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Albion to pursue grants to overhaul vacant rental property, spur downtown projects
Photos by Tom Rivers: Scott Burto, grant manager and administrator for G&G Muncipal Consulting and Grant Writing, goes over the Vacant Property Rental Rehabilitation Program, which would bring up to $75,000 per vacant rental unit for property owners.
ALBION – The Village Board is working with a grantwriter to submit two grant applications that could bring significant state funding into the community.
The village and its grant writer, G&G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing, held back to back meeting son Thursday evening at Hoag Library to go over the grant opportunities.
Albion Mayor Tim McMurray said the village is pursuing grants to bring investment and upgrades into the community.
One program focuses on vacant rental property and the other is an economic and community development initiative.
The first meeting focused on a vacant property rental program that could bring up to $75,000 per unit that is rehabbed. Those units would need to be made available to lower-income residents for at least the next 10 years.
Albion and Medina joined together for the grant last year, seeking $2.5 million from the state. This time Albion is seeking the funding on its own.
Orleans County also has a shortage of residential units, according to a housing study commissioned by the Orleans County United Way. The grant would increase housing opportunities locally, and improve residential units in buildings.
The goal is to turn space that is currently uninhabitable or unmarketable into safe, quality, and affordable rental units.
Eligible projects could include health and safety improvements, correction of code violations, plumbing, electrical, roof and windows, environmental cleanup (lead/asbestos), accessibility upgrades and general improvements to make habitable.
Property owners don’t need to do a thorough environmental test to be eligible for the program. The state is only requiring testing for lead, village officials said.
The application is due to the state by Dec. 10. Applicants can seek funding for up to five units. The state is offering a $50,000 maximum per unit for a “standard” project and $75,000 for “enhanced.” No match is needed by the applicants.
Landlords and property owners interested in the project can reach out to Scott Burto, grant manager and administrator for G&G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing. His email is scott@ggprocess.com.
The program is funded by the state through the Office of Community Renewal.
For more on the Vacant Rental Rehabilitation Program Grant, click here.
$4.5 million NY Forward grant
This greenspace just north of the First Presbyterian Church of Albion could become a more inviting spot. The Village Board is considering this location, the next-door parking lot and other municipal-owned land for the NY Forward grant. Mayor Tim McMurray said the Village Board will work to identify a project on village-owned land for the grant application.
The Village of Albion also will be applying again for a $4.5 million NY Forward grant (Round 5) to support downtown revitalization, business development, and the rehabilitation of vacant or underutilized properties. The village was just edged out on getting the grant for 2026, Burto said.
The application is due Jan. 8. Burto would like to have all proposals for the grant submitted by mid-December so G&G has time to compile the application.
The project needs to be confined to downtown area. Property owners can submit proposals for building renovations and facade improvements. The state wants to stimulate new retail, office, co-working, commercial or cultural spaces. Medina was awarded this grant in 2023.
The grant covers about 35 to 40 percent of project costs for private property, with the remainder to be paid by the building owner. The state would pay 100 percent for initiatives on municipal land, Burto said.
The state favors applications in a clear downtown area, with strong local support and vision, he said.
Albion has a clear downtown area by the Erie Canal, and the village is working to update its comprehensive plan that shows a vision for the community, he said.
He would like to see $6 million to $7 million in projects submitted for the grant, which would eventually be narrowed to $4.5 million in the grant.
To be considered in the application, building owners should submit a cost estimate, overview of the project and include photos.
Mayor Tim McMurray said the Village Board is discussing what to apply for the municipal portion of the grant. The board is considering speakers in the downtown to play music, and upgrade a parking lot, other one on Main Street with a median and greenspace next door or the lot by the Erie Canal behind the Albion Visitor’s Center.
Trump has made US more isolated and weaker
Editor:
I don’t understand how President Trump “shows concern for all Americans.” Mr. Trump’s policies of trade wars, tariffs, and immigration policies are hurting farmers, one of this region’s main economic drivers.
Breaking treaties and trade agreements with other nations shows that our word cannot be trusted which damages our relationship with other countries. The mass firings of federal work force have hurt teachers, nurses, veterans, the elderly and the poor.
Under the Trump administration the national debt has ballooned and the GDP has dropped. We are weaker, poorer, and more isolated under this administration than under any other previous administration.
So please explain to me how Mr. Trump “shows concern for all Americans.”
William Fine
Brockport
Yates officials holding off on budget vote due to ambulance contract impasse
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.
County proposes eliminating Major Felony Crime Task Force in 2027 budget
$106 million budget for county stays under tax cap with 2.48% increase
ALBION – Orleans County’s tentative budget for 2027 has been filed today and the $106 million spending plan calls for eliminating the Major Felony Crime Task Force.
The Task Force has a long-time supervising investigator in Joe Sacco and two investigators – retired Medina Police Chief Todd Draper and retired Rochester Police Department Sergeant Brett Sobieraski, who announced on Tuesday he is running for sheriff next year. The Task Force operates within the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office.
Cutting the Task Force will save the county nearly $400,000, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.
Felony indictments have decreased from 50 in 2023 to 44 in 2024 and 28 in 2025, a 44 percent decline over two years, he said.
A new model will be created within the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, and will continue to coordinate with local, state and federal law enforcement partners, Welch stated in his budget message filed today with the tentative budget.
He noted the Task Force’s organizational model has changed from how it was set up originally, when each village police department and the Sheriff’s Office assigned one employee to support it.
The tentative budget totals $106,119,042, which increases spending by 5.8 percent from the $100,261,320 in 2026.
The tax levy would increase by 2.48 percent or by $500,000 – from $20,139,000 to $20,639,000.
Despite the tax increase, the tax rate would drop 17.7 percent from $8.05 to $6.62 per $1,000 of assessed property. The levy will be down because the county’s overall assessed value has jumped by 24.7 percent – from $2.50 billion to $3.12 billion, an increase by $616,870,764.
The County Legislature will have a public hearing on the budget at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the Orleans County Legislative Chambers, 14016 Route 31 W, Albion. The Legislature will then vote on the budget right after the public hearing.
Welch said the county, just like the families and businesses, “continues to face significant affordability challenges. Rising health insurance costs, increased expenses and financial pressures beyond our control make it increasingly difficult to balance our budget and we will not simply pass these costs along to taxpayers.”
The Legislature sent a directive to Welch and department heads to maintain essential services, control spending and deliver a budget that stays under the state property tax cap.
He noted some of the budget pressures:
- The federal One Big Beautiful Bill will reduce SNAP administrative reimbursement in 2027 by more than $400,000.
- After switching to NYSHIP’s Empire Plan in 2026, family plan enrollment increased by 47% and single plan enrollment by 5%. Combined with a 22% increase in covered employees, this shift raised the 2027 medical coverage budget by a third to $9.5 million.
- New York State retirement expenses increase of 4.6 percent
- “We also continue to experience tremendous pressure from emergency housing placements, which have increased 149 percent since July 2022. Compounding these challenges, recent federal legislation will reduce administrative reimbursements to Orleans County by more than $400,000 in 2027.”
- “State mandates remain another major concern. The nine state-mandated programs commonly referred to as the ‘9 for 90 Mandates’ will cost Orleans County more than $23 million in 2027, representing 111.6 percent of our proposed property tax levy.”
Randolph tops Newfane for Class D title
Unable to build on a long touchdown run on the opening kickoff, Newfane dropped a 49-16 decision to Randolph in the Section VI Class D championship game this evening at the University at Buffalo stadium.
Jake Morello returned the opening kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown for Newfane but the next 49 points and the victory belonged to Randolph.
Randolph took a 15-8 halftime lead on a 60 yard touchdown run by quarterback Davion Johnson.
The Cardinals then broke the game wide open in the third quarter with three touchdowns on two TD passes by Johnson and a 28 yard TD run by Alexander Garland to take a commanding 36-8 advantage.
The Randolph lead ballooned to 49-8 early in the fourth quarter.
Newfane’s only other touchdown came on a 75 yard pass play from Jesse Hughey to Rian Czaja midway through the fourth quarter.
Randolph will now face the winner of Saturday’s Section V Class D championship game between Notre Dame/Byron-Bergen and Pavilion/York in the Far West Regional on November 20 at SUNY Brockport.
New pedestrian bridge, sidewalks along Maple Ridge Road complete
Medina mayor praises partnership among governments in getting project done
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Medina Mayor Debbie Padoleski cuts the ribbon this afternoon for a new 100-foot-long pedestrian bridge over Oak Orchard Creek.
Kevin Foster, left, is owner of RJT Construction Services in Rochester, the general contractor for the project that also included about 2,000 feet of new sidewalks.
RJT Construction Services completed the work with an $837,448 bid. Mayor Padoleski praised the company for getting the job done on time and under budget.
This group gathers on the bridge for a photograph after the ribbon cutting. Pictured from left include: Dave Pettis, engineer in charge with Barton & Loguidice; Village Clerk/Treasurer Jada Burgess; Village Trustee Jeff Wagner; Village Trustee Scott Bieliski; Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for Orleans Economic Development Agency; Payton Corts, regional local projects liaison for the state Department of Transportation; Michael Dobell, chief executive officer for the Orleans EDA; Jonathan Walczak, project manager for Barton & Loguidice, the village’s engineering firm for the project; Erin Foster of RJT Construction Services; Jack Foster of RJT; Mayor Debbie Padoleski; Kevin Foster of RJT; Jason Watts, superintendent of Medina’s Department of Public Works; and Philip Gow Jr., WNY regional director for Congresswoman Claudia Tenney.
The bridge intentionally has a rust-colored look. It won’t have to be repainted in the future and will require less maintenance, said Jason Watts, the DPW superintendent.
The project has been several years in the making. Padoleski noted that Mike Sidari, former Medina mayor, had the vision for the pedestrian bridge and sidewalks back in 2020.
The village in 2021 was awarded a $1,094,196 grant to construct the bridge and sidewalks as part of a multi-use path for pedestrians and bicycles. The funding was awarded by the state through a federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant.
The grant required a 20 percent local share and that was paid locally from the village ($55,000), Town of Shelby ($130,000) and Orleans County ($97,500), using their share of funds from a now closed revolving loan fund through the Orleans Economic Development Agency.
“We would like to thank the Town of Shelby, Orleans County and the IDA for participating in this project in the Village of Medina,” Padoleski said. “We would like to thank the NYS DOT for making the funds available through a grant, which allowed the expansion of the project.”
The mayor also said officials from the state Office of Community Renewal were patient and understanding with the village, extending a deadline so Medina could get everything done.
After the ribbon cutting for the bridge, some of the officials walked the 2,000-foot stretch of sidewalks for a final inspection.
The village and Orleans EDA pushed for the sidewalks as this section of Maple Ridge Road has become busier with a housing development, several new businesses and also the GCC campus center. There are also about 200 available acres in the area being promoted for development by the EDA.
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Green begins play at The Annika Tourney
Contributed Photo – Melanie Green
Highlighted by six birdies, Medina’s Melanie Green fired a 3 under par 67 today on the opening round of the LPGA Tour’s The Annika Tournament at Belleair, Florida.
Starting on the back nine, Green was even after that stretch as birdies on 15 and 18 offset bogeys on 10 and 17.
Green then put together a run of four birdes on the front nine on 1, 2, 6 and 7 to go to 4 under. However, she finished the day with a bogey on 9 for the 3 under round of 67.
The tournament will continue on Friday after which the field will be cut for the title deciding final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.
This is the final regular season event on the LPGA Tour.
Kathy Blackburn will serve as grand marshal of Medina’s Parade of Lights
Long-time community volunteer works behind the scenes with many projects
File photos by Tom Rivers: Kathy Blackburn has led many efforts in Medina from planting trees, promoting small businesses, honoring veterans and keeping up a historic cemetery.
MEDINA – The 18th annual Parade of Lights will be back on the Saturday after Thanksgiving – Nov. 28 in downtown Medina.
Parade committee chairman Jim Hancock has announced that Kathy Blackburn has been selected as Grand Marshal of the big parade.
“Kathy has actively worked behind the scenes, and been involved in so many things to benefit Medina,” Hancock said.
She is active in Medina Area Partnership, Orleans Renaissance Group, Medina Sandstone Society, the Friends of Boxwood Cemetery and many other initiatives in the village. She is member of both the Medina and Ridgeway planning boards, and Medina’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.
Blackburn is past chairwoman of Releaf Medina, which raises money to plant trees in the village. She started Wreaths Across America in Medina, where more than 1,000 wreaths are placed on veterans’ graves in December.
She helped start the Faery Festival through MAP, and tries hard with many of the group’s events. For many years she dressed up as a character and welcomed families in line for Beggar’s Night the Friday before Halloween.
There will be some very interesting floats entered this year in the parade, Hancock said. He urges people and organizations to put together an entry in the parade. Entrants can compete for prize money in a variety of categories, including a $500 grand prize. The 10 best in class winners will each receive $300. Entry forms are available on the Parade of Lights website.
The Parade of Lights welcomes more entries in the big parade on Nov. 28. This photo shows a school bus decorated in a Candy Land theme last year by the Medina Transportation Department at the school district.
Events begin at 5 p.m. with a concert by Hit Men Brass in Rotary Park, followed by lighting of the Christmas tree in Rotary Park at 5:30 p.m. and fireworks over downtown at 5:45 p.m.
The parade will begin from the staging area at The Pickle Factory at 6 p.m. and travel down Park Avenue and north on Main Street.
Boy Scouts will be set up in the staging area, selling hot dogs, chili and hot chocolate.
A total of four bands are scheduled to perform – Hit Men Brass, Mark Time Marchers, Medina Mustang Marching Band and Pembroke High School Marching Band.
The first Parade of Lights took place in 2009, an idea of Hancock’s, who was talking with the Rev. Emily Frank, then pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. The Rev. Frank told him about a small town in Michigan, who had such a parade and 3,000 to 4,000 people turned out. They agreed if that small town could do it, Medina could do it.
Other communities in Orleans County also do a lighted parade, including Albion, Barre and Clarendon. Hancock urged people to create a float for Medina’s parade and then participate in the other local parades.
OC Rivals play for Class B title Friday at U.B.
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Quarterback Preston Woodworth and his OC Rivals teammates will face West Seneca East in the Section VI Class B championship game at 5 p.m. Friday at the University at Buffalo stadium.
Highlighting an outstanding debut season, the OC Rivals will play for the Section VI Class B football championship against familiar foe West Seneca East at 5 p.m. Friday at the University at Buffalo stadium.
West Seneca East handed the Rivals their only loss by a narrow 35-34 margin in a penalty filled week 6 contest. The two teams ended up sharing the B1 Division title at 6-1 as West Seneca East lost to McKinley 24-13.
The two teams bring identical 9-1 records into the title contest.
“They are a very tough opponent,” said Rivals Head Coach Eric Valley. “They are very physical and have a great running back. They have system that works very well.”
“For us”, Valley added, “our defense has really started to jell the last few weeks and we need that improvement to continue. We need our defense to set the tone and get our offense some good field position. Offensively we have to spread the ball around.”
“We have to play solid in all three phases of the game and try to eliminate penalties,” Valley stressed. “Penalties (some 150 yards worth) really hurt us the last time we faced them.”
Running back Josh Urban who has rushed for 1,673 yards and a Section VI leading 36 touchdowns leads the West Seneca East attack. Quarterback Joey Molnar has passed for 432 yards and 6 touchdowns.
OC Rivals quarterback Preston Woodworth has passed for 1,559 yards and 20 touchdowns. His main targets have been Noah Harrison (37 receptions for 677 yards and 9 TDs), Elijah Doxey (26 receptions for 638 yards and 5 TDs) and Hadrian Batista (9 catches for 111 yards and 4 TDs). Woodworth has also rushed for 6 TDs.
Doxey leads the Rivals ground attack with 777 yards and 12 TDs as Jayzon Wills has 575 yards and 4 TDs.
The Rivals advanced to the title contest by defeating Pioneer 21-6 in the Class B semifinals while West Seneca East downed Depew 35-20 in the other semi.
The winner will advance to the state playoffs and a meeting with the Section V champion in the Far West Regional at SUNY Brockport on November 21.
