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Councilwoman Lisa Inzerillo

Councilmembers Tom Lohmann and Lisa Inzerillo after the election was called Nov. 5. Photo by Leah Chiappino

By Leah Chiappino

Smithtown Republicans gathered at Napper Tandy’s on Main Street in Smithtown Tuesday to watch the town election results and subsequently celebrate their victories. Trump shirts and GOP symbols were frequently spotted in the crowd and there was talk of Donald Trump Jr.’s upcoming St James fundraiser in conversation.

Smithtown receiver of taxes Deanna Varricchio (R) won reelection against Democratic challenger Justin Smiloff 70 to 30 percent for a four-year-term. She says she is looking to update the technology of her office in her new term. “Every day you get [equipment] in and it’s obsolete, so we’re looking to budget new equipment in,”  she said. She declined to say anything to the Smiloff, citing his lack of campaigning.

Incumbent Smithtown Town Council Members, Thomas Lohmann (R) and Lisa Inzerillo (R) claimed victory over challengers, Libertarian Patricia Shirley, Democrat Richard Guttman and Democrat Richard Macellaro, for a four-year term with 32 percent of the vote each.

Lohmann looks forward to continuing his work as councilman.

“I want to get done what I started,” he said. “That includes the completion of a truly town-wide comprehensive master plan that is inclusive of every hamlet, to ensure that every hamlet is represented in what they want to see in their communities and their little area of the township.”

He said plans to work with Highway Superintendent Robert Murphy (R) to improve Smithtown’s infrastructure.

Lohmann is pushing for the completion of projects such as Lake Avenue Corridor project, the revitalization of Smithtown parks and beaches and the expansion of sewer systems in business districts like what was recently done in Kings Park.

“These are huge projects and we want to move them along,” he said. “We want to bring back a sense of pride in our community.”

He commended his challengers for running a civil campaign and congratulated them for their efforts.

“I ran because I’m a lifelong resident here and I believe in my community and wanted to do for my community what I thought wasn’t being done,” he said. “Each one of the candidates came forward because they wanted to bring something to the town and I applaud them for the simple fact that they put themselves out there, which is a very hard thing to do.

Inzerillo said she wants to continue to strengthen the vape code “to protect areas where teenagers are living and going to school.”

She cited a long list of accomplishments she wants to continue.

“I’m still maintaining the best animal shelter on Long Island,” she said. “We’re working with some developers that want to do some smart development but also keep the feeling of country in Smithtown.”

When asked if she wanted to say anything to her challengers, she replied, “unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to meet them, but I wish them best in the future.”

Visitor’s entrance to the Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter and Adoption Center. Photo from Town of Smithtown

Every dog has its day, and Town of Smithtown could be handing a juicy opportunity to any private organization looking to run its animal shelter.

Town officials are looking to potentially turn partial control of the Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter and Adoption Center over to a private company. One caveat, though, is board members warn they will only go through with the plan if it doesn’t cost more than the town already spends.

“In my opinion, if this were to go through, the organization would have to be animal experts or organizations that are expert in the care of animals,” Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) said. “And it has to be financially feasible. If the RFP comes back and it would be in excess of what we pay now we wouldn’t support it.”

The town board voted 4-1 July 17 to put out a request for proposal for any private organization that is interested in assuming day-to-day operations of the shelter. 

“We’ve been discussing this for more than 18 months as a board,” Wehrheim said. “Prior to choosing the director, if that happens and we keep it, the board has had conversations for professional animal
organizations who would agree to come in and operate the animal shelter in a public-private partnership. This is strictly exploratory.”

The supervisor said that some groups have already shown interest. Under the proposed plan, current animal control officers employed by the town would remain in place. The town would continue to assume the maintenance of the property and building, as well as handling any animal control or capture programs. The incoming private organization would handle the day-to-day operations, including feeding, cleaning and fostering the cats and dogs. 

The shelter has not had a director since Sue Hansen was suspended by the town from the position in February 2017 after allegations surfaced of incompetence and mismanagement. Hansen has a pending lawsuit against the town for being arrested on allegations of criminal trespassing on the town property after her suspension. She had taken over the reins from George Beatty, who resigned in 2015, after a
scandal surfaced with claims of animal neglect and abuse. 

Supervision of the shelter has since fallen to the town’s Department of Public Safety headed by Director John Valentine. Councilwoman Lisa Inzerillo (R) said those public safety officers in the shelter would move back to the department office should this plan go into effect.

Wehrheim said they were looking for nonprofits already involved in animal care, but he did not rule out any for-profit organizations coming in.

Inzerillo, the liaison to the shelter, voted against the RFP, though she said she didn’t necessarily disagree with the concept. Instead, the councilwoman said she wished the town would have waited until after they finished upgrades to the shelter such as the construction of the new independent Trap, Neuter and Release building.

Smithtown has attained a $168,000 grant to build a new TNR building on the existing property. The town will pull matching funds equal to 25 percent of the grant, or approximately $56,250, from the town’s capital budget to complete the project, and it expects to begin building in early 2019. 

“I would have preferred to have some more time to make an informed decision … or to potentially discuss the idea with experts first or in a work session with the board,” Inzerillo said. “I have the utmost faith in my fellow board members that they would not commit to anything concrete that would put these projects in jeopardy.”