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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jim Martin, Executive Director of ACE New York, on DSNY Containerization Policy
3:21:06
ยท
145 sec
Jim Martin, Executive Director of ACE New York, testifies in strong opposition to DSNY's proposed rule prohibiting sanitation providers from placing collected garbage bags next to public waste receptacles. He argues that the new containerization requirements would impose unsustainable costs on ACE, potentially forcing the organization to close after 33 years of service.
- The new rule would require ACE to purchase 200-230 containers, costing nearly $4-5 million for purchase, installation, and maintenance.
- If costs are passed to City Council partners, it would severely reduce ACE's ability to provide services, resulting in job losses for about 165 employees who have overcome personal challenges.
- Martin emphasizes that DSNY is shifting responsibility for containerization onto nonprofits without providing necessary resources, putting ACE and its employees at risk.
Jim Martin
3:21:06
Good afternoon, chair Abreu and members of the committee.
3:21:09
My name is Jim Martin.
3:21:10
I'm the executive director of ACE New York.
3:21:13
I'm here to express ACE's strong opposition to the proposed DSNY rule prohibiting sanitation providers like ACE from collect from placing collected garbage bags next to DSNY public waste receptacles.
3:21:24
ACE partners with city council ACE partners with the city council each year to provide sanitation services in over 40 council districts.
3:21:32
We remove in excess of 1,000,000 garbage bags a year from city streets.
3:21:36
This rule will require ACE to purchase anywhere from 200 to two thirty containers.
3:21:41
If you if you include the mandated cost of purchasing, shipping, installing, insuring, and maintaining these containers, the cost to adhere to the new rule nears 4 to $5,000,000.
3:21:52
DSNY has suggested that the cost of purchasing these containers should be either ACEs or the responsibility of the city council via the New York City Council New York City Cleanup Fund.
3:22:02
ACEs simply unable to afford these expenses, the burden of which would result in ACE closing its doors after nearly thirty three years of service to New York City.
3:22:12
Should the cost of these containers be passed on to our council partners, it would leave almost nothing to fund our work, resulting in the discontinuation of ACE sanitation services in most council districts, meaning the 165 ACE employees who are outside today who provide these services would lose their job.
3:22:29
For example, our estimate that we will need roughly four containers in your district, Chair Abreu, would cost about $80,000, which is half of what you generously fund us last fiscal year.
3:22:41
That means our actual sanitation services in your district will be cut in half, and about two full time employees will be laid off.
3:22:49
The men and women who have over who serve us have overcome homelessness, incarceration, and addiction.
3:22:55
And this job has been a lifeline for them as they begin their journey towards economic independence.
3:23:00
Though unintended, this is a real and incredibly cruel consequence of DSNY's containerization policy.
3:23:08
It is clear to me today that DSNY is shifting its responsibility to adherence of containerization mandate onto nonprofits like ACE without providing necessary resources to cover those related costs.
3:23:19
We still have no idea what this will cost us.
3:23:21
Met with the S and Y on calls and in person.
3:23:24
No one has an answer for me at how I'm supposed to pay for this.
3:23:27
The clock is ticking on my employees on ACE.
3:23:30
We need help.
3:23:31
Thank you.