Election Guide 2023: Meet the candidates for Town Clerk

Election Day is Nov. 7. All this week, meet the candidates.

Town Clerk  |  4 years, 3-term limit  |  SALARY: $88,038

Responsibilities: The Town Clerk’s office is responsible for recording the activities of the town government, creating and filing timely legal notices, overseeing the issuing of town permits and is the central recipient of documents filed by town residents.

Josephine P. Makowski

Party: Democratic, Working Families

Hamlet: Wading River

Occupation: Programmer Analyst 

Ms. Makowski is a first-generation Italian-American, born the seventh of eight children in Brooklyn. She lived in New York City with her family, and her parents owned a house in Wading River for many decades. She is currently employed by Suffolk County Community College as a programmer analyst. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in information systems from Dowling College and has been a union representative for Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees for many years. 

Pitch: With multiple degrees in computer information systems and more than 30 years as a public servant for Suffolk County, Ms. Makowski is excited to contribute her skills and experience to Riverhead Town Hall and join the staff in the Town Clerk’s department. She said she will maintain cost efficiency in and plans to work with other elected officials and departments to be certain that the public is notified well in advance of all meetings, notices and updates. If elected, Ms. Makowski will continue the team spirit that makes the Clerk’s office so helpful and friendly.

In her words: “With my experience, I am more than qualified to be the next Riverhead Town Clerk.”

James M. Wooten

Party: Republican, Conservative

Hamlet: Riverhead

Occupation: Retired Riverhead police officer

Mr. Wooten, a fifth generation Riverhead resident and one of six brothers, graduated from Riverhead High School in 1978. He has had a lifetime of community service stemming from over 20 years with the Riverhead Police Department, where he served as Police Benevolent Association president. 

Mr. Wooten was honored in 1996 by New York State for his work in crime prevention and was a neighborhood watch coordinator. He was twice honored by his peers as PBA Officer of the Year. Mr. Wooten is married and has one daughter.  Upon retiring from the police department, he was a bus driver for the Riverhead Central School District and served on the safety team training other drivers. 

Pitch: Mr. Wooten was elected to represent Riverhead on the Town Board in 2008 and served three terms. He was instrumental in creating the town’s two dog parks, as well as the Sound Avenue Nature Preserve. He spent years coordinating the summer concert series through his association with Riverhead Townscape Inc., and can be seen on Country Fair day helping with the Showmobile and assisting vendors. Mr. Wooten has been a member of First Congregational Church on Main Street for more than 50 years, serving as a deacon and trustee. 

In his words: “I am running for Town Clerk because it is a position that fits my personality and willingness to assist anyone who needs it.”