Phillips, Robins Win Greenport Village Election In Close Race

The people have spoken, and, after a close Greenport Village election Tuesday, cast their ballots for Mary Bess Phillips and Julia Robins to serve as new trustees on the village board.

Three candidates vied for two open seats in the race: Incumbent Mary Bess Phillips, Julia Robins, and former board member Bill Swiskey all filed petitions to run for village trustee.

After the initial votes were counted, incumbent Phillips led the race with 174 votes; Robins received 162, and Swiskey received 148.

Next, absentee balllots were counted -- Phillips  receive 40, Robins was next with 27 and Swiskey received 23.

Total votes had Phillips in the lead with 214, Robins next with 189, and Swiskey had 171.

"I feel everyone recognized that I've been doing a lot the last four years," Phillips said. "I'm honored, and I really look forward to being as busy as I have been for the next four years."

Robins, who was not present at the ballot count, said in a phone interview after the election she wanted to thank everyone who voted for her.

"I very much look forward to serving them, as their trustee," she said. "I'm ready to go to work. I'm going to start briefing myself on the issues and things that are upcoming in the coming weeks -- it's a very busy period coming up."

Robins said she would receive help from Greenport Village Mayor David Nyce and outgoing Trustee Chris Kempner. "I'll be reading and studying," she said. "I'm a fast learner. I'm really excited."

"I wish everyone luck," Swiskey said. "We have significant problems in the village and I hope they address them."

Phillips, the owner of Alice's Fish Market in Greenport, currently serves on the board and sought to fill the seat again when her term is up this year. Robins, a real estate agent, is a member of the Greenport Village Planning Board; the race was her first run for a seat on the board. Swiskey served one year on the board previously after winning a special election for a vacant seat in 2008.

The terms for the two seats begin April 1 of this year and run through April 2 of 2017.