Bathroom Break at the Library

    The Amagansett Citizens Advisory Committee was pretty much talked out Monday night after a long discussion about crowds at Indian Wells Beach, but not so much so that the perennial subject of public bathrooms in the parking lot behind Main Street did not come up for an airing.

    Bathrooms were promised there as long as 12 years ago, and a $225,000 bond was floated, but nothing has come of it; and now the necessary County Health Department permits have expired and the application process must start all over.

    Over the 10-day stretch surrounding July 4, said Michael Cinque of Amagansett Wines and Spirits, at least three or four people a day asked to use his bathroom.

    At the Amagansett Library, the need was so great that one of the two toilets overflowed, “which usually doesn’t happen until August,” said Cynthia Young, the library’s director.

    “We can count on it, on a busy weekend,” Ms. Young said. “The year before last we had people lined up out the door to use the bathroom. As much as we would like to, we would never turn anyone away, but it does have an impact on the quality of life.” She said she had spent “well over $100 on toilet paper in the last two weeks.”

    Ms. Young waded in herself to help clean the bathroom. “If I could just get an allowance for shoes,” she said. “I’ve lost a couple of pairs cleaning up in there.

    Mr. Cinque also said, as he and others have before, that the parking lot behind Main Street was full to overflowing for the entire holiday and beyond, and that a single traffic control officer had boasted of writing 40 tickets, $80 apiece, for cars parked at the the end of the lot facing the field, where there are no white lines.