Island House Privatization/Affordability Plan and Ground Lease Extension To Be Reviewed by Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Real Estate Committee Later Today - In Closed Executive Session

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC administrative office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York. AGENDA

1. Chair's Motion for Executive Session to Review the Proposed Privatization/Affordability Plan and Ground Extension for Island House

The Public is not permitted to attend an Executive Session.

Additional information, though limited, is available on Island House privatization at this earlier post on previous RIOC Real Estate Committee executive session on Island House.

Following the April 6 RIOC Board meeting, Island House owner David Hirschorn (in blazer and white pants) spoke with RIOC Directors, Staff and Island House representatives. I asked but was not permitted to join the conversation.

What are the circumstances under which RIOC is permitted to hold an executive session closed to the public? According to the NY State Department of State Committee on Open Government:

... The law provides for closed or "executive" sessions under circumstances prescribed in the law. It is important to emphasize that an executive session is not separate from an open meeting, but rather is defined as a portion of an open meeting during which the public may be excluded.

To close a meeting for executive session, the law requires that a public body take several procedural steps. First, a motion must be made during an open meeting to enter into executive session; second, the motion must identify "the general area or areas of the subject or subjects to be considered;" and third, the motion must be carried by a majority vote of the total membership of a public body.

Further, a public body cannot close its doors to the public to discuss the subject of its choice, for the law specifies and limits the subject matter that may appropriately be discussed in executive session. The eight subjects that may be discussed behind closed doors include:

... (h) the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property or the proposed acquisition of securities, or sale or exchange of securities held by such public body, but only when publicity would substantially affect the value thereof.

These are the only subjects that may be discussed behind closed doors; all other deliberations must be conducted during open meetings.

It is important to point out that a public body can never vote to appropriate public monies during a closed session. Therefore, although most public bodies may vote during a properly convened executive session, any vote to appropriate public monies must be taken in public.

The law also states that an executive session can be attended by members of the public body and any other persons authorized by the public body....

Will provide an update if information on the Island House privatization discussions becomes available.