Incoming officials outline plans for 2012

Newsday asked town board and city council members who were newly elected in November what they would like to accomplish in 2012, as they prepare to take office next month. Here are their answers:

BABYLON

Thomas Donnelly, Democrat

Donnelly said he would like to "continue the work of Steve Bellone," referring to the outgoing town supervisor who will be sworn in Friday as Suffolk County executive.

Donnelly, a lifelong Deer Park resident, said that goal means focusing on town infrastructure, parks and senior programs. "The parks system is second to none," he said. "We have outstanding senior centers in this town and we have the best roads of anywhere in the county. We're going to keep that going."

He said his experience on the town planning board and as Deer Park fire commissioner has prepared him to work with constituent concerns under the constraints of a municipal budget. "The model is trying to do more with less, streamlining government operations where we can," he said.

Donnelly, who spoke during the campaign of promoting "pro-business policies" in office, said he favors active outreach to encourage outside businesses to expand into Babylon Town.

EAST HAMPTON

Peter K. Van Scoyoc, Democrat

Van Scoyoc said he knows many issues await him and that he has to set priorities. Among the problems are the town's ongoing financial situation -- East Hampton continues to recover from the discovery two years ago it was $30 million in debt -- and ongoing disciplinary proceedings involving the well-known longtime environmental director, Larry Penny.

"There are any number of issues I can take on," Van Scoyoc said. "I think one should try and focus on only a few to start with."

With a background in planning and zoning, Van Scoyoc said one immediate concern will be dealing with problems and with increasing costs at the town's scavenger waste plant -- which in the short term will be used only as a transfer station, holding sewage for disposal elsewhere.

The plant cannot be used until violations are addressed. There has been talk of closing it, but Van Scoyoc said that raises the problem of how to deal with septic issues that affect groundwater.

He also said safety and noise abatement will be his priorities in resolving issues of use and development at the town-owned airport.

GLEN COVE

Reginald Spinello, Republican

Spinello, one of the first two Republicans to join the City Council in 14 years, said he has a clear goal: Cut the deficit and reduce debt.

His decades of experience as chief executive of a pharmaceutical company will translate well in government, he said.

"Most budgets have a little wiggle room. I'm hoping to find that in the budget and work with it," Spinello said. "You can improve your condition to a certain degree by cutting expenses, but I don't think you can save yourself.

"The next step is to look at revenue sources and work with that."

His priority, he said, is taxpayers: "Their pockets are empty and their hearts are heavy."

Ongoing projects, such as the waterfront and downtown piazza redevelopments, might be too large in scope and scale for the economic climate, Spinello said.

Spinello said he'll be gathering all the information he can to inform his votes.

"I'm not going to rubber-stamp it because somebody says so," he said. "I want to know all the details."

Anthony Gallo Jr., Republican

Property taxes must be maintained or lowered to alleviate the financial burden on homeowners, Gallo said.

"I'm very concerned about taxes overall, and that includes the Glen Cove city tax," said the middle and high schoolteacher, who is also advocating for a skating rink or park for the city's youth.

Gallo said he wants residents' opinions to be better represented and suggested polling be conducted to inform government decisions.

"My guiding principle is first and foremost: Is this the right thing for the residents of Glen Cove, both in the short term and the long term?" Gallo said. "A lot of times, what governments do is they look for a quick and immediate fix, but there can be unintended consequences."

Gallo said he doesn't anticipate conflict working with the previously all-Democratic council.

"It's admirable that they're all serving the city of Glen Cove, they all live in Glen Cove and they're all trying to do what's best for Glen Cove," Gallo said. "I think it's OK if we disagree respectfully. At least it creates a healthy government when you have opposing voices."

HUNTINGTON

Incoming Republican Eugene Cook could not be reached for comment.

ISLIP

John Cochrane, Republican

Cochrane lists an anticipated budget shortfall in 2013 as the top challenge for the new town government.

"We're going to have serious issues coming up with a balanced fiscal 2013 town budget," he said, citing as two big-ticket items a plan by the outgoing administration to defer $8 million in state pension payments until February 2013, and an estimated $1.2 million bill directed to Islip by the county for tuition for town residents who attend community colleges outside Suffolk.

Cochrane said making changes to the planning and building departments to make it easier to attract businesses and development is a major goal. Revitalizing Long Island MacArthur Airport and building the proposed Heartland Town Square mini-city in Brentwood "would be a great boon" for Islip, he said.

A third challenge is maintaining what Cochrane calls the "esprit de corps" of town employees. "Their attitude has a direct bearing on the quality of services taxpayers receive."

Anthony Senft, Conservative

Senft agrees with Cochrane that Islip is in a financial crisis.

"Our current expenses exceed our income and our residents cannot afford a tax increase," Senft said. The new town board must encourage and promote business growth by streamlining the building and planning departments, removing obstacles to smart growth, and minimizing red tape, said Senft, the sole Conservative on the new board.

All town services need review, he said. "We must re-evaluate those services the town is currently providing that are duplicative with other governmental bodies, and eliminate those services that the town has no business being a part of."

Senft said he wants to make sure town employees have "the tools necessary to succeed with supervisors who are qualified, respectful and fair." That's vital to ensuring the town serves the community, he said.

"The town government belongs to its residents . . . I will ensure that their government is respectful, responsive and inclusive," he said.

LONG BEACH

Fran Adelson, Democrat

Adelson said she plans to make good on campaign promises to increase transparency in government and build fiscal stability within the city, which has been mired in financial drama. She said she wants to post audio recordings of City Council meetings to the city's website and make information more available to the public.

Adelson said she would work to "restore fiscal responsibility and accountability" and to "re-establish the people's faith in their government" by holding more public meetings and reaching out to different areas of the community.

The biggest challenge, she said, is the city's financial situation.

"I believe that we will be working on bringing Long Beach back to financial stability, starting with day one," she said, adding that there has been a special air of excitement to get to work since the announcement of the council's choice of Jack Schnirman as new city manager.

"I'm looking forward to it," Adelson said. "I feel this administration will get the people's trust back in their government. I think that's a big issue."

Scott Mandel, Democrat

Mandel, who joined Adelson in winning seats that returned control of the City Council to the Democrats, said his goals are similar to those of Adelson.

"We'd like to bring the city back to fiscal stability and professional accountability," Mandel said.

During the campaign, Mandel said he was concerned about what he called the financial mismanagement of the city and the lack of transparency on the council. He plans to follow through on his campaign platform of improving the condition of the boardwalk and the city's infrastructure.

Mandel said the city's financial situation is the No. 1 thing to tackle, and he acknowledged that it will be a challenge. He said the council needs to determine the "true financial status of our city and all the documentation that supports each and every budgetary line," and decide how to move forward from there.

NORTH HEMPSTEAD

Dina DeGiorgio, Republican

DeGiorgio, a Port Washington attorney, will be the second Republican to join the board, and along with Anna M. Kaplan will give the seven-member board a majority of four females.

DeGiorgio said she would have "an open-door policy so that I can facilitate a collaboration between the community and the town." Residents, she said, should feel "that the town is advocating for them."

DeGiorgio said she also wants to increase the transparency of government, by such actions as providing meeting agendas to the public earlier and with more detailed information.

To follow through on a campaign issue she called "very close to my heart," she said she would seek to turn a disputed piece of land in Port Washington operated by the North Hempstead Housing Authority into a park.

Anna M. Kaplan, Democrat

Kaplan, who has been on the town's board of zoning appeals, said she looks forward to meeting more residents in her district.

"I would like people to get to know me and I'm very much interested to know what their concerns are," Kaplan said.

Citing the need to re-energize shopping districts in Great Neck and Manhasset, Kaplan said, "I would love to see if I could engage the different communities and see what we can all do together to . . . revitalize our downtowns."

She said she would seek to maintain low taxes while keeping services.

Kaplan, who was vice president of the Great Neck Library Board, is the first Persian-American elected to the town board.

SHELTER ISLAND

Paul D. Shepherd, Conservative

Shepherd said he has no set agenda but expects many issues to arise in the first few months -- from implementation of the town's new Ram Island Causeway zoning code to waterfront protection.

He ran for office saying he opposed unnecessary government intrusion into the affairs of town residents, but he also admits that -- at times -- there is a role for government action, particularly when one person's use of his or her property interferes with other homeowners' enjoyment of their land.

Shepherd said there always has been an underlying tension between people who operate businesses from their homes and neighbors who are upset by noise or on-street parking or other evidence that a business exists next to them.

It is a particular problem on Shelter Island, because of the limited amount of commercial space. It's an issue Shepherd became familiar with in the 1990s, when he served on the town zoning board of appeals, and one he plans to help address.

"I'm not coming onto the board with an agenda," he said. "I will be just one of five people on the board."

SOUTHAMPTON

Christine Scalera, Republican

Scalera said her goals are to work on furthering economic development in the town, as well as balancing the need for conservation of its natural resources.

A municipal lawyer whose background is in land use and zoning, Scalera said she plans to focus on smaller businesses "to help them through these challenging economic times." "There's a lot of exciting opportunities, especially in the Flanders and Riverside area," she said, including getting the right zoning in place so businesses can flourish.

Scalera said she is eager to begin serving. She already has been meeting with department heads and council members.

"I'm ready to begin working with my colleagues on the board, all of them, to accomplish a lot of good things," she said.

SOUTHOLD

Jill Doherty, Republican

One of Doherty's goals is to streamline paperwork for businesses and residents doing business with the town. As a former clerk for the board of trustees, she said she often saw homeowners frustrated at being unable to obtain timely site plans, for example. She would like to work with the town board to simplify and expedite the process where feasible, she said, citing similar work she did on wetland codes while with the board of trustees.

But any work has to be a group decision, she said. "I can't go off on my own. It's a team effort."

Doherty said businesses in Southold should be included in discussions on the town's comprehensive plan, saying that any job she's had has been in the town. She said she's been out of work for two years and has seen firsthand how businesses are hurting.

"It's always the small businesses that gave me jobs," she said. "When we do the comprehensive plans, we have to think of how it affects not only the residential, but also the business communities, and the intertwining of them both."