Indecent Exposure, Strays Lead Quality of Life Issues

New Hyde Park residents brought several quality of life issues in front of the village board during its last meeting on May 7 at the village board, including old standbys about noise pollution from overhead helicopters, as well as new ones including stray animals and even indecent exposure.

“I find their evidence every single day,” New Hyde Park Road resident Hazel McCord said about animal droppings in front yards from feral cats and loose dogs during a village board meeting on May 7 at the village hall.

The village has issued summonses to individuals who were feeding the cats and have also paid into the Town of North Hempstead neutering program.

“The reality is there’s more of the feral cats, the continuous population of feral cats than there are people who are trying to stop it,” New Hyde Park Mayor Robert Lofaro said. “We’re not going to be able to stop it all but we’ve worked in conjunction with the Town of North Hempstead and tried to control it to the best of our ability.”

McCord also complained about continual noise from passing helicopters over the village which are ferrying passengers out to the east end of Long Island. Lofaro suggested contacting the office of Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy as well as U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, who made the helicopter noise a point in his last campaign and worked on a plan for an alternative route for the helicopters to follow and an emergency phone number to report low-flying helicopters.

Another resident complained about indecent exposure from little league umpires changing in the street near Memorial Park before games. He also expressed displeasure with little league teams playing before 1 p.m. The resident produced a letter from former little league president Tom Pelligrino stating that the league has a permit to start games at 12 p.m. despite sign saying “no ball playing before 1 p.m.” on the fence.

“Traffic is bad enough because of the church, the Baptist church on Sunday mornings; 12, 12:30, you’re lucky if the cars are cleared out,” he said.

Trustee Richard Coppola stated that teams are informed that players can take warmups at 12 p.m. and that games should start at 1 p.m. A utility shed and restrooms are located in the park, which would allow umpires to change inside. Coppola stated that he would speak to the little league.

The resident also reported that a fence by a home at the corner of Wilton Street and Albert Street has been “lifted up by the local youths to be able to just about walk under” by the scoreboard. Lofaro stated that the department of public works would investigate.

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