Photo by Tom Rivers: Main Street on Albion at the East Bank Street intersection is shown on Wednesday evening.

ALBION – The Albion Historic Preservation Commission is no longer an entity where building owners need to get “certificates of appropriateness” for signs, exterior renovations, structural work or demolition of a building in the historic downtown district.

The Albion Village Board on Wednesday voted to do away with the commission which has struggled in recent years to get a quorum. The group has seven members and needs at least four to have a meeting.

The lack of a quorum has slowed approvals for projects in the downtown, code enforcement officer Chris Kinter said. He told the Village Board he has two applications that have been waiting on the commission.

Although the HPC has been disbanded, the duties of the group will be passed to either the code enforcement officer or the Planning Board. That will be determined by the Village Board.

“Don’t just throw it away,” Planning Board Chairwoman Karen Conn told the Village Board. “We should preserve what we have.”

The HPC’s most recent members included Ian Mowatt, Mary Anne Braunbach, Linda Smith and Courtney Henderson. None of them spoke against doing away with the HPC at Wednesday’s public hearing.

Trustee Joyce Riley said Albion can discuss the preservation standards if the village moves to update its comprehensive plan.

Trustee Tim McMurray said the code for the downtown standards should be revamped. He said there are some inconsistencies. He noted projecting signs are allowed in one part of the code but not in another.

Any changes in the code would need to have another public hearing for the community to have a chance to comment.

The village code notes Albion “has many significant historic, architectural and cultural resources which constitute its heritage.” The village has sought to “protect and enhance the landmarks and historic districts which represent distinctive elements of Albion’s historic, architectural, and cultural heritage.”

The code states certificates of appropriateness will be needed for alteration, demolition or new construction affecting landmarks or historic districts.

“No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition, new construction, or moving of a landmark or property within an historic district, nor shall any person make any material change in the appearance of such property, its light fixtures, freestanding lights, signs, sidewalks, fences, stairs, outbuildings, walls, driveways or alleys, paving or any other exterior element which affects the appearance and cohesiveness of the landmark or historic district without first obtaining a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission,” the code states.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board voted on Wednesday to override the tax cap in the 2026-27 village budget, a spending plan that needs to be adopted by April 30.

The tax cap usually allows for about a 2 percent increase in the ta x levy, but for the village the calculation shows Albion would have to cut taxes significantly to be under the cap.

With the village’s current budget, Albion’s tax levy is $3,463,463. However, the village can only take in about $3.2 million with the new budget to be under the cap, said Tracy Van Skiver, the village’s clerk-treasurer.

Albion’s number is below the current tax levy because the fire department moved out of the village budget in 2025 and is now its own taxing entity through the Albion Joint Fire District.

Although Albion and other villages typically vote to exceed the tax cap in March, before the final budget is adopted, that doesn’t mean those municipalities have to go beyond the tax cap. This gives them the option to exceed it.

Albion most likely will be above the tax cap. The Village Board would have to cut well over $200,000 from the current budget to get under the cap.

Van Skiver and board members said they are focused on not raising taxes in the upcoming budget.

The village’s taxes have seen steady increases in recent years. The 2025-26 budget increased taxes by 11 percent, even without the fire department in the budget. The tax levy, what the village collects in property taxes, went up $345,650 – from $3,117,813 to $3,463,463.

The village’s tax levy is up $612,407 over the past three years – 21.5 percent. The tax levy went from $2,851,056 in 2022-23 to $3,463,463 in 2025-26.

Rick Merrill, a village resident, told the board the rising taxes are putting a strain on him and other residents, especially when increases in utilities, health insurance and car insurance are included. He said his village taxes have increased by $900 a year.

“It’s hard to get ahead of the game,” Merrill said during a public hearing. “It’s not just you (Village of Albion). It’s the whole state. It’s tax, tax, tax.”

Van Skiver said the village is in a better position for the 2026-27. The board needed to replenish the village’s contingency funds and also establish some reserve funds in 2025-26.

The current tax rate is $15.99 per $1,000 of assessed property. Trustee Joyce Riley said the board will be focused on keeping it at $15.99 in the new budget.

“There’s nothing that makes us want to go over $15.99,” Riley said. “We’re taxpayers just like you.”

Mayor Angel Javier Jr. also said he doesn’t support increasing taxes. He voted against exceeding the tax cap.

Van Skiver said the village faces increasing costs, just like residents, that makes it difficult to cut more than $200,000 from the 2025-26 budget level to next year’s.

Trustee Will Gabalski said the community would have to decide to eliminate services if it wanted to get under the tax cap and reduce taxes. Gabalski said that could ultimately mean dissolving the village and having the services currently provided by the village be shifted to the towns of Albion and Gaines, and also Orleans County.

“If you want the village to exist and provide these services, this is what it costs,” Gabalski said. “If you’re not willing to pay those costs, you could have the towns and county do them.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: There are dumpsters in front of a building at 20 East Bank St. where a roof collapsed last week on Feb. 17. The roof collapsed near the middle of the taller brick building. The street is blocked off to traffic for about a half block from Platt Street going towards Main Street. The fence is expected to be in place for at least two more weeks.

ALBION – The owner of a building where a roof collapsed last week will soon have a temporary roof on the structure and is working to get apartments reopened for displaced residents.

Frank Corso owns the three-story building where the roof caved in on Feb. 17. A temporary roof covering 70 feet will soon be constructed. Jeff Holler, manager of the property, told the Village Board this evening he expects fencing will be able to be removed after about two weeks.

The entire block from Platt Street to Main Street was fenced off to traffic the night of Feb. 17 with village officials concerned the building may not be structurally sound, posing a danger to the public.

An engineer reviewed the site two days later on Feb. 19 and deemed the building structurally sound. About half of the fence was removed. It remains in place from Platt Street to about halfway towards Main Street. It also is blocking off cars from parking in the village municipal lot at the corner of East Bank and Platt streets.

Holler said he and Corso are getting estimates for a permanent roof replacement as well as other work on the building. The costs are expected to be high, perhaps more than Corso can afford on a property that was underinsured, Holler said.

Corso may ultimately decide to have the site demolished or sold, Holler said.

The owner is committed to the temporary roof at a cost of about $25,000, and then getting some of the apartments open for tenants again. About 15 people have been displaced since the roof collapsed.

Right now, Corso is having debris removed from the building. The materials for the temporary roof have arrived, Holler said.

ALBION – There will be a candidate forum on March 5 where the public can hear from the two candidates running for mayor and the three seeking village trustee positions.

The forum starts at 6 p.m. at Hoag Library. The event is sponsored by the Orleans Hub and Lake Country Media with Michael Bonafede, a former Albion Board of Education president, serving as moderator.

Candidates will give opening and closing statements, and respond to questions from the public. The forum follows the League of Women Voters format and isn’t a debate.

The election will be on March 18 with a mayor and two trustees to be elected. The terms are all for four years.

The two candidates for mayor include Tim McMurray, who is backed by the Republicans, and Joyce Riley, who has the Democratic Party and independent “Vote for Albion” lines. McMurray and Riley are both currently trustees on the Village Board.

The Republicans also supported Kevin Sheehan and Jami Allport for village trustee. Issac Robinson also is seeking a trustee position under the independent “Vote for Albion.”

Festival welcomes patriotic themed floats for big parade

Photo by Tom Rivers: Becky Karls, Strawberry Festival Committee chairperson, is shown with The Turtle at the 2023 Amazing Turtle Race. This year’ s turtle race will have more tickets and prizes.

ALBION – The Albion Strawberry Festival has announced the theme for this year’s celebration on June 12-13: “A Berry, Big 250^th”

The 38^th annual festival wanted to tie in with the country’s 250^th anniversary. Becky Karls, the festival committee chairperson, urges parade participants to have patriotic floats for the June 13 parade.

The festival this year also is expanded the prizes and tickets for the amazing turtle race, where rubber turtles “race” a short distance on the Erie Canal. The turtles are all numbered from 1 to about 1,000. The top five have shared $1,000 in winnings.

This year the tickets will be expanded to 1,500 with 6 prizes. Each turtle will now have two tickets, one green and one yellow. There will be 750 turtles in the race. Every year there are a few turtle casualties, dropping the number of available turtles down from the original 1,000.

The prize money has been increased from $1,000 to $1,700. The new prize structure includes two $500 winners, two at $250 and two at $100.

The turtle race is a fundraiser for the festival. The tickets will remain at $5 each or 5 for $20. The race will be at 2 p.m. on June 13.

Karls said there is a hard-working committee that works on the festival. The group will welcome more volunteers as the festival gets closer.

The committee has leaders in charge of different aspects of the festival:

• Business/Information/Raffle Vendors – Mark Johnson
• Craft/Artisan/Farm Market Vendors – Trevor Thaine
• Parade Participants – Mike Bonnewell
• Food Booth Vendors – Jeff Holler
• Family Fun Center – Taryn Moyle
• Music/Bands Festival Performers – Bill Pileggi
• School Royalty – Val Pettit
• Sponsorships/Media – Marlene Seielstad
• Turtle Race Tickets/Car Cruise In/Other Info–Festival Chairperson – Becky Karls

For more information, check the Strawberry Festival website.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A block of East Bank Street from Main to Platt streets has been fenced off since Tuesday night after a roof collapsed earlier that day at 20 East Bank St.

An engineer with Glynn Geotechnical Engineering reviewed the building this afternoon and deemed it structurally sound and not in danger of collapse, said Chris Kinter, the village’s code enforcement officer.

He expects about half of the fencing will be able to be removed on Friday, from Main Street to just before 16 East Bank St.

Frank Corso owns the buildings that include the storefronts and upper-floor apartments from 16 East Bank to 28 East Bank. Those areas remain off limits while contractors will work to put a temporary roof over 20 East Bank to keep out the water and snow, Kinter said.

“It’s not a permanent solution,” Kinter said today just after 5 p.m.

Once the weather is better, Kinter said Corso will be working to put a new roof on the building.

The fenced off area also will include the village municipal parking lot at the corner of East Bank and Platt Street. That lot is next to Corso’s building at 28 East Bank.

Kinter said he would like to see the fenced off area eventually be reduced to just the spot at 20 East Bank St. Once the work is complete on the building, that fencing could also be removed.

The sidewalk has been open on the north side of the street. About half of the fencing is expected to be removed on Friday, which should allow parking by the buildings from Main Street to about halfway down the block.

Wolfpack Multisport unveiled this year’s medal for finishers of the Wayne A. Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness Run/Walk on March 21. The race is named in honor of the late Wayne Burlison, an Albion music teacher who passed away from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.

ALBION – The annual Wayne A. Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness Run/Walk has been a slightly longer 5K in Albion since 2015.

The organizers of the race have announced the event this year on March 21 will also have a 10K option.

Wolfpack Multisport, the race organizer, today also unveiled the medal for finishers of the race. It has a jazz band theme with a trombone.

The race is named in honor of Wayne Burlison, an Albion music teacher who was also active in the marching band. A race has been held in his honor since 2015.

The 3.17-mile race is a little longer than a typical 5K at 3.1 miles. The distance symbolizes the 3 months and 17 days Burlison lived from when he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer until his death at age 36 on March 26, 2014.

He was active in several musical groups in the community and also helped start the Albion Running Club. He lost more than 150 pounds through better nutrition and exercise. The walking trail at Bullard park is named in honor of Burlison and also the late Judy Christopher, who owned Phoenix Fitness and also organized the Albion Strawberry Festival 5K for nearly 20 years.

The Burlison 5K race starts on Clarendon Road near the elementary school. The course goes to Mount Albion Cemetery and then back to the school. For more information on the race and to sign up, click here.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – It’s a startling sight in downtown Albion with East Bank Street fenced off from Main to Platt Street.

The Village Board on Tuesday had an emergency meeting after the roof collapsed at 20 East Bank Street. The village hired Emergency Enclosures Inc. in Rochester for $10,000. That was the lowest of three bids for the fencing.

Albion will seek reimbursement of the cost from the owner of the building, Frank Corso, or his insurance company.

The roof fell through the third floor, which was unoccupied. The fallen roof prompted the evacuation of 15 tenants from the second floor apartments between 16 to 28 East Bank St., which is the tallest building in the photo.

An engineer will check the building to determine the soundness of the structure. Once that is known, the fencing could be restricted to a much smaller area or perhaps totally removed, said Tim McMurray, an Albion trustee.

The sidewalk on the north side of East Bank remains open while the fence is up.

The fencing is covering a large area of East Bank because the fall zone needs to be 1 ½ times the size of the building. (These photos were taken at about 8:20 p.m. Tuesday while the company put up the fence.)

The fenced-off area also includes the village’s municipal parking lot at the corner of East Bank Street and Platt Street.

Street closed to traffic, entire block of businesses off limits pending engineering inspection

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The south side of the East Bank Street block has been shut down after the roof collapsed at 20 East Bank St. this morning.

That roof was about 40 by 40 feet and fell about 12 feet on the third floor of the building. No one was injured.

Village code enforcement officer Chris Kinter required all 15 tenants in five apartments to leave the building, which goes from 16 East Bank to 28 East Bank. They will be staying at a hotel or with family, Kinter said.

The utilities have been turned off for the entire block on the southside, between Platt Street and Main Street with other businesses in that section temporarily closed pending an engineer’s report on the safety of the building where the roof collapse and also for the neighboring structures.

Kinter, the code officer, said the building’s owner, Frank Corso, is waiting on the engineer, a contractor and an insurance adjuster. Once they assess the building, more will be known including a timeline for when the street will be reopened.

Kinter said he anticipates a crane will be brought in to remove the caved-in roof.

Traffic on East Bank Street, between Main and Platt, is currently closed to traffic and might be until after the fallen in roof is removed and the building is deemed safe. The roof fell straight down and doesn’t seem to have pulled on the sides of the building, Kinter said.

Kinter said the ice and water weight from the melting snow was a factor in the main support beam giving out on the roof at about 6:30 this morning. Corso had been attempting to repair a smaller area of the roof since last week.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Jean Bogue, owner of Holistic Health Care at 25 East Bank St. in Albion, has expertise in natural health.

ALBION – Jean Bogue knows what is like to have lingering pain. In college, she was run over by a horse. Much later as an adult, she fell down the stairs at her home in Lyndonville.

She dealt with digestive issues and arthritis for years.

Bogue felt like medication wasn’t getting at the core issue of her problems. She researched and experimented with holistic health and she felt better and not just as a short-term fix.

Bogue has expanded her knowledge and is now a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and Traditional Naturopath after completing a program through Trinity School of Natural Health. She has opened a business, Holistic Health Care, at 25 East Bank St. in Albion.

“This is about learning how to clean your system and balance your system to help your body over the years,” Bogue said. “Medications may only treat the symptoms and not get to the root cause of the health concern. You want to build up your health reserves and your system.”

Bogue works as a consultant and makes recommendations to aid in digestion, improve gut health, and help with inflammation, tiredness and anxiety.

Holistic Health Care does an initial consultation to go over a client’s present health concerns, information and history. This includes but is not limited to: saliva and urine testing, Muscle Response Testing (MRT), iris analysis and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) observation.

In a follow-up visit, Bogue does an analysis of potential strengths and weaknesses, foundational and supplemental recommendations, Bach Flower Remedy, and professional referrals as needed.

Jean Bogue of Lyndonville makes recommendations that can help people have better digestion, better gut balance and other ways to reduce inflammation and tiredness. She is shown in her office with a painting done by her husband, Nin Bogue.

She offers mineral heat lamp sessions, infrared therapy, Iris Analysis, Bach Flower Remedies and a healing harp.

The heat lamp and infrared therapy help with circulation and can reduce pain and inflammation. The Bach Flower Remedies can help balance emotional states, including fear and loneliness.

Bogue said biome balance strives for “gut balance” with a healthy community of microorganisms in the body. She can check the pH balance by measuring the acidity or alkalinity of body fluids. She can advise or what foods to add or take away to bring the pH into balance. The healing harp offers gentle vibrations to ease pain, anxiety and stress.

“I want to be build a bridge between the natural health people and the medical people,” she said.

Bogue has walk-in office hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday and Thursday. Her other hours are by appointment. Call her at 716-544-5307 for more information.

She charges $85 for the initial consultant and $45 for follow-up appointments. She offers discounts to first responders and veterans, and is willing to adjust her fees if people need a break.

Bogue said she wants to offer workshops for the public in the future.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion Fire Department gets an aerial view of a building along East Bank Street. A large section of the roof collapsed this morning. These photos were taken at 10:45 a.m.

No one was hurt when the roof caved in onto the third floor, but tenants on the second floor were evacuated and sent to a hotel in Brockport.

The Albion Fire Department, Orleans County Emergency Management Agency, Albion code enforcement and other specialists are assessing the building for structural integrity.

The building is owned by Frank Corso and includes several storefronts and apartments.

Traffic is currently blocked off on East Bank Street between Main and Platt streets.

File photo by Tom Rivers:  The Rev. Dr. Don Algeo, pastor of the Gaines Congregational United Church of Christ, offers the benediction and a closing blessing during an Ash Wednesday service on Feb. 14, 2024 at the First Baptist Church of Albion. Algeo’s church on Route 104 in Gaines will be hosting a community Ash Wednesday service at 4 p.m. on Feb. 18.

Press Release, Albion Ministerium

ALBION — The Albion Ministerium, a longstanding collaboration among local churches, will hold an ecumenical Ash Wednesday service at 4 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Gaines Congregational Church, 14023 Ridge Road West.

Ministerium clergy members will be on hand for the imposition of ashes and prayer from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at Albion First Baptist Church, 30 West Park Street.

Starting February 25 at 12 noon, ONE Catholic will host the Ministerium’s annual Lenten Luncheon series at St. Joseph’s Lyceum, 114 South Main Street.

Soup, sandwiches and desserts are provided by the participating churches. The Ministerium provides beverages and table service. The hour-long gatherings include a brief devotional message from one of the clergy members, as well as a time of hymn-singing. They will occur five consecutive Wednesdays, from Feb. 25 through March 25.

There is no charge for the meal; a free will offering is collected to be used for luncheon supplies and other Ministerium events, such as the Albion High School Baccalaureate in June.

Luncheon attendees are welcome to park in the Albion First Baptist Church lot, adjacent to the Lyceum. A handicapped accessible lift is available at St. Joe’s.

ALBION – The Albion Rotary Club is trying a new fundraiser and community event on Tuesday and people are invited to gorge on all-you-can-eat pancakes.

The Shrove Tuesday or “Fat Tuesday” eating fest has been popular in many churches, a time to partake in very sweet food just before the start of lent on Wednesday, a 40-day fasting season.

The pancakes will be served by the Albion Rotary from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church, 29 East State St. in Albion. There will be options for fruit toppings, chocolate, peanut butter, and different flavored syrups.

The pancakes also come with sausage, bacon and applesauce. Tickets are $10 presale from Rotary members, $12 at the door, and $5 for kids 12 and under.

Marlene Seielstad, a Rotary member, hopes there will be a big crowd eating at the church fellowship hall. There will be Mardi Gras decorations and a fun atmosphere, a nice break from the recent brutal winter weather, she said. People can also get their pancakes to go.

The Shrove Tuesday event will replace Rotary’s St. Patrick’s Ham Dinner in March.

“We wanted to offer something different to the community,” Seielstad said. “We hope people will bring their friends and neighbors. Everyone wants to have some fun in February.”

This photo shows a printout of a Dollar General rendering of a proposed store on East Avenue in Albion, across from the high school.

ALBION – The Village of Albion Planning Board adjourned a public hearing today about the site plan for a new Dollar General at 327 East Ave. The board will meet again at 5 p.m. onb match 12 and is expected to vote on the site plan.

The plan was supposed to go to the Orleans County Planning Board on jan. 22 for its review. But that meeting was cancelled due to rough winter weather.

Karen Conn, the Village of Albion Planning Board chairwoman, wants the county board to look at the site plan and offer its feedback before there is a final vote by the village.

The Village of Albion Planning Board heard from neighbors during today’s hearing who are concerned the store would bring more traffic by the school and a residential neighborhood. Neighbors also said they are concerned about tractor-trailers being able to maneuver the site and turn onto East Avenue.

The site is zoned general commercial and the store fits the criteria of what is permitted in that zone, Conn said.

The Village Planning Board can make recommendations on how the building should look, traffic flow on site and other issues.

The state Department of Transportation reviewed the entrance and parking lot. Conn said the DOT is recommending Dollar General have tractor trailers turn east out of the site after making deliveries, rather than going west due to the tightness of the site.

The 10,640-square-foot building would have a parking lot with 35 spaces. The village code requires one space for every 200 square feet of gross floor space for retail stores. The Village of Albion Zoning Board of Appeals on Sept. 9 approved a variance to allow for 35 spaces. That is more than enough spots, Dollar General representatives said, and will allow for more green space on site. The company said a store this size typically has 32 parking spaces.

The Broadway Group from Huntsville, Ala. is developer of the store in Albion. The company would demolish a building that has been used for auto sales and a warehouse. Currently, Ridge Road Station is parking smaller school buses on site.

The property is owned by Chris Kinter, the village’s code enforcement officer. He has recused himself from the review of the project with Dan Strong, the Town of Albion code enforcement officer, filling in for the village with this proposal.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Broadway Group wants to knock down this building at 327 East Ave. and build a new 10,640-square-foot Dollar General across from the high school.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board voted on Wednesday to increase the fines for parking violations.

The board held a public hearing and there wasn’t any feedback from the community.

Police Chief David Mogle suggested the fines be doubled from their current levels of $25 if paid within seven days of the violation, $30 if paid after seven days but within 30 days, and $35 if paid after 30 days.

Board members didn’t want to double the fines. They opted instead to set the fines at $40 if paid within a week of the violation, $50 if paid after a week and within 30 days, $65 if paid after 30 days.

The Albion Police Department is almost out of parking tickets and will soon be ordering more. Mogle advised the board the fine amounts had not been changed in many years.

The Police Department can issue parking tickets for parking in the street overnight from Nov. 15 to April 15, parking in a no parking zone, blocking a fire lane, parking closer than 10 feet of a fire hydrant, double parking, parking in handicapped parking spot without a permit, parking on curb or sidewalk, and overtime parking.

The board also held a public hearing on Wednesday on increasing the term from two to four years for the clerk-treasurer, deputy clerk and deputy treasurer.

There were no public comments and the board approved the new four-year terms to run concurrently with the mayor’s four-year term.