By Howard Koplowitz
Community Board 13 Chairman Bryan Block said the life of one of the board’s members was threatened “because of their activism” and said the threat would not be tolerated.
Block did not disclose which member’s life was threatened and asked that if that person did want to be identified, he or she could address the board during its monthly meeting Monday night, but nobody stood up.
“If anything happens to that board member, I want that to be on the record this evening,” he said.
In a phone interview Tuesday, Block said the threat did not come from another CB 13 member and said the incident was being handled by the 105th Precinct.
He said the member is “intimidated for their life right now. They’re scared.”
“I’m not taking it lightly,” Block said.
In other business, Block and the four other members of CB 13’s executive board were re-elected to another one-year term. Block was unanimously elected in a 35-0 vote.
First Vice Chairwoman Tonya Cruz won her election by a 32-3 margin. The other three ballots were write-in votes for Second Vice Chairwoman Angela Augugliaro, who did not challenge Cruz. Augugliaro was re-elected as second vice chairwoman with one write-in vote for Cruz and another ballot that had more than one member’s name on it, making it invalid.
Both Treasurer Anup Ramnauth and Executive Secretary Sanu Thomas were elected unanimously by a 34-0 margin.
In a voice vote, the board approved a resolution on the City Charter proposed by CB 13 member Corey Bearak.
Among the items proposed by Bearak, he wants the Charter Revision Commission to let the voters decide on the question of term limits.
Bearak said the phrasing of the question should ask voters if they want to establish a two-term limit for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president and City Council members that can only be amended through voter referendum in the year before a mayoral election.
CB 13 also heard an update on the plan to construct an NYPD tow pound in Laurelton.
Andrew Barnes of the city Economic Development Corp. said the project has finished the design phase.
He said the pound’s perimeter would be surrounded by tree plantings and a steel green architectural fence so the sight of the stacked cars would not bother the community.
As far as community concerns about oil separators, Barnes said the city will install an underground stormwater retention system to remove debris and sediment.
Barnes said construction of the project is set to begin in the summer and be completed by June 2011.
Teresa Llorente, project director of the plan, set a 12-foot fence would be built so cars will not be visible from the street.
Some CB 13 members complained there was no PowerPoint presentation and that they could not see a drawing of the plans that were presented to them.
Block said he wanted the EDC to return to the board with a better presentation.
“The sentiment of my board members … is that the presentation has to be enhanced somehow,” he said.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
