Interview With Newly Appointed Councilwoman Lynne C. Nowick

Maureen Ledden Rossi

Councilwoman Lynne C. Nowick at January Town Board meetingCouncilwoman Lynne Nowick showed up at Town Hall at three p.m. Tuesday afternoon to meet with Smithtown Matters. The sun was shinning, snow was melting, there were even some birds chirping. Was this a sign that spring was on the way, a sign that a new season was upon us? Prior to Nowick’s recent absence and temporary unemployment due to an unsigned oath of office, the councilwoman had her office painted a cheery pale yellow. The councilwoman’s mood was as bright as the fresh coat of paint; maybe it was because earlier in the day she became completely official when she signed her oath of office in the town clerk’s office. “I’m back,” she laughed.

However, it was not Town Clerk Puleo who officiated her signing - it was a member of his staff - Regina Burke. The mention of the Puleo name left the seasoned elected official disheartened. “You know Vinny and I know each other for close to three decades, it’s really a shame what happened,” she said. Nowick added that in no shape or form was SHOCK a sufficient enough word to describe how she felt when she realized her position, the position she won back in the November election, was null and void. “He passes my office all the time, he could have told me about the book with the oath waiting for my signature,” she lamented.

Nowick drew some criticism from some in the crowd at last week’s special town board meeting, a meeting called specifically to reappoint her to her council seat and Patrick Vecchio as supervisor. Many wondered aloud why she wasn’t on hand to sign the oath of office. Nowick said she was away on a scheduled vacation and the return home was a nightmare that included two cancelled flights as well as driving a rental car to a second airport. She admitted much like the situation in town hall her travels were a debacle. “I watched the meeting online live and was very happy with the results, I called Bob Creighton, Eddie Wehrheim and Tom McCarthy and thanked them all for doing the right thing,” she shared.

Asked if she had any hard feelings she said although saddened at the events that transpired, she had no harsh feelings towards anyone. “We are a team and we are going to get the job done, we will be collaborating on various projects, we will be able to work together that is never going to be an issue for me” she explained. She said that she has sought the views of all three councilmen regarding different issues facing the town since being sworn in on the steps of Town Hall on January 1st. She said they are all very experienced leaders who know the ins and outs of town government and have a lot to offer her. However, she admits in her short tenure that there are some things lacking. “Personally going forward I would like to see more communication with department heads, more communication between all of us,” she explained.

The former legislator reflected on her days in county government. She said that of course she and her colleagues would disagree on issues, however, after the meeting they would go into the conference room, have coffee and talk about their children. “Why can’t we do that here?” she asked.

Nowick has plenty of experience working with both Democrats and Republicans during her time at the Legislature; however, this the first time the life-long St. James resident is working with all males. Asked about the history of women on the Town Board and their short tenure over the last decade or so, she smiled and was extremely coy. Like a seasoned elected official she said, “I’d like to think after this last week it is a new day in Town Hall, everyone had time reflect on the events and now we have plenty of work to do.”

When asked about the legislation fellow Republicans Senator John Flanagan and Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick will be introducing in Albany to overturn the over one-hundred year old law that terminated her position, she was ambivalent. She said it would be a tough road to get that law passed but that she certainly didn’t want to have to run another election in the fall of 2014. She was grateful that the lawmakers were interceding. Jokingly she proposed her own brand new law. “Lynne’s Law would call for proper notification for newly elected officials as to the protocol of the signing of the oath,” she laughed. Councilwoman Lynne Nowick is officially back at work and Smithtown voters can only hope she’s right - that it’s a new day in Town Hall.