Northport Residents Want Village To Clean Up Scudder Park

NORTHPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Residents in one Long Island town say an area park and beach has fallen on hard times and want to know where their taxpayer dollars are going.

"It is just abhorrent and it is very simple, very simple to rake and clean this up," said Terrence Augustyn.

Northport residents complain Scudder Park and Beach at the end of Beach Avenue feels forlorn and forgotten, despite its scenic views over historic Northport Harbor, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported.

"As you can see as we look at the property here, the amount of litter, the fact that the sand has not been raked in I don't know how long that weeds growing all over the place," said homeowner Anthony Niosi.

Just across the shoreline, parks at the end of Main Street look vibrant and well cared for, catering to tourists and the boating community with state-of-the-art playgrounds, pristine picnic areas and serene beach paths.

But the same can't be said for Scudder Park, where children are getting burns and splinters when they dare play at the playground, McLogan reported.

"They want to go on the swings, which are falling apart. I am afraid for them to go there and when they walk barefoot, they get all these little pieces of glass," said homeowner Joseph Rizzoni.

At the park entrance is a stalled sewer line project, half completed. And across from a children's collage board sits once a beautiful home that is now dilapidated and abandoned, McLogan reported.

"Rented out by the village for the caretaker to maintain the beach and pick up the garbage and we haven't had a caretaker, I would say for a year," said homeowner Debra Augustyn.

Now these residents want to know where their tax dollars are going.

"We would welcome the input of the residents to come up with a master plan on which direction we want to go with the park to bring it back to its glory," said Village Trustee Ian Milligan.

Some members of the Village Board said budget constraints not withstanding, they can begin a site cleanup and even enlist the help of volunteer master gardeners in the community.