Candidate Spotlight: Councilman Jonathan Kornreich & Gary Bodenburg

Jonathan Kornreich was elected to the Brookhaven Town Council with a lopsided 85% of the vote in a March 2021 special. He is running for his first full term on the Council. 

Gary Bodenburg is entering the political sphere for the first time to take on Brookhaven’s lone elected Democrat Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook). Bodenburg faces an uphill battle in the most Democratic part of Brookhaven, but he might catch a break with intense Republican coattails in a region that has raced to the right in recent years. 

Q: What is your professional background and how does it equip you for Town Council? 

Councilman Jonathan Kornreich: One of the most important jobs on the Council is land use. In order to make good policy, we need to understand it. I have a twenty-year background in construction, construction management and real estate investment and management. I understand what makes the numbers work and not work and how things can get built or not. I also served for eleven years on the Board of the Three Village Civic Association, the last seven of which I was president. Many responsibilities, such as land use and community outreach, overlap between Council and Civic.  

I was also elected to the Three Village Board of Education for fifteen years and served as vice president. It taught me how to work with diverse opinions and come to consensus. It’s a nonpartisan environment that serves as a great marketplace for ideas. I was also vice president of the Boys and Girls Club in Port Jefferson Station. That taught me a lot because I worked face-to-face with families who have challenges. It helped me walk in the shoes of all different backgrounds.  

I was then elected to the Town Council in 2021. 

Gary Bodenburg: I’m a special education teacher and administrator and have been in the classroom for over twenty years. We provide services for not only our strongest students but also our weakest students. I think that we have to examine areas that are of most need to be able to address those concerns and do our best to support any type of member in our community. Being in a school district that is representative of Long Island as a whole – the district is very diverse – it’s important to identify those issues. Somebody who has clinical, hands-on experience with that would serve nicely on the Town Council. 

A few years ago, there was an issue where we couldn’t get ahold of our Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) at the time in relation to government overreach and removing religious exemptions from parents making the decision to vaccinate their children. It was inexcusable that we could not get in touch with him. I worked hard on Ed Flood’s (R-Port Jefferson Station) campaign, and it’s part of why I’m running now. 

Q: What would you say is your best or proudest professional accomplishment? 

Councilman Jonathan Kornreich: For many years, I know the people of Port Jefferson Station felt unseen and unheard by their Councilmember. I made it a point to meet with the civics and chamber right after I got elected. One of the things that was important to them was the train car park on the corner of 111 and 347. It was frequented by homeless people and drug users. It’s in a highly-visible location with no amenities. There was a $6-7 million plan to build the park and it sat on the shelf because it was too expensive. Piece by piece, we’ve built all the components, including landscaping, fencing, a covered stage for summer shows, now we’re going to build a parking lot. It’s important to elect people with extra-government and real-world experience. 

Gary Bodenburg: I am most proud of being able to serve a population of young people with varying needs from different environments. We have some kids who come in luxury cars and others who don’t come with lunch. I’m not only able to address their needs academically, but socially and emotionally with a comfortable learning environment. Someone who can relate to you if you’re wealthy or living on $15 a day is what we need on the Town Council. We need to be able to service all different types of people in Brookhaven.  

Q: What do you think is the most important political issue facing Brookhaven today? 

Councilman Jonathan Kornreich: Our top concern is land use. The challenge is balancing the need for redevelopment of existing real estate inventory in a way that’s coherent with the current needs of our economy against the reality that we’re at or near carrying capacity of this fragile little sandbar we live on. We have beaches that are closed all the time and we sit in traffic 24-7. Our current infrastructure as built can’t handle any more population. Residential should only be used as a catalyst for blighted commercial space.   

Gary Bodenburg: Zombie homes are a big issue; we want to maintain the appearance of our neighborhoods for people who pay very high taxes. Another issue is finishing the jobs that we start. We have projects like the 25-A Corridor project. We’ve had studies done, such as an environmental impact study, and we need to complete these projects.  

Q: What is your top priority if you win this election? 

Councilman Jonathan Kornreich: Sewer infrastructure to spur new development and revitalize blighted properties. The Suffolk Legislature needs to get their act together. Clearly, we need the bills they downvoted. I’ve heard all the hideous politics. At the end of the day, they need to quit playing politics and act like adults because Suffolk County needs this. I read summaries of the bills; I understand they’re hanging it up allocations of sewers vs. I/A systems, but let’s get the money and let’s get to work. 

Gary Bodenburg: Public safety. I’m from a family of teachers and police officers. I unapologetically “back the blue” and we need to give them the ability to do their jobs, whether that’s refining town codes or making them aware of town codes that allow them to do their jobs in the appropriate capacity. The current councilman refuses to work with the Sixth Precinct, namely in referring sites of routine criminal activity to the proper professionals. It puts everyone at a disadvantage when we don’t work with law enforcement to help make our communities safer. I will have a proud relationship with everyone at the Sixth Precinct. 

I also want to make government more accessible. Everyone will have my personal number. As an educator, we’re in the people business. On the Town Council, you’re also in the people business.  

Q: What’s your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic? 

Councilman Jonathan Kornreich: I try not to get caught up in the issue of the day. This migrant issue will come and go, just like Governor Hochul’s (D) housing plan. The different political parties have important perspectives and we make our best decisions when put those perspectives on the table and shape something out of that. This is a historic community with hundreds of years of history. What we’re seeing on Long Island is a result of lack of planning.  

“Great societies are built when people plant trees in whose shade they know they will never rest.” 

Additionally, “politics is show business for ugly people.” 

Gary Bodenburg: My grandmother was an original patriot. She was the wife of a World War II Veteran, she started AMVETS Post 18 in East Islip, and the Ladies’ Auxiliary. She won local, state, and national awards. She was an incredible woman. One thing she said that stuck with me is when she pointed to a basket of apples and she said, “You see that apple on top? The reason why that apple is on top is because of all the others on the bottom, holding that one up.”  

She never took sole credit for anything. Part of my campaign is dedicated to her and what she taught me. Whatever we achieve, we achieve together. 

Q: How do you like to connect with and enjoy your community? 

Councilman Jonathan Kornreich: My district has become a great restaurant destination because this area is one of the most diverse areas in Brookhaven. That diversity has been reflected by the entrepreneurial spirit that people have brought here with their food and culture. You drive down 25-A and it’s like the United Nations.  

Gary Bodenburg: I love being in the gym. I was also a former professional wrestler for charity events. I do like to study law and enjoy reading in my spare time.  

Old Town Pizza is a great place in Port Jefferson Station, I’ve always supported them. It’s amazing living so close to such a great area, such as the Village, the Harbor, Westmeadow Beach, and so many other places that some people don’t get to explore. I’d be very proud to represent this district.  

The Messenger thanks Councilman Jonathan Kornreich and Gary Bodenburg for taking time to sit down with us for this candidate spotlight. 
 

The Messenger’s forecast for Brookhaven Town Council, District One: Leans Democrat 

Explaining Our Forecast 

The First Council District supplies Brookhaven with its lone elected Democrat, Jonathan Kornreich. The district includes Stony Brook, Setauket, South Setauket, East Setauket, Old Field, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station, Poquott, and Belle Terre. 

Part of why we think Kornreich has an upper hand is because of the sheer partisan lean of the areas. It’s historically an intensely Democratic part of Brookhaven. 

However, to Bodenburg’s benefit, the area has shifted tremendously to the right in recent years. This year, with Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) at the top of the ticket in the County Executive race, Bodenburg could see some significant down ballot energy, as Romaine has consistently outperformed generic Republicans in this part of town. Furthermore, Anthony Figliola’s (R-East Setauket) spirited campaign in the Fifth Legislative District for Suffolk County will also likely be a significant draw for Republican voters. 

Due to sheer partisan lean, we’re inclined to give Kornreich the benefit of the doubt, albeit slightly. We don’t think this will be a typical 65-70% of the vote range for the Democratic candidate, rather we think Bodenburg holds Kornreich to a single-digit margin of victory, worst case scenario for the incumbent. 

However, given the apparent GOP spirit of this year, and the tectonic shifts occurring in northwestern Brookhaven, we believe Kornreich is the incumbent most immediately endangered by the prospect of an upset.  

To put it shortly, we wouldn’t be surprised if Kornreich won on Election Day. Then again, we wouldn’t be surprised if he also came up one or two points short as well.