Councilman David G. Greenfield has sent a letter to major utility companies and city agencies asking that they consider the calendar of Jewish holidays when making house visits for routine maintenance work. This issue has surfaced several times over the past year, including last month when the city Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had vehicles towed from E. 4th Street on the second day of Rosh Hashanah after having only posted notification the day before, when it was too late for residents to move their car. The issue also came up earlier this year when a constituent was disrupted at her Boro Park home during Passover by Con Edison workers performing non-emergency work in the area.

To help avoid these types of situations from repeating, Councilman Greenfield has formally asked utility companies including Con Edison, National Grid, Verizon and Cablevision and major New York City agencies like the DEP and Department of Transportation to coordinate maintenance and construction work with the Jewish calendar. The request comes at a time when Councilman Greenfield is working closely with Con Ed and other utility companies to improve their service in areas of Boro Park, Midwood and Bensonhurst that he represents.

“I was dismayed to find the city towing cars from in front of a shul while the community was observing Rosh Hashanah. These types of situations can easily be avoided with better communication and planning by our city agencies and utility companies. This is a simple request on behalf of local families while they are observing major religious holidays,” said Greenfield.

In his letter to the utility companies and city agencies, Councilman Greenfield notes the large and growing number of Jewish families in southern Brooklyn that would be accommodated by this request. He specifically asks that it apply to Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Shavuos, and the first two and last two days of Sukkos and Pesach, with exceptions for emergency repair work that must be performed immediately.

As part of his efforts to secure better service from utility companies serving the area, Councilman Greenfield recently met with Con Edison to discuss ways to ensure better reliability for local customers who have been plagued by blackouts in recent years. During that meeting, top utility officials pledged to make substantial infrastructure upgrades to improve service to communities in his council district. Councilman Greenfield urges anyone who has encountered problems dealing with utility companies or has ideas to improve service locally to contact his district office at (718) 853-2704. In addition, he works closely throughout the year with city agencies like the DEP, DOT and the Sanitation Department to make sure local infrastructure is regularly maintained.

“I am always looking for ways to improve the service our community receives from utility companies and from city agencies. This is an easy way for those companies to improve their customer relations while better utilizing their own resources,” said Greenfield.

Anyone whose car was towed by the city over Rosh Hashanah as a result of the DEP work should contact Councilman Greenfield’s district office at (718) 853-2704.

(YWN Desk – NYC)