By Howard Koplowitz
Glen Oaks Village is contemplating leaving Community Board 13 and joining CB 11, claiming the co-op has more in common with CB 11 than CB 13, according to Glen Oaks Village President Bob Friedrich.
“We’re considering whether to do that this year or not because we have a lot more in common with CB 11,” Friedrich said, referring to the co-ops that are a part of the northeast Queens community board.
Bryan Block, chairman of CB 13, declined to comment.
Friedrich said Glen Oaks Village has not yet decided to pursue the action, but said if it did it would ask for the community board boundary to be changed to along Union Turnpike instead of the Grand Central Parkway.
CB 13 covers one of the largest territories in Queens, starting from Glen Oaks in the north down along the Queens-Nassau border to Rosedale in southeast Queens.
CB 11 Chairman Jerry Iannece said he had no formal discussions with Friedrich about the move.
Iannece noted that North Shore Towers in Floral Park may also decide to switch from CB 13 to CB 11 and that Bay Terrace has already renounced its membership with CB 7.
“I think [CB] 13’s a wonderful board, but [Glen Oaks Village and North Shore Towers] have expressed interested in joining Community Board 11,” Iannece said. “It’s sort of flattering that all these groups want to be part of Community Board 11, but it’s not my call.”
North Shore Towers President Bob Ricken said the co-op has not discussed the idea at the board level, but he is willing to talk about the matter at the co-op’s board meeting next month.
Iannece said he could understand Bay Terrace’s argument to join CB 11 because the co-op had been part of that community board before.
With between 5,000 and 10,000 residents living in Bay Terrace, Iannece said CB 11 would need its fair share of resources if the co-op joined his board.
“My argument has always been that if Community Board 11 takes on more [residents], we need our fair share that comes out of that,” Iannece said. “If Bay Terrace comes on board, then we need more cops.”
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
