During its final meeting before the summer hiatus, Community Board 7 held a closed-door session and voted overwhelmingly to direct District Manager Fernando Tirado to take a leave of absence while he runs for senate as a Democrat in the 33rd District.

Board members said the decision was not an easy one, but in the end, most felt it was the best move for the board and, ultimately, Tirado’s campaign hopes.

“He needs no distraction if he’s as dedicated to this [campaign] as he says he is,” said board member Ozzie Brown. 

Chairman Paul Foster said the board, a nonpartisan government entity, needed to avoid even the appearance that it had, or would, become politicized with a candidate running the office. “We did something to the best of our ability to protect the board,” Foster said. “The board is the principle here. We have to appear neutral.”

Tirado, who officially stepped down on June 17, said he understood the board’s decision, but thought he could handle both his duties as district manager and his new role as political candidate. “The benefit of this is that I’ll get a lot more time to campaign,” said Tirado, who is one of four candidates challenging incumbent Pedro Espada, Jr.

The board doesn’t meet in July and August, but Brown said the office will remain open for business and the 30-plus members will be doing work throughout the summer on a number of initiatives. While Tirado is on leave, Tom Lucania of the borough president’s office will stop by periodically and help out where he can, said John DeSio, a spokesman for the BP’s office.

Lucania has a history with Board 7, having filled in as district manager there after Tirado’s predecessor, Rita Kessler, retired in 2007. Tirado, a former board member, was hired in early 2008.

The board’s decision was clouded by unclear directives from two city regulatory bodies. The Conflict of Interest Board ruled that Tirado could keep his job as long as he didn’t campaign on city time or use city resources. But according to Mayoral Directive 91-7, Tirado was required to take a leave of absence while campaigning unless the board petitioned to keep him in place. Obviously, that didn’t happen. 

There is also conflicting precedent. Former Bronx Borough President and Council member Adolfo Carrion voluntarily stepped down from his district manager position at Board 5 before running for a Council seat. But current Bronx Council member James Vacca, who served as district manager of Board 10 for 26 years, did not take a leave of absence after announcing his candidacy.

“In my case, I had been there so long, people were asking me ‘why didn’t you do this sooner?’” Vacca said.

Around Memorial Day, Tirado came to the board with a plan to juggle both roles. But the board, after seeing the plan and becoming aware of Mayoral Directive 91-7 on June 15, made a motion to direct Tirado to step down while on the campaign trail. Brown said 22 people voted for the measure, six voted against it, and three abstained.