RIOC New Interim Leadership Team Pledges Focus On Greater Transparency And Collaboration With Roosevelt Island Stakeholders And Local Media During Feb 1 Board Meeting - RIOC Directors Say They Plan Addressing Past RIOC Dysfunctions And Provide Necessary Oversight Over Audit, Budget, Operations And Governance Practices

During the February 1 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Of Directors meeting, 

February 1 RIOC Board of Directors Meeting

Deputy General Counsel Gerrald Ellis and Chief Financial Officer Dhru Amin presented what they describe as the RIOC "Interim Leadership Report" to the Roosevelt Island community.

According to Mr Ellis 

These are some updates that we would like to provide. The RIOC Interim Leadership Team, Dhru and myself, we're hitting the ground running and we're working to maintain the Island's vital services and to better communicate with the community. That's honestly one of our first priorities. We've already been at the Operations Committee meeting and Roosevelt Island Historic Society meeting. We also attended the Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island committee meeting. I think one of our our first initiatives is to focus on greater transparency and collaboration among Island stakeholders....

And Ms Amin:

Engagement with the local media. We have reevaluated our policies on engaging with local media and are now becoming more responsive to incoming requests for information and comment as you've seen over the past few days. We believe this greater level of openness will help keep Island residents informed of our initiatives and operations while also fostering better RIOC community relations....

Mr Ellis also described tours of Island operations and infrastructure with RIOC Board members among other items.

Following the Interim Leadership Report, RIOC Director Lydia Tang spoke about problems working with RIOC President Shelton Haynes and General Counsel Gretchen Robinson currently on paid administrative leave pending an investigation of them about workplace concerns raised by RIOC employees. According to Ms Tang:

As newly appointed resident board members, endorsed by elected officials and appointed by Governor Hochul, we bear the responsibility of overseeing RIOC's audit, budget, operations, and governance. It's crucial to counter some unfounded claims by Shelton and Gretchen, which tarnish the reputation of myself and Ben Fhala.

Systematic denial of basic access for oversight persisted for over seven months.

Despite six months of requesting a comprehensive Operations Tour, per ABO recommendations, it was only arranged after Shelton and Gretchen were placed on leave. Gratitude to Gerrald, Dhru, and Mary for the tour, with plans for Dr. Melamed and Mr. Fhala's tours.

Upon joining the Board, I approached Shelton and Gretchen positively, expressing empathy for Shelton's family crisis. Suggestions to "work smarter" were offered, advocating delegation and embracing the "new normal" of new Board Members. If my phone conversation were recorded, it would confirm Shelton stating that Gretchen acknowledged my voice of reason. Assuming antagonism hindered information gathering for our fiduciary roles, echoing the adage: "When you assume, you make an 'ass' of 'u' and 'me.'"

Flouting dysfunctional norms, I urged executive responsiveness to board inquiries. Months of Gretchen issuing advisories against responding to board emails, and delays in answers reveal dysfunction at RIOC, necessitating renewed inquiries.

In response to staff reports, we investigated a procurement contract. Information requests on executive team members aimed to address community concerns went unanswered. Salary requests sought to verify or refute an 18% raise allegation, and requests for work/paid-time details for the entire executive team echoed community and internal whistleblower concerns, all with unanswered queries indicating a potential cover-up and a clear disregard for our oversight responsibilities.

Meetings with staff sought answers to fiduciary oversight concerns. Despite positive interactions, such instances were negatively spun. Interactions with staff were restricted, assuming ill intent, obstructing fiduciary roles. This assumption manipulated the board, allowing the executive team to overstep their authority. Our plans involve addressing RIOC dysfunctions with a renewed focus on fiduciary oversight inquiries. We remain dedicated to providing necessary oversight over RIOC and its audit, budget, operations, and governance.

Here's the February 1 RIOC Interim Leadership Report and statement by RIOC Director Lydia Tang.

 

As reported January 26:

... It is unclear how long the new interim RIOC leadership will remain in place, how long the review of Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson's workplace conduct will take and if they will return to their positions as President/CEO and General Counsel respectively. 

But, Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson are attempting to stop the review of their workplace conduct and demand to be restored to their positions at RIOC.

On January 23, Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson filed an Order To Show Cause in the US District Court for the Southern District Of NY seeking a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction:...

 The Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary injunction sought by Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson seeks to stop any investigation of them and restore them to their positions.

Shelton Haynes, Gretchen Robinson (Standing), RIOC Chair Ruthanne Visnauskas at 11/14/23 Board Meeting

Also:

As previously reported, on September 12, 2023:

... Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson filed a racial discrimination lawsuit in the Southern District Of NY against members of NY State Governor Kathy Hochul's Executive Chamber as well as the Commissioner, General Counsel and Deputy Counsel of the NY State Division of Homes and Community Renewal.

Though not named as defendants in the lawsuit, Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson claim in their lawsuit that NY State Senator Liz Krueger, NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright and Roosevelt Island Daily publisher David Stone contributed to a "racist backlash" against them.

The lawsuit also claims that Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson were excluded from the appointment process of 3 new RIOC Board Members in an attempt to undermine their authority and "ability to discharge their job functions." Haynes and Robinson claim the 3 new RIOC board members are antagonistic to them...

On December 8, 2023, Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson added RIOC and one of the newly appointed RIOC Board members Ben Fhala to their lawsuit. Here's the Haynes/Robinson amended complaint.

Reported on January 29 that the preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for February 9 at 10:30 a.m. 

Stay tuned. More to come. 

UPDATE 2/9 - The scheduled hearing for February 9 on the Order to Show Cause has been postponed. A new judge was assigned to the case. No new date assigned yet.

According to the Feb 8 case filing: 

NOTICE OF CASE REASSIGNMENT to Judge Analisa Torres. Judge Katherine Polk Failla is no longer assigned to the case. (tro)