Angie Carpenter hires campaign manager

For her first county-executive campaign hire, Suffolk Treasurer Angie Carpenter has turned to Rick Belyea, onetime spokesman for former GOP County Executive Robert Gaffney. Carpenter said Belyea, owner of a public relations firm, starts this week as campaign manager and spokesman. Belyea also once served as Channel 55 news director.

On the Democrats' side, former appointees of incumbent Steve Levy brainstormed on policy ideas with Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone's campaign manager, Rick Fromberg. Sources say the session included ex-Levy aides Jeff Szabo, Carrie Meek Gallagher, and James Gaughran, all now of the Suffolk Water Authority. Others were Martin Cantor and former chief Levy deputy Paul Sabatino.

-- Rick Brand