By Bob Harris
In November the Kissena Park Civic Association members coordinated with City Councilman Peter Koo’s Office, the Partnership for Parks, Parks District Manager Mark Edwards and students from Hunter High School to spread wood chips on trails in Kissena Park. Woodchips and tools were provided by the city Parks Department.
The newsletter had a page of neighborhood happenings which involved parking and traffic issues. It made the point that it is illegal to park commercial vehicles such as trucks and school buses overnight on residential streets. When they are parked at intersections, they obstruct the views of autos which come to a corner. Any person can call 311 to report such a vehicle obstructing the views of drivers. When you call be sure to have the address in front of which the vehicle is parked, make of the vehicle, color, license plate number, and name of the company which must be on the vehicle by law.
The November 2017 issue of the Bayside Hills Civic Association Beacon told of locations where the civic had complained to the Department of Buildings about illegal construction. Residents identified these sites as what they suspected were illegal two- or three-family homes, plus a two-floor extension being built without a construction permit. Working with Community Board 11, the civic association was responsible for stop work orders to be issued. This is what civic associations do to help maintain the quality of life in their communities.
The Beacon listed holiday food safety tips such as to fully cook meat and poultry to kill all bacteria and to thoroughly wash raw fruits and vegetables, keep hot liquids and the handles of cooking pots away from the edge of the table or stove where children can come close and knock them over, wash hands frequently, wash with soap any spoon or dish you used for raw food before using it with cooked food, keep raw and cooked food separate and keep utensils separate, thaw food in the refrigerator not on a countertop, and foods that require refrigeration should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours even while serving it.
The November-December 2017 issue of the Auburndale Voice, the newsletter of the Auburndale Improvement Association, had an article about how to protect your property from deed fraud. Sometimes criminals record a deed illegally into their name. The City Register at the Department of Finance reviews documents submitted for recording and reports suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office for investigation.
Protect your house by registering for the Recorded Document Notification Program online to get notified any time a document is recorded related to your property. If necessary obtain a form and register by mail, check the City Register’s Records often using the ACRIS system to make sure that there are no deeds or mortgages that you are not aware of registered on your property or have your lawyer do it.
If your property is not occupied, you should check to make sure it is not occupied illegally. Ask someone to look after your property if you are going to be away for a long time and make sure that the Department of Finance has the correct mailing address for you or the person who should receive notices about your property. Contact the Department of Finance if you suddenly stop receiving the tax requirements you usually receive from Finance. If you suspect any deed fraud get a copy of the fraudulent document from the City Register’s Office, contact the Sheriff’s Department and your borough District Attorney’s Office and contact your attorney to confirm your ownership of the property.
Good and bad news of the week
We have been following the international effort to rescue the young soccer players from that water filled cave in Thailand. All that expertise and money to help 13 people. It is great but what about the millions of Syrian, Afghani and Iraqi refugees, the migrants from Africa fleeing draught, and those fleeing gangs and violence and poverty from Central America?
