Riverhead parks official gets stipend for new duty

Riverhead’s town board has given parks and recreation administrator Ray Coyne an $8,000 stipend, for taking over work this year typically done by the youth bureau director — a job eliminated from the town’s budget.

“Ray has taken over the youth bureau duties ... he’s saving the town $90,000 a year,” said Councilman George Gabrielsen before the vote on Tuesday.

Before the vote was taken, Riverhead Civil Service Employees Association president Matt Hattorff complained that the money for extra work should go to workers who run events such as Riverhead Idol, Teen Night and Summer Teen Camp, instead of the person in charge of the program.

Councilman James Wooten said the stipend was not an insult to town workers. “This is no reflection on the hard work of our union members,” he said. “My goal is to have a youth director hired as soon as possible.”

That, town officials said, would not be done until next year.

Coyne earns about $94,000 a year. Councilwoman Jodi Giglio voted against the stipend, which passed, 4-1.