Can Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Be Revived As A Strong Elected Advocate For Community? You Can Help By Participating In Upcoming Election Nominations For New Common Council

The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council was once was a very active and influential organization representing the Roosevelt Island community but in recent years has been mired in personal animosities, irrelevancy and lack of strong resident participation.

Frank Farance is a long time RIRA member, as well as a former and current RIRA President. Mr Farance is trying to revitalize RIRA as an effective Roosevelt Island advocacy organization and is seeking candidates to run in the upcoming election. I spoke with Mr Farance at last Saturday's Good Shepherd Plaza Farmers Market.

Mr Farance reports:

RIRA is a 501(c)(4) not-for-profit Island-wide organization, formed in 1977 to exclusively represent the interests of Residents to New York State - back then Urban Development Corporation, since 1984 Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) - because Roosevelt Island is leased from the City to New York State. Many things unique to our community aren't directly addressed by our Community Board, our City Councilmember, our State Senator, our State Assemblymember.  Examples include:

• Early on it was Garbage collection. We have the AVAC (still brilliant), yet as NYC residents, we are entitled to garbage collection. Our garbage departs in containers, not garbage trucks.  Up until a decade ago, regularly, RIRA had to advocate for AVAC pickup in the City's budget.
• For the first two decades, it was the State Legislature that needed to approve our RIOC budget - we went to Albany to advocate.
• The Tram - our icon - is unique and has required RIRA's advocacy to avoid tram shutdown and reduced schedules - things, presently, we still advocate for the Residents.
• RIRA has fought for (and litigated) our open spaces/parks - no more residential buildings on the Island - unlike Manhattan where every nook and cranny is filled with sliver buildings.
• RIRA has fought for Resident Representation (a majority) on the RIOC Board, which helps inform RIOC's decision-making and operation, we advocated for agreement with Governor/Legislature.
• After the brutal treatment by PSD in 2013, we fought for community policing and reinvented PSD with the leadership of Jack McManus - thanks to PSD, our community is the safest in NYC.
• Over decades, we have fought for the improvement of air quality in our community.
• We discovered carcinogens in RIOC's public water fountains and had them shut immediately.
• We fought for the protection of our Island's wildlife.
• We fought for improvements to 911 system => better emergency response to Roosevelt Island.
• We made recommendations to RIOC on public purpose funding for community organizations.
• We advised on bike/traffic/roadway/promenade safety - like those new blinking stop signs.
• We were able to get COVID masks and tests for the community during COVID pandemic.
• We have supported and provided monthly community emergency presentations since COVID.
• We supported efforts, including Eastwood/Roosevelt Landings, on improper submetering.
• We supported efforts on fair pricing for Manhattan Park pool for Section 8 tenants.
• We supported affordable housing in its many forms.
• For decades, we provide the community breakfast on Roosevelt Island Day.
• We advocated for cleanup/better organization of the merchant waste, especially in Southtown.
• We advocated for better parking, better administration of Motorgate (the waitlist has gone down).
• And there are hundreds of smaller topics that RIRA has advocated for over the decades.

These are all major accomplishments you can see and feel - directly in our community.  Although every resident is a member of RIRA, we would love for you to come join RIRA Common Council.  If you are unable to join now, but discover you want to participate later, there is a process to become new member (with the recommendation and support of an existing Common Council member) during the 2-year term.

2024 RIRA Elections

Every two years, the even years, we hold an election for our Common Council, which is our Board of Directors.  To assure geographic diversity, roughly each building complex is one district, and there is representation at the district level, but your work, your opinions, and your efforts are all Island-wide.  The President and Vice-President positions are elected and Island-wide.  We were unable to hold elections in 2020 due to COVID, and in 2022 due to a lack of personnel.

Expectations

Being a Common Council member means committing some time to RIRA, typically an hour-long monthly meeting (first Wednesday of the month at 8 PM), and then approximately 1-2 hours of committee work.  Each Common Council member must join at least one committee.  We have the following committees: Communication Committee; Government Relations Committee; Housing Committee; Island Services Committee; Legal Action Committee; Planning Committee; Public Safety Committee; Social, Cultural and Educational Services Committee; Youth Committee; Community Emergency Committee.

The officers President and Vice President typically require ~20 hours/week.  The officers Secretary and Treasurer (elected from within the Common Council) typically require ~5-10 hours/week.  Committee Chairs typically require ~10-20 hours/month.

Nominations

We are holding elections this year.  The first step is to nominate yourself.  The nominations forms are at https://tinyurl.com/RIRA2024NOMFORM and please complete the form and drop it off at the Island House Doorstation at 555 Main St (RIRA Nominations Envelope) by Noon October 24, 2024.  You will be called to confirm we have received your nomination, so please include your phone number.  If you have questions, contact frank@farance.com for info, put RIRA in the Subject: line.

Here's the RIRA Nomination Form.