6/3/25 UPDATE: The board elected officers and organizational seats at the June 3rd meeting. See below.
Introducing the 2025 Bayside Neighborhood Association Board of Directors:
- Tom Blackburn, President
- Robert Sylvain, Vice-President
- Colette Bouchard, Secretary
- Peter Markoe, Treasurer
- Jim Hall
- Alex Landry
- Susan McCloskey
- Deb Van Hoewyk
- organizational seat: Portland Downtown, Betsy Boyd
The bylaws allow up to two organizational seats. If you are part of or know of an organization in Bayside that may be interested in joining the BNA board, please contact board@baysideportland.org
Our New President, Tom Blackburn: “Following an absence of about 15 years from the BNA board, I am pleased to see the recent direction of the BNA, especially the revival of committees and subsequent broad support from the community. I’m particularly interested in the BNA as a partner to the proposed Bayside Opportunity Center, in hopes of establishing a community center for Bayside; potentially a game changer for the community and Bayside residents, especially the immigrant population.” -Tom has lived on Hanover Street in Bayside since 1998.
The BNA Annual Meeting and Potluck was held on Saturday, May 31st, along with the annual election of half the board. All five nominated candidates were approved by a wide majority of the assembled members of the larger Bayside community. 18 ballots were cast. Congratulations to the following BNA board members:
- Tom Blackburn, 14 Hanover Street — 15 votes
- Colette Bouchard, 8 Hanover Street — 13 votes
- Jim Hall, 47 Cedar Street — 13 votes
- Peter Markoe, 47 Hanover Street — 15 votes
- Robert Sylvain, 167 Falmouth Street — 17 votes
The remaining board members seated for a two-year term in 2024 are as follows:
- Alex Landry, 15 Boynton Street
- Deborah Van Hoewyk, 21 Chestnut Street
- Susan McCloskey, 25 Parris Street
Also elected in 2024 for one-year terms were one organizational seat, and the office of president, as follows:
- Portland Downtown, represented by Betsy Boyd
- Sarah Michniewicz, President
This year the board made changes to the bylaws affecting the method of election of board president and organizational seats. The office of president will be chosen by and from the full board— along with the other board offices of vice-president, treasurer and secretary—at the next board meeting this Tuesday June 3rd. Sarah Michniewicz stepped down as BNA president last November when she was elected to Portland city council, making VP Robert Sylvain (who is one of two allowable board members not residing in Bayside) the president pro tempore until a “resident president” is elected. In addition, up to a total of two organizational seats may be selected by the new board.
