Roosevelt Island Town Hall Meeting With NYC Public Advocate Letitia James Co-Hosted By NY State Senator Jose Serrano And Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright - Here's What Happened

Image Of Public Advocate Letitia James, State Senator Serrano & Assembly Member Seawright

NYC Public Advocate Letitia Jones, please call her Tish, held a Roosevelt Island Town Hall meeting last night at the Good Shepherd Community Center

Great to be on #RooseveltIsland kicking off first annual #SeniorWeek with town hall discussion pic.twitter.com/2FMrIIT77O

— Letitia James (@TishJames) August 5, 2015

co-hosted by NY State Senator Jose Serrano and Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright.

With my colleague @Rebecca76AD, as I introduce our Public Advocate @TishJames at our #RooseveltIsland town hall. pic.twitter.com/bm72Pz45C2

— Sen. Jose M. Serrano (@SenatorSerrano) August 5, 2015

Here's what happened.

Part 1 - Senator Serrano introduced Ms James and Assembly Member Seawright. Ms Seawright noted that she and Senator Serrano passed legislation permitting the distribution of RIOC Public Purpose Funds.



Part 2 - Ms James described the role of the NYC Public Advocate in public policy issues as well as constituent services for New York City residents.



Part 3 - Ms James discussed issues of specific concern to Roosevelt Island residents including:

• Upcoming Con Ed Gas upgrade,
• RIOC charging fees for community space and recreational fields,
• Main Street retail diversity,
• Cornell Tech failing to provide financial backing for school programs
• Insuring that Cornell Tech fulfills its promises to the community and
• more.

 Ms James emphasized that:

... Roosevelt Island cannot become a playground for the rich...

noting that:

... Roosevelt Island is run like a company and not a community...

and asked if it was time to change the Public Authority model by which Roosevelt Island is governed to that of a:

... democratic system representing Roosevelt Island...

Many of these issues were raised by Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Governance Committee Chair Joyce Short here.

Part 4 - Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer talked about getting fresh fruits and vegetables to Seniors, disabled access to curb cuts in Manhattan, higher education for seniors, affordable housing, preventing tall towers in residential areas and other issues.



Part 5 -Recently deceased Roosevelt Island resident Dominic Sciallo was was honored for his service during World War 2 and to the Roosevelt Island community.



Part 6 - Questions from Roosevelt Island residents including:

• legislative priorities to help Seniors. Mr James responded affordable housing for Seniors,
• discrimination issues,
• tenant rights,
• Tram Station elevator problems,
• what can the Public Advocate do to help Roosevelt Island residents, (Ms. James said she would love to have a satellite office on Roosevelt Island),
• Westview Co-op conversion electricity sub metering issue and
• making sure Cornell Tech keeps promises it made to community in lease agreement.

That's it.