Letter to the Rockville Centre Editor (Aug. 5-11)

Posted

Village needs to weed out big RVC problem

To the Editor:

We are now in the middle of summer. The days are hazy, hot and humid, and often referred to as the “dog days of summer.”

In September 2017, I stood in front of Mayor Francis Murray and the village board to discuss what an eyesore overgrown grass and weeds are in and around the village, especially on village property. At the time, I showed pictures of various locations and pointed out that many of the weeds were 12 to 18 inches high. I suggested that the village pull them by hand and apply a chemical spray going forward to prevent future weeds from growing. From what I can see, few if any of these suggestions were carried out.

I took a photo of one particular eyesore at the corner of North Park Avenue and College Place, opposite Village Hall. I was hard pressed to find any weeds growing like this across the street at Village Hall, so I’m not sure why the village can’t take the same attitude throughout the rest of the area, especially the downtown business district and the village parking lots. For me this is an eyesore, but I realize some folks might not care.

The village has subcontracted out to KIG Landscapes Inc. at a cost of about $164,960 ($151,560 for lawns and $13,400 for tree beds) for “ground and tree bed maintenance.”

One would think, between the village’s Department of Public Works and KIG Landscapes, they would be able to pull the existing weeds and maintain all village properties as we expect them to be maintained. If necessary, amend the current contract with KIG for the additional work if the DPW can’t handle it. The only positive thing I can say is that in the extreme heat, the weeds turn brown and die, but they still need to be pulled from the cracks in the sidewalks, lampposts and parking lots.

Many of us take pride in maintaining our properties by either doing the work ourselves or hiring a landscaper, so I’m not sure why the village can’t do the same. The downtown area is a source of pride for RVC residents, enjoyed by many locals and nonlocals, but it’s certainly lacking the tender loving care you’d expect from a village of this size.

As I walk my dog through town each night, I’m going to make it a point to pull at least one weed. At the end of the growing season, I’m going to send the mayor a bill for every weed I pull, charging $5. It takes a few seconds to pull a weed, but the optics are amazing when you no longer see them.

Karl H. Garrett, Rockville Centre