1999 Autumn - Glen Oaks Village

Glen Oaks
Village Community Newsletter
FALL 1999
Bob Friedrich, President & Chief Financial Officer; Roseann Ciaccio, Vice President; Carol Carucci, Secretary; Paul DiGiorgio
Board of Directors - Lisa Marulli; Lee Feinman; Christine Bergen; Leonard Motsinger; Wilbert Grace
Committee Members - Mildred Marshburn, Editor; Bridget McCormick; Associate Editor, Roseann Ciaccio; Associate Editor
The landscaped park outside the Community Room behind 247-11 Union Turnpike
has benches, gazebo and an in-ground sprinkler system.
This area had been a garbage strewn concrete wasteland and is just one
of the areas recently reclaimed by the Board of Directors for all to enjoy and use.
Inside this issue…
New Board Members . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
On Board
by Bob Friedrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
The Greening of Glen Oaks
by Bob Friedrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Dollars and “Sense”
by Randy Gunther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Letters to the Editor
By Bob Friedrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Work Around the Neighborhood. . . . . 8
The Importance of Spaying/Neutering
by Yanira Di Giorgio . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Upcoming Community Events . . . . . . 15
Capital Projects
by Paul Di Giorgio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Security Report
by Jim Gorman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
New Employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19
From the Desk of Mildred Marshburn
Important Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Year To Date Top Sales
See Page Three
APT.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
HIGHEST
YTD SALE
$54,900
$64,900
$71,900
$94,500
$70,000
$62,900
$95,000
$92,900
GOVO
ASKING $
$81,900
$89,900
$91,900
$114,900
$109,900
$87,900
$109,900
$119,900
2
ON BOARD
By the time you are reading this,
the summer will be coming to an
end. A lot of changes have occurred here at the corporate level
(Glen Oaks Village Owners, Inc.).
Although we live and raise our families in this community it is important to keep in mind that the 82
people we employ and the 134
buildings and 110 acres of land we
own are all a part of the corporation that is Glen Oaks Village Owners, Inc. We are in the housing
business and it is important to run
any business with maximum productivity and financial efficiency.
That doesn’t mean we skimp on
the quality of work or don't do repairs properly, it means we should
get the biggest bang for each buck
spent. Since we spend millions of
dollars running this place it has always been important to management and especially the Board to
insure that we get quality work
from our contractors and staff. That
means accountability must go
around and in fact that is what we
have been doing over the last year
and a half in our maintenance department. With the introduction of
departmentalization and work order reporting system we've implemented, we have been able to raise
the bar and move forward in our
quest for excellence. Some of the
changes we have made recently include bringing in a new Property &
Equipment Manager and a new
Groundskeeping Supervisor. The
landscaping and garbage removal
department has been consolidated
into one department, which is now
by Bob Friedrich, GOVO President and Chief Financial Officer
called the Groundskeeping department. This department is responsible for the maintenance and
cleanliness of our grounds. That includes dumpster areas, high traffic
areas such as Union Turnpike, turning flower beds, trimming bushes,
maintaining outdoor lawn furniture,
etc. With the addition of Bruce
Wagner our new (non-union)
Groundskeeping Supervisor we can
expect to see very positive changes.
We were able to bring in non-union
supervisory staff after the board negotiated various work rule agreements with the union that
represents our maintenance staff.
These negotiations were lead by
myself and culminated in our ability
to hire non-union supervisory staff.
We also have the option of offering
our union supervisors the ability to
come out of the union, and if they
choose to do so we would not have
to replace them with other union
staff. Although our overall maintenance department consists of 58
people, this change over time will
effectively reduce the union staff
to 52. These changes were
necessary to create
the proper environment for oversight
and accountability.
These
negotiations
were complicated but the
end result
will be a
stronger and
better Glen
Oaks. It is
this type of positive leadership and
change that probably sounds boring to most but is fundamental in
moving our development forward
in a positive way. With this change
and a new Groundskeeping Supervisor you should start seeing cleaner dumpster areas and a more
organized and better supervised
crew. Bruce Wagner came to us
with lots of experience in the landscaping area and we plan to fully
utilize his landscaping credentials
next year when we may move our
Groundskeeping staff back to doing
all the landscaping work again. This
decision is one the board must
make and has not yet been decided. As you know this year we experimented by sub-contracting out
the landscaping (grass cutting, edging, fertilizing) work. By the end of
the season we will fully review the
performance of our outside landscape company and decide
whether we are going to continue
using an outside landscape company. We will also decide at that time
who that company should be or
whether we could do a better and more economical
job of landscaping in-house
now that we have a
new Groundskeeping
supervisor with
a tremendous
amount of landscape experience. There
will be more
on this in future
newsletters.
3
A New Property & Equipment Manager
Bruce Wagner our
Groundskeeping
supervisor
reports directly
to our new
Property &
Equipment
Manager,
William Filardi.
Bill came to us recently and replaces our prior P&E
manager Tom Riso. Tom was with us
for about a year joining us when we
first created the position of P&E manager.
Although Tom had enormous construction knowledge
Bill’s strength is in managing and organizing a department. Bill is responsible for all capital work (outside
contractors) and oversees the 21 man Groundskeeping
crew. Although Bill is new he has jumped into the position and will hopefully take this area of operations to a
new level. I think as you look around and see the quality of work we are now getting from our outside contractors it is clear we are moving in the right direction. I
can confidently state that the contractors that we
presently have on board working here at the co-op on
our capital projects (roofs, driveways, stoops, exterior
painting, pointing, brick wall replacements, concrete)
are second to none.
More changes are in store, especially now that our
management office enlargement project is complete.
Our maintenance dispatchers and managerial staff will
move into the new quarters which is next door to our
present management office. Stop down and take a
look. We combined 3 apartments, put in a couple
of skylights and have
created a great
contiguous work
environment
for our managerial staff.
Quick Reference to Apartment Sales Prices
Apt
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
Highest YTD Sale
$54,900
$64,900
$71,900
$94,500
$70,000
$62,900
$95,000
$92,900
GOVO Asking
$81,900
$89,900
$91,900
$114,900
$109,900
$87,900
$109,900
$119,900
In other matters, we have started a new section in our newsletter. A quick Year to Date (YTD) reference guide of
sale prices for Glen Oaks apartments. This column shows each apartment type and the highest YTD sales price.
The column next to it shows the current asking price as established by the Board for GOVO owned apartments that
are for sale. This new chart will give us all a quick reference of the pricing of our apartments and you can expect to
see this column in all future newsletters.
4
Welcome
Two New Board Members
Elsewhere in this newsletter you
will read about two new board members who have been appointed by the
board to fill two vacant board seats.
The board is authorized to operate
with 9 board members and with these
two new individuals now on board we
are running at full capacity. A board
position is very important and the individual that sits on the board has an incredible amount of responsibility,
which is sometimes hard to imagine
considering these are voluntary positions. At the May general meeting I
told the 200 shareholders that attended that we are always on the look out
for future board members. More often
then not they come from our committee system. We have never had an
abundance of people interested in
serving on the board. I often wonder if
this is just plain apathy or that people
are generally very happy with the way
things are run and therefore devote
most of their time to their personal
needs rather than our recruitment
needs. Being a board member is a
tough and often times a thankless job.
Serving on the board is no picnic and
certainly not an ego rush. Occasionally,
board members can be verbally abused
and treated as if they were slumlords
not fellow shareholders and all this for
being a volunteer. What makes a good
board member?
A good board member must be
willing to do his or her homework. Understand the issues and offer sober reflection. Too quick to judgement and a
shoot from the hip style will make it
very difficult for any board member to
achieve his objectives and is a temperament that can be very destructive to a
board and the staff.
A board member must deal effectively with shareholders, residents, rent
stabilized tenants and employees of the
corporation, at all levels.
Choosing the right board member
is not a popularity contest but rather an
exercise in defining what is needed by
the board and then finding the right
person that fits that need. Someone
who brings that special something to
the table at a specific point in time will
contribute to the success of the board.
Effective board members must be
able to build consensus and have the
proper temperament. There are hundreds of issues that need to be dealt
with. An effective board member will
pick and choose his issues carefully
before expending "political capital"
and then advocate for that position.
And remember, sometimes you win
and sometimes you lose. As long as all
board members are willing to keep an
open mind and to see and hear all
sides you must be willing to accept
your defeats and move on.
These are the traits that I believe
effective and excellent board members possess. I can say from my experience, we are fortunate to have
individuals on our board who I believe
share all these attributes, including our
two newest board members, Lenny
Motsinger and Wilbert Grace.
?????????? A Pool for Glen Oaks ??????????
YES
42.4%
NO
42.6%
MAYBE 15.0%
Earlier this year the Board sent out a questionnaire to see if there was any interest
in providing a pool facility to our shareholders. The actual question was: Would
you be in favor of Glen Oaks Village providing an outdoor pool and recreation facility to its residents? 20% of all shareholders responded which is an impressive
number for a questionnaire. The envelope please!
Since the vote was not overwhelming for either side, the board has decided to
table this issue for another day.
5
The 1999 Annual Questionnaire Survey of Shareholders
Speaking of questionnaires, as you know prior to our May annual meeting we sent out our annual questionnaire to survey shareholders on a number of issues relating to the board and the staff that work here. We have
been doing this since 1994 and the results are very consistent with prior years. The vast majority, more than
97% of shareholders think the Board is doing a good or excellent job running the co-op. This is an outstanding
vote of confidence, which has gone up consistently since 1994. On the questions of maintenance and management competence the approval numbers continue to rise and show improvement. Overall, the board and residents of this community can take great pride in the positive responses we have generated. Still there is a great
deal of work that needs to be done. As President of the Board of Directors and the second longest serving
board member on the current board (Lee Feinman is the longest) I am very proud of our accomplishments and
the hard work we have all put in. It is also nice to know that the hard work and effort we have put in is recognized by the shareholders as shown by the responses to our annual survey as outlined in the charts below. The
next newsletter I will talk about the top 10 complaints received by shareholders in our annual survey and what
we are doing to address them. In the meantime, here are the results of our 1999 Survey to Shareholders.
100%
80%
60%
QUESTION NO. 1
How has the Board done in fulfilling its responsibility in
regard to maintaining the Financial Integrity of the Co-op?
40%
20%
0%
VG & EXC
GOOD
FAIR & POOR
■ 1996 ■ 1997 ■ 1998
■ 1999
100%
80%
60%
QUESTION NO. 2
How has the Board done in fulfilling its responsibility
to communicate with shareholders and residents?
40%
20%
0%
VG & EXC
GOOD
FAIR & POOR
■ 1996 ■ 1997 ■ 1998
■ 1999
6
100%
80%
60%
QUESTION NO. 3
Overall, how would you rate the job that
the Board is doing?
40%
20%
0%
VG & EXC
GOOD
FAIR & POOR
■ 1996 ■ 1997 ■ 1998
■ 1999
100%
80%
60%
QUESTION NO. 4A
In your dealings with Management how would you
assess the competency and knowledge of the staff?
40%
20%
0%
VG & EXC
GOOD
FAIR & POOR
■ 1996 ■ 1997 ■ 1998
■ 1999
100%
Maintenance
Departmentalization
Starts Here.
80%
60%
QUESTION NO. 4B
In your dealings with Management how would you
assess the competency and knowledge of the staff?
40%
20%
0%
VG & EXC
GOOD
FAIR & POOR
■ 1996 ■ 1997 ■ 1998
■ 1999
7
100%
80%
60%
QUESTION NO. 5A
In comparison to prior years have you noticed
any changes with Management?
40%
20%
0%
GETTING BETTER
■ 1996
SAME
GETTING WORSE
■ 1997
■ 1998
100%
80%
60%
QUESTION NO. 5B
In comparison to prior years have you noticed
any changes with Management?
40%
20%
0%
GETTING BETTER
SAME
GETTING WORSE
■ 1996 ■ 1997 ■ 1998
■ 1999
100%
80%
60%
QUESTION NO. 6
How do you rate
Glen Oaks Village as a place to live?
40%
20%
0%
EXCELLENT
GOOD
WORSE
■ 1996 ■ 1997 ■ 1998
WANT TO MOVE
■ 1999
8
Dollars and “Sense”
by, Randy Gunther, Controller
Cooperative Tax Abatement Program 1999/2000
New York City has approved the Cooperative Tax Abatement Program for a fourth year in
its year 2000 budget. GOVO filed the tax abatement application with the Department of Finance on behalf of its Shareholders on April 13th. Although a fourth year of tax abatement had
not been written into law, petitions by our Shareholders and from other cooperatives convinced
the legislature to continue this program. The program was initially designed to equalize taxes
between cooperative units and single-family homes. The abatement was to run for three years
at which time a permanent solution was to be enacted to tax cooperatives more fairly. The
1999/2000 abatement will provide approximately $600,000 in reduced property taxes, which
will then be returned, dollar for dollar, to Shareholders in the form of a maintenance credit in
late 1999 or early 2000.
In addition to the abatement program there are three other tax programs which shareholders are urged to apply for should they be eligible. The Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption is
granted to veterans (or their spouses) who were on active duty during a war or conflict. The Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption is granted to seniors earning less than $25,900 (including
Social Security). The New York School Tax Relief (STAR) Exemption was for seniors only in the
1998/1999 tax year but in 1999/2000 all occupants are eligible. If you need an application or
additional information both instruction and forms are available in the Management Office.
I am an optimist and believe that
the world will not come to an
end on January 1, 2000. However, GOVO is doing its part to ease
us all into the next millennium. We
have upgraded our network server
and Novel computer network software. Additionally, our lockbox banking system software has
been upgraded to be year 2000 compatible. Our
property management program will be upgraded by
September 30th and our desktop computer operating
systems will be upgraded to Windows 98 by October
15th. All these efforts are designed to keep the Y2K
bug away. Now is the time for our residents to consider
an upgrade or change to an automated system in their
homes or businesses. The chance of getting a computer
consultant to help you out in January will be remote.
Y2K
Controlling Costs
The finance Department of GOVO remains committed to controlling costs. We fought a proposed 18% increase in Long term Disability premiums with our carrier
and negotiated them down to 0%. Con Edison had proposed a 9.2% increase in their fees for the piping (transportation) of heating gas to our community. This was
also negotiated down to 0%. A proposed 5% increase
in Spartan's security fees was negotiated down to 2.9%.
A proposed 11% increase in ADP's payroll service fees
was negotiated down to 4%. This is typical cost conservation that is done routinely in our department to keep
costs down and ultimately the maintenance fees that are
charged to Shareholders to cover these costs.
Work Around the Neighborhood
By William Filardi, PROPERY & EQUIPMENT MANAGER
With the help of the dry weather we have already completed a good portion
of this year’s capital projects. By September 1st we will have replaced close to a
100 stoops, painted well over 200 exterior entrances, rebuilt 5 clotheslines and 4
trash container sites. We have rebuilt a couple of driveways; put new roofs on several buildings and have replaced numerous sidewalks and curbs. Section One saw
new gutters and downspouts installed and a similar project is planned for portions
of Section Two later this fall.
The first phase of the Management Office expansion is nearing completion.
The Property Management and Accounting Department staff currently in the satellite office across the courtyard will be joining the rest of the office staff. The second phase of the expansion will commence in September and will result in
Maintenance Department Manager, Drew Englot and the Maintenance Dispatchers
moving into a new space. This expansion and consolidation will result in a one-stop
destination for all your management and maintenance needs.
Another capital project that will begin this fall and carry over into next year
is a foundation beautification/rehabilitation project. The work will include the installation of new basement doors and windows followed by the repair and re-coating of the concrete foundations. The door replacement portion is currently out for
bid and will be followed shortly by the window portion of the project. We are currently evaluating two products for the coating of the walls and will be adding a
third shortly. Part of this project is identifying obsolete window openings that we
can remove and permanently close up. This will increase building security, improve
weather tightness, improve esthetics and reduce maintenance cost. If you have any
suggestions regarding windows that may be obsolete, please fell free to send me a
note as to their location. Describe the location the best you can, using addresses
wherever you can. Be sure to give your name and telephone number in case we
have questions.
9
must be measured up and custom
made for the new stoop. Also, before you can begin drilling the necessary holes for the new rails, you
need to allow two weeks for the cement to cure otherwise it may chip
or crack the new stoop when you
drill into it. We have set a time
frame of a two-week period before
the new handrails can be installed.
So if you get a new stoop and do
not see a rail before that time you
know why!
Capital Projects
By Paul DiGiorgio
This year our property is in full
swing of our Capital Improvement
projects including, door painting,
stoops, roofs, sidewalks, driveways,
pointing, clotheslines and drywells.
Driveways
We recently revamped our approach to the renovation of our driveway areas. Before a project is
begun, time is spent surveying the
area to see what else needs attention. By doing this, our goal is to
avoid excavating and disturbing the
same area more than one time, for
example; if the concrete aprons in
front of the garage doors need to
be replaced we add it to the overall
job. We check to see if the dumpster area needs new concrete pads
or to be fenced in with permahedge fence and if any of the curbs
or walkways in the vicinity needs to
be replaced. We now try to do all
of it at the same time to avoid having to return to the same area with
heavy construction machinery. In
seeing some of these restored areas, I am sure you will agree that it
was money well spent by the co-op
and the workmanship is second to
none.
If anyone has any questions about
our capital projects please do not
hesitate to call me at our management office at (718) 347-2337.
Leave your name and number and I
will contact you.
So until next newsletter or if you
happen to see me out on the property have a great season!
P.S. Don’t forget to water your grass
& trees!
Stoop Replacement
Stoop replacement is another of
our Capital projects that we are improving over last year. As with our
driveways we first examine the entire area for problems before we
start the job. Sometimes an exterminator must be brought in to spray
the wood base. When a new stoop
is constructed most of the time the
old handrail does not match the exact configuration of its new replacement. Therefore a new handrail
Security Report Jim Gorman
Spartan Security
As our summer season draws to an end,
Security is asking for your cooperation in the following areas:
1. All toys, especially power toys must be stored properly; removed from
the front lawns, courtyards and walkways.
2. Remember garbage is NOT collected on Sundays or holidays.
3. Thank you to all dog owners for keeping your pet on a leash,
and for picking up after your dog this is greatly appreciated by all.
In conclusion, Security extends a sincere Thank you to all the residents
for their cooperation extended to Security in carrying out its assigned duties.
10
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Lenny Motsinger
Hi, my name is Lenny Motsinger
and I am one of the new Board
Members here at Glen Oaks. I am a
proud owner of a Glen Oaks apartment since 1989. Over the past ten
years I have se en many improvements in our community. It has be en
these changes that have prompted
me to get more involved with Glen
Oaks and to join the Board.
I have be en a hig h school
teacher for 22 years. My work in
education has helped me to se e beyond what is rig ht in front of me
and to look for the potential that lies
within. I believe that our community
has a g reat deal to offer, but there
is also a g reat potential for even
more. Over the last few years I have
Wilbert M. Grace
Hello I would like to introduce
myself. My name is Wilbert M. Grace.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY and
married a wonderful Brooklyn g irl
named Lorraine who became a Registered Professional Nurse. We have
thre e children, 2 g irls and 1 stepson.
My oldest daug hter, Arle en, owns a
hairdressing business on Flatbush
Ave. in Brooklyn. My youngest
daug hter, Denise, lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is an X-Ray
Specialist. My stepson, Stephen, has
just retired from the New York City
Police Force. My wife Lorraine passed
away in 1989. After several years I
met a wonderful woman named Annie.
She is the joy of my life. We have
had many happy years together
and hopefully we will continue to do so.
come to realize some of that potential
in my own home. With the help of the
Gre en Thumb committe e and my
neig hbors we have improved the outside of our building. On the inside I
have redone the bath and the kitchen
and also added a loft. I hope soon
to have an outside terrace. All of
which has be en make possible by a
Board with a vision.
Glen Oaks has come a long way
these past ten years. I hope
throug h my involvement with the
Board and your input, as active members of our co-op, to realize even more
of the g reat potential that lies before us in a place called Glen Oaks
Village; which is our community and
our home.
I recently retired from the New
York City Transit Authority as a disciplinary Step 2 Hearing Officer after 33 years of service. I also served
as Vice President for Baisly Park
Day Care Center in Que ens. I then
became the Chairman of Community
Improvements for the United Neig hborhood Civic Association of Jamaica,
Inc. I served as a volunte er for
over 12 years.
I have be en living in Glen Oaks
for almost 4 years as a resident
shareholder and have served on the
Admission Committe e for a little over
a year. Recently I became a member of the Board of Directors, I consider that a privilege and will do my
utmost to be worthy of that honor.
11
NEW EMPLOYEES
William Filardi
I would like to take this opportunity
to introduce myself.. My name is Bill
Filardi and I recently joined the
Glen Oaks team as the Property &
Equipment Manager. I am responsible for all aspects of the Capital
Improvement Prog ram such as
stoop, roof, curb, sidewalk and asphalt replacement, brick wall piointing and replacement, as well as
replacement of basement doors and
windows. In addition, I will also
overse e the Groundske eping Department, supervised by Bruce
Wag ner. With 15 years of experience
manag ing such malls as Gre en
Acres, Ro osevelt Field and Walt
Whitman I have gained extensive
knowledge in the bidding process
Bruce Wagner
Hi, my name is Bruce Wag ner and
I am the new Groundske eping Supervisor. My major function is to overse e
the
Groundske eping
Department as well as any outside
landscaping contractors. I have extensive knowledge of plant species
and their care, as well as proper
landscaping techniques and practices. Before joining the Glen Oaks
staff, I worked at Long Island
Lig hting Company Corporate Offices, Walt Disney World and Old
Westbury Gardens where I was
the Landscaping Supervisor. Along
with our 20 man in-house crew, I am
looking forward to using my knowledge and expertise to make Glen
Oaks a more beautiful place to live.
You can reach me at 343-8400.
and in manag ing major maintenance and construction projects.
My experience should definitely be
of use for my new position here at
Glen Oaks Village; I look forward to
this g reat challenge. You can reach
me at 347-2337, extension 122.
12
POSSIBILITIES. . . .
Removing concrete and
planting TREES! They said it
couldn’t be done easily and inexpensively. Well this summer
we did a test in a picturesque
courtyard on 76th Avenue that
is well maintained by the residents who live there. The two
pictures here show the court-
Before
yard BEFORE and AFTER.
This courtyard was one of
the many similar type courtyards in Glen Oaks Village
where a lot of concrete had
been poured in previous years
in place of grass. Although
many courtyard residents may
prefer concrete for various reasons such as a place for chil-
dren to play or a place to set
up chairs and a barbecue an
equal number of residents
probably prefer a cool lawn or
shady tree. Well you now have
a choice and a way to turn
your concrete jungle into a picturesque park. The process as
shown in the accompanying
pictures consisted of saw cutting out a rectangular area of
concrete and replacing it with
a combination of soil, grass,
trees, flowers and bushes. As a
result of our successful test this
new program is now available
to all courtyard residents that
wish to add a bit of greenery to
their piece of Glen Oaks.
The requirements are simple:
A signed petition by a majority of the courtyard residents and
A written commitment to
tend to the area by keeping it
watered and weed free.
By Bob Friedrich
You may submit a suggested drawing of the cutout you
would like and the type of
plantings you desire. We will
make every effort to follow
your wishes. All submissions
are subject to Board of Directors approval.
Submit your proposal to
convert your concrete jungle
into a picturesque park to the
Green Thumb Committee at
70-33 260th Street or bring it
to the management office. We
will collect all proposals review
them and if approved schedule
them to be done at the same
time. This is just another way
that the Board of Directors
here at Glen oaks Village is
constantly pushing the envelope of new ideas!
After
13
Letters to the President
by Bob Friedrich
Dear Mr. Friedrich,
I recently read in the Glen Oaks Ledger that the Creedmore land nearest Commonwealth Ave.. is sited for possible elementary, middle and high schools with a total student
population of close to 2000 students.
Have folks on the board kept abreast of this proposal and how it will impact on the
people, like myself, who live in Glen Oaks near Commonwealth? 2000 students,
plus teachers, support staff, etc. mean more street congestion, noise, parking issues, etc.
Yes, we need more quality schools but placing three different school populations in
close proximity is a bit much.
I don’t recall this ever coming up at our meetings, which I attend faithfully. I
would appreciate your attention to this. How are we at Glen Oaks keeping abreast of
things that are being built around us and how these will impact on the value of
our co-op investment?
Elaine L’Etoile
Response from the President of the Board
Dear Ms. L’Etoile,
I have been aware of the proposed schools for that area. It has
been discussed and written about in
various newspapers over the past
year. Since we have received no letters from any residents in regard to
this matter we decided not to take
any active position on this issue at
this time. However, perhaps your letter will be a catalyst for others to get
involved if they so wish. I will discuss the issue at the next shareholders
meeting which will probably take
place in October. I have included a
recent letter from Councilman Sheldon Leffler in regards to this issue.
Letters to the Editor or President of
the Board can be emailed to
GOVOnyc@aol.com
14
The Importance of Spaying/Neutering
By Yanira DiGiorgio and Petunia the cat
This is a topic that may come to the attention of many animal lovers as well as non-animal lovers. It
should be a matter of concern for everyone. As you might have noticed here in Glen Oaks our courtyards are filled with homeless cats. Where do these cats come from? Perhaps, they have been abandoned and over the years they have reproduced. People who care for animals have found it in their
hearts to trap some of these stray cats and to have them spayed/neuter, then release them, knowing that
this is an alternative for the over population of cats. This matter should not only apply to the stray cats
out in the courtyards, but to animal owners as well. Responsible pet ownership begins with spaying/neutering your pet and if they are unspayed or unneutered do not let them outdoors!
According to Dr. Ruth B. James, D.V.M., author of Cat Repair Book spaying is suppose to avoid reproductive problems including Pyometra and false pregnancy and the incidences of tumors in the reproductive system and mammary glands. An unspayed cat does not attract males, also you do not have to
hear their howling or pulling of your curtains. For males neutering stops the fighting and irritability. Human beings cannot blame the dogs or cats for getting pregnant, animal reproduction is a natural drive
like eating, sleeping or drinking. A female cat stays in heat most of the year. Female and male cats should
be spayed/neutered at five or six months of age. Your pet would usually come home the same day or
the next day after the surgery. On the other hand, for stray cats who get the operation and afterward released they would use internal stitches. Here are some additional facts that I want to share with you.
Your family cat or dog will not miss having a litter. Each litter matters do not have the hopes that
they will end up being adopted through a shelter, this is not always the case. The operation is inexpensive, safe and performed under anesthesia.
Let’s think for a moment how these furry creatures suffer from hunger, illnesses, abuse and cold
weather, perhaps we can do more to help those who cannot help themselves. According to Muffin's Pet
Connection Animal Organization, one spayed cat and her offspring can reproduce 420,000 cats in 7
years. These are unbelievable figures, just imagine thousands of homeless strays wandering around on
the streets or in our courtyards. But this is not where the story ends; here are yet some more shocking
news, according to an article written by Elizabeth Hess in the New York Magazine on October 1998,
she stated that from 4,502 dogs and cats that were taken into the CACC 938 were adopted and 3,388
were euthenized. In addition, according to Friends of Animals each day in the United States 70,000
puppies and kittens are born and each year 12 million are put to death in pounds and shelters throughout the nation. Our felines and man's best friend should not suffer to this extent, you can help. We need
to take action by promoting spaying/neutering in our schools, work institutions and our Communities,
and the adoption of those who await inside a cage to be loved and love in return.
The following animal service organizations offer spay/neuter certificates for cats and dogs at low cost.
“Friends of Animals” at the toll free number 1-800-321-PETS
Muffin’s Pet Connection, Inc. 718-833-7988
At Animals Can’t Talk you can get a spay/neuter certificate as well as adopt a dog or a cat.
It’s a non-profit organization that operates on donations and volunteerism.
If you wish to find out more you can contact them at 718-746-5318.
In closing, all of you fellow residents who have pets and love animals, let us become
involved and cooperate for our furry friends to not over populate and suffer needlessly.
15
Upcoming COMMUNITY
E
QUEENS COUNTY FARM MUSEUM
73-50 Little Neck Parkway • Floral Park, NY 11004
(718) 347-FARM
Apple Festival
Oct. 3, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
A large variety of apples, apple products and freshly pressed cider. The nation’s largest apple cobbler will be
baked on site. Admission: Free
Haunted House
Oct. 23, 3:30 PM-6:30 PM
Oct.,Í 24 12:00 PM-5:00 PM
Oct. 29,30,31 3:30 PM-6:30 PM
Your Halloween journey will begin with a hayride
through winding trails that will leave you at our Haunted
House. Enter the doorway to the unknown for an unforgettably haunting experience that is not for the faint of
heart!
Admission: $4 per person
Children’s Fall Festival
Oct. 24 11:00 AM-4:00 PM
Halloween fun for children of all ages. Youngsters are
invited to wear their costumes! Enjoy traditional games
including sack races and trinkets-in-the-haystack, plus
hayrides, pony rides and petting zoo. Food and Country
Western music and Dancing and the Haunted House will
make this event fun! Admission: $2 per person
V
E
N T S
&
N E W S
Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance Corps
The Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance Corp. that serves
the communities of Glen Oaks, Bellerose, New Hyde
Park, Floral Park, Oakland Gardens and the North Shore
Towers complex, suffered a devastating fire on April
12th, 1999. The fire destroyed our headquarters and almost all the equipment in it. We have been asking our
community and friends of volunteers everywhere, to
contribute money, time, and other items of use to help
us recover. Our building needs to be torn down and rebuilt so we are using this opportunity to make the structure more suitable for an ambulance service. For
example, if we build a garage structure we can keep our
ambulances inside and prevent weathering and deterioration of the vehicles. To date, our calls for help have
elicited a number of responses but we only have a fraction of the amount we need to proceed. We have continued to be in service and respond to residents’ calls
for help since 8 hours after the fire.
If you or anyone you know can contribute, volunteer or
get information regarding appropriate grants, please contact us. We are always looking for new members and no
experience is necessary. Training is available for all positions, depending on your level of experience or interest.
To contact the Corps:
Business Phone: - 718-347-1637
Address: 70-03 257th Street • Floral Park, NY 11004
The following is a list of Fall library hours:
Glen Oaks Branch
Bellerose Branch
256-04 Union Turnpike
250-06 Hillside Ave..
831-8636
Dedication of Peace Pole
Sep. 26, 3:00 PM
St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
262-22 Union Turnpike • Floral Park, NY 11004 • 347-5990
As part of it’s 50th Anniversary celebration, St. Paul’s
would like to invite community residents to the dedication
of their Peace Pole. The Peace Pole is a sixfoot pillar that will be permanently
mounted on their front lawn. It
states, in four different languages, a
prayer for the community “May
Peace Prevail on Earth” which applies to all people. The languages
that were selected are English, Hebrew, Hindi, and Korean. The program will include participation by
representatives of different churches and
community leaders. Light refreshment will be provided and
the church will be open for meditation and prayer.
1-8 Monday
& Thursday
1-6 Tuesday
10-6 Wednesday
& Friday
10-5 Saturday
Sunday closed
831-8644
10-8 Monday
1-6 Tuesday
10-6 Wednesday
& Friday
1-8 Thursday
10-5 Saturday
Sunday closed
New York City Parks & Recreation
Parks’ Annual Fall Clean-Up Day
Oct. 16 10:00 AM-2:00 PM
Citywide clean up of parks to prepare for winter.
Call 1-888-NYPARKS for more information.
Halloween Event – Oct. 12 - 31
Weekdays 10:00 AM-1:00 PM Passarelle Bldg. At Flushing
Weekends 12:00 PM-4:00 PM
Meadow Park
Youth activities for Halloween.
Call 718-520-5918 for more information.
Call the Partnership for Parks Hotline at 212-360-1357 for
more information and to find out how to get involved or
join your local "Friends of the Park" group.
16
TAKE ADVANTAGE
LOW I
NTEREST
OF THE
RATES
Whether purchasing or refinancing, now is the right time
call today for great rates and loan consultation
SCMC
SOUTH CENTRAL MORTGAGE CORP.
44 SOUTH CENTRAL AVE..
VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580
(516) 568-0545
Appointments at Glen Oaks Village Available
IT DOES NOT COST MORE TO USE OUR MORTGAGE BROKER SERVICES
h
WE DON’T WORK FOR THE LENDER, WE WORK FOR YOU
h
WE ARE ABLE TO SEEK OUT THE BEST LOAN PROGRAM TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS.
h
WE OFFER A WIDE VARIETY OF LOANS AND HAVE ACCESS
TO MAY LENDERS AND FINANCING SOURCES
LICENSED MORTGAGE BROKER, NY STATE BANKING DEPT.
ALL LOANS PLACED THROUGH THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS
17
ADOPT
Kittens and Cats
at
Animals Can’t Talk Inc.
(A.C.T Inc.)
located in the Bayside Queens area
No need to look any further!
Beautiful selection !
Many to choose from!
Cats are neutered,
tested and given the necessary shots.
CALL
(718)746-5318
or
(718)463-3345
New York lift
WEIGHT WATCHERS
AT
TEMPLE SHALOM
263-10 UNION TURNPIKE
WEDNESDAYS - 6:30 PM
For your convenience,
registration and weigh-in begin
at the time(s) listed above.
The meeting starts one-half hour later
For more information call
1-800-651-6000
18
SELLING? RENTING? CALL TODAY
YOUR EXCLUSIVE, ON-SITE REAL ESTATE EST.1993
We are here to serve you.
Miller & Miller Real Estate
“on-site at Glen Oaks Village”
70-43 260th St. 1st floor
(in courtyard next to Management Office)
(718) 343-3132
WEB PAGE UP & RUNNING
Visit us on-line at
www.glenoaksvillage.com
Thanks to all of our clients, customers, neighbors
and friends for 5 Years of patronage.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE
19
BARGOLD
Turkey
TurkeyRaffle
Raffle
All residents are invited to take a moment and complete the
following coupon to win a FREE turkey just in time for Thanksgiving Dinner. FIVE turkeys will be raffled off at the Management office on Monday, November 15th. Winners need not be present
at the time of the drawing to claim their turkey.
To enter all you have to do is fill out and detach the coupon
below and drop it off at the Management Office or you can mail
the coupon to:
TURKEY RAFFLE
70-33 260th Street
Glen Oaks, NY 11004
ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH AT 5:00 PM
Only one entry per apartment will be accepted. Enter today
because not only do you get a turkey, you also get to see your
name in print in the next issue of this Newsletter.
Name:____________________________BLDG/APT# _________
Address:__________________________________ UP DOWN
Telephone: Day ________________Evening ________________
Make sure you include both numbers
TURKEYS WILL BE DELIVERED TO FIVE LUCKY WINNERS
SO SEND IN YOUR COUPON TODAY!
Happy Halloween!
The Glen Oaks village Board of Directors, Management, and Security Staff, would like to wish all of you a
Happy Halloween. FREE Halloween Trick-or-Treat bags will be available starting Wednesday, October 27
at our Security Office, the Federal credit Union Office and the Management office. We will be giving out
candy on Friday, October 29th from our Maintenance, Security and management Offices starting at
12:00 noon.
The following are some helpful tips for the young Trick-or-Treaters out there
who are going out for some goodies on Halloween:
lways Trick-or-Treat with friends or family and NEVER go out
by yourself.
alk on the sidewalk and not on the street because a car may
not be able to see you.
ake sure that you Trick-or-Treat in your neighborhood and
that you don’t go too far from home.
ear light-colored clothes or carry a flashlight if you are going
out after dark.
f you are Trick-or-Treating with younger kids – stay with them
and help them cross the street.
ear masks that have big holes for your nose and eyes so that
you can see and breathe.
ake sure to wait for an adult to check your candy before you
eat it.
And last, but not least:
Don’t forget to pick up your Trick-or-Treat bag while supplies last!
Storage of Hoses, Sprinklers & Green Thumb Tools:
As the planting season comes to an end, the Green Thumb Committee and our Maintenance Department
would like to request that all hoses, sprinklers and any Green Thumb tools be returned for winter storage.
You can return these items to the Maintenance Office from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM,
seven days a week.
After November 16th, Maintenance will collect any hoses or sprinklers left outside. Hoses left out through the winter will freeze and crack, and will be of no
use to anyone come next Spring. Anyone who does not return borrowed gardening tools will not be allowed to borrow tools in the future and may be disqualified from any future Green Thumb Voucher Programs.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated
HEATING TIPS
Winter will soon be here and we have
the following tips to ensure your comfort:
Keep radiators clear of all foreign matter.
Put nothing on top or in front of the radiator so that heat can circulate properly.
During the day, allow as much sunlight into the room as possible.
At night, close drapes and blinds to retain as much heat as possible.
If your apartment is too hot or too cold, contact our Maintenance Department at
(718) 343-8400
for assistance.
Thank you for your cooperation!
FUNDRAISER
at
McDonald’s
Northern Blvd. and 250th Street
October 18, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Come one, Come all! McDonald’s Monday this fall. Please participate in this fundraiser for P.S. 186. The more you eat, the more we
earn. We look forward to seeing you at McDonald’s.
Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself
Theft of Identity is fast becoming the most prevalent and costly financial crime in the nation. It is estimated that
more than 40,000 people have their identity stolen each year, costing consumers and the financial industry billions
of dollars. Oftentimes, consumers are not aware that their identities have been stolen and how it may affect their
lives. If someone has fraudulently obtained a credit card in your name, he/she may be ruining your credit and your
reputation. Unfortunately, you may not find out until you are rejected for a mortgage or a loan or denied an employment opportunity. Although it's impossible to guarantee that your personal information will not get stolen, the
following are tips to provide advice on steps that you can take to reduce the chances of it happening.
/
Be very careful about to whom you give out personal identification,
such as your mother's maiden name and your Social Security Number, ask if it can be kept confidential. Inquire into how it will be used
and with whom it will be shared. DO NOT store your Social Security
Card in your wallet.
/
Never provide any personal, bank account or credit card information
to anyone who contacts you through a telephone solicitation. Instead, it is advisable to demand they mail you information so that you
can further research the company and their products and services.
/
Keep items with personal information in a safe place. Keep a list of all
credit cards, account numbers, expiration dates, and the customer
service phone numbers in a secure place so that you can quickly
contact your creditors in case your cards are lost or stolen.
/
Minimize the number of credit cards and other items with personal information printed on them that you carry. Cancel all inactive
accounts. Even though you do not use them, those accounts
appear on your credit report, which can be used by thieves.
/
When creating passwords or PIN's, do not use the last
four digits of your Social Security Number, your birth
date, middle name, mother's maiden name, address or anything else that could be discovered easily by thieves.
/
Tear Up/Destroy all ATM and bank receipts, old insurance forms,
bank checks, expired credit cards, and any other papers that include
personal information, identification, and account numbers about you.
This includes pre-approved credit card solicitations! Thieves oftentimes search through your garbage to find these forms and information and use it to apply for credit in your name.
20
From the desk of: Mildred Marshburn
Here are some important numbers that you may find helpful, feel free to pin them up and keep them at your finger tips.
R EFERENCE
P HONE L IST
Pull out and put on your refrigerator!
Fire Department
Engine Company 251
254-10 Union Turnpike
Glen Oaks, NY 11004
The 105th Police Precinct
92-08 222nd Street
Queens Village, NY 11428
(718) 969-7472
(718) 476-6251
Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
79-03 257th Street
Floral Park, NY 11004
Long Island Jewish Medical Center
270-05 76th Avenue
New Hyde Park, NY 11040
(718) 347-1637
(718) 470-7000
North Shore University Medical Center
300 Community Drive
Manhasset, NY 11030
Queens General Hospital
82-68 164th Street
Jamaica, NY 11432
(516) 562-0100
(718) 883-3000
POST OFFICE BRANCHES
Glen Oaks Branch
Floral Park Branch
256-29 Union Turnpike
35 Tulip Avenue
(718) 347-4776
(516) 354-3297
LIBRARY BRANCHES
Glen Oaks Branch
Bellerose Branch
256-04 Union Turnpike
250-06 Hillside Avenue
Glen Oaks, NY 11004
Bellerose, NY 11426
(718) 831-8636
(718) 831-8644
SANITATION SERVICES
Department of Sanitation Action Center
P.O. Box 156 • Bowling Green Station • New York, NY 10274-0156
(212) 219-8090
Glen Oaks Village participates in New York City’s recycling programs.
Please use the white bins for newspaper disposal, and the blue bins for metal, glass & plastic disposal.
Additional information can be found in the House Rules.
Important GOVO Numbers
Management Office
GOVO Credit Union
70-33 260th Street
74-15 255th Street
347-2337
347-1212
Maintenance Office
74-15 255th Street
Spartan Security
74-15 255th Street
343-8400
347-6660