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UPDATE: BallFields -Department of Health Park Comm.. — Brooklynian

UPDATE: BallFields -Department of Health Park Comm..

MOD
MOD
edited November -1 in Red Hook
From http://porkchop-express.blogspot.com/index.html
The Red Hook Ball Fields Update: some good, some bad.

Due to forces of nature (rains, floods, transit delays) Cesar Fuentes was on his own meeting with big guns from both the Department of Health and the Parks Department. Long story short, the Food Vendors of Red Hook Park have about 10 days to “be compliant” with the DOH's “major concerns.” By Sunday August 19th they must:

*store more ice in coolers
*acquire portable hand washers/sanitation units
*wear sterile gloves and change said gloves regularly
*have a source of running water to wash hands, tacos, etc.
*rent commercial grade kitchens to prep food, or prepare everything on-site

*Most significantly, The Powers That Be want everyone who works at a stand to be licensed. Anyone associated with a tent – from corn shuckers to pupusa stuffers – must undergo a training session to obtain a mobile food vending license. At present, only 12 tent operators are licensed; this number will (must) more than quadruple.

I can't honestly say this all makes sense. And as Carolina Salguero, Director of PortSide NewYork put it: “makes me wonder how RH ballfields food differs from all the Halal/hot dog street carts [which] have no plumbing. Something odd here...”

While the DOH has taken a strong enforcement policy the Parks Department was relatively supportive, even offering to send License Trainers ASAP (and waive the fee). Clearly, both branches are cognizant of media attention and want to tread somewhat lightly. Which is to say, the groundswell of popular and political support has, at the very least, forced City Officials to operate with a modicum of circumspection. The bottom line is nonetheless severe: the hammer could drop on the food vendors in 10 days.

The silver lining? It might not. And the more hurdles jumped now, the more the Red Hook Food Vendor affairs will be in order come permit renewal time. Facing obstacles in increments might actually help them in the long run, assuming said hurdles are overcome.

Until then, support goes to the folks on the frontline: Cesar Fuentes, and the Carcamo, Carrello, Ceron, Hernandez, Lainez, Martinez, Ochoa, Perez, Rojas, Soler, Sosa, and Vaquero families. Ditto for those working hard behind the scenes: Councilwoman Gonzalez, and the Schumer camp – particularly Director of Economic Development Sam Schaeffer – all of whom have been keeping very close tabs.

Show & prove, tacos for all, a luta continua.

–J. Slab

URRG :x I can't express the amount of anger and sadness I'm feeling over all this. I trust the haurache man more than I trust the street carts! These people care about their food and take pride in what they serve. I don't want comercial grade kitchens! I fucking want a taco or ceviche made like my mom and aunts used to. This is an outdoor/BBQ style family experience. It was never meant to be sterile and should not be. The whole reason they started this was to provide food for friends and family while seeing the game. I kinda wish word never got out about them :(

Comments

  • sweet tea
    sweet tea
    the DOH can suck my commercial-grade balls.
  • daver
    daver
    *have a source of running water to wash hands, tacos, etc.
    *rent commercial grade kitchens to prep food, or prepare everything on-site
    It sounds like they are trying to regulate them as restaurants rather than food stands/carts. Which isn't fair. Someone should get a copy of the regs for the hot dog carts, ice cream stands, nut carts, pretzel carts and then agree to meet THOSE standards.
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    sweet tea wrote: the DOH can suck my commercial-grade balls.
    for serious. the parks dept guy that was there on saturday got hisself a nice giant huarache and tankard of tamarind juice. he didn't die. so stfu DOH.

    god I'm so mad I could just ... take a nap under my desk.
  • jeffrey
    jeffrey
    Would make for an amusing tshirt, in protest:

    ................ D'OH .........................

    WE AREN'T PROFESSIONAL GRADE


    In the style of..
    image
  • pitu
    pitu
    http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/17/a-deadline-for-red-hook-vendors/

    anybody go this past weekend? were the doh inspectors around?
  • shishkab
    shishkab
    i was there on saturday and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
  • 8thandprez
    8thandprez
    Good to hear... I had read that only 40% of the vendors have food prep licenses and that DOH was prepared to shut the other 60% down this past weekend. It's freaking ridiculous. I've gotten food poisoning several times from NY restaurants but never from the ballfields.
  • MOD
    MOD
    When is the final weekend for the ballfields?
    Jeesh, summer's gone by fast.
  • misterjenzam
    misterjenzam
    I enjoy the ballfields as much as the next person, but I appreciate the DOH working to keep things on the up and up there. Food related regulations exist for a reason. A LOT of people pass through the ball fields on nice weekend. One bad batch of food and a lot of people could get very sick. That would be very bad for the vendors. Hopefully they can work out something that works for everyone.
  • doublediamond
    doublediamond
    this type of regulation and bureaucracy is just stifling. Let the public decide what they're comfortable in eating. Haven't they been there for 30 years? I never heard of hepatitis outbreaks or rampant sickness. Is this all over the Taco Bell fiasco?

    If the vendors end up leaving, it will be another interesting NY non-corporate thing gone from the city.
  • MOD
    MOD
    The good, the bad and the ugly. Brought to you by PorkChop Express, Thanks J.Slab!
    The good:

    The DOH arrived on Sunday. They did not issue any summons and, per the vendors, were “nicer overall” than in past weeks. NY1 was also on-hand with a camera crew.
    Senator Schumer sent a letter to the DOH commissioner on the vendor's behalf, while Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz issued his first public statement of support.
    The bad:

    New clouds on the horizon: FDNY regulations and the Tax Man. Unless, of course, the vendors are forced to close sooner.
    Close, you ask? That rumor about the Vendors getting shut down after labor day is legit. Turns out the Parks Department is now stating they have not yet decided to extend the Vendors' permit. Which came as a big surprise to Cesar Fuentes, who was led to believe an October extension was already signed and sealed. As it stands, the Vendors have 2 weeks left.
    Given this twist, the Vendors are now hoping to initiate a hearing with Parks, the DOH, politicians and community representatives before September 8, to reach some sort of definitive resolution for the year: “clear answers, not just considerations,” as Cesar put it.
    As for the Vendors? Per Cesar, they are “overwhelmed” and deeply “concerned about all the sudden enforcement, being priced or fined out, and losing what they love permanently. I'm working hard to keep their spirits up and keep them firm and positive about their future.” Things that help? “The community's support, and the growing lines.”

    Two more tidbits in closing.

    First, I was recently told that the DOH used pictures from this and other websites to 'illustrate' alleged violations and improprieties during the Vendors' food protection training course last week. I spoke to several people at DOH today, and did not receive a definitive answer. I will therefore assume that this rumor is just that–a rumor. And (since City Officials are obviously monitoring this stuff) I heartily invite anyone in the know to shed a little light.

    That said, if true this really really irks me. Up until this nonsense, The 'Chop has been all about spreading the delicious: nothing more, nothing less. The very thought that our efforts have been used for the purposes of bullying or reprimanding makes me puke in my mouth. It's about as far from the spirit of The Porkchop Express as you can get. On this point, I think I speak for everyone else in BK and beyond who has taken the time to document what has been, for 30+ years, a scene worthy of celebration.

    On a more interesting note, reader Doug C. forwarded us an intriguing email from NYC Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn about a “hearing” on the parks and concessions issue and we decided to investigate. It turns out that the Department of Parks & Recreation will be hosting a hearing on the general issue of concessions (businesses that generate revenue on parkland), to answer some crucial jurisdictional questions: who determines if and when concessions are allowed? Who receives the revenue (“extra money,” from a budgetary standpoint) generated from these deals? And who should make these decisions?

    [Note to self: could it be this nonsense is all about concessions money, and not porta-sinks and hairnets?]

    Following the initial hearing, a councilperson may introduce new legislation on the matter (if warranted). This must first pass a relevant subcommittee, before going to the entire 51-member council for a full vote. In times of “crisis” laws can push thru in a month. But it could just as easily lumber on for half-a-year: well after taco season, in other words. Worst-case scenario? A woman from Staten Island, who recently complained that her borough has been waiting 109 years and counting for a public transportation upgrade.

    But seriously, this hearing is key. Public health and fire notwithstanding, our hunch at The 'Chop is that the Vendors are knee-deep in a concessions struggle. Hearing schedules are posted the last Friday of each month at the NYC Council website, so check in there. And in the meantime, send Councilwoman Gonzalez another note of support; she is a key advocate. And drop Councilwoman Quinn a note about your interest in the upcoming hearing as well. Finally, if you want to check in with the DOH try their Office of Public Affairs at (212) 788-5290.

    And that, good reader, is about all I can make sense of this week...
  • pitu
    pitu
    from a friend of a friend . . . by email


    . . . I thought this might be an issue of interest to anyone who has ever complained about the homogenization of NYC, the lack of economic opportunities for immigrants, or simply the sheer impossibility of finding an authentic burrito east of the Mississippi.

    My friend just finished a short 8 minute movie about the imminent
    threat to what is perhaps one of New York CIty's greatest culinary secrets-
    the Red Hook Food Vendors.

    If you haven't heard:
    "For over 30 years, artisan cooks hailing from all corners of Latin
    America gather in a remote corner of Red Hook Park in Brooklyn. In
    this remote and historic corner of Brooklyn, we find a place and
    atmosphere reminiscent of a small Latin American town, where its
    central plaza overflows in celebration of weekend summer glories. Its
    main attractions- Food and soccer games."

    Tragically, this tradition is in danger of being lost forever because
    the Parks Department has decided to put the vendors license up for
    competitive bidding. It will most likely be purchased by the same
    corporate vendors that sell the same old hot dogs in every park in
    Manhattan.

    You can learn more about the vendors and the controversy here:


    And you can help save the Red Hook Vendors by contacting the Parks
    Dept and asking them to preserve this tradition, and of course, by coming to Red
    Hook and enjoying authentic Latin American food.

  • anonymous
    anonymous

    Subject: Ceaser Fuentes

    Does anyone know Ceaser Fuentes phone number or e-mail? We are trying to host an event for the vendors. Thanks.
  • anonymous
    anonymous

    Subject: myspace

    You might be able to find them through their myspace.
    http://www.myspace.com/redhookfoodvendors
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    from dennisobell:

    http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/red-hook-food-vendors-given-a-temporary-reprieve/index.html
    September 6, 2007, 9:29 am
    Red Hook Food Vendors Given a Temporary Reprieve

    By Sewell Chan

    The food vendors of Red Hook Park — famous for selling tacos, huaraches and pupusas each summer weekend at Bay and Clinton Streets near the Brooklyn waterfront — have been given a temporary use permit allowing them to continue selling their wares through Oct. 21, the traditional end of the season, City Room has learned.

    The decision, which Adrian Benepe, the commissioner of the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, will announce today, puts off, for now, an uneasy situation that has left fans of the vendors worrying that the Latin culinary specialties — widely regarded as some of the best street food in the city — might be in jeopardy.

    As Peter Meehan reported in June, the Food Vendors Committee, an umbrella organization for the pan-Latin vendors, has had a series of temporary use permits, regularly renewed. But in the late spring, the Parks Department told the vendors that if they wanted to stay at the ball fields of Red Hook, they would need to bid for their space, as vendors at other parks must.

    The current permit was to expire on Sept. 8 — Saturday — and the Parks Department would have had the power to eject the vendors after that date. By extending the “temporary use authorization,” the Parks Department is now giving the Food Vendors Committee time to finish the season under the current system.

    The department, in a statement, said it is drafting a request for proposals, to be released this fall, for future food vending at Red Hook Park. The request “differs from competitive bidding in that the amount of the bid is not the main criteria for selection,” according to the statement, which added, “Parks will also be looking at a bidder’s prior experience, longstanding community relations, and the variety of cuisine offered, when making a determination.”

    Indeed, Mr. Benepe went out of his way in the statement to praise the food. “One of the great New York City pleasures is enjoying tacos, huaraches and other fine Latin American cuisine at Red Hook Park,” he said. “The Parks Department is happy to keep this longstanding tradition in place by extending the permit for the Food Vendors Committee of Red Hook Park through the end of the season. We encourage all New Yorkers to come to the park and enjoy a palate-pleasing tour of Latin America.”

    The wording of the statement suggests that the Food Vendors Committee, with their deep roots in the community, will have a strong chance of continuing to ply their culinary specialties.

    Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, who had visited the ballfields of Red Hook and urged the Parks Department to let the vendors complete their summer season, said in a statement:

    Hooray for the huaraches! The Parks Department really came through and I want to especially thank Parks Commissioner Benepe for personally seeing to it that these vendors are able to finish the season. The vendors at the Red Hook Ball fields are a Brooklyn treasure and this decision ensures that they will finish the season – and allows for time to devise a permanent solution. The Red Hook ball fields are a vibrant culinary and recreational destination that has received national attention. I look forward to eating goat tacos, ceviche and spicy corn on the cob at the ball fields for years to come.

    Fernanda Santos of The Times described the rhythms of the Red Hook food vendors in a Summer Rituals article in June. Readers — and fans of the food — are invited to share their thoughts below.
  • pitu
    pitu
    Thank you for writing to us this summer regarding extending the season for the food vendors at Red Hook Park. I thought you might be interested in reading the attached advisory. I look forward to seeing you in the parks.

    Sincerely,

    Adrian Benepe
    Commissioner


    PARKS EXTENDS PERMIT FOR FOOD VENDORS COMMITTEE OF RED HOOK PARK THROUGH END OF THE SEASON

    Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe announced today the extension of the Temporary Use Authorization permit for the Food Vendors Committee of Red Hook Park. Originally set to expire on September 8, the extension allows the vendors to operate through October 21, the traditional end of their season.

    "One of the great New York City pleasures is enjoying tacos, huaraches and other fine Latin American cuisine at Red Hook Park," said Commissioner Benepe. "The Parks Department is happy to keep this longstanding tradition in place by extending the permit for the Food Vendors Committee of Red Hook Park through the end of the season. We encourage all New Yorkers to come to the park and enjoy a palette-pleasing tour of Latin America."

    Parks is currently drafting a Request for Proposals (RFP) for future food vending at Red Hook Park. The RFP differs from competitive bidding in that the amount of the bid is not the main criteria for selection. Parks will also be looking at a bidder's prior experience, longstanding community relations, and the variety of cuisine offered, when making a determination. The RFP is scheduled for release later this fall.
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