Candidate Profile: Glenn Goldsmith For Southold Trustee

SOUTHOLD, NY — Suffolk County residents will be hitting the polls Tuesday to elect local representatives.

The race is on in local town and village races leading up to Election Day, which, this year, falls on Tuesday, November 5. Patch asked those running for office to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles in the days leading up to the election.

Incumbent Glenn Goldsmith, 42, of Mattituck, is a Republican running along with Nick Krupski, a Democrat, for two Southold Town Trustee seats. Goldsmith and his wife Renee and have two sons: Landon, 12, and Reid, 9. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from Qunnipiac University. He is a manager at Goldsmith's Boat Shop, Inc. with over 30 years of experience and has worked for five years as an operations administrator at Sea Tow Services International. He has served as a Southold Town Trustee for four years.

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Glenn Goldsmith below.

Patch: The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Glenn Goldsmith: The continued health and vitality of our wetlands, bays and creeks. Our marine environment is what draws many people to Southold Town and keeps those of us fortunate enough to grow up here around. Boating, fishing, swimming, and going to the beach are activities that are dependent on a healthy marine environment. Our waterways and wetlands face many challenges including excess nitrogen loading and overdevelopment that can damage this marine environment which we all cherish. I will continue to promote the use of Innovative and Alternative Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, as well as both non-turf and non-disturbance buffers that reduce the amount of nitrogen entering our wetlands. I will require the use of the latest technologies and best management practices in all construction activities within the Trustee's jurisdiction to continue to protect our marine environment.

P: What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

G: I am extremely fortunate to be running alongside Nick Krupski for this position. While we may not share the same political party affiliation, we share the same commitment to the environment and the best interests of Southold Town. Any differences we may have are overcome by our ability to work together and do what's right for Southold. I believe that embodies what local government should be all about.

P: Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

G: Experience, leadership, and results. I believe that I represent all three. I have the experience of being a trustee for the last four years, as well as over 30 years of working in the local marine industry dealing with the same issues that face the trustees on a daily basis. I have taken a leadership role in community service with my 24 years of experience as a volunteer firefighter and as Little League coach. Working together with the rest of the Board of Trustees, I have delivered results in preserving and protecting our vital wetlands.

P: What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

G: I have successfully served as a trustee for the past four years, working with the entire Board of Trustees and other branches of government to administer all activities within 100' of town wetlands and underwater lands. Working in a small family business on the water, within the trustees' jurisdiction, has prepared me for this job. It has taught me the balance between the rights of property owners and those of the environment. My experience as a volunteer firefighter has instilled the value of community service, which I believe is vital to any elected position in local government.

P: The best advice ever shared with me was ...

G: Always put the best interests of the town first.

P: What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

G: Growing up in Southold, my whole life has revolved around the marine environment. I make my living in the marine industry, as my family has done for almost 100 years. I am very familiar with the issues that the trustees face from my over 30 years of experience working on, and around the water. I am a licensed NYSDEC pesticide applicator responsible for complying with environmental regulations. I developed and implemented the stormwater pollution prevention plan for the marina. Regularly attend continuing environmental education training. Practical experience in balancing property rights and environmental rights. Come from a family with a long history of community service. Proud to be a 24 year active member of the Southold Fire Department, as well as a coach for the Mattituck/Cutchogue Little League. I believe that I bring a unique and important voice to the trustees, that of a local small businessman whose livelihood depends on the health and vitality of the marine environment. I am committed to protecting our marine environment and quality of life for my children and future generations.