Roosevelt Island Asks RIOC Board During Public Session About RIOC President Outside Consulting Work, Withholding Info About Racial Discrimination/Sexual Misconduct, Staff Salaries Not Made Public, FOIL Requests Unanswered, Traffic Safety, OMNY For Tram & Pickleball Court - No Reply, Only Silence From RIOC Board & Staff

As reported December 28:

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors will meet 5:30 PM Wednesday December 29, via video conference.  

You can watch the Board meeting here and ask questions or share concerns about Roosevelt Island issues during the opening Public Session before the start of the meeting. Submit your written question or comment here.

But be aware that RIOC Board Members and staff usually do not respond to questions during the Public Session though they sometimes may do so or address the subject during the actual Board meeting. 

 Comments submitted to yesterday's RIOC Board Meeting Public Session were on subjects including:

• Request for a Pickleball court, 
• Traffic Safety ideas, crosswalk improvements, reduce car traffic on Main Street
• When will MTA OMNY be installed at Roosevelt Island Tram Station
• Outside consulting work by RIOC President Shelton Haynes in 2018 allegedly without receiving State approval
  
• RIOC managers allegedly withholding information of racial discrimination and sexual misconduct
• RIOC not answering Freedom Of Information requests for over 6 months or providing incomplete answers
  
• RIOC failing to make public information about the Corporation's officers salary compensation in proposed 2022-23 Budget in violation of corporation bylaws.

There was no response from RIOC Directors or staff to any of these submitted comments read by RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson.

Watch the video below of the Public Session followed by the RIOC Board meeting in which the RIOC Board approved the 2022-23 Budget and appointment of Debra Kustka to the Position of Vice President of Operations of the Corporation.

RIOC Board Meeting - December 29 2021

A resident submitted this question wanting to know why RIOC does not enforce mask mandates at local stores which was not read.

I asked  2 questions, neither of which were read:

The NYC Mobile Covid 19 Test and Vaccine Van brought to Roosevelt Island by NYC Council Member-Elect Julie Menin and Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright was needed and welcomed by Roosevelt Island residents.

But why did RIOC not make better plans for handling the long wait times of 3-4 hours in very cold weather outside in Good Shepherd Plaza for our elderly, disabled and other residents? The Test Line was long but there were only about 45 people on line at any one time.

Residents suggested created a numbering system so the tests could be scheduled and waiting on line time would be shortened.

Another resident suggested having line across the Street in the covered Roosevelt Landings Arcade.Or doing the Tests inside at the Chapel or elsewhere?

Does RIOC have any plan to improve the logistics of residents waiting next time the mobile test van comes to Roosevelt Island?

FYI - PSD Sergeant Hazelwood and the other officers assigned to the waiting line did a very good good job handling a difficult situation.

and:

RIOC has not answered numerous inquiries regarding the May 16,2021 drowning death of a swimmer at Sportspark pool.

What was the cause of the drowning death?

What was the response of Sportspark personnel to the drowning including any attempts to save the victim? Did RIOC have appropriate safety equipment available at Sportspark for a drowning victim? I understand that a swimmer who was a Doctor attempted CPR on the drowning victim - is that true? Did RIOC or any Sportspark personnel attempt any CPR or other lifesaving measures?

What safety procedures or policies has RIOC implemented in the 8 months following the drowning?

What was the age of the swimmer. Was the swimmer a resident or regular user of the pool?

Why has RIOC refused to answer questions about the Sportspark drowning incident?

RIOC President Shelton Haynes said during his President's Report to the RIOC Board that residents concerns about the long lines for the Covid 19 tests at the mobile site will be reviewed and addressed.

RIOC Directors and staff refusal to address residents concerns submitted to the Board Public Session on a consistent basis makes a sham to any claim of RIOC openness and transparency in communications to Roosevelt Island residents. As one resident who submitted a question to the RIOC Public Session yesterday that was not even read to the Board stated:

Rioc doesn’t do a good job. They don’t care about the residents of the island.

When RIOC does not respond to resident concerns, what else can you say?