CB 11 Talks Library Cuts, Long-Term Control Plan for Alley Creek

Community Board 11 discussed the possibility of the Douglaston Little Neck Library’s closure at its monthly meeting Monday and heard a presentation on the long-term plan for Alley Creek.

Community leaders said they were concerned that the library could close due to proposed cuts to the Queens Library system in next year’s executive budget.

Arlene Abdalian, of the Friends of the Douglaston Little Neck Library, said the mayor’s budget could be devastating to borough library branches.

“It could mean the immediate closing of 36 of the 62 branch libraries and the number of days open reduced by half as well as massive lay offs of staff,” she said.

There will be a rally in front of the library, which is located at 249-01 Northern Blvd., at 5 p.m. on June 13.

“Without your support, the half of our library branches will be closed,” said Ron Wan, the Douglaston Little Neck Library’s community manager. “Your support is very important.”

CB 11 Chairman Jerry Iannece said he thought local elected officials needed to “step up” to prevent the branch from being shuttered.

“We get fewer dollars per capita than anywhere else in the city,” he said of the district. “It’s ridiculous. We go through this dance every year and we shouldn’t have to.”

The city’s Department of Environmental Protection discussed its long-term control plan for Alley Creek, which is meant to reduce combined sewer overflow.

“We’ll be looking on a localized basis for ways to improve the infrastructure,” said Shane Ojar, a spokesman for the DEP. “In bad weather, storm water goes down in the sewer and mixes with sewage and the plants can only handle so much volume. Whatever they can’t handle gets discharged into Little Neck Bay and Alley Creek. What we’re trying to do is obtain – as best as possible – the highest quality for each body of water.”

Ojar said the DEP was creating a long-term control plan for all bodies of water in the five boroughs.

The board also paid homage to 111th Precinct community affairs officer Bill Conway, who will retire at the end of the year.

“He did the job incredibly well for as long as I can remember,” Iannece said. “He was a very pleasant person to deal with.”

Michael Feiner, president of the Bayside Hills Civic Association said the group would present Conway with a plaque later this month.