Lysander residents will have two candidates to choose from when filling the highway superintendent seat left vacant by Bruce Reeves earlier this spring.
Eugene Dinsmoor, a registered Republican, was appointed to fill the vacancy after Reeve’s departure and is now running on the Republican, [Conservative] party lines in the upcoming election. His opponent, Chris Patrick, running on the Democratic party line.
Also on the November ballot is a referendum, which gives voters the choice of keeping the highway superintendent seat an elected position or changing it to an appointed position. This referendum is on both the town of Lysander and the town of Van Buren ballots. Should voters decide to change the positions to appointed, the respective town board will then appoint a candidate to the position.
Eagle Newspapers recently interviewed the candidates to get an idea of what each candidate represents. The candidate’s answers are featured below:
Christopher Patrick
Community Involvement: Lysander Democratic Committee, Durgee PTSA, BCSD Facilities and Transportation Budget Committees
In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of changing the highway superintendent position from elective to appointive?
I am focusing on the advantages and I reject the reasoning of “It has always been done that way.” Many things in our lives would be different if the “It has always been done that way” thinking wasn’t changed. There would still be slavery, segregation and women wouldn’t be allowed to own property or vote as examples. An appointed highway superintendent provides these advantages:
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Creates accountability to our town board for all aspects of job performance
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Assures specific job qualification are met
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Enables oversight and review
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Promotes cooperation with other town departments, town board and other local governments
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Encourages organizational efficiency by working toward common goals
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Eliminates competing agendas within town government
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Paves the way for formal shared or consolidated services for the benefit of all taxpayers
If voters choose to keep the position elective, how will you increase accountability, both financially and responsively, to residents?
If the voters keep the position elected, accountability will be as it has always been. Each election they may have a choice of two candidates. The voters will decide to vote for or against me on their perceived opinion of my performance. They may be well informed. They may vote party line. They may have a myriad of other reasons.
Whether the voters keep the position elected or change it to appointed, I can assure the residents of Lysander that I will work hard to meet the needs of our entire community. I will investigate all concerns and respond accordingly. I will ensure that there is a comprehensive plan for preventative maintenance of town roads and equipment. I will ensure that there is a fiscally responsible capital equipment replacement plan. I will create and formalize cooperative agreements with other municipalities and ensure that we have the appropriate equipment with respect to those agreements.
Municipalities working together can reduce the cost to all taxpayers. I will work in a cooperative and constructive manner with the town board. I will work to build a unified and cohesive team within the highway department and across all town departments.
Why should voters elect you?
As I stated before, I have a plan to continue the forward motion that started with the previous election. The current administration was swept into office by a mandate from the people of Lysander. Business as usual was no longer acceptable. They wanted a responsive and cooperative government, a lean and financially responsible government, a government that represents the entire community. I will bring that to the highway department.
I have over 25 years of achievement in management, operations, maintenance and training from the US Navy and manufacturing. I have proven leadership and management skills. I can take command of an organization and lead it to higher performance levels. My ability to analyze needs and create unique solutions to yield exceptional outcomes has proven to be one of my greatest assets.
I know that my leadership skills, broad mechanical, electrical and preventative maintenance experience, and flexibility in devising proactive responses to ever changing conditions will allow me to make significant contributions to the Lysander Highway Department, to Lysander Town Government and to the entire Lysander Community.
I would relish the opportunity to serve the people of my community as highway superintendent.
Gene Dinsmoor
Community Involvement: Member of American Legion Post 1832; VFW Post 15033; Knights of Columbus Council 5082; Baldwinsville Rotary Club; and IUOE Local 158.
In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of changing the highway superintendent position from elective to appointive?
After 26 years of military service, I have become quite fond of the freedoms and rights that I served to preserve and protect. Accordingly, I have formed the opinion that it would be premature to change the highway superintendent position to an appointed status since no organizational plan has been developed or explained that would require such action. I believe that it is simply a desire to transfer total power and control from the voting public to the town board. The cooperative intergovernmental activities they speak of are actually possible now except for the employees who must remain under the control of their respective municipalities or be absorbed into the surviving entity of any possible merger.
Financial control of the highway department already resides with the town board. They both provide and remove all funding. However they may deem appropriate. Nothing can be collected or expended without their approval, which suits me fine. I have no problem working with them on those matters.
If voters choose to keep the position elective, how will you increase accountability, both financially and responsively, to residents?
We are also completely accountable to our Lysander residents on a daily basis. When leaving their driveways if the roads are not paved, plowed, salted and drained in a suitable fashion, we generally hear about it rather quickly. With just nine motor equipment operators and 96 miles of road, we don’t have a lot of time for slick promises or formal reports, but our public safety officials keep us well informed of our performance. We are happy to explain our activities and receive visitors almost anytime. Just give me a call.
Why should voters elect you?
I am asking for the honor of your vote for my continued employment leading the Lysander Highway Department. You will be joining the Republican, Conservative and Independence party members who gave me their official endorsement. I will continue to work diligently to lead our employees to serve our town effectively and efficiently.
