At a recent Butler Town Board meeting, correspondence was filed from Supervisor David Spickerman, indicating that he would be retiring at the end of his term in December.

No big fanfare, no splashy announcement - just a letter saying, he will retire.

“I have been saying for about 4 years that I was going to retire. I told the Board of Supervisors, I told my Town Board, I told my wife, and then, everytime I am about to do it, they pull me back in,” said Dave.

“I remember speaking with Supervisor MaryAnn Bliek from Williamson, when she retired. I asked her why she was doing it? She told me that it was time, and that when I was ready to retire...I would know it.  It’s time.”

Spickerman has served as Butler’s Town Supervisor for 34 year. 

When he first ran for the position, he lost. He lost two other times. At that point, Dave decided to spend his money on a set of law books - NY State Consolidated Law, Municipal Law, Town, County and Court laws...State Codes.
“I really hate to read, but I read those Law Books, all of them. I ran again for Supervisor and I won.”

From that point, Spickerman never lost again. 

In his 34 years in County government, he has served with 4 County Chairmen, 68 Town Supervisors, 2 County Sheriffs, 3 County Clerks, 4 District Attorneys, 2 County Treasurers, 4 County Administrators, 4 County Attorneys and 3 County Highway Superintendents. 

“I have actually found the job to be incredibly fun. I have met a wonderful group of people from Supervisors to County Staff - so many really good folks. I never had a problem in my Town or at the County. Even if I had different ideas from others, it did not affect how I felt about them.

“Don Colvin (former Savannah Town Supervisor) told me that you can disagree, without being disagreeable. I took that to heart.”

Some of the senior members of the County Board of Supervisors became like fathers to him, Dave remembered. He cited Marv Decker and Louie DeLisio as his mentors. They helped him work through resolutions and introduced him to many people.

Also, at the County level, Dave recalls that Deb Liseno started on the exact same day. She is Secretary to the Board of Supervisors Chairman. Board of Supervisors Clerk Sandy Sloane,  came on 9 months later, and both are still there. Spickerman is the senior member of the board, and the only one remaining from 34 years ago.

On his Town Board, both Councilman Duane Van Gelder and Gene VanDeusen have served almost as long as Dave. “They are probably at the age they want to retire also, but we can’t all leave at once. What a disaster that would be.”

Since his seat on the Butler Board will be up, Dave reported that he is favoring Councilman Chris Reed to replace him, if he gets the party’s nod.  “He is a businessman - he owns two garages, and he is a new Dad. He has been on the board for 4 years, and I really think he would do well.”

“You know, I have had fun doing this job. The Town is in great shape - we are financially sound. We only tax for what we need, not what we want. I am proud of Butler,” Spickerman admitted.

He tells of a house he and his wife bought in Florida a while ago, and they never go, because of his work. He admits his my wife was annoyed about that. He is thinking they might go now - for a little while.