October Van Nest Neighborhood Association Meeting

VNNA President Bernadette Ferrara opened the monthly meeting with the Presidents Report, which included mention of the Sunday’s Bronx Columbus Day Parade. She mentioned that this year the parade would start at Bronxdale Avenue and turn up Williamsbridge Road ending at Lydig Avenue just one block short of Pelham Parkway. There was discussion as to the change of the parade route, and Ms. Ferrara finished her report with the Full Community Board 11 Meeting being held at Lubin Hall on Thursday October 17th, and the 49th Precinct Council meeting Tuesday October 29th at a place to be determined.

Assemblywoman Karines Reyes listening to VNNA Vice-President Sharlene Jackson-Mendez.


The first guest was Assemblywoman Karines Reyes. She spoke about being opposed to the Morris Park road diet, attending a meeting on the new East Side Metro North Stations, and her first year in Albany. Assemblywoman Reyes said that now she knows how Albany works that she hopes to get some work done there. She spoke about being in favor of a single payer health care. Having been a nurse before being elected Reyes said that it is not new, and she has been talking about the issue for ten years. At one point she got into a heated discussion with VNNA Vice-President Sharlene Jackson-Mendez who said she was a health care provider, and is opposed to Single Payer Health Care because it takes away options for people. Reyes said that the plan works in other countries, and should be able to offer the choice for better lower costing health care.

Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez speaking about 2500 Williamsbridge Road.


Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez came in as Reyes was finishing up, and said she was at the other side of the district taking care of a problem. She spoke of giving monies to three of the community organizations in her district, and hopes to be able to give more next year including to VNNA, The assemblywoman said that she is opposed to any proposal of a drug clinic at 2500 Williamsbridge Road, since the building is across the street from a school, near another school and church. She added that she will do everything in her power to stop the proposal. She would rather see a youth center open of which she said is lacking in the area.

Director of Outreach and Counsel to thevNYC Charter Revision Commission 2019 Indiana Porta Esq.


The Director of Outreach and Counsel of the New York City Charter Revision Commission 2019 spoke about the five proposals that will appear on the November General election ballot. She was unable to answer a question of exactly how the drop down vote percentage would be calculated. There is to be a meeting at the Bronx Museum October 16th from 6:30 PM to 8 PM by Charter2019.nyc

Ms. Maria Matos of the U.S. Census Bureau New York Region.


The last speaker was Ms. Maria Matos from the New York Region of the U.S. Census Bureau. She spoke of the importance of every New Yorker being counted, as federal monies are given to states and cities based on the number of people counted during the Census period. 

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