Roosevelt Island Youth Program Funding Discussed At RIOC Real Estate Advisory Committee Meeting Yesterday - Recommends Extension Of Grant Through End Of 2015-2016 Fiscal Year To Keep It Operating

Last April, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) approved a grant of $131,250 to the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (RIYP) to enable it to operate through the end of 2015. As reported at the time, the RIOC staff sent the following memo to RIOC President Charlene Indelicato and the RIOC Board of Directors in support of the allocation of funds to the RIYP:

... As you are aware, included in the Board approved FY 15-16 (April 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016) Budget is a $175,000 disbursement for the Roosevelt Island Youth Center (“Youth Center”) — currently being operated by the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (“RIYP”). The Youth Center through RIYP offers programs vital to the Island and its youth, consistent with the General Development Plan and RIOC’s Mission Statement.

Programs provided by RIYP include a summer day camp, fitness activities, computer lab access and music instruction. RIYP also manages extensive after school activities, an organized sports curriculum and other recreational programs as part of the PS/IS 217 Beacon Program, for which it receives NYC funding.

RIOC intends to issue a Request for Proposals in the fall of this year for an entity to operate the Youth Center. However, in order to provide for efficient continuity of these programs, the budgeted funds for the current fiscal year should be pro-rated to the RIYP through December 31, 2015, in the amount of $131,250. RIOC would also require RIYP to continue to provide an appropriate accounting of the funds.

Based on the foregoing, we recommend the approval of the disbursement of $131,250 to the Roosevelt Island Youth Program....

During the November 17 RIOC Real Estate Development Advisory Committee meeting (full audio web cast of meeting here), RIOC President Charlene Indelicato reported that the Youth Center RFP has not been issued yet and recommended extending the RIYP grant terms until the end of RIOC's 2015-16 Fiscal Year which is March 31 2016.

RIOC plans to issue a Request for Proposals for an entity to operate the Youth Center in late 2015/early 2016.

RIOC Director Michael Shinozaki expressed concerns regarding what he characterized as a lack of RIOC in depth oversight and due diligence regarding selecting and monitoring the operator of the Youth Center program.

RIOC Director Howard Polivy noted that RIOC has audited RIYP grants in the past and NYC audits the Beacon After School program, which is operated in conjunction with the RIYP. Mr. Polivy added that RIYP:

... is under a level of scrutiny and supervision...

Due to the slowness in receiving allocated funds from the City Of NY, the RIYP would have difficulty remaining open without the grant extension from RIOC.

The RIOC Real Estate Committee recommended approving the grant extension which will be voted upon during the December 3 full RIOC Board of Directors meeting.

Also recommended were extending license agreement with the Roosevelt Island Garden Club and Main Street Theater & Dance Alliance through the end of 2015-16 fiscal year.

Here's the RIOC Real Estate Development Advisory Committee discussion



on subject.