New York State Senator Jose Serrano and Assembly Member Micah Kellner Meet With Roosevelt Island Residents and Discuss Appointment of Real Estate Conflict Ridden, Non Elected, Non Resident, New Appointed RIOC Director
Roosevelt Island's New York State elected representatives State Senator Jose Serrano and Assembly Member Micah Kellner met last night with the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Government Relations Committee/Democracy Team to discuss how the recent controversial appointment of Child School Executive Director Sal Ferrera to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) occurred without their prior knowledge and to develop strategies for next steps.
Here's some of what happened at last night's meeting.
You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Democracy Team Meeting
You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Democracy Team Meeting
You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Democracy Team Meeting
You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Democracy Team Meeting
You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Democracy Team Meeting
You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Democracy Team Meeting
You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Democracy Team Meeting
15 comments :
Whoa, wait a second. In that very first video did the guy say that they collected almost 500 signatures for the petition? What petition is he talking about? Not the one on change.org... it says 98 people signed. Did I miss another one?
Also, what press coverage did RIRA's protest get? A blog entry on the NY Times and some local (not New York City local) newspaper. Not even NY1 was interested to cover it. Hardly an accomplishment now, is it? Or does the Roosevelt Island rule (everything is inferior on Roosevelt Island) apply here as well?
Mr. Kellner and Senator Serrano are definitely a lot more levelheaded and realistic than the RIRA. I agree that the appointment of Mr. Ferrera is a done deal and that we must move on. Let's focus on how the mandated resident director seats are going to be filled in the future. Let's go back to square one and work with the governor's office and make sure that a) there will be regular elections for RIOC board members and b) that the senate will pick appointees from that pool.
This group of people is like a group of toddlers. "We must get this guy from the board." "We don't know what harm he will do." etc. etc. Are those the people who really think they represent us? There are two "professional" politicians in that room and I know they DO represent me because they don't act like children. Let's take a lesson from those two and grow up. Also bravo to the woman at around 4:50 in the 5th video. She got it. Not all is lost, yet.
Unfortunately, there has been lots and lots of time and energy and passion put into the basic right of elected government. It is understandable that those who expended that energy - even if unsuccessful - would be frustrated and maybe not think clearly.
Having said that, it is also clear that a vocal group of activists assumes they speak for everyone while not understanding the public or political perception they create.
In the future, hopefully new voices will be added to the yes - 500 - (paper has also been used) - and we will create a politically palatable, mature and newly wise approach to the basic right of self-determination.
If you care about what happens on the island in the next few years ... then ignore the childishness and bring your wisdom to the group. It is one thing to complain about others, it is another to be involved and try to improve the situation.
I don't have much to improve. I am happy how this island is being governed. I understand how things work here and if I were unhappy I would have moved away long time ago. I do not understand that if things are really so badly done here why do the constant complainers stick around? Why have they been here for decades? Cheap rent, right? Maybe the opportunity to become involved in public issues? What are the real motivation behind the people that make up the RIRA? Why is there a need for such an organization in the first place? There is already a community board that covers Roosevelt Island just fine....
Sorry, I just cannot get my mind behind this outcry. The state could have picked a much worse person to be on the board and you have to agree that there is an enormous possibility that he will be a lot more efficient and will do more good to the RIOC and this island than some of the current resident directors, no?
I agree that there are bigger and more pressing and dangerous problems here,,,I never hear them addressed or even brought up...RIRA is run like a members only club, if they like you, they hear your questions and concerns, if you have not lived here for 20 or more years, they really do not care or are concerned about your issues. It seems to me, and I have given the meetings and groups a chance to prove themselves to me, that you have to be a friend or neighbor of some of them before you are even given a voice about anything on this island in their eyes. I tire of the 20 or so of them yelling, screaming, fighting and acting like children.
I hope in time that some fresh air and voices and faces will rice to the top in such a tilted and unbalanced mob.
I wish Sal all the best in his ventures with the island and working with the children. These folks should stop complaining about things and get to work helping the island, if that is what they are really trying to do...not have their own little private club of protest and complaints...I would think otherwise if more than a sprinkling of people gave a damn and seemed concerned, but looking outside the streets are silent with protesting unlike what they are reporting.
it is kind of sad to hear and see their complaining about so much.
According to the petition organizers, there were 379 handwritten signatures on a hard copy petition and 98 on the online petition for a total of 477 as of last Wednesday. That is a significant number of signatures don't you agree?
Also, I think your discounting of the press attention is greatly misplaced. The Albany Time Union, particularly that writer, is read by all of the State politicians and State Senator Serrano specifically mentioned that piece as gaining the attention of the Governor's Executive office.
Similarly, the NY Times City Room Blog is read widely.
The simple indisputable fact is that whether or not Mr. Ferrera is the most talented and wonderful person in the world, his position as the Child School's Executive Director, creates serious conflict of interest issues as a RIOC Director.
It is a conflict of interest, either in practice or perception, for Mr. Ferrera to sit on the RIOC Board making decisions about the disposition of Roosevelt Island real estate while simultaneously being the Executive Director of a 50,000 square foot tenant of RIOC and seeking additional Roosevelt Island real estate.
Other RIOC Directors have had to resign from organizations such as RIRA and Roosevelt Island Co-op Boards in order to remain as RIOC Directors because they were told it would be a conflict of interest if they did not. Given that history, how could it not be a conflict for Mr. Fererra to stay on the RIOC Board and be Executive Director of the Child School at the same time?
Last time I checked we have a new governor AND a new RIOC president. The vetting process of the RIOC board is not written in law. It is guided by a code of ethics. At that time it was the best thing they came up with. Years passed. Players changed. Things are different now. I still do not understand, though, how Mr. Ferrera is so much more going to "abuse" his seat on the board than all the residents who vote for things like privatization? How about the rumors that some directors' children are given summer jobs with the RIOC before non-directors'? Nothing is perfect. Mr. Ferrera promised he will recuse himself when it comes to topics that affect his school. That's more than the current directors ever have done. Are we not going to give him a chance before we demand his resignation?
well said .everything you just said is all true
Video posting the meetings onto this blog certainly does no favors to the current serving members of RIRA - where I didn't know who they were and voted blindly last time, I will certainly never vote for any of them again. Governor Cuomo exercised his authority in a legal manner and the new RIOC Director appears an appropriate appointment.
If RIRA wants to stay relevant they must move past this and embrace the changing demographics of the island; with those changes come the need for progressive decision-making. Having followed this whole argument since it started, it is clear to me that RIRA does not represent me or the Roosevelt Island I know and I'll make sure any vote I have in the future reflects this new knowledge.
And to the WIRE newspaper- you should consider yourself an advocacy newsletter and not a newspaper; certainly no impartial newspaper would run page after page of diatribes as you did last week and try to justify it by sticking in a few opposing letters.
So true with bigger issues. One big issue is our safety. Forget the NYPD, and let's get the ball running on our very own community voiced and "controlled" full fledged police force.
There is no need for all of this gun violence, robberies and burglaries on this island.
You expect the public safety to do a job 100% with no protection? Not me in a hundred years would I put my life on the line for their so-so pay and no protection for he residents or themselves.
I am confident if they were better equipped, and more trained, we would probably lose almost all of our drug dealers off this island, which in turns drops other violence.
Yet, RIRA loves to put bandaids and runs to the 114pct to put an armed police officer here to basically lend a hand to public safety and to offer them armed guard service.
Very idiotic idea on so many levels. Just stop and think about it... It makes no sense. Let's put an armed cop on this island, when we have our own law enforcement officers already here who make a ton of arrests and are fledged officers?
So nice of RIRA to put all of our lives in jeopardy because public safety cannot do much for me if I am bing attCked by a knife or robbed with a gun.
Good thinking.
So yes, there are much more important measures to be put in place before this bickering. What's done is done. This island doesn't have to be democratic, it's basically a fortune five hundred company making the state a ton of money.
Well said. The videos don't do much to improve my opinion of the elected reps here, either. Get a load of Kalkin's hyperbole throughout. For instance, when he says Ferrera has "no connection to the island".
Mr. Kalkin is not in any of these videos of the meeting with elected officials Kellner and Serrano.
It is also true that Mr. Fererra, when compared to other RIOC Board Members or just other residents and workers, has little connection to Roosevelt Island, having started working here about a year ago. Based on observation and meeting with him, it is my opinion that Mr. Fererra has shown little or no understanding of the history or important issues facing Roosevelt Island.
Lack of knowledge about the community in which you are presumably serving should not be a qualification to sit on the RIOC Board of Directors.
My bad! I meant Kellner is the one who seems prone to exaggeration.
Good catch.
And I have to disagree here. Mr. Fererra may not be living on this island but his school and the children (which we keep forgetting to keep in the equation) is strong enough a bond for me to feel comfortable that he will do good for this island.
Having that said... having non-residents on the board is not a bad thing at all. Those people will be able to give perspective to things. Those people can keep the resident directors in check. And vice versa, of course.
Does he own the school? Does he own the property the school sits upon? Maybe I am am wrong but working for the school does not seem to me to be a problem...he is helping children that need help and wants to bring more aid and education and recreation to them...investing in children in my eye is good for not only the people that live here but for the nation.
Turn the PSD into RIPD, Roosevelt Island Police Dept! They are here, give them more training and arm them. Get rid of the all the drug dealers that are out in full daylight and come out at night at SP park and the Lighthouse park!
Arm the PSD and make them into a full fledged Police force! When that new park opens at SP, the drug dealers will have a feild day with out kids if something is not done!
What is the hold up of us having our own Police Dept?
There is a lot of violence here on RI, and it is growing, no matter how safe they brag it is here, crime has increased since I have moved here ... something needs to be done and soon...the shooting recently and the gang busts should prove my point
Arm our PSD and help them become the protection we needs here!
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