Catherine A. Kent, Supervisor, Town of Riverhead

CATHERINE A. KENT

Democratic

BACKGROUND:

• Kent, 65, of Baiting Hollow, a retired schoolteacher, is a Riverhead Town councilwoman. She also is running on the Working Families Party line.
• She says she lobbied state legislators for school funding by writing letters and twice visiting lawmakers in Albany. Kent was a member of the board of deacons at the Baiting Hollow Congregational Church.
• Kent earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Central Methodist University in Missouri and a master's degree from Stony Brook University.

ISSUES:

• Kent opposes the pending $40 million land sale of Enterprise Park at Calverton to venture group Calverton Aviation and Technology. She says the group has not shown the town board its development plan or demonstrated that the project is economically viable.
• She proposes hiring eight town police officers to replace those who retired and expanding the 84-person force, which includes cadets.
• Kent pledges to expand Riverhead’s water infrastructure — such as adding more water wells — to meet future demand.