NEWS FROM BRONX COMMUNITY BOARD #10 – December 2014

NEWS FROM BRONX COMMUNITY BOARD #10

Contact Bronx Community Board #10 at 718-892-1161

 

 

Throughout 2014, Bronx Community Board #10 has been in the forefront of issues such as having additional police officers join the 45th Precinct; conducting job outreach services with our partners in the New York State Department of Labor; advocating for cleaner and safer parks with amenities, such as rest rooms; infrastructure improvement for roadways and sewers; the extension of after school programs, advocacy for a Bronx animal shelter; changes to the City’s zoning regulations, preserving our neighborhood’s character and engaging in a ground-breaking study of the Board’s water bound communities, to ensure that those communities are safe from storm surges.  These are but a few of the endeavors, that the Board has been engaged in throughout the year.

 

As an agency of the City of New York’s government, the volunteer members of this Board represent the communities of Country Club, Throggs Neck, Pelham Bay, City Island, Co-op City, Zerega and Westchester Square.  Our members are your neighbors, who work with our partners in government, the elected officials and the various governmental agencies to ensure that our communities receive excellent public services.  Our Board is your Board and we serve as your advocates. Applications are currently being accepted for membership.  Please contact the Bronx Borough President’s office at 718-590-3914 or download the application at bronxboropres.nyc.gov. The deadline for the submission of applications is February 6, 2015.

 

In January, all homeowners will receive a notice of Property Value from the New York City Department of Finance or (NOPV).  This notice provides the owner with the property’s market and assessed values, as of January 5, 2015 and a detailed property description. It also contains information on how the City determines the property’s value according to State law, and provides information on how to challenge assessments or change property descriptions, if the owner feels that they are incorrect.  Additional information can be obtained by contacting 212-602-7004.

 

Many consumers these days prefer to shop on line.  Here are some tips for on line shopping: Secure your computer and mobile device by confirming your anti-virus and spyware, firewall programs are running; limit your shopping to trusted merchants; secure your on-line transactions by making sure that the “lock” icon and “https” appear in the browser URL window; Use strong passwords that you will remember, this type of password contains a mixture of numbers and letters both uppercase and lowercase. Avoid using passwords that you would use for other types of accounts; Never send your personal financial information to anyone; do not use public computers, like the ones in libraries, to conduct sensitive transactions; ignore pop-ups messages; pay by credit card, as opposed to debit card.  Credit cards are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act, and

 

Credit card  use will protect you from fraudulent charges and always keep good records of on-line purchases

 

With visions of the coming summer, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation has announced the opening of its free lifeguard training course.  Completion of 40 hour course can lead to a paying position with the Department, as a lifeguard at one eight municipally owned and operated beaches, or at one of the fifty-five pools in the City. The starting salary is at least $13.57 per hour with most Lifeguards earning $651.36 for a 48 hour, 6 day work week. Prospective applicants for the Municipal Lifeguard Training Program must meet the following requirements: be 16 years of age at the time of employment; have eyesight no worse than 20/30 in one eye and 20/40 in the other, and be able to swim 50 yards in 35 seconds, using proper form. The qualifying test is offered in December and January and the test sites can be obtained by contacting http://www.nyc.gov/parks.  Those accepted into the program will acquire 40 hours of lifeguarding skills, rescue techniques, first aid and CPR training, over a 16 week period.

 

If you are 17-24 years of age, a New York City resident, Court involved (probation, parole or alternatively sentenced), formerly incarcerated, unemployed, out of school, homeless and are committed to obtaining to obtaining your high school diploma and want solid career skills, The SoBro Transformation Academy Program may be for you. It is an alternative education workforce and leadership program for people who have not completed high school. Contact Mr. Manny Rivera, Outreach Coordinator at mrivera@sobro.org or call 718-732-7619. Interested parties can also visit SoBro on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the hours of 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM at 555 Bergan Avenue, 3rd Floor.

 

Elder Abuse is an ongoing problem in our Borough and City, in general.  It can take the form of a relative manipulating a senior citizen’s bank accounts and pensions for their own benefit, physically, sexually and emotionally abusing an elder and denying access for the elder, to friends and relatives or neglecting the elder.  There now is a resource in our Borough to help victims of elder abuse in the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse at the Hebrew Home in Riverdale. This program was introduced to our Board and the northeast Bronx by Councilmember James Vacca, and is available to senior citizens and their advocates, offering a host of programs that feature legal counseling for civil cases, placement in safe environment at Center’s emergency shelter for victims, financial support, and training for medical providers, lawyers, social workers and building service personnel, on the signs of elder abuse. The Center maintains a referral hotline at 800.56Senior (800) 567-3646 or visit them on line at www.weinberg –center.org or www.hebrewhome.org.

 

It has been often stated that the strength of the City is found in its communities.  We in Community Board #10 are endowed by the presence of many fine community and homeowner organizations that help us maintain the quality of life in our community board.  During the holiday season many of these organizations provide organized activities, where we as a community come together to celebrate.  Among these organizations are the Throggs Neck Merchants, Westchester Square BID, Pelham Bay Merchants, the Waterbury La Salle Community Association and many others, who provide free toys and entertainment to the public.  We at the Board commend these organizations and recognize them for the many contributions during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Many of us are truly fortunate in having four legged friends; please remember to clean up after your dog. It is very important for the health of your dog and your neighbors. Besides, there is a $250.00 fine for failing to clean up after your pet and violating the pooper-scooper law.

 

Bronx Community Board #10 is available to assist you with your concerns, please feel free to contact us at 718-892-1161 or BX10@cb.nyc.gov. Please feel free to visit our office at 3165 E. Tremont Avenue. Visit our website at  www.nyc.gov/bronxcb10. We are open five days a week between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM.

 

 

 

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