Dear Neighbors,

I know it’s been an extremely frustrating few days for many of you. My staff has been hard at work, trying to help the scores of people who have contacted my office while I’ve been on my way back from out of town.  From the many of you who have e-mailed or called, I know that the snow (and car and bus) removal seems to be taking much longer than usual. We are still following up with the Department of Sanitation to address some of the major streets in the district (including Henry Street, Prospect Park West, McDonald Ave, and Cortelyou Road in Kensington) and have passed many of your requests about other streets on to them as well.

Unfortunately, we now hear that it may not be until the end of Wednesday before some streets in our neighborhood are plowed, even for the first time.  (FYI– alternate side parking remains suspended for Wednesday).  If your street hasn’t been plowed or if there is a sidewalk that needs attention, my office has set up an online form at www.bradlander.com/snow.

You can also e-mail us at lander@council.nyc.gov, or call us at (718) 499-1090.  You should try 311 first, but I know they have been overwhelmed, and slow to respond.  I know that one more web-form is NOT what you need if you’re still stuck on your street – but we will do our best to follow up to requests submitted at www.bradlander.com/snow. Of course, if there is an emergency, you should call 911.

The City Council has set up a hearing to review the City’s response to this storm for January 10th at 1pm. We’ll be asking questions about what happened, why the response seems so inadequate in so many neighborhoods across the city, and what needs to be done for the future. I’ll be eager to hear your stories – however frustrating – as we prepare for that hearing. In the meantime, good luck.  And thanks so much to all of you who have helped your neighbors get through the storm and dig out afterwards! –Brad