Proposed Int. No. 501-A
By Council Member Williams
A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to the terms of employment for district managers
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision f of section 2800 of the New York city charter, as amended by a vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, is amended to read as follows:
f. 1. District managers. (a) Each community board, within the budgetary appropriations therefor, shall appoint a district manager and shall be authorized to utilize the services of such other professional staff and consultants, including planners and other experts, as it may deem appropriate, all of whom shall serve at the pleasure of the community board, except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (b) of this paragraph, and shall provide the board with the staff support and technical assistance it requires to fulfill the duties assigned to it by this charter or other law. The district manager shall (1) have responsibility for processing service complaints, (2) preside at meetings of the district service cabinet, (3) facilitate collaboration between the community board and members of the council, and [(3)] (4) perform such other duties as are assigned by the community board in accordance with the statement of duties required by paragraph seven of subdivision d of this section.
(b) A district manager shall serve a term of 4 years, except that the first such term shall run from the effective date of the local law that added this sentence until December 31 of the fourth full calendar year thereafter. A community board may reappoint the same person as district manager for successive terms. A member of a community board shall be eligible for appointment to the position of district manager provided that such member does not participate in any manner in the selection of the district manager by the board and resigns as a member of any board prior to or upon assuming the duties of district manager. A community board may remove that district’s district manager before the expiration of such term. A borough president with jurisdiction over a community district may remove a district manager prior to the expiration of such district manager’s term if the borough president determines that such district manager has (i) failed to attend at least 50 percent of full board meetings in a calendar year, (ii) failed to submit or cause to be submitted an annual report under clause (6) of paragraph d of this section, or (iii) failed to submit or cause to be submitted an annual statement of community district needs under clause (10) of paragraph d of this section.
2. Board member titles. One of the board members shall be elected by the other members to serve as chairperson. The chairperson shall use no title other than chair or chairperson of the community board and the other members shall use no title other than member of the community board or community board member, except that any member who is elected or appointed to an official position on the board, including but not limited to, vice-chairperson, secretary, treasurer, or chair of a committee or subcommittee of the board shall be allowed to use such title when acting in such capacity. The department of investigation shall investigate any allegations concerning the misuse of a community board title and shall report its findings to the mayor, the council and the borough president in whose borough the community board is located. The knowing and intentional use of an improper title by any member of a community board shall be punishable by a civil penalty of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred and fifty dollars for every infraction thereof. The chairperson of the community board or his or her representative shall be a member of the district service cabinet. [A member of a community board shall be eligible for appointment to the position of district manager provided that such member does not participate in any manner in the selection of the district manager by the board and resigns as a member of any board prior to or upon assuming the duties of district manager.]
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
SM/JMF
LS #13634
Int. #1065-2024
3/26/2026 2:39 PM