Brookhaven OKs new finance commissioner

Brookhaven’s got a new finance commissioner.

Town board members Tuesday night unanimously approved the appointment of Tamara Wright.

Wright, the comptroller for Southampton Town, was nominated by Supervisor Mark Lesko and begins her $133,500-a-year job on March 1.

Former Commissioner John O’Neill left the position after Lesko delayed reappointments for him and other commissioners pending evaluations of their performances.

O’Neill took a $94,600-a-year civil service job in the Nassau comptroller’s office overseeing vendor claims.

At the meeting, the board also signed off on a memorandum of agreement with East Setauket-based Tritec Real Estate Co. to develop the massive Ronkonkoma Hub project.

Tritec was recommended by a planning department design committee to helm the $350 million redevelopment of the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station into a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly destination and “gateway” to eastern Long Island.

“The Ronkonkoma Hub is the best opportunity on the East Coast for a transit-oriented development with its close proximity to both the busiest train station on the LIRR and MacArthur Airport,” Lesko said in a news release. “I look forward to working with Tritec Real Estate Company and furthering the vision of the town and community for a live-work-play destination that will attract young people and create a vibrant center for Long Island.”

In a presentation to board members last week, Tritec developers spoke of their vision of creating entertainment, educational and entrepreneurial areas on the 50-acre site.

Another aspect of the hub project is a cooperative effort between Brookhaven and Islip to link the train station to nearby Long Island MacArthur Airport.

The project was recently allocated $4 million in state grants to fund the design phase of a crucial sewage treatment plant, under the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council.