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From Beechhurst to Breezy Point, Fort Totten to Fort Tilden, Queens’ 14 community boards cover all neighborhoods.
By Forum Staff
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz is now accepting applications from “qualified and community-minded individuals” who want to serve on one of the World’s Borough’s community boards, the BP’s Office announced last Thursday.
There are 14 community boards in Queens and a total of 59 citywide, Katz noted, with each panel having up to 50 unsalaried members and each member serving two-year terms. All Queens community board members are appointed by the borough president, with half of her appointees nominated by the City Councilmembers for the respective community board districts.
Community boards, Katz said, play an important advisory role in considering land-use and zoning matters, and contribute to public dialogue by holding hearings and issuing recommendations about the city budget, municipal service delivery, and many other matters that impact their communities.
“Queens is a borough of families, and our borough’s community boards help our families live better lives by addressing important quality-of-life issues,” Katz added. “To serve on a community board demands a significant commitment of time and energy, but any civic-minded resident interested is encouraged to consider applying. Our City government works better when we have active and engaged community boards that draw from the expansive knowledge and extensive life experiences of their diverse memberships. All candidates – both new applicants and those re-applying for an additional term – are evaluated based on the relevant experiences they bring to the table.”
All community board appointees are required to re-apply at the conclusion of each two-year term and are subject to review and reconsideration by local elected officials. The deadline for both new and returning applicants is Jan. 27. For the upcoming round of appointments, the two-year term of service will begin on April 1.
The community board appointment application is available online at queensbp.org/community-boards. Further information may be obtained by calling the borough president’s office at (718) 286-2900.
