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Scoopy’s Notebook
WATERFRONT WATCHDOG
WHISPERINGS: We hear a rumor
that Tobi Bergman, who recently resigned
in frustration from Community
Board 2, may be trying to start up a
new independent watchdog group for
Hudson River Park. The Friends of
Hudson River Park used to fi ll that
role, and even aggressively fi led lawsuits
against city agencies to force them
out of the park; in its original incarnation,
Friends sued to get the Department
of Sanitation to vacate its garbage
trucks from Gansevoort Peninsula and
also sued the W. 30th St. Heliport to
force it to end tourist helicopter fl ights.
However, the group, recently renamed
Hudson River Park Friends, today is basically
a fundraiser for the park and an
advocacy group for the Hudson River
Park Trust, the state-city authority that
runs the 5-mile-long riparian green ribbon
and its piers. So, we told Bergman
word is going around that he’s cooking
up plans to bring back a “real” independent
advocacy group for the waterfront
park. “That’s not exactly true,” he
hedged. “But if you heard a rumor and
have no real information, then the right
place for it might be Scoopy. I’m just
one of many people who think the Trust
and the Friends are too closely joined at
the hip. Stay tuned.” Bergman resigned
from C.B. 2 two weeks ago, two days
after a public forum on draft proposed
amendments to the Hudson River Park
Act for Pier 40 that local lawmakers
had put together. Bergman charged
the pols had “ignored” the community
board’s carefully considered position.
SOME NEW BID’NESS: We hear
Scoopy the cat was The Villager’s
office mascot in the paper’s early
days. In fact, there were a number
of Scoopys over the years.
from a reliable source that plans are
well underway to form a Seventh Ave.
business improvement district to cover
the area between Sixth Ave. and Hudson
St. from Houston St. to 12th St. The
group plans to raise around $1 million,
we’re told — but word is much of that
cash would go toward two executives’
salaries, which not everyone is exactly
thrilled about. Brooke Schooley, a
Village resident, is apparently leading
the charge to get the BID up in running.
As usual, strong buy-in by local
property owners would be required to
create the BID. Landlords would have
to pay a special assessment to the city
that would then be kicked back to the
BID to pay for supplemental services,
like extra sanitation and security. But
landlords could also legally pass on
this charge to their commercial tenants,
which has some local merchants
sweating. Residents, we’re told, would
pay a very small annual charge, only a
few dollars. Another meeting about the
group’s formation is planned for this
month. Our source tells us he’s still
pretty skeptical, but trying to keep an
open mind.
Schneps Media TVG June 6, 2019 27
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