Town Supervisor
Timothy Kelly
My name is Tim Kelly, and I am running for Town of Manlius Supervisor. We are extremely lucky to live in one of the most unique towns in Onondaga County. We live in a town that encompasses 3 distinct villages (Fayetteville, Manlius, and Minoa) and is also home to two excellent school districts ES-M and FM.
I was a graduate of East Syracuse Minoa in the year 2000. The district provided me with the strong foundation for who I am. I am proud to have experienced the terrific educators and extracurricular activities I participated in including DECA, Marching band, Model UN. The ESM district will always hold a unique place in my heart. It is a vital piece of the identity of our town that I will ensure always has a voice if I am your supervisor.
Following my high school graduation, I attended OCC where I met my wife, Samantha. We decided to originally settle down in the town of Cicero between where her and I both grew up (She was from Liverpool). This is where we chose to start our family. I became involved in not only town government but also with the local Fire departments and ultimately with EMS at one of the busiest volunteer agencies in Onondaga county. I have held the roles of both Vice President and President of the board of directors there over a period of 9 years. Additionally, I have held a variety of roles on several boards and received the 40 Under 40 award in 2015 from the CNY Business Journal.
My wife and I made the decision that we wanted to move back home to the Town of Manlius and raise our children in the Fayetteville-Manlius district to provide them with the ability to have a top-notch education. We are proud of our 3 kids and their success in the district. Our son is in 10th grade currently and our 2 girls are in 8th and 3rd grade. The district continues to provide them with excellent opportunities to find not only who they are but to excel.
I attended Syracuse University where I studied both political science as well as physics. The university provided me with many opportunities, and I am grateful for them every day.
My professional life has seen time in sales, healthcare, and Health IT. At heart however I am an entrepreneur and have been involved with my current company since its creation in 2016. It is here where we work to bridge the digital divide throughout the world. Our current endeavors have us focused on these combined lessons in both rural America as well as with underserved urban residents. When you can provide people access to the internet, you enable the ability to find a job, work from home, video chat a doctor, go to school or many other varieties of things that many of us in this area take for granted.
On a town level I am presently the Chair of the Town of Manlius Zoning board of appeals. In this role I and the board are responsible for ensuring that the zoning laws and regulations for our town are enforced. We provide not only the necessary variances needed for the construction or pools and sheds, but we also provide interpretation of town code to residents should they request it.
The town of Manlius has been home to my family for many generations, and I am proud to call it my home. As your supervisor it is my mission to make sure we are listening to the thoughts and concerns of ALL residents of the town not just those who appeal to a specific “special project”. We have a unique town and are looking towards a future in this county that includes a change to our regional transportation with Interstate 81. We will also be impacted by the development of Micron. My mission is to ensure that the town benefits from these projects while ensuring that we retain the character and quality of life that we all know and love.
Town Board
Karen Ayoub
Karen Ayoub has been a resident of Manlius for 30 years, making it home for the family she raised with her husband, David. Karen has an accounting background, having worked as a CPA for over a dozen years with Price Waterhouse; after which she decided to dedicate herself to family and community.
As a Mom and community volunteer, Karen understands the importance of supporting and maintaining our excellent schools, public safety resources, green spaces and local businesses. As an accountant she understands the need to control spending. Open lines of communication are a must between the Town of Manlius Board and residents as we set community goals that work for today and the future.
Town Board
Dave Barnwell
My name is David Barnwell. I am a lifelong resident of the Town of Manlius and concerned about the future of our town. For the past 19 years I have owned a home just outside the Village of Manlius with my wife and two sons that attend the Fayetteville Manlius School District. Over the past 30 years I have worked part time during the winter for the Town of Manlius Highway Department and have worked full time for the past 23 years in Radiology. I am a proud resident of our community, but in recent years have seen some changes that I am not happy with. Having a unique perspective of the services we provide and as a vested tax payer, I have decided to run for town council. I believe that a unanimously, one party rule, board is not healthy for good decision making. I also believe the core services that the town provides need to be always maintained. It is important to have a strong police, fire and highway departments. Integration of new ideas and creating a sustainable Manlius is important but can not be an all or nothing mentality. This process needs to be well developed from start to finish and understand how it will affect our community. I believe that a fiscally sound budget, affordable housing for our seniors, safety in schools and community and economic growth is important. When elected, my plan is to listen to the constituents, create a transparent board, while working close with the mayors and heads of departments to fulfill these goals. It is important to know that elected officials need to work together to help build a stronger community for future generations.
Town Board
John Hodges
I have lived in the town of Manlius since I purchased my home at the age of 20 and have worked at Manth Brownell, an ALCO company for 30+ years, holding many positions such as Value stream manager, Purchasing manager, Plant manager, Director of manufacturing and currently Director of supply chain and engineering; overseeing multiple plants. I have now also been the creator, builder and the co owner of Spill The Tea Cafe and Infusion Yoga Studio with my wife located in the village of Minoa for 2 years.
I have been married to my wife, Christina Hodges for 14 wonderful and fulfilling years where we have raised 5 children( along with our dog Cooper 
) all whom graduated from the East Syracuse Minoa School District.
I am a motorcycle enthusiast, handy man of all things and coffee roaster in my spare time and on a night out you can find me with my family and grandchildren!
Town Justice
Jim Hughes
Judge Jim Hughes has ably served as our Fayetteville Village Justice since 2013 and, this year, he’s running to serve as our new Manlius Town Justice. In his current role, he has operated the Village Court in a fair, efficient and impartial manner even as the court system has undergone tremendous changes – from Court Administration Rules passed down from Albany to facing the challenges of operating the courts during the COVID pandemic.
Aside from his service as a local judge, Jim has been an active attorney for more than four decades. He is currently a partner at Hancock Estabrook, where he has worked since 1983 as a litigator in Federal, State and Local Courts across New York State. He is a Member of United States District Court Neutrals Panel as a volunteer mediator, serves on the Board of Directors of the Onondaga County Assigned Counsel Program, and is Treasurer (and Past President) of the Onondaga County Magistrates Association.
During his distinguished career, Judge Hughes has also served as general counsel for several Villages, Towns, Fire Departments, School Districts and hospitals.
Judge Hughes was born and grew up on a farm on Palmer Hill in Manlius. A graduate of Fayetteville Manlius High School, he worked to put himself through college. Jim and his wife, Carol, raised their two kids here because of their love for our community, and he has volunteered his time with many local organizations, including as Parishioner at Christ Episcopal Church (also Past Vestry Member), past Board Member of the Fayetteville Senior Center, and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Fayetteville Tree Lighting Hay-Rides, Boys Scouts and Cub Scout.
This combination of community service and professional experience is exactly what we need in Manlius Town Court. Let’s elect Judge Jim Hughes in this election.
County Legislator
Mark Olson
Mark Olson joined the Legislature in 2022, bringing nearly two decades of elected office experience to bear. He is the Mayor of the Village of Fayetteville and has been a member of the Fayetteville Fire Department since he was 14 years old.
On the County Legislature, Mark chairs the Public Safety Committee and brings an important understanding of emergency management to his committee. He also serves on the Ways & Means Committee where he helps make important fiscal decisions for Onondaga County.
County Legislator
Dave Knapp
Dave represents the 12th Legislative District which includes all of the towns of LaFayette, Tully, Fabius and Pompey, a small part of southern Manlius, the greater Jamesville area of Dewitt, and part of the outer Comstock neighborhood of the city of Syracuse. Dave was born and raised on his multi-generational family dairy farm in LaFayette. He attended LaFayette Central Schools and graduated in 1980. During his senior year he competed for and was awarded an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Upon graduation in 1984, Dave was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. After completing his military commitment, and attaining the rank of Captain, Dave and his wife, Donna, decided to return to the farm and raise their family. In addition to helping on the farm whenever possible, Dave worked in the healthcare industry for over 25 years.
Following in the family tradition of community service, Dave was elected to the LaFayette Town Board in 1999 where he concentrated on constituent service and securing outside grants to save local taxpayer dollars on Town projects. He was particularly successful in securing over $200,000 in grants for improvements to Stafford Park in LaFayette. In 2011 Dave was elected to the Onondaga County Legislature to represent the 12th District and was immediately asked to serve as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. During Dave’s leadership of that committee, the Legislature reduced taxes to the point that County property owners currently benefit from the lowest property tax rate in over 50 years. This was accomplished while also maintaining a strong fund balance and the second highest bond rating of any county in New York State. After the 2017 election, Dave was elected Majority Leader. Dave’s proudest moment as a County Legislator occurred in November of 2018 when he was unanimously selected by all his legislative peers, Republican and Democrat alike, to serve as Chairman of the County Legislature until 2022. As Chairman, he worked hard to make sure all voices were heard, and everyone felt a part of the legislative process and committees. Being the only veteran on the Legislature, Dave serves on several advisory panels to make sure all who served are able to access the benefits they are entitled to.
Dave has always believed in the importance of community involvement. Dave serves as a Board Member and Treasurer for the LaFayette Apple Festival. He has also served as President of the local Optimist Club and Historical Society. Dave is a charter member and Past Commander of AMVETS Post 1025. He is also involved as an advisory board member for the Tully-LaFayette Future Farmers of America and charter President for Boy Scout Troop 100. He is a member and past Elder of the Columbian Presbyterian Church. Dave is currently chairman of the LaFayette Sports Hall of Fame Committee. Since 2000, he has also served on the 24th Congressional District Service Academy Selection Board for our last four Congressional representatives. He is currently Chairman of that committee.
Dave is currently a partner at the Knapp Shute Agency located in LaFayette. He has been married to his wife, Donna McCarthy Knapp for over 30 years and they have three children, Devon 26, Shannon 24, and Oliver 21.
How To Get Involved:
Being involved in local politics is important. Some of the decisions made at the local level impact your life more than anything else. Our committee offers many ways for town residents to get involved through our events, fundraisers, and our Liberty Club.