Councilman Ed Smyth Appointed Huntington Deputy Supervisor

HUNTINGTON, NY — Councilman Ed Smyth was appointed deputy supervisor of the Town of Huntington by Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci on Monday, the town announced in a news release.

Smyth, a Republican, recently announced he is running for town supervisor after Lupinacci stated he would not seek re-election when his term ends this year.

"I am proud of what Councilman Smyth and I have accomplished together in three short years and we will continue to provide cost-effective, accountable government services to residents and businesses by listening to the needs of our community, taking a creative approach to problem-solving and continuing conservative budgeting practices," Lupinacci stated.

Smyth said he was honored to be appointed deputy supervisor.

"Although largely a ceremonial position, I will assist the supervisor to re-open Town Hall and provide improved services to our residents," he said.

Lupinacci and Smyth were elected to their positions in November 2017. Since then, the two worked to enact term limits for all elected town officials, increase government transparency and improve communication between the town and residents, according to the news release. Ethics reforms — such as strengthening financial disclosure requirements for town officials and employees; boosting the independence of the Board of Ethics; and revisions to personnel policies and procedures — were passed.

During their terms, Lupinacci and Smyth aimed to preserve the town's suburban charm by passing measures addressing noise pollution, public safety hazards, zoning violations and more. The Bureau of Administrative Adjudication was established to resolve code violations more efficiently and cost-effectively while restoring privacy rights, according to the town.

Measures were also passed to prevent the commercial use of gas-powered leaf blowers on homes on Sundays and holidays. Smyth recently proposed an expansion of this policy, which, if passed, would include Saturdays as well.

"On the Town Board, Lupinacci and Smyth have adopted open-minded policies and initiatives to enable local economic growth and, more recently, recovery from the economic burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic," the town's news release states.

Such measures include the expansion of commercial property use types to fill vacant space in commercially-zoned areas in the town, and fee-free processes to help small businesses stay open while meeting New York state-imposed coronavirus restrictions.