Candidate: Councilman Lisa Inzerillo
Residence: Kings Park
Office: Smithtown Council
First Elected: 2015
Party Endorsements: Republican, Conservative
Notable Endorsements: AFL-CIO, NSBCTC
First elected in 2015 alongside now-Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park), Councilwoman Lisa Inzerillo is running for a third term on the at-large Smithtown Council.
Candidate: Sarah Tully
Residence: St. James
Office Sought: Smithtown Council
Prior Elected Experience: None
Party Endorsements: Democratic, Working Families
Notable Endorsements:
Newcomer Sarah Tully is joining a seasoned slate of Smithtown Democratic candidates in hopes of attaining a seat on the Town Council.
Councilwoman Lisa Inzerillo and Sarah Tully sat down with The Messenger for one-on-one interviews.
Q: What is your professional background before being elected to the Town Council and does it equip you for the role of Town Council?
Councilman Lisa Inzerillo: I worked at North Shore Hospital – now Northwell in Manhasset – for over twenty-five years. I was an administrator and oversaw large departments, including cardiac surgery, surgical oncology, and infertility. I later got involved with the community groups, such as the Kings Park Civic Association, and I fell in love with all things community. I would meet with then-Councilman Ed Wehrheim and then-Supervisor Pat Vecchio (R) on a regular basis. Civic work is truly boots-on-the-ground. The more I spoke to the elected officials, the more I realized running for office would actually help accomplish a lot more.
Working in the hospital, I was constantly working for the patients. Working in the civics groups, I was working for the community. It fell into place; I love helping people. This is not a job to me at all. I go to work every morning and I absolutely love every day. I’m a lucky person. I love helping constituents in any way I can.
Sarah Tully: I have fourteen years of experience in payroll, project management, and corporate leadership. I worked for Adecco Staffing working with the IT and Development teams. Whenever a new tax law would come out, I had to make the correct changes, work with IT and Contract Management. I’m used to looking at a project, seeing all that it touches, considering all the stakeholders, and working across different management levels.
I’m currently enrolled at Suffolk for paralegal studies.
Q: What would you say is your best or proudest professional accomplishment?
Councilman Lisa Inzerillo: The Smithtown Animal Shelter and its revitalization. We have the best animal shelter on Long Island, and I would even beg to say, in New York State. Previously, we needed people in hazmat suits to clean it out. There were problems with mice, rats, fleas, and garbage. We collected information to create the best shelter you could possibly have. We have a great philosophy, a great staff, and safety measures for the animals. We do not euthanize for the sake of euthanization. We only euthanize in cases of terminal illness. We reach out to rescues and they’re always ready for our calls.
Sarah Tully: Our year-end project would run for about nine months, towards the end there were meetings every day. When I took that over, I cut down redundancies, I got the project down to a three-month run. It streamlined efficiency and saved the company a lot of money.
I took over the team running garnishment implementation, which consisted of 325,000 year-end forms for associates. I took over a team that worked hard but was not appreciated by the company. People didn’t want to be on the team. I helped them with the workload but also rebuilt the culture. By the end of my run, people actually wanted to join the department because of the change in culture and appreciation.
Q: What do you think is the most important political issue facing Smithtown today?
Councilman Lisa Inzerillo: Revitalizations completed for Kings Park and Smithtown. We see what happened in St. James; their downtown went from well over a dozen empty storefronts to just three. They revitalized roads and sidewalks and beautified them with plants and trees. It made such a huge difference. I want to see that happen where I live.
Sarah Tully: Our government has gotten away from it’s contact with the community. They have leaned into the culture wars that have a place in local government. We’re all friends and neighbors, we all want the same thing. Steering us back to common sense and working for and with the community with a “we’re in this together approach” that we’ve lost on the national level.
I think having both monthly meetings during the day is not appropriate; young working families cannot be there during the day. Over five years, their raises amount to 30%, 6% a year, which is well beyond what is average and customary. I think we need to tie that to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and inflation and cap it at 3%. That way, you’re showing the public that you’re being accountable while also getting a raise you still deserve.
Q: What is your top priority if you win this election?
Councilman Lisa Inzerillo: We have had issues with Callahans Beach, mainly because of state issues that tied our hands. Any time there are concerns with property near the water, we have to work with the state, and there can be a lot of red tape. The state also won’t do anything regarding the collapsing parking lot and over the last couple years, there were delays in getting certain materials. I know how much the people of Smithtown love their parks and beaches and I want to make sure Callahans is open for next summer.
I would also love to see if we could get grants to get our parks have handicapped-accessible playgrounds. I saw them while visiting family in Arizona and I loved them. It would be great if we could implement some, even just a few to start out with.
Sarah Tully: I want to get that one evening meeting in for the month. I want to open it up to public communication. I can’t serve the people if I can’t hear from them.
Q: What’s your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?
Councilman Lisa Inzerillo: “Enjoy life to the fullest and bring the best of the best with me.”
Sarah Tully: “I’m not afraid, I was born to do this.” – attributed to Joan of Arc. Sometimes in our lives, some things are put in our path that we didn’t choose. If it’s put there in front of us, we’re meant to do it.
Q: What’s your favorite way of connecting with Smithtown?
Councilman Lisa Inzerillo: My husband and I absolutely love La Famigilia. My friends and I love Kings Park. We have great businesses and restaurants, so I always try to stay local for all my shopping as much as possible.
Sarah Tully: I’ve been in Smithtown township for fourteen years. My husband and I have lived in St. James for eleven years. We call it “Quaint James,” and we love our main street on Lake Avenue. I have two young kids and they love going to Spuntino. Hoyt Farm is one of our favorite family spots. What drew me to Smithtown was the openness, the wildlife, and the nature.
The Messenger thanks Councilwoman Inzerillo and Sarah Tully for taking time to sit down with us for this candidate spotlight.
The Messenger’s forecast for Smithtown Council: Safe Republican
About the Smithtown Council
Unlike the Councils or Boards of other Towns, which operate on a system of drawn numbered districts, Smithtown’s Council operates on an at-large system, meaning the entire Town is represented by the four-member board. Two seats are contested every two years. All opponents, regardless of party, appear on the same ballot, and the top two vote-receivers are elected to the Town Council.
Democrats have not held a Town Council seat since Patricia Biancaniello narrowly won second-place in 2005.
