Because they are “at-will” employees at RIOC, Governor Kathy Hochul can fire Haynes and Robinson right now without consequences. She could and should have done it earlier but chose, instead, to extend them privileges no other RIOC executives ever got. The bleeding – financially, politically, socially – must end somewhere, and here and now are as good as it gets.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
“When it comes to firing workers in New York, employers have an unfair advantage. All workers in the state are employed “at will,” which means they can be fired with or without cause and with no advance warning.” – Lipsky Lowe Employment Law Firm
Followers of The Daily know that this is the rationale New York State used in justifying the dismissal of RIOC President/CEO Susan Rosenthal. She’s contesting it in a federal lawsuit, but the state is steadfast in honoring their privilege.
But neither Governor Hochul nor RIOC’s board has been willing to consider using that authority when it comes to Haynes and Robinson. According to Haynes’s and Robinson’s legal filing, they blame it on race.
Instead of an abrupt dismissal, as with Rosenthal but also other RIOC CEO’s Steve Shane and Leslie Torres, the state and board are investigating them instead.
Haynes and Robinson insist that this is unfair, and we agree with them. It’s not just unfair, it’s costly for taxpayers and has frozen RIOC into inaction on important issues.
So, let’s stop the bleeding, end their suffering and just fire them, right now, today, yesterday if possible.
Give them a fair shake, just like all the others got.
Restrictions
“Employers cannot terminate employees for unlawful or discriminatory reasons, however, or in violation of an employment contract,” Lipsky Lowe adds. (Rosenthal suggests they fired her based on racism, that is, dismissing a Caucasian woman and replacing her with an African-American strategically on Juneteenth.)
Why not just fire them for no reason at all?
But if Governor Hochul Needs Reasons, We’re Here To Help
Character
Three and a half years later, Haynes and Robinson acknowledge their roles in Rosenthal’s dismissal, but Haynes is the worst.
He admits sharing a private, confidential conversation with his mentor, Rosenthal, giving the state leverage in firing her… and promoting him. Not only is that sleazy, but he admits to his own violation of state rules in the same breath.
According to the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER) rules at the time, managers are required to report violations of this kind immediately. He didn’t do so, by his own accounting, saving the report until it was useful to the state in attacking his mentor and, reportedly, friend.
And he immediately accepted a promotion, even though better qualified executives were passed over.
More character…
Both Robinson and Haynes were friends of Rosenthal’s. The Daily confirmed reports of their dining together, and Robinson went shopping with her.
Roosevelt Island sources tell us that, in an early episode of Haynes being stressed out over family issues, Rosenthal allowed him to escape into property she owned on Long Island.
In a board meeting, Rosenthal described her efforts to bring Robinson back to RIOC after some time working elsewhere. Robinson expressed her gratitude.
And then, without warning, both participated in her being fired. Haynes went on to trash her with unsubstantiated accusations. Who does that?
Competence
Haynes’s competence has long been in question and, often, from those working most closely with him. His insistence on taking credit for others’ achievements is real and on the record. If he’s capable, why borrow accomplishments from others?
Some highlights…
- After three years of pushing, the MTA finally installed OMNY readers for the Tram, but Haynes could not secure a reasonable fare-sharing deal. As a result, the MTA continues stealing over $100K per month from Roosevelt Islanders.
- Even after urging from elected officials and a promise by board chair RuthAnne Visnauskas, he continues refusing to engage with residents and local media.
- After three – including a child – were hit by cars on Main Street, Haynes promised a traffic safety plan but none ever emerged.
- For over six months, Haynes allowed a crude anti-handicapped sign to sit at the Blackwell House entrance to his office.
- Haynes established a bunker mentality at RIOC, refusing to answer media questions and threatening to fire anyone who did. He buffered that by boasting to whoever would listen to tales of his track record for firing hundreds of people without consequences.
- All once-treasured community events – Roosevelt Island Day, Fall for Arts, the Holiday Extravaganza – all shrunk while his paycheck ballooned.
And Robinson…
Just going along with Haynes as his sidekick should be enough, but Robinson has some dubious achievements all her own.
- When RIOC was caught using a stolen image in their newsletter, rather than apologized and correct, Robinson put her ignorance of intellectual property on display.
- According to filed court documents, she concocted a scheme for delaying and/or ignoring legitimate FOIL requests because she and Haynes disliked news coverage.
- She justified abandoning 591 Main Street, where RIOC stayed for decades rent free, for 242 Main as financially justified. But she has never publicly explained why RIOC is paying triple the rent of the previous tenant – without any competition.
- In another Hudson-Related move, she gave the Southtown real estate developer a five year pass on promised lighting for Firefighters Field. She told the board that, if construction work on Southtown Building #9 damaged the lighting, RIOC would be responsible. How’s that? No surprise, the developers are now trying to get out of ever completing their contracted obligation for lighting.
Finally, Fire Haynes and Robinson Because We Can’t Afford Them
So far, the duo is connected with over a dozen investigations over potential wrongdoing. They’ve hired expensive outside counsel to fend off Inspector General inquiries, and the board has signed on for two independent investigators.
Fired personnel – Rosenthal, Erica Spencer-EL, Amy Smith, Jessica Cerone, Arthur Eliav, Karline Jean – are suing them. And there’s a wrongful death suit pending by the family of a swimmer drowned in Sportspark.
We can’t afford all that. It drains public resources needed elsewhere. Fire them now, and stop the bleeding. Nothing legitimate stands in the way.
A Different Kind of Bet
For years, Roosevelt Island did not behave like a system constrained by limits. Internally, the budget was often treated less as a boundary and more as a reservoir to be used.
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