Islip deputy parks commish to be replaced

Islip Town's new administration -- which during last fall's campaign criticized what it said was political patronage under then-Supervisor Phil Nolan -- plans to replace a deputy parks commissioner with a Republican committeeman and town heavy equipment operator who does cultural event management on the side, Supervisor Tom Croci confirmed Monday.

Croci, a Republican, said through a spokesman that Kathleen Green-Batt, a Democrat, will be demoted and replaced by Ed Smith, a Republican zone leader from Bay Shore who began working for the town in 2000, initially in the highway department.

Smith later transferred to the parks department, where he has worked as a street sweeper and a member of the sump maintenance crew.

In addition, Smith holds four positions in music and events production, according to his resume. Among them: he's a production manager/sound engineer for both Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge Musical Group Inc. and Gloria Gaynor Productions.

Islip GOP chairman Frank Tantone cited Smith's background in helping produce cultural events and negotiating contracts as assets for the job. Green-Batt was hired by Nolan, a Democrat in December 2008. A longtime Nolan family friend who has worked on Nolan family political campaigns for years, she holds master's degrees in business administration and science.

Green-Batt, paid $65,000 as a deputy, is being demoted to the post of secretary to the commissioner. Her salary cut has not been finalized, a Croci spokesman said.

Green-Batt's demotion continues a significant shake-up of parks department leadership in a town that has 106 town parks, the most on Long Island.

Tuesday, the town board is expected to appoint Joe Montuori -- Suffolk County's former parks commissioner, a Conservative and longtime ally of county Conservative Party leader Ed Walsh -- as parks commissioner.

Outgoing commissioner Greg Dawson -- a 16-year veteran of the New York City parks department -- is being demoted to deputy commissioner, with a pay cut of more than $20,000, Croci confirmed.

Incumbent deputy George Hafele keeps his position but with a pay cut of about $5,000.