Town has until Nov. 20 to adopt budget, which is currently at 2% tax increase

YATES – The Yates Town Board is waiting until the very last minute to vote on the town budget for 2027 due to an unresolved contract for ambulance services.

The town has a contract with the Village of Medina with the fire department providing ambulance coverage in Yates. The town paid Medina $35,000 in the contract for 2026, but Medina wants $135,000 in 2027.

Jim Simon, the Yates town supervisor, said that is too high for the town residents. The Town Board budgeted for the increase to go to $65,000. At that amount, the town’s budget in 2027 would stay just under the state-imposed property tax cap with a 2 percent increase.

The Town Board met on Thursday night and didn’t vote on the budget. The board has scheduled a 5 p.m. meeting on Nov. 20 for a final budget vote. That is the last day the town can finalize the budget.

Medina has a contract with the three western Orleans towns – Shelby, Ridgeway and Yates – for ambulance coverage and they were each paying $35,000 in 2026. Medina pushed for $135,000, saying the village is bearing too much cost for the ambulance service at over $1 million to village property owners. Shelby has agreed to pay $135,000 in its 2027 budget.

Simon said Yates is smaller town with a smaller budget and the $135,000 cost would have a disproportionally higher impact on Yates.

Simon also has been advocating for an increase in the local sales tax sharing from the county. The County Legislature has kept the collective share to the towns and villages at the same level since 2001 – $1,366,671. Yates received $69,760 of that in 2026.

The sales tax revenues have been growing at a steady rate, year after year, but the county keeps all of the increase, despite rising costs for the towns, especially with ambulance coverage, Simon noted.

The county is budgeting for $25.4 million in sales tax revenue in 2027, which would be up $1.06 million.

“We’re hoping for some reprieve there,” Simon said about a boost in the sales tax for towns and villages.

This is first time in about 30 years an Orleans County school district hosted Area All-State

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – The Zone 2 Area All State Mixed Choir, featuring junior high students in the Rochester area, are conducted by Keith Ersing during a concert on Saturday at the Stroyan Auditorium in Lyndonville. In this photo they are performing, “Come and Go to That Land” by Brandon Boyd.

Zone 2 includes eight counties in western and central New York: Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca and Wayne.

Lyndonville hosted the Junior High Area All-State Music Festival which included 300 student performers and over 1,300 people in attendance for two concerts. Lyndonville’s auditorium holds about 700 people so the festival had to be split into two different concerts.

The first concert featured the Area All State Symphonic Band, followed by the Area All State Treble Choir.

The second concert included the Area All State Mixed Choir, followed by the Area All State Symphony Orchestra.

Members of the Zone 2 Junior High Area All State Symphony Orchestra perform “Marriage of Figaro” on Saturday in Lyndonville. These students on the double bass, cello and other symphony orchestra instruments are all from the Rochester region.

The students in the different groups all auditioned in the spring and needed to perform for a judge to be selected for Area All State. Their district teachers also helped prepare them for the concert.

Provided photos: There were six students from Orleans County who performed on Saturday, including (Left) Madelyn Ingersoll of Lyndonville, alto in mixed choir, and Emily Kroll of Lyndonville, clarinet in the symphonic band. (Right) Lillian Olsen of Medina, left, played trumpet and Lauren Allis of Medina played the clarinet in the symphonic band.

Oscar Lopez of Medina was a bass in the mixed choir and Amber O’Kussik was a soprano in the treble choir.

The students were at Lyndonville from for rehearsals from 2 to 6 p.m. on Friday and then beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The concerts were at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. This photo shows the Area All State Treble Choir led by conductor Maureen Reilly with Gary Simboli as the accompanist.

Amy Erhard conducted the Area All State Symphonic Band. Erhard leads the Buffalo Wind Symphony. She has twice been nominated for the Grammy Music Educator Award.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Lyndonville school district superintendent, Dr. Heather Lyon, welcomes the crowd to the second concert. She praised the student performers, including the Area All State Mixed Choir next to her for their high levels of engagement in pursuing excellence as musicians.

The Area All State Symphony Orchestra takes the stage at Lyndonville.

The group was conducted by Emily Greetham, who teaches orchestra at Orchard Park Central School. She also performs as a violinist in with Buffalo Opera Unlimited and other groups.

Keira Betz of Fairport sings a solo with the mixed choir as part of “My Days” from the ‘The Notebook.”

A group of students play violins in the symphony orchestra.

These singers in the mixed chorus perform “My Days.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – A new playground opened this morning at Lyndonville Central School and these fourth-graders were delighted to try the We-Go-Round.

The new playground is accessible for children with mobility issues and disabilities. The playground was designed and installed by Parkitects, a  company owned by Lyndonville graduate Ben Frasier.

Kids could be heard shouting, “I Love it” and “This is amazing” as they tried the different playground equipment.

One fourth-grader goes down a double slide.

The new playground includes a We-Go-Round, Sway Fun Glider, We-Saw and other equipment that will be accessible to kids of all abilities and mobilities. The previous playground was over 20 years old and wasn’t handicapped accessible.

Dr. Heather Lyon, Lyndonville superintendent, checks out a new sensory dome in the playground by the elementary school. The sensory dome is an intended spot for children on the autism spectrum to get away from the activity and noise from the other parts of the playground.

Lyon was thrilled to see the children having so much fun on the new playground.

“You cannot have a bad day when you have this much joy,” she said about the happy kids on the playground.

Ben Frasier, a 1988 Lyndonville graduate and owner of Parkitects, gets ready to cut the ribbon and open the gate for kids to try the new playground. Fourth-graders Sophia Kleeh, left, and Ernest Orgar hold the ribbon while Dr. Elissa Smith, principal of grades PreK through 6, leads a countdown.

Ben Frasier gives a victorious gesture after cutting the ribbon. He said it’s phase 1 with plans to expand, adding equipment geared towards older children.

He will be meeting with students next month and wants to hear their vision of a “dream playground.”

Frasier believes with fundraising, grants and in-kind services, Lyndonville can build a great playground for children of all ages.

These kids play on the Wee-Saw.

Frasier and Parkitects donated about $250,000 in equipment and in-kind services to the playground. Parkitects had a team of 18 employees on site on Oct. 6 to install the playground.

The school district also was able to use $160,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for playground equipment.

Donations for the project included Orleans Ready Mix with concrete; Watson Construction Group with removal/demolition of all of the old playground equipment and 14 inches of mulch; Barre Stone Company with 100 tons of crusher run stone; Shelby Crushed Stone with 100 tons of crusher run stone; Town of Yates with hauling the stone to the school; and Medina Lumber & Hardware with pressure treated 2×12’s covering 228 linear feet around the perimeter.

Play Surface Specialties installed the 3 ½-inch rubber surface which includes an outside lane with orange paws prints. Lyndonville’s school mascot is a tiger.

Photo by Tom Rivers: A team from Parkitects and others work to install playground equipment and pour concrete on Oct. 6 outside Lyndonville Central School.

LYNDONVILLE – The school district will celebrate a new playground for students and the community with a 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday.

The new playground is accessible for children with mobility issues and disabilities. The playground was designed and installed by Parkitects, a  company owned by Lyndonville graduate Ben Frasier.

Parkitects donated about $250,000 in equipment and in-kind services to the playground. The school district also was able to use $160,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for playground equipment.

Frasier and a team of 18 Parkitects employees spent most of the day on Oct. 6 installing a new playground at Lyndonville. A rubberized surface also has since been added.

Orleans Ready Mix donated concrete for the project. Those donations were lined up by Steve Grabowski, the district’s director of facilities.

Other donations included: Watson Construction Group with removal/demolition of all of the old playground equipment and 14 inches of mulch; Barre Stone Company with 100 tons of crusher run stone; Shelby Crushed Stone with 100 tons of crusher run stone; Town of Yates with hauling the stone to the school; and Medina Lumber & Hardware with pressure treated 2×12’s covering 228 linear feet around the perimeter.

The new playground includes a We-Go-Round, Sway Fun Glider, We-Saw and other equipment that will be accessible to kids of all abilities and mobilities. The previous playground was over 20 years old and wasn’t handicapped accessible.

Photos courtesy of Lyndonville Lions Club: The Bergholz band performed Bavarian and oompah music during Saturday’s Oktoberfest at the White Birch Golf Course.

Press Release, Lyndomville Lions Club

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Lions brought a small taste of Bavaria to Lyndonville on Saturday night as the club hosted it third annual Oktoberfest.

The Bergholz German Band filled the air with “Volksmusik,”  traditional German music.   This year the guests were again treated to several songs played on the alphorn, a large wooden horn measuring up to 13 feet long.

The evening saw attendees treated to beer, cheese and warm soft Bavarian pretzels followed by a traditional German buffet including pork, schnitzel and bratwurst.

Participants compete in the shot ski. 

The club has seen a steady increase in people attending this event with nearly 100 people in attendance for the evening’s festivities. This year the “masskrugstemmem” beer stein-holding contest was added to the evening’s entertainment. This competition pits guests against each other in seeing who can hold a beer stein full of Oktoberfest beer in their hand  with their arm fully extended for the longest time. Competitors must keep the stein extended in a fully outstretched arm and can not bend their elbow.

There also was a stein-holding contest on Saturday.

The royal court acknowledges the crowd after the naming of the king, queen, princess and prince.

The Lions have earmarked October 16, 2027 for next year’s event and would like to welcome all to attend this fun-filled evening. Information about next year’s event can be obtained by going to the Lions web page at lyndonvillelionsclub.org.  The club will ready itself for their up and coming events including truck or treat, the village tree-lighting event and the “Light up Lyndonville” event.

The Lions would like to encourage villagers to decorate their homes for Christmas. This event will have the main street fully decorated for the holiday season. The Lions will once again be awarding people for their efforts in decorating their homes for the season.

The Lyndonville Falls will also be illuminated in seasonal colors of red and green lights for the first time.

The club would like to thank all those  who attended the Oktoberfest. Please watch for information about the club’s “Snow Flake” bowling tournament coming in late January. The Lions would like to  wish all a safe and happy holiday season. May God continue to bless all of us as we move forward towards the upcoming holiday season.

There was a German buffet complete with schnitzel pierogies, bratwurst and sauerkraut for the Oktoberfest celebration.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – The Yates Community Library on Thursday celebrated a new book house next to the library at 15 North Main St.

Tom Wenhold, president of the library’s board of trustees, cuts a ribbon made from pages of discarded books. The ribbon is held by Lynne Johnson, left, the chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature and a Yates resident; and Heather Rutherford, the library’s director.

“This library is the rock of our community,” Johnson said. “It’s been for many years.”

The new building is 14 by 40 feet. It replaces one that was 12 by 18 feet.

Part of the building is used to sell used books while the back part will have outdoor supplies. Yates Community Library partnered with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to provide free fishing rod loans through “I Fish NY” and backpacks with binoculars and birding reference materials through “I Bird NY” initiatives.

Wenhold, a physical therapist, said the fishing gear and binoculars should encourage children and adults to get outside and have more physical activity while exploring the natural world, which will be good for their mind and body.

Tom Wenhold holds a ceremonial check for $27,500 that went towards the new building. That grant was awarded from the WNY Rural Library Resources Council using money from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.

The entire project for the building, electric and the supplies is about $50,000, said Heather Rutherford, the library director. She wrote the grant application for the $27,500.

Tammy Nunciato, grants and office support specialist with the WNY Rural Library Resources Council, said the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation wants to direct more funding to rural communities in WNY. In back from left include Yates library trustees Kateri Moskoluk, Ginny Hughes, Marlie Miller and Tom Wenhold. Other trustees include Jim Watson and Kathy Sillick.

Yates was approved for a grant with its application: “From Shore to Sky: Supplying Our Communities Outdoor Explorers.” The library is right next to Johnson Creek.

The library welcomes teachers, scout leaders, and other educators to check out sets of binoculars, fishing and birding resources, and other nature exploration kits that are geared to be used for larger groups.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley congratulated Yates library officials on the new building and outdoor gear for the community. Hawley presented a certificate of merit to the library.

A representative for State Sen. Rob Ortt presented a citation commending the library for the project, and County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson presented a certificate of achievement on behalf of the Legislature.

Frank Sykes, executive director of the Nioga Library System, praised the Yates Community Library for the new building and expanding services.

People tour the back section of the new building. Heather Rutherford, the library director, said the outdoor materials will help the community appreciate nature right in the library’s backyard.

“Over time, the library will continue to purchase more active lifestyle materials to investigate bugs, test stream water quality, or create nature journals,” she said. “All of these items promote the library’s mission to provide current materials for education, enjoyment, enrichment, and lifelong learning to local residents.”

The celebration included cookies with the library logo.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – It’s the fall salmon and trout run and many fishermen are trying to catch a big fish in the Lake Ontario tributaries in Orleans County.

One popular spot is by the dam in Lyndonville. The fish swim up through Johnson Creek and run into a wall at the dam.

Provided photo: The new Yates book house is shown in this photo. The garbage can is at a spot where the electric hook-up would later go.

Press Release, Yates Community Library

LYNDONVILLE – As part of a grant titled “From Shore to Sky: Supplying Our Communities Outdoor Explorers,” the Yates Community Library has increased its storage space allowing things like binoculars, fishing poles, and stream ecology kits to be added to the library collection.

A ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. on Thursday will officially open the new Book House to the public, a small space in the front of the building reserved to sell used books. Local residents are encouraged to attend the ribbon cutting and show their support for this much-needed expansion at 15 North Main St.

Tom Wenhold, president of the Yates Community Library Board of Trustees, will open the event supported by other library trustees. A check will be presented from The Rural Library Grant powered by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and coordinated by the Western New York Library Resources Council and Rochester Regional Library Council.

Presentations will be made by Assemblyman Steve Hawley of the 139th District and Lynne Johnson, chairman of the Orleans County Legislature. Frank Sykes, executive director, and Gretchen Schweigart, member libraries consultant, will be in attendance to represent the Nioga Library System.

All those in attendance will be allowed to tour both sections of the new building, enjoy snacks, and enter a drawing for prizes.

With Johnson Creek only a few feet away, Yates Community Library is also proud to partner with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to provide free fishing rod loans through “I Fish NY” and backpacks with binoculars and birding reference materials through “I Bird NY” initiatives.

Funds from the WNY Rural Library Grant will allow teachers, scout leaders, and other educators to check out sets of binoculars, fishing and birding resources, and other nature exploration kits that are geared to be used for larger groups.

As a birder herself, Library Director Heather Rutherford, is excited to start taking patrons on bird walks with the new supplies.

“The WNY Rural Library Grant has allowed us the space to purchase resources and materials that will allow us to provide programs for our patrons to learn, experience, and appreciate the nature that is right here in our backyard,” Rutherford said. “Over time, the library will continue to purchase more active lifestyle materials to investigate bugs, test stream water quality, or create nature journals. All of these items promote the library’s mission to provide current materials for education, enjoyment, enrichment, and lifelong learning to local residents.”

The book house will be open when the library is open: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The library is closed Wednesday and Sunday.

Donations of gently used books will again be accepted after the official opening.

Provided photos: The Bergholz German Band will be performing Saturday in Lyndonville at the White Birch Golf Course.

Press Release, Lyndonville Lions Club

LYNDONVILLE – At their first September meeting the Lyndonville Lions hosted Janice Infantino the lions District Governor. She was on hand to inform the  lions of the present programs and services available to regional clubs through Lions Club International.

She reviewed agendas and plans from the local club for future events and offered several resources that might be able to assist the Lyndonville Lions in upcoming events.

As District Governor she will visit all the regional district clubs in the next few months to continue to gain information on regional clubs and offer resources to assist local clubs to better serve their residents. As the Regional Governor she recognized several Lyndonville Lions for milestones in service as she presented Chevron awards to Nicole Spohr with a 15-year service pin, Dr. Tom Wenhold with a 30-year service pin and Roger Wolfe with a 45-year service pin.

District Governor Janice Infantino presents Nicole Spohr with an award recognizing her 15 years of service to the Lyndonville Lions.

The Lions were happy to announce that they will be participating in the Village of Lyndonville “Trunk and Treat” to be held on October 31 at 5 p.m. in the Village of Lyndonville.  I

n further activities  the club finalized the details of their upcoming 3rd annual Oktoberfest on October 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the White Birch Golf Resort. The Bergholz German Band is a traditional German Oompah and Brass Band based out of Tonawanda. They are  scheduled to perform their traditional German polkas, waltzes and various Bavarian songs during their performance.

The club is excited to welcome the Bergholz Band to Lyndonville and want to congratulate them on their recent induction into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. For presale tickets and reservations please call 585-733-6423. Individual seats are available for $50 or tables of 8 for $360. All tickets include hot German pretzels with mustard, a German buffet of sauerkraut, bratwurst and various sausages with German potato salad and schnitzel just to mention some of the item included.

Of course apple strudel will be served at the end of the evening. German beer will be available along with a cash bar for “Besucher’s,” German for visitors to the Oktoberfest event.  The evening will feature a large basket raffle,  steinholding or “Masskrugstemmen” contest and the coronation of the royal court of the 2026 Oktoberfest.  The Masskrugstemmen is a traditional contest in Germany where participants hold a full one-liter beer stein straight out in front of them with one arm. You lose if you bend your elbow, lean backwards, switch hands or spill any beer from your stein. The traditional and very popular “shot ski” will make its  second appearance  this year. The Lyndonville Lions would like to invite all to attend this cultural Autumn event.

In preparation for their free eye exam and glasses clinic this spring the Lyndonville Lions donated over 1,000 pairs of glasses to the regional Lions collection effort. Glasses that are deemed unusable are collected and transported to a recycling center. Some donated glasses can be refitted and used at the Eye Exam Clinic. Those that are deemed unusable are sent to a recycling center where they are broken down to metal, glass and plastic for recycling.

The Lions would like to express their appreciation to the Hilton-Spencerport Express trucking company for their assistance in transporting these glasses.  Glasses from all the regional Lions Clubs are collected at their facility and then transported free of charge to area recycling complexes. The Lyndonville Lions want to thank the Medina Lions in their assistance with this collection process.

Medina Lions Club member and First Vice District Governor Peter Kaiser assists the Lyndonville Lions with collect and transportation of donated glasses.

The Lions would like to thank all those who have supported the Lions over the years and wish all a safe and happy fall season. May God continue to bless all and keep a special watch over the men and women of our United States military during this turbulent period.

Please see the Lyndonville Lions web page for details Lyndonvillelionsclub.org or contact us via email at lyndonvillelionsclub@aol.com for information on upcoming events. Prost to all!