Roosevelt Island’s leadership has failed utterly, leaving residents to suffer under indifferent authority while vital services languish. The invisible powers must go for any hope of recovery.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
“Haven’t had a leader in two years,” a RIOC manager told me. He was referring to the period in which CEO Shelton Haynes was missing. It started with stress-driven illness. Then came the extraordinary suspension with which RIOC’s board muted him.
But the manager was wrong because he mistook absentee leadership for a lack thereof. We’re not talking about Haynes here. He was present and willing to go, but RIOC’s absentee boss stepped on his windpipe. She had help.
Any RIOC Fix is stalled
RIOC is and was confronted with multiple challenges. The Red Bus system met with several existential crises in 2023 and 2024. It skated through, but just barely until new buses finally arrived. Although maintaining the bus system costs millions every year, it generates no revenue at all. It reeks of unfairness as everyone must pay, even those with no use for the free rides.
Problems involving the Tram have been less successful. Raucous overcrowding by tourists deprives many residents, who foot the bills for Tram deficits, are denied entry. Older and physically challenged riders get the worst of it. But it’s unpleasant enough that many reluctantly do the unthinkable: The choose the degrading subway system over the once coveted Tram.
Less visible, RIOC’s budget balances by employing smoke, mirrors and magic. Money RIOC hasn’t earned fantastically appears, filling in negative balances.
Sportspark and The Tram bleed red ink with not plan in place or even contemplated for fixing them. The Motorgate parking garage weirdly subsidizes cars and trucks with absurdly low rates.
A RIOC fix must include a change in how these issues continue. The results of a lack of engaged leadership or a broad view of the community and its real needs is called for. But it’s leadership that’s failed because it’s from leadership that values, plans and execution emerge.
We ain’t got that, and it hurts.
Let’s talk leadership
However unique, RIOC has always been a state agency. Every governor during its existence has affected Roosevelt Island. Sadly, that has rarely meant generosity or respect.
As we’ve detailed before, Roosevelt Islanders contributed exactly as much in taxes as every other New York, plus New York City tax. But because none of that comes back for operations at RIOC, the community is further hit with all the funding RIOC – a state agency – needs to keep the lights on.
Making it grossly unfair, the state, through the governor’s office, controls hiring, firing and overall management. The community is stuck in a rut, forced to pay without any input on spending.
That’s not news. Residents have known about it for years. What isn’t is well known is, Who’s in charge? Who’s supposed to provide leadership. A RIOC fix can only come through that valve. So, who is or are they?
RIOC Leadership
New York governors and RIOC’s board have had it pretty good. For all of RIOC’s blunders, they’ve sat back and let the CEOs take the hit. The last CEO, Shelton Haynes, was the first to call them out for their negligence. Both he and Susan Rosenthal, who preceded him, have sued these invisible leaders.
While Governor Hochul never shows much interest in RIOC, it’s her baby. Like her former partner, Andrew Cuomo, Hochul manipulates Roosevelt Island’s daily oversight to her Executive Chamber. “The Chamber” reaches RIOC executives on a persistent basis, making sure they are toeing the line. There’s a lot of pressure, and as Haynes noted in his lawsuit, not enough support in return.
When push came to shove, they left him adrift without oars.
The Board
In RIOC’s founding legislation, its board takes on the overall management of the state agency, especially the hiring and firing of executives and budgeting. You’d have trouble finding anyone who believes they’ve don that in recent years.
Instead, RIOC acts mainly as Hochul’s rubber stamp, nodding in favor of whatever rolls down the Hudson from Albany like bobbleheads. It’s also become clear that they routinely violate state Open Meetings Law. The law mandates public discussion of all substantive debates that may lead to decisions.
Unless you believe that a nearly $40 million budget can get unanimous approval, without any discussion whatsoever, you know they’re cheating.
Overseeing all this is RuthAnne Visnauskas. These the head of New York’s Homes and Community Renewal agency. By law, this makes her Chair of RIOC’s board. She’d better be described as Chief Tool. While she may set agendas – Who knows? – but she rarely attends board meetings. Instead, she sends a surrogate who arrives angry and only get worse when any resistance messes with her authority.
Is a RIOC fix even possible?
Take a look at the debacle during which a group led by Paul Krikler petitioned RIOC to deal with Roosevelt Island Tram issues. It’s far from encouraging. Although Krikler’s arguments were sound, RIOC rejected the need for any change. The arguments were never really considered. Just “No,” like a prom queen coolly turning down a homely suitor.
RIOC’s invisible leadership, from Hochul down past Chief Tool Visnauskas, really isn’t interested. Any future success depends on getting rid of those two and starting fresh.
Priced Out of the Air We Breathe
It used to be you could sit by the window and breathe in a little peace. Now, that costs extra—and someone’s cashing in.
