Marcus A. Kaasik, Councilman, Town of Shelter Island

MARCUS A. KAASIK

Republican

BACKGROUND:

• Kaasik, 52, of Shelter Island, is seeking to fill the remaining two years of former council member Michael Bebon's term. Bebon resigned in June. This is Kaasik's third bid for a board seat. He is a member of the town Planning Board and the Baymen and Anglers Committee.
• He operates a carpentry business and is a fisherman, advocating on behalf of the baymen.
• He studied cognitive and developmental psychology at the University of Helsinki in Finland, then earned a bachelor's degree in finance and economics at Temple University.

ISSUES:

• Kaasik says the town needs to do a better job of protecting its bays by controlling runoff, pesticides and fertilizers.
• The town needs to explore tapping water at shallower depths in Silver Beach than current county law permits, he said, and encourage proper filtration in areas that have good levels of water but too many nitrates. "Maybe find a lot the town owns and put a well on it for houses nearby that struggle for water."
• The town must address the shortage of affordable housing. It's also time to bring back civility to the Town Board, he said.