Riverhead Supervisor Jerry Halpin and Council Member Ken Rothwell offered different approaches to developing EPCAL and handling the town’s waste, while agreeing on the need for property reassessment, farmland preservation and better court facilities during a candidates forum Thursday.
The Oct. 15 forum, hosted by the Greater Calverton Civic Association and Wading River Civic Association, covered 11 topics, from tax incentives and building-code enforcement to immigration enforcement and preparation for severe storms.
The candidates’ responses are summarized below in the order they spoke. Audio of the forum accompanies this story.
Halpin is 9 ½ months into the one-year term he won in last November’s election, in which he unseated incumbent supervisor Tim Hubbard, a victory secured by a razor-thin 37-vote margin.
The Riverhead Town supervisor’s term is two years, but the term of office on the ballot last November was a one-year term as a result of New York’s Even-Year Election Law. The law, enacted in 2024, cut the two-year supervisor’s term to one-year for the 2025 election only, requiring voters to elect a town supervisor again in 2026. The controversial law forces the realignment of local elections so that they take place in even-numbered years, to coincide with state and federal elections.
Whoever wins the Nov. 3 General Election will be elected to serve a regular two-year term.
Rothwell has served as a town council member since January 2021, when he was appointed to fill a vacancy left by the election of former council member Jodi Giglio to the State Assembly. In November 2021, he was elected to a full four-year term. Last November, he was re-elected to the Town Board for a term shortened to three years because of the Even-Year Election Law.
A new town courthouse
The candidates were asked why a new courthouse had not been prioritized, where it should be located and how the town should pay for it.
Halpin: “That is something that we need to put on the front burner in 2027, and by 2028 we need to be moving.
Halpin said the town needs to put the courthouse project on the front burner in 2027 and be moving forward by 2028. He described discussions about potential locations and a possible partnership with Suffolk County, in which the town might provide land for a shared facility. Planning should account for secure police parking, jury space and the town’s needs decades into the future, he said.
Rothwell: “It’s been a lengthy process because it has to go before the state of New York court system has to validate everything that we’re doing…there’s substantial renovations that would need to be done within that complex. “
Rothwell said explaining that state court-system requirements had contributed to the lengthy planning process. He said the board had authorized $6 million in borrowing to renovate the former Town Hall, but suggested comparing that approach with expanding the current Town Hall to accommodate the court. Selling the former building could help finance that alternative, he said. Both candidates supported replacing inadequate court facilities, but neither committed to a final location.
The budget and state tax cap
The candidates were asked what recurring expenses they would cut or revenues they would add to keep the town within the state tax cap without drawing down reserves.
Rothwell: “I have made a commitment that when I am in the supervisor seat, that I will not pierce the tax cap.”
He defended previous overrides as necessary to meet contractual obligations and uncertain costs, but criticized Halpin for signing a letter seeking changes to the state cap. Rothwell pointed to building-department improvements and development at EPCAL as ways to expand the tax base. He also cited a proposed reduction in the budget’s tax increase from 2.79% to 1.79%.
Halpin: “It’s not that I want to pierce the tax cap; it’s that I want to have a conversation about our solid waste.”
Halpin defended signing the letter as a way to draw state attention to looming disposal costs. Halpin said his proposed 2.79% increase reflected employee suggestions, a retirement incentive and budget management that allowed raises and staffing improvements while staying within the cap. He supported building-permit fee increases and said he did not believe spending cuts were necessary. Both candidates favored limiting tax increases, but differed over the value of seeking changes to the state cap.
Townwide property reassessment
The candidates were asked whether Riverhead would benefit from a townwide reassessment.
Halpin: “Yes, I believe that doing a reassessment would be beneficial.”
Halpin said reassessment would distribute the tax burden more equitably without necessarily increasing total tax collections. However, he estimated the undertaking would cost a couple of million dollars and said building-department improvements and employee initiatives had taken priority during his first months in office. He also supported hamlet studies, while emphasizing that both efforts require funding.
Rothwell: “I would absolutely support townwide reassessment program, just because that in the end, what it achieves is ultimately fairness between residents and commercial establishments and developments.”
Rothwell questioned whether some commercial properties along Route 58 were paying their fair share and pointed to assessment litigation as a burden on taxpayers. Both candidates supported reassessment, with Halpin emphasizing its cost and timing and Rothwell emphasizing fairness between commercial and residential properties. Neither offered a timetable.
IDA tax incentives and oversight
The candidates were asked how they would change the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency’s tax incentives and accountability requirements.
“I do support limiting those long-term IDA benefits,” Rothwell said.
Rothwell defended the agency as a tool for attracting employers and expanding the tax base, arguing that eliminating it would allow applicants to seek benefits from the county IDA instead. He favored shorter incentive periods, limits on the amount of benefits and filling the agency’s vacant board seat. He argued that a local agency gives Riverhead residents greater influence over decisions affecting their neighborhoods.
Halpin: “I struggle with the idea of IDA benefits for apartments, I think industry.”
Solid waste and recycling
The candidates were asked how Riverhead should prepare for shrinking landfill capacity and expand participation in food-scrap collection and composting.
Halpin: “Every home, every taxpayer needs to be involved in this.”
He emphasized reducing the waste stream through food-scrap collection, textile recycling and reuse. He described outreach to schools, hospitals and other large facilities, but acknowledged that broader efforts had not come to fruition because of questions about costs and responsibilities. He also warned that disposal pressures could lead to more illegal dumping.
Rothwell: “We’re actually giving away a commodity, so we need to revamp what we are doing in terms of recycling.”
Rothwell criticized the town’s recycling arrangements and described meetings with waste-to-energy company ReWorld, formerly Covanta. He proposed repurposing the Youngs Avenue site as an ecology and horticulture center with glass collection, mulch, topsoil, gardens and trails. While Halpin emphasized reducing waste and increasing participation, Rothwell focused on changing recycling arrangements and pursuing waste-to-energy disposal.
Preserving Sound Avenue
The candidates were asked whether the town is doing enough to preserve the Sound Avenue corridor’s rural character.
Rothwell: “I will never widen Sound Avenue.”
Rothwell said he opposes substantial development along the corridor and supported preserving farmland and agricultural views. He cited preservation work involving the 4-H property and other parcels, saying the town had approximately $19 million available for land preservation. He also supported protecting properties throughout the town, from Wading River to Jamesport.
Halpin: “We cannot preserve fast enough or enough.”
Halpin linked Riverhead’s agricultural landscape to its economy and tourism, recalling the farmland he encountered when he first visited the area. He cited the payoff of Community Preservation Fund debt and the work of the town’s farmland and open-space committees as reasons to continue acquisitions. Both candidates strongly supported preservation; Rothwell also made an explicit commitment against widening the road.
EPCAL development and data centers
The candidates were asked whether they would entertain a hypothetical $1 billion data center occupying 150 acres at EPCAL.
Halpin: “We need to develop EPCAL to not just do high tech, high paying jobs, but all tech, all paying jobs.”
Halpin said he is not currently in favor of data centers and described a broader vision involving state economic-development assistance, infrastructure improvements, expanded rail service and possible agricultural uses. He also expressed interest in attracting Newlab and said EPCAL’s development should benefit businesses throughout Riverhead.
Rothwell: “Any infrastructure that comes into the EPCAL is going to be paid for and covered by developers.”
Rothwell said he opposes taxpayer-funded rail expansion and favored concentrating on high-tech, high-paying jobs, including potential work connected to government contracts. He also warned against arrangements he said could give the state control over development and opposed EPCAL becoming a regional garbage-receiving site. Rothwell did not directly answer the data-center question, but his response marked a clear disagreement with Halpin over infrastructure financing and the range of uses the town should pursue.
Crown Sanitation fire and rebuilding
The candidates were asked about oversight of Crown’s rebuilding, environmental investigations and communication with residents following the fire at its Youngs Avenue facility.
Rothwell: “As we sit here today, the renovations that have taken place in the infrastructure, they have followed the regulations.”
Rothwell described a town-attorney-led task force coordinating with environmental, health and emergency-management agencies. He said Crown had paid fines and reimbursed fire-department expenses, while acknowledging continuing concerns about environmental conditions and the property’s future. A volunteer firefighter who responded to the fire, Rothwell also described concerns about what responders had been breathing.
Halpin: “We don’t want to rebuild poorly, and we want to make sure that they’re held accountable.”
Halpin described repeated code-enforcement visits and discussions with police and county officials. He also emphasized strengthening the town’s hazardous-materials response and adding a fire marshal. Responding to the concern raised during the EPCAL discussion, Halpin said he would not bring ash or trash onto the rail system. Both candidates supported continued oversight, but neither supplied specific environmental-testing results or a detailed account of outreach to nearby residents.
ICE activity and the town’s response
The candidates were asked whether Riverhead should adopt a plan addressing Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and community concerns.
Halpin: “How we enforce those laws will always tell the next generation of people who we were.”
Halpin defended Riverhead police and questioned whether all incidents reported as occurring in Riverhead were within town boundaries, citing calls about activity in Riverside and at the county center. He also said some alarming reports involving schools and other incidents had not been substantiated as described. He did not say whether he supported adopting a separate town response plan.
Rothwell: “If they’re picking up felony warrants, I’m all for it.”
Rothwell emphasized that town officials do not direct federal enforcement and expressed support for arresting people wanted on felony warrants regardless of citizenship. He asserted that no roundups were taking place in Riverhead and described one occasion when local police stood by at a distance during a potentially dangerous federal operation. Like Halpin, he defended the Police Department but did not directly answer whether the town should adopt a response plan.
Building without permits
The candidates were asked whether Riverhead has been effective in stopping businesses and developers from violating permits and zoning requirements.
Rothwell: “You don’t have that permit, you can’t move forward.”
Rothwell cited increased fines and State Supreme Court actions as evidence that the town holds violators accountable. He also argued that the building department needs more staff and better technology to process applications promptly, suggesting that delays contribute to frustration among applicants. Enforcement must respect property owners’ rights while requiring compliance, he said.
Halpin: “We’re not making an example of anyone. We’re just holding people to the standard.”
Halpin described supporting building inspectors and investing in document scanning and electronic permitting to make compliance easier and remove excuses for unauthorized work. Both candidates supported stronger building-department capacity and consequences for violations, with Rothwell emphasizing existing fines and litigation and Halpin emphasizing consistent standards and improved service.
Climate adaptation and storm preparedness
The candidates were asked whether Riverhead should develop a climate change adaptation and resiliency plan, including changes to building practices, land use and zoning, and how quickly they would act.
Halpin: “I don’t want to see businesses leave downtown or people that we have in this town that are good people leave because we didn’t think about these plans.”
Halpin emphasized downtown flood mitigation, recent storm damage in Wading River and the importance of protecting farms, shorelines, tourism and residents. He said he would examine the proposed adaptation plan further before offering a timetable.
Rothwell: “If a Hurricane Gloria had come through here again, this town would be devastated.”
Rothwell described concerns he raised after taking office. He emphasized emergency-response planning, financial reserves and the vulnerability of streets and electric infrastructure. He also described work on a brush-fire staging area at Veterans Memorial Park, including hydrants and proximity to EPCAL’s aviation facilities. Both candidates supported stronger preparedness, but neither committed to adopting a formal climate adaptation plan on a specified schedule.
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