Clark to serve another five as fire commissioner
Keith Clark was re-elected to another 5-year term as a commissioner.
Heavy rain didn’t discourage 67 residents from giving Fire Commissioner Keith Clark a vote of confidence Tuesday night with all ballots endorsing him for another five-year term.
Mr. Clark has been a commissioner for 11 years and is currently chairman of the Shelter Island Board of Fire Commissioners. He ran unopposed and paper ballots were counted rapidly so results were in just a few minutes after the 9 p.m. poll closing.
“I’m pleased with the support,” Mr. Clark said, noting that he really appreciated so many people coming out on a night when the weather was so poor to vote for him.
While he has been serving as chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, it’s usual for that job to be passed off to the next in line, who would be Andy Reeve. That decision will be made at the board’s reorganization meeting in January.
As for the year ahead, Mr. Clark said the goal will continue to be to provide needed equipment and training to firefighters while balancing the ned for fiscal responsibility.
Since the state imposition of a 2 percent tax cap, the district has succeeded in staying within that limit, he noted.
This was the first election with no opposition in three years.
Two years ago, John Beresky ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign and last year, Mr. Beresky’s name was on the ballot, but he failed to garner enough support to unseat long-time Commissioner Andy Steinmuller.
The only major issue that raised some controversy in the past year has been a plan to have a cell tower erected at the Manhanset Firehouse on Cobbetts Lane with some residents questioning the need and others the choice of sites.
That application will go before the Town Board in 2015.
