Diller CB2 Manhattan opposes Intro 501

Thank you.

My name is Mark Diller.

I am the district manager of Community Board 2 in Manhattan.

I'm also a former chair of a community board, so I bring two perspectives to the issues before this committee.

I thank you for the opportunity to testify.

I have submitted on behalf of Community Board 2 our resolution from last year regarding what was then Intro 1065, which has the salient provisions are virtually identical to 501.

My colleagues have already identified many of the issues that I wanted to address, so I'll try to streamline.

There are two key aspects to a district manager's position, obviously some looking inward and some looking outward.

Those looking inward are to support the board members in their work on things like ULERPs, which are increasingly rare because of actions like the charter amendments and the city of...

Yes, requiring ever more nuanced abilities to bring in legacy information.

The removal of the creation of as of right development opportunities makes the community boards work in trying to find benefits for the public more nuanced, more complex and requires history and legacy information to be brought to the bear.

So that is so and then looking outward being a resource for constituent services I'm three and a half years into being a district manager Which I thought I would know how to do having been a chair of a board, but boy is it different and

And it takes time to build those relationships in the community, to be trusted by community organizations.

My board has a very active constituency, and active sometimes means doubting, sometimes means you need to earn their respect and trust.

I'm on my way.

Maybe two more years I'll be off probation, but that's something that is antithetical to the idea of a four-year term.

So Intro 501 would create instability in a place where we need it more and more, especially as board member term limits take effect.

Switching to the option or the issue of borough president termination, I have the greatest respect for the current Manhattan borough president to whom we look for guidance.

But this is a long-term.

issue and as my colleague has said politicizing the office of district manager is not in the service of the community's needs.

Finally, again to talk about the borough president's role,

The current borough president has followed in Councilmember Brewer's footsteps in terms of enhancing the outreach and meaningful engagement of recruiting and discerning who should be a board member.

And trying to replicate that across 51 council districts is neither feasible nor is it a good use of public money.

A better use would be the increase in the community board budget that my colleague just advocated.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.