Alex D. Gregor, Town of Southampton, Supervisor

INDEPENDENCE

BACKGROUND: Gregor, 60, a resident of East Quogue, has served as town highway superintendent since 2010. He is a graduate of Hampton Bays High School and the Harry B. Ward Technical Center and earned his Level One Road Master certificate from Cornell University’s Local Roads program. He is a Long Island representative for the New York State Association of Town Highway Superintendents and a member of the Suffolk County Highway Superintendents Association.

ISSUES: Gregor said that as supervisor he would allot funding for road improvements in the town and supports holding a referendum on using public money for a major upgrade to town roads. Gregor is critical of the town’s property assessment system as Southampton and Shelter Island are the only two that assess property at full value. In May, the supervisor announced a plan to freeze assessments for two years while the issue is studied. “I don’t understand why Mr. Schneiderman has not acted sooner,” Gregor said. He would also like to pursue reopening a portion of St. Andrews Road that runs through the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, which would allow drivers to use the traffic light at County Road 39 and Tuckahoe Road to make a left turn safely. Gregor said research has led him to believe it is a public road that had never been abandoned by the town. “Southampton is changing, but the rich people are not playing nice with the rest of us,” he said. “I believe everyone should be treated the same.” Gregor said he supports a referendum in Hampton Bays to decide whether to allow the Hampton Bays Water District to manage its water system or turn over operations to the Suffolk County Water Authority. He believes residents would support keeping the entity independent and stressed the need to invest in the infrastructure. “Just like roads and bridges, the water district depends on constant upgrades,” he said. “There has to be capital projects to maintain that system.”

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.