✰PREMIUM
Community Board Spotlight:
An interview with Sue Ann Partnow, district manager of Community Board 18

Community Board 18 has grown in diversity in recent years; why have the communities within the boundaries of CB18 become so attractive to people from other areas?

Community Board 18 has grown in diversity in recent years, giving our residents the opportunity to share different cultures through stores, restaurants and holiday celebrations. Some residents are currently working on the American dream to become American citizens. People come to Community Board 18 for our great schools, programs for seniors and youth, low crime rates and really the unique quality of life and close-knit community we enjoy here. Our unique South Brooklyn neighborhoods are like suburbia in a big city. 

CB18 is famous for having lots of water exposure to the communities within the board. What are some of the ongoing issues CB18 must deal with relative to water exposure?

Regarding water exposure, indeed, some of our communities were hit hard by Superstorm Sandy. However, we banded together and rebuilt to secure our homes. There are still issues due to flooding and sinkholes when we have moderate rainstorms. Talking about storms, let’s not forget what the people of Los Angeles, the Carolinas, Texas and Florida have experienced. Hopefully, these disasters will be a wake-up call that climate change is real, and we, as a city, state and nation, take it very seriously and work to reverse the damage. 

Is there a larger percentage of voters in CB18 than in other districts? There seems to be a high level of engagement and political awareness in CB18.

Traditionally, CB18 has always had a very high degree of civic participation, the best evidence of which has been high voter turnout. Our local elected officials have their fingers on the pulse of the neighborhoods here and provide funding for our communities. At the end of the day, we all benefit from involved, engaged neighborhoods, often united through the great work of strong, active civic associations and, of course, CB18. Voices matter whether it’s an organized, well-attended meeting or casting that important vote. Being complacent is not an option.

What has been the most inspiring part of your service at CB18?

The most inspiring part of my service as District Manager is that I truly am in a position to help others within the community I grew up in and still reside in. And how satisfying is that? I work closely with elected officials, city agencies, civic associations and our local precincts. District Managers have many different roles. They are complaint takers, municipal managers, information sources, community organizers, mediators, advocates and much more. A phone call to an elected official or a city agency provides a quick response. People know we try to help. We treat people with respect. We follow up with their concerns and hopefully get good results.

CB18 is predominantly residential, consisting of one- and two-family homes owned by working and middle-class families. It has been said that neighborhoods in CB18 make up the bedroom communities of Brooklyn. Can you explain what that means and why many residents want to preserve that for their families?

Regarding the nature of our communities as essentially consisting of one- and two-family homes, it means many of the residents are homeowners who are invested in the neighborhood and quality of life issues. This leads to the creation of generational wealth, as home values appreciate, and there is something real and substantial to leave to the children. We also have three housing developments with active tenant’s associations that work hard for the residents that they represent. The one issue we have is that we exist as a transportation desert. We drive to subways and express buses to get into the city. Sometimes, it’s annoying, but sometimes it’s an asset as it creates a true suburban feel. Living in Community Board 18, we have great schools, senior programs and, best of all, caring people.

CB18 is a very diverse community, not just in its rich racial and ethnic diversity but also when it comes to other things like age, religion, professions, and economic status, as some examples. Can you give us some examples of how this plays out in the district? You can include your work with the elderly prior to your current position and what it’s like to move that work into the broader community.

The members of Community Board 18 represent each area of the district through ethnicity, religion, gender, and age. Working together is what makes and keeps a community strong. As you know, before the opportunity of being District Manager presented itself, I ran a senior citizen program for many years that taught me an awful lot about people and different cultures, and I’m pleased to share my learned experience and observations. In a nutshell, while we often see senior citizens as, well, old people. Boy, can that be misleading! Seniors are as diverse in work experience and life experience as you can imagine. Many seniors were educators, administrators, nurses, lawyers, bus drivers, sanitation workers, doctors, managers, stay-at-home moms and veterans who defended our freedom. They worked hard, provided for their families and built great lives and communities. These folks are the backbone of our communities, and the work I did daily for seniors for so many years taught me the lesson of not presuming that just because someone is a little older, they are no longer vital. Part of our daily routine was meetings with our executive board, exercise and educational classes, trips to Broadway shows, overnights and all-around fun. I always told my members that the outside world could learn a lesson from them. They came from every walk of life; they were diverse in culture, and yet that never played a part in the way they treated and respected one another. I would like to think that my work experience for so many years plays an important part in my present position as District Manager of Community Board 18.