Croci Builds Senior Administrative Staff

Islip Supervisor-elect Tom Croci has announced an initial list of department heads and top administrators that will serve in his administration following his inauguration in January.

Among the hires are Lynda Distler as his chief of staff; Comptroller Joseph Ludwig, a hold over from outgoing Supervisor Phil Nolan’s administration; Linda Angello as director of Labor Relations and Thomas Owens as commissioner of Department of Public Works.

Distler served as mayor of Lindenhurst from 2000-2004, Angello served as commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor from 2001-2006 and Owens currently serves as the chief deputy commissioner for Brookhaven Town’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.

“I look forward to hitting the ground running,” said Croci. “It is critical that I have people beside me to help implement my plans to provide more responsiveness to citizen concerns, to find efficiencies in the Town budget and improve Islip’s economy.”

Croci said all those named are expected to begin work as soon as the new administration is sworn in and each person is approved, where required, by the Islip Town Board.

In November, Croci — a Republican — the incumbent Democrat Nolan in a hotly contested race. Also, Croci’s GOP running mates John Cochrane and Anthony Senft defeated incumbent Democrat Gene Parrington and newcomer Renee Oritz to win two seats on the Town Council.

With the victory Republicans now hold all five seats on the Town Council.