Donald Kurz was re-elected as a commissioner of the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District last week in an unopposed race.
Kurz, who has held the post since 1984, received all of the 126 votes cast to secure another three-year term.
“It’s really rewarding to be re-elected,” Kurz said. “There’s no doubt about it even though it’s an uncontested race. It’s a nice feeling.”
A resident of Port Washington for 65 years, his entire life, Kurz said he had always looked for ways to help out in the community.
“When the prior commissioner, Fred Falconer, died, they presented an offer to me,” he said. “And I said yes, because I wanted to help out. I was a little stunned at first about how involved you are, but I learned a lot right away.”
During Kurz’s first year with the district — the oldest water pollution control district on Long Island, founded in 1915 — it completely renovated its systems, he said.
“It was called the CA-84 bond issue and it involved a whole major renovation,” he said. “Sewers had to be cleaned and parts had to be changed. It was a big project.”
Kurz said his duties at the district change every year because the commissioners rotate the treasurer and chairman roles yearly, but he oversees most of the district’s operations equally with the other two commissioners. They each receive a $100 meeting stipend.
“We want to make sure the district isn’t wasting the taxpayers’ money,” he said. “I like to stand back and observe and show people that I’m interested in a problem that occurs, because I am.”
Kurz, the owner of Plumbing Pro Corp. on Manhasset Isle in Port Washington since 1995, inherited his father’s oil business in 1970.
“My father began to get sick and I stepped in with the help of my mom and kept building the business, had employees and accounts across Nassau County,” he said.
Kurz sold the oil business in 2001 and focused solely on Plumbing Pro.
Kurz’s mother was born in Port Washington in 1912, and his father came to the town in 1917, and he’s “loved the town his entire life,” he said.
“The water is what draws you to Port Washington,” he said. “I’ve been a member of the Manhasset Bay Sportsmen’s Club for many years and just love the area.”
Having joined the Port Washington Fire Department, specifically the Flower Hill Hose Company in 1972, Kurz once served as the captain and president, and still volunteers today.
“It’s a great feeling to volunteer, and that’s how I got involved in the Fire Department,” he said. “My father was a fireman, so it kind of just fell into place and I joined. I don’t fight many fires anymore but I did, and I was extremely active, but today it’s about helping out.”
Kurz said he encourages people to be active in their community and volunteer.
“People don’t get involved too often,” he said. “I am grateful 126 people came out to re-elect me, but more people should be voting and speaking their minds with these elections. It could have been 15,000 votes.”
“Volunteering is everything in a community,” he said. “Get involved because you want to be part of a great community, because you want to make the community better. I love being from Port Washington and I love Port Washington, always have and always will. I would like to see more people get involved.”
