Optimum’s Bulk Sale Proposal
Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community.
Vol. 48 No. 48
© Copyright 2013 Co-op City Times
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Cablevision forums on bulk sale agreement to be held this upcoming week Shareholders are reminded that the open forums on the Cablevision bulk sale agreement will be held beginning on Monday, December 2 through Wednesday, December 4 to explain in detail to Co-op City shareholders what the bulk sale of cable services/offerings is all about. On Monday, December 2, the first forum will be held in the Dreiser Auditorium C at 7 p.m. On Tuesday, December 3, a second forum will be held in Room 31 of the Bartow Community Center, also at 7 p.m., followed by the third and final forum on Wednesday, December 4, in Room 45 of the Einstein Center at 7 p.m. Cablevision representatives will be in attendance at all three forums to answer shareholders’ questions and address their concerns about the Optimum Preferred bulk sale proposal for Co-op City. Cablevision, Co-op City’s primary cable provider, began discussing the
BY ROZAAN BOONE
possibility of a 5- year bulk sale agreement with Management several months ago whereby the housing company would pay one check for cable television service to all apartments in Co-op City, and then that cost would be passed on to shareholders at significant savings compared to what they are currently paying. Essentially, Cablevision’s current Optimum Video subscribers in Co-op City would be able to pay $24 a month as opposed to the non-promotional $74.95 for the Optimum Preferred Package, which includes over 320 channels, resulting in a savings of $50.95 per month. As long as you are a current Optimum Video subscriber paying regular rates, you will be able to save up to $50.95 a month on your cable bill. Subscribers of the Optimum Value Package would be automatically upgraded to the Optimum Preferred package offered in the bulk agreement
Public Safety and 45th Precinct warn residents to be on alert as “knock-out” trend seemingly grows
Public Safety officers, working in tandem with crime prevention officers from the 45th Precinct, have spent much of this week warning residents, particularly elderly residents, to be on alert for a reported national trend of assaults on innocent victims by roving groups of youth. Chief Frank Apollo of the Department of Public Safety, said this week that while no such incidents have been reported in Co-op City, he wanted the Public Safety Department to be extra vigilant to make sure the disturbing crime trend does not happen here. “The best way we can prevent any Co-op City resident from becoming a victim of these vicious attacks is to educate the community and make them aware of the circumstances that lead up to the violent attacks and to remind them that the best crime prevention for this or any other crime is to be aware of your surroundings and to avoid the use of modern-day distractions, such as smart phones and other devices which tend to distract people away from the reality that surrounds them when walking in public,” Apollo said. Earlier this week, Apollo said he BY BILL STUTTIG
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reached out to the 45th Precinct’s crime prevention office to have the Public Safety Department work in tandem with their efforts to get the word out. Apollo and crime prevention officers from the 45th Precinct have visited with the community’s senior centers this past week, including an appearance and talk at JASA’s Co-op City Senior Services’ annual Thanksgiving Luncheon. In addition, flyers advising residents how to avoid being a victim are being distributed throughout the community by Public Safety officers and lobby attendants. Each lobby attendant in each building has been distributing the flyers throughout the week. The hope is to have more than a thousand flyers distributed in all buildings by the end of the week, Apollo said. The flyers have been prepared by the 45th Precinct Crime Prevention Office and advise residents of the crime trend and to be aware of their surroundings at all times when walking in public. Apollo said that residents, if they can, should avoid walking through large groups of youths not only in Co-op City, but anywhere their travels (Continued on page 2)
25¢
The topic on President’s Message 2, at 7 p.m. in the everyone’s mind is Dreiser Center, Audthe Optimum Bulk itorium C; on Tuesday, Sale agreement December 3, at 7 p.m. President which would save in Room 31 of the Cablevision subBartow Center; and on scribers quite a few dollars off of their Wednesday, December 4, at 7 p.m. in monthly bills. What Cablevision is proRoom 45, Einstein Center. posing is to offer their cable subscribers If you have already voted, and you the Optimum Preferred package for $24 would like to change your vote after heara month with incremental decreases for ing the presentation from Cablevision, those with higher end packages as long Optimum will be distributing new ballots as they are currently paying a non-proafter each of the meetings. These ballots motional rate. Those cooperators who will be of a different color than the origiare not Cablevision subscribers, such as nal ballots and if we get 2 ballots from the those on the master antenna, can same apartment, the new ballot will be receive, if they choose, Broadcast Basic the one counted. Remember, this agreecable service, plus one cable box and ment will affect all cooperators for the remote with the charges picked up by next 5 years, so it is very important to get Riverbay Corporation. maximum participation in the voting I am urging everyone to get as process. much information as possible before The Board has also met with they cast their vote. Attend one of the developers interested in participating in three townhall meetings scheduled some projects in and around the Bartow for this upcoming week or go to Center. Some of the projects mentioned Bartow Center during regular busihave been a medical center, veterans ness hours to talk to the Optimum rephousing, senior housing and a commuresentative who has an office in the nity center. We will be scheduling main hallway near the Riverbay meetings with other developers after Scheduling Office. the holiday season. This is all in the The three forums will be held next week beginning on Monday, December (Continued on page 2)
Bill Gordon
We wish our readers a happy and safe Thanksgiving and Hanukkah weekend! Crime Prevention Advice
Crime prevention officers from the 45th Precinct hand-out literature to seniors attending this week’s Thanksgiving celebration advising them how to help prevent being victimized by the knock-out attacks that reportedly have become more prevalent throughout the nation in recent weeks. Flyers were also distributed in each Co-op City building by Public Safety personnel this past week. According to the 45th Precinct, there have been no known attacks in the precinct service area, which includes Co-op City, or in the Bronx. Almost all of the known attacks in New York City have taken place in Brooklyn. Photo by Bill Stuttig