Recent Win Has Patchogue Mayor Thinking It's 'Getting To That Time'

PATCHOGUE, NY — In reflecting on his fourth consecutive unopposed re-election in Patchogue Village, Mayor Pontieri says it will probably be the last term that he serves on the board, but not before he sees some key projects completed.

While it is good to see the support from residents, he also would like to see some competition and questioned if residents just aren't as interested in government as they used to be.

In Tuesday's election, Pontieri and his slate, Patchogue 2024, all ran unopposed. Incumbent Kevin Weeks garnered the top amount of votes at 265, while incoming village justice, Kerri Lechtrecker, garnered the second highest amount of votes at 260.

Pontieri garnered 259 votes, and trustees Jack Krieger, Tom Ferb, Lizbeth Carrillo, and Kevin Weeks 253, 248, and 241 votes, respectively.

Weeks and Lechtrecker will serve two-year terms, while Pontieri, Krieger, Ferb, and Carrillo will serve out four-year terms.

Pontieri, 77, has served as mayor for 20 years, and 10 years before that as a trustee.

While it feels good to run unopposed, as "a competitive person," Pontieri believes it would be "nice to have to have some competition out there."

"It really makes me feel good that people have this much confidence in me," he said, adding, "But I also feel like is it because people aren't interested in government."

Not having the competition is a little weird, he says.

He did consider that maybe the residents believe he and his team are doing a good job, though.

Pontieri noted that, similar to himself, his board all have prior experience working on the village's planning and zoning boards.

"I think that that's what our strength in that we have some very smart people that understand what government is about and what good government is about," he said, adding that all of the people who are participating on other boards have an extremely important opportunity in that they can make their way up to the village board, "where all that knowledge that they gained all those years now allows itself to really show itself and flow."

"I think that's why one of the reasons the board works so well," he said. "It's that it is a group of seven people that have tremendous experience in the business."

Pontieri said it could be "getting to that time" when he steps down and retires.

On his running this time, it was more for the reason that he would like to see projects like the hotel, NYU Langone coming to the Burlington Building, and the 262 apartments across from the YMCA and Blue Point Brewery completed.

"Those are all projects that are in the planning stage," he said. "I've been involved in that. And part of my reason for staying is to complete things that we started."

Pontieri said his length of service depends on his family.

But noted that when the time comes, "There's plenty of talent on that board."

Trustee Jack Krieger, who has served as deputy mayor since 2010, said he has been proud to serve with Pontieri and will be sad, if and when, he steps down.

"He's done a great job," Krieger added.

Pontieri, a Democrat, has been credited in political circles for knowing how to work across the political aisle and cultural divide.

In the early 2000s, the once-bustling village was in an economic downturn, and suffered a second blow with the slaying of Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorean who was beaten and stabbed to death by a group of teens in an apparent hate crime that drew national media attention.

Under Pontieri's guidance, in 2010, the village began to turn around.

The government was aided by grant money, and a revitalization started, eventually turning the Main Street area into popular night spot with restaurants, bars, and breweries, anchored by the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts and the Plaza Cinema Arts Center.

Pontieri also helped herald in more house opportunities such as Artspace and New Village.