We are asking for all RIOC Board members to be directly elected by residents of Roosevelt Island. We have had too many years of lackadaisical and ineffective management at RIOC. We need better oversight of RIOC.
The current administration is not functioning.
There are people at RIOC who care and who want to help and who do help. What we need is senior management that engages with the community. Instead we have senior management who appear reflexively to want to close doors and rebuff the residents. Nowhere was this more shockingly apparent than we saw at the recent board meeting where even a resident RIOC board member was met with hostility and an unwillingness to engage. This can’t be right.
We need a different attitude and approach by senior management at RIOC. It’s time for Roosevelt Island residents to be able to vote for their choice of RIOC Board members. This would give us:
Better oversight of RIOC to ensure that the interests of the community are kept front and center in an open and transparent way
The opportunity for so many residents to bring forward their vision of how things could be done for the better service of this community.
Last Saturday, Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy
became the 1 thousandth resident to sign the petition
joining former Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Director Dr Kathy Grimm
and at least 998 other residents seeking competent governance for Roosevelt Island.
According to Mr Krikler last Saturday:
We have 1,000 signatures online and another 35 on paper. This clearly demonstrates that Roosevelt Islanders really do care about how this place is governed and the need for far better, direct representation.
During the January 6 meeting with community journalists, I asked Mayor Adams:
You visited Roosevelt Island in August with Assembly Member Seawright.
There were a variety of local issues that were discussed including
governance for Roosevelt Island and quality of life issues and you had said
that you would send the questions, the list to members of your team. I don't
think we've heard anything back yet and I'm just following up to see if you
could check on that?
Mayor Adams replied:
I saw Assemblywoman Seawright the other day and I'm going to find out from
the team exactly where are we with that, the exact initiative. I think that
the governance issue should be solved and we definitely need to resolve
it.
I thought they were great initiatives that were put forward by those who
were there and so once we have a full understanding and the scope of it,
we've been a little busy with a whole lot going on, but once we're able to
really dig into it so we can make the right decision...
Responding to my follow up question about community meetings being closed to
the press, Mayor Adams added:
I'm always respectful of the wishes of the residents and people who invite
me. You know the press follow me all the time. They even follow me to that
restaurant to see if I have fish.
I'm always followed by the Press. I don't have a problem with the press
being around me but I'm respectful some people don't want their names in the
paper. They're not elected to office, they don't want their quotes in the
paper, they don't want their pictures in the paper so sometimes people say
to us we would rather not open this to the press and I respect that.
I have to be under scrutiny, Miss Jones should not have to be under scrutiny
and I respect that but rarely do we say close press. We are more Open Press.
We believe in transparency as much as possible.
I replied to the Mayor:
I think it's beneficial to the community to know when you attend the community
meeting what happened through an independent press.
Mayor Adams responded:
I agree 100 per cent.
Watch video of the entire Q&A between Mayor Adams and the NYC Ethnic/Community press. It is a very interesting discussion.
Here's the list of Roosevelt Island issues that were presented to the Mayor last August
On May 24, Roosevelt Island resident Faye Christian was approved to be a member of the RIOC Board of Directors by the NY State Senate Finance Committee. Final approval of Ms Christian's appointment is expected tomorrow by the full NY State Senate.
Ms Christian's appointment to the RIOC Board was confirmed by a
spokesperson for State Senate Finance Committee Chair Liz Krueger. No other appointments to the RIOC Board have been made at this time added the spokesperson.
UPDATE 5/3 - According to Assembly Member Seawright:
I'm pleased to welcome Fay Christian back to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board. A longtime resident of Roosevelt Island, Fay brings a much-needed voice for residents' rights. She is a former New York City educator with deep knowledge and experience in Roosevelt Island matters. Starting in 2008, Fay served on the Board for more than a decade and as a member of the real estate advisory committee. We now have a qualified woman serving on the previously all-male board. My thanks to Governor Hochul for nominating Fay and to the Senate for its approval.
The New York State Legislature this week approved Assembly Member Rebecca
Seawright's legislation giving residents a majority vote on the governing
board of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation.
The measure is part of a series of reforms to bring greater accountability
and transparency to the board, which serves more than 12,000
residents.
Under the Seawright legislation, five of the nine appointees to the board,
and majority, must reside on the island. The governor appoints four resident
board members. The mayor appoints one resident board member.
“The Founding Fathers’ cry of “no taxation without representation” has
somehow eluded the Board of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation,”
said Seawright. "This long overdue reform will finally give residents a
majority on the governing board to fight for a better Roosevelt
Island.”
Clarify the residency requirement for certain public appointments to the
Board of Directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation and
stipulate for their immediate resignation from the board upon the
termination of such residency;
Provide for the appointment of a successor within 60 days when a board
vacancy occurs within an unexpired term;
Require the posting of job vacancies on the corporation's website.
The Legislature also approved a separate bill sponsored by Seawright and
Serrano to require the corporation's Chief Executive Officer to reside on
the island. A non-resident CEO would be required to relocate to the island
within one year of appointment.
Asked if Governor Hochul will sign the legislation, a spokesperson replied:
Governor Hochul is reviewing the legislation.
I asked several Roosevelt Island residents involved with and knowledgeable about
local governance issues their thoughts about the legislation.
Former RIOC Director and Chair of the RIOC Governance Committee Margie Smith
said:
I think this new law is good, but there’s some confusion about what the bill
actually does. For many years, the law has required that a majority of the
board members be residents. That’s not new. The way around it has been that
when a resident member quits, the seat stays empty and that can quickly shift
the balance of power. So, the part of the bill that requires a replacement
member be put in within 60 days is terrific. Also terrific is the part that
requires a member who moves off the Island to resign. I love both of those.
And, the requirement to post jobs on local sites is great.
However, I don’t agree with the requirement that a CEO must reside on the
Island. I don’t think it’s necessary to live here in order to do a good job.
We’ve had a couple of good CEOs who lived off Island. The job of CEO is
extremely difficult. It requires a very unique skill set; someone with the
ability to manage facilities, including grounds and transportation, people,
the press, etc. It also requires a knowledge of how to maneuver within a
political structure which can be very difficult. Requiring that the CEO
reside on Roosevelt Island severely limits our pool of candidates to fill
this position. And, a good CEO doesn’t have to live here to understand the
community and do a good job. It requires a smart person who has the
background to handle the mechanics of the job and the ability to work with
the community to understand our needs.
The real issue is, and has always been, the fact that the residents DO NOT
ELECT the members of the board. Having fought this fight for years, I
recognize it’s next to impossible to get a bill passed that allows this and
I applaud Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright and Senator Jose Serrano’s
efforts. This bill is another step forward but we still have lots of work to
do on getting ELECTED representation for the Island.
Former Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Governance Committee
Chair and current candidate for NY State Democratic Committeewoman Joyce Short
said:
I applaud the efforts Assembly Member Seawright and Senator Serrano are
making to put residents on the RIOC Board and insure they are replaced when
they no longer serve. But here's the problem even once this bill passes....
Having Roosevelt Islanders on the RIOC Board can only provide the elected
government, that the Constitution guarantees, if those directors are elected
by our community, not appointed and serving at the pleasure of the Governor-
as is currently the case.
An important interest in my running for
NY State Democratic Committeewoman
is to insure that the flaws in our present "government by appointment"
system, are corrected.
Our community is unique in that the state of NY re-inserts itself at the
local level here on Roosevelt Island. It's one thing for a Public Benefit
Corporation to manage the assets of the state. It's quite another for them
to promulgate regulations for our residents...... and make up the laws as
they go along.... like recently handcuffing a woman for a parking violation.
The land-leases our rents pay for cover the operating costs of the Island,
not revenues from the State or City. RIOC's transparency failure and
disregard for community input results from their being appointed, not
elected to their positions.
While RIOC officers and Board members may try to do their best, the
structure, itself, is a critical flaw that begs correction.
Former RIRA President Matt Katz said:
I am absolutely blown away!
I wonder if the recent incendiary letter by RIOC whistle-blowers wasn't the
impetus for these monumental changes.
Given that many of us have been working towards this for over twenty years
and with succeeding generations of State representatives, frankly, I didn't
expect these necessary and democratic provisions to be discussed, much less
passed by the Legislature in Albany in my lifetime.. I am profoundly
grateful to Assembly Member Seawright and Senator Serrano who were
responsible for this accomplishment. Of course, Gov. Hochel must now sign
this into law, but I can see no reason why she wouldn't.
I hope that the Roosevelt Island Resident Association, which was responsible
for seating many Island residents on the RIOC Board in past years, and
through Island-wide elections, will take on the task of filling the vacant
Board seats and---with Island residents.
I'm dancing on air!!
RIRA Member Frank Farance said:
This is just legislative hygiene, in case the law wasn't clear already.
There are existing laws on the books that RIOC doesn't comply with regarding
directors, other than a first or second vacancy, I doubt this law will
change the behavior of RIOC, the ABO, or the Governor.
Ho hum. What change do you expect in RIOC? RIOC has too many staff, many of
them lack qualifications. For example, the PPF process was changed because
of accounting and bookkeeping, but we need to outsource PPF - not have
qualified people working for RIOC. So why would the posting of job vacancies
help? Surely, I believe there should be a common posting, but many of the
problems are caused by poor management and executive management at RIOC, not
the transparency of job postings.
RIRA already reviewed this a couple years ago when Joyce Short told
Seawright that the Island wanted this, but the RIRA Common Council had
rejected this idea with many concerns, including:
the requirement diminishes the pool of viable candidates;
having an apartment on the Island doesn't mean that the CEO stays here as
demonstrated by a prior RIOC President (Indelicato, I think);
having an apartment in one of the apartment buildings might create a
conflict of interest (as demonstrated by a prior RIOC President);
the residency requirement will NOT require the RIOC President to give up
their prior residence (very difficult housing market), nor will there
Roosevelt Island residence become their Primary Residence, as it has other
important consequences; and
the cost of the apartment (probably additional $60-80K per year) will be
paid by RIOC, categorized as Public Purpose (reducing money spent directly
on residents), paid by our ground leases and, thus, paid via our own rents
and maintenance payments - surely that $60-80K could be better spent on
the Island, such as greater PPF monies each year for Island organizations.
Rather than listen to a couple of out-of-touch Roosevelt-Island-Whisperers,
legislators would do better, say, by engaging with elected representatives
in RIRA or the community directly in a Town Hall meeting. I suggest dropping
the residency requirement for the RIOC President/CEO.
Former RIRA member Sherie Helstien said:
Residents not chosen by the people over whom they make community decisions are
no better or different than ones from off-Island. Period.
As previously reported, in 2010
then Governor David Patterson vetoed RIOC governance legislation that would
have required all 7 Public Members of the Board to be Roosevelt Island
residents. According to Governor Patterson's veto statement:
... While the interest of Roosevelt Island residents may often coincide with those of the State and the City there may be instances in which they do not. Roosevelt Island represents a large investment by the State of New York and is a complex operation with responsibilities to both New York State and New York City. RIOC's enabling statute makes clear that it is to function in the public interest "for the benefit of the people of the state"...
Seven of the nine are public members. Two of the public members are recommended by the NYC Mayor, one of whom must be a Roosevelt Island resident. 5 are appointed by the NY Governor, 4 of whom must be Roosevelt Island residents.
...The RI Living Library & Think Park Gardens serve as a thriving and
healthy, hands-on ecological learning hub for youth and adults to explore
and learn about nature, and work with soil and plants, so they grow and
thrive in an urban setting.
Bonnie Ora Sherk, Founder & Director of A Living Library, and its
nonprofit sponsor, Life Frames, Inc., has been working together with the
Roosevelt Island community since 2001. She has been joined by China Bushell,
who is working with the community in transforming the R.I. Living Library
& Think Park Gardens into the ecological artwork we see today, and
teaching all ages about plants, gardening, and all things natural, including
healthy eating and cooking....
The Roosevelt Island Living Library is located next to the new Public Library
branch (504 Main Street) and Roosevelt Island Youth Center (506 Main
Street).
On Saturday May 15, I spoke with Roosevelt Island Living Library Manager and
Teacher China Bushell about their gardening projects and volunteer
opportunities. Ms Bushell told me:
... every year we plant in this garden anywhere from 500 to a 1,000 plants,
most of which are annuals...
... we have every herb. Rosemary, Calendula, Basil, Parsley Cilantro. We
have Lavender, we have flowers, Cosmos, Salvia, French Marigolds, African
Marigolds. We have Snapdragons.
We have vegetables we have four kinds of Peppers Serrano Jalapeno Cayenne
and Bell. we have four types of tomato San Marzano Celebrity, Sweet 100 and
Beef. We have Zucchini, Cucumbers Kale, every Fennel. We have
everything...
... This year I want to do three major things probably four. I need help
building a shed. I need help building beds around this wonderful area
especially this overgrown area. I also need help with building a compost bin
and also my favorite the fence...
Last Saturday, I learned of a very disturbing incident involving Ms Bushell
and Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications & Community Affairs Director Erica Spencer-El. According
to Ms Bushell:
Thursday, May 20th was one of my worst days on the Island.
I am the Gardner, head teacher, for the Roosevelt Island Living Library
& Think Park Gardens. Last week I had an encounter that shattered my
belief about what this Island and the Community Groups of this Island stand
for. As you all know, for three years I’ve been asking for water. Not once,
not twice but numerous times, I’ve asked RIOC to assist us with water.
Last year, the Contractor who renovated the new RI Public Library, assisted
by hooking me up to the spout around the back of the new space for the
Library - the Youth Center. This year, I asked again and have been lugging
bottles full of water, in my car, from home. A ridiculous concept, but RI
Living Library needed water.
As all of you know who reside in NYC, the last 10 days; we’ve had a heatwave
producing a long dry spell. So when I walked into our Garden this past
Thursday, lugging water, I realized that our trees and most of the
garden was thirsty and dried out. My several gallons of water had not
watered our Garden. Two of the trees were dying, so I had to act
quickly.
I went to the water connection that I had used two years ago and found out
that it had been capped. I carry tools in my car, so I went and brought back
tools to help me unlock the valve. I did, but realized the water had been
turned off from within the building.
So, I headed for the spout I used last year during the Pandemic - where the
Contractor had hooked me up - behind the Youth Center. As I was attaching my
hose, a security guard came out to ask what I was doing. I explained that I
used this water source all of last year and that I was in desperate need of
water. He looked as though he understood. A woman came out and told me I was
trespassing and that I had to leave. I explained who I was and how desperate
I was. She looked at me and told me I’m trespassing, and I would have to
leave. She explained she was Erica and that Ms. Bonnie should know better. I
then asked her, if she could make an exception today because all the plants
were dying.
“Plants are living creatures and need water, please help us ‘ I begged. She
looked me in the eye and said ‘No’. Not even for a one time deal. I then
told her that we are a small community and should help each other. She
refused and told me to leave, ‘ Your trespassing!’ I left despondent. Upset
and still desperate, I ran back to the Garden .
I wasn’t at the Garden for five minutes, before the security guard shows up
with a public safety police person. Apparently Erica filed a complaint with
them and asked for them to write me up.
I mean in the age of George Floyd, a black woman calling the police on
another black woman .....and for water!!! Ridiculous....
To my benefit, the security guard who was originally at the scene with Erica
heard in my voice my desperation for water and shared that with the public
safety cop, so they both stated they came to help.
They shared they didn’t understand Erica, and her objection to watering, at
least once, and suggested I use the water at the Blackwell House. I told
them I wasn’t sure because the hose crosses a major walking path which many
Roosevelt Islanders cross. They found me cones to create awareness. Luckily
for me, the water turned on.
Before, I could water, public safety asked for my license to write me up.
Appalling!!!
I’m trying to create this year’s respite, as I did last year , on the
Island; and I have to search, beg and look for water. I have to listen to a
woman who runs the YOUTH Center, tell me I’m trespassing, instead of
allowing me to use the water once, in a time of drought and a heat wave. And
the fact that we are all funded by the same entity, where is our comradery
?
Where is our Community? It’s water!!! I wasn’t stealing her plants or
invading her space. I was using one of two working water outlets available
to me.
To this end, I’m still upset! For the life of me, I can’t understand how
anyone would deny me one of the only sources of water in my area during a
drought and heat wave. I can’t understand how someone, who is supposed to
help youth, and can’t share water?
Her attitude, her sending the police after me is Unacceptable and Uncalled
for. I don’t know the politics of the Island, and I have tried to create
relationships, even with the people I vie competitively with, because we
have one goal: to help, improve and support the people who live on Roosevelt
Island.
I’d like water in our area!!! We need it.
I Never want to be in this position again. It’s UNFAIR and UNACCEPTABLE
!!
Upon learning of the incident, Bonnie Ora Sherk, the Founder and Director of
A Living Library sent this May 25 email below to Ms Bushell and copying RIOC
staff and directors, NYC Council Member Ben Kallos, NY State Assembly Member
Rebecca Seawright and Roosevelt Island community members
Dear China,
I am so sorry that you had this vicious, rude, and disrespectful experience
that you described in your email with Erica Spencer-El Al. She has a
terrible reputation with so many RI community members as being an extremely
cold, mean-spirited communicator and person. Hopefully RIOC management and
the RIOC Board will talk with her about this incident so that an apology
will be offered to you for your treatment, and the police report will be
expunged from your record.
Please just know there is even more History to this situation than you
alluded to, or perhaps even know about:
In addition to you asking for water, I have too; for many years, been asking
for water for this site, even before you came to work with Life Frames, Inc.
and the RI Community a few years back.
The RI Living Library & Think Park Gardens have been in our current
location behind the RI Public Library since FY 2010-11, when Steve Chironis,
then RIOC COO, invited us to move from our many sites at PS/IS 217, where we
had been greening the school and nearby environments since right after 9/11,
working with the full community in planning and doing. We created Orchards
on the riverside of the school planted by the students, and gorgeous, lush,
Organic Vegetable, Flower, Herb Gardens and a Compost 3-Bin complex inside
the school yard, also planted, maintained, and built by the students as part
of their A.L.L. STEAM + Literacy Program that Life Frames provided to PreK-8
students during the school day, after school, and summers, for about 10
years at this site.
When the School went into construction and had scaffolding surrounding the
building for many years, and used our RI Living Library & Think Park
Orchard for its construction staging area, Steve Chironis helped to move us
to our current site adjacent to, and behind the new Library. I am attaching
a couple of pics for you to see its former state of underused, barren
emptiness - nothing resembling its vital beauty today.
For many years, we used the water spigots behind the building where the
newly renovated Library is now, to access water for the Gardens. I even met
with Library management and the architects to discuss many times, the idea
of adding outdoor water and electricity to the building. That made so much
sense, but unfortunately, did not happen.
When the actual renovations finally began those many years ago, the building
was gutted and all utilities were removed. At that point, there was no
longer any water available, so we used water from behind the Youth Center
for some time, but it was awkward as it was often locked even though we were
allowed to use the water by the then Director of the Youth Center.
Then, the great, Doryne Isley, from Urban America, gave us access to one of
her buildings just past the Youth Center to access water from an outside
spigot. That was quite a distance from the A.L.L. Gardens, but to worked for
us for several years, even though we had to lug several hundred feet of hose
to the site, until the renovations for the Library began, and Doryne’s
building access was eliminated due to construction.
During the construction, the then RIOC Senior Capital Planning Director,
Steven T. Noone, asked me to create a Master Plan for the site, also
attached below, which I did. We discussed at great length our need for
water, and the ideas that he had to include new water quick couplers under
the ground as part of the Blackwell House renovations. He also was going to
include some other capital funds for improvements to the area like: new
paving (including recycling the beautiful Belgian Blocks behind the
Library), wheelchair accessible planters, a shed, fencing, and other needs
for the space. Unfortunately he left RIOC some years ago and his ideas were
not implemented.
During this time, I also met with, and had many discussions about the water,
fencing, greenhouse and shed needs, with Prince Shah, Senior Capital Project
Manager and his colleague, Janet Fasano (no longer at RIOC). Although we
discussed the water need and other needs for several years nothing
happened.
After Steve Noone left, another Senior Capital Planner was hired, Jonna
Carmona-Graf, with whom I also worked closely to get these basic needs met.
She too left after a few years and no water source came to our A.L.L.
Gardens.
Then, Patrick McCauley was brought in as the RIOC Communications Director,
and Prince said I was to work with him to get water and other needs met. I
did, and we worked together, and then he left last year, but again, no water
source was brought to the A.L.L. Gardens.
During these years, by the way, Erica was cc’d on many of these emails that
went back and forth, so she should have been more familiar with our needs
and the situation, and not surprised, and saying to you last Thursday, that
I "should have known better”. Quite ironic, don’t you think ?
Then, earlier this year, during our PPF presentation, John O’Reilly and I
discussed the need for water during the public meeting. He seemed to
indicate we could discuss this together as well as other needs we have for
this public amenity we are creating. I have tried to reach him since then to
discuss further, with no response from him.
At any rate, as you can see, we have been trying to get water - a basic need
- to this site - for at least 10 years. Perhaps this year, someone at RIOC
will see the light and prevail.
Thanks for OUR patience.
Sending you much Gratitude, Thanks, and RESPECT for your devoted service to
the RI community and the RI Living Library & Think Park Gardens,
Long time Roosevelt Island resident and former Roosevelt Island Residents
Association President Matt Katz added:
This is nothing new. Erica has never been inclined to find solutions to
problems that I am aware of. That sources of water should be capped, on an
Island surrounded by a River, is absurd.
Bonnie Sherk and the Living Library have been a source of beauty for the
community and a resource for educating children, seniors and the disabled
for the over twenty years in which she has served us. Her obstacles have
been dramatic. New York City has never supported her projects in the way San
Francisco, her other nexus, has; how short-sighted!
RIOC, with its massive turn-over in department heads makes promises and
then, reneges as new,leadership that doesn't have a clue comes on board. As
for the top spot, President and CEO, I think there have been 15 or 16 heads
of the corporation in the 32 years I've lived on Roosevelt Island. By the
time they start to learn the issues and address them, they're gone! A
"public benefit" corporation, whose leadership and employees who don't live
here and have no stake in the community, is no way to run a residential and
commercial community. Elective government is.
And while we are politically a part of New York City our municipal electeds
do not make the nuts and bolts decisions here that they are responsible for
elsewhere. We attempted to require the RIOC Board of Directors, that sets
policy for the corporation, be a majority of residents (it is) and that they
be chosen by residential plebiscite. As a result of massive effort by the
Resident Association, this was the case until Andrew Cuomo was elected
Governor, destroyed our attempt at elective democracy, and returned the
Board to appointment by fiat.
We deserve better. The Living Library deserves better. Our Island of gardens
deserves better.
Resident Vicki Feinmel agrees with Mr Katz:
Well said Matt. That RIOC can’t allow the Living Library easy access to water is absolutely ridiculous. The garden is wonderful and enjoyed by all. I just can’t understand what the problem is.
The Living Library has been here for years and deserves better treatment.
I've asked RIOC twice this week for comment on this issue. So far, no
response.
Mr Yang was accompanied by Democratic Party Primary 76 Assembly District (includes Roosevelt Island) Leader candidate Esther Yang, who has become a familiar presence on Roosevelt Island campaigning every Saturday at the Farmers Market.
Amazing afternoon talking to voters and small business owners on Roosevelt Island with future District Leader @estheryangny. Thank you to our incredible volunteers who came for canvassing. Riding the tram together was a treat! 🚡 pic.twitter.com/Sld9pUpiWx
— Andrew Yang🧢🗽🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) May 24, 2021
I spoke with Mr Yang as he walked down Main Street on his way from the Nisi Diner
and then back to Manhattan. I asked Mr Yang why he was running for Mayor, what experience and qualifications does he have to be Mayor and his top 3 priorities should he be elected.
I also asked:
Roosevelt island is different from other New York City neighborhoods because we're governed by New York State just like Battery Park City. I wonder if you had any views on maybe returning Roosevelt Island to the City Of New York ?
Mr Yang replied:
Alex just asked me about this and it is a very distinct situation that Roosevelt Island is in with RIOC where you have people who are appointed by the State.
It's something I'd love to talk to the folks here in Roosevelt Island about which is one of the biggest issues that you currently encounter with the way that the governance is run at present and is there a way that we can make it so that the community members here who have the most at stake have a say in what happens here on the island so i I'd be really both open to and excited about those kinds of ideas.
Here's my interview with Mr Yang
and portion of his conversation with Nisi owner Alex Razaghi.
I spoke with Mr Yang on the Roosevelt Island Tram about his visit to Roosevelt
Island.
After getting off the Tram, Andrew Yang endorsed Esther Yang for Democratic Party 76 Assembly District Leader.
Throughout his time campaigning on Roosevelt Island, I noticed Mr Yang shaking hands with voters. I asked him about campaign handshakes in the age of Covid 19. Mr Yang replied:
I've been vaccinated. Most people have been vaccinated and the data
doesn't show that it's physical contact that would be an issue anyway.
But most of it is that my campaign is largely about about bringing
the energy back to New York City.
About people coming back to
enjoy places like Roosevelt Island, frequenting the small businesses
so I want to lead by example. I want people in New York to know that
the energy is coming back.
We need change in the city and one
way that we can exemplify that change just by campaigning in a way that
represents what we want New York City to be.
Some more scenes from Andrew Yang's campaign visit to Roosevelt Island.
The Board of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) appoints Shelton J. Haynes as President and Chief Executive Officer of RIOC – hooray for Mr. Haynes! To read more about it, visit https://t.co/LIS3i4LIQ0pic.twitter.com/5GsOBScnBf
Mr Haynes has served as the RIOC Interim President/CEO since June 2020
following the abrupt and controversial firing of former RIOC President Susan
Rosenthal, which is currently the subject of a wrongful termination lawsuit by
Ms Rosenthal.
Mr Haynes was the RIOC Vice President of Operations since 2016.
RIOC Board Chair Linda Manley reported to the Board Members during March 16 meeting:
It is my recommendation and I think the recommendation of the Executive Chamber that Shelton be appointed as President and CEO of the Corporation....
The Executive Chamber is the Office of NY State Governor Andrew Cuomo, also known commonly around RIOC as "The Second Floor".
RIOC Board member David Kraut added:
I would note that I don't disagree with anything you said about Shelton. Shelton is prepared to do this job.
This board did not do a search as is recommended in our bylaws. Such a search would ... be very difficult at this point in time.
I also note that the Executive Chamber has recommend Shelton to us and I see no reason to disagree with that recommendation but it did come from outside. The Governor does hold a seat on this Board in fact if not in law and we can proceed from there....
Here's video of discussion including remarks from Mr Haynes upon being approved as the new RIOC President.
Thank you all for the overwhelming support with calls, emails, text messages, social media posts and etc. I am truly honored and humbled at being appointed as President/CEO of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. We have such a dynamic group of professionals that are committed to excellence. I am eager to continue to build upon our mission while working with the community to enhance the quality of life on Roosevelt Island.
The Board of Directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) today voted to appoint Shelton J. Haynes as President and Chief Executive Officer, a role in which he has been serving in an acting capacity since June of last year. Having first joined RIOC in April 2016 as Vice President of Operations, Mr. Haynes oversaw the Island’s day-to-day functions as well as management of the Corporation’s various administrative, operational, and planning departments, including the Public Safety Department.
When Mr. Haynes was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, his vision was to provide strategic planning and create a results driven environment. He placed emphasis on enhancing the Corporation’s overall efficiency and internal subject matter expertise. He invested in critical training, redefining agency positions, recruiting top notch professionals, creating checks and balances, working tirelessly with the public, setting measurable goals with key performance indicators, and lastly, enhancing technology to streamline business processes. More importantly, he is committed to creating a culture where everyone is working toward a common goal.
Mr. Haynes’ most visible impact on the Roosevelt Island community has been his leadership in dramatically increasing the scope of RIOC’s Capital Program. From 2013 to 2015, before Mr. Haynes arrived, RIOC spent an average of $4.5 million per year on capital projects. From 2017 all the way through 2020, the average amount spent on major capital projects such as the landmark restoration of Blackwell House, a newly renovated youth center, and the seawall railing replacement, has more than doubled to over $14.5 million per year. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, for FY 2020-21, Mr. Haynes was instrumental in working with the RIOC Board of Directors on the approval of $40 million towards the Capital Program.
HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “We are so pleased to see Shelton Haynes take the helm as President and CEO of RIOC after four years of outstanding service as Chief Operating Officer and then Acting President. Shelton’s extensive experience and expertise with strategic planning, corporate operations and management will build upon RIOC’s success and move the organization forward with fresh ideas. We look forward to continuing to work together with Shelton for the benefit of all who call Roosevelt Island home.”
“I’m honored by the opportunity to serve such a diverse, engaged and passionate community alongside a team of extremely dedicated and talented group of professionals.” said RIOC President & Chief Executive Officer, Shelton J. Haynes. “I thank Governor Cuomo, RIOC Board Chair, RuthAnne Visnauskas, and the RIOC Board of Directors for this humbling opportunity. I look forward to enhancing the quality of life on Roosevelt Island and providing exceptional service to the community that we serve.”
Mr. Haynes brings to the role more than two decades of experience with 10 years of executive level expertise and 16 years of overall management acumen. Previously, Mr. Haynes served as Chief Operating Officer at the Housing Authority of DeKalb County in Georgia, where he oversaw all agency operations, strategic and operational initiatives, as well as the executive management team.
Under his leadership, the Housing Authority was able to transform underperforming departments into high performing ones, based on measurable key performance indicators and compliance audits. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Hampton University.
Dreaming of a Post-RIOC Roosevelt Island! Please sign my petition to imagine better, more inclusive local governance for our beautiful island https://t.co/7mMVvS8wOn
Roosevelt Island has been home to many, many wonderful people, families and organizations over the years. Unfortunately, it has also been home to chronic government neglect, inefficiency, corruption and worse. The people of Roosevelt Island have no say in how their public spaces are used, what developments are undertaken in their community and how public services are delivered and governed.
This situation has only been exacerbated during the COVID-19 crisis, as the non-resident RIOC administration and staff have departed the island, but not before closing 80% of our public and green spaces to public use, leaving behind only the numerous PSD officers to risk their lives to implement an ill-advised and impossible charge.
It is about time that the people of Roosevelt Island took charge of this island for themselves, and made it a better place to live for families, kids, students, immigrants, seniors and the differently abled. While we do not know the exact form this political solution will take, we should know that we have made do without local political representation and governance for long enough. We need to start the discussion about what the post-RIOC future of Roosevelt Island looks like NOW.
If you are interested in being a part of this discussion, please sign this petition! We welcome any and all comers!
(Disclaimer: This petition is unaffiliated with any formal institution, organization and/or commercial entity. It is supported only by individuals acting in their personal capacity as residents or other stakeholders of the island.)
Jeffrey R. Escobar, Member, Board of Directors Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Conway S. Ekpo, Member, Board of Directors Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
David E. Kapell, Member, Board of Directors Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Here's video of the confimation. RIOC Board members confirmation is at beginning of video.
Jeffrey Escobar is an attorney, Roosevelt Island resident and former President of Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) ending his 5 years as RIRA President in November 2018..
Conway S Ekpo is in-house counsel for Morgan Stanley. Do not know if he is a resident or not.
David E Kappel is a Director of State of New York Mortgage Agency Board (SONYMA). According to his SONYMA bio:
... Mr. Kapell is also president of Kapell Real Estate, Inc., a boutique family-run brokerage in Greenport that he founded in 1981.
He has three grown children and lives in Greenport and on Roosevelt Island with his wife, Eileen Kapell....
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors Governance Committee is meeting tomorrow. The only specific agenda item is a discussion of RIOC Board member appointments. According to RIOC:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Governance Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 5:30 P.M. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Agenda:
1. Discussion of Committee’s Role in Assisting with Board Member Appointments.
2. Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee.
***
The Open Meetings Law of the State of New York requires that all public bodies conduct meetings, convened for the purpose of officially conducting public business, in a manner open to attendance by the general public to observe and listen.
... seeking details about the RIOC Board vacancies and appointment process....
leading to community speculation that new RIOC Board appointments may be coming. As noted in the video of April 20 RIOC Board meeting, the Governor was asking about all Public Authorities Board vacancies, not just RIOC.
Howard Polivy, David Kraut and Michael Shinozaki are currently seated RIOC Directors. Howard Polivy and David Kraut were added to the ballot without their consent. Director Michael Shinozaki consented to appearing on the ballot. The remaining current RIOC Directors, Margie Smith and Faye Christian, did not appear on the ballot. Ms Smith indicated she did not wish to be on the ballot. It's not clear if Ms Christian indicated any preference about having her name on the ballot.
The remaining nominee candidates are not currently on the RIOC Board.
The RIRA May 3 Common Council approved the following letter be sent to Governor Cuomo:
Dear Governor Cuomo,
On April 17 & 18, 2017, the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) conducted a referendum to determine how the community would like the expired seats on the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. (RIOC) board filled. We understand that vetting by the State is an important part of the process and we hope that the State will find the following community residents worthy of the task:
Lydia Tang
Brian Bower
Mark Block
Michael Shinozaki
Eduardo Jany
Howard Polivy
David Kraut
There are 7 expired seats on the board. We hope you will honor the community’s wishes and appoint all seven Island residents to those expired seats.
We sincerely thank you for considering the voice of the community regarding this important matter.
Best,
Jeffrey R. Escobar
President, Roosevelt Island Residents Association
Below is the approved RIRA letter to Governor Cuomo regarding the RIOC Board Nominee Candidates vote.
At the very end of the April 20 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Of Directors meeting (video web cast here), Acting Board Chair Alex Valella and RIOC President Susan Rosenthal reported on a bit of information that could have huge importance for Roosevelt Island.
The info is that NY State Governor Andrew Cuomo is seeking details about the RIOC Board vacancies and appointment process.
In response to my inquiry, RIOC President Susan Rosenthal adds:
The Governor wanted to ensure that Boards of New York State Authorities are “full and active.” Each public authority was requested to provide an update on how Board members are appointed, total number of seats on each Board, when and where the Board meets, location of Board meetings, permissible ways of attendance for Board members, as well as current vacancies and Board member term expirations. No one has yet been nominated or interviewed by Albany.
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.
