Newly appointed Commissioner of the City’s Inspectional Service Department (ISD) Tania Del Rio and Assistant Commissioner of Constituent Services at ISD Jesse Thomas attended and address community issues at the May monthly meeting of the North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) held at the Nazzaro Center.
Residents posed questions to Del Rio relating to rodent infestation, especially in the area of Morton Street that abuts a newly renovated Cutillo Park that is about to open soon.
They also asked what attempts are currently being made by the city to deal with rodent problems in the area.
Residents contend that in the meantime, once the park is officially opened, the conditions will still threaten the environment in the area and would most likely prevent community use of the park.
The Commissioner explained that six restaurants in the immediate vicinity have a long-time agreement with the City as part of the site cleanliness program, the businesses were allowed to place trash and oil barrels on the small sidewalks on Morton Street, that could have created a series of rodent issues in the area that has possibly spilled into Cutillo Park which also abuts Stillman Street.
Residents have apparently complained about the situation many times in the past. The Commissioner reported there is a multi-city department and state agency task force being put together to tackle the general rodent problem that currently exists throughout the neighborhood and city-wide.
She added that a top National rodent expert, Bobby Corrigan, is in the process of developing an action plan and recommendations on how to deal with this problem.
In the meantime, residents feel unless something is done immediately in the area, they may not be able to use Cutillo Park.
Waste management is the key issue in this battle, according to Commissioner Del Rio. She also made it clear she fully understands the depth and scope of this quality-of-life issue.
Commissioner Del Rio also addressed concerns related to construction site inspections, building permits and regulations of short-term rentals.
According to ISD, building inspectors are present in the community Monday through Friday, for six hours a day.
ISD said one of their responsibilities is to visit construction sites on a regular basis to ensure that contractors are complying with their permits.
The Commissioner went on to explain some permitting regulations. She also addressed questions on short-term rentals and enforcement.