01M 0002-2026Approved
City Council · Wednesday, January 7, 2026 · 1h 55m
The one where Julie Menin became NYC's first Jewish Council Speaker — by acclamation, with a Republican minority leader
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other
23
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At the 01/07/2026 charter meeting, the new City Council seated itself, swore in its members before AG Letitia James, and elected Julie Menin Speaker. Council Member Kamillah Hanks nominated her; Eric Dinowitz seconded, calling the vote a choice of 'a moral steward of this institution.' Member after member requested 'permission to explain my vote' for an uncontested election, turning a procedural roll call into a parade of affordability, immigrant-rights, and women's-leadership pledges. Republican David Carr was named minority leader. Menin, invoking her family of Holocaust survivors, accepted
From the room
“When insurance carriers took out full page ads in the local papers, they promised New Yorkers that they were in our corner,”
— Julie Menin
“he serves as the chief chaplain of the New York City fire department, the 1st time a chief has ever been named in 160 years.”
— Joseph Potasnik
“we have to ensure that city services are functioning at the very highest levels and restore the enormous staff vacancies”
— Julie Menin
“sending me back. I am so committed to you and to all New Yorkers, and I'm excited to get back to work, and I vote aye for Menon.”
— Sandy Nurse
01
The decisions
202M 0024-2026Approved
Nomination and Election of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections
Also in the record
Records not linked to a specific agenda item
Questions & answers
Michael McSweeney: how do you vote?
Citations & precedent
New York City Charter section 42 · Michael McSweeney
Constitution of the United States; Constitution of the State of New York; Charter of the City of New York · Letitia James
Section 46 of the New York City Charter · Sandra Ung
Section 44 of the NYC Charter; Rule 3(d) of the Rules of the Council · Michael McSweeney
Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) - Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel · Eric Dinowitz
FAIR Act · Jose
bill to hold unlicensed contractors accountable · Yusef Salaam
Rule 7.1 · Julie Menin
Procedure
- Audience asked to take seats and silence electronic devices before the meeting begins. — Sergeant-at-Arms
- Clerk reads the list of 51 duly-elected council members by district. — Michael McSweeney
- Roll-call complete; quorum present for the organizational meeting. — Michael McSweeney
- Presiding clerk asks NY State Attorney General Letitia James to administer the oath of office to council members — Michael McSweeney
+31 more procedural steps
02
The people
On the dais · 51
Alexa AvilésAlthea V. StevensAmanda C. FaríasCarmen N. De La RosaChi A. OsséChris BanksChristopher MarteCrystal HudsonDarlene MealyDavid M. CarrElsie EncarnaciónEric DinowitzErik D. BottcherFarah N. LouisFrank MoranoGale A. BrewerHarvey D. EpsteinInna VernikovJames F. GennaroJennifer GutiérrezJoann Ariola Julie MeninJulie WonJustin E. SanchezKamillah HanksKayla Santosuosso Kevin C. RileyLincoln RestlerLinda LeeLynn C. SchulmanMercedes NarcisseNantasha M. WilliamsOswald J. FelizPhil Wong Pierina Ana SanchezRita C. JosephSandra UngSandy NurseSelvena N. Brooks-PowersShahana K. HanifShanel Thomas-Henry Shaun AbreuShekar KrishnanShirley AldebolSimcha FelderSusan ZhuangTiffany L. CabánTy HankersonVickie PaladinoVirginia Maloney Yusef Salaam
Practitioners & applicants
Joseph Potasnik · Kevin C. Riley · Shaun Abreu · Farah N. Louis · Linda Lee · Kamillah Hanks · Gale A. Brewer · Harvey D. Epstein · Oswald J. Feliz · Virginia Maloney · +16 more
03
The intelligence
Every parcel, owner, and applicant in this meeting, cross-referenced against Zonable’s NYC ownership, enforcement & legislative graph — the record behind the record.
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Owner portfolios, open OATH/ECB violations, 311 & DOB permits across every parcel discussed, developer track records, and an “ask this meeting” chat.
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