Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri, a Democrat (pictured here), has picked a new village attorney — Republican Brian Egan, who ran against a losing race last year against Legis. Jack Eddington (D-Medford).
Egan replaces another Republican, Lee Snead, who is also a Bellport village trustee, and has expressed interest in running for the South Country school board.
Last fall, Pontieri appeared in campaign pieces put out by both Egan and Eddington. Egan also once was campaign manager for Democrat Brian Weeks who ran against Pontieri’s ticket.
Egan had already been working for the village as a part-time special prosecutor on housing violations, and made $25,000 last year working on an hourly rate. In his new role, Egan will continue the housing enforcement work, but add the other duties as village attorney as well.
Pontieri said Egan, who has his own private practice, will be considered a part-time employee but will be “on call to the village 24-7” and receive a $75,000-a-year salary and medical benefits. He said Egan will log all his hours to determine what level of credit he should receive from the state pension system. But the mayor said the cost is below the level of the $125,000 in legal bills the village paid out last year.
Eddington had no ill words for his former foe. “I wish him luck,” he said.
Rick Brand