Bed bugs resist eviction at county's health site

Bed bugs at Nassau County's health and human services complex in Uniondale are resisting efforts to be evicted, causing concern among employees there, according to union officials.

"This has been ongoing since Feb. 25, and we had several meetings" with county officials, Civil Service Employee Association Local 830 president Jerry Laricchiuta said Friday.

Laricchiuta said union officials held another meeting Thursday with county officials, including from the social services, health and real estate offices. "They said they would bring in some machines to help identify the problem, and the second step would be to eradicate any indication of the bugs," Laricchiuta said.

County officials said they are working on the problem, but did not identify it as bed bugs. Nassau officials said the county sprayed the facility at 60 Charles Lindbergh Blvd. several times, but wouldn't say what it sprayed for.

"As soon as the administration was made aware of the situation, we reacted in the best interest of the employees and visitors of HHS," said Manuel Mosquera, the site's director of operations. "Our staff will continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis and do everything possible to keep employees and residents who visit HHS safe."

Laricchiuta pointed out, though, that not only have there been several meetings since this was first brought to the county's attention in February, but just this week they produced evidence that there is a problem with bed bugs.

"Just Monday, we took them another bed bug that was found. They must fix this," Laricchiuta said.

"They are required to offer workers a clean, safe and healthy environment to work in."