Glenn Jorgensen - Resignation And A Guilty Plea Ends 43 Years of Town Employment

Glenn Jorgensen - Town of Smithtown After months of speculation Glenn Jorgensen, Smithtown’s Superintendent of Highway, has resigned from his position and entered a guilty plea to a felony and misdemeanor in State Supreme Court in Riverhead, Friday morning.  

Mr. Jorgensen, 63, was employed in the Smithtown Highway Department for many years before being elected as the Superintendent of Highway in 2009. He easily won a second term in 2013. He has been employed by Smithtown for forty-three years.  His second term began Jan. 1, 2014 and has been marred by a sexual harassment claim currently before the Town, and by accusations that he falsified and removed documents from the Smithtown Highway Department office.

Mr. Jorgensen was arrested by the Suffolk County Police in April 1, 2015 for an incident occurring Nov. 18, 2014. The most serious charge was a D Felony - 1 count of tampering with public records. Mr. Jorgensen pleaded not guilty.

Today, Jorgensen went before State Supreme Court Justice Mark Cohen and pleaded guilty to one felony charge and one misdemeanor. The plea agreement reached by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and Mr. Jorgensen. 

Mr. Jorgensen was not sentenced, but according to Newsday by pleading guilty to felony, the agreement calls for four months in jail or 560-hour community service.

A guilty plea to the felony charge means that Mr. Jorgensen is barred from elected office.  Deputy Superintendent of Highway Robert Murphy will now serve as the acting superintendent of highway.

Supervisor Vecchio had called for Jorgensen’s resignation earlier this year and expressed confidence in Deputy Highway Superintendent Robert Murphy’s ability to take on the role of Acting Superintendent. In a phone conversation he indicated that Mr. Murphy would serve in the position until an election in 2016  unless the Town Board appointed someone to fill the position of Superintendent of Highway until the 2016 election. In both cases voters will have the opportunity to vote in for a Superintendent of Highway in November 2016. The winner of the election will finish Mr. Jorgensen’s term of office which ends December 31, 2017. 

Smithtown Democratic Chairman Ed Maher called for Mr. Jorgensen’s resignation earlier this year. When questioned by Smithtown Matters he emailed the following statement, “The last two Smithtown Republican Highway superintendents have been indicted and forced to resigned in disgrace. A far contrast from the days when the Smithtown Highway Dept. was the envy of every town in New York under James Dowling. The Smithtown Democrats are determined to return the Smithtown Highway Dept to a honorable and qualified superintendent. Someone that can be trusted and respected by both the highway department workforce and the residents.”

The Highway Department has 142 full time employees and a budget of almost $25 million. In addition to maintaining the town’s 470 miles of roads, the department is responsible for drainage systems, recharge basins, driveway aprons and curbs, snow removal, ice control and street sweeping.

County Executive Steve Bellone Endorses Larry Vetter For Town Council

County Executive Steve Bellone Endorses Larry Vetter for Town Council

“Larry Vetter will be my ‘Partner in Smithtown’ on Budget and Environmental Issues”

County Executive Steve Beeline with Town Council Candidate Larry VetterSMITHTOWN, NY - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today endorsed Larry Vetter, the Democratic candidate for Town Council in Smithtown.

“I look forward to having Larry Vetter as my partner in Smithtown on budget and environmental issues,” said County Executive Bellone. “As an entrepreneur whose business provides environmental solutions, he will bring his real world experience of financial responsibility and environmental expertise to the Town Board.”

“I know Larry understands the importance of ensuring Smithtown attracts young professionals,” continued Mr. Bellone. “Together we will create an innovation economy, inspiring young people to stay, raise families and prosper in Smithtown.”

“I want to thank Steve Bellone for his endorsement – I’m proud to have his enthusiastic support,” said Larry Vetter. “I agree with our County Executive - we have to reverse the brain drain from our area. We cannot achieve our full economic potential and we cannot create a more prosperous future, if Smithtown is unable to retain our young, highly educated, highly skilled workers necessary to build an innovative economy.”

“As a Town Councilman, I will work with Mr. Bellone to bring County assets and programs to Smithtown, something the current dysfunctional all-Republican Board has refused to even consider,” continued Mr. Vetter. “I plan to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective, as well as a new civility to local Smithtown government.”

Smithtown Democratic Party Chairman, Ed Maher also thanked County Executive Bellone saying, “His support will be the reason for Larry Vetter’s victory in November.” Mr. Maher also predicted another Election Day victory for Steve Bellone adding, “I believe Larry Vetter will be the Steve Bellone of Smithtown by teaming with Steve and replicating his proven record of cutting taxes, balancing budgets, and bringing people together for better government.”

SHSW Class Of '75 Commemorate 40th Anniversary

Trees to Remember

Smithtown High School West’s Class of 1975 recently celebrated their 40^th reunion, and decided that as the first graduating class of High School West, they wanted to commemorate the occasion by planting trees where their seeds of learning were cultivated. 

Using funds collected from their reunion celebration, the Class of 1975 agreed to donate three trees, planted in front of the HSW campus, along with a plaque, which was unveiled before homecoming. A donation was also made to the Smithtown Library to purchase children’s books. 

“West had, and continues to have, a great staff of teachers who were supportive and had such a positive influence on all of us,” said Janet Gambrell Bernabeo, a Class of 1975 graduate who now works for Smithtown School District. “We graduated in 1975 with 412 students. We have a strong alumni connection and plans are in the works to reunite again. We were proud and honored to be the first graduating class of High School West.”

Photo Caption: From left: Members of Smithtown High School West’s first graduating class in 1975: Jill Murman Payne, Nicolette Pumilia, Margherita Fanera Schneider, Janet Gambrell Bernabeo and Debbie Myers March in front of the three trees they donated.

Photo courtesy of the Smithtown Central School District

Smithtown Man Dies After Being Struck By DWI Driver In Smithtown

Suffolk County Police have arrested a Saint James man for driving while intoxicated after a motor vehicle crash that killed a pedestrian in Smithtown last night.

Timothy BurkeTimothy Burke, 43, was driving a 2006 Dodge Charger northbound on Route 111 when his vehicle struck a pedestrian who was crossing Route 111 at 8:30 p.m.

The pedestrian, Kenneth Rich, 51, of Smithtown, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.

Burke was charged with driving while intoxicated and will be arraigned in First District Court in Central Islip on October 10.

The vehicle was impounded for a safety check and the investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with information about the crash to contact the Vehicular Crime Unit at 631-852-6555.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Where's The Endorsement? Inzerillo Supporters Want To Know

Councilman McCarthy, Councilwoman Nowick, NYS Assemblyman Fitzpatrick, Supervisor Vecchio, SC Legislator Trotta and Republican Town Council candidate Lisa InzerilloStanding outside Town Hall Republicans gathered to endorse and to offer support to Lisa Inzerillo a winner in the September 10th Republican primary. Ms. Inzerillo, received the second most votes in the primary defeating incumbent Councilman Robert Creighton. Ms. Inzerillo is the official Republican candidate for Town Council.  Gathered around Ms. Inzerillo was Supervisor Patrick Vecchio, NYS Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick, Legislator Robert Trotta, Councilman Thomas McCarthy and Councilwoman Lynne Nowick.

Along with the photo-op the message of the press conference was clear, primary election results are valid and reflect the will of the voters. Winners of primary challenges are legitimate and entitled to party backing.

The majority of elected officials attending the press conference had successfully won a Republican primary challenge and everyone who won their primary received the backing of the Republican Committee.  In 2013  incumbent Patrick Vecchio received local party backing after defeating Robert Creighton a John LaValle (Suffolk County Republican Chairman)  favorite.  Lynne Nowick defeated Councilman Kevin Malloy and Legislator Trotta came out of nowhere to win his primary for an open seat. With each victory came a message from Smithtown Republican Chairman Bill Ellis to unite and get behind the candidate.

More than three weeks after her victory Ms. Inzerillo is still waiting for her endorsement from town leader Bill Ellis. 

Supervisor Patrick Vecchio and Lisa InzerilloRepublican insiders suggest Ms. Inzerillo should not hold her breath.  “A civil war” is how one committee person described the current status of the Republican Party.  Another Republican, declining to be named, described a power struggle that has the longest serving Town Supervisor, Patrick Vecchio pitted against a contingency that wants to strip him or at least share some of his control over Smithtown’s zoning, Town Departments, Town planning and the budget. The underlying concern for some Republicans is a sense that the battle is being orchestrated by outside forces namely John J. LaValle. Mr. Creighton was a registered Conservative who changed party affiliation to Republican specifically to primary Supervisor Vecchio in 2013.  Amongst those who supported Creighton even after Vecchio won the primary were Conservative Party member Smithtown Town Clerk Vincent Puleo and Republican County Chairman Mr. John LaValle. 

Chairman Ellis was reluctant to endorse Inzerillo on September 10 when she won the vote count. In a phone conversation with Smithtown Matters he said he would wait until the absentee ballots were counted and suggested that there were some improprieties in the signatures on her petitions.  According to sources at the BOE there have been no challanges and no investigation into the Inzerillo petitions. So where is the endorsement Inzerillo backers want to know?

Councilwoman Lynne Nowick and Lisa InzerilloLast week Mr. Ellis was fired from his position on the Suffolk County Board of Elections (BOE) by Suffolk County Chairman John J. LaValle. As county leader, Mr. LaValle has the authority to hire and fire Republican BOE employees. There has not been any explanation as to why Mr. Ellis was fired. Mr. Ellis remains the Chaiperson for the Smithtown Republican Committee.

There are some who believe that Mr. Ellis was about to recognize Ms. Inzerillo as the official Town Council candidate before he was fired from the BOE. Mr. Ellis, as leader of Smithtown Republicans, still has the responsibility for getting Republicans elected. For now the only thing coming from Bill Ellis is silence. Will he come out and endorse Inzerillo? Many Republican committee people suggest that Inzerillo not hold her breath waiting.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2015.