End Days for Community Boards?

In my experience, community boards don't do a damn thing now. All of their votes are advisory, and have no real effect on what happens in the city. Only if a politician feels like doing what the community board advises does something happen.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 9:17 AM

I can only hope that community boards will be phased out. They seem to accomplish little, if anything, of value and, at least in gentrifying areas, are comprised of senior citizen NIMBYs who hate any and every new business and residential development.

Spend the money on more worthwhile things, like giving Bruce Ratner more $$$ :)

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 9:24 AM

Sadly, I agree with guest #1. Specifically, in my experience, CB9 has done nothing but impede the community's efforts to do anything good for our neighborhood. They are extremely out of touch with the needs of our area, and are quite nasty and skeptical when approached with a proposal.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 9:25 AM

With the death of community boards, there is one fewer level through which to be heard by city government. My City Council district has 150,000 people in it. How can my voice be heard?

Related, where are the channels for baby politicians? It used to be that there was a ladder, but right now the entry level political race is City Council.

Community Boards should be fixed rather than killed.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 9:55 AM

if the city gets rid of community boards then something else will take their place

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 10:11 AM

I find the first three comments gross generalizations. Not to mention the fact that sometimes people need to separate what the volunteer board and the paid office staff do, respectively. That said, community boards are mandated by the New York City Charter. Sure, if you cripple them financially, then what they choose to / are able to do will need to change. But short of a charter revision, community boards will continue to operate.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 10:32 AM

I guess that thanks to term limits, there is at least some hope that members of the City Council actually represent their community, making a whole additional set of officials unnecessary.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 10:36 AM

Some Community Boards are well run and effective in representing the interests of their residents. Community Board 14 is an example of such. Examples of their work include the institution of midnight to 2AM stret cleaning regulations on commercial streets, major changes to the TA's station modernization program, the downzoning of Midwood, and at long last the City acquisition of a site for a new 70th Precinct.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 10:47 AM

good riddance

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 11:14 AM

Our community board meetings(CB8) are well attended, and many of the people in the subcommittees, such as land use and other committees, really know their stuff. Most communities have a very small group of people who are very active in that community, and the CB's are often the best way to bring an issue to the attention of the city gov't. I find that CB members and attendees are also the people who are in other civic groups, and who go to local precinct meetings, etc. They are the watchdogs of the community, and some are pitbulls of tenacity and devotion to bettering the community.

Granted, there are also people who rubber stamp anything someone with an impressive pitch comes up with, or love the power, or are otherwise useless, in terms of real change and real work. But that is true of any organization, and is true of people, in general, since Moses tried to get a group together to leave Egypt.

Community Boards are a valuable conduit to a Manhattan-centric city gov't, and are very necessary for real people power in this city.

Montrose Morris

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 11:39 AM

to 11:39AM. They are incompetent and do not represent the desires and needs of the community. They are not democratic and are elected by other board members and not the community. Down with them, I’m happy. They should be called NIMBY boards.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 12:33 PM

To 12:33 Members are appointed to Community Boards by both City Council members and the Borough President for 2 year terms. They spend a minimum of 3 evening a month at meetings and receive no pay. The chairperson and executive members are elected by the 50 members of each Board. Neither the chaiman nor any Board member chooses who is appointed to the Board.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 2:02 PM

By "needs of the community" 12.33 means "the wishes of the developers".

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 2:25 PM

What would NYC do without CBs? Sure they can be obstructionary, self-satisfied, and do-nothing (I should know - I serve on mine!).

But they are the best venue for a private citizen with a question to go and find answers. They could call 311, or their councilperson, but they would not make any connection with other like-minded citizens that adds to the sense of community. Having a forum where 30 to 50 community activists and advocates (and, yes, budding leaders) get together and discuss issues pertinent to their immediate community - how can that be a bad thing, for the activists/advocates OR the community?

It is incumbent upon the elected representatives to appoint a diverse and representative body to the community board. On my board, I personally would love to see 20 or so seats currently occupied by dead wood - retirees with nothing better to do, political cronies, etc. - exchanged for genuinely involved people. But that's pretty much my only complaint.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 3:52 PM

Thank god! These boards are just local fiefdoms and futile and a waste of precious resources and funds! CB1 just caused the entire down zoning of an area without really consulting anyone who owned the properties to be affected. These Boards do way way more damage then good. I havent seen any of these Boards embrace the 1million Trees program or any other local community driven program initiated by the City.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 3:54 PM

I've seen many Community Boards over the years and each one is different. From what I've seen of the Flatbush Board 14, the members, with 1 or 2 exceptions are not cronies and aren't beholden to anyone. The members are fiercely independant and have voted against the wishes of the Councilmembers who appointed them. This is due to the tone set by the previous District Manager Terri Rhodie who served for many years. I've seen other Boards where the members are just hacks who hire an incompetent District Manager sent by politicians, and of couse nothing is accomplished. A well managed board with serious committed members works for the benefit of the community. Don't lump all boards together.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:25 PM

10:47,

I beg to differ. Most of the improvements within CB14 happened because of activism on behalf of CB14 residents who made their elected officials aware of their priorities. Many neighborhood associations, grassroots organizations, merchant associations and non-profits, particularly in Ditmas Park, have done more for the area recently than CB14.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 4:26 PM

"Members are appointed to Community Boards by both City Council members and the Borough President for 2 year terms."

So 12:33 would be correct. The members are appointed (democratic?) not elected by the people who they are supposed to represent.

Posted by: guest at May 20, 2008 5:57 PM

Community boards vary in effectiveness. CB14 pioneered local youth service and sanitation planning, as well as 90-min. ASP, blocked Rudy Giuliani's takeover of parkland for a pro baseball team, protected Flatbush kids from rush-hour vehicle emissions, downsized a shopping mall loading zone, prevented DOT from creating bus-turn traffic hazards, got DCP to rezone Midwood and prospectively, Flatbush, and fought for a new 70 Pct. house. CB14 publishes a useful annual neighborhood resource guide and holds regular public hearings to give people a chance to learn what’s happening and fight it if it doesn’t make sense. CBs aren't perfect, but we'd be worse off without them.

Posted by: guest at June 23, 2008 3:23 PM