Governor Eliot Spitzer described Steve Shane as a man of good judgment who will be inclusive in decision-making.

Shane, the Governor said, is "somebody who has experience in the issues relating to Roosevelt Island, who is a great lawyer, practitioner, (who) will bring really sound judgment, dedication to detail to the issues, and from our reconnaissance on the issue, he is somebody who will deal very well with all the interested parties."

Asked if he has any specific goals in mind for Shane, Spitzer said, "[To] bring some soundness of judgment and also some inclusiveness in the way decisions are made, [and to] make sure that the community feels that it is being properly listened to and heard in decisions that are made. But he has a track record of making smart judgments at both a management level and a legal level, so I have great confidence that he will serve extraordinarily well."

Spitzer’s aides would not say if other candidates were under consideration for the job, which does not require confirmation by the State Senate.

The Island’s State Senator said he didn’t really know Shane and said he would have liked to have learned more about him before Spitzer’s decision. "We weren’t really kept abreast," said Sen. Jose Serrano. "We heard about it after it happened. I’m not upset, but I would have liked to be at least a little bit in the process or in the know about how the process worked, how they selected someone."

Still, Serrano expressed optimism about Shane. "Nothing could be worse than what we had before," Serrano said. "I’m not dissing Herb Berman," the outgoing RIOC president appointed by ex-Governor George Pataki. "Pataki just did not make Roosevelt Island a priority."

Serrano said he is seeking a meeting with Shane at which he intends to underscore the need for affordable housing, a more democratic Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board, and improved public safety, including the possibility of getting a "real police substation on the Island."

Serrano said he also wants to discuss legislation he and Assemblyman Alexander "Pete" Grannis have pushed to have five of the nine RIOC Board members elected by Island residents and  prohibit non-park development of open space, and require financial audits and engineering studies of infrastructure.

"I would like a chance to go out to the Island and sit in his (Shane’s) office and pick his brain," Serrano said.

Grannis, who also represents the Island, echoed Serrano in saying he knew little about Shane and had never met him. "I haven’t really had any dealings with him," said Grannis, D-Manhattan, who is awaiting Senate confirmation to become Spitzer’s new Commissioner of Environmental Conservation, a job that will require him to resign from the Assembly and would open up the seat that represents the Island.

Jennifer Givner, a spokeswoman for Spitzer, said Shane shouldn’t have much of a learning curve in his new job.

"He knows every pothole on Roosevelt Island," said Givner, who said Shane’s familiarity with "every project on Roosevelt Island" grew out of his role as the State Division of Housing and Community Renewal’s representative to the RIOC Board.

Shane graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Chemistry in 1958 and from Columbia University School of Law with an LLB in 1961.

Mr. Shane said "I am eager to return to public service and especially to Roosevelt Island to help in the completion of the goals of this wonderful planned community and the residents of the Island."

These details were included in the press release issued last week by the Governor’s office:

Stephen H. Shane served as Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, where he was designated by the Commissioner as his representative to the Board of Directors of Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation from 1988 to 1995. He was a partner at Lowenthal, Landau, Fisher & Bring from 1985 to 1987; at Tishman Spayer Properties from 1981 to 1984; Carro, Spanbock, Fass, Geller, Kaster & Cuiffo in 1981; and Demov, Morris, Levin & Shein from 1964 to 1980.

As Chief Executive Officer of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation of the State of New York, Mr. Shane’s annual salary will be $143,000.