Ex-Islip clerk Regina Duffy back to work at Town Hall

Regina Duffy, the former Islip Town clerk, has found safe harbor with the new administration: She is now director of constituent services, reporting directly to the supervisor.

Supervisor Tom Croci, 39, appointed Duffy this week, she confirmed.

Last spring, Duffy, 63, threw her hat in as a candidate for town clerk in the November elections only to withdraw in May, less than a month later, shortly after former Assemb. Ginny Fields was announced as the Democrat candidate, saying she wanted “to go out on top.”

Duffy confirmed Wednesday the new post would be a drop in salary — the town clerk was paid $76,800 in recent years — but said she was not yet sure by how much. “I’m just grateful to have a job,” Duffy said.

Her tenure as town clerk was not without controversy. An audit by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli found the clerk’s office had misplaced $3,550 from the period January to August 2008, when Duffy was serving.

A sexual harassment lawsuit brought by an employee in her office is still pending, the law firm representing plaintiff Lorraine Fitzpatrick said Wednesday. A complaint against Duffy by another staffer was filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Duffy, a Conservative — who is married to party activist Bill Duffy, a longtime ally of Suffolk Conservative chairman Ed Walsh — is the first party member to be appointed by Croci after the party delivered around 12 percent of his vote in the supervisor’s race, which he won by 343 votes.

After the election, Duffy and town Conservative Party chairman Mike Torres sought official salary and title information on all town positions that could be political appointments.