Election commissioners reappointed in Orleans County
2% raises approved for elected officials, management in county government
Photo by Tom Rivers: Janice Grabowski and Mike Mele, election commissioners for Orleans County, are shown in September when the county introduced new voting machines for the presidential election.
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has reappointed the county election commissioners. Janice Grabowski and Mike Mele were reappointed to two-year terms until the end of 2026.
Grabowski has the backing of the Democratic Party Committee while Mele has the support of the Republican Party. Both will be paid $22,539 and $22,990 in 2026.
The tow say they work well together and saw the county transition to 28 new voting machines this past presidential election, replacing ones that were 15 years old. They also have led the county through nine days of early voting, in addition to the general election and primary votes.
In other action from the Dec. 17 Legislature meeting:
• Approved an agreement for the Mental Health Department to accept $48,022 in opioid settlement funds.
• Approved 2 percent in compensation increases for management and elected officials the next two years.
Some of those salaries for 2025 include $20,421 for Legislature chairwoman, $15,441 for vice chairman, and $13,614 for the other five legislators; $137,622 for county attorney; $95,268 for county treasurer (plus $1,750 longevity bonus); $99,273 for director of personnel; $125,111 for public defender (and $49,484 stipend); $92,655 for real property tax director (plus $500 longevity bonus); $125,111 for sheriff (plus $2,000 longevity bonus); and $110,949 for social services commissioner (plus $2,000 longevity bonus).
• The Legislature authorized an agreement for $35,000 with Benjamin J. Bonarigo, PLLC and Kristie L. DeFreze, Esq. to be the assigned counsel administrator. There is also $6,000 for services of an administrative assistant.
• The Legislature authorized an agreement up to $20,000 with Kenneth Spohr for investigative services in the Assigned Counsel Program.
• Accepted a $142,513 grant from the Division of Criminal Justice Services for Criminal Justice Discovery Reform for the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office.
• Approved an agreement with Ron Bierstine of Kent as sportfishing coordinator at a cost of $45 per hour, not to exceed $15,000 for the year.
• Approved an agreement up to $21,000 with Lynne Menz Designs of Kent to provide designs services of tourism promotional materials, such as county travel guide, display ads and other marketing materials requested by the Tourism Department.
• Approved paying $27,744 to print the 2025 County Travel Guide Bicentennial Special Edition with Freeport Press of New Philadelphia, OH, to be paid out of 2025 I Love New York Matching Funds.
• Authorized creating and filling a full-time tourism assistant in the Tourism Department.
• Approved the following three-year appointments to the Orleans County Planning Board: Daniel Strong, At-Large Central; Darryl Sanford, At-Large Central (Alternate); Brian Napoli, At-Large West; Tom Keeler, Town of Barre; Wes Miller, Town of Barre (Alternate); Chris Kinter, Town of Albion; Kevin Parker, Town of Albion (Alternate).
• Appointed Russ Martino of Lyndonville and John Becker of Kendall to the County Board of Ethics, which consists of five members with staggered terms.
