A former Bronx community board member who feels that he was unjustifiably removed from his position on the board seeks a new role in the borough that would still allow him to improve his district in the East Bronx.
Former Bronx Community Board 11 Miguel Dyer, who was expelled from the board in late December by Borough President Vanessa Gibson, feels that he was denied due process after all the good things he says he brought to the board during his 18-month tenure as a board member, despite some actions that ultimately led to his removal.
According to Gibson’s office, Dyer was removed from the CB11 board for “conduct deemed as unprofessional for the post he held as a community board member.” But Gibson’s office would not specify the particular reasons for his expulsion.
Dyer was notified of Gibson’s decision via email on Dec. 28, which said that his removal from the CB11—which covers Allerton, Indian Village, Morris Park, Pelham Gardens, Pelham Parkway and Van Nest—was effective immediately.
Dyer believes he was removed primarily for flipping the bird, or giving the middle finger, to local resident Roxanne Delgado on video during a CB11 Bylaws Committee meeting in April of 2023.
Delgado had called out Dyer’s behavior from a Transportation Committee meeting the month before, during which Dyer also made a comment that “the city is already raping us” while discussing a local parking lot that would begin charging car owners upwards of $1,000 per year that was previously free of charge.
Additionally, Dyer, who has since issued several public apologies following that incident, believes that another reason for his removal was a rhetorical question he asked during CB11’s Economic Development Committee meeting in October, when he asked the owner of the Freshly Baked NYC cannabis dispensary if he would “consider getting all of us (the people at the meeting) freshly baked” — a joke referencing recreational marijuana use.
Dyer has said he didn’t mean anything by his two comments, stating that he was not trying to promote marijuana use and was certainly not trying to promote sexual violence in any way in regard to the rape reference.
He added that giving someone the middle finger was wrong and that it was “not meant as malicious.”
However, Dyer also believes the decision to have him removed from the CB11 board was unjust and that he was denied the right to defend his actions and given no warnings prior to being removed from the board.
However, according to the Gibson’s office, Dyer “received several warnings and was the subject of numerous disciplinary inquiries.”
“In retrospect, if I could have done it over differently, of course I would have turned off my video and kept my fingers in my pockets — and I also would’ve measured my words better,” Dyer told the Bronx Times. “However, I certainly don’t think my actions got to the point where it rose to the level of removal.”
During his year-and-a-half tenure as a board member for CB11, Dyer — the board’s only openly gay member — said he helped make several progressive changes, such as updating CB11’s bylaws, making them gender neutral, while putting up the board’s first Pride flag and also organizing the board’s first Juneteenth event.
Dyer has been active in both politics and community affairs for some time. For instance, he was the treasurer for CB11 chairperson Bernadette Ferrara during her unsuccessful City Council campaign in the District 13 primary last year.
However, Dyer resigned as Ferrara’s campaign treasurer in June of 2023 following comments she made on a BronxNet debate saying that she believed marriage is only between a man and a woman, while also saying that she thought civil unions were sufficient for gay people.
Dyer was also appointed to CB11’s Ethics Committee upon being welcomed as a board member in mid-2022.
He believes that his positive contributions to the board and for the community as a CB11 board member greatly outweigh his negative actions.
“I did some bad things, I certainly admit to that — but it really pales in comparison to all the good things I have done for this board (CB11) and the community,” Dyer said.
Dyer is now focused on moving on to other ventures dedicated to helping the Bronx community.
“If I’ve gained anything from this experience, I know that I have lifelong friends who I can count on to be there for me,” Dyer added, when asked if he would be keeping in touch with CB11 board members following his dismissal. “Even if we don’t see eye to eye with all issues — we’re all trying to improve our community and make it the best place it can be.”
Dyer would not reveal his future plans — as he does not want to “give up his hand,” but he did divulge that he plans on taking on a new position where he can continue to serve the community he represents.
However, he’s still hurt by the way he was removed by Gibson, allegedly with no prior warning, despite having overwhelming support from his fellow board members.
“It’s disingenuous that I didn’t at least receive a phone call from the [BP’s office] and that another person from within the board knew about my removal before I did,” Dyer added.
Although the BP’s office has confirmed that Dyer can reapply to CB11 if he chooses, Dyer said that he would not be pursuing a position on the board in the future, after “suffering the indignity and disrespect” in the way he was removed.
“The situation is unfortunate — but I’m just going to channel all of this energy into giving back to my community in a new way,” Dyer added. “I’ve done some bad things, but I’ve also done a lot of good things, like making those changes to CB11’s amendments, putting up the first pride flag, putting together the first Juneteenth event — those are things that I’m truly proud of.”
Correction: This article was updated at 3:43 p.m. because there was no CB11 vote to remove Dyer as a board member.
Reach Steven Goodstein at sgoodstein@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260–8326. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
