 |
|
|
|
One of the most important acts a Community Board performs is the selection of a District Manager.
The City Charter provides that each Community Board shall appoint a District Manager (commonly referred to as the DM), to perform multiple roles: manager, service coordinator, mediator, advocate, and more.
In addition to serving as chief of staff for the Community Board, the DM has important work relationships with community residents, civic associations, the District Service Cabinet (over which the DM presides), and the other staff hired by the Board. The DM serves as an intermediary between the Board’s guiding hand and the Cabinet.
The District Manager's role as defined by the Charter ( § 2800 f.) is to:
- process service complaints
- preside at meetings of the District Service Cabinet, and
- perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Community Board in accordance with the statement of duties ( § 2800 d. 7).
This final clause results in varying roles for the DM depending upon the needs of the particular Board. The roles assigned sometimes include the following:
- serve as the administrator of the Community Board office.
- make policy recommendations to the Community Board and execute the policy set by the Community Board.
- cooperate with, consuls, assist, and advise any public officer, agency, local administrators of agencies, legislative bodies or the Borough President on matters relating to the welfare of the district and its residents.
- act as liaison between the Community Board and all governmental agencies and the community at large.
- coordinate all service related actions and operations within a Community Board’s district.
- preside over the District Service Cabinet and, in conjunction with the District Service Cabinet, plans for improved service delivery to the Community District.
- make recommendation to the Community Board on district priorities for the Capital and Expense Budgets and monitors their implementation.
- administer the internal budget of the Community Board.
- make recommendations for hiring of administrative and staff personnel.
- supervise the staff and manages the day to day operation of the district office.
- exercise or delegate to staff the dissemination of information about City services and programs.
- exercise or delegate to staff the processing of service delivery complaints.
Above all, the District Manager is a public servant playing a key role in the community.
The DM is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Board.
|
|
|
|
|
|
