RIRA Common Council Blog

The Red Bus now as a GPS that tracks where the bus is and displays the location of the bus on the web (see “http://nextbus.com”.  Bus drivers have no display and have no access to the data (e.g., that can’t see where buses are bunching).  The software predicts how soon the bus will arrive, such as “18 minutes”, “2 minutes’, and “Arriving”.

The problem is that the software doesn’t estimate right.  Typically, when the bus says it is 1-2 minutes away from the stop, it’s reasonably close.  However, most people need about 10 minutes to get from their apartment to get to the bus stop.  The 10 minute mark is where the accuracy of prediction is really poor, so 10 minutes could really 18 minutes.

One that is really entertaining is to see how the buses are bunched … what a waste of service, and it makes out commute/travels longer.  You’ll see this bunching (2, 3, and even 4 in a row) especially during rush hour were (in theory) buses should be arriving every 7 minutes, but you might have to wait 18-25 minutes for a bus — which is full and then have to wait for another.

I asked RIOC President Steve Shane if RIOC was using the sytem.  He said No, it was Octagon’s project but occassionally RIOC might take a peek.  I suggested to Shane that they look at this more often because the poor bus management is immediately obvious.

Also, the solution is obvious.  At the transportation meeting a week or two ago, RIOC Vice President Rosina Abramson said: although the bus system worked in the past, with 1500 new residents the system could not work, i.e., bus management was not the prime fault.  Of course, this isn’t true and can easily be demonstrated with an experiment: just run the Firehouse Local, which is not affected by the new residents, and synchronize its schedule to the tram — suddenly, you’ll remember how the bus service was done right.

My E-mail to RIOC:

Date: February 2, 2009

From: Frank Farance

Subject: RIOC unwilling to provide long-term budget estimates, RIRA subcommittee to fill the gap

To: RIOC President, RIOC Board of Directors

CC: Main Street WIRE, RI Blogs, NY Daily News, NY Times

CC: Council Member Jessica Lappin, Assemblyman Micah Kellner, Senator Jose Serrano

On January 14 RIRA held a Town Hall meeting to discuss the proposed RIOC budget. RIOC CEO Stephen Shane and RIOC CFO Steven Chironis made presentations and answered questions.

Residents asked about budget estimates 10, 15, and 20 years into the future, but learned that RIOC was only willing to prepare 5-year budget estimates, as confirmed by Shane and Chironis. Because of RIOC’s significant recent and present spending, residents expressed concern about the long-term financial stability of RIOC. In response to residents’ What If questions concerning future RIOC budget shortfalls, Shane said the ground rents might be raised and/or services significantly curtailed.

A long-term budget outlook and transparency is essential to the financial health of Roosevelt Island. State Assembly Member Micah Kellner has drafted legislation to mandate RIOC’s financial transparency.

RIRA has formed a RIOC Budget Analysis subcommittee under its Planning Committee, chaired by Matthew Katz, to provide analysis and insight to Island residents and RIOC Board members. The RIOC Budget Analysis subcommittee expects to make a report at the March 4, 2009 RIRA meeting for endorsement and forwarding to RIOC in time for its March 26, 2009 RIOC Board Meeting. The RIOC Budget Analysis subcommittee includes Frank Farance (RIRA President), Matthew Katz (a former RIRA President), Steve Marcus (a former RIRA President), Margie Smith (Chair of Government Relations Committee), and Russell Fields (RIRA Treasurer).

Frank Farance

RIRA President

E-mail from RIOC President Steve Shane to me:

Date: February 2, 2009

From: Stephen Shane

Subject: Re: RIOC unwilling to provide long-term budget estimates, RIRA subcommittee to fill the gap

All:

In the realm of “no good deed shall go unpunished”, I believe we have extended ourselves in the Budget process for ‘09/10 to present it early to the Board and the Island residents early in draft stage to make meaningful a comment period before final adoption. We have posted the draft budget on our website as well as making the presentation at both the January Board meeting and a RIRA sponsored community meeting the night before. We have carefully separated the Operating Budget from the Capital Budget.

The statement that was made about more than 5 year projections was that the level of uncertainty rises to such an extent that it is virtually worthless to expend the effort. I did indicate that as the provider of essential services, RIOC would have to do whatever it takes to serve the public. No more obvious example of just such an effort is available than the current gyrations of our City, State and Federal governments to meet the present economic condition.

Stephen H. Shane

President & CEO

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp.

My response to Shane:

Date: February 4, 2009

From: Frank Farance

Subject: Re: RIOC unwilling to provide long-term budget estimates, RIRA subcommittee

Steve-

Certainly, no one has any interest in punishing your Good Deeds.

However, framing your sharing of documents as merely a Good Deed is disingenuous within the context of the current legislative process that will mandate you do so.

Furthermore, no right-minded executive manager would accept your premise: the plan might change in the future, thus we cannot plan. Certainly, plans change but that does not stop us from planning.

By limiting your perspective to a 5-year horizon, many Island residents believe there is a disaster just beyond the horizon. According to your proposed budget (09-10 proposed budget, PDF page 15), RIOC will spend $41 million this year in capital improvements and another $31 million over the next 4 years for a total of $72 million. Your cash balance in FY 13-14 will be $81 million (PDF page 5), but it might be off by $40 million if Southtown 7-9 aren’t built.

Putting this into the long term perspective, if RIOC has $41 million in FY13-14 to spend over 54 years (excludes Southtown 7-9 payments), RIOC should be budgeting about $2.4 million a year on capital improvements, not $41 million this year and not $8 million per year thereafter, as presently budgeted by RIOC.

It appears that RIOC is spending the Roosevelt Island’s Nest Egg and will leave us broke soon. Transparency and sunshine will reveal the true nature and extent of this problem, which is why RIRA is interested in providing its own independent analysis.

I cannot understand why you are unsupportive of financial transparency, especially considering the severe negative impact this will have on Roosevelt Island, the quality of life here, and the financial attractiveness for new/current owners and renters alike.

Frank Farance

RIRA President

I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

A couple corrections/updates concerning PSD expansion and the Gang Summit.

Regarding Public Safety’s holding rooms next to the theatre/synagogue, Director Keith Guerra today explained they would be upstairs (ground floor, not in the basement).  My reporting was based upon a meeting with Keith (possibly, I misheard what he said, including his hand gestures), information from several staff at MSTDA, and information from RIJC.  In short, the holding rooms will NOT be near the children or en route to the synagogue.

Still, it is unacceptable for RIOC to take the space in the MSTDA and RIJC.  Had RIOC any sense of what is necessary for the theatre and dance school, it would not see the present rooms as unused.

Regarding my comment about a reduction in incidents in PSD, Keith says he said that incidents (service requests) were going up, not down.  A half dozen of us heard at Keith’s presentation at RIRA and we heard him say “down”.  Anyway, Keith is the authority on this, so PSD incidents are going up.

Keith was upset that I reported that youth organizations were not invited to participate by PSD.  Keith told me today that a Public Safety Youth Officer had spoken to the organizations directly.  I stand by my reporting.  I followed up with one organization (RIYP, Charlie DeFino) who said:

We (RIYP) were not contacted by Public Safety.  I know the Youth Officer and the last time I saw her was in December.  No discussion of a gang summit.

I asked Charlie about Keith’s claim that PS officers came to the Youth Program this Monday evening:

PS: officers wanted to invite Charlie to the Gang summit
RIYP: there are only 3 of us and we don’t have staffing to send some one

Charlie says he was there on Monday night, no officers came.  He spoke with Charles Royce who is at the front door of RIYP, Charles said no PS officer ever arrived.

Just some tidbits …

Nikki Leopold heads the RIRA Social Cultural and Educational committee.  The committee met and they will be investigating the low enrollment rate at PS 217 for new residents and their families.  This should be an interesting study.  If we can improve the enrollment rate, it will have a profound benefit to Roosevelt Island.

Matt Katz heads the RIRA Planning Committee.  His committee is looking into long-range plans for Roosevelt Island, such as a New General Development Plan and energy sources / alternatives.  There was a discussion about the retail space … apparently RIOC is back to square one looking to engage a real estate consultant.

I’ve heard there is a possibility of adding GPS to the red buses.  I have yet to see one of these systems.

Supposedly, the point of this is: to let Octagon residents know how long they have to wait for a regular red bus or an express red bus.  (Supposedly, RIOC and Bruce Becker have spent at lest $100K on this.)

The GPS system won’t work and is impractical for several reasons.  The GPS system is really expensive … why not have the red bus supervisor in a car at the Octagon stop and he can hold out cards: green (bus arriving in 2 minutes), yellow (but arriving in 10 minutes), red (bus arriving in more than 15 minutes).  This wouldn’t cost any additional money.

The second main problem with the GPS system is that it only tells where the buses are.  It doesn’t make them move any faster.  The overall problem with the red bus system is that it is poorly managed.

When I get a picture, I’ll post it.

-Frank Farance

This site is for RIRA Common Council members.

We’re just getting started with the new 2008 RIRA Common Council.  We hope to have more members on-line by the end of the year.