SILLY SEASON OVER

Riverhead
Our choice for Supervisor in Riverhead, Ed Densieski, was beaten by the incumbent Supervisor Phil Cardinale by some 1300 votes cast by the 47 percent of the population that cared. Ed remains a councilman, however, and now has new councilman John Dunleavy on board. Along with thinking-man George Bartunek, the voting balance – such as it is – will make for interesting decisions for Riverhead’s next go rounds. Barbara Blass retained her council seat as well. Mark Kwasna, Barbara Grattan and Laverne Tennenberg, the latter two unopposed, also were re-elected.

Da City
NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg romped and will keep liberal Democratic NYC in Republican hands for a total of 16 years (his new term ends 2009; Rudy was elected in 1994). This has nothing to do with party favoritism but is indicative of the fact that people tend to cross party lines to vote for who they think will serve them best … Bloomberg fits that description quite well, thank you.

Other Races of Interest
Other Suffolk races include those for the 18 county legislature seats. County boss Steve Levy, another man doing a fine job, gets a party majority of 10-8. Again defying the party system, Levy is a Dem, but residents in generally-GOP-Suffolk like what he’s doing and this is reflected in the legislature votes. Speaking of the county legislature: the North Fork (District 1) gets long-time county clerk Ed Romaine as its legislator.

In the Let’s-Try-ANYthing-New department: the supervisor’s slot in long-time GOP stronghold Brookhaven (a.k.a., Crookhaven) went to Dem and former county legislator Brian Foley.

Southold elected Scott Russell supervisor, while Southampton returned Skip Heaney; East Hampton, Bill McGintee; and Smithtown Pat Vecchio (yes, THE Pat Vecchio). Further up island, Frank Petrone received the supe nod in Huntington and Steve Bellone got it in Babylon. Lest we forget, Alfred Kilm beat Arthur Williams for Shelter Island supervisor. (You forgot about the Town of Shelter Island, didn't you?)