Former Environmental Control Supervisor Eric Hofmeister presided over his first Town of Islip board meeting Tuesday after officials ousted the previous acting supervisor.

Deputy Town Supervisor Jeanette Messina took over the town?s highest-ranking political post in March when former supervisor Pete McGowan pleaded guilty to misusing funds. The board voted by a 3-1 margin Tuesday to replace Messina after Councilwoman Pamela Greene introduced a resolution to appoint Hofmeister.

Critics say Greene was politically motivated since the town Republican party, of which Messina is vice-chair, did not give her the nod to run for the position in a special election this November. Greene says the move shows the board wants professional and not political leadership, and that a party boss should not be serving in the position.

Hofmeister says he has not yet decided if he will name a new deputy town supervisor, a move that would leave Messina jobless. Hofmeister says he will not run for the position in the special election.