The unanimous 5-0 vote came just ahead of the state-mandated Nov. 20 deadline. The town’s 2026 budget includes a 7.74% tax levy increase and a 6.74% townwide property tax rate hike.

The total operating budget will be roughly $112 million. The tax cap is exceeded in the general fund, which is increasing by $1.9 million next year, according to the town’s accounting department.

The budget exceeds the state’s 2% tax cap by approximately 4.63%, resulting in an increase of approximately $275 per year for a home valued at $735,000.

“Our police presence is up, [an] increased police force to 100 officers — it does come with a price, but we are a better town, we are a safer town. Nobody wants to see [taxes] go up, but it does pay in terms of quality of life,” Councilman Kenneth Rothwell said before voting yes on the 2026 budget.

Spending on the Riverhead Police Department is where a majority of the budget increases lie. The total police department budget for 2026 is nearly $35 million, a bump of roughly $3.1 million over this year.

“We put a lot of thought into this process. I do think there is an additional tax increase to it, but the police chief has stood before us in work sessions and stated the crime rate is down,” Mr. Rothwell said.

Throughout the budgetary process and public comments, Riverhead Town officials remained firm on the decisions made for next year’s budget and stressed that certain mandated costs were out of their control.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard — who remains in a too-close-to-call race against political newcomer Jerry Halpin — and fellow council members have blamed the increases on unavoidable health insurance premiums, state retirement rates and contractual police raises that would have otherwise forced elimination of nearly 15 town positions.

To minimize the tax cap breach, town officials denied all merit raise requests and added no new positions for 2026. The only salary increases approved were for civil service promotions and a 3.25% raise for elected officials excluding Town Board members, matching contractual increases for CSEA employees.

Mr. Hubbard also noted reductions of $319,009 in equipment and $216,000 in vehicle expenditures.

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The narrow margin from Tuesday’s election results — 3,891 to 3,870, according to unofficial results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections — went unmentioned as residents and town officials discussed the preliminary budget and tax levy override.

An automatic recount is required if the margin of victory is 20 votes or less or approximately 0.5% of votes cast, the law says. That would put the margin for an automatic recount at around 40 votes of the 7,761 cast.

The Riverhead Town Board race results are also too close to call. Both Republican incumbent candidates, Bob Kern and Kenneth Rothwell, were ahead of their Democratic challengers Mark Woolley and Kevin Shea when polls closed.

Out of 14,951 votes counted for the Riverhead Town Board races, Mr. Kern tops all four candidates with 3,907 votes. Mr. Rothwell follows with 3,833. Mr. Woolley currently has 3,759 votes, while Mr. Shea racked up 3,452.

The candidates may not know their fates until the middle of the month while military and absentee ballots are tabulated.

Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4 and received by the Board of Elections by Nov. 12. Military ballots must be received by Nov. 17. The current vote tallies include early voting and absentee ballots received by Election Day.

In a phone interview following Election Day, Mr. Hubbard said if the race demands a recount, he is hopeful it could sway in the Riverhead Republicans’ favor.

“We have to look at the final numbers when they come in, with all the absentee ballots and military ballots counted, we’re going to have to reevaluate once we have those final numbers,” Mr. Hubbard said. “But, it certainly seems like it’s going to be heading towards a recount.”

He predicted a “closer race” this year than when he first ran for town supervisor in 2023 against Angela DeVito. At that time, Hubbard won by 59% of the 8,753 votes cast.

He attributed low voter turnout to the current results and said taxes were the major issue that influenced voters the most — the same issue that dominated Thursday’s budget hearing.

The Riverhead Democratic Committee said on social media Wednesday they are waiting for the final count.

“Mark Woolley [is] in third place, for the two board seats, but final ballot counts could bump him over [Mr.] Rothwell, who only has 74 votes over Mark,” the committee wrote on Facebook. “The official results of the election will not be known for weeks.”

The Riverhead News-Review reached out to the Suffolk County Board of Elections to confirm outstanding ballot totals. A representative said Friday the office has been “busy” over the last few day due to an influx of inquiries. They will not able to respond to the information request until next week, the rep said.

At Thursday’s public hearing on the tax levy override and preliminary 2026 budget, residents expressed frustration over the town once again piercing the tax cap.

“Ignoring the taxpayers is disrespectful and costly,” said Claudette Bianco of Baiting Hollow. “People are angry.”

Mr. Hubbard and other town officials explained there was no way around the increase, as state mandated rises in health insurance premiums, state retirement rates and contractual police raises were unavoidable. The other avenue would have been to lay off 15 town employees, the officials said.

The supervisor had expressed the same sentiment in the phone interview after the close election night battle.

“It doesn’t matter who’s sitting in that chair, it’s going to be the same problem whoever is sitting there. “Unfortunately, people don’t like to pay more taxes, neither do I, and I understand that, but there’s a reality to all of this,” he said. “It’s raising taxes, or laying people off, and I wasn’t in a position to lay anybody off. I didn’t feel that was the right thing to do because we’re barebones staffed as it is.”

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Jerry Halpin, the lead minister at North Shore Christian Church in Riverhead, maintained a slim margin over incumbent Supervisor Tim Hubbard on Wednesday afternoon as one of the closest races in town history remained too close to call.

The political novice held a 21-vote lead — 3,891 to 3,870 — as of 1 p.m., according to unofficial results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

The razor-thin margin kept both parties on edge late into Tuesday night as technical issues with card readers in two election districts delayed final results.

At 11:35 p.m., Riverhead Republican Committee chair Tammy Robinkoff said she received word from the Suffolk County Board of Elections that there was a problem with election districts 12 and 22, where 200 votes remained outstanding.

Officials are also still counting absentee and military ballots.

The tight margin may trigger an automatic recount, according to New York State election law.

“It’s still a decent level of uncertainty because we still don’t know for sure, and we won’t know for some time,” Mr. Hubbard said Wednesday.

“In a race that close, you know if it demands a recount, we remain hopeful that it’s going to go in our favor,” he added. 

Mr. Halpin, an independent candidate who ran on the Democratic line, expressed his gratitude for residents who “made it a priority to vote.” 

“I am excited about the current standings, and I am patiently optimistic as we wait for a final decision,” Mr. Halpin, who has worked in nonprofit leadership as a pastor for more than 30 years, said in a text on Wednesday. 

Ms. Robinkoff was still keeping the faith for a comeback by Mr. Hubbard. 

She said Tuesday at the Republican watch party at Stonewall’s Restaurant in Riverhead that none of the candidates would concede until all the results were in.

By 11:15 p.m., the atmosphere at the Republican watch party had grown somber as the crowd started to thin out.

Mr. Hubbard, as well as Councilmen Bob Kern and Kenneth Rothwell, stayed until the very end of the night. 

Mr. Hubbard stepped outside for air before Ms. Robinkoff made her announcement. At 11 p.m., the two candidates were separated by just six votes.

He noted the waiting was “a painful process.”

Out of 14,951 votes counted so far for the Riverhead Town Board races, Mr. Kern tops all four candidates with 3,907 votes. Mr. Rothwell follows just behind him with 3,833. Both incumbents look poised to fend off Dem challengers Kevin Shea and Mark Woolley, Mr. Hubbard’s brother-in-law. 

Mr. Woolley currently has 3,759 votes, while Mr. Shea racked up 3,452.

Mr. Rothwell and Mr. Kern, who both ran for a second four-year term, were both elected in 2021 and have played critical roles in making decisions that shape Riverhead’s future. 

Mr. Hubbard said he remains hopeful he’ll get to work again with Mr. Kern and Mr. Rothwell.

“I’m certainly glad to see them both in the lead because I think they’ve done a fantastic job as board members, and I think they will continue to do the same,” he said Wednesday.

Mr. Hubbard served eight years on the Town Board as a councilman and was deputy town supervisor in 2018. He has served as Riverhead Town Supervisor since he was first elected in 2023. Downtown revitalization has been one of Mr. Hubbard’s top priorities, as well as continuing to improve public safety. 

Like Mr. Halpin, Mr. Shea and Mr. Woolley entered the ring of this competitive race as newcomers. Mr. Shea, of Baiting Hollow, is a retired New York City firefighter and 9/11 first responder, and a staunch environmental steward.

Mr. Woolley, a Riverhead native, is a seasoned government liaison who has worked with six different members of Congress.

In other Riverhead races, Laverne Tennenberg and Mike Zaleski both ran unopposed for town assessor and highway department superintendent, respectively. 

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Mr. Hubbard served eight years on the Town Board as a councilman and was deputy town supervisor in 2018. When he took his oath as Riverhead Town Supervisor in 2023, he pledged transparency in government, civility in town board meetings and action.

When reviewing resolutions, the supervisor said he likes to look at the big picture before making a decision. The question he always asks himself before settling on his yes or no vote is: “Is it good for the town of Riverhead?”

“I fully and wholeheartedly believe that if it’s going to be a good venture, good investment or good development for the town, that’s when I will get behind it,” Mr. Hubbard said. 

Downtown revitalization is one of Mr. Hubbard’s priorities and working to get the entire Town Square project activated has been paramount.

Another goal when he was first elected was to improve public safety. In the past decade, up to 100 new police officers, as well as a new chief and captain, have been sworn into the Riverhead Police Department. He credits lowered town crime rates to the town’s investment in law enforcement.

“The difference down on Main Street right now is incredible,” Mr. Hubbard said. “We’ve doubled foot patrols, we have the [police chief] himself coming out and walking down Main Street, stopping into businesses and talking to the business owners … It’s boots on the ground.” 

Mr. Hubbard described balancing preservation and development as a “double-edged sword.” The more land taken off the tax rolls through preservation, he said, the less money is coming into the tax base.

“I would love to see Jamesport and Aquebogue stay as rural as they could be. Wading River, Calverton and Baiting Hollow, stay as rural as they can be,” Mr. Hubbard said. “The main focus should be downtown Riverhead and Route 58 and also EPCAL — that’s where we should be developing the tax base.” 

When discussing the Riverhead IDA, he said the agency should attract businesses the town doesn’t already have on vacant land.

“At the end of the day, if it’s going to provide well-paying jobs, you have to weigh that against some other developments that come in and want IDA benefits just because they want a tax break,” Mr. Hubbard said. “I don’t necessarily agree with those types of developments. If it’s something new and something that the town is going to benefit from in the long run, I’m all for it.”

Although there is not much movement on the EPCAL development front due to the pending litigation with Triple Five Group, achieving the vision of the property transforming into an economic driver for Riverhead is still on the table for Mr. Hubbard. When he was on the town board as a councilman in 2018, he voted yes to the developer being qualified and eligible, but against the CAT contract deal in 2023. Today, he still stands behind that decision. 

Amid the 2024 lawsuit between Southampton and Riverhead over the proposed high-density Riverside development and sewer district, recently dismissed by a Suffolk County Supreme Court judge, Mr. Hubbard cleared up some misconceptions about the relationship between the two municipalities, stating he and Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore are in frequent communication.

On immigration, Mr. Hubbard said if U.S. borders become more secure, he would consider removing the emergency executive order issued by his predecessor in 2023.

“If you’re here illegally, you should probably be looking over your shoulder,” Mr. Hubbard said. “And that’s a matter of fact … We have a high Hispanic population in the town of Riverhead, and many, many excellent Hispanic people have come to the town, made a life for themselves, and those are the people we want to take care of. I ride by and I’ll see [food lines] at the First Baptist Church and the line of cars down the road waiting to get food is incredible. We can’t take care of our own, so I don’t think our doors should be open to taking more people in.”

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Mr. Kern said he continues to focus on ways he can keep the town up-to-date, specifically on revising certain codes, fees and fines that haven’t been changed in decades. 

Taking inspiration from other municipalities like Mamaroneck in Westchester County, the councilman said he hopes to establish a CPI-adjusted fee schedule with every town department by the end of the year. 

These fee schedules are updated to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation. 

“I’m astonished that some of our fees haven’t changed in 20, 30 years,” Mr. Kern said. “From a business sense, if you ran your business like this, you’d be out of business within months. When you run a town like this, you’re really losing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year that goes onto the backs of the taxpayers — I’m ending that.”

Providing clean water to Riverhead residents remains a top priority for Mr. Kern, including putting pressure on the U.S. Navy to address the ongoing cleanup on the former Grumman site. 

When Mr. Kern was the president of the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce, he served on the Restoration Advisory Board for four years. This allows more discussion of all environmental efforts and allows community members to have input in the cleanup process.  

The RAB would meet over three times a year, but once Mr. Kern was elected to the town board, he said he pushed to meet with the U.S. Navy on a more regular basis. 

The councilman is also concerned about the high level of PFAs detected in McKay Lake and the potential migration of these chemicals into the Peconic River. Mr. Kern said he is working to find ways to accelerate cleanup efforts. 

“This is over 20 years without a proper cleanup,” Mr. Kern said. “PFAs attach themselves to living organisms and just kill them. I’m concerned about the fish, the shellfish, I’m concerned about tourism — it’s going to kill it.” 

To kickstart efforts to bring high-tech jobs to Riverhead’s industrial land, Mr. Kern said he organized the town’s Emerging Technology Committee last year in partnership with Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook. The purpose of the committee is to advise the town on renewable energy and other new technology that could potentially be implemented. 

Mr. Kern is not in favor of an abundance of big housing developments because of the pressure it puts on the area schools. He is apprehensive about the planned large-scale, high-density development project in Riverside and its potentially overwhelming impact to downtown Riverhead and the town’s school district. 

“The school tax is 54% of our budget, which is huge. That will probably go up when we get the real numbers at the end of the year — that’s a big problem,” Mr. Kern said. 

As the East End changes, so does the land. Mr. Kern said Riverhead has a lot of preserved parcels, and there are ongoing efforts to preserve more. However, as the town board liaison for the Agricultural Advisory Committee, Mr. Kern said he worries about local farmers and wants to support them. 

“I encourage farmers all the time to create products out of what they’re growing, because that is going to help them keep their land,” he said. 

He said he is interested in looking into appropriate ways to raise more money on preserved land and has researched innovative approaches, such as agrivoltaics projects that promote dual use of land for solar energy and agriculture. 

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“Everyone has a fundamental need to live in a home where they don’t have a hole in the roof, so they can take care of the kids, get to go to school and they can make a life for themselves,” said Mr. Shea.

Mr. Shea said maintaining Riverhead’s rural character, enhancing public safety and mitigating community economic and housing issues would be his main priorities if elected to the Town Board. When it comes to new development, he advocates for more scrutiny of businesses to ensure they are a net positive for Riverhead.

“If you really want to come in here, you really got to say that you love having business here, for [both] the short-term and long-term benefits that it provides, not just for the short-term income net that’s coming in,” Mr. Shea said.

He hopes his campaign encourages higher voter turnout and inspires others — especially younger and disenfranchised voters — to be more civically involved. He plans to meet with constituents regularly to learn all their concerns.

“We know that the things out there in the federal level in the state level do affect us, right? I’m going to make myself available because I’m going to have to listen,” said Mr. Shea.

Mr. Shea said he remains a champion for the environment and would push for more renewable energy projects, green infrastructure and flood resilience measures to prepare Riverhead Town for potential environmental threats in the future.

“I’m a person that’s first focusing on public safety and public health of all the residents. We need to do something, you need to have coalitions that you work with, you need to have the people that are the administration, the people like the planning department, or any department,” said Mr. Shea. “Like we have the the environmental advisory committee. We need to make sure that we talk with them, to find out things that we can do as a town.”

When it comes to the security of Riverhead’s immigrant population, Mr. Shea stated he does not support raids, as they undermine the sense of safety necessary to function as a community.

“It’s unacceptable behavior going around taking people at their work, outside of a Home Depot, at the schools, which interfere because you slow down the whole process of a community process, having a cohesive community,” said Mr. Shea.

Mr. Shea’s endorsement by the Long Island Democratic Socialists of America, a division of the national organization of the same name, stirred some controversy early in his campaign. Mr. Shea stated that he joined the organization out of a desire to know more about their perspectives.

“I wanted to know, because I just got into the Democrats. I want to know what the other spectrums are,” said Mr. Shea. “I did listen to the words coming from Bernie Sanders, when he was running for president, so I wanted to learn more about what they believed in, because every party and association has their values and interests.”

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Mr. Rothwell is running for his second four-year term. He was first appointed to the Riverhead Town Board in 2021 for a one-year term, filling the seat left vacant by Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio. Although a learning curve for the local funeral home director, he said this first year was “a nice introduction to town government.” 

“There were issues [in Riverhead] that seemed to just be repetitive over the years,” Mr. Rothwell said. “Continuously talking about downtown, continuously talking about the EPCAL property, and it just seemed like Riverhead was spinning their wheels.”

In his first campaign, Mr. Rothwell said he wanted to help revitalize Riverhead’s downtown and get the wheels turning towards a comprehensive plan for the new Town Square. Four years later, the demolition phase of the long-awaited project is on the horizon. 

“The ultimate way to get everything started was we had to apply for grant funding,” Mr. Rothwell said. “I’m proud to say that since I’ve been in office, we’ve gotten over $50 million in grant money — that’s unheard of for any small local town to achieve.” 

As a volunteer firefighter with the Wading River Fire Department for over 20 years, Mr. Rothwell said he understands the critical resources and equipment local first responders need to handle emergencies. 

The councilman said he has been instrumental in the design process and in helping secure donations for Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps new headquarters on Osborn Avenue. So far, the project has raised over $2 million, with matching donors. 

In order to ease any burden on the taxpayer, Mr. Rothwell worked with RVAC to create a self-sustaining medical billing system to help pay off the remainder of the bond for the project. 

When it comes to the development of the EPCAL property, Mr. Rothwell said while it is important to bring in high-tech, high-paying jobs in the area, it is equally critical to protect its natural habitats and species. 

He acknowledged that throughout Riverhead Town, farmers are struggling. There have been discussions within the Agricultural Advisory Committee about a Transferable Development Rights program, where farmers receive financial incentives to preserve a portion of their land, while development can happen in appropriate, designated growth areas.

Although he said he is not pushing agritourism, Mr. Rothwell supports the philosophy of developers purchasing TDRs in other areas to balance out the development.

“Farmers can sell TDRs, but if there’s nobody to buy them, then it doesn’t become beneficial way,” Mr. Rothwell said. “[Last year,] we were telling developers to do a balance of 30% development and 70% preservation, I still stand by that. You have to protect our rural corridor.”

When Mr. Rothwell first entered public office, it was brought to his attention that there was not a voice in town government for the many residents who migrated from Spanish-speaking countries.

He decided to take this feedback and work with other communities to establish the first Hispanic Development, Empowerment and Education Committee. The multilingual task force is comprised of entrepreneurs, church leaders, school district employees and other individuals who live and work in Riverhead.

When he understood communication barriers would deter people from seeking help, he worked with the committee to improve the town’s new website where now with just one click, the entire website can turn into any language of the user’s choosing.

Mr. Rothwell said he and the committee are in the process of putting together a town-wide “healthcare day” in the spring for any resident who is due for screenings or needs medical care, but doesn’t have health insurance.

“That is the best way to make sure that every person that comes into Riverhead, every person that settles here and wants to make this their home and their future, that they feel welcomed in that matter, that they have a voice for the matter,” Mr. Rothwell said.

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Mr. Hubbard blamed the increase on unavoidable health insurance premiums, state retirement rates, and contractual police raises that would have otherwise forced elimination of nearly 15 town positions.

The increase affects only the town portion of property tax bills. School taxes, county taxes and special district fees are calculated separately.

“There’s absolutely nothing we can do about those three items — those three items alone pierced the tax cap,” Mr. Hubbard said during Monday’s budget presentation, referring to health insurance costs for over 300 town employees, rising state retirement contributions and negotiated police department raises.

The budget exceeds the state’s 2% tax cap by approximately 4.63%, resulting in an increase of 75 cents per day for a home valued at $735,000. Residential waste collection will increase by just one cent per day, or 30 cents monthly.

All taxing districts except the General Fund remain within the tax cap limit, Mr. Hubbard stressed. The school and library districts account for 54.63% of total appropriations, while Riverhead Town represents 26.53%.

To minimize the tax cap breach, town officials denied all merit raise requests and added no new positions for 2026. The only salary increases approved were for civil service promotions and a 3.25% raise for elected officials excluding town board members, matching contractual increases for CSEA employees.

“We have some marvelous workers for the Town of Riverhead, truly dedicated, go above and beyond on a daily basis,” Mr. Hubbard said. “I apologize we were not able to hand out merit raises this year, but we also have to be fiscally responsible to the taxpayers of this town.”

Despite budget pressures, Mr. Hubbard refused to cut public safety spending, maintaining the Riverhead Police Department’s “historic high” of 100 sworn officers. Police department salaries and retirement contributions comprise roughly $2.9 million of the $4.3 million General Fund spending increase.

“I will not cut back on public safety,” Mr. Hubbard emphasized, noting the budget actually reflects reductions of $319,009 in equipment and $216,000 in vehicle expenditures. “There is no ‘fat’ in this budget.”

Mr. Hubbard said Riverhead joins most other Suffolk County municipalities in being forced to exceed the tax cap, calling out the current system.

“There are discussions going on with the Suffolk County Supervisors Association … We discussed that the tax cap is way out of whack,” he said, suggesting potential advocacy for state-level changes.

The supervisor praised increased Town Board participation in the budget development process, with each member serving as liaison to different departments and attending budget meetings.

“It has been so much better having the whole town board participate in the process,” Mr. Hubbard said. “The board has a better understanding of the budget itself overall, and they were also able to participate in it.”

The final budget for 2026 must be approved by Nov. 20.

Clarification: An earlier version of this story said “a home assessed at $300,000 would pay roughly $1,350 more per year in town taxes. A $500,000 home would see an annual increase of $2,250.” The $500,000 figure was referring to the assessed value of a home, not its market value. A home with an assessed value of $500,000 would have a market value of around $6 million. The taxes on a a house with a market value of $500,000 will increase $184 per year under the proposed budget. “I can understand why some residents were alarmed with what was initially reported and appreciate the News Review’s quick response in amending the article,” Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said.

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The Heart of Riverhead Civic Association will lead the next meet-the-candidates session on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 10:30 a.m. at the Riverhead Free Library. The final public event will be hosted by the Greater Calverton Civic Association and Wading River Civic Association at Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.

Riverhead Democratic Committee candidates Jerry Halpin, Kevin Shea and Mark Woolley have agreed to attend all three forums.

The Republican incumbents — Supervisor Tim Hubbard, Councilmen Bob Kern and Kenneth Rothwell — will only take part in the final event, sparking backlash from Jamesport civic leaders.

“I think any candidate who declines an invitation to speak at a forum of candidates who are running for election [or] re-election — [they] are being handed an opportunity to meet with the voters — and not to participate, is missing a valuable opportunity,” said Joan Cear, recording secretary for the Greater Jamesport Civic Association. “Our door is open: We would welcome them to attend, no hard feelings.”

Ms. Cear said the GOP leaders have “failed to respond to numerous invitations extended” through the Riverhead Republican Committee Chairwoman Tammy Robinkoff and Vice Chairman Victor Prusinowski.

The Greater Jamesport Civic Association sent individual certified letters to Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Kern and Mr. Rothwell earlier this month.

Ms. Robinkoff replied on behalf of the incumbent candidates in an email: “Please be advised the Riverhead Town Supervisor and Councilmen will not be attending the Meet The Candidates on the dates you have provided by email and certified mail. We will be having one debate at a neutral location with a neutral moderator.”

A point of contention for the GOP is the role played by Greater Jamesport Civic Association president Laura Jens-Smith — who is also the chair of the Riverhead Town Democratic Committee.

Ms. Robinkoff called Ms. Jens-Smith’s position a “conflict of interest,” in an email to the Riverhead News-Review. She added the president of the Heart of Riverhead Civic Association, Cindy Clifford, is also involved in the Riverhead Democratic Committee, which “seems to be a conflict for an impartial forum.”

Mr. Rothwell said in a text to the Riverhead Review-News on Tuesday that it was “unethical for [Ms. Jens-Smith] to run a debate for her slate of candidates.”

He continued to say he felt certain the Wading River and Calverton civic associations would “run a fair debate.” Mr. Kern said in a text he liked the idea of holding the forum with all the civic groups in Calverton.

Mr. Hubbard echoed the desire for a neutral environment and moderator. He added that Ms. Jens-Smith “refused to accept the offer” of a proposed date with a neutral moderator at Polish Hall.

“Not sure who anointed [Ms.] Jens-Smith as dictator of all the debates, all we are asking for is a level playing field,” Mr. Hubbard said in an email to the Riverhead News-Review. “[It’s] time for a change in how things have been done in the past.”

Ms. Jens-Smith and Ms. Cear have stressed the Greater Jamesport Civic Association is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse candidates.

Vice president Steve Green will be the moderator for the forum, not Ms. Jens-Smith.

Ms. Jens-Smith noted that there were no previous complaints about past Greater Jamesport Civic Association meet-the-candidates events.

“We live in a smaller town and sometimes people wear several hats. But, it doesn’t mean that it crosses over,” Ms. Jens-Smith said. “There are people in the civic [association] that are Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Conservatives. The [forum] is a non-political event. I really make a strong effort to make sure that I’m not crossing over so that it isn’t political.”

Where to submit questions

Toqui Terchun, president of the Greater Calverton Civic Association, commended her fellow civic leaders for voting to move ahead with all three events despite the absence of the GOP slate for the first two.

For the Greater Calverton and Wading River candidates night, Ms. Terchun and Sid Bail will be the moderators.

The deadline for community members to submit questions by email to gcca1992@gmail.com is Sunday, Oct. 12. All the candidates will receive the same questions. Queries will not be taken from the audience.

Residents who want to attend the Heart of Riverhead Civic Association’s forum on Oct. 4 can submit questions via Facebook or to HeartofRiverheadcivic@gmail.com.

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The Riverhead Town Board pushed a ban on electric scooters, most commonly used by commuters and food delivery drivers, in heavily-trafficked areas during a public hearing held Tuesday, Sept. 16.

The crackdown would prohibit their use on Main Street between Court Street and Route 58 and caps their speed at 15 mph. It also bans riding the controversial e-bikes, which can hit 25 mph, on sidewalks.

“This is undertaken with the intention of promoting safety and protecting the sidewalks,” said Erik Howard, Riverhead Town attorney.

Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard pressed the importance of keeping pedestrians safe after witnessing e-bikes and scooters “flying down” sidewalks and streets.

“If you’re walking and somebody comes up behind you on one of these bikes or scooters, No. 1, you may not be aware of it because they’re fairly quiet; and No. 2, they go at a pretty hefty rate of speed, and it’s a very dangerous situation,” he said at the hearing.

The board proposed three classifications in the revised code:

• Class one is a “bicycle with electric assist having an electric motor that provides assistance only when the person operating such bicycle is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when such bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour.”
• Class two is a “bicycle with electric assist having an electric motor that may be used exclusively to propel such bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when such bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour.”
• Class three is “solely within a city having a population of one million or more, a bicycle with electric assist having an electric motor that may be used exclusively to propel such bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when such bicycle reaches a speed of 25 miles per hour.”

Only Class one e-bikes would be allowed on the bicycle paths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Recreational Trail in Calverton, or other bike lanes.

Electric scooters and e-bikes would be prohibited on any roadway or highway with a 30 mph speed limit. Riders will also be required to wear a helmet to protect against serious head injury.

They are also banned from riding e-bikes and electric scooters while intoxicated.

Violators could face imprisonment of up to 15 days and a fine between $100 and $250 for the first offense. Fines would increase to between $250 and $500 another violations, and up to $1,500 for a third strike.

The written public comment period on the proposal is open until Friday, Sept. 26. The Riverhead Town Board may vote on the resolution at its next meeting Tuesday, Oct. 7.

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