Government

Riverhead ZBA member wants legislative seat

Wading River resident Frank Seabrook has declared an interest in running on the Republican line for the Suffolk County legislative seat now held by Ed Romaine, who will leave it soon to take over as Brookhaven Town supervisor following Mr. Romaine’s victory in a special election on Tuesday.

A special election to fill the legislative seat is expected in early 2013.

“There are many interested in this position, all highly qualified and all really good people,” Mr. Seabrook wrote in a press announcement. “But having never held elected office before, I believe that I would bring a fresh perspective to the district.”

Mr. Seabrook, a member of the Riverhead Town Zoning Board of Appeals, is the publisher of the Suffolk County Liberty Report, a conservative blog.

“While we can all agree on the importance of preserving and protecting our farmland and open space, I believe of equal importance is the preservation of our people. Over the last 30 years, we have watched a mass human exodus off this once great island. And I believe a lot of that has to do with the policies that have been enacted by our county and local governments.”

He wrote that as “taxes, deficits, regulations, fees, fines, and red light cameras continue to rise, so do the amount of our parents, children, and industry leaving. It seems that our government no longer serves the people, it actually harasses the people.”

Mr. Seabrook, a New York City police officer who retired after 20 years, wrote that he is a construction manager for a large general contractor. He has been a resident in Wading River for 21 years.

He has been married 25 years, has two daughters attending Dowling College and a son in the Shoreham-Wading River High School. He holds a BS degree in architectural engineering and wrote that he is working on his masters in civil engineering and construction management.