Wading River fire commish race separated by one vote
A write-in candidate has come up one vote short of unseating the incumbent chairman of the Wading River Fire District, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s fire district elections.
Commissioner Timothy Deveny edged Wading River firefighter Glenn Erick by 231 votes to 230 after the firefighter staged a write-in campaign to win the seat, according to Fire Chief Jim Evans.
Mr. Erick, as well as several fire district officials including the district secretary, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Mr. Deveny was reached by phone Wednesday morning, but declined to comment publicly on the results.
Elsewhere in town, incumbents in Riverhead and Jamesport fended off challengers for their seats, fire district officials said.
In the Riverhead Fire District, commissioner Dennis Hamill defeated challenger Kevin Barty, receiving 375 votes to Mr. Barty’s 159, according to the election results. There were two write-in votes and seven challenged ballots, fire district officials said.
Mr. Hamill has been with the department since 1972 and served as a company officer, chief and commissioner before leaving the department due to work obligations in 1991.
He rejoined the Riverhead Fire District as a commissioner in 2008.
In Jamesport, incumbent commissioner Joel Lazarus won another five-year term on the board, beating former captain John Newman 89 votes to 22.
Mr. Lazarus joined the department in 1994 and is a former captain, rescue squad leader and chief. He said he wants to follow through on projects related to keeping equipment up to date.
In Flanders, commissioner Robert Merker won re-election after running unopposed, fire district said. He earned 22 votes, with one voided ballot and one write-in vote for Brian Williams, who is already on the board.
