4 The Queens Courier • august21, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com First 500 feet of new Hamilton Beach ‘boardwalk’ constructed THE COURIER/Photo by Salvatore Licata The first 500 feet of the Hamilton Beach “boardwalk” has been built. BY SALVATORE LICATA slicata@queenscourier.com @sal_licata1 The repair work on the Hamilton Beach walkway connecting the town to the Coleman Square train station is making strides. The first 500 feet of the now-concrete walkway has been built and officials hope the nearly 2,000-foot path will be fully constructed by end of September, said Sal Simonetti, chief of staff for Councilman Eric Ulrich, at the Hamilton Beach Civic Association meeting on Aug. 14. The concrete walkway is expected to be a bit wider than the original wooden boardwalk and will have handrails and lighting, according to Roger Gendron, president of the Hamilton Beach Civic Association. Work began on May 17, nearly two and a half years after the bridge was rendered too dangerous to use because of damage from Superstorm Sandy. Part of the delay was attributed to Robert Santos 1-800-382-HOME(4663) for Housing www.sonyma.org uncertainty as to which city agency was responsible for the repairs. Ultimately, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services took responsibility and started the repair. The walkway allows residents a straight path from the train station to Hamilton Beach. Residents have had to take a circuitous route into Hamilton Beach, which included a trek down Russell Street, which lacks an adequate sidewalk. Even though the plans are mapped out to have the walkway finished by the end of September, Simonetti made it clear that this date was not set in stone. But Gendron said he was happy that Hamilton Beach is finally starting to get some of its biggest issues addressed. “This walkway is crucial for the residents of our neighborhood who need access to the Coleman Square train station,” Gendron said. “This will give our neighbors easier access into town and make for safer conditions while doing so.” KATZ APPOINTS NEW QUEENS LIBRARY TRUSTEE AFTER REMOVING SIX TRUSTEES BY ERIC JANKIEWICZ ejankiewicz@queenscourier.com @ericjankiewicz Queens Borough President Melinda Katz appointed Robert Santos to the board of trustees of the Queens Borough Library. The announcement comes after she ousted six trustees last month and Mayor Bill de Blasio cut loose two board members. A third mayoral appointee resigned. The sacked trustees attempted to regain their position in an appeal that was ultimately denied by Katz. The appointment of Santos was announced in a press release on Tuesday, Aug. 19, and the release made no reference to the former trustees or their removal. “It is an honor to serve on the board of the Queens Library and to join other involved and committed citizens dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the Queens Library system,” Santos said in the release. “Nothing is more important to the health of a community and the intellectual capital of its people than a public library, and the Queens Library is one of the best public libraries in the nation.” According to earlier reports by The Courier, the firings came after a drawn out legal battle over the tenure of Library Director Tom Galante, who was criticized after a smoking deck was built outside his office in the Central Library in Jamaica. It was also revealed that he supplemented his city salary of $400,000 with more than $200,000 in part-time pay from the Elmont, Long Island, school district. Douglas Grover, who represents the six removed trustees, said that Katz’s move was “unconstitutional” and threatens the independence of the Queens Library. Santos is a Sunnyside resident, according to the announcement. He was the vice president and chief operations officer of The New York Public Library and also worked as chief administrative officer at Adelphi University in Garden City. He has also held several positions in city government. Community Board 9 District Manager announces retirement BY SALVATORE LICATA slicata@queenscourier.com @sal_licata1 After three and a half decades of service, Mary Ann Carey is stepping down from her position as district manager of Community Board 9, which covers Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens, Ozone Park and Woodhaven. “In my 35 years of service to this great city with very little exceptions, I loved every minute,” Carey wrote in her resignation letter earlier this month. “I have overseen many projects too numerous to mention here and worked with four borough presidents, dozens of legislators, commissioners, district managers and their staff.” Chairman Ralph Gonzalez congratulated Carey, who began her work as district manager when Ed Koch was the mayor, on her retirement and said it would be hard to imagine anyone who can fill her shoes. “She has done so much for the community, and for so long,” he said. “She can be proud of the legacy she’s leaving at Community THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre Community Board 9 District Manager Mary Ann Carey is retiring from her post after 35 years. Board 9. I know that many people in Queens and on the board join me in thanking Mary Ann for her years of dedication.” The search for the next district manager will start at the next community board meeting.
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