Maria Selvaggio's children can no longer play ball outside because the Garden City South resident said rats have infested her neighborhood, including her own backyard. The source, she claims, is Garden City's municipal yard on Cherry Valley Avenue. "I even have rats in my barbecue," she told trustees during a recent meeting.

Selvaggio said she's written letters to combat this quality of life issue as did her neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Denicola, who sent a letter to Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray. In response, the supervisor informed the Dorchester Road residents that the Village of Garden City owns and operates the service yard and therefore explained that the Town has no jurisdiction in the matter. However, she did forward complaints to Garden City officials.

Robert Mangan, director of Garden City's Public Works Department, told Selvaggio Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) inspectors failed to discover any new rat burrows in the area and recalled no vermin sightings during recent weeks.

Selvaggio, however, said the issue has existed for three years. "We have caught nine, big rats ... I've even found a nest in my shed," she told Mangan. Adding to the problem, she said, is the horrendous odor. "You can't even walk outside your front door on a hot day," she said.

Garden City Village Administrator Robert Schoelle Jr. said, "We desire to be good neighbors. We have mulch piles in the area and have abated." He further stated that DEC officials are in constant contact with the village, making unannounced visits. "We are respectful of your problem," he said.

A meeting between Schoelle, Town of Hempstead Councilman Edward Ambrosino and members of the South community, to represent affected residents, has been scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 1. He also told South residents that Dave O'Brien would serve as their liaison, urging residents to provide him with pockets of problems.

Schoelle noted that past construction at Roosevelt Field Mall was met with similar problems and he'd like to apply the knowledge gained from that situation and apply it to the existing one in nearby Garden City South.

A Town of Hempstead spokesperson said Councilman Ambrosino is confident that the Village of Garden City will make every effort to be good neighbors to the residents of Garden City South and work to find a solution to this problem.