Back in November, special election incumbent Republican James Mazzarella took the win for Suffolk County’s 3rd District against former Legis. Kate Browning with 66 percent of the vote and 7,525 votes to her 32 percent of the vote and 3,708 votes.

Below are compiled questions and answers from Mazzarella.

Q: What is your promise to the people?

A: I promise that I will work tirelessly to help improve the quality of life for the residents of the 3rd Legislative District. By working in collaboration with the Town of Brookhaven, I will work to remove blight from our communities and give our law enforcement the tools that they need to protect our citizens.  

Q: What are you most looking forward to for your first full term?

A: Seeing through the implementation and construction of the Forge River Watershed Sewer District.Q: How will you complete the sewer project?

A: The sewer project is well on its way, as I have helped to secure and appropriate the final funding that was required to select a contractor and move forward with the project.  It is now a matter of ensuring that the project remains on schedule. There are certain steps that must be followed closely, the most important of which is the signing of access agreements with all of the property owners. In January, I plan on organizing community meetings with residents who live within the boundaries of the sewer district and going door to door if necessary to provide information on these access agreements and work with residents to have them executed.  

Q: What do you also have planned for the Moriches area?

A: I am dedicated to preserving the bucolic character of the Moriches community. I am committed to working towards the preservation and restoration of the historic Captain Hawkins house on Montauk highway in Moriches. This is a collaboration between the Mastic Peninsula Historical Society, the town and county. It is our goal to restore this home to reflect the life and times of the Moriches area as it was in the mid-1800s and give the community an opportunity to see the historical significance of the area. 

Q: Do you have specific projects for the area?

A: I have also continued the work of my predecessor to install a left-turn signal for eastbound traffic at the Moriches bypass at Moriches Middle Island Road. This will help the traffic flow for motorists, school buses, and all traffic moving north on Moriches Middle Island Road at this intersection.  It will also benefit the traffic moving towards William Floyd Middle School, Eastport-South Manor High School, and the Heatherwood apartment complex. This left-turn signal was in high demand by the community and on track to be active by the end of this year.