Spin Cycle

Former Suffolk Republican chairman John Powell, who helped launch George Pataki’s tenure as governor but later ran afoul of the law, has begun reappearing on the local political circuit, at least at the grassroots level.

Powell was spotted on school election night last month with Joseph LoSchiavo and Brett Houdek, winners in the Patchogue-Medford school board contests. Powell, reached later, confirmed his presence and his help in the campaign.

Suffolk’s former wunderkind, 47, now in the paving business, was the guest speaker at the Great South Bay Republican Club just a few weeks ago. Powell demurred when asked if he is looking to return to politics. But, he added, “You’re about the 450th person who has asked me that question.”

Rick Brand

Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri was in Hauppauge yesterday with officials of Suffolk Community College, who were lobbying to restore $67 million in college projects to the institution's budget.

Sources say Pontieri has been notified that Gov. David Paterson will appoint him to the college's trustee board. No announcement has yet been made. Pontieri would replace Dennis McCarthy, who's been an aide to GOP County Executives Peter Fox Cohalan and Robert Gaffney.

Pontieri also has been mentioned as a possble Democratic contender for Brooklhaven Supervisor should Brian Foley unseat State Sen. Caesar Trunzo in November. But the mayor drew fire from Assemb Steven Englebright recently at a meeting of the Three Village Democratic Club for helping Republican Brian Egan last year in his race against Legis. Jack Eddington (D-Medford). Later Pontieri named Egan as village attorney.

Rick Brand

Mark J. Grossman, one-time regional aide to Gov. Mario Cuomo, has landed a $110,000-a-year job as Long Island regional director of the State Labor Department.

Grossman, 51, of East Patchogue, who started in the new post a week ago, had been special assistant to Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley for the past two years. The new job had been in the works for months but was delayed by the change of administrations in Albany. Grossman becomes Gov. David Paterson’s first Long Island appointment. He will work as a local liaison among government, business and local labor unions.

Grossman will work out of the Labor Department’s Patchogue office, where he inherited the desk of Gov. George Pataki’s former labor commissioner, Linda Angelo, a one-time aide to State Sen. Caesar Trunzo. She kept a local office. “Until I arrived, the office had been empty for some time,” said Grossman.

Rick Brand

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