Smithtown looking for new attorney

Smithtown's former singing town attorney is attempting a comeback.

John Zollo, who sings at community events and once co-starred with Supervisor Patrick Vecchio in a musical at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, is a candidate for his old job next month, town officials said.

Town Attorney Yvonne Lieffrig, who succeeded Zollo in 2002, has retired from the post, which pays $112,913 per year, town officials said. With her retirement effective Dec. 31, the town board is expected to name a new town attorney at its Jan. 3 meeting.

The board plans to discuss the appointment early Tuesday in a private executive session, town board members said.

Zollo, 52, who has a private law practice in Nesconset and often sings the national anthem at public ceremonies, is one of several candidates to replace Lieffrig, town officials said. Those officials refused to identify other candidates.

"There's no front-runner," Councilman Edward Wehrheim said. "There's been a number of interested parties."

"Everything's up for grabs," Councilman Thomas McCarthy said. "My decision hasn't been made."

Zollo could not be reached for comment.

Wehrheim said Lieffrig did not give reasons for her retirement. But he said she had been "under attack" from some town residents at public meetings, though he could not specify the issues that prompted criticism.

"I don't know that she's been entirely happy here the last couple of years," Wehrheim said.

Lieffrig, 67, did not return a call seeking comment. Vecchio declined to comment on Zollo, Lieffrig or the search.

Smithtown attorney Vincent Trimarco Sr., who hired Zollo after he left the town post, said Zollo is "probably the most right guy for the job. He's got the temperament for it."

Trimarco, also a former Smithtown town attorney, said the job attracts "a substantial amount of pressure" from department heads and the five-member town board.

"You've got five bosses. That's a problem to start with," Trimarco said. "Sometimes you have to say, 'This is the law, even if you want to do things this way or you want to do things that way.' "

Wehrheim, who was the town's parks director when Zollo was town attorney, said Zollo was "extremely professional. I believe he did a fine job."

He said Lieffrig's successor should be versed in municipal law and "someone who [can] deal well with the public."