By James DeWeese
During the meeting at the 111th Street Senior Center in Corona, about eight members of the board outlined a series of concerns that ranged from the lack of elections for the executive committee, confusion and secretiveness surrounding the by-laws that govern the board's daily operations and what they called an opaque selection process for the district manger position left vacant when Rose Renda-Rothschild died last month.
“We are going to discuss the issues of opening up the process in regards to the board in all aspects,” said board member Gerald Rosero. Rosero called for the Tuesday night meeting Feb. 14 after he said he received no response to an official request he and nine other members of the board made to Chairman Richard Italiano for an emergency session to address their concerns.
Borough President Helen Marshall said Italiano had stepped down because he is seeking to become the next district manager. But Louis Walker, who Marshall said is now serving as acting chairman, sent out a letter dated Feb. 17, saying their concerns merited discussion but could not be addressed until the regular board meeting March 1 because he did not have time to give all members the required 10-day advance notice. The group submitted their request Feb. 8, leaving Walker four days to make a decision and notify board members.
During its regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 1, the board narrowly voted to allow the current executive committee to serve as the group charged with the responsibility of locating a new district manager, the only paid position on the board. Renda-Rothschild held the position for 18 years before her death. Some complained that elections had not been held in more than eight years, violating the board's by laws and leaving the body's ultimate direction under the control of a small cadre of a long-time members.
“One reason that I'm here is that I am tired of going to a meeting where we are just part of a quorum,” said Yoselin Genao, who joined the board in May. She said she wanted to take a more active role in the board's operations but felt shut out, a sentiment echoed by others, who said that several major committees, including transportation and education, were not functioning.
Others, including John Diacou, said the board's office refused to provide copies of by-laws. Diacou said in the past he also had been improperly barred from attending a land-use committee meeting. Committee meetings are open to all board members, he said.
“Community Board 4, in my opinion, has not functioned appropriately in comparison to the other boards I work with,” City Councilman Hiram Monserrate (D-Corona) said at the meeting.
Monserrate said he spoke with Marshall Friday and that she told him two positions would be made available on the district manger search committee for board members not on the executive committee. He said he was also told that a nominating committee would be formed to prepare for an executive committee election.
Marshall, who was scheduled to attend the March 1 meeting, said Tuesday it was her understanding that term limits had been suspended but that she would urge their reinstatement.
Reach reporter James DeWeese by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 157.
