Liverpool resident Mark Spadafore was honored as Towns Democrat of the Year by the Onondaga County Democratic Committee at its annual awards dinner June 13, at the Oncenter in downtown Syracuse.
The mayor of Syracuse, Stephanie Miner, was named County Democrat of the Year. Miner is running for re-election in November’s election.
Spadafore, a prominent local labor activist, was presented his plaque by Syracuse City Councilor Helen Hudson.
A lifelong Liverpudlian, Spadafore has been active in local politics since 1994 when he became the youngest known chairman of the town of Salina Democratic Party Committee at the age of 24. Within a year, the Democrats had elected a town supervisor and in two years gained a majority on the town board.
In 1999, he stepped down from the chairmanship to concentrate on his job as field coordinator for the Greater Syracuse Labor Council AFL-CIO. He presently serves as political coordinator for Service Employees International Union Local 1199.
A longtime member of the Liverpool Public Library Board of Trustees, Spadafore currently serves as its president. He is an active member of the Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse and is the former executive director of the Syracuse Alliance for a New Economy and former chaiman of the Onondaga County Human Rights Commission.
“Mark represents all the best in community leadership,” said Carrie Roseamelia, the chairwoman of the Salina Democratic Committee. “He’s aware of the major issues facing our community, he articulates his well-thought-out resolutions, and, more importantly, he energizes those around him to take action.”
Ironworkers Local 60 representative Gary Robb, a North Syracuse resident, received the 2013 Chairman’s Recognition Award bestowed by county Democratic Chairman Mark English. Robb has served as Local 60’s business agent for more than a quarter-century. He also serves on the advisor board of the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority.
Since 1996, Robb has been a member of the Clay Democratic Committee and co-chaired the Committee for Legislative Action. Last year Robb became vice chairman of the county Democratic committee under English.
“Gary is always ready to help and has always gone the extra mile to get our Democratic candidates elected,” English said.
At the June 13 awards dinner, Roseamelia was impressed by the party’s diversity.
“The County Dems are such a fantastic group,” the Salina chairwoman said. “There’s so much diversity in terms of race and class and especially age, which I find unusual in organizations these days.”
Roseamelia has high hopes for county legislative candidate Carol Sinesi, a social worker who was designated by the town Democrats last month to run in the Fourth District against two-term Republican incumbent Judy Tassone.
In 2011, voters returned Tassone to office after her second hotly contested race against former county legislator David Stott, who decided against running again this year.
