A second candidate emerges for Greenport mayor
A second candidate emerged for mayor in the upcoming Greenport Village elections, ensuring the race for the top position will be contested.
A second candidate for mayor has emerged in the upcoming Greenport Village elections, ensuring a contested race for the top position.
Tuesday was the final day for hopefuls to file a petition to appear on the ballot.
The records show that resident Zuleyha (Julie) Lillis is running for mayor.
Ms. Lillis has owned the JB Liquor Store on South Street in Greenport since the ’90s and her son, David Akcay, owns the Arcade on Front Street.
She will run against current Village Trustee George Hubbard Jr.
Mr. Hubbard, whose second four-year term as trustee is expiring, announced in December that he’ll seek the mayoral post. He said his family encouraged him to run for mayor, a position once held by his father, George Hubbard Sr., who died in 2008.
On Wednesday, Mr. Hubbard said he wasn’t concerned about running in a contested race.
“The voters will decide,” he said, adding that he isn’t familiar with Ms. Lillis or the reasons why she is seeking the office.
“I’m sure I’ll find out more once we start discussing the issues,” he said.
The candidates will face each other in a March 18 election to replace mayor David Nyce, who chose not to seek a third four-year term.
Ms. Lillis issued a statement about her campaign to The Suffolk Times Wednesday afternoon. It read, in part that the village must, among other things she wants to “evaluate how we can help our businesses capitalize on the growing tourism.” She said she would also seek to “cut unnecessary expense and to increase the revenue streams in order to provide greater value to the village residents” while cutting back on outside consultants and their fees.
Also on the ballot, four people are running for two open trustees seats. Incumbent David Murray is running for a second term.
Onetime board member Bill Swiskey is also running for trustee. The Fifth Street resident was elected to the board in a 2008 special election against Dave Corwin following the death of longtime trustee George Hubbard Sr., but lost his seat in the 2009 elections. In 2013, he ran for trustee again, but lost out to current board members Mary Bess Phillips and Julia Robins.
He is being challenged by Jack Martilotta, a science teacher and varsity football coach in Greenport and Sixth Street resident and education consultant Douglas Roberts.
