By Carol Tannenhauser
Community Board 7 met Thursday night to pass a resolution required by the state to allow them to move to hybrid meetings. “If we do not pass the resolution by August 15, we will move to full in-person meetings,” Board Chairman Steven Brown explained.
Under the hybrid model, members can continue attending meetings virtually as long as an in-person quorum is also present. Virtual attendees are permitted to vote if a quorum is present and they have been excused from attending the meeting in person for an accepted reason. The resolution passed easily — 28-5 — as expected, but, then, the unexpected happened.
Chairman of the Board Steven Brown announced his resignation — as chairman and from the board entirely — citing personal and family reasons. The Board was visibly saddened, and many praised his performance as chairman. Brown said he will be staying on through July.
Andrew Rigie, 1st Vice Chair will then assume Brown’s responsibilities until a new chair is elected in the Fall.
Brown is the second board chair to end his term early. Mark Diller, the former chair, stepped down in January, 2021, after which Brown assumed office.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce that I will be stepping down from the board,” Brown told WSR. “It has been an honor to serve the CB7 community with my fellow board members and I am proud of the work we have done. What I will remember most of all from this time is the people I have met and friendships I have made.”
Thankful to Steven Brown for his hard work and best wishes regarding his family matters.
However, do not think it is appropriate that Andrew Rigie, head of the restaurant lobby, assume a leadership role even temporarily.
Moving to permit permanent hybrid meetings is good; it will improve accessibility significantly.
Losing Steve Brown is a real blow. He was one of the few members of CB7 with any common sense who actually looked at the community as a whole instead of only through the eyes of special interests
100% disagree.