Lynbrook Board Satisfied With Water Rate Increase Results

It wasn’t quite a victory speech, but it was close. Lawyer Charles Horn, who represented the village during a with the New York Public Service Commission regarding a recent, gave details on the newest settlement at Monday night’s Lynbrook Board of Trustees meeting.

Lynbrook’s water supplier, Long Island American Water (LIAW), . After the hearing, that percentage was lowered to 7.5 percent, Horn said.

The typical residential customer can expect to see their bills increase by 2.17 percent in 2012, 2.64 percent in 2013 and 2.77 percent in 2014, according to Horn.

“While no one is happy with a rate increase, the fact of the matter is that there are issues that cannot be changed, there are costs that will go up,” Horn said.

Horn stated that LIAW claimed that the rate increase was necessary because of their attempted acquisition of another company that would, in the long run, lower rates. After what amounted to an audit, the original percentage was lowered.

In Horn’s opinion, pursuing any further action against LIAW would be too expensive to be considered worthwhile.     

“All the fat was trimmed off of this, and at the end of the day, it’s a very good outcome for the municipalities that are going to be involved," Horn said.

Mayor William Hendrick expressed satisfaction with Horn’s report and agreed that further action should not be taken.

“I think it was important that Lynbrook was in this,” Hendrick said. “I think we can sum this up by saying the water company asked for a lot of money…and with some of our help, the Public Service Commission, and other villages, they were shut down.”

Later in the meeting, the board voted on a new parking code, agreeing to pass legislation that would waive overnight parking codes on certain nights of the year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve. On these specific nights, cars will be allowed to park on the street.

“Every year, the village board would approve a waiver of the parking limitations for nighttime parking for special holidays,” village attorney Peter K. Ledwith said. “The village only uses that opportunity on two or three occasions a year...there are important holidays and holy days when the board feels that this is the right thing to do for the well being of the entire village."

Parking wasn’t the only holiday issue that was discussed at the meeting.  According to the Public Works Department, garbage and recycling will be collected as usual on Dec. 26. However, there will be no collection on Jan. 2, with a modified schedule being utilized that week.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2012.