Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) met with top officials from the NYC Sanitation Department and Sanitation Enforcement this morning to address key issues facing the community, including sanitation pick-ups impeding school buses in the morning.

Hikind explained to the assembled group of Sanitation officials that garbage pick-ups in Boro Park continue to make a bad situation worse. “Since this school year began, I have received numerous complaints about this situation,” he said. Our community is unique in terms of this issue. Our families have many children, thank G-d, and there are many schools, each with their own school buses. At last count, there were more than 260 buses in Boro Park, but they are impeded every morning when sanitation pick-ups occur. The traffic situation becomes a nightmare and children are forced to arrive 30 minutes or more late to school. It’s unfair to burden these children to this extent—to make them ride these buses for an hour just to go a mile or two. It’s not good for the sanitation workers either. I have no doubt that we can work this out because it’s the right thing to do.”

Assemblyman Hikind asked Sanitation to reschedule its sanitation pick-ups and cease collections in Boro Park between the hours of 7:30 am and 9:30 am.
Jack Ryan, Deputy Chief Commissioner Brooklyn South, made his commitment to address the problem very clear. “We recognize the seriousness of the situation and we are working towards possible solutions.”

Other issues addressed at the meeting were Sanitation violations on Shabbos and the Yomim Tovim, as well as residents being permitted to put out their garbage three hours before Shabbos, which, this time of year, would be about 1pm. “We’re not looking to cut corners here,” said Assemblyman Hikind. “We’re just asking Sanitation to be fair. There are cultural needs that are not unreasonable.”

Following the meeting with the Sanitation Officials, Assemblyman Hikind spoke with Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia to thank her for addressing the various issues that he had brought to her attention.

“I’m pleased that other elected officials are involved with this issue and grateful to Commissioner Garcia and her staff for working with us towards a solution that will benefit everyone.”

Other Sanitation officials who attended the meeting were Michael Burk (Deputy Director of Enforcement), Damian Cassiano (Chief Brooklyn South), Henry Ehrhardt (Director of Community Service and Government Relations), Carlos Nieves (Captain, Enforcement) and Iggy Terranova (Citywide Community Affairs Manager).

(YWN Desk – NYC)