The Full Board of CB8 is meeting at Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island on
October 23rd, starting at 630 pm. The meeting is hybrid, in person and zoom
for members of the public.
We will be voting on a resolution to support Council Member
Julie Menin’s resolution in support of direct elections for Directors of RIOC. CM Menin will be speaking near
the start of the meeting.
Come and speak out in favor of this. Members of the public get to speak at
the start of the meeting but you have to sign up ahead of time to speak.
You can sign up here.
... calling on the New York State Legislature and Governor to amend the New York State Public Authorities Law by granting residents of Roosevelt Island the power to vote for members of the board of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation.
City Meetings NYC website has the video and transcript of testimony by Roosevelt Island residents to the September 19, 2024 meeting of the NYC Council Committee on Governmental Operations, State and Federal Legislation in support of Ms Menin's resolution.
Paul Krikler, a resident of Roosevelt Island, testifies in support of Resolution 132, which calls for direct election of Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) board members. He represents 1,100 petition signatories seeking democratic governance on the island.
Emphasizes the significant proportion of Roosevelt Island residents (out of 12,000) who support this initiative
Highlights the need for better oversight and community involvement in island management
Mentions historical issues between RIOC and residents, with the current board failing to provide adequate oversight
Margie Smith, a long-time resident of Roosevelt Island and former RIOC Board Director, testifies in support of Resolution 132, which calls for granting Roosevelt Island residents the power to vote for members of the RIOC board. She emphasizes the lack of democratic representation in the island's governance and the unique challenges faced by its residents.
Smith highlights the contradiction of Roosevelt Island residents voting for city officials who don't have authority over their island, while being unable to vote for the RIOC board that makes key decisions.
She points out the financial burden on Roosevelt Island residents, who pay ground rent and taxes but have no say in how the money is spent on island maintenance and services.
Smith urges the City Council to support the resolution, while acknowledging their limited authority to enact change directly.
Joyce Short, a long-time Roosevelt Island resident, testifies in support of Resolution 132, which calls for granting Roosevelt Island residents the power to elect members of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) board. She argues that the current appointment system for RIOC board members is undemocratic and violates the principles of republican government.
Short emphasizes that Roosevelt Island is leased by New York City to the state, and as the "landlord," the city should intervene to address the governance issues.
She highlights the ineffectiveness of community referendums in influencing board appointments, with only one out of five referendums resulting in actual appointments.
Short expresses concerns about RIOC's focus on maintaining a crime-free image for real estate purposes, potentially at the expense of properly addressing crime on the island.
Penina Gold, a resident of Roosevelt Island, testified in support of Resolution 132-2024, which calls for allowing Roosevelt Island residents to vote for members of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) board. She emphasized the lack of democratic representation in the island's governance and the need for accountability.
Gold highlighted that Roosevelt Island residents can vote in general NYC elections but have no say in selecting RIOC leadership.
She stressed that RIOC, which manages most aspects of life on Roosevelt Island, is not accountable to its residents.
Gold urged all council members to support the resolution and called on state legislators and the governor to pass and sign the proposed law.
But be aware that Community Board 8 and NYC Council have no power to implement RIOC Board elections which is under the jurisdiction of NY State although passing the resolution could have a degree of persuasive authority on the issue with NY State decision makers.
... this past February Council Member Julie Menin introduced Resolution 0132, calling on the NY State Legislature and Government to grant residents of Roosevelt Island the power to vote for members of the board of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. You can read more about the bill here:
Just today, the Council Committee on Government Operations, State and Federal Legislation announced that this bill will be heard during their 10am hearing this Thursday, the 19th. We are encouraging all members of the community to testify either in person at the Committee Room at City Hall, virtually through zoom or you may submit written testimony. To register, please visit and click on the 9/19 Committee on Government Operations, State and Federal Legislation. Unfortunately, Council Member Menin is not a member of this committee and is already scheduled to speak at a healthcare related conference during this hearing.
I asked Mr Krikler for comment on the resolution. Mr Krikler replied:
I am a member of Community Board 8, but I am commenting in my individual capacity as a resident of RI; As a four year resident of Roosevelt Island, I am thrilled to see Res 0132. I plan on attending the hearing to give testimony in support of this resolution. I will be speaking on behalf of the nearly 1,100 people who signed a petition, we residents started, demanding direct elections of the RIOC Directors.
We have had too many years of lackadaisical and ineffective management at RIOC. While current interim management are a breathe of fresh air, we need better oversight of RIOC as this is the rarity and not the norm. I encourage others to testify, in person, on zoom or with written testimony. The City Council needs to hear from us all.
Click here for info to testify on the resolution in support of RIOC Board directors before the 9/19 Committee on Government Operations, State and Federal Legislation in person, virtually by zoom or submit written testimony.
But be aware that the NYC Council has no power to implement RIOC Board elections which is under the jurisdiction of NY State although passing the resolution could have a degree of persuasive authority on the issue with NY State decision makers.
RIOC Board Directors are unpaid volunteers who devote substantial amounts of time to important issues facing Roosevelt Island.
According to Ms. Smith, her decision to resign was completely voluntary. Had she chosen to do so, she could have remained as a RIOC Director, even though her term of office expired long ago, as have the terms for all the other RIOC Directors.
Ms Smith writes in her letter of resignation:
When I first joined the RIOC board it was after an election where the residents of the Island chose the people they wanted on the board.
I strongly support elections for board members. It’s been 8 years since I was appointed to a 4 year term. During my tenure the Governor replaced one elected member with a non-elected, non-resident. Another board member has resigned and not been replaced in spite of the fact that there have been several elections where the residents have chosen new board members to fill the empty seats and replace some of the current board members.
I see no sign that any action is contemplated any time soon. I don’t believe the residents intended for board members to remain in their seats years after their terms had expired. My leaving at this point gives the city and state time to fill my seat this June. Waiting any longer leaves the same board in place for another year.
Because of this, and because I see more State control over the board than ever, and certainly more control than what was told to us in our NYS board training, I find myself philosophically out of step with some of the decisions made by the Board.
I intend to remain involved in several projects that are on the table right now, specifically the Hope Memorial and the Island of Arts. My role will be that of an interested resident rather than a Board member. I wish the remaining board members luck in the future and will give them my total support in this very difficult job they’ve taken on for the community.
Ms Smith's was a fierce advocate for the interests of the Roosevelt Island community within the framework of her fiduciary duties as a RIOC Board Director and proper corporate governance. Also, she sought to strengthen the role of the RIOC Board to make major policy decisions, including the hiring and firing of RIOC senior executive staff.
However, she was not successful in establishing a practice of the RIOC Board hiring and firing senior RIOC staff.
Ms Smih's voice on the RIOC Board will be missed.
When RIOC is looking for a new President, Ms Smith should be considered, if she is interested.
Here's more on the 2017 RIOC Board Nominee recommendation elections and potential new RIOC Directors.
UPDATE 4/13 - RIOC Board Director Fay Christian resigned today.
According to RIOC Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson:
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) announced today that Fay Fryer Christian and Margaret Smith have both officially resigned from their posts as members of the corporation’s Board of Directors.
Smith resigned Monday April 9 and Christian’s resignation is effective today April 13.
"We thank both Ms. Smith and Ms. Christian for all their contributions to RIOC and I personally will miss them both,” said RIOC President Susan Rosenthal.
“They helped our organization grow as we have expanded services and programs as well as the planning of our proposed, multi-year $90-million capital-improvement plan. We wish them both all the best going forward,” Rosenthal said.
Smith has been a member of the Board since 2010 and served on the Governance and Operations Advisory committees.
Christian has been a member of the Board since 2008. She served on the Real Estate Committee.
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)
The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council will hold it's monthly meeting this evening, March 1, at 8:00 PM in the Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street).
Image Of November 30, 2016 RIRA Common Council Meeting
As always, prior to the start of each monthly meeting there is a Public Session in which residents can come and address the Common Council Delegates on any issue of concern.
Among the items on tonight's RIRA Agenda are:
Cornell Integration Task Force,
Committee Reports,
Resolution To Protect Southpoint Park Wildlife,
Resolution To Hold Referendum On RIOC Directors Performance and
Requirements For Position Of RIRA Secretary (Another attempt to remove activist and current RIRA Secretary Frank Farance from RIRA)
Below is the Agenda for tonight's RIRA Meeting.
AGENDA
If at all possible, please arrive 15 mins early to help set up tables and chairs
Date: Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Time & Place: 8:00 pm, Church of Good Shepard, Basement
1. Public Session (please sign-in to be placed on the Public Session Speaking List)
2. President’s Call to Seat Todd Caplan as Treasurer
3. Roll Call of Common Council Members
4. Adoption of Agenda
5. Approval of Minutes
a. February 1, 2017 Common Council Meeting Minutes
6. Treasurer Pro Tempore Report
7. President’s Report & Business
a. President’s Call for Ad Hoc Committee Chair, Cornell Integration Task Force
8. Committee Reports & Business
a. Children Youth & Education Ad Hoc Committee Report
b. Planning Committee Report & Resolution
i. Resolution for the Protection of Ecological and Wildlife Balance and Limited Alteration to SouthPoint Park (Movant: David Lawson, Planning Committee Chair)
c. Island Services Committee Report
d. SC&E Committee & Subcommittee Reports
i. Hands Only CPR Subcommittee Report
ii. Pay-It-Forward Subcommittee Report
e. Public Safety Committee Report
f. Constitution & Bylaws Committee Report
9. Old Business
10. New Business
a. Resolution to Hold Referendum on Each RIOC Director and the Performance of Their Role on the RIOC Board (Movant: Joyce Short, Government Relations Committee Chair)
Come to tonight's RIRA meeting and learn what is going on.
UPDATE 3/2 - Resolution on RIOC Directors performance was not voted on but may be on the RIRA April Agenda.
Removing RIRA Secretary was not voted upon either. RIRA will see if anyone else wants the position before acting on removing current Secretary.
The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council will hold it's monthly meeting this evening, February 1, at 8:00 PM in the Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street).
Image Of November 30, 2016 RIRA Common Council Meeting
As always, prior to the start of each monthly meeting there is a Public Session in which residents can come and address the Common Council Delegates on any issue of concern.
Among the items on tonight's RIRA Agenda are:
a Government Relations Committee resolution to support election of Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors nominees,
Public Safety Committee statement regarding marijuana smoking,
A Cornell Tech Integration Task Force and
A Statement of Solidarity with and Celebration of Island Diversity
Below is the Agenda for tonight's RIRA Meeting.
AGENDA
If at all possible, please arrive 15 mins early to help set up tables and chairs
Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Time & Place: 8:00 pm, Church of Good Shepard, Basement
1. Public Session (please sign-in to be placed on the Public Session Speaking List)
2. Roll Call of Common Council Members
3.Adoption of Agenda
4. Approval of Minutes
a. November 9, 2016 Minutes
b. November 30, 2016 Minutes
c. January 4, 2017 Minutes
5. Treasurer Pro Tempore Report
6. President’s Report & Businesss
a. President’s Call for Standing Committee Chair, Housing Committee
b. President’s Call to Public for Treasurer
c. President’s Call for Ad Hoc Cornell Integration Task Force
7. Committee Reports
a. Public Safety Committee
i. May 16, 2016 PSC Meeting Minutes
ii. June 21, 2016 PSC Meeting Minutes
iii. September 27, 2016 PSC Meeting Minutes
iv. January 3, 2017 Meeting Minutes
v. January 31, 2017 Meeting Minutes
vi. PSC Committee Report re Public Forum
vii. Resolution to Adopt Public Safety Committee Statement re Legalities of Marijuana (Movant: Erin Feely-Nahem, PSC Committee Chair)
b. Government Relations Committee
i. Resolution to Support Election of RIOC Board Nominees (Movant: Joyce Short, GRC Chair)
ii. Motion to Fund RIOC Board Nominee Election (Movant: Joyce Short, GRC Chair)
c. Island Services Committee
d. SC&E Committee
i. SC&E Committee Report
ii. Egg Hunt Subcommittee Report
e. Budget Committee 8. Old Business
a. Confirmation of Ethics Ad Hoc Committee Membership
9. New Business
a. Discussion: RIRA Statement of Solidarity with and Celebration of Island Diversity (Speaker: Andrew Giacolone, Manhattan Park)
Roosevelt Island residents are encouraged to attend and learn about what is happening on Roosevelt Island.
On the Friday before Christmas, December 21, I learned of a meeting scheduled that day between Larry Schwartz, Secretary to NY State Governor Andrew Cuomo, and certain residents of the Roosevelt Island community. I asked to attend the meeting and was told it was closed to the press. Since that meeting, I have been seeking comment about what was discussed and was told a statement would be made available after the holidays.
Yesterday, I received the following statements from former Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Matt Katz who was one of the attendees at the meeting. From Mr. Katz:
This report to the community of the December 21 meeting with Lawrence Schwartz has waited a long time to be shared with you, and we apologize for that. A statement that would be inclusive of the material discussed but sensitive to the provisos stipulated by Mr. Schwartz and the other State officials attending the meeting took us some time to draft. In addition, and as a courtesy to the officials who agreed to meet with us, we offered the attached report to Schwartz’s office with today as a deadline for comments. Having received none, we are pleased to offer this account, which follows twenty months of work since the appointment of a non-resident to the RIOC Board of Directors and a year of work mounting two Board elections.
and:
To the Community:
Since the February 2012 RIOC Board election, a small group of Islanders has been steadily following up about appointment of the nominees with Assembly Member Micah Kellner and State Senator Jose Serrano, and pressing for a meeting with Governor Andrew Cuomo or his staff in order to explain the importance and context of the elections. (The effort to engage with gubernatorial staff via these elected representatives dates from the June 2011 formation of The Democracy Team, following Cuomo’s appointment of unelected non-resident Salvatore Ferrera to the Board.)
As reported both on the Roosevelt Islander blog (October 26, 2012) and in The Main Street WIRE (November 3, 2012), there was a special meeting of the RIOC Board on October 25, 2012, with Lawrence Schwartz, Secretary to Governor Cuomo, at which Schwartz promised to work more closely with the Board and with residents. This small group of Islanders attended the public session of that meeting. Then-President of RIRA Matthew Katz gave Schwartz his card, and said that he would follow up to request a meeting with him. When contacted, Schwartz's office responded that he would meet with the group, and it was arranged for December 21, 2012, at New York State premises in Manhattan.
In order to provide background for the meeting -- whose purpose was to discuss the two elections that RIRA mounted in 2012 to fill seats on the RIOC Board of Directors -- we, the undersigned Island attendees, sent a two-page briefing document in advance (copy available from xs.ashton.barfield@gmail.com). It consisted of an historical timeline of the Island’s efforts to attain representative local democracy, and an updated version of the related goals that had been provided to Kellner and Serrano by The Democracy Team in July 2011: restoration of the Island’s electoral precedent; documented agreement to the goals; regularization of the expiration dates of Board terms; and, ultimately, legislation providing that all seven public RIOC Board members be Roosevelt Island residents elected by the community.
At the December 21 meeting, attended by several other NYS staff, we were pleased to learn that the State recognizes the responsibility that residents were given in earlier administrations to act as a “search committee" for gubernatorial appointments to the Board. They also recognize that the June 2011 appointment of a non-resident to the Board was seen by the community as a setback to the objective of “a government .... deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” (per the Declaration of Independence) that would give residents more inclusion in decision-making. Schwartz noted that Board appointees must satisfy the fiduciary responsibilities imposed upon them by statute, and we noted that the residents elected to serve on the Board are all professional people, all dedicated to serving this community to the best of their abilities, and all carefully vetted by the State prior to appointment. He agreed that the Island’s elected nominees would be considered when Board appointments are made.
The conversation was cordial, frank, and wide-ranging, including fundamental questions regarding the appropriateness of local government by Public Authority, and even whether New York State should be in the business of running a locality. We spent considerable time on a detailed discussion of the 1984 law that created RIOC, and current and historical personnel questions. We hope to sustain and build on the new relationship with these State officials who determine the Island’s future.
In alphabetical order by last name:
Ashton Barfield David Bauer Vicki Feinmel Linda Heimer Sherie Helstien Matthew Katz Ellen Polivy
DEMOCRACY and THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
1984 - Legislation creates the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), a public benefit corporation, to administer and further develop the residential community.
1984-97 (and beyond) - Many decisions that adversely affect the community and residents are made by non-resident Board members and managers, who are ill-equipped to grasp and solve local problems and capitalize on local opportunities. In addition, patronage and/or conflicts of interest characterize most Board and executive appointments.
1997 - Fed-up residents begin seeking both better Island administration and representative democracy, with direct election of residents to all seven public Board seats. (In advisory referenda conducted during the ensuing years, large turnouts repeatedly indicate overwhelming community support, ranging from 80-96%.)
2002 - Governor George Pataki endorses legislation mandating that residents occupy five of the Boardʼs seven public seats. (There are two ex officio seats.)
2007 - Governor Eliot Spitzerʼs administration offers residents the opportunity to create an Island-wide election to nominate residents for his appointment to Board seats.
6/2008! & 5/2009 - Governor David Paterson appoints four of the top vote-getters from the first election (2/2008), and reappoints an unelected resident first appointed in 1994.
1/2010 - Governor Paterson appoints the top two vote-getters from the second election (5/2009), and reappoints a 2008 elected appointee whose term was only one year. Of the seven public Board members, all are residents and six are community nominees.
6/2011 - Governor Andrew Cuomo appoints an unelected non-resident to the just- expired seat of an elected resident. The other two resident Board members with expired appointments (one of them unelected) continue to serve.
2/2012 - Residents hold a third election, for three expired seats, and send Governor Cuomo the names of the three top vote-getters as the communityʼs nominees. The highest vote-getter is the former elected-resident member who was replaced in 6/2011 by the unelected non-resident; the other two are incumbents. There is no gubernatorial response.
11/2012 - Residents hold a fourth election, for the three seats whose appointments will expire in mid-2013, and send Governor Cuomo the names of the three top vote-getters as the communityʼs nominees for this separate group of seats. One nominee is an incumbent. The resumes of the two non-incumbents are requested by, and provided to, the Appointments Office.
REQUESTS
In light of this history of Roosevelt Islanders striving for local democracy, and with knowledge of Governor Cuomoʼs commitment to "strong and vibrant urban communities," we are respectfully seeking the following:
Ultimate Goal
Legislation providing that all seven public RIOC Board members be
• Roosevelt Island residents
• elected by the Roosevelt Island community
• seated in order of election results (even if executive appointment and legislative approval must
be retained because Board members are State officers)
Intermediate Goals
Restoration of our recent electoral precedent
• by having the nominees from our February 2012 election be appointed to the three expired seats. (Two nominees are incumbents; the other, a former Board member, would replace an unelected resident. See related request below, in Regularization of Board term expirations.)
• by having the nominees from our November 2012 election be appointed in June-July 2013 to the three seats that will expire then. (One nominee is an incumbent.)
A Memorandum of Understanding
• documenting agreement to the Intermediate Goals.
• agreeing to honor our Ultimate Goal, while the legislation is sought, by continuing the process of recognizing our elections (which, in the future, will always precede expirations).
Regularization of Board term expirations (related to February 2012 election goal, above)
• Durations of Board terms are covered by the legislation governing RIOC, but expirations are not. They appear to have been set by the timings of the first appointments.
• The term expirations of two of the seats contested in the February 2012 election are out of synch with those of the other five public seats.
• If the nominees for those seats, who are incumbents, are reappointed, we hope that a simple administrative adjustment in term expirations can be accomplished at the same time.
• The two requested changes are illustrated by arrows and dashed-line boxes on the second page of the attached table (RIOC BOARD TERMS), which contains detailed information about elections, appointments, and term expirations for Board members and nominees since 2008.
• Further context will be provided when relevant.
Of course, this statement does not really tell us anything about what really happened in the meeting and what NY State's position is on, as Mr. Katz puts it:
... fundamental questions regarding the appropriateness of local government by Public Authority, and even whether New York State should be in the business of running a locality. We spent considerable time on a detailed discussion of the 1984 law that created RIOC, and current and historical personnel questions....
Hopefully, in the coming days, our fellow Roosevelt Island residents will be more forthcoming in what was said during the meeting with Mr. Schwartz and the other NY State officials.
The election for three RIOC Board Member seats took place at three poll sites on Roosevelt Island—455 Main Street, 888 Main Street and PS/IS 217—from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM on November 6, 2012. A total of 1,834 ballots were cast.
The three RIOC Board seats in question are (name of incumbent and expiration date of RIOC Board appointment):
- Kathie Grimm June 10, 2013
- Michael Shinozaki June 10, 2013
- Margie Smith July 1, 2013 (seat is a mayoral recommendation)
The results of the election for the three RIOC Board seats are as follows:
Votes
Margie Smith 1,252 1st
Larry Parnes 992 2nd
Lydia Tang 984 3rd
Michael Shinozaki 794 4th
Letters describing the RIOC election results were sent today by RIRA outgoing President Matthew Katz to Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg and copied to the relevant State and City officials and elected representatives.
Respectfully submitted,
Ann Biddlecom and Mark Lyon Co‐Chairs,
RIRA Elections Committee
7 November 2012
Results are in for the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Nominees and the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President/Vice President. Here they are.
RIOC Board Nominees (Top 3 win)
Margie Smith - 1252 votes
Larry Parnes - 992 votes
Lydia Tang - 984 votes
Michael Shinozaki - 794 votes
Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA)
President Ellen Polivy - 1426 votes (unopposed)
Vice President
Jeffrey Escobar - 799 votes
Sharon Pope - 769 votes
Total Ballots Cast 1834 cast.
Will have more including building results later.
Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all who ran.
In addition to the Presidential election being held on Tuesday November 6, local elections for Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Nominees and Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council Members will also be held. According to RIRA:
On November 6, 2012, Roosevelt Islanders will go to the polls to elect resident representatives for President and Vice-President of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) and individual building members of RIRA's Common Council.
In a continuing effort to bring democratic governance to Roosevelt Island, three nominees for appointment to the Board of Directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) will also be elected on November 6, 2012.
Who is eligible to vote in the RIRA and RIOC elections?
People who are 18 years and older and who live in residential housing on Roosevelt Island.
Where do I vote in the RIRA and RIOC elections?
Polls are open 6am to 9pm at three sites:
* Southtown residents vote at 455 Main St. (lobby)
* Westview, Island House, Rivercross, Roosevelt Landings and Manhattan Park residents vote at PS/IS 217 (front hallway)
* Octagon residents vote at the Octagon (art gallery, ground floor)...
Larry Parnes
Michael Shinozaki
Margie Smith
Lydia Tang
RIRA President:
Ellen Polivy
RIRA Vice President:
Jeffrey Escobar
Sharon (Nneka) Pope
Island House
Helen Chirivas
Frank Farance
Russell Fields
Manhattan Park
Barbara Allen
Michael Churchill
Arnold Cohen
Julina Hooks
Mark Lyon
Bryn Bass McCleary
Ilonka Salisbury
Lynne Shinozaki
Joseph Strong
MP - 2 River Road
Steven Heller
MP - 4 River Road
Jim Bates
Octagon
Jeffrey Escobar
Elisabeth Stapen
Nicole Walden
Rivercross
Ellen Polivy
Sharon (Nneka) Pope
Ethel Romm
Roosevelt Landings
Cynthia Ahn
Laila Amatullah
Juyana Armstrong
Ahmad (Bob) Darwish
Vivian Hines
Linda Maynard-Hall
Joyce Mincheff
Romano Reid
Lorraine Williams
RL - 546 Main
Dolores Green
Southtown
Trevre Andrews
Eva Bosbach
Peter Digilio
David Evans
Aaron Hamburger
George Ohring
Mickey Rindler
Mona Sen
Westview
Erin Feely-Nahem
Susan Marcus
Last Saturday afternoon, RIRA sponsored a Meet The Candidate Session for RIOC Board Nominees and RIRA President and Vice President. Ellen Polivy is running unopposed for RIRA President. Jeffrey Escobar and Sharon Pope are running for RIRA Vice President. Of the four candidates for the three expired RIOC Director seats, Margie Smith and Larry Parness attended the Meet The Candidate Session. Michael Shinozaki and Lydia Tang were not able to attend the Session.
For whatever it is worth, I would recommend voting for current RIOC Board Directors Margie Smith and Michael Shinozaki to continue as RIOC Board Members. They have both demonstrated great knowledge of Roosevelt Island issues and a willingness to be effective, independent overseers of RIOC policy and RIOC staff.
I do not have any recommendation for the third RIOC Board Nominee between Mr. Parness and Ms. Tang because I don't know either of them well enough. Also, no recommendation on RIRA President or Vice President. Those running are all fine people willing to volunteer their time to improve our community.
Mr. Parness explains that it is important to vote in the RIOC Board Nominee Election and RIRA Common Council Election because it shows Governor Cuomo that Roosevelt Islanders care about local representation.
Below are statements submitted by several RIOC Board Nominee and RIRA Common Council candidates. From Lydia Tang:
My name is Lydia Tang and I've lived on Roosevelt Island for 18 years. I raised my three children, all educated at the Roosevelt Island School, PS/IS 217.
I am running for the RIOC Board of Directors because I want to contribute my time and expertise to a community I hold dear.
I have graduate and undergraduate degrees in Operations Research from Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science. I know how to work with large and small organizations to maximize efficiency. I've used my training both professionally and as a volunteer for the Roosevelt Island community.
Professionally, I worked for major financial institutions for ten years. I spent most of those years working in areas such as productivity management, business planning and different financial risk management areas. Using my training and experience as a computer scientist, I functioned as an internal consultant with both line and staff managers. I organized information and created and implemented algorithms that allowed senior management to improve the efficiency of their departments by making knowledgeable and cost effective decisions. I worked with high level management both nationally and internationally, and l interacted with managers from the Trading Floor, Operations, IT, HR, Legal, etc.
For 15 years, I have been a college math professor, sharing my business experience with college students. In addition to my teaching responsibilities, I've worked in the community teaching math test preparation for the specialized NYC high schools admissions test and the SAT examinations. I also serve as a judge for the NYC High School Math Fairs.
I have been an active volunteer in Roosevelt Island community organizations, using my business and academic experience to improve the life of Roosevelt Island residents. I served as Treasurer of my building's tenants association, as President and Treasurer of the Roosevelt Island School's Parent Teacher Association and was co-chair of the 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival. Currently I serve as Library Advocate, acting as liaison between the local NYPL branch, elected officials and RIOC. I am actively involved in the Cornell Tech NYC Community Coalition, supporting employment opportunities for Roosevelt Island residents. I have a special place in my heart for the Roosevelt Island School, as well as the various greening programs of Roosevelt Island, especially the Living Library.
Roosevelt Island is my home and I want to make it the best home possible using my education, professional experience and contacts in the Roosevelt Island organizations.
I urge all Roosevelt Island residents to vote in these elections, especially the international and newly of age populations.
From Sharon Pope:
Please Vote Pope
Vice President 2012 Roosevelt Island Residents Association
RIRA Council Member
36 year Roosevelt Island Resident
Former RIRA President & Vice President
Public Member Manhattan Community Board 8
Commitment to ethical values, social justice and environmental stewardship
Expertise in constituent advocacy, consensus building and compassionate communication techniques
A long-time resident, advocate and staunch supporter of Roosevelt Island, Sharon Pope is dedicated to mobilizing community engagement and participating in civic service. She is an urbanist with public participation outreach and professional urban planning experience. She will ensure that your voice is heard in all matters that impact you.
With a strong ability and willingness to communicate and work collaboratively across gender, income, racial and political strata, Ms. Pope, a Democrat was first recommended by a Republican Council Member for appointment to Manhattan Community Board 8. Manhattan Community Board 8’s district encompasses the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island. Community Board members are appointed by the Borough President and make recommendations to government agencies about matters affecting the district including quality of life issues, land use and zoning, the budget and service delivery. She served several years as a full Board Member. During her tenure on the Board 8, she chaired the Housing Committee, where she tackled issues ranging from rent control/rent stabilization to tenant harassment and housing discrimination of elderly women. Under her leadership, the Housing Committee convened several well-attended town hall forums on a variety of housing issues including:
• property insurance
• emergency preparedness
• homelessness
• inclusionary zoning and its impact on affordable housing
• Rent Guidelines Board
The Housing Committee also organized a district-wide housing clinic. The clinic was staffed with a team of rental, cooperative and condominium housing experts. One-on- one advice was provided to help residents, whether renter, shareholder or owner, with housing concerns and resolve housing issues.
She represented Board 8 as a member of the Community Advisory Board of the Metropolitan Hospital Center, a Health and Hospitals Corporation hospital in East Harlem. Sharon has served on the Community Advisory Board of Lenox Hill Hospital, an Upper East Side hospital.
Currently she is a Public Member of Board 8.
Ms. Pope is a former President of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association. She led the organization through a severely difficult period of fiscal cut-backs and unresponsive Roosevelt Island management. She advocated for increased community input in Roosevelt Island development proposals, including organizing and leading protest. She is also a former President of the Island House Building Committee and former Eastwood (Roosevelt Landings) RIRA Council Member.
She is an active member of the New York Society of Ethical Culture, completing its Lay Leadership training program. She has served as a facilitator for its movie and discussion series, Ethics In Films. This series explores ethical issues raised in various films. With a strong interest in social media, she is an assistant organizer of the Society’s Meetup group.
After graduation from Morgan State University, Ms. Pope was employed as a financial auditor specializing in the capital market sectors. She has since redirected her career path focusing on her twin passions; advocacy and planning. She is a former Environmental Planner. She reviewed City Environmental Quality Review applications to identify potentially adverse environmental impacts of projects, assessed their significance and proposed measures to eliminate or mitigate significant impacts.
Ms. Pope is a volunteer with Civitas, a community-based planning organization advocating for improved land use, zoning, and transportation for the Upper East Side and East Harlem. She researches and writes urban affairs articles for Civitas and has written extensively about the East River Esplanade from 96th Street to 125th Street, Upper East Side and East Harlem. She helped to draw attention to the deteriorating conditions of the East River Esplanade including bulkhead breaches, sink holes, and buckling sidewalks, advocating for significant capital investments to repair the esplanade’s infrastructure. Sharon Pope has also written about how the Upper East Side’s air quality is impacted by the release of particulate matter when #6 heating oil is used in boilers. She also participates as a member of Civitas’ Land Use and Zoning Committee.
My name is Bryn Bass McCleary. I am running for Manhattan Park RIRA Common Council. I am interested in working with college representatives, politicians and local volunteers to improve our transportation situation as the population increases with the college, most especially to open ferry service and a pier for speed boats, both to increase accessibility for emergency evacuation of the island, commuters and tourism.
UPDATE 10/5 - From Jeffrey Escobar:
My fellow Roosevelt Islanders: I stand before you today with the hope that I may serve as your next RIRA Vice-President. Together, with my running mate and your next RIRA President, Ellen Polivy, we hope to realize what RIRA should mean to the residents of the Island: Community. Communication. Advocacy. Looking forward, and with your help, it is my personal hope that we can also help RIRA be known in the community at large as a home of Innovation; an advocate for Accountability; and place of Acceptance. Will you come on this journey with us?
For those of you who I have not had yet the privilege of introducing myself: my wife and I are original residents of the Octagon, raising our soon-to-be two-year-old daughter along with our two dogs on this wonderful rock we call home.
For the last two years, I have had the privilege and honor of advocating and working on your behalf together with Ellen – as two of the four appointed Roosevelt Island appointees backed and vetted by City Councilwoman Jessica Lappin’s office and appointed by the Manhattan Borough President’s Office to Manhattan Community Board 8 – on a number of initiatives aimed at improving Island life, including the inclusion of easily accessible access points for Roosevelt Islanders to the city-wide bike share program, the fortification of our waterfront under the City’s waterway initiative including commitment to bring ferry service to the second expansion of the East Side Ferry service, and ensuring the saving our Island’s Beacon Program Center.
During this past term, as RIRA Common Council Representative for the Octagon, I have also been able to utilize my professional training and background as a construction, land use and development attorney for the law firm Proskauer LLP, one of the top law firms in the country, to advise RIRA on the current and innovative methods communities such as Roosevelt Island have been successfully able to use to ensure that a community receives long term benefits and programs from development projects such as the Cornell NYC Tech, as well as to navigate the City’s land review process as the Project marches to City Council for approval.
Due to such background and advice, I along with Ellen and other community leaders have successfully formed the Roosevelt Island Community Coalition, a coalition of over 30+ Island community groups, educational and religious institutions and stakeholders – including RIRA – to represent the interests and concerns of the Island as it looks towards the shared future of our Island with the future Cornell campus, to which I now serve as legal counsel. Together with your voices during the first public hearing regarding the Project, we were able to persuade Cornell NYC Tech to consider barging their construction materials and debris on and off the Island and not use the helix to bear heavy weight loads, an option that had previously been off the table for Cornell NYC Tech.
The next two years will prove to be both an exciting and trying time for the Island. A 1.8 million square foot graduate school will start demolition and construction to the South, the final three new residential towers of Hudson/Related will come to fruition and the improvements to the Main Street retail corridor will be in full swing. As our population begins to boom and our resources tested, leaders with a strong sense of vision, community conviction, energy to follow through, willingness to compromise and openness to innovation must lead. I have heard this call and wish to continue to be the advocate for our Island, using my professional training, background, relationships and knowledge to ensure that our voices do not get lost amidst the hammers, shovels and trucks that the next two years will entail.
Furthermore, it is my strong belief that a greater sense of community and integral social bonds must be built between the residents to the North, the South and of the Wire buildings. Through consistent Island-wide events and community gatherings, we can ensure that the lives of our population rich with personal talents, histories, and socio and economic backgrounds will be interwoven. More community opportunities for our Island children to be engaged and to learn such as Christina Delfico’s idig2learn community garden program must also be sponsored. Community concerns regarding safety on the Island and proper communication of Island occurrences, as well as timely emergency responses, must be addressed.
None of this, however, can be accomplished without a strong elected body, led with a strong sense of professionalism and ethic, with a willingness to embrace innovative ways of doing thing; whose vision for the future is with one foot firmly rooted in our Island way of life with the other foot stepping forward. I firmly believe that I can help lead the way and ask for your support as your RIRA Vice-President.
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.
