6 ▶FOR BREAKING The QUeeNS NEWS CoUrier VISIT •www. CLAIRE qns SHULMAN • MARCH 17, 2016 foR bREAkINg MARCH NEwS 17,vISIt 2016 www.• TIMES qns.com 19 CLAIRE SHULMAN while becoming involved in local schools in northeast Queens. She would become chairperson of the Bayside Beautification Council and was a charter member of the Bayside Historical Society, an organization dedicated to preserving the neighborhood’s rich history. In 1966, Shulman became the chairperson of Community Planning Board 11,advisory body focused on land use and other issues in the communities of Bayside, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, Douglaston, Glen Oaks and Little Neck. Six years later, she moved on to the Borough President’s office, where she would serve from 1972 and 1980 as director of Queens Community Boards. In that capacity, Shulman served as the borough president’s chief adviser on matters related to the community boards, including the screening of candidates for the advisory bodies. Shulman rose even higher in the Borough President’s office in 1980, when then-Borough President Donald Manes named her deputy borough president. Six years later, however, Manes would resign the office amid a scandal that ultimately resulted in him taking his own life. Following Manes’ resignation, the Queens City Council Delegation selected Shulman as Manes’ replacement, a selection which the City Council confirmed unanimously. Shulman was sworn into office on January 8, 1987, making her the first female borough president in Queens history. “All of us have a stock in the future, and government plays an important role in building the future,” Shulman said at the time. “Indeed, I realized many years ago that if I really wanted to influence some of the important decisions that affect our lives, getting involved in government was one way to do it.” As it turned out, Shulman would be one of the most active borough presidents in the city’s history. During her years as borough president, Shulman worked to secure more city and state funding for Queens while addressing issues like over- (continued from cover) Borough President Shulman takes a swing during a stickball game at Queens Borough Hall. Claire Shulman presents new Mayor (and avid Yankee fan) Rudy Giuliani with a Mets cap in 1993. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Honorable Claire Shulman Thank You For All You Have Done For the Borough of Queens Best Wishes Claire’s still hard at work improving Queens as CEO of the Flushing Corona Willets Point Local Development Corporation. (continued on page 10) while becoming involved in local schools in northeast Queens. She would become chairperson of the Bayside Beautification Council and was a charter member of the Bayside Historical Society, an organization dedicated to preserving the neighborhood’s rich history. In 1966, Shulman became the chairperson of Community Planning Board 11, the advisory body focused on land use and other issues in the communities of Bayside, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, Douglaston, Glen Oaks and Little Neck. Six years later, she moved on to the Borough President’s office, where she would serve from 1972 and 1980 as director of Queens Community Boards. In that capacity, Shulman served as the borough president’s chief adviser on matters related to the community boards, including the screening of candidates for the advisory bodies. Shulman rose even higher in the Borough President’s office in 1980, when then-Borough President Donald Manes named her deputy borough president. Six years later, however, Manes would resign the office amid a scandal that ultimately resulted in him taking his own life. Following Manes’ resignation, the Queens City Council Delegation selected Shulman as Manes’ replacement, a selection which the City Council confirmed unanimously. Shulman was sworn into office on January 8, 1987, making her the first female borough president in Queens history. “All of us have a stock in the future, and government plays an important role in building the future,” Shulman said at the time. “Indeed, I realized many years ago that if I really wanted to influence some of the important decisions that affect our lives, getting involved in government was one way to do it.” As it turned out, Shulman would be one of the most active borough presidents in the city’s history. During her years as borough president, Shulman worked to secure more city and state funding for Queens while addressing issues like overcrowding in schools, health care, and the economy. To address health care problems, Shulman launched campaigns to rebuild Queens Hospital Center in Jamaica. In her last State of the Borough address in February 2001, Shulman spoke about the opening of the new, $147 million QHC. Other improvements to health care included open clinics, senior health care centers and hospital additions. Education was another issue important to Shulman. In her 2001 State of the Borough address, she noted that 7,000 classroom seats had been added up to that point, but she wanted to see more progress made. At the time, she said three new schools had already opened in Queens, while 11 more were being built. Shulman was eventually part of securing funding that added 35,000 school seats in the borough. Rezoning was another focus of Shulman’s tenure. The goal was “to create appropriate zoning restrictions that generate reasonable and responsible development while preserving the character of existing neighborhoods.” Other accomplishments during her time as borough president included expanding infrastructure in Queens, economic revitalization and increasing funding for senior citizen centers and activities, cultural programs and libraries. She also helped oversee the creation of many institutions in Queens, including the $990 million Northeast Regional Laboratory and Headquarters of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the York College Campus; an $82 million new Family Court; a parking garage on Archer Avenue; a $38 million Police Department forensics lab; and the AirTrain to JFK, with a station in Jamaica. “I put a lot of shovels in the ground and many of those institutions are important to the future of Queens,” Shulman once said. Just one of the institutions that Shulman has helped bring to fruition was the Museum of the Moving Image. Additionally, Shulman was involved in revitalizing the film industry in Queens. She helped save co-ops and condos when they lost underlying financial stability and funded the first adult day care program in the city that had respite services for Alzheimer’s caregivers. Away from Queens Borough Hall, Shulman became active with boards of a variety of institutions including New York Community Bank, Flushing Cemetery, St. Mary’s Hospital for Children, Primary Care Development Corporation, York College Foundation, Flushing Town Hall and the Museum of the Moving Image. Shulman even had a stint on NY1’s “Inside City Hall” as a member of its “Wise Guys” political roundtable. Now, as she works to improve Flushing and Willets Point, Claire Shulman seeks to add to a legacy that will stand the test of time. (Continued from page 17) The Greater Ridgewood Historical Society 1820 FLUSHING AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD CORNER OF FLUSHING AND ONDERDONK 718-456-1776 • www.onderdonkhouse.org HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY CLAIRE SCHULMAN WE WISH YOU HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND LOYALTY AND MANY YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE QUEENS COMMUNITY MYRTLE AVENUE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT 60-82 MYRTLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-718-366-3806 or1-718-381-7974
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