How One Board Resignation Pulled Back the Curtain on Public Purpose Funds
RIOC Board Accountability: A Quiet Resignation, A Loud Ripple.The implications of changes in leadership might have an impact on initiatives like Roosevelt Island Public Purpose Funds. Importantly, these changes could affect community projects and partnerships.
In early June, The Roosevelt Island Lighthouse quietly reported that resident board member Ben Fhala had stepped down from the RIOC board. This followed a contentious year of trying to push for reform from within. There was no press release, no public farewell. Instead, a sudden disappearance of one of the few voices advocating for transparency and resident inclusion was evident, especially regarding public purpose funds.
Eleanor Rivers captured the moment’s stillness in The Choreographed Exit, where she described the public silence that followed Fhala’s departure. This silence revealed as much as it concealed. The piece subtly traced board members’ behavior. This was done in a moment meant to honor his service but instead felt carefully, even strategically, muted.
The Public Purpose Fund Process: A Bigger Pie, Uneven Slices
With the resignation as a backdrop, I turned my focus to the Public Purpose Fund (PPF) — a program theoretically designed to support Roosevelt Island nonprofits. My piece Bigger Pie, Uneven Slices examined how this year’s expanded $250K fund was distributed. It revealed a troubling pattern of favoritism. There were questionable eligibility and back channel decisions, especially within the context of Roosevelt Island Public Purpose Funds.
Some key findings:
- Seven winners, $20–25 K each: Island Kids, MST&DA, Carter Burden, PTA 217, RIDA, RI Concerts … and RIVAA with an outsized double-wide slice.
- Middle tier, $15 K: Piazzolla 100’s tango troupe, RIVAA’s spin-off concert arm, RI Historical Society, RI Senior Association.
- Token plate-lickers, $5–10 K: Wildlife Freedom Foundation and iDig2Learn—the two groups that actually keep swans, stray cats, and school gardens alive—plus RIRA.
At the heart of this investigation was one question: Who decides what matters — and who gets left out?
Rossana Ceruzzi and the Voice That Opened the Public Purpose Door
This broader investigation was set in motion after Rossana Ceruzzi of the Wildlife Freedom Foundation made a powerful statement during the September 2024 RIOC Board meeting. This was captured in Eleanor’s first article in the series, One Minute to Speak. With grace and restraint, Rossana raised red flags about transparency. These included service contracts and board silence. She even touched on issues related to public purpose funds.
Eleanor’s storytelling — unfolding across One Minute to Speak, The Choreographed Exit, and A Year of Neglect, A Quiet Resolution — made clear that what Rossana exposed wasn’t an isolated concern. It was the emotional thread that tied a year of island dysfunction together.
RISA, RIRA, and the Trouble With Overlapping Influence
Theo’s final contribution in the series, Why Is RISA Still Around?, zoomed in on the strange and ongoing influence of the Roosevelt Island Seniors Association (RISA). This is a group with a history of past financial scandal, no online presence, and a nearly invisible board. Despite this, RISA continues to receive public funding, including from the Roosevelt Island Public Purpose Funds.
More troubling, the article revealed that RISA had acted as a fiscal sponsor for RIRA. This effectively funneled public money to a second group already struggling with leadership gaps, election credibility, and a lack of community engagement. Theo examined how figures like Frank Farance — RIRA’s current president — remain polarizing while public funds continue to flow without clear accountability.
A Final Plea for Reform — Will RIOC Listen?
In the closing of Why Is RISA Still Around?, Theo issued a direct public question to the RIOC Board and Communications Department:
“Will you be willing to hold a committee meeting focused on reforming the Public Purpose Funds to help it thrive visibly for years to come?”
As of publication, no response has been received regarding the concerns raised about public purpose funds.
Where We Go From Here
This series — spanning Eleanor’s narrative storytelling and my investigative deep dives — started with a quiet board resignation. It ended with a loud, unanswered question about how Roosevelt Island governs itself.
Together, these articles uncovered a fragile web of favoritism, silence, and unaccountable power. They showed critical implications for Roosevelt Island Public Purpose Funds.
Whether through community meetings, public commentary, or the next PPF cycle, what happens next depends on what residents demand regarding the public purpose funds. Not only on RIOC actions but on the voice of the community as well.
Because the money is public. The process should be too, especially for Roosevelt Island Public Purpose Funds.
A Job With a Predictable Ending
The role looks stable from the outside. A President and CEO is appointed. A contract is approved. A salary is set.
