Assemblymember Pete Grannis has released a revised bill for Roosevelt Island self-governance that calls for a 13-member "RIOC2" Board, with 11 to be residents.

Nine of the residents would be elected; two others would be appointed by the Mayor.  Two members, the President and Vice President of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) would be elected Island-wide.

The proposed composition of the Board:

• Elected from buildings
• 2 Eastwood
• 2 Manhattan Park
• 1 Island House
• 1 Rivercross
• 1 Westview
• Elected Island-wide
• RIRA President
• RIRA Vice President
• Appointed Residents
• 2 appointed by Mayor
• Ex Officio
• Director of the Budget
• Commissioner of DHCR

The proposed legislation, which is Grannis's response to a bill introduced last legislative session by Senator Olga Mendez, also tightens provisions having to do with the transition of power from the current Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) Board to the RIOC2 Board.  It provides explicitly for State indemnification of the Island's managing entity from high-award law suits.  And it codifies a promise Mendez reported Governor George Pataki made to her that the Island would be protected against catastrophically high costs related to errors of past management or the Island's capital needs.

The Island's Maple Tree Group (MTG), which originated the legislation last year, voted Monday night to ask revision of the new Board-election provisions.  The changes would reduce the size of the Board, and would call for all elected members to be elected Island-wide.  The group felt that a smaller Board would be more effective, and that candidacies not tied to specific buildings would have a better chance of producing the best possible Board.  MTG recently became a sub-committee of the RIRA Common Council's Government Relations Committee.

The proposed legislation will now be discussed further - in the Residents Association Common Council, among other places - to provide feedback to Grannis and Mendez, who agreed in an October 5 Town Meeting to cooperate in formulating a bill.

As in previous versions, the new bill calls for the RIOC2 Board to hire a professional manager for the Island.  It would thus end the practice of the Governor-appointed RIOC Board accepting appointees of the Governor in the top job at RIOC.