The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group’s Admin Committee met via Zoom conference on Tuesday, September 21st, at 10:30 a.m.
Committee members attending:
Jerry Armer
Katia Kelly
Louis Kleinman
Margaret Maugenest
Rita Miller
Other CAG members attending:
MaryAnn Young (CORD Alternate)
EPA:
Natalie Loney
Committee agreed to notify CAG members who never responded to last several surveys that their membership has been terminated but of course, they may reapply at any time. Will also remind organizational reps that they may provide another representative and an alternate. Emails to go out immediately.
Those members are: Karen Blondel (Red Hook Houses), Beverly Corbin (FUREE), Rafael Gomez (At Large), Betty Lester (Gowanus 4 Life).
The following members remain on the active list:
Joseph Alexiou, Paul Basile, Eymund Diegel, George Fiala, Triada Samaras
Committee acknowledges the resignations of:
Ben Jones and David Briggs,
and sadly, the passing of founding members Buddy Scotto and Linda Mariano.
Committee agreed to issue a new survey immediately with an RSVP date of October 22, 2021. Results will be announced at October General CAG meeting along with an updated membership list.
Post new survey results, and in the absence of representation of the three organizations above in mind, Admin will be suggesting that Outreach endeavor to remind organizations that their seats are always available, and to widen the CAG membership to include all of the community.
Admin asks that each CAG committee Facilitator identify themselves and each of their committee members. This information can be sent to: ritamiller103@yahoo.com. Admin also is advising the Outreach Committee to list this information on the CAG website.
RE: the CAG website. Understanding that as of right now there is only one person handling the task of maintaining and updating the site, Admin gently notes that the website does not seem to be up to date, nor is information disseminated in a particularly timely fashion. Admin asks if someone on the CAG might be willing to help pick up some of these updating and posting duties in order to make the job less demanding on one person.
Finally, Hurricane Ida put a glaring spotlight on the fragility of our infrastructure. Representative Velazquez and State Assemblywoman Simon’s joint press conference highlighted this. Admin suggests that a Town Hall Meeting, held by these two representatives to update the community on the city’s response to the electeds’ requests and to allow the community members touched by Ida to share their experiences, would be beneficial.
Admin believes that the CAG’s mission to be involved in all things that affect the remediation of the Canal and the protection of that remediation presents the unique opportunity to request and participate with the community at large, such as a Town Hall gathering. Admin suggests contacting Dan Wiley (who has been attending assorted committee meetings of late) and Jo Anne Simon’s office to make this request.