ATTENTION: Snow Alert 1/19

The New York City Department of Sanitation has issued a ‘snow alert’ for Thursday, January 19, 2012 starting at 6 p.m. Current forecasts indicate trace amounts to one inch of snow.

NYCC Committee on Public Safety and Sanitation Hold Hearings on Snow Plans and Emergency Protocols; 11/30; 250 Broadway

Dear Neighbor,

Next Wednesday, November 30th, the City Council's Committees on Public Safety and Sanitation and Solid Waste Management will be holding a joint oversight hearing on the borough-based snow plans and citywide winter emergency protocols issued by the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), respectively.

Copies of the DSNY borough-based snow plans are available at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dsny/html/snow_plans_mapping/snowplans.shtml, and the OEM Snow Preparedness and Response Report is available at http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/2011snowreport.pdf.

I know snow removal and other snow-related issues are on many people's mind, especially as we edge closer to winter, and anyone who wishes to is more than welcome to attend this hearing.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in the 14th Floor Committee Room at 250 Broadway in Lower Manhattan.

If you would like to testify, please be sure to register with the sergeant-of-arms on the 14th Floor. Due to increased building security procedures, please bring identification and allot some extra time for entry through the building lobby.

You can also email your written remarks to the Office of Council Member Letitia James at aworthydavis@council.nyc.gov.

If you have any questions about Wednesday's hearing, please feel free to contact my office at (212) 788-7081.

Thanks and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Sincerely,
Letitia James
Chair, Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Committee
NYC Council

Job Opportunity: DSNY Registering Emergency Snow Laborers

The NYC Department of Sanitation is registering emergency snow laborers who can be called upon to remove snow and ice citywide from bus stops, crosswalks, and from step streets in sections of the City after heavy snowfalls. The rate of pay begins at $12 per hour and increases to $18 per hour, after completing the first 40 hours, each pay week.

Interested individuals can register at any DSNY garage between the hours of 7 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday. The Manhattan District 12 garage is located at 301 West 215th Street between 9th Avenue & the Harlem River in Inwood. The District 10 garage is at 110 East 131st Street between Lexington & Park Avenue and the District 9 garage is at 125 East 149th Street between Bronx Gerard Avenue & Walton Avenue.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be eligible to work in the United States, and be capable of performing heavy physical labor. All applicants must bring their social security card and a photo copy of it; two (2) small photos (1 1/2” square) and two (2) original documents and photo copies that prove identity and employment eligibility, such as a driver’s license; federal, state or local identification; school identification with photo, or passport, at time of registration.

For more information on how to register to become an emergency snow laborer, call 311 or visit www.nyc.gov/sanitation.

Anyone interested in becoming an emergency snow laborer this winter will be required to fill out important paperwork before being hired.

ATTENTION: Federal Disaster Aid Available in BK (NYC)

Some Brooklyn organizations are eligible to receive disaster aid related to Hurricane Irene damages.

Government and some nonprofits. Some nonprofits in Brooklyn (as well as Bronx, Nassau, New York, Queens, Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester) counties can receive partial reimbursement for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Irene.
The federal assistance is for the reimbursement (up to 75%) of covered and documented expenses. You don't have to wait to begin your repairs, just keep a careful record of your outlays.

If you think that you, your business or your organization are eligible, begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362).

Updated Information from NYT's Cityroom here.

Update: Property Damage and Tree Removal (Hurricane Irene)

Damage

Individuals whose property has incurred damage due to Hurricane Irene are encouraged to report any damage to 311 ASAP, or report damage online.



The City investigates reports of damage to homes or building structures caused by severe weather. This includes:



• Unstable sidewalk sheds or scaffolds

• Debris falling from a building

• Defective or cracking interior and exterior walls



Please report damage here:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/nycsevereweather/damage_form.shtml



Tree Removal

The City removes street trees and large branches that have fallen to the ground in front of houses, in parks, and in other public spaces. The City also removes trees or branches that are blocking sidewalks or streets, as well as branches that are cracked or hanging, and about to fall. Removal may be delayed during a storm if the branches are not blocking streets or sidewalks.



The City is not responsible for:

• Any non-City tree that falls on private property

• Any small non-City tree branch that falls on private property

• Any tree that is on private property



Property owners must consult with a private landscape contractor to arrange for the removal of non-City trees or tree branches. Property owners are responsible for knowing whether a tree is on their property or on the City's property. Trees can appear to be growing on your property but actually be on City property. Reference your title survey to verify property lines before removing a tree or conducting any tree work on or around trees in your front yard.



The Department of Parks and Recreation is not accepting requests for removal of standing dead trees until Tuesday, August 30. You may request forestry service action here: http://gis.nyc.gov/parks/forms/



Otherwise, you are encouraged to contact 311 with any reports, or with further questions.

Update: Zone A Evacuated (Hurricane Irene)

Mayor Bloomberg has issued an evacuation for Zone A areas. Please see the previous link for further information regarding what you should do if you live in Zone A.

UPDATE: MTA/ NYCT Closing (Hurricane Irene)

MTA/NYC Transit System will close by 12:00noon on Saturday, August 27, 2011. [Fox- NY]

CM James: Updates on Hurricane Irene- 35th District Information

The following is information regarding New York City’s preparations for Hurricane Irene, and the recommended steps New Yorkers should take to prepare.



Hurricane Irene is deemed as a Category 3 hurricane (downgraded to Category 2 on Friday), which is presently leaving the Bahamas and heading up the east coast towards Long Island and New York City. Although Hurricane Irene is moving slowly and the forecast remains uncertain, it is expected to hit NYC on Sunday with about 6-12 inches of rain.



According to the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), NYC developed a hurricane response plan since 2007 in reaction to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. The plan is available online HERE. OEM is working closely with the National Weather Service to monitor the storm. At this time, the Mayor has not concluded that a full evacuation is necessary. Nonetheless, the city is preparing shelters in case of an emergency evacuation, especially for Category 1/Zone A communities (low-lying areas most at risk of flooding). The NYC Health Department and the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation are readily prepared to service elderly and disabled populations if the storm the hits. Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg ordered an evacuation of the hospitals, nursing homes, and senior centers within Zone A.



The Hurricane Evacuation zones can be found HERE. The 35th District overlaps with Zone A. The Brooklyn evacuation sites are listed below--

BOYS & GIRLS HS	1700 FULTON ST.
BROOKLYN TECH HS	29 FORT GREENE PLACE
BUSHWICK HS	400 IRVING AVE.
FRANKLIN K. LANE HS	999 JAMAICA AVE.
CLARA BARTON HS	901 CLASSON AVE.
IS 117	300 WILLOUGHBY AVE.
IS 136	4004 4TH AVE.
IS 187	1171 65TH ST.
PS 189	1100 E. NEW YORK AVE.
IS 246	72 VERONICA PLACE
PS 249	18 MARLBOROUGH RD.
IS 271	1137 HERKIMER ST.
IS 292	300 WYONA ST.
IS 383	1300 GREENE AVE.
JHS 57	125 STUYVESANT AVE.
JOHN JAY HS	237 7TH AVE.
NYC TECHNICAL COLLEGE	300 JAY ST.
ROOSEVELT HS	5800 20TH AVE.

OEM is recommending that New York residents have a "emergency bag" prepared, and that people stock up on supplies in advance of the storm.



The MTA is actively preparing for the impact of Hurricane Irene. The agency is making arrangements to bring in extra personnel over the weekend, preparing facilities and infrastructure by clearing drains, securing work sites against possible high winds, checking and fueling equipment, stocking supplies, and establishing plans to move equipment and supplies away from low-lying areas as needed. Because of the severity of the wind and rain associated with a hurricane, there may be partial or full shut down of services to ensure the safety of customers and employees.

CM James' Responds to Allegations of 2010 Blizzard Sanitation Slowdown

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
June 10, 2011

Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191

COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA JAMES’ RESPONSE TO NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF INVESTIGATION - INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF POSSIBLE SLOWDOWN BY DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION DURING BLIZZARD OF DECEMBER 2010

Almost two feet of snow was dumped on New York City on December 26, and the Tri-state area was covered with nearly 30 inches of snow that week… Sanitation Department slowdown never verified, completely unfounded

“The report issued recently by the Department of Investigation (DOI) regarding the 2010 Blizzard confirms a significant amount of what the Council and the Sanitation Committee discovered during hearings on the blizzard of December 2010. It also brings to light a few important issues that remain unresolved, and I hope to work with DSNY to address these items in the coming months.

Above all, the report underscores the need for improved planning and transparency, which are the two primary objectives achieved by the legislative package passed by the City Council in April. DOI deserves significant credit for conducting a thorough investigation of the allegations of a slow-down, and of other factors that may have contributed to the inadequate response to the blizzard that hit New York City on December 26th and 27th of 2010.

DOI interviewed over 150 witnesses including employees from DSNY, DOT, various elected officials, and several dozen members of the public. DOI also read numerous emails, viewed photos from the public, reviewed hours of video footage obtained from the public and law enforcement sources, issued numerous subpoenas, and conferred with several different prosecutors located in New York City. A number of positive conclusions and important corrections to the record should be emphasized. Most importantly, the allegations of a slow-down were never verified and appear to be completely unfounded.

Furthermore, the vast majority of Sanitation workers were doing the best that they could under the circumstances, although even some of the best equipped plows were getting stuck because of the severe conditions - the level of personnel and equipment was commensurate with levels of recent significant storms. Although there were reports of trucks driving with raised plows, most of the reported incidents that were captured on film were circumstances where the plows were supposed to be up, and DSNY is looking into the few instances where plows appeared to be improperly raised.

When GPS was used, it appears to have been effective, and we are glad to note that DSNY is going forward with our recommendation to expand the use of GPS to all snow plows. According to the DSNY official, the Queens East 8 Garage achieved a higher percentage of streets salted and plowed during the blizzard of December 2010 compared to garages in other districts that received approximately the same amount of snow. The report does identify a number of issues that require further attention such as greater planning and coordination must be in place for sensitive locations such as hospitals.

As I pointed out at the City Council hearing on January 10th, there were significant complaints from Sanitation workers that the chains used during the storm were inadequate. The DOI report provides evidence to support this claim. According to DSNY, there were 3,760 chains that were damaged during the cleanup - about 44% of the chains used during the storm - which raises questions about whether the new chains used by DSNY are durable enough to be trusted in the future. Furthermore, a significant number of DSNY employees stated that trucks had insufficient number of chains.

Other issues cited include: the disagreement between management and rank-and-file DSNY employees regarding when to cease salting during the storm, which could have been addressed through better communication and planning, and those disagreements should be resolved before the next snow season begins. DSNY should reconsider its policy requiring that one employee stay with each and every DSNY vehicle that becomes stuck or stalled during a storm.

During a severe storm such as the December 2010 blizzard, a significant number of employees could have been reassigned to other tasks that could have expedited snow removal more directly, and the appearance of so many employees simply sitting in stalled vehicles created a negative perception of the work being done.

Finally, I also urge DSNY to review its procedures with respect to ordering the proper amount and type of snow shovels. Many lessons were learned from the 2010 Blizzard, and I am confident that when snow storms hit again this winter the City will be much better prepared to handle it in every way.”

###

ATTENTION: City Council Hearings to Discuss Weather Legislation; 3/9; 1PM

Council Member Letitia James would like to extend a special thanks to everyone who wrote in and participated in the City Council's joint hearings on the City's and MTA's response to the December 2010 blizzard.

The Council got significant and meaningful feedback from hundreds of New Yorkers who know their communities and their organizations best. This, together with the nearly 25 hours of public testimony we received at our hearings, has provided many worthwhile legislative and policy ideas for improving future emergency weather responses.

Next Wednesday, March 9th, beginning at 1 p.m. in the 14th Floor Committee Room at 250 Broadway in Lower Manhattan, the City Council will be holding a public hearing on these ideas with the goal of improving planning, preparedness, coordination and communication.

Legislation establishing a transparent snow planning and management process, ensuring private sector resources are sufficient and available when needed, addressing problems in emergency management, and improving communication between the Administration, public officials and the public are among the legislation that will be discussed.

Please contact the Office of Council Member Letitia James at (212) 788-7081 for more information.

NYC Weather Emergency Declared

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has declared a weather emergency for the City.

ATTENTION: Snow Storm Forecasted Friday, 1/21

The New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) issued a Hazardous Travel Advisory due to a forecasted snow storm that will cause dangerous travel conditions for Friday, January 21st. The National Weather Service has forecast between 3-6 inches of snow during the night of Thursday, January 20th. OEM strongly recommends that people use mass transit and avoid driving during and immediately after the snow storm.

Alternate Side Parking (ASP) regulations will be suspended Citywide on Friday, January 21 to facilitate snow removal. Payment at parking meters will remain in effect throughout the City.

NYCC Sanitation Hearing Discussed at Good Day NY; CMs Crowley and Williams Interviewed

Following CM James' appearance on Good Day NY to discuss the New York City Council's hearing on the December 26, 2010 snow blizzard, which took place yesterday at the Council's temporary hearing hall, CMs Crowley and Williams again joined Good Day NY to discuss what happened.

Council Member James regarding some of the comments made: "It is important to remember that there is a federal investigation happening at this time, and that it is not the duty (or within the jurisdiction) of the New York City Council to perform any criminal investigation of events. Nor would it helpful to feed into unsubstantiated claims."

"Instead, the goal of the Council hearing- laid out by myself before the hearing began- was to look into whether the Department of Sanitation failed in meeting its goals for snow management, and if so how the department and administration can ensure those mistakes are not repeated. It is imperative that in order to address those issues, comments and testimony be as focused as possible. In light of the administration's surprising admissions yesterday, and recent attempts to strengthen service, I feel as if yesterday's hearing was successful."

Blizzard City Council Hearing: MyFoxNY.com

Video borrowed from MyFOX 5.

ATTENTION: Urgent Citywide Weather Warning

NEW YORK CITY COASTAL STORM TO IMPACT THE AREA TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY CITYWIDE

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7PM THIS EVENING TO 6PM EST WEDNESDAY 1/12.

LOCATIONS NEW YORK CITY AND NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY.
* HAZARDS SNOW HEAVY AT TIMES.
* ACCUMULATIONS 8 TO 14 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.
* WINDS GUSTS 20 TO 25 MPH.
* VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 1/4 MILE AT TIMES.
* TIMING HEAVIEST SNOW OCCURS AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY.
* IMPACTS HAZARDOUS TRAVEL TONIGHT AND THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT FOOD AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

CM James On Good Day NY!

Councilwoman James On Cleanup Investigation: MyFoxNY.com

Council Member James joined the hosts of Good Day New York on January 7, 2011 to discuss the administration's response to the December 26th snow blizzard.

Video borrowed from MyFOX 5.

ATTENTION: NYC COUNCIL COMMITTEE HEARINGS SCHEDULED IN RESPONSE TO DECEMBER 2010 BLIZZARD CLEANUP

ANNOUNCEMENT

Monday, January 10, 2011
Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management jointly with the
Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services and
Committee on Public Safety and
Committee on Oversight and Investigations 11:00 a.m.

Oversight Hearing– The December Blizzard of 2010: Evaluating the City’s response
Committee Room– 250 Broadway, 16th Floor

Letitia James, Chairperson
Elizabeth Crowley, Chairperson
Peter Vallone, Chairperson
Jumaane Williams, Chairperson
----

Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Borough Community Hearings

Brooklyn
Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon Street

6:00PM

ATTENTION: CM James Joins Fox 5's Good Day NY!

Please check-in with Fox 5's Good Day New York tomorrow (Friday) morning at 7:15AM to watch Council Member James discuss the City's snow blizzard response, expectations about tomorrow's snow, and the upcoming Council hearings.

More information about the City Council hearings will be posted shortly.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

Alternate side parking (street cleaning) regulations will be suspended from Tuesday, January 4 through Saturday, January 8 to facilitate ongoing snow and trash collection operations. All other regulations, including parking meters, remain in effect.

The 2011 alternate side parking rules suspension calendar is available on the Department of Transportation website, along with other alternate side parking information.

CMs James and Williams Join Community Advocates To Speak Out On Snow Sanitation

Council Members Letitia James and Jumaane Williams join Isaac Tamir of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (CHJCC) to discuss conditions in Crown Heights on December 28, 2010.

Anger Over City's Blizzard Response: MyFoxNY.com

ATTENTION: CM James Calls Mayor Bloomberg "Out of Touch" With Clean-up Outside Manhattan

Read the full coverage at CNN's American Morning here.