Dear Smithtown Community Members,

Residents are urging local leaders for an immediate reversal of the late decision to hire Kevin Smith as a Public Relations Assistant for the Town of Smithtown. In 2023, there was a non-partisan objection to hiring Mr. Smith. After a petition and protest took place before his official hiring, the Town canceled its plan to hire him.

Only two years later, the town is backtracking on its previous decision and instead moves forward to hire Kevin Smith. This is the same, unprofessional and unchanged individual. In 2023, the Town recognized that hiring Mr. Smith was not what the people wanted. Today, the Town has chosen to ignore the will of its people. 

While the goal of Public Relations is to build trust, enhance the public image of Smithtown, and foster community engagement for residents, Mr. Smith has long demonstrated no regard for basic decorum and respect on his public platforms. On social media, he has repeatedly posted hateful and misogynistic content (on both his personal and Loud Majority pages). This past December, he went viral on the internet after a video was posted of him physically striking a man during an altercation. This event took place in Manhattan. 

Finally, the process by which Mr. Smith was hired was not proper procedure. His hiring poses major ethical, operational, and legal risks to our town. The Public Relations Assistant role was posted January 6, 2026, and soon appeared to be removed by January 7, 2026. This was, at best, a roughly 24-hour period. Within 24 hours, it is impossible for the town employers to have received, interviewed, and vetted applicants, which points to the fact that this job was given, not earned. To add on, Mr. Smith is engaged to Nicole Garguilo, who is also the Town of Smithtown’s Public Information Officer.

On January 22, 2026, the Smithtown Town Council met and the following three of five elected officials  voted to hire Mr. Smith at $43 an hour.

When questioned about the vote, Town Councilwoman Lisa Inzerillo, who abstained, responded, “I believe this is a conflict of interest for the Town of Smithtown.”  Other board members responded with no comments to the hiring, but directed concerns to the Town Attorney and the Town Personnel departments.

The people of Smithtown are making our voice clear: We expect nothing short of the immediate removal of Kevin Smith from any tax payer funded position and a full review of this administration’s hiring process. Irrespective to political ideologies, we all want our town run by respectful individuals who we are proud to be represented by. The role of anyone in Public Relations is paramount to this goal and should not be left in the hands of someone who belittles, physically attacks, and denigrates others.

Today, we ask you to sign this petition and keep our community safe from this threat. In addition to signing this petition, please take the time to contact the following offices and express your utmost disapproval of the hiring of Kevin Smith. 

Smithtown Board of Ethics

Board of Ethics Members (Steven L. Sarisohn, Esq., Joseph T. Saggese, CPA, Thomas Walsh)

631-257-6068

dmills@smithtownny.gov

Town Attorney Matthew V. Jakubowski

Town of Smithtown

(631) 360-7570

townattorney@smithtownny.gov

Director of Labor Relations Fred Calandrino, Esq.

Town of Smithtown

(631) 360-7626

personnel@smithtownny.gov 

Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim

Town of Smithtown

(631) 360-7600

supervisor@smithtownny.gov

Thank You,

Your Fellow Neighbors