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Crown Heights Crowd PressuresKoch Uver Disbanded t-ire SiationFIRE FIGHTING: Mayor Koch is assailed by disgruntled citizens Nov. 3 after the dedicationof new Police Precinct 71. Demonstrators were protesting the closing of Fire DepartmentEngine Company 234 in Crown Heights. (Michael Cuiccio Photo)BY PEYER HALEYLed by a trio of elected representatives, Crown Heights residents, angry over the relocation of a local fire company, forced a confrontation with Mayor Koch last Friday at the dedication of a new police precinct.The demonstrators remained quiet during the dedication ceremony inside the new 71st precinct. But afterwards. State Senator Thomas Bartosiewicz, State Senator Vander Beatty, and City Councilwoman Mary Pinkett teamed up with a crowd of 50 demonstrators outside the precinct to harass Koch over the Fire Department's recent decision.Bartosiewicz and Beatty tried to block Koch as the Mayor made his way to his automobile. Bartosiewicz tried to present the Mayor with a funeral wreath and after failing, tried to halt Koch who brushed by the Greenpoint-Crown Heights state senator and entered the car.At no point did Koch acknowledge the demonstration or comment to Bartosiewicz.%u201c Is this how you show your regard for the community?%u201d Bartosiewicz shouted as he tried to halt Koch%u2019s departure by standing in front of the limousine. When police pushed him aside. Bartosiewicz hurled the wreath at the Koch car.The bitter dispute over the closing of Engine Company 234 in northern Crown Heights and the transfer of firemen to a BedfordStuyvesant firehouse had previously sparked two demonstrations anda subpoena against Koch and the Fire Department. Ironically, the new confrontation at Empire Boulevard and New York Avenue came after a speech in which Koch praised the \between residents and the Police Department.Bartosiewicz, however, charged Koch with creating ill will between the Mayor and the community.%u201cThe Mayor has demonstrated a flagrant disregard and contempt for life in Crown Heights,%u201d declared Bartosiewicz.Pinkett said that the neighborhood group had not yet met with the Mayor but that %u2018%u2018we are determined to let the Mayor know that we are here and that we exist.%u201d Beatty called the relocation of the fire company a \tuous act\funeral wreath for Koch signified %u201cthe 20 deaths and numerous abandoned houses that have already been caused by fires in Crown Heights. Beatty said that the group intended to continue to fight City Hall in the streets and in Albany.Next Friday the group intends to go to Wall Street and at a later date to Sutton Place \know how the middle class and poor feel about losing firemen from their neighborhoods%u201d explained Beatty. In addition, he promised that he and Bartosiewicz would \legislation giving state funds to New York City until Koch came to an agreement with them.\attack to block legislative funding to pressure the city,%u201d said Beatty.Although the group has met with Fire Department officials, members of the Crown Heights community \meeting with the Mayor unless the issue of 234 is on the table%u201d said Bartosiewicz who described the previous meeting with fire officials as %u201ctwo hours of justification.%u201d The Fire Department transferfrom Company 234 of 1472 Bergen Street to a new firehouse six blocks away at Schenectady Avenue and St. John%u2019s Place will improve fire protection, according to Fire Department officials. Neighborhood residents argue, however, that the transfer will seriously reduce fire protection in the area by increasing response time. At a previousdemonstration on October 21 four people, including Pinkett and Bartosiewicz, were arrested trying to prevent the Fire Department from moving the pumper from the 234 firehouse. On November 2, 30 demonstrators tied up traffic around 8 a.m. at the corner of Troy and Atlantic Avenues for over a half hour.Civic Group Opposes Greater N.Y. BranchBY MARTHA DOGGETTThe trustees of the Park Slope Civic Council voted November 2 to oppose Greater New York Savings Bank's application to open a fifth Manhattan branch if the bank does not agree in writing to offer %u201ccompetitive%u201d mortgage terms.The late-night vote came after a meeting with Greater New York president Jerome Maron and other bank officials. By the time the vote was taken, only 11 members of the 29 member board were present. The vote was seven for, and two against with two abstentions. Ten members constitutes a quorum.The adopted motion read, %u201cThe trustees vote to oppose the application to include an agreement to offer mortgages in Park Slope in the future on terms and conditions competitive with terms and conditions of other savings banks then making mortgages in Park Slope.%u201d%u201cThe wording of the last part of the paragraph is very critical,%u201d said Council spokeswoman Nancy MacGregor. %u201c It means we are aware that times fluctuate, and we%u2019re really only asking Greater New York to do what other banks do.%u201dThe vote came as a response to a request in June from Against Investment Discrimination (AID), a Brooklyn anti-redlining group, that the council support AID%u2019S challenge to the bank%u2019s branch application. AID opposes the application on the grounds that the bank has not met the mortgage n e e d s o f u s h o m e c o m m u n it y , r a i kSlope. The Civic Council voted at that time to hear the bank%u2019s side before making a decision.The trustees decision was followed by a meeting of the council%u2019sexecutive committee the following day, Nov. 3, which was called, according to MacGregor, %u201c to clarify the motion.%u201d The committee approved at that time the wording of a letter to be sent to the bank stating the council%u2019s position. The letter changed the original motion to read %u201c . . .to include an agreement to continue to offer mortgages in Park Slope. . . %u201d Thechange was removed from the letter on Monday before it was sent.%u201c In refreshing Steve Kahn%u2019s memory (the trustee who made the original motion), he agreed that he did not intend to say %u2018continue,%u2019 %u201d MacGregor said. %u201c He did not mean to imply that the bank was now offering competitive terms, Also, he meant to make a distinctionbetween banks and savings banks.%u201dThere remains some uncertainty about whether the original motion read %u201c conditions''of other banks,%u201d or %u201c conditions of other savings banks.%u201d At least three of the 11 trustees present remember that the motion read simply %u201cbanks.%u201d %u201cI was there and I%u2019m sure of it,%u201d said Richard Valcich.%u201c It was late in the evening and people were tired,%u201d explained Kahn. %u201c I only intended to compare Greater New York with other savings banks. I always say what I mean, and I%u2019m sure that%u2019s what I said.%u201d%u201cThere was no intent to try to change the motion,%u201d said MacGregor. %u201cObviously we can%u2019t do that.%u201dBank Evaluates%u2014and DefendsIts Mortgage PracticeGreater New York Savings Bank%u2019s one hour presentation to the trustees of the Park Slope Civic Council, followed by a question and answer period, was designed to prove that the bank had upheld its Affirmative Action Program announced in November 1977.The bank promised at that time to grant $25 million in new mortgages in New York City and to spend $100,000 city-wide to advertise their mortgage terms, $40,000 of it to be spent in Park Slope and Sunset Park. The program also included a commitment from the bank to hire community liaison personnel to coordinate grants for civicr t v %u00bb %u00bb VllGVulC IV/V.VMbranches %u201cto demonstrate our commitment to the local areas we serve.%u201dRichard J. Loehfelm, assistant vice president for mortgageorigination, announced at the meeting that effective November 6, mortgages would only be available to Greater New York depositors and nondepositors in counties with Greater New York branches. %u201c This is an emphasis on Brooklyn,%u201d Loehfelm said. The bank has nine Brooklyn branches, four branches in Manhattan, and one each in Nassau and W estchester counties.From January 1, 1978 to November 2, 1978 the bank has closed and committed $1,419,400 in mortgage loans in Park Slope and Sunset Park and has $1,228,650 in process.Loansi -z -t t !-- A O A I___ I__... lutftimig fz ,u u u ,^ nave ucengranted in Brooklyn and $6,974,750 are in process. Total loans in New York City in 1978 amount to $11,359,625. Mortgages totalling $9,620,125are pending throughout the city. Total Greater New York loans this year total $14,749,075 with $12,252,275 still in process.Community liaison Ann O%u2019Gira said the bank had contributed $95,335,68 to %u201ccivic projects%u201d such as house tours, street festivals, school poetry projects, community police precinct councils, and programs at the Brooklyn Museum. The majority of the funds have been spent in the Flatbush area,%u201d O%u2019Gira said. %u201c Basically we have not spent the $40,000 promised to Park Slope because we have not received the necessary community input. We have not received the requests.%u201dmao icpicacuiing the bankwere Greater New York attorney Tony Russo, and administrative assistant Morton Nelson.The bank has been criticized for moving its headquartersfrom Park Slope to Manhattan. Maron said the 1974 move was based solely on practical reasons. %u201c I was forced to make a quick decision,%u201d Maron said. %u201cWe were able to buy the building on Wall Street at a reasonable cost and it was easier than going through the hassle of architects. The 60,000 square feet with a bank floor below and office space upstairs provided for growth within the next five to ten years.%u201d%u201cI guess some of the confrontation has come because I didn%u2019t take the easy way out,%u201d Maron said of the year-long struggle between the bank and community groups. %u201c I didn%u2019t hire a public %u25a0 eiations mm. I've stood up and talked like a banker. . .1 rest our case.%u201dPage 6. THE PHOENIX, November 9,1978 -rxanjtiut;