Rochdale Village Bulletin Newspaper - March 2016

THE COOPERATORS’ NEWSPAPER

Vol. 52 No. 03

March 2016

SERVING OVER 25,000 SHAREHOLDERS IN THE WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST HOUSING COOPERATIVE

Phase One of Community Center Rehab Begins

inside

Highlights of Youth Planning Committee’s Easter Egg Hunt Page 13 (Photo credit: Nat Valentine)

Parking Lot Fencing at Lots 3A & 3B get needed repairs - Page 3

Community Center Committee hosts stellar Women’s History Program - Page 15 (Photo credit: Hughe Williams)

Poetry in Memorial - 25

The Shredder-saurus truck is coming back to RV - Page 17

BEWARE IRS tax scams on the rise Page 18

General Manager’s Report - Pg. 2

President’s Report - Pg 4

(*Artist’s rendering) Board Committee Reports - Pg. 21

RV Church Corner - Pg. 24

Page 2

March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin ROCHDALE VILLAGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Rochdale Village Board of Directors serves 5,860 middle income families and more than 25,000 people in the world’s second largest housing cooperative, located at 169-65 137th Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11434; Tel: 718-276-5700 ext. 336.

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD

Chairman of the Board Clifton Stanley Diaz President Lisa Stark Vice Presidents Jean Randolph-Castro Mario Turner Talib Bey Joe Evans Treasurer Gary Hawkins Secretary Joyce Williams

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD

Talib Bey Yvonne Breiner Clifton Stanley Diaz Joe Evans Stacey Francis Jean Hall David Jeffries Gary Hawkins Tracey Irvin Jean Randolph-Castro Earl Roberts Kamal Saleem Lisa Stark Mario Turner Joyce Williams Gary Casimir (State Representative)

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Budget & Finance Lisa Stark Commercial Services David Jeffries Community Center Jean Randolph-Castro Community Relations Joyce Williams Legal & Management Lisa Stark Maintenance Joe Evans Orientation Clifton Stanley Diaz Public Safety Talib Bey Senior Citizens Gary Hawkins Youth Planning Mario Turner Environmental Conservation Kamal Saleem MANAGEMENT Managing Agent

President’s Message

- by Lisa Stark

Dear Cooperators, Comments Regarding “Unfortunate News” from Last Month Our best efforts don’t always have the intended results. Last month Management and I informed the Cooperators of some incidences that occurred here in Rochdale in the hopes of avoiding rumors and exaggerations.

Unfortunately the rumor mill is still going. So for the record, there were no arrests of any employees, past or present, and this has absolutely nothing to do with Rochdale Village Social Services. Our new employees that filled those vacancies have been able to correct and resolve many issues but there is still more work to do. The Board is also in the process of hiring an external auditor who we will ask to review many of these areas.

Spring Means Back to Work on Rochdale’s Grounds Now that the weather is warming up, you will start to see Rochdale staff starting the work on our grounds, which we have been planning all winter.

New benches are being installed in front of the Community Center and Small Mall. Group 2 is going to finally have the old wooden benches replaced with composite bench slats. Plants have also been ordered to continue the beautification of the fronts of all 20 Buildings.

Grass is going to be planted in place of the old park along Guy Brewer Boulevard. We would love to install a new Playground instead of a grass, but the Board is concerned that it is not safe for our children to be play next to a street where we know there is an issue with criminal activity. We look

Lisa Stark

forward to a day when Guy Brewer is safe enough for a new park to be placed in that spot. In the meantime, we are going to extend the children’s park in back of Building 19 in July.

As always, I welcome any comments and suggestions. Please let me know if you have other ideas of what we can do to continue to improve Rochdale Village.

Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc.

General Manager Marion Scott

Assistant Managers

Alex Freedman, MSI and Jay Williams, RVI

Director of Operations Anthony Coleman, MSI

Controller

William Young

Deputy Director of Maintenance Corey Jones

Security Chief John Skinner

Power Plant Director Gilbert Francisco

Human Resource Director Dolores Benner

General Counsel

William R. Greenspan

The next Rochdale Village Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 25, 2016 in Community Center rooms 11/12/13

March 2016

Page 3

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Phase one of community center transformation begins April 2016

By Susan Van Brackle

A

pril 2016 begins phase one of the much-anticipated Community Center renovation project. Over the course of 50 plus years, select areas of the center have been repaired, changed or upgraded such as the auditorium, stage and individual rooms. However, the current work

that is slated for the Community Center stands to bring the entire look and feel of the structure into the 21st century by the end of 2016.

The center’s west wing will be the first to experience upgrades.

Hallway closures and partitions will be erected until approximately May 31, 2016 when the job transitions to phase two.

During phase one, exciting

renovations of clubrooms 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are anticipated along with work on the adjoining hallways.

For example, ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act) accessible restrooms will be installed near clubroom 15, new entry doors will be added to the inner courtyard area and concrete slab repairs are scheduled for the floors.

While the Community

Center maintains a robust schedule of events and programs like those for the senior citizens and youths, there are plans in place to ensure that activities proceed without major interruptions. As the job proceeds, stay tuned for copious notifications, directional signs as well as regular communications that will enable smooth transitions to a beautiful structure.

Earth Day idea for replacing worn fencing around parking lots 3A and 3B

By Susan Van Brackle

T

he weather-beaten effects of age, rust and wear have taken their toll on yards of chain link fencing that surrounds parking lots 3A and 3B along Bedell Street. That is why Rochdale’s Project Management team has proposed a dual-purpose solution that will temporarily secure the

exposed parking lots that border the Long Island Railroad tracks while reducing the community’s carbon footprint.

In the environmental spirit of Earth Day, which is fast approaching, Rochdale Village stands to recycle, repurpose, and reuse fencing we own that was previously erected along scaffolding in the apartment

Groups.

Approximately 9,100 linear feet of almost new chain link fencing and about 879 poles that was removed from group buildings for previous façade work is available to be erected around parking lots 3A and 3B rather than discard it. Residents that are currently parked in lots 3A and 3B will be amply notified about the

date of the temporary replacement once a vendor has been selected to do the installation.

According to timeanddate. com, Earth Day, which falls on Friday, April 22, aims to inspire awareness of/and appreciation for the earth’s environment. Reusing thousands of feet of materials here in the community is a great way to honor the planet.

If You See Something, Say Something.

Call Rochdale Village Public Safety at (718) 276-2400 Thank you.

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March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Monthly Report Monthly Report

by Marion Marion Scott Scott -- by

General Manager’s Monthly Report for February 2016 The Final Year of Façade Work As you drive down Guy Brewer Boulevard you will see the final stage of façade work in progress.

Buildings 17, 18 and 20 are being completed for Local Law 11 Cycles 6-8.

Buildings 2, 4, 7, 9 and 19 are being completed for Local Law 11 Cycle 8, The façade work is now complete for 12 Buildings for Cycles 6-8.

Maintaining 40 year old facades has been a long and expensive process.

Almost $25 Million has been spent on the facades over the past 25 years, but we are excited to be in the final year of work. When this is complete, the next deadline for filing will be in 2022.

Fence at Long Island Railroad For years the Rochdale community has asked the Long Island Railroad to repair the fence that separates the railroad from the Rochdale Village parking lots. Unfortunately the work has not been done and after this past winter, some of the fence was damaged beyond repair.

For safety reasons, it is critical to have a fence installed along the parking lots. In April, Rochdale will install a fence in Lots 3A and 3B at Rochdale’s expense. We still hope

113th precinct, Rochdale appears well secured and formidable. If you contrast these numbers with the terrain they are charged to patrol of 117-acre grounds, 20 tri-core buildings with a total of 780 hallways and 60 stairwells, you begin to understand the challenge.

Long Island Railroad will provide a higher quality security fence, but we need to get something installed right away.

Progress of LED lighting upgrade at Rochdale Village The LED lighting upgrade is now “in full swing.” You may have noticed the new flat panel light fixtures in the ground floor lobby, new nickel finish fixtures in the lobby hallway and new compact LED’s in the building stairwells. What you may not have noticed are the new LED bulbs in some of the pole lights, on the side of the maintenance entrances and on rooftops.

Each of these fixtures provides a clean sharp light at a fraction of the energy usage. With over 8,400 public area lights throughout the campus Rochdale is estimated to save over $300,000 annually once the project is completed. These savings

estimates have not taken into account the saving in labor as LED’s last longer and need to be replaced with less frequency. There are still many fixtures and bulbs that are scheduled to be changed including but not limited to the parking lots, hallways, canopy and elevators. The small mall public areas have already been affixed with LED’s.

Rochdale Public Safety The Public Safety Department recently hired 7 new officers to insure the campus has adequate staffing for the summertime when there is an increase in activity throughout the community. The strength of the Public Safety Department stems from its officers, leadership and the vigilance of the community it serves. Rochdale is fortunate to have a 24-hour, 7 day a week Public Safety Department. With a staff of over 97 officers, 5 vehicles, 700+ live surveillance cameras and the help of the

Team up with Public Safety

Public Safety’s greatest assets are reports of wrongdoings or suspicious activity by Cooperators.

Like the police, we can use information to act on issues throughout the campus in real time but we need Shareholders to make the call.

Our many cameras are live but they are mainly used to investigative specific reported occurrences. It is not feasible to effectively monitor all 700 cameras at the same time, all the time.

Public safety averages between 4-30 calls on each 8-hour tour. 30 calls from a community of 20,000 residents is a very small amount. It gives the impression that there are not many issues, which seems disproportionate to the complaints Management receives when speaking with Cooperators.

We are working on new technologies that may include texting issues via cell phone. This will help make reporting incidences faster and more discrete.

March 2016

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Controller’s Report Cash Receipts & Disbursements - February 2016 OPENING CASH BALANCE RECEIPTS: Carrying Charges Commercial Rent & Utilities Nursery Schools and Democratic Club Community Center Programs/Rentals Section 8 Rent Rooftop leasing- Wireless Communication Apartment sales and transfers Parking Rent Laundry Parking remotes Application processing fee Ground lease Other rental income Total Collection NG Checks Funds Available for Operations

$

291,592

5,851,191 441,015 3,883 1,175 27,455 6,661 149,285 131,676 360 5,400 2,000 6,484 6,626,585 39,526 6,878,651

OPERATING EXPENSES: Administrative Expenses: Management fee Office expense Office supplies Equipment leasing Data processing fees Postage & Delivery Telephone Information Technology Broadband Communication Legal Consulting - Architects/Engineers Collection Eviction expense Other professional services Total Administrative Expenses

53,006 22,863 68 7,171 1,556 5,366 5,820 4,670 2,368 37,786 11,534 42,582 175 3,687 198,651

MAINTENANCE EXPENSES : Unifrom & cleaning Cleaning supplies Other janitorial expenses Exterminating Expense Compactor Expense Compactor and garbage bags Landscaping expense Ground Equipment Parking Lots expense Office Expense Inspections & violations Radio maintenance Vehicle Maintenance, gas/oil Equipment and small tools Licenses and Permits Carpentry supplies Electrical supplies Door repairs Keys and locks Bathroom supplies Floor Tiles HVAC Maintenance & supplies Plumbing supplies Welding Equipment & supplies Paint/Glass & other supplies Other maintenance and operating expenses Contracted Services - Electrical Contracted Services - Plumbing - Elevator - Floor Repairs - Bathtub glazing - Apartment repairs - Apartment restoration - Carpert installations & cleaning - Pump and roof fans - Asbestos Abatement Total Maintenance Expenses

1,848 14,142 4,946 14,916 48,646 9,872 765 2,226 1,800 3,303 620 333 2,730 1,246 3,028 34,238 35,637 4,824 3,826 18,859 37,802 19,558 30,463 2,541 654 4,831 58,635 2,885 64,259 33,735 2,310 226,462 73,780 7,421 20,227 8,547 801,915

PUBLIC SAFETY EXPENSES: NYPD Paid detail officers Office supplies Vehicle maintenance,gas,oil Surveillance system Uniform and cleaning Paid Detail Administrative Other security expenses Motor Vehicle - Security Misc. Expense ($ 1,000.00 or less) Total Public Safety Expenses

POWER PLANT EXPENSES: Fuel - Oil Fuel - Heating & Electric Gas Water & sewer - Buildings Material, tools and supplies Chemicals and lubricants Uniform & cleaning Office expense Licenses and Permits Absorbers expense Turbine Generator expense Boiler expense Cooling Tower expense Compressor expense Pump Room expense Transformer expense CS- Consultants Total Power Plant Expenses COMMUNITY CENTER EXPENSES: Equipment leasing Ouside labor expense Recreation Office supplies Community Center Building Improv.

Cooking Gas Misc. Expense ($ 1,000.00 or less) Total Community Center Expenses

BOARD EXPENSES Office expenses Contribution- Rochdale Village Social Services Inc Bulletin expense

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES Meter reading services Sign Maintenance Building repairs and maintenance Gas - Hot Water Tank

PAYROLL/ESCROWS/EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: Salaries and Wages Refund of past cooperators equity Replacement reserve Contingency reserve Mortgage Principal and interest Real Estate Tax Escrow Insurance escrow Health & Pension- 32BJ Health & Pension- 94 Health & Pension- SSOBA Health & Dental and Group life insurance Total Payroll/Escrow/Employee Benefits Total Expenses Ending cash balance

10,840 1,277 2,136 332 3,689 2,029 1,053 24,930 46,285

187,806 440,096 428,508 4,516 256 3,191 599 105 11,562 30,000 18,852 1,633 1,328 564 70,499 2,047 1,201,563

225 282 750 123 1,380

6,706 13,334 4,085 24,125

27,164 272 277 27,713

1,666,508 15,833 125,000 70,133 721,896 283,495 300,000 332,958 193,430 120,133 77,099 3,906,483 6,208,116 $670,535

- by William Young Summary of Corporate Funds at February 29, 2016 1) OPERATING FUNDS: Citibank - Checking - Payroll Water and Sewer Escrow Total Operating Funds

668,360 19,782 688,142

2) IN-HOUSE SHELTER FUNDS: Self insurance - Insured Money Market Self insurance - Checking Commercial Tenant Security- IMMA Total In-House Shelter Funds

689,446 533 553,495 1,243,474

3) ESCROW FUNDS: FFI Government Fund - Replacement reserve Capital Improvement Equity Replacement Reserve - Checking Completion Repair Escrow Total Escrow Funds

26,715,321 111,141 16,995 27,157,104 54,000,561

4) MORTGAGE ESCROW: Real Estate Tax Insurance Total Mortgage Escrow TOTAL FUNDS

1,853,594 933,957 2,787,551 $58,719,728

The Housing Company must obtain approval from NYS Homes & Community Renewal to disburse funds from the contingency and replacement reserve accounts.

The self insurance escrow fund is restricted by Board resolution. Funds can only be used to pay damages and other claims against the corporation during the period it was self insured.

The corporation’s cash, investments and escrow balances as of February 29, 2016 was $58,719,728. The amount available to pay operating expenses are $688,142. The following accounts are encumbered:

(a) Self Insurance (b) Contingency and Replacement Reserve (c) Commercial Tenant Security Deposit (d) Capital Improvement Equity (e) Completion Repair Escrow (f) Real Estate Tax Escrow (g) Insurance Escrow

689,979 26,732,316 553,495 111,141 27,157,104 1,853,594 933,957 58,031,586

It also covers claims below the company liability insurance retention program.

The insurance, completion repair and real estate tax escrow accounts were established pursuant to the terms of the mortgage refinancing agreement with Wells Fargo Multifamily Capital, Inc.

Have you signed up to make quick and easy carrying charge payments online yet? Sign up for PayLease at rochdalevillage.com

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March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Controller’s Report - by William Young Accounts Receivable Activity - February 2016

To Advertise in the Rochdale Village Bulletin, Call (718) 276-5700 ext. 359

Description

Arrears

Base Rent Vacancy Rent Medical Office Commercial Electric Water Laundry Parking Fuel surcharge Surcharges Late Charges Dispossess Legal fees NG Check Fee Others Totals

Charges

3,125,893.51 444,842.33 177,139.98 98,673.89 14,393.64 71,500.00 8,266.18 40,725.42 945,806.84 117,693.98 113,959.65 19,351.10 2,987.62 1,524,550.12 6,705,784.26

Adjustments

5,660,917.15 27,542.91 308,787.70 60,108.32 3,705.77

(131,635.05) (2,980.31) (4,059.54)

Payments

Balance

5,650,416.09 6,393.99 27,542.91 341,259.74 61,684.83 10,530.15

3,004,759.52 435,468.03 140,608.40 97,097.38 7,569.26 71,500.00 5,196.03 40,725.42 945,264.92 125,663.13 110,916.11 17,889.90 2,810.46 1,613,665.11 6,619,133.67

129,035.50

(105.06)

132,000.59

86,929.92

(19,564.77) 27,768.45 13,061.09 6,821.25 550.00 288,876.98 178,733.04

67,907.07 19,799.30 16,104.63 8,282.45 727.16 228,810.81 6,571,459.72

29,048.82 6,306,076.09

1. Base rent was adjusted by the following amounts: a)Vacancy loss (27,350.97) b)Section 8 subsidy (29,459.46) c)SCRIE subsidy (66,827.14) d)DRIE subsidy (6,957.20) e)Bad debt & other adjustments (1,040.28) (131,635.05) 2. Commercial arrears are $140,608.40 including electricity of $97,100.38 and water & sewer in the amount of $7,569.26.

3. Included in Other receivables are: Restoration charges Equity Deposits Move in & Move out adjustments Evictions Violations Three Day Notices Total

Tenant Arrears Report Ending February 29, 2016 CURRENT TENANTS In arrears for -

Community Center Report For February 29, 2016

One month

Residential Number 1,673

Two months

457

170,227

34

44,571

Three months

323

130,299

5

17,151

Four months

279

114,907

8

21,518

5-12 months

424

457,240

7

16,596

12+ months

345

394,387

3

1,605

1,344,772

103

216,613

Sub-Total PAST TENANTS In arrears for -

3,501

Tenants Amount Due 77,711

Commercial Tenants Number Amount Due 46 115,172

One month

Residential Number 63

Two months

52

65,265

Three months

41

42,388

-

-

Four months

34

41,324

-

-

5-12 months

89

288,061

2

10,546

12+ months

562

4,456,774

5

98,047

Sub-Total

841

4,948,959

6

109,255

GRAND TOTALS

Tenants Amount Due 55,148

6,293,731

1,465,249.83 27,648.08 (63,350.86) 73,796.19 91,739.60 18,582.27 1,613,665.11

Commercial Tenants Number Amount Due 1 343 1

318

325,868

REVENUES: Programs Room Rental Vending Machine Total Revenue

700 475 130 1,305

EXPENSES: Salaries - Administrative - Porters Outside Labor Expense Repairs and Maintenance Cooking Gas Total Expenses Net Income/(Loss)

4,862 19,016 225 147 123 24,373 (23,068)

March 2016

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Public Safety Report

- by Chief John Skinner

Public Safety Monthly Report February 2016 Enclosed is the statistical data relative to the performance of the Rochdale SPECIAL VERTICAL PATROL BY ROCHDALE PUBLIC SAFETY Village, Inc., Public Safety Department during the month of February 2016. OFFICERS: Vertical patrols are conducted on a daily basis. Officers patrol the stairwells, Public Safety maintains twenty-four hour coverage. hallways, rooftops and parking lots at different hours to curtail unlawful activities and have been positively reinforced.

LOITERING: During the month of February 2016, the Public Safety Department has continued to focus attention on loitering conditions. As a result, Public VERTICALS: 1305 702

Safety officers responded to a total of Forty (40) complaints of loitering SPECIAL VERTICALS: TOTAL: 2007 which were resolved as follows: 1.

Conditions corrected – Eleven (11) loiterers complied with officers’ TOWING: 28

directives to leave.

13 2.

Unfounded – Nineteen (19) unfounded loitering complaints (officers WARNING ISSUED: TOTAL: 41

responded but no loiterers were present).

3.

Responded – Nine (9) loiterers found and/or loiterers were advised ESCORTS: 55

of RV’s rules and regulations 4.

Violations issued – One (1) violation for loitering were issued SECURITY RESPONDED TO THE FOLLOWING CALLS: 2403 The Rochdale Village Public Safety Department will continue to organize to MAINTENANCE CALLS: 524 TOTAL CALLS FOR SERVICES: 2927 better serve the community.

During the month of February the following arrests were affected: There were (4) arrests for the month of February 2016.

Arrests for February 2016 February 1, 2016 – C-Summons (Trespass) – Non-resident young black male and female were found sitting in the stairwell of Building 11C. The male was issued a C-Summons for trespassing and transported to the 113th Precinct. The female was transported to the nearby school she attends. The black male that was taken to the precinct was able to assist in another crime that took place on Conduit Avenue and Rockaway Blvd after viewing photos he observed at the precinct.

INCIDENT REPORTS: 68 MAIL VOLUME DELIVERED BY PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER:

1,115 ARREST(S): 4 IN HOUSE DETAINED: 0 TOTAL: 4 VIOLATIONS ISSUED: 12 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF/AUTO:

1

February 7, 2016 – C-Summons (Trespass) – Three individuals were EVICTION(S): 5 found loitering in Building 3C. After a short chase, one individual was caught, cuffed, transported to the 113th Precinct and issued a C-Summons for trespassing.

February 15, 2016 – C-Summons (Trespass/Unlawful Possession of Marijuana) – Three individuals were found loitering in the “A” stairwell of Building 13A. The youths were arrested and transported to the 113th precinct.

One of the individuals was turned over to his mother. The second youth was issued a C-Summons for trespass and unlawful possession of marijuana due to a small quantity found on his person and held for questioning due to his arrest portfolio. The third individual was released from the precinct.

February 29, 2016 – C-Summons (Trespass) – While conducting a vertical in Building 4A, RO observed two males loitering on the 7th floor, E staircase. One of the males was detained while a warrant check was done by the 113th precinct. The male was issued a C-Summons for disorderly conduct (Blocking Pedestrian Traffic).

DVR UNIT ACTIVITY TOTAL INCIDENTS = 32 TOTAL RISK MANAGEMENT = 20 VIOLATIONS = 0 TOWED VEHICLES The Public Safety Department towed Twenty-eight (28) vehicles during the month of February for violation of parking rules on the complex.

VIOLATIONS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8

Listed are the classifications of Notice of Violations issued: CLASSIFICATION AMOUNT Illegal Move-In 2 Illegal Move-Out 1 Noise 3 Disorderly Conduct/Abusive Language 2 Loitering 1 Damage to Rochdale Property 1 Failure to Comply 1 Illegal Dumping 1 Total

12

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

March 2016

ANSWERS TO THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT

DRIE INCOME INCREASE 1.

WHAT IS DRIE? DRIE is the Disability Rent Increase Exemption. If you are eligible, your rent is frozen so that you do not have to pay most rent increases. To learn more about the program, read the SCRIE/DRIE Guide on our website at nyc.gov/drie or contact 311 so that we can mail you a copy.

2.

WHAT IS THE NEW INCOME REQUIREMENT FOR DRIE? Starting on July 1, 2014, the income threshold increased to $50,000 per household. There will no longer be a different income requirement for a one-person household vs. a two+ person household.

3.

CAN I APPLY TODAY? Yes, the income threshold increase started July 1, 2014.

4.

IF MY HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS $50,000 OR LESS, WILL I DEFINITELY GET DRIE? No. There are other requirements. Your rent must be more than one-third (1/3) of your household income, you must be 18 years old or older, be the tenant of record and have a Qualifying Federal Disability. There are other requirements as well. Please read our SCRIE/DRIE Guide for all of the program requirements at nyc.gov/drie or contact 311 so that we can mail you a copy.

5.

MY INCOME IS $50,000 OR LESS AND I TURN 18 ON JUNE 30, 2014, CAN I APPLY TO DRIE? You can apply any time after your 18th birthday. You must be 18 or older to qualify for DRIE.

6.

I RECENTLY APPLIED FOR SSI/SSDI BUT HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED YET, CAN I STILL APPLY FOR DRIE? No, you have to wait to receive a “Notice of Award” before applying for DRIE. If you have not been awarded SSI/SSDI you are not eligible for DRIE.

7.

I WAS RECENTLY REVOKED FROM DRIE BECAUSE MY INCOME WAS OVER THE INCOME LIMIT. NOW THAT THE INCOME AMOUNT HAS GONE UP TO $50,000 WILL MY DRIE BE REINSTATED? Yes, for some DRIE tenants. We will be contacting tenants whose leases ended after January 2, 2014 for reinstatement.

8.

I WAS RECENTLY REVOKED FROM DRIE BECAUSE MY INCOME EXCEEDS THE INCOME LIMIT. CAN I APPEAL THAT DECISION? Yes. You have the right to appeal any DRIE decision.

DRIE Income Increase FAQ Rev. 07.14.2014

March 2016

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Monthly Report

- by Robert Woods

Contract Summary/Status — February 2016

LOCAL LAW 11, CYCLE 6, 7 and 8 BUILDING FAÇADE REPAIRS: 1.

Façade repairs are completed on Buildings noted below: • DOB accepted as safe Cycles 6-7 five (5) Buildings Numbers: 2, 4, 7, 9 & 19 • DOB accepted as safe Cycles 6-8 nine (9) Buildings Numbers: 5, 8 & 10-16 • Awaiting DOB approval of Cycles 6-8 for three (3) Buildings Numbers: 1, 3 & 6.

2.

Inspections complete for Buildings 2, 4, 7, 9 & 17-20.

3.

Mobilization is in progress in Group 5 and repairs will begin the first week of April.

LOBBY CEILING REPLACEMENTS: Sigma Maintenance & Restoration Corp. has installed pipes insulation and ceilings in the lobbies of 11 Buildings. Completion status: #1-9 (95%); and 11, 14(80%). Mirror installation is in progress in Group 1. Contractor will continue asbestos abatement on the first and second weekend of April in buildings numbers 12, 15, 19 and 20.

COMMUNITY CENTER RENOVATION AND PARAPET (RETROFIT) WALL Both projects will commence the first week of April.

Group Manager offices prepare to undergo consumer-friendly upgrades

By Susan Van Brackle

R

ochdale Village Group offices are set to undergo a series of upgrades that started with the Group 4 office in mid-March. Renovations in the Group 4 office will be completed in

a few weeks and will set the stage for upgrades to the remaining offices, which will be done in the near future.

Envision a fresh paint job, spacious, open plan waiting areas with better, brighter lighting, a semi-private conference room and attractive storage solutions that

(DRIE Frequently Asked Questions continued from page 8)

will make the Group offices look more organized and inviting to cooperators.

The modifications that are taking place in the Group 4 office managed by Dwayne Bell and Housing Clerk, Jomo Farrier, are being done with the comfort

of residents in mind. Since Group managers perform Meet and Greet sessions with new cooperators, receive inquiries about maintenance issues and orders for household supplies, these office renovations will facilitate the customer service needs of the community.

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

March 2016

Rochdale Village Senior Center Events - April 2016

March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

NORC Event Calendar - April 2016

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March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Powerful performance of stage play “Camp Logan” comes to Rochdale grand ballroom

By Reyel Basea

R

ochdale’s Youth Planning Committee recently introduced yet another thought-provoking theatre production to this community based on little-known events in American history. “Camp Logan”, penned by playwright Celeste Bedford Walker, pays homage to the men of the 24th United States Infantry, an all Black regiment that served in

1.

the Mexican-American dispute against Cuba and in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. Director, Michael Green and stage manager, Valerie Donaldson brought to life the historic details of this dramatic play that highlighted the earnest service and harassment of the soldiers that led to a bloody rebellion of 1917 in Houston, Texas. Many of the men were 20year veterans that fought bravely on behalf of the United States and received distinguished records. However, less than four months after returning from service, 13 soldiers

Clockwise from left: 1) Stage manager Valerie Donaldson (left) and Rochdale’s new Community Center Director, Julia Shaw (right). 2) Camp Logan’s cast and Director Michael Green (with fedora), Youth Planning Committee members, committee chairperson and board members Mario Tuner, Jean Castro and attorney Hettie Powell. 3) and 4) Powerful scenes performed by the cast of Camp Logan. 5) Board member and committee chairman, Mario Turner ensures theater goers had a great time. Photos by Nat Valentine and Eleanor Speer.

3.

ROCHDALE VILLAGE SOCIAL SERVICES PRESENTS:

YOUTH INTERNSHIP ROCHDALE VILLAGE COMMUNITY CENTER 169-65 137TH AVE JAM. NY 11434 COMPUTER ROOM 1 EVERY TUES 4P-6P & SATURDAY 2P-6P COMMUNITY INTERNSHIP FOR YOUTH AGES 12-19 WITH INTEREST IN THE FOLLOWING: *BLOGGING/SOCIAL MEDIA *WEB DESIGN *COMPUTERS *JOURNALISM/ WRITING *COMMUNITY SERVICE *EVENT PLANNING *MARKETING/PROMOTION *PHOTOGRAPHY *VIDEOGRAPHY

CALL JASMINE COWARD (718) 807-6235

4.

were hung, without appeal or review under sentence, by the largest court-martial in America.

It is not the first time that committee chairperson and board officer, Mario Turner, teamed up with the Shades of Truth Theatre and Voza Rivers/New Heritage Theatre Group. The committee previously brought a production of Black Wall Street to the grand ballroom stage in the Community Center. Those that didn’t get a chance to see the play surely missed a powerful performance.

2.

5.

ochdale Village Bulletin TR he Rochdale Village Bulletin

March aRch2016 2016 M

1.

2.

PPage age 113

6.

Rochdale’s Youth Planning Committee’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt Highlights

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2016

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Here are the top 10 reasons that cooperators should put the Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Rochdale Village on their social calendar for next year. As always, Rochdale’s Youth Planning Committee, under the direction of Mario Turner, made the event bigger and better than ever this year with more prizes, more entertainment and more fun. Photos by Nat Valentine.

The Top 10 Reasons

1. Clowns that perform adorable face painting.

2. Who doesn’t love a fluffy Easter bunny?

3. Treats, treats and more treats.

4. Inflatable basketball hoops.

5. Cool Easter basket giveaways.

6. Friends and family spending time together.

7. Thomas the Train inflatable rides.

8. A Bouncy House obstacle course.

9. Parents get to wear fun rabbit ears.

10. Hardworking Youth Planning team members making sure you have a great time!

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9.

Photo credit: Al Ephraim

10.

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

March 2016

Our Rochdale Vil January, February & March Birthday Group and new Game room pics

Our Rochdale Village seniors are getting younger and fresher everyday! These beauties are from the January, February and March birthday group.

Congratulations to you all. Here’s wishing you many, many more.

The Game room opened in March with tons of new amenities.

These two youngsters gave the foosball table a try.

When was the last time you played air hockey?

Pick up a game of table tennis at your leisure.

Comfortable club chairs, flat screen monitors and the latest videos are in store for gamers.

March 2016

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

ellage Village Community Community Professional Women of Jazz perform for Women’s History Month honorees (Photo credit:Hughe Williams) See more photos at Facebook.com/rochdalebulletinonline

The Professional Women of Jazz ensemble returned to the Rochdale Village grand ballroom for a special recognition awards ceremony for community heroines.

Women’s History Month honoree, Dr. Marlene Reynolds-Cox and husband.

Reverend Jeffrey Dillon (l.) from Christ the King Church with board member Jean Castro (r.).

Ed Douglass presents award to Women’s History Month honoree, the Honorable Judge Marguerite Grays.

(l. to r.) Board director Earl Roberts, Inez Lewis, Tina Young, Dr. Reynolds-Cox, Marilyn Bell, Dr. Rodrigues, board chairman Clifton Stanley Diaz, Judge Jackman-Brown, Judge Grays, board and committee chair Jean Castro, Mary Czwartachi, attorney Hettie Powell, community center director Julia Shaw.

Women’s History Month honoree, Dr. Maria L. Rodrigues and husband.

Special thanks to Community Center committee members and volunteers: Julia Shaw, Ed Douglass, Tim Mercer, Judith Pierre-Charles, Margaret Cummings,Willard Price, Norma Dean, Mary Czwartachi, Marilyn Bell, Inez Lewis, Jean Castro, Clara Sheppeard, Tina Young, Kevin Dilworth.

The Honorable Judge Pam Jackman-Brown accepts Women’s History Month award.

Speaker of the evening, Hettie Powell, Attorney at Law (r.), with her sister Marcel (l.).

Page 16

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

March 2016

Rochdale Village community selected for nationwide Shred Fest

By Susan Van Brackle

J

ust in time for spring cleaning, the Shredder-saurus truck is coming back to the Rochdale Village community. That’s because Rochdale has been selected to participate in Shred Fest 2016 as one of two representative locations for the entire borough of Queens. Residents and guests that are beleaguered with piles of excess paper can shred up to three bags of it at the Mall 1 parking lot that borders Guy R. Brewer and Baisley Boulevards!

The Rochdale Village Maintenance Committee, chaired

by Joe Evans, co-chaired by Eugen Evans and Mario Turner will join sponsors from the AARP Fraud Watch Network (FWN), along with community outreach representatives from the State Attorney General’s office and other law enforcement organizations, for this rain-or-shine event. The theme of Shred Fest 2016 is proper records disposal to protect against

fraud and identity theft.

The success of Shred Day last August, coupled with the community’s park like setting and wide-open spaces, prompted Shed Fest organizers to deem Rochdale a great location for the borough of Queens. Last year, AARP logged in as many as 330 participants that attended the free shred day event according to event coordinator, Joan Russell-Benjamin.

People came from as far away as Hollis, the Rockaways and even Rosedale.

Shred Fest activities will be happening nationwide on Friday, April 29. Early birds at Rochdale Village can start lining up at the location at 11:00 a.m. The shredding will officially begin from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. According to Laura J. Palmer, Associate State Director for AARP, several upstate counties, the five boroughs of NYC, Westchester, and Long Island are also participating.

This one-day free community event is separate from the regular shred events that are conducted in NYC yearly.

March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Rochdale Village NORC BUILDING OUTREACH TIME: 10:00 AM-­‐ 12:30PM

Wednesday April 13th 2016 Bldg. #18 Wednesday April 20th Bldg. #1 Wednesday April 27th Bldg. #5

***Please Come Down and Join Us in Your Community Room*** Funded in part by the NYC Department for the Aging, 2 Lafayette St. New York NY 10007

March 2016

Tax scam incidents increased by 400% as filing season comes to close

By Reyel Basea

T

ax season is almost finished however, the surge in scams that come with it are not! The most common scams this tax season include identity theft, phone scams, phishing, return preparer fraud, inflated refund claims, fake charities, padding deductions on returns, and falsifying income to claim credits.

In the past, scammers targeted the elderly, new immigrants, or those who spoke English as a second language. Now, criminals are targeting just about anyone and have stolen from people in every state in the union. Even tax preparers like H&R Block and other private tax services have been targeted.

With a 400% increase in phishing scams, the cons try new tricks all the time. Some use official IRS letterheads in emails or on regular mail sent out to their victims. Scammers have even altered their caller ID’s, making it look like an official IRS phone number or another agency in order to appear legitimate. They often intimidate the victim, demanding

payment and threatening arrest or deportation.

Taxpayers need to know how the IRS operates in order to determine whether a claim is legitimate or not.

The IRS will never call or e-mail taxpayers, and they will only make contact through certified mail. They may contact people by phone however, it would be after a bill has been sent to your home already. The IRS 1) never demands immediate payment without allowing people to question or appeal what is being charged or, 2) requires that you pay your taxes a certain way by asking for credit or debit card information through the phone, or 3) threaten to involve police or other agencies to arrest you for not making payment. Never reveal any personal information. Just hang up immediately.

If you think you have encountered a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-800366-4484. If you receive any scam related material by regular mail, be sure to submit a Mail Fraud Complaint Form to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Crimes by mail are considered a federal offense.

March 2016

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Rochdale Village Board of Directors Meeting Resolutions - February 22, 2016

R09-16:

Seconded by: Clifton Stanley Diaz WHEREAS, RITE AID OF NEW YORK, INC.

FOR

lease is to be renewed with a five (5) year lease

Talib Bey

Clifton Stanley Diaz

commencing November 1, 2016 and expiring October

Joe Evans

Stacey Francis

31, 2021 and;

Jean Hall

Tracey Irvin

Earl Roberts

Lisa Stark

Mario Turner

Joyce Williams

WHEREAS, Provided Tenant is not in default beyond any applicable cure period, Tenant shall have the right to renew this lease for one

ABSENT

(1) five (5) year period commencing November 1,

Yvonne Breiner

Gary Hawkins

2021 and expiring October 31, 2026.

David Jeffries

Jean Randolph-Castro

WHEREAS, the terms of the lease are attached.

Kamal Saleem Ten for, five absent; motion passes.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the RITE AID OF NEW YORK, INC. lease is approved by

R11-16:

the Rochdale Village, Inc. Board of Directors.

WHEREAS, Local Law 11 work was

Moved by: Lisa Stark

completed on seventeen buildings including Cycles

Seconded by: Joe Evans

6 to 8 on twelve buildings (#1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10-16)

FOR

and Cycles 6-7 on five buildings (#2, 4, 7, 9 &

Clifton Stanley Diaz

Joe Evans

Stacey Francis

Jean Hall

Tracey Irvin

Earl Roberts

#R12-15, at the end of 2015 the Architect

Lisa Stark

Mario Turner

conducted close inspections of eight Buildings and

Joyce Williams

19); WHEREAS, as stated in Resolution

provided an estimate to bring these final

ABSENT

buildings into compliance through 2022;

Talib Bey

Yvonne Breiner

Gary Hawkins

David Jeffries

buildings includes Cycles 6-8 for three buildings

Jean Randolph-Castro

Kamal Saleem

(#17, 18 & 20) and Cycle 8 for five buildings (#2,

Nine for, six absent; motion passes.

WHEREAS, work on these final

4, 7, 9 & 19); WHEREAS, Management is using portions

R10-16:

of the facade project to reduce Rochdale’s taxes WHEREAS, the Rochdale Youth Planning

by approximately $910,034 a year over the next ten

Committee (“RYPC”) is proposing to host an event

plus years through the J-51 tax abatement program,

in conjunction with the organization Operation

which will help offset some of the costs;

Prom;

WHEREAS, proposals were sought to WHEREAS, the Operation Prom will

finish the remaining eight (8) buildings at lump

provide quality prom dresses and tuxedos to

sum costs ranging between $5,947,000 to

students residing in Rochdale that are passing all

$10,270,100; and

of their classes, recommended by their guidance counselor and are in financial need; and WHEREAS, the event will take place on May 14, 2016 in the Rochdale Village Ballroom from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M..

WHEREAS, the Architect provided a formal recommendation affirming Proto Construction Corp. as the lowest responsible bidder from 15 proposals at a total lump sum price of $5,947,000.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the

Rochdale Village, Inc. Board of Directors accepts

Rochdale Village, Inc. Board of Directors accepts

the proposal from Proto Construction Corp. in the

the resolution for the event “Operation Prom.”

amount of $5,947,000 to complete Cycles 6, 7 and 8

Moved by: Mario Turner

for eight (8) buildings.

Page 20

March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Rochdale Village Board of Directors Meeting Resolutions - February 22, 2016 FOR

Moved by: Lisa Stark Seconded by: Joyce Williams FOR Talib Bey

Clifton Stanley Diaz

Joe Evans

Lisa Stark

Mario Turner

Joyce Williams

Talib Bey

Clifton Stanley Diaz

Joe Evans

Lisa Stark

Mario Turner

Joyce Williams AGAINST

Stacey Francis

Jean Hall

Earl Roberts

AGAINST Jean Hall

ABSTAIN

Earl Roberts Tracey Irvin

ABSTAIN Stacey Francis

ABSENT

Tracey Irvin

ABSENT

Yvonne Breiner

Gary Hawkins Jean Randolph-Castro

Yvonne Breiner

Gary Hawkins

David Jeffries

David Jeffries

Jean Randolph-Castro

Kamal Saleem

Kamal Saleem

Six for, three against, one abstention, five

Six for, two against, two abstentions, five

absent; motion passes.

absent; motion passes.

R13-16: TELEPHONE VOTE

R12-16:

WHEREAS, the Rochdale Village

WHEREAS, Robert J. Stahl Architect, PC was hired as the Arthitect to complete Local

Community Center is long overdue for renovations

Law 11, Cycles 6-7, for fifteen buildings at

to improve the overall appearance of the facility

Rochdale Village at a cost of $560,000;

and other critical repairs; WHEREAS, the renovations are

WHEREAS, Resolution #R12-15 stated that instead of completing Cycles 6-7 for fifteen

scheduled to include repairing portions of the

buildings, work was done to complete Cycles 6-8

building that are sinking due to slab deflection,

for twelve buildings to bring these buildings into

replacing entrance doors and refurbishing floors

compliance through 2022;

and ceilings throughout the facility; WHEREAS, requests for proposals were

WHEREAS, as stated in Resolution #R12-15, at the end of 2015, the Archtect

sought from various contractors to perform

conducted close inspections for the eight

renovations to the Community Center, which

buildings (#2, 4, 7, 9 and 17-20) and provided an

resulted in proposals from six (6) companies

estimate to complete Cycles 6-8 for these

ranging in cost from $1,921,644 to $3,600,000; WHEREAS, upon bid analysis it was

buildings; and WHEREAS, it will cost $210,000 to bid

found that Sigma Restoration & Maintenance Corp.

the work on these eight buildings including

provided the lowest responsible bid in the amount

inspecting the work and filing Cycle 6-8 reports

of $1,921,644 including tax; and

for three buildings (#17, 18 & 20) and Cycle 8

WHEREAS, the cost does not include

reports for five buildings (#2 4, 7, 9 and 19).

replacing the HVAC units which will be bid as a

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the

separate project.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the

Rochdale Village, Inc. Board of Directors accepts the proposal from Robert J. Stahl, PC in the

Rochdale Village, Inc. Board of Directors accepts

amount of $210,000 bringing the new contracted

the proposal from Sigma Restoration & Maintenance

cost to a total of $770,000 subject to approval of

Corp. in the total amount of $1,921,644 subject to

the New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

approval from the New York State Homes & Community

Moved by: Lisa Stark

Renewal.

Seconded by: Joyce Williams

March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Page 21

Rochdale Village Board of Directors Meeting Meeting Minutes - February 22, 2016

Meeting began: 7:50 p.m.

William Greenspan, Esq., Corporate Counsel Alfred E. Smith - President, House Congress

Board Members: Present Clifton Stanley Diaz - Chairperson Lisa Stark - President

Not Present Yvonne Breiner - Director Gary Hawkins - Treasurer Tracey Irvin - Director Jean Randolph-Castro - 1st Vice President

Mario Turner - 2nd Vice President Talib Bey - 3rd Vice President Joe Evans - 4th Vice President Joyce Williams - Secretary Stacey Francis - Director Jean Hall - Director David Jeffries - Director Earl Roberts - Director Kamal Saleem - Director Also present MSI Real Estate Alex Freedman - Assistant General Manager Jay Williams - Assistant General Manager Anthony Coleman - Director of Operations William Young - Controller Kelvin Pantaleon - Director of Maintenance

The agenda for the evening: Roll Call Motions Requiring board Action Minutes by Secretary and correspondence Cooperator’s Session (30 min.)

Reports New Business Old Business Adjournment The roll call was taken upon opening the meeting. Â Based on the attendance, a quorum was reached.

There were (5) motions requiring board action (see the Board Resolutions).

Maintenance Committee Minutes for Wednesday, March 16, 2016 The meeting started at 7:09pm Paper Sbredding The date will be announced soon.

Joe Evans

Ground and Spring Preparation Goose repellent (all natural) smells like grapes, will be distributed on RV grounds, white powder for the grass will also be applied to RV grounds.

Some parking lots will be re-paved.

The trees in front of the lobby will be removed and the front of buildings will be enhanced.

Tree evaluations throughout RV, will be done next month.

Staircase Inspections Bldg. # 7 has had lights in the staircases vandalized.

Please make an anonymous call if someone looks strange in the bldg.

If you see caps missing from the standpipes in the stairwells, please report it.

Cooperators Issues There are too many stray cats in RV, and they are being fed. Please

Do Not Feed The Cats.

Christmas Lights - Please Take Them Down Lots 3a, 3b, and 7, has a lot of garbage by the fence. (The area will be cleaned for new paving.)

A Coyote was spotted by the LIRR (Bedell street) on 03-15-16 Deer blood or Deer urine from pet store can be used for squirrels on terraces.

On the side of bldg. #12, Lint is coming out of the Laundry room onto the walkway, because the cover on the vent is missing.

Clocks in apartments are still running fast. (Mr. Jones will investigate) Parking lot #1 has big holes.

The LED light packs in the front of the buildings need to be adjusted.

Currently, some of them are shinning into cooperators bedrooms.

If your water is fluctuating hot/cold, not normal, and you have the one arm faucet, please report it, so the group manager can address the problem.

Building #4 currently has hot/cold water issues.

Question: Are the pipes in the service area going to be fixed? Answer: They have been fixed.

Community Rooms

What is the procedure to get the rooms painted, and the cleaning or new blinds? The Board has to be addressed regarding how it can be done.

Meeting adjourned at 8:11pm.

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

March 2016

Community Relations Committee Minutes for Wednesday, March 9, 2016 In Attendance Attendance Sheet Forwarded

sympathy to committee members that are bereaved. Mary Smith makes cards and will give the Committee samples to go over.

Welcome The meeting was opened at 7:25pm by Chairperson Joyce Williams.

Ms. Williams welcomed opened with a prayer - This allows the Committee to be on one accord.

Old Business The Committee has two upcoming events: Health Fair & Karaoke Night Ms. Williams will be looking into June dates for the Health Fair (June 18th) and July dates for the Karaoke Night (July 10th or 11th) We will start putting both events into action during our April 13th meeting.

Joyce Williams

Old Business Jean Castro was appointed as advisor to Ms. Williams A Cooperator was interested in getting involved in the Community and was advised to: Come to the meetings (Committee meetings & Board meetings) Reach out to Maintenance A Cooperator had complaints on maintenance issues: o Ms. Williams followed up/addressed the issues with the appropriate people It was agreed by the Committee that we will send cards out to members who are bereaved, sick or shut-in due to illness.

Unfinished Business Ms. Williams has already started implementing the process of sending out

Did You Know?

Foot Doctor (podiatrist) that makes house calls: 917.913.0649 Senator Sanders Presents: “Women Making a Difference” on March 19, 2016, 11 am to 2pm at “Greater Rescue Church of Christ” 110-51 Guy R Brewer Blvd.

Speakers: Erica Ford; Dianna Blount; and Nancy Martinez The minutes were ratified unanimously, and adjourned at approximately 8:25 p.m. by Chairperson Joyce Williams.

Respectfully, Chairperson, Joyce Williams Submitted By: Tina Young, Secretary

Public Safety Committee Minutes for Thursday, March 3, 2016 The meeting opened promptly at 7:00 p.m.

exemplary work. And rightly so.

On behalf of the Public Safety Committee, I would like to extend our deepest and sincere condolences to the family of Public Safety officcer Barry Oden and his Public Safety coworkers.

As always we encourage information from the cooperators that can help us increase the quality of life here at Rochdale.

Rochdale Village has two resource officers assigned to us by the 113th preceint specifically to address Talib Bey any issues we may have. These two officers will be attending our monthly public safety meetings on a regular basis.

Chief Skinner gave a overview of Rochdale Village and the surrounding area in regards to crime.

Complaints from cooperators that need to be addressed are as follows: -Signage regarding Trespassing -Park gates being locked at night -City parks (several issues) -Count Basie school park( rowdy youth hanging out and being disruptive) Updates on prior requested information: Stair climbers-We are still waiting on new parts for repair Also all supervisors will be getting retrained on how to use them during emergencies.

Good news according to the 113th precinct, crime in our area is down.

However, marijuana smoking, a quality of life issue, is still looming despite a significant decrease in complaints.

What is the correct time allotted for parking in the small mall?

Suggestions from cooperators:

Our Public safety Officer force is down 10 officers, but we are diligently working to replace them.

- Management should make available some kind of panic button or emergency alert device in the residential parking lots

We need to recognize the heroic effort implemented by Rochdale Village’s Sgt. Alvarez, who pulled two people out of a burning overturned vehicle.

Place notifications about mall parking lot rules in paper, facebook, buildings ( i.e. no parking in mall unless you are patronizing a business)

We would also like to recognize the meritorious act carried out by Lt. Lopez also for finding an autistic child that was reported missing. These two very important emergencies were able to be addressed by our public safety officers because of the radios that we have that are on the same frequency as the 113th precinct. We now can hear their calls and they can hear ours as well.

SCAM NOTIFICATIONS Be aware of a man or woman with a middle eastern accent claiming to represent the IRS. The Internal Revenue Service usually contacts tax payers by mail not by phone. So be aware of this fraudulent call scam.

Thanks again it’s a pleasure to do service for my community.

Accordingly, Chief Skinner will be handing out medals to officers that do

Regards, Talib Bey

March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Page 23

Rochdale Village Board of Directors

Cooperators’ Community Room Rules and Regulations Dear Cooperator: We welcome your use of the Community Room. These rooms are maintained by volunteers so we ask your cooperation in keeping them clean. Please control your guests. Rochdale Village is not responsible for accidents during your party.

NO SMOKING PLEASE 1. I will use the Community Room only during the hours agreed upon for my affair and I will be present throughout the affair.

2. I agree to use only MASKING TAPE to hang decorations on the walls. NO TAPE ON THE CEILING. 3. I will not serve or allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the Community Room.

4. I will leave the kitchen, bathrooms and Community Room clean and free of garbage and debris.

5. I will remove all my decorations from the room when my affair is over.

6. I will remove all garbage generated by my affair from the rooms, and deliver it to the service hallway for pick-up by maintenance, including the wastepaper baskets in the bathrooms.

7. My guests will be kept in the Community Room and not allowed to roam or play in the hallways, or on the grass.

8. I will not use the Community Room to generate personal profit or for political themes unrelated to Rochdale Village or for the purpose of organizing religious meetings or activities.

9. I will not remove or allow my guests to remove any furniture or articles belonging to the Community Room.

10. I will be responsible for articles that are stolen or broken during the time I have access to the room.

11. I will damp mop (no soap) all floors in the areas that I use.

12. I will check the oven and the refrigerator to make sure they are clean. (Some rooms require a match to light the oven.)

13. I understand that I will be held fully accountable for guests attending my affair, and I also understand that if rules are not followed, my affair may be shut down and I will lose the right to use any of the Community Rooms in the future. I understand that the maximum occupancy for the room is 75 people.

Additional Notes: • Please – DO NOT push tables or chairs against the walls. The room must be returned in the same condition as when rented.

• Please – NO DJ equipment, and NO boom box/loud music. Music is for your guests.

• Please – NO Confetti.

Rental Fee: $50.00 per Affair Repass: Complimentary/FREE

Page 24

March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

~Poetry Corner~ The Power of a Humble Lamb

By Anthony Blake My name was called in the distance I stopped suddenly being an instance I proceed to walk on But the voice got louder and it was a command being strong I began to tremble in my stance But it seemed the distance voice was giving me a chance It was the connection of the voice from the Lord I didn’t utter a word I listened and let the Lord be heard It was inspiring words for me You could see the praise for all to see The Lord told me, “As you continue to live and see, I will always be with you guiding you through many struggles and you are my flock” There will be people that will try to mock I trained you well and you know how to block Your defenses will be like a lock A voice that was so kind and gentle It was the humbleness of a lamb A man so powerful A man who is great and worthy The same man that has given me inspiration being my own story It’s all about praise and glory No more too say then the end of the story.

The Sneeze

Double Dutch

By Gloria Williams (Reprinted from March 2014)

By Ed Miller (Reprinted from March 2011)

Finally the good weather...

The jump rope comes alive The single youngster takes Her turn, jumping 3,4,5.

Then the Double Dutcher Waits, bides her time Studies the rope’s rhythm Sings a catchy rhyme.

Some of the words Handed down for ages So many are silly words Or written by old sages.

Sometimes I have to sneeze not now oh heaven please I feel it coming from my toes to my knees Sometimes I have to sneeze Sometimes what’s in the air It’s a tickle like a feather or a tiny hair From my toes to my knees Sometimes I have to sneeze One day went out to lunch Wwith a Very Important People bunch (VIP’s) Pass the salt and pepper please (one) Sprinkle sorry I have to sneeze

Taking turn at turning Disappointed by surprise For having missed, tripping Great fun and exercise.

The lady wearing the red leather hat said “it’s so rude to sneeze like that” I sneezed so loud I woke the crowd Sometimes I have to sneeze I cover with hankies in hand My unruly sneeze takes no command Pardon me will you please At you at you at you Sometimes I have to sneeze

The RV Church Corner Why not visit a neighborhood house of worship here in the surrounding Rochdale Village community. Peace.

The church of St. Bonaventure 114-58 170th Street Jamaica, NY 11434 718-526-0040

Wednesdays - Bible Study & Prayer 7:30 pm Fridays - Deliverance Service 7:30 pm

St. Benedict the moor 171-17 110th Avenue Jamaica, NY 11434 718-526-4018 Reverend Gordon P. Kusi, Pastor Reverend Stephen Jantuah Deacon Pascual Olivas Angela Lewis, DFF Mass Celebrations at each church: Sunday Mornings at 10 am

St. Paul United Methodist Church 173-01 108th Avenue Jamaica, NY 11433 Service Times: Shining Light Youth Service 10:00 a.m. on 2nd and 4th Sundays Family worship: Every Sunday at 11:00 am.

The Rev. Lori D. Hartman, Pastor Tel. 718-523-5570

Maranatha French SeventhDay Adventist Church 173-04 Linden Blvd.

Jamaica, NY 11434 Service Times: Sabbath School: 9:30 am Worship Service: 11 am

Our Lady Of Light Parish St. Catherine of Sienna Church 118-22 Riverton Street St. Albans, NY 11412 Mass Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00 am Sunday 8:00am and 12:00 pm

Shepherd’s House Open Bible Church (SHOBC) 134-30 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.

Jamaica, NY 11434 Sunday school - 9 am Sunday Worship Experience -10am

St. Pascal Babylon 112-43 198th Street St. Albans, NY 11412 Mass Schedule: Saturday 5:00pm Sunday 10:00am Monday to Saturday 9:00 am

718-297-8784

St. Mary Magdalene Parish 218-12 136th Ave Springfield Gardens, NY 11413 718-949-4311 Service Times: Weekend: Sunday: 8:45 am 11:00 am Weekday: Mon thru Fri: 8:30 am Sat: 9 am Holy Day and Vigil: 8:30 am 7:30 pm The Greater Rescue Church of Christ, Inc. of the Apostolic Faith 110 - 51 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.

Jamaica, NY 11433 Phone: 718-739-7165 Fax: 718-739-3880 Website: www.greaterrescue.org E-mail: grcc@verizon.net Rev. Leslie B. Hodelin-Wilks, Pastor Min. Gene Robbins, Assistant Pastor

Service Times Sunday School: 9:45 am Sunday Morning Worship: 11:30am Sunday Evening Worship: 6 pm Prayer Service: Tuesdays, 7 pm

Kingdom First Living Bible Class Wednesday, 7:30 pm Evangelistic Worship: Fridays, 8:30 pm Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ Pastor Marcus McKnight 137-18 Farmers Boulevard Jamaica, NY 11434 718-528-1021 Lebanon Seventh Day Adventist Church 131-72 223rd Street Jamaica, NY 11413 718-525-4711 718-525-4630 Ferron F. Francis, Pastor

The Rochdale Village Church Corner lists a wide array of sanctuaries to attend. List your church! Email: rochdalebulletin@gmail.com

March 2016

Page 25

The Rochdale Village Bulletin Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

clumps together (you may need more or less water). Gather up the dough and press into a thick disk. If desired, wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch circle. Fold the dough in half. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, and gently unfold the dough to fit into the pan. Using scissors or a sharp knife, trim the dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold the dough under itself so the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute the edge. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while making the filling.

For the filling: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the sweet potatoes and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.

Drain and run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel the sweet potatoes and place in a medium bowl.

Mash with an electric mixer on medium speed until very smooth. Measure 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes, keeping any extra for another use, and set aside.

Ms. Patti LaBelle does pie right as shown in her recipe below. Enjoy!

Patti LaBelle’s Sweet Potato Pie By now you may have heard how delicious those Patty Pies are!

This recipe would have been great for Easter dinner however, it can be made anytime. Give it a try and see how close you can come to this confection.

Makes: one, 9-inch pie / Preparation time: 40 minutes / Total time: 2 hours 40 minutes (not all active time)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Uncover the pie shell and brush the interior with about 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the brown sugar evenly over the bottom of the pie shell. Bake until the pie dough is set and just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. If the pie shell puffs, do not prick it. Remove pie shell from oven and cool while you finish making the filling.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, the remaining melted butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar, the granulated sugar, eggs, half-and-half, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread into the partially baked pie shell, smoothing the top.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until a knife inserted in the center of the filling comes out clean, about 11/2 hours. Cool completely on a wire cake rack. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with whipped cream. (reprinted from Epicurious.com)

You can make the crust up to 2 days in advance.

CRUST 11/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt

ROCHDALE SENIOR CENTER 169-­‐65 137TH Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11434 718 525-­‐2800

Sheree Shivers, Director

1/2 cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening, chilled 1/3 cup ice water FILLING 3 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (about 21/2 pounds), scrubbed

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

HAS CLOSED THEIR DOORS PERMANENTLY…..

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, divided 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten 1/4 cup half-and-half

IN POMONA, NY….

IS OUR REPLACEMENT WEDNESDAY, June 29, 2016

Contribution: $99.00 -­‐TIME: 8:45 A.M. -­‐ At the LIBRARY

($49.50 DEPOSIT IS DUE by Friday, February 12, 2016) BALANCE DUE: FRIDAY, May 6, 2016

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon ground Whipped cream, for serving (optional) For the crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt a few times.

Add the shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized bits. (Or mix in a bowl using a fork or pastry blender). Gradually add enough of the ice water until the mixture

Reminder: When your ticket is paid in full… YOU pick your seat on the bus…

PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: ROCHDALE VILLAGE S.S. INC. The grounds and facilities are all inclusive, providing everything needed for a comfortable and active day. We supply everything from great food to exciting activities, swimming, music, dancing, and bingo or just relax by our cozy 3 acre pond and enjoy the fresh air.

All you need to do is bring yourself and have some fun or simply relax.

In fo rm a tio n : E v e lyn W ilso n , R e c re a tio n C o o rd . -

7 1 8 5 2 5 -2 8 0 0

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March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

Rochdale Village Community Calendar April 2016

See what’s going on in, and around our community... A little something for everyone!

ROCHDALE VILLAGE BULLETIN

Share What’s Happening in Our Community If you are a part of a community organization or have a special event that you would like to be posted, email Rochdalebulletin@ gmail.com with the date, time and the subject heading “Community Calendar.” Postings will be at the Editor’s discretion.

Key

CL = Club Lounge RM = Room Within the RV Community Center Note: This schedule is tentative. Committee Chairpersons, PLEASE CONTACT THE BOARD OFFICE TO CONFIRM OR ADVISE OF ANY CHANGES TO YOUR SCHEDULED MEETING DATES.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING MATERIAL TO THE ROCHDALE VILLAGE BULLETIN IS THE 2nd WEEK OF THE MONTH.

The Cooperators’ Newspaper

Serving over 25,000 SHAREHOLDERS in the world’s second Largest housing cooperative

Susan Palmer -Van Brackle

Managing Editor

169-65 137th Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11434 REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

Anthony Blake, Ed Miller, Marjorie Robinson, Gloria Williams 718-276-5700 x359 • rochdalebulletin@gmail.com The Rochdale Village Bulletin is published monthly. Articles submitted for consideration should not exceed three typed, double spaced pages. We reserve the right to edit all material submitted for publication. Please note that submission of articles does not guarantee publication. All material is subject to review for approval. All articles, advertising and photographs submitted for consideration must include the name, address and telephone number of the author or photographer. All materials submitted, as well as photographs, become the property of Rochdale Village, Inc.

March 2016

The Rochdale Village Bulletin

The Rochdale Village Youth Planning Committee

Presents

Operation Prom Queens 6th Annual Free Dress Giveaway

Date: Time: Where:

Saturday, May 14, 2016 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Rochdale Village Community Center Grand Ballroom 169�65 137th Avenue Jamaica, NY 11434

Do you know a student who may be in need of a prom gown or tuxedo?

Would you like to volunteer for the free dress giveaway?

Contact information below: In order to register/apply contact the Board Administrative Assistant at 718-276-5700 Ext 336 This event is open to High School Seniors. In order to register you need to be in good standing to attend prom and have your application signed by your HS guidance counselor.

Candace Hutson Director Operation PROM Queens 347-452-8937 candace@helpprom.org www.helpprom.org 347-452-8937

I

candace@helpprom.org

I

P.O. Box 924, Bronxville, New York 10708

Approved for Posting by the Board Office until May 15, 2016

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The Rochdale Village Bulletin

March 2016