An Interview With Town Supervisor Candidate - Robert Creighton

Councilman Robert Creighton is challenging Supervisor Patrick Vecchio for the Republican line for Town Supervisor in November. The following article comes from an interview I did with Councilman Creighton. Supervisor Patrick Vecchio’s interview will be posted Friday evening. Pat

By Pat Biancaniello

Councilman Robert Creighton -At Kings Park Farmers MarketAsk Robert Creighton if he is sorry that he decided to challenge Patrick Vecchio for the Republican line in November’s election and he answers with an absolute “No”. He is not sorry at all. A little surprised at the nasty things that have been said about him and more than a little bothered that his son has been brought into all the nastiness - but sorry, “not at all.” 

That’s the way Bob Creighton is, he thinks about what he believes is right, collects information and then acts on that information. It is this ability to make decisions that allowed Bob to lay the foundation for his challenge to Vecchio. Months ago he changed his party registration from Conservative to Republican and hasn’t looked back.  When asked if he received criticism from Conservatives or Republicans for changing his affiliation? His answer was an emphatic “no”!

“I like what I do, as a Councilman I can do a little good. As Supervisor, I can do a lot of good. Certainly more good than Patrick Vecchio has done. He has done nothing, not in my time and he has blocked everything we have tried to do.”  Creighton used the Nassau - Suffolk lumber yard debacle as an example of what is wrong under Vecchio’s leadership. His frustration is palpable as  he declares Vecchio and DeRubeis have blocked the redevelopment of the site since 2008 when the first rendering was presented. According to Creighton, “DiCarlo has submitted eight plans. The most recent rendering drawn up by the Planning Department and then planning came back and said the air shaft is too small. After they drew up the plans. Where does that come from? An arrogance that starts at the top. When you have thirty five years of arrogance and Frank DeRubeis there for thirty plus years, it happens, not intentionally, but it happens.”

What will he do to change things if he is elected as Supervisor? Creighton uses the town of Patchogue as an example. Creighton talked about a recent visit to Patchogue and a visit with Mayor Paul Pontieri.  Facing blight in its downtown, Pontieri has successfully addressed the blight of downtown Patchogue and the mindset of the department heads according to Creighton. “Pontieri looks at a proposal, if he likes it, he tells them to write up a plan. We (Smithtown) throw a monkey wrench at people.” Calling Smithtown the land of “no”, Creighton talks about how he and Councilman Wherheim have enacted a controversial plan advising developers to bring the plans to them before talking to planning. “If we like it, “a la Pontieri” they can bring the plan to the Planning Department with a different spin on it. It levels the playing field because the Planning Department now knows that we have seen the plan and have interest in it.”

When asked about rumors that Creighton planned to replace department heads with commissioners, he said that this idea was not a high priority. “I do support the idea because commissioners would be more responsive to us. I don’t think it is terribly necessary. I do support the idea but I would be perfectly comfortable changing the department heads making them more responsive to me. Changing to commissioners would be more expensive and I don’t want to do that.” 

I asked Mr. Creighton to respond to criticism that he was more interested in business development and not interested in protecting residents. ” Protect the residents from what? My answer is very simple, if I wasn’t interested I wouldn’t be running for this job. I think I can do some good. Doing good means taking care of some interests. Take Whisper Vineyards for example, I am supposed to be a supporter of it. I support the concept, but I don’t support the noise that would come from the vineyard. I do believe there is room for accommodation. The Uplands? People want your final decision before you have all the information. I have said I will wait until I have all the information on it and go through it at that point.  They want you to say I am against it. But remember we all voted for the idea of a continuum care and we all voted to make St. Johnland do an EIS (environmental impact study) they paid for it. Without four votes the project is dead. I will not do anything to delay the vote.” Asked for an example of support for the residents, Mr. Creighton spoke about his support for road improvements.  Vecchio, according to Creighton has said the roads are fine.

On the budget - Mr. Creighton has had some experience with budgeting but is very pleased with the hiring of Louis Necroto as Town Comptroller. A hiring that he and Councilman Wherheim promoted. Mr. Creighton said that Mr. Necroto will play a significant role in putting together the town budget. Another person Mr. Creighton sees as playing a role in his administration is Town Attorney John Zollo. 

What is it that Bob Creighton would like residents of Smithtown to know about him? “Obviously, I am very sensitive about this. I would like people to know that I have a high degree of integrity. I would like people to know that I am not corrupt, that I am not a crook and I do not take money from people.  That to me is very important. I have spent an entire career building a reputation in the law enforcement community. A better reputation than most. It offends me terribly to be called corrupt.” 

“I think Smithtown is a great town. I live here. I have lived here for 54 years. I come from New York City, I came here by choice. I married my wife here. I love the place. I have educated my children here and my grandchildren are being educated here. I would like my grandchildren to be able to stay here. I want my kids to be able to stay here when they get to retirement age. I don’t want them to go to Florida or North Carolina. I’m here because I think we have an obligation to provide better housing for people. We need smart growth, an overworked word. We need the project across from Town Hall the perfect example of smart growth business on the first floor and apartments /condominiums on the top floors and parking off the streets.”

What happens to Bob Creighton if he loses the primary? He is a heavy favorite to win the Conservative primary against Linda Donnelly and plans to continue his campaign for Supervisor on the Conservative line.

Tuesday, September 10th is the date of the Republican Primary. Get out and vote!