It's Official Vecchio and Nowick To Serve Out Their Terms

In what most people consider one of the strangest events in Smithtown’s political history Supervisor Patrick Vecchio and Councilwoman Lynne Nowick were sworn into office for the third time this year. 

A brief swearing in ceremony was held on the steps of Town Hall on Tuesday, June 24th.  Judge John Toomey presided over the two officials’ oath of office ceremony.  In one of the lighter moments Councilwoman Nowick explained how she is hoping this is the last time this year that she will have to be sworn in. “I won a primary in September, won an election in November, was sworn in in January. Lost my job in February was sworn in again in February and now in June.”  Supervisor Vecchio joked that he couldn’t afford any more swearing in celebrations.

NYS Senator John FlanaganSupervisor Vecchio thanked Senator John Flanagan, Assemblyman Mike Fiztpatrick and Governor Cuomo for their efforts in creating, passing and signing legislation that allowed for the two officials to fill out their full four year term of office. The legislation received the support of most of the state legislators across party lines.  

Earlier this year Town Clerk Vincent Puleo (Mr. Puleo was not present at the ceremony) declared the position of Supervisor and Councilperson vacant due to the absence of the legally required signed ‘oath of office’.  Nowick and Vecchio had failed to sign the required document within thirty days of taking office.

The Town Clerk’s office has resposiblity for maintaing documents, but according to Puleo the Clerk’s office has no reponsibility to seek out the signatures of delinquent signers.  

Time ran out and the positions were declared vacant.  Councilmen McCarthy, Wehrheim and Creighton agreed to appoint both Vecchio and Nowick to the positions they were elected to in Nov. 2013.  The caveat was that the appointment could only be made for one year. To hold their postions the two newly appointed Town Board members would need to participate in an election in November and once again win the election.  Option two was having legislation in Albany approved that would allow the two to serve their full four year terms.

Smithtown Democrats got behind the movement to pass legislation.  According to Smithtown Democratic Party Leader Ed Maher, ” Honoring the will of the electorate in the November 2013 election was the right thing to do.”  With support for the legislation crossing party lines it seemed almost anti-climatic when the Governor signed the legislation. 

Supervisor Vecchio - Richard Macellaro- Martin Aponte Tuesday’s ceremony was a nice way to end the saga of deliquent signatures,
but will it end the bickering and bad feelings at Town Hall? Only time will tell.