On September 19th, Marty announce his appointment of Dolly Williams as the Brooklyn member to the City Planning Commission. “Dolly Williams is an individual of great integrity whose knowledge and experience uniquely qualify her to bring vital insight to the work of the Commission,” the BP said. “With more than three decades of hands-on experience in the design, planning and construction of major public and private projects throughout the five boroughs, Ms. Williams has first-hand knowledge of the opportunities and obstacles inherent in development in New York City. She also has a keen sense of how excellent planning and development support economic opportunity and help create vibrant neighborhoods. Dolly Williams is a great Brooklyn success story by way of Trinidad and Tobago. She’s an inspiration to us all!” “I am incredibly honored that the Borough President has appointed me to the City Planning Commission. I am looking forward to working with my fellow commission members on helping Brooklyn, and the entire City, continue to grow while still preserving the unique character found throughout our borough. This is a great opportunity for me to give back to a city that has given me so much,” Ms Williams said. A co-founder of A. Williams Construction Company, Ms. Williams has been a pioneer in the city’s small business community. Her firm has successfully contributed to a wide array of public and private projects ranging from the restoration of City parks to the construction of courthouses, hospitals, schools and low-income housing. She serves on numerous boards, including the Red Hook/Gowanus Chamber of Commerce, the South Brooklyn Empire Zone and she is chairperson of the Caribbean American Center for New York. And as a member of her local Community Board, she has worked tirelessly to safeguard important landmarks in Brooklyn.

MARTY ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $16 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR VARIOUS BROOKLYN CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

On September 17th, Marty announced $16,525,000 in capital funding for the fiscal year 2003 for many of Brooklyn’s important cultural institutions including the Brooklyn Public Library, New York Aquarium, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. “One of the reasons why Brooklyn is such a remarkable borough is because we are blessed with so many fine cultural institutions that enrich our lives every single day. A library, museum or an aquarium can educate, inspire and change the way we view the world around us. That is why it is so vital for us to continue supporting these pillars of our community even during these difficult financial times,” the BP said. Projects funded at the Brooklyn Public Library include $1.5 million this year to help construct a new, 17,000 square feet Kensington Branch Library. The Central Branch is receiving $1,520,000 this year for the construction of a new front plaza that will have a performance space, an outdoor café and informational and retail kiosks. It is also getting $700,000 this year and $2 million in the fiscal year 2004 to build a new 5,000 square feet auditorium that will hold 220 people. The Park Slope Branch is receiving $2,462,000 in the fiscal year 2005 to completely renovate the building. The New York Aquarium is receiving $2,250,000 this year for a state of the art veterinarian facility. It also is getting $2,700,000 for the fiscal year 2004 for renovations to the main space including exhibit technology improvements. Finally, the Aquarium will receive $660,000 in the fiscal year 2005 for adaptive reuse of the historic West Brighton Carousel that will be combined with a new visitors center and entryway. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is getting $990,000 in the fiscal year 2004 to help build a new entry building which will be built in the berm between the parking lot and the Cherry Esplanade. The building will include a visitor center and an exhibition space. The Brooklyn Museum of Art is receiving $850,000 this year and $850,000 next year to replace the roof over the Luce Center and the library areas. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is getting $2,410,000 for the fiscal year 2003 which will allow it to increase its space by more than 50% and double its attendance levels. The Society for the Preservation of Weeksville and Bedford-Styuvesant History is getting $2,170,000 this year and $1,788,000 next year to help restore various historic houses and to do archaeological work. The Brooklyn Academy of Music is receiving $1,700,000 for the fiscal year 2003 for exterior work on the building including streetscape improvements, the creation of a handicapped entrance, the installation of an exterior canopy and façade work. The Brooklyn Youth Chorus is receiving $500,000 for the fiscal year 2003 that will go towards the acquisition and the construction of a new building. The Brooklyn Music School is getting $150,000 for the fiscal year 2003 for stage and floor improvements. The Young Dancers in a Repertory Building is receiving $95,000 for the fiscal year 2003 for renovations that will help modernize its dance center in Sunset Park. A.R.T./New York is getting $90,000 for the fiscal year 2003 for interior improvements and exterior renovations to a building located at 138 South Oxford Street. The Waterfront Museum is getting $35,000 this year for a dry-dock project to repair this historic vessel and protect it from further damage.

BP CHAIRS FIRST MEETING OF BROOKLYN AUTO INSURANCE TASK FORCE

On September 18th, Marty chaired the first meeting of his Brooklyn Auto Insurance Task Force. The goal of the task force is to try and reduce auto insurance rates in Brooklyn that are the highest in the state, if not the country. One way the task force is focusing on to help lower these soaring rates is to crack down on insurance fraud, which is the second most costly white-collar crime in America. “Because premiums are unaffordable for many Brooklynites, the number of uninsured drivers is skyrocketing, putting everyone in danger. Brooklyn's high premiums are completely unacceptable, and there is no legitimate reason why premiums just across the border in Queens, for example, are much less than in Brooklyn. This is a deadly serious economic and public safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately,” Marty said. New York State Insurance Department Superintendent Gregory Serio called for changes in State law to fight fraud, the chief factor behind rising premiums. Representatives of insurance companies said that the key to reducing premiums was controlling costs - specifically, putting a lid on fraud - and that Albany must also enact new laws to make this a reality. Two storefront brokers who serve lower-income Brooklyn communities told the gathering that insurance companies do not want to do business with them, leaving them with only high-cost, assigned risk plan policies to offer drivers. The task force will be meeting again later this fall.

“LEGS FOR LIFE” PROGRAM COMES TO BOROUGH HALL

On Thursday, September 26th, "Legs for Life,” a national program will be screening patients for Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) using a simple leg pressure test at Brooklyn Borough Hall from 9:00am till 5:00pm. People can pre-register for the testing by calling 718-270-1035.
Vascular Disease is the number one, overall, cause of death in people over the age of 65, but it can often be treated now without major surgery if diagnosed early enough. “I’m urging all Brooklynites who might be at risk to please come to Borough Hall on September 26th and get tested for Peripheral Vascular Disease. It is a simple test which might save your life!” Marty said.