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Walsh Abandons GOP, Will Face Losquadro in Highway Super Race

Councilwoman will run on the Democratic line in special election on March 5.

Brookhaven councilwoman Kathy Walsh, who has served the town for seven years as the Republican representing the third council district, on Friday made the jump to the Independence Party – and has also been named the Democrats' choice to run against Republican candidate Dan Losquadro, who kicked off his campaign Thursday, to fill the town's vacant highway superintendent post.

In an interview Sunday, Walsh – who served as deputy supervisor under former supervisor Mark Lesko, a Democrat, and who served as acting supervisor before Ed Romaine was elected in November – said the switch felt like a natural one and that she has confidence in her choice.

"I made some of my party leadership not very happy by working in a bipartisan way," she said. "It's been a little bit difficult for the last three years since I started working with Lesko. I came to be more of an independent person."

"I haven’t changed who I am and my beliefs have not changed," she added.

The town's highway superintendent position opened up when Republican John Rouse, who held the position since 2003, was elected as a County Court judge in November. 

Walsh said she sought the nomination first from the Republican party, whose leadership eventually went with Losquadro. She said her interest in the highway post stems from her father's experiences working for the highway department.

"My family history goes back to that," she said, "so I feel a very personal affection for the department and the work that the men and women do there."

Walsh said that if elected, she will work to bring new technologies to the town highway department, make sure town facilities are in good shape, and find ways do work in-house to eliminate the need for outside consultants.

Meanwhile, Losquadro said he is focusing on getting out the message about his record in office. A former county legislator who now represents New York's Second Assembly District, Losquadro said he helped repeal most of the MTA payroll tax and supported the property tax cap enacted in 2012. In an interview with Patch in December Losquadro said the role of highway superintendent is more important than ever in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

In an interview Sunday, he said he would work to improve communication within the highway department, focus on the safety and maintenance of the town's 2,100 miles of roads, and implement a disaster preparedness plan.

"I have very clearly showed that I have the ability to make really difficult decisions," he said. "My experience working across party lines in the legislature [and] working with the assembly really prepared me to work well with the town board."

Romaine has set the date for the highway superintendent election as March 5, in accordance with a town law requiring a minimum of 60 days to a maximum of 90 days for a special election following a vacancy in office.

"It provides voters with substantial time to vet the candidates and study the issues," Romaine said in a statement. "The Superintendent of Highways controls a large budget and it’s vital that the people get all the information they need to make a sound decision come election day.”

Bill L January 7, 2013 at 04:13 pm
Did anyone expect someone other than Losquadro to get the republican line. He is J LaValles law partner. The little man still wants his grubby little hands in Brookhaven politics
Had Enuf! January 7, 2013 at 04:51 pm
Forgive me for posing a stupid query, but what do any of these career politicians know about road building and maintenance?
Just another example of the politicos picking the taxpayer pockets clean. DONT VOTE FOR EITHER OF THESE THIEVES AND GET OUT OF NY STATE BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. google....NY Pension Bomb .......and see why.
lara buscatelli January 8, 2013 at 02:17 am
Any civil engineers out there? I wonder if it would be better for the highway superintendent to be an appointed position so we would get better qualified individuals by requiring they have a civil engineering degree and x number of years of experience?
ShawnNuzzo January 8, 2013 at 04:00 am
Agreed. Filling potholes shouldn't be about politics.
Truth Teller January 8, 2013 at 04:18 am
Lesko proposed this before he left. It obviously hasn't gone any where since.
LI Taxpayer January 8, 2013 at 03:14 pm
It is all about JOBS, JOBS AND MORE JOBS. This seat will give the winning party the opportyint to APPOINT the most jobs to their friends.
Work hard or be a part of the party team, you get an appointment and a taxpayer job. Work hard and pay taxes and try to raise a family ad live in this town OR any in Suffolk, all you get is stuck holding the BILL for appointments. Example: The former campaign manager for CD candidate just secured a $90,000 a year APPOINTED position in Town of Brookhaven. I thought Brookhaven was BROKE and had a HUGE deficit. Really???????????????
Mels Ditties January 8, 2013 at 04:17 pm
Anyone know what happened with Lori Baldassare's possible run for this position?...She has been doing the job (under Rouse) for years.....I had read that she was considering running, but seems like these two are the parties picks...Shame that so very often, those who actually DO the job are passed over when it comes to them officially getting the position....Less politics and more real work is what we need, not only in Brookhaven, but all the way to Washington
Truth Teller January 8, 2013 at 05:06 pm
She's taking a job with the county.
lara buscatelli January 8, 2013 at 10:47 pm
meanwhile, they laid off part time, 20 hr a week code enforcement and park rangers making $11 & $16 an hr., who risk their lives every time they go patrolling or answering a resident complaint, or a road hazard. That one salary would have covered all 12 of them.
feduponbay January 8, 2013 at 10:55 pm
I work for a township, if anybody knew the shady deals, nepotism, corruption your head would explode. I am sick to my stomach on the way to work everyday for 25 years. Its beyond words and you would not believe what I see on a daily
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Candide08 January 27, 2013 at 06:51 pm
Please check out this local group, for people that like to discuss politics:
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Tom Calabrese January 31, 2013 at 12:47 am
Vote for the write in candidate
Bryce February 12, 2013 at 12:47 am
here we go. Bill walsh is a thug union boss who bully's around his membership with threats and rewards his 10 clsest buddies with all the overtime. his son is a thief who stole a town truck full of town scrap metal and cashed it in at gershow auto on peconic avenu. he then abandoned the truck on the side of the road. bill walsh (union leader) and kathy walsh councilwoman covered it up with help from mark alessi and lesko. this should be enough to demand that they both step down from there positions!! also, after the smack on the wrist and probably a raise or extra overtime the walsh kid was caught on camera doing drugs on town time in a town bathroom.. once again.....the same coverup!! how is this woman even on a ballot up for election. I know its not good to attack families but the truth is the truth. we cannot afford this union thug and his wife to threaten employees and use retaliatory tactics against people who are not on there side. make sure you vote people..
Moe Szyslak February 13, 2013 at 04:12 pm
What union does this guy lead? I think this needs to be brought to the attention of Patch readers now that the lame-o Interim Dpt. of Highway loser, Murphy, is resigning due to his nagging tooth ache.
If there are any conflicts with her becoming highway super, and her husband's union, she should recuse herself. Don't you agree?
Mary l February 15, 2013 at 05:26 pm
I think his name is depaulo or something like that.
Jon Versheck February 22, 2013 at 01:46 pm
I am curious, has anyone been to any of the local debates? Has anyone asked the candidates, "What are your qualifications for the position at hand? Then if they start answering by stating, "I have...." Questioned again, that is not what was asked. Please answer. What are your qualifications? Any Highway Dept experience?
Engineering degrees? Do you have a CDL license? Have you ever driven a truck? Are you familiar at all, realistically with any Highway Dept operations? I am sure I am not the only one to wonder these things...... jon at brookhavensuper.com
Jon Versheck February 24, 2013 at 05:19 am
New plan? my plow eldrer taught some things: First, always assume, it's going to be worse than they say, it usually is. Second, 24+ inches of snow is not that bad, so long as you can plow it as often as you need to to treat it like 4,6, or even 8 inches at a time. Third, "Get good tires on that truck!" Fourth, weight, and chains. Never run light always carry tire chains (which most of the TOB trucks did have some years back, which I have verified.) I've had them darn chains sitting in my shed, since that storm that my plowmate and I were driving two wheel drive trucks in and he said "we will be fine, less on truck to break, just use your head", and we were fine (had to chain up once)Anyhow, how does this tie in? If leadership from the top,kept everyone going like they should have,"doing their rounds",and multiple passes were completed,it would not have been as bad. if there was some sort of "union slowdown," that kept the snow from being treated as 6 to 8 or even less inches at a time, that means that there was a huge failure on the supervisory level down. I tell you what, even supervisor of highways, or a foreman job looks good from my window here, because if that is the case, they failed also.
Jon Versheck February 24, 2013 at 05:46 am
The job description for a highway general supervisor is straightforward and to the point. A general supervisor oversees a number of crews responsible for reconstructing, resurfacing or doing general maintenance work on town highways. In order to fill this post, one must have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent and served at least three years as a highway maintenance supervisor.
Do any of these candidates meet these criteria?
Bill March 3, 2013 at 04:36 pm
I don't understand with such corruption why isn't there an investigation into Kathy Walsh and others for their misdeeds. The people deserve answers.
Jon Versheck March 5, 2013 at 01:53 am
First off, I don't have a budget. I don't have an ad manager, I don't have a budget. About $60. That is all I can do right now. I am a working person, I have bills, I don't have money to spend on major publicity. I am one person, best as I can, doing what I think is right. I could place ads here, make money, that is not right. I could have asked for donations, that is not right. I could ask for "party support". That would not be right. I just want to help, to
do what is right. THAT IS RIGHT. brookhavensuper.com These are my hands. Proudly dirty, sore, cut, and bruised. No strangers to work, to make an honest living, to do what needs be done. Strong enough to get the job done right. Gentle, yet strong enough, to hold on to the ones I care about. help spread the word
Jon Versheck March 5, 2013 at 01:54 am
First off, I don't have a budget. I don't have an ad manager, I don't have a budget. About $60. That is all I can do right now. I am a working person, I have bills, I don't have money to spend on major publicity. I am one person, best as I can, doing what I think is right. I could place ads here, make money, that is not right. I could have asked for donations, that is not right. I could ask for "party support". That would not be right. I just want to help, to
do what is right. THAT IS RIGHT. brookhavensuper.com These are my hands. Proudly dirty, sore, cut, and bruised. No strangers to work, to make an honest living, to do what needs be done. Strong enough to get the job done right. Gentle, yet strong enough, to hold on to the ones I care about. help spread the word
Jon Versheck March 5, 2013 at 01:54 am
First off, I don't have a budget. I don't have an ad manager, I don't have a budget. About $60. That is all I can do right now. I am a working person, I have bills, I don't have money to spend on major publicity. I am one person, best as I can, doing what I think is right. I could place ads here, make money, that is not right. I could have asked for donations, that is not right. I could ask for "party support". That would not be right. I just want to help, to
do what is right. THAT IS RIGHT. brookhavensuper.com These are my hands. Proudly dirty, sore, cut, and bruised. No strangers to work, to make an honest living, to do what needs be done. Strong enough to get the job done right. Gentle, yet strong enough, to hold on to the ones I care about. help spread the word
Jon Versheck March 5, 2013 at 01:54 am
First off, I don't have a budget. I don't have an ad manager, I don't have a budget. About $60. That is all I can do right now. I am a working person, I have bills, I don't have money to spend on major publicity. I am one person, best as I can, doing what I think is right. I could place ads here, make money, that is not right. I could have asked for donations, that is not right. I could ask for "party support". That would not be right. I just want to help, to
do what is right. THAT IS RIGHT. brookhavensuper.com These are my hands. Proudly dirty, sore, cut, and bruised. No strangers to work, to make an honest living, to do what needs be done. Strong enough to get the job done right. Gentle, yet strong enough, to hold on to the ones I care about. help spread the word
Jon Versheck March 5, 2013 at 01:54 am
First off, I don't have a budget. I don't have an ad manager, I don't have a budget. About $60. That is all I can do right now. I am a working person, I have bills, I don't have money to spend on major publicity. I am one person, best as I can, doing what I think is right. I could place ads here, make money, that is not right. I could have asked for donations, that is not right. I could ask for "party support". That would not be right. I just want to help, to
do what is right. THAT IS RIGHT. brookhavensuper.com These are my hands. Proudly dirty, sore, cut, and bruised. No strangers to work, to make an honest living, to do what needs be done. Strong enough to get the job done right. Gentle, yet strong enough, to hold on to the ones I care about. help spread the word
Jon Versheck March 5, 2013 at 01:55 am
First off, I don't have a budget. I don't have an ad manager, I don't have a budget. About $60. That is all I can do right now. I am a working person, I have bills, I don't have money to spend on major publicity. I am one person, best as I can, doing what I think is right. I could place ads here, make money, that is not right. I could have asked for donations, that is not right. I could ask for "party support". That would not be right. I just want to help, to
do what is right. THAT IS RIGHT. brookhavensuper.com These are my hands. Proudly dirty, sore, cut, and bruised. No strangers to work, to make an honest living, to do what needs be done. Strong enough to get the job done right. Gentle, yet strong enough, to hold on to the ones I care about. help spread the word

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Thanks for posting your experience. Good to know for those looking for next year.
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