What Does it Take to be a RIOC Director?

What does it take to be a Director of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation? According to the Main Street Wire's online information materials for the RIOC Board's Nomination Process it takes:

First and foremost, you must have a strong desire to see your community thrive. The ability to be analytical and ask tough questions will help -- and if you want to do what's best for your neighbors, you're on your way to being a terrific RIOC Board member!

RIOC Board members need tremendous community spirit because the only compensation they'll derive for all their efforts is their sense of satisfaction; being a RIOC Director is an unpaid position.

To run, you must:

• be at least 25 years old
• be at least a 6-month resident of Roosevelt Island
• be a citizen of the United States

There are no other requirements.

Some qualities that would be helpful, but are not specific requirements, are:

• In-depth knowledge of the community, and its past problems and issues.
• Background in any of the following areas: general business, real estate, city planning, management, competitive bidding, a local-government-related function, accounting, engineering, finance, marketing, law, etc.

If you feel that you have the talent and time to devote to the ongoing and upcoming issues that face Roosevelt Island, make the decision to run. This website and guidance from RIRA officers will help you through the remainder of the process. If you have ever complained about the decisions and practices implemented by RIOC, this Board is the ideal opportunity to have an impact on the changes you seek.

How does the current RIOC Board measure up to these criteria? Are they able to competently address complicated issues related to, for instance, Tramway engineering and balancing the sometimes conflicting needs of the Roosevelt Island community with current real estate property values (privatization of Mitchell Lama housing and Tennis Club license modification)?

Reader's have sent in the following recent comments about the RIOC Board. Jonathon writes:

This is definitely why I decided to leave RI. I was aggravated by the ineptitude of the RI Board from the day I move.

The Hawk says about the RIOC Operations Committee meeting webcast:

I saw this joke. One guy couldn't explain a report the other said he wasn't qualified to make a judgement on the tram and the third guy could not be heard most ot the time. Who puts these clowns on the board? If a guy is not qualified why is he making the decision? Do these guys have any qualifications at all or are they just more hacks lke we used to have?

Another reader asks how residents can contact Board members writing that there are

no emails, no phones, just names at RIOC site.

and

... my question is how to contact our "representatives" at RIOC - Board of Directors?

For the record, I would be happy to post any information about the good job that the current RIOC Board is doing.