Hauppauge
In Hauppauge, the races for two fire commissioner seats yielded a Munro sweep, with incumbent and current chairman of the board, Commissioner Scott Munro (photo left), re-elected and Scott E. Munro (photo right) winning a full five-year term for an open seat on December 13.
Scott E. Munro is the son of Scott Munro.
Fire commissioners run for five-year terms. Scott Munro, however, decided to run for the uncompleted term of Carl Thomas instead of for the full five-year term. Thomas was recently appointed to serve as fire district manager. Scott Munro won with 201 votes. Ray Woods Jr. received three votes.
A lifelong resident of Hauppauge, Scott Munro has been a commissioner for 25 years. When elected, he was the youngest in the department’s history.
Scott Munro ran against Ray Woods Jr. and John Marek, with William Downey receiving one write-in vote.
Both Munros are descendants of John Munro, one of the founders of the Hauppauge Fire Department. They are also third and fourth-generation members of the fire department themselves.
St. James
With Commissioner Joseph Kuethen opting not to seek a third term, Marilyn Davis and John Scomillio ran for the seat. The election garnered considerable interest, with signs seen throughout the St. James Fire District.
In the end, Scomillio won, with a final vote of 376 – 236.
Part of what made the race so heated was its historic nature, combined with the merits of both candidates.
Davis is the first woman elected to Fire Chief in Suffolk County, likewise being the first from the St. James Fire District. The position of chief is an elected position, lending credence to Davis’ ability to marshal members of the department and their families to vote for her— families that form the majority of the voters in fire district races.
Tuesday’s election represents her second attempt at running for the position of commissioner, previously running unsuccessfully in 2015.
With an impressive background in the St. James Fire District, Scomillio is a 29-year member of the fire department and a lifelong resident of St. James. He has served as a lieutenant and is now a captain. Previously, he was an EMT with the department. He is also a 9/11 first responder. Professionally, he’s an administrator and educator for the Smithtown Central School District, most recently as Principal of Great Hollow Middle School.
Scomillio ran on a platform to “lower taxes” and “maintain the highest quality fire and EMS services.”
