Letter to the Lynbrook/East Rockaway Editor (Feb. 21-27)

Posted

I support Alan Beach because he made LIRR officials listen

To the Editor:

My issue for many years has been the sorry state of the Lynbrook Long Island Rail Road station. I have submitted feedback to LIRR officials without ever receiving an acknowledgement or a reply.

The roof of the station has leaked for more than 20 years, and there have been no efforts to fix it. The leakage has inevitably led to damage to the structural elements and deterioration of the concrete.

My contacts with public officials seemed to have little impact. The staffs of those officials would provide only vague information about their efforts. After Alan Beach became mayor, I contacted him and, for the first time, I heard back from someone who understood the concerns and also wanted action. Over a period of several months, our dialogue continued, and he detailed to me the difficulties of getting the LIRR to commit to making the Lynbrook station a priority.

When new LIRR President Philip Eng scheduled his first public meeting in May 2018, Beach jumped right on this opportunity to press the issue. I attended the meeting, along with other Lynbrook residents, and we supported Beach as he spoke out for our needs. Additional meetings were scheduled over the following few months, and the agency finally committed to a rehabilitation project for the station.

Over the past year, I have spoken with Beach many times, and I have been impressed with his work ethic, candor about the issues and integrity. He is clearly committed to a great future for our village.

Vincent Callagy, Lynbrook