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Minutes of the General Membership Meeting of the Westmoreland Association
March 18, 2013
Officers Present:
President – Walter Mugdan
Secretary – Charles Manna
Treasurer – Gary Savage.
Board Members Present
Phil Toscano
President Walter Mugdan called the meeting to order at 8:00 P.M. A motion was
made, seconded and unanimously adopted to waive reading of the minutes. (Mr.
Mugdan noted that the minutes were available for review on the Westmoreland
website.) Gary Savage gave the Treasurer’s Report indicating that the
balance-on-hand was $18,470.02 as of March 18, 2013. A motion was made to accept
the Treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded and the report was unanimously
approved.
Also present:
• Steve Masillo – from Senator Bronstein’s office
• The board welcomed new members Scott and Michelle Gilbert. They bought the
house at 41-35 Morgan Street.
Old Business – Members noted the passing of former board member Tom Lloyd.
Services are scheduled for Saturday, March 23, 2013 at the Douglaston Community
Church. Tom was a former Westmoreland Association board member and a Community
Board 11 member.
New Business –
Elections – the slate of
• Walter Mugdan, President
• Sheldon Rosenblum, Vice President
• Gary Savage, Treasurer
• Charles Manna, Secretary
Directors:
• Victor Dadras
• David Diaz
• Phil Toscano
• Robert Timmerman
• Peter Reinharz
was submitted and ratified by the attending members.
Electronic Waste Recycling – New York City has posted a schedule for proper
disposal of hazardous waste. Log into www.NYC.gov/311 for a list of locations
and the time to bring the items for disposal. The next scheduled collection
places are Citi Field on March 30, 2013 from 10-4 PM and PS 101Q in Forest Hills
from 10-1.
Members are complaining of certain citizens who are not picking up after their
dog. Please be a good citizen and pick up after them!
Neighborhood Slow Zones – Community based program – Allows neighborhood groups
to complete a form requesting that their neighborhood be so designated. The
boundaries of the neighborhood must be identified. Already, five such zones have
been created. This NYC program was based on one started in London, England. The
neighborhood nominated must –
• Be less than half a mile in width
• have strong, easily defined boundaries
• not have commercial streets within the boundaries
• be primarily residential
• have a letter of support from civic leaders
If approved, the speed limit in the area will be reduced from 30 to 20 mph.
Unauthorized Cutting of Trees on Westmoreland Association Property: In January,
2013, a tree service began cutting down trees near the boundary between the
Westmoreland Coop Garden Apartments and the private homes on the west side of
Westmoreland Street between 40th and 41st Avenues, including the home of Sheldon
Rosenblum, Westmoreland Association Vice President. As Mr. Rosenblum was aware,
the Westmoreland Association has since about 1970 owned a one-foot wide strip of
land between the Coop Apartments and those private homes. A number of the trees
that were cut were on this Westmoreland Association property. Immediately upon
becoming aware of the tree cutting, Mr. Rosenblum brought to the attention of
the tree service and the Coop management company the fact that many of the trees
were on Association property. The cutting on Association property ceased at that
time, but essentially all the trees on the strip had already been cut down. The
Coop management company advised Mr. Rosenblum, and later Association President
Walter Mugdan, that the purpose for the tree removal was because of concern that
the trees were damaging the retaining wall that runs along the east side of the
Coop property. Evidently the owners of the Coop apartments were not aware of the
existence of the Westmoreland Association property, which in some places is a a
few feet from the top of the retaining wall, and in other places immediately
adjacent to the wall. Mr. Mugdan has been in touch with the attorney that
represents the apartments and has requested a very modest amount of compensation
for the loss – specifically, a payment of $500 for the loss of some ten hardwood
trees, and a “hold harmless” agreement for any alleged damage to the retaining
wall. The Coop’s attorney said that this sounded reasonable and he would
recommend it to his client. However, no response from the Coop has yet been
received.
Mr. Mugdan has provided to the other three Association officers copies of the
deeds to the two parcels that together make up the Association’s narrow strip of
property.
Former Scobee Diner property -- An application has been submitted to the BSA for
a variance to construct a two story commercial building at the site of the
former diner. The building would include stores and community facilities. A
Community Board 11 Zoning Committee meeting will be held, and more information
will be provided at the May 20, 2013 Westmoreland Association meeting.
Tree Planting – the City has planted trees on the sidewalks on Glenwood Street,
Little Neck Parkway and 41st Drive.
The schedule for our remaining meetings in 2013 is: May 20, September 16 and
November 18. Please mark your calendars.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM.
Respectfully submitted
Charles Manna, Secretary
To view meetings schedules click here
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