Julie Menin Appointed Council's Small Business Chair

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — City Councilmember Julie Menin was appointed chair of the body's Committee on Small Business on Thursday, charging her with helping shepherd the city's mom-and-pop-shops out of the pandemic.

Menin's appointment was announced Thursday by Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, along with a slew of other picks for the Council's dozens of committees.

Menin formerly operated her own restaurant and small business in Lower Manhattan and led a nonprofit helping the area's businesses following 9/11. Small business recovery was a major part of her campaign platform in last year's District 5 race.

According to a report by THE CITY, however, allies of Mayor Eric Adams had pushed for Menin to instead chair the Council's oversight and investigations committee: an influential post that involves scrutinizing the city government — including the mayor's office.

Spurning the new mayor, however, Speaker Adrienne Adams awarded the post to Gale Brewer, the Upper West Side Councilmember and recent Manhattan Borough President known as a "by-the-books official with strong independence," THE CITY wrote.

In a statement, Menin thanked the Council speaker for the small business appointment on Thursday.

"As a former small business owner and Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs ... I ran for City Council on a platform to help support our struggling small businesses with a detailed plan of action focused on reducing onerous fines, implementing legacy small business legislation, reducing the commercial rent tax and creating a one stop portal for licenses and permits," Menin said.

"Small businesses are literally the backbone of our city and critical to bringing New York City back."

Others praising Menin's appointment included the CEOs of the chambers of commerce for each borough and Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance