September is here.

Next Thursday morning, the RIOC Board of Directors will meet.The night before, the Residents Association Common Council ends its summer hiatus with its first meeting of the season.

This month is normally the start of Roosevelt Island's political season.  But the Island has had its share of political action through the summer, growing out of the RIOC Board's question to Islanders:  How would residents react to a 10:00 p.m. Tram cut-off?  The question triggered a flurry of petitioning and letter-writing.

The RIOC Board meeting set for Thursday morning has no further consideration of the Tram cutback on its published agenda, an omission some resident observers consider odd given the massive "don't you dare!" response to the Board's question.  Those drawing up the Board's agenda apparently feel residents will be satisfied if the idea is just dropped – for now.

The RIOC meeting is scheduled for Thursday morning at 9:30 in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, with the portion open to the public starting at about 11:00.

As for the Residents Association Common Council, it faces not only the Tram issue but a possible challenge to the RIRA Presidency of Matthew Katz.  One Council alternate, Joe Cristiano of Rivercross, has claimed to be "working on impeachment."  Cristiano had asked for an "investigation" of spending in the Fall, 2000, election campaign of Katz and Byron Gaspard (who was elected First Vice President), upset with what he labeled excessive spending.  Cristiano's suggestion was supported by a former WIRE editor, Debra Mount Cornet, and Katz offered his campaign's spending records for review, but neither the Common Council nor its Election Committee took any action on the requests.

Meanwhile, Katz's efforts to make good on a campaign promise to try to update the Residents Association constitution were stymied, to some extent, when they were opposed by Patrick Stewart, the former RIRA President who had lost the job to Katz, and some of Stewart's supporters on the Council.  One amendment was approved, but the consitution is full of contradictions and ambiguities that have needed attention for years.

Thus, the Residents Association begins a Fall season with what could be a fresh start, or the continuation of partisan rancor.  In the post-election period, several members new to the Common Council resigned, some expressing disgust over the wrangling and the Common Council's seeming inability to take united action.  The RIRA meeting, open to the public, will take place Wednesday night at 8:00, also at the Chapel.

Meanwhile, the lawsuits to get Southtown changed before construction starts remain in the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court; those decisions could be announced any day.  Whatever the outcome, they're likely to spur a further round of activity in the development arena.