Enough is enough.

Brookhaven residents have tolerated broken, pothole-ridden roads that cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in repairs every year. We've tolerated drainage issues that turned heavy rain into major floods.

But there isn't anything more frustrating than getting your car stuck in unplowed roads in your own neighborhood! It happens every year, and this has been the worst of them all.

Despite warnings that this year would bring record snowfall to Long Island, Brookhaven Highway was without enough equipment, and short on private plows to ensure that our communities wouldn't be overwhelmed by snow.

This is what 13 years of failed leadership at the Brookhaven Town Highway Department looks like under Superintendent Dan Losquadro. 

Failure is one thing, but the arrogance and stunning lack of accountability is so much worse. Despite getting thousands of calls about unplowed roads every year, Losquadro's response is to call residents "entitled". 

What do we want? It's simple: direction action and accountability. And if he can't do that? Leadership change.

The priorities:

• Utilize the town's AAA bond rating to secure a Highway Infrastructure Bond, for the purchase of equipment, both new and used, for paving and plowing projects, as well as a townwide drainage and road repair project, and a doubling of private plow funds.
• A comprehensive, public review of all highway contracts related to paving and plowing. Cancel all single bid contracts, and re-bid with a minimum of 5 bidders, and disqualify any companies that do not sign an affidavit that neither the company as a corporate entity, nor any of their officers or employees, will make political contributions to any town politicians or candidates running for town office in Brookhaven. 
• Re-direct savings into hiring labor that will train on plows and paving trucks. Brookhaven will develop a fast and light force, in addition to the new private plow operators and pavers, who use town-owned trucks to attack multiple projects year-round.
• Increase rates for private plow operators, upgrade payment portal with a vendor that can guarantee payment within 3-5 business days, and begin a recruitment process in the early fall.
• Devise a publicly available map that can show residents, in real-time, which streets have been plowed, and which are scheduled to be plowed (and when).
• Commit to holding town hall meetings to hear from residents four times per year.

This is a reasonable action plan, with priorities that are already being accomplished by Highway and Public Works Departments throughout the nation.

If they can do it, so can Brookhaven.

Enough failure! Enough excuses!