Bronx Community Board 11 executive board initiates removal proceedings for absentee member Francis Benitez

Cynthia Rodriguez, chair of Bronx Community Board 11, moved on Jan. 16 to initiate removal proceedings against board member Francis Benitez for absences from board meetings; the motion was seconded by Vice Chair Richard Reynoso.

Board members and staff described multiple attempts to reach Benitez before beginning formal action. Jeremy (staff member) said the borough president’s office had advised emailing Benitez; he said he emailed and “took a screenshot of the email and texted it to him.” Board members also reported outreach via Council Member Feliz’s office and family contacts.

Why it matters: initiation of removal proceedings would begin an official process that could result in the board removing an appointed member; the board discussed procedural steps and whether to send a certified letter as a final step before removal.

The motion was stated on the record as: “Motion to initiate removal proceedings for Mister Francis Benitez for absences from meetings.” The motion was seconded; the transcript contains discussion about the content of a removal letter and next steps but does not record a formal vote or a final outcome.

During discussion, board members asked staff to enumerate missed meetings in any removal letter and debated whether absences from executive-board meetings alone would trigger removal under local rules. A board member suggested listing his missed full-board meetings and committee absences; another suggested sending a certified letter so the member would have to sign for receipt.

Rodriguez said she would prepare draft removal paperwork and circulate it to executive-board members. “So I’ll run the draft by you guys after I get it together,” Rodriguez said.

Board members also discussed consulting the borough president’s office about the procedure before taking further action; the transcript records board members saying they had already contacted the borough president’s office and that the borough president’s office had been involved in outreach attempts.

No formal vote or recorded tally appears in the provided transcript. The board’s next steps in the transcript are limited to drafting a removal letter and consulting the borough president’s office; members indicated the matter would return for further action at a future meeting.

Ending: The executive board left the matter open for follow-up: staff were asked to draft the removal letter and the chair said she would circulate it to executive-board members before the board pursues a formal vote or further procedural steps with the borough president’s office.