Cooperator Joseph Hanania has a new petition to improve bus service on Grand Street. Here’s his proposal:

Let’s get improved bus service to the Grand Street Coops! Go to change.org and sign the petition. Then, get your spouse/children/friends to also sign. When we have 400 signatures, we will turn it in to the MTA.

To: Carmen Bianco, MTA President

14 A service to the dense Grand St. Coops is far from adequate – even while there are three 14 D busses for every one 14 A bus. The difference is especially noticeable when there are service delays on freezing days, and it takes half an hour — or more — for a jammed 14 A bus to arrive.

This can be easily resolved with a more equitable allocation of 14th Street crosstowns, with half – rather than one quarter – running the 14 A route, and the other half remaining on the 14 D route.

At the same time, the 14 D’s route should be extended. Instead of having its eastern terminus at Delancey St., it should continue two blocks south to Grand St., so that it services westbound Grand St. residents. It would cut back to Delancey St. via Columbia St. to resume its current route. This would add approximately 5 blocks to its route – and attract a lot more customers who are otherwise stuck waiting and waiting.

And yes, it is possible to fight City Hall – and win. I led a petition drive to upgrade the East River tennis courts, which were in lamentable shape. We got nearly 1,000 signatures on that one. The result: Councilwoman Rosie Mendez recently got a $500,000 appropriation in the city budget to get the courts resurfaced next year.

A similar petition requested the NYC EDC, which runs the East River ferry, to create a stop at Grand St. This petition garnered 600 signatures – plus the support of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The EDC is studying putting a ferry stop at Grand St. (You can still add your name.)

By contrast, this petition to improve 14 A bus service should be easier. We are not asking for anything new, merely to improve what is already there.

Sign here!

— Joseph Hanania, hanajoe@aol.com

This summer, coop board president Lenny Greher resigned from his office. Gary Altman was selected to replace him.

Why were shareholders not notified?

It’s part of a pattern: no financial update since a memo in March; no reply to our open letter in April; and now this.

In June, shareholders pledged to reaffirm the guiding principles of cooperative living: democratic governance, shared responsibility, constant education, and mutual respect.

We seek to improve communication among cooperators and with our board of directors, increase participation in our annual shareholders’ meeting, and help elect board members who demonstrate a commitment to these cooperative principles.

If you support the mission of Cooperatively Yours and want to help us achieve our goals — or if you just want to know what’s going on around here — please sign up here.

Volunteers are needed for cleanup of the embayments in East River Park on Saturday, September 20th from 11:00 to 1:00 as part of the International Coastal Cleanup Day supported by the Ocean Conservancy.

Meet at the Field House on the track side. Work gloves will be provided.

Please note: This is not a project for anyone under 18, or with any physical constraints. Volunteers have to climb a fence and work on uneven and sometimes slippery, craggy rocks. All are encouraged to wear closed-toed shoes and comfortable work clothes, and to bring along water and sunscreen.