Sandy Vallas sworn in as CB 10 chairperson during ceremony

Treasurer Shirley Chin, Secretary Jack Zhang, and Vice Chair Stephanie Simone-Mahaney were also sworn in.

By Jaime DeJesus

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SOUTHERN BROOKLYN – During its first general meeting following summer break, Community Board 10 (CB 10) hosted its Swearing in Ceremony for officers at Knights of Columbus, 1305 86th St., Sept. 15.

Sandy Vallas was sworn in as the chairperson of CB 10, succeeding Jaynemarie Capetanakis, who served in the role since 2022.

Past chairpersons attended the ceremony, including Joseph Bova, Stephen Harrison, Craig Eaton, Dean Rasinya, Lori Willis and Capetanakis.

Supreme Court Justice Theresa Ciccotto swore in Vallas and others.

“This is truly a pleasure and privilege for me this evening,” she said. “I’m very fond of a lot of the people that are here.”

“I want to thank the past chairs,” Vallas said following the ceremony. “We had them all up here. There’s a reason why Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Fort Hamilton and Community Board 10 is what it is, a premier neighborhood. That’s because these chairpersons put in their time together with this board.”

Vallas has served as a CB 10 member since 2010. He was an officer, secretary, treasurer and vice chair. He was also chair of its Senior Issues, Housing, Health and Welfare committee, Youth Services, Education and Libraries Committee, and the Police and Public Safety Committee.

“Sandy resides in Dyker Heights with his family and has his office in Bay Ridge,” said CB 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann. “He is also currently the treasurer of the Dyker Heights Civic Association, serves on the Fifth Avenue and 86th Street Business Improvement District and has a long list of past and present local civic involvement. We wish you well as you take on this additional role as chair of the board. Congratulations.”

Treasurer Shirley Chin, Secretary Jack Zhang, and Vice Chair Stephanie Simone-Mahaney were also sworn in by Ciccotto.

The Very Rev. Gerasimos Makris of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, 8401 Ridge Blvd., offered the invocation.

“May we all work together to make a better Brooklyn, a better New York, a better United States so all can live in peace and harmony and love,” he said during prayer. 

“Congratulations to Sandy Vallas, the new Chairperson of CB-10, and all the new officers that were part of the ceremony,” said Assemblymember Alec-Brook Krasny on Facebook. “I was represented by my Director of Community Affairs, Richie Barsamian, who provided updates on my response to local community issues. In addition, thank you, Fr. Gerasimos Makris, for a moving invocation, and thank you, Hon. Theresa Ciccotto, NYS Supreme Court Justice for administering the Oath of Office. Thank you to everyone at CB-10.”