Leadership team chosen for CB 7

A mix of veteran and new board members have been elected by their peers to serve on Brooklyn Community Board Seven’s 2014 Executive Committee, bringing a range of expertise and shared love of Sunset Park, Greenwood Heights and Windsor Terrace to their volunteer roles representing these communities.

Current chairperson Dan Murphy will return in to his role after gaining more votes than fellow veteran board members Joan Botti and Sam Sierra. In addition to his service with CB 7, Murphy serves as executive director of the Pitkin Avenue Business Improvement District in Brownsville.

Ryan Lynch will serve as first vice-chair next year. Lynch currently serves as vice-chair of CB 7’s Transportation Committee and is the associate director at the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. He won more votes than fellow neighborhood activist Donna Mae DiPola.

Cynthia Gonzalez won out over fellow Sunset Park resident Delvis Valdes for the position of second vice-chair.

June Reich was elected over fellow candidate Patricia Ruiz to take on the role of secretary. Reich has served for two years as assistant secretary under outgoing secretary Leonora Gidlund. Next year, she will also continue as chairperson of the CB7 Education Committee.

Gloria Rodriguez will fill the Assistant Secretary seat vacated by Reich, while fellow new Executive Board member Zachary Jasie will take on the role of treasurer from Jason Goldberg, who is himself moving into the position of assistant sergeant-at-arms. Incumbent Sergeant-At-Arms Kenny Guan will continue in that role.

Murphy praised all of the new and returning board members, as well as all the candidates, for their dedication to the community. “Putting your name in for a volunteer position takes moxie and a lot of dedication to public service,” Murphy said.

Botti, who will continue as a regular CB 7 board member, congratulated Murphy and all the newly elected members, stating that everyone “will do a wonderful job” and “there is a lot of work to do, but we’ve seen Sunset Park come back every day.”

The new year will bring “a lot of exciting changes in the community,” said CB7 District Manager Jeremy Laufer, “and we look forward to doing our part in making positive change happen. For me personally, opening of new waterfront park in the new year is [going to be a] proud moment.”