Singer CB15 Brooklyn opposes 501
Laura Singer, district manager for Brooklyn CB15, opposes Intro 501, arguing no city agency manager has term limits and that term limits would deter talented candidates. She says giving borough presidents firing power over staff they do not hire is illogical and that the bill targets community boards for further weakening.
Good afternoon, my name is Laura Singer and I'm District Manager for Brooklyn Community Ward 15, which is Sheepshead Bay, Gerritsen Beach, Manhattan Beach, Homecrest, and Madison.
I'm speaking in regards to Intro 501.
What city agency manager has a term limit?
What agency manager would take a job outside of perhaps an elected official if they could potentially lose it in four years'time?
Not all of us have that calling to be an elected official, but we still want to serve our community, and so this is the path that we chose.
By placing term limits on district managers, we wind up in actuality denying ourselves of some truly talented people who would never consider a position with a potential term limit.
Currently, resourcing and attracting staff with our very small budgets has been challenging.
Now with the caveat of not being extended past the four-year term, we'd only further turn potential hires off.
Board members with historic knowledge are now being termed out, so you want to take a potential longstanding staff member with institutional knowledge and place them on the chopping block as well.
To what end?
With the potential for a constant turnover of district managers, you run the risk of having new hires using crucial time learning the job and focusing on procedures, giving them less time to devote to actually serving their community.
There's a natural progression and turnover that occurs.
Limiting a person's capacity to serve will prove more of a detriment to those who truly care and want to make a positive impact.
Boards have bylaws that determine how employees are hired and terminated.
Giving an outside agency such as the borough president's office who does not resource or hire the ability to fire a district manager seems quite frankly illogical.
Unfortunately, as of late, it seems to have been open season on community boards, with legislation being created each and every day to silence that voice.
This bill is no different.
It's just targeting another component of the community board, a key staff member that oversees its management, which is just looking to further rip community boards asunder.
As elected officials, you are entrusted to serve your communities to the best of your abilities.
You should be visionaries to bring about positive change and amplify your community's voice, not silence it.
This legislation just serves to encasitate community boards further, and I urge you as champions for your communities to let Bill Intro 501 go no further than this hearing.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Who wants to go next?
Yes, go ahead.