Community Board 8 has found its new district manager

Not a single hand rose in opposition or abstention to hiring Farrah Kule Rubin as the new district manager for Community Board 8 on Tuesday, May 9. Following a discussion in executive session, her hiring was approved.

“Thank you so much,” Rubin said at the meeting. “Looking forward to working with all of you. Thank you.”

CB 8 Chair Laura Spalter thanked the search committee, composed of Bob Bender, Omar Murray, and Julie Reyes, for the job they did and work they stepped up to.

When former district manager Ciara Gannon was promoted to director of community boards and legislative affairs for the Bronx, Spalter stated that whoever took the role in replacement would “have big shoes to fill.”

During the district manager’s report at the meeting, Bender spoke about the search process.

They received 22 applications and resumes for the position of district manager, blacking out all identities of the individuals to prevent unconscious bias, he said.

The members of the committee met on March 22 on a Zoom meeting, including two community board members. They agreed on four candidates they wanted to interview. The committee met with the candidates, with one withdrawing his application prior to the meeting. Following the meetings, they identified one candidate that stood out from the rest, and asked them to come back for another meeting.

At the end of the second meeting that was attended by Spalter, treasurer Scott Krompinger, committee members, and the search committee, it was agreed unanimously that they had a “very strong candidate,” Bender said.

Rubin’s salary was recommended by Spalter and Krompinger at about $95,000 per year.

Rubin will begin her position on June 5.

— Eric Harvey