LIRR watchdog group losing its chairwoman

The head of the Long Island Rail Road's watchdog group will step down next month, ending a two-year term in which she pushed the LIRR to clean up its tracks and improve communications with customers.

Maureen Michaels will leave the post of chairwoman of the LIRR Commuter Council on May 12, its next meeting. The eight-member council will vote on a new person to chair the group that day.

The council has not released the names of any candidates for the unpaid job, which has a two-year term.

Michaels, who owns the Manhattan polling firm Michaels Opinion Research, cited time demands as the primary reason she decided not to seek a second term.

"To really do it right requires a significant amount of professional time, because it's a big system and it has a lot of problems," said Michaels, who commutes daily from Cold Spring Harbor. "You can only give so much and then you have to get back to your day job."

Since she was elected chairwoman in 2009, Michaels also pushed the LIRR to clean up litter on its right-of-way, collect fares more consistently and improve communications with customers, particularly during weather-related disruptions.

Michaels said her biggest achievement may have been improving the council's dialogue with LIRR management.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

"I didn't get up every day to go to war against the railroad. I didn't think it was a productive strategy," Michaels said. "I don't want to fight. I want to reach agreements on what the problems are and what solutions are available."

In a statement, LIRR President Helena Williams called Michaels "a forceful, effective and thoughtful advocate."

"She doesn't just shoot from the hip. She smartly concentrated her efforts on larger issues that impact the most customers," Williams said.