The proof is in the pudding they say which is why I was gratified to see Joie Tyrrell's, staff writer for Newsday, article "Tough Ride for Proposed Third Track." In the article Tyrrell writes that the Long Island Rail Road's hotly contested plan to build a third track on the Main Line is the only one of hundreds of recently approved projects that must go back before a state panel for further review.

This means that while funding is in place to complete the project's design, the LIRR must bring the final plan for the additional track to a three-member Capital Review Board for a vote. It is my understanding that the vote must be unanimous for the project to go forward. State Senator Dean Skelos, a member of the Capital Program Review Board, said this unprecedented action was taken because the project impacts thousands of lives.

In a remarkable turn of events, the residents of this great village, in alliance with their sister communities, made a difference. The powers that be have listened; your voices, which were heard all the way to Albany and beyond, have struck a chord. This year, it will not be business as usual.

Following this important news, Trustee Tom Tweedy and I hosted a strategy meeting at village hall that was attended by representatives of seven different communities all impacted by this additional proposed rail. The meeting was extraordinarily productive and we all pledged to come together, mobilize our resources and speak as one in supporting the plan's elimination of the five grade crossings but opposing the additional 11.5-mile electrified track. It was very encouraging and deeply gratifying to see how many others have joined our ranks.

Let us not forget that the first shots of this battle were fired right here in Floral Park. We've become the Lexington & Concord in this great revolution to introduce basic democratic principles in the decision-making process of the MTA, whose billion dollar budgets are, after all, funded by our dollars. As a result of all our efforts this project is not going to be solely decided by the 23 unelected members of the MTA board, none of whose places of residences are affected by this additional electrified track.

Let us make no mistake, our residents' very public involvement in this fight from their compelling and heartfelt testimony at the MTA public hearings, petition drives and letter-writing campaign has guaranteed this project isn't going to get done simply following the usual legislative and regulative process.

I would be remiss in not thanking our public officials for all their support but I would especially like to thank our state senators, Kemp Hannon and Michael Balboni, for carrying our message and fighting with us and for us.

This novel provision requires the LIRR to bring its final plan to elected officials and their representatives who make up the Capital Program Review Board, giving us a greater opportunity to affect the final decision by taking the matter out of the hands of an insulated bureaucracy and putting it squarely on the shoulders of those who are accountable to the representatives who elected them.

As pleasing as this development is I do not want to overstate our initial success. We won the battle not the war; the MTA mega project is still alive and kicking. While the provision provides us with a powerful tool to exert pressure and influence, we much rather preferred the plug be pulled on the proposed electrified track burying the project once and for all. Despite this, we have managed to interrupt the flow of its deadly current by having the hand of those representing us, rather than the MTA, on the switch.

Still, any rational assessment of the present circumstances must conclude the cards are still stacked against us. The MTA's financial resources are enormous and the LIRR unions regularly deliver a solid block of votes to those who protect and maintain the status quo. But we did not go into this fight gauging the odds; we are in it because protecting our community, our homes and our way of life is the right thing to do. So let the odds makers say what they will, we won't be railroaded into supporting a project detrimental to our community.

Last week, out of the blue, the MTA announced they miraculously found an $833 million surplus for the end of the year. That's good. Maybe now they can restore some of the morning and evening train service they took away from our village. Moreover, they should energetically invest these monies in security to protect the millions of passengers who everyday use the labyrinth of rails, subways, bridges and tunnels that traverse the Empire State. They could start with a comprehensive surveillance system of security cameras similar to what they used in London to arrest the suspected terrorists in the recent spate of bombings that killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds more. While security cameras already exist there are barely enough to cover 50 percent of the subway stations not to mention the LIRR itself.

We should protect the woefully unguarded infrastructure we already have without adding the unnecessary burden of adding an additional track to the equation. The MTA should be mindful that there is a war going on and as the largest transit system in the largest metropolis in the world their system is in the crosshairs of those who wish to maim and kill Americans. During WWII, not a single automobile was produced in the United States because the focus was on building tanks, Army jeeps, fighter planes and aircraft carriers so that America could be, in F.D.R.s words, the "Arsenal of Democracy."

The first responsibility of government and governmental agencies is to protect the life and limb of its citizens and every other goal should be subordinated to this cause.

On July 25, which was its first meeting since our residents experienced extensive amounts of discolored water in their homes, the Water Authority of Western Nassau County discussed the source of this problem and its solution. In addition to myself, Trustees Tom Tweedy and Jim Rhatigan attended this meeting. According to the Water Authority's chairman, Frank Tauches, the discolored water was caused by a broken check valve, which resulted in a reversal of pressure and a backflow of rusty and discolored water into the distribution facility at Cisney Avenue. The Cisney Avenue facility was then cleaned out and the defective check valve was replaced.

Along with my fellow village board members, I expressed particular concern regarding the complete lack of communication with both local government officials and residents when this problem arose. We found it disturbing that no notification was given by the Water Authority to the village regarding either the nature of the problem or the corrective action taken. This is unacceptable.

I explained to the Water Authority's chairman that it is imperative that channels of communication be open and used so that our residents will be properly informed. To his credit, the chairman was forthright and honest about the Water Authority's latest difficulties as well as his sincere desire to improve service and communication with government officials and residents. The chairman, pursuant to Trustee Rhatigan's suggestion, also readily agreed to provide village officials with a time line regarding how this problem unfolded so that all can achieve a better understanding of what actually occurred and when it occurred. Getting the full picture of what had gone wrong in the past is essential in putting things right for the future.

The chairman also promised to submit a plan for communicating about such events with the village board and other local officials. Chairman Tauchus cautioned, however, that the infrastructure of the Nassau Western Water Authority, which was acquired from Jamaica Water, is antiquated and therefore subject to periodic problems and breakdowns. Nevertheless, a cooperative effort between the Water Authority and the village board should go a long way in assisting our residents should such an event happen again.

Trustee Tom Tweedy and myself attended the opening ceremonies of the Bobby Regan Memorial Girls Softball Tournament. Bobby Regan, who invested a lot of time and energy on behalf of girls' softball, was a New York City firefighter and a hero of September 11, 2001 who lost his life trying to save others. The weather was terrific that morning and a relief from the humid days that preceded it, but more importantly all the players honored Bobby Regan's memory by demonstrating a competitive spirit and good sportsmanship.

I also had the pleasure of attending the Artie Hunt Memorial Baseball Tournament with Deputy Mayor Kevin Greene and Trustees Tom Tweedy and Jim Rhatigan. Artie Hunt was a beloved baseball coach and organizer who really knew the intricacies of the game and truly enjoyed helping kids learn the game he loved.

Putting together these tournaments is hard work and requires a lot of dedication. I salute all the volunteers who make these events happen and hope their example will inspire others to do the same. The most important thing to remember about volunteering is that the rewards of helping others are one of the richest and satisfying of all human experiences.