Promoting himself looks like RIOC President/CEO Shelton J. Haynes’s main job for the last six months. It’s not as bad as Nero fiddling while Rome burned, but it’s embarrassing. Only keeping it off-Island prevents it from embarrassing the community.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Haynes Promoting Himself, Distorting Facts
The man in charge shrinks from view while Roosevelt Islanders struggle with once-in-a-lifetime transportation issues, increasing in-broad-daylight crimes and skyrocketing living costs. But the farther you go from the city, the larger Shelton J. Haynes gets.
Falling headfirst into the You Can’t Make This Up category is the photo used in this week’s salute to the boss.
A Beacon of Restoration: Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Receives Honors Under Shelton Haynes’ Leadership is the title under which this photo appears. (You can read the full article here.)
The illustrious Roosevelt Island Lighthouse, steeped in history and standing as a testament to architectural legacy, has earned yet another accolade under the visionary leadership of Shelton J. Haynes, the CEO and President of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC).
Businessing Web Page
The amateurish article, credited to a fictitious writer – Dirk Debie (?), adds this gem:
“Shelton Haynes’ leadership embodies a commitment to preservation and community enrichment. The restoration of the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse aligns perfectly with this vision, breathing new life into a historical landmark that can now be enjoyed by both the local community and the countless visitors who grace the island each year.”
The “countless visitors” always make an appearance when Haynes is promoting himself. But although they are far from countless, they also do not “grace” the Island.
“That f–king guy is f–king delusional,” a professional who has worked closely with Haynes said. “He probably needs to ask for directions to get there.”
But Why?
In reality – you know, that place where the rest of us live – multiple sources tell us that Haynes had little or nothing to do with the Lighthouse restoration. Sure, he leaped in, claiming credit when the awards came in…
But architect Thomas A. Fenniman designed the restoration while local historian Judith Berdy supplied expertise and inspiration.
The work itself was funded under Haynes’s predecessor Susan Rosenthal and executed by LiRo under the supervision of former CFO John O’Reilly.
None get a mention as is often the case when extreme narcissists demand the whole spotlight.
But why?
Because these articles are never distributed locally and use platforms far outside the realm, they look for all the world like part of a job hunt, with Haynes promoting himself on distant shores.
Another recent article found its platform in Africa, but this one is closer to home, just a few thousand miles away in Menifee, California.
Note: The city of Menifee is bordered on the north, west, south and east by the cities of Perris, Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Murrieta, and the community of Winchester.
Speculation arises from observations of Haynes’s diminishing presence – and authority – on Roosevelt Island. In the past six months, he’s been restricted to pickleball and showing up in the rain behind MTA president Janno Lieber.
This while multiple crises have unsettled the community. Crime rose, especially in-broad-daylight crime. NYPD shot dead an armed, emotionally unstable young man on Main Street. And the most challenging transportation jam ever has Islanders scrambling.
But where is $226,000 per year Shelton J. Haynes?
Out of town, promoting himself.
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