By way of Community Board 8, on Zoom, Senator Liz Krueger and Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright open up to Roosevelt Islanders on Monday, July 1st, at 6:30 p.m.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Krueger and Seawright at CB8
Both Krueger and Seawright have advocated strenuously for Roosevelt Island. Seawright passed legislation calling for increased democracy while Krueger was instrumental in adding vitality with new, reformist board members.
“This is a unique opportunity to come and tell your State elected representatives what you think about representation and governance on Roosevelt Island and see what they can do to help,” said Paul Krikler. Krikler is Roosevelt Island’s representative on Community Board 8 and the meeting’s organizer.
Join online here. Time: 6:30 p.m., Monday, July 1st.
RIOC is in flux, if not quite chaos, with dramatic churns in executive staffing and with insurgents on its board facing hard right resistance to change. With a long, grueling legislative session ended, Krueger and Seawright turn their attention to direct constituent concerns.
Our representatives can help us with the imbalance of power with RIOC. The current interim leadership at RIOC has been a breath of fresh air after decades of prior administrations. But things can change in a hurry and will with Deputy General Council Gerrald Ellis’s departure this week. Since January, Ellis teamed with CFO Dhruvika Patel Amin in leading RIOC since CEO Shelton Haynes’s suspension
While Haynes’s return remains uncertain, Roosevelt Islanders should not be beholden to whoever happens to be in authority at any given time.
Petition for Change
Almost 1,100 people signed a petition earlier this year. It demanded the long sought goal of direct elections of RIOC board members. That’s a significant number out of 12,000 residents of all ages. Residents do not get to elect any of the RIOC directors currently.
The inherent benefits of democracy are readily apparent. Roosevelt Islanders should not be taxed, as they now are, without any elected representation. That must change.
The Challenge for Krueger and Seawright
Not only must these two elected officials address the ongoing mess referred to as “The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation,” they must also deal with the elephant in the room: The Master Lease giving the state control over Roosevelt Island until 2068.
That seems a long time, but for reasons involving finance, its extension until at least 2100 is already underway. Initiated secretly by Council Member Julie Menin, it seeks helping out property owners while giving short shrift to residents’ mounting concerns.
According to outgoing interim leader Ellis, a simple settlement is best. That means the fewest obstacles to extending the current agreement pretty much as is. Resolving concerns about responsibility for the decrepit steam plant, the crumbling tunnel forming the Island’s east seawall and the Coler berm project are all that he feels should be in play.
But that erases the single best chance Roosevelt Islanders have in forcing positive change in the legislation covering relationships with the current governance. Neither Menin nor Ellis – nor anyone else – bothered offering residents a seat at the table.
As powerful voices within state government, Krueger and Seawright can exert some force in favor of Roosevelt Island and democracy.
Join them, Monday night at 6:30.
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