Permanent Citizens Advisory Comittee to the MTA

Larry Rubinstein is the newest member of the LIRRCC. He presently resides in North Bellmore. Prior to that he lived and commuted from Wantagh, Farmingdale and Carle Place. He has been commuting on the Long Island Rail Road for almost 30 years. Larry is the Studio Chief Engineer and a Senior Video Tape Editor at Magno Sound and Video, located in Manhattan. He also works freelance doing video production. Since 2004 he has been a member of Nassau County legislator Dave Denenberg’s LIRR Committee.  As a result, he has established a great working relationship with many Long Island Rail Road officials, and looks forward to this new challenge.

November 17, 2009 

The Honorable Jay Walder
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
347 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017 

Dear Chairman Walder: 

The Long Island Railroad Commuter Council, with the full support of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, is extremely concerned about the status of the LIRR Main Line Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).  It has come to our attention that a letter to the FTA that requesting suspension of the DEIS process for the project is awaiting your signature.  We are writing to urgently ask you to delay signing such a letter until reviewing our concerns below and considering our proposal for moving forward.  

Unfortunately, the LIRR has not adequately managed the planning and public review process for this project on multiple levels.  Now it has radically changed its position on the Main Line Corridor plan - from top priority to non-existent — citing homeowner opposition and lack of political support.  While opposition to the Main Line Corridor project among the small number of affected homeowners was always to be expected, the planning discussions have been riddled with rumors and false assumptions about public and legislator support for the project.  Among the groups solidly behind the project is our organization, which represents the interests of 120,000 riders of the LIRR, in addition to key transit, business and economic development groups.  Despite the latest moves by the LIRR, it is a project from which we will not retreat.  

Our principal points of concern about the DEIS process regarding actions not taken by the LIRR, include: 

1. Not communicating with the FTA in the year since the FTA returned the DEIS with comments to the LIRR. 
2. Not responding to the FTA’s request in February 2009 for a letter explaining the LIRR’s intent for the project. 
3. Not conferring with the FTA for guidance on the best way to proceed to achieve the end goal - a completed third track as soon as possible..
4. Not conducting a meaningful outreach effort to community groups and government officials about the project benefits and logistics.  For example, the City Planner in Farmingdale as of Spring 2009 still believed that the Third Track would continue to Farmingdale and that the LIRR was interested in increasing freight traffic on the line. 

Given the LIRR’s current stance on a project that was once deemed a top priority, the LIRRCC and PCAC request a formal review by the MTA Planning Department and under the direction of William Wheeler, Director of MTA Planning and Special Projects.  Mr. Wheeler has extensive experience working with the FTA and would be an invaluable source of advice regarding this project.  Specifically, we propose that the MTA Planning Department independently assess how best to proceed with the project by reviewing the original DEIS and the resulting FTA comments.  

Both the PCAC and LIRRCC are supportive of Main Line Corridor project and of working with the MTA to make it succeed.  We look forward to hearing more about your thinking on the project and strongly recommend that, at the very least, you refrain from making irreversible decisions until you have adequate time to consider where the need for the project, its costs and impacts, and the benefits and opportunities that it promises for Long Island.  

Sincerely, 

Maureen Michaels
Chair

Matthew Kessler (L) and Owen Costello are new LIRRCC members

The LIRRCC recently welcomed two new members:  Owen Costello of Port Washington has filled one of the four open Nassau County positions; Matt Kessler of Far Rockaway is the first person to represent the Borough of Brooklyn. 

Mr. Costello is with the New York State Banking Department.  He works in Manhattan and rides the Port Washington Branch.  He arrived at his first Council meeting armed with a portfolio of pictures showing debris at the Port Washington Station on the right of way, outside train cars and around the station.   These items were brought to the attention of LIRR personnel and the Rail Road is addressing the problems.

Matt Kessler is a senior transportation professional and has served for the past 18 years as Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer for the Peninsula Funeral Service in Hollis, NY.  Mr. Kessler is currently working on his masters degree in transit management at Brooklyn Polytechnic University and commutes on the LIRR to attend classes.  He has been a regular attendee at the Council meetings for the last year and has become very familiar with rider issues.   

Mr. Costello’s appointment leaves three open positions on the Council from Nassau County.  For one of these openings an individual has been nominated by County Executive Thomas Suozzi and we are currently awaiting approval and appointment by Governor Paterson.

Sheila Carpenter is the newest LIRRCC member from Suffolk County

Shelia Carpenter of Lake Ronkonkoma is the newest member of the LIRRCC from Suffolk County.  Shelia is a Licensed Master Social Worker and has lived in Suffolk County for 50 years.  Shelia does not drive and therefore relies on the rail, bus and subway systems daily.  Her field work requires her to  commute to Jamaica and then carryout supervisory work in Queens.  She also does education training which takes her to Brooklyn, the Bronx and Westchester County - all by public transportation.   Shelia has jumped right into rider issues, sending out numerous observations on her I-phone about shortfalls in information signage, problems in train ticket collection, station and bathroom conditions and late buses.  We welcome Shelia’s active participation and her desire to make things better for all riders.     With Shelia’s appointment all of the Suffolk County seats (5) on the Council are filled.

At the May 14th meeting, the LIRRCC elected Maureen Michaels as Chair of the LIRRCC.  She replaces Gerry Bringmann who will remain on the Council as Vice Chair.  Ms. Michaels heads her own firm in New York City, Michaels Opinion Research, Inc., and resides in  Huntington Station.  She was appointed to the Council in 2006.

Ray Kenny (R), Sr. VP of LIRR Operations, presents Gerry Bringmann with the 175th anniversary poster

Ray Kenny (R), LIRR Sr. Vice-President of Operations,  made a surprise visit to the meeting, to present Mr. Bringmann a framed LIRR 175th anniversary poster, in honor of his years of service as LIRRCC Chair.

LIRR President Helena Williams and LIRRCC member Mark Epstein

New Council member Mark Epstein of Melville joined LIRR President Helena Williams in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Huntington Station. Mr. Epstein is an attorney with Pazer & Epstein, P.C. with offices in New York City and Huntington.

LIRRCC 2009 President's Forum

On May 20th, at the Atrium of the Jamaica Control Center, LIRR riders gathered to ask questions or give comment to LIRR President Helena Williams. The President’s Forum is an annual program sponsored by the Long Island Rail Road Commuter’s Council. Topics included customer service/communication, station conditions, service issues, capital planning and safety and security. A summary of procedings has been posted on the website.

On April 24th the Long Island Rail Road celebrated its 175th birthday in the Atrium of the Jamaica Control Center. LIRRCC Chair, Gerry Bringmann, PCAC Executive Director Bill Henderson and Associate Director Jan Wells attended the festivities. LIRR President Helena Williams welcomed the many dignitaries who were also present, including MTA CEO Lee Sander and Chairman of the MTA Board Dale Hemmerdinger.

Earlier in the week Gerry, Bill and Jan attended the opening of “The Route of the Dashing Commuter: The Long Island Rail Road at 175″ exhibit at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn. Bill Guild, Chair of the PCAC, also joined them.

Incorporated in 1834, the Long Island Railroad, is the oldest rail road in the United States still operating under its original name. Initially built to be a shortcut to Boston, it has adapted to the ever-changing needs of its customers and survived competition, takeovers, hard times and bankruptcy. Historic and contemporary photographs, maps, illustrations, and objects on loan and from the museum’s collection tell the fascinating story of the railroad and how it contributed to the development of Long Island. The exhibit runs until September 13, 2009.