First and foremost, I want to thank the residents of Riverhead for re-electing me to the position of town supervisor. It has been a great honor and privilege to serve this great town. I am truly humbled by the confidence you have placed in me this past election. The town has made remarkable strides over the past six years and bigger and better things are on the horizon. We are no longer the “little town that couldn’t.” Every day I hear people ask what wonderful things are next. Riverhead is truly the place where people want to be.
On a personal note, this election took a toll on my family and me. I was knocked to my knees three times. The first time I eagerly got up, dusted myself off and moved forward. The second time, after the Republican convention, getting up was a little more difficult, but I knew it was up to me to be on the ballot to give a voice to all the great accomplishments, people and businesses that took a chance on this town. The third time, after a dark rainy day in September, I was not getting up. This was one of my most difficult political and personal challenges. My family and staff were surprised at my reaction to the primary; for almost three weeks, I licked my wounds and all but gave up.
During that time something remarkable happened. Residents, friends and business owners began to stop by my office, call, email and text that this election is not over and you can win. More amazing still, residents, pastors and some churches began to pray for me, my family and staff. I reread the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 and began to believe the smooth stone of truth would be the key to this election. As the prayers mounted, I slowly rose from my knees, asking God only that I do His will in this election and that I not let the people of Riverhead down.
Back on my feet, we began to campaign again and the response was immediate and overwhelmingly positive. The support I received can only be described as a gift. Yet even with all this support, I never truly believed I could win solely on the Conservative line. Monday before Election Day, after knocking on the last door, I went back to town hall to speak to my staff and thank them for all their hard work over the past six years and not to expect victory tomorrow because to my knowledge a comeback like ours had never been done. Boy, was I wrong.
You see this election victory was a gift delivered from God through prayer and supplication. This was not a gift earned by me. This is a gift that neither I nor my staff will squander. To that end, we will continue to move this town forward on all fronts. We will balance the budget and start to build the reserve fund. We will continue the march to 100 percent occupancy on Main Street. We will usher in Luminati Aerospace at EPCAL to bring in high-paying, high-tech jobs the east end of Long Island truly deserves.
Again, I thank the residents for their support and the confidence they have placed in my staff and I. My prayer today is for everyone to have a safe and happy holiday season and that God’s peace that surpasses all understanding be with you and your families.
Sean
Sean Walter, a Wading River resident, was re-elected to his fourth term as Riverhead town supervisor on Nov. 3.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
