NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9605A
SPONSOR: Seawright TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend chapter 899 of the laws of 1984, relating to the
creation of a public benefit corporation to plan, develop, operate,
maintain and manage Roosevelt Island, in relation to the office of chief
executive officer of the Roosevelt Island operating corporation
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To establish the position of chief executive officer of the Roosevelt
Island operating corporation, and the requirements for such position.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill makes a technical amendment, and provides the
following:
1. The board shall appoint a chief executive officer of RIOC, who must
be a resident of Roosevelt Island or become a resident within one year
of appointment unless the board waives this requirement due to extraor-
dinary circumstances;
2. The board shall determine the term of office, fix the compensation
and prescribe the duties for the position; and
3. The CEO must comply with, and be subject to, certain rules that apply
to public officers.
Section two provides that this act shall take effect immediately, except
that the term of the current chief executive officer shall end at such
time as a successor chief executive officer is appointed.
JUSTIFICATION:
Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) was created in 1984 to
manage Roosevelt Island, oversee its continued development through the
Master Plan and allocate state capital funding and operational support.
The directors of RIOC board are not elected but rather appointed, Pres-
ently, there is neither residency requirement for all RIOC board direc-
tors nor for the President/Chief Executive Officer. The President/CEO
is primarily responsible for operations of daily life on Roosevelt
Island. There has never been a RI resident appointed to this position
but rather only persons who reside outside the community once appointed,
the President/CEO has never moved into the community.
This bill provides a step toward self-governance for Roosevelt Island
residents by requiring the next newly appointed CEO to be a resident or
become a resident within six months of his/her appointment. This resi-
dency requirement will ensure the CEO is a member of the community.
This bill would make the next CEO more accountable to the residents
he/she will serve. The RIOC Board of Directors will appoint the CEO,
determine the term of office, fix the compensation to be paid, prescribe
the duties and responsibilities and may remove him/her for cause. This
bill requires greater transparency because the next CEO will be subject
to the Public Officers Law including financial disclosures and a Code of
Conduct.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately, except that the term of the current chief executive officer
shall end at such time as a successor chief executive officer is
appointed.
