RIRA rallied the community Wednesday night in a sometimes boisterous Town Meeting that demanded transit solutions and an end to the RIOC administration of Jerome Blue.  Well over 400 residents crammed the sanctuary of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, applauding condemnations of Blue and every suggestion that he be removed from his position, and voicing a general insistence on a prompt restoration of Tramway service.

The tone of the Residents Association meeting ranged from the fervor of a pentecostal tent show to dull, but there was never a doubt about the sentiment of the crowd:  Not one word was spoken in defense of Blue.  Not one utterance suggested the Island can do without the Tramway.

"Jerry Blue did not drive the crane last Tuesday, but he did steer the Tram onto an eventual collision course with tragedy," charged RIRA Common Council member Judith Berdy in one of the early speeches of the meeting.  Like other speakers, she was interrupted by frequent applause.

As others did throughout the evening, Berdy was speaking of Blue's removal of Console Operators from the Tramway in an attempt to save money.  According to RIRA President Patrick Stewart, Blue has admitted no actual economies were achieved by the move, and Stewart describes Blue as "grossly negligent" in eliminating the Console Operator position, which RIRA considers necessary for safe operation.  Tramway workers (see related story, this page) and others have contended that a Console Operator would have seen last week's accident about to happen, and would have been able to prevent it.

"The information Jerry Blue puts out is inaccurate and incomplete and useless," Berdy said, calling the RIOC President "the great non-communicator."  "His public meetings are a sham," she charged, "to meet the letter of the law and say a meeting was held.

"We are now here to unite our community, to fight for our Tram, to bring back our community spirit, be proud of where we live.  We will be here long after Mr. Blue, so it's time to say goodbye to Mr. Blue, and it's time to take back our Island, and have it run by our elected officials and our community – and not by hacks."

In opening the meeting, RIRA President Patrick Stewart expressed anger that Blue had taken a week to respond to the transit crisis created – for the disabled, elderly, and children who attend school off-Island – by failing to provide the alternative bus service that has always been put on immediately in past Tramway shutdowns.  Stewart also accused Blue of duplicity in asking for Island Public Purpose Funds, reserved for use by Island organizations for social purposes, to fund emergency buses despite the fact that Albany had already authorized the necessary funding.

The chair of RIRA's Tram Committee, Al Weinstein, spoke with even more than his usual fervor in condemning Blue and in speaking for restoration of console operators.  He brought an empty chair to the microphone, slammed it down, and said: "My wife knows that I always try to speak in diplomatic language," he said, "but tonight I have to put that aside...  This chair is the chair of the missing Dr. Blue.  Tonight represents a special time for the future of Roosevelt Island.  Now is the time, this is the place, to move ahead toward a more vibrant community.  Tonight is the time that we are going to take our shackles off, and become the masters of our own destiny here on this Island.  The Tram has always represented our quality of life, our lifeline... it is our Statue of Liberty, our George Washington Bridge, rolled into one.  It is a symbol of the Island's spirit and a truly indispensable part of daily life.

"Dr. Blue or not," Weinstein continued, "we are on a projectory that is unstoppable: the force of Roosevelt Island public opinion that will bring back the operation of the Tram and the safety net of the Tram, the console operators."

RIRA used the meeting as an opportunity to pass the hat, asking for funds to cover possible legal costs as it pursues various actions against RIOC and the State.  RIRA Council member Joan Christianson announced a "T'Amato to D'Amato" campaign in an effort to enlist New York State's U.S. Senator in removal of Blue, who is widely believed to be a D'Amato lackey, appointed to the Presidency of RIOC by Governor George Pataki at D'Amato's behest.  (See RIRA letter, page 3.)

There was little hard information in Wednesday night's meeting, though Attorney James Kaufman, a member of the RIRA Council, reported that the Swiss company brought in to evaluate the Tramway after last week's accident has now signed off on its safety.  Kaufman reported the Department of Labor has also signed off on the Tram as a safe workplace.  The implication is that the only force keeping the Tram from resuming operation is Blue.

Like others, Kaufman praised DHCR Acting Commissioner Joseph Lynch and his deputy, Otis Jones, as "hand-working and honest friends of the Island" and portrayed them as being just as frustrated as Island residents are by Blue's RIOC administration.  "They understand the ramifications of the mismanagement of this island," Kaufman said.  "Otis and others told him, instructed him, to have buses running late Friday or early Saturday.  In essence, the instructions were ignored.  He defied the instructions.  Jerry Blue is ignoring the mandate of his bosses."  This was followed by a brief chant from the audience: "Blue must go."

Kaufman pointed out that the Island's subway station is not acceptable transit, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, for many physically-challenged riders.  "People with disabilities must have access, ingress and egress from the island," Kaufman said, pointing out that "most of the disabled cannot get on the subway.  The cars don't meet the platform.  Escalators are too frequently not running.  The elevator at 63rd Street [was] not functioning [recently], and no one in the station knew anything about it."  Kaufman said the Tramway is essential for the Island's handicapped residents.

City Councilmember Gifford Miller condemned Blue's absence: "The person who is in charge of RIOC is in charge of this island... ultimately that person responds to us, to the residents of this island, and he should be here tonight to explain what's going on.  I tried to get a meeting with Dr. Blue immediately after the accident.  I can't report that I've had that meeting yet.  It was supposed to be this morning, but Dr. Blue's schedule prevented that and it was put off until Friday...  I'm sure if I don't meet with Dr. Blue soon, I'll meet with Godot."

Other elected officials represented at the Town Meeting were Assemblymember Pete Grannis and U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, who along with Miller were praised often by speakers for standing by the people of Roosevelt Island.

The Transit Authority was represented by Steve Strauss.  To suggestions that subway track work be delayed until Tramway operations are restored, he offered an explanation that the February 22 start date for substitute shuttle service to two Manhattan stops, spaced 20 minutes apart, is firm because a complex 15-month construction schedule hangs in the balance.  Strauss did say, however, that the MTA is actively investigating the possibility of free "walking rail-to-rail transfers" between the Q-line station at Lexington Avenue and 63rd Street, and the Lexington Avenue station at 59th and Lexington, and hopes to have an answer – not necessarily affirmative – by the February 22 start of a scheduled 15-month period of diminished service.