By Andrew Coen
Lager was elected mayor in 1962, when the beachfront community was first incorporated as a village, and served until 1988 before returning to the office from 1990 to 1992. He served as mayor when the village was the only municipality in the state without zoning powers, but he fought hard to prevent big developers from moving in, his family said. Lager battled the developers in court, forcing the Town of Hempstead to eventually declare Atlantic Beach a marine district, which protected it from the massive development Lager feared.
A 1988 editorial in the Nassau Herald, published just prior to Lager's first retirement, stated, "Throughout his tenure, the mayor stuck to his ideals. He fought to preserve the beauty and the natural resources of Atlantic Beach. He was instrumental in making his community one of the most desirable on the South Shore."
After he retired, Lager stayed active in village affairs, following the village's legal cases against various beach clubs that fought the town's decision in the hope of changing the zoning to residential. In 1997, an appellate court ruled in favor of the village, maintaining Lager's goal of avoiding large developments, such as condos and high-rises, in the seaside community.
In a Nassau Herald article just after the court's decision, the former mayor said, "I'm delighted. The Marine Recreation zone is the greatest thing to happen to Atlantic Beach since its incorporation in 1962. This decision is wonderful for the village. In fact because the ruling was unanimous, I don't think the Appellate Court will grant the club owners leave to take their case to the state Court of Appeals."
"When he believed in something, he gave it 200 to 300 percent," said Lager's daughter, Susan Jaffe Lager, of his efforts to prevent large private development in the village. "He made many trips to Albany on this issue."
Atlantic Beach's first mayor was also instrumental in the construction of the tennis courts across from Village Hall, according to his son, Richard. "He was involved in every aspect of the village that meant something to him," Richard said. "In many aspects he made the village what it is today and kept it the way it is today."
Seymour Radow, who knew Lager for 45 years and served as his deputy mayor during his second stint as mayor, said they shared the same vision of turning "our little community into a village in the late 1950s." After Lager retired, Radow said, he left "a beautiful, low-density, seaside village for all the residents to enjoy.
"We are grateful for Mayor Lager's dedication and devotion to our village," Radow added. "He will be missed by many, as a leader who gave of his time and energy, without financial compensation, to be an important part of the planning, development and history of our beautiful Village of Atlantic Beach."
Lager was born and raised in Harlem, and earned a bachelor's degree from NYU. After working as a securities broker and financial officer, he moved to Atlantic Beach in 1954, when the community was mainly a summer resort area. "There were very few full-time residents here then," said Jaffe Lager.
Today, Atlantic Beach has a population of around 2,000, with many living there year-round.
"He was a very bright man," said Jaffe Lager of her father. "He worked relentlessly."
Lager's wife, Marilyn Laikin Lager, died in 1947. In addition to his children, Lager is survived by his sister, Roslyn Taubin, and two grandchildren, Matthew and Ross.
Funeral services were held at Boulevard-Riverside Chapels in Hewlett, followed by burial at New Montefiore Cemetery in Farmingdale.
Comments about this story? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
