The Juniper Park Civic Association will host a town meeting on Thursday, April 26th, 7:45pm at Our Lady of Hope Auditorium, Eliot Avenue @ 71st Street in Middle Village.
Special Guests at the meeting will include representatives of the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY). The JPCA will present two community service awards to the DSNY for outstanding contributions in the neighborhood and the City of New York.
First Deputy Commissioner Michael A. Bimonte will accept the award on behalf of the entire department for the DSNY efforts in improving cleanliness in the City of New York and recognizing the outstanding leadership of Commissioner John J. Doherty. Also receiving an award is Deputy Commissioner for Public Information & Community Affairs Vito A. Turso, has worked closely with the JPCA to improve service in the neighborhoods of Middle Village, Maspeth and Elmhurst. Commissioner Turso has also helped to promote volunteerism by helping to publicize the efforts of Carl Berner, the JPCA’s 105-year-old member who regularly cleans areas of Middle Village.
About the honorees:
Michael A. Bimonte began his career with the Department as a Sanitation Worker in 1970. Among his varied positions with the Department, Mr. Bimonte has served as the Chief of Staff, Special Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner for Operations and to the First Deputy Commissioner, and Special Assistant to the Commissioner. In the mid-1980's, Mr. Bimonte performed an integral role in implementing the two-worker truck program and the Woodbridge Consent Order water quality monitoring provisions for the former Fresh Kills Landfill. He is known as an effective collective bargaining negotiator and maintains a solid relationship with the Department's labor force.
Vito A. Turso, the Department's Deputy Commissioner for Public Information and Community Affairs, is a well-known face and voice of press relations and public affairs in City government. He has also worked closely with the Juniper Park Civic Association over the years, most recently in honoring the JPCA’s Carl Berner, the 105 year old who still voluntarily cleans areas in the neighborhood.
During his government service, Mr. Turso has served as Deputy Commissioner for Public Affairs, Community Relations and Intergovernmental Relations for three City agencies, (the Department of Sanitation from 1978 to 1990 and 2002 to present, the Department of Correction from 1990 to 1994, and the Department of Environmental Protection from 1994 to 1995). He was an Executive Vice President for corporate and government affairs at Dan Klores Communications, a Manhattan public relations firm. Earlier, Mr. Turso was an award-winning newspaper reporter. He is a long-time member of the New York Press Club, and served three terms as President of the Public Relations Officers Society of New York.
As Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Turso is in charge of communicating the Department's policies and procedures as well as its mission and message to the media, elected officials, community boards, and neighborhood organizations throughout the five boroughs. He also serves as content editor for the Department's Web site.
Kampermann to be Honored as Volunteer of the Year
Also receiving the JPCA’s first ever Volunteer of the Year Award is Edward Kampermann. While serving as the JPCA’s Second Vice President, Mr. Kampermann has chaired the 9/11 Memorial Banner program for over 4 years and continued the Herculean effort of managing and maintaining 130 street banners. Ed Kampermann chairs the JPCA’s Transportation Committee and was the driving force in creating the Juniper Valley Park Conservancy. He is also a columnist for the Juniper Berry magazine authoring the popular Kampermann's Korner. He has been a community board 5 member for the past 4 years.
Topics to be discussed at the meeting are: Downzoning Plan for Middle Village, Maspeth and Glendale, Housing Issues, Dept. of Sanitation Updates, Cross Harbor Project Update, Walgreens 24-Hr Store Update, Transportation Problems, Police Issues and more.
For more information please call 718-651-5865.
