Three candidates contend for two seats on Northport Village Board this March

Updated February 21, 2024 at 6:45pm to include a link to candidate Rich Boziwick's social media page.

Three candidates will be on the ballot for two four-year terms on the Northport Village Board of Trustees next month, with familiar Village face Rich Boziwick challenging incumbents Ernest Pucillo and Dave Weber Jr. 

Election day is Tuesday, March 19 with a Meet the Candidates night, hosted by the Northport Chamber of Commerce, scheduled for Tuesday, March 12, from 7 to 9pm at Northport American Legion. 

Trustee Pucillo first took his seat on the board in 2022, to fill a vacancy left by then-trustee Mercy Smith. He is currently the Commissioner of Police and Sanitation. 

On his campaign’s Facebook page, Pucillo states he is committed to providing actionable, thoughtful solutions to residents’ concerns, acting with integrity and honesty and maintaining government transparency. The trustee recently voted against the 2024-2025 budget and states on his Facebook page that he believes “we can stop unnecessary tax increases to ensure that the Village is an accessible place to live for future generations.” (The 2024-2025 budget was approved 3-2.) 

A 37-year veteran of the police department, Pucillo is an adjunct professor at Farmingdale University, teaching topics including homeland security, criminal justice, and incident command. He and his wife Perilinda raised four children in Northport Village.  

Trustee Weber is running for his second four-year term as trustee. During his time on the board, Weber has served as Commissioner of Commerce, Highways, Parks, and Docks and Waterways. He currently serves as Commissioner of Wastewater Treatment as well, and is overseeing the upgrade and expansion of the Village sewer system.

His campaign slogan is “United Northport,” a vision he hopes to fulfill by promoting collaboration and civic engagement, Weber said. “As a seasoned public servant with a track record of collaboration and inclusivity, Dave understands the importance of listening to diverse perspectives and engaging all stakeholders in the decision-making process,” reads Weber’s campaign website. 

The trustee also notes his deep roots in Northport and involvement in various community organizations, which “position him as a unifying figure who can rally residents around common causes and aspirations,” his website states. 

Joining Pucillo and Weber on the March ballot is longtime Village resident Rich Boziwick, who told the Journal last month he is running for trustee “in order to be a part of unifying the board of trustees and the Village of Northport, as a whole.” His Facebook page can be found here.

A Northport Village resident for over 40 years, Boziwick is currently chairperson of the Village Planning Board, which he has been a member of for over 25 years. He has been associated both as a runner and volunteer with the Great Cow Harbor 10K Run since the mid-1980s and is presently the race director.

Boziwick is the owner and president of family business R. P. Luce & Company Inc., a technical corporation formed in the 1950s and headquartered in Northport since 1990. He and his wife Janet raised three children here in Northport; two of them are also Village homeowners. 

As trustee, Boziwick said he would like to continue to work on developing the Village’s comprehensive plan (he is currently on the committee) while “addressing issues concerning the infrastructure improvements needed in the Village.”

Northport American Legion is located at 7 Woodside Avenue in Northport. Voting takes place on March 19 at Northport Village Hall at 224 Main Street.