Fw: WIRE-BULLETIN: Smith, Shinozaki Win Residents' RIOC Board Nominations

----Original Message----

From: WIRE Bulletin
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 11:22 PM
To: wire-bulletin
Subject: WIRE-BULLETIN: Smith, Shinozaki Win Residents' RIOC Board Nominations
Smith and Shinozaki Capture Islanders' RIOC Board Nominations

Winners in Tuesday's voting for residents' nominees to the RIOC Board of Directors were Margie Smith, with 578 votes, and Michael Shinozaki, with 318. Their names will be forwarded to Governor David Paterson as the community's nominees for open seats on the board. Under law, the Governor appoints board members.

The count:

Margie Smith 578
Michael Shinozaki 318
Lee Edelman 287
Tammy Jackson 187

The Main Street WIRE will have a breakdown of voting in its May 30 edition.

TODAY - RIOC Board Nominee Elections - Please VOTE !

Starting this morning at 6:00 am residents of Roosevelt Island will have their second opportunity to directly influence the direction of this island by directly electing nominees for seats on the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors. Once elected, the two nominees, will be submitted to the Governor and Mayor for appointment and if they are appointed the nominee will need to be confirmed by the State Senate.

To read the position statements of each of the four candidates I stronly urge all residents to link to this week's Main Street WIRE if you have not already read the hard copy version distributed to our apartments. Each of the candidates appear qualified and worthy of your review and consideration. They are Lee Edelman, Tammy Jackson, Michael Shinozaki, and Margie Smith.

Voting Location Schedule:

Octagon Residents
6am to 10am vote at the Octagon
10am to 4pm vote at Good Shepherd Community Center
4pm to 9pm vote at the Octagon

Manhattan Park, Westview, Island House, Rivercross and Roosevelt Landings (Eastwood) Residents
6am to 9pm vote at Good Shepherd Community Center

Southtown / Riverwalk Residents
6am to 10am vote at 455 Main Street
10am to 4pm vote at Good Shepherd Community Center
4pm to 9pm vote at 455 Main Street

Please remind your neighbors, spouses, room-mates etc all to vote. For Albany to take these votes seroiusly we need to show a volume of voters to evidence our desire for this process to continue. Note as this is not a state sponsored election, but one sponsored by the residents association, and as such you do not have to be a US citizen to vote but merely a resident of Roosevelt Island.

Last Night’s RIOC Candidate Event – My Apologies

I have nothing to write this morning about last night’s “Meet the RIOC Board Nominee Candidate” event as I was home sick. My apologies.

If you attended last night and have comments about last night's event please post them here as your neighbors I am sure are interested in your views and reactions.

I am sure that my fellow blogger the Roosevelt Islander was there so please head on over to his blog to catch up on his take of each of the candidates or if you did not make it to the Good Shepherd Community Center you can wait for this week’s Main Street WIRE which we all know will have complete coverage.

Candidate Night Tonight - RIOC Board Nominees

Tonight at 7pm in the Good Shephered Community Center the Roosevelt Island Residents Association will be hosting a Meet the Candidates event for the five announced candidates for the open Board of Director seats opening up on the RI Operating Corporation Board.

NY Senate Video: Serrano Congratulates Elected RIOC Board Nominees

The above NYS Senate video is of State Senator Jose Serrano congratulating those individuals elected to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors who were then chosen as appointees of the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate. The video is from June 2008.

Direct YouTube link.

Will Dem. St. Senate Give RI an Elected RIOC Board

For years a bill introduced by State Assembly Member Micah Kellner and before him Pete Grannis that would provide for a democratically elected RIOC Board would pass in the Assembly but die without a vote in the then Republican controllled State Senate. Can it be possible that now with that same State Senate no longer under Republican control that the bill will reach a vote and maybe even pass?

With all vigor Island residents and our new RIRA elected officers and Common Council should support such a measure letting Micah Kellner and State Senator Jose Serrano know that which they already know that the RIOC Board should be elected directly and no longer subject to the appointments of a sitting Governor and Mayor.

Progress is Four of Six Nominees to be Seated.

Some will undoubtedly say that the fact that two of the elected six nominees for the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors are not seated is a loss. While it is a loss it is certainly not a defeat. The Main Street WIRE is reporting this afternoon that the Office of the Mayor of New York will be announcing that it will appoint Howard Polivy, of the elected RIOC Six, as one of Mayor Bloomberg’s two appointees to the RIOC Board.

The fact that now collectively four individuals directly elected by their fellow island residents will be seated on the Board is a great step forward and certainly progress that should be built upon. The Maple Tree Group has worked for this event for years and they should be heartily congratulated for getting us there.

It may be years, if ever, that direct elections will ever result in seating a full slate of residents but the fact that the door has been opened alone signifies a change worth celebrating. No other State Authority has such a Board as no other Authority directly affects the lives of residents as part of their domain so it was only right and time for this time to come but it should be expected that an Authority such as RIOC will always be subject to the decisions of the Governors and Mayors that can make these appointments so it should never be a surprise when they exert their power limiting such gains. But it can not be argued this is not a gain and as such this appointment and confirmations should be celebrated.

Our thanks go out to Frank Farance and Erin Feely-Nahem even though they will not serve in the positions we elected them for. We appreciate their participation and I am sure like them we all will be paying attention to the actions of their appointed colleagues as down the road there will be future elections that this accomplishment has opened the door to.

The 3 RIOC Elected Board Members + David Kraut

Well it appears that Roosevelt Island is partially stepping foward into a democracy.

It was never promised but it was inferred that the Governor's office (which included then Lt Governor David Paterson) would accept and appoint the nominees elected by popular vote.

Having three out of four possible gubernatorial appointees when previously it was none is nothing to sneeze at.

The question is now will the Mayor select one, two, or none of the remaining three available elected nominees?

------Original Message------
From: Micah Kellner
To: Roosevelt Islander
To: Roosevelt Island 360
Sent: Jun 19, 2008 5:38 PM
Subject: The 3 rioc nominees

The governor's 4 rioc appointments were just confirmed by the Senate. There are already rumors that the Senate will hold a special session in July, where mayoral reccomendations (if any are made) could be confirmed.

Appoint All Six Elected RIOC Board Nominees

Of the six resident elected RIOC Board Nominees it was hoped that the Governor would without question appoint four and the Mayor would appoint the two he is allowed by law to appoint. In a strange turn of events Governor Paterson's staff has recommended to the Governor that he only pick three of elected resident nominees and re-appoint a current resident RIOC Board member who voluntarily chose to not run in favor of the election process.

This blog and I personally agree with the Roosevelt Island Residents Association, the Main Street WIRE, and my fellow blogger The Roosevelt Islander that the Governor and Mayor be urged to appoint all six nominees based on the desires of the resident population of Roosevelt Island.

At present I am unaware of the circumstances causing the Governor’s staff to make their recommendations but will work with RIRA to voice the message that all six should be appointed.

According to the Main Street WIRE bulletin issued this morning and the WIRE’s Roosevelt Island Blog the Governor’s office is expected in addition to David Kraut, who currently sits on the RIOC Board, to nominate Fay Christian, Dr. Kathie Grimm, and Jonathan Kalkin. That would leave the Mayor’s office the ability to appoint two of the remaining three elected nominee candidates: Frank Farance, Erin Feely-Nahem and Howard Polivy. The mayor is allowed to appoint two individuals of which only one has to be an island resident. If events continue on this path one of these three individuals will not be appointed despite the wishes of the resident poulation.

RIOC Board Nominees Complete Initial Interviews with Governors Office

According to Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner "the Governor's office has completed its initial interview with each of the RIOC nominees. We are now waiting for them to be interviewed by the Mayor's office and to see if they get police background checks." The above letter was sent by the Assembly Member to the Governor on Friday May 9, 2008.

Daily News: Spitzer Scandals Pushes Back Roosevelt Island Efforts for Direct Representation

Today's New York Daily News includes a column regarding the effects of the Spitzer scandal upon our efforts to directly elect representatives onto the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors. To view the entire article link HERE.

Assembly Member Kellner Requests Gov. Paterson to Reschedule RIOC Board Nominee Vetting Process

In a letter, dated April 1, 2008, to Governor David Paterson, Assembly Member Micah Kellner requests the Governor to restart the vetting process and to then formally appoint the six individuals elected by the residents to serve on the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation's Board of Directors. Thank you Mr. Kellner

Roosevelt Island: Goodbye Eliot, Hello David

Eliot Spitzer during his gubernatorial campaign stopped at Roosevelt Island’s Church of the Good Shepherd and promised change. Island residents excited at the chance of keeping a Republican Governor out Albany were eager for Spitzer’s message of better days. Residents voted in large numbers for Spitzer evidencing their desire for change. During this last year we saw the ouster of Herb Berman and installation of Spitzer appointee Stephen Shane as RIOC CEO and President and we expected / hoped that Spitzer would respect our election of RIOC Board nominees.

We know little as to what soon to be Governor David Paterson thinks about Roosevelt Island and the issues that concern us most including transportation concerns, privatization, among others. We voted for Paterson as part of a Spitzer / Paterson ticket. To my knowledge Lt. Governor Paterson only has step foot on Roosevelt Island once last May during a photo op with Mayor Bloomberg regarding the Verdant Power water turbine project in the East Channel of the East River behind Gristedes.

It is still way too early to know whether Roosevelt Island will be left alone or whether DHCR Van Amerongen will even be able to submit the elected slate of RIOC Board Nominees or how this new administration will look upon the various privatization efforts of the buildings here on Roosevelt Island. We will simply have to wait and see.

If Spitzer Resigns Will Gov. Paterson Ever See Our Elected RIOC Board Nominees?

I am guessing whether Governor Spitzer survives the current controversy or not the likelihood of any governor focusing on the issue of our elected RIOC Board Nominees in the near future is highly unlikely.

Anyone on the island have any connections to Lt. Governor David Paterson's office?

NY Times: "Power to the People"

Sunday's New York Times, February 24, 2008, includes a short article regarding the recent RIOC Board Nominee elections we had here on Roosevelt Island back on Super Tuesday.

The article focuses on the basics and starts off with an interview with resident Paul Sokoloff.

Nothing truly new but for the comments from Governor Spitzer's office which themselves are not truly new but confirm again that the Governor's staff is aware of the election:

"Erin Duggan, a spokeswoman for the governor, said that Mr. Spitzer’s office would “give consideration to all the potential appointments in the way that we consider any recommendations from local leaders and community organizations.” "

This week's WIRE had a more indepth article regarding the beginnings of the vetting process the elected board nominees are undergoing.

Red Buses - Say No to Exterior Advertising

I have often wondered why the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) does not sell advertising space on the exteriors of the Red Buses.

I am very glad they don't as we see these buses all day and the lack of advertising allows the buses to fade into the background of Island life (as much as that is possible) without the added "noise" of the ads.

Hopefuly this post does not put the idea into the minds of the number crunchers at RIOC but if it does I will appeal to our newly elected RIOC Board nominees (if confirmed) to vote nay if the issue ever comes up.

Elected Officials "Urge" Gov. Spitzer to Nominate RIOC Elected Candidates

As stated in a joint letter to Governor Spitzer, four elected Federal, State and City representatives urge the Governor to nominate the elected candidates to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors as only he can. The letter refers to the historic nature of the vote, the diversity of those "elected", and the large turnout of residents that voted in the election.

Double click the above image to read the full text of the letter in its original format.

Daily News Runs Article re RIOC Board Nominee Election

Today's New York Daily News, Sunday, February 10, 2008 includes an article on Roosevelt Island's recent RIOC Board Nominee Election.

It appears that the Daily News has run the article in its Queens edition. It does not appear to have run in the Manhattan edition. I am guessing Island residents who buy the paper on the Island today will see the article as I am guessing our deliveries of the paper come in via Queens.

I doubt the paper is under the belief the Island is part of Queens as it does state that elected nominee Jonathan Kalkin (pictured above) is also a Democratic county committeeman for the 65th Assembly District which does not extend beyond Manhattan.

The Elected RIOC Board Nominees Are…..

Both the Main Street WIRE and PressHD are reporting that the above individuals have won election as RIOC Board Nominnees. Link to the WIRE for detailed election results.

According to the WIRE results page there were 1718 total votes cast. The question now is to wait and see how Governor Spitzer reacts and if he agrees to nominate each of these individuals to the RIOC Board and undergo the confirmation process.

Congratulations to each of the winners and thank you to each of the candidates that ran.

RIOC Board Nominee Election Begins....

Today Roosevelt Island residents can vote in the RIOC Board Nominee election at one of three locations: (1) Southtowners at 455 Main Street, (2) WIRE buildings, Manhattan Park, and 2-4 River Road residents at PS / IS 217, and (3) Octagoners at the Octagon. Proof of residence is all that is required. IOnterested voters do not have to have US citizen status or be previously registered.

US Primary Elections are being held at PS / IS 217 for all registered US citizens and also at Coler Hospital for registered voters living at the Octagon.

The above special edition of the Main Street WIRE can be linked to HERE.