Breaking bread, and eating cookies, with Islanders owner

Daily Point

Buttering up Ledecky

It’s no surprise that Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin was holding a fundraiser — the kickoff to his “Supervisor’s Club Breakfast Series” — Thursday morning at the Cherry Valley Club in Garden City.

But the identity of the keynote speaker might have raised eyebrows: New York Islanders owner Jon Ledecky.

Those in the room with long memories couldn’t help but marvel at the choice. After all, could anyone imagine former Town Supervisor Kate Murray — now the town clerk — featuring the late former Islanders owner Charles Wang at a fundraiser 10 or 15 years ago?

For those who might not remember, Murray and Wang had a fractious relationship as Wang tried to push through the $3.8 billion Lighthouse Project for the Nassau Hub, and Murray pushed back at its size and scope, refusing at one point to even meet with Wang to discuss the proposal.

The political feud filtered down to the fans, who campaigned against Murray in 2015 when she ran for district attorney against Madeline Singas. Singas even thanked the fans after winning the race.

While fans still harbor an animosity against Murray, tensions have eased now that the Islanders have a new home at UBS Arena — which is still in the Town of Hempstead, albeit on state-owned land.

And while Ledecky doesn’t have to seek approval for a big development project from Clavin, the two have had to work together. In December, the town renamed Red Road in Elmont as NY Islanders Way and held an event to commemorate the new name that included both men.

Headlining a fundraiser, which included about 250 supporters who paid $275 to $1,000 for “membership” in the Supervisor’s Club, takes the relationship to a new level, observers told The Point.

“People were saying, ‘Wow, this feels different,’” one fundraiser attendee told The Point. “I think it was an important moment — a moment that came about from both sides. I think both sides have realized — especially in the two people — that there seems to be a genuine fondness and commonality.”

That fondness even carried over to the dessert of choice at the fundraiser — butter cookies with Ledecky’s face imprinted on the icing.

Observers say the relationship between the two men could become more significant, carrying over into other work they could do, perhaps in further aiding individual communities, developing local events and more.

“These are two entities that have to learn to get along and I think they’ve realized that they can get along, that they can coexist, and that they can actually build a partnership that can help the region,” the attendee said.

— Randi F. Marshall @RandiMarshall

Pencil Point

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