Yes Virginia, there is (still) a Community Board, by Katherine Rivard

There are many things that set New York City apart—its spirit, grit, bustle… and community boards. Only a city with such dense neighborhoods and opinionated residents could possibly give rise to so many hyper-local, active resident groups. And unlike in most cities, NYC residents have a unique opportunity to weigh in regularly on their neighborhood’s actions and developments, thanks to community boards.

Brooklyn is currently accepting applications for new community board members, so what better way to note the opportunity than by spreading the news about what these local entities do? Today we’re covering everything from what a community board is, to what Brooklyn Community Board 6 discussed at their last Executive Board meeting on January 11, 2023, along with information about how to get more involved.

Mid century launch

The precursor to community boards started in 1951 with the formation of Community Planning Councils in Manhattan. The role and name morphed over the years until, in 1989, the city landed on the community board system that we have today. Board members in 59 community boards across the five boroughs (18 of which are in Brooklyn) meet monthly to discuss topics like land use and liquor licenses, and subcommittees meet further to discuss specific topics like transportation/public safety and the city’s budget. Residents, even if they aren’t board members themselves, are welcome to attend meetings and participate, something they often take advantage of to air grievances and spread awareness about local happenings.

Each board has up to 50 volunteer members appointed by the Borough President, half of which also have nominations from the City Council. Every 2 years, half the board is replaced (hence the applications that are currently open for community boards across Brooklyn). While community boards serve in a purely advisory capacity and have no authority to make or enforce laws, local officials usually take their recommendations seriously when deciding how their office will weigh in on an issue.

Community Board 6 covers Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Gowanus, Cobble Hill, and Columbia Street Waterfront District. At this time, the board has 47 members (three vacancies) that, according to the NYC Department of City Planning’s interactive tool (a link is available on the Board’s website), represent a district with approximately 131,500 residents. While some boards opt to customize the look of their websites, Community Board 6 sticks with the pre-made colors and formatting. Meeting minutes have not been uploaded since 2019, which Mike Racioppo, District Manager — a paid position he has held for almost 5 years, explained is because he and the board do not control the website. Instead, he must send materials to a generic City email, at which point the materials are supposed to be uploaded to the website.

Nonetheless, the website does feature a list of board members, information about each of the committees, and a link to sign up for the board’s email newsletter. The email is filled with community updates and event listings from local groups. Community members can also stop by the board’s Baltic Street office by reaching out to Racioppo. There are still no regular public hours but you can make an appointment with Racioppo by calling (718) 643-3027

The meeting for Community Board 6 in January was held virtually, as were all community board meetings across the city, due to a recent uptick in COVID cases. Having previously attended in-person meetings, I can attest to the different atmosphere of Zoom. While the virtual meetings make it easier for more people to join, they eliminate the opportunity to congregate at a local community space and mingle. Attendees are relegated to staring at the panel of community board members as they log in from their apartments. While it can be interesting to get a glimpse of the members’ décor, it lends an unprofessional air to the meeting, as though you’re on a call with family members.

New chairperson begins

The meeting started with a nervous, yet thoughtful Eric McClure leading as the board’s chair for the first time. He began with introductions and a moment of acknowledgement for the death of a Carroll Gardens resident earlier in the week, after she was struck by a truck and killed while biking. McClure said that he and Racioppo had already scheduled a meeting with NYC’s Department of Transportation for the next day.

Next, Rebecca Kobert, a young real estate agent in Carroll Gardens and chair of the Permits & Licenses Committee, reported on three business applications, all of which were speedily approved. This was followed by a parade of representatives of local politicians including: Assemblyman JoAnne Simon (herself), NYS Senator Andrew Gournardes, US Representative Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, NYS Senator Zellnor Myrie, Council Member Alexa Avilés, Council Member Shahana Hanif, and Mayor Eric Adams. Board members made a few other announcements about public meetings to weigh in on Brooklyn’s public bus routes and a recent sink hole in Park Slope.

Finally, the floor was opened for public comment. One resident requested that the community board send a message of support on behalf of city retirees who need healthcare. Next a nonprofit owner from Queens and a Park Slope resident, each spoke against the expansion of LinkNYC, a program to provide free public WiFi, citing fears of invisible radiation and rat infestation of the kiosks among other concerns.

The next full board meeting for Community Board 6 will be held in person at the Van Alen Institute (303 Bond Street) and via Zoom on February 8 at 6:30 pm. A Community Session at the end of each full board meeting allows guests up to 3 minutes to share their thoughts, questions, or concerns. You can also sign up for the email newsletter via the board’s website, located at https://www.nyc.gov/site/brooklyncb6/index.page.

Anyone interested in applying to join a Brooklyn community board can find the application on Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s website, located at https://www.brooklyn-usa.org/community-boards/. The deadline for applications is February 14, 2023.