Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. © Copyright 2013 Co-op City Times
Vol. 48 No. 17
Saturday, April 27, 2013
DOT plans bike lane for Bartow Avenue; Riverbay objects citing safety and traffic concerns BY BILL STUTTIG At meetings held earlier this month and on its website, the city Department of Transportation (DOT) has detailed its intention to add bicycle lanes to Bartow Avenue and Co-op City Blvd. in the near future, while taking away one lane of traffic in each direction of both thoroughfares. Citing a high rate of serious traffic accidents on Bartow Avenue in the Co-op City vicinity and a high rate of speed by drivers regularly using Co-op City Blvd., the DOT maintains, in its online presenta-
tion and at recent community meetings, that adding a bike lane and reducing the number of traffic lanes on both thoroughfares – which surround three-quarters of Co-op City – would calm traffic, reduce the rate of speed and reduce the number of serious traffic accidents particularly on Bartow Avenue. Riverbay Ombudsman Joe Boiko, who was one of several Co-op City and Riverbay representatives to attend a special (Continued on page 15)
The city’s Department of Transportation plans to institute a bicycle lane in both directions along Bartow Avenue from Co-op City Blvd. to Baychester Avenue. The plan will take away one of the existing automobile traffic lanes on either side. Bicycle lanes will also be established on both sides for the entire length of Co-op City Blvd. Photo courtesy of the DOT
45th Precinct to honor Public Safety investigators at next council meeting BY BILL STUTTIG Four members of Co-op City’s Public Safety force will be honored by the 45th Precinct on May 2 in Co-op City specifically for the help they provided the precinct in arresting suspects in a number of key cases in Co-op City in the recent past. Captain James McGeown, Commander of the 45th Precinct, said this week that the precinct will present special recognition to Public Safety Detectives Adams, Stickland and Ramirez for their work in helping the precinct arrest suspects in two separate incidents in recent weeks—a robbery, and a stabbing. In addition, Captain McGeown and the precinct will honor the Public Safety officer who was essential to tracking down details which led to the quick arrest of a dangerous murder suspect who allegedly shot another man in the head multiple times on the evening of April 6th
on Dreiser Loop. The special recognition will come at the next meting of the 45th Precinct Community Council scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on May 2nd in Room 31 of the Bartow Community Center. In announcing the special recognition for these Public Safety investigators by the precinct, Captain McGeown, during a brief interview with the Co-op City Times, complimented the entire Public Safety force and its commander, Chief Frank Apollo, for the daily professionalism and their constant cooperation in working together with the precinct in protecting the Co-op City community around-the-clock. He said that the working relationship between the 45th Precinct and the CCPD is key to maintaining Co-op City’s low crime rate and the resulting good quality of life.
Security measures still in effect (see p.15 for story)
25¢
16 certified as candidates for 2013 Riverbay Board election BY ROZAAN BOONE Sixteen shareholders who returned their qualifying petitions to compete in the 2013 Riverbay Board of Directors election to fill five seats were officially certified by the Riverbay Election Committee on Tuesday night, April 23, at the candidates’ certification meeting. After the candidates submitted their qualifying petitions on Monday, April 1, the end of the petition period, the signatures on the petitions were checked for their validity. The Election Committee also worked with the Riverbay Finance Department to verify that none of the potential candidates were indebted to the Riverbay Corporation. The sixteen certified candidates for this year’s Board election, in the order and format that their names will appear on the ballot on election day, Wednesday, May 22, are Helen Atkins, William “Bill” Gordon, William Craft, Evelyn Santiago, Andrea Leslie, Raymond Tirado, Emanuel Armfield, Cynthia Isales, Sebastian Ulanga, Dr. Amrendra Singh,
Leslie Peterson, Charles Phipps, Bernard Cylich, Lambright, Manny Torres and Frank Belcher. The official candidates include all five incumbent Directors whose terms are up this year—Helen Atkins, Bernard Cylich, Andrea Leslie, Evelyn Santiago and Raymond Tirado. At Tuesday’s Candidates Meeting, the qualified candidates received their instructions for running their campaigns according to the Riverbay election rules from the 2013 Election Committee. The candidates also received the Co-op City Times guidelines and deadlines for the submission of their candidates’ statements and ads which must first be reviewed by the 2013 Election Committee and their attorneys before appearing in the three election supplements to be published in the May 4th, May 11th and May 18th issues of the Co-op City Times. During the meeting, the names of the sixteen candidates were randomly drawn (Continued on page 2)
Open Management Forum in Dreiser Thursday An open Management Forum will be held in the Dreiser Auditorium on Thursday, May 2 at 10 a.m. to discuss future projects and initiatives for the community. Light refreshments will be served and all are invited to attend.
Dry well drains installed ... Dominick Russo of Riverbay’s Construction
Department puts the finishing touches on the installation of two new dry wells behind the tot playground between Building 4 and 5. The area behind the playground between Building 4 and Building 5 has historically been the site of excessive water ponding after rain storms. Last week, a project began to install dry well drains on either side of the area and to pitch the pavement behind the tot lot which will allow excess rain water to flow into the newly installed drains. The project, which included the installation of a new paved walkway, was completed in less than two weeks. Grounds workers will add new grass and shrubbery to the area in the coming days. Photo by Bill Stuttig