A Tale of Two RIOC Boards - One Good, One Not So Good

When people do a good job in the interests of the citizens of Roosevelt Island they should be thanked. I want to thank RIOC Board members Shinozaki and Ponton for the way they conducted themselves at last night's Board meeting. They were well prepared, asked probing and relevant questions exercising intelligent and reasoned independence during the meeting.

Unfortunately, the other directors present were either silent throughout the entire ordeal, admitted that they have no background or experience in evaluating these difficult questions, made ridiculous analogies between the decision to completely replace the Roosevelt Island Tram with buying a new car or fixing an old car, or benignly acquiesced to the opinions of the so called experts, who by the way have a financial incentive in recommending the most expensive option, not that that would ever enter into the equation.

Another troubling detail emerged during the presentation by RIOC's new Vice President of Operations. He stated that the 2007 capital budget for the Island that was approved by the Board in March 2007 for approximately $14.9 million is now being reduced to $4.9 million. Now, this may be a very good and reasonable reaction to changing circumstances - I have no idea. But what does it say about a Board of Directors charged with maintaining the fiscal health of Roosevelt Island that after a seemingly deliberate and prudent process they approve a capital budget and seven months later that budget is reduced by almost 2/3! How are Roosevelt Island residents and New York State taxpayers to have any confidence in their decision making ability.

Image is from Dickens in America. Charles Dickens visited Roosevelt Island and wrote about it here.