Syracuse Citizens Review Board elects chair, prioritizes hiring and committee staffing as office access restored

Bridal Lovejoy Grinnell was elected chair of the Syracuse City Citizens Review Board during the board's regular meeting, as members organized committees and prioritized hiring an administrator and stabilizing office operations.

The board's newly seated members spent the session staffing committees the CRB bylaws require and discussing immediate operational needs, including access to the board office, outstanding invoices and how to restart the search for a permanent administrator. Don Johnson, the mayoral appointee serving as the board's temporary keeper of the CRB office, said he had regained access to the office and would circulate an accounting of pending invoices to the board.

"As soon as I can figure out that file, what I'll do is I'll produce a spreadsheet, and then I can get it to the entire board members," Johnson said. He told the group the investigating office had notified him of "I think it's 6 invoices that needed to be paid." Johnson also said he had arranged to work in the office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and would add an unpaid hour at midday to continue work beyond the HR-approved 20 paid hours.

Board members prioritized the Operations Committee to restart hiring for the administrator role and other positions. Members said the administrator posting had expired and that the community engagement and legal secretary positions had not yet been posted; a board member with access to Indeed was expected to repost the administrator vacancy and accept incoming resumes.

The board also began staffing the five standing committees required by the bylaws—Operations, Hearings, Community Outreach and Public Education, Board Development and Training, Government Relations, and Police Relations—by inviting volunteers to join. Several members volunteered for multiple committees, and chairs were asked to draft committee responsibilities to bring back to the full board for review.

Board members also discussed website updates and the board office location. Johnson said he had contacted a web administrator to update the CRB site, and he gave the office location as the Park Place Building, fifth floor.

The meeting included nominations for leadership. A member said, "I nominate Brynn to be chair." Following the call for votes, the board vocalized approval. The meeting later moved into executive session on a motion from the floor.

Why it matters: The CRB serves as the civilian oversight body for Syracuse City police complaints and hearings. Leadership, staffing and accessible records affect the board's ability to review complaints, schedule hearings and engage the public.

The board set as near-term tasks: restarting the administrator hiring process via the Operations Committee, producing a clear accounting of unpaid invoices and updating the board website. Members also discussed scheduling a makeup meeting for January, noting the board missed a required monthly meeting earlier in the year.

The board moved into executive session to address personnel and complaint-specific matters and planned to return afterward to adjourn.