COMMUNITY BOARD 3 FALLS INTO NEW SEASON
Committed Board Members Take On Challenge to Make Bed Stuy
A Vibrantly, Safe, Culturally Enriched Community
By Keith L. Forest

Community Board 3 (CB3), which represents the Bedford Stuyvesant, Stuyvesant Heights and Ocean Hill neighborhoods, held its monthly board meeting October 2, 2006 at Restoration Plaza. Agenda items included updates on upcoming events and activities taking place in the community; committee reports; and a public hearing item to co-name a major neighborhood strip in honor of a local community activist.

Committee members and chairpersons Eddie Hampton and Kim Best-Simms, were on hand to encourage everyone to attend a Town Hall Meeting scheduled for 6:30 PM, Wednesday, October 11, at Restoration Plaza. The open forum will address community safety and ways to combat crime.

CB3’s Economic Development committee in association with Bedford Stuyvesant Artist Association also encouraged attendees to come out on October 21 – 22, in support of the Second Annual Bed-Stuy Alive “Taste-Strut Tour Know.” The festive three (3) tier affair consist of a walking tour highlighting the community’s signature eateries, boutiques, specialty shops, landmarks, and special sites. The event will also feature the 28th Annual Brownstone Tour, which explores the neighborhood’s prided brownstones; the Bed Stuy Bazaar; and include a home-buyers seminar; and live entertainment and activities which will take place at local venues and participating churches. For additional information, patrons are being directed to the website which is www.besaa.org.

In an effort to bring awareness to the alleged underhand practices of the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA), CB3 Consumer Service committee has temporarily suspended all letters of support for businesses seeking their recommendation for liquor license. “Until they are willing to come to our community to meet with us to discuss their practices, we will not accept any request from any business seeking our support”, chair, Hardy “Joe” Long stated. Mr. Long along with other committee chairs also encouraged attendees to support their efforts by signing up and joining their respected committees.

The Environmental Protection/Sanitation committee, chaired by Nelson Stoute, happily reported that the appellate court has finally rendered its decision in support of the sanitation department building a new garage facility in district 3. Committee members will be involved in the overall design and construction of the sight insuring t hat it meets with the overall aesthetics of the neighborhood. For years CB3 and the City of New York have been in court battling a squatting bus company to vacate the designated city-owned land. The new garage will allow the sanitation department to have convenient access to the neighborhood which will allow workers to more effectively and expeditiously clean city streets and plow away snow during the winter month.

CB3 only had one agenda item on its calendar for October which was a request for a letter of support from the December 12 Movement International. The organization, represented by Roger S. Wareham Esq., is lobbying to have five (5) blocks along Gates Avenue co-named in honor of former Black Panther and beloved community activist, Sonny Abubadika Carson. Mr. Wareham, and others reminded CB3 board of the foundational community work Mr. Carson’s was so passionate about and their “responsibility to our youth to educate and celebrate community heroes and sheroes that the school system don’t teach them about.” The board voted 37 to 1 with 4 absent in support of the co-naming.