By Sadef Ali Kully
The gold star for best City Council attendance record for Queens elected officials goes to Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), a former public school teacher, and the worst attendance record goes to Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica), according to the latest City Council records.
Since January 2014, the official start time of a City Council member under the de Blasio administration, Dromm has had a total of three absences to date, while Wills has had a total of 48 absences to date.
The second best attendance record, after Dromm’s, belongs to Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside), who has had a total of four absences. The Queens Council member with the second-largest number of absences was Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills), many of which were due to a sick leave she took last October.
The absences counted include excused, sick-leave, bereavement and scheduling-conflict-related absences.
Seven Queens City Council members out of 13 had fewer than 10 absences.Those with more than 10 absences averaged an estimated 23 days of absence from January 2014 through July 23.
Here is a list for the rest of Queens City Council members with the number of absences: Costa Constanides (D-Astoria) 11; Elizabeth Crowley (D-Glendale) 8; Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) 21; Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest) 22; Peter Koo (D-Flushing) 6; I. Daneek Miller (D-St.Albans) 9; Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton) 16; Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) 8; and Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) had six absences.
A City Council source said during the months of July and August hearings and meetings slow down, which is usually after the budget agreement between the mayor’s office and the City Council, but there is no official vacation shutdown.
Reach Reporter Sadef Ali Kully by e-mail at skull
