Wallace Running for Re-Election as Farmingville Commissioner

Incumbent Farmingville Fire Commissioner Bob Wallace is running to retain his post on the board.

Wallace, 46, is running against John Skippon in an election that will take place Tuesday, December 13 at the Farmingville Fire Department main station located at 780 Horseblock Road.

Wallace has been a member of the fire department since January 1984 and has served in all main ranks, including chief of the department in 2005-2006. He became a commissioner in 2007 and is the current chairman of the board.

“I have the experience has a homeowner, taxpayer and small business owner,” he said. “I understand how to budget and finance. When I go to these board meetings I sit there as a taxpayer, not only as a firefighter.”

Wallace said his main concern as a commissioner is to, "provide the men and women of the department with the best gear possible while looking out for the concern of the tax payer.”

This past year the budget went up less than 1 percent.

Wallace, who has been married for 21 years and has one son, is a past president of the Chief’s Council, won the fire department’s Valor Award in 1995 – the highest honor given in Farmingville – and is a past advisor of the junior fire department in Farmingville. He is also involved with various charitable causes and community organizations from the Town of Brookhaven Interface program to being a Eucharistic minister at Resurrection Church.

You may recognize him as Santa Claus as well since he’s played the part in town for 25 years on fire trucks and at department related holiday functions. Aside from that, he’s one of the fire department’s chaplains and is part of the committee in charge of building a 9/11 memorial in front of the firehouse.

Wallace is a foreman in the Town of Brookhaven parks department and is a 1983 graduate of Sachem.

"It’s about voting for experience," Wallace said. "I believe I have more experience as a homeowner and taxpayer. I feel I understand budgeting and financing. With the age and experience I’d rather vote for experience.”