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CB11 ethics committee reviews three conduct complaints, recommends stricter procedures and training
Summary
The Community Board 11 Ethics and Disciplinary Committee heard three complaints June 16 alleging improper conduct and conflicts related to street activity permits and member behavior. The committee recommended strengthened procedures, more training, and referral of procedural issues to leadership; it did not impose disciplinary sanctions.
The Community Board 11 Ethics and Disciplinary Committee on June 16 heard three public complaints about members’ conduct and the handling of street activity permits, and concluded the issues should be addressed through clearer procedures and training rather than immediate disciplinary sanctions.
The committee, chaired in an acting capacity by Jeanette Wilson, reviewed complaints including one from a community member identified as Grace who said delays and objections by other board members cost her sponsorships and led to denial of a planned food festival permit. Grace told the committee she lost sponsors for a hip‑hop festival and that “they piled on to make my event not happen,” and alleged conflict of interest and inconsistent statements by other members about whether an organizer was affiliated with the Allerton International Merchants Association.
Deborah “Debbie” Kowalik, named in the complaint, and a second respondent, Veronica (last name not specified in the record), both spoke and disputed Grace’s characterization. Kowalik said she is not a board member of the Allerton International Merchants Association (AIM) and that she participates as an advisory member, and noted she had contacted the conflict‑of‑interest board, which told her no conflict existed. Veronica said AIM and a production group had been involved historically in the Allerton Food Festival and defended contacting AIM to confirm plans. Veronica also said she would have recused herself from voting if she believed a conflict existed.
A second set of complaints (case 120) came from committee members Miguel and Diana Finch accusing Kowalik of repeated disrespectful or abrupt behavior toward speakers and fellow board members in a February Parks & Recreation committee meeting. Diana and Miguel described a pattern of interruptions and dismissive remarks; Kowalik acknowledged she can be loud and said she has a hearing impairment that can affect her volume but denied acting aggressively or shoving anyone.
Committee members and public commenters who viewed meeting videos disagreed about some details but agreed on two points: the meetings’ culture had been strained, and the board’s existing procedures and enforcement of the code of conduct had been inconsistent. Several members urged concrete steps. One committee member said, “Had our code of conduct actually been enforced in those meetings, I’m not quite sure that we would be here right now.” Another recommended leadership adopt clearer end‑of‑meeting protocols and regular trainings.
On procedural specifics raised during the hearing, the record includes contested descriptions of the city street activity permit process. Grace said she submitted petitions and that the city requires roughly three months’ lead time (two months for the city plus another month for the community board) and that adding a second block could cost $5,000 for a nonprofit or $25,000 for a for‑profit (as she reported the city told her). Veronica and Kowalik disputed Grace’s assertions that she “stole” an existing event; Veronica said the prior festival organizer (MAS Productions) and AIM had been working to revive the Allerton Food Festival and that AIM submitted a permit for Oct. 26, 2024.
The committee did not impose sanctions. Instead members agreed on a set of nonpunitive follow‑ups: recommend that leadership and the full board strengthen and enforce the committee’s code of conduct, develop or clarify end‑of‑meeting and gallery procedures, provide additional training for members (including a suggested SAPO/street activity permit training that Grace offered to lead), and recommend transportation committee staff or an SAPO expert brief the committee on permit procedures. The committee chair said the body’s resolution is to “get better as a full committee.”
Several gallery speakers who had reviewed meeting videos described witnessing confrontational behavior and urged procedural changes. The hearing concluded with the committee directing staff to present recommendations to leadership; no disciplinary removal or formal sanction against any member was recorded.
The committee adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
The matter may return to leadership or the full board for further action on procedural or training recommendations.
