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Town Board to vote Tuesday on replacement to fill Gilgio’s seat

Tuesday’s Riverhead Town Board agenda has two resolutions to fill the vacant seat on the board created by Councilwoman Jodi Giglio’s election to the state Assembly. 

One resolution would appoint Ken Rothwell, 49, of Wading River to fill the remaining year of Ms. Giglio’s term.

The other resolution would appoint Marylin Banks-Winter, 56, of Riverhead to fill that seat.  

The Riverhead Republican committee’s screening committee recommended Mr. Rothwell, according to Republican Councilmen Tim Hubbard and Frank Beyrodt, who both planned to vote for Mr. Rothwell.

The Republican screening committee interviewed 18 people on Dec. 12, according to Vic Prusinowski. the co-chair of that committee. 

“We were honored that a diverse cross section of our community representing the best of Riverhead showed interest in serving our community,” Mr. Prusinowski said.

Ms. Banks-Winter and Mr. Rothwell both screened before that committee. 

Mr. Rothwell is a registered Republican while Ms. Banks-Winter is not affiliated with a political party. 

The appointment would only be to fill out the remaining year of Ms. Giglio’s term, which would be up for reelection in November 2021.

Ms. Banks-Winter is a long-time resident of Riverhead, a local business owner, a U.S. Army veteran, and an elected Trustee of the Riverhead Free Library, according to Councilwoman Catherine Kent, who proposed the resolution to appoint Ms. Banks-Winter.

Ms. Kent, the only Democrat on the Town Board, said Ms. Banks-Winter is also has been a member of the Town’s Downtown Revitalization Committee, the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce, the Riverhead Central School District’s Diversity and Cross Cultural Task Force, the Hauppauge Industrial Assoc. (HIA), and East End Arts, among other groups. 

Mr. Rothwell owns funeral homes in Wading River, Southampton, Hampton Bays and Westhampton. He has served as captain in the Southampton Fire Department, Exulted Ruler of the Southampton Elks Lodge and Financial Secretary to the Knights of Columbus. He is a member and Lector at the Basilica Parish of the Sacred Hearts in Southampton, according to the bio on his funeral home website.