The Results Are In - Vecchio, Puleo, McCarthy, Nowick, Jorgensen Win

Somewhere around 10pm Bill Ellis, chairperson of the Smithtown Republican Committee began to announce the winners in the November 5th election. The filled room erupted in cheers and applause.  

click on photo to enlarge - L-R John Kennedy, Glenn Jorgensen, Robert Trotta, Thomas McCarthy Patrick Vecchio, Lynne Nowick and Smithtown Republican Chairperson Bill EllisOne by one as the names John Kennedy, Robert Trotta, Thomas McCarthy, Lynn Nowick, Glenn Jorgensen, were announced  the room came alive. Then Ellis announced Patrick Vecchio had won and would begin his 37th year as Town Supervisor on January 1, 2014 and the supporters went wild. Vecchio, beaming thanked his wife Bernadine and all his supporters giving special thanks to Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick. Vecchio talked about the nastiness of the campaign and  joked that just this morning he learned he was building a casino in Kings Park in reference to a flyer that was being passed around by Creighton supporters.  

Unofficial Board of Election Results: *denotes winner 

In the three-way race for Supervisor - 

Steve Snair 4,976 votes 24.58%, (D 4225, WF 302, I 449)

*Patrick Vecchio 9,085 votes 44.89%, (R)

Robert J. Creighton 6,167 votes 30.47%. (C)

Town Clerk race - 

Edward Haeffer 6,170 votes 32.75%, (D 5140, WF 410, I 620)

*Vincent Puleo 12,626 votes 67.03%. (R 8,794, C 3,832)

Superintendent of Highways race-

Thomas D. McCarthy 6,835 votes 35.47% (D 5,829, I 1,006)

*Glenn Jorgensen - 12,427 votes 64.5% (R 8,924, C 3,503)

Councilperson - (Two)

Adam S. Halpern 5,464 14.39%(D 4628, WF 337, I 499)

Richard S. Macellaro - 5,745 15.13% (D 4,684, WF 440, I 621)

*Lynne C. Nowick - 10,516 27.71% (Republican)

*Thomas J. McCarthy - 11,696 30.82% (R 8,503, C3,193)

Kevin J. Malloy - 4,519 (Conservative)

12th Legislative District

Gary Jacobs -3,151 27.64% (D 2,841, WF 310)

*John M. Kennedy Jr - 8,245 72.33% (R  5,704, C 2004, I 537)

13th Legislative District

Elaine A. Turley - 4,302 29.43% (Democratic)

*Robert Trotta - 9,569 65.46% (R - 6,997, C- 2,572)

Mario R. Mattera - 742 5.07% (Independence)

Update on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at 9:06AM by .

District Judge, 1st District

Richard Horowitz - 71,982  46.08% (D 60,621, WF 4,615, I 6,746)

*Karen M. Wilutis - 84,142  53.87 % (R 60,444, C 23,698)

Three Candidates For Supervisor - Vecchio, Snair And Creighton Want Your Vote!

When voters go to the polls on November 5th they, hopefully, already know that there are three candidates on the ballot for town supervisor. Incumbent Patrick Vecchio is running on the Republican line, Steve Snair on the Democrat, Independence and Working Families line, and Robert Creighton on the Conservative line. By the time voters get to the polls they will have had ample time to understand the significant issues facing the Town and the positions taken by the candidates.

The three candidates offer the electorate real choice, hopefully voters will see beyond the political rhetoric and cast their vote for the candidate that presents a sound vision for Smithtown’s future. 

Patrick VecchioIncumbent Patrick Vecchio, 83, has served as town supervisor for thirty-six years. When asked why he chooses to run year after year his answer is simply - “because I love what I do.” His message to voters in this year’s election is to think about the quality of life you enjoy as a resident of Smithtown.  Vecchio is proud of his record of fiscal conservatism which he proclaims has allowed the town to survive the recent recession unscathed. When he talks about the future he speaks of “wrongheaded development” as a significant threat to the quality of life currently enjoyed by Smithtown residents. The Creighton campaign has attacked him for prematurely taking positions against the proposed Uplands project in Kings Park and Whisper Vineyard in St. James. Vecchio’s response, “I don’t care. Yes I supported the vineyard on Edgewood and I still do. What I do not support is a catering facility with its obnoxious noise and traffic right next door to homes.”

Vecchio is very critical of the proposed Upland development at St. Johnland in Kings Park. He freely offers his position that the proposal is not so much about providing housing to seniors as it is about profit. The Creighton campaign predicts an expensive lawsuit ahead of the town as a result of Veccho’s very public opposition to the project before the process plays out. If this is true Vecchio does not seem concerned, “The public has the right to know my position.”

Vecchio bristles when he hears complaints about Smithtown’s downtown areas. “Do we have vacant storefronts in the town? Yes we do, and DeRubeis (Director of Planning) has provided information that indicates that the number of empty stores has been fairly consistent over the years. Is there something the town can do about it? I don’t think the town should be in the business of filling empty stores.” When asked about the traffic problems on Main Street in Smithtown, Vecchio acknowledges that the situation is not perfect. He points to the fact that Main Street is a state road and that other than advocate the Town has little say in what NYS DOT does. Regarding the new traffic pattern, which includes a merge of traffic heading west on Rte. 25, Vecchio admits it is not perfect.  He suggests that “you have to break eggs to make an omelet” and while it may not be perfect it is safer than the previous road configuration.  A widening of the roadway would help with the flow of traffic but would also decimate the businesses along Main Street and he is opposes that.

What is he most proud of? The quality of life residents enjoy. He is quick to point to Smithtown’s parks and beaches free to residents and parking at train stations also free to residents. “We were the first town in Suffolk County to approve apartments over stores. We were the first town to require carters to use natural gas vehicles. We have a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan and a Master Plan that is updated every time we approve a zone change.” What about the future? Vecchio’s response is that he will continue with the policies that have worked over the past 36 years which include maintaining tight controls over the budget and fighting wrongheaded development.

Steve SnairDemocrat Steve Snair, 32, is a native of Smithtown having grown up in Kings Park and graduated from Kings Park High School. He currently resides in Nesconset, and he is a practicing attorney who specializes in tenant and foreclosure issues. His office is located on Main Street in Smithtown.  Snair is unique among the candidates in many ways. He has never served as a police officer, doesn’t have a tax-payer funded pension or tax payer funded health insurance, and he was born well after the Beatles broke up.

Snair’s campaign is very much about the future and how to ensure Smithtown’s viability and fiscal stability into the future.  He is one of the many who have benefitted from the investment in education provided by the tax-payers in Kings Park, he has many happy memories of growing up here and he has chosen to live and work in the town. But the lack of work-force housing for young people makes it difficult.  He is vocal about incorporating the smart- growth principal of providing housing over commercial buildings in our downtown areas to accommodate seniors and young adults.

Those who have had the opportunity to speak with Steve are impressed with his humor and his no-nonsense approach to the issues facing the town.  Paramount to him is maintaining the quality of life Smithtown residents enjoy.  It is Steve’s belief that without planning, our quality of life will diminish and we will continue to deal with controversial building projects.  “Fill in the vacancies in our downtown areas, and leave open space alone.” he said at the League of Women Voters debate. When asked about the Uplands and a possible “swap” of NRSP property for property owned by St. Johnland he suggested that as Supervisor he would work to help facilitate a resolution. 

Snair favors the town having an outreach program for businesses that are looking to move or expand. “With business come customers which he equates to revenue and a stable tax base”. Along with planning and smart growth, Snair promises a review of all of the town’s departments with the goal of streamlining and finding efficiencies. He opposes the proposed catering facility on Edgewood Ave in St. James stating that it would have a negative impact on traffic and the quality of life for those living near the site.

He shares the public’s concern about substance abuse and has been certified in the use of Narcan, a drug used to counteract an opiate overdose. Is Steve Snair too young to be Supervisor of Smithtown? Rich Schaeffer became Town Supervisor at the age of 29 and Steve Bellone at age 30. According to Steve his age should not be seen as a negative. He is full of energy which he plans to use every day as Supervisor. 

Robert CreightonConservative candidate Robert J. Creighton, 76, has served as councilman for the past six years. He is running on the Conservative line even though he changed his party registration to Republican a year ago in preparation for a run for supervisor. Serving on the Town Council Creighton has been frustrated by what he perceives as the deliberate stalling of projects that would benefit tax payers in the town. 

Creighton points to the Nassau-Suffolk Lumber Yard across from Town Hall as a perfect example of what is wrong in the town. “For six years the owners of the property have been putting forth plans for the redevelopment of the property and they have been rejected. The last set of plans were created by our Planning Department and even those were rejected. That’s not right.” says Creighton.

He has been associated with some of the more controversial land use applications; in Kings Park, the Uplands and the Carlson proposal, in St. James a catering facility on the Whisper Vineyard property on Edgewood, and in Smithtown, Whisper Nursing facility on 25A in Smithtown. Creighton says that it is not true that he has made up his mind in support of these applications. What he does say is that he will not offer his position on the applications until the process plays out. He warns of legal action being taken against the town due to the rash statements made by Vecchio and Councilman McCarthy. “Every application accepted by the town should be given its proper hearing. In the case of the Uplands, “we allowed them to move forward with an expensive EIS (environmantal impact study) they deserve to be heard. I may or may not support the proposal but I will wait until all the information is available before I make my decision.”

Creighton is a proponent of bonding for road repairs, working with NYS DOT to improve the traffic flow on Main Street in Smithtown. He favors sewers and voted to set $1 million aside to support a Kings Park sewer project. He expresses concern with the use of surplus funds to balance the budget. “The surplus is at a point where using more of it will result in a lower bond rating for the town.”

Why does he want to be town supervisor? “As a council person I have been able to do some good, as Supervisor I can do a lot of good.” What does he hope to accomplish as Supervisor? Resolving some of the land use issues and finding ways to increase revenue for the town. Opponents say he is too close to developers. He bristles at this and talks about his love of the town and how he doesn’t want to turn Smithtown into Queens. A family man he hopes his grandchildren will be able to stay here and enjoy the wonderful quality of life that his children enjoyed.  

13th LD - Trotta and Turley Compete For An Open Seat

The 13th Legislative District includes Smithtown, Fort Salonga, Kings Park, San Remo, Nissequogue, Head of the Harbor, St. James and parts of Commack as well as areas in Huntington. 

Due to term limits there is an open seat in the 13th Legislative District (LD). Three names will appear on the November 5th ballot; Elaine Turley (D), Robert Trotta(R,C) and Mario Mattera (I). 

Robert TrottaRobert Trotta was a long shot in the September Republican primary. Trotta and a group of extremely organized supporters successfully carried petitions to get his name on the ballot and forced a primary against the Republican favorite Paul Hennings. In a three-way primary which included Mario Mattera, Trotta ended up receiving 57 percent of the vote earning the coveted spot on the Republican line. Paul Hennings the Conservative candidate was then nominated for a judgeship allowing the Conservatives to name Trotta as their candidate. With both the Republican and Conservative lines Trotta is considered a heavy favorite on November 5th. 

Trotta grew up in Commack and lives in Fort Salonga, he is a police detective and has served 25 years with the Suffolk County Police Department. Trotta has been active in the Kings Park Civic Association and the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation. If elected, he has pledged to retire from his position as a police detective and become a full-time legislator. He considers himself a fiscal conservative although he speculates that others call him “cheap”. He is concerned with the economic situation in the county and talks of the reality of baby boomers retiring and not spending money. He worries that his children will be burdened by the economic decisions made today. Although he does not offer a plan for how he will deal with the current fiscal crisis, he is adamant that quick fixes like the sale of the County’s Dennison Building are not real solutions to the tough economic issues facing the County.  

Trotta has proven himself a tenacious fighter for the causes he believes in. He was a leader in the fight to turn the Kings Park Psychiatric Center into the Nissequogue River State Park (NRSP). He offers a vision of biking, hiking and has received some criticism for suggesting a water park on the grounds of the NRSP.  The words “public - private partnership” easily rolls off his tongue. 

Trotta is not without his detractors who worry that his focus will be on the Kings Park area to the detriment of the rest of the district. Some people have expressed concern that as a member of the police union he will not be objective when he deals with the tough economic issues of salaries, pensions, and healthcare costs for County union members. There are Republicans who worry that the fact that he challenged the party’s designee is an indication that he will not support the Republican agenda. As to these concerns he says he is restricted from commenting on police issues while he is a member of the SCPD. He offers assurance that he has always done and will continue to do the right thing. 

Elaine TurleyElaine Turley has not been active in campaigning for the legislative seat, which doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to serve. A realist, she accepts the fact that with the Republican/Conservative lines Rob Trotta is heavily favored to win the seat. Turley is a practicing attorney specializing in Elder Law, Estate Planning and Real Property Transaction. She resides in Fort Salonga and also promises that if elected she will be a full-time legislator. She has a long history of challenging the status quo advocating for children with autism, she was instrumental in the creation of the Kings Park Hike and Bike trail, served as president of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce and the first female chairperson of the Smithtown Democratic Committee. She has also run for this office twice before losing by 125 votes to Michael D’Andre and again in a hard fought campaign against Lynne Nowick in 2001. Turley has stated that if elected she would give up her law practice. She acknowledges that it will take time to close out her cases, but none the less says she would welcome the opportunity to serve.  A passionate supporter of “responsible governance” she has vowed that if elected she will cross party lines to deal with the financial challenges the County faces.  She worries about “extremism” in government and promises to be an independent voice for all of the constituents in the 13 LD.  As a solo practitioner she deals with the challenges every business owner deals with, but also sees the side that frequently gets overlooked - the hardships many of our seniors, their caregivers and families, live with each day. Turley hopes to bring balance to the legislature.

Mario Mattera is not actively seeking election at this time.

12th LD - Gary Jacobs Takes On John Kennedy

It’s down to the wire for candidates on the November 5th ballot. Everything they have worked for in the campaign over the pass few months is on the line. Have voters heard their message? Do they understand what’s at stake in the election? Is there anything else that can be done? Will they show up to vote? These are some of the questions candidates and their teams may be asking themselves.

John M. Kennedy (R, C, I) is being  challenged by Gary Jacobs (D,W) in the 12th LD which includes southern Smithtown, Nesconset, Hauppauge, Village of the Branch, Lake Grove, Commack South, Islandia, and Ronkonkoma. There are 41 Smithtown election districts located in the 12th LD. 

John M. KennedyJohn Kennedy a life long resident of Smithtown, has a reputation in his district as someone who listens to his constituents and works to resolve issues. He is proud of the work he has done throughout his tenure as Legislator. A position he has held since 2004. On his campaign handout Kennedy lists 13 items where he has had success benefiting his constituents. He has served as Chairman of the Veterans & Senior Committee, Vice Chair of the Ways & Means committee, Chair of the Consumer Protection Committee, serves on the Public Safety Committee, Ways & Means Committee, Education and information Technology and Government and Operations Committee. He has been active in trying to resolve groundwater flooding issues, has sponsored blood drives collecting over 2,000 pints of blood, helped to establish a 9/11 Responders Remembered Memorial in Nesconset, reduced tax-payer costs by $80,000 a term by relocating his office to County office space.  Most recently he has presided over the demolition of the blighted and hazardous Bavarian Inn located in Ronkonkoma, a project that he has worked on for over six years. Called a bulldog by Supervisor Patrick Vecchio, Kennedy wears the label proudly reminding those who don’t know that the history behind the label,  a bulldog holds on, doesn’t give up and doesn’t go for the jugular. Kennedy likes what he does and counts on his wife of 38 years Leslie, to provide an efficient office where the concerns of residents are not only listened to but addressed. Asked about the future Kennedy talks about more funding for drug education, continuing his work on sewers and addressing the most recent issue of “warehousing homeless people in the 12th LD.”

Gary JacobsGary Jacobs has lived in Smithtown for twenty years and is a political newcomer. He is an executive with a pet supply company located in New Jersey and President of K-Raq Solutions. He is a judicial reform activist and an animal rights activist.  Talk to people who know him and they will tell you that he is focused and never quits. Jacobs promises to focus on the 12th LD which he says Kennedy has not done. Jacobs is challenging Kennedy’s record on fiscal matters, on sewers, an even the Bavarian Inn. According to Jacobs,”Kennedy’s record is one of failure, not accomplishments. He has failed to get sewers in Smithtown, which is in his district, and has instead worked for sewers in the Kings Park area which is not in his district.” According to Jacobs, Kennedy has voted against the interests of his constituents by opposing County Executive Bellone’s sale of the John J. Foley Skilled Nursing Facility in Yaphank. “Another issue outside of the 12th LD ” said Jacobs.   When it comes to the Bavarian Inn, Jacobs questions how it could take six years to rid the community of the very dangerous and blighted building. “I am a fiscal conservative who works hard for my salary. When John had the opportunity to vote to make non-exempt employees pay part of the costs of their health insurance, he voted against the public’s interest by voting “no”. Jacobs opposes the one-shot revenue generating schemes like the sale of the County Dennison Building, which the County now leases back. He is adamant that Kennedy should have advocated against the sale of the building. 

Smithtown Candidates Speak Out At League Of Women Voters Debate

The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Smithtown and the Smithtown Historical Society teamed up to host a “Candidate Debate” at the historic Brush Barn in Smithtown Wednesday evening. The debate provided Town residents with the opportunity to look, see and question the candidates running for local offices.  Invitations were sent to all candidates running in local races including Supervisor, Town Council, Town Highway Superintendent, Town Clerk, and County Legislative races in the 12th and 13th legislative districts.  All candidates with the exception of Mario Materra (Independence line) running in the 13th LD were present. 

LWV President Mary Zopf expressed her satisfaction with the event. “We were very pleased with the turnout of both the candidates and the public. A nonpartisan organization, the LWV encourages people to become informed voters. I think we did that in this debate.” 

(click on images to enlarge)

Candidates were allowed to give a brief introduction and were asked to identify what gifts or talents they bring to the office. This was followed by questions from the floor which were selected by members of the LWV.  For candidates in the race for Highway Superintendent Thomas McCarthy and Glenn Jorgensen and Town Clerk Eddie Haeffer and Vincent Puleo there were no questions from the audience. 

County candidates Rob Trotta, Elaine Turley, Gary Jacobs, John KennedyIn the 13th LD - Rob Trotta (Republican - Conservative) opened with a friendly shot at Elaine Turley (Democrat) expressing his gratitude that he had someone to debate. A reminder  that Turley has not been present at previous debates. Ms. Turley acknowledged her absence and offered assurances that if elected she would serve as a full time legislator. She later took her own shot at Trotta saying she does not support a water park on the Nissequogue River State Park (NRSP) site. In his answer to a previous question, Trotta spoke about the possibilities for making the NRSP into a destination with biking, and hiking and a water park. Trotta clarified his comment saying the idea was “conceptual” and that he was not suggesting a Splish Splash(water park in Riverhead)  type of water park. Trotta’s message was “reality” the County is in trouble financially and as baby boomers retire so does their spending “a reality”  government is going to have to deal with. Turley also expressed her concern for the serious economic issues facing the County but also spoke of “extremism” and the need to have effective legislators willing to consider the interests of everyone and to provide reasonable and responsive governance. 

In the 12th LD, incumbent John Kennedy (R, C, I) spoke of the work he does for his constituents saying, “it takes time, experience, knowledge to work within the confines of Suffolk County and bring about the enhancements, the sidewalks and road lining…” Challenger Gary Jacobs spoke of how the recent sale of the County owned Dennison Building in which the County will now pay rent is wrong. “One shot deals are not the answer to the County’s fiscal problems. Bringing in business and increasing revenue is the answer.” A question about the homeless was raised by an an audience member. Kennedy focused laser-like on placing  blame for the current problems in the Hauppauge area on  County Executive Steve Bellone and the county’s violation of  IR 18-17 CHI which he said limits the number of homeless families permitted in a facility. Gary Jocobs focused on homeless children saying, “we need to be sensitive to the needs of the children keeping them in the school districts they come from.”

36 year incumbent Patrick VecchioThe big draw for the evening was the Supervisor’s Race. There was a moment of levity when Steven Snair (Democrat, Independence, Working Family) announcedSteve Snair that what he brought to the table was “energy and a lot of time ahead of me.” a clear reference to the ages of Vecchio (Republican) and Creighton (Conservative). Robert Creighton took his allotted time  to speak  of his integrity and commitment to the Town. He addressed criticisms levied at him during the campaign by stating that he is not interested in turning Smithtown into Queens.  Incumbent Patrick Vecchio calling himself “proud” of Smithtown’s quality of life defended his record. He spoke of the recent recession and how the Town has come out of it unscathed. He addressed a Snair reference to “Smart Growth” and spoke of how during his tenure, Smithtown was the first town in Suffolk County to approve and promoteRobert Creighton apartments over commercial buildings. Steve Snair criticized the lack of planning in the town and vowed to focus on increasing the corporate tax base and to  create efficiencies in government. Robert Creighton  talked about the importance of following town code for land use applications. Taking a shot at Vecchio, Creighton claimed that Kings Park Chamber president (and Board of Zoning Appeals member) Tony Tanzi was rebuffed by Vecchio after attempting to negotiate a “swap” agreement on the Uplands in Kings Park.  

Superintendent of Highway candidate Thomas McCarthy (D, I,)  reiterated his position that the responsibility of the Superintendent is to provide oversight and to manage a department not to do the work of the employees. He emphasized his business acumen and his goal of incorporating  technology to create efficiencies in road construction and repair. For incumbent Glenn Jorgensen (R, C) it’s all about experience. Jorgensen spoke about his forty years in the highway department working his way up the ladder and learning each job in the highway department. He modestly mentioned how happy he is and that being Highway Superintendent is his dream job. 

Town clerk candidate Eddie Haeffer (D, I, W) acknowledged his lack of political experience but promised to bring changes to the Town Clerk’s office that would increase accessibility and transparency. Haeffer stated that between ‘09 and 2012 the town clerk and his top two employees salary increased over $25,000.” Puleo (R, C) touted his work in improving access to records and meetings. Puleo said his salary has increased $2,000 over the last eight years. He denied culpability in granting raises which he said are part of a contractual agreement.

Voters will get to vote for two people in the race for councilperson. Currently there are five contenders: Incumbents  Thomas J. McCarthy (R,C), Kevin Malloy (C) and challengers Adam Halpern (D,I,W), Lynne C. Nowick (R), Richard Macellaro (D, I, W).

There was a unified message from the five candidates - “Enforce the Code”.  Saying the “Town Code is antiquated. Kevin Malloy called for re-writing the entire Town Code to reflect the world we live in.” Tom McCarthy and Lynne Nowick disagreed reminding voters that the codes we have in place offer protections to the residents. Adam Halpern would not comment on the town code explaing that he was not familiar with the code. He vowed to be honest with the public. His position was that there could be no compromise on the the envirionment and the wellbeing of the public. 

Richard Macellaro stressed his belief that it is necessary to think outside the box. Macellaro is a strong proponent for a new master plan which he feels would resolve the ongoing contentious land use issues. Macellaro offered to invite intervention by Suffolk County or New York State to force the Town to create a master plan.