UPDATED: Greg Dickerson Wins Mattituck Fire Commissioner Election

Updated: Greg Dickerson won the election, 111-44, over John Heeg.

Polls open at 3 p.m. for an open seat with the Mattituck Board of Fire Commissioners.

John Heeg and Greg Dickerson are running to replace a seat left open by Commissioner Norman Reilly. The seat is for a five-year term.

John Heeg, a 36-year-old social studies teacher in Deer Park, has been a member of the Mattituck Fire Department for the past seven years after serving his former district in North Patchogue prior to that. He is a veteran who is currently pursuing a degree in fire protection at Suffolk Community College.

"I've been fighting fires for a while and now I want to get into the executive line," he said. "I think my background and education along with my military background are a good fit to get into this."

The 48-year-old Dickerson has served with the Mattituck Fire Department for the past 19 years.  He works at the Suffolk County Board of Elections in its payroll department, and is a former senior captain.

"This is something I've always wanted to do," he said. "I've been a supervisor with every job I've had so I've had people underneath me which is good experience, I think, for the job. I'd also like to keep taxes down and keep things affordable for my daughter, and one day her daughter and sons."

Polls are open at the Mattituck Fire District Headquarters until 9 p.m.

Also across the North Fork, East Marion, Cutchogue, Southold, Orient and Shelter Island are all holding fire commissioner elections from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. However those races are all unopposed.

The Mattituck Fire Commissioner race is the only one contested