Gunther Ousts Naughton in Highway Superintendent Race

Peter Gunther upset William Naughton’s 25-year-reign as highway superintendent in the Town of Huntington Tuesday night by 960 votes.

Gunther, 57, a retired New York City firefighter, a fire commissioner for the Centerport Fire District and a volunteer for its fire department, was the only winner among Huntington’s Republican candidates within the town races.

Gunter won the race with 51 percent of the 35,871 votes.

The way in which the highway department handled this year’s ugly weather, which included a series of punches that began with Superstorm Sandy, followed by nor'easters and a blizzard, brought both praise and criticism for incumbent Naughton. The incumbent also faced battles with the town board. 

In recent years, the Democratic-majority town board and Naughton had been at odds over budgeting and hiring, and traded lawsuits over the extent of Naughton's authority.

Gunther thanked voters at the Republican headquarters Tuesday night after the votes were in.

In previous interviews with the newly elected highway superintendent, he said that his main goal is to improve communications within the department and to have a person answer the phone, rather than a recording in times of bad weather. He also said that he aims to create a 20-year plan to replace old equipment and create a savings plan to purchase new machinery.