TIMES, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2014 • 54 Board 2 Changes Chairperson, Eyes LIC Public Art Controversy -CONTINUED FROM PG. 1- board members calling for a postponed election, however, were slightly outnumbered by those who wished to hold the vote that evening. Community Board 2 Secretary Lisa Deller presented the ballot nominating Patrick O’Brien for chairperson, with Stephen Cooper retaining his title as first vice chair. Deller would take over O’Brien’s vacated seat as second vice chair, with Denise Keehan- Smith rising to secretary. Diane Ballek would also retain her position as Board 2 treasurer. The small majority voted to hold the elections that evening and elected O’Brien as Conley’s successor. Conley will officially hand over the reins to O’Brien in April 2015. Public art controversy Earlier in the evening, the board hosted a presentation from the Percent for Art Program regarding a controversial proposed art installation slated for the Jackson Avenue streetscape in Long Island City. A large-scale, reclining sculpture titled “The Sunbather” by Bedford-Stuyvesant sculptor Ohad Meromi will be installed on Jackson Avenue at 43rd Avenue. An artist selection panel at the Percent for Art Program chose Meromi’s work. The Percent for Art Program was created in 1983 under the umbrella of the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs. According to the 1982 “Percent for Art Law” (Local Law 65), one percent of the city’s construction budget must be allocated to public art. According to Percent for Art Director Sarah Reisman, the program has helped complete 318 public art installations since its inception, with 75 projects currently underway. Meromi himself took to the Board 2 podium to address community concerns over his art. He spoke to the crowd against a backdrop bearing slide projections of his proposed work. According to the renderings, Meromi’s eight foot tall “Sunbather” would depict a bright pink, non-gender specific nude at rest on the grassy median amid the hustle and bustle of Jackson Avenue. “It represents a worker reclining from work,” he explained. Meromi explained that he was inspired by ancient Greek sculpture, as well “The Allegory of Time” by 18th Century Czech sculptor Matthias Bernard Braun. Like many examples of classical sculpture, Meromi’s “Sunbather” will be cast in bronze. However, Meromi’s work will be covered in coats of bright pink automobile paint. This aspect drew the most criticism and concern from board members and the community at large. Many in the crowd, however, were offended by the bold pink color. Long Island City board member Moitri Chowdhury Savard called the bright pink statue “inflammatory” and felt it could be “too much for residents.” Savard also voiced concerns over the size of the installation, as well as the fact that Meromi is not a local, neighborhood artist. When asked about his color choice, Meromi explained that the pink paint would eventually fade and “get better” over time, revealing the bronze of the form beneath. He told residents that he deliberately chose the hot pink hue in an effort to “brighten up” the industrial Jackson Avenue streetscape. Savard also raised the question of the massive cost of the installation. According to Percent for Art Director Sarah Reisman, the installation would cost nearly $500,000. Twenty percent of this cost would go toward the artist’s salary, with sixty percent funding the fabrication and installation of the piece. The remaining 20 percent would go toward general project costs and contingency. Yet, many board members voiced outrage over the lack of community involvement in the art selection process. Reisman and her colleagues addressed the Board 2 Land Use Committee on this topic at their November meeting. This is, however, the first presentation involving the entire community board and residents. Long Island City board member Kenneth Greenberg said that he felt a “disconnect” between the artist selection panel and the actual community. Greenberg explained that it would have been nice to have the public’s involvement when considering such a large-scale, permanent neighborhood installation. Conley echoed Greenberg’s concerns. He called for greater dialogue between the Percent for Art Program and the community. He also questioned how “The Sunbather” reflected the Long Island City community, if at all. According to Reisman, the Jackson Avenue median will definitely receive a public art installation. Yet, Reisman assured constituents that they are still in the preliminary planning stages, and that there is still time to weigh in on exactly what the installation itself will be. Citi Bike expansion Albert Silvestri of the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) was on hand to announce that the Citi Bike Program would be expanding into Long Island City in 2015. The Queens bike stations were originally part Citi Bike’s initial launch, but were halted due to damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Board members expressed concerns over station locations, specifically the bike station slated for Vernon Boulevard. Conley told Silvestri that the Board 2 Transportation Committee voted in favor of a station on Vernon Boulevard at 51st Street. However, Conley expressed concern that the DOT plans to install a station closer to the busy 50th Street pedestrian mall. This plaza hosts many activities, including composting on Mondays. He feared the bike station might impose on the mall’s ongoing activities. “How do we get it back to 51st Street?” Conley asked Silvestri. Silvestri suggested that residents use the “Suggest a Station” portal on the Citi Bike website to provide feedback for future bike station locations. One resident spoke in favor of a station on 47th Avenue near LaGuardia Community College, while another hoped the station would be in closer proximity to the East River Ferry terminal. Conley also voiced concerns over the existing bike corral on Jackson Avenue near P.S. 1 Museum. The DOT representative promised to look at and evaluate the site, adding that the agency would try not to utilize an overcrowded sidewalk space. According to Silvestri, the Citi Bike system will double in size by the end of 2017. As part of this expansion, the DOT promised “increased staff and operating resources,” as well as “better bicycle rebalancing, cleaning and maintenance.” With the presentation also came news of an increased annual membership cost from $95 to $149. The next Community Board 2 meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, at 7 p.m. at Sunnyside Community Services, located at 43-31 39th St. For more information, call Board 2’s Woodside office at 1-718-533- 8773. Pat Buchanan News & Opinion democratically elected government of Viktor Yanukovych? Was Nuland not caught boasting about how the U.S. had invested $5 billion in the political reorientation of Ukraine, and identifying whom we wanted as prime minister when Yanukovych was overthrown? H.R. 578 charges Russia with backing Syria’s Assad regime and providing it with weapons to use against “the Syrian people.” But Assad’s principal enemies are the al-Nusra Front, an al- Qaida affiliate, and ISIS. They are not only his enemies, and Russia’s enemies, but our enemies. And we ourselves have become de facto allies of Assad with our air strikes against ISIS in Syria. And what is Russia doing for its ally in Damascus, by arming it to resist ISIS secessionists, that we are not doing for our ally in Baghdad, also under attack by the Islamic State? Have we not supported Kurdistan in its drive for autonomy? Have U.S. leaders not talked of a Kurdistan independent of Iraq? H.R. 758 calls the President of Russia an “authoritarian” ruler of a corrupt regime that came to power through election fraud and rules by way of repression. Is this fair, just or wise? After all, Putin has twice the approval rating in Russia as President Obama does here, not to mention the approval rating our Congress. Damning Russian “aggression,” the House demands that Russia get out of Crimea, South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnistria, calls on Obama to end all military cooperation with Russia, impose “visa bans, targeted asset freezes, sectoral sanctions,” and send “lethal ... defense articles” to Ukraine. This is the sort of ultimatum that led to Pearl Harbor. Why would a moral nation arm Ukraine to fight a longer and larger war with Russia that Kiev could not win, but that could end up costing the lives of ten of thousands more Ukrainians? Those who produced this provocative resolution do not belong in charge of U.S. foreign policy, nor of America’s nuclear arsenal. Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of the new book “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority.” -CONTINUED FROM PG. 4- Suspect Sought In B’wick Murder -CONTINUED FROM PG. 5- no charges were filed. The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the 83rd Precinct Detective Squad, police said. Anyone with information regarding the murder that could prove helpful is asked to call the 83rd Precinct Detective Squad at 1-718-574-1796; all calls will be kept confidential. Say Elm. Man Stabbed Wife To Death -CONTINUED FROM PG. 3- from the 110th Precinct and EMS units responded to the scene. Following an investigation, members of the 110th Precinct Detective Squad and the NYPD Queens Homicide Squad arrested and charged Luis Paguay with second-degree murder, fourthdegree criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with evidence. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kristin J. Papadopoulos of the DA’s Homicide Investigations Bureau, which is supervised by Assistant District Attorneys Peter T. Reese, bureau chief, and Peter J. McCormack and Richard B. Schaeffer, deputy bureau chiefs. VISIT US ON THE WEB! www.timesnewsweekly.com Selling A Home Or Car? Renting An Apartment? Having A Yard Sale? Let The Times Newsweekly Classified Section Work For You! 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