Community Board 14 March Meeting Recap

By Katie McFadden

The March Community Board 14 meeting, held at the Knights of Columbus, had an agenda packed with an appearance by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Gotham Health’s incoming health center, a plastics reduction bill, committee updates and more.

The meeting opened with special guest Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, who provided plenty of updates from her office. In her seven years in office, her office has developed a Hate Crimes Bureau, a Gang Unit and a Strategic Unit that focuses on getting guns off the street. “I want to make sure people are accountable,” Katz said. She spoke about the trial for the murder of NYPD detective Jonathan Diller on Mott Avenue, which just began this week. The suspect is charged with murder in the first degree, punishable with life in jail if convicted. The case will last two to three weeks. Recently, a woman, Ms. Gonzalez of Nameoke Avenue, was indicted for murder in the second degree.

Katz has also been focusing on several cold cases using new technology, which led to a body of a WWI veteran who went missing 40 years ago, being found, followed by the arrest of a man who murdered him. Also, the 1992 murder of 15-year-old Nadine Slade was recently solved and an arrest was made. They are currently trying to identify a 5-year-old boy whose body washed up on the beach around Beach 110th Street in 2005.

In 2024, there were 60,000 arrests and 47,000 arraignments in Queens, and Katz said they deal with 70 to 100 arrests a day. Her office has also been focusing on getting guns off the street, through arrests and gun buyback programs. They’ve also tried to crack down on retail thefts, such as those at Walgreens on Beach 106th, by creating a Merchant Trespass Affidavit to crack down on repeat offenders, which they’ve served 2,500 of, resulting in only 120 offenders coming back to the stores. She advised people to be aware of various scams on ticket selling websites, romance schemes and others that steal people’s money. Lastly, her office is cracking down on squatters taking over people’s homes and returning homes to rightful owners. She advised people to register their homes with ACRIS to prevent deeds being stolen, as ACRIS provides notifications. “I try to get justice, no matter what that looks like, and it’s been a true honor to serve you,” Katz said. For any concerns, Katz advised everyone to email her at Katz@queensda.org

Next were updates from the NYPD. Lt. Jeff Thompson of the 100th Precinct said they’ve seen a small increase in petit larcenies like package thefts. There was an increase in vehicle break-ins with 13 incidents. He reminded people to keep their doors locked and not leave valuables in cars.

Sgt. Destin of the 101st Precinct Q-Team said they’ve towed 18 abandoned vehicles so far this year. They’ve issued 1,853 parking summonses so far and 120 for things like open containers, urinating in public and other quality of life issues. He reminded people to call in issues so they can be addressed. The 101st hasn’t had a homicide since December. They will be getting 27 new officers next week. Speaking on the Merchant Trespass Program mentioned by Katz, he advised business owners to register to be added to the list.

Jose Reina of Rep. Gregory Meeks’ office said they’ve been receiving calls from constituents looking for departure assistance from the Middle East due to ongoing conflicts. Family members overseas are advised to sign up for the Smart Travelers Enrollment Program and fill out a crisis intake form if they need help traveling, which Meeks’ office can help with. The federal government is updating work requirement rules for SNAP benefits for adults able to work from ages 18 to 64, requiring them to work or volunteer 80 hours a month, with exemptions for disabled adults, parents of children under 14 and pregnant women. The tax deadline in April 15. To check the status of a refund, see: irs.gov/refund

Lisa George of Senator James Sanders’ office thanked the board for voting to lift limits on permits for the Beach 17th performance space. The senator recently passed legislation to promote safety in school transportation. Their office received 16 nominations of women in the armed forces to be honored for Women’s History Month at an event in Rochdale Village on March 22. The state senate is also looking for nominations through March 31 of standout teachers, coaches or school staff that work with youth, to be honored.

Janine Agard of Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson’s office said his office recently had a Women’s History Month event which honored Felicia Johnson and others. They’re hosting an HRA Benefit Enrollment session on March 19 at the 1931 Mott Avenue office from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, those who need assistance with HEAP can make an appointment by calling 718-327-1845.

Renee Taylor of Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers’ office said Brooks-Powers recently held her state of the district event where she honored Ozzie Edwards and Ebony Beatty for their hard work, and shared her vision for her last term in office. More than 400 people attended and the live stream is available on the councilwoman’s Facebook page. Her office will hold a spring festival at O’Donohue Park on Beach 17th Street from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on April 26.

Stacy Spataro of Councilwoman Joann Ariola’s office spoke of the councilwoman’s efforts to pass legislation to crack down on those who park next to fire hydrants. She announced the city is once again fining people for not composting, so she advised people to put out their composting bins. Ariola will be hosting an event on March 19  at 7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus featuring the Little Mermen band.

A representative from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards’ office spoke of upcoming events at Queens Borough Hall including an Irish American celebration at 6 p.m. on March 26, a Salute to Gold Star Spouses ceremony on April 3 at 12 p.m. and a College and University Fair on April 3 at 6 p.m. at Richmond Hill High School.

In her report, Chairwoman Dolores Orr announced that the park side of the QueensLink fight has lost its federal funding and the process for the train side is moving forward in planning. NYC Parks had a Zoom meeting to discuss the synthetic field at Beach 30th Street that needs to be replaced. They invited four local organizations, but none showed. The process has started and will take two years to complete the field. CB14 recommended shade structures but Parks couldn’t guarantee it as they cost $500K. In April, there will be new board members and Orr advised current members to consider what committees they want to be a part of. Orr attended a Borough Hall meeting and received a draft of the budget for Queens and said a final version is pending. She shared, for Queens, with a population of about 2.5 million people, the second highest of all the boroughs, the expense budget in many aspects for Queens is the lowest per capita in the city.

Next, District Manager Felicia Johnson shared her report. She recently attended a presentation by FIFA to discuss ways for the community to benefit from the World Cup coming to the area, and found a grant application had been out since February for nonprofits to apply for funding to spearhead community programs related to the World Cup, but she only found out about it on March 6 and the deadline is March 13. She advised nonprofits to apply to try to hold an event by searching for the World Cup for All Community Grant Program on ABNY.

Johnson reminded people to sign up for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training. The first meeting will be on March 26, at 6:30 p.m. at the Joseph P. Addabbo Healthcare Center.

DEP Queens Borough Commissioner Alfonso Lopez is leaving for City Hall but will visit Rockaway on March 16 to discuss issues with commercial corridors. NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels came to Rockaway on Saturday but due to the parade, not enough people knew about it or could make it so he may come back. With the announcement of 2,000 free childcare spots coming to NYC, Johnson learned Rockaway is set to get seats in zip codes 11691 and 11692.  Out of the Queens Community Board application, CB14 had the most applicants apply.

Beach 69th Street is facing issues with crumbling, but DEP, Army Corps and Rep. Meeks are involved in getting it repaired. It was scheduled to be repaired in 2027, but as the situation is more dire, temporary solutions may need to be put in place.

There will be a meeting with DOT on March 24, at 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Health Critical Learning Center (19-09 Plainview Ave.). DOT is aware of major pothole issues and urges people to call 311 to report them and send photos to CB14. There are also outages on traffic signals due to salt eating away at wiring, and people are advised to call 911 first, as it is a safety issue, and 311 to report it.

Local Law 122 went into effect, decriminalizing street vending, so Johnson advised people to stop making complaints to CB14 about vendors on Mott Ave. and other areas going forward as DSNY will not ticket for it. NYPD can be called for criminal activity.

On housing issues, the Edgemere East project is progressing, and Johnson advised that they would be tapping into the traffic signal on Wednesday. The lining interceptor project is ongoing. MTA will attend the March 24 Transportation Committee meeting to discuss issues with the Queens Bus Redesign. Regarding Parks issues, reconstruction of Rockaway Community Park on Almeda Ave. and Norton Ave. was slated to begin March 2. It will take two years to complete.

During public speaking, Sabrina Parker of the Queens Community Justice Center of the Rockaways (QCJC) at 1027 Beach 20th Street and her co-worker, Madison, said their program ASH (A Sister’s Hand) to empower women is holding a culminating event, a game day and giveback day of hygiene products, so they’re seeking donations and sponsorships. QCJC will be starting a community wellness pod in the future. They also have an Arches program offering resources for justice impacted youth ages 14 to 17 to reduce re-offense. Every second Wednesday, they offer a diaper bank to mothers in need. Donations are welcome. Moises Reyes will be holding a free women’s self-defense class on Saturday, March 21. Lastly, they’re having a Housing Benefit Enrollment event on March 16 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Next was a presentation from NYC Health and Hospitals and the Addabbo Health Center on the family health center. Renee Hastick-Motes spoke about their two locations at 1288 Central Ave. and 6200 Beach Channel Drive, both federally qualified health centers (FQHC). She stood in solidarity with Michelle Lewis, CEO of Gotham Health, which is bringing another federally qualified health center to 1720 Village Lane in Far Rockaway in 2027. Motes said it was important to expand access, and they’re working closely together, instead of as competitors, to best serve the community.

Gotham Health is one of the largest FQHCs in the country and is part of NYC Health and Hospitals. They have 29 sites in NYC. Lewis urged “regardless of your ability to pay or immigration status, we offer world class healthcare to everyone who shows up at our door.” Gotham is bringing a state-of-the-art health center across from the last stop on the A train. It will offer adult care, pediatrics, women’s health, cardiology, pulmonary, dermatology, cosmetic dentistry, child development, mental health services and a state-of-the-art imaging center that includes the CT scan, mammography and X-ray. They plan to work closely with St. John’s and Addabbo Health. They take insurance, offer a sliding scale, and ultimately, turn no one away regardless of financials. They’re in discussion with a pharmacy to work with, as there will not be an on-site pharmacy. They’re expected to open in the spring of 2027 and will begin to hold job fairs this summer, aiming to hire local.

Some expressed concerns over Gotham planning to offer the same services Addabbo Health. Lewis said they must offer primary care to qualify as a FQHC, but they will offer some specialty services, and are filling a need while working closely with St. John’s and Addabbo. A board member expressed a desire for pediatric psychology services. Motes said that’s something they’re working on at Addabbo. Asked about hours, Lewis said Gotham may have two or three days where they’re open until 7 p.m. and will also be open on Saturdays.

Next, Victoria Augustine of Beyond Plastics spoke about the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act being proposed in the state legislature. The bill aims to address the “plastic crises” in NY and Augustine requested a letter of support for the bill, to be sent to state legislators. She spoke about the hazards of plastic and the difficulty recycling it, among an inundation of single-use plastic products. She said 15M tons of plastic enters the oceans each year. Additionally, microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in the body, leading to issues like heart attacks, strokes, infertility, dementia and more. NYC spends half a billion dollars a year on waste exports, making up 40% of trash in NYC. New York State has 10 incinerators, more than any other state, but they only handle 15% of waste, resulting in the rest being exported.

The bill aims to reduce plastic packaging, requiring companies to reduce plastic packaging by 30% over 12 years, reduce secondary packaging for shipping by 50%, and 75% of the remaining packaging can be easily recycled materials like cardboard, glass or aluminum. The bill would require companies to pay fees to cover the waste management of their packaging. It would not target small businesses that gross less than $5M. The bill would save NY state $1.3B and NYC $818M. Medicine bottles and water bottles would be exempt. The bill also bans toxic chemicals from being in plastic packaging. The bill has large support on a state and city level and is co-sponsored by Senator Sanders and Assemblyman Anderson, however it is being lobbied against by corporations.

The Environmental Committee had made a consensus to send a letter of support for the bill. A motion was made for CB14 to write the letter of support. With 24 votes of support, the motion carried.

The Economic Committee presented a report on a liquor license application for El Doro Bar and Lounge across from the Redfern House, supporting CB14’s initial letter opposing the liquor license. El Doro had initially said they’d be opening a restaurant but has since refiled the application as a bar and lounge. Only the company’s accountant showed up to the committee meeting. CB14’s initial concerns remained due to concerns from the NYPD and the community about the location, so another letter was sent opposing the application, but the owners could come back to the board to change their mind. The committee also tabled a request from Margert Community Corporation to utilize a space at 1018 Beach 20th Street, as they didn’t show up to the meeting.

In new and old business, someone brought up a traffic light at Beach 19th having issues and the Beach 9th bike lane making it harder for fire trucks to get by. Orr said there are plans to recalibrate the light and put lane markings down, but it was delayed because of the snow. Johnson advised members to attend the next Transportation Committee meeting to discuss other DOT issues.