Requires certain directors of the Roosevelt Island operating corporation to be residents of Roosevelt Island; requires the appointment of certain vacant board positions within sixty days.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8631A
SPONSOR: Seawright TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring
certain directors of the Roosevelt Island operating corporation to be
residents of Roosevelt Island and to require the appointment of certain
vacant board positions within sixty days
PURPOSE:
To clarify residency as a requirement for certain public members
appointed to the board of directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating
Corporation, to provide for the expeditious appointment of replacement
board members upon vacancy within an unexpired term, and to require
public posting of Corporation employment vacancies.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
The provisions of this bill would:
*Clarify the residency requirement for certain public appointments to
the board of directors of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation and
stipulate for their immediate resignation from the board upon termi-
nation of such residency; *Provide for the appointment of a successor
within 60 days when a board vacancy occurs within an unexpired term;
*Require the posting of job vacancies on the corporation's website; and,
*Provide that this act shall take effect immediately.
JUSTIFICATION:
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) is a public benefit
corporation and a political subdivision of the State of New York created
in 1984 to take responsibility for the development and operation of the
147 acres comprising the former Welfare Island, located in New York
City's East River.
Once the semi-isolated setting of several institutions including a
smallpox hospital, mental health hospital and a prison, Roosevelt Island
today is home to a thriving community of over 14,000 residents. The
Island boasts a revitalized Main Street with neighborhood shops and
services, abundant bike paths and green spaces including Four Freedoms
State Park, as well as the Cornell Tech Applied Sciences Graduate School
Campus and the iconic Roosevelt Island Tramway.
Given the Roosevelt Island community's unique governance structure under
a 'State Public Benefit Corporation, it is imperative that resident
perspectives and voices be represented on RIOC's board of directors.
This bill ensures greater local participation by clarifying residency
requirements for certain public board members, requiring the expedient
appointment of vacant board positions, and requiring the publication of
corporation employment opportunities on RIOC's website.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8631--A
Cal. No. 394
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2022
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SEAWRIGHT -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- advanced to
a third reading, passed by Assembly and delivered to the Senate,
recalled from the Senate, vote reconsidered, bill amended, ordered
reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring
certain directors of the Roosevelt Island operating corporation to be
residents of Roosevelt Island and to require the appointment of
certain vacant board positions within sixty days
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 2799-cccc of the public
2 authorities law, as added by chapter 383 of the laws of 2019, are
3 amended to read as follows:
4 2. The board of directors of the corporation shall be composed of nine
5 members. One member shall be the commissioner, who shall serve as the
6 chair; one member shall be the director of the budget; and seven public
7 members shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent
8 of the senate. Of the seven public members, two members, one of whom
9 shall be a resident of Roosevelt Island, shall be appointed upon the
10 recommendation of the mayor of the city; and four additional members
11 shall be residents of Roosevelt Island. Each member shall serve for a
12 term of four years and until his or her successor shall have been
13 appointed and shall have qualified, [except] provided that any public
14 member appointed on the basis of being a resident of Roosevelt Island
15 shall resign such membership upon ceasing to be a resident of Roosevelt
16 Island, and provided further that the commissioner and the director of
17 the budget shall serve so long as they continue to hold their respective
18 offices. Any action taken by the directors of the corporation shall be
19 taken by majority vote of the directors then in office. The elected
20 public officials who represent Roosevelt Island shall be representatives
21 to the board of directors of the corporation entitled to receive notice
22 of and attend all meetings of such board but shall not be entitled to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13984-04-2
A. 8631--A 2
1 vote. Failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of any
2 action taken at a meeting of such board.
3 3. The governor [may] shall fill any vacancy which occurs on the board
4 of directors of the corporation in a manner consistent with the original
5 appointment within sixty days. Vacancies occurring otherwise than by
6 expiration of term of office shall be filled by appointment for the
7 balance of the unexpired term. Any member of the corporation may be
8 removed by the governor for cause, but not without an opportunity to be
9 heard, in person or by counsel, in his or her defense, upon not less
10 than ten days' written notice.
11 § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 2799-dddd of the public authorities law,
12 as added by chapter 383 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as
13 follows:
14 7. Appoint officers, agents and employees, prescribe their duties and
15 fix their compensation in accordance with a staffing and compensation
16 plan submitted to and approved by the director of the budget. Notices
17 for any employment vacancies shall be made available to the public and
18 posted on the corporation's website;
19 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
