In Public Service: Gentile goes from young democrat to senior councilmember
Councilmember Vincent Gentile, who is now the senior member of the City Council, got started on the road to a political career three decades ago. In 1984, he took his first steps by founding a political club, the Bay Ridge Democrats.
“We used to meet in the basement of the Bay Ridge Manor,” Gentile said.
Starting up a Democratic Club in Bay Ridge was a daring move in those days. The neighborhood was a Republican stronghold at the time, but Gentile said he believed it could also have a dynamic Democratic presence as well.
Meetings of the Bay Ridge Young Democrats drew sizable crowds, quite a feat in the era of Ronald Reagan.