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BROOKLYN WEEKLY, FEB. 3, 2019
New day for Community Board 18
Southern Brooklyn panel’s fi rst black, Caribbean-American chairman takes the reins
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
A local community board headed
for decades by white men is now
helmed by a black Caribbean-
American, who assumed his
role as the panel’s chairman last
month after its members elected
him to the unpaid position in December.
Gardy Brazela took the helm
of Community Board 18 after
two decades as a member of the
panel — whose district includes
the neighborhoods of Bergen
Beach, Canarsie, Flatlands,
Georgetown, Marine Park, Mill
Basin, and Mill Island — and
said he plans to hit the ground
running.
“I was honored that they chose
me. It’s a lot of responsibility, and
the community expects change
from me, and now I have to deliver,”
Brazela said.
Brazela, who led CB18’s Safety
Commission for roughly two
years during his tenure on the
panel, succeeds his predecessor
of two decades, Saul Needle, who
stepped down and into the position
of CB18’s vice chairman.
But the new chairman won’t
be able to serve for nearly as long
as his immediate predecessor,
because voters last November
elected to set term limits for all
residents on the city’s community
boards, most of whom can
now only serve four consecutive
two-year stints.
Other past CB18 chairmen include
Brooklyn Democratic Party
boss Frank Seddio, and convicted
felon and disgraced former state
Sen. Carl Kruger.
The Haitian-born Brazela
came with his family to Kings
County as a 12-year-old, fi rst settling
in East Flatbush before
moving to Canarsie, where he
now lives.
The 53-year-old — who by day
works as a vocational counselor
at a Manhattan rehab center
— began his civic career back
in 1993, when he founded the
Canarsie-based neighborhood
group Friends United Block Association,
which he still oversees.
And in addition to his position
atop CB18, Brazela also currently
serves as the president of
the local 69th Precinct’s Community
Council, and as a member
of the Canarsie Lions community
organization.
Needle placed his full confi -
dence in his successor, noting his
years of experience on the board.
“He’s competent, and sometimes
it’s time to hand the mantle
over to somebody else,” the former
CB18 chairman said.
And the board’s longtime district
manager said she looks forward
to having fresh blood at its
helm, even though she’ll miss
working side by side with Needle.
“It’s mixed emotions because
Saul and I were a good team,”
said Dottie Turano. “But to be
quite honest, I’m thrilled. Gardy
is full of enthusiasm. He’s full of
energy and ideas and I look forward
to working with him.”
NEW LEADER: Canarsie resident Gardy Brazela was elected to be Community
Board 18’s new chairman, the fi rst Caribbean-American to take the position.
Gardy Brazela
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