BREAKING NEWS - Roosevelt Island Operating Corp President Steve Shane Out As President, On Leave Pending Retirement - Chironis New Interim President

Only the second time I have ever done this.

BREAKING NEWS... BREAKING NEWS... BREAKING NEWS... BREAKING NEWS... BREAKING NEWS...

Image of June RIOC Board Meeting ( last with Steve Shane, left of Light, as President)

A stunning development, at least in the context of Roosevelt Island governance, occurred during tonight's June Roosevelt Island Board of Directors (RIOC) meeting held in a hot, sweltering, un- air conditioned Good Shepherd Community Center. Following the Public Comment Session of approximately 40 minutes, the RIOC Board of Directors unexpectedly went into Executive Session (Note the Executive Session was not on the Agenda) to discuss what was described as an employment related issue.

The public is not allowed to attend an Executive Session of the RIOC Board so the Directors leave the public meeting room and meet in private as the public waits for them to return. At least an hour after the Board Directors went into Executive Session, they returned to the Public Board meeting announcing that RIOC President Steve Shane was no longer President, that he was going on leave pending retirement and chose RIOC CFO Steve Chironis as Interim President.

Image of Interim CEO Steve Chironis

A resident told me of seeing Mr. Shane exiting the Good Shepherd Community Center prior to the resumption of the public meeting in the company of RIOC's Fernando Martinez and Rosina Abramson and remarking to the resident that he's gone.

I sent an email to Mr. Shane asking:

Do you wish to make any comment on your retirement and leave as RIOC President.

My sincere best wishes for your future.

Mr. Shane replied:

I'm sorry it has ended. I wish the residents of the Island and the staff of RIOC the very best going forward.

Assembly Member Micah Kellner issued the following statement earlier tonight:

“As a non-voting member of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors, I have always believed that the RIOC President is answerable to the Corporation’s Board of Directors. The law clearly states that the Board has the authority to replace the President and I respect that authority.

“I fully support the Board’s choice of Steven Chironis as Interim President, and will do everything in my power to make this transition as easy as possible, so that we can move forward on the many urgent initiatives we are pursuing on Roosevelt Island.”

Ironically, during the Public Comment Session, Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Frank Farance complimented Mr. Shane by saying that despite some of their disagreements on any number of issues, Mr. Farance believed that Mr. Shane was the best RIOC President of the last 15 years.

Image of Frank Farance During Public Comment Session of RIOC June Board meeting

Not exactly comparable to President Obama (the RIOC Board) firing General Stanley McChrystal (Mr. Shane) but still big in Roosevelt Island Land.

None of the Directors I spoke with would comment regarding the reason for Mr. Shane's departure but Mr. Kellner's statement is intriguing:

... I have always believed that the RIOC President is answerable to the Corporation’s Board of Directors. The law clearly states that the Board has the authority to replace the President and I respect that authority....

More on this to follow but regardless of the reason for Mr. Shane's departure, he has my best wishes for the future.

UPDATE 6/29 - Received the following message from NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin:

I enjoyed working with Steve Shane, particularly on Southpoint Park, and wish him all the best in his retirement. I look forward to working with the next RIOC President to make the Island an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.

UPDATE 6 PM - The web cast of the June RIOC Board of Directors Meeting should be available soon.

UPDATE - 7/22 - The latest here including article about Mr. Shane's removal from NY Times City Room Blog.