John H. Mulroy

John Howard Mulroy (February 10, 1925 – September 6, 1999) was a 20th century politician most notable for having served as the first county executive of Onondaga County, New York.

Mulroy was born to Morris, a dairy farmer, and Elizabeth, a former schoolteacher. His father served as the Marcellus supervisor on the Onondaga County Board of Supervisors from 1937 to 1953, when the senior Mulroy died in office.Citation
publication-date = 1999-09-11
title = Mulroy Knew How Government Works
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = A3

Mulroy served as a bomber pilot in the United States Air Force for three years during World War II, Citation
publication-date = 1999-09-11
title = Mulroy Knew How Government Works
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = A3 and was married September 15, 1945 to the former Virginia Spaulding.Citation
publication-date = 1999-09-12
title = A Man of Few Words and a Lot of Action
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = A1 He graduated with a degree in history from the University College of Syracuse University and initially earned a living by delivering milk from his family's dairy.Citation
publication-date = 1999-09-07
title = JOHN MULROY DIES AFTER STROKE; WAS 74
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = A1

His began his political career by getting elected to his father's old position on the County Board of Supervisors, starting in 1957 and rising to Chairman of the Board in 1961. In the 1961 election, Onondaga County voters approved the adoption of a new county charter which provided for the creation of the office of county executive.Citation
last = Onondaga County Charter Commission
publication-date = 1961-09-05
title = PROPOSED ONONDAGA COUNTY CHARTER ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SEPTEMBER 5, 1961 SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY REFERENDUM NOVEMBER 7, 1961
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = 3 – 4Citation
publication-date = 1961-11-08
title = County Charter Wins Approval
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = 2 The Board of Supervisors appointed then-Chairman Mulroy as the first county executive to serve a one year term before the office was to become elective.Citation
publication-date = 1962-01-02
title = Mulroy Takes Oath of County Executive
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = 2 In 1962, the electorate voted Mulroy into his first elected term in office, which lasted five years.Citation
publication-date = 1962-11-07
title = County Stands by GOP
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = 1

His achievements in office include:Citation
publication-date = 1987-12-31
title = THE MULROY ERA ENDS AFTER 9,497 DAYS
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = B1Citation
publication-date = 1999-09-07
title = JOHN MULROY DIES AFTER STROKE; WAS 74
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = A1
*Building the $26 million Onondaga County Civic Center
*A $12.8 million renovation of the [http://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/ Burnet Park Zoo]
*Construction of the [http://www.ongov.net/Correction/ Onondaga County Correctional Facility]
*Creation of the Beaver Lake Nature Center
*Undertaking of the $45 million Lake Ontario Water Project
*Building the 526-bed [http://www.ongov.net/LTC/ Van Duyn Home and Hospital]
*Building the $127 million metropolitan sewage treatment plant
*Building Onondaga Community College
*Creating a county-wide health department
*Modernizing MacArthur Stadium
*Developing [http://onondagacountyparks.com/parks/oneida/ Oneida Shores Park]

Mulroy was investigated several times for corruption between 1977 and 1982.Citation
publication-date = 1977-09-21
title = 3 Onondaga Officials Arraigned for Coercing County Workers for G.O.P. Contributions
periodical = The New York Times
publication-place = New York, New York
pages = 13Citation
publication-date = 1979-02-17
title = Onondaga's Executive and a G.O.P. Senator Charged with Felony
periodical = The New York Times
publication-place = New York, New York
pages = 24Citation
publication-date = 1980-05-11
title = Onondaga's Executive Is Indicted After Gaining Vote of Confidence; Guilty Plea to Bribery
periodical = The New York Times
publication-place = New York, New York
pages = 38. He was ultimately convicted of misdemeanors and fined.Citation
publication-date = 1980-02-20
title = A State Senator And Two Others Guilty Upstate; G.O.P. Leaders Convicted in Onondaga Inquiry Acquittal on Another Charge
periodical = The New York Times
publication-place = New York, New York
pages = B2Citation
publication-date = 1980-02-20
title = County Head Fined In Insurance Scheme
periodical = The New York Times
publication-place = New York, New York
url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9806E5DD1539F934A35750C0A967948260
accessdate = 2008-06-15

Mulroy announced his intention to retire in 1987.Citation
publication-date = 1987-04-10
title = MULROY WON'T RUN
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = A1 In his retirement, he served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations, notably the [http://www.cnyhistory.org/ Onondaga Historical Association] , to which he donated a quarter of a million dollars.

Mulroy was stricken while on a Syracuse Newspapers-sponsored fishing trip in the Thousand Islands and was taken to Kingston General Hospital.Citation
publication-date = 1999-09-05
title = Ex-County Executive Has Stroke
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-American
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = B1 He died after two days.Citation
publication-date = 1999-09-07
title = JOHN MULROY DIES AFTER STROKE; WAS 74
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = A1. He is buried in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery in the Town of Marcellus.Citation
publication-date = 1999-09-14
title = Mulroy Mourned at Funeral
periodical = The Syracuse Herald-Journal
publication-place = Syracuse, New York
pages = B1

The Onondaga County Civic Center is named in his honor.

His son, former Judge J. Kevin Mulroy, was felled by a mysterious, rapidly-progressing illness in 2005 and is buried alongside his parents.Citation
publication-date = 2005-09-22
title = J. Kevin Mulroy, 53, Colorful, Contentious N.Y. Judge
periodical = The Boston Globe
publication-place = Boston, Massachusetts
url = http://www.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2005/09/22/j_kevin_mulroy_53_colorful_contentious_ny_judge/
accessdate = 2008-06-15 One of his daughters, Martha E. Mulroy, currently serves as a Family Court Judge.cite web
url=http://www.courts.state.ny.us/courts/5jd/onondaga/index.shtml
title= 5th Judicial District, Onondaga County
accessdate= 2008-06-15
author= Office of Court Administration
publisher= New York State Unified Court System

References