Eugene L. Wesnofske III

“We need our roads to be in good repair and to stay within the budget,” Wesnofske said. “I can do that. It’s a tough job to do, but I’m the man for it. I’ve got the budgeting experience and mechanical skills.” He said he would look for more efficiencies within the department, and talk with employees about where to make improvements. He said he would seek partnerships with other East End highway superintendents to see if buying jointly would bring reduced costs, look for surplus vehicles to buy and see whether it would be possible to rent or lease machinery to lower costs. “We have a tremendous amount of potholes, so I’d start a pothole hotline or pothole patrol to get the holes patched more quickly,” he said. “I’d also use hot patch, which is harder and lasts longer than cold patch, to get the job done.”

Wesnofske, 70, of Cutchogue, is making his first bid for office. He is running on the Democratic Party line. He runs a 50-acre family vegetable farm in Peconic that sells produce and flowers at a farmstand and through farmers markets. He also plows snow in the winter. He is married and has five children.