Saturday, February 5, 2011

CB7 has some nerve! (part 1)


Letter to the Editor (Times Ledger):

With regards to Chuck Apelian’s comments that Feinstein Iron Works take out a full-page ad in two local newspapers apologizing to him and Community Board 7 for his honest comments (“CB 7, Feinstein make amends after Willets clashes,” Jan. 20), it is amazing he would have the audacity to make such demands. After all, he is a public official in his roles as vice chairman of CB 7 and the CB 7 land use chairman.

Our organization has had the misfortune of dealing with CB 7 with regards to a public safety matter, which it quickly turned into an inconvenient matter. Marilyn Bitterman, district manager of CB 7, was responsible for writing a survey that was to be sent out to our community regarding the dangerous situation. The manner in which she wrote the survey was biased and stressed the “inconvenience” of driving an extra two blocks.

We immediately sent out a letter requesting to have more time to review the survey in order to come to a more non-biased wording and, objecting to the wording as shown to Alfredo Centola, we received no response and the survey went out anyway. We then requested to see the surveys under the Freedom of Information law; they illegally refused us. We obtained a decision from Robert Freeman from the state Committee on Open Government; they still refused.

A couple of months later, we received an e-mail from an MTABT official quoting Bitterman and her ill feelings to the president of our civic association. This e-mail quotes Bitterman as saying “she would step over his prone body and refuse to call for help.” Our organization immediately sent Apelian a letter calling on him to act, as the CB 7 vice chairman, to address Bitterman’s unprofessional and biased comments. He replied, “It will be reviewed,” but then never responded.

Several months ago, some members of our organization received a call from a man claiming to be on the board in regards to conducting an investigation. CB 7 investigating itself? To date we have heard nothing about the results, if any, to the investigation. City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) has refused to get involved, saying he is not responsible for oversight of CB 7, but we only asked he inquire about the outcome of the investigation as our elected official.

We do not know what Apelian is looking for. If he has such a thin skin, maybe he should exclude himself from the vice chairmanship. For the most part, he has a much calmer and respectful tone than his counterpart Eugene Kelty. But to ask for an apology and take out a full-page ad in two local papers? Maybe CB 7 should take out ads in two or three papers to apologize for violating the FOIA law, refusing to acknowledge the Committee on Open Government’s decision and especially for Bitterman’s comments to an MTABT official showing her disregard for Centola’s life.

After all, what is right for CB 7 should be right for the community it represents.

Alfredo Centola
Dan Barton
Laurie Occhipinti
Malba Gardens Civic Association

20 comments:

Babs said...

I wish I knew what this story was about . . .

Queens Crapper said...

What are you confused about?

Claire said...

Oh leave them alone. Next thing ya know they'll be coming after me. I'm too old to go to jail! Besides, think of how the other inmates will suffer from my stink!

Tru Datt said...

City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) has refused to get involved, saying he is not responsible for oversight of CB 7, but we only asked he inquire about the outcome of the investigation as our elected official.
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Halloran? That one term wonder...if he lasts THAT long! Another useless part of the Queens Corruption team. The only time he opens his mouth is to change feet!

Anonymous said...

Babs wishes she knew how to tie her own shoelaces.

Hu Dunnit said...

Can't wait for part 2!!!

Anonymous said...

City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) has refused to get involved
**********************************************

The difference between a skeptic and Doofy Dan is that a skeptic says:
"I find it hard to swallow."
Doofy Dan says:
"If I find it hard, I swallow."

Anonymous said...

Apelian and the rest of CB7's leadership are embarrassments to our district.

Feinstein was right -- they should be removed.

Now we have Apelian demanding an apology, where none is warranted, to cover up CB7's past mis-steps. No one is buying into it. If anything, Apelian has provided a golden opportunity to review CB7's severe dysfunction and why no apology is warranted.

Now most recently, we have DOT's evidence of Bitterman's utter disregard for the life of a civic leader in CB7's district -- whose civic group has an important matter pending before CB7. I cannot imagine how that civic group can ever get a fair hearing of its issue, when the District Manager does not even prefer that the civic's leader remain alive. Investigation? That's a joke. The civic group's pending matter should be pulled out of CB7's jurisdiction, and handled by other reasonable decision-makers who are not biased against the civic leader.

As all of the above occurs, Helen Marshall and Barry Grodenchik continue to sleep at the switch. We pay their salaries, but they disregard their oversight responsibilities and are only concerned with posing for their promotional photo ops.

Anonymous said...

So Malba Gardens Civic did all this and still Kelty and his Stooges did what they wanted. What a wonderful world these criminals live in and Doofy Dan is the 4th stooge what was his name again? The problem is CPB 7 is full of Stooges, all getting rich under the pretense of Volunteering. How much does Chuck make under the table as Land Use Chair?

Anonymous said...

How much does Chuck make under the table as Land Use Chair?

Ask Claire, the criminal, Shulman! I asked her and she told me, MOO!!!". Is that short for Moolah???

Fed Up said...

Every time I see Apelian I want to upchuck!

Anonymous said...

"Now most recently, we have DOT's evidence of Bitterman's utter disregard for the life of a civic leader in CB7's district -- whose civic group has an important matter pending before CB7. I cannot imagine how that civic group can ever get a fair hearing of its issue, when the District Manager does not even prefer that the civic's leader remain alive. Investigation? That's a joke. The civic group's pending matter should be pulled out of CB7's jurisdiction, and handled by other reasonable decision-makers who are not biased against the civic leader."

-----------------------------------

SOUND LOGICAL , IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

JOE FOR COUNCIL 19 said...

The disregard of ANY life is a tragedy; be it a Civic member or any other human being, and that type of retoric is useless in our society!

There is no transparancy in our Borough's government! NONE! and the reason being is that the people that have been in office have made a career out of the same position for WAY TOO long. It's human nature to become complacent, and side step issues. We need NEW people! FRESH People. PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOME FIGHT IN THEM! ASK QUESTIONS! DEMAND ANSWERS! It's that simple! The hard part; getting the word out!

Anonymous said...

It's time to chuck Chuck!

Anonymous said...

Funny, though, how "doofy" Dan Halloran showed up TWICE at CB#7 to approve the sellout of the Flushing municipal lot #1 to TDC.

It looks like Dan is going to be too busy with lawyers and the like to effectively serve as a councilman.

Time to step down.

The Republican party of Queens is already ruptured (double hernia) without you bringing it to oblivion.

Are ya listenin' Tabone & Ragusa?

Anonymous said...

TOO BAD RAGUSA IS AN INCOMPENT IDIOT AND TABONE IS A SNAKE, ON THE DEM SIDE YOU HAVE VALLONE WITH IS WELL A VALLONE, LOOK AT ASTORIA, AND TALK TO THE OLD TIMERS WHO LIVED IN WHITESTONE WHEN SENIOR WAS THEIR COUNCILMAN. NO POLICE PRESENCE, THE SCHOOL YARDS INHAABITED BY DRUG DEALERS , AND OUR PARKS A DISASTER.

WE NEED SOME FRESH BLOOD THAT OWES NOTHING TO NOONE!

ENOUGH WITH CAREER CRIMINALS TAKING THE REIGNS.

HELP, HELP, BAYSIDE, WHITESTONE, FLUSHING, NEEDS HELP. 911, 911

DID ANYONE ELSE NOTICE THAT DENNIS RING, HALLORANS FORMER CHEIF OF STAFF WHO QUIETLY STEPPED DOWN TO TAKE A POSITION WITH MAIMONE FORCINEA, WAS WITH HALLORAN AT THE GRAND JURY HEARING? WHY? IS RING ACTING AS HALLORANS ATTORNEY? WHY WOULD HE BRING AN ATTORNEY IN THE FIRST PLACE? IS RING BACK WITH DAN? WHATS THE CONNECTION?

Anonymous said...

Now most recently, we have DOT's evidence of Bitterman's utter disregard for the life of a civic leader in CB7's district -- whose civic group has an important matter pending before CB7. I cannot imagine how that civic group can ever get a fair hearing of its issue, when the District Manager does not even prefer that the civic's leader remain alive. Investigation? That's a joke. The civic group's pending matter should be pulled out of CB7's jurisdiction, and handled by other reasonable decision-makers who are not biased against the civic leader.

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Who would that reasonable decision-maker be? Can't go to the Halloran, Marshall won't do, Grodenchick is up to his neck in Shulman Shit. Oh where oh where does the little guy go, Oh where oh where does he go?

Anonymous said...

It is a shame that they are allowed to get away with such blatant disregard for the law and the community. Halloran is such a joke,

Anonymous said...

It is a shame that they are allowed to get away with such blatant disregard for the law and the community. Halloran is such a joke,

Anonymous said...

"Thirdly, to quote my original correspondence " in response to the invesitgation involving District Manager Marilyn Bitterman of Community Board 7 (CB7), my office is not and has not taken any action, District Manager Bitterman was appointed by CB7 and the Queen's Borouth President. Accordingly, my office has no jurisdiction any any complaints regarding the District Manager." They NYC Council is not the agency tasked with such oversight: the Community Board and the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs in conjuction with the Borough President preside over these matters"

There you have it direct from the councilmans office, any questions? Pass the Buck?