It has been a privilege to have served with you all for these past three
years. But new professional obligations will prevent me from effectively
executing my duties to RIOC, said Kapell.
... 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;...
Mr Kapell's resignation also comes three days after Ms Seawright called for
the
resignation of RIOC Board members
who are no longer residents of Roosevelt Island. According to
Ms Seawright:
The purpose and the spirit of the legislation I am proposing with Senator
Serrano is to ensure that a majority of the board members are residents of
Roosevelt Island. Any resident serving on the board who moves off the Island
should step down and allow a qualified resident to serve.
... Roosevelt Island democratic representation suffered another setback
yesterday when 1 of two Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Directors who are no longer Roosevelt Island residents,
David Kapell,
chose to remain on the Board with the apparent approval, or indifference, of
Governor Hochul
and RIOC.
RIOC announced yesterday:
Jeffrey Escobar is tendering his resignation from the Board of Directors
of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation due to his change in
residency. Confirmed by the Senate on June 20, 2019, Mr. Escobar held one
of five public member board seats designated for Roosevelt Island
residents. RIOC truly appreciates Mr. Escobar’s service and contributions
to the RIOC Board of Directors and the Roosevelt Island community. His
presence and input will be greatly missed.
David Kapell remains a duly appointed member of the Board of Directors of
the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. Confirmed by the Senate on
June 20, 2019, Mr. Kapell holds one of the two public member board seats
that do not carry a residency requirement. RIOC’s board and the community
as a whole benefit from Mr. Kapell’s dedication to Roosevelt Island and we
thank him for his continued service.
Both Mr Kapell and Mr Escobar moved from Roosevelt Island about a year ago yet
remained on the RIOC Board until Mr Escobar's resignation yesterday....
On January 7, I asked RIOC:
Is Dave Kapell still a member of the RIOC Board of Directors?
His name was not called by RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson during the
December 29 RIOC Board Of Directors meeting Roll Call.
My understanding is that all Directors of the Board have their names called
during Roll Call whether they are present or not....
RIOC Public Information Officer Amy Smith replied January 13:
Yes, Mr. Kapell is still on our board of directors.
Roosevelt Island democratic representation suffered another setback yesterday
when 1 of two Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Directors who are no longer Roosevelt Island residents,
David Kapell,
chose to remain on the Board with the apparent approval, or indifference, of
Governor Hochul and
RIOC.
RIOC announced yesterday:
Jeffrey Escobar is tendering his resignation from the Board of Directors of
the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation due to his change in residency.
Confirmed by the Senate on June 20, 2019, Mr. Escobar held one of five
public member board seats designated for Roosevelt Island residents. RIOC
truly appreciates Mr. Escobar’s service and contributions to the RIOC Board
of Directors and the Roosevelt Island community. His presence and input will
be greatly missed.
David Kapell remains a duly appointed member of the Board of Directors of
the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. Confirmed by the Senate on June
20, 2019, Mr. Kapell holds one of the two public member board seats that do
not carry a residency requirement. RIOC’s board and the community as a whole
benefit from Mr. Kapell’s dedication to Roosevelt Island and we thank him
for his continued service.
Both Mr Kapell and Mr Escobar moved from Roosevelt Island about a year ago yet
remained on the RIOC Board until Mr Escobar's resignation yesterday....
... has confirmed and double confirmed and triple confirmed that Mr Kapell is
serving in a legitimate seat and is not violating any regulation or rules or
laws. We appreciate his service to the Board....
... to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring
certain directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation to be
residents of Roosevelt Island and to require the appointment of certain
vacant board positions within sixty days...
... The provisions of this bill would:
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 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; and, *Provide that this act shall take
effect immediately....
I asked Ms Seawright if she was calling for Mr. Kapell to resign or be removed from the RIOC Board. Ms Seawright replied:
The purpose and the spirit of the legislation I am proposing with Senator
Serrano is to ensure that a majority of the board members are residents of
Roosevelt Island. Any resident serving on the board who moves off the Island
should step down and allow a qualified resident to serve.
Here's the press release from Ms Seawright's office:
A majority of the members of the board of the Roosevelt Island Operating
Corporation will be required to reside on the island under proposed state
legislation introduced by Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright and Senator Jose
Serrano.
The measure is part of a series of reforms to bring great accountability and
transparency to the operations of the board, the governing body serving more
than 11,000 residents. Five of the nine appointees to the board must reside on
the island. The governor appoints four resident board members. The mayor
appoints one resident board member.
A separate bill sponsored by both legislators would also require residency for
the chief executive officer of the corporation. A non-resident chief executive
officer would be required to relocate to the island within one year of
appointment.
"These proposals will ensure greater local participation in the
governing of Roosevelt Island," said Assembly Member Seawright. "Given the
Roosevelt Island community's unique governance structure under a State Public
Benefit Corporation, it is imperative that resident perspectives and voices be
represented on RIOC's board of directors."
Senator Serrano said, ”For years, Roosevelt Island residents have sought
greater representation on matters of governance and the decisions that affect
their day to day lives. These bills represent common sense measures that will
help achieve those important goals.”
Other provisions would:
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.
Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Vice President Erin Feely-Nahem reacts to the Seawright/Serrano legislation:
I totally support that residents sit on the RIOC Board but they should be
elected by the community, not appointed by any politician. Great step forward!
Thank you Assembly Member Seawright and Senator Serrano.
The requirement for the CEO to have residency on Roosevelt Island will finally
allow them to truly understand the problems and issues we face, as well as the
consequences experienced when things do not get done in a timely manner.
Former RIRA President Matt Katz adds:
This legislation is redundant and would only reinforce the legislation we
negotiated with Gov. Pataki in 2004 and passed into law at that
time.
In recent years, we know that RIOC chose to leave Board seats empty and then
fill them with non-residents, part-time residents and people with no track
record of community support or participation. This was made possible by
a governor named Cuomo who chose to ignore decades of work towards democracy
through the ballot-box and who showed us nothing but arrogance and
disrespect.
It also occurs to me that RIOC presidents and CEOs, of whom there have been
sixteen or seventeen in the 33 years I've lived here (who can remember these
place-holders) none of whom have lived here or who had any skin in the game
might be required to be residents with the same need for RIOC competence that
I and my neighbors require.
It has been suggested that the 99-year lease between the State and City of New
York, scheduled to expire in 2068, could be terminated now and Roosevelt
Island restored to democratic government through municipal
elections.
Given that the development of the Island, the reason for the original
lease, has run its course, this is an idea that should be discussed and
debated, and with the participation of the community. I hope to meet
with Gov. Hochul to bring her up to speed on our convoluted history.
... The board of directors of the corporation shall be composed of nine
members. One member shall be the commissioner, who shall serve as the
chair; one member shall be the director of the budget; and seven public
members shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent
of the senate. Of the seven public members, two members, one of whom
shall be a resident of Roosevelt Island, shall be appointed upon the
recommendation of the mayor of the city; and four additional members
shall be residents of Roosevelt Island. Each member shall serve for a
term of four years and until his or her successor shall have been
appointed and shall have qualified,...
... the commissioner and the director of
the budget shall serve so long as they continue to hold their respective
offices. Any action taken by the directors of the corporation shall be
taken by majority vote of the directors then in office. The elected
public officials who represent Roosevelt Island shall be representatives
to the board of directors of the corporation entitled to receive notice
of and attend all meetings of such board but shall not be entitled to
vote. Failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of any
action taken at a meeting of such board....
Former RIOC Board Director Margie Smith comments:
I like the idea of clarifying the residency requirement for board members, but it's hard to believe it needed clarification. But, it did.
The law states that the term is four years, and until his or her successor shall have been appointed and shall have qualified. So, what's an unexpired term? The terms don't expire. Board members have been sitting on that board for years after their four years are up. If we're not going to get elected board members, the ones who've been there more than four years should either be reappointed or replaced.
As for the point about the CEO living on the Island, it's been within the power of the Board to make this happen ever since the legislation gave them a majority of the seats. When an opening occurs for a CEO, the Board should either do it's own job search, and/or let the Governor's office do a search, but let them know that the only CEO they'll approve is one who lives on the Island.
I don't feel strongly at all about having a CEO that lives on the Island as long as the person in the job has been appointed by an elected Board, with a majority of residents, who felt he/she was the right person for the job, not a rubber stamp on an Albany selection. The Board has had this power for years. They've just never exercised it. A good relationship between the board and the Governor's office would make this legislation unnecessary. Maybe with Governor Hochul things will change.
...Roosevelt Island democratic representation suffered another setback
yesterday when 1 of two Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Directors who are no longer Roosevelt Island residents,
David Kapell,
chose to remain on the Board with the apparent approval, or indifference, of
Governor Hochul and
RIOC....
UPDATE 10/21 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Vice
President Erin Feely-Nahem adds:
Jeffrey Escobar did the right thing by resigning.
Exacerbated by the pandemic,many issues have arisen on the Island which
need to be addressed, increasing the importance of Resident input. As we
are unable to vote for who manages and controls the ongoing development
within our community, it is imperative to have active community members on
the RIOC Board to provide insight on, and vote for what residents' feel is
important for their community.
An individual who is living within a community offers a more educated
opinion than either an individual who spends 40 hours a week here, or
worse, pops in for an hour Zoom meeting quarterly. .At the least,
residents should be voting on who we want to represent us on the five
"public member" board seats.
David Kapell is unknown to the community and does not necessarily
represent the resident's desires. Presently, although one can submit
questions or concerns to the RIOC Board via email, there is no system in
place for real dialogue between the RIOC Board members and the community,
nor any means of accountability for decisions made.
During yesterday's (October 28) Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors meeting Public Session
(RIOC will post video here), I asked:
RIOC claims that current Board Member David Kapell holds 1 of two public
Board seats that does not require Roosevelt Island residency.
Please show where in Mr Kappel’s appointment by former Governor Cuomo, Mr
Kapell was designated in a Rioc Board seat that does not require Roosevelt
Island residency.
Also, please show where former RIOC Board member Jeff Escobar, who resigned
because he no longer lived on Roosevelt Island was designated as an
appointment which required Roosevelt Island residency.
Why does Mr Kappel wish to remain on RIOC Board since he no longer lives
here and is not effected by decisions made by the RIOC Board.
RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson replied that Governor Hochul's
Appointments Office:
... has confirmed and double confirmed and triple confirmed that Mr Kapell is
serving in a legitimate seat and is not violating any regulation or rules or
laws. We appreciate his service to the Board.
Mr Kapell was appointed to the RIOC Board
with Jeff Escobar and Conway Ekpo in June 2019 by Governor Cuomo at which time
all 3 were Roosevelt Island residents. Mr Escobar moved away from Roosevelt
Island and resigned from the RIOC Board after the issue of his remaining was
raised.
Mr Kapell refuses to resign and declined to say why he wished to remain on the
RIOC Board after moving away from Roosevelt Island.
Roosevelt Island resident Matt Katz also asked during the Public Session about
Mr Kapell remaining on the RIOC Board after moving away from Roosevelt Island.
According to Mr Katz:
I wrote you on October 4 regarding the illegal appointments of Jeffrey
Escobar and David Kappel, non-residents of Roosevelt Island, to fill seats
on the RIOC Board of Directors designated by statute for Island residents.
There has been comment regarding the meaning of the term resident and I said
at the time that a resident is not a past resident, not a future resident or
a wanna-be resident. The reason we, Island activists persuaded Gov. Pataki
to require by amendment of Ch. 899 to appoint a majority of Island RESIDENTS
to the Board was to ensure that people with skin in the game would determine
this Island community's future. You write back, saying that you would
respond to me shortly. Three weeks later, there has been no response.
Since then, Jeffrey Escobar, a long-time advocate for and participant in the
life of this community, resigned from the Board, understanding the clear
(clear even to State lawyers) mandate to do so. David Kappel, never an Island
activist or participant in the life of this community,and unknown to me after
my many years of service to my fellow residents, has not resigned, perhaps
counting on former Governor Cuomo's endorsement as sufficient bona fides for
the post. We intend to bring the matter up with Gov. Hochul and to seek
redress for this violation of the statute. Regards,
I also asked:
What is the status of AVAC system. Why is it broken. I am told that there
are holes in the tubes which need to be repaired. Is that true? When will it
be fixed.
Why is RIOC's new Main Street office hidden behind frosted windows from the
public. What message does that send to the community?
Why was the Roosevelt Island media not invited to attend and report on this
week’s Bank Town Hall meeting? I understand that three elected officials
attended as well as 2 residents. Why was the media excluded.
None of these question were asked by Ms Robinson during the Public Session.
But be aware that RIOC Board Members and staff rarely respond to questions
during any Public Session though they sometimes address the subject during the
actual Board meeting.
Questions that could be asked - why is
David Kapell remaining
on the RIOC Board of Directors when he no longer lives on Roosevelt Island?
... There is alot of concern about the way the RIOC Board is appointed by
the Governor...
... do you think there is an opportunity for better Roosevelt Island
representation on RIOC now that it is no longer Governor Cuomo but Governor
Hochul?...
Senator Serrano replied:
... I've been trying to find ways to get to get more
representation from Island residents on that board.
I even carry the bill that the the head of RIOC should be an Island
resident....
... As elected officials, we live in our districts and we can get to see
what is going on and know what's important so I do believe that we have a
great opportunity to fix a lot of these issues. We have no shortage of
amazing opinions from Island residents as to how we can move forward and
bring better democracy to the island.
... it's my intention to have some really important and meaningful
conversations with the Governor to make sure that she understands that we
need to really focus on Roosevelt Island.
It shouldn't be an afterthought...
Roosevelt Island democratic representation suffered another setback yesterday
when 1 of two Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Directors who are no longer Roosevelt Island residents,
David Kapell,
chose to remain on the Board with the apparent approval, or indifference, of
Governor Hochul and
RIOC.
RIOC announced yesterday:
Jeffrey Escobar is tendering his resignation from the Board of Directors of
the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation due to his change in residency.
Confirmed by the Senate on June 20, 2019, Mr. Escobar held one of five
public member board seats designated for Roosevelt Island residents. RIOC
truly appreciates Mr. Escobar’s service and contributions to the RIOC Board
of Directors and the Roosevelt Island community. His presence and input will
be greatly missed.
David Kapell remains a duly appointed member of the Board of Directors of
the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. Confirmed by the Senate on June
20, 2019, Mr. Kapell holds one of the two public member board seats that do
not carry a residency requirement. RIOC’s board and the community as a whole
benefit from Mr. Kapell’s dedication to Roosevelt Island and we thank him
for his continued service.
Both Mr Kapell and Mr Escobar moved from Roosevelt Island about a year ago yet
remained on the RIOC Board until Mr Escobar's resignation yesterday.
... I submitted a written question to the
September 29 RIOC Board of Directors
meeting Public Session held before the start of the meeting asking:
How many members of the RIOC Board of Directors, excluding NY State
Officials, are required by statute to be residents of Roosevelt Island?
Are any of the RIOC Board Directors, excluding the NY State Officials, not
residents of Roosevelt Island and if so, why are they members of the RIOC
Board?
Do all members of the RIOC Board of Directors, excluding the NY State
Officials, list Roosevelt Island as their primary residence on personal
tax forms? If no, who does not?...
RIOC General Counsel replied to my question during the Public Session:
I can briefly answer that question.
We have two Board Members that currently do not reside on Roosevelt
Island.
I will say that Mr Kappel proactively on his own, when he determined that he
was no longer going to reside on the Island, reached out to the Appointments
Office to inquire as to whether his service would terminate or be in
jeopardy because of that decision.
After consultation with the Appointments Department, he was told that based
on the law as it reads, he is not in violation of any rule or regulation or
law and his appointment may continue until such time of his replacement.
Mr. Escobar who also recently moved off the Island has also begun that same
process so based on those findings the RIOC Board Members are permitted to
serve until such time that they are replaced.
As the law reads, continued residency is silent to that. So, they were both
appointed as residents when they became members of the Board and as far as
Appointments is concerned, their continued services is all right
Yesterday, I asked Ms Robinson and RIOC Public Information Officer Amy
Smith:
RIOC claims that Mr Kappel holds 1 of two public Board seats that does not
require Roosevelt Island residency.
Please show where in Mr Kappel’s appointment, he was designated in a Rioc
Board seat that does not require Roosevelt Island residency.
Also, please show where Mr Escobar was designated as an appointment which
required Roosevelt Island residency.
No answer received yet.
I asked Mr Kappel yesterday:
Do you have any comment on why you wish to remain on the RIOC Board of
Directors when you no longer live on Roosevelt Island?
Roosevelt Island is a diverse and tight-knit community, and local
representation on the RIOC board is critical to meeting the needs of its
residents. We are reviewing RIOC's enacting statute and examining potential
options to strengthen this representation.
Assembly Member Seawright replied:
Residents of Roosevelt Island are entitled to have their voices heard. It's
time to take a look at legislation that strengthens the residency requirement
so that diversity of opinion includes the viewpoints of the inhabitants of the
island.
Roosevelt Island resident Matt Katz shares this message he sent to RIOC
President Shelton Haynes explaining the importance of RIOC Directors living on
Roosevelt Island and being members of the community:
... Some of us still think that RIOC decision-making should be performed
by people with skin in the game, i.e. Roosevelt Island residents and we intend
to meet with Gov. Hochul and win her support.. Your efforts to include former
or part-time residents is an affront ... to a community that demands to be
part of the decision-making process. It's called democracy and we'd like some.
2. The board of directors of the corporation shall be composed of nine
members. One member shall be the commissioner, who shall serve as the chair;
one member shall be the director of the budget; and seven public members shall
be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Of the
seven public members, two members, one of whom shall be a resident of
Roosevelt Island, shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the mayor of
the city; and four additional members shall be residents of Roosevelt Island.
Each member shall serve for a term of four years and until his or her
successor shall have been appointed and shall have qualified, except that the
commissioner and the director of the budget shall serve so long as they
continue to hold their respective offices. Any action taken by the directors
of the corporation shall be taken by majority vote of the directors then in
office. The elected public officials who represent Roosevelt Island shall be
representatives to the board of directors of the corporation entitled to
receive notice of and attend all meetings of such board but shall not be
entitled to vote. Failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of
any action taken at a meeting of such board....
UPDATE 10/21 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Vice President Erin Feely-Nahem adds:
Jeffrey Escobar did the right thing by resigning.
Exacerbated by the pandemic,many issues have arisen on the Island which need to be addressed, increasing the importance of Resident input. As we are unable to vote for who manages and controls the ongoing development within our community, it is imperative to have active community members on the RIOC Board to provide insight on, and vote for what residents' feel is important for their community.
An individual who is living within a community offers a more educated opinion than either an individual who spends 40 hours a week here, or worse, pops in for an hour Zoom meeting quarterly. .At the least, residents should be voting on who we want to represent us on the five "public member" board seats.
David Kapell is unknown to the community and does not necessarily represent the resident's desires. Presently, although one can submit questions or concerns to the RIOC Board via email, there is no system in place for real dialogue between the RIOC Board members and the community, nor any means of accountability for decisions made.
UPDATE 11/1 - As reported 10/29, during the October 28 RIOC Board of Directors meeting Public Sessioin, I asked:
RIOC claims that current Board Member David Kapell holds 1 of two public
Board seats that does not require Roosevelt Island residency.
Please show where in Mr Kappel’s appointment by former Governor Cuomo, Mr
Kapell was designated in a Rioc Board seat that does not require Roosevelt
Island residency.
Also, please show where former RIOC Board member Jeff Escobar, who resigned
because he no longer lived on Roosevelt Island was designated as an
appointment which required Roosevelt Island residency.
Why does Mr Kappel wish to remain on RIOC Board since he no longer lives
here and is not effected by decisions made by the RIOC Board.
RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson replied that Governor Hochul's
Appointments Office:
... has confirmed and double confirmed and triple confirmed that Mr Kapell is
serving in a legitimate seat and is not violating any regulation or rules or
laws. We appreciate his service to the Board.
Mr Kapell was appointed to the RIOC Board
with Jeff Escobar and Conway Ekpo in June 2019 by Governor Cuomo at which time
all 3 were Roosevelt Island residents. Mr Escobar moved away from Roosevelt
Island and resigned from the RIOC Board after the issue of his remaining was
raised.
Mr Kapell refuses to resign and declined to say why he wished to remain on the
RIOC Board after moving away from Roosevelt Island.
Roosevelt Island resident Matt Katz also asked during the Public Session about
Mr Kapell remaining on the RIOC Board after moving away from Roosevelt Island.
According to Mr Katz:
I wrote you on October 4 regarding the illegal appointments of Jeffrey
Escobar and David Kappel, non-residents of Roosevelt Island, to fill seats
on the RIOC Board of Directors designated by statute for Island residents.
There has been comment regarding the meaning of the term resident and I said
at the time that a resident is not a past resident, not a future resident or
a wanna-be resident. The reason we, Island activists persuaded Gov. Pataki
to require by amendment of Ch. 899 to appoint a majority of Island RESIDENTS
to the Board was to ensure that people with skin in the game would determine
this Island community's future. You write back, saying that you would
respond to me shortly. Three weeks later, there has been no response.
Since then, Jeffrey Escobar, a long-time advocate for and participant in the
life of this community, resigned from the Board, understanding the clear
(clear even to State lawyers) mandate to do so. David Kappel, never an Island
activist or participant in the life of this community,and unknown to me after
my many years of service to my fellow residents, has not resigned, perhaps
counting on former Governor Cuomo's endorsement as sufficient bona fides for
the post. We intend to bring the matter up with Gov. Hochul and to seek
redress for this violation of the statute. Regards,...
Well, based upon the February 26 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Development Advisory Committee discussion, it appears that the deal is done and there will be Roosevelt Island Citibike sharing stations here this spring.
RIOC issued this June 20 press release announcing the appointments:
Governor Cuomo Appoints Three Members to RIOC Board
The New York State Senate has confirmed Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s appointments of David Kapell, Conway Ekpo and Jeffrey Escobar to fill three vacancies on the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s (RIOC) Board of Directors.
“I am delighted that Governor Cuomo has named three highly qualified candidates to our board,” said Susan Rosenthal, President and CEO of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. “I enjoyed working with Mr. Escobar when he was the president of the Roosevelt Island Resident’s Association (RIRA) and I look forward to working with Mr. Kapell and Mr. Ekpo in serving the interests of our residents and stakeholders.”
David E. Kapell
Mr. Kapell has recently served as a board member of the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA). He previously served the Village of Greenport on the North Fork of Long Island, NY for twenty-seven years in the positions of Community Development Director, Village Trustee, Planning Board Chairman and Mayor from 1994 until his retirement in 2007. He holds a master’s degree in Public Administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Conway Ekpo
Mr. Ekpo is in-house counsel at Morgan Stanley where he is an Executive Director covering Morgan Stanley’s international Wealth Management business. He is also an adjunct professor of law at Rutgers School of Law, where he teaches a course on New York civil procedure. Mr. Ekpo earned his B.S. in architectural engineering at the University of Kansas and his J.D. at Rutgers School of Law where he was Managing Editor of the Rutgers Law Review.
Jeffrey Escobar
Mr. Escobar, a former president of RIRA, is a Senior Counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright, US LLP where he advises project owners, real estate companies, and joint ventures throughout the Americas on their deployment of capital on the most complex and large-scale projects. Mr. Escobar earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and in Spanish from the University of Washington and his J.D. from the New England School of Law.
About RIOC
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) was created in 1984 by the State of New York as a public benefit corporation with a mission to plan, design, develop, operate, and maintain Roosevelt Island. With a focus on innovative and environmentally friendly solutions, RIOC is committed to providing services that enhance the island's residential community. RIOC manages the two-mile long island's roads, parks, buildings, a sports facility, and public transportation, including the iconic aerial tramway. Additionally, RIOC operates a Public Safety Department that helps maintain a safe and secure environment for residents, employees, business owners, and visitors.
Mr Escobar is well known to the community as the former Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President, However, neither Mr. Kapell nor Mr. Ekpo are known to the community. According to a very reliable source, our elected officials were not involved in the RIOC Board Directors appointment process, at least as regarding Mr. Ekpo and Mr. Kapell.
It's not known at this time if the new RIOC Board Directors will attend tomorrow's meeting of the full RIOC Board. Among the items on the Agenda for the June 25 RIOC Board Meeting are:
Manhattan Park Lease Amendment
MTA Sublease Amendment For Use of Strecker Lab and
Approval of 2019 Fiscal Year Annual Report
Authorization Of 2019-20 Public Purpose Funds among other items
You're invited to attend and ask questions during the opening Public Session before the start of the meeting. Sign up to speak here.
Below is the full Agenda for June 25 RIOC Board Meeting:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Board of Directors meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cultural Center Theater, 548 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York 10044.
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.
AGENDA
JUNE 25, 2019 MEETING OF THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE CULTURAL CENTER THEATER 548 MAIN STREET, ROOSEVELT ISLAND, NEW YORK
5:30 P.M.1
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Minutes
1. May 9, 2019 Board Meeting (Board Action Required)
IV. Old Business
V. New Business
1. Authorization of Seventh Amendment to Manhattan Park Lease (Board Action Required)
2. Authorization of First Amendment to Sublease with the New York City Transit Authority
for Use of Strecker Lab (Board Action Required)
3. Presentation of RIOC's Audited Financial Statements for Fiscal Year Ending March 31,
2019
4. Approval of Annual Report for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2019 (Board Action
Required)
5. Approval of Report on Procurement Contracts for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2019
(Board Action Required)
6. Approval of Report on Investments for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2019 (Board Action
Required)
7. Approval of Property Report for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2019 (Board Action
Required)
8. Authorization of Expenditure of the Public Purpose Funds for Fiscal Year 2019-20 (Board
Action Required)
9. Authorization to Enter into Contract for Octagon Comfort Station & Site Work (Board
Action Required – Materials to Follow)
10. Authorization to Enter into Contract with Apple Restoration & Waterproofing, Inc. for
Blackwell House Exterior Repairs Project (Board Action Required)
11. President’s Report
12. Committee Reports
a. Audit Committee
b. Governance Committee
c. Operations Advisory Committee
d. Real Estate Development Advisory Committee
13. Public Safety Report
VI. Adjournment
1 The RIOC Board Meeting will commence following a public comment period. The public comment period is not part of the meeting.
UPDATE 4 PM - Former RIRA President Matt Katz writes:
I have read the listing of new hires for the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC). I am glad to see that all three live (or at lest have domiciles) on Roosevelt Island. Jeff Escobar has been involved with the critical issues of this community for many years and has proved his value to this residential community time and again. I don't know Mr. Ekpo or Mr Kappel and have to wonder what credentials they carry, what familiarity they have with ongoing issues, and who put forward their names. I do know that, over the last seven years, the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) has mounted four elections (referenda? plebiscites?) to fill those long-vacant seats and that none of this community's choices have been included. Having been one of many Islanders who have worked for decades to bring some semblance of democracy, and through the ballot box, to the administration of this State-operated Island, I am disappointed that, yet again, our efforts bore no fruit and we are saddled with a fait accompli. We deserve better.
Thank you for your email dated June 19 regarding the new RIOC members nominated by the Governor. I am much relieved that the new appointees will fill long vacant positions, facilitating the conduct of important Roosevelt Island related business. Nevertheless, I too am disappointed that thoughtful recommendations previously submitted did not yield the results we hoped for. The process is deficient, in my view, and raises unanswered questions separate and apart from the qualifications or positions of the new appointees. I retain, of course, an enduring commitment to work with them to promote the very best interests of Roosevelt Island residents.
It seems to me that consideration should be given to a screening or search process that incorporates or involves community input in a more formal way. I am speaking with colleagues about instituting a requirement or statute that establishes the rubric for such a process. Although the RIOC appointments are currently the sole province of the Executive, the voices of the people of Roosevelt Island must not be ignored. I intend to explore introducing legislation that will ensure a more responsive and transparent process for the nomination, consideration and selection of RIOC board members.
Again, I much appreciate your interest and your views. Thanks for writing.
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....
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.
