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 January 22, 2005 |
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The RIRA Column
 With the recent reports that the new management at Westview/Island House may try to negotiate an exemption from public safety payments, it seemed like a good time for the new RIRA Council to discuss their feelings about the job that the Public Safety Department (PSD) is doing and ways to improve security on the Island. Ron Schuppert, chair of RIRA's Public Safety Committee, suggested, quite rationally, that such a step would trigger a "domino effect" where very quickly none of the Management entities would make their agreed-upon payments, and PSD would likely disappear. I shared with the council the apparently unanimous sentiment of RISK members (an independent committee dedicated to Public Safety issues) that PSD was so dysfunctional that it should be disbanded, with the hopes that this would hasten an NYPD substation on the Island. As reported in the last WIRE, resident Ron Musto recounted to the Council the sad details of his arrest by PSD for taking pictures of an extremely noisy air conditioning unit installed by the Child School adjacent to Westview. This was another of several unfortunate cases where residents have been cuffed and arraigned for crimes that were immediately dismissed when they reached the courtroom. I hope that in a few months RIRA's Public Safety Committee will make recommendations on our policy towards Public Safety, which the RIRA council will either approve or amend. The sense that I got from the preliminary discussions at that last meeting were that PSD is flawed, but is better than nothing (although some did feel that PSD should be shut down). Your input on the following questions would be helpful: . Should PSD be disbanded, thus saving $2.7 million per annum? . If so, what, if anything, should replace it? . If not, have you recommendations of how to improve the performance of PSD? . Will the suspension of PSD services improve our chances for a NYPD substation on the Island? One thing that we can all do to insure that NYPD gets a fair picture of conditions on the Island is to be sure to call in all incidents either to 911 (crime) or 311 (quality of life). If we lived almost anywhere else in the City, these would be our only options - all of our calls would be logged and added to the statistics for our neighborhood and we would get police protection commensurate with the problems that we had reported. In fact, unless there is a dire emergency where the quick arrival of a PSD officer can make a big difference, the call to 911 or 311 should be your first call. PSD should be notified afterward. On a completely different topic, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) offered its final recommendations for Southpoint park in December. The design, carefully researched and well presented, reflected the priorities of Island residents. However, it does cost $35 million and TPL has offered no suggestions on how it can be funded. Most likely, this plan will never be implemented. However, there is a group that supports the Louis Kahn plan for a memorial to Franklin Roosevelt that may be able to find the funding needed to develop the southernmost 3.5 acres of Roosevelt Island. This design is being exhibited at the Cooper Union Gallery until February 5. It has recently been discussed on National Public Radio and in The Times. This plan received a lukewarm reception when offered by the TPL as one of their alternatives for Southpoint Park. However, this exhibit gives a much clearer idea of Kahn's plan, and may very well change some opinions. I have been asked several times what the "RIRA position" is on this design, and we should definitely formulate one that accurately reflects the wishes of Island residents. So again, I solicit your opinion on this plan. Do you like it? Even if it isn't your ideal, is it worth supporting because funding is feasible, or should we wait, perhaps for a long time for funding to be available for a different plan? You can see it at 7 East 7th Street at Third Avenue from 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, or 12:00-5:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Please let me know by e-mail what you think. Finally - the Social, Cultural and Education Committee of RIRA, in cooperation with the PTA, will be sponsoring a fund-raiser for orphans on the stricken island of Sumatra. This idea was initiated by Robin Russell, who has offered to produce a musical program. Those of you fortunate enough to enjoy the River Music shows that Robin has produced here in the past know we are in for a treat. All proceeds will go to Orphans International, which will probably be the first charity in the world to begin a working program in response to this disaster. We are all working hard on the arrangements, but please plan to attend this benefit on Saturday night, February 12.
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