Greenport Deputy Mayor Patrick Brennan plans 2027 mayoral run

Patrick Brennan is looking to drop “deputy” from his Greenport Village title.

Mr. Brennan, who is nearing the end of his first four-year term as trustee, said he plans to run for mayor in March 2027. He was appointed deputy mayor in 2025.

“My focus is on making sure we catch up on implementing all of the projects that have been planned that have been partially funded, and my area of expertise lends itself to that,” Mr. Brennan told The Suffolk Times. “My background is architecture and construction; I work on the waterfront now. Where the village is at, and what I bring to it, I think, is the right fit right now.”

Mayor Kevin Stuessi has said that he does not intend to run for reelection.

No other candidates have announced campaigns for the four-year mayor seat. On the ballot will also be two four-year trustee seats and one two-year trustee seat for the vacated spot caused by Julia Robins’ resignation in August.

Mr. Brennan, who also serves as warden of the Greenport Fire Department, owns Wooden Boatworks, which has locations in both Greenport and Southold.

He said his priorities include housing, recreational facilities and expanding the wastewater treatment plant, but that infrastructure is the foundation for addressing those needs.

“We need to tend to our infrastructure in order to allow those other things to actually happen,” he said.

He also hopes to continue work on the village’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, which guides development, conservation and economic growth. Mr. Brennan campaigned on the plan when he ran for trustee. The village has made progress on it during his tenure, he said, but more work remains.

“We’ve made headway on it while I’ve been a trustee, but there’s still much more work to do, and we’re in a better position now to carry that forward,” Mr. Brennan said. “That’s very important to me, so I want to prioritize that we continue getting that done.”

He also wants to address long-discussed repairs and upgrades, including the Mitchell Park bulkhead and a new ice skating rink.

Mr. Brennan said throughout his term he’s learned a great deal about “leadership and good governance,” which he said are vitally important in his role.   

He said accomplishing larger goals also requires attention to routine operations and policies. He credited Clerk Candace Hall with working with the board to review and update policies that “may seem mundane, but are necessary.”

“What I’ve learned as being a trustee is you come in with big ideas, but the reality is you have to continually address lots of smaller things that need your attention on a weekly basis,” he said.

Mr. Brennan said he has been very conscious of developing a good rapport with village staff, his fellow board members, and his constituents. 

“It’s important that I always strive to work with them and try to understand their perspectives,” he said. “I think our board has done a pretty good job at that.”

Greenport trustees unanimously approved hand-counting paper ballots for the March 2027 village election in January. Only village residents may vote in village elections.