Like all other towns in Suffolk County, Smithtown held elections for four seats in the 2023 off-year elections, a much smaller number of elections compared to other towns. Up for grabs were two seats on the at-large Town Council, the Receiver of Taxes, and the open seat of Town Clerk.
For the council races, incumbents Tom Lohmann (R-Smithtown) and Lisa Inzerillo (R-Kings Park) were easily re-elected in a field of four candidates, themselves included.
Deanna Varricchio (R-St. James) was easily re-elected as the Town’s long-standing Receiver of Taxes.
Thomas D. McCarthy (R-Smithtown) easily won the open seat for Town Clerk after the seat was vacated last year after Vincent Puleo’s (R-Nesconset) ascension to the seat of County Clerk.
All four incumbents were sworn in Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Town’s regularly-scheduled board meeting. They joined the ranks of the rest of the board with Councilman Thomas J. McCarthy (R-Nissequogue), Councilwoman Lynne Nowick (R-St. James), and Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park).
In attendance also were Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James), County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset), Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), and Smithtown GOP Chair Bill Ellis, among the elected officials’ friends and families.
“I am very proud and honored to serve with the board,” said Wehrheim. “I believe the majority of the residents in this town are very pleased with what we’re doing. We have some great, honest, dedicated elected officials. We will continue to serve the public and do the best job that we can for the Town of Smithtown. Congratulations to you all and thank you for serving.”
The ensuing agenda for the board meeting notably consisted of the approval to demolish the recently burned property in Commack. Dozens of attendees had descended on Town Hall for last Thursday’s board meeting to urge the Town to take action to remove the damaged property.
A spokesperson for the Town told The Messenger that the Town had only delayed their efforts in removing the property since it was at the discretion of the property owner.
“The Town cannot just demolish a piece of property,” said the spokesperson. “It’s private property, we need their permission to demolish the building.”
The spokesperson also said the conversation was not as simple as demolition, as the property owner first had to navigate insurance procedures, as well as cost of demolition and the prerogative of organizing the demolition through her own means or allowing the Town to contract it out.
The Town Board received permission from the owner to demolish the property and voted unanimously to do so at Tuesday’s board meeting.
