Cartright Earns Democrats' Nomination for Brookhaven Town Council

Valerie M. Cartright says she loves living in Port Jefferson Station.

The 37-year-old civil rights attorney has lived in Brookhaven's first council district for seven years now, having previously lived in Queens.

"I love the fact that everyone else loves where they live," Cartright said in an interview with Patch. "When I first found out there was an opportunity to purchase a home in that area, most of the people were amazing. ... They were so warm. The warm feeling of most neighbors was something that drew me to it. ... I work in Hempstead. It’s busy, a lot of traffic, more commercialized. Nothing wrong with that, but I like living in the Town of Brookhaven."

Cartright, a senior associate in the law firm of Frederick K. Brewington, earned her J.D. at Touro Law School, and before that completed her undergraduate degree in international studies at West Virginia University. She is also an adjunct instructor at St. Joseph's College and is a member of the Brookhaven Rosa Parks Democratic Association. A former board member for the nonprofit organization Erase Racism, Cartright is also president of the Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association.   

She is a survivor of breast cancer for nearly five years now, and as a result, she said she has concerns for the health of the local environment as it relates to the health of the people who live in it. "I have a key interest in making sure our environment is preserved not only for aesthetic value, but because of the fact that the keeping up of the environment is directly linked to our health," she said.

Cartright said she was excited to earn the Brookhaven Democratic Committee's nomination for the open seat on town board, which is being vacated by longtime councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld.

"I have been an advocate my entire life," she said. "I advocate for the rights of people. I advocate for their issues and concerns. I think that I bring a certain type of skill set from a broader prospective."

Anthony Parlatore, chairman of the Brookhaven Democratic Committee, said the committee was impressed with her. "I think she’s going to champion the wishes of the council district," he said. "She’s attuned to the land issues, the quality of life issues. I think she’ll be a strong advocate for the needs of the first council district. She’s an intelligent litigator. She’s not afraid of a fight."

Cartright recently sat down with Patch for a question-and-answer session.

Patch: What would you say are some of the biggest issues in council district 1 right now?
VMC: Clearly, continuing to preserve open space, preserve our environment and history. I see that there’s a huge concern with respect to the implementation of community-based planning. I think that’s very important. There are a number of other issues which are town wide. Specifically, making sure that the residents are getting what they expected when they decided to move to council district 1 or decided to stay.

Patch: What do you see as the most important role of the town government, and what does that mean to you?
VMC: I think it’s important that we have a responsive local government. Responsive to the laws of course, and to structure, but also and most importantly responsive to the needs of people that it serves. For example, some of the concerns that the community members have had as it relates to certain proposals being put forward without having full community input. It’s important that you look at it from the perspective of the community members. ... It’s important, I believe, for the government itself ... to sit back and say, 'Let’s make sure that feel they are included. Let’s make sure that we hear their voice because they are the ones who are living in this community.'

Patch: How would you characterize the relationship between the town and Stony Brook University?
VMC: From my observation, there is a working relationship between the town and the school. I think we’ve been a benefit to each other in a number of ways. I think it’s a relationship that needs to be developed, I think that we should be able to tap into the school’s resources a little bit more. Places such as Brookhaven National Lab and SBU are resources for Brookhaven and we should work to foster that relationship in every way possible. There will be times where our interests will not be aligned. At those times, I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree and move forward in the best interests of the town, but in a way that doesn’t destroy the relationship.

Patch: What's your take on safety in the greater Port Jefferson area?
VMC: One of the reasons I moved to Long Island is because I thought it would be a safer environment. When I left Queens Village, at the time there were some concerns with respect to violence and gun use and things of this nature. ... I think safety is important to our quality of life. Most residents expect to live in a safe suburban area. That is why they are here. I think we need to work alongside the police department to make sure in the areas we feel are not as safe as it could be, that the patrolling be increased, that there are measures put in place to increase safety. It’s important that communities and police have good working relationships also. The communities are the eyes and ears of what is going on, so having an alliance with the police department and members of the community is very helpful so the police know what’s going on.

Patch: What is your take on affordable housing?
VMC: That’s one of the questions the community members have been asking. Where would it be appropriate based on the dynamics of our community? I believe in affordable housing; I think it’s necessary. However, I think that it should be done in a very conscious and deliberate manner. I believe in smart growth. ... We need to sit down and get the research. We’d find out the most appropriate place for it in our town and go from there. It’s difficult because I think sometimes the view of affordable housing is not the best view. But there are so many forms. ... I think the community and the town should figure out ... how we would benefit most from affordable housing and where.

Patch: What is your goal for your campaign? How will you engage with local community groups?
VMC: I am here at this point to hear the concerns of the community – to see how it is that I can use my skill set, how it is that I can use the broader knowledge that I have to bring it into to the Town of Brookhaven. I listen to what the concerns are. Have there been any communities that have done what we’re trying to do? What has been the approach? Has it been a success or failure? I think that it’s always a helpful tool to have a comparative analysis. The Town of Brookhaven is unique in its own right; we want to stay unique, but it’s helpful to always do the necessary research. Part of my research would be to go to the civic associations and different community groups and hear what their concerns and suggestions are, and see if it’s something that falls within the jurisdiction of the town and see if there’s a way we can do this.

Stay tuned to Patch as we continue to cover the race for Brookhaven's first council district.