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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Melinda Perkins, District Manager of Brooklyn Community Board 5
5:13:02
ยท
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Melinda Perkins, District Manager of Brooklyn Community Board 5, testified to underscore three critical needs for community boards across New York City: increased baseline budgets, comprehensive training programs for new board members, and consistency in budget management by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). She emphasized the need for greater transparency and support in how community board budgets are handled.
- Highlighted discrepancies in budget management by OMB, including unexplained fund transfers and inconsistent approval of merit-based salary increases
- Stressed the importance of empowering community boards with resources and equitable budget oversight to effectively serve as a link between residents and city government
- Urged the council to advocate for changes needed to support community boards citywide
Melinda Perkins
5:13:02
Good afternoon, and, greetings, chairperson Ressler, esteemed committee members, members of the council, and city agency reps in attendance.
5:13:10
My name is Melinda Perkins, and I'm honored to serve as a district manager for Brooklyn Community Board five.
5:13:15
And to your earlier question, I've been here for eight years, and a board member prior.
5:13:20
Our board represents over 190,000 residents across the neighborhoods of East New York, New Lots, Spring Creek, Cypress Hills, City Line, and portions of Broadway Junction, and Highland Park.
5:13:31
I stand here today to testify in solidarity with community board district offices across the city to underscore three critical needs.
5:13:39
One, an increase in baseline excuse me, baseline budgets for New York City community boards for reasons that my colleagues condensed today successfully.
5:13:50
The implementation of comprehensive training and education programs for onboarding new community members community board members and consistency in how the office of management and budget manages community board budgets.
5:14:03
While all community boards operate with the same baseline budgets, excluding rent, we continue to observe discrepancies and budget management that remain unexplained by OMB.
5:14:15
Operating budget funds have been transferred without prior knowledge or input from district offices.
5:14:20
Merit based salary increases are not reviewed or approved consistently even when boards adhere to guidance provided by their bylaws.
5:14:28
Fiscal mandates are implemented without adequate reasoning or legal explanation, and our district offices are tasked with managing increasingly complex responsibilities often with minimal staff and constrained resources.
5:14:41
So the emphasis emphasis is on OMB being much more transparent and inclusive of district managers to make sure that our budgets are operating properly.
5:14:51
At a minimum, we request that great greater transparency, uniformity, and support in how our budgets are handled and sustained.
5:15:00
This appeal is not merely about financial allocation.
5:15:03
It is about ensuring that community boards can effectively serve as the vital link between residents and city government.
5:15:10
Empowering boards with the resources, training, and equitable budget oversight they need is an investment in the communities we represent.
5:15:19
Thank you for your attention to this manner matter, and I urge the council to take these concerns into account and advocate for the changes needed to support community boards citywide.
Lincoln Restler
5:15:28
Thank you, miss Perkins.