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Q&A
Debating charter mandates versus appointing authority responsibility for community board representativeness
2:25:05
·
51 sec
Commissioner Carl Weisbrod questions whether ensuring community board representativeness should be mandated by the charter or remain the responsibility of appointing officials (Borough Presidents, Council Members). Catherine Vaughn suggests that relying solely on elected officials for accountability might be insufficient due to low voter engagement and information opacity, implying a charter mandate could be necessary.
- Vaughn expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of relying on voter accountability for CB appointments.
- Suggests a charter-level requirement or process might be needed to ensure representativeness.
Carl Weisbrod
2:25:05
Just to follow-up on that, do you think that should be a charter change, or do you think that's the responsibility?
2:25:12
Both certainly very thoughtful suggestions, but the responsibility of the appointing authorities, the borough president, and the city council member.
2:25:23
And shouldn't they be held accountable?
Catherine Vaughn
2:25:25
Well, what what is the accountability process if it ends up?
2:25:26
The booth.
2:25:30
Yeah.
2:25:30
I mean, unfortunately, with, like, 7% turnout rates and and very low, kind of high opacity of information about things like community board appointments, I think that, like, that that process wouldn't work.
2:25:43
So I do think that I I'm I'm not an expert on charters, but I do think that some sort of accountability process, or mandate could help, you know, folks appoint more representative boards.