Meet The Candidates: Yvette Aguiar For Riverhead Supervisor

RIVERHEAD, NY — Suffolk County residents will be heading to the polls Tuesday to elect local representatives and make their voices heard.

Residents will weigh in on the race to represent one of the 18 legislative districts in Suffolk County, vote for Suffolk County District Attorney and Sheriff — and choose their local town elected officials.

In advance of the election, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaign — and the results will be published as candidate profiles in the days leading up to the vote.

Incumbent Yvette Aguiar is seeking a second term as supervisor, running on the Republican and Conservative lines against challenger and incumbent Town Councilwoman Catherine Kent, who is running on the Democratic and Working Families lines.

Following is Patch's full Q&A with Yvette Aguiar:

<b> Name <b>

Yvette M. Aguiar

<b>Age (as of Election Day)</b>

62

<b>Position Sought</b>

Riverhead Supervisor

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Republican

<b>Family</b>

I live in Riverhead with my husband, Paul Carr and our two dogs, a black Lab named "River," who we are puppy raising as a future assistance dog, and a golden retriever named "Hunter".

<b>Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?</b>

No

<b>Education</b>

PhD in business administration, master's degree in public administration, Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, licensed New York State real estate agent

<b>Occupation</b>

Currently, I serve as Riverhead Town Supervisor, as an online professor at the American Military University, in the global intelligence and security management department. I am a Retired Sgt. from the New York City Police Department's counter-terrorism division.

<b>Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office</b>

Riverhead Town Supervisor

<b>Campaign website</b>

aguiar4riverhead.com

<b>Why are you seeking elective office?</b>

I am running for re-election to continue the efforts I have initiated to help move Riverhead forward. My goal is to continue maintaining financial stability and strengthening economic development, while preserving our bucolic environment with a balance.

<b>The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.</b>

As the town’s chief financial officer, lowering taxes and maintaining our financial stability is one of my primary responsibilities. In 2021, I balanced the budget to address the financial shortfalls we faced under the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent New York State audit revealed we addressed the COVID-19 pandemic shortfalls appropriately. In July of this year, the Moody’s Bond Service rating upgraded Riverhead’s financial status — the first upgrade in our town since 2003. I have submitted my budget for the fiscal year 2022, with a tax decrease. The first in over two decades.

<b>What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?</b>

Unlike my opponent who has no management, law enforcement, or finance experience. I have the knowledge, experience, and proven results to continue leading and moving our town forward. I will continue to operate in harmony with my colleagues, with our town staff and, our residents and to create solid and open legislation. I strive to hold open cohesive and interactive meetings with the public, unlike my opponent. We should never forget, we were elected by our community to solve problems, work cohesively in a nonpartisan manner with the community to move our government forward. This is our fiduciary responsibility.

My knowledge and experience as a retired Sgt. from the NYPD counter-terrorism division, a holder of a PhD in business administration, and an online professor at the American Military University in management, has provided me with the expertise, knowledge, and leadership tools needed to continue leading Riverhead.

<b>How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?</b>

In February 2020, just nine weeks into my new administration, as your new supervisor, we witnessed the global health pandemic emerge and forced us into a state that no one has ever witnessed here in Riverhead. Five months thereafter, we endured a massive tropical storm, among many other events, all of which created financial hardships and raised concerns for the safety and health of our residents. At a time when our residents were scared, confused, and were faced with limited movement and resources, we at the town level remained vigilant and determined. We worked long days to ensure our residents remained safe and were provided the services our taxpayers expected and deserved.

<b>Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.</b>

My platform and commitment rests on lowering taxes, providing services to our seniors, reducing crime, enhancing our code enforcement, and reducing overcrowded housing once the no-eviction mandate is lifted. I will continue to enhance our water infrastructure, provide opportunities/services to our youth and veterans, while creating sensible economic growth, with a balance to preserve our bucolic environment.

I will continue to transform our downtown and enhance economic development to revitalize Main St., reinvigorate small businesses, create local jobs, and boost our local economy.

I will continue to promote and preserve our bucolic environment. Regarding economic development, Riverhead is no longer will create plans that often lay on Town Hall shelves at the expense of our taxpayers. We should build on our past, move forward with actionable results, with a balance toward preservation. We should move our town forward with common sense, community involvement/engagement, and with a vision for prosperity

<b>What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?</b>

In 2021, we addressed the financial shortfalls of the pandemic. As a result, the new budget for 2022, does not contain an increase. In additional, Moody's Bond Services upgraded Riverhead's bond rating. The first since 2003. I have submitted my fiscal year 2022, which cut taxes. The first in over two decades.

On October 18, 2021, we started the demolition of the two blighted buildings opposite the Suffolk Theater, paving the way to the new Town Square. This is a significant step toward gentrifying our Main St. Our code enforcement unit has been enhanced, along with additional equipment to address overcrowded housing once the no eviction mandate is lifted.

The year-round Island Water Park, 22 years in the making, will finally open its doors during the winter. The 48-acre park will hold activities for all age groups on their 12-acre lake. It will provide 500 employment opportunities, with a restaurant, shops and an indoor surf pool. Riverhead residents will receive a discount.

Immediately after taking office, I worked with our congressman and after many years of flooding at the riverfront, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is finally addressing flooding on our riverfront.

Regarding the PFOS/PFOA water contamination of 60 homes in Manorville, I am working with both our senators, and our congressman in Washington, D.C. to obtain funding. In addition, I created a resolution to provide funds for a map and plan to ensure once funding is located, we are ready to connect the homes with clean water. I created a water forum to bring all the stakeholders to the table and keep the public informed. In addition, along with our water ouperintendent, a water conservation plan was created and the legislation has been adopted.

I worked with the county executive at the onset of the pandemic, and we successfully placed 33 of our homeless in shelters where they received shelter, food, and the health care they needed.

'When Town Hall closed due to the governor's mandate, we at Town Hall remained operational and continued to provide information to the public. We were the first East End Town to hold meetings through Zoom. The first to hold in-person council meetings, and the first to fully open in-person. In addition, in an effort to keep the public informed, we created an updated COVID-19 webpage on our Town website.

To assist our most vulnerable population, I created the Senior Riverhead Safe program, to provide essentials, food, and medicine to our seniors' doorstep. I advocated to the governor's office and the county executive for our share of vaccines for our seniors at the senior center. My efforts were successful.

I led the charge in Suffolk County for outside dining to assist our struggling restaurants, enabling them to recover some of their losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we successfully applied and received funding from the state and the county to support our new Town Square. After 30 years of wishful thinking to create a Town Square, the vision is currently becoming a reality.

I renegotiated the police and our insurance contracts in 2021, at a savings of almost $1 million dollars.

<b>The best advice ever shared with me was:</b>

“Political candidates should run for office based on their proven record, ability to lead, credentials, working with the entire Town Board and the community, not engaging their political supporters to point fingers in an effort to create fear in the community. Anything further than this is harmful to our community and an abuse of what good government stands for.”

“You became our Town Supervisor because we liked the fact that you had no political ties and never ran for office, stay true to yourself! Continue to lead us without political influence, continue working with your councilmates and the community."

“You were elected by the public to work in a non-partisan manner, solve problems, enhance our government, and work cohesively with your constituents to move our government forward. It is then that you will serve your constituents well, with honor, dignity and respect for the betterment of the entire community."

When I was elected to office, these were my guiding principles, and I will not waver!

<b>What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?</b>

I will continue to promote and preserve our bucolic environment. Regarding economic development, Riverhead is no longer creating plans that often lay on Town Hall shelves at the expense of our taxpayers or creating vanity committees, who are not engaged. We should build on our past, move forward with actionable results, all with a balance towards preservation. Furthermore, we should move our town forward with common sense, community involvement/engagement, and with a vision for prosperity for all our residents.

I will continue to maintain financial stability, work on lowering our crime rate and enhance our police department. I do not believe in defunding the police and will continue to work with our police force to provide them with the resources they need.

I am fully dedicated to working with the entire community, our town employees, our residents, and all government officials. I am honored to have received the endorsement of the Riverhead Police Benevolent Association and Newsday.