Baldwinsville — The Town of Lysander Supervisor seat is open for election this year. Two candidates, incumbent Barry Bullis and opponent Fred Burtch, are competing for the Republican nomination in the Sept. 13 primary.
The Baldwinsville Messenger recently interviewed both men to get a better understanding of each candidate’s qualifications and viewpoints. The following responses are from Bullis:
Barry W. Bullis
Address: 3429 Grey Birch Dr., Baldwinsville
Education: Franklin Academy, Malone NY
Hudson Valley Community College, Troy NY
Work Experience: A. J. Montclair, Inc. - General Contractors, Construction Manager, Chief Estimator (1995 – 2000)
Ridge-Ed Pipeline, Inc., Construction Manager, Chief Estimator (1990 – 1995)
Bullis Construction Co., Inc., President, CEO (1982 – 1990)
PGB Industries, Inc., Vice President, General Manager (1979 – 1982)
Olin Construction Co., Inc., Foreman, Superintendent, Estimator, 1972 - 1979
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade & Douglas Engineers, Field Inspector, Office Engineer (1969 – 1972)
Political Experience: Town of Lysander Supervisor (1995 - Present)
Lysander Republican Committee (1974 - Present)
Chairman Lysander Republican Committee (1982 - 1995)
Onondaga County Republican Committee (1974 – Present)
Onondaga County New Young Republicans Club
North Area Republican Club (co-founder)
Lysander Republican Club (co-founder)
Community Involvement: Baldwinsville Kiwanis Club; Past and present: Pop Warner Football; Seneca River North Little League; Baldwinsville CSD Athletic Boosters; Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce; Baldwinsville Oktoberfest Committee Volunteer; Baldwinsville Marching Band Support Group - Past President; Baldwinsville Theatre Guild; Cross Lake Seneca River Association; Northwest Neighbors Rural Preservation Co.; Baldwinsville Canal Corridor Initiative Committee; Member - First Presbyterian Church (past Youth Fellowship Advisor, Current Chairman - Budget & Finance Committee)
What do you think are the major issues facing Lysander? How do you plan to address those issues?
In a single word, taxes. The challenge of town government is to maintain the services and programs that residents want, and have come to expect, without raising taxes. In my opinion, Lysander is one of the most efficiently and cost effectively run towns in Onondaga County. Due to our fiscally responsible policies, our current town tax rate of $1.32 per $1,000 of assessed value is 48 cents less per $1,000 than it was eight years ago and is currently among the lowest of the 19 towns in Onondaga County.
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Comments
turgid 1 year, 9 months ago
Oops, I think I just had a little throw burp reading this. Taxes - Low with no services. In the Top for debt. TDR program - How much develoipment rights has this netted for 260,000? ZERO. PILOT - The school board did all the hard work. No one wanted you anywhere near the process since you were the cause of it. Over million in legal fees between the school and town which is all taxpayer money plus a refund to Inbev. Election year theatrics is the only reason it has moved forward recently. COST SAVINGS - You and the board just gave the DCO a 2 year contract for more incompentence at 50,000 per year. Cross training - ooh saves bunches. The clerks budget increased by thousands since Ms. Dell has taken over. Every time the county comes and presents a Storm Water Managment program - you and the board ridicule the DEC and county. Seen it on several ocassions. You are a career trough feeder all the while bad mouthing the county, state and federal government.
marvan 1 year, 9 months ago
Isn't the salary really 44 or less. It isn't 50.
turgid 1 year, 9 months ago
Marvan, your right it isn't 50 thousand. $55,455 dollars is the 2011 Supervisors salary per the adopted budget in January 2011. He took the raise the board members did not. 100% medical coverage.
turgid 1 year, 9 months ago
Sorry Marvan. The 50 is a round up. The DCOs salary per the 2011 contract is $44,746 + $1625 + plus mileage to deliver summons + virtually free (a ridiculously low fee) office space in town hall with the use of all equipment and material . 2 year contract which was a new precedent.
jmsml 1 year, 9 months ago
Mr. Bullis's TDR program has turned into a great feeding trough for his buddies, they could have simply bought the land for less than they are squandering on the "development" rights. However this would not have given them the opportunity to skim $260,000 of taxpayers money on legal and engineering fees. As for his "established network of colleagues" substitute the word "croneys", a network of good-ole-boys that give each other new and improved opportunities to steal from the taxpayers. His claim to be trying to reduce costs is an outright lie, he has run this town so far into debt our children will end up paying it off, if they are dumb enough to live in Lysander.
marvan 1 year, 9 months ago
Has anyone collected on this program? How is it that an employee is stealing from the Taxpayer? Someone has to do the job and do you think someone would do the same job cheaper? I am confused as to why you say the employees are Cronies and stealing their salary. How many of the employees were there before Mr. Bullis was in charge? I know people aren't happy with Government , but alot of these complaints don't make sense.
turgid 1 year, 9 months ago
Sorry marvan, your obfuscation isn't going to work. I have spoken to thousands of taxpayers during the petition process and 99.99% have nothing good to say about Mr. Bullis. The people are fed up with Barry and the LRC running this town for personal profit. The people are fed up with a "shadow government". The blight must be removed. It is OK to vote for Barry if you desire but I will not be.
skip 1 year, 9 months ago
Lets discuss who we have running. Barry, we know what we have with him. It has got us by for 16 years. Fred Burtch--no politcal experience, seems like an honest guy, interesting answers to the questions. I think he needs to listen to himself, instead of everyone else who is using him. John Salisbury, who was running for county leg. then backed out, now town supervisor--- 2 items on his platform, 1-I am not barry,2- the Y needs to be on Drakes. (Isn't that a dead issue). Strong platform? So is the Town going to be run by the Y with him? Kevin Rode, has been quiet, has not done anything stupid like the other 3. Not much out there about him. Could be a good possibility for a clean change with no strings attached.
turgid 1 year, 9 months ago
Skip - I will not even address Barry. As my post my lead you to believe. I have a personal beef with Mr. Bullis and the LRC. If you enjoy the status quo, vote for Barry. Agreed Fred is an honest guy and wears his heart on his sleeve. Not a politician but actually gets various people to work together for a common goal. Kevin is another political novice but has lived here his entire life and knows the people and back stories. No strings and did not walk with the dinosaurs. He is an independent so owes nothing to either party. John Salisbury - He couldn't run for the leg since Brian was promised a free pass. You seem to know more about his platform then I do. He is not Barry. He is older and heavier. He is a DINO so Repubs should actually like him since all his political accomplishments have been while he was a republican. I agree the Y is a dead issue. It is pretty far down the road for a new supervisor to turn around unless Barry/LRC are planning some more political theater. So Skip, who should I vote for?
turgid 1 year, 9 months ago
Ask yourself what will you do!
When Barry Bullis and his town board rewarded Barry with full-time pay for part-time work by unanimously voting to make the supervisor role full-time in 2003, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board did nothing to help the families that lost their livelihoods when Ball Container left town to escape a tax assessment, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board refused to help the folks of Whispering Oaks rid their neighborhood of raw sewage running in the streets for ten years, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board used their paid positions to reward their friends and family, and to bully and intimidate their opponents and critics, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board spent a half-million dollars suing Anheuser-Busch for back taxes instead of negotiating first to save hundreds of jobs, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board refused to help hundreds of people in the Lamson Road Water District replace their contaminated water supply, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board rewarded Barry with an automatic +2.5% pay raise in the midst of the worst economy since the Great Depression, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board dragged this town into debt for over $1 million after promising to break-even on the purchase of a new town hall, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board reappointed and renominated each other over and over again because they belong to the same political club, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board did nothing to keep Hain Foods (Plainville Farms) from leaving town, closing its plant, and firing one hundred people, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board tried to charge an innocent man caring for the Old Presbyterian Cemetery with desecration, vandalism, and trespassing, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board seized control of the Lysander Republican Committee by awarding three open seats to members of his own family, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board renewed no-bid contracts worth millions of dollars with the same legal and engineering firms for fifteen years, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board also rewarded the recipient of a lucrative, no-bid contract with free office space, computer, phone, and secretarial support, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board failed to honor their promise to investigate legitimate ethics charges resulting from a former town employee, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board “gaveled” citizens out-of-order and called the State Police rather than answer their questions in town board meetings, what did I do?
When Barry Bullis and his town board renewed the two-year contract of a dog-catcher and kennel keeper who double-charged village residents for ten years, what did I do?
skip 1 year, 9 months ago
Turgid, where I have seen that before. Are you that guy that hacked the email or something, part of that group--Lysander ....... Wasn't that guy with the farm part of that.
turgid 1 year, 9 months ago
You have seen it before. I am not that guy but once on the internet always on the internet. The google is a wonderful tool. The website may be shutdown but I found all 32 stories. Would you like me to post more of them? Just because the author crossed the line doesn't make the facts of the stories any less true. What do you think? Since "they" managed to shutdown the B'ville Blotter, should I post them all on the Messenger so they are fresh in everyone's mind when they go to the voting booth on September 13th.
marvan 1 year, 9 months ago
Turgid, do you honestly think that the companies you mentioned would have stayed? The Hains company bought the Plainville Turkey farm for the name. Do you think the Town will help you if your septic system goes bad? The system was approved by the County and Obrien and Gere so how is that the Towns problem? The Lamson Road water issue was addressed and the homeowner's didn't want to pay for it. The other water supply districts pay for the installation and usage. Do you realize what the taxes would be if the Town payed for all that?
turgid 1 year, 9 months ago
Marvan, you are cherry picking the list but let me address the items you mentioned. The point about the companies is the lack of give a crap by the supervisor. A little more concern other than quote "oh well" and the entire AB issue. Whispering Oaks - the town issued building permits for 30 homes on a failed system that Barry admited failed shortly after it was installed. I think the residents are pleased that you are chipping in 25 cents to fix the issue since Mr. Patrick was tireless in getting help. Instrumental in getting the DEC 1.2 Million dollar grant but if you notice Joanie, Barry and Brian are quick to take credit for it. It was only a hostile 10 year battle with the town. I have the Whispering Oaks Story. Should I post it for you to read? Let me see, 1.4 million in debt for a nice Town palace or residents with good drinking water. You pick. Oh that's right, Barry picked a Town palace. The funny thing about the Lamson Rd water issue is that Barry sat on the results of the grant request for months because he was tooooo scared to tell them that the grant was denied. On another note, the myriad of special districts seems a bit absurd. We are all citizens of Lysander, all for one and one for all. Or together we stand, divided we fall. Or together we stand or the LRC bends us over the table. You pick.
Truth 1 year, 9 months ago
Truth I have heard enough of Barry's garbage!!!!!!! Barry is for Barry, not the town, he keeps he's assessment low on his home, as well as his cronies, Republican party endorsed him, what a laugh HE IS CHAIRMAN OF REPUBLICAN PARTY ??????? He runs a dirty campaign, does not tell the truth, returns phone calls to only the ones he wants to. Barry intimidates people at Town Board meetings, If he does not like what he hears his response is, WHO TOLD YOU THAT!, THATS NOT SO, YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER, ETC !!!!! I know that for fact. Do we need that kind of a supervisor Throw the bums out, .
allstars23 1 year, 9 months ago
Oh Marvan, you are so wrong on the Lamson Rd Water District. The 350 residences out this way certainly did want the water (interest survey 63% favor) and were willing to pay for it (89% of those would pay $1100 or less/year for it!) I don't believe that is unwilling to pay. These are the results of the interest survey sent out by the town and were presented publicly at a town meeting. The quest was to get a loan/grant that would help pay for it. No one out this way expected or expects the town to pay for our services. There is so much more to this story, and I won't go rambling on and bore you with it. Bottom line, the residents are still here with the same problem, and absolutely nothing has been done for us for 18 months. Absolutely nothing. Numerous phone calls and emails sent to the town for answers, no response. I am exquisitely easy to get along with Marvan, how does he treat those who are not? Did you know that CAMPS up in Sandy Pond just got water. CAMPS.
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