Morry Galonoy
Nov. 9, 2021 By Christian Murray
Community Board 2 elected a new chairperson Thursday night along with a slate of other officers to its executive board.
Morry Galonoy, who was appointed to Community Board 2 in May 2020, was voted chair, while four other members were also elected to the 5-person executive board. All ran unopposed and received the unanimous support of the members.
Frank Wu, of Long Island City, was voted 1st Vice Chair; Lisa Deller, of Sunnyside, 2nd Vice Chair; Kat Bloomfield, of Woodside, Treasurer; and Rosamond Gianutsos, of Sunnyside, Secretary.
Galonoy, who has lived in Woodside for 15 years, has served on the Environmental, Land Use, Tech and Budget committees since he was appointed to the board. He is a small business owner working in the field of digital media and branding—and is an adjunct assistant professor at the Parsons School of Design.
Galonoy said that he plans to prioritize board outreach. He said that he wants to work closely with the community, and is working on digitizing the board’s records so they are more accessible to the public.
Lisa Deller, the former chair of Community Board 2 (screenshot Channel 13)
“We live in one of the most diverse communities in the country,” Galonoy told the board prior to the vote. “I think our diversity is our strength and it makes Queens and our district an incredible place to live and to work….I will prioritize increasing the engagement and access between the board and our broad and diverse community.”
Galonoy said that he also wants to make sure that board members and the community are comfortable voicing their opinions.
“CB2 has to be a safe space for all voices to be heard even the ones we disagree with,” he said.
Galonoy replaces Deller, who did not run to be reelected chair.
Deller, who was first appointed to the board in 1998, said that it is time for a new generation of members to be in charge. She said that she wanted to remain on the executive committee to help the new leadership in its transition.
Community Board 2, according to Deller, has undergone significant change in the past two years. Since 2019, nearly half of the 50-person board has changed, with more than one-third in the past year alone.
Many board members have not attended an in-person meeting, which is typically held at Sunnyside Community Services on 39th Street on the first Thursday each month. The full board meetings have been held via Zoom since COVID-19 broke out in March 2020.
Long-time member Sheila Lewandowski, who was 1st vice chair, did not run to be re-elected to the executive board. She plans to remain on the board and also help guide the new leadership.
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