A jam-packed agenda extended the May Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) general board meeting to just under two hours. Much of the meeting, held on May 25, was spent going over the nominations for incoming officer positions for the upcoming year, including chairperson, first vice chair, second vice chair, third vice chair, treasurer, and secretary. Several motions were also passed, including those relating to requested letters of support from the board to different city agencies and elected officials.

 

Each year, during the general board’s May meeting, nominations are made for new officer positions, and the final vote is then revealed at the June board meeting, ahead of the summer recess. Sandra Erickson is leading the nominating committee which oversees the election process. She is joined on the committee by Betty Arce, Victor Saldaña, Untwain Fyffe, and Cole Hawkins.

 

The duration between the nominating process and the vote count, one month later, allows the board to review each candidate’s record, to date, on the board. “Candidates will be vetted by the nominating committee and the office staff to be sure they’re in good standing,” Erickson said. “Good standing means they have to be a member for one year, and not have missed more than three consecutive meetings.”

 

Following the officer nomination section of the meeting, the board agreed to pass several motions, including writing a letter of support for the renovation of a building which formerly housed the Old Fordham Library at 2556 Bainbridge Avenue in Fordham Manor. As reported by Norwood News, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) made a number of presentations to CB7 asking for their support in allowing certain zoning changes to be made to convert the building into a computer-based testing and job application center.

 

Another motion that worked its way through the board’s committee on Housing, Land Use & Economic Development, sought local support for an amendment to the City’s zoning resolution known as the Citywide Hotel Special Permit. The proposed amendment would allow for greater oversight by local community boards when hotels are built within their boundaries. According to the board, “all new hotels would be required to obtain a special permit and be subject to site plan review. This would give community boards across NYC the ability to review the land use context and site plan for proposed hotels.”

 

The motion was passed even though board member, Andrew Laiosa, expressed the commonly held view that it was not among the most pressing issues facing the local community. “Of course, we’re not quite Times Square; we don’t have as many hotels as, say, Midtown Manhattan,” Laiosa said. “The committee reviewed the proposal, and we like the idea of having greater oversight and authority over where hotels are located in the district, and the site plans.”

 

The final motion was the one that raised the most concerns before it was passed. Through the Veterans Affairs Committee, a letter of support will be sent to State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), and Assembly Member Helene Weinstein (A.D. 41)  in favor of the “MTA Reduced Fares for Veterans Program” (bills S1287 and A00774) so that they can be instituted into this year’s budget.

 

Some concerns were raised that no income threshold is defined for the beneficiaries of the program. If passed, it would allow veterans to purchase transit fares at half price. The issue of whether veterans with an other-than-honorable discharge would be eligible for the benefit also raised a few questions.

 

Frederic Klein, staff member from Dinowitz’s office, responded to the concerns regarding the income requirement. “There’s no income requirement on the bill because there’s no income requirement to serve [in the military],” Klein said. “This is a gesture to say, ‘thank you’ to people who have served our country.”

 

A compelling argument was made by 94-year-old World War II veteran, H.P. Schroer, who spoke directly to the board members. “If the MTA were to dedicate two cents from every fare collected, it would supply sufficient funds for the discount,” he said. “So, I simply ask you, is a veteran’s service and sacrifice worth two cents?”

 

The vote to approve the incoming board officers for next year will take place June 23.