Four More Years For Beep Marshall

At a standing room only ceremony at Terrace on the Park on Tuesday, Borough President Helen Marshall was inaugurated into her second term, commencing her next four years in Queens’ top office.
Marshall gave a special thanks to her predecessor, former Borough President Claire Shulman, who was elected in 1986 and had been the first woman to hold the position.
“I ask you to join me as we begin anew in the year of 2006. In 2002, when I was sworn in for my first term, we were in uncharted waters — we were still hurting and many of us were not sure what direction the city was headed,” Marshall said to the crowd of over 800 or more. “As I look ahead, there are key issues that impact every sector of the borough and deserve our attention.”
Among her goals for the coming term, Marshall listed affordable housing, improved education, and additional hospital beds to be instituted in Queens.
Marshall was re-elected in a landslide victory to the position in November, beating out Philip Sica, who ran on the Republican and Conservative ticket. Only four years earlier, Marshall faced much tougher opposition in the Democratic primary for the seat, but she came out on top with 68 percent of the vote to become Queens’ first-ever African-American borough president.
At Tuesday’s ceremony the admiration of Marshall’s many achievements in the office was apparent, with several standing ovations bringing civic and community leaders to their feet.
“Many are called [to political ambitions], but few are chosen. To be chosen is a rare honor and responsibility, which I take very seriously and with great joy,” Marshall said about her past term. “I hope I have lived up to your expectations in the past four years, and I hope to do so in the next four.”
In addition, the inauguration marked one of few occasions when Marshall’s whole family was in attendance. Standing alongside her husband Donald, Marshall was encircled by political leaders and friends.
Joan Suter, sister of the borough president, flew in from California for the ceremony, and Marshall’s two children, Agnes and Donald, as well as her daughter-in-law Chalena, and two grandsons, Chandler and Chasen, and several cousins also were on hand for the event.
Also in the front row for the ceremony was newly-elected Speaker of the City Council, Christine Quinn, who is the first woman to hold the position in the body’s history.
After a blessing by Rabbi Mayer Perelmuter of the Reform Temple of Forest Hills, Marshall thanked the audience again for their support.
“I consider public service a privilege and an honor. Thank you for giving me both.”