Image Of Southtown RIOC Board Director Candidate Nominee Voting
According to Ms Short:
The RIOC VOTE is in!
It literally took a village..... 30+ volunteers, at 12 sites, who devoted 90+ man-hours of labor!
951 Roosevelt Island Residents cast their ballots for their preferences for RIOC Board Members. Here are the results:
1. Lydia Tang 558 Votes
2. Brian Bower 470 Votes
3. Mark Block 464 Votes
4. Michael Shinozaki 432 Votes
5. Eduardo Janey 429 Votes
6. Howard Polivy 287 Votes
7. David Kraut 235 Votes
Thanks for the hard work of each and every volunteer who made this process possible!
Aaron Hamburger
Barbara Brooks
Barbara Parker
Bill Weiss
Chris Gasman
Cindy Wilkerson
Dave Evans
Dimaura Cole
Emma Felix
Fereil Sanders
Ike Nahem
Joan Markey
Judy Knorton
Kasia Krause
Laura Hussey
Lorraine Altman
Mary Cavanaugh
Matthew Katz
Melissa Wade
Mickey Rindler
Nancy Bredice
Nellie Finnegan
Noah Keating
Patrice Herlihy
Pia Doane
Rochelle Liss
Sally Hamburger
Scott Piro
Sheldon Brooks
Scott Piro
Vicky Feinmel
Wendy Hersh
Special thanks to Margie Smith who helped educate our candidates and the community about the importance of this vote. And extra appreciation to Bill Weiss and Laura Hussey who gave additional time to help tally the voting results.
And special thanks to the Managing Agents at 455 Main St, Rivercross, Manhattan Park, Westview, Island House, Octagon and Roosevelt Landings for their help in providing tables and access to their lobbies for this important vote!
Howard Polivy, David Kraut and Michael Shinozaki are long time RIOC Board Directors currently serving. Mr. Polivy and Mr. Kraut did not give their permission to be placed on the election ballot and were not participants in any pre-election publicity. Mr. Shinozaki did agree to participate in the election. All the other nominee candidates actively participated in the election process.
RIRA Governance Committee Chairperson Joyce Short reports on the times and locations for voting in the RIOC Board nominee candidate election:
Monday- April 17th
546 Main St- 11:30-1:30
Southown- 455 Main St- for all Southtown Residents 4:30-9 PM
Rivercross- 4:30 to 9 PM
Westview- 6:30 to 9 PM (Building volunteer needed for 4:30-6:30)
Island House- 7-9 PM (Building volunteer needed for 4:30-7 PM)
Roosevelt Landings- 510 (for 510 and all back buildings) 4:30-9 PM
Roosevelt Landings- 540 (for 540, 546, and all back buildings) 4:30-9 PM
Manhattan Park- 20 River Road (For all Manhattan Park Residents) 4:30-9 PM
Octagon- 4:30-9 PM
Tuesday, April 18th
546 Main St- 11:30-1:30
Southown- 415 Main St- (for all Southtown Residents 4:30-9 PM
Rivercross- 4:30 to 9 PM
Westview- 4:30 to 5:30, and 6:30 to 9 PM (Building volunteer needed for 5:30-6:30)
Island House- 7-9 PM (Building volunteer needed for 4:30-7 PM)
Roosevelt Landings- 560 (for 560 and all back buildings) 4:30-9 PM
Roosevelt Landings- 580 (for 580, 546, and all back buildings) 4:30-9 PM
Manhattan Park- 20 River Road (for all Manhattan Park Residents) 4:30-9 PM
Octagon- 4:30-9 PM
and adds that volunteers are still needed to cover the election sites. Please email Ms. Short if you are interested in volunteering to help with the election.
During April 12 RIRA Meet The RIOC Board Nominee Candidates Forum, Ms. Short provided:
background on the election,
noted that 5 RIOC Board members are required by law to be Roosevelt Island residents and
urged residents to vote and ask their neighbors to vote as well.
According to Ms. Short, RIOC President Susan Rosenthal does not see need for the election because the RIOC President works for the Governor and the Governor selects the RIOC Board. Ms Short believes that the RIOC President and Directors should work for the Roosevelt Island community first and foremost.
At the RIOC Board Nominee Forum, current RIOC Director Margie Smith discussed the importance of Roosevelt Island residents serving on the RIOC Board including role the RIOC Board has in setting budget and land use priorities
Below are statements and biographies of the RIOC Board nominee candidates. Note that the candidates are not running against each other but to fill vacant or currently expired Board Director seats. You can vote for one candidate or all of them in order of preference.
Eduardo Jany, Col USMC (Ret) Statement
I am so proud to take part in this important opportunity to represent my fellow residents on the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board. My wife and I fell in love with the Island community and have made our home here. We live here, shop here, park our car here, educate our son here (RIDN), and make ample use of the Island’s resources. We certainly enjoy the convenience, the diversity and the charm that is Roosevelt Island but firmly believe that we need a stronger voice in Albany. I am fervently passionate about education and public safety as well as ensuring that our community retains its appeal to tourists, visitors and now our Cornell Tech neighbors while addressing commercial growth and quality of life in a proactive way.
It is no secret that New York taxes are among the highest in the nation and the Island affords us great services but there are many improvements needed particularly with the anticipated population increase. The use of impact funding and allocation of resources should involve voices from those who are most affected; our Island residents. Serving commercial or political interests should not mean neglecting our at-risk populations and we should not stand idly by while increased demands on parking, sanitation and maintenance, public safety and security, recreation programs and spaces go unaddressed.
As a Marine and a Special Operations Officer I understand the intrinsic value that such a position holds. The responsibility to represent the community without regard to labels, party affiliation or special interests is paramount to our success. I believe in proactive and collaborative leadership and in expressing the voice of our community with honesty and integrity no matter how unpopular the message may be.
I am at your service and hope that you will see fit to consider me for the RIOC Board.
And BIO :
Eduardo Jany is a first generation immigrant and native of São Paulo, Brazil who moved with his family to the United States in 1968, was naturalized a U.S. Citizen and speaks fluent Portuguese and Spanish. He has lived in four different countries and settled in New York City after being promoted to his current position. Eduardo spent the bulk of his working life in public service and is a retired police officer and career Marine who now directs Security Operations for Bloomberg in the Americas with an area of responsibility which includes the global headquarters and more than 45 facilities with over 10,000 people in ten different countries. He is also Bloomberg’s Director for Global Health and Safety. Prior to joining Bloomberg, Eduardo provided consulting and advisory services for international security and law enforcement projects with special emphasis on Brazil for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games.
He retired as a Colonel from the Marine Corps having served 33 years of combined active and reserve duty in Special Operations, Anti-Terrorism, Reconnaissance and Infantry assignments and had prior enlisted and commissioned service in the U.S. Army Special Forces. He had over seven years of overseas deployments and Commanded the Anti-Terrorism Battalion, at the time the largest Battalion in the Marine Corps. He also retired from law enforcement as a Captain - Assistant Chief of Police after more than 20 years of active police service in Florida, Minnesota and Washington State. Eduardo was wounded in the line of duty during a high-risk SWAT operation in 2003 but made a full recovery and returned to active service and several deployments overseas.
He received a Master’s in Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin, Platteville and attended the University of Minnesota for undergraduate studies. He was a 2013 Senior Executive Fellow at the Harvard University - Kennedy School of Government, and completed the Kennedy School National and International Security Senior Executive Program, the National Defense University Reserve Components National Security Program, and is a graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
He was the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, several US and foreign awards as well as the Police Medal of Valor and Officer of the Year-Excellence in Service Award. He is a volunteer mentor with ACP assisting with Veteran’s outreach, is on the Executive Board of the Overseas Security Advisory Council – Latin America Committee, the Domestic Security Alliance Council, and is an active member of the Citizen’s Crime Commission of New York City.
He is married to Luciana Pinheiro, a former US Embassy Staff member in Brazil and has a baby boy who attends RIDN and two daughters.
Brian Bower Statement:
Hello, my name is Brian Bower, and I'm a native New Yorker and a resident of Roosevelt Island since 2010. I have worked in data analysis and risk evaluation at Thomson Reuters for the last 2 years. I got married in 2016 and am an enthusiastic cook for my wife; you will see me every Saturday frequenting our Farmer's Market to pick up fresh produce for the upcoming week.
Having lived on the Island for the last 7 years, I have become increasingly concerned with the maintenance of the Island's public spaces, facilities, and the allocation of our resources. I believe that the Island's resources should be maintained for our community at a higher standard, and that our Public Safety department needs to be sufficiently funded and staffed, especially given the upcoming opening of Cornell's facilities. It is also essential that we fill the empty storefronts which litter Main Street.
If appointed to the board, I will work to ensure the Island Residents' interests are represented in the financial decisions of RIOC.
Thank You, and I hope to be able to represent our community.
Brian Bower
Lydia Tang Statement:
Being part of the solution and not part of the problem – that’s why I’m running for the RIOC Board of Directors.
My training and education is in Operations Research, with undergraduate and graduate degrees from Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. The goal of Operations Research is to apply mathematical efficiency to organizations and processes. Early in my career, I worked in multinational financial organizations: Citibank, HSBC/Marine Midland Bank and Swiss Bank Corporation. I had increasing project management responsibilities interfacing with all levels of multinational business, trading floor, IT and operations management.
The last 19 years I’ve been a college math professor, working at the Vaughn College of Aeronautics and am currently developing a pilot program for developmental math students at CUNY.
I’ve been an active member of the Roosevelt Island community: Treasurer of the Island House Tenant’s Association, President and Treasurer of the PS/IS217 PTA, and Treasurer of the Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance (MSTDA). My activities at Hope Church are an important part of my life. I’m deeply committed to the objectives of the church. I’ve raised 3 children who have all attended PS/IS 217, two of them are now in college and my youngest attends Eleanor Roosevelt High School.
I urge all of you to vote in this important election. Participate by using your voice to select your community leaders. Then consider how else you can be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Marc Jonas Block Statement
Marc Block has lived on Roosevelt Island since 2005, with his wife, Fang Block, and two daughters, Hannah and Jacqueline. Marc is an active member of the Roosevelt Island Community, regularly coaching both soccer and baseball, and has served on the board of directors of several non-profits.
Marc is a litigation partner at the law firm of Littleton Joyce Ughetta Park & Kelly LLP, where he represents clients in complex commercial, intellectual property, securities and real estate litigation domestically and abroad. He also serves as a Neutral with the United Nation’s World Intellectual Property Organization.
Marc is a former professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology's Foundation Center for Continuing Education, guest lecturer on legal and business issues facing fashion designers at Parsons New School of Design, and recent past President of the International Intellectual Property Society. He authored the following articles: (1) The Benefits of Alternate Dispute Resolution for International Commercial and Intellectual Property Matters, 44 Rutgers L. Rec. 1 (2016) (Publication Pending), (also to be available at http://www.lawrecord.com (all rights reserved)); (2) Nissan Motor Co. v. Nissan Computer Corp.: Ninth Circuit Construes the Federal Trademark Dilution Act, 13 N.Y. St. B.A. Bright Ideas 3 (Winter, 2004); and (3) When are Ideas Protectible?, 18 N.Y. St. B.A. Bright Ideas I (Spring, 2009).
Michael Shinozaki was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation from 2004 to 2009 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor George Pataki. He was re-appointed to the Board by Governor Patterson in January of 2010.
He holds dual Bachelor's Degrees in history and international relations, an honors BA/MA in economics/applied mathematics and a Master's degree in financial economics from the City University of New York. He is a Senior Architect in the financial services and government sectors for the Microsoft Corporation.
His primary areas of specialization are data network communications, security, and data center design and operations. Prior to joining Microsoft he worked for Price Waterhouse, Citigroup, and JPMorgan.
He has lived in New York City since 1986 and on Roosevelt Island since 1991. He is married to Lynne Strong-Shinozaki and has 3 children.
He is an Eagle Scout, a Civil Air Patrol Spaatz Award recipient, and was cited by the American Legion and National Sojourners Society for leadership and military excellence. During the summer of 2010 he had the honor of serving with the US military as a civilian supporting operations in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Here is video of the April 12 RIOC Board Director Nominee Candidate's Forum. I went to the Forum skeptical of the election but came away very impressed with the candidates.
Take a look and decide for yourself.
(Michael Shinozaki was not able to attend due to business travel.)
Following presentations by the candidates, the Roosevelt Island residents in attendance asked questions.
Subjects included the following.
Recent RIOC vote by Director Michael Shinozaki regarding Roosevelt Island Seniors Association,
With a magic wand, what one Roosevelt Island change would the candidates like to see?
Budget priorities, pets, traffic, public safety.
Infrastructure maintenance, RIOC Accountability, independence from Governor's Office.
Is RIOC Board a Rubber Stamp for the Governor or independent? Better use of open space, ball fields and recreational space for residents.
Cornell Tech, Transportation, Youth Community Center.
Balance being an independent RIOC Director with the interests of NY State.
Former Mayor Mike Bloomberg's interest in Roosevelt Island and end of the Forum.
The candidates should be thanked for their willingness to serve the Roosevelt Island community. Take a few moments on Monday and Tuesday to cast a ballot.
RIRA's Government Relations Committee Chairperson Joyce Short reports:
The RIOC Vote- Why It’s Vital for Our Community
On the surface, Roosevelt Island seems like an idyllic, peaceful community. But a closer look reveals an undemocratic, and probably unconstitutional, under belly that harms our quality of life.
As we look around, we see vacant storefronts and recreational fields where our resident kids can’t play because the fields are rented out to the highest corporate bidder. And while our Public Safety Staff guards the Cornell/Tech Development, on our dime, a mother is attacked by a pot smoker behind our public school.
As if that’s not bad enough, our RIOC President, Susan Rosenthal, says we don’t need more Public Safety Officers, even when confronted by the fact that our Public Safety Chief, Jack McManus, says they lack the manpower to check exterior building doors during his staff’s vertical patrols. Rosenthal also wants to charge off each Island non-profit’s “in-kind use of RIOC space” against our Public Purpose Funds. And she expressed her desire to put out RFPs on all Island services like the Garden Club and the PTA’s market.
What’s wrong with this picture!
Roosevelt Island exemplifies the difference between business and government. Business exists to profit, while government’s role is to govern….. make rules and regulations for a population, and provide for the greater good of the community. The constitution of the United States insures that no resident should ever be governed without representation. That’s what the word “Republic” is about.
Instead, here’s what we have…..
Nowhere in the US Constitution does it make a provision for government by “Public Benefit Corporation.” That mentality died with the Dutch India Company who initially settled New York. In New York such enterprises control and administer the State’s assets. But Roosevelt Island is more than assets, it’s “home” to 14,000 people. And the decisions made by RIOC are more than the management of assets, they are “governance” here. Therefore, every resident should be able to vote for the people who sit on the RIOC board ── but we can’t. Those seats are filled through appointments by the Governor.
Are we holding an election?
Several years ago, the community fought to insure that 5 out of 7 of those RIOC seats go to people who live here in this community. Since then, RIRA has held four votes to create a list for the Governor indicating who the community supports.
(Video of Ms. Short Explaining RIOC Board Election At March 1 RIRA Meeting)
It’s not a perfect system, but it’s our system. Governor Cuomo ignored our last vote. All of the seats have expired and he could fill any one or all of those seats at any time. We need to present him with a new list; one that is open to new people who have arrived, and one that strives to represent the diverse mix of our population.
But will those people be appointed?
If you ask RIOC President Susan Rosenthal, she’ll tell you (in fact she told me,) “This election is ridiculous! I’m not in favor of it. The Governor can select anyone he chooses. He doesn’t need the community’s input. And I work for the Governor!”
(Ms. Short Reporting On Conversation With RIOC President Rosenthal At March 1 RIRA Meeting)
She’s also allegedly told RIOC Board Members that their job is to “rubber stamp” what comes down from Albany. She even convinced the board to look the other way when it came to passing a budget for 2018 which should have, but didn’t, include $23MM the state had promised Roosevelt Island. The board failed to include those funds in spite of both RIRA and the Roosevelt Island Community Coalition (RICC) asking them not to do so through their resolutions.
We need strong forces on that board. We need to set the record straight about government for the people, of the people and by the people. And we must let Albany know we will not be silenced by hand-picked demagogues. The days of Dutch India are over. Roosevelt Island is not just assets, it’s a community, and we, the people, are entitled to a say in our governance.
How can you help?
You can cast your vote! It’s tremendously important to let Albany know that how we are governed, and our right to a voice, is important to us. Your attendance at Candidate’s night, where each candidate will answer questions and speak about their views, is invaluable.
Please volunteer to help with poling. We need lots of people! Poling will take place on April 17th and 18th. You can reach me to volunteer at jm.short@aol.com.
And if you have the time and ability, you can throw your hat in the ring to fight the good fight and serve on the RIOC Board.
Here are the important dates to carve on your calendar:
Wednesday, March 15- Candidate information session (Q&A) for potential candidates 6:30 PM, 546 Main St, 12th Floor Community Room
Tuesday March 21- Nominations Close at 6 PM (Public Safety Office)
Friday, March 31- Candidate Bios and photos due for media publication
Tuesday April 11- Candidates Night 6:30 PM, 546 Main St, Sr. Center
April 17 & 18- Elections held in building lobbies (watch for signs in your building)
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
