ELECTION 2026: Halpin makes his case for full term as Riverhead supervisor

The Times Review editorial board sat down with Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin ahead of the Nov. 3 election to discuss his campaign, first year as town supervisor and a variety of Riverhead issues. Mr. Halpin is currently serving a one-year term as supervisor, due to recent changes in New York’s Even-Year Election law.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin is seeking a full, two-year term after less than a year in office, arguing that his administration has begun to reset the town’s finances and operations.

Last November, the independent candidate running on the Democratic line defeated former supervisor Tim Hubbard by a slim 37-vote margin. A pastor and political newcomer, Mr. Halpin described his first 10 months at the helm of Riverhead Town as both inspiring and challenging.

He said his focus has been on working with staff, highlighting departmental successes and breaking down organizational silos.

“I feel like we steadied the ship, we’re pointing in the right direction, and we have a really good foundation,” Mr. Halpin said. “We’ve got ourselves positioned that way and I really feel good about the future, and some of the initiatives, some of the new ideas that I have.” 

In the spring, he brought attention to the town’s recently released 2025 Annual Financial Report, which showed the general fund balance grew by roughly $5 million last year, from $28.4 million to $33.4 million. He said the “impetus” for finding new ways to cut costs ahead of his first budget was listening to staff ideas.

This included the introduction of a retirement incentive, which played a large part in his recently presented tentative 2027 budget proposal, which would avoid exceeding the 2.79% state tax cap — the first time in four consecutive years.

A retirement incentive program, pushed forward by Mr. Halpin earlier this year, is projected to save the general fund $819,000 next year, helping keep the proposal within the tax cap, officials said. The supervisor said three CSEA and seven PBA members elected to take the incentive.

On litigation and the impact on taxpayers, Mr. Halpin said he prefers to avoid any unnecessary lawsuits. For example, when he entered office, he questioned how much the town was spending on the federal lawsuit challenging New York’s Even-Year Election Law. The town withdrew from the case in June, after paying at least $207,000 in legal fees.

Riverhead is also fighting the Suffolk County Water Authority over a $35 million water transmission pipeline dispute. On the tax assessment-related litigation, he said he is still learning how the situation developed and is “not laying blame at anyone’s feet.”

When deciding whether a legal battle is justified, the supervisor said he weighs its effect on residents’ quality of lifeand the use of taxpayer dollars.

“How do we make sure that we’re using every dollar we get from the taxpayers we’ve ever had to make the best decisions we can?” Mr. Halpin said. “I hope we can do the best for the taxpayers of Riverhead, to make sure that we don’t drag this out, but we also don’t kill them or knock them over with a huge sum.” 

Among the other changes he hopes to pursue are investments in technology to modernize Town Hall operations, a review of sewer district power costs, expanded food-scrap partnerships, an examination of costly town-owned real estate and the possible revival of the audit committee.

On his vision for EPCAL, the supervisor said he sees the property as the town’s “greatest economic generator” for decades to come.

Now that the town has cleared a major legal hurdle with the Calverton Aviation and Technology lawsuit, Mr. Halpin pitched the idea of a freight rail that could move local products — including wine, seafood and agricultural goods — to markets beyond Long Island.

He said he met with New York Atlantic Railroad and has spoken with local, county and federal representatives to explore bringing more rail activity to the area. Highlighting EPCAL’s development potential and open landscape, the supervisor proposed using its existing paths to link regional cycling trails. The supervisor also mentioned attracting companies like Newlab in Brooklyn, a technology incubator that provides startups with shared infrastructure, to EPCAL.

He said Empire State Development representatives had visited EPCAL and responded positively, but the Town Board would decide whether to seek further help to develop or promote the site. Mr. Halpin emphasized the need for stable, well-vetted partnerships for EPCAL.

On downtown revitalization and the Town Square project, Mr. Halpin wants to see the 111 E. Main St. space — known as the Long Island Science Center building — become something “sustainable” that attracts people downtown. His longer-term goal is to extend revitalization to areas like Polish Town and toward Main Road, rather than having it stop at Riverhead’s downtown area.

“I think that’s what one of my major jobs is to be the spokesperson, the narrator, the cheerleader for the parts of town, at every opportunity I get,” Mr. Halpin said. 

On OLA’s public-safety proposal, Mr. Halpin said he has read multiple versions of the measure and met with the organization, but does not plan to bring it before the Town Board for a work session at this time. He said he is confident the Riverhead Police Department can enforce state laws and keep residents and visitors safe.

“I believe in what our state’s trying to do, and I think that we, as a local government, that’s our focus — focusing on the laws that are passed down from federal to state and doing the best we can with them,” Mr. Halpin said. “I believe our PD constantly does a great job making sure that they’re implemented, but also making sure that everybody that is in our zip codes throughout the day, everybody, visitors, tourists, are safe.”

He also emphasized his continued commitment to listening and working with all leaders, regardless of political affiliation. When asked to address his current rapport with his Republican town board members, the independent described the relationship as still developing. 

Some members may be adjusting to working with a supervisor outside their party’s lines, he said, while others are used to established ways of working with previous supervisors. As someone new to the role, he said as supervisor he has been trying to navigate those different expectations, blend the old and new approaches and increase the collaboration outside of public meetings.

“I try to assume the best, and deal with the rest — I try to understand the pressures they’re under, but I also am emphatic about the fact that we need to move this forward, and if there’s an idea that I’m not aware of, it comes up in a way or a resolution is put forward, if it’s good for the town, I’m gonna hop on the motorcycle and ride,” he said. “I’m not worried about making a point, I’m worried about making a difference.”