Had Too Many From District 30
Four Community Board 5 members lost their seats on the advisory body, it was announced.
Manny Caruana of Maspeth, Roseann Rosado of Ridgewood and Middle Village’s Rosemarie Johnson and Vernon McDermott were denied reappointment. In a statement, City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley stated the four members were victims of reapportionment, as her district was “over-represented” on Board 5, which includes Glendale, Maspeth and Middle Village, the Queens section of Ridgewood and a portion of Rego Park near Woodhaven Boulevard.
Two other board members last year-Thomas Rossi of Glendale and Zina Sisto of Middle Village- resigned for personal reasons.
Crowley’s 30th Council District covers the majority of Board 5, but City Council Member Antonio Reynoso’s 34th Council District includes part of Ridgewood generally south and west of Woodward and Myrtle avenues. A portion of City Council Member Karen Koslowitz’s 29th District generally bounded by 63rd Avenue, 84th Street, the Long Island Expressway and Woodhaven Boulevard in Middle Village also lies in Board 5’s confines.
“Pursuant to Chapter 70, Section 2800 of the New York City Charter, my total number of board appointments had to be reduced from 44 to 39 members to accurately reflect the 76.96 percent of Community Board 5 that includes Council District 30,” Crowley explained.
As noted in the City Charter, community board members are “appointed by the borough president for staggered terms of two years, at least one-half of whom shall be appointed from nominees of the council members elected from council districts which include any part of the community district.”
New and veteran community board members are appointed and reappointed every April.
The City Planning Commission determines the number of community board seats per council district based on “the proportion of the community district’s population represented by each council member.”
With a maximum of 50 members on a community board, the remaining 11 Board 5 seats are allocated to residents in either Reynoso’s or Koslowitz’s districts. According to a source familiar with the situation, 10 seats are in Reynoso’s district.
The board had been one short of a full 50 members since June 2013, when Ridgewood’s Ann Maggio died following an illness.
Board 5 received at least one new appointee: Henry Cross of Ridgewood, who was recommended by Reynoso. His appointment, combined with the aforementioned vacancies, brings Board 5’s roster up to 44 members.
“After the new district lines came into effect in January 2014, Council District 30 residents were overrepresented on Community Board 5,” Crowley added. “I thank the past board members for their years of dedication and service to our community.”
A spokesperson for Queens Borough President Melinda Katz declined to comment to the Times Newsweekly on the community board appointment process.
