Key vote today on fire commissioners

Elections of commissioners for more than 120 fire districts across Long Island were held Tuesday, with incumbents mostly winning re-election.

The commissioners, who collect no salaries, are responsible for drafting district budgets, determining fire protection policies and buying equipment.

The districts raise operating funds mostly through property taxes.

Here are the results as of 11:05 p.m. We'll have the full results on Wednesday.

11:05 p.m.

Setauket: Paul DiBiase wins the five-year term; Kevin Yoos wins the three-year term.

11 p.m.

Gordon Heights: Avery Dean, the incumbent, edges out challenger Joyce Bourne by one vote, 271 to 270.

Reporter Patrick Whittle, who is in Gordon Heights, tweeted:

"Celebratory atmosphere for Dean backers. 'Commissioner Avery Dean has won!' shouts bullhorn lady."

"Other things yelled into bullhorn: 'Celebrate with us,' 'We are not defeated,' 'We've done it again' and so on."

10:43 p.m.

Kings Park: Thomas Richardson wins.

10:37 p.m.

North Bellmore: A proposition to sell a heavy rescue vehicle passes. Newcomer Edward Kraus ran unopposed.

10:34 p.m.

Bellmore: John Curley defeats Allison DeQuatro, Craig Maltz and John Scalisi. A proposition to sell, trade or dispose of a 1996 Heavy Duty Rescue Truck passes.

10:30 p.m.

*Patchogue: J. Carter Biggs defeats Michael Partridge. The proposition to approve funding for three new trucks passes.

*Medford: Charles Jagde defeats Michael Cicero.

*West Hempstead: Incumbent Ronald Magarie defeats challenger William D'Alessandro by a 3-to-1 margin.

10:25 p.m.

Syosset: Challenger Richard Roseo, with 453 vote, defeats incumbent Frank Vasile with 318 votes. Robert Swanson ran unopposed.

10:20 p.m.

West Islip: Victor Paduano defeats Charles Frame, 465 to 221 votes.

10:18 p.m.

New Hyde Park: Richard A. Stein, Jr., the incumbent, holds onto his seat by a large margin, with 878 votes. Challengers Anthony Vaglica and James Devane earn 306 and 47 votes, respectively.

10:15 p.m.

*Sayville: Robert Chester wins against Mark Frappied.

*Jamesport: Leroy Anthony defeats John J. Apicello, 73 to 67 votes.

10:10 p.m.

A close race in the Meadowmere Park Fire District saw the ousting of incumbent Ruth Samuelson. Samuelson lost with 44 votes while challenger Kevin Benet brought in 47. This was a hand-vote district, with no voting machines.

10:05 p.m.

Lake Ronkonkoma: Voters approve a measure to sell $1 million in bonds to fund the purchase of pumper firefighting vehicles. Ronald Corsale defeats Fred Stahl for a five-year term.

10 p.m.

*Brentwood: Eric Raudies wins.

*Islip: Michael Leo wins with 268 votes against Phillip J. Dineen, who receives 248 votes.

*East Northport: Wayne Kaifler Sr. defeats Charles Warringer, 373 to 221 votes.

*East Islip: Thomas Drywa wins.

*Centereach: Frank Rudilosso defeats Henry Borkowski in a close race, 282 to 260 votes.

*Massapequa: Voters approve a proposition amending the district's length of service awards program by a vote of 113 in favor, 24 opposed. Newcomer Justin McCaffrey ran unopposed.

*Bohemia: Glenn Ostermann wins over Gregg Burzine.

*St. James: The proposition to amend the district's Length of Services Awards program passes.

*Hicksville: Scott Skrynecki wins election in a four-way race.

9:57 p.m.

In one of the most hostly contested races on Long Island, Manhasset-Lakeville Fire District incumbent commissioner Andrew DeMartin retains his seat, beating out challengers John Nash, Joseph Renta and Daniel Ross for one seat.

9:55 p.m.

*Westhampton Beach: Donald A. Metcalf easily wins re-election against Kevin Raynor.

*Smithtown: Robert Regulinski defeats Andrew Conticelli.

*Melville: James T. Coschignano Jr. defeats Richard Schuler.

9:50 p.m.

The Locust Valley Fire District had a close one. Commissioner Warren Ramskill was ousted by two votes and lost his seat to challenger Gregory Stimola. Ramskill received 103 votes; Stimola 105 votes. Commissioner Beverly Banker ran unopposed.

9:45 p.m.

*Sound Beach: Incumbent Phil Alaimo defeats Jeff Vlack.

*Wading River: Challenger John McManus, an ex-commissioner, defeats incumbent Ed Frost.

9:40 p.m.

*In the Levittown Fire District, incumbent Joel E. Bearman defeats challengers Andrew Booth and Matthew Weinick.

*Selden: Incumbent Dennis Carman defeats Jeffrey Berry.

*Raymond Topping Jr. wins the seat in Bridgehampton with 102 votes against Bruce Dombkowski, who receives 92 votes. Charles Butler Jr. was unopposed for treasurer.

*Miller Place: Incumbent Carol Hawat defeats Guy Schneider.

*Manorville: Challenger Thomas J. Campanaro defeats Joseph Danowski Jr.

*Holbrook: Joseph Williams, the current commissioner for Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, wins 158 votes against ex-captain Michael Tarantino's 131 votes.

9:30 p.m.

Results in contested races across the Island are starting to roll in:

*East Moriches: Michael J. Mazarakis wins over Paul R. Haines.

*In the Bethpage Fire District, incumbent commissioner F. Brian Durr defeats challenger Charles L. DiPrima.

*Dix Hills: Robert Commiso defeats Robert Adcock for a four-year term.

*In the Elmont Fire District, incumbent Frank Hrbek Jr. defeats challengers Philmon Kempadoo, Pedro Vera Jr. and Frank Lozada for a seat on the board of commissioners.

*Holstville: John Skalocky beats Ronald Rizzo.

'Everyone respects what they do'

Ron and Karen Mincio of Holbrook were among the voters trickling in and out of the Holbrook Fire Department on Tuesday night. The live across from the current fire chief and said they came out to support the department as a whole because it plays a large role in the community.

“We’re good friends with a lot of people who are EMTs,” Karen Mincio said. “Everyone respects what they do.”

In this year’s race, ex-department chief Mike Tarantino is running against Joe Williams, commissioner for Suffolk's Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services.

Barbara O’Shaughnessy, 56, of Holbrook, was supporting the department after her daughter joined the EMTs a couple of months ago. She said she voted for Tarantino.

“My daughter told me to,” she said. “She knows him. I’m going on her recommendation.”

Dottie Priest, of Holbrook, said she votes in the fire district elections when she’s aware of them. This year, she came out to vote for Tarantino, who she knows well.

“He’s a very nice man,” she said. “He’ll do a good job.”

She said she thinks more people should vote for their fire commissioners.

“If you don’t vote,” she said. “You just have to keep your mouth shut.”

--Erin Geismar

In Manhassat, voters come out as ‘civic duty’

Friends Sandra Salat, 77, and Naomi Feldheim, 76, strolled through the doors at the Manhassat-Lakeville Fire Department Company No. 3 on Prospect Street in Great Neck promptly at 3 p.m.

Both women said they came out to vote in the Manhassat-Lakeville Water and Fire District election right when the polls open because they felt it was their responsibility.

“It’s your civic duty to vote in every election that you can,” Salat said.

“I think the right to vote is a great privilege and since the suffragists go the right for women we have to exercise that right,” Feldheim added.

The district has four candidates running for commissioner. They include incumbent Andrew DeMartin, the Town of North Hempstead Public Safety commissioner; Daniel Ross, a first lieutenant of the fire department; John Nash, a firefighter in the department; and Joseph Renta, who works for the Garden City Park Water District.

Salat and Feldheim both said they voted for DeMartin.

“He was the best candidate,” said Salat, who studied up on the candidates by reading about them in local newspapers. “He made sense to me. He just seemed to really know the job and cared deeply about doing the job.”
--T.C. McCarthy