Red Hook ballfields Vendors permit not renewed after 2007?

F*&$%#!!! MO*#!@% GOd DAMN SO#^@%BI&;#$#HS!
F%!# :evil: :evil: :x :evil:
UURRG!!!

My name is Mamacita, you killed my Huarache PREPARE TO DIEEEEEE!!!!!

(I'll write a letter tonight!)

Web email form for Parks Commissioner Benepe:
http://nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildpr.html

Web email for Mayor Bloomberg:
http://tinyurl.com/2jjtgt

Email address for Borough President Markowitz:
[email protected]

Web email for City Council Member Gonzalez:
http://www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/email_form.cfm?con_id=83

adrian benepe = xxxxxxxxx. (mod deleted profanity)

Subject: Will it never end??

This seriously sucks. I've already written a letter. Commercialism and greed is killing our borough at a pace we've never witnessed, and this is just one more horrible example. What will they replace them with? Those garbage hot dog vendors that are a blight on Central Park? Speak up people!!!

A web site is now up about the pending disaster...
http://savesoccertacos.blogspot.com/

From today's NYTimes. The situation doesn't seem to be as dire as originally depicted.

Red Hook Vendors Pressed to Get New Permit

By PETER MEEHAN
Published: June 6, 2007
PUPUSAS, sunburns, soccer: could this be the last summer to get them all at the same place?

For years a pan-Latin group of food vendors has assembled each Saturday and Sunday at Bay and Clinton Streets in Brooklyn, drawing fans of street food from all over the city to the Red Hook Recreation Area.

The Food Vendors Committee, their umbrella organization, has had a series of temporary use permits, regularly renewed. But the Parks Department now says that if the vendors are to stay at the ball fields, they will need to bid for their space like vendors at other parks and have the bid accepted by the city.

Cesar Fuentes, executive director of the group, said that when he renewed the temporary permit most recently (ensuring that the vendors would be at the park through Sept. 8), he was told that he could not renew it again, even though the vendors’ season usually ends in October. The news came “like a bucket of ice water,” he said.

Warner Johnston, chief spokesman for the Parks Department, said it was trying to apply the same rules and permits for all vendors in all parks. He said department officials hoped the vendors’ group would submit a bid.

“We love these groups,” Mr. Johnston said. “We know what a resource they are.”

He said the organization now pays about $9,000 a season, but he had no idea how much a successful bid for a permit would cost. (Permits for hot dog stands in Central Park vary hugely, he said, depending on location: from $600 to $300,000 a season.) No other requests have been received for the space in Red Hook.

Mr. Fuentes said the vendors’ worst fear was that a big company would win the bid. But of the Parks Department, he said, “I have faith they’ll do what’s in the best interest of the community and what’s right for the people who use the park.”

http://www.seriouseats.com/required_eating/2007/06/breaking-red-hook-ball-fields.html#comments

Breaking: Red Hook Ball Fields Press Conference Tomorrow

Posted by Alaina Browne on June 8, 2007

This just in: word is that New York Senator Charles Schumer will be holding a press conference tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at the Red Hook ball fields in support of the family food vendors. Andrew Carmalini of A Voce and Cesar Fuentes of the Food Vendors Committee of Red Hook Park Inc. will also be in attendance.

My belief is this is all based on economics and the middle class families that are moving into the area. Not too long ago the new residents tried to have the name changed from Red Hook to Liberty Heights. I think the Bloomberg Administration smells money. They'd like to get rid of the small vendors in favor of bigger vendors with deeper pockets so they can collect more money.
It can also be construed as race related politics.

The Administration is wrong.

What to do? The Administration is headed by a corporate figure. To him this running New York is like running a business. You go where the money is. He's going for the money. Consider this...he brought back New York from the brink without raising taxes, but at what cost? Someone always pays. The small vendors should think of a way to become a larger more economically powerful entity. We can see the way things are going in New York City. The little person is being shoved aside in favor of the person with more money. It's happening with real estate, hence no affordable apartments. Where are working ppl going to move? The landlords smell money so they are increasing their rents. They kick out the low paying stabilized tenant, put up a few dollars to make a cosmetic change only, say they made a major capital investment, and raise the rent to market value. Who can afford to pay $1500.00 to $2500.00 a month rent? Only the newcomers that are moving in. So where are working class ppl going to move? Not to Bushwick. The rent there is also rising. Landlords are already looking for $900.00 and better. Sooner or later things will turn for the worst in New York. Ppl will revolt. The youth will take it to the streets. With no jobs as outsourcing continues...things look bleak. All I can say is tell a joke and laugh while we can.

Hey, you never know. Better go up there and buy everything you can this coming weekend. The Administration may shut them down and send them packing. Maybe Nathan's will move in now that they are shutting down Coney Island.

fyi, here's the response i just received from the parks commish:

Dear Constituent:

Thank you for your email regarding the food vendors at Red Hook Park in Brooklyn.

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation has been issuing "Temporary Use Authorizations" to two separate groups to operate a food market at the ballfields in Red Hook Park. We began the process a few years ago in an effort to legalize the vendors at Red Hook, helping them become a permanent fixture in the neighborhood, and the park users have benefited from their presence. They enhance and diversify the Red Hook neighborhood, and particularly our ballfields, by serving great food at reasonable prices. Unfortunately, once it became clear that the Red Hook markets would regularly be open for more than 29 days a year, we could no longer legally renew their temporary permits without opening up the concession to the public solicitation process.

I would, however, like to correct a common misperception that we are offering the site to the "highest bidder." In order to comply with the concession regulations in the New York City Charter, we will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). This will allow Parks to evaluate proposals based on qualitative criteria such as operating experience and planned operations. We plan on releasing a RFP shortly for the operation of vending markets at the various ballfields at Red Hook Park; the term of the license will be six years. This process will give the selected vendors the permanence and regularity that they deserve.

We have received positive feedback regarding the Red Hook vending markets and we look forward to the active participation of the existing vending groups at Red Hook in the proposal process.

I appreciate your taking the time to write.

Sincerely,

Adrian Benepe
Commissioner

BigGuy, Christina and I were at the ballfields on Saturday and saw the parks commish getting fed and tamarindo-juiced by some (assumed) local politicos. an older woman and a short man - both hispanic. I was too busy ordering my yumtastic taco to eavesdrop effectively.

(btw - walking to the ballfields from prospect heights is a fuckin' bad idea in this weather)

This is gonna make a lot of people very happy.....

Red Hook Ballfield Vendors Win Six Year Permit

http://gothamist.com/2008/03/11/red_hook_ballfi_2.php