WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES AUGUST 9, 2018 13
TERM LIMITS
WOULD RUIN
COMMUNITY
BOARDS
The NYC Charter Revision Commission
is currently considering various
changes to the city charter that would
amend various governmental practices
in our city. Public hearings have
been held giving the people a chance to
give their opinions on governmental
matters that need to be changed or
improved. The Commission will then
issue a report that will discuss fi ndings
and recommendations to change
the city charter. These changes will
be brought before the voters for their
approval or disapproval in the general
election.
With regards to community boards,
there have been proposals that community
board members should be
term limited. I disagree with that
stance.
I have served on my local community
board for several years and have
seen fi rsthand the importance of experience
on my board. The institutional
knowledge that our seasoned board
members possess assist with decision
making with frequent regularity.
Many of the experienced people on
my board have lived in their communities
for long periods of time and
understand the needs and workings
of those communities.
This year, six new members joined
my board. Last year, six other new
members joined as well. We still have
six vacancies on my board. I believe
that we have an excellent mix in terms
of diversity, age and viewpoints.
My board is changing naturally,
with longtime members gradually
leaving the board and those positions
being replaced by new people every
year. There is no need to remove from
the board knowledgeable unpaid
volunteers who have served with
distinction and integrity over the
course of several years to better their
communities. I believe that this is the
case for many of the boards across
the city.
Term limiting will result in weaker
boards, in my opinion, because of the
loss of experienced members.
Every board member must renew
their membership every two years.
The local City Council member and the
borough president decide whether to
re-appoint the board member or not. If
there are issues with a board member,
that member may not be reappointed.
So serving on a local board is not a
lifetime appointment.
It is important that all community
voices are heard on our community
boards. Even though boards are only
advisory in nature, all sectors of the
community merit representation on
those boards. I would urge all community
members who are interested, to
consider joining their local boards. Applications
(they are online at queensbp.
org) are fi led in January, with appointments
announced in March.
Henry Euler, Bayside
Editor’s note: Euler is a member of
Community Board 11.
NEW YORKERS NEED
TO CARE ABOUT
VOTING AGAIN
With the local and midterm elections
swiftly approaching, eligible
New Yorkers of all backgrounds and
political leanings must register to vote,
and those who are already registered
should make sure others in their communities
are prepared to cast their
ballots. The rights of women, people
of color and immigrants are more
vulnerable than ever, and it is imperative
we ensure that our leaders are
representing New Yorkers’ concerns
and views.
The data is clear: more New Yorkers
need to register and vote in elections.
From 1953 to 2013, voter turnout
decreased from 93 percent to only 26
percent, and during the 2016 election,
New York ranked 41st out of 50 states in
voter turnout. As a city, we must work
to break down barriers to voting and
amplify the voices of women, low-income
communities and others who lack
representation in our political system.
This summer, Women’s City Club of
New York is hosting voter registration
events across the city, including at the
Jackson Heights Library and Queens
Central Library, encouraging New
Yorkers to sign voting pledge cards, fi ll
out voter registration forms, or update
their address if they have moved. New
Yorkers can also access voting guides
and register online at www.voting.nyc,
and learn more about voting rights
and elections from LWV-NYC.
Our goal is to promote civic engagement
and get more women and eligible
girls to register to vote, particularly
those who are seeking access and
opportunities, and empower them to
make their voices heard at the ballot
box and in public policy.
Carole Wacey, President & CEO,
Women’s City Club of New York
PRESS FREEDOM
PRO-LIFE
DOESN’T MEAN
ANTI-WOMAN
Mr. LaRosa says that the rights
spoken of in our Declaration of Independence
do not apply to the “unborn”
(‘Pro-Life’ Really Isn’t Pro-Life, July 13).
Yet, in a sentence following, he seems
to indicate that those unborn in “lateterm
situations” do have some rights
independent of the mother.
Our founding fathers declared that
“all men are created equal, endowed
by their Creator with inherent rights;
that among these are life… .” Did our
founding fathers consider an individual
to be “created” only when he or
she left the womb? Even science tells
us that the act of creation takes place
at conception.
All that follows, if it is allowed to
continue, is the maturation of a human
being. There are even laws that protect
the life in the womb in the event that
the individual is hurt or killed due to
an assault on the pregnant woman.
Mr. LaRosa should not paint every
pro-life person “anti-woman” or unconcerned
about other issues involving
women and children.
Bernard Zablocki, Ridgewood
Editor’s note: The author erroneously
quoted the Declaration of Independence
in mentioning that “all men are
created equal, endowed by their Creator
with inherent rights.” The actual Declaration
of Independence states that “that
all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their creator with certain
unalienable rights…”.
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be withheld upon request, but anonymous
letters will not be considered
for publication. The views expressed
in all letters and comments are not
necessarily those of this newspaper or
its staff .
LETTERS AND COMMENTS
This undated photo from the
Ridgewood Times archives shows
the exterior of what is today
Trinity-St. Andrews Evangelical
Lutheran Church at the corner of
60th Street and 60th Avenue in
Maspeth. This church, completed
in May 1941, replaced the original
home of Trinity Lutheran Church
of Maspeth, which was a smaller
structure at the corner of 60th
Avenue and 59th Place. In 1971,
Trinity Lutheran of Maspeth
merged with neighboring St.
Andrew’s Lutheran Church of
Brooklyn (located in Ridgewood)
to form the Trinity-St. Andrews
congregation. Send us your historic
photos of Queens by email to editorial@
qns.com (subject: A Look
Back) or mail printed pictures to A
Look Back, ℅ Schneps Publications,
38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY
11361. All mailed pictures will be
carefully returned to you.
A LOOK BACK
Ridgewood Times archives
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