Elections commissioners reappointed by County Legislature

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 December 2022 at 9:13 am

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has reappointed Kathy Case of Murray and Janice Grabowski as elections commissioners for two-year terms.

Case was recommended by the Orleans County Republican Committee and Grabowski was backed by the Democratic Committee. They will each be paid $21,664 in 2023 and $22,097 in 2024.

In other action at the Legislature’s meeting last week:

• Accepted a $93,490 state grant for the Sheriff’s Office for costs and services at the dispatch center. The funding is from the NYS 2021 Public Safety Answering Points Operations Grant Programs.

• The Sheriff’s Office also received a $26,888 grant from the State Homeland Security Program.

• Authorized emergency engine replacement of a 2017 Sheriff’s patrol vehicle for the K9 unit with $9,886 to be paid to Bidleman Chevrolet Buick GMC in Albion.

• Approved an agreement with James Punch, the retired Orleans County Court judge, to continue as the administrator of the Assigned Counsel Plan. Punch started in the role in Dec. 1, 2020. He will be paid $35,000 in 2023. He was recommended by the Assigned Counsel Advisory Committee.

• Appointed Dr. Thomas Madejski of Albion to continue to serve as coroner’s physician at an annual pay of $3,730 in 2023 and $3,805 in 2024.

• Authorized treasurer Kim DeFrank to set up new money in the Department of Public Works budget due to the $1,064,893 from the state’s Consolidated Local Street Highway Improvement program. Those CHIPS funds are an increase from the state.

• Appointed the following to three-year terms on the County Planning Board: Janet Navarra-Salvatore, representing Village of Albion; Michael Massaro, Village of Albion alternate; George Avery, Village of Lyndonville; Dan Gardner, Village of Medina; Richard Moss, Village of Medina alternate; David Knapp, Town of Murray; Thomas Fenton, Town of Ridgeway; and Tim Elliott, Ridgeway alternate.

• Reappointed John Kast of Kast Farms to serve an at-large position from the farming community on the Soil & Water District Board. The term is for three years.

• Reappointed Ed Urbanik to a three-year term on the Orleans County Board of Ethics.

• Created a part-time housekeeper aide position in the Office for the Aging to help with a waiting list for home care service. The position is 75 percent funded by the state.