COMMUNITY BOARD 3 CHAIR, BEATRICE P. JONES STEPS DOWN
AS AMALGIMATED BANK & NEW CHARTER SCHOOL MOVES IN
By Keith L. Forest

Community Board 3 (CB3) chairwoman Beatrice P Jones announced that she will not be seeking re-election. The announcement was made Monday, April 2, at CB3 monthly meeting. Ms. Jones, a longtime Bedford Stuyvesant resident, has held the current position for the past 3 years. “This appointment was only temporary and was only suppose to last a year”, stated Ms. Jones. “I stayed three.” Jones will remain an active board member. However, she is looking forward to spending more time at her Bed Stuy daycare center, Good Samaritans. A nomination committee has been formed.

In addition to the announcement, the monthly event, which took place at restoration plaza, included an amazingly condensed agenda.

The first item on the agenda was a presentation by Lesley Ester Redwine, Director of External Affairs for Achievement First. Introduced by Education Committee Chair Mildred Vann, Ms. Redwine shared with the community the non profit charter school’s plans for opening a new high school in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood. Ms. Redwine sees this opportunity as a way to further enhance Bed Stuy’s economic base by creating job opportunities. Charter schools, which are considered a great alternative to the overcrowded public school system, are not required to hire United Federated of Teachers members.

The next item on the agenda was from the Transportation committee chaired by Rev. Robert Waterman. Rev. Waterman introduced Scott Codey, Legislative Manager for the Citizen’s Committee for NYC, whose organization is offering small grants to support traffic relief throughout New York. “Our goal is to band together community based groups to focus in on a few neighborhood concerns related to traffic”, Mr. Scott stated. “We want residents to tell us what your concerns are and work together to help resolve them.”

The proposed grant will give qualified community based organizations the resources needed to conduct studies and reports in hopes of securing the necessary infrastructure needed to correct the faltering traffic conditions. According to Mr. Codey, these items could include traffic bumps, stop signs and as in the case of the "Safe Routes to School Program” visibility improvement and safety for neighborhood school routes. The deadline for this grant has been extended until April 15.

For the past few years CB3 Consumer Affairs Committee, chaired by Hardy “Joe” Long, has been reaching out to the State Liquor License Association (SLA) for a meeting. The committee has been seeking clarity regarding the issuance and procedure of obtaining a license. On March 12, 2007, their wish came true when committee members sat down for a one on one discussion with SLA’s new CEO, Joshua Toas and Commissioner of Government Affairs Thomas O’Connor. Mr. Long happily reported that the meeting was a success. According to Mr. Long, SLA, which recently underwent major administrative changes, is looking forward to strengthening its ties with community boards throughout New York.

Amalgamated Bank, touted as America’s labor bank, has its sites set on Bed Stuy. Executives from the 90 year old establishment, including its CEO Derrick Cephas held a public hearing to discuss and seek a letter of support for its plans to open its first Brooklyn branch at 1245 Fulton Street. The full service facility will offer a variety of products and services and according to Mr. Cephas “job opportunities for local residents.” CB3 board members voted 34 to 1 in favor.

Other agenda items and announcement included an update from the Block, Civic & Religious Committee’s upcoming expo. The event is scheduled to take place May 15 at Boys & Girls High School and will include joint block watch training and citywide agencies workshops. CB3 Youth, Parks and Recreation Committee, chaired by Mr. Marion Little, will host a Youth Conference to discuss gang prevention on May 16. Designed to educate youth on what to really expect when they join a gang, the conference is expected to include testimonials from former gang members and gang prevention police officers.

Community Board 3 monthly meetings takes place the first Monday of every month at Restoration Plaza, 1260 Fulton Street. For additional information, updates and highlights on the Bed Stuy neighborhood, log onto Mr. Forest

Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer and proud Bed Stuy home owner who lives and works in the beloved community. His current blogspace seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit and harm the area and its people.