Press Release, State Police

ALBION – On Wednesday from 9 a.m. to approximately 2 p.m., the State Police will be assisting with an oversized load escort which may disrupt traffic patterns beginning in Albion and ending in Byron.

The width of this load will obstruct oncoming traffic.

Route 98 will be closed for an undisclosed amount of time to all traffic from Old Orchard Road to Lockport Road.

The height of this load will necessitate the lifting of most overhead wires and traffic control devices. The load will move into oncoming traffic to avoid overhead obstructions.

The weight of the load will keep speeds to around 5 to 10 miles per hour with many stoppages.

The permitted route of travel will begin on Hamilton Street in Albion proceed east on Allen Road then south on Oak Orchard Rd (Route 98) to east on Lockport Road in Elba. Then the load will continue on North Byron Road to south on Searls Road to east on Tower Hill Road. The trip ends south on Byron Road in the town of Byron.

It is recommended that if you encounter this load, move to the shoulder of the roadway, into a driveway or parking lot or seek an alternate route of travel to your destination. Lower your window and follow directions from State Police or escort vehicles.

Expect delays on those roads during business hours.

ALBION – The Albion school district’s proposed 2026-27 budget will again be holding the line on property taxes, the 18^th time in the past 20 years without a tax increase.

Registered voters in the Albion school district will go to the polls on May 19 from noon to 8 p.m. at the Hoag Library, 134 South Main St. A district art show will also be on display at the library during the vote.

“We are proud to once again propose a tax levy with no increase, continuing our long-standing effort to either reduce or maintain the levy whenever possible,” said Linda Weller, the Board of Education president. “While rising operational costs and uncertainty in state and federal funding continue to present challenges, we remain committed to balancing fiscal responsibility with meaningful investment in our students and programs.”

The district is proposing a $45,615,036 budget, which is up 1.93 percent or $864,551 from the current budget.

The tax levy will stay at $8,449,039, which is $359,906 under the district’s tax cap.

“Our priorities include maintaining small class sizes, strengthening student support services, enhancing technology and ensuring our facilities remain safe, functional and well-maintained,” Weller said the district’s budget newsletter.

School officials will discuss the budget during a public hearing at 6 p.m. on May 12 at the LGI in the high school.

The vote on May 19 includes proposition one for the budget and proposition two to allow spending $1.5 million for buses. Proposition three allows the district to collect $687,760 for Hoag Library.

There are also three candidates for three seats on the Board of Education. The incumbents – Trellis Pore, Kurt Schmitt and David Sidari – all are not seeking re-election.

The two candidates with the most votes get five-year terms while the candidate with the third most votes gets a one-year term.

The candidates include:

• Kaitlyn Panek – A farm office manager, Panek is an Albion graduate. She said she brings organizational and financial expertise as well as a personal commitment to the district.

“My top priority is maintaining a high-quality, safe environment where every student has the resources to succeed,” she said. “I am invested in having transparency between the community and district to ensure budgets are clear and accountable.”

• Jaime Allport – A court clerk for the Town of Albion, Allport is a lifelong Albion resident who said she understands the community’s values, strengths and challenges. She has been a long-time volunteer, especially with the Albion youth football program.

“My perspective, combined with a proven record of service, will help guide thoughtful decisions that benefit both current students and future generations,” she said.

• Michelle Waters – The owner of the Tree House School of Play in Albion, Waters said strong schools are built through open communication, thoughtful decision-making and a willingness to listen.

“My goal is to help shape schools that keep students at the center, while supporting teachers and staff who show up for them every day,” Waters said.

Albion public library will seek $687,760 in May 19 vote, up from $657,560 for 2025

Photo by Tom Rivers: Betty Sue Miller, director of Hoag Library in Albion, goes over the library’s budget during the annual meeting on Monday.

ALBION – Hoag Library has a new trustee following Monday’s election with Jessica George eking out a victory over Rachel Hicks with 26 votes to 25. Voters also re-elected Linda Weller with 32 votes and Mary Witkop with 29.

The trustees then met and again named Weller as board president and Witkop as the vice president. Dawn Squicciarini will serve as board secretary and George was picked to be the treasurer, a spot that was filled by Hicks.

There were 51 voters for Monday’s election. The trustees were elected to four-year terms.

The library also held its 126^th annual meeting. Weller said the library has proven to be an important part of the community, offering far more than just loaning out books.

“The Hoag Library of Albion continues to stand as a vibrant cornerstone of the community,” she said. “Its success is not by chance – it is the result of dedication, care and collaboration of many people who believe deeply in its mission.”

Weller commended the staff for offering a variety of programs and making the library a welcoming place for everyone. She said the trustees have been committed to being good stewards of the budget and making the library “sustainable, forward-looking and responsive to the needs to today – and tomorrow.”

Hoag has a $721,550 overall budget for 2026 with $687,760 in the school district vote on May 19. That is up from the $657,560 through property taxes approved a year ago.

Other areas of the library funding include $2,790 from the county, $18,000 in contributions and donations, $9,000 in library services and fees (Fax, copier and book fines), and $4,000 in state library aid.

The library budget would be $75,000 higher if it still had a mortgage. But that was paid off in 2022 when Maurice “Mo” Hoag and his wife Courtenay gave a final $200,000 donation to the library. The couple has given $1 million to the library, including an initial $250,000 to help get it built in 2012. Their donations after the first $250,000 have allowed Hoag to pay off the mortgage well ahead of schedule, saving $75,000 a year. The mortgage was planned to go to 2035.

Betty Sue Miller, the library director, said the library continues to receive donations from the community. She noted Conrad Cropsey gave a large table and desk from his law office. He closed his office in downtown Albion and continues to work as a lawyer from his home in Barre. The table is up in the loft at the library and many people use it to play games or study. Cropsey’s desk is used in the local history room.

The Friends of the Library used its funds to buy a 3-D printer that is available to the public.

The circulation for 2025 includes: physical items – 29,775 books, 6,993 non-books, 62 HotSpots and 36 laptops. Digital items – Hoopla, 6,912 and Libby, 5,370. There were 1,777 new physical items.

Other highlights: 564 library programs and community outreach efforts; 827 notarized documents; 5,446 items borrowed through Nioga inter-loan; 4,253 items loaned out through inter-loan; 838-plus learning and support sessions at library for GED, ESL, tech advisor and other literacy programs; 1,480 public meeting room uses.

Miller said she is amazed how busy the three rooms are for meetings, concerts, events and smaller sessions.

“Imagine if this building had not been built with that space,” Miller said about the meeting rooms. “The people who built this were very forward-thinking.”