Dear Member and Neighbor:

It has been a very competitive application process!

We are pleased to announce that we have been accepted into the Manhattan Borough President’s Office Fiscal Year 2013 Green Your Block (GYB) Program, administered by the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation!

Because our Block Association has exhibited a strong commitment to neighborhood beautification and community advancement, our block will be receiving brand new state of the art treeguard installations!

happy summer!

Our local Greenmarket located on 1st Avenue, between 92nd and 93rd Street is up for renewal before the Street Life Committee at Community Board 8 on

Tuesday, March 20^th , 2012 . The meeting is at the NY Blood Center 310 East 67th Street (First-Second), Auditorium at 6:30PM. The meeting is open to the public.

To show your support please use the form letter below and address your letter to: Street Life Committee, Community Board 8 Manhattan, 505 Park Avenue, ,Suite 620, New York, New York 10022

This letter is in support of the 92^nd Street and First Ave. Greenmarket.

Our Greenmarket offers our neighbors a variety of nutritious and locally sourced produce, fish, and baked goods. Buying local also lowers our footprint!

In addition, our Greenmarket has become a gathering place, providing community members a venue to interact and share recipes and information about healthy eating.

Our Greenmarket also provides a convenient place to drop off our old batteries, number 5 plastics, and corks, to be recycled.

Those are just a few of the benefits that our Greenmarket has given us, as a neighborhood.

Needless to say, it’s the wish of individuals throughout the area that this Greenmarket continues to expand and thrive in our neighborhood for 2012.

Please send your e-mail in support of the Greenmarket at 92^nd and 93^rd and First Ave. to info@cb8m.com to voice your support

or visit the CB8 website http://www.cb8m.com/contact

and cut and paste the following line in the CB8 online form: I fully support the 92nd Greenmarket at First Ave. and request that the Street Fairs Committee approve it for the 2012 season and indicate the Street Fairs Committee on the drop down list.

For more information on the CB8 meeting and the agenda visit: http://www.cb8m.com/events/street-fairs-committee-3

Thank you.

Tara K. Reddi
President
East 93^rd Street Block Association

We at the East 93rd Street Block Association have been very busy over the past year working for the betterment of our block and our neighborhood.  Here is a recap of what we have been doing.

EAST  93RD STREET CONSTRUCTION ZONE As we are well aware, our neighborhood has suffered from the construction of the Second Avenue subway and the ancillary building on the northeast corner of 93rd Street and Second Avenue.  In October, when the MTA put up barricades on the south side of 93rd Street with no warning to owners or residents, the Block Association called for a meeting.  The meeting was held with representatives of the Mayor, the MTA, the Sanitation Department, the construction and engineering companies as well as some store owners.  As a result we were able to have the barricades moved back to the curb line greatly increasing the width of the sidewalk available to pedestrians. Lighting was added to the barricades which until then made that section of the street very dark. The Sanitation Department agreed to contact the owners and managers to advise the proper point for trash collection while the barricades are in place. Representatives of the Block Association and building owners now meet monthly with the all parties involved in the construction so we can be kept apprised of the progress and upcoming work and to advocate for  residents.

PROPOSED MARINE TRANSFER FACILITY We have been at the forefront of organizing opposition to this facility and have been diligent in keeping our neighbors, and indeed the entire neighborhood, informed of the meetings, rallies and measures to be taken in the effort to stop the building of this facility.  For more information and volunteer opportunities go to www.sanetrash.org  or e-mail: info@sanetrash.org

TREES In the spring of 2011 we hired Green Keepers to clean and put plantings in the tree beds on 93rd Street between First and Second Avenues. We were able to purchase four tree guards for the trees in front of 312, 317, 322 and 324.  312 and 317 were chosen to protect the newly planted trees which the Block Association was able to obtain at no cost through the Million Trees campaign.  324 was chosen because it was determined that the bed was a haven for rats and in need of renovation and the brick wall surrounding the bed was dilapidated and an eyesore.  322 was chosen to give the block a unified look because it was adjacent to 324.

The dog  problem is ameliorated by the addition of tree guards and the guards serve as  protection for the plantings.  We have applied for a grant Green Your Block Program through the Borough President’s office to have tree guards put around each of the trees that are still unprotected.  Should we receive this grant, we will be able to direct our resources to other work such as plantings and working on installing steel plated garbage bins to replace the often over flowing garbage cans on our streets.

In the fall we were able to join with the Daffodil Project which was started by a Dutch company in the wake of September 11, 2001 as a symbol of hope and resilience for New York City. Each year since then they have donated thousands of bulbs to be planted in public spaces.

We applied for and received an allotment of bulbs. With the help of resident volunteers we planted them in the beds on 93rd Street.  We look forward to their cheerful appearance.
We were successful in requesting from our Community Affairs representative to have all the trees on 93rd Street pruned.  The overgrown and overhanging branches posed a danger as was evidenced when big branches were broken off during a storm last year and emergency pruning was required on those particular trees. We have successfully applied to have the trees on 92nd Street pruned. Pruning will take place in the next couple of months.

When we noticed a Christmas tree stuck in one of the street trees three stories above ground, we immediately took action.  A flurry of calls and e-mails resulted in its removal that same afternoon, thus adverting the possibility of personal injury or damage to property.

TRASH Overflowing garbage and open cans have been an ongoing problem, particularly with individual plastic cans.  We have encouraged the owners who have been using plastic cans to purchase steel trash bins. We are happy to say that some owners have seen the benefit of these receptacles for rat control and sanitation and have converted from plastic to steel.

WORKING TOGETHER As you can see we have been diligent in pursuing the goal of a clean and beautiful block.  We need the support and cooperation of all residents. The work with the trees was costly and time consuming. We received many compliments from residents.  Unfortunately there are those who regard tree beds as a comfort station for their dogs, an ash tray and a receptacle for all kinds of garbage.  We have done our best to clean out the beds on a regular basis. Some residents have been diligent in caring for the trees adjacent to their building. Please join the effort to protect our trees and make our block clean and attractive by removing litter when you see it.  We also need volunteers to water the trees when it is hot and dry in the summer.  Without sufficient water, trees will not thrive and plantings die.  After all, it is our block and our trees.

Whether your building uses plastic cans or steel bins, please take care when putting out your trash and be sure the lid is securely closed.

As always, please feel  free to contact us any time you have questions, comments or requests.

Some of you have been very generous and for that we are most grateful. We ask only a $5 annual membership fee, and more is always welcome. We are volunteers and all monies collected go directly toward work of the Association.  Please make your tax deductible donation for 2012.

For your convenience you can download a membership form which you may find helpful.

You can donate using a credit card or by PayPal on our donate page or by sending a check to:

East 93rd Street Block Association
340 E. 93rd Street
Apt. 17I
New York, NY 10128

East 93rd Street Block Association, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization.

You will receive a receipt and your contribution is tax deductible to
the extent allowed by the law.

Thanking you in advance for your
support,

Best regards,
Joy Tutiven
Secretary and Treasurer

For more info contact:
save-ruppert-playground@googlegroups.com

Oscar Fernandez

e-mail: oscarfernandezjr@gmail.com (Campaign To Save Ruppert Playground Organizer)
Tel. 646-761-8364

We are planning our second letter writing drive day on Monday 12/19 from 4pm to 8pm in the community room at 222 East 93rd street (see details below). We need volunteers for this event especially starting at 3:30pm and donations of stamps and envelopes. Please contact me via phone or email to help. Our goal is to send out over 1,000 letters again (last time we sent out over 1,400 and achieved our goal of garnering the attention and commitment of elected officials including Speaker Quinn).

Additionally, we need help promoting the event by posting the flyer in buildings and local businesses in the community. So if you can donate copies or better yet distribute the flyer that would be greatly appreciated (download flyer here).

The focus of this letter writing campaign is to contact the New York Proton Regional Cancer Treatment Center who is now the potential commercial anchor tenant at the proposed site and tell them that although we support treatment options for those with cancer we do not feel this is an appropriate site for this type of center. We have all been personally touched by cancer in one way or another, but a center such as this should be built in an area that is better suited to handle the increased traffic at such a site – perhaps in an area such as the proposed Hudson Yards development that Related is also working on near Penn Station.

Ahead of the formal letter writing campaign please contact the representatives at NYPRC telling them of your opposition to Related Companies plan to build anything on the current site of Ruppert Playground, including their Proton Center. Please contact them with this message asap via calls, emails, letters and faxes. Remember that without this anchor tenant in place Related would have to reconsider their plans so it is imperative that we get this new message out.

Email list: info@NYPRC.com; william@nyprc.com; info@tpiony.com; wendy@tpiony.com; karolyn@nymedscan.com
Also CC our elected officials to make sure they hear this new message as well and know that we are still fighting to Save Ruppert Playground: garodnick@council.nyc.ny.us; lappin@council.nyc.gov; serrano@senate.state.ny.us; bp@manhattanbp.org; quartd@assembly.state.ny.us; speakerquinn@council.nyc.ny.us

Contact: William Lievendag – Executive Vice President – NYPRC (phone: 212-751-8337 Ext 130

Contact: Wendy Black – Vice President of Operations and Marketing (at 212 599-5555 The Proton Institute of NY another off shoot of this company)
Contact: Dr Karolyn Kerr – To Be Medical Director (212 599-5555)

New York Proton Regional Center
755 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Fax: (212) 268-3165

Here are also some notes regarding NYPRC:
Their Websites: http://www.nyprc.com/index.html (this is the investor facing site) <http://www.nyprc.com/index.html> and (http://www.tpiony.com/ this is the patient facing website)

1) They are part of the EB-5 immigration \ foreign investment program (Link to EB-5 program site <http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=2785a5f224a2e210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=2785a5f224a2e210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD> )
2) If an investor contributes a minimum of 500K it gets them a temporary green card and visa which makes them eligible for a permanent residency after 2 years. This would be for the investor, their spouse and dependents under the age of 21.
3) After 5 years they claim investors will get their full money back and earn at least 3.5% in compounded interest year over year
4) Investors and their spouse get a free CAT and PET scan.
5) Please see a WSJ article on the initially proposed site at 57th street that fell through:WSJ Article <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704858304575498103060976396.html>
6) Also note that the medical community is still mixed on usefulness of Proton treatment “because they haven’t been subjected to enough rigorous peer-reviewed research” (See website discussing Proton Vs other treatments) <http://www.advancedradiationcenters.com/?p=protontherapy>

August 22, 2011

Naomi Handell
Department of the Army Corps of Engineers
New York District
26 Federal Plaza, Rm 1937
New York, NY 10278-0090

Re:         Public Comment – Supplemental Public Notice No. NAN-2008-000927-EHA

(Re: East 91^st Street MTS)

Dear Ms. Handell,

I am President of the East 93^rd Street Block Association which represents many neighborhood residents in the East 90’s. We are in strong opposition to the proposed 77,000 square foot, 10-story high garbage transfer station (a marine transfer station or “MTS”) to be built by the NYC Department of Sanitation (“DOS”) on the East River estuary at 91^st Street as it will not only destroy our much revitalized community but the environmental impact both on our residents and adjacent marine wildlife in the East River estuary will be devastating and “unavoidable” (p.1, East 91^st Street Converted MTS Proposed Wetland Mitigation Plan. May 31^st, 2011).

The proposed garbage station will be in the center of a densely populated neighborhood and the entrance ramp will bisect the children’s playing field and aquatic center of Asphalt Green, serving over 14,000 children: 10,000 who receive free services as well as 100,000 athletes and spectators annually. The pollution generated by the diesel fueled garbage trucks which will traverse our neighborhood day and night and idle on the ramp next to the open playing fields will clearly create long term health concerns for our young athletes as well as neighborhood residents. This garbage truck to barge transfer station will be constructed 280 feet from low and middle income housing and will be surrounded by a densely populated neighborhood filled with public schools, shops, apartment buildings, and 4-story walk ups – a community which is ethnically and economically diverse. The new facility will be open 24/6 to both private and city sanitation trucks hauling more than 5,000 tons of garbage a day and will be implemented under the much misused term “environmental justice“. *

For more than 40 years this site and the surrounding neighborhoods which include thousands of economically-challenged residents of New York City Housing (NYCHA) have been subjected to rats and other vermin, as well as the stench of garbage and pollution created by the previous incarnation of the garbage transfer station at this same location. Since that facility’s closing more than a decade ago in 1999, both the neighborhood and the East River estuary have experienced a renaissance or “rebirth”.  With the opening of Asphalt Green – which includes one of the most important examples of post-modernist architecture by Kahn + Jacobs, as well as an athletic playing field and aqua center and the estuary of the East River with its unique combination of salt and fresh water have created an abundance of aquatic life – from striped bass to tautogs as well as crabs, eels, shrimp, flounder, perch and oysters.

This area has become a marine and wildlife nursery and the riverbed with its nooks and crannies, its piers, pilings and walls is prime territory for fish to deposit their eggs and for young fish to hatch and mature. The return of this important aquatic wildlife habitat has led to the return of various birds in the form of herons, egrets, ducks and cormorants. While the DOS was able to collect a sampling of fish eggs and larvae at the site as far back as 2003 which is more than 8 years ago it simply does not reflect the number and types of fish that are being caught today. We believe that this data is far too old to be considered. Any fisherman along Bobby Wagner Walk Way near Carl Schurz Park and adjacent to the MTS site will tell you that we have some of the best fishing : “ Upper East Side urban anglers don’t need to travel to Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx or Long Island to go fishing” (NYCfishing.com). The pier at 107^th Street is another favorite for fisherman as well. The DOS sampling from 2003 does not include: small Stripers, big Blues; Fluke, Bass, Bluefish, Schoolie Bass and Striped Bass. The resurgence of Striped Bass which is protected under the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act (the “Act”) is not taken into account in the DOS studies on maritime wildlife in this area of the estuary which is actually a tidal strait which leads to the Atlantic Ocean and by inference should be protected under the Act. Given the importance of this particular fish population which is subject to tight regulation – would the Army Corp of Engineers not be concerned about the adverse effect the MTS would have on this protected species? Nor is there a sufficient impact study done by the DOS to ascertain what permanent damage to the waterways and the river beds would occur as the result of the dredging for future barge operations of the MTS.

Furthermore, the proposed MTS is not a “reconstruction” or a “conversion” of the existing MTS site as the DOS misleadingly states on page 1 of their mitigation plan (East 91^st Street Converted MTS Proposed Wetland Mitigation Plan., May 31^st 2011). Instead the DOS will demolish and construct a far larger structure at East 91^st Street adjacent to the East River and physically change the land and water footprint forever. The mitigation plan further states that the over water footprint will be increased from 0.81 acres to 1.79 acres more than twice the size of the existing structure. In addition the new MTS would have a barge moored at the site on an ongoing basis with a footprint of 0.15 acres. Furthermore this so called “reconstruction” is to be built in a Hurricane Flood Zone A, one of Manhattan’s lowest-lying flood plains that is frequently flooded with large amounts of water from the East River during severe rainstorms.  A garbage facility such as the new MTS which is to be built into the water will clearly contribute contaminants, run off water and toxins to the already fragile eco-system of this estuary.  Simply stated this is a recipe for environmental disaster. The DOS further accepts and states in their mitigation plan that there will be serious and permanent damage to the “water ways” and that the proposed mitigation plan is to address “unavoidable impacts” to open waters resulting from its construction.  The DOS’s mitigation plan calls for the creation of an additional open water habitat in the South Bronx and Brooklyn, far removed from the Manhattan site of the MTS.  We strongly believe that the DOS should not be permitted to impact the wild life habitat at East 91^st Street and the East River if it is unable to fulfill its mitigation obligation at this location. Nor should the Brooklyn location which is situated in Upper New York Bay be considered mitigation for a structure that impacts the East River estuary. The mitigation proposed is insufficient and the remedies are totally inadequate.

For all of the above reasons we strongly urge the Army Corps of Engineers to reject the DOS’s request for a permit.  Clearly the construction of the new MTS is a very serious and monumental project which will create enormous environmental issues for this area which will be “unavoidable” and irreversible. We respectfully ask that the Army Corps of Engineers not rush to approve this project which will have such negative and lasting ramifications for our residents, the land, waterways, the wildlife and aquatic habitats of the East River estuary.  We ask that new scientific testing and analysis be conducted by an impartial body which will be relevant to the present 2011 conditions in the East River.

Our Association, on behalf of the residents of Yorkville and East Harlem, respectfully requests that further opportunity be given to review the new data once it is collected and that further hearings on this permit be provided as defined under the EPA definition of “environmental justice”, so that our residents can have a voice and “equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.”

Very truly yours,

Tara K. Reddi
President
East 93^rd Street Block Association

______________________________________________________________________________________ *According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA has this goal for all communities and persons across this Nation. It will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.”

An update from Council Member Daniel R. Garodnick:

“When we first launched the “Shop 2nd Avenue” campaign three years ago, our goal was to work creatively and cooperatively to reduce the burdens that subway construction was putting on small business owners.  We wanted to draw attention to these mom-and-pop stores and to encourage our neighbors to support them — after all, the subway will be a huge benefit to the City of New York, but our local merchants shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of the construction all by themselves.”

Click here to read more of this letter in a PDF.

You can also find a link to The Second Avenue Shopper on the side bar.

Dear Neighbor,

As 2010 is coming to a close, we would like to take this opportunity to recap what your block association has been up to in its first year of existence.  Formed on January 4, 2010, the East 93rd Street Block Association is comprised of residents and businesses in our neighborhood.  It is a  non-profit 501c3 organization established to address quality of life issues, including beautification, maintenance of our sidewalks, security, construction and sanitation which affect our neighborhood in  the East 90’s, and in particular, East 93rd Street between First and Second Avenue.

As you are aware, the presence of the MTA has wreaked havoc in our neighborhood and left our block with a host of health and safety problems… including severe rat infestation, noise, dirt, excessive garbage, pollution,  and loss of trees.  These issues have seriously threatened the integrity of our neighborhood.

In the short time that we have been in existence, below is just a sample of the

improvements that our block association has made to our block:

• We spearheaded the campaign which resulted in the MTA’s contractor implementing a rat abatement plan in our neighborhood.
• We have coordinated efforts with our local politicians and city agencies to ensure that these efforts are continually adhered to.
• We have spearheaded a 311 campaign, encouraging residents to file complaints with 311 with every rat sighting.  We then, along with Assembly Member Micah Kellner’s office (and bulk 311 complaint record numbers), follow up with the various city agencies on a regular basis.
• We have contacted, and continue to contact, those building owners on our block who do/did not place their garbage in secure metal trash receptacles, thus becoming a haven for the rats.  One by one the buildings are switching from open loose garbage cans to secured trash receptacles, thus complying with health and safety regulations.
• We applied for and have been awarded a grant from the Citizens Committee for NYC to contribute to our block improvement projects.
• We have fought for and received four new trees on our block from Million Trees NYC.
• We have surveyed our block with Green keepers to coordinate tree pit cultivation and plantings in the spring.
• We have surveyed our block with the Doe Fund to coordinate a full future steam cleaning of our sidewalks .
• We are interviewing with different ironworks companies so that we will be able to protect our trees and plantings with new tree guards.

We have accomplished so much in the short time we have been in  existence.  However, there is still so much that needs to be done.  Through community-based participation, we aim to raise funds so that we will be financially able to successfully achieve our beautification and outreach project goals, such as installing and maintaining those necessary tree guards, cultivating our tree soil and supplying seasonal plantings, steam cleaning our sidewalks, and fostering the health and safety of our neighborhood.

The East 93rd Street Block Association currently has over 75 members consisting of residents, businesses, and property owners on our block.  We hope that our association will serve as a model for neighboring streets and that we will eventually be able to grow and incorporate residents of adjoining streets in the East 90’s into our association who would like to beautify and enhance their street.

How can you help?   Do you have any suggestions or ideas on how to improve our block so it is cleaner, safer, and healthier for our families?  Do you want to volunteer?   If so, please email us at mail@east93blockassoc.org .  Do you want to make a donation?  Your block association is a non-profit (501c3) organization and your donation will be tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by the law.

To learn more about the East 93rd Street Block Association or to make a donation, I invite you to please take a look at our website at:
www.east93blockassoc.org

On behalf of the East 93rd Street Block Association, we would like to wish you a safe, happy, and healthy new year.

Best,

Valerie Rifkin, President
East 93rd Street Block Association

Community Update regarding the progress of the rat abatement in the East 90’s and the areas that surround the Second Avenue Subway

In the last two months the East 93^rd Street Block Association has received innumerable complaints about the rat infestation in our neighborhood.  While we encouraged residents to call 311 we also were hearing that nothing was happening despite repeated calls. The continuous blasting due to the construction of the 2^nd Avenue Subway and the related vacating of buildings surrounding the construction site has clearly contributed to the rodent problems in our neighborhood.  Members of our Association walked the neighborhood interviewing residents and store owners to document, photograph and record the problems.  Based on these complaints the Block Association decided that the only route to take was to contact our public officials, Community Board 8, the MTA, and the Mayor’s office.

Below is a chronological e-mail trail of various reports from public officials, the MTA,Community Board 8, and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene outlining how this problem is being addressed:

On March 11, 2010 the Association contacted Congress Member Carolyn Maloney’s office by e-mail. Her Chief of Staff, Minna Elias contacted and put us in touch with Marcus Book, MTA Community Affairs.  Through this contact and with the help of Carolyn Maloney’s Chief of Staff Minna Elias we were able to reach an agreement with the MTA to conduct a survey of the neighborhood by a private pest control contractor based on our complaints. Although progress was slow on April 13th, 2010 we received the report.  As Ms. Elias states: “Clearly, this is a problem that requires a coordinated response.”

Minna Elias’s e-mail of April 13^th, 2010 continues: “Attached is a copy of the contractor’s report.  Marcus Book from the MTA also noted: “Additional outreach by NYCDOH, Sanitation and the local Community Boards will go a long way in getting the message out to the community.”  I have added Lolita Jackson from the Mayor’s office and Latha Thompson, District Manager of Community Board 8 as cc:’s.  Clearly, this is a problem that requires a coordinated response.”

Click here to view a PDF copy of this report

April 13^th , 2010 e-mail from Latha Thompson, District Manager,  Community Board 8, forwards the neighborhood’s complaint to Michael A. Congo, MPH, CHES,Community Affairs Coordinator, Bureau of Intergovernmental Affairs, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and confirms in an e-mail to Ms. Thompson: I’m fwd’ing this to our Pest Control service for investigation and follow up.

On Monday, April 19, 2010 an e-mail from Council Member Daniel Garodnick’s office – Matt Scanlan – Community Liaison

Thank you for your patience with this continued issue.  In the past few weeks, the MTA and Department of Health (DOH) have been coordinating an extermination effort on your block and the block between 1^st and 2^nd Avenues on 92^nd Street.  While you may have heard this information, they have made progress in identifying the key factors that have led to this rat increase.  As you know, rats need food and shelter—and the MTA and the DOH have identified the rats’ burrows in your neighborhood, along with the areas where garbage is providing food.  The abandoned building on the northeast corner of 92^nd and 2^nd has been confirmed as the main source of rat issues.  Friday, the MTA baited this building and cleaned out the garbage.  Additionally, a number of other burrows have been observed—including two in front of 318 E 93^rd Street.  MTA and DOH will be working closely with that building owner to make sure bait stations are maintained.

The second major issue is garbage, which provides a stable food source for the rats.  The MTA noted that many building owners on 93^rd do not have lawful metal garbage receptacles.  Without metal containers that are sealed, the rats can easily access the refuse.  Our office is currently putting together a letter to building owners on 93^rd, informing them of the proper garbage storage laws.  We are requesting that building owners properly store garbage and have compliant containers by the end of the month.

In conversations with the DOH’s Rodent Task Force, it seems very likely that once bait stations are strategically set, and garbage containers are rat-proofed, you and your neighbors will no longer have to worry about this rat infestation.  Thank you again for your continued vigilance in this matter.

Sincerely,

Matt Scanlan
Community Liaison
Council Member Daniel R. Garodnick

In a follow up conversation on April 28^th with Matt Scanlan – all the building owner addresses have now been received from Latha Thompson at Community Board 8 and Council Member Garodnick’s office is requesting that “building owners properly store garbage and have compliant containers by the end of the month.”

From the Office of Council Member Jessica Lappin on April  20, 2010:

Thanks for your email to Council Member Lappin which has been forwarded to me as her staff member responsible for rodent-related matters.

The Department of Health Rodent Task Force will be performing an in-depth rodent analysis of East 93^rd Street and a site visit to the areas highlighted in your pictures and emails.

I will continue to pass on any information that I receive.

Thanks,
Taina Prado
Office of Council Member Jessica Lappin
212-980-1808

April 24^th, 2010 e-mail from  Assembly Member Kellner’s office updates from Ashley Roberts – Community Liaison:

On the rat issue, I have been talking with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene since last week. They performed a walk-through with the MTA last Thursday of Second Avenue between 92nd and 95th Street and told me that they recommended that in the area the MTA attach their bait stations more securely and space them 18 feet apart, in addition they suggested that they include bio-marked bait along with regular bait (this will apparently help better track the infestation). We have written a letter to the MTA requesting confirmation that they have adhered to these recommendations.

While this is helpful, the Assembly Member still wants the Dept. of Health to perform a specific investigation of East 93rd Street and East 92nd Street between First and Second Avenues, something that was not covered in last Thursday’s walk-through, and which is outside the Second Avenue Subway work zone. I will let you know as soon as I have any updates. In the meantime, if you or anyone else in your building or on the block sees any new evidence of rats please let me know so that I can pass it along. Any additional information always helps.

Ashley Roberts
Community Liaison
Office of Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner

Also attached is a letter dated April 21, 2010 from Assembly Member Kellner to Thomas F. Pendergast, President of the MTA New York City Transit seeking confirmation and assurance that all recommended actions by DOHMH have been implemented and that the MTA will continue to monitor this situation.

Click here to view a PDF of this letter

Based on the Block Association’s most recent conversations the week of April  26^th with Latha Thompson, District Manager, Community Board 8.   The Department of Health, with the MTA  have completed a survey from 91^st Street to 96^th Street last week and we are now on the Rodent Task Force Abatement List and the area will be on a continuous surveillance list with monitoring. It should also be noted that the MTA continues their rodent abatement program in the Second Avenue Subway construction site.

May 3rd e-mail from David Kimball-Stanley of Dan Garodnick’s office:

This is David Kimball-Stanley, the new Community Liaison in the office of Councilman Dan Garodnick. I thought I would give you an update on what we’ve been up to on this issue.

We had the MTA give us a detailed report on the street and the rat problem, and they said that one of the contributing factors was likely the easy access the rats had to trash on the street. So, last week we sent out a letter to the business owners on the street to take extra care with their trash disposal. On May 14th, we will have the Department of Health do an inspection of the block to make sure the street does not have rat-friendly conditions.

I will continue to give you updates as we keep working on this. Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Best,

David
—
David Kimball-Stanley
Community Liaison
Council Member Daniel R. Garodnick
W: (212) 818-0580
F: (212) 818-0706
www.garodnick.com

May 4th e-mail update from Ashley Roberts:

I wanted to pass along the information from the Dept. of Health inspection of your block last week. Attached is a map of the area which shows the results of the inspection.  You can find out the details of the inspection (date/reason for the violation/address) on the Dept. of Health’s “Rat Portal”.  Just follow these directions:

Go to: https://gis.nyc.gov/doh/rip/default.htm

Then click on “Rat Map & Data” and click on “continue to map” button on the middle of the webpage

Under “intersection or street address”, Input the intersection “93^rd Street and First Avenue”; choose “Manhattan” under borough

A map of the intersection of 1^st Avenue and 93^rd Street will show up on your screen; from the “tool” bar on the top of the map, choose a “zoom out” button and zoom out until your map shows the entire block between 93^rd between 1^st and 2^nd Avenue.

From the tool bar on the top of the map, choose “I” icon and click the property in question.

The details with property address, the date of the inspection and violation will pop up.

According to the Dept. of Health from here the property owners are given specific information about the violations and informing them to abate—at this step, they are given a chance to comply.  If they haven’t complied by the time we go back out there in a few weeks to do a compliance inspection, we will fine and bait at the expense of the owner. Our office will continue to check in with the Dept. of Health to see that either the owners have complied with the actions mandated by the violations or the Dept. of Health and done it for them.

Please continue to let me know if conditions improve or not. This is the best way for us to know if what the Dept. of Health is doing is working. In addition, at the CB8 District Cabinet meeting last week the issue was brought up with Dept. of Sanitation about buildings leaving their garbage out at incorrect times. A representative from Dept. of Sanitation said that they would check the area and take the necessary steps of getting building owners to comply with the rules surrounding garbage.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,
Ashley

Ashley Roberts
Community Liaison
Office of Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner
T 212-860-4906
F 917-432-2983
E RobertsA@assembly.state.ny.us

Please check the website for weekly updates and information or e-mail: mail@east93blockassoc.org

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