Exit with honor, councilman

First, let us say “mazel tov” to Brooklyn Councilman David Greenfield, who will be the new CEO of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, which does important work and is still recovering from the damage caused by ex-CEO Willie Rapfogel, a Shelly Silver crony who robbed the place and went to prison.

Greenfield, a man of high integrity and honor, has the brains and moxie to get Met Council to a better place when he takes over in January. It’s a good deal for the both the agency and Greenfield, likely to more than double his City Council salary.

But to maintain his integrity and honor, Greenfield cannot be the sole selector of his successor to represent 170,000 people for the next four years.

While the Queens and Bronx Democratic machines specialize in such last-minute switcheroos — see the 2015 Bronx district attorney’s race — insiders swear the timing was coincidental when Greenfield was offered the job just days after he submitted petitions to run for reelection.

Having quit the race, he can name a new candidate for his Democratic Party spot. Since he was the only person running (he was also on the Conservative line), his choice will be the winner. Legal — but it disenfranchises an entire district.

The much better way is for Greenfield to not name anyone and for the Conservative Party to agree. That will leave every party line blank in November, allowing any comer to gather the required 450 signatures to appear on the general election ballot. The deadline isn’t until Aug. 22.

Greenfield is welcome to endorse anyone he wants, but he is not entitled to bypass democracy and handpick the new Council member.