But those who turned out were upset that the mayor wasn't there to hear complaints about the lack of plowing during the holiday blizzard, like some streets on Staten Island.
"We were all prisoners at home," said one Staten Island resident.
"Park Hill was not plowed for five days," another resident said.
Just as the snow has not fully melted, neither has the anger.
Residents in Staten Island relived the nightmare Tuesday.
Roseanne Friscia found herself paralyzed at home for three days after the December blizzard.
"Where were the plows when we had 12 inches, 24 inches? There were 1,700 trucks 2,000 sanitation. Where were they?" Friscia said.
Bad enough sanitation plows were basically a no show during and after the storm, the Rev. Lloyd Land says the few trucks he did see in Staten Island had the plows up.
"Shameless to drive through and not put the plow down on the asphalt," Rev. Land said.
"You put 30 inches of packed snow and a snow plow won't get through, it's not going to work," said Steve Margarella, a private plower.
Tuesday night's hearing was the first of six public hearings for residents to vent.
The problem is, city council members sat and listened, but the Sanitation Department sent only a community affairs officer who would not answer any questions.
"I would like to extend an apology," said Iggy Terranova, a Sanitation Citywide Community Affairs Officer.
"I think it would be appropriate and respectful if sanitation could take a couple of questions," City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.
---
Do you have something to add to this story? Click here to contact Eyewitness News.
