PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Matt Molloy, Sanitation Supervisor of Garment District Alliance on Intro 57 and Containerization
2:12:00
·
158 sec
Matt Molloy, representing the Garment District Alliance, testified on Intro 57 and containerization efforts. While supporting containerized garbage in principle, he expressed strong objections to specific aspects of the bill that would impact Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) negatively.
- Opposed requirements for BIDs to pay for or map locations of city containers
- Objected to potential fines for BIDs leaving bags of publicly generated litter for DSNY collection
- Argued that the bill violates existing agreements between BIDs and the city, undermining public-private cooperation
- Recommended the council return the bill to DSNY for better collaboration with community groups
Matt Molloy
2:12:00
Good afternoon.
2:12:01
My name is Matt Molloy.
2:12:03
I'm a sanitation supervisor for the Garment District Alliance, a business improvement district in Midtown Manhattan.
2:12:09
The Garment District Alliance supports containerized garbage.
2:12:12
However, there are aspects of intro 57 to which we strenuously object and we argue to you and we urge you to not support this bill.
2:12:24
The Garment District is a nonprofit 501c3 that provides supplemental supplemental neighborhood sanitation services to the city's existing municipal d s n y service.
2:12:35
It is clearly stated in our agreement with the city that the city cannot reduce service in a bid a bid district unless the service is also being reduced citywide.
2:12:46
In other words, a bid cannot be penalized for assisting the city with their obligation to clean the streets and remove publicly generated waste from public trash receptacles.
2:12:57
The city is required to provide public waste receptacles on our streets, not bids.
2:13:02
The garment district will not privately pay for standard NYC containers required required by DSNY.
2:13:11
A bid may opt at their own at their own cost to provide nonstandard waste receptacles, but we cannot pay for city property or face penalties for not providing them.
2:13:22
Similarly, the garment district should not be forced to undertake responsibility for mapping locations of proposed containers.
2:13:31
These are city streets and DSNY must step up and manage them, including the siting of waste receptacles.
2:13:39
The garment district also strenuously objects to the proposal that we could be fined for leaving bags of garbage on the corners for DSNY collection.
2:13:50
The contents of the bags that the GDA places on the corners are publicly generated street litter that GDA sweeps up to improve our neighborhoods.
2:14:01
Bids
Shaun Abreu
2:14:05
Alright.
2:14:05
Make sure to submit your testimony.
Matt Molloy
2:14:07
Can I continue a paragraph?
Shaun Abreu
2:14:09
Yeah.
2:14:09
You may continue one paragraph.
Matt Molloy
2:14:11
Bids are voluntarily formed organizations which help the neighborhoods have clean and well maintained environments in cooperation with and supplement to government agencies.
2:14:19
They are not formed as the bill intends to replace or take on responsibility of government.
2:14:25
This bill violates an agreement with the city and undermines the goodwill between public and private sector.
2:14:30
We recommend the council send this bill back to DSNY to work with the community to work with the community groups to develop a better containerization plan.
2:14:38
Thank you.
Shaun Abreu
2:14:39
Thank you.
