CB8 Selects District Manager, Fourth in Past 3 Years | The Riverdale Press

By Zak Kostro

Finally, the search is over.

Community Board 8 selected Ciara Gannon as its new district manager on May 8, a seven-month search to replace Michael Heller, who left last year. A Woodlawn native and longtime Bronx resident, Gannon has a wealth of government experience to land the $75,000-a-year job.

Gannon has assisted the Town Administrator of New Castle for the past two years, mainly dealing with administrative services. Prior to that, she worked as the Bronx Outreach Coordinator for the city’s Department of Parks, and as a District Representative and Director of Constituent Services for State Senator Jeffrey Klein.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and environmental studies from Siena College and a master’s degree in public administration in government from Pace University.

“Obviously this young lady is very experienced,” said CB8 President Rosemary Ginty. “Her resume speaks for itself and we are all delighted to work with her.”

Gannon’s past positions have allowed her to work on a range of issues – from sanitation, to health care, to mortgages, to “anything to do with the elderly”, she said.

“I’m confident that my passion, my work ethic, and all of my government experience working with different elected officials, and my experience working with the community” will help serve CB8’s neighborhoods, Gannon said. “I’ve always been a community advocate at Woodlawn, so I think I can do that for Community Board 8.”

While Gannon says the experience at New Castle proved invaluable, she wanted to return to the borough where she lives.

“I missed working in the Bronx,” Gannon said. Here, she has the chance to work with “a lot of cultural institutions (and) large parks”.

“I’m excited to get to know this area a little more and to work with different community groups, different merchants, board members and residents,” she said.

Regarding her background as district manager, Gannon said it was word of mouth that prompted her to make an offer.

“A few people who aren’t on Community Board 8 approached me and encouraged me to apply,” Gannon said. CB8’s three-member search committee – Martin Wolpoff, Diomarys Escano and Dan Padernacht – guided Gannon through what she described as a long but simple process.

The committee ultimately received 84 resumes, interviewed a number of finalists, ultimately recommending Gannon for consideration by the full board.

“They were deliberate, they were careful, and it took them all the time it took to come to this conclusion,” Ginty said. “I wouldn’t have voted if I didn’t have confidence in the painstaking work the selection committee did to research and review all applicants.”

Gannon’s vote, however, seemed to have callbacks to a year ago, when the board was set to vote on Heller’s hiring. Already barely a quorum, two members – Amy Joy Robateau and the now late David Kornbluh – left just before the vote to “move their cars”.

There was at least one high-profile departure before Gannon’s vote — land use chairman Charles Moerdler, who did not return requests for comment. When asked for a breakdown of the votes from the meeting, Ginty first said The Riverdale Press this information was not available because the minutes were not finalized. CB8 then told a reporter to submit the request in writing.

“This was the most open selection process in Community Board 8 history,” Ginty said after the meeting.

Gannon faced no opposition during the selection process, she said.

All council members who voted on May 8 — except for Tao Moran, who voted no, and Sergio Villaverde, who abstained — raised their hands in support of Gannon.

Gannon will likely have his hands full to take on the role of a board that hasn’t had a district manager since last October, and has now had four in the past three years.

“The board is best served by having an office that’s a well-oiled machine,” said Padernacht, who was chairman of the board when Heller was hired last year. “It is the district manager who is responsible for ensuring that the office runs efficiently and professionally.”

If tests lie ahead, Gannon is ready to face them head-on.

“Who doesn’t love a good challenge?” Ganon asked. Between now and his June 11 start date, Gannon wants to meet with various board members, committee chairs and elected officials to dive deeper into some of the pressing issues such as homelessness, healthcare, expanding Hebrew House on the Riverdale’s Palisade Avenue campus, or find the Board of Trustees a new home base to conduct meetings and business as usual.

“I look forward to working with the board on these various issues and whatever comes up,” Gannon said. “Community Council 8 is one of the strongest community councils in the city, and I look forward to continuing that legacy with the hardworking and dedicated council members, and with the residents who care about us, who attend meetings.”