Jan 04, 2012

Times Beacon Record

New legislator sketches priorities for the 18th District

At the Suffolk County Legislature's organizational meeting Jan. 3, Dr. William Spencer (D-Centerport) was sworn in to represent the county's 18th Legislative District, in the seat term-limited Legislator Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Neck) vacated Dec. 31.

Dr. Spencer is a pediatric ear, nose and throat surgeon, chief of otolaryngology at Huntington Hospital and the treasurer of the Suffolk County Medical Society. He also served 12 years on the board of the Huntington Housing Authority, helping low-income families find affordable housing and become self-sufficient.

Having grown up in an underserved area in West Virginia, Dr. Spencer said it has always been important for him to give back. "This is my opportunity to do that," he said. "Running for office is the perfect outlet to serve the greater community."

Dr. Spencer said he aims to be accessible and close to his constituents, and has retained Cooper's chief legislative aide, Lora Gellerstein, for continuity.

As minister of the Willow Manor Fellowship, a small nondenominational congregation in Centerport, Dr. Spencer has dealt with "young people who aren't engaged in their community," he said. During his time in office, he plans on addressing the problems of illicit drug use and gang activity in the community by looking at programs that enlist youths. He said he wants to ask businesses that receive county funds to offer apprenticeships or internships to college graduates, ultimately promoting job growth.

He also seeks to involve the county further in Huntington Station public safety. His predecessor sponsored legislation to implement the ShotSpotter gunfire-detection system to combat gun violence in Huntington Station.

The system covers a two-square-mile area with high-tech audio devices strategically placed to capture the sound of outdoor gunfire.

To further assist police and deter crime, Dr. Spencer said he wants to somehow find the technology to link ShotSpotter equipment with cameras that are already surveying the area visually. If he were to get the funding to back that idea, he said his media campaign for it would probably say, "Fire a gun and smile, you're on camera."

He also will make it a priority to find funding to upgrade Northport's sewage treatment facility and keep residents from receiving a huge tax burden. He would like the county to use its Assessment Stabilization Reserve Fund, funded through the quarter-cent sales tax, to fund the upgrade.