MAMAKATING – Dino Morelli's parking-lot problem hasn't gone away. Last fall the Journal reported on the fact that many of the people who use the Mamakating Park and Ride adjacent to his house are using his property as a makeshift bathroom. Morelli's property runs along the northern section of the commuter lot; and given that there are no bathroom facilities at the location, people who are in need of restroom facilities make do with whatever happens to be at hand — in this case, Morelli's driveway.

"It keeps getting worse," Morelli says. "I sometimes chase 10 to 15 people off my property in a single weekend."

To combat this problem, Morelli has taken a unique approach: he has rigged a series of motion-sensitive cameras that have caught dozens of these trespassers in flagrante. Morelli then posts the photos of these individuals in different locations around the park and ride, in an effort to shame these people into not using his property as a toilet.

"I've tried calling the police," Morelli says.

In fact, there is a state police barracks less than a half-mile away on Route 209 just north of the park and ride. Morelli says that he has asked the police to increase their presence at the location, but hasn't seen any significant increase in patrols.

"There were a bunch of kids partying and carrying on [in the park and ride] a couple weekends ago; the cop showed up and was only there for a couple of minutes. The kids kept on partying till 3:30 in the morning," Morelli says.

Mamakating Town Supervisor Robert Fiore says that he, too, is disgusted by the behavior of the people in question, and that the town would like to do whatever it can to combat the problem.

"We've looked into putting in port-a-johns," Fiore says. "And we've spoken with the DOT [NY State Department of Transportation] about erecting a fence."

Dave Hamburg, a spokesman for the DOT, stated that the agency is currently looking at the matter and that he believes that a solution is close at hand. However, he would not commit to a date by which the situation would be resolved.

Fiore has stated that he would like the DOT to provide materials to build a fence, and that the town would then provide the labor for its construction. Fiore says that such inter-governmental cooperation is in keeping with the current management of the commuter lot — the park and ride is owned by NY State, according to Fiore, but the Town of Mamakating is charged with maintaining the lot and paying the bills for the streetlights.

Morelli, however, doesn't care about the particulars; he just wants to be able to use his property without having to worry about one of his children encountering an adult who is in the process of exposing him or herself.

"I have young daughters," Morelli says. "They shouldn't have to be exposed to this."

Morelli says that his next move will be to begin taking down license plate numbers and filing criminal complaints against individuals who continue to use his property as a bathroom.

"The situation is out of control," Morelli says. "I just want to be able to use my property."