GUILFORD – The Guilford political has heated up this year, as two candidates vie for the town’s top position and five are competing for two open council seats.

George J. Seneck, a Republican, hopes to fill the late Alton B. Doyle’s position. He is being opposed, however, by another Republican candidate for supervisor, Dennis E. Martin, who is running on an independent line called, “Justice.”

“Al was instrumental in my decision to run for Supervisor,” said Seneck, who plans to retire from the Gilbertsville-Mount Upton school district where he has taught for the last 32 years. He cites both Doyle and former Supervisor Pershing Schalffer for inspiring him through their demonstrated commitment to the community.

After 18 years on the town council, as well as an additional ten years as a town justice, Seneck believes he is qualified to take on the supervisor role.

“I bring ... experience with the budget process, training in contract negotiations (and) involvement with the Mount Upton Park Committee,” he said, as well as “first hand knowledge” of decisions affecting the municipality made during his tenure.

Seneck said he is proud of the town’s efforts “to provide residents with the best a rural community has to offer.” Among their list of accomplishments, he includes upgrades to the Guilford and Mt. Upton water systems; creation of the Mount Upton Park and addition of pavilion, bathroom, grills, and pulling track; the computerization of records for the assessors, town clerk and justices; improvements in highway equipment; and construction of the new town hall and highway garage.

He is well aware that the supervisor job will not an easy one.

“The most pressing problem facing the Town of Guilford is the current downturn in the nation’s economy,” he explained. “Meeting the challenge of providing services in light of declining revenues will require the Town Board to make some tough decisions.”

Challenging Seneck is former Town Justice Dennis Martin, 62, who resigned from the bench in December to concentrate on the supervisor race. He had held the Guilford position since 2005, when he was appointed to serve out the remainder of a vacated term.

Prior to moving to Guilford in 1986, Martin had served as town and village justice in Sidney for many years and, between the two municipalities, has a total of 23 years on the bench. He retired in 2000 from the Sidney Central School District.