Bissonette coming back, with GOP help

Republicans got former Democratic Brookhaven town board member Carol Bissonette hired on Dec. 17 as a $42,000-a-year Suffolk Board of Elections clerk. The position is effective next November. Bissonette was fired as Brookhaven's deputy parks commissioner in 2009 after the historic Mott House in Coram collapsed. She lost a Democratic primary that year to Legis. Kate M. Browning (WF-Shirley) - and the election, as GOP candidate. "She has certain talents we think are valuable," said Jesse Garcia, town Republican leader, who said she'd been fired on "trumped-up charges."Richard Schaffer, county Democratic chairman, said, "I'm sure she'll be as productive in her new post as she was in her past one."

- Rick Brand