It's Moroh for supervisor
By Tim Kelly

RIVERHEAD--It was a relatively quiet affair, but when they gathered for their nominating convention Monday night, the town Democrats apparently made history on two fronts.

As expected, the party selected Butch Langhorn to succeed Lou Passantino as town leader, making him the first African-American ever to hold a political leadership post in Riverhead. That done, the party then nominated Anne Moroh to run for supervisor in November. Ms. Moroh appears to be the first woman ever chosen by a major party to lead an election ticket in Riverhead.

Two years ago, former News-Review editor Ruth Jernick failed in a bid to gain the Democratic line for supervisor. Although she lost a party primary, she stayed in the race on the Independence Party line and finished third in a three-way race.

This year seems to be the year of women in Riverhead politics. Last week, the town's GOP nominated Rose Sanders and Planning Board chairwoman Barbara Blass to run on the Town Board ticket led by incumbent Supervisor Bob Kozakiewicz.

During their convention, the Democrats also chose former supervisor Vinny Villella to run for the town council seat currently held by Chris Kent. The Suffolk Democratic Committee is expected to nominate Mr. Kent to run for the county legislative seat currently held by Republican Michael Caracciolo.

The town Democrats also renominated Councilman Phil Cardinale, the party's only incumbent.

With only three announced candidates for the three Town Board seats, the Democratic convention produced little drama. Prior to the gathering, the only open question was which candidate would run for which seat. The final slate was determined before the floor was opened to nominations.

"We all decided what was the best role for each person," Ms. Moroh said. "The team concept is supported whole-heartedly by all three of us." The office manager for a Laurel veterinary clinic, Ms. Moroh ran unsuccessfully for a Town Board seat in 1999.

Hinting at the campaign yet to come, the Democrats took aim at the GOP, saying it is controlled by a "shadow government" of building industry representatives. The Republicans also were accused of having a poor record on environmental issues, particularly farmland preservation, and of running a "closed" government.

"We have an opportunity to really shine once more as we did a few years ago," said Mr. Langhorn, who retired two years ago after 34 years in the Air Force.

Four years ago, Mr. Villella led the Democratic-Riverhead Party ticket to an unprecedented victory over the Republicans and gained a Town Board majority. That success proved short-lived, however. Two years ago, Mr. Kozakiewicz recaptured the supervisor's office for the Republicans. Jim Lull and Ed Densieski, his running mates, defeated Mr. Langhorn and Ms. Moroh.

Ms. Moroh admits that running as a Democrat in a heavily Republican town is a daunting task. "I am absolutely confident that if we can reach out to every voter with a message of common sense, logic, a sense of organization and confidence in their town government, the people will support our message."

Mr. Cardinale described Ms. Moroh as an "articulate, dynamic, disciplined and well-organized woman."

A registered independent with no party affiliations, Councilman Cardinale blasted the Republican administration, saying it's recognized by its "machinations, selfishness and evilness."

The Democrats accuse the GOP of borrowing recklessly in bonding a variety of town projects, including $4 million for the restoration of the Suffolk Theatre on Main Street. "I think Bob Kozakiewicz never met a bond he didn't like," said Mr. Cardinale. "Fiscal restraint is non-existent."

Mr. Villella cited several reasons for his running for the third time in as many elections. Chief among them is what he calls the town's failure to preserve a significant amount of farmland during Mr. Kozakiewicz's time in office.

He also chastised the GOP for failing to close on any of the proposed offers for land inside the former Grumman compound. The former supervisor again called for a subdivision moratorium while the town completes the master plan rewrite launched during his administration.

The Democrats have yet to find candidates to run for town clerk, assessor or highway superintendent. Those seats are held by Republicans.

Blass, Sanders join Koz

By Tim Gannon

RIVERHEAD--Two women who have been involved in town government for many years were chosen as the Republican Party's candidates for Riverhead Town Board last Wednesday.

Barbara Blass, who's chaired the town Planning Board for the past six years, and Rose Sanders, who's chaired the town's recreation advisory committee for five years, easily won nomination for the two council seats up for reelection this fall.

The two seats are now held by Democrats Phil Cardinale and Chris Kent.

All of the other positions up for reelection this year are held by Republicans, and all of those incumbents were renominated.

They include Supervisor Bob Kozakiewicz, Town Clerk Barbara Grattan, Highway Superintendent Mark Kwasna, Assessor Laverne Tennenberg and County Legislator Mike Caracciolo.

A total of 11 people sought nominations for the council seats, including Jim Kane, Ken Rothwell, Tracy Stark, Jim Power, Walt Orth, John White, Sean Walter, Judy Pitsiokis and Greg Graziano. Ms. Blass and Ms. Sanders easily won the nominations, in which committee members each voted publicly for the two candidates of their choice.

The Democrats made their selections Monday night. (See separate story.)

Ms. Blass, of Jamesport, has been a Planning Board member since 1982 and its chair since 1995. She also was co-owner of a direct mail marketing company specializing in database design, maintenance and lettershop services, and has been a member of the Riverhead Free Library board of trustees since 1995. She was chair of that board's committees on policy and by-laws, personnel and memorials and gifts, and played an extensive role in the selection of the library's director and in the building expansion. In addition, she's a Pulaski Street Parent-Teacher Organization member, and had been a member of the Aquebogue Elementary School PTO for four years prior to that.

Ms. Blass was The News-Review's Public Servant of the Year in 2000.

Ms. Sanders, who lives in South Jamesport, has chaired the town's recreation advisory committee for the past five years and has headed the Suffolk County Clerk's Computer Information System Department for the past two years. Prior to that, she worked for the Suffolk County Department of Labor for 24 years. She's also been the president of Riverhead Little League for two years and a member of its executive board for six. She also has coached youth baseball, softball and basketball, and has been a member of the Riverhead Garden Club. She has lived in the town since 1975.

Ms. Blass said she asked to be screened for the council position, while Ms. Sanders had screened two years ago and was asked to screen again this year.

Mr. Kozakiewicz, in his acceptance speech, took the unusual step of addressing the criticism that nothing has been accomplished during his administration. Addressing the time it's taken to close the sale of 475 acres of the Grumman industrial core to developer Jan Burman, Mr. Kozakiewicz said the contract he inherited from the previous administration was flawed.

"I don't want to make excuses, but imagine a contract where there's no agreement on what you're buying or selling," he said. "That's exactly what I was left with." The negotiations over the boundaries took about six months, he said. "I felt we had to fight to make sure your rights were being adhered to. It's easy to just say, 'Yes, take what you want.' But that would be no good for the taxpayers."

The supervisor also said there are a number of businesses leasing space at the site and that the town has moved ahead on a number of projects, including the proposed skatepark at Stotzky Park and the renovation of the Iron Pier beach.

Town Assessor Madelyn Sendlewski said the selection of two female council candidates is a first for the town Republicans, but others said it may also be the first time the Republicans have nominated any woman for a Town Board seat.

"Everybody in this room believes in the Town of Riverhead, and I will work tirelessly to become a part of a winning team," Ms. Blass told committee members after winning the nomination. "We can do more together and we have to, like the song says, accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative."

"You know I'll give you nothing short of my best," Ms. Sanders told the committee. "I won't let you down."