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September 23, 2006 |
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Election Day this year will not only mark the end of the Pataki administration, but also the two-year session of the Residents’ Association Common Council. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with this Council. These folks are smart, warm, funny, and committed to seeing the community live up to its phenomenal potential. The meetings in the past few years have been lively but congenial, and I think the Council has made good decisions although frequently they were difficult and not unanimous. I strongly encourage residents who have interest in working for a better community to run for election to the Common Council. Within a few weeks you will see nomination forms in your buildings and stores. Just fill out the form and speak at an optional "meet the candidates" night to be held prior to elections. Each building is offered ample representation on the Council (roughly one seat for each 120 units), so most candidates will be running unopposed.
It is a unique opportunity to be hooked in on what is happening, to meet your neighbors, and to be involved in whatever areas of interest you have. I’d like to extend a particular invitation to the newcomers to our community from Southtown and Octagon.
RIRA elections for President, Vice-President and building representatives occur on election day in the main foyer of PS/IS 217 school, where Federal, State and local election voting is done, as well.
In the last monthly meeting of the Common Council, we discussed including referenda questions, too, so that the new governor and other elected representatives can hear the will of the community.
Many of these issues have a history, and various pros and cons. The Common Council has strong and virtually uniform opinions on each of these items, which is why they are hoping that a strong response from voters will sway the decision-makers. Based on the many discussions in the Council, our majority positions follow on the referendum questions we are considering, which are:
Replacement of the politically appointed Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) Board members with democratically-elected residents.
This is the key. An elected board can be replaced by voters if they fail to perform according to expectations. Virtually every problem on Roosevelt Island can be blamed on either poor decisions by RIOC or poor execution of their duties.
Additional Commercial/Residential development on land reserved for Southpoint Park.
More development on parkland will be disastrous, and completely unnecessary. Residents overwhelmingly voted for a plan that included no residential development and limited commercial development to park-related amenities.
Sale of rights to a private corporation to lease all commercial property on Main Street and Sale of the Motorgate parking monopoly to a private operator.
RIOC is the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. If they can’t operate the commercial spaces and parking facility, let’s get people in RIOC who can. The community should always keep strong control over the nature of commercial interests offered space on Main Street, and the rates we pay for parking.
A review of current transportation options and a plan for the future that includes resident input.
Between the lousy Red Bus service, school-bus-induced traffic jams, overcrowded subways and Trams, we would like some careful thought on how to minimize the amount of time we spend trying to get on and off the Island. A proper review would give careful consideration to hiring a traffic consultant, to ferry service, and to interfacing with the MTA on bus and train routes and schedules.
A comprehensive emergency evacuation plan that includes contingencies for highly toxic chlorine trucks used for the water tunnel next to the Octagon Park Apartments.
The Island was very poorly prepared for the last blackout and for 9/11. Supposedly, an emergency plan for the Island exists, but authorities have not released it. The transport of highly toxic material over our disintegrating spiral ramp, and next to a residential area should not be permitted without, at minimum, careful consideration of how to handle the dangers that it entails.
A review of options to either overhaul or raze the Steam Generation Plant.
Numerous plans have been offered by experts and State authorities that would greatly increase the capacity of the steam-generation plant, while lowering the pollution that it emits and permitting the Island to use much more energy at a much reduced cost, and to operate "off the grid" to supply local electricity at lower cost and even during blackouts.
I hope you will think about these points and make your views known in the upcoming elections. If you’d like to discuss these issues in more detail between now and November, please e-mail me and I’ll be happy to go over them with you.
Thanks to all who attended the memorial service held in Good Shepherd Plaza on September 11. RIRA intends to keep this tradition alive every year. We want to thank the people who were part of the program and the Garden Club for taking such good care of the area around the memorial plaque. And we want to give a special thanks to the firefighters from the Special Ops Unit who came down to join us in the service.
Also thanks to Vicki Feinmel who organized the dance performance at Lighthouse Park last week and to those from RIOC, RIRA, and the two dance groups, who made this an evening greatly enjoyed by the many in attendance.