Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Critical of Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Failing To Provide Promised Assistance For Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting

The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) did a great job organizing the October 20 Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting. Here's a video of the Town Hall Meeting.

However, RIRA President Matt Katz was critical of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) for failing to provide the assistance they promised for the event.

Below is a message Mr. Katz sent to RIOC President Leslie Torres and other RIOC Staff explaining why.

I am very disappointed that the arrangements we discussed and agreed upon (see below) were not accomplished.  Erica, I’ve tried to contact you all day today, by phone, email and in person, but without success, to confirm these arrangements.  Finally, at 5:00 p.m., I asked Public Safety to let me into Good Shepherd to check on the set-up.  Nothing had been set up.  We carried out our meeting with microphones provided by Island organizations and with two hours notice.  We moved our own furniture, which is usually no problem, but is when I am recuperating from abdominal surgery.

Erica, had you told us that you would not provide the meeting props we required, we would have made our own arrangements, but with two weeks notice instead of two hours.  You are Community Liaison; I am the elected representative of the community.  I expect to have my phone calls returned, especially as I don’t abuse the privilege.  I don’t’ expect my wife, who is an officer of RIRA, to be told she doesn’t have an appointment when she drops in at 591 Main Street to ask if you have a spare moment on the day of an important event.

We had a standing room only crowd this evening, with well over 300 residents in attendance.  My comments to them about the lack of cooperation from RIOC were not the only barbs thrown your way this evening.  RIOC has been painted as incompetent, given the inability to maintain a commercial sector on Main Street.  This evening’s failure has not enhanced your reputation.

Matthew M. Katz

President, RIRA

The email referenced in Mr. Katz's message was a RIOC staff person agreeing to provide the necessary equipment for the Town Hall Meeting.

I asked RIOC to comment but have received no reply yet. Will update if RIOC chooses to reply.

Here's what Mr. Katz said at the Town Hall Meeting on this subject.

You Tube Video of Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting

UPDATE 10/26 - Mr. Katz adds:

I wanted to follow up my email sent post-Town Meeting last Thursday. Today, I met with Leslie, Fernando and Erica to air my issues regarding the set-up for the meeting. We compared email communications, and it was clear that the cause of our difficulties was a series of miscommunications, incorrect assumptions and unclear language on the part of all the participants, including Hudson/Related, during the days leading up to the event. I believe we are on the same page now and that we can use our mistakes as a learning experience to prevent similar glitches in the future. We shall all strive to be more specific when discussing the elements, including tech support, of future programs. RIRA and RIOC have been producing excellent programs together (the 9/11 Memorial being the most recent) for many years now, and we agreed that it is essential that our efficient working relationship be maintained. Regards,

Matthew Katz

President, RIRA

Mr. Katz met with RIOC staff yesterday.