New Riverhead Supervisor Jerry Halpin: I'll be a 'servant leader,' take pay cut

On the campaign trail, Riverhead’s new town supervisor, Jerry Halpin, often spoke in metaphors, using an avalanche to describe residents grappling with higher costs.

As taxpayers set household budgets, choosing which bills get paid or cutting frivolous services, Halpin called on town government to take the same tighten-the-belt approach, repeating that “crumbs make loaves.”

Halpin wants to set an example, vowing to be a “servant leader” and take a pay cut during his swearing-in ceremony on New Year's Day.

“I believe that sacrifices start at the top, and we have to catch up to this ball of taxes that is rolling down, that’s crushing people,” he said at Thursday's ceremony, outlining priorities that include reining in town spending, propelling town projects and listening to residents' concerns.

Halpin, 53, narrowly bested former Supervisor Tim Hubbard, by 37 votes, in November, becoming the first Democrat in seven years to lead the town of about 36,000 residents.

The soft-spoken pastor grew up in northern Kentucky and moved to Riverhead, where he founded North Shore Christian Church with his wife, Kristen, in 2005. Sipping a half-caff coffee and wearing a Cincinnati Bengals beanie one frigid morning ahead of his inauguration, Halpin joked that his mother asked he be “loyal to the soil” — evidenced by the hat of what was his local team — but strikes an earnest tone describing his deep pride in Riverhead.

“I value people who move here,” he said in an interview. “They picked a place that's expensive, they picked this place that is just lush with beauty, and culture and diversity.”

Though he plans to slash his own paycheck, Halpin isn’t intent on making dramatic cuts townwide. He said he would closely scrutinize spending to find inefficiencies and eliminate waste.

Halpin, who was set to be paid $118,919 under the town’s 2026 budget, said he would reduce the salary by $8,919 to $110,000.

Under Hubbard’s administration, the supervisor’s salary rose 3.2% in 2025 after officials scaled back an initial proposal that sought to increase the pay 8.7% to $125,148. At the time, Hubbard defended the proposal, saying elected officials’ salaries had been stagnant for a decade.

'Tough discussions' ahead

Halpin said addressing quality-of-life concerns is a top goal and plans to go on a listening tour at civic groups across town to better understand issues. He also plans to hold open office hours to hear from residents directly.

He said the town must have a “tough discussion” about future development, from more downtown apartments that residents overwhelmingly oppose, to emerging uses such as a proposed cannabis greenhouse that borders a retirement community on Middle Road.

“They’re worried, they’re fearful, and so I’m going to stand in their corner,” Halpin said.

Halpin said he would advance important projects, including a new headquarters facility for Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps set to get underway this year, as well as the town square, which broke ground last month.

But major challenges loom for the political newcomer, who must secure support of four Republican council members on the five-member board to pass legislation.

Halpin also takes the helm as Suffolk County Water Authority’s $35 million proposal to pipe more water through Riverhead to Southold progresses through an environmental review.

Like his predecessor, he is critical of the proposal, which would disrupt traffic and businesses on Sound Avenue but bring no direct benefit to Riverhead residents.

“This is being forced on us,” he said. “[Riverhead] is going to be ripped up physically … and it’s going to create the opportunity for development past us and tremendous traffic growth.”

Riverhead has been discussing “potential litigation” with the water authority in executive session meetings, according to town records.

'We are going to work with Jerry'

Councilman Ken Rothwell, a Republican reelected to the board in November, said he’s skeptical of Halpin’s agenda but pledged in an interview to work together.

“When somebody tells you they’re going to cut taxes dramatically but yet maintain services … I don’t know how the mathematical formula is going to come out, or how he intends to do that,” he said. “But we are going to work with Jerry. We’re going to listen to his ideas, hear out his positions and see what he thinks.”

Halpin made a similar promise on New Year’s Day, saying he looks forward to working with sitting council people despite opposing views.

“Sometimes out of pressure, and even conflict, comes a diamond,” he said.

The next two months will be crucial for Halpin, who must decide in February whether to seek reelection. A change in state law shifting local elections to even years means the supervisor’s seat will be up for grabs again later this year.

Hubbard hasn’t ruled out a rematch, writing “Never say never” in a recent text to a reporter.

Meanwhile, Rothwell said he plans to screen with the town GOP committee for the seat as well.