… Will former Roosevelt Island resident Dave Kapell still be a member of the
RIOC Board
for the January 27 meeting? Stay tuned….
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced today via Twitter that Mr. Kappel resigned as a member of the
RIOC Board of Directors:
#rooseveltisland
#rioc
#newyorkcity
#manhattan
pic.twitter.com/JWIF9p0Nst— RIOC NYS (@RIOCny)
January 27, 2022
According to the RIOC Twitter announcement:
It has been a privilege to have served with you all for these past three
years. But new professional obligations will prevent me from effectively
executing my duties to RIOC, said Kapell.
Mr Kapell’s resignation follows the January 10 introduction of
legislation
by NY State
Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright
and
State Senator Jose Serrano
to, among other
provisions:
… 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 the
termination of such residency;Provide for the appointment of a successor within 60 days when a board
vacancy occurs within an unexpired term;…
Mr Kapell’s resignation also comes three days after Ms Seawright called for
the
resignation of RIOC Board members
who are no longer residents of Roosevelt Island. According to
Ms Seawright:
The purpose and the spirit of the legislation I am proposing with Senator
Serrano is to ensure that a majority of the board members are residents of
Roosevelt Island. Any resident serving on the board who moves off the Island
should step down and allow a qualified resident to serve.
… Roosevelt Island democratic representation suffered another setback
yesterday when 1 of two Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Directors who are no longer Roosevelt Island residents,
David Kapell,
chose to remain on the Board with the apparent approval, or indifference, of
Governor Hochul
and RIOC.RIOC announced yesterday:
Jeffrey Escobar is tendering his resignation from the Board of Directors
of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation due to his change in
residency. Confirmed by the Senate on June 20, 2019, Mr. Escobar held one
of five public member board seats designated for Roosevelt Island
residents. RIOC truly appreciates Mr. Escobar’s service and contributions
to the RIOC Board of Directors and the Roosevelt Island community. His
presence and input will be greatly missed.David Kapell remains a duly appointed member of the Board of Directors of
the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. Confirmed by the Senate on
June 20, 2019, Mr. Kapell holds one of the two public member board seats
that do not carry a residency requirement. RIOC’s board and the community
as a whole benefit from Mr. Kapell’s dedication to Roosevelt Island and we
thank him for his continued service.Both Mr Kapell and Mr Escobar moved from Roosevelt Island about a year ago yet
remained on the RIOC Board until Mr Escobar’s resignation yesterday….
On January 7, I asked RIOC:
Is Dave Kapell still a member of the RIOC Board of Directors?
His name was not called by RIOC General Counsel Gretchen Robinson during the
December 29 RIOC Board Of Directors meeting Roll Call.My understanding is that all Directors of the Board have their names called
during Roll Call whether they are present or not….
RIOC Public Information Officer Amy Smith replied January 13:
Yes, Mr. Kapell is still on our board of directors.
A
RIOC Board meeting scheduled for today
was cancelled Tuesday, January 25.
More info about RIOC Board governance and Roosevelt Island residency
requirements for
RIOC Board members at this prior article.