Ed Romaine (R,C,I) - Brookhaven Town Supervisor

Republican incumbent Ed Romaine is running for re-election for his fourth full term as Brookhaven Town supervisor. He was first elected in a 2012 special election.

One of Romaine’s top priorities moving forward is making sure the town stays fiscally secure. He is proud of the high credit and bond ratings that he said allows the town to borrow at lower rates, therefore saving taxpayers money.

“All questions of government are questions of money,” he said.

Another priority for Romaine, 72, of Center Moriches is to prevent overdevelopment throughout the town and find areas that can be preserved. He has made it a goal to find areas near waterways, wetlands and sensitive areas to keep as open space. Romaine said he also uses zoning as a way to plan for the future, making decisions carefully that could last for decades. He added that he doesn’t want roads and highways becoming clogged due to overdevelopment.

Romaine has announced that the town landfill is scheduled to close in 2024 and that he has been working with the town board to set up adequate measures leading up to and following its closure. The site, which now only takes construction debris and ash, will become an energy park once capped and fully closed.

“Our future is not in landfilling garbage,” Romaine said.

The supervisor added that more could be done in the coming years to address reducing waste for residents and improving recycling habits. Romaine said there needs to be recycling that also allows products to be reused, rather than put back into the waste cycle. He said it is now cheaper to make new glass than to recycle it, therefore reducing the market where the town can resell. Romaine wants to continue to look at improving the recycling system while also being conscious of cost and being able to have an adequate product.

“I am strongly committed to recycling,” he said.

The supervisor has also committed to “green” improvements across the town, including placing solar panels on almost all town facilities. He said he supports wind power and having it be accessible to residents. Romaine is also supportive of the Community Choice Aggregation model, which allows municipalities to get more competitive rates for energy.

Ahead of the election, Romaine said he is looking ahead at Brookhaven’s future and how he can make it a better place.

“I want voters to think about the future of their town,” he said.

Romaine said he has the commitment and a vision to improve communities across the town, each with its own unique issues and needs. He said he cares about helping his neighbors and friends, having lived in the town for four decades.