PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Magdamari Marcano, Resident of The Bronx Council District 15
2:36:15
·
3 min
Magdamari Marcano, a long-time resident of The Bronx, testified about concerns regarding the Department of Sanitation's trash containerization efforts to combat the rat problem in New York City. She raised issues about the procurement process for trash receptacles, the impact on local jobs, and the effectiveness of the approach in addressing the root causes of the rat epidemic.
- Questioned the validity of the sole source RFP for trash receptacles and the lack of diversity in contract allocation
- Expressed concern about the lack of job creation for New Yorkers, as the selected company is based out of state
- Criticized the focus on residential containerization instead of addressing food sources from restaurants and large buildings
Magdamari Marcano
2:36:15
Good afternoon.
2:36:16
My name is Magdamari Marcano, and I'm a resident of The Bronx Council District 15.
2:36:24
And I've been there for 56 years.
2:36:27
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
2:36:30
And I have three points that I wanted to bring up.
2:36:33
One of them is the validity of the sole source RFP, the Department of Sanitation, has used to force homeowners to purchase the trash receptacles that will be used to combat the rat situation in all communities.
2:36:48
I did some research on the companies selected to provide those trash cans.
2:36:53
The perspective of the homeowners on my block is that a contract of this magnitude should have been diversified.
2:37:00
We homeowners would appreciate to be respected as you do businesses and other entities throughout the city.
2:37:08
Secondly, where are the jobs for New Yorkers since the company selected to furnish those trash cans is located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
2:37:18
And the owners of those of that company are Canadian and Bahamian, not United States.
2:37:27
The second item is the New York City Department of Sanitation has advised us about the police report.
2:37:33
I know they answered that question if a can is stolen while sitting outside of my property.
2:37:40
NYPD does not currently have adequate manpower to address though more serious crimes.
2:37:47
How do you expect them to take homeowners seriously about a trash can?
2:37:52
Did the Department of Sanitation sit with NYPD as a partner and alert them of the additional duties they are expected to assume?
2:38:02
That I say because I've been victimized with a stolen can.
2:38:06
I am not opposed to containerization to combat the rat epidemic in New York because I've always used a can, and sanitation was the one that refused to pick up my garbage in a can.
2:38:21
Okay?
2:38:23
On on the contrary, I'm not a okay.
2:38:26
I'm an avid fan of it, but the focus should have been on food sources, restaurants, food establishment, the corner trash cans, and large buildings that throw their cardboard packaging and compacted food bags on sidewalks of our streets.
2:38:43
I love the idea of composting, but literally, I live next door to the largest compost bin in the Bronx, a McDonald's trash dumpster.
2:38:52
Why isn't sanitation addressing those types of violators?
2:38:56
Are we afraid they would leave?
2:38:58
If large fast food establishment were to leave the Bronx, we would be a lot healthier for it and a lot and New York City a lot cleaner.
2:39:08
Homeowners with less than 9 units are disappearing due to the building explosion that is taking place in the Bronx.
2:39:15
Yet New York City continues to suck the money and life out of us all, especially the poorest community district of the entire country.
2:39:23
New York City Department of Sanitation and the mayor's office made itself responsible for the rat epidemic when they replaced the metal trash cans back in 1970 with plastic bags.
2:39:37
I firmly believe that those responsible for the problem pay for the solution.
2:39:42
Thank you very much for your time.
