Mayor-elect Donna Koch has first public speaking engagement at Northport Chamber meeting

At last night’s Northport Chamber of Commerce meeting, Donna Koch debuted for her first public speaking engagement since being elected the new mayor of Northport on March 15. “One of the main things that I’d like to bring between the Northport Village Board and the Northport Chamber is a sense of community, togethership, leadership,” Mayor-elect Koch said to a room full of local business owners gathered at the Wine Cellar on Main.

Since the pandemic, local business owners have expressed frustration with the board’s willingness to think outside of the box to drive more business to the area, especially in the winter months when visits from out of towners are less common. Last night, several business owners expressed interest in keeping downtown open later than 5pm so that patrons can shop after eating out or before attending a show at the theater. Right now, only a few businesses are open past dinnertime, but owners are optimistically gearing up for a busy spring and summer, as well as the opening of the long-awaited Northport Hotel.

“I know you guys have some really fabulous ideas and I want your experience with the Northport Village Board to be a positive one. The Village Board does want the Village to succeed because when the Village succeeds, we all succeed. I do have some thoughts and ideas that I’ll share later on, going down the road, but… the board is going to be there to work with you, not against you,” she said.

Ms. Koch will be officially sworn in as mayor at the April 5 Village Board of Trustees meeting.