Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Update On DHCR/RIOC Chairperson VanAmerongen Resignation To Join Affordable Housing Law Firm - Government/Private Sector Revolving Door Or Not?

Revolving Door Image From CREW

An update to this post linking to a NY Observer article regarding the resignation of NY State DHCR Commissioner and RIOC Board Chairperson Deborah VanAmerongen. According to the article, Ms. VanAmerongen is resigning as DHCR Commissioner to take a position with the Affordable Housing Group of the Nixon Peabody Law Firm.
... Ms. VanAmerongen is jumping to the private sector ship, joining a firm that has an active affordable housing group and one that does significant work with Ms. VanAmerongen's agency, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, including deals this year.

... A spokeswoman for the DHCR said Ms. VanAmerongen recused herself from decisions with the potential for conflict of interest.

Steve Wallace, a partner who heads Nixon Peabody's affordable housing group, said Ms. VanAmerongen, who is not an attorney, will be a "strategic policy adviser," offering guidance on affordable housing issues in New York and nationally. The firm represents developers and lenders, among others in the affordable housing industry...
Several readers of the post were critical of Ms. VanAmerongen and expressed concern over potential conflicts between her former position at DHCR and new private sector job including this:
VanAmerongen should disclose her business dealings with Nixon Peabody as commissioner. How well has this firm done during her tenure?
However, another reader supported Ms VanAmerongen:
You guys have all the answers, but don't know squat. At least Ms. VanAmerongen made her meetings with the RIOC Board of Directors. Her predecesor and the person who comes next .... No Shows. You'll see. All of you want to throw stones and nit-pick.

I worked with her and she has integrity. Good for her that she's moved on to a higher paying job. Public Service is a thankless job. If any of you could do it, you'd all jump to make more money for you & your families too.
I inquired of RIOC President Steve Shane:
As you know, DHCR Commissioner/ RIOC Board Chairperson VanAmerongen resigned these positions to join the Affordable Housing Practice Group at the Nixon Peabody Law Firm.

Does Nixon Peabody represent RIOC currently, previously, or are they bidding for future work?

Also, are they (Nixon Peabody) representing any other parties involved in past, current or future Roosevelt Island issues including but not limited to the potential privatizations of Island House, Rivercross and Westview.

Thank you.
Mr. Shane replied:
Nixon Peabody does no work for RIOC, is not bidding on any and any suggested relationship to the Commissioner's new relationship post State employment is entirely without foundation.
Later that day Mr. Shane elaborated:
In reviewing my e mail to you as to Nixon Peabody, the information therein is absolutely correct.

However, notwithstanding that they have not done any work for RIOC nor are they bidding on any, they are, as a large, well established law firm with a long and well deserved reputation for expertise in the area, inter alia, of affordable housing. In response to prior solicitations, Nixon Peabody is on the pre-approved panel of law firms who could be considered for employment by RIOC for matters as they might arise.

RIOC maintains such panels of architects, engineers, lawyers, plumbers, electricians, etc. with appropriate sub-panels) to respond to immediate needs without having to go through a more lengthy process in formal public bidding. We do then have a less formal bidding process among the panel members, having already familiarized ourselves with the individual qualifications of the panel members to meet the needs of the individual situation. Every so often, we refresh the panels by putting out an RFQ and bringing a recommendation to the Board for a reconstituted panel.
I replied:
Thank you for the additional infomation.

It appears that Nixon Peabody was involved in representing the Tenant organization at Island House during privatization efforts in 2005. I don't know if NP is still involved in this process.

Also, my inquiry was not meant to imply any impropriety, just fact checking.
The NY Times reported yesterday on Governor David Patterson's call for ethics reform in NY State's executive and legislative branch.
In a conference call on Tuesday, aides to Gov. David A. Paterson on Tuesday briefed reporters on the governor’s proposal for ethics reforms that, if enacted, would be the most far-reaching such overhaul in state history...
The article does not reference any policy having to do with State Officials leaving their positions to join private sector businesses in the industry that they regulated during their time in government. However, the New York State Commission On Public Integrity describes the current "Revolving Door Policy" in New York:
... The revolving door statute is designed to keep former State employees from using their former government connections to benefit themselves, their clients or the business for which they work after leaving State government. It does this (1) by restricting for two years the contacts they can have with the agency where they worked and (2) by restricting the work they can do on matters on which they worked while in State service. The first restriction is known as "the two year bar" and the second as "the lifetime bar."...
You can follow Governor Patterson's Ethics reform proposals at NYU's Brennan Center For Justice.

4 comments :

Anonymous said...

It's very curious ????

Shane "Forgot" that RIOC had selected Nixon Peabody as a panel law firm.

What else is he forgetting???

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

From improving your grades in school to your play on the soccer field to just kicking back and having a good time, computer games have so much to offer! In this article, we share ideas to help you find great games and rise in your gaming levels.

Don't let gaming consume your life. Too much online gaming can be unhealthy. You need to be sure that you do other activities too. Computer Games can be addictive, so just make sure that you moderate your usage.

Create a safe online gaming environment for your kids. Keep track of the people they're playing with. Certain unsavory individuals have been known to reach children via online video games. It is up to you to protect your children and limit their playmates to those you both understand.

Before you allow your children to play a online game, ensure you know its rating. Some games have violent content and are meant for people that are over 18. Violence can give your children the wrong values, which may show later in life. Try to refrain from video games that promote violence for your children's sake.

Be careful when it comes to playing online games. You will sometimes have to pay monthly fees in order to gain access. If you have a child who wants to join an online-gaming site, then you should check it out first. Find out if there are any fees, and if so, whether the game is worth it.

When buying for children it is important to check ESRB ratings. Some games may look like they are aimed at children but have objectionable content that is not apparent from the box or other promotional materials. Check the rating and read some reviews to see what others say.

If you are a enthusiast of playing video games, you probably have your favorites. However, you should not narrow your choices. To make sure you do not get bored, try to vary the genres you play. You might have a more memorable experience in some genre that you previously avoided.

If you only play one or two genres of games, think about branching out. Most people tend to play just one kind of game. Trying out all sorts of video games makes it a lot of fun and a very rewarding experience.

You shouldn't play online games all day long; keep it down to a couple of hours at most. Playing these games can lead to an addiction, which can impact your social life. Do not exceed more than three hours of game play per day. If you have sessions longer than that, make sure you are taking breaks often.

It can be tempting to go all out buying expansion packs, add-ons and upgrades for your new game. This can get very pricey! Instead, be disciplined with your spending. Check out what you've got in the game you bought and only add on what you can afford.

Figure out how to operate the safety and parental controls of any gaming system that comes into your home. You can likely make adjustments that keep kids from viewing mature content. Some allow each gaming profile to be customized separately, allowing adults to enjoy games not meant for younger audiences.

You will find playing online games to be quite fascinating and enjoyable. These games can increase your speed, increase your brainpower, or simply help you escape stress for a while. Take you game higher with the great advice in the article above.

Anonymous said...

Playing online games can be a very fun activity and it is an activity that people from all around the world enjoy. The information in this article will help you navigate the world of video gaming without buying a poor game, or one that isn't age-appropriate.

You should play with the specific equipment needed for the game of your choosing. You may need more than just one controller. Search online or look at the game box to find out what equipment you require. This gives you a heads up so that you can get what is needed beforehand.

Cheat codes can be valuable if you cannot get past a certain point in the game. There's a good chance that someone has been stuck at exactly the same point, and many people have probably shared online how they got past it.

Trade games with people you know. These games cost a lot and you probably want to spend money on other things sometimes. Chat with friends to find out if you can swap games with them, and everyone can play a new game for free.

If you come across a difficult game that is causing you to feel frustrated, it is a good idea to put it aside for awhile and return to it later. If you're not playing particularly well, try switching to another game to avoid frustration. Avoid frustration as it can negate the positive aspects of gaming.

Keep the computer you're on clear and make sure everything is up-to-date. If you game often on a particular system, avoid installing too many applications. Defragging the hard drive and using ScanDisk are very helpful. This allows you to keep everything on your computer running smoothly so you don't experience any slow down.

Keep an eye on kids playing games online. There are games that tell you that with online play it might change the rating. Also watch the chat to see what your child is saying or saying to others. You should ensure your kids are not seeing anything inappropriate when they are playing in this situation.

If you have children, ensure that you're limiting the amount of online game play time your children have. Try not to let your kids play for over two hours every day since it can rearrange their priorities and strain their hands and eyes.

Always familiarize yourself on the novice levels before going on to the more demanding levels. These games are pretty difficult, and trying on rookie can help you build skills. After you have mastered the control, buttons and functions of the game, then move on and challenge yourself.

All games have ratings thanks to the ESRB. Games are appropriate for ages 3 and older if they receive an EC or Early Childhood rating. If your children are six and older, a rating of E is appropriate. A rating of E+10 is for people older than 10 years old. If your game is rated T, it is suggested that you be 13 or older to play it. "M" (mature) rated games are for people who are at least 17 years old. AO indicates the game is just for adults and RP signifies "Rating Pending."

Figure out how to operate the safety and parental controls of any gaming system that comes into your home. You can likely make adjustments that keep kids from viewing mature content. Some allow each gaming profile to be customized separately, allowing adults to enjoy games not meant for younger audiences.

You can get many hours of enjoyment from many different kinds of online games. Use this advice to make the best from your online game purchases. The world of video games has evolved into a highly competitive market with games for everyone.