The Fourth Ward Super Neighborhood approved bylaws and elected a nine-member council and three board members July 17 to officially reenact the long-dormant organization.
About the candidates
Board members were chosen by a majority vote of stakeholders and, according to the bylaws, will serve two successive terms of two years in the same office. The board, which will be referred to as the Executive Committee, includes:
- President: Joseph Panzarella
- Vice President: Zion Escobar
- Secretary/Treasurer: Georgia Fabbrini
The nine-member Super Neighborhood council consists of a combination of stakeholder delegates from various community organizations and at-large positions, including:
- Freedmen's Town Conservancy
- Freedmen's Town Association
- Freedmen's Town Community Investment Project
- Crosby Street Townhomes Association
- Robin Street Square Townhomes Association
- three at-large positions
- one at-large legacy resident
The at-large legacy resident position is still open for election. A legacy resident is a resident of Fourth Ward who has personally lived in the community continuously since or prior to January 1, 2000, according to the bylaws.
What residents need to know
Meetings for the Fourth Ward Super Neighborhood will be held every other month at a time and place to be designated by the Super Neighborhood organization. The next board meeting will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Rose of Sharon Baptist Church on Valentine Street.
Membership is also open to stakeholders, including any civic, faith-based, nonprofit or community-based organization within the Fourth Ward Super Neighborhood boundaries, shown in the map below.
How we got here
Panzarella began spearheading the revival of the organization in early 2025 after he moved to the area two years ago and noticed the community did not have a proper seat at the table in city hall. He said it was a privilege to be a part of restoring the Super Neighborhood to help his community thrive in the future.
"Hopefully, this is just the beginning," he said.
