Donna Lent, Town Clerk, Town of Brookhaven

DONNA LENT

Independence

BACKGROUND:

• Lent, 59, of Blue Point, is seeking her third term as town clerk. She is running on the Republican and Conservative lines.
• She had been deputy town clerk for four years. Previously she served as chief of staff for nine years for then-Assemb. Patricia Eddington (D-Medford).
• Lent received a bachelor's degree in women's studies and political science in 1996 from Stony Brook University.

ISSUES:

• Lent said she has brought the town clerk's office "into the 21st century" by moving more services online and using electronic content management systems to maintain birth certificates and other records.
• She said she has enabled residents to make online payments for licenses, boat slips and other services.
• Lent said she and her staff champion transparency, such as by making land use applications available to the public for review. She said her office has made more information, such as meeting minutes, available online.

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.