Koz to return as town attorney

Former Town Supervisor Bob Kozakiewicz is expected to officially be named Riverhead town attorney Tuesday at an annual salary of $106,500, which is slightly less than the current town attorney makes.

The board also may appoint another attorney, William Duffy, to a deputy attorney post at a salary of about $88,000, officials said at Thursday’s Town Board work session.

Mr. Kozakiewicz, who had been town attorney from 1996 to 1997, would replace Dawn Thomas,  the town attorney since 2000. Her 2010 salary was $109,474. She is stepping down to take a job as a law clerk for State Supreme Court Judge Ralph Gazzillo

Mr. Kozakiewicz was town supervisor for two terms, from 2000 to 2003, and was on the board that hired Ms. Thomas.

In 2010, Ms. Kozakiewicz and James Saladino, who also is the head of the town Conservative Party, were hired as part-time town attorneys at $44,000 apiece per year, to replace a full-time attorney who had left, and was making $100,483.  Mr. Saladino is also stepping down from his town position this week.

At the time of their hiring, some had questioned why the town covered 75 percent of the health insurance costs for part-time attorneys. Supervisor Sean Walter said the town was paying less for the two part-timers, each working 20 hour weeks, than for a full-time attorney working 35 hours a week.

Under the pending employment agreement slated to be voted on next Tuesday, Mr. Kozakiewicz would be a full-time employee awith 100 percent of his health insurance paid by the town.