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Second candidate drops from city council race


Povman, who represents…

By Jennifer Warren

The list of candidates seeking to replace City Councilman Morton Povman (D-Forest Hills) narrowed again Monday night when Morshed Alam pulled out following the withdrawal of Povman’s chief of staff, Jeff Gottlieb three weeks ago.

Povman, who represents Kew Gardens Hills, Flushing Heights, Briarwood, Jamaica Estates, Rego Park and parts of Forest Hills is stepping down after nearly 30 years on the Council due to term limits.

A debate hosted at Touro College in Kew Gardens Hills Monday night was attended by Council District 24 candidates: Jim Gennaro, a city council environmental policy adviser and Queens College professor; Barry Grodenchick, assistant to Borough President Claire Shulman; and David Reich, chief counsel to state Sen. Seymour Lachman (D-Brooklyn).

The men waited for Alam, the fourth contender, to arrive. He never did.

Just hours before the debate, Alam told the TimesLedger he had made an important decision about the council race. “It looks like I’m dropping out,” he said.

The evening had been advertised as the candidates’ first appearance “since the surprise withdrawal from the race by front-runner Jeff Gottlieb.”

Last month, Gottlieb abandoned the race when offered a deal by Queens Democratic Party leader Tom Manton, sources said. It was not known what post Gottlieb was offered.

A similar scenario played out with Alam.

“For the interest of party unity, after discussions with county leader Tom Manton I have decided to drop out,” Alam said in an interview Tuesday. “I’m fully supporting party candidate Barry Grodenchick.”

Manton created a newly coined position for Alam.

“He appointed me as chairperson for Queens County New American Democratic Committee. It’s a new responsibility. They created this thing for me. It is his executive privilege,” Alam said.

The new committee will represent Queens immigrant communities, reaching out to black, Hispanic, Southeast Asian and other communities that may have disregarded local elections.

“We have to work together to represent the community,” Alam said. Asked if Grodenchick can represent the people who had long been his own supporters, Alam said with the two working together he was optimistic.

“That’s why I want to help bring them in. I hope [Grodenchick] will. He is very supportive and wants to reach out.” said Alam, who emigrated from Bangladesh to the United States.

Monday’s event, poorly attended with barely 20 people in the audience, was for the most part a bland question-and-answer session rather than a debate between the remaining three candidates.

Gennaro, Reich and Grodenchick agreed on most topics: the district’s need for more police presence, cleaner streets and more accountability for the Department of Sanitation, increased efforts to improve education for area school children, and closer review of zoning laws and the “As of Right” variance that has allowed a proliferation of community service establishments in the area.

The single point of contention centered on endorsements.

“I am the only one to have drawn a national figure. Bobby Kennedy Jr.” Gennaro said of his endorsement by the environmental attorney and son of the late brother of John F. Kennedy.

Reich proclaimed his lack of endorsements was liberating.

“I don’t have endorsements from anybody, and I don’t need a thing. Endorsements are a madhouse of deals — This one’s in, that one dropped out,” Reich said. “I raise my own money. I’m completely independent.”

Grodenchick, who has been given the blessings of several influential Queens Democrats, praised the endorsement process and the people who gave them: state Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn (D-Flushing), Borough President Claire Shulman, state Assemblyman Michael Cohen (D-Forest Hills), City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) and Borough President aide Melinda Katz.

“I have their endorsements in this race and I’m very proud of them,” Grodenchick said. “I didn’t have to cut any deals and I didn’t have to shake any hands in secret. They’ve known me for 10 years.”

Reach reporter Jennifer Warren by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 155.