Minutes of the March 21, 2023 General Membership Meeting of the Westmoreland Homeowners Association

 

Officers Present:

President - Walter Mugdan

Vice President – Victor Dadras

Treasurer – Gary Savage

Secretary – Charles Manna

 

Board Members Present:

Namshik Yoon

Peter Reinharz

Jess Bravo

Arasu Jambukeswaran

John Duane

 

Officials Present:

Evelyn Mallo – staff member of Vickie Paladino, NYC Council Member, District 19

Jon Gallo- from State Senator John Liu’s Office

 

President Walter Mugdan called the virtual Zoom meeting to order at 8:05 P.M.  A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously adopted to waive reading of the minutes.   (Mr. Mugdan noted that the minutes are available for review on the Westmoreland website.)  

 

Gary Savage provided the Treasurer’s Report indicating that the balance-on-hand was $18,685.64 as of March 21, 2023.  There are currently 29 active members who paid $405 in dues, $270 were received as contributions.  Members can now pay their dues thru the Zelle app.  A motion was made to accept the Treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded, and the report was unanimously approved.

 

New Business:

 

Once again, the meeting was held virtually.  Walter Mugdan made several announcements:

 

• April 1, 2023

  •  E-Cycle at St. A’s from 10 AM to 2 PM

  • Annual Glenwood Park Cleanup [note: cleanup was switched to April 15 due to inclement weather on April 1]

• March 27, 2023 – Organics Pickup will resume.  Leave all organic material curbside in the brown containers.  Includes all meats, bones, greens and lawn waste

 

Governor Kathy Hochel Affordable Housing Initiative is strongly opposed by communities throughout the state. State Senators Liu, Stavisky and Comrie met with local leaders and policy makers to discuss the proposals to increase housing.  The proposals are supported by the Mayor of NYC and some builders.  However, local communities, especially those who are located within ½ mile of a subway stop or train station are up in arms.  The initiative is hidden in the state budget and is not subject to review or modification by the legislature.  It is clear that the initiative would increase housing density in our neighborhood by seven-fold or more, and would not increase affordable housing.  The impact on current homeowners would be devastating.  The homeowner associations that met with the politicians were from all over the Queens County and upstate neighborhoods.  They were unanimous in their opposition to the initiative.  All agreed that there are better alternatives that would actually create affordable housing.

 

In addition, the governor’s plan would allow the state to override local zoning; and allow “Accessory Units” to be created on current properties.  In addition to being unacceptable to homeowners, the initiative would create dangerous housing.  That was made clear when heavy rains created flooding in Queens neighborhoods that resulted in deaths of people who were trapped in basement apartments.

 

Walter Mugdan encourages everyone to write to the governor, state representatives and newspapers encouraging the removal of the initiatives from the budget and to create legislative bill that can be debated.  The budget is due April 1, 2023.  So, time is of the essence.  Paul Graziano is organizing a rally at 120-55 Queens Blvd. to protest the initiative.

 

Community Advisory Board:  OpenHeartsInitiative.org is acting as a liaison between the homeless shelter that is being constructed on the old Pride of Judea building in Douglaston.  We asked for a meeting of the Advisory Board and the shelter personnel.

 

54th Annual Udals Cove Cleanup -  is slated for April 29, 2023 [note: this was postponed to May 6 due to inclement weather on April 29.]

 

Our Protective Covenants still apply, and were reprinted on the back of the March meeting letter (as they are every year).  Walter reviewed the history of our defense of the covenants. 

 

LITTLE NECK DOUGLASTON MEMORIAL DAY PARADE COMMITTEE – is hosting a fundraising party Saturday, April 29, 2023 at Monahans in Bayside.  There will be a silent auction and the 300 Club.

 

The parade will resume after two years of cancellations and last years abbreviated parade.  In addition to the fund-raiser at Monahans, there will be a parade dinner to honor the parade martials and other awardees.  It will be held at Il Bacco on Northern Blvd on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 7 PM. 

 

Future Association Meetings: For the foreseeable future, the Westmoreland Association November and March meetings will be virtual.  There are no satisfactory alternatives.  The cost of meetings at the Edge City Church (former Little Neck Community Church) meeting hall is now $500 per event.  PS94 is a possibility -- Jess Bravo learned that they charge only $94 per meeting.  However, the Board of Education requires that we have to have liability insurance and proof of Covid vaccination for all participants. (Note à the LND Parade Committee pays over $1,200 per year for liability insurance.)  The May 13, 2023 and September 18, 2023, meetings will be held outdoors at Glenwood Landing Park on the afternoon of the Saturday (or Sunday, rain date) prior to the 3rd Monday in the month. 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM.  The next meeting will be held on May 13, 2023 at the Glenwood Landing (Triangle) Park.

 

Respectfully submitted, Charles Manna, Secretary

​

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

​

 Minutes of the May 13, 2023 General Membership Meeting of the Westmoreland Homeowners Association

 

Officers Present

President - Walter Mugdan

Vice President – Victor Dadras

Treasurer – Gary Savage

Secretary – Charles Manna

 

Board Members Present

Namshik Yoon

Peter Reinharz

Jess Bravo

John Duane

 

Officials Present

None.

 

President Walter Mugdan called the virtual Zoom meeting to order at 4:05 P.M.  A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously adopted to waive reading of the minutes.   (Mr. Mugdan noted that the minutes are available for review on the Westmoreland website.)  

 

Gary Savage provided the Treasurer’s Report indicating that the balance-on-hand was $19,214.36 as of May 13, 2023.  There are currently 68 active members who paid $405 in dues, $270 were received as contributions.  Members can now pay their dues thru the Zelle app.  A motion was made to accept the Treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded, and the report was unanimously approved.

 

New Business

 

Once again, the meeting was held at Glenwood Landing Park.

 

Walter Mugdan made several announcements:

 

• The police were scheduled to speak at the meeting. They cancelled at the last minute.  Someone suggested that the timing was not great because there is a shift change around the time of the meeting.

• Once again, cars on Westmoreland Street are being keyed by someone.  They are avoiding detection from home cameras.  So far, no one has been caught this time.

 

Old business

 

The 6th Annual Glenwood Landing Park cleanup on April 15 was a great success.  Daffodils bloomed for weeks.  The place looks great.  Walter suggested that a new tree be planted in the NW corner of the park to replace the old tree that was removed.

 

The proposals that were added to the State Budget that would have dramatically changed the zoning, density and independence of the local governments were removed.  The budget was passed without these amendments.  The governor and the mayor of NYC are still looking to force in the changes in the future.  We must continue to monitor this situation.  We agree with the other homeowner associations that there must be more affordable housing.  We just need to see the proposals separate from the budget process so that they can be debated and revised to meet the actual needs of the local communities.

 

Community Advisory Board - OpenHeartsInitiative.org is acting as a liaison between the community and the homeless shelter that is being constructed on the old Pride of Judea building in Douglaston.  We asked for a meeting of the Community Advisory Board and the shelter personnel.

 

54th Annual Udals Cove Cleanup - Happened on May 6, 2023.  It was a beautiful day and a large group of volunteers pitched in.

 

LITTLE NECK DOUGLASTON MEMORIAL DAY PARADE COMMITTEE – is hosting an event to honor the Parade Marshalls and other awardees.  The parade will resume after two years of COVID-related cancellations and last year's abbreviated parade. 

 

Catalytic Converters – Are still being stolen from cars.  Gangs are using loud radio music to cover the sound of the cutting.  The whole process happens in less than 90 seconds.  There is still no legislation to enforce the illegitimate “Chop Shops” from purchasing the stolen mufflers. 

 

Terrace on the Park – was the setting for an evening hosted by the Alley Pond Environmental Center at which Walter Mugdan was honored.  Congratulations!  Walter says that the Center's new facility on Northern Blvd. will be complete by the end of the summer or early fall.  Let’s hope.

 

Victor Dadras announced that Councilmember Paladino is hosting a Town Hall meeting at Zion Church in Douglaston on Thursday, May 18, 2023 to discuss the Woman’s Shelter on Northern Blvd.  It is nearing completion.  It will be in the former Pride of Judea building.  [Westmoreland Association's representative for the Community Advisory Board attended the meeting.]

 

Strawberry Festival – will be held Saturday, June 10, 2023 at Zion Church.

 

Movie Night – will be held at the plaza south of the Douglaston train station on Saturday, June 24, 2023.

 

Future Association Meetings: For the foreseeable future, the Westmoreland Association November and March meetings will be virtual.  There are no satisfactory alternatives.  The cost of meetings at the Edge City Church (former Little Neck Community Church) meeting hall is now $500 per event.  PS94 is a possibility -- Jess Bravo learned that they charge only $94 per meeting.  However, the Board of Education requires that we must have liability insurance and proof of Covid vaccination for all participants. [Note à the LND Parade Committee pays over $1,200 per year for liability insurance.]  The May 13, 2023, and September 18, 2023, meetings will be held outdoors at Glenwood Landing Park on the afternoon of the Saturday (or Sunday, rain date) prior to the 3rd Monday in the month. 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM.  The next meeting will be held on September 16, 2023 (rain date: Sept. 17) at the Glenwood Landing (Triangle) Park.

 

Respectfully submitted, Charles Manna, Secretary

​

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

​