If any Levittown resident or business is worthy of the "Neighbor of the Year Award," no one is more deserving of it than the Kmart Corporation is.

I would like to thank Kmart and its local Asset Facility Manager, Mario D'Agrosa, for his serious concern about maintaining a safe and clean environment outside of the Levittown Big K Kmart. Instead of getting the promised beautification shrubs and security system at the rear of the store (bordering on residential Amber Lane), we got a broken down fence inviting vagrants and other undesirables, and a lot of weeds! After sending numerous letters about the poor condition of the rear of the Kmart shopping center, Mr. D'Agrosa met with me last spring and guaranteed immediate (within two weeks) repairs and beautification to the rear of the property. He lied. The rear of the property is still dilapidated and the fence remains broken.

Two weeks ago the broken fence became more than an eyesore. According to the Nassau County Police Department it was used as an escape route for burglars that entered and stole from a private residence bordering the store. I have complained to every Kmart manager between Levittown and its corporate headquarters in Michigan of the dangers being placed on the community-at-large.

I am sick and tired of having to make my own repairs to Kmart's property on a daily basis. These repairs have cost me a great deal of time and of personal expense. If it isn't vandalism, it is illegal dumping, rowdy youths, or shopping carts spilling into the residential street, etc.

Since Kmart refuses to budge on this issue, perhaps the Town of Hempstead can recommend local cleanup ordinances mandating this corporate bully to maintain its property the same way my neighbors and I are obligated to maintain ours.