Veteran Community Board 7 (CB7) chair Nora Feury presided over her final meeting last week, officially handing over the gavel to board member Greg Faulkner while she faces allegations of embezzlement.

“I have a battle to fight by myself,” said Feury, who seemed tired but steadfast. “You will not be far from my heart and my thoughts.”

The shift is a seismic change for the Board, which Feury, one of its longest serving members, has presided over for the past 17 years. Faulkner, one of the newer members, was the only candidate for chair when Feury decided to resign earlier this month. 

Feury said she will step down from the Board entirely while she attends to allegations that she stole funds from the Catholic Charities Head Start program she ran for decades. The Archdiocese of New York fired both Feury and Ruth Ramos, the agency’s finance director and a CB7 member, after a federal investigation discovered that they had embezzled over $800,000 from the program for needy children in the Bronx and Manhattan.

Feury denies the charges and has retained a lawyer. She would not comment specifically on the situation, but said it was unfair. “When something like this happens, I am news. Not once over the years did they say anything about the good things I’ve done,” said Feury, 69.

Federal officials conducting a nationwide investigation into Head Start agencies earlier this year found that Feury and Ramos had nearly tripled their salaries by siphoning off funds from the general expense budget, according to the Archdiocese. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese said that they were still looking into the situation, but federal officials would not confirm or deny if they planned a criminal investigation.

Board members were universally supportive of Feury during the meeting. “I just can’t believe these accusations,” said Stuart Davis, a member. “You have done so much for the community.”

District Manager Rita Kessler, who is a close ally of Feury’s, held back tears. “I am very sad what’s happened to you, but I know we will do well with Gregory,” Kessler said.

Typically outspoken, Faulkner was quiet for most of the meeting, giving a tactful but rousing speech at the end. “I know for some of you I’m not your first choice for chair,” said Faulkner, 52. “I’m going to work hard to gain your faith.”

Faulkner had been a long shot for the chairmanship, winning four out of 20 votes in initial balloting for the position last month. He and Hector Lopez, who ran for 1st Vice Chair, were the first members to challenge incumbents for the executive posts in years. Because they were out of practice, during the voting last week, members were confused about the proper procedure to cast and count the ballots.

“We’re wasting time,” said Elizabeth Errico, a member, as Board members debated whether or not the ballots should be secret and who would count them. Ultimately, the police counted the secret ballots.

Incumbent Sallie Caldwell was reelected as 1st Vice Chair by a margin of 16 to nine. David Laguer, Barbara Stronczer and Davis resumed their positions, and Andrew Laiosa was elected as secretary after Ricardo Parker chose not to run again.

Lopez, while disappointed, said he was pleased that Faulkner was the new chair. “Two months ago I thought we had no chance,” he said. “Things are going to change.”

The meeting was the last public session until the fall, but Faulkner seemed eager to roll up his sleeves. “I can’t wait to begin,” he said, huddling with members after the meeting ended.

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Along with the elections, the board agreed on next year’s district needs, which are supposed to provide guidance during the budget process. Most of the items on the list are the same as in prior years, but Laiosa took issue with the priorities for cultural affairs, which were exclusively to benefit the Bronx Zoo and an Italian foundation. He suggested they include groups like the Bronx County Historical Society.

Kessler was dismissive. “They have no needs,” she said, adding that if the Society had budget requests it would contact the Board. “What do they need, a book?”

The Board did change language regarding youth services, now targeting the central and southern parts of the district. The northern part of the area has enough coverage for youth, according to Don Bluestone, a Board member and executive director of the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center.

The Community Center recently received additional city money for after-school programs through a reorganized contracting system. The Tolentine Zeiser youth center in University Heights and the EARS violence prevention program were not refunded, according to Bluestone.

“I was really worried about this but it worked well for us,” Bluestone said. “Smaller programs didn’t do as well.”

In other matters, the Board refused to sign off on city repairs to the streets and landscaping surrounding the Botanical Square complex, since the project is not yet finished. The city has been working on the area, located in Bedford Park, since last year.

Kessler announced that a private developer is constructing an apartment building at 3242 Reservoir Oval East. Currently a vacant lot, the small space is slated to house a six-story building with 12 units, according to city Department of Buildings records.