Fixing RIOC entails a slew of long-overdue changes, yet nothing is as dysfunctional as its secretive, morally compromised board. The catalogue of misconduct is extensive. For any hope of improvement at RIOC, it is imperative to oust at least two board members and consider a couple more.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Fixing RIOC Top Down
A reality check tells us that there’s little hope of replacing the prime cause of RIOC‘s perilous malfunctions: Governor Kathy Hochul. Hochul control board memberships and corporate executives, but her ineptitude is far-reaching. She’s almost singlehandedly turned deep blue New York into something nearly purple in this year’s presidential sweepstakes. For many, she’s made “Democrat” a dirty word.
The ex officio board members acting as surrogates for Hochul’s political appointees waver between bullying and angry. While few believed anyone might be worse than Andrew Cuomo, his surrogates were often thoughtful and helpful during board negotiations. That’s no longer the case.
Especially troubling is Morris Peters, who stands in for the state’s budget director Blake G. Washington. While his department did not effectively oversee RIOC’s budget maneuvers in recent years, as required by law, Peters talks over other board members and otherwise acts in such a lordly manner, you might think it’s actually done its job.
Hard Right Foundation
Joining board chair RuthAnne Visnauskas’s temperamental surrogate, Peters enables a hard right coalition on the board, routinely resisting change. Resident board members David Kraut, Howard Polivy, Fay Christian and Conway Ekpo complete the conservative bulwark for Hochul.
This group resists change at every turn, but minority, junior board members have deftly used the laws to overpower them at times. In a recent example, Lydia Tang and Ben Fhala forced the establishment of a governance committee against opposition. Although state law mandates this committee, RIOC – under Visnauskas’s alleged leadership – hadn’t had one in a decade. Now, it does, and it’s chaired by Tang.
Fixing RIOC: Why Polivy and Kraut Should Go Today
Political organizations don’t have original sins, but this board has an ethical black mark that cannot be erased.
In June, 2020, Governor Cuomo publicly fired CEO Susan Rosenthal, releasing scurrilous charges against her to the New York Post. We don’t know if the charges are true because Rosenthal was never given a chance to defend herself. Although the board has legal authority for hiring and firing executives, Cuomo kicked her out while the board did nothing. Actually, they did worse than nothing.
The board conspired with Cuomo. An improperly arranged emergency meeting approved Cuomo’s actions after the fact and behind closed doors. Only one side got an audience because the board denied Rosenthal any defense.
That’s not how we do things in America. Accused people get due process. Not only was Rosenthal denied that, the board acted without a single sworn statement or any piece of evidence. Current Board members Kraut, Polivy and Ekpo participated. We don’t know if there were any objections, but we do know that Kraut gleefully endorsed Shelton J. Haynes as her successor while Polivy and Ekpo voted in favor.
Fixing RIOC requires that Kraut and Polivy must go as a result. Unethical conduct can’t be excused if it’s never acknowledged. Neither Kraut nor Polivy have publicly expressed any regrets.
Fresh Air
In the spring of 2023, Senator Liz Krueger responded to resident concerns, overseeing the appointments of three new board members: Ben Fhala, Lydia Tang and Michal Melamed. Together they’ve chipped away at the board’s hard right conservative orthodoxy.
Fhala, the most vocal of the three, comes off as a thorn looking for a side. Figurative puncture woulds are everywhere as he persistently asks the questions that the board’s old guard along with governor appointees ignored for years.
Especially galling for the hard right has been his insistence on better oversight of RIOC’s purchasing practices. This core issue should be top of the line among members’ concerns, but instead, Fhala faces stiff resistance, led disappointingly by Peters who uses his position as a kind of unearned bully pulpit, talking over other members and demanding concessions.
For the record, Peters has no known connection with Roosevelt Island and only slight experience with RIOC. Yet, he appears at times to think he’s the chair. He isn’t. He’s an obstacle.
Tang, a longtime resident and always a voice in local politics, speaks softly but effectively. At a recent governance committee meeting, she showed how her insights and prowess can ethically and responsibly shape RIOC’s operations. There’s more to come with Tang.
Melamed has so far been a gentle voice for openness and reason. That may not be radical, but for RIOC’s board, it is.
Fixing RIOC: The Other Board Members One By One
- David Kraut – The longest serving board member has repeatedly disqualified himself and survives only because his angry, obscene outbursts serve the governor’s cause. Kraut is no longer a Roosevelt Island resident, which further questions his qualifications. His term expired decades ago. Replacing him requires only simple fresh appointment.
- Howard Polivy – If Polivy’s participation in the Rosenthal fiasco isn’t disqualifying enough, his staunch support of some the current executives’ worst actions should do the trick. Polivy has overseen budget after budget where overspending plus ridiculous income projections led to red ink to the tune of about $5 million per year. Although disgruntled employees finally dragged him into action over CEO Haynes and Chief Counsel Gretchen Robinson, the investigation was as unnecessary as it was botched. The suspended executives sit home while RIOC collectively sends around $50,000 a month their way. The hidden expenses for the endless investigation he set up add tens of thousands more. But for what?
- Fay Christian – While Christian’s admirable commitment to voluntary service is valued, her contributions have always been limited by going along to get along, often it seems against her better judgment. Christian is the classic example of looking both ways before crossing the street, then following the leader.
- Conway Ekpo – Ekpo, apparently by his own choosing is an untapped resource. A highly regarded attorney on the cutting edge of commerce, he has not so far exercised that expertise with the board. With so much going on in his life, he may just be overstretched with RIOC.
Finally…
RIOC is in turmoil. The fault can be laid at the feet of its messy board. During a difficult time, RIOC’s staff has surprised with its resilience and leadership, but that can’t go on forever. Fixing RIOC requires starting from the top – or as near as we can get. Hochul will not change nor will her faithful surrogates. But Senator Krueger along with Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright have shown a willingness to butt in effectively.
Clean out the dinosaurs, bring in fresh, community-oriented members and reinforce the strengths already in place. Change can come. It’s been a long time since that seemed possible.
Air Doesn’t Have an Address
The Roosevelt Island Steam Plant fight has reached a new stage: DOB has agreed to a site walkthrough, ArchRI says it is bringing independent engineers and architects, and four elected officials have formally asked RIOC to create a Community Advisory Group (CAG) for the project.
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