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The Southampton Town Democratic Committee has announced Westhampton Beach Village Mayor Maria Moore will run for Southampton Town Supervisor. FILE PHOTO
Maria Moore, the mayor of the Village of Westhampton Beach, is looking to change her title to supervisor of the Town of Southampton.
On February 18, officials in the town’s Democratic Committee confirmed her candidacy. They expect to hold a nominating convention to make it official on February 25.
“As the mayor of Westhampton Beach for close to nine years, I’ve been able to bring people together to work for a common purpose and accomplish significant results. I look forward to the opportunity to serve the town with the same diligence,” she said via email message on Monday.
Moore added, “I’m honored that the Democratic Committee will consider my designation as their candidate for the office town supervisor on February 25.”
Moore will face off against Town Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, whose candidacy for supervisor was announced by the Republican Committee last month. McNamara will run with incumbent Councilman Rick Martel and William Parash, who is currently a Town Trustee and will seek to replace McNamara on the board.
The Democratic Party screening committee announced that Michael Anthony Iasilli, a Sag Harbor resident, and long-serving Town Trustee Bill Pell will join Moore on the Town Board ticket.
Moore was elected to helm the village in 2014. Running on the Progress For WHB Party line, she defeated incumbent Conrad Teller to become the village’s first female mayor at the age of 54. It was the very first political campaign for the then treasurer of the Westhampton Free Library and attorney.
During the campaign for that first vote, she said she wanted to help Main Street businesses and address water quality problems in nearby bays. Both became focal points of her administration.
As leader of the village, she oversaw one of its largest projects ever: a revitalization effort that crafted a brand new Main Street, replete with a much-desired sewer system. The tandem undertakings took years to plan, but once the shovels hit the ground, moved quickly.
During a recent Express Sessions event hosted by The Express News Group, Moore was lauded by community members for the achievement; one pointed out that she was on Main Street checking progress every day.
Back in 2014, she also supported accreditation for the Village Police Department, which has yet to be completed. Just as she was elected, the longtime police chief, Raymond Dean, announced his retirement. He was replaced by Trevor Gonce, who retired in 2020. Chief Steven McManus replaced him that year.
Originally from Swampscott, Massachusetts, Moore and her husband, Tom, moved to the village in 1996 and have raised their two daughters, Elizabeth and Jacqueline, there. She studied prelaw at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and studied law at Syracuse University College of Law. She is a former associate general counsel at Emigrant Savings Bank.
Also unanimously endorsed by the Democratic screening committee are John Ortiz for town justice and Ron Klausner for tax receiver. The Democratic Town Trustee slate is Rainbow Chavis, Dr. Daniel Van Arsdale, Margaret Friedlander, Bianca Collins and Will Packham.
“We’re extremely excited about our slate,” Committee Chairman Gordon Herr said Saturday night. “This is one of the best slates of candidates we’ve ever run, and we’re looking forward to a vigorous and successful campaign.”
