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Dennis Walcott, Former Schools Chancellor, Is Named C.E.O. of Queens Library
The Queens Library on Tuesday named Dennis M. Walcott, the former New York City schools chancellor and deputy mayor, as its president and chief executive officer. He joins the library system after its last president was dismissed amid political turmoil and questions about spending.
Mr. Walcott, 64, a Queens native whose career began as a kindergarten teacher, led the city’s Department of Education from 2011 to 2013, and before that, he was a deputy mayor for education and community development under Michael R. Bloomberg.
“We are confident that Dennis Walcott has exactly the right skills and depth of experience to lead the library through the challenging years ahead,” Carl S. Koerner and Judith Bergtraum, trustees for the library who led the lengthy search, said in a statement.
Bridget Quinn-Carey, a former chief operating officer at the library, has been the system’s interim president since Thomas W. Galante was ousted in 2014.
A city audit released last year detailed more than $310,000 in prohibited expenses, including tickets to rock concerts and Disneyland, expensive meals and a $27,000 smoking balcony off the president’s office. Scott M. Stringer, the city comptroller, said the review found “a sickening track record of waste, fraud and abuse.”
Mr. Walcott was appointed last year as the monitor of the struggling East Ramapo School District in Rockland County, N.Y. His appointment to lead the library needs the approval of the State Department of Education. He is expected to start later in March.
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