Two years ago, Kevin LaValle won a special election to fill the vacant seat at the Town Clerk’s office, fresh off several years’ experience as a councilman for the Middle Country-based Third Council District.
In just two years, LaValle has certainly made his mark as the “cover on the book” of Town government.
The Port Jefferson Republican hit the ground running with modernizing the Town Clerk’s office, including an online system for building and rezoning applications and permits, as well as first disability parking permits. The Town processes some 10,000 of those permits a year, putting Brookhaven well ahead of the average municipality to streamline such an arduous process.
LaValle also makes good use of Occam’s Razor – the simplest solution is often the correct one. He employed this point of logic to increase communication and decrease online chatter about projects coming to town. By simply placing a QR code on required notices on properties applying for zone changes, passersby can scan said codes and find the details of application right on the Town website. This is an excellent use of Town resources to simplify the process for the layman and get out ahead of the rumor mill, especially in a time when concerns of overdevelopment are arguably at peak levels.
Perhaps most noticeable of LaValle’s feats, however, is his institution of mobile office hours at each of the thirteen library districts in Brookhaven Town. Each month of the year brings LaValle to a different library, a great method of ear-to-the-rail governance that also ties in with the growing synergies produced by the local library branch. Moreover, Brookhaven Town has more than 3,000 miles of paved roadways, meaning LaValle not only covers a lot of ground himself, but ensures that no part of town goes unnoticed.
The mobile office hours, as well as other inner-workings of the Clerk’s office, are tied into the social media page that LaValle has helped grow, giving the public a true connection to perhaps the most obscure branch of town government.
LaValle is also looking ahead at the next few years, aiming to work with the IT Department to overhaul all Town services to an online platform – a massive undertaking. LaValle and company also do this with the 2022 County cyberattack in mind, a point seemingly well taken by the county’s largest municipality.
And such strides seem to be in good hands to boot. LaValle and the Town’s IT leaders were keynote speakers at a recent convention of town clerks from across the nation.
Clearly, Brookhaven is leading. We hope to see what else LaValle can accomplish, with a full term, no less.
LaValle’s opponent, Democrat Tricia Chiaramonte, of Manorville, is not actively campaigning.
The Messenger endorses LaValle.
