Len might be the most qualified and experienced individual to seek the office of Town Clerk in memory. Len possesses 20 years of hands-on government experience.
The Town Clerk’s position is an administrative position that calls for strong organizational, management and operational skills. In addition, knowledge of town law, general municipal law and state finance law are all essential requirements of the job. Len possesses all the requisite skills and knowledge.
Currently, Len manages a staff of 40 in the Finance and Information Technology divisions of the largest town in Suffolk County (Brookhaven) and one of the largest towns in the country. Len administers a $220 million municipal budget and $30 million capital budget. His leadership and operational skills earned Brookhaven its highest credit rating in the 350-year history of the town.
Len’s other initiatives over the last two years – developing surplus and debt control policy, posting the budget on the town’s web site, establishing a tax stabilization fund and establishing a monthly budget review process – has earned him bi-partisan praise.
Len’s current responsibilities include functions performed by the Town Clerk’s office in East Hampton, such as the preparation of the payables warrant, archiving all payment vouchers and reviewing all resolution proposals.
Len also served four years as the East Hampton Town Budget Officer. During that time the town earned four credit rating increases. East Hampton went from having the worst to the best credit rating of any town on Long Island.
Len also prepared four consecutive East Hampton Town budgets with tax rate decreases. Some have publicly stated Len may be the most talented finance manager in Suffolk County.
Len served four years as a Town Councilman in East Hampton. As a councilman, Len wrote legislation on parks management, mass gatherings, waste hauling and parking enforcement. Len also oversaw a number of capital projects like the Pantigo Place little league fields, reconstruction of the youth hockey rink and the construction of the Montauk skateboard park.
Len Bernard spent the first 10 years of his government career with the U.S. General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C. managing nationwide operational audits of various federal programs and operations. Len received multiple awards for his service at the General Accounting Office.
Len is local – a 1974 graduate of East Hampton High School – and possesses a Masters Degree in Public Administration from The George Washington University.
Len lives in Amagansett with his wife Kathy in the house where he was raised. His two children, Christina and Steve are graduates of East Hampton High School. Christina, 25, graduated from Harvard University and has worked for the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Steve, 23, is a graduate of The George Washington University and has a Masters Degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Steve currently works as a reporter for Royal Media Group in New York City.
