RIOC Directors Question & Answer Session With Roosevelt Island Residents - Discuss RIOC Management Upheaval, Cornell NYC Tech, Ferries, Parks & More

Reported previously on the December 20 Question and Answer session between resident members of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors and members of the Roosevelt Island community.

Here's more. Among the issues discussed was the management upheaval at RIOC, land use/construction/ barging/air pollution negotiations with Cornell NYC Tech, ferry service, future of Steam Plant site, RIOC's relationship with NYC and NY State, residents/Zog corporate use of the ball fields among other items. Here's what happened



and Part 2.



Previous Question and Answer sessions between RIOC Directors and residents available here.

Meetings like this are a very valuable tool for both residents and RIOC Board Directors. I hope they continue and urge others who are interested in Roosevelt Island issues to attend and participate in the discussion.

RIOC Directors Speak On Roosevelt Island Management Upheaval - NY Governor Cuomo In Control, RIOC Directors Do Not Know Why RIOC President And Vice President Resigned

Among the topics discussed at last night's Question and Answer session between Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) resident Directors and members of the community were the recent management upheavals at RIOC with the unexplained departures of former President Leslie Torres and former Vice President of Operations Fernando Martinez.

Residents expressed concern about the lack of management running Roosevelt Island.

RIOC Director David Kraut said that there was an upcoming RIOC Governance Committee meeting that will address executive staff issues.

RIOC Director Margie Smith was more forthcoming expressing frustration because:

... We're in a tough position ... we hear things in Executive Session that we can't say to anybody...

and that Governor Cuomo is:

... very much in control of what's going on, he's now looking at Public Authorities...

adding:

... we see Leslie resigning, we see Fernando resigning. We don't know if there was something behind the resignation or they chose to resign. They didn't share that information with us. there's not much we can do about it

and:

... we're trying to get those positions filled ... we're trying to keep this place running to the degree we can...

Here's the discussion on Roosevelt Island management upheaval.



More information on Roosevelt Island management upheavals from previous posts.

Will have full video of RIOC resident Directors Question and Answer session with residents soon. Here's previous Q&A session with resident Directors from May 2012.

RIOC Board Discusses Roosevelt Island Issues With Residents During Conversation Thursday Night - Main Street Stores, Seawall, Meditation Steps, Poor Condition Of Southpoint Park, Garden Club, Outdoor Movies, Public Library, Street Furniture & More

Poor Condition Of Southpoint Park Trees and Landscaping Discussioin

Last Thursday evening, members of the Roosevelt Island community met with resident Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors to discuss a variety of issues including:

• Main Street Retail stores/windows/arcade (not much the Directors could do now that Hudson Related is the Master Leaseholder),
• Status of Roosevelt Island seawall (repairs on the Southeast seawall will begin shortly with FEMA reimbursement for portions),
• Meditation Steps (RFP for repairs was approved by RIOC Board though Meditation Steps will probably not be open before September),
• Condition of Southpoint Park (deplorable condition of Trees and Landscaping at Southpoint Park),
• Garden Club (What is the status, if any, of agreement between Garden Club and RIOC? Not known), 
• Affordable Housing, 
• placement of benches, tables and street furniture (at Good Shepherd Plaza, Southtown and near Octagon Soccer Field),
• Red Bus Route,
• Outdoor Summer Movies (more movies for grown ups instead of, or in addition to, kids movies) and
• the future of the Public Library and new Cornell NYC Tech campus

among others.

Here's what happened. Sorry, but audio at some portions of the video may be hard to hear.

You Tube Video of RIOC Directors Conversation With Residents (Part 1)

You Tube Video of RIOC Directors Conversation With Residents (Part 2)

I think all who attended, both RIOC Directors and other residents, thought that this was a very productive discussion and would like to see similar discussion continue in the future.