By Michelle Han
More pest control and sanitation workers for Forest Hills and Rego Park, an increased police presence in the 112th Precinct, and improvements to Woodhaven Boulevard and other main thoroughfares topped a list of budget priorities Community Board 6 approved last week.
The community board, which covers Forest Hills and Rego Park, voted to approve the budget priorities and capital improvements requests at its monthly meeting Oct. 25.
Highest on the list of expense priorities for Community Board 6 was a request to increase the number of city Health Department workers attending to pest control in the area.
In July, several blocks surrounding the 63rd Drive subway station in Rego Park became infested with rats, prompting the Health Department to bait nests and plant rat poison in the area. City Council hearings on the rat infestation problem followed, after other communities in the city, such as the Lower East Side in Manhattan, lodged complaints about the pests as well.
The community board's second most pressing concern was that the city hire additional sanitation enforcement agents. Over the past year, elected officials in Forest Hills and Rego Park have said overflowing trash baskets and unclean streets are the most common complaints constituents have filed.
Rounding out the board's top five concerns were requests for additional administrative personnel for the police department, more maintenance workers for the police, and additional vehicles for the police department.
The budget requests will be submitted to the mayor's office for consideration in planning the city's budget for fiscal year 2002. At the beginning of 2001, the borough president's office will hold hearings on the requests of each district in the borough, and the final budget is adopted by the City Council in the spring.
For capital expenses, Community Board 6 requested that safety improvements be made to Woodhaven Boulevard, that sewers and water mains be installed to relieve flooding on the Grand Central Parkway near the Long Island Expressway interchange.
High on the list of capital expense priorities was the reconstruction of streets surrounding the eastbound service road of the Grand Central Parkway near the Long Island Expressway, where extensive roadwork is taking place.
Also at its meeting last week, the Community Board held a public hearing on a request by state Sen. Daniel Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) to make 113th Street one-way southbound between 71st Avenue and 71st Road in Forest Hills.
The board also approved a street fair permit for the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce for April 22 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Austin Street.
Reach reporter Michelle Han by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 138.