Linwood Avenue residents press Farmingdale leaders for drainage fixes; mayor cites upcoming sump renovations

A group of Linwood Avenue residents pressed Farmingdale officials on March 4 for a firm timeline on a long-running drainage study and asked whether the village could seek county funding for their losses.

Residents asked specifically when the H2M engineering report would be completed. Mayor Ralph Ekstrand said additional soil borings — showing soil types and percolation/infiltration rates for each basin — must be added to the modeling before the final report can be issued. He said work on the Tulane Street and Jefferson Road sumps already is underway and that all three targeted sumps will be renovated by May 1.

One resident suggested the village explore Islip’s capability to pump water using a tank truck and asked whether the village could advocate for Nassau County funding to aid affected residents. Ekstrand said he would speak with County Executive Blakeman about that possibility. Other public comments at the meeting included a complaint about loud bass from a Main Street business late the previous Saturday and requests for road repairs on Waverly Place.

The board did not take a formal vote on drainage funding or a schedule beyond the mayor’s statement about the May 1 target; residents asked for a “hard date” for the final H2M report, which remains outstanding pending the additional geotechnical data Ekstrand described.