Lynbrook Village Board Adopts Time Limits on Public Comment at Meetings

The Lynbrook village board voted unanimously on Monday to implement time limits during the Good & Welfare portion of board meetings.

Beginning at the July 18 village board meeting, residents will have five minutes each to address the board during Good & Welfare.

Trustees cited certain residents' repeated use of Good & Welfare for political purposes, with a speaker often making false, long-winded accusations against village officials. The most recent case was at the June 6 meeting, when a resident claimed that the Lynbrook Public Library funneled money through the Lynbrook Roller Hockey League last year to make a donation to Assemblyman Brian Curran's campaign.

Village board members have repeatedly denied allegations of the roller hockey league making an improper donation, and on Monday, denied any such involvement by the library.

Trustee Mike Hawxhurst, who introduced the time limit proposal at Monday's meeting, said that a village board meeting is not an appropriate venue for making such accusations. Hawxhurst said the village must pay department heads to be present at the board meetings, and that it is a "general waste of taxpayer money" when meetings are extended by bogus accusations and inappropriate comments.

"With the restraints we face financially, with concerns we have for other people who work for the village, it was time to put in reasonable limitations," Hawxhurst said.

Hawxhurst added that the time limits are not in an effort to curtail public comment. Residents can still contact Village Hall and send emails to board members prior to a board meting, he said. Doing so will result in the board having more detailed answers when a particular item is being discussed, he added. "We're more than happy to answer questions," Hawxhurst said.

Deputy Mayor Alan Beach agreed.

"This has been something that is long overdue and I think it's very reasonable," he said. "I'm very available during the week. If there are problems, people contact me and I get back [to them] within 24 hours. There's always an outcome where they are satisfied."

Lynbrook Mayor Bill Hendrick, who was hospitalized prior to his surgery on Tuesday, was not present for the vote.