The upcoming election is not about party politics. It’s about preserving our community and quality of life.

Are you fed up with the way this town is being run? Are you tired of the Town Board kowtowing to developers and ignoring those who live here?  Were you upset when they said no to a moratorium on development in Calverton pending the update to the town’s out-of-date comprehensive plan?  Instead they want to push ahead and develop every last square inch of this town, most notably with millions of square feet of warehouses in Calverton, topped off by the establishment of a cargo airport at EPCAL. 

If you are sick of it and want a change, you need to forget about party politics for this upcoming local election of a new supervisor and two Town Board members. Instead, think about what’s best for the Town and listen to what the candidates say they will do. Take a hard look at what the incumbents — all Republicans — have done and are poised to do, namely allow a cargo airport and distribution/logistics centers for all the New York metropolitan area here in Calverton. It seems Newark and JFK can’t handle the needed cargo air traffic so the idea is to shift it out to Riverhead. After all, as the developers all know, this Town Board bends over backwards to accommodate them. Residents be damned. 

Well, this attitude has to change or we all need to move — and fast since your homes will be worth nothing once there are cargo jets landing and taking off in Calverton.

We need folks running this Town who are responsive to the people who live here. I don’t care what party they belong to, just so long as they put Riverhead and its residents first. We have already had one ray of hope: Aguiar is stepping down and her lamentable regime is coming to a close. But, beware, two of her most committed acolytes, “shovel-ready” Kern and “battery storage booster” Rothwell, will remain on the board. Therefore, it’s essential that the three open positions, which will constitute a majority, be filled by folks who will listen to the townspeople and put their interests first. Think about it, the Democrats have endorsed Republican Justice Lori Hulse and have put Andrew Leven, a registered Republican town council candidate, on their ticket. They want to change the direction this town is going. 

This election is critical for our future. Over the next weeks and months listen to what the candidates say, assess the actions they have taken in the past. And when you vote, don’t let party affiliation be your guide. This is not a national election. If you don’t want a cargo airport at EPCAL and enormous warehouses at the end of the Long Island Expressway, give your support and your vote to the candidates who oppose those things no matter their party. This election must be about what you, the people who live here, want this town to be. Elect the folks who will put Riverhead first. What a refreshing idea!

Kathleen McGraw is a longtime summer resident in Northville. She is a member of EPCAL Watch.

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