East Williston is moving forward with repairs on a dilapidated Orchard Meadow Road house that’s been the top of mind for residents on the street.
After the board agreed with residents that an abandoned house at 26 Orchard Meadow Road posed a health and safety hazard to nearby residents two weeks ago, Mayor Bonnie Parente and village attorney Jeffrey Blinkoff said plans to address issues of pests, racoons, mold, unsightly landscaping and a potential lack of structural integrity were progressing.
“We’re trying to move as quickly as possible on this,” Parente said.
The home was abandoned by its owner, who moved out of the village roughly five years ago. The owner and his family have not responded to multiple village requests to maintain or sell the home.
On Monday night, Parente said the raccoons that had taken up residence in the house had been evicted and the holes they had been entering through had been boarded up by exterminators after the board had agreed to hire one immediately at an Aug. 11 board meeting.
Upon hearing from multiple residents that they were afraid to go outside because of the animals, Parente said she believed quick action was necessary amid recent reports of rabies in Nassau.
The board sent a final notice to the owner and his family on Aug. 12, giving them 10 days to address the issues with the home themselves before becoming liable for all expenses the village incurs in repairing the home itself. Parente said she did not receive any response to that letter, so the village is moving forward on its own.
Jared Mandel, the village’s building inspector, was granted an administrative order to enter the house on the morning of Aug. 26 by the village court due to the unique situation.
After examining the home, Mandel will prepare a report of recommended actions and repairs, which the board has said it plans to carry out.
Trustees also talked about plans to repave seven village roads determined most in need of work Monday evening.
The roads include Downing Street from Roslyn Road to Titus Way, Ogden Avenue from Roslyn Road to Sagamore Avenue, Glenmore Street from Weeks Road to Bengeyfield Drive, Derby Street and High Street from Roslyn Road to High Street and part of Robbins Drive.
While the board expressed a desire to complete all projects as quickly as possible, they noted that the speed at which the roads would be paved would be determined by their eligibility for CHIPS grants, or state funding for local street repairs.
The next board of trustees is set for Sept. 8, when an update on 26 Orchard Meadow Road is expected to occur.
