A rare contested fire district election in Montauk saw record voter turnout on Tuesday. An incumbent commissioner was re-elected for a second five-year term.
Jim Wright bested Donna Hitscherich by 25 votes, 213 to 188, after long lines of voters stretched through the Montauk Fire Department waiting to cast their ballots.
For a partial term, created when a previous commissioner resigned midyear, Tom Dess, who has served two previous terms on the board, was re-elected after running unopposed. He received 343 votes and will serve two more years.
Leading up to the vote, the race had taken a contentious turn. Ms. Hitscherich, who has more than 17 years of combined fire and paramedic service, found herself responding to concerns raised over her candidacy. Someone posted around the hamlet part of a news article, out of context, suggesting that her service to the Rockville Centre Fire Department had been marked by controversy after she pointed out that certain necessary ambulance equipment had not been installed and filed a complaint with the state.
It left a mistaken impression, Ms. Hitscherich said last week, “that I sued Rockville Centre, which is not true, and that I may have done something illegal in Rockville Centre, which is also not true.”
A 2013 letter from Joseph Lenahan, then chief of the Montauk department, confirmed that Ms. Hitscherich never received any New York State service credits or other benefits from Montauk while she was formally volunteering UpIsland, and called her an “asset” to the fire and E.M.S. service.
Mr. Wright faced questions over his own candidacy, through the lens of his residency. He is now living in East Hampton with his spouse, Dr. Ralph Gibson, who is caring for his ailing mother, but said he consulted with multiple attorneys who say his candidacy in Montauk is valid. Mr. Wright said he still owns property in the hamlet, receives mail and votes there, and that it’s his intention to move back as soon as the health care situation allows — meaning that he can still hold elected office in Montauk.
The successful candidate said in an online message yesterday that he is “grateful to all the people who supported me. Now it’s time to get back to work.”
Reached by phone, Ms. Hitscherich called it “a hard-fought campaign.”
“Community awareness continues to be raised about these important elections and important decisions that need to be made,” she said. “I learned a tremendous amount, including how much our community passionately cares about their fire and emergency medical service and appreciates all the efforts of the Montauk Fire Department. I look forward to continuing to serve my community and continuing to improve the delivery of health care services here on the East End.”
