May 15, 2004 |
| Constitutional Changes Make RIRA All-Elected |
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The Common Council of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) will become an all-elected body if a revised constitution is passed a month from now by a community Town Meeting quorum of 100 or more residents. In last week’s meeting, the Council voted 16 to 4, with 1 abstention, to refer the new document to the community. The current constitution of the residents’ organization, in force since 1991, has places at the Common Council table for a variety of non-elected positions – the appointed representatives to Community Board 8, Governor-appointed residents on the Board of Directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), and appointed representatives of the Roosevelt Island Council of Organizations (RICO), which has been mostly inactive for several years. The new constitution also breaks out operational rules and procedures into a set of bylaws, which the Council approved unanimously. Click here to review the two documents. RIRA is recognized by the State Divison of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) as the official voice of residents of the Island. The two-document approach to the governing documents is intended to provide for easier changes by a Common Council vote, rather than requiring the convening of a Town Meeting for changes favored by all, such as a new provision giving representation on the Common Council to the new buildings in Southtown. The new bylaws give 465 and 475 Main Street a total of three representatives, proportional to the Island’s older buildings. The total number of delegates is 31, with the pre-Southtown buildings represented by the same numbers of delegates as they had under the old constitution: District Members 546 Main Street in Eastwood 2 If the Town Meeting called for June 15 does not attract a quorum of 100 or more residents, as required in the current constitution, the documents’ approval will revert to a vote of the Common Council. Last week’s approval vote of 80 percent suggests that a two-thirds approval vote should not be difficult. The Common Council meets the first Wednesday of every month at 8:00 p.m., in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, but normally has skipped July and August meetings. Other changes in the new constitution, as summarized by RIRA First Vice President Steve Marcus, who headed the rewriting effort, include these: • Moving from one voting district to another will not cause loss of a Councilmember’s voting rights. With Councilors elected for two years, Councils have lost several members in the past because of moves from one building to another. Government Relations Housing Planning [including Energy] Island Services [including Transportation, but excluding Public Safety] Legal Action (new) Public Safety (new) Social, Cultural and Educational Services • Language governing Council elections has been removed from the constitution, and it’s expected that an Election Committee will formulate rules for the November 2004 election in the fall. The 2000 campaign became controversial when questions arose about donated materials and services and how they should be counted against a candidate’s allowed expenditures. The sole exception to the “all-elected” Common Council is the position of RIRA treasurer, which can be filled by a non-elected Islander under certain circumstances. Marcus told The WIRE, “I am pleased the RIRA Common Council has overwhelmingly approved changes to our Constitution and has adopted operational bylaws as well. The current constitution is over 13 years old and has numerous inadequacies that have been a distraction and hindrance to the Common Council. I hope that all residents will support these changes at the upcoming Town Meeting as a means by which RIRA can more effectively work to serve the community.” |