Community Board 9’s District Manager Search Committee met last Thursday evening at Borough Hall. Forum Photo by Michael V. Cusenza.
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz this week advised the chairman of Community Board 9 to postpone the district manager selection process until after April 1.
The second round of interviews was scheduled to take place on March 3 at Borough Hall, where the three remaining candidates vying for the position—James McClelland, Scott Wolff and Lisa Gomes—were to be vetted by the board
However, in a letter obtained by The Forum, Katz told Chairman Ralph Gonzalez, “While I applaud the efforts thus far, potential issues with one of the candidates and the selection process have been raised by the media in recent days, which is concerning. April 1 starts a new session of CB 9 and given there are 29 Board members whose current terms expire on March 31, it makes more sense that the process be postponed so that newly appointed Board members can participate in this important decision. Therefore I believe that it is in the best interests of the Board and the residents who will be served by the new district manager to postpone the selection until after April. Fairness and good governance dictate such a result…”
The “potential issues” referenced by Katz were uncovered by this newspaper in a scathing online-exclusive Note From the Publisher titled “Start All Over,” in which allegations of impropriety during the first round of interviews, and the alleged questionable actions of candidate and CB 9 employee Lisa Gomes surrounding a subpoena issued by the Manhattan District Attorney, were raised.
“While this community newspaper does not have a vested interest in the candidate who ultimately is selected to represent CB 9 as its district manager, we are beholden to the residents of the neighborhoods for which the new DM will work on a daily basis; and so, we had to investigate this matter, and will continue to investigate it for as long as it takes,” the column reads. “This is not a smear campaign, but a civic-minded publication acting solely in the public interest. We do not presume to know who the best candidate is to fill this critical position. We have not been privy to the interview process. What we can do, by bringing to light these details, is give the Search Committee a clear field to begin again, without the burden of self-serving antics.”
By Patricia Adams and Michael V. Cusenza
