Page 346 - Demo

Page Eight PHOENIX June 21, 1973Annuai Report of_____________ Past BHA PresidentBadillo for Mayor Stresses LeodershipNext Tuesday is another election day for Democrats, and it%u2019s important to keep this date at the polls to make the intent of the new run-off law a reality. Originally designed as a ploy to keep John Lindsay from getting the Democratic nomination for reelection as Mayor (as if he wanted it), the law certainly gives the winner of the Democratic nomination an unquestioned endorsement of a major segment of New York City voters.In our June 7 issue, we stated our preference in this race for Congressman Herman Badillo over Comptroller Abe Beame, and we want to take this last-minute opportunity to again explain why.The next four years for this city are going to be crucial ones, and we do not believe the best interests of our long-range future are best served by a representative of the status quo. Mr. Beame may well be adept at municipal financing, and we are not even denying the fact that he may have empathy for the plight of the disadvantaged, the jobless, and the struggling small family. However, from what we heard in the pre-runoff campaign, and now again during the head-to-head contest, he sounds to us to be more concerned with the nuts and bolts of government than with the results government is supposed to achieve for people.Herman Badillo, on the other hand, demonstrates this concern through the issues he has spoken to. He is also the only candidate who seems to have bothered to catalogue his points of view in a coherent way. Badillo has also demonstrated a special concern for the parts of Brooklyn close around us. While we violently disagree with what we believe to be his grossly misinformed view against the location of Baruch College at the Atlantic Terminal area, we know on a dozen of other issues he has been helpful and concerned. We have seen him in the streets campaigning with and for progressive candidates for public office here. He has shown he cares about our future.Also, we stated in our earlier editorial our view that the future of the City is going to be threatened in a revised City Charter proposal that will be thrust upon us within the next few years, Herman Badillo is a better advocate for what New York City of 1980 should be than is Abe Beame, in our opinion.We urge our readers to take the time to turn out and vote on Tuesday, June 26, and we hope they will cast their votes for Herman Badillo.Old Not Always BadThe twist of bureaucratic fate that now threatens to end the life of the Pacific Street Library (Pacific and 4th Ave.) after hours of concerned negotiation and effort by the surrounding community to have the structure rehabilitated and re-opened, is unforgivable.There is absolutely no justification for the position %u2014 outlined in a news story elsewhere in this issue %u2014 that all of a sudden government officials have decided that it will be too costly to renovate an old structure, and would indeed be cheaper to build a new one. (Smaller than the existing buildings however).Even assuming that it just might be true, which seems unlikely, where was this kind of opinion during the weeks and months of negotiations that community representatives, including a noted architect, had with library officials? Where was the opinion of the library%u2019s own construction experts? The plea that vandalism has made the decision necessary is bunk. Pulling this kind of switch at the last moment of negotiation sounds to us suspiciously like a lame excuse for budget cutting at the expense of the Boerum HillGowanus community.The notion that old is bad and new is good that is being argued by government officials now, is something that those who have been reclaiming and rebuilding century-old brownstones have pretty effectively dispelled. The Pacific Street Library was closed and its services temporarily relocated a few blocks away. The closing was officially labeled %u2018%u2018for renovation of facilities.%u201d Let%u2019s get on with that refurbishing, and get the library reopened. We call on Councilman Cuite and Councilman Richmond to put a stop to this foolishness and call to task the government agencies that are dragging their feet. We urge our readers to write to either or both of these Councilmen at City Hall, Manhattan, demanding that the Library be refurbished and reopened now.Published weekly by ADVOCATE PRESS, Inc. AAicheal A. Armstrong, Publisher132 Clinton St., Y Brooklyn, N.Y. Tel. 643-1032Following are excerpts from the annual report of the recently retired president of the Brooklyn Heights Association, W illiam J.C. Carlin. At the annual meeting of the Association earlier this month, Carlin who had served two terms as president, was succeeded by Edwards F. Rullman.BY W ILLIAM CARLINThis is my second and last annual report as president of the Heights Association. Customarily annual reports review the activities and accomplishments of the past year. For the most part I am going to resist the temptation to follow that easy course because we have reported to you fully %u2014 some say too fully %u2014 on just about everything of interest and importance through our newsletter and special reports during the year.Instead I would like to take a look at the Heights Association itself based on my experience as a member for the past 15 years, as a governor for the past four years, and, as president, for the past two years. I want to be frank and, therefore, I emphasize at the outset that my remarks should not be regarded as the official annual report of the Association The Board of Governors has not approved this report. I %u2019m sure if I had submitted it to them, they would at the very least have urged that it be shorter.To start, I would like to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the Association as I see them. The Association does, I believe, have important and valuable strengths:%u2022 It has staying power, or it would not still be around after 63 years. It must be doing something right.%u2022 It has demonstrated through the years that it can react vigorously and effectively to proposals that would affect the Brooklyn Heights community. There is no question in my mind that Brooklyn Heights would be a far inferior place had it not been for the Heights Association. 1 don%u2019t see how anyone familiar with the Association%u2019s accomplishments can contest this.%u2022 As one of the oldest and largest civic associations, it has prestige; it is known and respected by elected representatives and city officials.%u2022 It represents a wide crosssection of the community %u2014 as the results from the Association%u2019 s recent questionnaire make clear.%u2022 It has strong membership support. As far as we can determine, very few members resign because of dissatisfaction with the Association. Moreover, the recent poll showed the members are generous in their assessment of the Association%u2019s efforts.%u2022 It has continued to attract new members to replace those who die or move away. The poll showed 43 per cent of the members have belonged to the Association for four years or less.%u2022 It is financially sound. Income from dues has been just about m eeting expenses, and theA ssm 'iaU m i piirrom H v hac agenera! fund of about* $7,500 to cover em ergency and capital expenses.%u2022 It is able to maintain an office, and pay for an executive secretary. This greatly increases the Association%u2019s efficiency and productivity.%u2022 It has a strong comV W A -l j- iiiiuinvMMu>uu Ugl uiu lit kvTmo wiboth the newsletter and news releases.Because of these impressive strengths, there is a danger that the Association will become relaxed and complacement. As president I have, however, been extrem ely aware of the Association%u2019s weaknesses:%u2022 The primary problem since I%u2019ve been on the board has been manpower: the Association has had too few governors who were able and willing to work.%u2022 Ironically %u2014 in view of the manpower shortage, the Association has not used volunteers effectively. Many of the Association committees have been one-man or two-man operations. Committees that were not doing much of anything because of lack of time or interest did not have any use for additional manpower!Carlin%u2022The Association has been weak on initiation. Too rarely has something new and creative been suggested. Too rarely has a com m ittee developed and im plemented a substantial program with objectives.%u2022 The President%u2019s job has been too demanding, too timeconsuming to be handled well by anyone with a full-time job.%u2022 The Association has not had sustained leadership since the %u201c administrations%u201d have changed every year or two.1 could go on, but presumably I have made my point %u2014 the Association has some serious weaknesses which should be corrected if it is to continue to be a strong and effective force in the future.As I see it, there are several alternative courses the Association could pursue:1. It could simply muddle along %u2014 doing its best and hoping for the best. This, I suppose, is what we have been doing and doing reasonably well. It isn%u2019t a very inspiring course, however, and I think it is a potentially dangerous one because it could result in an erosion of the effectiveness of the Association.2. The Association could deliberately narrow its scope. Right now, the Association has 21 committees (some of which exist in name only) and is considering the establishment of five more. Maybe there should be a dozen or so committees. Maybe the Association should try to do a few things really well. This might beM n n l a n i l *M u v V.VM1U U tO O WVdebilitating because it might result in a loss of members. It would seem to me that in order to attract and retain members, the Association must have dynamic and visible programs and activities. It should strive to be of maximum service to the community.3 Or t U r t A o P A o i n t U n %u2022 m e i i o u w - m u o i icould continually strive to revitalize itself %u2014 do more things and do them better. I think this is a realistic possibility provided that the members of the Board are ready, willing and enthusiastic about working for the Association and the community. If there are really good people on the Board, they will initiate; they will develop programs; they will diminish the burden on the president.In long-range terms, if the Association ever had enough income from membership dues, I think it might do well to have a paid Executive Director %u2014 perhaps a housewife who might be willing to work say 20 hours a week for $100. The idea would be to have someone who would not do the work of the committees but who would make sure that everything that should be done is in fact done.We should have more members. During my two years in office, there has been a slight increase in membership %u2014 from 1073 (May %u201971) to 1104 (May %u201973). But during the past year, the membership has declined from 1276 (May %u201972) %u2014 a drop of 13 per cent. We don%u2019t know why. As I mentioned earlier, we do know that very few have dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the Association because we ask each member who doesn%u2019t renew why and almost all reply they are moving. But obviously we haven%u2019t been running fast enough to stand still %u2014 we haven%u2019t taken in enough new members to replace those who have resigned.One of the most important objectives of the Association, I believe, should be to increase substantially the membership. I think there should be a long, sustained drive with posters, card tables on Montague Street, door bell ringing. A goal of 2,000 members would not seem too ambitious in term s of the population of Brooklyn Heights.Despite my earlier lamentations about inadequate manpower, I should emphasize in closing that the Association has been most fortunate in having the strong commitment of some members who have contributed much. I will not attempt to cite them all, but I would like to mention a feJane Weld has given the Association an extraordinary atftSunt of time and talent running the membership committee, writing the newsletter, supervising publicity, and overseeing the office administration. Fran Marion volunteered to handle publicity and has been doing a most effective and professional job.George Silver volunteered to handle the Association%u2019s campaign for public funds for the Red Hook Interceptor Plant and, as a result, of his efforts, the Association has taken a leadership position in this important project. Herb Kaufman moved in on the subway vibrations problem %u2014 in fact it was he who discovered the cause of the vibrations %u2014 and is staying on top of ft.Nancy Wolf, our gadfly, has been in the forefront of many projects %u2014the campaign to clean up the Gowanus Canal, the campaign for dog litter legislation and the continuing ettort to Keep tsrooKiyn Heights clean. Recently she got a group of Boy Scouts together to remove tons of debris from a lot on State Street between Hicks and Willow Place. As chairman of the Tree Committee, she is now conducting a block-by-block survey to determine which trees in the Heights should be removed. InContinued on Page 12