Southold town attorney plans to leave to counsel county legislature

Town Attorney Bill Duffy will be leaving his position with Southold for a counsel position with the Suffolk County Legislature. He informed the Town Board in an executive session on Tuesday.

He said he wanted to take the opportunity to work in the legislature with a new Republican majority coming in. “I just wanted to be able to take on this challenge,” he said. 

It was a bittersweet decision, he added. 

“I really loved everybody I worked with and serving the people of the Town of Southold so it was not an easy decision at all but it just seemed like a very good opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” he said. 

Town Supervisor Scott Russell said Mr. Duffy will be formally leaving his position “right after the first of January.” The town is currently advertising for a new town attorney. 

“We have an office of three right now. With his leaving, I believe we’ll be in good shape until we fill the position,” Mr. Russell said. “It’s not likely we could fill the position until well after [January] first.”

He pointed out a vote on hiring a new attorney would have to wait until after the town organizational meeting on January 4, which is “essentially when the Town Board starts its work.” 

“It would have to be at some point after that because we have two new board members who can’t vote before the first,” he said. 

Mr. Russell added that he’s going to miss Mr. Duffy.

“One of the smartest municipal attorneys I’ve ever worked with. Made my job easier and anything good that I was able to do was a result of his help and guidance and insight,” he said.