Kathleen Walsh aide’s Civil Service waiver extended

 Brookhaven Town board member Kathleen Walsh’s top aide, George Lessler, had his Civil Service waiver extended, allowing him to collect his full $58,650- a-year town salary while receiving his state pension — but only to June 30.

 Walsh asked for two more years on the waiver that Lessler, former Suffolk deputy sheriff union president, has had since 2006. Without the waiver, he could only earn $30,000 as an aide. The state Civil Service Commission last month granted six months — and demanded "a more substantive and wide-ranging recruitment effort" for the job. Walsh’s application said the town got 35 newspaper ad responses, but all lacked the community, labor and law-enforcement background she sought. Walsh said, "I’m not sure how much more extensive we can get."

— Rick Brand