Guarinello re-elected as fort advisory board president

The Fort Hamilton Citizens Action Committee held its annual meeting and unanimously re-elected longtime civic leader Bill Guarinello as president. The Army National Guard veteran retired a year ago as president and CEO of HeartShare Human Services of New York and concluded a 33-year volunteer career as chairman of Community Board 11, which covers Bath Beach, Bensonhurst and Gravesend.

Also voted in for additional terms were Vice Presidents Kevin Farrell and Martin Golden. Farrell is a former sanitation commissioner and retired NYPD assistant chief. Golden, a former NYPD officer, served as a city councilman and state senator.

Attorney Craig Eaton, a former Kings County Republican chairman and currently a WABC radio commentator, and Brian Dolan, a vice president and senior sales director of a packaging firm, were re-elected as treasurer and secretary, respectively.

Members of the board re-elected to new three-year termsare Maj. Dave Ryan (USAR), Eileen LaRuffa, Ted General, former Fort Hamilton Garrison Commander Col. Michael Gould, Lt. Col. Richard Bordoaro, USMC (Ret.), George Prezioso and Golden. Current Fort Hamilton Garrison Commander Brian Jacobs hosted the group.

What does the FHCAC do? First off, this organization was instrumental in helping to save Fort Hamilton several years ago when the Defense Dept. placed it on a list of military bases to be closed. The FHCAC drew up a battle plan and representatives flew down to Washington to convince congressional leaders and defense officials to remove the post from the list.

The group meets with the post’s leadership on a quarterly basis to help support military service members and foster effective communications, understanding and activities between the military and the local community. It has also been tasked to defend the preservation of the base if it becomes necessary again. As the only active military base in the metropolitan area, Fort Hamilton has served as a security asset since the 9/11 attacks.

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How many remember those old Con Edison signs, “Dig We Must!” Well, the old signs are gone, but Con Edison recently dug large trenches for approximately 100 feet from Fourth Avenue down 95th Street. When we asked two DOT workers at the site what they were doing, we were told they are laying power cables for the new 95th Street subway station elevators.