Candidate Profile: Cynthia McNamara For Southampton Town Supervisor

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Southampton Town residents will be hitting the polls soon to elect local representatives.

The race is on leading up to Election Day, which, this year, falls on Tuesday, November 7.

Patch asked those running for office to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles in the days leading up to the election.

Current Southampton Councilwoman Cynthia McNamara, a Republican, is facing off with Maria Moore, a Democrat and currently the Westhampton Beach Village Mayor, in the race for Southampton Town Supervisor, a position currently held by Jay Schneiderman.

Here is Patch's candidate profile of Cynthia McNamara:

Name

Cynthia McNamara

How old will you be as of Election Day?

45

Does your campaign have a website?

https://mcnamara4southampton.c...

What city or town do you live in?

East Quogue

What office are you seeking?

Southampton Town Supervisor

Party affiliation

Republican

Education

Graduate, Southampton High School

What is your occupation?

Southampton Town Councilwoman

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Husband Dan, married for 23 years; daughter Jocelyn, senior at Cornell University; daughter Taylor, freshman at SUNY ESF.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

Vice President, East Quogue Board of Education; Southampton Town Council

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

As a community advocate, I had to fight to be heard. As councilwoman, I have been able to create and expand committees, giving more people a voice in government. As supervisor, I want to expand on that.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Traffic. We need the LIRR to increase sidings and add trains so that more people can utilize the train. We also need to get the county to re-evaluate County Road 39. It may need to be a limited access roadway, and I would love to explore the possibility of a moveable barrier.

What needs to be done to address water quality issues on LI?

We need to create sewers in high density areas where feasible, and increase the installation of I/A systems where they aren't.

What do you think can be done to help improve our infrastructure, highways, etc.?

We need to get the main state and county roadways moving, so commercial traffic stays off of our residential streets.

How would you plan to help local business owners, who are struggling because of high rents, inflation and labor shortages?

I will work to improve the traffic issue as previously stated, and I will continue to work with our director of housing and community development to increase workforce housing in the town. I will work diligently to maximize our use of the Community Housing Fund to increase housing opportunities.

What is your stance on the current migrant situation affecting New York? And migrants were to be directed to shelters on Long Island, how would you prepare/plan for that?

The federal government has failed to act on this issue for far too long. We struggle to provide housing and services for our own residents. I would not allow the state to direct them to our area.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

I am a current councilwoman serving the town, which is 300 square miles and has a diverse population of 69,000 residents. We have a $120 million budget that I work with on a daily basis to staff our various departments and provide services to taxpayers. My legislative assignments encompass 8 departments and 9 divisions. I am the liaison to 4 of our hamlets (25,000 residents) and 10 boards and committees. I also serve as a commissioner of both the Southampton Police Department and the Hampton Bays Water District. I have a strong, working knowledge of our town government and the people it serves. I am ready to step into the role of town supervisor and lead from day one. In comparison, my opponent is the mayor of a village which is 3 square miles and has a population of 1,700. She currently oversees a $12 million budget.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

A few of the other issues I intend to address are: streamlining processes, especially in our building department; and remediating blighted properties quicker and expanding community involvement in government.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

A few of my accomplishments are: I created a trades advisory committee to give our local businesses a voice in government. I voted NO to redevelop the Bel-Aire Cove property, working to fulfill the community’s wish for a passive, waterfront park. I launched the Hometown Heroes banner program to honor our veterans while raising money for our local VFW. I helped block the county’s plan to close down lanes on CR39 for 2 years for a project lacking broad, public benefit. I steered sensible amendments to Dark Skies Legislation that protects our environment and our pocketbooks. I sponsored a Battery Energy Storage System moratorium to re-evaluate the safety and placement of these systems. And I expanded the town’s disability advisory committee to include parents of developmentally disabled children.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

You don't get what you want, you get what you work for.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

By electing me to serve as your councilwoman, you placed your faith in me and for that, I thank you. I was first approached about running for Southampton Town Supervisor not by party leaders, but by members of the community, and that means a great deal to me. It’s an affirmation that you believe in the work that I am doing on your behalf. It has been my honor to serve as your councilwoman and I hope I have earned your vote to be your next supervisor.