To the editor:

My name is Victoria Shires, and I am the newly elected chair of the Town of Lysander Democratic Committee. I would like to take a moment to proudly endorse the slate of candidates representing the Democrats on the ballot for the town of Lysander this Election Day.

For town board, we have two exceptional residents running for two open seats: Kevin Rode and Gail Tosh. Mr. Rode is a long-time resident of the Greater Baldwinsville community and actively attends town board meetings to stay abreast of the issues. As a non-elected official, he often asks thoughtful, pointed questions, and I am confident that as your new town councilor he will continue to challenge the status quo, while keeping the best interests of the residents of Lysander as his top priority. Ms. Tosh brings a well-rounded professional background that has given her demonstrated experience in the private and non-profit sectors, as well as owning her own small business for a time, and with those experiences she is able to connect to the community with compassion and shared understanding.  Both Ms. Tosh and Mr. Rode have a focus on transparency and fiscal responsibility, and believe in listening to the needs of the Lysander taxpayers.

For town justice, the Democrats are being represented by Timothy McMahon. Mr. McMahon owns his own private law practice in the town of Lysander, and has experience in both civil and criminal law. Additionally, he currently serves as the acting justice for the village of Baldwinsville, a position he has held for the last 15 years. He has shown his dedication to the residents of the area by being on-call at all hours to conduct arraignments. He is fair, impartial and would be an asset to the town of Lysander if elected to serve on the bench.

Our candidate for highway superintendent is the incumbent, Gene Dinsmore. Mr. Dinsmore is a U.S. Army veteran who has been serving as the current highway superintendent for the last five years. Mr. Dinsmore has tirelessly served the needs of the community, promptly responding to residents’ requests as well as, regular town highway maintenance. A registered Republican, the local Democratic Party refuses to play partisan politics and gave Mr. Dinsmore our endorsement — a testament to his work ethic and service to the community.

I encourage all of the residents to reach out to our candidates to get to know them better in these last few weeks before the election, and most importantly, to vote on Nov. 7. You will not find a more dedicated team to represent you in the town of Lysander.

Victoria Shires

Chair, Lysander Democratic Committee