By Lincoln Anderson
After chairing Community Board 2 for the past two years, Jo Hamilton stepped down at last Thursday night’s full-board meeting, in keeping with C.B. 2’s voluntary two-year term limit for its board chairpersons.
Fellow board members Brad Hoylman and Elaine Young gave remarks, thanking Hamilton for her efforts — then gave her some humorously apropos gifts on behalf of the 50-member volunteer board.
Hoylman loaded Hamilton with an array of items, including a flower bouquet, a “Winner” medal, a retirement mug and a fishing cap. Meanwhile, Young said she searched for a gift that summed up the outgoing board chairperson, whom she described as “tough but fair,” and found it at the Jane St. Fair: a whip!
“Hey, I started the Jane St. Fair,” Hamilton, a longtime Jane Streeter, said, as she laughingly received the cat-o’-nine-tails.
Bob Gormley, C.B. 2’s district manager — who heads the board’s office staff — also spoke, thanking Hamilton and saying he always learned from her.
“The two years have flown by,” Hamilton said, adding she felt confident turning the reins over to Hoylman, who, running unopposed, was elected the board’s new chairperson.
In a contested race, Keen Berger edged out Lois Rakoff for C.B. 2 assistant secretary. Berger has served as chairperson of the board’s Social Services Committee, which has been dealing with the critical issue of school overcrowding and the creation of new local schools.
“Some people say I am overqualified,” said Berger, addressing the board before the vote. But, she assured, she’ll be fully focused on the goings-on at full-board meetings, while seated at the table up front with the board’s other elected officers.
“I will sit up there and smile,” she said, adding, “I won’t do my knitting.”
