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

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 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

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Minutes of the September 17, 2023 General Membership Meeting of the Westmoreland Homeowners Association

 

Officers Present

President - Walter Mugdan

Treasurer – Gary Savage

Secretary – Charles Manna

 

Board Members Present

Peter Reinharz

Jess Bravo

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Officials Present

Keith Felsenfeld, representative for Evelyn Gong, candidate for Civil Judge

 

 

President Walter Mugdan called the in-person meeting at the Glennwood Landing Park 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 $19,582.68 as of May 13, 2023.  There are currently 59 active members. Current dues paid in this period are $97.50, $370 were received as contributions. (Members can now pay their dues though the Zelle app.)  A one-time contribution of $100 was made to the Little Neck Douglaston Ambulance Corp.  A motion was made to accept the Treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded, and the report was unanimously approved.

 

New Business

 

Walter Mugdan made several announcements:

• Meetings will be scheduled in the future as follows: 

  • November and March will be virtual over Zoom

  • May and September will be held in-person at the Glennwood Landing Park; usually these will be held on the Saturday before the third Thursday of those months, with the Sunday being the rain date.

• Bob Nobile – former NYPD officer passed away recently.  He was the long-time leader of the Little Neck Pines Homeowners Association.  Walter will send condolences to his widow on behalf of the Association, and will let us know of any further arrangements.

 

Old business

 

The 7th Annual Glenwood Landing Park Fall Cleanup is tentatively planned for Saturday, November 4th starting at 10 AM (but may be moved to November 11, 12 or 18).  Residents are encouraged to join us and the Douglaston Garden Club; the New York City Parks Department will provide tools, garbage bags, and work gloves.  Come for the duration of the event or feel free to come for an hour or two.  We will see if we can get the City, or the Long Island Railroad or Con Edison, to cut back the tree branches and overgrowth that is partially blocking the north side of 39th Road.   A local resident has called 311 to ask that the City could take care of the problem.  There has been no response yet. Also, Walter warned that care must be taken to avoid contact with poison ivy; its potency has increased by 25% in recent years due to global warming.

 

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 effectuate the changes in the future.  We will continue to monitor this situation.  We agree with the other homeowner associations that there must be more affordable housing.  We 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.

 

Homeless Shelter Community Advisory Board

The woman’s Shelter on Northern Blvd is hosting a walk-through on Monday, September 18, for the advisory board members.  Walter and Charles will attend (our permanent representative on the CAB, Arasu Jambukeswaran, is unavailable).  [Update:  Walter and Charles attended the walk-through and had a favorable impression.  The facility appeared well organized and well laid out.  We met the new Director, Robin Glenn, and other representatives from the shelter, Samaritan Village (the organization that is running the shelter under contract to the City, and the NYC Department of Homeless Services). The first 10-20 clients to be housed in the shelter are expected to arrive starting on September 22.]  Zion Church has collected toiletries and supplies to create gift bags for the incoming residents; the Westmoreland Association contributed $100 to that effort.  If you have any products to contribute to the effort, please contact us and we will get them to the appropriate people.

 

Alley Pond Environmental Center: The construction of the new facility on Northern Blvd. between Douglaston and Bayside is finally nearing completion.  The final walkthrough just took place and the finishing touches are taking place.  The grand opening will take place towards the end of October.

 

September 23 is National Estuary Day.  The NYC Parks Department will host a festival from 10 AM to 2 PM to take place on Cloverdale Boulevard across from Oakland Lake.  There will be tents from many organizations including the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee, and ambassador animals from APEC will be on hand.

 

Walter asked how the Summer went. There were few negative incidents reported, but these concerns were raised:

• One resident pointed out that there were seven accidents on 41st Drive near the Morgan and Westmoreland Street intersections, confirming the need for 4-way Stop signs at those intersections.  (The Association has requested such signage several times over the past years, but the NYC Department of Transportation has declined, saying that the frequency of accidents there does not justify such signage.)  The NYC DOT did finally install speed bumps on Morgan Street, as requested by our Association several years ago.

• Il Bacco Restaurant is still blasting music during the night, to the distress of our residents near Northern Boulevard.  Walter will contact the Police Community Relations Officer to request that something be done to address the situation.

 

Walter discussed the issue with the attempt by Governor Hochu; to us the state budget to enact measures to increase housing density in the half-mile radius of train and subway stations throughout the state.  The pressure from homeowner groups, state legislators, and community influencers helped to remove those provisions from the budget bill.  Paul Graziano from Whitestone led the successful push from local organizations state-wide to win the concessions.  However, the fight is not over.  We will have to keep vigilant and press for more appropriate initiatives.  We support legislation the keeps local control of zoning, and reasonable changes to help increase affordability of local housing in the state and, particularly, our neighborhoods.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 PM.  The next meeting will be held in November16, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. on Zoom.  The Zoom link will be emailed about a week prior to the meeting.  Residents who are not yet on our email list can send an email to: westmorelandassn@aol.com and request to be added.  (We send all emails as “bcc” to protect privacy and avoid “reply all” responses.)

 

Respectfully submitted, Charles Manna, Secretary

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 Minutes of the November 27, 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

Peter Reinharz

Jess Bravo

Namshik Yoon

Arasu Jambukeswaran

Philip Toscano

 

Officials Present

Evelyn Mallo, from Councilwoman Vickie Paladino’s office

 

 

The meeting was held “virtually” over Zoom.  President Walter Mugdan called the meeting to order at 8:03 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 $19,670.50 as of November 28, 2023.  There are currently 64 active members. Current dues paid in this period are $795.00, $1,225 were received as contributions. (Members can now pay their dues though 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

 

Walter Mugdan made several announcements:

 

• Assemblyman Bronstein – Annual Toy Drive – bring new toys to his office in Bayside, or to the Community Board 11 office on Little Neck Parkway.  Gifts will be accepted through December 13.

 

• The 7th Annual Glenwood Landing Park Fall cleanup is happened on Saturday, November 4th starting at 10 AM.  It was very successful with nearly 20 people participating. 

 

• The Women’s Shelter in Douglaston is going full bore.  It’s been open for a little more than two months.  There was a walk-through for local residents and officials on September 18, 2023 and the shelter opened two days later.  Currently, there are 59 residents.  Very few complaints have been received from the public; two involved women who were observed smoking near the facility or elsewhere.  If there are any real concerns, call the administration at the shelter (929-519-6091).  There was an instance of pan-handling in Douglas Manor, but there was no evidence that the person was from the shelter.  In the future, if residents are concerned, they can take a picture of the person and show it to the shelter administration.  Walter has suggested to the NYC Department of Homeless Services that there be a meeting of the Community Advisory Board in January, 2024; the Devine Wisdom Academy offered to host it in person at their facility. 

 

• There will be a clothing drive at PS 94 on Saturday, December 2th. 

 

• There will be a Winter Festival at the Douglaston LIRR plaza on December 9th.

 

• The Alley Pond Environmental Center is finally open in its new facility.  There will be a ribbon cutting on December 4th and an open house on December 9TH.

 

 

New Business:

Walter introduced urban planner Paul Graziano.  Paul has been on the forefront of the fight against the so-called “City of Yes” proposal by NYC Mayor Adams.  Paul has created a document that shows the impact of the proposed changes to zoning and how it will impact single-family and two-family communities.  The changes will allow so-called Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) to be created in neighborhoods that currently forbid such accommodations.  The proposals would also impose Transit Oriented Development (TODs) in neighborhoods that are located within a half-mile radius of transit stations.  This is similar to the changes that Governor Hochul tried to enact during the past budget cycle, against which we and many other groups advocated successfully. Changes to commercial zoned areas are also proposed to enable significantly greater residential development above commercial buildings. 

 

If these proposals are passed, the impact on our neighborhoods would be very significant, and potentially devastating.  It would effectively eliminate nearly all single-family and two-family zoning.  New development would not be required to provide off-street parking, so street parking availability would be dramatically reduced.  Walter Mugdan has circulated Mr. Graziano's documents by email, and they are accessible here, on our Zoning page under the Public Positions tab.

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The Queens Civic Congress, an umbrella organization that represents most of the civic groups around Queens, and of which the Westmoreland Association is a member, has hired Mr. Graziano to lead the opposition to many of the City of Yes proposals.  The QCC asked all member organizations to contribute $500 to this effort, and the Westmoreland Association has done so. 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 PM.  The next meeting will be held on March 18, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. on Zoom.  The Zoom link will be emailed about a week prior to the meeting.  Residents who are not yet on our email list can send an email to: westmorelandassn@aol.com and request to be added.  (We send all emails as “bcc” to protect privacy and avoid “reply all” responses.)

 

Respectfully submitted, Charles Manna, Secretary

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