Message from Councilman Mark Gjonaj
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D 46 ECEMBER 13-19, 2019 BTR
COUNCILMAN MARK GJONAJ
Driver Safety Program
As a service to his constituents,
Assemblyman
Michael Benedetto will be
sponsoring an NYS DMV Approved
Insurance Reduction
Program on Saturday, January
18, 2020, from 9:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., at Fort Schuyler
House, 3077 Cross Bronx Expressway.
Registration begins on
Monday, December 16. To
reserve a seat, call (718) 892-
2235. The cost is $29. This
6-hour course will refresh
your driving knowledge
with a review of time-tested
safe driving tips. Those who
complete the course will receive
a reduction of approximately
10% from the base
rate of automobile and motorcycle
liability premiums
each year for three years.
BY GEORGE HAVRANEK
The ataraxic state of mind
that accompanied serenity,
and stability in many of our
charming communities has
been disrupted by uncertainties.
The NYC political machine
has continuously
snubbed our neighbors. The
overrides of community
wishes in City Island, Morris
Park and Westchester
Square shows power and infl
uence can usurp the will of
a community.
Let us place this in proper
context; ‘will’ defi ned as ‘the
wishes’ can be momentarily
staggered however, ‘will’ defi
ned as ‘the faculty upon
which one initiates action,
resoluteness, or desire’ can
be tested but never totally
extinguished.
This is a wakeup call.
Now, more than ever community
involvements are
needed to ensure and maintain
the quality of life and
characteristic of a neighborhood.
Recent events have
provoked a call to action
across many municipalities.
The collusive efforts of investors,
lobbyists, activists
and politicians under the
guise of aiding the less fortunate
are paving roads leading
to potential pots of gold.
Residents of Spencer Estate
and other communities take
a moment to ponder how recent
legislations and other
modifi cations have affected
the long-term emotional and
fi nancial commitments you
placed in your stable neighborhoods.
The New Year, 2020 will
bring challenges to our communities.
2020 is the vision
required to recognize and
confront challenges. 2020 is a
year of dedication and unifi -
cation essential to bettering
our quality of life. It is time
to stop the ‘rain’ of discontent
falling upon our communities.
The ‘rainy day’ fund to address
‘unexpected fi nancial
hardships’ could be a point
of concern for property owners.
According to the NYC
voter guide, “ the mayor will
be required to notify the city
council within thirty days of
publication of any updated fi -
nancial plan” as it relates to
the overall city budget.
The NYC Rainy Day fund
must fully comply with state
law. Amendments to the
State Financial Emergency
Act are required to allow
fund withdrawals by NYC.
Prior to the November 5th
election, in a proactive measure,
Senator Brian Benjamin,
a potential 2021 candidate
for NYC Comptroller,
introduced state legislation
that authorizes NYC to set
up and utilize the fund. NYS
Assembly support for this action
is widely anticipated in
the upcoming January session.
The Rainy Day fund plan
does not fully and unequivocally
protect homeowners
from property tax increases
to directly fund or subsidize
areas of fi nancial hardship.
Overcrowded schools, neighborhood
overdevelopments,
NYC agency cutbacks, especially
to the NYPD, and a
stressed judiciary indicate
a steady rain is readily falling
upon New York City. An
umbrella of protection must
be opened to protect the lawabiding
tax paying residents
of our community. A majority
of the 51-member city
council is in lockstep agreement
with City Hall making
this thirty-day policy a mere
window dressing and placing
NYC homeowners at additional
risks for property
tax hikes.
Community Footnotes
It is time for thought about
snow removal and smoke
alarm checks.
According to NYC’s shoveling
law, if snowfall stops
between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
sidewalks have to be cleared
within four hours. If the
snowfall stops between 5 and
9 p.m., sidewalks must be
cleared within 14 hours. If
the snowfall stops between
9 p.m. and 7 a.m., sidewalks
must be cleared by 11 a.m.
Area senior citizens and
disabled individuals, incapable
of performing mandated
snow removal duties
please register for Councilman
Mark Gjonaj’s ‘Snow
Removal Program’. The
American Red Cross in partnership
with the councilman
provides free smoke
alarm installation through
the “Sound the Alarm” program.
The recent fi res on
Ellsworth Avenue and Fordham
Street in City Island are
harsh reminder that a mere
two minutes is the difference
in successfully escaping a
house fi re.
Please call (718) 931-1721
for registration / more information
about these vital community
services or to contact
Councilman Gjonaj.
Need to discard electronics?
The NYC Department
of Sanitation has expanded
their curbside electronics
collection to include the entirety
of Bronx Community
Board 10. Curbside electronics
collection takes place
Monday – Friday. Please call
311 to schedule pickups.
Political leaders to gauge
a community’s interest
and fortitude use the attendances
at local civic association
meetings. The continued
large turnouts show
our elected offi cials that we
possess the fortitude and resolve
needed to confront adversity.
Any area homeowner or
renter interested in membership
to the all inclusive Spencer
Estate Civic Association
in box George Havranek on
Facebook or send-email with
subject matter Spencer Estate
to gghh55@aol.com.
BY MARY JANE MUSANO
I hope you are enjoying the
holiday season. Are you remembering
to do something
kind for someone? I hope so
because it will certainly make
your holiday season one to remember.
Please remember that our
December meeting date falls
on Christmas Eve therefore we
will not be meeting in December.
We do hope to be able to
wish you a Merry Christmas
at our annual Christmas Tree
Lighting on Saturday, December
14. We will be gathering at
Schneider Sampson Park on
Hollywood Avenue at 5:30 p.m.
Santa will arrive with gifts for
children 12 and under. Please
join us for cookies and hot
chocolate as we wait for Santa’s
arrival.
If you have not yet paid
your dues for this year please
remember that we are counting
on you. You can send your
dues to 1145 Hobart Avenue,
Bronx, NY 10461. It is still only
$10. And that includes your
subscription to this wonderful
newspaper. Send your dues today
so that you won’t forget.
Remember the reason for
the season.
A few weeks ago, Albania was
struck by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake
along its shoreline, taking the lives
of over 50 people and leaving several
thousand injured. This was the deadliest
earthquake that has struck Albania
in 99 years, and is as present, the
world’s deadliest earthquake of 2019.
The damage was primarily had in the
city of Durrës and the village of Kodër-
Thumanë. In both locations, the earthquake
effectively collapsed multiple
hotels and apartment blocks. In addition
to the lives tragically lost and
those injured, many thousands are
homeless, having been displaced from
their residences.
Last week, I decided to travel to Albania
to offer my aid in their relief. I,
being of proud Albanian heritage, as
many of you are too in our 13th City
Council District, was compelled to help
their nation rebuild from this disaster.
I travelled with several Albanian-heritage
engineers from our Bronx community
to help assess damage and aid
in rebuilding where possible, in order
to expedite the return of displaced persons
to their homes.
I am also proud to announce that us
New Yorkers have successfully raised
about $44,000 (as of the writing of this
article) in funds to be used for Albanian
earthquake relief and rebuilding.
The fundraising efforts, the interest
and the gestures of good faith toward
other nations are behaviors certainly
native to the empathetic and
globally-oriented people that are New
Yorkers. It has given me tremendous
satisfaction to witness such generosity,
especially when the effects of the
earthquake, separated by many miles,
cannot be seen fi rst-hand. I thank you
for your interest and commitment to
the Albanian people, who are as an important
component of my ancestry as
they are too many of you as well.
To donate to the Albanian
Earthquake Relief Fund, visit
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a lbania n- e a r t hqua ke - r el ie f -
fund?utm_source=customer&utm_
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