By Alexandra Jamison
These are the things that were brought to the attention of Chief County Engineer for the Basin by a group of residents of Oxford Triangle, headed by Alexandra Jamison.

Basin smell: I will ask my neighbors to document the days in which the basin just reeks like an old sock stuck in a used toilet. As I mentioned, it has been so bad recently we could hear people on the bike path complain about the stench.

With all you are doing to enhance the basin, the last thing you need is a smell problem. Like I said, we miss the old pond, but were assured that the trade-off would be the elimination of that smell and that has not been the case. And, as I said, instead of looking at the ducks on the pond, I stare at cement and fences.

Trees: Thank you for letting us know that you will be cutting down the non-indigenous trees beginning December 9th. I would also like to discuss the palm tree behind my house. Wondering if it should be cut down too.

Given our ironic rainy season – most years it is all of one day – I do understand that you have to wait until the rainy season is officially over before you can plant the new trees and that won’t be until April, 2015.

So like plastic surgery – we get that the basin is going to get uglier before it gets better.

Fence Height: Because of all we have witnessed in the last few years, we do think that you will need a higher fence, and while you want to keep the current one, we appreciate your willingness to revisit it, if the new reduced fence height turns the basin into a campground.

Finally, do you have a list of indigenous trees that you can share with me? If you do, I would welcome it.