By Hayleigh Gowans
Staff Writer
On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7, residents in the town of Manlius will have the opportunity to select candidates for town supervisor, town justice, town clerk, receiver of taxes, highway superintendent and three town councilor positions.
Incumbent Republican Ed Theobald is being challenged by Democrat Nancy Durkin for town supervisor. (Click here to see the candidate profiles for town supervisor.)
Three seats for town councilor are up for election and incumbent Republicans Vince Giordano, Karen Green and Dave Marnell are seeking reelection. Democrats Sara Bollinger and Patrick Donnelly also vie to be elected to these positions. (Click here to read the candidate questionnaire responses by the town councilor candidates.)
For Manlius Town Justice, Democrat Tim McMahon is challenging incumbent Republican Bob O’Leary
Incumbent Republican town clerk Allison Weber is seeking reelection against Democrat John Deer (Click here to read the town clerk candidates responses.), and Democrat Elvis Mehmedovic is challenging incumbent Republican Laura Peschel for the receiver of taxes positions. (Click here to read the receiver of taxes questionnaire.)
Incumbent highway supervisor Republican Robert Cushing will seek reelection to his seat unopposed.
Polls on Election Day will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7. For more information about the elections, go to ongov.net/elections/index.html.
The Eagle Bulletin distributed uniform candidate questionnaires for all of the contested elections in Manlius.
Following are the responses of town justice candidates organized by alphabetical order of last names:
Town Justice
Tim McMahon
Political Affiliation: Democrat.
Educational background and professional history: B.A., History and Government, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, May 2003; J.D., cum laude, Western New England College School of Law, Springfield, Massachusetts, May 2006. Admitted to practice in New York and Massachusetts Litigation Associate, 2006 to 2010, Costello, Cooney & Fearon, PLLC; principal law clerk, 2010 to 2014, Justice Brian DeJoseph, Onondaga County Supreme Court; principal law clerk, 2014 to present, Justice Brian DeJoseph, New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, fourth department.
Community service and previous political office history: This is my first political campaign. I have supervised Syracuse University Law students who have participated in externships within the court system. For the past 9 years, I have officiated high school football in and around Onondaga County.
Why are you running for the position of town justice?
I’m running for two reasons: 1) I want to use my professional experience to give back to the community that my wife and I have lived in for nine years and where we’ve gotten to know many wonderful people. 2) The first half of my career was spent as an advocate, but since 2010 I have been working in the New York State Supreme Court alongside Judge Brian DeJoseph. Because I have experienced the practice of law from both sides, I am uniquely qualified to be a town justice and fairly preside over local disputes.
If elected, do you have any ideas to improve the town court?
Although I have ideas to improve the court, it is important to first meet with the other Justice and the existing staff to hear their experiences and suggestions. The court will work best when its employees take a team approach to managing the caseload. In my view, every court should continually evaluate itself and all town courts need to evaluate their efficiency.
What distinguishes you from your opponent?
Our perspectives. I have worked in the New York State Appellate Division for the past 3.5 years; this court hears civil and criminal appeals from the 22 counties between Syracuse and Buffalo and its decisions set precedent for village, town, county, Surrogate’s and Supreme Courts.
Robert P. O’Leary
Political Affiliation: Endorsed candidate of the Republican, Conservative, Independence, Reform, Taxpayers First and the Onondaga County Veterans parties. Also endorsed by the Onondaga County Deputy Sheriffs Association, the Onondaga County Chiefs of Police Association, the Sheet Metal Workers Local 58 and the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades District Council #4.
Educational background and professional history: I received my Law Degree from St. John’s University. I earned a Master of Public Administration Degree from the Pennsylvania State University with a focus on Public Planning. I completed my undergraduate education at St. John Fisher College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree major in Economics. In addition, I have approximately 325 hours of Certified Continuing Judicial Education relating to administration of the Manlius Town Court presented by the New York State Office of Court Administration.
Community service and previous political office history: Community service is important because it provides a town judge with an understanding of the dynamics and segments of the town of Manlius community. I am proud of my broad-based community service. In particular, as judge, I am proud of my work to address the heroin and drug epidemic gripping our town. I have visited the classes at East Syracuse-Minoa and Fayetteville-Manlius High Schools with Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick or a member of his staff more than 100 times to educate the students about the dangers of drugs. I am unaware of any other elected Judge that has ever visited their respective high schools once, much less 100 times. This fact illustrates the commitment I have made to performing the position of Manlius Town Judge. In addition, I co-chaired a drug awareness program with current Undersheriff Jason Cassalia at the East Area YMCA. When as Judge it became evident that after school activities help teens stay focused and avoid issues I worked with the Fayetteville- Manlius School District to establish two new sport teams which now average over 100 participants each spring season. In recognition of my contribution to establishing the sport of rowing at F- M High School the program was kind enough to name a new boat the “Judge Bob O’Leary”. My community service extends beyond activities related to drug prevention. I am a present or past board member of the East Area YMCA, Onondaga County Youth Court, Syracuse Charger’s Rowing Club, F-M Education Foundation, Labrador Mountain Race Club, Fayetteville Senior Center, St. John Fisher College Justinian Society and various other organizations. I coached Little League baseball, soccer, and youth basketball. I served for four years as a volunteer member of the Fayetteville Village Zoning Board of Appeals. Most relevant to my re-election efforts for Manlius Town Judge, I have over 25 years of judicial experience. I was elected Fayetteville Village Judge in 1992 and re-elected three times, before being appointed Manlius Town Judge in 2001. I was subsequently elected Manlius Judge later in 2001, and re-elected in 2005, 2009, and 2013. I am long time resident of Fayetteville with Ellen, my wife of 34 years. Both of our children graduated from F- M High School. Our son, Rob, is a physician in his 3rd year of a 5-year Orthopedic Surgery Residency program at Albany Medical Center. Our daughter, Caitlin, is an attorney practicing in New York City. I am a parishioner at Immaculate Conception Church in Fayetteville.
Why are you running for the position of town justice?
I have a terrific record on which I proudly run. The Town of Manlius court is run in a professional manner. I manage a large volume of cases, manage attorneys, manage a busy court calendar and make decisions based upon the law while being respectful to those who appear before me. I know the law and criminal procedures. During my judicial career, I have earned the respect of law enforcement as evidence by the endorsement I have. I have also earned the respect of my judicial colleagues who previously honored me by electing me president of the Onondaga County Magistrates Association.
If elected, do you have any ideas to improve the town court?
The heroin/ opioid epidemic facing our community presents new challenges to the court. I encourage those appearing in front of me with drug or alcohol addiction to seek out treatment programs during the pendency of their case. If the defendant charged with a crime successfully completes treatment then their case is treated less harshly someone who refuses treatment. As judge I will continually update my understanding on the most successful treatment programs as they become available and encourage defendants with an addiction to utilize those treatment programs.
What distinguishes you from your opponent?
Knowledge of the law and criminal procedure in my 16 years as town judge I have had decisions appealed, but never has one been overturned on appeal. I have 25 years of Judicial experience as Fayetteville Judge and Town of Manlius Justice, and I have knowledge of the Manlius community. I have maintained my private law office at 104 Pleasant Street in Manlius since 1991. judgeolearyformanlius.com.
