Candidate Profile: Ed Wehrheim For Smithtown Supervisor

TOWN OF SMITHTOWN, NY — Town of Smithtown residents are gearing up to head to the polls for Election Day on Nov. 2, where they will be voting on the Town of Smithtown supervisor. Republican incumbent Ed Wehrheim is running against Democratic challenger Maria Scheuring.

Patch reached out to both candidates to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community.

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

Ed Wehrheim

Age (as of Election Day)

73

Position Sought

Town Supervisor

Party Affiliation

Republican

Family

Diana (wife); Kellie (daughter); Michelle (daughter); Danica, Austin & Gianna (grandkids)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Kings Park High School; Graduate of United State Navy Airframes / Structural Mechanic Service School-Millington, Tennessee.

Occupation

"I served in the United States Navy, was honorably discharged after two tours of duty in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971.

"In 1972 I went to work for the Smithtown Department of Parks, Buildings and Grounds, worked my way up the ladder and later was appointed as director of the department in 1989. I remained department director until my retirement in 2003.

"I was appointed to Town Council in 2003, and later elected in 2004.

"I was elected to serve the people of Smithtown as Supervisor in November of 2017. My official term began January 1st, 2018.

"I presently serve as Town Supervisor and am seeking re-election for a second term."

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Town Council 2003-2017

Campaign website

https://edwehrheim.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

"Four years ago, I set out on a mission to reinvigorate Smithtown, restore our parks, preserve open space and revitalize our downtowns. Together with a team of dedicated employees, department administrators, and government officials We’ve made great progress over this first term. We've restored close to 75 percent of our parks, playgrounds, beaches & athletic fields. We began a successful path to clean drinking water with the sewer infrastructure in St James. With $40 million in grant funding the Kings Park sewer installation will break ground at the beginning of 2022 and we've most recently identified a path forward to sewer Main Street, Smithtown. We've acquired highly, environmentally sensitive land across from the Bull Monument (former Oasis Gentleman's Club) which will soon be a beautiful sanctuary park for residents and wildlife. We've pioneered clean energy, and were deemed LI's first Clean Energy Community (by NYSERDA.)

"We’ve made great progress over the first term, but there is still much to be done. We took immediate and aggressive actions at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, which helped to mitigate some of the economic fallout. However, there are still people in our community that need to be made whole again. My focus must continue to be on every impacted resident and small business owner, getting them the assistance they need to rebuild their lives.

"Additionally, I'm seeking re-election with the future promise to build on our expansive park system, creating more recreational space, including athletic fields and playgrounds for people with disabilities, broadening open space preservation, attracting our younger workforce back home and retaining our seniors."

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

"There are two answers to this question; one local and one nationwide which I'd like to address.

"At the local level, the most pressing issues we face as municipal leaders involves our drinking water and impending solid waste crisis.

"Eliminating outdated cesspools/septic systems is essential to protecting our sole source aquifer. Studies show that these outdated systems are a significant source of reactive nitrates seeping into the ground, which contributes to harmful algae blooms, which poison shellfish and can suffocate fish and marine life.

"Investing in modern wastewater infrastructure is essential to reverse the negative environmental impacts on our local shores and groundwater. This is a long and costly process, which for decades, was easier to turn a blind eye to. That is why my administration has pushed so hard to install sewers in the downtown business districts. We’ve worked with our counterparts at the County, State and Federal levels to ensure that important projects are not held up by red tape and have worked to secure funding to complete these projects. Constructing wastewater infrastructure in our downtowns is not the end game … it is merely the beginning.

"When Brookhaven closes its doors to the landfill, your curbside trash will have no place to go. Trucking garbage off the island would mean adding more congestion, pollution and infrastructure wear-and-tear. The cost of trucking waste would significantly impact taxpayers, making it very difficult to continue to afford living on Long Island. There's proposals to transfer waste (ash from waste-to-energy plants such as Covanta and cover material) via rail, which would take trucks off the road, and lessen the burden on wallets and the environment. However, answers to questions like, what happens in the event of a service disruption and capacity capability must be studied in depth.

"As a member of the Long Island Regional Planning Council, I have had the opportunity to analyze this looming waste crisis alongside environmental experts, carters and fellow towns within the region. This issue is regional but it requires support and research funding from the DEC and the federal government.

"Last summer, we began talks with the School Districts about the potential to partner with the town in a Real-World STEM program. Students would learn how to apply STEM-related solutions to these real-world issues. This program builds awareness throughout the community, while inspiring budding scientists.

"COVID-19 has impacted our community, just as it has across the world. These last two years have been an emotional rollercoaster for everyone. We went from 'We're in this together to Un-Friending and Cancelling people who don't share the same belief system. And that is no one person's fault. If we look at the last two years from an objective perspective; we know that we're wired as humans from birth to associate contact as a source of well-being. A handshake is a symbol of respect, a high five a gesture of camaraderie, and a hug is an act of comfort.

"Now go back to March 2020; suddenly NOT hugging your kids, grandparents etc. is considered an act of love. People were told to shutter in homes, disconnected and cut off to help slow the spread. Everywhere you turned, be it the TV, Newspaper or on a sign at a shop, park or road, someone is telling you what to do and what not to do. We all lost someone or something, be it a loved one, a job, a business, a home. We all made sacrifices for the greater good. Now fast forward to present day ... nearly two years of loss, and sacrifice. It's understandable to be angry and to look for someone to hold accountable. But it's also time to grieve and mourn, so you can let go of that pain and find peace.

"We need to restore balance to our lives ... end the division, learn to agree to disagree, respect one another and find common ground again. This is not isolated to Smithtown. This has to happen everywhere. But we can be the first to start restoring balance, in hopes that it spreads far and wide.
I have been talking on a regular basis with the school district administrations at Smithtown and Kings Park about this very topic. My office has been actively working with the schools on creating a town-wide campaign which encourages putting an end to the division. Our hope is to invite the entire community to participate, solicit our partners in government like the Fire Departments, Library, Law Enforcement, and local civic, chamber, health and historic organizations to join us in a citizens campaign for harmony."

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

"I have spent my entire career, devoted to public service, here in the Town of Smithtown. My previous career as Director of Parks, Buildings and Grounds gave me a unique skill set, managing multi-million dollar budgets, supervising a large workforce and working with constituents on a daily basis. Having an intimate understanding of civil service has been essential to the success of this administration.

"I might also add, that my opponent has made some rather erroneous accusations on social media and in interviews, about myself, and the administration without citing actual evidence, or so much as a document to back up those statements. I would never throw stones at an opponent in that way. This world is plenty polarized as is, and leaders should set positive examples and treat even their adversaries with respect.

"In the long run, I believe my track record and actions over the last four years speak for themselves."

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

"I was very proud of our town, and our employees, especially at the peak of the pandemic. The first thing I knew we had to do was to implement a communications network. The objective was to make sure that anyone who was in need, would not go without. We facilitated various supply donations, PPE, meal delivery, and even fabric, which went to residents who were making hand-sewn face masks. We got thousands of disposal gowns and masks to healthcare workers to give out to their coworkers at the hospitals. Students dropped off face shields which we dispatched to our local food pantry workers.

"I coordinated with our Senior Citizens department to have their volunteer drivers deliver weekly meals to our most vulnerable senior population.

"From a financial perspective, we took immediate and calculated measures at the beginning of the pandemic to mitigate the possibility for fiscal fallout. I decreased over-time budgets and cut discretionary spending by 15%. I Implemented a retirement incentive for employees which saved jobs and actually resulted in a $600,000 savings to the taxpayer. Those savings helped to prevent us from piercing the tax cap which was .50% that year. (We delivered a 2021 operating budget with the lowest overall tax increase in Suffolk County.)

"To help the small businesses, we began filming and producing Virtual Tours for small businesses which aired on Smithtown GTV and social media. These videos showcased the safety measures taken by each business and options like curbside pickup, ordering online and contact information. We received over 50 letters from small business owners thanking us for this outstanding marketing tool to help them recover.

"We launched an online system for food establishments to file for temporary outdoor accommodations. This free permit, with a fast (3-day) turnaround was hugely successful and is still being utilized to this day.

"We wanted to do something for the kids who were graduating without a graduation ceremony, so we teamed up with all 4 school districts to create a special Graduation surprise for the class of 2020 with help from noteworthy alumni. The production included heartfelt messages from celebrity graduates, athletes and TV personalities as well as photomontages of the graduating students.

"When the vaccine was made available, many residents, especially our seniors (myself included) struggled with the online registration process. So my office reached out to area hospitals, NY State, local pharmacies and senior living communities to facilitate multiple satellite vaccine sites. We vaccinated over 900 of our most vulnerable residents.

"Lastly, I’m in the process of formalizing a Facade Grant program, which would allow Smithtown businesses to give their storefronts a facelift. These grants would provide beautification throughout the downtown, which helps to boost economic recovery."

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

"My priorities continue to be preserving Smithtown’s environment, restoring & expanding our parks & beaches, creating athletic fields and playgrounds for people with disabilities, and rebuilding the downtown areas.

"Over the last four years, we’ve successfully renovated approximately 75% of the Town's Parks & Beaches. We're actively working with local community groups in Hauppauge and Commack (which are split between two townships) to repair and expand outdated parks. The future goal is to complete the remaining park repairs, build on the expansive park system, creating more recreational space, including athletic fields and playgrounds for people with disabilities. Quality of life has never been more paramount. With people flocking to outdoor recreation, the need to create new and improved parks for the community to enjoy has never been greater.

"There is no greater priority for me, than preserving Smithtown's pristine shores and open space. Since being elected, I've prioritized bioremediation programs such as Shellfish seeding, approved the construction of natural bioswales, commissioned the update of the town’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, and planted approximately 2,000 trees. The future goal is to adopt the creation of an Open Space fund, which would require developers to contribute to the town's goal of acquiring untouched land for the purpose of preservation. The open space fund is a key element, laid out in the updated Master Plan, which is currently in the SEQRA stage of implementation. Additionally, I look forward to working with the DEC to restore the environmentally sensitive land, at the former Oasis Gentlemen’s Club, to convert it into a stunning sanctuary park.

"In the last four years, we’ve made unprecedented progress in revitalizing the three downtown areas. With completed projects the Lake Avenue Revitalization, new municipal off-street parking in Kings Park & Smithtown, rebuilding the entryway to the LI Innovation Park at Hauppauge, the renovation of Landing Golf Club and Flynn Memorial Ballpark, the Town of Smithtown is quickly filling once vacant and blighted storefronts. Vacancy rates are down within the township, despite the worldwide pandemic and economic fallout. Properties that were boarded up for over decades are now pristine new businesses, generating significant commercial tax ratables, which help to lower residential property taxes.

"After constant advocating and pushing our state and county leadership to cut through the red tape, I’m proud to say that the Kings Park sewer construction is slated to begin in January of 2022. We’ve recently identified a path to sewer Main Street Smithtown which has seemed out of reach for over 50 years. Also underway is the construction of a brand new park and municipal off-street parking lot, along Lake Avenue in St. James. This is the final stage of revitalization, designed to create a pedestrian-friendly, walkable downtown.

"The future goal is to complete sewer installation in our downtown areas, which will reduce nitrogen flowing into the Nissequogue and seeping into our aquifer between 70%-89%."

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

"These last two years have been unexpected, to put it mildly. But, despite pandemic, economic fallout and a handful of natural disasters, we've successfully rebuilt our parks system, property values are up, vacancy rates are down, small businesses are choosing Smithtown as home and we've done it all keeping town taxes low, while maintaining fiscal strength."

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"My mother used to say, don't waste time complaining about something. Time is always better served by working the problem to find a solution."

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

"The military gave me discipline, structure and a resiliency that to this day I've applied to the job. I was born and raised here. My children live here and I want my grandkids to live here with families of their own someday. With that goal in mind, I wake up each day with a promise to face the toughest challenges first, and as opportunities. I never kick the can or say that's not my problem. I keep an open-door policy at the office, of which I'm at work by 8 a.m. every day and am usually the last one out. This job is not work to me ... it is a privilege and a calling, for which I am grateful for each day I get to do it."