West Hampton Dunes' mayor, Gary Vegliante, facing 2nd contested race since 2008

Contested elections for mayors and trustees will take place in villages across Long Island this month, including in West Hampton Dunes, where the village's incumbent mayor is facing only his second contested race since 2008. 

What began as a three-way race whittled down to two in the final weeks before the June 21 election. 

Gary Vegliante, 73, the village's only mayor in its three-decade history, faces a challenge from Irwin Krasnow, 63, who works in commercial real estate and is a member of the village’s zoning board of appeals. The village was founded in 1993.

Deputy Mayor Gary Trimarchi, 73, had sought the position but dropped out to support Krasnow.

Trimarchi and Krasnow jointly announced the decision June 7. Trimarchi's party, which includes two trustee candidates, will remain on the ballot, according to the village clerk.

“For me, it’s not about being the mayor,” Trimarchi said. “I’m doing this for the good of the village. … And this would be the best way for us to achieve control of the village.”

Trimarchi has one year remaining on his trustee term. 

Vegliante said the late change won’t affect his campaigning but added it "will make the race much harder."

Krasnow and Trimarchi both said they would likely be splitting votes and sought to consolidate for their shared goal of ousting Vegliante.

“We didn’t want to take a chance that Gary Vegliante could somehow pull this rabbit out of a hat,” Krasnow said. 

Each candidate is running in a party with two trustee candidates. Terms are four years for mayor and trustees.

Vegliante, in an earlier interview, said the community has been “virtually crime free” with a “stable” tax rate and the village’s partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has allowed its beach to remain strong.

Krasnow said, if elected, he plans to reduce the mayor's compensation package. The mayor is paid $109,365 annually, governing an area with approximately 300 mostly seasonal homes.

Vegliante’s party includes two incumbent trustees, Michael Craig and Harvey Gessin.

Krasnow’s party includes Regina Mulhearn and Howard Freedman. Their platform cites protecting homes from rising water as a top priority and notes the “disproportionate compensation” for mayor.

Trimarchi's original running mates for trustee, Priscilla Adam and Salvatore Mattioli, will still be on the ballot. 

Trustees are paid $3,000 annually.

In other contested village races:

Atlantic Beach

Three candidates are running for two Atlantic Beach village trustee seats in the June 18 election. Incumbent Edward A. Sullivan and Anthony Livreri are running on the Atlantic Beach Integrity party and Barry M. Frohlinger is running on the 4GoodGovernment Party line. The unpaid seats have two-year terms. Incumbent Mayor George J. Pappas is running unopposed.

Hewlett Harbor

Incumbent Mayor Mark Weiss is running against challenger Domenico Calandrella in the June 18 election.

Incumbent trustees Kenneth Kornblau and Thomas Cohen are running against Lorie Ruditser and Igor Noble.

The offices are unpaid and have two year terms.

Hewlett Neck

Three people are running for two trustee seats on June 18: incumbent Aaron Schnell, Edward Vilinsky and Russel Weinrib.

The offices are unpaid and have two-year terms.

Huntington Bay

Mark Dara and Michael Frawley are running in a June 18 election to replace Mayor Herb Morrow, who was elected in 1994 but is not seeking reelection. In July, Morrow confirmed the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office is investigating the use of a village-issued credit card, allegedly for personal expenses. The case is pending.

The term is two years. The mayor earns $1,500 a month.

Lawrence

Deputy Mayor Paris C. Popack is running for mayor against Shlomo Nahmias in the June 18 faceoff.

The offices are unpaid and have two-year terms.

Manorhaven

On June 18, incumbent Mayor John Popeleski will face off against trustee Jeffrey Stone for a two-year term, which comes with an annual salary of $7,000.

Incumbent trustees Harry Farina, who serves as the deputy mayor, and Monica IIdefonso are being challenged by Nancy Rozakis and Robert Swerdlow. Trustees earn $3,000, while the deputy mayor makes $4,500.

North Haven

Incumbent Mayor Chris Fiore faces a challenge to retain his post from village resident Barbara Roberts in the June 18 election.

Fiore, a retired retail executive, is seeking his second two-year term after winning a three-way mayoral race in 2022. Roberts, a co-founder of the civic organization Save Sag Harbor, spent 12 years on the Suffolk County Planning Commission representing Southampton Town.

The mayor is paid $5,000 annually.

Port Jefferson

Three candidates are running for two trustee seats in the June 18 election.

Kyle Hill, Marie Parziale and Xena S. Ugrinsky are running for the seats held by trustees Rebecca Kassay and Drew Biondo, who are not seeking reelection.

Terms are for two years, and trustees are paid $12,500 annually.

Sagaponack

Incumbent trustees Marilyn Clark and Lisa Duryea Thayer face a challenge from David G. McMillan Jr. and Mark Landis in the June 21 election.

Trustee terms are two years and are unpaid.

Sag Harbor

Four candidates are seeking two trustee seats in the June 18 election.

Incumbent trustees Edward Haye and Jeanne Kane face a challenge from Mary Ann Eddy, who serves on the village committee that advises the board on issues related to the waterfront, and Ronald Reed, a member of the village planning board.

Trustees are paid $12,000 annually. Terms are two years.

Southampton

Four candidates are seeking two trustee seats in the June 21 election.

Incumbent trustees Gina Arresta and Leonard Zinnanti face a challenge from residents Josh Belury and Edward Simioni. Zinnanti was appointed to the board last July to fill the remaining trustee term of William Manger, who was elected mayor last June.

Trustees are paid $20,500 annually. Terms are two years.

The village of Muttontown did not respond to requests for election information. 

With Carl MacGowan, Deborah S. Morris, Ted Phillips, Joe Werkmeister and Darwin Yanes

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.