Weatherspoon CB8 Brooklyn opposes 501
Irsa Weatherspoon, chair of Brooklyn CB8, testifies that her board voted unanimously to oppose Intro 501, arguing it undermines community board authority and independence. She says existing bylaws already provide accountability procedures and that borough president removal authority is inconsistent with community board structure.
Thank you so much.
Good afternoon, Chairwoman Brewer and members of the Governmental Operations State and Federal Legislation Committee and those in attendance.
My name is Irsa Weatherspoon, Chairperson of Brooklyn Community Board 8, and I thank you for the opportunity to provide my testimony at today's hearing.
On June 11, 2026, the members of Brooklyn Community Board 8 voted unanimously to oppose Intro 501, the proposed local law that
would amend the New York City Charter by imposing four-year term limits on community board district managers, subject to reappointment, and by granting Bower presidents the authority to remove district managers at will.
Brooklyn Community Board 8 believes that both provisions undermine the authority, independence, and effectiveness of community boards.
Under the New York City Charter, district managers are city employees who are hired by and serve at the pleasure of their respective community boards.
They are accountable to the boards that recruit.
Evaluate and supervise them, not to the city council or board presidents.
By imposing arbitrary term limits on district managers, Intro 501 diminishes the discretion of community board members and interferes with the ability to retain experienced and effective administrative leadership.
Moreover, Community Board 8's bylaws already establish clear procedures for evaluating performance, addressing concerns, and when necessary, removing a district manager for cause.
These safeguards provide accountability while preserving the board's authority to manage its own personnel decisions.
The proposal to grant Boa President's unilateral authority to remove district managers is particularly concerning, allowing an elected official to dismiss an employee whom they've never hired nor directly supervised
is inconsistent with the structure, purpose, and independence of community boards.
Such authority would disregard the extensive time, effort, and deliberation that boards invest in recruiting, selecting, and overseeing qualified district managers.
At a time when community board members themselves are subject to turn limits, the importance of experienced district managers cannot be overstated.
Long-serving district managers provide critical institutional knowledge, continuity, and stability.
They cultivate longstanding relationships with city agencies, city elected officials, community-based organizations, houses of worship, local businesses, and residents.
These relationships strengthen the board's ability to advocate effectively for the communities it serves and ensure
the important initiatives and concerns addressed without interruption.
District managers are professional administrators whose performance should be evaluated by the community boards that employ them.
Intro 501 appears to treat these positions more like elected offices, subject to periodic
political review rather than professional management roles grounded in expertise, experience, and accountability of the board.
For these reasons, Brooklyn Community Board 8 respectfully urges the Committee on Governmental Operations, State and Federal Legislation to oppose Intro 501
and preserve the authority of community boards to select, supervise, and when necessary, remove their own district managers.
Thank you kindly for your time and consideration.
Thank you very much.
Go ahead.