Ex-Southampton trustees seek to unseat incumbent supervisor

Former Southampton Town Trustees Raymond Overton and Fred Havemeyer have announced they are running for town supervisor.

Overton, a Republican, will compete in the November general election against the winner of a Democratic primary on Sept. 12, between Havemeyer and incumbent Jay Schneiderman.

Overton kicked off his campaign at the Southampton Town Republican Convention on May 24 after he was approached by party leadership to run.

The Westhampton resident said he wants to evaluate the town budget and make sure it is properly funding town-owned properties, police protection and new septic systems.

“That’s what they do in business: you find the greatest value for the customer, and government has to do the same thing,” Overton said.

Overton served one term as town trustee in 2014 and 2015 before losing a re-election bid. He is general manager of Quogue-based heating and plumbing company Mulco Inc. and spent 10 years as chairman of the zoning board in Mount Snow, Vermont, where he lived for 15 years.

Havemeyer announced his candidacy outside Town Hall on Monday after he said members of the Long Island Environmental Voters Forum approached him and convinced him “the town needed somebody different to have as a leader.”

The Bridgehampton resident, who has been endorsed by the Green Party, was a trustee from 2002 to 2013. Havemeyer previously worked as a professional big game sport fisherman and as the manager of a fashion photography studio. He has been retired since 2013, when he did not seek re-election as town trustee.

Havemeyer, 56, said he is concerned about increased traffic, overdevelopment and polluted waters. He said he wants the town board to work more closely with the trustees and to hire planners to analyze the town’s issues and propose solutions.

“Southampton Town has to continue to be viable economically, but if that economic viability is completely dependent on building and overdevelopment, it is causing an environmental backlash of extreme proportions,” Havemeyer said.

Schneiderman announced he was seeking re-election in February.

By Rachelle Blidner

rachelle.blidner@newsday.com@rachelleblidner

Rachelle Blidner covers Suffolk County government, politics and breaking news.