Board 2 represents: Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer last week announced that he has appointed Lawrence B. Goldberg of Greenwich Village’s Community Board 2 to the Hudson River Park Trust’s board of directors, replacing Madelyn Wils, the former chairperson of Community Board 1. Stringer kept in place the other two members appointed by his predecessor, Virginia Fields, to the 13-member board — Julie Nadel, a Tribeca waterfront activist and member of Downtown Independent Democrats, and former State Senator Franz Leichter, who co-authored the Hudson River Park Act. The appointment of Goldberg, a former chairperson of the Trust’s Advisory Council and president of Friends of LaGuardia Garden, means C.B. 2 is finally represented on the Trust board after eight years of being locked out. Another Board 2 member, Arthur Schwartz, chairperson of the C.B. 2 Waterfront and Parks Committee, also was angling for a spot on the Trust’s board.
Committee rumble: While Schwartz didn’t make the cut for the Trust’s board — and didn’t return our calls asking him how he felt about it, either, apparently a sore spot — he now may be setting his sights on a new goal. Schwartz tells us he’s seriously thinking about challenging incumbent Larry Moss for Democratic state committeeman in the September primary. “I don’t think that Larry has very much to do with the community,” Schwartz said. “Nobody hears from him except every few years when he runs.” “I’ve heard about that,” Moss said, when asked about Schwartz’s intentions, adding, “I’m hoping he would come to his…. I hope he would decide against it,” before his cell phone disconnected. Moss later sent The Villager an e-mail — in which he explained he had been getting into an elevator when he lost the phone signal — saying he wants to talk to Schwartz first and doesn’t want “to say something that would challenge him.”
Baby onboard: In other state committee affairs, Democratic State Committeewoman Rachel Lavine and her spouse, Roberta “Robbie” Kaplan, are expecting, with Lavine due in a couple of weeks. In addition to anticipating their new baby, Kaplan is looking forward to May, when, as the lead attorney on the same-sex marriage case started by LAMBDA and joined by the A.C.L.U., she’ll argue the suit before the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. The case will decide whether gay marriage is legal in New York State, potentially setting up a situation like in Massachusetts, where gay marriages are now performed.
All night long: At a press conference at the Veterans Affairs building on W. Houston St. two weeks ago, Mayor Bloomberg was asked by a reporter if the Imette St. Guillen murder is making him consider whether the city should move up the closing time for bars from 4 a.m. “I don’t think you can make the case that the bar’s hours had anything to do with it,” the mayor said, adding that people’s lifestyles are their own business. His words might offer some reassurance to bar owners: Ever since Bloomberg put his new smoking ban in place, bar owners have been spreading the line that the mayor’s next move would be to push for a 1 a.m. closing time.
Hil in the house: David Gibson and Rich Kiamco are hosting “an intimate conversation with Senator Hillary Clinton in support of her 2006 re-election” on Fri. March 17 at their home at 81 Jane St. The minimum contribution is $500 and the maximum $4,200. Everyone will get to talk to Hillary, the hosts assure. However, a special “V.I.P. room” will only be available to those giving more than $1,000.
A.G. candidates in the house: The Chelsea Reform Democratic Club will host a forum of the Democratic state attorney general candidates on Sun. March 19 at 2:30 p.m. at the Hudson Guild, 441 W. 26th St. All the candidates have been invited.
Oh, behave! We hear Mike Myers is the latest celeb thinking of buying a place in hip Hudson Square. The “Austin Powers” actor reportedly recently checked out the penthouse of the Winka Dubbeldam building on Greenwich St. between Canal and Spring Sts.
