Dennis Anderson wanted the elevator at the Town of Huntington parking garage fixed quicker than the four weeks it took to be repaired.
Newsday photo by Gwen Young
How would you like to do a story for those of us who are handicapped, commute on the LIRR and use the Town of Huntington parking garage? I am one of those unfortunate ones. The elevator in the North Parking Garage is often broken and this time, it has been out since July 21, forcing me to use the stairs. I wrote to the Town Supervisor on Aug. 4 but haven't received a reply.
--Dennis Anderson, Huntington
The elevator was fixed after we called the town, but we can’t take the credit.
However, we can explain in three words why it took four weeks to get fixed: Government moves s-l-o-w-l-y.
Town spokeswoman Fran Evans provided this timeline: The elevator was reported broken July 23. The next day, the elevator service used by the town assessed the problem. On July 25, it sent the town a repair quote and that same day, the town's General Services department drew up a requisition for the repairs. It was approved on July 30 and the company got the go-ahead. Parts arrived Aug. 11. Work was started that day and completed Aug. 13.
Repairs by outside contractors don’t happen overnight because procedural steps have to be followed, Evans said.
But down the road, there may be a solution. The General Services department is making a recommendation to the town board to provide more handicapped spaces on the garage level that leads directly to the train platform so anyone who is disabled won't have to use the stairs. That's actually the same suggestion that Anderson made in his letter to Supervisor Frank Petrone.
“We’re looking at other ways to make sure that if the elevator is broken, it’s not an inconvenience for people with special needs,” she said.
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