Is secrecy plagued RIOC finally doing something about the sinkhole?

An after hours RIOC alert implied doing something about the sinkhole in the East Promenade, but maybe not. It was vague and cloaked in unknowns. So, who knows if it’s real action or simple incompetence?

By David Stone

Roosevelt Island Daily News

About the sinkhole…

Here’s the East Promenade sinkhole we’ve reported over the last month and RIOC refuses to acknowledge.

That’s the amateurish fix the deep thinkers at 680 Main Street devised, but here’s a better look.

It’s a concern because, as former president/CEO Susan Rosenthal swears in her lawsuit, the East Promenade is in danger of “catastrophic” collapse.

But even at its own board of enablers directors meeting, RIOC said nothing publicly.

Until last night.

Now, here’s the full text of their Notice of East Promenade Remediation advisory:

“Please note that remediation efforts on a section of the East Promenade, between Foodtown and the Helix, will begin tomorrow, May 6th. Pedestrian and vehicular access to this portion of the promenade will reopen upon completion of the work.”

Remediate what and where?

Admittedly, it’s not as dreadful as when the Communications Team dubbed Rivercross Lawn “Meditation Lawn,” but still…

First, a quibble. No “section of the East Promenade” exists “between Foodtown and the Helix.” That’s the Motorgate Atrium. Easy for anyone who’s never been there to make the mistake.

But reminded about the sinkhole nearby, we’ll make the jump, assuming the Communications Team means the stretch of promenade between the Roosevelt Island Bridge and Motorgate.

But what are they remediating exactly…?

Is it about the sinkhole or something bigger?

RIOC demands that we cough up $220K this year, just in salaries, for a three-member Communications Team via the RIOC Tax. This is what we get, maybe three confusing memos a week and no external facing information at all…

“Remediation efforts” means something broader than simply filling in a sinkhole. That would be a fix. Remediation means providing a remedy, but for what?

It’s the difference between a broken bone, which you repair, and a cancer that must be cured.

No estimate even of how long the work should take.

The Communications Team offers so little information, the best residents can do is guess, but that’s just wrong. RIOC owes this community, the one paying for most of their activity, clarity and detail.

Instead, we get secrecy. Time and again, this state agency acts like there’s something to hide. So much so, it’s safe assuming there probably is.

Conclusion

An immediate best guess is that RIOC’s doing something about the sinkhole and, probably, its cause. Why they aren’t saying more is anyone’s guess. A lack of accountability? A leadership vacuum? Nobody minding the store? A Communications Team clueless about communications?

Who knows?

One sure thing, the Roosevelt Island community gets very little back in return for its $20 million annual investment in RIOC.