Joel Kessler, current chairman of the board of commissioners for the Plainview Water District, is up for re-election this year and will serve his second term as one of three commissioners of the Plainview Water District along with Commissioner Edward Shulroff and Commissioner Kevin Langberg.

As one of the commissioners, Kessler is responsible for overseeing basically everything that happens at the Plainview Water District. Although the superintendent, currently Paul Granger, runs the day-to-day operations, Granger meets with the board once a week and informs the three commissioners of the status of the water district. "Nothing is approved without the board's okay," said Kessler, who is running unopposed for a three-year term.

Kessler first got involved in the water district when a former commissioner was retiring and after conversations with the former commissioner, Kessler learned about the position and thought it sounded very interesting. "My family, including three children, drink the Plainview water supply daily," said Kessler, a lifelong Plainview resident. "Running for commissioner sounded like a good way to give back to the community as well as protect our most precious resource - water. I am looking forward to serving another three years."

With a supervisory background from his day job, Kessler had to do a lot of reading, but said that most commissioners learn as they go. "Being a good supervisor is the main skill that you need and the other things you pick up as you go," said Kessler. "There is a lot of reading involved and it is a hands-on type of thing. We all learn very quickly and it is very rewarding work."

Kessler encourages residents to drink the groundwater that Plainview has to offer and realizes that most people are very nervous about doing that based on current world events. "Bottled water is not tested as much as the groundwater and we know how safe the groundwater is," said Kessler. "Unfortunately, the bottled water has great and glamorous labels, but we test the water four times a year and are regulated by the New York State and Nassau County Health Departments and bottled water companies are not. What we are delivering to the residents of Plainview is a pristine and pure product."

Voting will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 11 between 1 and 9 p.m. at the offices of the Plainview Water District, located at 10 Manetto Hill Road, just north of Old Country Road.