File photos by Tom Rivers: Shawna Baldwin portrays Harriett Davey and reads a passage from Edgar Allan Poe, the famous writer who died in 1849, the year Boxwood opened. This photo was taken from Boxwood at Night on October. 5, 2024.
Press Release, Friends of Boxwood Cemetery
MEDINA – Boxwood at Night is back. The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery in Medina are excited to announce the fifth annual event will be on Saturday, October 3.
Tickets cost $20 and there will be two time slots – 7 to 8 p.m. or 8 to 9 p.m. The time slots are when you can enter. Once you are checked in, you are welcome to stay until the event ends at 9:30 p.m.
This is a popular fall event, so get your tickets before they sell out.
“It’s going to be a very special night and we are excited to put on this event for the community,” said Robby Klino, president of the Friends of Boxwood Cemetery.
Guests walk through the spectacularly lit cemetery at their own pace, stopping along the pathway to enjoy storytelling by docents, artwork, music and performances in a relaxing, family-friendly atmosphere.
Miranda Starr portrayed George Beach, who was born in 1842 and died in 1902. He was active in a pharmaceutical business and manufactured iron goods in Medina.
Returning artists, musicians and performers include Jen Scott, Amirah Hicks, Orleans County String Band, The Vine church choir, Mike Zelazny, Stacy Steverson and Jenna Papponetti. New to the lineup this year include Megan Furness and the Jim Steele Band with friends. Some special lighting effects provided by the extraordinary Paradise Fest NY.
“We have more lighting and entertainment than we have ever had before,” said event co-chairwoman Nicole Bensley.
Boxwood at Night is the Friends of Boxwood Cemetery’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds from previous years have been used to restore the chapel – including the beautiful stained-glass window, to create a Potter’s Field memorial that will hopefully be done in time for the event, and to begin the restoration of the caretaker’s office.
Tickets are available during business hours at the English Rose Tea Shoppe and Thistle Ridge – both places are on Main Street in Medina. Tickets will also be available at the Canal Village Farmers Market in Medina on Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. As an added convenience, you may also purchase tickets using a credit card by going online (click here).
Raffle tickets will also be available to purchase at the Farmers Market booth and again at the event.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO Art!
The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Chamber Awards, recognizing local businesses, organizations and individuals whose leadership, service and contributions continue to make an impact throughout Orleans County.
This year’s award recipients are:
Business of the Year: Watson Construction Group
Lifetime Achievement Award: Bill Bixler
Phoenix Award: Dance Theater
New Business of the Year: EH Collectives
Community Service Award: Shannon Blount / Cat by Cat Inc.
Agricultural Business of the Year: Panek Farms
Businessperson of the Year: Brian Christiaansen
Small Business of the Year: J L Thom CPA
Hidden Gem: Marti’s on Main
The recipients will be formally recognized during the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce 28th Annual Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 5, at White Birch Golf Course, 1515 N. Lyndonville Road in Lyndonville.
The annual celebration brings together members of the local business community, community leaders, organizations and residents to recognize the people and businesses helping Orleans County grow and thrive.
Each award highlights a different form of impact, from entrepreneurship and business growth to agriculture, community service, longevity, and investment in the future of Orleans County. This year, we are also presenting The Walsh Hotel & Taproom with the People’s Choice Award from our Inaugural Taste of Orleans event.
The Chamber congratulates each of this year’s recipients and looks forward to bringing the community together in November to celebrate their accomplishments.
Tickets for the 28th Annual Awards Ceremony will be available soon.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2026 at 5:56 pm
Amber Hofmeister has appeared in several scary flicks
Provided photos: Amber Hofmeister, who goes by Amber Brooke in her film career, stars in the 75-minute film, “Sick & Twisted Tales.” Medina Theatre will host a red carpet and premiere of the film on Nov. 7 at 603 Main St.
MEDINA – It may be a first-ever event in Medina: a red carpet entrance to see a world premiere of a film.
The Medina Theatre at 603 Main St. will host the film screening on Nov. 7. The red carpet will be outside on the sidewalk leading to the theater. “Sick & Twisted Tales” will start at 7 p.m. and the film features Amber Hofmeister of Medina, who goes by Amber Brooke in her film and modelling career.
August Lee Geitner, Amber Hofmeister’s husband, designed the film’s poster which shows a movie theater, Miller Cinema 6. Amber Brooke (Hofmeister) of Medina plays the role of Valeri, left, and Clifton Taylor is Victor Mortis.
Hofmeister, 38, made her film debut in 2021. She appears in horror films, and has become a star and sought-after person at horror com events. She will be appearing at the New Jersey Horror Com next month.
She said she has enjoyed scary movies since she was 5 years old.
“When I was young loved horror films,” she said. “I got addicted to thrill of being scared and what will happen next. A thriller makes you think.”
Her film credits include: Friday the 13th Vengeance 2: Bloodlines, 2:59, Amityville Barbi, Aversion, Birthday Bash, Black Sheep, Fragmented Mind, McKinsey Manor Massacre, FRACTURED, Awake in the Dark, Sick and Twisted Tales with more in the works. (Click here to see some of her credits listed on IMDb.)
She also has appeared in television ads in Western New York for William Mattar and Evans Bank.
The new film was shot in York, Pa. Hofmeister didn’t want to give away too much of the plot for Sick & Twisted Tales. She does kill someone in the film, but she said most of the action and dialogue could be considered more of a comedy.
The Nov. 7 event will include a question and answer segment with Hofmeister and the film’s director, Tom Smith.
Hofmeister’s husband, August Lee Geitner, designed the film’s poster, did behind-the-scenes photography and also plays a dead body in the film. Geitner is the guitar player for the band, Until I Wake.
Tickets for the Nov. 7 film will become available on Oct. 1 on the Medina Theatre website or at the door on Nov. 7. The cost is $10 a ticket.
“I thought it would be cool to bring something different to the town,” Hofmeister said about the red carpet and film showing. “ People should enjoy the movie. I don’t think it’s that scary. It’s more of a comedy. You’ll laugh more than anything.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2026 at 1:23 pm
ALBION – A Rochester man who was found passed out in a car with drugs in his backpack was sentenced today to six months in the Orleans County Jail, plus five years on probation.
Malcolm Power, 21, pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court on June 17 to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree.
Today he was sentenced by County Court Judge Sanford Church. The judge declined to only sentence Power to Probation and instead gave Power the maximum sentence in a plea agreement.
In other cases:
• Tony Thompson, 59, of Albion was arraigned on eight counts of drug charges for allegedly selling crack cocaine in the Village of Albion. Thompson was arrested on May 12.
Today he was arraigned on four counts each of criminal possession and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.
He was released on his own recognizance because the crimes aren’t bailable offenses.
• An inmate at the Orleans Correctional Facility was offered a plea agreement where he could face four additional years in state prison for allegedly introducing dangerous contraband into the men’s prison in Albion.
James Kaiser, 51, allegedly had the precursors to make methamphetamine and also allegedly possessed 5.25 grams of meth.
He is charged with three counts of promoting prison contraband in the first degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.
If he pleads guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, he would face up to four more years in prison. He next appears in court on Oct. 14 to consider the plea offer.
Kaiser is currently serving a sentence of 3 years, 6 months for attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.
Press Release, NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA)
ALBANY – Today, the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) announced the results of a historic statewide membership endorsement process for Governor of New York, with an overwhelming majority of participating members voting to endorse Bruce Blakeman.
The vote was conducted directly among NYSCOPBA’s statewide membership, marking the first time in the organization’s history that its members have been given the opportunity to participate in a statewide gubernatorial endorsement vote. The final tally was 1,478 members voted and 95 percent of participants voted in favor of the endorsement, a resounding message.
“This is about more than an endorsement. This is about the members of NYSCOPBA having a voice and using it,” said NYSCOPBA President Chris Summers. “For the first time in our organization’s history, we took this decision directly to our statewide membership. We didn’t make this decision behind closed doors. We didn’t make it in a small room with a handful of people. We put it in the hands of the men and women who work inside New York’s correctional facilities every single day — and they spoke loud and clear.”
NYSCOPBA members understand the challenges facing New York’s correctional system because they experience those challenges firsthand. Staffing shortages, mandatory overtime, officer safety, compensation, benefits, and the future of the state’s correctional system directly affect correctional officers and their families.
“The people who work in our prisons know what is happening inside those facilities better than anyone,” Summers said. “They see the staffing shortages. They work the mandatory overtime. They deal with the safety issues. They walk into dangerous situations every day and are expected to keep order and protect both staff and incarcerated individuals. Their voices deserve to be heard when decisions are made about the future of corrections in New York.”
Based on the results of the statewide membership vote, NYSCOPBA is formally announcing its endorsement of Bruce Blakeman for Governor of New York.
The endorsement comes with a commitment from NYSCOPBA to continue pressing for action on the issues its members identified as priorities, including staffing levels, officer safety, mandatory overtime, compensation, benefits, and the long-term future of corrections in New York.
“Bruce Blakeman, this endorsement represents the voice of our membership,” Summers said. “We are ready to have the hard conversations about what it will take to rebuild a correctional system where officers are properly staffed, properly supported and able to do their jobs safely. We want to work with you on the issues that matter to correctional officers and their families.”
The union emphasized that the membership vote represents the beginning of its engagement with the gubernatorial campaign, not the conclusion of it.
“Today we are sending a very clear message: our members want a seat at the table, and they want their voices heard,” Summers said. “This endorsement is not the end of the conversation. It is the beginning. We will continue to fight for the men and women who protect New York’s correctional facilities every day, and we will hold every elected official accountable for how they address the challenges facing our profession and our correctional system.”
BERGEN – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) this afternoon will present Harris Wilcox Inc. with a New York State Historic Business Preservation registry certificate recognizing the business’s long-standing service and contributions to Genesee County and the region.
Harris Wilcox Inc. was founded by Harris Wilcox on May 24, 1943. He was a respected business leader and extremely active in the business community. Harris was asked to use his auctioneer skills for a neighbor needing help selling her mother’s estate and she knew Harris Wilcox was the man for the job; and what a job he did!
By the end of the following week, he had two more sales booked. While Holsteins and livestock were the original focus of the company, the real estate division soon followed in 1950.
Harris Wilcox could now proceed with the sale of estate property and contents and settle payouts. Harris’s son, Craig, joined the team in 1966 and eventually his sons Brett and James joined the family business as well.
Brett Wilcox’s son, Cash and his daughter, Madison are the 5th generation of auctioneers and Cash’s wife, Heather, is an active realtor.
While business has always been a priority, Harris and his team still found time to give back to the community that helped build them and still do today. Harris Wilcox Inc. has evolved over the past decade to become identified with successful real property and auctions across New York State and remains a prominent regional business and legacy in the Western NY community.
The award will be presented today at 2:30 p.m. at 59 South Lake Ave. in Bergen.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2026 at 7:21 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Central Hall building at 34 East Park St. will soon be listed for sale by Woodroe Realty at a price is to be determined. The building is now vacant after the county historian’s office was moved to a spot next to Subway.
ALBION – The county will soon be putting a historic building in Courthouse Square up for sale. The County Legislature on Tuesday authorized Woodroe Realty to the list Central Hall for sale.
Woodroe was among six real estate businesses to submit proposals to the county for selling the building. Woodroe is accepting the smallest seller’s concession fee at 2 percent of the sales price.
The Legislature on Dec. 3, 2025 announced the county historian’s office and the Department of History’s artifacts would be moving to 2,000 square feet of space on the side of a plaza next to Subway.
The county’s Buildings and Grounds staff through the Department of Public Works has completed the move and renovations to the spot next to Subway.
Now that Central hall has been entirely vacated, the County legislature has declared the building as surplus and authorized it to be put up for sale.
The building used to include the County Treasurer’s Office but the treasurer moved to the former Bank of America site at 156 South Main St. in 2024. That is next to Subway.
The historian was working out of the top floor of Central Hall. County officials said the change to the site by Subway is a cost-cutting move that could save $90,000 to $110,000 a year in maintenance and other expenses once the building is sold.
The change also will make the historian’s office more accessible to the public, county officials said. The space is on the first floor and people won’t need to climb stairs to access the building.
Central Hall, a solid red-brick building, was a school from 1882 to 1934, and then was used as the post for the American Legion until the site was bought by the county in 1980.
The county has owned Central Hall the past 46 years. It was used by the treasurer until September 2024 and also previously was the offices for the Probation Department.
The county doesn’t have to pay a lease for the space for the historian’s office. The county approved the five-year agreement where it pays for the cost of utilities and to renovate the site.
The county also will plow the parking lot in the winter. The county already was plowing out the treasurer’s office and some of the spots in the lot that are used for the treasurer’s office.
The Legislature approved the lease with Nomax Albion, LLC, which is owned by Noah Michaels. He reached out to the county about leasing the space in exchange for plowing the parking lot for the plaza.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 September 2026 at 9:31 pm
ALBION – Orleans County and about 50 people in the Sheriff’s Employees Association have approved a new three-year contract with raises from 2027 to 2029.
The union represents employees in the Sheriff’s Office who are not deputies, including 32 corrections officers, about a dozen public safety dispatchers and four clerical staff.
The current contract with the OC Sheriff’s Employees Association was ratified in 2022 and expires in December. The County Legislature today approved the contract following a vote last week by the union membership.
This was the third and final contract settled with county unions this year, following successful negotiations with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association and CSEA.
“The Legislature is very happy to conclude our third contract negotiation this year and we commend OCSEA for working collaboratively to reach a deal that is good for their members and fair to taxpayers,” said Jack Welch, the county chief administrative officer. “As with our previous contracts, both sides used a list of 13 comparable counties from across the state as a barometer for negotiations which helped move things along.”
When looking at those comparable numbers from the 13 similar-size counties, Orleans County was paying clerical staff, correction officers and dispatchers less than the median of the 13 counties, Welch said.
To address this, in 2027 the county compressed the 2026 salary schedule down to four steps. That move created approximately a 4 percent increase for the clerical staff, an 8 percent increase for the correctional officers and a 6 percent increase for the dispatchers in each step.
The county also agreed to 2.5 percent increase every six months beginning January 2028.
“The contract structure will bring Orleans County to the median wages of the comparable counties in a way that is manageable with our budget constraints,” Welch said.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 September 2026 at 3:36 pm
MEDINA – GLOW YMCA has announced a weeklong celebration Oct. 5-9 across Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties to promote connection, wellness, education and healthy living at every stage of life.
Healthy Aging Week is a community-wide celebration designed to support and celebrate healthy aging at every stage of life, according to information from Erik Fix, president and CEO of the GLOW YMCA.
Throughout the week, branches in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties will offer educational presentations, wellness activities, community resources and opportunities for connection tailored to the needs of each local community.
In Medina, the YMCA will offer free coffee and snacks in the lobby on Monday.
On Tuesday, a group exercise pop-up class will introduce Tabata, an exercise which is done in intervals, said Andrew Houseman, director of the Medina YMCA.
A vendor fair on Wednesday will feature community resources, including a third-party membership information table, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee Weatherization, NYLife Insurance, a technology support booth, Medina Historical Society and hospital resources.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase our events,” Houseman said.
All activities are described on their Facebook page, he said.
Modeled after the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, but designed with adults in mind, Healthy Aging Week is more than a traditional senior event. It is an invitation for community members to experience the YMCA as a place where aging is celebrated, relationships are strengthened and healthy living is supported throughout every stage of life.
“Healthy aging is about more than fitness,” Fix said. “It’s about staying connected, informed and supported as we move through life. Healthy Aging Week gives each of our branches an opportunity to bring together local partners, resources and activities that respond to the needs of their community, while demonstrating that the Y is a place where people can grow stronger in spirit, mind and body at every age.”
Healthy Aging Week reflects the GLOW YMCA’s commitment to meeting people where they are and providing opportunities to remain active, informed and connected throughout their lives. By partnering with organizations in each county, the YMCA hopes to introduce community members to resources they may not otherwise know are available, while creating meaningful opportunities to build relationships.
Community members are encouraged to participate in activities at any GLOW YMCA branch throughout the week.
MIDDLEPORT – Originally from Texas and a recent graduate of Texas A&M University, Hannah Songy, MS, LAT, ATC, is bringing her passion, knowledge, and experience in athletic training to the Rams this year.
Songy earned her master’s degree in Athletic Training from Texas A&M in May, and Roy-Hart is her first professional position following graduation.
During her undergraduate and graduate years, she completed clinical rotations with a variety of athletic programs. Her experience included working with Texas A&M’s football team, Dance Science Program, and track and field team, as well as local high school athletes.
Songy serves as Roy-Hart’s full-time athletic trainer through UBMD Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. She provides athletic training coverage for nearly every Roy-Hart sport, with the exception of football, which is partnered with Barker and has its own athletic training coverage.
But for Songy, athletic training is about more than simply treating injuries when they happen. As fall sports enter their preseason schedules, Songy is working with teams on exercises focused on areas where athletes can build strength and reduce their risk of injury. She also uses recovery methods such as taping and bracing to support athletes as they heal.
“When we can prevent injuries and strengthen the muscles to make the injury easier to recover from, that is always the goal.” Songy said. “I want to do everything I can to support athletes the best way possible.”
She is particularly looking forward to building relationships with Roy-Hart athletes and supporting them throughout their seasons, while being visible and available to both athletes and coaches.
“I am going around, checking in with coaches to see if there’s anything they are concerned about with their athletes,” Songy said. “I want to remind them that I am here. You don’t have to play through the pain. I can help you.”
Moving from a Division I university to a smaller high school district has given Songy the opportunity to experience athletic training from a different perspective. At Texas A&M, she worked with very large, specialized athletic programs. At Roy-Hart, she works with a variety of sports and takes on a wider role with athletes and coaches.
“I can use the different skills I’ve learned in sports performance and physical therapy to teach athletes. It is all encompassing,” she said.
Although Songy is new to Western New York, she said the Roy-Hart community has made the transition a welcoming one.
“Everyone has been super excited for me to be here, and it’s been really nice.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 September 2026 at 1:27 pm
File photos by Tom Rivers: At last year’s Ale in Autumn on Sept. 27, there were beer tastings at Modern Mercantile from Talking Cursive in Syracuse. They were served by Holly Lederhouse, left, and Bekah Osher.
MEDINA – The air is cooler; days are getting shorter; and Ale in Autumn is just around the corner. A sure sign of fall.
For 15 years, Ale in Autumn has heralded the season in Medina, originally started by the Medina Business Association, now known as Medina Area Partnership.
The event has regularly been a sellout, according to Ann Fisher-Bale, event coordinator for MAP, but tickets are still available for this week’s event, scheduled Saturday. Tickets may be purchased on MAP’s website, in person at A Lily and a Sparrow at 438 Main St. or at check-in.
Participants must check in beginning at 1 p.m. at the Senior Center at 615 West Ave. Start times are staggered at 1, 2 and 3 o’clock to minimize congestion. The event concludes at 6 p.m.
Check-in includes being ID’d, receiving a wrist band, getting a gift bag and commemorative beer glass, and the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes at each location. Someone will win the grand prize valued at $500.
Ale in Autumn is designed to encourage folks to shop, dine and/or stay in Medina, Fisher-Bale said. There will be 20 pourings in all.
Proceeds benefit Medina’s beautification efforts, scholarships to Leadership Orleans and Medina High School.
“This is a great way to experience Medina’s seasonal flavor with friends and visit participating businesses,” Fisher-Bale said.
A commemorative glass from the 2025 Ale in Autumn has a light beer, Oktoberfest, from Meier’s Creek Brewing Company in Cazenovia. This photo is inside the Medina Triennial Hub in the former NAPA building on Main Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 September 2026 at 10:26 am
Mediator will try to bring 2 sides together on 5-year agreement
Photo by Tom Rivers: This sign on West State Street shows support for Albion teachers for a new contract with the school district.
ALBION – The Albion Teachers’ Association and the school district are about $1.4 million apart as they try to reach agreement in a new five-year contract. That is less than $300,000 a year in what teachers are seeking and the district is proposing.
Both sides would like to reach a deal soon. The teachers have declared an impasse and an arbitrator will try to bring the teachers and district to agreement.
Albion teachers are seeking raises that reflect the cost-of-living increases and also the extra workload as the district demands more time each day for teachers to be in the classroom. (The first year of the contract would be an extra 10 minutes, and then 20 minutes from years 2 to 5.)
“As a union we would like to work this out with the district,” said Bruce Pritchett, a middle school social studies teacher and vice president of the union. “They are our colleagues. We don’t want strife. We want to get back to being 100 percent focused on kids.”
Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent, was an art teacher at Albion and a member of the Albion Teachers Association before going into school administration. Edwards said he values the teachers and wants them to be fairly paid.
The new contract needs to allow the district to stay within the state-imposed tax cap of about 2 percent annually. The new contract will set the floor for future contracts and the commitment from local taxpayers, Edwards said.
“My hope is we reach a conclusion that is fair and fiscally responsible for both parties and the community,” he said. “It’s about sustainability and being fair to the community.”
Albion hasn’t increased what it collects in property taxes in 18 of the last 20 years. The district has benefitted from steady increases in state aid, but Edwards said there is no guarantee that will continue in the future with the state.
“Every year you don’t know what’s coming out of the Governor’s Office,” he said.
The teachers have been without a contract for over a year. They still get their regular step increases and all other benefits while there isn’t a contract except teachers on the highest step of 24 because there isn’t a step increase for them. The district said the steps are an average of 3.8 percent (ranging from 2.6 to 10.6 percent).
The district is proposing in the new contract the regular pay hikes with step increases, plus additional raises of 6.9 percent in the first year, 3.3 percent in the second year, 3.5 percent the third year, 3.3 percent the fourth year and 3.4 percent in the fifth year. The total increase over the 5 years would be 22.1 percent or $2,742,032.
The ATA is seeking a contract that would be about $1.4 million over what the district is offering. The ATA is seeking the usual salary steps plus a 4.8 percent increase the first year, and then 10 percent the second year, 5.7 percent the third year, 4.7 percent the fourth year and 4.7 percent the fifth year.
The ATA negotiating team on Nov. 26 agreed to the district’s contract offer. The district and ATA’s negotiating team reached a tentative agreement on Nov. 26. But that agreement was rejected by a 3-to-1 ratio on Dec. 11 by teachers, who have since picked a new negotiating team.
The team met with district leaders and representatives three times in June but were unable to resolve differences. The ATA then declared an impasse.
The district wants teachers to work more instructional time because the district currently is close to the 990-hour minimum for the elementary school and 900-hour minimum for secondary levels, Edwards said. If there is a snow day or other emergency, Albion is cutting it very close to meet the minimum standard, Edwards said.
Longer school days for teachers
The district wants two extra days for teachers with the school year for conference days and also wants to add 10 more minutes of classroom instruction the first year of the agreement and then 20 minutes beginning the following four years. Edwards said it will be determined how the extra time will be added, perhaps with earlier start times of the school day and later end times.
Pritchett said that added time represents 4.7 percent more time in the classroom for teachers. The contract should reflect that additional workload, as well as the cost-of-living increases that he said are about 4 percent.
The district in recent years has underspent its budget on teacher salaries, which has helped the district amass about $52 million in reserves, Pritchett said. The past school year, the district underspent the total $45 million budget by about $9.5 million, he said. The State Comptroller’s Office has faulted the district for having too much money in reserves.
The teachers union wants to see the district spend what it budgets on teacher salaries and other needs in the district, Pritchett said.
“I don’t think we are being unreasonable,” he said. “If they just spend what they have earmarked for teachers.”
Impasse declared, next steps
On June 24, the district team and ATA met without resolving their issues. The ATA declared an impasse.
The district first wanted to address four matters previously identified: physician verification of sick leave, sick leave bank committee representation, nonresident children’s enrollment, and the extracurricular activities schedule.
Since the impasse was declared, the Public Employment Relations Board has appointed a mediator, Gregory Poland, to meet with both parties and narrow the issues in dispute.
If mediation does not resolve the impasse, a neutral fact-finder holds hearings, reviews each party’s position, and issues public, non-binding recommendations for settlement.
The parties may reach agreement at any stage – during mediation, after fact-finding, or through continued direct bargaining, the district was advised during last week’s Board of Education meeting by Karl Kristoff, a labor relations specialist for Orleans/Niagara BOCES.
Pritchett said the ATA would like to see the contract be settled without going into a drawn-out mediation process. A date hasn’t been set by the mediator for the two sides to meet. He has been told it could be three to six months before the mediator sets up a meeting.
“I would love to work this out before Thanksgiving,” Pritchett said. “It would be another thing to be thankful for. We are willing to sit down and discuss time and money, which are the two biggest issues, and then discuss the other things.”
