His term ending, Pontieri is ready to leave SCCC board

Suffolk Community College Trustee Paul Pontieri, whose current term is up later this month, says he has no interest in serving another full term on the board.

However, Pontieri, 68, who is also Patchogue village mayor, said he is happy to remain on the board until Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ready to name a successor. Pontieri says he plans to run for another term as village mayor next year but just does not want to commit to another seven year stint as a college trustee.

Given the recent board history, Pontieri may remain for a while. Cuomo only earlier this year named named Bergre Escorbores, a Brentwood school administrator, to succeed Belinda Alvarez Groneman, who had been a holdover trustee since 2010. The Republican was first appointed by Gov. George Pataki in 2004.