With the Greenport Village Election less than a month away, candidates vying for the mayor and two open trustee seats were invited to a meet and greet hosted by the North Fork Chamber of Commerce at the Hellenic in East Marion last night.
The candidates, including incumbent Deputy Mayor George Hubbard and Zuleyha Lillis, both running for mayor, and incumbent David Murray, Bill Swiskey, and Doug Roberts, all running for trustee seats — Jack Martilotta, who is also running for a trustee seat, was not present because was away serving the nation — each introduced themselves at the restaurant, where owner George Giannaris prepared delicious Greek fare.
Each of the candidates spoke briefly about their platforms and what they hoped to accomplish if elected. Lillis said she’s not a politician, she’s a business owner who cares and wants to work “together, to make Greenport a better place. ”
Hubbard, Jr. said he feels the board has done work and he wants to continue. “There’s a lot more work to be done,” he said, adding that if he is elected, he will allow for dialogue with the public at meetings as he’s done whenever he’d headed up a meeting in the past.
Murray spoke of his efforts at Mitchell Park Marina and also, about work on the steering committee for the upcoming Tall Ships event that will bring crowds to the village.
Roberts discussed his background and said he’s a businessman running for office because it’s a critical juncture in Greenport’s history and he wants to restore the public’s faith in government.
Finally, Swiskey said he wants to fix the sidewalks and other issues in the village and keep the park open for the public, where residents can walk their grandchildren.
Chamber members were able to direct questions to the candidates. Former Greenport Mayor David Kapell suggested the village should go back to paying the cost of clearing sidewalks in the business district, in order to keep economy vibrant during the winter months.
His wife, Eileen Kapell, also spoke, referring to this week’s village board work session where Mayor David Nyce directed police be called after a resident spoke “out of order” after the public comment period.
Kapell said she’d been threatened by Nyce with a call to the police at a Village Board meeting in the past and asked why the other members of the board had not spoken up. She said she needed to see change, not promises.
In addition, Kapell reminded the candidates that Mitchell Park is “for the people” and said she felt the park should not be used for any other than village events. Currently, a moratorium is in place regarding public assembly permits at the park while the board hears from residents who weigh in on the issue.
Rita Winkler of Vines & Branches disagreed and said such events bring people to the village and a boost during the summer months.
Richard Abatelli spoke to the Chamber, announcing two upcoming dates to put on the calendar: March 6, when the group will host a comedy night at Raphael Winery in Peconic, and March 14, when the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade kicks off in Cutchogue. He reminded members to shop local, especially during the winter months when businesses need a boost.
Reflecting on the various viewpoints discussed at the gathering, Abatelli added, in Greenport, as the needs of year-round residents and those of visitors flocking to the village merge, “balance” is critical.
Meanwhile, SoutholdLOCAL will host the first debate with both Greenport mayoral and trustee candidates next week.
The debate will take place on March 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Floyd Memorial Library in Greenport. The first hour will feature questions for trustee candidates; during the second hour, questions will be posed to the two candidates running for mayor.
SoutholdLOCAL welcomes questions from readers and suggestions of topics they’d like to see discussed at the debate. Please send your questions and suggestions in advance to Lisa@SoutholdLOCAL.com. No questions will be accepted on the night of the event.
Election Day will be held on March 18, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with voting at the Third Street Firehouse. Voter registration days will be held on March 5 from 8:30 am. until 5 p.m. and March 7 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Village Hall.
