Twenty-six-year East Rockaway resident and Army veteran Richard Gogarty, 54, has been appointed by the village board as the trustee to fill Irene Villacci’s seat. Villacci resigned from the position last week. “Because I’ve served 20 years on active duty in the Army, I’ve had an opportunity to see cities and towns over the United States and the world,” Gogarty said. “After seeing all that, I moved to East Rockaway. This is my dream place — a small village in the middle of millions of people. … East Rockaway maintains the independent spirit and closeness found only in a small village.” more

At the board meeting held on March 24, the Village of East Rockaway reviewed the cost of operating the village parking fields, and, according to its website, parking meter rates in the village will change from 25 cents per hour to 25 cents per half hour. more

It has been a major transitional period for the village board in the last couple of months – former Deputy Mayor Bill Hendrick was appointed to the mayorship following the departure of newly-elected assemblyman Brian Curran, trustee Alan Beach was appointed as the new Deputy Mayor and Tom Atkinson was appointed to fill the last vacant trustee position. more

As an attorney, Tom Atkinson is no stranger to having to make tough decisions. And as a new village board trustee, he plans to focus his energy on issues that are close to his heart and to be a voice for Lynbrook residents. Atkinson, 40, grew up in the village and attended Our Lady Of Peace School, where he met his wife of 12 years, Jennifer. The couple have two young sons, Tommy and Sean. more

Village Hall will soon be a bit emptier with the absence of Brian Curran, who stepped down after nearly four years as Mayor at a Dec. 20 village board meeting. Curran, who will join the state assembly next month, is the village 19th mayor more

Famed Marine Sgt. William Bodette was welcomed at the airport and escorted by the Patriot Guard to the VFW in Lynbrook on Monday night, where members and residents stood to greet him. “I personally served with him from 1991 to 1994,” said Post Commander Pat Cardone. “He’s visiting New York, and we’d like to give him a warm welcome.” more

East Rockaway village board member Francis Lenahan has had a change of heart about the proposed rezoning of the industrial district more

The East Rockaway Village Board unanimously adopted its 2010-11 village budget of $8.9 million on April 19. The spending plan contains a 1.6 percent increase over the current budget and a 5.43 percent tax levy increase. The average homeowner will pay an extra $110 in taxes. more

“Trust me, this weighs heavy on my mind.” That was East Rockaway Trustee Irene Villacci’s thought on the village’s tentative $8.9 million 2010-11 budget — and in particular its near 7 percent tax levy increase — which the village unveiled at Monday’s board meeting. Officials vowed to pare down the tax levy over the next two weeks, with the final budget due by April 30. As it stands, the average homeowner would pay an additional $170 in village taxes. more