Riverdale News: Councilman Koppell's Replacement

Riverdale Report

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, September 26- Before we get into the race in the 11^th council district, we must say that last Saturday's “Movie Night” was canceled due to what was forecast as bad weather. While it rained at Yankee Stadium Saturday night no rain came further north. The next event by the planners will be the “Riverdale Festival of the Arts” to be held on October 14^th at the Riverdale Neighborhood House located at West 256^th Street And Mosholu Avenue with no time listed as of yet.

There will be a Town Hall Meeting to discuss “Quality of Life Improvements in Marble Hill”, hosted by Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez on October 24^th starting at 7 PM in St. Stephens United Methodist Church located at 146 West 228^th Street in Marble Hill. Topics of discussion will include Neighborhood Security, NYCHA repairs, fire prevention, family activities, safe streets, and traffic safety, movement, and improvements.

Invited guests include State Senator Adriano Espaillat, Council members Fernando Cabrera and G. Oliver Koppell, New York City agencies that include the NYPD, NYFD, NYCHA, Department of Buildings, Sanitation, Transportation, Parks, HPD, and Community Board #8.

On to the City Council race to replace term limited Councilman G. Oliver Koppell in 2013. The race seems to be getting more defined as right now there is only one official defined candidate Mr. Cliff Stanton. I suspect that Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz who has been hemming and hawing about running will not be in the race, but will support the new Vice-Chair of the Bronx Democratic County Committee (of which Dinowitz is the Chairman) Mr. Andrew Cohen. Cohen is also the new Chair of the Aging Committee on Community Board #8.

Mr. Dan Padernacht also on Community Board #8 as Traffic and Transportation Chair who like Mr. Cohen is said to be also in the race for Councilman Koppell's seat should Assemblyman Dinowitz decide not to run. Padernacht was in the race to unseat 33rd State Senator Pedro Espada, and was convinced to withdraw from the race by state Democratic party leader Charlie King (and others) to support Gustavo Rivera who prevailed over Espada. Padernacht may have been promised favors for withdrawing, and when he tries to call them in may be told to go see Charlie King who no longer is state Democratic party leader. Then there are the one or two people who may become “Dark Horse” candidates in the race, myself included.

Lastly since I am being considered a Dark Horse candidate I was not surprised to see the Riverdale Press attack me on something I found wrong with Community Board #8's By-Laws. The last sentence of the story however was the teller, as it described a privileged conversation between CB 8 Chair Bob Fanuzzi and CB 8 board member Bob Press. I wonder which Bob broke this privileged conversation to the newspaper since it was not Bob Press.

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