You probably recognize the name Pat Biancaniello – who people sometimes refer to as Pat B. The reason for that is multi-fold. This life-long Smithtown resident has worn so many hats throughout the last two decades. She is always hard at work with her hand in array of projects.
Pat presently runs SmithtownMatters.com and has done so for several years. It’s an online local news source that has gained much respect from politicos and well as fellow journalists alike. She has fine-tuned her opinion pieces to an art, they are sharp, succinct and they pull no punches.
Pat is also the mother of five adult children and is married to Dr. Thomas Biancaniello. The two of them have been blessed with four beautiful grandchildren as well. Family time is important to this couple, despite the fact they are both enormously busy. The large clan gathers on holidays and birthdays and as much as they can and laughter always accompanies them.
Pat has her degree in American History and studied the Revolutionary Period. “That’s where I formed my initial interest in government,” she explained. In her twenties she was very involved in protesting the Power Plant in Shoreham, you know the one that never opened due to protest.
“When I was with the League of Women Voters one of the hats I wore required me to attend Town Board meetings and that’s how I became interested in local politics,” she added. However, she was working at Classic Coach in the transportation business and was a busy young mother at the time.
She shared that she was not affiliated with any political party for a long time. “Today I am a registered Democratic, I’m more of an economic conservative and socially more liberal,” she said.
She confessed that she had absolutely no knowledge of the intricacies of the electoral process in 1999 when she received a call from Tom Lambert, the Head of Smithtown Democratic Party, who asked her to run for office. She begged off at that time but in 2003 when she was stepping down as the President of the League of Women Voters, her friend Elaine Turley, who is enormously politically savvy had a conversation with her about running for office.
“One of the reasons I became a Democrat in the town of Smithtown is that I felt we needed a two-party system; the Republicans were so powerful and so indifferent to what I considered good sound ideas for the town,” said the now retired politician. Before she knew it, her name was on a ticket, and she was pitted against Legislator Lynne Nowick, Nowick was running for a second term. She may have lost that race to the household name of Nowick with a politically strong family background but she learned a great deal.
However, it was when she ran for The Town Board that she gained true political acumen. She won that race and tt was a great moment for Smithtown Democrats. A female Democrat took a seat in the Republican male bastion of politics that reigned supreme in one of the Island’s last Republican strongholds. On January 1st 2006 Pat Biancaniello became Councilwoman Biancaniello and served the residents of Smithtown for three years in that capacity. “It was a wonderful experience, we did important stuff, there was the Angels Gate issue, the televising of Town Board meetings, having Town Board meetings in the evening,” she recalled. The latter two acts created more transparency in government as they allowed more people to view what exactly happened at Town Board meetings. Night time meetings became popular and when contentious issues arose over the years, they have been so well attended on several occasions they were closed out due to fire code regulations (when the maximum number of people was reached).
Right now in between her online newspaper and the Smithtown 350 Foundation she is all over town. 350 Foundation is a non-profit that is being headed up by Town Historian Brad Harris. The purpose of the non-profit was to create a number of events throughout the year to celebrate the 350th Anniversary of the town of Smithtown. A Herculean undertaking, it was sanctioned by Supervisor Vecchio and has included the opening of a Time Capsule buried in the 1960’s, a play depicting the history of Smithtown and it’s Italian, Jewish and Irish roots. In addition there was a run around town – although in inclement weather Pat says it was met with great praise. “Everything they have done so far has been very successful; Whisper the Bull is a legend we had the first run around the town of Smithtown in what was supposed to be the areas that Bull Smyth rode to claim his new land,” she explained.
The busy community activist is looking forward to the upcoming events. In July there is a pool party open to the public, the sign up is at Landing Avenue pool. The Big Event will be a huge fireworks display on September 19th at Sunken Meadow and a parade on September 26th. There will be a special event for all the town’s veterans on November 2nd, a statue of Bull Smyth to be resurrected on the corner of 111 and Middle Country Road and the Reenactment of the Battle of Fort Salonga.
Pat says she was particularly proud of and excited about the recent play. “Everyone who participated said they would do again in a heartbeat,” she added. Six shows played for about 1,300 people saw the play at the Smithtown Performing Arts Center.
Presently at the Mills Pond House there is an exhibition of art created by Smithtown high school students. There are drawings and paintings of many of Smithtown’s landmarks. High school kids also designed the 350 Foundation logo.
“We gave out money for the kids who won the art contest, the goal was to get as many people involved as possible and by their participation they have become part of Smithtown’s future history,” she ended.
Pat Biancaniello – her many roles
Editor in Chief – www.smithtownmatters.com
League of Women Voters – lifetime member
Lifetime member of the Smithtown Historical Society
On the Board of the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation
Commack Kings Park Rotary
Former Councilwoman
Founding PEO – a philanthropic educational organization that supports women’s education
A member of the 350 Foundation – an organization sanctioned by the Supervisor that has a dozen plus volunteers who are hosting all the Smithtown 350th Anniversary events.