He is one of four Town Board members who could be facing a $10 million lawsuit from Vince Tria, the majority owner of WRIV 1390 AM.
Mr. Tria has filed a notice of claim, which reserves the right to file a lawsuit later, protesting the Town Board's removal of him from the downtown Business Improvement District management association. The BID collects taxes from downtown business owners for events and promotions.
He claims the Town Board cannot legally remove him from the BID management association, and that the board acted in retaliation against him for negative remarks about town officials made on air.
"I made a decision yesterday that I cannot appear on a radio station where the principal owner is suing me for $10 million," Mr. Walter said Thursday.
WLNG 92.1 FM, has been trying to get him to do the appearance for some time, he added.
"The very nice part of this is that WLNG has a reception in Wading River and Calverton, which are the largest two hamlets in the town," he said.
Councilman John Dunleavy, who was not named in the notice of claim, as he was absent on the day the vote on Mr. Tria took place, said WRIV has asked him to fill in for the supervisor on Fridays. He didn't say if he would accept the offer.
Bruce Tria, Mr. Tria's son and WRIV's general manager, wrote a letter to Mr. Walter after the supervisor bowed out of the broadcast.
"It is sad that you have chosen to deal with a dispute with the principal owner of this radio station by imposing a cone of silence around you," he wrote.
Mr. Walter's first appearance on WLNG is scheduled for March 26 at 1 p.m.