William A. Renten Jr., Superintendent of Highways, Town of Riverhead

WILLIAM A. RENTEN, JR.

Democratic

BACKGROUND:

• Renten, 59, of Aquebogue, has been a heavy-equipment operator for Riverhead Town Highway Department for about a decade. Previously, he was a maintenance mechanic in the Riverhead Water District.
• He has been a volunteer firefighter with the Riverhead Fire Department for 35 years and is currently serving as second assistant chief. Renten served four years in the U.S. Navy from 1981 to 1985.
• Renten graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in 1980.

ISSUES:

• Renten backs the town’s leaf collection program. Instead of stockpiling them, he wants to find environmentally safe ways to recycle the leaves like using existing machines to turn them into usable topsoil.
• He proposes hiring four to five workers to replace those who are retiring and expanding the staffing level to help maintain town roads.
• Renten says he would like to train all workers on how to use various equipment and tools in the highway department. He would rotate the jobs so all employees have the opportunity to work on different equipments.