Help Serve And Represent Our Community, Roosevelt Island Residents Association Common Council Building Elections November 8 - Nomination Forms Now Available

Are you interested in serving the Roosevelt Island community by becoming a member of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council?

RIRA's Election Nomination Committee Chair Adib Mansour tells you how:

RIRA ELECTION IS COMING SOON! Serve your community and be part of this organization that is making a difference for a better life on Roosevelt Island.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH RIRA:

It has been an honor to be part of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) for the last two years. I’ve always heard of this volunteer-run organization whose members are elected by Roosevelt Island residents to improve our community and tackle any and all issues. In the first several weeks, I sat back and learned from all the members that have graciously served on the Common Council. I saw an opportunity to pitch in and offered to run an island-wide survey to take a snapshot parts of the island, in all the buildings. Five months later, more than 700 survey-takers have given us ample information and data to address at the end of this term and in the next term.

All the monthly meetings I attended were filled with collaborative efforts to take on different issues with Common Council members chairing an abundance of committees. These include the Planning Committee:

• that has worked on Emergency Preparedness, 
• transportation, 
• the impact of Cornell on our daily lives, and 
• short/long term parking, to name a few issues. 

Also noteworthy is the Social, Cultural & Education Committee:

• which taught several hundred residents Hands-Only CPR, 
• organized island-wide events, including the Cherry Blossom Festival, the Egg Hunt Event, and the ongoing NYC Compost Project. 

Other committees include the:

• Island Blood Drive in its 14th annual year benefiting the New York Blood Center; 
• the Government Relations Committee, which serves as liaison to local elected officials, and 
• the Public Purpose Fund Committee, which organizes the requests submitted by Island nonprofits for grants funded by RIOC.

The Youth Initiative Committee I chaired has organized numerous events for the youth of the island, including presentations by world-renowned chefs on Italian culture and cuisine and how their passions for culinary art became a worldwide business and established them as cultural messengers.

Other undertakings include the Make It Count Leadership Project that teaches young students how a bank works and exposes them to new job opportunities in the financial field, as well as budgeting and organizing activities and events for the Seniors on the island and earning recognition for their leadership engagement.

The rewards of serving are far greater than the time commitment of three hours per month to enrich the lives of our neighbors and community. Anyone who is at least 18 years old may serve, regardless of citizenship or nationality.

RIRA ELECTIONS:

RIRA will hold its next election for representatives on November 8th, and we invite you to be part of this organization. If you are interested in making a difference on Roosevelt Island, please contact me, Adib Mansour, Chair of the Election Nomination Committee at riradib@earthlink.net so we can arrange a conversation about RIRA and how you might participate as an elected representative.

NOMINATION FORM:

RIRA 2016 Nomination Form

Here is link to the RIRA Nomination Form in case you are interested. Nomination forms are also available at the Public Safety Department Office (550 Main Street) and New York Public Library Roosevelt Island branch (524 Main Street). Nomination forms are available until October 25.

If you would like to have a chat and further discuss the nomination process and any questions you might have about RIRA in general or any other inquiries, please contact me.

Nomination Forms should be deposited in the red box at the Public Safety vestibule NO LATER THAN TUESDAY OCTOBER 25 2016, 9PM. You may run for the Common Council as well as President and Vice President positions. Please refer to the nomination form for more details.

ELECTIONS INFORMATION:

RIRA’s elections are also on November 8th.

Candidates should plan to attend the following:

• Common Council Candidates Night: November 1st, 2016 - 8PM - To be announced in the Roosevelt Islander as well as the WIRE.

• President and Vice President: November 2nd, 8PM - Good Shepherd.

The RIRA) Common Council will meet this evening, October 5, at 8:00 PM in the Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street).

As always, prior to the start of each monthly meeting there is a Public Session in which residents can come and address the Common Council Delegates on any issue of concern.

Here's the Agenda for the final meeting of the 2014-16 RIRA Common Council.

Perhaps next month you will be representing your Roosevelt Island building on the RIRA Common Council.

Contact RIRA Nomination Committee Chair Adib Mansour if you are interested in running or just want some more information.