Village Elections

6 officials voted in for another term in Lynbrook, East Rockaway

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Hilary Becker, left, and Mike Hawxhurst were elected to another four-year term as village trustees. William McLaughlin will serve another term as village justice.
Hilary Becker, left, and Mike Hawxhurst were elected to another four-year term as village trustees. William McLaughlin will serve another term as village justice.
Courtesy Hilary Becker

The village elections took place on March 21 in Lynbrook and East Rockaway and three elected officials from each village were voted in for another term. All six ran unopposed.

In Lynbrook, Hilary Becker and Mike Hawxhurst retained their seats on the Village board of trustees, while William McLaughlin was elected to another term as village justice. All three will remain in their positions for four more years. According to Village Administrator John Giordano, there were write-in votes for 23 different individuals.

Becker, who received 431 votes, said that the win made him think back to his great grandfather, Max Becker, who moved to Lynbrook in 1905, and added that he is grateful that his family still calls Lynbrook home five generations later.

“Now that the final results of the election are in, I feel elated that the residents of Lynbrook continue to put their trust in me, and I promise to do everything I can to continue to make Lynbrook the amazing community that it is,” Becker said. “This board has achieved some great accomplishments over the past eight to 10 years, but there is still more to do that will take Lynbrook to greater heights.  The best is yet to come for the residents, and that's very exciting.”

Hawxhurst received 437 votes and expressed his gratitude for the community’s support.

“It's an honor to be chosen to represent the families, veterans and seniors of this wonderful village,” he said. “Knowing that residents took the time to go out and vote for us just makes us work harder each day to make Lynbrook the best village on Long Island.”

McLaughlin, who garnered 442 votes, expressed a similar sentiment.

“I am thankful for the support I received,” he said. “I will continue to serve the village and its residents to the best of my ability for the next four years.”

In East Rockaway, Theresa Gaffney and Steve Fried were elected to retain their seats on the Village board of trustees, while Steven Siegel will stay on as village justice.

According to Village Clerk-Treasurer Patricia Renner, 516 residents came out to vote and there were 35 write-in votes. There were also 15 ballots left blank, she said.

Gaffney received 472 votes and will serve her second term on the board. Fried, who amassed 473 votes, took over on the board for Bruno Romano when he became mayor and enters his first four-year term as a trustee.

Gaffney, who will remain on as Deputy Mayor, released a statement on behalf of herself and Fried after the election.

“Both Trustee Steve Fried and I are grateful for the trust and confidence placed in us by [our] Village of East Rockaway neighbors,” she said. “The work we are doing with Mayor Romano and the village board to keep taxes low, attract commerce to our downtown, upgrade infrastructure and provide stellar municipal programs like Village Recreation is resonating with residents — who came out in big numbers to support our agenda, even in an unopposed election.”

Siegel enters his second term as village justice after receiving 473 votes.

"I am greatly privileged to serve as a village judge,” Siegel said, “and appreciative of the opportunity to enjoy a well lived life."