Incumbent Port Washington Water Pollution Control District Commissioner Brandon Kurz was defeated Tuesday by newcomer Joseph D’Alonzo.
D’Alonzo, president of Cow Bay Contracting, received 947 votes to Kurz’s 303, marking a decisive victory for the first-time candidate.
Kurz, who has served on the district board since 2023, faced a turbulent year involving disputes with fellow commissioners Arduino Marinelli and Melanie Cassens over his prior role as executive director of the Police Athletic League. The league holds its games at Sunset Park, which is owned by the district.
Marinelli and Cassens accused Kurz of a conflict of interest, prompting him to step down from the paid position in July and continue as a volunteer director. Kurz contended that the accusations were politically motivated, intended to distract from his concerns that the commissioners sought to transfer the park to the Town of North Hempstead.
Earlier this year, the board passed resolutions demanding Kurz prove he had ended his compensation, returned all revenue received from PAL, and refrained from discussions or votes involving the park and the league. Kurz refused to comply, leading to a lawsuit filed by Marinelli and Cassens in October to remove him from office.
Kurz’s re-election bid was briefly imperiled when he was removed from the ballot for allegedly not meeting the 25-signature requirement; only 12 of his 33 submitted signatures were deemed valid. Kurz successfully challenged that decision in court, allowing his name to remain on the ballot.
Kurz did not respond for comment to the outcome of the vote.
D’Alonzo, a lifelong Port Washington resident, said the election reflects the community’s desire for collaborative local politics.
“I feel excited, and I feel that the results spoke about how we want our local politics to look,” he said. “Local politics should be about collaborating and working with people, not divisive fear-mongering or spreading misinformation.”
D’Alonzo said he hopes to bring a calming presence to the board and focus on the district’s core mission of collecting, transporting, and treating wastewater to ensure safe discharge into Manhasset Bay. “I’d like to bring my legal background, my business background, and a more calming voice and presence so we could focus on the primary mission,” he said.
The newly elected commissioner also pledged to maintain Sunset Park as a public space. Reflecting on his campaign, D’Alonzo said, “I was nervous and afraid to run for an elective office, but my wife gave me the courage to put my name in the ring. People waited in line for over an hour to vote, and I’m humbled by that—it’s proof the process works.”
Port Washington Water Pollution Control District Chair Arduino Eddy Marinelli said he sympathizes with Kurz but hopes both Kurz and the board can move forward.
“Hopefully, we’re putting this chapter behind us for our own sake and that of the district so that we can focus on the true mission and responsibilities of a commissioner at the district and for its employees that do a thankless job every day,” Marinelli said in a statement.
