The Board, as it currently operates, is a disgrace.  About a third of the meetings are cancelled or postponed.  (This is actually fortunate, given the quality of their decisions.)  Public input is permitted at only three meetings per year (one of these meetings was cancelled).  Most meetings are scheduled in the late morning, which assures that most residents cannot attend.  But whether we attend or not, they almost immediately go into private "executive session," so that deliberations on matters that vitally affect our neighborhood are kept secret from us.  The quality of public debate reveals an indifference to detail that undermines any public trust.

The RIOC Board has been a rubber stamp for the giveaways of Southtown, Octagon, and the old Public School ground rents, while completely ignoring the obvious havoc that the onslaught of school buses would cause to Main Street traffic.  I think Board-member John Mannix succinctly summed up his and the Board member's view of their roles when he said, “We are essentially a real-estate management company.”  And a lousy one at that; if they managed their own real-estate affairs as poorly as they do at RIOC, they would be as broke as the Island is.

So, while the Board plans their next real-estate outrage to the Island in their infrequently scheduled secret meetings,  perhaps they might want to throw us a bone and look into the following:

 In the recent referendum, 90% of voting residents requested that you give the Youth Center a lease on space in the former Lilies School, so they can use the $1.6 million offered by the City.  If you don't do this soon, the money will be lost.  If you are, suddenly, so concerned about income, then charge the Youth Center the same ground rent that you charge the Child School.

 73% of voting residents are not happy with Public Safety.  RIOC President Herb Berman believes that this is due primarily to “bad  public relations.”  Regardless of why we aren't happy with Public Safety services, at least give us, in writing, a list of responsibilities.  Tell us, in detail, what we should expect from Public Safety.  Document how many vertical patrols they intend to make in Eastwood and Motorgate,  what their policy is toward handling noisy or violent disturbances, and identify what the priorities are.  Then, at least, we will have a yardstick with which to judge this organization for which we are forced to pay over $2.5 million per year through our rents.

 71% of voting residents are not happy with Island Maintenance.  Even with the tight budget fix that you got yourselves into, you should be able to come close to providing the levels of maintenance we had before Governor George Pataki took office.  And again, it doesn't cost anything to communicate.  RIRA provides a “triage” list of issues, and RIOC management should have one as well.  Tell us what the priorities are, what is going to be done and when.

 Use residents for advice and assistance.  You would be pleased to find a rich resource of residents with the intelligence and dedication to offer you valuable counsel.  The RIRA Common Council is also ready and willing to work with you to make this a better place to live.

Thanks to your copying me on e-mails to and from Herb Berman, I've been able to see the widespread impatience with the continuing awful conditions at Motorgate.  Several alert readers have noted that the Public Safety Blotter available on The WIRE's website lists numerous incidents at the garage.  I am awaiting information from RIOC on how the surveillance system works at the garage, but I am willing to bet that with the proper number and placement of cameras, lawbreakers would be clearly identified.  I've spoken to a few people who claim to have successfully sued for damages to their cars at the garage.  I recently met Philip Groner, a local resident,  attorney, and WIRE advertiser, who is happy to talk with residents who have grievances due to negligent safety or security conditions at Motorgate or elsewhere on the Island.

In a review of RIRA's “gripe list” with Sari Dickson, RIOC's Chief of Operations, I learned that ConEd has completed its installation of three new transformers on the Island.  These are necessary to insure that Main Street stays lighted.  Unfortunately, they patched the sidewalk by the Card Shop and Senior Center with cement.  Sari assures me the Z-bricks will be replaced when weather permits.  RIRA has repeatedly reported the broken lights in front of Westview and Rivercross - perhaps now they can be repaired.  Details on other maintenance issues and news on our lawsuit to stop the destruction of Octagon Park will be reported in future columns.  In the meantime, please continue to keep me in the loop on your problems and progress by dropping me a line - SteveAtRIRA@verizon.net.

Finally, on behalf of your RIRA Common Council, we wish all of our friends, neighbors and other interested readers a joyous holiday season, and a great New Year.