Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance September Meeting

 

This was the first meeting after taking two months off for summer vacation and VNNA President Bernadette Ferrara had a full agenda with several special guests. The two speakers were City Council members Oswald Feliz and Marjorie Velazquez. Councilwoman Velazquez had a family emergency but Councilman Feliz was able to talk for more than the amount of time both council members would of. 

Councilman Feliz went over a long list of items saying however his top priorities are Public Safety and Crime. He wants the streets to be safe and the no consequences to many small crimes is not helping the quality of life in the city. The garbage in the streets and graffiti with the business crime on Fordham Road makes his head want to explode. He wants more cops, and the city needs to do a better job in improving the quality of life in the Bronx. He then went through a list of monies he earmarked for various parks and playgrounds. Jacqueline Crossan of Councilwoman Velazquez's office agreed with Councilman Feliz that quality of life is important to people. 

VNNA President Bernadette Ferrara gave her President's report giving a brief summary of dates and events over the past two years of Community Board 11, and called on the District Manager of CB 11 to announce the September 29th Public Hearing CB 11 will be having on the Just Home proposal to house severely ill former inmates and those awaiting trial in a currently unused building on the Jacobi Hospital Campus. The public hearing will be held at the Jacobi Hospital Medical Center Rotunda to the right of Building #4. 

Councilman Oswad Feliz address the audience at Monday's Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance meeting.

VNNA President Bernadette Ferrara calls on Community Board 11 District Manager (far right) to raise his hand so the audience can see him. To Ms. Ferrara's right is VNNA Senior Advisor Bob Nolan, VNNA Vice-President Sharlene Jackson Mendez, and Secretary Marion Manfredi.

The VNNA Executive Board, Councilman Feliz, Jacqueline Crossan of Councilwoman Velazquez's office (far right) and the many people who were in the audience.