Four-year term for town supervisor will be decided by voters in 2020 election

A four-year term of office for the Riverhead Town supervisor got a green light from the town board last night.

The local law establishing the expanded term is subject to a mandatory voter referendum at the Nov. 3, 2020 general election.

If approved by voters, the person elected to the office of town supervisor in November 2021 will be elected to a four-year term. Currently, the supervisor’s term is two years, while a council member’s term is four years.

After a public hearing held last night, the board passed the measure in a 4-1 vote, with Councilwoman Jodi Giglio dissenting.

“If the public likes the way the town is going they will vote for that supervisor to get a second term,” Giglio said. “I like the idea of being able to change up the board every two years and the dynamics of the board and the leadership of the town and the direction of the town,” she said. “And because it’s been voted down so many times by the public and I hear it out there in the public that they think that if you’re doing a good job after two years they’re going to vote you in again and keep the direction of the town going, so I’m going to vote no,” Giglio said.

Riverhead voters have three times rejected board-adopted local laws increasing the supervisor’s term to four years, in referenda held in 2016, 2007 and 2005.

The town board has itself twice rejected the idea after holding public hearings on the subject — in 2009 and in 2018.

Last night’s public hearing drew comment from three residents, all supportive of the idea.

Councilman James Wooten said he can “see both sides” of the issue. “But I can tell you that two years is never enough to do anything meaningful,” Wooten said. “I think four years is a good term. I’ve always supported a four-year term although the public has not, so I will once again throw it out to the public.”