Editor:

As a proud Clarendon resident and mother of four, I care deeply about the future of our community. Over the past several months, I’ve spoken with many residents, and one message comes through clearly: people want a town government that listens, communicates openly, and keeps residents informed.

If elected, I’ll work to make local government more transparent and accessible. I’ll promote clear communication about town decisions, encourage public participation, and ensure that every resident’s voice is valued.

As the wife of a veteran and a working mom, I believe in practical, respectful leadership that puts people above politics. Clarendon deserves representatives who listen, act with integrity, and serve with accountability.

I would be honored to earn your trust and your vote. On Tuesday, November 4th between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., don’t forget to cast your ballot at the Town Hall at 16385 Church St, Clarendon, NY 14429.

Respectfully,

Cecelia Pacheco Stevens

Democratic Candidate for Clarendon Town Council

Editor:

Shelby voters, I would like to tell you a few things about my friend and fellow committeeman Mark Wambach.

First off, Mark is not a politician. When the former councilman abandoned his seat and made the seat available to the three parties in Orleans County, Mark stepped up without hesitating. He felt it was his duty to help his town out of a bad situation.

Mark pays attention to the smallest details. Mark is a problem solver and will bring that with him to be an asset to the three candidates that won the primary in June of this year. Mark’s insight will bring fresh ideas to Shelby’s town government.

Mark understands that with an aging and tax stressed population in your town that keeping taxes flat or reducing them is paramount to a thriving community. Mark also understands that allowing new business and reducing the government stresses on existing ones will only make for a better vibrant community.

Mark will work with other towns and their leaders to get the best deal for you. It’s constituents first and foremost. Mark has a great respect for the farming community that is the backbone of the town.

Mark has attended workshops and meetings and is well versed on what is going on in the town. He will come in if elected with a good understanding of the problems that need to be addressed. Mark is a very approachable person and willing to listen. Mark is not afraid to admit if he is wrong and will make a concerted effort to change course.

Mark above all is honest and hard working. His word is his bond. He will be very frugal with your tax dollars and only spend what is absolutely necessary to keep government working. Only needs over wants. Living within the means of the money collected.

He knows what a burden it has become for a good majority of you coming up with the money for that tax bill. I truly believe he will work hard to make the town of Shelby a better place to live for all of its residents.

Folks it’s time to elect people who have true conservative principles when it comes to your money and quite frankly the party that has been in control has violated that trust. Please vote for Mark on Row C the Conservative Party line and vote for all the conservative party-endorsed candidates right across the line.

The team of James Heminway for Supervisor, Lawrence Waters, Edward Zelazny and Mark Wambach as your town councilmen are a dream team for all the taxpayers in your town. They will work for you. No agendas. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Don’t sit this one out. Go vote.

 Paul Lauricella

Orleans County Conservative Party Chairman

Editor:

Congratulations to the Tonawanda Seneca Nation for their second massive legal victory against STAMP and the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC).

Through their ligation they forced the US Fish and Wildlife Service to retract a key right-of-way permit that would have allowed STAMP to run a waterline through the swamps into Orleans County. It would have dumped up to 6 million gallons of phosphorous-laden waste water into the already endangered Oak Orchard Creek.

While many Orleans County residents only learned about it recently, the Nation had been fighting it for years. The hydrogen globes stand idle with no ability to channel waste water. Their desperate attempt to divert the waste water through Oakfield will likely fail.

Having failed here, GCEDC attempted to push through a massive data center using an outdated and insufficient State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) like they have done in the past.

But this time, in a masterly move, the Nation joined forces with the Sierra Club and challenged the dubious SEQR in court. Knowing they didn’t have a leg to stand on, GCEDC voluntarily retracted project approval requests. They tried to spin it that the reason was because they intend to build an even larger data center.

But the reality is that all environmental reviews of future projects won’t sneak through behind closed doors and will be thoroughly reviewed and a larger data center would have an even bigger influence on the environment. To date the Stream U.S. data center has not completed a purchase and sale agreement for the land and it remains in doubt.

The Nation and the Sierra Club have dismissed their litigation with prejudice which allows them to return to court with the same issues in any further projects. Victory!

STAMP’s placement of the 1,263 acres in agricultural land, surrounded by a network of protected land that encompasses ecologically rich wetlands and forests that provide critical habitat for a diversity for birds, plants and animals borders on criminal.

It is plausible that STAMP would have no footprint there at all if they had followed legal guidelines like consulting with an adjoining sovereign nation as required by law. But they have chosen to conceal their actions from the public from day one until the present with the hopes of progressing without public knowledge or challenge.

The terrain of the STAMP land and its water runoff leads directly to the Tonawanda Creek where any harmful drainage or spills will affect the people of the Tonawanda Rez directly. They have wells not city water. The ancient Big Woods located between the Rez and STAMP has long been a source of medicinal plants and a valued hunting ground is at risk. They are fighting for their way of life over land that was once part of the reservation and stolen from them.

After 20 years and more than $410 million in subsidies paid by us, the taxpayers, GCDEC has struggled to get viable tenants. Currently, only Edwards Vacuum is under construction. It’s time to cut our losses and stop using tax payers’ money to keep it propped up.

The Tonawanda Nation has not won the war. But they have won some key victories and will continue to fight until their land and way of life is secure. The People of the Longhouse have a belief that they should look seven generations ahead when making decisions and that is what they are doing.

I celebrate their victories and you can too. There is a Victory Rally at Batavia City Hall on November 8th at noon to celebrate No Data Centers at STAMP. Everyone is welcome.  You can also follow them on Facebook on their Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation.

Arthur Barnes

Shelby