By Adam Pincus
Richard Cecere, CB 3's chairman, outlined his recommendations at the second meeting of the ad-hoc bylaws committee. The committee was formed in April to review rules governing the board that have not been changed since 1996. Thomas Lowenhaupt is serving as the chairman of the special committee.CB 3 represents Jackson Heights as well as parts of Corona and Elmhurst.In order to change the rules in time for the annual elections in January, the committee would need to complete its work by August 20, Lowenhaupt said. He explained that any proposal to change the bylaws needs to be sent to the board 60 days before the executive committee can vote on the changes. Following the executive vote would be the traditional nominating period, and later the January election. According to the bylaws, officers are elected to one-year terms for a maximum of three consecutive years. After a two-year break, a former officer may serve again for another three-year period.Cecere's proposal would abolish the term limits, which he contends are used by only four of the 14 Queens boards. His draft states that “any board member, in good standing, interested in running for a particular office on the board can be nominated and placed on a slate at the meeting before the election meeting.”He writes in the proposal that his recommendations are “an effort to provide transparency and fairness in the elections.”Cecere did not return phone calls seeking comment.Lowenhaupt stressed in a conversation Friday that term limits were not the only issue to be considered by the committee.”It is one of the items, but there is a broad range,” he said, pointing out that such a review has not been done in nearly a decade. The committee wants to make sure that CB 3 operates per its bylaws, he said.The next committee meeting is scheduled for June 13.The review of the CB 3 bylaws follows a divisive community debate on the fairness of bylaws used to select a replacement for Community Board 4 District Manager Rose Rothchild, who died in January. She was ultimately replaced in May by Richard Italiano, who had previously been chairman of CB 4.Gerald Rosero, a CB 4 board member, said that his experience on that board illustrated why term limits are a good idea.”Those on the executive board can stay there permanently,” he said. “In order for all to participate, you need term limits.”He noted that CB 4 named a committee to review its bylaws at its last meeting in May. Reach reporter Adam Pincus by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 157.
