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Q&A
Council Member Krishnan discusses containerization program concerns and small business resource funding with SBS Commissioner
0:50:53
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4 min
Council Member Shekar Krishnan engages in a Q&A session with SBS Commissioner Dynishal Gross, discussing concerns about the new containerization program and its impact on BIDs and organizations like ACE. They also address the importance of restoring and baselining funding for the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN).
- Krishnan expresses worry about the burden of purchasing bins for the containerization program on BIDs and nonprofits like ACE.
- Commissioner Gross acknowledges the concerns and mentions some flexibility in the final DSNY rule for cleanup crews.
- Discussion on the need to restore and baseline funding for SBRN to provide stability for small businesses and chambers of commerce.
Shekar Krishnan
0:50:53
Thank you so much chair and thank you commissioner Tu for your testimony and for the great discussion today.
0:50:58
I just had a couple questions.
0:51:00
You know, one was I wanted to reiterate the concerns about this containerization, program.
0:51:05
I think you're hearing it from a lot of us in the council both because of the not only the burden it's putting on bids, but also on organizations like ACE that we are big, and I know I'm not the only one, big funders and supporters of.
0:51:20
They do excellent work in our district.
0:51:22
And them being required to purchase the bins to help comply with this program puts an extraordinary strain on their resources and also on their nonprofit status too because a lot of their money now is gonna be spent on these kinds of logistical things rather than what should be.
0:51:39
And so it's a big issue for us and I think as the chair said too, we understand and appreciate the intent.
0:51:46
And I know it's not just you and it's also DSNY and their rule too.
0:51:51
But I would say we'd really wanna see you all talking too because it's going to definitely it is very concerning to us and especially for those of us who support organizations like ACE and work with them in our district.
0:52:04
Separate from the bid issue too, it just really undermines a lot of the work that we're doing for with the right intention, but the impact is is very concerning.
Dynishal Gross
0:52:14
Thank you Councilmember Krishnan.
0:52:16
As I said, our bid we have 76 bids citywide, but there are so many commercial corridors that aren't organized or supported by business and improvement districts or you know high functioning merchants associations and we really appreciate the city council's cleanup NYC initiative and other member allocations that support the cleanliness of commercial strips.
0:52:38
For small businesses to thrive on commercial corridors they have to be well maintained places where New Yorkers feel safe, they can come and shop and are comfortable consuming goods and services.
0:52:48
So those allocations are critical and we appreciate your concern for the supplemental sanitation providers, some of which you fund directly but others of which are contracted by our bids to extend the reach of their staff.
0:53:01
So absolutely happy to remain in discussion about this.
0:53:04
I am pleased though to point out and I think you'll have perhaps noted that the final DSNY rule that was published did note that cleanup crews that I think the supplemental sanitation providers can continue to coordinate with their local sanitation depots for pickup when they are generating bags through their work.
Shekar Krishnan
0:53:23
Yes.
0:53:24
And thank you for mentioning that too.
0:53:25
It's just some of these logistical pieces like what you know, the intent is good but not if we're shifting the burden a lot to whether it's the bids or organizations like ACE that do the supplemental sanitation work.
0:53:37
So I hope we can have more conversation on that and explore ways to implement this program without undermining it in undermining the effort in other ways too.
0:53:46
And my only other question was the small business resource funding, you know, was about 2,000,000 in total, 1.5 in one shot and a 500,000 initiative.
0:53:58
Will you support restoring and baselining of the small business resource network funding that directly supports and brings resources to small businesses across the city?
Dynishal Gross
0:54:12
SBS works closely with SBRN.
0:54:15
That work is carried out by a five borough chamber of commerce alliance contracted with our economic development corporation over the past couple of years and we work closely to coordinate our services so that we're working in a complementary way and not duplicating services and we would absolutely like to see the SBRN program continue.
Shekar Krishnan
0:54:36
Okay.
0:54:37
Because that was a big concern for us last time too.
0:54:40
We noticed that too.
0:54:41
I know the five chambers do that work together.
0:54:43
Yes.
0:54:43
And for that funding to be lost I think was very concerning.
0:54:47
So to have it restored in baseline so that they don't have to keep dealing with the ups and downs and uncertainty of whether it's gonna be funded, it was never something that should have been cut in the first place.
0:54:56
But we appreciate working together to make sure that funding is restored and baselined.
Dynishal Gross
0:55:00
I think SBRN is another way that we learned about how to provide effective outreach to connect small businesses to city services and nonprofit services during the pandemic.
0:55:13
And like the bid grants that have been baselined, we understand that stability and foresight for those nonprofits creates efficiencies and better outputs through those investments.
0:55:24
So I appreciate your
Shekar Krishnan
0:55:25
Absolutely.
0:55:26
Yeah.
0:55:26
And a lot of small businesses and the chambers depend on that to your point too and that stability of funding is critical.
0:55:31
So appreciate your your commitment on that too.
0:55:33
Thank you.
0:55:34
Thank you, chair.