Hilary Becker named deputy Lynbrook mayor, Robert Boccio appointed as new trustee

Lynbrook Mayor Alan Beach announced the appointment of a new village trustee and deputy mayor at the village board’s final public meeting for 2017 on Dec. 11.

Beach appointed Robert Boccio, 45, as a new trustee, and longtime trustee Hilary Becker, 57, as deputy mayor. The deputy mayor position had been vacant since Beach took over as mayor after the sudden death of William Hendrick from complications of a heart attack on Oct. 11.

“Rob Boccio is a good man, loving husband and a great father,” Beach said in an email to the Herald. “He has demonstrated outstanding community involvement, been involved with the village for many years and has always brought his kindness and expertise to our residents.

“Hilary Becker has earned the trust and respect of myself and the rest of the board, and will do an outstanding job as deputy mayor,” he continued. “I believe he will do his very best and will live up to all our expectations.”

Beach and Boccio will have to run in a special election in March, because Beach took over during Hendrick’s term and appointed Boccio. If re-elected, they would have to run again for a full term in March 2019.

Boccio was born in Hauppauge and moved to Lynbrook from Forest Hills, Queens in 2005. He has experience in public service that dates back to the 1990s, which he said he believes makes him well equipped for the role of trustee.

Boccio graduated from New York University in 1994, earned a law degree from Columbia University in 1997 and earned his masters in public administration from New York Law School in 2000. He is a partner at the Garden City-based law firm Vigorito, Barker, Porter & Patterson, LLP, and primarily handles medical malpractice defense matters. He also teaches at Columbia, and has served as a member and chairman of the village’s Board of Ethics and Board of Zoning Appeals, and as an assistant village prosecutor. In addition, he previously worked for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s administration and ran for mayor of Lynbrook in 2007, losing to Brian Curran, who is now a state Assemblyman.

Fellow Trustee Mike Hawxhurst was Boccio’s running mate during the Lynbrook mayoral election, while Beach and Becker were in Curran’s camp. Boccio said that even though they were on different sides a decade ago, he has grown closer to Beach and Becker over the years, and they are all passionate about improving Lynbrook.

“People can have their differences, but we’ll do it in a civil way,” Boccio said, “and we’ll all work toward making the village a better place and that’s what matters most.”

Boccio said he has a vested interest in making sure Lynbrook thrives, because he lives in the village with his wife, Danielle, and children, Brooke, 10, and Bryce, 7. “It’s a community that I care about a lot,” he said. “I am raising my kids, and I want to make sure that my kids remain safe in a village that offers great educational possibilities and great youth organizations.” He added that Becker coaches Brooke in a girls’ self-defense class and Bryce in the Lynbrook Titans wrestling program.

Keeping the village safe, focusing on the revitalization and beautification of downtown Lynbrook and combating the heroin epidemic are Boccio’s biggest goals as trustee. He said that the board being open to innovative and creative business ideas would also help the downtown thrive. He added that educating children about the dangers of drugs at a young age is a way to curtail the opioid epidemic happening on Long Island, and noted that he plans to look at successful programs across the country to see how they could be implemented in Lynbrook.

Boccio said he still has to learn more about the recent proposal to develop an apartment building at the site of the former Mangrove Feather factory, on the corner of Broadway and Langdon Place, but he expressed interest in developing the property.

“That feather factory has been there for at least 10 years,” he said. “It’s been an eyesore and it’s really kind of a waste of a prime location. I think it’s really important to this village that we do something in that area.”

Becker, who has served as village trustee since 2009, said being named deputy mayor was a great honor.

“We’ve been working together for a long time now, and I have a lot of respect for Alan and a lot of respect for his accomplishments,” he said. “I feel honored to be given the opportunity by him to play this role and support him as mayor and work with the other board members to make Lynbrook better.”

Becker grew up in Lynbrook and works in real estate. He and his wife, Geralyn, have four kids, Noelle, 23, Joseph, 17, David, 16, and Thomas, 14. Becker said his biggest priorities as deputy mayor will be to hold the line on taxes, revitalize the downtown by working with potential business owners to fill in the vacant stores and to work closely with the police department to keep the village a safe place.

He also said that Boccio is a great addition to the board. “I’ve gotten to know him and his wife really well over the years, and I’m really impressed with the both of them,” Becker said. “As accomplished as they are, they’re very down to earth people. He’s going to do some great things for Lynbrook.”

Becker has a rich family history in the village, and his father, the late Francis X. Becker, served as the longest-tenured mayor in the history of Lynbrook. Francis also built Village Hall, and the rotunda inside the building was named in his honor last August. Hilary said he was happy to continue the legacy his father created by serving Lynbrook.

“It’s overwhelming knowing that my dad was the mayor of Lynbrook in the ‘60s and ‘70s,” he said. “Following in his footsteps is a big responsibility. It’s a big responsibility to begin with, but knowing that there’s a legacy there and a history there, it’s definitely more pressure and you want to make sure that everything that you do is the absolute best for the village of Lynbrook.”