Henry Stern
Encyclopedia
Henry J. Stern; was a member of the New York City Council
from 1974 to 1983 and appointed as the Commissioner
of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
from 1983 to 1990 and again from 1994 to 2000.
neighborhood of Upper Manhattan
. He attended Bronx High School of Science
, graduating at 15. He attended City College and was the youngest member of the class of 1957 at Harvard Law School, at the age of twenty-two.
in 1962, and was an assistant to Borough Presidents Edward R. Dudley
(a former ambassador, and prominent African American civil rights activist) and Constance Baker Motley
, the first African-American woman to become a federal court judge. In 1966, Parks Commissioner Thomas Hoving
appointed him executive director of the agency. He later became Assistant City Administrator in the office of Deputy Mayor Timothy W. Costello. In 1969, Commissioner Bess Myerson
of the newly created NYC agency that was formed by consolidating the Department of Licensing, and Markets, Weights and Measures, The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, appointed him Associate Commissioner and the next year he became her first deputy. Commissioner Myerson resigned on March 9, 1973 and suggested Stern succeed her, however, he continued to serve under the new Commissioner Betty Furness
until the end of her tenure in 1973.
line, defeating the Republican candidate by about 1000 votes to win second place (two were elected per borough). His at-large colleague on the Council was Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
and the two worked together on many matters, including the sale of neckties emblazoned with the Seal of the City of New York to raise funds for libraries and other public purposes.
Stern was re-elected in 1977, winning by 16,000 votes. In 1981, he received the Republican as well as the Liberal nomination, but the position was abolished by the Federal courts and no election was held.
The election of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani in 1993 brought Mr. Stern back to city government; he was appointed Parks Commissioner, starting January 1, 1994. He was one of the few Giuliani commissioners to serve the entire eight years of his mayoralty, plus a month with Mayor Bloomberg.
An eccentric (but popular) aspect of his later tenure as Parks Commissioner was his insistence that Parks employees and friends of parks have nicknames (called "park names" or "noms du parc") used for communication, especially over walkie-talkies. Stern's personal nickname is "StarQuest".
As reported in The Chief-Leader of March 7, 2008 "...the city agreed to pay $21 million to the plaintiffs and their attorneys to settle a lawsuit accusing the Parks Department of racial bias.." In the settlement, the Parks Department admitted to no wrongdoing.
, a Manhattan-based good government group. Over the last nine years, he has written over 750 articles on public policy for the organization. He sends them to a list of people who ask for them, which now includes 14,000 subscribers. They are also available on New York Civic's website and regularly republished by The Huffington Post
, Queens Tribune
, and several other publications.
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
from 1974 to 1983 and appointed as the Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation is the department of government of the City of New York responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's...
from 1983 to 1990 and again from 1994 to 2000.
Early life
Stern grew up in the InwoodInwood, Manhattan
Inwood is the northernmost neighborhood on Manhattan Island in the New York City borough of Manhattan.-Geography:Inwood is physically bounded by the Harlem River to the north and east, and the Hudson River to the west. It extends southward to Fort Tryon Park and alternatively Dyckman Street or...
neighborhood of Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. Between these two extremes lies the most common definitions of Upper Manhattan as Manhattan above 96th Street...
. He attended Bronx High School of Science
Bronx High School of Science
The Bronx High School of Science is a specialized New York City public high school often considered the premier science magnet school in the United States. Founded in 1938, it is now located in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx...
, graduating at 15. He attended City College and was the youngest member of the class of 1957 at Harvard Law School, at the age of twenty-two.
Political career
He began in public service in 1957 as law clerk to a New York State Supreme Court Justice, Matthew M. Levy. He was appointed Secretary of the Borough of ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in 1962, and was an assistant to Borough Presidents Edward R. Dudley
Edward R. Dudley
Edward Richard Dudley was the first African-American to hold the rank of Ambassador of the United States, serving as Ambassador to Liberia from 1949 to 1953....
(a former ambassador, and prominent African American civil rights activist) and Constance Baker Motley
Constance Baker Motley
Constance Baker Motley was an African American civil rights activist, lawyer, judge, state senator, and President of Manhattan, New York City.-Early Life and Academics:...
, the first African-American woman to become a federal court judge. In 1966, Parks Commissioner Thomas Hoving
Thomas Hoving
Thomas Pearsall Field Hoving was an American museum executive and consultant and the former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.-Biography:...
appointed him executive director of the agency. He later became Assistant City Administrator in the office of Deputy Mayor Timothy W. Costello. In 1969, Commissioner Bess Myerson
Bess Myerson
Bess Myerson became the first Jewish woman to win the Miss America pageant in 1945. She appeared on various television shows in the 1950s and 1960s...
of the newly created NYC agency that was formed by consolidating the Department of Licensing, and Markets, Weights and Measures, The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, appointed him Associate Commissioner and the next year he became her first deputy. Commissioner Myerson resigned on March 9, 1973 and suggested Stern succeed her, however, he continued to serve under the new Commissioner Betty Furness
Betty Furness
Elizabeth Mary Furness was an American actress, consumer advocate and current affairs commentator.-Early years:...
until the end of her tenure in 1973.
City Council
In November 1973 he was elected to the City Council as a Councilman-at-large for Manhattan on the Liberal Party of New YorkLiberal Party of New York
The Liberal Party of New York is a minor American political party that has been active only in the state of New York. Its platform supports a standard set of social liberal policies: it supports right to abortion, increased spending on education, and universal health care.As of 2007, the Liberal...
line, defeating the Republican candidate by about 1000 votes to win second place (two were elected per borough). His at-large colleague on the Council was Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
Robert Ferdinand Wagner II, usually known as Robert F. Wagner, Jr. served three terms as the mayor of New York City, from 1954 through 1965.-Biography:...
and the two worked together on many matters, including the sale of neckties emblazoned with the Seal of the City of New York to raise funds for libraries and other public purposes.
Stern was re-elected in 1977, winning by 16,000 votes. In 1981, he received the Republican as well as the Liberal nomination, but the position was abolished by the Federal courts and no election was held.
Parks Commissioner
In February 1983, Mayor Edward I. Koch appointed him Commissioner of Parks & Recreation; he served for Koch's second and third term.The election of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani in 1993 brought Mr. Stern back to city government; he was appointed Parks Commissioner, starting January 1, 1994. He was one of the few Giuliani commissioners to serve the entire eight years of his mayoralty, plus a month with Mayor Bloomberg.
An eccentric (but popular) aspect of his later tenure as Parks Commissioner was his insistence that Parks employees and friends of parks have nicknames (called "park names" or "noms du parc") used for communication, especially over walkie-talkies. Stern's personal nickname is "StarQuest".
Discrimination Lawsuits
During Mr. Stern's tenure as Parks Commissioner, numerous allegations of racism and similar bias were thrown at him. Lawsuits followed, leading to settlements costing NYC taxpayers millions of dollars.As reported in The Chief-Leader of March 7, 2008 "...the city agreed to pay $21 million to the plaintiffs and their attorneys to settle a lawsuit accusing the Parks Department of racial bias.." In the settlement, the Parks Department admitted to no wrongdoing.
Citizens Union
While Mr. Stern was out of Parks during the Dinkins administration, he served as President of Citizens Union, a good government group founded in 1897. His former colleague in the City Council, Robert F. Wagner Jr. was Chairman of the Board.NYCivic
On February 4, 2002, Henry J. Stern returned to the civic world as founder and president of New York CivicNew York Civic
New York Civic is a New York based, good governance, nonprofit organization created in 2002 by Henry Stern, former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and Alan M...
, a Manhattan-based good government group. Over the last nine years, he has written over 750 articles on public policy for the organization. He sends them to a list of people who ask for them, which now includes 14,000 subscribers. They are also available on New York Civic's website and regularly republished by The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
, Queens Tribune
Queens Tribune
The Queens Tribune is a free weekly newspaper founded as the monthly Flushing Tribune in February 1970 by Gary Ackerman. It is based in Whitestone, Queens. The paper's main offices moved to Whitestone from Fresh Meadows, Queens in November, 2010. The Tribune is a member of the New York Press...
, and several other publications.