The new year ushered in the inaugurations of more than a half dozen newly elected Democratic lawmakers who had unseated Republican incumbents across the East End in the November elections’ blue wave.
Freshman Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin took the reins from his one-term Republican predecessor Tim Hubbard and Suffolk County Legislator Greg Doroski (D-Mattituck) officially replaced Catherine Stark, who also served one term representing the North Fork in the county legislature. On Shelter Island, new Town Clerk Shelby Mundy took over after ousting Republican Amber Wilson. And on the South Fork, Southampton Town Councilman Tom Neely replaced unseated Republican Rick Martel — in addition to a trio of Democrats who replaced GOP members of the Southampton Town Trustees.
