— 33 acres of open space in a residential community in northern Baldwin — for the development of athletic fields, many residents felt it was directed only to Molloy College. Baldwin Oaks Civic Association President Jacqueline Bell exclaimed, "Molloy College will get this land over my dead body!" as she stormed out of the legislative building.
Nearly six months later, Bell is very much alive, and the property has been declared perpetual preservation land, much to her satisfaction as well as that of many other Baldwin
residents. They have enjoyed seeing the beautiful landscape in their backyard for decades, and will continue to cherish it, because the property can never again be proposed for development, save for a nature trail and park benches.
Bell, president of the civic group for the past five years, has been the most outspoken of the residents who opposed the county's planned lease of the property in what they felt was a sweetheart deal for Molloy, which had proposed building three athletic fields on half of the property to compensate for a field on campus being replaced by a new student center. The college planned to turn the other half of the property into a nature preserve. All of the property would have been open to residents, according to the college.
But Bell wasn't satisfied. College sporting events would bring cars, which would park on narrow residential streets. Bright lights would bother residents who lived next to the fields, and the noise of games would be a nuisance, Bell said. Perhaps most important, the land was still partially contaminated by chemicals in the debris from the old Garden City Hotel, which was dumped there several decades ago. Residents worried about the threat to their health if such toxins were to be released.
Bell gathered residents who felt just as strongly as she did about keeping the property green. Civic association meetings, which typically attracted 10 to 20 people, grew by dozens as more people joined the effort to oppose the county's plans. At a July county planning board public hearing, residents voiced their opposition to the release of the RFP, claiming that its language — which called only for educational corporations and not-for-profit organizations to propose the construction of recreational facilities — was geared specifically to Molloy.
While the planning board ultimately voted in favor of releasing the RFP, against the wishes of not only residents, but the county Open Space and Parks Advisory Committee, Bell was not deterred. She wrote letters, made phone calls, and called special meetings. With her leadership, the civic association met regularly with representatives from the county environmental and real estate office, and even Molloy Vice President Ed Thompson, to keep residents informed of what was happening. Bell's voice resonated so loudly that County Executive Tom Suozzi came to one civic association meeting, and told residents that in the face of community opposition, he was not accepting Molloy's proposal. Suozzi promised to work with the Baldwin community on what they wanted to see happen on the property.
Bell still wasn't satisfied. She knew that in order to ensure that the property could never again be proposed for development, it needed to be designated a perpetual preserve. The environmental remediation could wait, she said, but the important thing was getting that designation, to make sure Baldwin would have the open space in its community
forever.
At Bell's urging, county Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead), who has met on several occasions with the civic association on this issue, introduced legislation to make the property a preserve, while also incorporating an amendment that would allow cleanup work to be done without violating rules governing the preserve. Abrahams's bill was passed unanimously by the Legislature on Dec. 15.
Abrahams described Bell as a strong supporter of the community, saying that she "came into her own" on the Coes Neck issue, which he said was one of the biggest fights the civic association has faced in many years. He applauded her efforts in going door to door, handing out informational fliers, calling meetings and remaining steadfast in fighting on behalf of her community.
"She's tough but fair," Abrahams said of Bell. "Without Jackie at the helm of the Baldwin Oaks Civic Association, it would definitely be a loss for many Baldwin residents. I can't think of anybody that would fight harder, not just on this Molloy issue, but to serve the residents of Baldwin as a whole."
Baldwin resident Janice Preisz, president of the Lions Club, said she met Bell at a civic association meeting after hearing about the possible leasing of the Coes Neck property to Molloy. Preisz, a member of the Baldwin Association for the Recreation of Canines who has suggested that part of the property could be made into a dog park, said that Bell was a big reason that Molloy did not gain control of the property.
"Although it was a joint effort on the part of the community," said Preisz, "Baldwin would not have succeeded in defeating the Molloy RFP had it not been for Jackie's guidance, dedication, love of her community and perseverance."
Calvin Powell, former treasurer and now a member of the civic association's board of directors, described Bell as a very community-oriented, religious person.
"She was the big engine," said Powell of Bell's work on getting the preserve. "She did most of the work. Every issue that concerns northern Baldwin, she's been involved in."
Some members of the community have accused Bell of claiming to represent all of Baldwin when she represented only a small group who agreed with her, but many more say that she has always reached out to everyone in the village. Despite the resentment many felt toward the county throughout the Coes Neck proceedings, Bell invited county representatives to civic meetings in order to keep residents informed. And despite Molloy’s becoming being public enemy No. 1 for many residents, Bell invited Thompson to present his case on several occasions. While those meetings grew emotional, and often downright raucous, Bell made sure that every resident and guest speaker was shown the utmost respect.
Bell is the very definition of a community activist. While many Baldwinites were opposed to any development of the Coes Neck property, Bell, who has a way of shouting without raising her voice, made such an impact that her vision became more powerful than even that of the county executive. Bell is living proof that people can stand up against government to fight for what they believe. For her steadfast dedication to her community and her resiliency in the face of overwhelming odds, Bell is the Herald’s proud choice as 2008 Person of the Year.
Comments about this story? MRusso@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
