabbis and other prominent Jewish institutional leaders, as well as leaders of the Russian-American community, two groups whose key support was lacking in the most recent special election in New York City. Most notably, the list is headed by Mayor Ed Koch.

Fidler emphasized his philosophy of government, “The Four Cs”:

“You have to have Common sense. The kind of common sense that tells you not to raise property taxes when we are in a foreclosure crisis or to understand that the cost of providing a homeless child with a shelter bed is less than the cost of leaving that child out on the street.”

“You’ve got to Communicate. Every now and then government needs to shimmy down from the ivory tower and hear what people want and need in their communities and in their lives.”

“You’ve got to have Character, to know right and wrong.”

“And then you’ve got to have Chutzpah…so that, once you’ve used your common sense, and discerned right from wrong, you have the gumption to say it where, when and how it needs to be said.”

In closing, Fidler added that he was adding a fifth “C”: “You’ve got to Challenge what’s been done before to finally change the dysfunction that has occurred in the past. This past year, Governor Cuomo showed that he can actually make Albany work. If I am blessed by the voters of the 27th district with the opportunity to represent them in Albany, I will not sit on the back bench; I will do my darndest to make sure that we succeed in changing the culture in Albany, and make it work for things that people truly care about and need.”

Sinkhole Forming at Dictum and Allen

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There is a massive sinkhole forming at Dictum and Allen. It started a few months ago when the fire hydrant started leaking and now day by day the drop is growing.

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Yellow Painted Curbs are a $250 Fine

Yellow curb

Parking is an issue everywhere, a quick search for parking on GerritsenBeach.net found notes being left on cars,  illegal driveways, lots of cones, and the retaliation you get for moving a cone. Now the issue has come up of Yellow Curbs (above).

Everyone was reminded at the last GBPOA meeting that: anyone with a yellow painted curbs, to save spots or mark driveways (legal or otherwise) is illegal and will net the property a $250 fine.

If you do have a yellow line – please paint it grey.

City and Feds Hashing Out Jamaica Bay Agreement

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Yesterday Mayor Bloomberg announced along with Ken Salazar the United States Secretary of the Interior, and Judith Enck Regional Administrator of Region 2, the beginnings of a formal legal agreement detailing how the city and federal governments will manage and who will have jurisdiction over the very large Jamaica Bay.

Right now some of Jamaica Bay is controlled by the city while some is controlled by the federal park service and there are areas that are controlled by both if not more other agencies. There are a lot of overlapping projects and jurisdictional issues that arise from sharing the area. The Mayor said is best when “Even though these city and federal holdings sit next to one another like a jigsaw puzzle, they don’t always fit well together,” . The agreement signed yesterday, is the building blocks for a new unified governing model that works together and shares planning objectives and goals.

As for what this means for the plumb beach rest stop. Parks Commisioner Adrian Benepe said there will be a major rehabilitation project to rebuild and stabilize the area with the army corps of engineers and the city soon. Councilman Lew Fidler and newly elected Bob Turner will have to keep pushing to make sure they keep their word and we don’t lose the belt parkway. The Parks Commissioner announced that a project will be started in the near future by the army corps of engineers with the city and in cooperation with the national parks service.

The Environmental Protection Agency also announced that as of October 28, 2011 Jamaica Bay is now a No Discharge Zone. According to the EPA “A No Discharge Area (NDA) is a designated body of water where the discharge of treated and untreated boat sewage is prohibited (does not include grey water). Under the federal Clean Water Act it is illegal to discharge untreated (raw) sewage from a vessel in U.S. waters.”

The house boats the Gerritsen Beach area have access to free pump out station at the Knapp Street treatment plant. The house boats that dont or are unable to move might have a visit from the EPA shortly.

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61 Precinct Ready and Willing are We? Prepping for a Gerritsen Beach Halloween

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At last night’s 61 precinct community council meeting the 61 Precinct Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Georgios Mastrokostas flat out asked for our assistance to prevent another dangerous Halloween in Gerritsen Beach.

As explained at the meeting, the 61 precinct does not want Halloween to go down like it did last year. Councilman Lew Fidler and Property Owners President George Broadhead echoed that call and asked the Deputy Inspector to start forming a plan together. The Deputy Inspector did explain that the precinct has a finite amount of resources and that if the 61 was to deploy 6 cops to our area it would be a big deal. Although he has no problem doing that it would be taking away a decent amount of police resources and deploying them to our relativity low crime area, and secondly how effectively can those cops police the area without assistance from parents or a plan for the weeds?

Deputy Inspector Mastrokostas is asking for ideas: any idea. One idea is that some parents step up and police the area with the officers naming names and knocking on doors. The Deputy Inspector also going to request Sky Watch but the equipment could be in use else where in the city. He may also request a photo/video team to capture pictures and video on the police end they may be actionable.

There are meetings scheduled, plans are in the works, I wont go into much detail but they will be making arrests this year if it comes down to it.

What are your ideas?

Bob Turner is our New Congressman


Bob Turner, a Queens businessman, defeated David Weprin winning the 9th Congressional District by a margin of more than eight percent (with 84 percent of districts counted just after midnight).

Statement From David Weprin

I just called Bob Turner to congratulate him on a well-fought campaign. He will now have the honor of representing Brooklyn and Queens in Congress, and I hope that he will work every day to represent all of the diverse communities that make up the 9th Congressional district.

I’m incredibly proud of the campaign that we ran, and incredibly grateful to the countless volunteers who worked day after day to bring our message to voters. In doing so we raised the profile of issues like Medicare, Social Security, and tax relief for working families – issues that will be of critical importance for the next Congress.

Though we may not have won, our work is far from over. The challenges that face our nation are many, and I will continue to work with all of my supporters to ensure that middle class New Yorkers have a real voice in our city, our state, and our country.

9/11 Memorial Plaza

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A big thanks to Frankie who was kind enough to send us some of the Gerritsen Beach victims of 9/11 at the new memorial plaza.

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September GBPOA Meeting Roundup

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G.G.R.M.M.B.B.R. - Great Gerritsen Round Mau Mau Barrell of Beer Race.

We haven’t done a Gerritsen Beach Property Owners Association roundup in a while because there hasn’t been anything to talk about. So here are the cliff notes.

Kiddie Beach is wrapping up the season, congrats to all.

Racoons - are overwhelming some areas of the beach. Especially the areas with an abandoned lot or home. The city does not acknowledge a raccoon problem nor do they have any actionable  plan or advice. The responsibility is on the home owner. However, if you see “rats” in an empty lot or abandoned home the city will come in clean it up a bit and bill it to the property. Call 311.

Hurricane Irene - Rumor is they shut down the Knapp sewer plant which could be to blame for the sewer backups into homes. People were opening sewer caps, sewer manholes to try and get rid of water with no success.

17 Lacon Court (aka Jemal) – The DOB has already issued $13,300 in violations with three more about to go into default judgment. They are on top of the situation but they do not know who the owner is, as their violations notices are being returned.  There is A LOT of stuff going on there, expect an update soon.

Dangerous & Damaged Utility Poles – No one is having luck getting action dangerous or damaged utility poles as each company Verizon, ConEd, and NYC passes the blame to each other. Some have reported it reported it to 311, others the 61 precinct, and one has gone to every city office ten times to demand action.

FEMA – Report your damage to FEMA!

Little League Walkway, Scoreboard, Containers - GBCares sent out a letter on behalf of the Gerritsen Beach Little League asking for $500 monetary donations from organizations to repair the cement walkway, paint the scoreboard, paint the containers, and plant flowers around the flag pole in time for the 9/11 ceremony. Everything is done except the cementing, which is awaiting an architect plans to be filed with nyc parks. GBPOA plans on donating the full amount.

Flag Vandalism - Most of the flags at the Little League were vandalized breaking the poles and brackets those will be replaced.

Seba Traffic Light - No one knows when it is switching on. Seba will be a flashing red (aka a stop light), while Gerritsen will remain green.

9/11 Ceremonies - Marine Park at 5:00pm, Gerritsen Beach Little Leauge 7:00 pm

Halloween - Halloween is coming (again)  some members of the GBPOA will be walking the streets. A few plan on attending the 61 & 63 council meetings to demand an actual response.

Dan’s 5k Fun RunSaturday, September 17th.

G.G.R.M.M.B.B.R. (above) - Great Gerritsen Round Mau Mau Barrell of Beer Race. It’s that time of the year again for the races which is this Saturday.

 

 

FEMA is Roaming the Streets of GB Looking to Help You

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) added Brooklyn to their list of areas in need for public assistance after Hurricane Irene hit this past weekend. I saw a pair of FEMA members roaming the streets of GB and here is the run down.

Call 800-621-3362 if you need disaster assistance.

http://www.disasterassistance.gov/

NYC: Mandatory Evacuation of Zone A

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Coney, Brighton, Sheepshead are ZONE A. Some of Rockaway is ZONE A but ALL of Rockaway is under Mandatory Evacuation

 

 

Plese do not panic. As of now This evacuation does not include Gerritsen Beach

Residents in Zone A are advised to leave their homes before 5pm Saturday. This includes ALL of Rockaway.

Subways and buses are running today, but will be shut down entirely tomorrow. For seniors and residents who have disabilities, they should utilize Access a Ride, contact family members or take whatever actions necessary to secure transportation from their homes to stay with friends or relatives, or go to the evacuation centers, which will be open by 4:00 this afternoon.

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Storm Surge in Green as of 3pm 8/26/2011

GB Man / Brenmans Employee Gets “I Survived the Quake Tattoo”

Gerritsen Beach resident gets a I survived the quake tattoo

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/08/25/2011-08-25_tats_all_he_wrote_about_miniquake_ink_artist_finds_at_least_1_taker.html#ixzz1W8T7Gb6b

With Hurricane Irene Approaching

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Hurricane Irene is approaching and the Vollies would like for you to know the following information

The Vollies will be available in the event a problem may arise you can contact them at 718-332-3333 (emergency) or 718-332-9292 (non emergency). Please continue to check the news for changes in the weather so you may plan accordingly.

Flooding may occur in the Gerritsen Beach area as well as surrounding area’s. There may also be high winds and heavy rain. Please be sure to secure any loose items around the perimeter of your home as these items may blown away by the heavy winds. Check basements for flooding. If possible please check in on the elderly or disabled.

OUTER-BANDS FROM IRENE SHOULD BEGIN TO IMPACT THE AREAS BY SATURDAY NIGHT. WEATHER DETERIORATES FURTHER SUNDAY AS A IRENE APPROACHES. EXPECT WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINFALL FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH
SUNDAY…THEN PRECIPITATION TAPERS OFF FROM S TO N AS IRENE PULLS AWAY SUNDAY NIGH

DO NOT FOCUS JUST ON THE FORECAST TRACK…AS ITS DANGEROUSLY STRONG WIND FIELD LIKELY WILL ENVELOP MOST OF THE REGION…EVEN ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STORM.

ALL PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE IRENE SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON…AS WINDS/RAINS BEGINNING SATURDAY NIGHT…AND DEFINITELY SUNDAY WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT…IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE ANY ACTION THEN.


Our Evacuation Center

IS 292
301 VERMONT ST
BROOKLYN 11207

CROSS STREETS: Between PITKIN AVENUE and BELMONT AVENUE

  • Know where your gas shut off is & be prepared to turn it off.
  • Protect your home by bringing inside loose, lightweight objects, such as lawn furniture, garbage cans, garden tools, and toys. Anchor larger objects outside.
  • If a tree fallsm call it in
  • If power lines fall, call it in or call con ed or click here to report an outage
  • Clear any water traps, check on sump pumps, check sewer caps.
  • Place valuables in waterproof containers or plastic bags to protect from flooding damage.
  • Check on friends, relatives, and neighbors, especially those with disabilities or special needs, and assist them with their preparation.
  • Consider turning off basement circuit breakers.
  • Check and restock your emergency supply kit in case of power outages.

The Vollies will be available in the event a problem may arise you can contact them at 718-332-3333 (emergency) or 718-332-9292 (non emergency). Please continue to check the news for changes in the weather so you may plan accordingly.

Emergency Supply Kit
Keep enough supplies in your home to survive on your own, or shelter in place, for at least three days. If possible, keep these materials in an easily accessible, separate container or special cupboard. You should indicate to your household members that these supplies are for emergencies only. Check expiration dates of food and update your kits when you change your clock during daylight-saving times.

  • One gallon of drinking water per person per day
  • Non-perishable, ready-to-eat canned foods and manual can opener
  • First aid kit
  • Flashlight*
  • Battery-operated AM/FM radio and extra batteries (you can also buy wind-up radios that do not require batteries)
  • Whistle
  • Iodine tablets or one quart of unscented bleach (for disinfecting water ONLY if directed to do so by health officials) and eyedropper (for adding bleach to water)
  • Personal hygiene items: soap, feminine hygiene products, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc.
  • Phone that does not rely on electricity
  • Child care supplies or other special care items

Area Eateries Don’t Post Results

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Gerritsen Bagels - B - Issued on 04/13/2011 - Has Grade Pending in Window

 

(Updated Below)

It has been brought to our attention that a few our area eateries are trying to skirt or are ignorant of the NYC Department of Health Grading System by not displaying their lower than A grades. The two places are Gerritsen Bagels and Victorias Pizza.

The NYC Health Department conducts unannounced inspections of every restaurant at least once a year. Inspectors check for compliance with food handling, food temperatures, personal hygiene, structure, vermin control and more.

Each violation of the regulation earns a certain number of points. At the end of the inspection, the inspector totals the points, and
the number is the restaurant’s inspection score—the lower the score, the better! Then based on that number, the restaurant will be
required to post an A, B or C grade.

Sanitary Inspection Grade

What is supposed to be posted.

GRADING SYSTEM

  • 0-13 Points = “A”
  • 14-27 Points = “B”
  • 28+ Points = “C”

Name – Grade – Date – Status

  • Bantry Bar – A – Issued on 12/23/2010 – Results Posted
  • Beach Bar – A – Issued on 01/05/2011 – Results Posted
  • Gerritsen Bagels – B – Issued on 04/13/2011 - Has Grade Pending in Window has grade in window now
  • Kiddie Beach- A – Issued on 06/13/2011 – Results Posted
  • Knapp Street Pizza – B -Issued on 06/22/2011 – Results Posted
  • Ice Cream U Scream-  A -Issued on 04/21/2011 – Results Posted
  • Tamaqua Marina – A – Issued on 02/14/2011 – Results Posted
  • VFW #107 – A – Issued on 05/09/2011 – Results Posted
  • Victorias – C -Issued on 06/01/2011 – Has Grade Pending In Window (updated below)

Victorias has scored the worst in our area (11229) and according to the DOH if they fail their next inspection they are in danger of closing. As three inspections of 28+ points = closing of the facilities. Their last inspections on 06/01/2011 resulted in 65 points and on 03/23/2011 32 points.

Update: Victorias may be requesting a hearing with the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings Health Tribunal. If true, they are allowed to post the grade pending until the end of the hearing.

The bagel store after posting this story has posted their B grade in the window.

 

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Victorias - C -Issued on 06/01/2011 - Has Grade Pending In Window

NotifyNYC: ALL Beaches Open

All New York City public beaches are now open. For more information call 311 or go to www.nyc.gov/doh.

NotifyNYC: Kiddie Beach Water Closed

It seems that the four-alarm fire at the North River wastewater treatment plant finally caught up with us, Kiddie Beach is closed.

Via NotifyNYC Seagate Beach under Advisory. Swimming not recommended. Kidde Gerritsen Closed. Swimming not permitted. Call 311 / visit www.nyc.gov/doh.

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As a general rule, health officials view the presence of enterococci bacteria as a sign that the water may have become contaminated with fecal matter and that it could make more than a few people sick.

Village Voice Gerritsen Beach The Village Voice names GerritsenBeach.net as one of Gotham's best!
Fullscreen capture 1132011 50137 PM Brooklyn Paper names GerritsenBeach.net as one of the 11 to watch in Southern Brooklyn.
Fullscreen capture 1242011 21545 PM NYTimes covers GerritsenBeach.net "Raking Muck and Reaping Wrath"