Chris Schneider sworn into Town of Hempstead office; hopes to carry on Carini’s legacy

Chris Schneider, a Seaford resident who dedicates much of his time to giving back to the community, is a newly appointed Hempstead town councilman.

Schneider, a Republican, was appointed to the seat at an Aug. 6 Town Board meeting. He was approved unanimously with a vote of 6-0, and was sworn in to represent the 5th Councilmanic District, which encompasses Lido Beach, Point Lookout and parts of Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh, Seaford and Freeport.

The appointment comes after Councilman Chris Carini died unexpectedly on July 14, at age 49, while visiting family in Florida. Carini was serving his second term after winning re-election last November. There will be a special election in November for a full term beginning next year.

“I am proud to welcome Chris Schneider as the newest member of the town board,” Supervisor Don Clavin stated in a news release. “Although the Town of Hempstead suffered a great loss with the passing of Councilman Chris Carini, the town board and I truly believe that Chris Schneider is the perfect person to carry on Carini’s legacy.”

Schneider, 44, has been active in the Wantagh and Seaford communities for over two decades. He has represented Seaford on the Nassau County Police Commissioner’s Community Council since 2022, and has served on the 5th District Graffiti Watch Task Force.

Carini, a Seaford resident, had long been involved with the Wantagh/Seaford Homeowners Association, which often focused on quality-of-life issues. Schneider has served on the board of the association for 20 years, and was the Seaford vice president before stepping down to focus on his duties as councilman.

“I will miss him terribly, but I know he’s going to be doing great things for Wantagh and Seaford, just like the late Chris Carini had done,” Ella Stevens, president of the homeowners association, said.

Schneider, a graduate of Wantagh High School, is a lifelong resident of the area. His grandfather was a member of the Seaford Fire Department for over 40 years, and his mother taught in Seaford for three decades. Chris, too, lives in Seaford with his wife and two children, in a house he bought from his grandparents.

“Giving back is something that’s really important to my family,” he told the Herald. “That’s something I was raised on at an early age.”

Schneider’s upbringing in a public service family, and being involved in the community, led him to a role in government after he graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2002, when he started work as a legislative assistant in the Nassau County Legislature. In 2004, he began working in the State Senate, where he served under former Senators Charles Fuschillo, Elaine Philips, and current Senator Jack Martins, until 2017.

After his time in government, Schnieder began work in a senior leadership role for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

“I think it’s really important that what you do for a living matters,” he said, “and there’s no greater calling than helping people.”

Giving back and helping communities is what Schneider says is exciting about his new opportunity. The experience is bittersweet, however, because Carini was a close friend for years.

“I miss him terribly, but to carry on the work that he was so passionate about is really special to me,” Schneider said.

He added that he wanted to connect people in his district with services they needed, whether town, county or other partners in government.

Thanks to his work with Fuschillo, Schneider says he’s familiar with issues in Bellmore, Merrick and Freeport, in addition to Wantagh and Seaford. Brian Devine, the town’s director of communications, said there were plans to set up a mobile town hall throughout the district for Schneider, so he can meet residents and learn more about their concerns.

“Whether someone’s calling about a pothole or a stop sign or whatever,” Schneider said, “that call to them at that moment is extremely important, because they wouldn’t have taken the time to reach out to you if they didn’t need help.”

Kevan Abrahams, a former Nassau County legislator, will oppose Schneider in the special election. Abrahams, 49, a Democrat and a Freeport resident, retired from the Legislature last year, and has since been director of strategic planning for Northwell Health.

Abrahams expressed concerns about the Town of Hempstead’s tax levy, which increased by a little over $2 million, which prompted him to run for office. He also disagreed with fee hikes for essential services.

“These back-door tax increases affect everything from seasonal and daily passes at town pools to parking permits, and sports league fees,” Abrahams stated in news release. “It’s happening on the backs of the taxpayer — the people are carrying the burden for the town’s fiscal mismanagement. It needs to change.”

For his part, Schneider aims to be an accessible councilman who connects people in the community with the help they need.

“I would want people to know that I’m a passionate, active and involved person in the community who has experience in government, has experience in nonprofit, but most of all, I really believe in helping people,” he said. “There’s nothing greater that you can do with your professional life than to make a difference in the life of somebody else. So if they need help, I’m here.”

Additional reporting by Jordan Vallone