The RIRA Column

This week, Sherie and I celebrated our fourteenth wedding anniversary. We celebrated by cooking something scrumptious together and drinking a gorgeous bottle of wine. Fortunately, there were no Island meetings that evening, but I did spend the day writing this column and my president's report to the Common Council. Not very romantic, I'm afraid. While we've referred to our wedding as "a day that shall live in infamy," it was in fact one helluva party and we've got the pictures to prove it. We discovered Roosevelt Island together when we moved to a brand-new Manhattan Park, she from Brooklyn and I from the Upper East Side, and we've never looked back.

Grimm on Injured Reserve List

I've learned that our Island pediatrician and good neighbor, Kathie Grimm, is recovering from a serious traffic accident that required hip replacement surgery. She is recuperating in a Queens rehab facility and I know you join me in wishing her a speedy recovery.

Roosevelt Island Bridge

With the end of the United Nations General Assembly, we have had our Southpoint Park restored to us, and the openings of our Roosevelt Island lift bridge should return to occasional testing of the systems. I've been told by the Department of Transportation's PR company that the bridge "incidents" on September 21 and 26, when the bridge failed with the lift portion raised, were "...a result of malfunctioning electrical components that were corrected by the contractor [Koch Skanska, Inc.]." In fact, I've learned that the Friday incident, during which Skanska raised the lift at 11:00 p.m., was only corrected when the City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) arrived to effect repairs at 4:00 a.m. I've inquired as to whether the lift should only be used with DOT operators present, and they informed me that NYCDOT bridge operator would be present during the U.N. session that ended October 5. After that, we shall have to see, I suppose.

Also, I've received notification of abrasive blasting paint removal on bridge infrastructure to start on or about October 1. We are told that this process will remove paint that may contain lead from the steel surfaces of the bridge, and that abrasive blasting involves the use of compressed air and will be entirely contained within impermeable walls with sealed joints. All paint wastes will be packaged and shipped from the site for disposal elsewhere. Also this: "The work may occur 24 hours per day, seven days a week, and may generate some noise. The painting is scheduled to be completed by August, 2009. Abrasive blasting removal will not necessarily occur during the entire time period specified above." This three-year renovation project is absolutely essential for future usefulness of our bridge, and we will have to monitor how well the contractor complies with noise and lead paint removal safety requirements.

Subway Benches Revisited

We now have the MTA, RIOC, and the Southtown construction company, Monodnock, searching for the benches that once provided relief to subway riders as they awaited northbound Red Bus service. They were rough and splintery, you may recall, and I would be happy to see them replaced with something a tad less likely to tear clothing or skin. We're talking about just a few benches here, and it would be nice to see them in place before chilly weather makes them superfluous. I will continue to pursue this with those in charge.

Important Meetings

Two meetings have taken place over the last two weeks that I hope you attended. The first was a "Ready New York" program, sponsored by Assemblymember Micah Kellner and produced by the American Red Cross with input from the Roosevelt Island Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). There is emergency contingency planning going on here to address the unique problems an island community faces during a hurricane, a blackout, or worse. You need to know as much as you can; we've learned to our sorrow that government services won't necessarily bail us out.

Also, RIOC offered the community an opportunity to be heard regarding the options for Tram repairs and renovation. A decision must be made this month and so, if you couldn't attend this meeting, your chance to be heard is gone. One way or another, the Tram will be out of service for some number of months, and we were asked for our input as we face this considerable inconvenience. RIOC has not often asked us for advice and suggestions on questions that intimately affect our quality of life. I think it is incumbent upon us to take advantage of this new attitude and to participate in our own futures. The Tram question and others will be addressed at the RIOC Board of Directors meeting on October 18 at 4:30 p.m. in the Good Shepherd Community Center and, if you can be there, do so.

The Survivor Tree

In my last column, I mentioned that survivors of the Murrah Federal Building blast in Oklahoma City who joined us for our 9/11 observances brought us a cutting from an American elm tree that barely survived that attack. It was in rocky shape as a result of its journey here, and has been residing on Margie Smith's balcony while we researched the best place to plant it. Vicki Feinmel now reports that, with the advice of our Garden Club and Tree Board, the tree has found its permanent home behind the R-Y Management offices facing the west channel of the river. Just walk down the sloping path north of Rivercross and you will find it. It seems that elms need considerable room to spread their branches, so a home near the 9/11 Memorial's cherry tree was out of the question. RIRA will now turn its attention to proper signage at our Survivor Tree to explain its meaning and to thank those thoughtful Oklahomans whose gift now graces Tree City, a/k/a Roosevelt Island.

Fall for Arts Festival

This weekend is replete with artistic and cultural activities. The 100 tents of The Encampment will cover Southpoint Park, and each will hold a Roosevelt Island storyteller. Fall for Arts activities start today at 11:00 a.m., and a comprehensive program can be found in these pages. The Good Shepherd Plaza will present many Island artists' work for your delectation and possible purchase. Our own Julie Palermo will keep us well-fed with Julie's Unique Cuisine. I will offer folk and blues numbers with my guitar as one of the outdoor performers on Rivercross lawn, while others perform in the Gallery RIVAA. My spouse Sherie is one of the artists providing entertainment in the Good Shepherd Community Center after 7:30 p.m. It never ceases to amaze me how considerable and how varied this tiny community's artistic outpourings are. Give yourself a treat; come out and support your neighbors!

RIOC Board Balloting Reprised

The website I promised you in the last issue is up and running and may be accessed at www.nyc10044.com/riocelec/index.htm. It includes the Nomination and Nomination Petition forms you will need to complete should you be interested in offering your services to the community in this important role. We hope to include the State-required form in the near future. I'm getting excited, and I hope you are intrigued by what this effort may augur for this heretofore disenfranchised community.

There will be a meeting at 8:00 P.M., Wednesday evening, October 10, in the Westview lower community room to answer your questions and solicit your participation. Now is the time to find out what we are doing and how you can help. Don't just stay tuned; get involved!