Tim Hubbard

The Riverhead Republican Committee has picked its slate of candidates in this year’s local election, tapping Council Member Tim Hubbard for town supervisor, Joann Waski and Denise Merrifield for council, James Wooten for town clerk and incumbents for re-election to the positions of tax assessor, tax receiver and town justice.

A disagreement over a policy issue has opened up a chasm on the Town Board, where two members have been quietly but increasingly at odds with the town supervisor for nearly a year. Things came to a head in the past week after the town supervisor accused two council members of conspiring against her because, she says, they want her job.

The beach committee, to be chaired by Councilman Tim Hubbard, will advise officials on beach improvement and solving existing problems, such as parking.

Supervisor Yvette Aguiar announced Thursday evening she will appoint her chief of staff, Devon Higgins, as her deputy supervisor. Last week she said she would name Councilman Tim Hubbard to the post.

If there’s one big life lesson everyone must learn, it is this: You just never know. A bad fall on his backyard deck almost claimed the life of Riverhead Councilman Tim Hubbard last week, rupturing his spleen and causing him to lose more than half his blood volume.

Riverhead Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith has appointed Councilwoman Catherine Kent as deputy supervisor, replacing Councilman Tim Hubbard in that role.

Deputy Supervisor Tim Hubbard said today he has changed his mind about financial disclosure by Triple Five: “It has weighed so heavily on my mind. I have gone back and forth and in my heart I know I can’t make a decision without it," he said today.

Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said she now believes company has “the experience and the wherewithal” to develop the site as an aviation technology center.

Riverhead Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith, a Democrat, said she has decided to appoint Republican Councilman Tim Hubbard as deputy supervisor.

Despite not objecting yesterday to the new supervisor's proposal to advertise for all vacancies on boards and committees, the Republican majority today moved to reappoint the town attorney and current members of the planning and zoning boards.