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Loud and Clear Town Hall meeting lets residents’ voices be heard NST Legal Counsel Errol Brett makes a point while Comptroller Robert Serikstad looks on STEPHEN VRATTOS Photos by Dawn Steinberg and Julie Weissman A spirited evening of Q&A between North Shore Towers residents and its Board of Directors and Management was held Thursday, February 16, in the cinema. The 475-seat capacity venue was packed with attendees, eager to take this special opportunity to discuss their concerns for a full two hours, without the traditional preamble of Board Members speaking first… with one exception. Board President Mario Carmiciano took a short moment to greet the audience beforehand. He explained the unfortunate absences of several of his fellow Board Members, who were on vacation; then bade residents to step up to the mike and fire away with the caveat that individuals ask only one question at a time—if they had additional ones, they were encouraged to return to the back of the line—keep it to a specific issue and refrain from speechifying or descending into hateful rhetoric. “This is for the Shareholders,” he said. “That’s YOU!” In attendance were Carmiciano, Board Members, George Nagelberg, Fred Chernow Steve Redlich and Bob Ricken, General Manager Glen Kotowski, Legal Counsel Errol Brett and Comptroller Robert Serikstad. Each was called upon at various times throughout the session to address particular areas with which they were most informed. For example, Capitol Improvements Chair Nagelberg rose to the podium to confront one of the audience’s major concerns: the cinema. It came to everyone’s disheartened surprise when much-beloved proprietors, Anne and Henry Stampfel, recently told the Board that they would not be renewing their lease at the end of the month. The Board responded immediately to the Stampfels pronouncement, meeting with them to address their concerns for leaving and working with them to iron out a new agreement, with which both the Stampfels and the Board would be happy. According to Nagelberg, the meeting went well and he was hopeful that the Stampfels would renew their relationship when they made their final decision. Resident issues with the performance of the machines in the laundry room led Carmiciano to assign Nagelberg to spearhead an analysis of this important amenity of the co-op. A question on the inefficiency of the current STOP sign at the exit from the Building #1 garage prompted Carmiciano to reveal that the anticipated traffic report on the Towers was on the verge of completion and updated signage, crosswalks and other safety features would soon be forthcoming. Country Club Chair Redlich promised the return of open Country Club meetings, which were inexplicably discontinued a few years ago. Assuming the post about the year ago after the unfortunate passing of Mort Gitter, Redlich didn’t recall that there were open meetings of the Club, the last of which occurred before his predecessor’s short tenure at the helm. Redlich thought a return to such would be a good idea. He hoped doing so would also help ameliorate another resident’s issue with there being too few yoga classes. Redlich’s busy evening also included an update on the proposed expansion of the VIP Room. He intends to increase seating by at least 50% from 150 people to 225. Architects are currently examining the space and advancing proposals. Still, there is a lot more analyses and planning to go and groundbreaking wouldn’t occur for at least two years. NST Legal Counsel Errol Brett allayed residents’ concerns with the restaurant owners’ serving alcohol without a license, explaining that the allegation stemmed from a snafu with another of the restaurateurs’ eateries. He also reminded everyone that Buffy and Spiros have a tremendous investment in North Shore Towers. They’ve spent more than a million dollars of their own money to renovate the restaurant and are paying nearly 150,000 annually in rent. So of course they’re working diligently to satisfy every issue that comes up. “I’ve eaten Board President Mario Carmiciano addresses a resident's question out a lot in the city and at places in Queens, and our restaurant is the best looking diner in New York City.” “I hear a lot of people say that the golf course is the gem of North Shore Towers,” he said, of the Board’s mission to continue to work with Buffy and Spiros. “I say the Arcade is the gem. And it has always been the intention of Management and the Board, not to tear down the vendors, but to build them up and help them be a great part of the community. What we do is for the benefit of the Spotlight was on residents community!” March 2017  ¢  NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER  3


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