New RIOC Board Director Ben Fhala Hopes To Bring Change And Fresh Perspective To Roosevelt Island - Goals Include Safeguarding Quality Of Life For All Residents, Managing Impact Of Tourism And Revitalizing Northern Side Of RI Among Others

Until yesterday, 3 seats on the 9 member Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors were vacant. 

As reported yesterday, Roosevelt Island residents Ben Fhala, Michal Melamed and Lydia Tang were appointed to the RIOC Board of Directors filling the 3 vacant seats.

Yesterday, I asked Mr Fhala:

... Please let me know if you would like to make a written statement to the Roosevelt Island community on your nomination/appointment to the RIOC Board to include in Roosevelt islander story.

Why do you wish to be on the RIOC Board and how do you see your role as a RIOC Director? Are there particular issues you would like to see addressed?

What was the process by which you were asked to become a RIOC Director? Who initially approached you about the appointment?...

Mr Fhala replied today:

When I moved to Roosevelt Island several years ago, I knew it was a unique and special place and wanted to be involved in preserving and enhancing this beautiful island that was now my home. Quite soon, I had the privilege of joining the Board of the Roosevelt Island Disabled Association as its Executive Vice President. 

I have served since 2022 under the guidance and support of President Wendy Hersh and Mary Colman. Working closely with Vice President Nancy Brown, we have coordinated various activities for the disabled community throughout the island. Collaborating with Lisa Fernandez, the Program Director of the Roosevelt Island Senior Center, we have jointly created activities to benefit our disabled and senior communities, including off island cultural and recreational bus trips including two scheduled for later this summer and October. Additionally, I was closely involved with the Food Pantry that serves almost two hundred local families with food insecurities. Here, too, I worked under the guidance of Ms. Hersh and Ms. Colman.

Initially, I had no intentions or aspirations to join the RIOC board, primarily due to concerns over the negative feedback the board has received over the years. Nonetheless, I believe that our island is an extraordinary place, and despite the "scandals" that have plagued RIOC, it remains the best place to live in New York City. I would like to contribute to maintaining this status for years to come.

Leaders within the community made me realize that the people were prepared and eager to revitalize the current board. Although individuals had reached out to me, the pivotal moment came when Lisa Fernandez strongly recommended passing my information to State Senator Liz Krueger's office. I agreed, and as a result, I engaged in numerous conversations with other island leaders who guided and encouraged me to pursue the opportunity.

A few weeks after my agreement, Audrey Tannen of Senator Krueger's office reached out to me. She had an awareness of the work I had done at RIDA. Senator Krueger's office endorsed my name to the Governor's office, with the aim of injecting new perspectives and revitalizing the board. There were many further discussions with other island leaders who shared the same sentiment, emphasizing the need for change and offering their support as I embarked on this path.

As for my envisioned role as a RIOC Director, I am inspired by the conversations I had with each person. It became evident that the board has required a fresh perspective for quite some time. Governor Hochul's and State Senator Liz Krueger's vision of our island as a thriving place for both older and younger generations resonates with me. I would work to ensure our island remains an enviable place, while also striking a balance between the quality of life we enjoy and the affordability necessary to include our existing communities.

I hope to find a way to fulfill these two needs: preparing our island for the next generation so that my husband and I can build our future family here, while simultaneously safeguarding the quality of life for our seniors, disabled individuals, and lower-income families who call this island home.

Are there specific issues that I would like to see addressed? Absolutely. Among the many pressing matters, the two areas that currently hold the most interest for me include:

1. Revitalizing the northern side of the island: At present, the heartbeat of our island resides predominantly in the south-central area. I would be delighted to collaborate with RIOC in expanding and transforming the northern side (the parking lot area) into a central hub for our residents. With the RIOC office relocating to the new building currently under construction in the center/south side, this presents a significant opportunity to reinvent the existing area and create a new community focal point.

2. Managing tourism impact: While we attract a substantial number of tourists to the island, the current situation has inadvertently diminished our quality of life due to subway/tram disruptions and street congestion. It is important that we find ways to benefit from these visitors, both by increasing island revenue and improving our quality of life. I aspire to lead a team in exploring viable options, such as introducing food carts on the south side where many visitors congregate or implementing different payment schemes for public transportation for residents versus visitors. I have several ideas, but I would like to gain a better understanding of viable options before sharing them.

These two points, among many others, are areas where I would work to initiate conversations and find effective solutions.

More on the new RIOC Board Directors here.