Election 2015: First pre-primary campaign financial disclosure reports filed, Giglio is top fundraiser

Candidates involved in the Sept. 10 primary election filed their first pre-election campaign finance reports this week. (See reports here.)

Councilwoman Jodi Giglio, seeking the Republican party nod for town supervisor in the November election raised — and spent — the most money of any local candidate in the reporting period covered by the report due Monday, Aug. 10. Giglio, who held a fundraiser golf outing on July 27, reported raising $19,225 between July 12 and Aug. 6.

The councilwoman also reported spending $12,791 during the period, leaving her with a closing balance of $37,4040 in her supervisor election campaign account, Friends of Jodi Giglio.

Giglio also has $6,561 on hand in another campaign account, Jodi Giglio for Riverhead Town Council, according to the July Periodic Report on file for that committee, which made no filing for the current period. Giglio’s two running mates, Tim Hubbard and Bob Peeker, each reported receiving $1,000 contributions from the Jodi Giglio for Riverhead Town Council committee during the current period, however.

Incumbent Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter reported little activity during the current period, raising only $700 and spending only $1,700 — the bulk of that on campaign signs. He had $34,351 on hand at the close of the reporting period.

Among the three candidates for Republican town council nominations, Peeker posted the most contributions this period, with $7,930, followed by incumbent James Wooten at $7,070. Hubbard reported raising $4,960. Peeker spent twice as much as Wooten this period, though, leaving him with less money in the bank at the end of the period. Wooten reported cash on hand of $7,196, Peeker $5,415 and Hubbard $3,588.

Only two of the three candidates involved in primary elections for Riverhead Town Justice filed campaign finance reports this period. Jeanmarie Costello reported contributions of $9,717 and, after expenditures of $3,293, a closing balance of $8,286. Lori Hulse, who had $5,214 on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, reported contributions of $100, expenses of $200 and a closing balance of $5,114.

Robert Kozakiewicz, former town supervisor and current town attorney running for town justice, filed neither a campaign financial disclosure report nor a “no activity” report, which is required for a candidate whose name will appear on the ballot in the upcoming election if the candidate had no activity during the subject reporting period. Kozakiewicz also does not appear in the N.Y. State Board of Elections database as a registered candidate, nor is he or any campaign committee registered as a filer for the office of Riverhead Town Justice, according to the board’s online database.

Giglio’s top contributors this period, donating $1,000 each, were 496 Realty Corp. of Miller Place, Physical Therapy PC of Port Jefferson, Prestigious Motors of Riverhead, Suffolk County PBA and Riverhead PBA ($1,040). Henry Chlupsa, president of engineering firm Dvirka and Bartilucci contributed $940. Wayne Steck, Giglio’s partner in Eastern Property Investors, which owns Summerwind Square on Peconic Avenue, contributed $740.

Walter’s top contributor this period was Conifer Realty, the Rochester-based developer looking to build Peconic Crossing, a five-story apartment building on West Main Street on the current site of the L.I. Science Center. Conifer contributed $500 to Walter’s campaign committee.

Peeker’s and Hubbard’s top contributor was Giglio’s town council campaign committee, with $1,000 donated to each council candidate.

Wooten’s top supporters were Victor Clausen of Wading River at $1,000, Riverhead physician Joseph Duva at $500 and Colleen O’Brien of Aquebogue, who paid $600 for a fundraiser venue and another $130 for fundraiser giveaways, according to Wooten’s disclosure report.

Giglio spent more money than any other local candidate during the current reporting period. Of the $12,791 she reported spending during the period,
more than $11,500 were expended in connection with the her July 27 golf outing and dinner held at the Indian Island county golf course and Outerbanks Restaurant. She reports paying the Suffolk County Parks Department $2,244, Third Rock Management Corp. $1,550 and a company called Strategic Maneuvers $7,712, in connection with the outing.

A company owned by Giglio’s husband Michael, Third Rock Management Corp., in March 2011 won a concesstion contract with Suffolk County to operate the restaurant, bar and catering concession at Indian Island.

But Giglio said Wednesday her husband does not own the catering company, Strategic Maneuvers, that operates at the golf course.  She later contacted RiverheadLOCAL to say she’d been incorrect in that assertion. Her husband remains a “minority partner” in that company, she said.

Strategic Maneuvers LLC was formed in March 2011 and uses the golf course as its business address, according to N.Y. Department of State records.

She said her husband’s company, Third Rock Management, pays for golf carts as well as clubs given to the winners.

Gigilo said the outing drew “something like 70 or 80 golfers.”

“The price we charge per person is a lot less than what other golf courses charge,” Giglio said in an interview.

Democratic candidates are not involved in the primary election and are not required to file associated disclosure reports. Their next reports are due Oct. 2.

For candidates running in the Sept. 10 primary election, the next pre-primary disclosure report is due Aug. 31, with a post-primary report due Sept. 21.

Editor’s note: This story has been revised since it was initially published to include a correction to facts stated by Councilwoman Jodi Giglio regarding her husband’s ownership interest in the company that catered her fundraising event at the county golf course in Riverhead, where her husband has had the county concession contract since 2011.