Candidate Spotlight: Lori Devlin [VIDEO]

With the Patchogue Village Mayoral Election coming up on March 20, Patchogue Patch has sat down with all of the candidates for Q&A and for a quick video pitch on why you should vote for them. Check back to Patchogue Patch this week for spotlights on the trustee candidates from Patchogue 2012 and Residents First.

Lori Devlin

Candidate: Trustee (Incumbent)

Party: Patchogue 2012

Patch: Why have you decided to seek office and what makes you qualified to serve as a trustee/mayor?

Devlin: In my professional life I work as the regional sales manager for Winebow an importer/distributor of fine wines and spirits where I oversee $13 million in business, 600+ accounts and supervise a staff of 11 sales people. I have worked in that field for over 27 years. I have served on the Patchogue Village Planning Board from 2004-2006, the Community Development Agency Board from 2008-2010 and was elected to Trustee in 2006. During that time I have worked closely with the planning, zoning, and architectural review boards as well as with the recreation dept. I have been the liaison to the chamber’s beautification committee, implementing an extensive tree planting program that was supported by a NYS Grant. Since its inception in 2008, I have worked closely with the Patchogue Arts Council, an organization that has put Patchogue on the map as a cultural destination along with our , and . In my role with the arts council I have written several successful grant applications which have resulted in financial support for the very popular Walking Arts Tours.

Patch: What are your thoughts on Patchogue's growth over the past five years?

Devlin: I moved to Patchogue in 1985 because of what I saw as a village with great potential and over the ensuing years was frustrated by the continuing blight particularly on South Ocean Ave (my neighborhood) and with the many vacancies that persisted on Main St. Mayor Pontieri’s proactive vision is something I have been very pleased to participate in. and Bay Village are two examples of blight being replaced with new attractive housing, bringing new residents to our village. As a result we have seen many businesses open on Main St. and people from outside the village now look at Patchogue as a place to live, visit and invest. New Village at the Four Corners is truly the cornerstone of this strategy and will complete the transformation.

Patch: What are the two biggest issues Patchogue still faces?

Devlin: The completion of the new state of the art $10 million dollar sewage treatment plant was one of our greatest accomplishments. Sewer lines have been run, at no cost to the taxpayer, to many sections of the village. The issue remains how to fund additional lines and how to get homeowners hooked in at a reasonable cost. The environmental benefits are great if we can reduce the use of cesspools in our watershed area and transition to sewers in our residential neighborhoods. Of course stabilizing the tax-base is a key issue. We are stuck between unfunded mandates from NYS and the new two-percent tax-cap. The substantial growth we have seen in the last several years has produced additional tax revenue and there is more to come with Riverview and New Village at the Four Corners. By continuing to compete for funding from our federal and state officials we will ensure that village residents do not bear an undue burden for road paving and other improvements.

Patch: Are you for or against  project and why?

Devlin: I am very much in favor of New Village which brings a mixed use of street level retail & office space with a residential component. All demographic studies point to the need for high quality rental housing targeted at middle income persons, which this is! Current trends indicate that there is a great desire on the part of both young professionals and empty nesters to locate in a downtown where they can access a vibrant street-life without the burden of home maintenance. With the current difficulties in the housing market more and more people are making the choice to rent and to do so in a downtown. Tritec has already proven, by their substantial investment in 31 West Ave, that their workmanship is top-notch. They will bring the same to New Village with amenities that include a swimming pool and fitness center. Long Island is currently losing its young people to other regions where this type of living environment exists. Let’s face it, most college graduates do not want to live in someone’s basement. Local employers are looking to their elected officials at all levels to stop the brain-drain and keep our young workers on Long Island. It is truly critical for the economic success of our region as a whole which is why Suffolk County has made a substantial investment in New Village in support of a workforce housing component that is targeted at those making 80-120% of median income. The economic contribution from these new residents will be substantial and all trends indicate that they will spend their money in the village. This will strengthen our Main St, attract new business and contribute additional tax revenue. We will finally be rid of the blight that has existed for 12 years.

Patch: What kind of time commitment would you be able to put toward the mayor/trustee position?

Devlin: I currently average 20 hours a week and would continue to do so.

Patch: In what ways would you reach out to Patchogue's large Hispanic community?

Devlin: The arts are a great bridge bringing diverse groups together. In my role in with the Patchogue Arts Council, I interface with many of the local Hispanic artists whose works have been displayed in the Walking Arts Tours and in Community Connections (the old Jay’s on South Ocean Ave). In fact, the paintings of Segundo Orellana, who is known for his many murals throughout the village, are currently on display. We continue to reach out through the Lucero Foundation and other local groups and will do so in the future.

Patch: What's your goal for the makeup of Patchogue's Main Street at the end of the next four years?

Devlin: New Village will be complete and populated and that in and of itself will attract new businesses and in particular retail. The Carnegie Library will be moved to a new location on South St. behind the court and will house a cultural resource; right now I am working with Plaza Media Arts on a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts toward the goal of creating a media arts center with after school programming and production facilities. I believe that would be an ideal use. Finally, while it is not on Main St, the old Brookhaven Town Hall has great potential and I am currently in discussions with Supervisor Lesko regarding a partnership between the Patchogue Arts Council and the Town of Brookhaven whereby the building would become an arts center with workshop and studio space for artists, perhaps an instructional facility as well as exhibition, performance and office space for local non-profits.

Patch: There are many vacancies on Main Street; how would you propose enticing new businesses to open up in Patchogue?

Devlin: The economic development strategy which I have pursued along with Mayor Pontieri continues and that is two-fold: 1) By putting people who reside in close proximity to the downtown with a certain level of buying power at a critical mass; this is what is needed to attract businesses particularly retail and when the demographics are desirable we will see those higher quality stores come in as has already started. 2) Re-inventing Patchogue as a “cultural destination”. It started prior to our tenure with the Patchogue Theater, but we have built on that, first with Artspace which became the catalyst for the creation of The Patchogue Arts Council as well as the Plaza Cinema and Media Arts Center all of which are bringing visitors to our village who stay to dine and shop. As a result we have also seen an influx of new creative businesses locate in the village including: LI Pulse Magazine, , , The Gallery at , , and to name just a few. All this is in addition to the many dining establishments that have opened and thrived in the last 8 years. So I truly believe that we are on the right track!

Patch: What are three of your hobbies?

Devlin: When I am not working I like to take long walks with my camera in hand. My work life leaves time for little else, but I love what I am doing and that is what is important.

Patch: How would your best friends/family describe you?

Devlin: I am told that I am tend to think “outside the box”, am patient and compassionate and tireless in my pursuits.

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