Debra L. O'Kane

O’Kane sees quality of life and environmental issues as key to maintaining Southold’s uniqueness. “I’m prepared to help advance that because I served as a community leader for 20 years in the environmental community,” she said. She would also focus on making affordable housing available to make living in town manageable for working families, and on finding solutions to transportation concerns. “With the intense traffic delays, it’s hard for locals to get around on the weekend,” O’Kane said. She likes a model adopted in Maine where there’s a public-private partnership with eco-friendly buses to transport visitors and residents, and would look at various models to find a solution that works for the town.

O’Kane, 61, of Orient, is running on the Democratic and Women’s Equality party lines. She is office administrator at a medical office and program director for the North Fork Environmental Council. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and French literature from Drew University and attended Columbia Business School’s Institute for Not-for-Profit Management’s Leadership Development Program. O’Kane is president of the North Fork Audubon Society, a member of the Southold Rotary and a member of the Southold Housing Advisory Commission. She is making her second bid for a seat on the town board. She has a daughter.