Letitia James Meeting - 4/19 7:30pm @ Sepia --topic expanded

What's the date and time of the meeting again?

looks like this has been expanded to a prospect heights wide meeting, not just lincoln pl:

AN EVENING WITH
WITH
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL PERSON
LETITIA JAMES

DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS AVBOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PROSPECT HEIGHTS?
ARE YOU A LONG TIME RESIDENT
OR
HAVE YOU RECENTLY MOVED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD?

COME TO BAR SEPIA
AT 234 UNDERHILL AVENUE
ON
APRIL 19TH AT 7:30PM
TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES WITH CITY COUNCIL PERSON LETITIA JAMES
(35TH COUNCIL DISTRICT)
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED

Subject: Mt. Prospect

Don't forget Mount Prospect Playground...much closer than anything in the Slope or Prospect Park....

I'm out of town and couldn't make the meeting - can someone post an update as to what was discussed and any highlights?

Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Subject: Follow up letter to Letitia

Council Member Letitia James
67 Hanson Place,
Brooklyn, NY
11217

April 20, 2006
Dear Council Member James

I am writing to thank you for attending the community meeting at Bar Sepia last night. Delissa counted over 70 participants during the course of the evening and I am sure that I can speak for them when I say that we appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with us and address our concerns.

I believe we focused on two major themes during the evening: the necessity of local organizing and the demand for equal access to municipal services. I wish to touch on both of these subjects briefly.

First, with regard to the necessity of local organizing, we both know that Prospect Heights in general and Lincoln Place (between Washington and Underhill), in specific, are poorly organized. Last night was an excellent step in the right direction: neighbors met neighbors, police and elected representatives met with their constituents, and a general airing of grievances took place. The next step is to follow up with revitalizing the Block Association (steps were taken last night), regularizing meetings, and ensuring local representation on community councils and the like. Many thanks for prodding us to get our collective act together.

Second, with regard to equal access to municipal services I would like to reiterate some of the concerns that I expressed in my original letter: Lincoln is physically very dirty with rubbish blowing about everywhere. Traffic violations abound. Cars travel at excessive speeds and fail to give the right of way at busy intersections.

These problems afflict new and veteran residents alike. You noted last night that a girl was struck down in an auto accident on our very block. None of us want to stand around in piles of garbage waiting for the next tragic accident to occur!

As we have discussed, Lincoln has a higher population density than many surrounding blocks and receives fewer municipal services (street lighting, garbage removal, etc. etc.). Lincoln Place is not a charity case that should beg for services that we pay taxes for. These are services that we are entitled to and we look (as we did last night) to our elected representatives to fight for our rights.

I feel that the meeting last night ended on a rather low note. If I may paraphrase, you summarized the meeting by saying that nothing would happen ‘the day after’ without local organization. I believe that the attendees of last nights meeting sat up and took notice. However, we should not have to fight a battle before fighting a battle. Without our fair share of local amenities I fear that many of the other issues raised last night will be moot. For example, can we realistically revitalize local business on Washington when the streets are dirty and unsafe?

We need your commitment to secure our rightful services. I believe that movement on this front would go a long way to help revitalize community organizing.

Jamie