Albion plans big water rate hike to pay for improvements to infrastructure, water plant
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Village of Albion has a new 750,000-gallon water tank on Route 98, part of the Village of Albion water distribution system primarily in central Orleans County. The new glass-fused steel tank was built for $1,369,000 by Aquastore.
ALBION – The Albion Village Board expects to raise the water rates significantly, about 50 percent over the next three years.
The increases are needed to pay for upgrades to the water plant and aging infrastructure.
Village Board members will present the rates during a public hearing today at 6 p.m. at the Village Office. The new rates would take effect on Jan. 1.
Water users would face a 25 percent increase in the rates in the first year, then a 20 percent increase in year two, and then a 5 percent increase in the third year. The village would also raise an administrative charge by 55 percent the first year, then 40 percent and 5 percent.
The changes would raise rates for village of Albion residents and property owners by $3.90 per $1,000 gallons to $4.88 next year, $5.85 in year two and $6.14 in year three.
The average village water customer currently pays $92.10 every quarter. That would change to $125.21 next year, then $160.66 in year two, and then $168.70 in the third year, according to village.
The village also supplies water to several towns in Orleans County. They would see their rates go from $3.57 to $4.46 next year, and then $5.36 and $5.62.
The two correctional facilities would be increased from the current $4.65 per 1,000 gallons to $5.81 next year, and then $6.98 and $7.32.
Village Trustee Joyce Riley said the increases are necessary, but she worries some of the towns could switch to the Monroe County Water Authority, which would take away needed revenue for the water system.
The board during a Sept. 10 meeting considered making a 50 percent increase in the first year, but decided to do a staggered approach over three years.
The village is embarking a major capital project at the water plant on Wilson Road in Carlton. The village also replaced a water storage tank on Route 98 and needs to replace many of its transmission lines.
The Albion water fund has estimated expenses of $2,639,864 in the current fiscal year, but the current rates only will generate $2,195,250, forcing the village to use $444,614 in its fund balance. That will leave the fund balance at about $700,000.
The new rates and administrative charges would bring the revenues to $2,680,546 in 2026-27, while the expenses are at $3,021,857. (The expenses increase because the village needs to begin paying back a bond at about $400,000 a year.)
The second year, the revenue is up to $3,328,013 with expenses at $3,172,950. The third year, the revenue totals $3,494,414 with expenses at $3,331,597.
Village Board members said they will be working to develop a capital plan for the water plant and water distribution system.
Wendel, an engineering firm, presented a proposal on Sept. 10 for replacing some of the water lines on the east side of the village, a project that could top $13 million.
That project would include East State Street, from Platt Street to the village line (including Goodrich Street), Moore Steet (from the Butts/Caroline intersection to the village line, Brown Street and Knapp Street.
Ridgeway man facing manslaughter charge for allegedly killing mother with hammer
ALBION – A Ridgeway man appeared in Orleans County Court this morning facing first-degree manslaughter charges for allegedly killing his mother after hitting her in the head with a hammer.
Curtis Schroth, 51, allegedly hit his mother with a hammer on Oct. 15, 2024 at her home on Rutherford Road in Ridgeway. Dolores Schroth died from those injuries at age 78 on Oct. 27, 2024.
Her son was living with her at the time of the crime, District Attorney Susan Howard said.
After seriously injuring his mother, Schroth went to the Albion Police Department on Oct. 15, and confessed to the crime, Howard said.
The case has been at a standstill because Schroth was deemed to be mentally incompetent. He has been in a psychiatric facility for several months but was brought to Orleans County this morning to appear in court after being found competent.
He was arraigned on first-degree manslaughter in County Court on Jan. 8, 2025. Public defender Joanne Best requested a mental competency exam on March 12.
Schroth was held in the county jail for several months before being transferred to a psychiatric facility. He is now back in the county jail. County Court Judge Sanford Church is continuing bail at $100,000 cash, $500,000 bond and $750,000 partially secured bond.
The charge of first-degree manslaughter carries a maximum of 25 years in prison. Howard presented an offer to Schroth today to plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter and face no more than 20 years in prison. Howard said she made the offer after consulting with Dolores Schroth’s other children.
Best, who is representing Curtis Schroth, has until Oct. 22 to file motions in the case with the motions to be argued in court on Nov. 5.
Best in court today said Schroth has an option of a plea of not criminally responsible, where a mental disorder or defect at the time of the crime makes defendants unable to understand the wrongfulness of their actions.
Forecast shows highs in 70s for next week
Kimberly Stawicki took this photo this morning on East Shelby Road near Swallow Hollow.
The weather forecast for Orleans County shows highs in the 70s each day for the next week.
Today will be mostly cloudy with a chance for showers and a high of 75, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
That will be followed with highs of 73 on Thursday, 74 on Friday, 77 on Saturday, 76 on Sunday, 75 on Monday and 74 on Tuesday.
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Hawley, Ortt seek relief for Brockport businesses affected by prolonged bridge closure
Photo from State Sen. Rob Ortt: Rob Ortt, the State Senate minority leader, speaks during a press conference on Main Street in Brockport on Tuesday, where businesses say they have suffered from reduced traffic due to the Main Street lift bridge being closed for more than two years.
BROCKPORT – Two local state legislators are rallying behind Brockport businesses who say they are suffering from a prolonged closure of their Main Street lift bridge.
Brockport, like Albion, has witnessed a major rehabilitation of its lift bridge go way past the 18 months the bridges were expected to be closed. Albion’s bridge reopened last Friday. It closed in November 2022, nearly three years ago.
Borckport bridge is expected to reopen in November – 2 ½ years after it was closed in May 2023.
State Sen. Rob Ortt and Assemblyman Steve Hawley have joined the businesses and village officials in seeking a relief fund, with the funds coming from fines to the contractor for going past the deadline for completing the bridge.
Ortt said businesses already are fighting to survive due to costly mandates and regulations in New York state that drive up their operating expenses.
“Here in Brockport, local businesses have faced even greater hardship because the Main Street Bridge has been out of commission for more than two years,” Ortt said. “It’s clear that there has been absolutely no sense of urgency here, and it’s past time for the Department of Transportation to cut through bureaucratic muck, safely complete this bridge restoration, and deliver real relief to the small businesses that have suffered from these inefficiencies.”
Many of the business owners say they have seen their revenue drop by up to 50 percent with the bridge closure, which has resulted in far less foot traffic to their stores. Some have closed and others are relying on on-line sales to try to survive.
Photo from Assemblyman Hawley’s office: Assemblyman Steve Hawley is asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to establish a relief fund for the Brockport businesses, which the money coming from fines assessed to the contractor each day the bridge is closed past the deadline.
Hawley has joined Ortt, Monroe County Legislator Jackie Smith and Mayor Ben Reed in a letter asking Hochul to establish a relief fund for the struggling businesses. Hawley would like to see Albion businesses also receive relief funds.
Hawley, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, highlighted the press conference in Brockport.
“We were stressing the need for Governor Kathy Hochul to assist the local Main Street businesses in both Albion and Brockport with remuneration for the lost business revenue caused by the unconscionable delay of opening the lift bridges in both communities,” he said.
The state has $254 billion budget. “Surely she can find $$ to assist our Main Street businesses who have been harmed by these delays by contractors hired by NYS,” Hawley said. “It’s time to walk the talk and support our communities’ local businesses.”
Kendall girls post key win over Byron-Bergen
Kendall edged past host Byron-Bergen 2-1 in a key Genesee Region League girls soccer clash of unbeatens this evening.
Sophia Picardo scored the game winner for Kendall.
Ryleigh Denning netted the Lady Eagles first goal off an assist from Jersie Drake.
Kendall is now 6-0 and Byron-Bergen 4-1 in G-R action.
Lady Hawks down Irish in G-R soccer
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s Aiyana Stevens works to keep the ball away from Notre Dame’s Maisie Yunker during the Lady Hawks home field win this evening.
Pulling away in the second half, Holley downed Notre Dame 4-1 in a Genesee Region League girls soccer game this evening at Holley.
Holley held a narrow 1-0 lead at the half on a goal by Ava Mosier assisted by Aiyana Stevens midway through the first 40 minutes.
The Lady Hawks then put a lock on the win with three second half goals, two by Mosier and one by Jayna Burris. Mia Thom, Brianna Tomasino and Kyla Burne all had assists during that stretch.
Holley is now 4-2-1 in G-R action.
Holley’s Emma Burne takes a shot on goal between Notre Dame defenders Maisie Yunker and Gina Grazioplene.
Bigger data center at STAMP makes even less sense than first massive proposal
Editor:
The situation regarding a data center at the STAMP site in Genesee County has reached new levels of complexity. GCEDC claims that Stream Data Centers approached them to withdraw their plans for the large data center known as Project Double Reed in order to propose an even larger data center.
GCEDC then revoked the approvals for Double Reed, even though this was not necessary in order for Stream to submit a new application. Whether the revocation was a response to pending litigation is unknown, but the fact is that GCEDC did the right thing, and deserves credit for it.
A new, larger data center is madness. It makes even less sense than the original proposal, which itself was opposed by a large number of local citizens. Supporters of data centers, notably Stream itself, are claiming billions in investments, well-paying jobs, and tax relief for local schools.
The truth is far more sobering: 1) not enough jobs, especially considering the gigantic tax breaks for Data Stream; 2) enormous strain on the supply of electricity, which will drive up everybody’s rates, and; 3) no net financial benefit for local schools.
Stream Data would be the big winner here, with (probable) access to unfathomably large amounts of low-cost hydroelectricity as well as roughly a half billion dollars in tax breaks. We the people are the losers. The effect of this project would be a net transfer of wealth from ordinary people to trillion-dollar corporations.
Also consider the lands immediately surrounding the STAMP data center – protected lands such as the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation. A huge industrial development right next to them poses obvious risks.
The wilderness has no voice – we must speak and defend it. The voices of the Tonawanda Seneca citizens are largely unheard. They seek to protect their nation for the sake of their children, grandchildren, and future generations. We need to hear their voices.
You have a voice. Make sure it’s heard. Tell Stream that we the people don’t want them! I urge you to contact your local elected officials and let them know how you feel. Thanks in advance for doing so.
Dave Giacherio
Kent
Barker boys and Albion girls score two wins in N-O cross-country competition
Barker defeated Medina 16-46 and Albion 16-44 this afternoon to improve to 3-0 in Niagara-Orleans League boys cross-country competition.
Albion downed Medina 22-35 in the other portion of the meet to improve to 3-1.
Luke Fay led a quartet of Barker runners to cross the finish line first.
The Albion girls also improved to 3-1 by downing Barker 15-50 and Medina 22-36. Medina topped Barker 15-50 in the other portion of the meet.
Medina’s Talia Rupp won the race.
The Akron boys bested Roy-Hart 21-33 to go to 1-1 as the Tigers had the top three finishers in Quinn O’Malley, Logan Meyers and Aron Gehl.
Roy-Hart downed Akron in the girls race 22-33 to improve to 3-0.
Taylor Alvord and Julia Rohde finished 1-2 to Roy-Hart as Akron’s Abby Bower was third.
In the other N-O meet, Newfane downed rival Wilson 25-31 in the boys’ competition and 15-50 in the girls’.
N-O Golf
Medina 244, Newfane 324
Medina defeated Newfane 244-324 in a Niagara-Orleans League golf match this afternoon.
Cam Fike took medalist honors with a 41 for Medina as Max Pilon added a 45 and Tyler Draper a 48.
Medina posts non league field hockey win
Six players scored goals as Medina rolled to a 7-0 victory over Nardin in a non league field hockey game this afternoon.
Maggie Lonnen scored two goals for the Mustangs as Lila Class, Penelope Schalck, Malloree Rinker, Emi Batista and Savannah Jo Thompson each scored one.
Wilson 4, Roy-Hart 3
Wilson edged Roy-Hart 4-3 in a Niagara-Orleans League game as Taylor Ernest and Brynn Lepsch both scored two goals.
Savannah Newton scored two goals and Adella Dukes one for Roy-Hart.
Roy-Hart is now 2-3 and Wilson 2-4 in N-O action.
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World Canals Conference gets a tour of Medina
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Mayor Marguerite Sherman, center, leads a group in downtown Medina this morning after they saw the inside of the Bent’s Opera House, which has been dramatically transformed into a restaurant, hotel and event venue.
There were about 85 people in medina today as part of the World Canals Conference in Buffalo. The conference split up into four different field trips today.
Medina and Lockport were one stop with a focus on how history, preservation and the arts can lead to economic revitalization.
Sherman during her remarks to the group said many in Medina contribute to the community’s success. She said Medina is fortunate to have many committed downtown business owners, and civic groups that plan events and help beautify the business district.
This group visited the First Baptist Church of Medina, which was built from 1870 to 1873 and is one of 43 sites in the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.
The canal enthusiasts took a look inside the historic Baptist Church. While in Medina, the group of 85 split into four different groups.
The Medina Triennial was a stop on the tour. The Triennial will bring a major art initiative into the community in 2026. The Triennial building will serve as the “Hub” for cultural programming.
In the downtown, the group also toured the Shirt Factory building which has a café, boutique hotel and law offices.
Photo courtesy of Isabella Zasa: The tour included a stop at one of the marvels of the canal system, the Canal Culvert in Ridgeway. This is the only place where vehicles can drive under the canal.
Employees of the Year recognized at Orleans/Niagara BOCES
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
The Orleans/Niagara BOCES recently named its Employees of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year.
Employees are nominated by their peers and a committee selects an awardee in each of these categories: Administrator, Clerical, Continuing Education, Custodial/Maintenance, Staff Specialist, Substitute, Teacher Aide and Teacher.
Rachel Ross is the Administrator of the Year. Rachel has worked for Orleans/Niagara BOCES for one year and is the principal of the Godfrey Learning Center and the Orleans Learning Center.
“My favorite part of the job is the people,” she said. “I feel so lucky to work with such great students and staff every day.”
Ross said she was shocked when her name was announced at the opening day celebration. “It hit me emotionally. I think it is clear indication that I am on the right path and doing the right things. There is no better feedback to guide and affirm your practice than this. I am grateful for the feedback.”
Penny Aikin is the Clerical Person of the Year. Aikin has spent 39 years in Continuing Education, five years as a Keyboard Specialist and the last 34 as a Secretary. She is also a certified TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) Test Administrator which allows her to test adult students part-time in the evenings at our Lockport Literacy Zone located at 50 Main Street. Penny loves working with adult students.
“Our Literacy Program offers adults in the community assistance whether it is someone who needs their GED, someone needing to learn English or students seeking to obtain their citizenship,” she said. “The work that I do as a Data Manager has helped to insure we are the number one literacy program in New York State. I love my job as it enables me to work directly with an awesome literacy staff and to interact frequently with students all having different goals and needs.”
Aikin said it is an honor to be recognized for the work she does each and every day.
Erica Kopp is the Continuing Education Employee of the Year. She has worked at Orleans/Niagara BOCES for 19 years and says her favorite part of her job is teaching and helping people move forward in their lives.
“Many of our students come in carrying regret or embarrassment about not finishing high school,” she said. “It takes so much courage and determination to complete the program. Supporting them through that journey is incredibly meaningful. I was truly surprised and very appreciative of my colleagues choosing me! We have so many dedicated teachers and I honestly could not believe I was selected.”
Donald Duncanson is the Custodian/Maintenance Person of the Year. He has been working at BOCES for 4 1/2 years.
“My favorite part of my job is meeting new people every day and solving and fixing problems,” he said. “I feel very honored to have been chosen. I work with great people and it makes my job easy and enjoyable.”
Laird Burkett is the Staff Specialist of the Year. Laird has worked at BOCES as a Computer Technician for eight years. He said his favorite part of his job is helping people do their best work.
“I listen to teachers and staff, simplifying the technology behind the scenes, and support our team so solutions last,” Burkett said. “When a classroom runs smoother because we planned together, that’s the most rewarding part.”
He said winning this honor was very humbling. “Any success I’ve had comes from bringing people to the table, hearing their needs, and doing the follow-through together.”
Jennifer Jourdain is the Teacher of the Year. Jennifer works at the Niagara Academy and is on her 21st year at ONBOCES.
“What I love about my job is that the students I work with have typically had nothing but negative school experiences at their home district,” she said. “When they enter our alternative program, I love seeing these students gain confidence in their ability and find success for themselves in school.”
She said she felt honored when announced as the teacher of the year. “It was great to receive this award following a year of feeling respected and valued by the organization I work for. I look forward to being part of the BOCES culture moving forward.”
Teresa Armstrong is the Teacher Aide of the Year. “I was shocked!” she said about the recognition. “It was a wonderful surprise to be recognized by my peers.”
Armstrong has been at Orleans/Niagara BOCES for 22 years and is at the Niagara Academy. “My favorite part of my job is making connections with not only the students, but also my colleagues as we strive to make a difference in our students’ lives.”
Ron Jackson was named the Substitute of the Year. Ron worked as a welding teacher at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center until his retirement in 2024. He filled in as a teacher in the welding program for part of the school year.
“I started on my birthday, February 18th in 2019,” he said. “I had to laugh, I’ve worked in power plants for 32 years and let’s just say, we didn’t get any snow days there! My first day teaching was a snow day. I hadn’t had a snow day since 1979!”
When asked what his favorite part of his job was, his answer was, “That’s hard to answer. It really wasn’t a job to me. It was the most rewarding opportunity I have ever had the pleasure of doing. So, I guess I would say it would be having the opportunity to pass on my life’s lessons to anyone who would listen.
“My passion has always been in welding, but my goal was to teach kids to be employable first and welding second. I do miss being part of something bigger than myself. It is the best job I have ever had. I am very honored to have received this and all I can say is from the heart, thank you for this wonderful opportunity to work with some of the most caring and dedicated people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.”
Family Court in Orleans County allows mental health stigma, not science, to disrupt lives
Editor:
For too long, primary care parents in Orleans County have been railroaded by a family court system that claims to serve justice, yet routinely operates in secrecy, without medical expertise, and with little regard for the real impacts on children and families.
Until COVID, Judge Sandy Church held family court proceedings in the large, public courtroom upstairs—where the community could witness the decisions that shape lives. Today, those cases are pushed into a smaller, first-floor courtroom, out of sight, away from the eyes and accountability of the public. Why hide, if there’s nothing to hide?
Even more alarming: prior to the pandemic, Judge Church had the benefit of a mental health advocate who sat in on court sessions. That advocate would meet with him in chambers after hearings to provide context, education, and a professional perspective on mental health and addiction.
This safeguard helped ensure that families weren’t dismantled by a lack of understanding. Now, that safeguard is gone. Families are being judged—and too often punished—based solely on one man’s opinion, without medical guidance, without professional input, and without accountability.
We cannot allow a system that decides the fate of children and parents to operate in darkness. Family court should not be a place where stigma outweighs science, or where ignorance of mental health is allowed to destroy lives. It should be transparent, informed, and accountable to the public it serves.
Our community deserves better. Orleans County deserves a family court that prioritizes the well-being of children, respects the rights of parents, and seeks professional expertise before issuing life-altering decisions.
Until then, every parent who enters that courtroom is at risk of being failed—not because of their ability to parent, but because of a system designed to silence and control rather than support and understand.
It’s time for change. And it starts with us demanding it.
Sincerely,
Courtney Henderson
Albion
