Candidate Profile: Gerry Compitello For Babylon Town Clerk

BABYLON, NY — Suffolk County residents will be lining up at the polls for Election Day on Nov. 2, where they will be voting for their chosen candidates.

Democrat Geraldine Compitello is running to keep her position as the Babylon Town clerk. She is seeking a second term after getting elected in November 2017. She also is running on the Conservative party line. Compitello is being challenged by Republican Catherine Corella.

Here are the responses for those who participated. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Gerry Compitello

<b>Age (as of Election Day)</b>

58

<b>Position Sought</b>

Babylon Town Clerk

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Democrat

<b>Family</b>

Gerry is a lifelong resident of Amityville. She lives in her childhood home with her husband Jim and daughter Colleen Faith.

<b>Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?</b>

No

<b>Education</b>

Gerry Compitello is a graduate from Amityville Memorial High School. After that, she attended SUNY Farmingdale, where she received her degree in education and was elected as the president of the early childhood education department. She has been the recipient of the Town of Babylon's Phoenix Award and the Maxine Postal Women in Government Award.

Gerry was elected to the position of Town Clerk in November 2017, and sworn-in on January 2, 2018.

<b>Occupation</b>

Currently serving as the elected town clerk of the Town of Babylon.

After working as marking coordinator for nearly 20 years, Town Clerk Gerry Compitello began her career in public service in 2005. Her experience in government includes economic development, constituent services and community outreach. As Supervisor Rich Schaffer's Deputy Chief of Staff, Gerry was instrumental in the Sandy recovery for many homeowners. She is an active volunteer with the United Way, Ujima Program, First Company Pink, Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition, and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. She has worked on special projects for the town, most recently the construction of a specialized respite park for individuals suffering from Alzheimer's.

<b>Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office</b>

Current — Babylon Town Clerk

<b>Campaign website</b>

https://babylondemocrats.com/c...

<b>Why are you seeking elective office?</b>

To continue to serve the great residents of the Town of Babylon and make the clerk’s office a place to find documents and be a liaison for anyone who enters seeking information from another governmental office. I also work on outreach for programs and provide that resource for residents as an additional option for services. In addition, I am working to expand access to the services residents need by extending the clerk's office hours either in the morning or evening.

<b>The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.</b>

Safe and rapid access to the vital services the town clerk’s office provides. For example, during the pandemic, the clerk’s office provided unmatched services to those seeking to get married, particularly for health insurance reasons. After being turned away by other governments, we were able to help veterans and health care personnel quickly get the documentation they needed to keep their families healthy.

<b>What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?</b>

Experience and a long track record of public service. In particular the passion for one-on-one constituent service that has always been the hallmark of my career.

<b>How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?</b>

The Town of Babylon responded aggressively to the pandemic, implementing clear safety rules for employees and visiting residents. That allowed us to keep the vital services running that residents rely upon. In addition, we worked quickly to disperse much-needed grant funding to local businesses to keep them afloat through the economic downturn.

<b>Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.</b>

In addition, to the services we provide in the town clerk’s Office, I am also deeply involved in community service and partnerships with local organizations. I am an active volunteer with the United Way, Ujima Program, First Company Pink, Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, and I believe that grassroots organizing is how we make real change in our neighborhoods. Recently I worked closely with the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America to facilitate the construction of the first specialized respite park for individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s.

<b>What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?</b>

As Supervisor Rich Schaffer's Deputy Chief of Staff, I worked around the clock on the recovery from Superstorm Sandy, personally working with many individual homeowners to cut through the red tape and get them and their families back on their feet.