Update from Westsiders for Public Participation - Aug 8, 2008

The notes below are excerpted from the latest e-notice from

Westsiders for Public Participation
P.O. Box 20093, Park West Station, New York, NY 10025
westsiders@earthlink.net

Lawsuit Amended and Re-filed: Stay Tuned for Court Date;
New Fund Raising Goal to Bring us to End of Court Process

Since the Board of Standards & Appeals (BSA) has declined to compel Gluck & Chetrit's compliance with NYC's zoning rules for "Columbus Village," we amended lawsuit in the NYS Supreme Court, naming the BSA as a defendant. We want the court to compel that compliance.

We are also seeking an injunction to STOP all excavation and construction until the environmental review is satisfied. The injunctive relief we are requesting applies to ALL FIVE building sites, rather than just to 808 Columbus.

We will also ask the court to order Margaret Stix, counsel to the BSA, to produce a letter that the BSA wrote to the developers, informing them that they are continuing construction “at their own risk.”

NEW PLAINTIFFS JOINED THE ACTION: The following elected representatives and neighbors have joined with Westsiders for Public Participation as CO-PLAINTIFFS:

• Mary Lee Baranger, Robert Cabrera, Harold Fredenburgh, Laurence Mackler, Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito, Assemblymember Daniel O'Donnell, State Senator Bill Perkins, Congressman Charles Rangel, and Anne Wangh.

MONEY RAISED: We have raised $1,641 since our last update. The total of all contributions received from individuals since April 14 is $13,911, in addition to an initial capital contribution of $20,000. If you have not yet contributed to our goal of holding the City government accountable to the law and requiring the mitigation of environmental impacts of the proposed “Columbus Village” on our community, will you please do so now?

Twenty-five individuals have made contributions of $200 or more, or raised that total amount by pooling a contribution with their neighbors. Will you join the $200 club? If 230 additional individuals contribute or raise $200, we will realize an additional $46,000, which will close the gap in the currently projected budget for funding our legal action.

Please contribute or plan to raise whatever you can today! Please also spread the word about the need for funding, and assure everyone you meet that every penny they contribute will be spent directly to fight for our legal rights.

Online Contributions Now Accepted
Contribute by credit or debit card by clicking our secure link, hosted by PayPal: http://snipurl.com/westsiders

O if you prefer, checks can be made payable to Westsiders for Public Participation and mailed to:

Westsiders for Public Participation
P.O. Box 20093, Park West Station
New York, NY 10025

Please include your email address if you wish either to receive an acknowledgment of your contribution or to subscribe to our progress updates.

Names of contributors will be held in strict confidence. We pledge our accountability to the community. Complete financial statements are available upon request.