UPDATED: Will RIOC Ever Change? Can It? Find Out Wednesday. –...

For many Roosevelt Islanders, RIOC change was a dream lost when Andrew Cuomo became Governor. Control and patronage trumped local needs, a position hardened further under Governor Hochul. But thanks to activism supported by Senator Liz Krueger who helped appoint a refreshing round of new board members, rejigging is in the air.

by David Stone

The Roosevelt Island Daily News

Update:

RIOC has not circulated this notice. Don’t let that keep you away.

If you can’t be there, attend on Zoom. Click here.

End of Update

Before the State Senate closed its spring session in 2023, Senator Krueger advanced three Roosevelt Islanders into seats on the RIOC board. The board had calcified, circling the wagons in support of a case-hardened administration.

Roosevelt Islanders were shut out of interaction and influence within a government operation for which they were forced to pay.

The new members, all residents, were Lydia Tang, Ben Fhala and Dr. Michal Melamed. While all three pressed RIOC for meaningful change, Fhala has led the charge, tangling openly with entrenched executives in public.

Now, with support from other board members and a hopeful swath of residents, he’s managing a push at breaking down barriers and letting the community in.

Can RIOC Change?

We will find out a lot about what’s possible on Wednesday afternoon. Fhala has taken the lead over a RIOC Operations Committee meeting that takes a core issue head-on. Communications between RIOC leadership and the community are stuck, and for the good of both, he wants the barriers broken down.

Fhala has requested that his public statements be replicated in full, rather than quoted in parts. We’re happy to accommodate.

The Upcoming RIOC Operations Meeting

Statement by Ben Fhala:

The Operations Committee is the ideal platform to address the business item we previously discussed. During the last public board meeting, I inquired about the $170k contract with First Page Management, specifically questioning whether its main focus was to hinder or diminish the reach of articles about @Haynes, Shelton J (RIOC) and @Jamal, Akeem (RIOC) published by David Stone and Rick O’Connor. The response, after some back and forth, directed me to the Operations Committee, emphasizing that such questions are better addressed there.

Fortunately, after seven months, we are finally convening an Operations Committee meeting, and it appears the agenda is not densely populated. Despite obstacles from @Haynes, Shelton J (RIOC)/ @Robinson, Gretchen (RIOC) with the active support of @Visnauskas, RuthAnne (HCR), Dr. Melamed has generously allowed me to use her chair for this session to conduct this critical engagement with the public and staff members.

While the specific topics remain uncertain and potential opposition from Shelton Haynes or RuthAnne Visnauskas looms, I am optimistic that your attendance will draw sufficient attention. Positive pressure exerted on our elected officials, who genuinely care about our residents and RIOC’s well-being, may prompt them to send representation. Ideally, this could encourage RuthAnne Visnauskas to officially include this item on the agenda or, if not, make it publicly clear that she does not prioritize RIOC’s core goal of serving the community. I have faith that a bit of political pressure can redirect her focus from lawyers and advisors whispering in the silence.

Though it’s challenging to set clear agendas, here are a few bullet points for our conversation with the public and staff in the upcoming meeting:

Reset with Media: Explore how we can engage with local media, define terms for both media and RIOC to benefit our communities. If Shelton Haynes refuses engagement, we’ll discuss how resident board members can negotiate these terms.
Work Environment: Investigate why staff members are apprehensive about interacting with community members, board members, and the media. Brainstorm solutions to reset this potentially hostile work environment.
Engagement with Paul (Krikler – ed.)representing community board #8: Discuss the structure of long-term engagement with Paul’s committee work, debating whether it should involve staff members, board members, or both.
First Page Management Contract: If time permits, delve into the details of the contract and it’s implementation —its purpose, ethics, potential damage to the relationship with local media—and strategize on taking ownership, preventing such behaviors, or understanding the rationale behind them and support the contract.
Communication Practices: Discuss the language and repetition in RIOC announcements, addressing concerns such as why they start with “Shelton presents” and why they lack signatures or clear ownership. Explore how board members can voice objections if/when needed.

These are initial topics, and the discussion may evolve based on emerging questions by the invited guests and public. I am hopeful for an engaging conversation with all invited members, leading to impactful conclusions beneficial for RIOC and the communities we serve.

Looking forward to your participation and the collaborative exchange. As such, I expect this to be added into the agenda and it if does not I will pick up the lead once the scheduled items conclude. adding the agenda again as an attachment.

Thanks,

Ben Fhala*
Resident Board Member

Finally…

The Operations Committee Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 17th at 4:00 p.m. at 680 Main Street. That location is beneath Motorgate along the East Promenade, easily accessed through the Foodtown passageway under the helix.

Because the location is relatively small while the meeting may draw a lot of community interest, it may move to another location. We will update.