Community Board 9 Member Sylvia Hack last Tuesday night expressed her frustration with board leadership during a meeting of its executive committee.
Photo By Michael V. Cusenza
A meeting of the Executive Committee of Community Board 9 on Tuesday evening at Borough Hall devolved into an emotional back-and-forth that revealed a rift in the organization’s hierarchy, and frayed relationships between long-time board members.
The internal conflict began shortly after Chairman Ralph Gonzalez turned the committee’s attention toward conflict of interest issues. In addressing possible COI issues, Gonzalez, reading from a document he penned, called into question the actions of board members Rabbi Daniel Pollack, who was not present on Tuesday, and Sylvia Hack, who attended the meeting. Gonzalez eventually announced that he was stripping Hack of a leadership position in CB 9’s Land Use Committee.
“Oh come on, Ralph!” Hack exclaimed. “This is a disgusting, disgusting thing. I have been on this board for 40 years and I have never experienced behavior like this.”
Hack, obviously shaken by the unexpected action, later ripped Gonzalez, saying, “You seem to think you ARE the board! You are CHAIR of the board!”
Gonzalez shot back to Hack, “No, you think YOU are the board! There are 50 other members.”
Regarding Pollack, Gonzalez said he found a conflict of interest in remarks the rabbi made during a CB 9 meeting to the operator of a taxi base-station, which is near Pollack’s house.
“Do you know what a conflict of interest is?” Hack asked Gonzalez.
“This, in fact, was something that had to be done,” Gonzalez said.
Board Member Sherman Kane, visibly upset, turned to Gonzalez, who was seated at the head of the rectangular meeting table, and said, “When are you going to have a vendetta against the other people on the board?”
Some observers wondered if Tuesday’s incident had anything to do with a possible conflict of interest issue involving Gonzalez that was raised by several board members about four months ago.
“I think you’re wasting our time with this,” Kane said to Gonzalez on Tuesday.
“The question is: How do we move forward from this?” Public Safety and Consumer Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Iaboni asked aloud.
“I want no part of this,” added Board Member Seth Welins.
Tuesday’s developments came at crucial time for CB 9. The board is still in the process of choosing a new district manager. After more than 30 years, Mary Ann Carey retired earlier this year as the borough’s longest-tenured community board district manager.
By Michael V. Cusenza
