(MSCC) Eileen Miller and Frank Kelly, June 15, 2017 — Midtown South Community Council May 18, 2017 Monthly Meeting

PROGRAM:

John Mudd opens meeting by greeting those in attendance and introducing Lt. Marines.

Lt. Marines acknowledged 8 Police Academy recruits who are receiving 2 weeks of training at MTS.

Lt. Marines presented the crime statistics for MTS: Lowest incidence in the 7 major crime categories year to date. Grand larceny auto up year to date.

#WATCHYOUSTUFF campaign from Manhattan D.A. Cyrus Vance’s office will launch on May 30^th to remind people to be vigilant about their surroundings and personal property.

Lt. Marines reinforced MTS dedication for a solution to the garbage situation at the precinct with a meeting with DOS and the MTS Community Council. He followed up on the commuter bus stops on W31st St. MTS officers continue to issue summonses to the bus operators. He also followed up with information on the MTS commitment to work with the homeless.

Sharon introduced the evening’s first guest speaker: Rev. Brian Ellis-Gibbs, Pastor, Queens Baptist Church and Faith-based Community Engagement Coordinator, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA). His church is one of almost 200 human services and faith-based organizations that are members of FPWA. FPWA reaches close to 1.5 million low income New Yorkers of all ages, ethnicities, and denominations. Website: www.fpwa.org, bellis-gibbs@fpwa.org, 212 777 4800, 40 Broad St, NY, NY 10004.

John introduced the meeting’s 2^nd guest speaker: Beth Hofmeister, Staff Attorney, Homeless Rights Project, Civil Practice, 199 Water St, NY, NY 10038, 212 577 3496, bchofmeister@legal-aid.org

Ms. Hofmeister noted that the Dept. of Homeless Services states that of about 58,000 people in city shelters, half are children. Noting that New York is a right-to-shelter state, she outlined her project’s activities:

* Legislation and bringing class action suits

* Working with teens and families

* Advising those in drop-in shelters

Meeting Open For Questions and Comments

John Clancy of Foley’s Restaurant requested that the Council bring in a speaker from the Mayor’s Office to discuss the homeless issue

Craig Primus, Security Director, CUNY Graduate Center asked for advice for cleaning up the garbage that is left behind by homeless when they leave the area in the morning            

Officials in attendance:

MTSCC President John Mudd, Vice President Bill Otterson, Community Service Director Sharon Jasprizza, Secretary Eileen Miller, Assistant Secretary Frank Kelly, Beautification Director Eugene Sinigalliano

Lt. Louis Marines, Special Operations; P.O. Thomas Byrnes, MTS Community Affairs; PO Richard Fazio, NYPD Transit District 1

Inspector Russell Green, Commanding Officer MTS, Detective Paul Spano, Community Affairs, P.O. Edward McDonald were unable to attend as they were at a crime scene in Times Square after a car drove up onto the sidewalk around noon at 42nd St and proceeded along 7^th Ave to 45^th St., killing one person and injuring 22 others according to news reports

Also attending:

Alfredo Marty, Blarney Stone, 410 8^th Ave

Alicia Sheppard, Molly Wee Pub

John Clancy, Foley’s Restaurant, 18 W33rd St

Eunice Seo, West Garden Spa

Craig Primus, CUNY, 365 Fifth Ave, NY,NY 10016

Andre Garrett, ACLU/People Power

David Rios, Rick’s Cabaret & Vivid

Gabriel Lewenstein, LGBT/Outreach Coordinator in the office of Public Advocate Letitia James

Brennan Ward, district representative of N.Y. State Sen. Marisol Alcantara

Twitter account handles:  @NYPDMTS, Transit Division @NYPDTRANSIT

The next MTS Community Council meeting will be held on Thursday, June 15, 2017, 7:00 p.m., at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel on 8th Avenue between 34th and 35th streets.