Ukrainians of Newark neighborhood discuss concerns with City Council member (09/09/01)

Ukrainians of Newark neighborhood discuss concerns with City Council member

NEWARK, N.J. - A meeting with Councilwoman Mamie Bridgeforth and the Vailsburg community took place at the Mount Vernon Elementary School auditorium on Saturday, July 7, during a breakfast and community gathering. Ms. Bridgeforth called the neighborhood get-together in order to hear grievances and deal with problems in her district, which includes many Ukrainian Americans.

As an opening remark she stated that Newark is a large city with big problems. "The problems will not go away unless we face them head-on and do something about them," Ms. Bridgeforth said.

A lively discussion ensued on the subjects of: more police presence in the district, neater sanitation and garbage collection, a more steadfast focus on youth behavior and discipline, the impending increase of property taxes and the applications for relief.

Members of Americans for Human Rights in Ukraine and St. John's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Newark discussed several issues of concern to the Ukrainian community, noting:

that the "Ukrainian Plaza" street signs which were removed during upgrading should be reinstalled on the street corners across from St. John's Church;
that the 10th anniversary of Ukraine's independence should be duly commemorated by the Newark Municipal Council;
that the problem of trafficking of women and children and the impact of their presence in the city be addressed by the City Council and concerned citizens of Newark.

Councilwoman Bridgeforth promised to look into these requests and stay attuned to the community's needs.

Present from the Ukrainian group were: Maria and Wasyl Wasyliw, Walter Bodnar and Bozhena Olshaniwsky.

Ms. Bridgeforth was elected to the Newark City Council two years ago, succeeding Ronald Rice, who was recently re-elected to the New Jersey State Senate.

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