Village Trustee Rhatigan Running for Re-Election

Friday, 27 January 2012 00:00

James E. Rhatigan

James E. Rhatigan is seeking re-election to a two-year term as Floral Park trustee, running on the Citizen’s Party ticket with Trustee Kevin Fitzgerald. He currently serves as Floral Park trustee — representing the South Side section of the village.

As a member of Floral Park’s Board of Trustees, Trustee Rhatigan serves as Deputy Mayor and liaison to the Police Department, Building Department and the Emergency Management Committee. He also previously served the village as Fire Commissioner, Library Commissioner and Recreation Commissioner, as well as liaison to the Beautification Committee, Heritage Park Committee, Citizens with Disabilities Committee and the Conservation Advisory Council.

He now serves as chairman of Floral Park’s Task Force for the Preservation and Improvement of Belmont Park. As chairman, he testified before the New York Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, in both 2007 and 2010 where he presented the task force “Statement of Principals” that detailed the village’s positions toward the award of the state franchise for thoroughbred racing in New York. He is currently working closely with Mayor Tweedy and the Task Force members to protect the interests of our village with regard to the proposed casino at Belmont.

Prior to becoming trustee, Trustee Rhatigan served as a volunteer member of a number of village committees, including the Residents Orientation Committee, the Ad-Hoc Pool Building Committee and the Grievance Board.

He took an active role in opposing the MTA/LIRR’s Third Track Project. He testified at the formal scoping hearings and has participated in numerous planning sessions and public forums. He has spoken at the LIRR Commuters Council Annual President’s Forums at MTA headquarters in Manhattan and at the public hearing on the MTA budget crisis in 2009. At such forums, Trustee Rhatigan has advocated on behalf of his Floral Park constituents and has consistently expressed his views on the public record and his concerns regarding the potential negative effects that the third track project will have on the residential and business communities of Floral Park.

Born in Brooklyn, he grew up in Queens Village. He is a homeowner and taxpayer of Floral Park for over 32 years. He is the proud father of three daughters: Kathleen, an occupational therapist in the New York City School system; Elizabeth, a Bronx charter school educator and Margaret, an administrative assistant at an East Meadow firm.

Before becoming a Floral Park homeowner, Trustee Rhatigan’ commitment to active community service initially took root in Queens Village. He served as an EMT for the Queens Village-Hollis-Bellerose Volunteer Ambulance Corps (QVHBVAC). In addition to serving as a volunteer EMT for the QVHBVAC, he was also a member of its board of directors and acted as its treasurer. He believes this background provides him with valuable personal experience when considering emergency and community safety issues.

Trustee Rhatigan believes he is well-qualified to represent his neighbors in Floral Park’s South Side area, having been a longtime member as well as elected president of the South Side Civic Association. He has also demonstrated his active commitment to civic involvement, having served 14 years in the Citizen’s Party as a captain, vice chairman and two years as chairman. He has also served the youth of the community, having been a soccer coach for the Floral Park Indians Athletics and manager of softball teams for the Floral Park Little League.

 One of his greatest services to his community has been through his activities as an active and involved member of the Knights of Columbus. He serves as one of its local community leaders and is a Past Grand Knight of Floral Park Council #2345 and a former District Deputy of the 16th and 17th New York Districts. He served two terms as Knights of Columbus Nassau County membership coordinator and was coordinator of the New York State Council Pilgrimage to the Our Lady of the Island Shrine. Currently, Trustee Rhatigan serves as chairman of the Nassau Conference, Knights of Columbus.

Professionally, he is the benefits manager at Donald J. Fager and Associates, Inc, a New York-based provider of insurance services to the health professions. He holds the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation. Trustee Rhatigan believes this professional background provides him with valuable personal experience when the board of trustees considers the many employee relations and benefit issues.

Further, he believes his decades-long commitment to his community and his neighbors “demonstrates a sustained and proven track record upon which his neighbors can trust.”