Entry from December 20, 2005
Little City Hall (community board)
The community boards have been called "little city halls." The 311 line has somewhat reduced their importance, but they still have influence on local issues.
http://hellskitchen.net/comm/cb4/aboutcb.html
V. How They Came Into Being
What would eventually evolve into a system of Community Boards was the brainchild of Robert Wagner, Manhattan Borough President, in 1951. He designated twelve districts within Manhattan and established, for each, a Community Planning Council composed of fifteen to twenty members. The function of these Councils was to advise the Borough President on matters related to planning and the budget.
In 1963, the City Charter was adopted. The Charter called for the establishment of Community Planning Boards, as they were referred to, in all five boroughs of New York City. Eventually the term "Community Planning Board" was shortened to simply "Community Board". The role of the boards was still that of advisory boards to the Borough Presidents.
In the early 1970's, Mayor John Lindsay created additional entities in some districts whose responsibility it was to oversee the provision of City services. Each "Little City Hall" as they were called, was headed by a District Manager, a person appointed by the mayor. Each District Manager chaired a Service Cabinet made up of officers of various City agencies. Again, this system was only in place in a minority of New York City districts.
3 February 1966, New York Times, pg. 38:
DEMOCRATS SPURN
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Back Ross as He Rejects Bid
by Lindsay for Support
By CHARLES G. BENNETT
Mayor Lindsay lost his fight yesterday to win the crucially needed support of the Democratic majority in the City Council for his Little City Halls program,
17 February 1966, New York Times, pg. 22:
LINDSAY PRESSING
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Expected to Open First One
Early Next Month
By CLAYTON KNOWLES
A high administration spokesman said yesterday that the first of Mayor Lindsay's "little city halls" would be opened in the first week of March despite strong bipartisan opposition in the City Council.
17 March 1966, New York, pg. 33:
REPORT PREMATURE
ON LITTLE CITY HALL
The first of Mayor Lindsay's Little City Halls is not at 208 New Lots Avenue in Brooklyn. In fact, it isn't anywhere yet.
19 April 1966, New York Times, pg. 32:
LINDSAY DEFENDS
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Mayor Receives Backing on
Income and Business Tax
By ROBERT ALDEN
Mayor Lindsay defended his program for neighborhood city halls yesterday and said he would seek to retain them even if he was forced to cut his expense budget "to the marrow."
4 June 1966, New York Times, pg. 19:
LINDSAY DELAYING
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Furniture for 3 Ready, But
Democratic Aid Is Sought
By MAURICE CARROLL
The furniture for the first of Mayor Lindsay's "little city halls" has been stacked for a month in the basement of the old City Court building -- known as the Tweed Court -- behind City Hall.
24 June 1966, New York Times, pg. 1:
LAWMAKERS BAR
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Council and Estimate Board
Override Mayor's Veto,
Breaking a Tradition
3 July 1966, New York Times, pg. 20:
JAMAICA RESIDENT
WINS IDEA CONTEST
Urges Volunteer Workers
Run Little City Halls
31 August 1966, New York Times, pg. 35:
At Last, Mayor Gets a Little City Hall
By ALFRED E. CLARK
Mayor Lindsay disclosed yesterday that he established his first Little City Hall last Aug. 10 in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.
1 September 1966, New York Times, pg. 39:
A Little City Hall Is Not a Clubhouse, Procaccino Warns Mayor
24 December 1966, New York Times, pg. 12:
Procaccino Turns Down Bills
For Lindsay's Little City Halls
By SYDNEY H. SCHANBERG
City Controller Mario A. Procaccino has refused to pay between $400 and $500 in bills submitted by Mayor Lindsay's office for expenses at the Mayor's Little City Halls.
4 January 1967, New York Times, pg. 25:
LINSAY ALTERS
"CITY HALLS" PLAN
Bill Would Give Councilmen
Voice in Naming Staffs
16 January 1967, New York Times, pg. 22:
ROSS WRITES OFF
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Calls Mayor's Plan Dead --
Koch Joins Opposition
5 June 1968, New York Times, pg. 49:
Lindsay Opens Budget Talks
With Plea for Little City Halls
8 November 1969, New York Times, pg. 1:
LINDSAY PLANNING
LITTLE CITY HALLS
WITH MORE POWER
Proposal for Counterparts
of Clubhouses Will Go
to Advisory Council
5 June 1970, New York Times, pg. 1:
LINDSAY PROPOSES
62 LOCAL BOARDS
TO HELP RUN CITY
"Little City Hall" Revision
Calls for District Units
With Access to Mayor
By EDWARD C. BURKS
Mayor Lindsay announced yesterday a broad plan for a decentralized system of "neighborhood government" throughout the city based on the creation of community boards in 62 districts.
The plan is an overhauling of his original "litle city halls" proposal of a few years ago that City Councilmen at the time denounced as a program of creating Lindsay-appointed "political clubhouses."
This time the Mayor proposes that the Borough Presidents, Councilmen and community school boards join with him in appointing the community boards.
18 December 1994, New York Times, pg. CY8:
Little City Halls Cutting Staff
As Big One Tightens Its Belt
When the city's 59 community boards were created in 1977, city officials meant them to be miniature city halls, where citizens could complain about local services or speak about neighborhood issues.
http://hellskitchen.net/comm/cb4/aboutcb.html
V. How They Came Into Being
What would eventually evolve into a system of Community Boards was the brainchild of Robert Wagner, Manhattan Borough President, in 1951. He designated twelve districts within Manhattan and established, for each, a Community Planning Council composed of fifteen to twenty members. The function of these Councils was to advise the Borough President on matters related to planning and the budget.
In 1963, the City Charter was adopted. The Charter called for the establishment of Community Planning Boards, as they were referred to, in all five boroughs of New York City. Eventually the term "Community Planning Board" was shortened to simply "Community Board". The role of the boards was still that of advisory boards to the Borough Presidents.
In the early 1970's, Mayor John Lindsay created additional entities in some districts whose responsibility it was to oversee the provision of City services. Each "Little City Hall" as they were called, was headed by a District Manager, a person appointed by the mayor. Each District Manager chaired a Service Cabinet made up of officers of various City agencies. Again, this system was only in place in a minority of New York City districts.
3 February 1966, New York Times, pg. 38:
DEMOCRATS SPURN
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Back Ross as He Rejects Bid
by Lindsay for Support
By CHARLES G. BENNETT
Mayor Lindsay lost his fight yesterday to win the crucially needed support of the Democratic majority in the City Council for his Little City Halls program,
17 February 1966, New York Times, pg. 22:
LINDSAY PRESSING
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Expected to Open First One
Early Next Month
By CLAYTON KNOWLES
A high administration spokesman said yesterday that the first of Mayor Lindsay's "little city halls" would be opened in the first week of March despite strong bipartisan opposition in the City Council.
17 March 1966, New York
REPORT PREMATURE
ON LITTLE CITY HALL
The first of Mayor Lindsay's Little City Halls is not at 208 New Lots Avenue in Brooklyn. In fact, it isn't anywhere yet.
19 April 1966, New York Times, pg. 32:
LINDSAY DEFENDS
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Mayor Receives Backing on
Income and Business Tax
By ROBERT ALDEN
Mayor Lindsay defended his program for neighborhood city halls yesterday and said he would seek to retain them even if he was forced to cut his expense budget "to the marrow."
4 June 1966, New York Times, pg. 19:
LINDSAY DELAYING
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Furniture for 3 Ready, But
Democratic Aid Is Sought
By MAURICE CARROLL
The furniture for the first of Mayor Lindsay's "little city halls" has been stacked for a month in the basement of the old City Court building -- known as the Tweed Court -- behind City Hall.
24 June 1966, New York Times, pg. 1:
LAWMAKERS BAR
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Council and Estimate Board
Override Mayor's Veto,
Breaking a Tradition
3 July 1966, New York Times, pg. 20:
JAMAICA RESIDENT
WINS IDEA CONTEST
Urges Volunteer Workers
Run Little City Halls
31 August 1966, New York Times, pg. 35:
At Last, Mayor Gets a Little City Hall
By ALFRED E. CLARK
Mayor Lindsay disclosed yesterday that he established his first Little City Hall last Aug. 10 in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.
1 September 1966, New York Times, pg. 39:
A Little City Hall Is Not a Clubhouse, Procaccino Warns Mayor
24 December 1966, New York Times, pg. 12:
Procaccino Turns Down Bills
For Lindsay's Little City Halls
By SYDNEY H. SCHANBERG
City Controller Mario A. Procaccino has refused to pay between $400 and $500 in bills submitted by Mayor Lindsay's office for expenses at the Mayor's Little City Halls.
4 January 1967, New York Times, pg. 25:
LINSAY ALTERS
"CITY HALLS" PLAN
Bill Would Give Councilmen
Voice in Naming Staffs
16 January 1967, New York Times, pg. 22:
ROSS WRITES OFF
LITTLE CITY HALLS
Calls Mayor's Plan Dead --
Koch Joins Opposition
5 June 1968, New York Times, pg. 49:
Lindsay Opens Budget Talks
With Plea for Little City Halls
8 November 1969, New York Times, pg. 1:
LINDSAY PLANNING
LITTLE CITY HALLS
WITH MORE POWER
Proposal for Counterparts
of Clubhouses Will Go
to Advisory Council
5 June 1970, New York Times, pg. 1:
LINDSAY PROPOSES
62 LOCAL BOARDS
TO HELP RUN CITY
"Little City Hall" Revision
Calls for District Units
With Access to Mayor
By EDWARD C. BURKS
Mayor Lindsay announced yesterday a broad plan for a decentralized system of "neighborhood government" throughout the city based on the creation of community boards in 62 districts.
The plan is an overhauling of his original "litle city halls" proposal of a few years ago that City Councilmen at the time denounced as a program of creating Lindsay-appointed "political clubhouses."
This time the Mayor proposes that the Borough Presidents, Councilmen and community school boards join with him in appointing the community boards.
18 December 1994, New York Times, pg. CY8:
Little City Halls Cutting Staff
As Big One Tightens Its Belt
When the city's 59 community boards were created in 1977, city officials meant them to be miniature city halls, where citizens could complain about local services or speak about neighborhood issues.
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