Ireland to run

Spafford supervisor speaks on his record, the Spafford Party and his town. Skaneateles Press, September 24, 2003, by Ellen Leahy

Town Supervisor Gordon Ireland will again run for town supervisor in Spafford. “We are the smallest town population-wise in Onondaga County,” said Ireland. “We have to work for every dollar we get.”

Ireland’s family has been in Spafford since the 1800s. He lives on Rose Hill a half mile  the house where he grew up. Although retired, he still helps his two sons who are now running the 1,000-acre family farm.

He says this will be his last run for a seat he ahs held for eight years. He was the town supervisor for seven years before he became a county legislator at the urging of several of the surrounding town supervisors. He held that position for seven years as well. Ireland said understanding how county government works has been invaluable in his role as supervisor. 

On his record:

Ireland said the town has a conservative budget, but he has been able to secure 18 grants and has always operated in the black. He said most of the board’s focus has been on the highway system, “many of the roads were one way,” he said.

Ireland said he’s taken care of small details such as adding a guardrail on Moon Hill Road.

“This is a residential agricultural area that cuts into four school districts (Homer, Tully, Marcellus and Skaneateles) with several post offices and no town center,” said Ireland. They are also part of two lakes and Ireland said, at this point he’s pretty much been over the whole area. He often answers two to three calls a day from concerned citizens.

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“Town politics is the closest thing to the people that there is,” said Ireland. “I’m not in favor of a lot of control.” He doesn’t like the idea of a series of planning boards looking down on you.

On the Spafford Party:

The Spafford Party platform contains the development of a master plan and more open government. Ireland feels a master plan means bureacracy and this gets expensive.

He is concerned that the Spafford Party has had two meetings at the Grange Building in Borodino, and that these were closed. “Where are the minutes,” said Ireland, “Who was there?” 

He said the two women running for board positions, Linda Sanders and Joyce Barnett, are members of the Spafford Historical Society and it is in their by-laws that they are not a political organization. He feels that this is an important organization to this community and the Spafford Party has created some division within their ranks. He is concerned this will affect the historical society in the future.

Regular meetings

The town meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. People are always welcome, he said. They will start the budget process at the next meeting, and are continuing to work on a new water district. He said he’d rather go without electricity than water.

In regards to an election year, he said it can really get in the way of taking care of the town’s business.