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I am sick of Santa!! Even while living in the village of the original Santa Claus School, I am SICK of Santa Claus!!
I mean no ill will toward the ole guy, and yes, of course, I believe in him. However, I believe even the founder of the Santa School, Charles W. Howard, would be appalled at the way the idea of Santa has overshadowed the Birth of Jesus Christ as the true meaning of Christmas in today’s world!!
Netflix, Max, AMC, Amazon Prime, and all of the others, including Pure Flix to some degree, and many other industries have all focused chiefly on Santa rather than the Christ Child for which the holiday was named “Christ”mas!!
They fail in redirecting the over merchandising of the holiday from selfish hedonism to some spiritual feeling of goodness and “good will toward men” because they exclude the true meaning!! No amount of “Santa Claus-ing” or Christmas Caroling, or gift purchasing or gift giving will ever suffice as a foundation for Christmas cheer and goodness.
Only through establishing the true reason for the season will we regain acquisition of its inherent Joy and fundamental truth and goodness, Godliness, Righteousness and Hope! So, I suppose I should clarify. I am not sick of Santa personally; I am sick of the way people, communities, and industries have placed him above the true meaning of Christmas… (Sorry Santa… …coal?? Krampus?? Yikes!!! No! What I mean is…) The true meaning of Christmas!
The miraculous and immaculate birth of the Christ Child! God! Incarnate! Come to Earth as a Baby to experience humanity first hand, to show humanity how to live, how to have a true relationship with God, to impart the hope of Heaven, then to pay the price of sin for all who believe, and then to rise after conquering death to demonstrate the Power of God and the truth of His Word.
As if all of this was not enough, He gives the gift of His Holy Spirit dwelling in all those who believe, His purchased possession, so that we may truly live in and project the Image of God who created us! (It’s in His book, just look!!)
This is God’s gift to us! The best gift Santa could ever give is to point to Jesus and rejoice in His birth, the gift of Heaven.
The Medina Police Benevolent Union Association is deeply disappointed by recent comments made by village leadership regarding officer retention and recruitment in a promotional announcement. These statements, which were delivered during what should have been a moment of celebration for two of our officers receiving well-deserved promotions.
Promotions are a time to recognize the dedication, hard work, and sacrifices that our officers make to serve this community. Instead, that moment was overshadowed by remarks suggesting that officers “complain” about wages and should simply be “thankful” to work in a community with a low crime rate.
Suggesting that officers should be “willing to forego higher salaries for an opportunity to work in a village that is relatively crime free” could only be made by someone who is uninformed of what it is that our officers actually do.
The excuse that the struggles with retention cannot be solved for reason of “the younger people want their money now” is false. The decision of younger officers to leave our department is not a reflection of entitlement, but rather of the economic realities and personal considerations that weigh heavily on all working professionals.
Such comments are dismissive of the real challenges we face and fail to acknowledge the professionalism and commitment our officers demonstrate daily. Retaining skilled and committed officers is essential to maintaining the safety and well-being of Medina residents.
In the past decade, our department has lost over 50% of its staffing to departments both within and outside of Orleans County, including the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Warsaw Police Department, Mount Morris Police Department, Batavia Police Department, Lockport City Police Department and Ogden Police Department.
With the loss of these officers which consisted of a 16-year experienced sergeant and other officers with five-plus years of experience comes the loss of a collective 50 years of law enforcement experience and training. These losses represent more than just numbers; they signify a critical depletion of law enforcement knowledge, expertise, and relationships built within the community. This exodus of officers is a direct result of the failure to provide competitive salaries and benefits, which are essential to retaining a skilled and committed police force.
While Medina enjoys a relatively low crime rate, the work of policing here is far from easy. Our officers regularly handle complex, high-stakes, violent situations, including assaults, mental health crises, drug-related investigations, domestic violence calls and traffic-related emergencies. These are often unseen by the public but are a testament to the skill and dedication required to keep our community safe.
Compounding the retention and recruitment issue is the fact that surrounding police departments with comparable or lower crime rates offer significantly higher compensation and better benefits. This disparity makes it increasingly difficult to attract and retain qualified officers who are seeking fair pay for their efforts.
It is also critical to note that the Medina Police Department officers have been and are currently operating without a contract since May 2023. Despite our repeated efforts to negotiate in good faith, we are now facing arbitration in January of 2025 because we cannot reach an agreement on compensation. This prolonged impasse not only affects our officers’ livelihoods but also sends a troubling message about the village’s commitment to fairly compensating those looking to potentially be hired here and those who dedicate their lives to protecting this community already.
The Medina Police Benevolent Union Association calls on village leaders to respect the contributions of our officers and to work collaboratively toward solutions that address the ongoing retention and recruitment crisis. Recognizing the value of our officers and ensuring competitive compensation are not only matters of fairness but also essential to maintaining the safety and security of our community.
We remain committed to serving the residents of Medina with integrity and professionalism, but we will not allow the hard work and sacrifices of our officers to be overshadowed by devaluing rhetoric. It is time for leadership to meet this issue with respect and action. We hope the community we serve will support us in this thought as well.
This statement reflects the views of the members of The Medina Police Benevolent Union Association and does not represent the ideas, opinions, or positions of the Medina Police Department’s Administration staff.
Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Medina Police Benevolent Union Association Leadership
Rethinking matters can be useful if it’s not a play for power and, additionally, sound analysis and “reason” are applied to avoid major collateral damage. Access to facts and ability to think and speak freely are a sine qua non of good problem solving. I do not think anyone can argue with that.
What we mean by “reason” though can be tricky. “Reason” can be a tool to solve and improve things. But the literature is clear that “reason” is also fact a Swiss Army knife that facilitates survival.
“Reason” which solves problems works the strands of a theme or a compelling question using rigor, fact, logic and reflection. Inherent is study and inquisitiveness.
But ”reason” also enables us to gainfully exist in whatever new or hostile environment we find ourselves. What a person once thought false they can come to believe is true. A hostile environment can change people; innate “reason” can tell us it’s better to adapt and join rather than perish.
Consequently, sadly, if something “bad” is wide spread, it will surely get worse before it gets better. It will increasingly become the (or a) norm with which people have to find a way to coexist. An easy example occurred when Pres. Clinton nudged the tax rate up (barely) to put the budget in surplus. This defied the spreading supply side norm and as a result over 30 brave Congressmen lost their seats. What was once called “ Voodoo economics” is a norm still with us.
The type of “reason” which solves problems was protected by our Founders in the First Amendment – free speech and protection of the press. Without both the Founders (and citizenry which insisted on that Amendment) knew our ability to identify, confront and solve problems would erode. Without exchange of facts and ideas to sort though, guide and sustain us they knew we would increasingly confront a vortex of personal and collective identity disintegration. What we had under the King.
This same vortex of disintegration many think is well underway again. We will have to wait and see if the keystone of reason – free speech and press – is actually under brutal, subversive, attack of if the threat is just a tactical maneuver. As long as we have it all can contribute.
In this world, right now, my Christmas wish for all is that no one brook thoughts that anything can obscure or eclipse their identity or the truest elements of “life” and “humanity.” Elements which for me (and I hope for you) include wonder, kindness, curiosity, empathy, generosity, courage, creativity, learning, and the ability to use “reason” as a tool based on fact, not rhetoric.
For those in doubt remember this is a temporal world subject to inertia and this is a big and great country. Remember there are hundreds of millions, around the world billions, who think similarly. My sense is that many of us will be defined by daily small-scale expressions of personal integrity and that too is a keystone!
In the New Year we shall see which form of “reason” shows up and if the coming change can be figured out by all involved without hurting many people in many ways. Till then my best wish to all is simply enjoy the holidays.
On. Dec. 11, Mr. Hartway wrote that Orleans citizens should push back on Albany mandates that strain local wallets. He is correct in saying taxes are high and a severe strain on families. But is his solution, that of initiating a confrontation with Albany, the best way forward?
I suggest not banging heads with the state government, but look locally to save money. Consolidate the 10 towns in Orleans County into the county government.
Why are Orleans taxpayers paying for 10 courts, 10 tax districts, 10 code enforcers, 10 highway departments, multiple sewer districts, 10 groups of supervisors, 10 fire departments, 10 office complexes when other counties in the state have consolidated into one government and saved their citizens millions?
In a small way consolidation has already begun: Albion and Gaines have created a joint fire district.
The County Legislature should move to consolidate all ten towns now, not later.
Jack Capurso, member of Albion High School Class of 1960
In his editorial, “Counties should push back on state mandates that strain taxpayers’ wallets,” Charles Hartway states that the county government should “disavow” mandated programs as an act of civil disobedience.
A mandate is defined as a requirement by New York State that a local government has to carry out. Some examples, Medicaid, Public Assistance/Safety Net, Child Welfare protect/prevention, Pre-School Special Education, Indigent Defense, Probation, Early Intervention, Youth Detention and Pensions.
In looking over the list, the vast majority are received by residents of the county. To the best of my knowledge, county lawmakers do not want to eliminate these programs, they just want the State of New York to fully fund them.
That sounds like a great plan, except that it merely shifts the tax burden to the working class and disincentives fiscal responsibility at the local level.
When county officials purport they have “discretion of less than 10% of the annual budget,” it implies they have no say as to how funds are appropriated. They do have a great deal of discretion, including managing contracts and the hiring of employees. The recent county property acquisitions underscores that point.
The county’s beef regarding these mandated programs has never been about the actual programs, they simply want more money from the state.
Unfortunately increased state funding often creates a perverse incentive for counties to inflate program costs or sustain inefficient systems. Knowing the state will cover the costs, counties may lack the urgency to streamline services, eliminate redundancy, or seek innovative solutions. The state’s broader scope also makes it harder to monitor every funded program effectively, creating fertile ground for waste and mismanagement.
Counties differ significantly in demographics, geography, and needs. What works in urban Erie County may be ineffective or excessive in rural Orleans County. When programs rely solely on state funding, they’re often designed with stricter statewide mandates or stipulations, undermining the flexibility counties need to tailor services to their communities.
Local governments are empowered to address the needs of their constituents through property taxes or sales taxes. If counties rely on the state for funding, it reduces their incentive to optimize local revenue generation. This creates long-term dependence, disempowers local governance, and leaves communities vulnerable if state funding is reduced.
When programs fail or fall short of expectations, it becomes easier for counties and the state to point fingers rather than address systemic issues. This lack of clear responsibility fosters political gridlock, with both levels of government spending more time deflecting blame than improving services.
Rather than advocating for the state to provide open-ended funding, they should work with the state to shift its focus to supporting counties through grants tied to performance metrics and providing technical assistance to help counties administer their own programs. This encourages efficiency, innovation, and accountability at the local level while ensuring state resources are directed to communities in real need.
By fostering local independence and responsibility, New York can ensure county programs serve residents effectively without becoming a financial or administrative quagmire.
Recently, there have been some articles in the Orleans Hub regarding the Heritage Wind Project, projected start dates and construction, ways that they have given to organizations and community groups with grants, how much money they will be paying for the Host Community Agreement/Payment in Lieu of Taxes.
I would like to take this opportunity to shed a different light on this project and the reality of how much the Town of Barre, Orleans County, the Albion School District and all residents of these groups are actually giving to Heritage Wind (you will see that we are all being extremely generous this holiday season).
Let’s look at taxes first, from 2016 Heritage Wind has been touting through ads, signs etc. that they are going to reduce our taxes, now that we have actual numbers let’s look at that.
If they were to pay the same rate in taxes for a $373 million dollar project as everyone else does on their properties here is how much they would be paying annually for taxes:
Town of Barre (8.98% rate 2024) = $3,349,540
Orleans County (8.4% rate 2024) = $3,133,200
Albion School District (13.05% rate 2024) = $4,867,650
Total: $11,350,390
However, because of the Host Community Agreement and Payment in Lieu of Taxes here is how much they will actually be paying towards these entities:
Town of Barre (HCA Only*, 0 for PILOT) = $850,500 (75% tax break)
Orleans County (PILOT) = $141,750 (95% tax break)
Albion School District (PILOT) = $141,750 (97% tax break)
Total: $1,134,000
Congratulations to Heritage Wind, they are receiving a property tax break of $10,216,390 annually! But the community organizations, and Town of Barre should be thrilled to receive the $250 to $4,000 grants that they have given out each year since 2020 to community groups that apply. Since 2020, they have given out $160,000 (about $32,000 annually) or 0.003% of the tax break that they will be receiving annually because of the HCA/PILOT agreement.
Our Economic Development Agency is “thrilled” for the opportunity to use the total of $4.5 million that they will be receiving, at the cost of losing $255.4 Million total in the 25 years of the HCA and PILOT versus Heritage Wind paying taxes like a majority of other businesses in Orleans County.
Critical to this is that the Town of Barre opted to take their portion as part of a Host Community Agreement instead of the Payment in Lieu of Taxes. What does that mean for the residents of Barre? Well, that means that the money that is received from Heritage Wind is not required to go to reduce taxes.
It can be used for anything that the current Town Board deems appropriate. They could use it to reduce taxes, increase wages of town employees, build a highway building, improvements to the Town Park or any other project. These projects could increase the annual budget and in the long run increase all of our taxes.
There is 0 guarantee that your taxes will be reduced at all by this project, so please remember that when you vote next November. Whereas, with the county and school district those are looked at as tax payments and if budgets were to stay the same theoretically could reduce your taxes.
Orleans County Economic Development Agency, and our local governments would not agree to such a thing, unless we were getting more and this is what the residents that are going to be most impacted by such a huge project wanted, right? Unfortunately, this assumption is wrong. There was never a Town vote; however, every survey that was done by the Town or individuals showed that this project and industrial wind was not desired in our community.
What about jobs, the construction and operation of such large structures must bring in tons of jobs and additional revenue into our community. Wrong again. As part of the application to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES), Heritage Wind was required to estimate how many jobs in Orleans County would be created, or additional position based on supply chain and this is what they shared in Table 27-11:
So Heritage Wind themselves may or may not hire up to 8 positions locally and appear to be seasonal. I have read the PILOT and HCA, and do not recall there being any requirement for any of these positions to be filled with local talent.
What about bringing in earnings to the county based on the needs for building/ construction, in table 27-13 Heritage Wind estimated that there would be an annual earnings of $0.3 million for construction brought into Orleans County and no other industry would be impacted.
Congratulations to Heritage Wind, for receiving a huge (over $10 million annually) local tax incentive to be in our community for a maximum of 8 positions and minimal additional revenue coming into our community, despite a majority of the residents in Barre not wanting such a project in our community.
Please keep this in mind when you read the press releases, and articles about this project.
I attended the county budget public hearing last week. Initially I was surprised by the lack of attendance but at the conclusion, indeed I felt my time foolishly spent.
I begin by making clear that I hold nothing but respect for the individuals comprising our county legislative body. They contribute many hours for a small stipend and are tasked with trying to minimize pain to taxpayers while abiding to the stipulation of state mandates. They literally have discretion of less than 10% of the annual budget. Hence my mood leaving the meeting.
These debilitating mandates have reached a point whereby counties must go without and continually raise tax rates and assessments to comply. At what point do the residents stand in unison and proclaim “Enough!”?
I implored the Legislative Body to seriously consider disavowing the mandates and accept the consequence of no state funds coming our way. I’m sure they were too polite to express what they likely thought of my query.
I submit, it is financially risky and fraught with litigation. That is the down side. These mandates are a carrot on a stick. We citizens are the donkey plodding along too simple to realize he will never gain on the reward.
NYS will not mobilize the National Guard. This is not civil disobedience. We are saying “no thank you” to their offer. I strongly believe the first Upstate county to express the required fortitude of this action will be quickly joined by neighboring counties facing the same plight. At some point critical mass is reached and the state is forced to negotiate. That is the up side.
I invite your ridicule or rebuttal. Please don’t however, tell me your plan to do nothing and hope our representation in Albany will miraculously swing in our favor eventually.
This dilemma will get worse. There is a valid scenario where NYC will not follow pending federal immigration mandates and will in turn be financially punished (such irony). Where do you suppose they (downstate) will look to fill their deficit?
As America awaits the baton of power to pass from President Biden to Donald Trump, much turmoil is expected. Biden is dumping a significant financial burden into Trump’s lap. The federal debt is now $36 trillion. A $13 trillion increase since 2020 has bolstered concerns about the welfare of our country.
The Treasury debt is perilously saturated in short-term notes instead of 10- and 30-year bonds. Much of the short-term debt is maturing annually and ultimately will have to be refinanced at higher interests rates. This will adversely affect the government’s interest expenditure. Yellen has bulked up on 2-year Treasury bills to avoid a rise in mortgage rates.
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve has dwindled to dangerous levels; our weapons arsenal is substandard.
This latest smudge with Biden pardoning his son, Hunter, despite stating on multiple occasions that he would not intervene, has many people questioning what defines justice. Confidence has plummeted precariously after that sideshow.
Taxpayer dollars have been wasted on losing undertakings: (case in point) education, where children learn to hate America, has sidestepped the rigors of reading, writing and math. How about Buttigieg’s push to construct charging stations for e- cars. The transportation security spent $7.5 billion on eight such spaces after citing $500,000 initially. These failures will undoubtedly impact both the economy and the general public.
It will be like entering a maze for Trump; he will have to prioritize and navigate which tangled knot to undo first.
The current state of affairs is riddled with some pretty spine chilling events, such as the approval of a military-focused budget for 2025-2027 by Putin. As Trump tries to disentangle from Ukraine, he simultaneously has to try and restore a viable equilibrium in the Middle East. Americans are apprehensive as the ongoing political turmoil and unpredictability escalates.
The transition of power from Biden to Donald Trump will be a challenging and complicated road. When Biden became President in 2020, he purposely overturned many of Trump’s policies; noteworthy: reversing Trump’s travel ban policy and immigration enforcement and undocumented immigrants. We all know, too well, the aftermath of those deeds. Personally, I believe his motive was revenge.
Now, once again, revenge is at work. Instead of repairing the damage he has already inflicted on America, Biden is hell bent on causing more.
UConnectCare recently built a recovery center for women that allows children to live with their mothers during recovery on Butts Road in Albion.
I have always agreed with the need for the center and the thought behind it was 100% true. What was bad is the location of where they built that center. They built that center in a poor location, showing little regard for the land they were disturbing or how it was going to affect the area.
The contractors hired for the center showed little remorse for what they were doing to the neighbors of that center. They even went as far as pushing debris and other contents behind the center thru fencing and clearly posted signs onto people’s property without permission.
At the end of the previous school year the center had a paving crew for their driveway out there taking up most of the shoulders of both sides of the road. Two of my kids got home at 2:30 in the afternoon while they were out there paving. The bus driver told me he felt unsafe bringing my son and other daughter home which was an hour later due to how tied up the road was.
I had to email UConnectCare to tell them to clear out so they could safely make it home. To go back to the railroad underpass, it was just hit November 15th at 3 a.m., this time an ambulance tried to squeeze its way under it and got wedged underneath. The road was shut down from roughly 3 a.m. until almost 5 a.m.
Even with the new signs you have numerous near misses of people turning around. Last week there were two accidents involving people tempting fate.
The center was finished July 5, with an open house was scheduled for Aug. 20.
Aug. 20 came and went like a gust of wind.
I have asked sources if they had any news on estimated opening. All I get told is they are waiting for final approval from the state to open.
A final approval from the state?
Meaning they did not have all their ducks in a row before starting construction and now a building that was constructed sits empty and is vacant?
The power has literally been on the building since July – 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Maybe it was just a terrible idea of building a huge center in the center of a designated wetland, when you can’t build a playground or have hiking trails due to the whole plot of land being under water once upon a time.
The best idea for this situation is they should cut their losses and move on.
We are all seeing yard signs popping up around the Towns of Albion and Gaines. What are these signs for? What is the Albion Joint Fire District?
I would like to put some clarity to the differences between the newly formed Albion Joint Fire District and the very old (1831 to be exact) Albion Fire Department, Inc.
Let’s begin with the Albion Fire Department, which is a volunteer /nonprofit organization that is incorporated under the 501(c)(3) tax category in the IRS Code. It is an independent business really, that provides the firefighters/EMS personnel to cover both Albion and Gaines. These volunteers are dedicated to the community and are not paid for the job they do.
The Albion Joint Fire District (AJFD) was recently formed through a public vote, with the Village of Albion no longer the oversight agency of the taxpayer funds for fire service. In the past, funds were provided through contracts with Towns of Gaines/Albion to the Village of Albion.
Now the new AJFD is a separate organization with a separate budget – and the Albion Fire Department remains – 2 separate and distinct entities that operate independent of one another legally. Even though these two organizations are separate, they will now work together to provide Fire/EMS personnel/services to the coverage area.
As for the signs popping up around town. There will be an election for commissioners (5) and a treasurer for the newly formed AJFD. That election will happen Dec. 10 at the Hoag Library from 4 to 9 p.m.
Registered voters in both towns will have the ability to vote for their choices for the five commissioners and the one treasurer needed for the AJFD.
As a dedicated member of our community and a candidate for the position of Treasurer for the AJFD, I am writing to express my commitment to ensuring financial responsibility and transparency in our local government. It is important that all taxpayers know how and where their dollars are being spent.
I feel strongly that we need to have oversight for the funds that the fire district is requesting and that the taxpayers will now be seeing as a line on their county tax bills coming in January 2025. We need to make sure we follow all State and Federal rules and regulations to assure we don’t have any issues down the road.
I am running for Treasurer of the Fire District and am a current member of the Albion Fire Department. With a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, I feel I am well qualified to oversee the large budget that will be coming to this new organization.
It is your right as a registered voter to cast your ballot for the candidate(s) you feel most qualified for the positions. I know I am ready to serve the AJFD in the position of treasurer.
Please vote: December 10 at Hoag Library.
Sincerely,
Kristen Marciszewski
Gaines resident and candidate for Albion Joint Fire District treasurer
In the past I have condemned Trump for pardoning convicted criminals. Now, we find Biden has pardoned his son. A black mark has now been entered into his presidency.
Read any history of former President Bill Clinton, and they all contain a reference to his disastrous pardon of Marc Rich, a fugitive from justice whose former spouse made donations to Clinton’s Presidential Center. A stain on Clinton’s record, and now one on Biden’s record.
Voters sometimes do not have good memories for political acts. Historians, on the other hand, make it their business to remember and then they write books about it.
The President-elect has stated that on “Day 1” he will begin massive deportation of undocumented people residing in the United States. This will have a major impact upon Orleans County, particularly agriculture, but more generally the entire economy of our county, because these 2,000 people buy products and services within the county from the wages that they earn. Grocery stores, general stores, auto services, churches and more would be affected.
I would point out that many of the people who are loosely considered “undocumented” are actually “documented” because they have official papers relating to their work or refugee status and have applied for asylum, green cards or citizenship.
The President-elect’s plans for deportation make little distinction between these categories. The farm workers I know are scared out of their wits. Many of them have worked in our area for decades, contributing to a robust agricultural sector, putting food on our tables, filling our churches, and sending their children to our schools.
There may be as many as 2,000 immigrant workers in Orleans County. Has the Orleans County Legislature considered the actual impact of the deportation order that is planned? I hope it has, because “Day 1” is coming up very fast!
How will area farmers survive without workers? How will they be able to afford the wages that would make this kind of employment attractive to citizens who have shown little interest in this seasonal, hard, low-wage work?
If farms are to survive, the prices for their products will have to be much higher to wholesalers and consumers. Has the Legislature considered what will happen to the price of food if these deportations go forward? “No farm workers = less food = higher prices” seems like a losing strategy for our county.
I wonder if deportation would push some farm operations over the edge, either by shutting down entirely, or by not planting some or all fields in the spring? Has the Legislature considered what it will do about this?
And who would lead or participate in a deportation effort in Orleans County? The Sherriff’s Department, the local courts, jails or school officials? What would be the cost to the county for this?
As a taxpayer I am shuddering to think of this cost to the county, almost immediately and in the long-run. This looks like an unfunded mandate, the kind of thing that the Legislature likes to pin on Democrats in Albany. Will my local tax bill now break out the cost of deportations in Orleans County?
As you can tell, I am very opposed to deportations on the scale that the President-elect has described. The impact that this will have on Orleans County and its taxpayers will be significant.
Is the Legislature planning for this? Are farmers thinking about this? Does anyone have a plan? “Day 1” is fast approaching!
On Monday, November 11th, the 230th Commemoration of the 1794 Canandaigua Treaty was held at the Ontario County Courthouse in the city of Canandaigua.
Every year, this commemoration is held to “polish the chain of friendship, symbolizing the relationship between the (at the time) new United States of America and the Hodínöhšö:ni’ Confederacy,” a people of whom I am proud to be of.
This “chain” is held onto by both ends by both parties, and the responsibility of upholding this promise belongs to both. It was made to create a “firm and permanent friendship” between our Nations, and stands as a monumental agreement to this day, but the WNY STAMP mega industrial site represents a violation of this agreement and an erasure of this treaty.
The Science, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing Park in Genesee County is an economic development zone which promises to bring high-tech manufacturing to Western New York. As of this writing, there are two tenants: Plug Power, and Edwards Vacuum.
This site is being built on our reservation border with only a 400’ buffer between it, and that place we call the “Big Woods.” The site poses runoff, explosive, noise and light pollution risks to our territory. Should any spills occur, we are close enough that contaminants could find their way into our wells and eventually, our people.
I’ve enjoyed the life of a Tonawanda Seneca citizen on the Tonawanda Seneca Territory. I’ve lived here all my life, learning our traditions, enjoying our customs and usage as did many who’ve grown here. I’ve spent time with my father gathering medicines in an area we call the “Big Woods.” Others hunt, source what they need for their craft there, and they’ll come from nearby territories.
We are very protective of these woods and our lands but share it with the rest of the Hodínöhšö:ni’. We’re a small community, but we’re among those fortunate enough to have kept our original Chief system under the Great Law of Peace alive with no other systems imposed upon us from American interference. In the Great Law, it is one of the duties of our leaders to make decisions thinking of faces not yet seen. However now, there is a fear of what might be brought by the STAMP site.
The Canandaigua Treaty ensures that the Hodínöhšö:ni’ remain sovereign and ensures “free use and enjoyment” of our lands. Last I had known, it’s enshrined in the U.S. Constitution that “all treaties are the supreme law of the land.”
There is no distinction between types of treaties or nations. If they would not be so quick to break the Treaty of Paris, or the Treaty of Versailles, then why would it be acceptable to break the Treaty of Canandaigua. Our leadership, and our people, call upon the Federal and State Organizations to respect the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s right to thorough consultation, to engage in Nation-to-Nation conduct, and to hold up their end of the chain.
President-elect Donald Trump and his Republican accomplices relentlessly attacked the rule of law, a basic foundation of our Constitutional democracy.
Mr. Trump argued, without any evidence, that the justice system is already politicized because of all the criminal charges brought against him, and his conviction on 34 felony counts. In fact, the Justice Department indicted at least seven Democrats, including President Biden’s son. If the Justice Department were politicized, as Mr. Trump claims, none of these prosecutions would have occurred. In fact, the Justice Department went after these people, including Mr. Trump, because they had evidence of criminal activity sufficient to present in a court of law.
Going after political enemies without evidence, only because they are perceived as opponents, would politicize and e the Department of Justice. Doing so would undermine the rule of law and our Constitutional Democracy.
Mr. Trump nominated Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, despite the fact that Gaetz’ only qualification is his loyalty to Donald Trump. It is Mr. Trump’s intention to politicize and weaponized the Department of Justice, thus undermining the Rule of Law and our Constitutional democracy.
Mr. Trump’s other nominees, Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence and Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services also have no experience and no expertise of those departments.
Replacing knowledgeable experts with complete novices and worse, political sycophants undermines the effectiveness of those agencies and puts the national security in jeopardy as well as the health and welfare of the nation.
In fact, this is a recipe for failure. But that was a campaign promise of Mr. Trump; to destroy the deep state. Even though that “deep state” was developed to keep Americans safe, healthy and prosperous.
Undermining the rule of law, our Constitutional Democracy, the security of the nation and health and welfare of the United States is the goal of Mr. Trump’s administration.
I am writing on behalf of the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, representing the dedicated men and women of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol and Criminal Investigations Division.
First, I want to acknowledge the excellent work of the Village of Albion Police Department (APD) in serving the Village of Albion. Our agencies share a strong working relationship that benefits both the Village and Town of Albion.
However, we have learned that APD is seeking to expand its patrols into the Town of Albion, primarily to focus on violations of the Vehicle and Traffic violations and “low level” offenses. The Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association formally opposes this proposal.
We understand that APD’s justification includes frequent assistance with calls outside the Village. However, the data between January 1, 2024, and November 14, 2024, shows that OCSO assisted APD in the Village 117 times, while APD assisted OCSO or NYSP in the Town of Albion 39 times. During this period, OCSO handled 1,767 calls in the Town of Albion as the primary agency.
We believe that an excessive number of patrols focused primarily on traffic violations could frustrate town and village residents, harming the public relations we have worked hard to build. Additionally, APD has indicated that this would be a trial program. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that it could lead to additional costs for our residents if it becomes a permanent measure. The APD would need to issue an unreasonably high number of tickets to sustain this initiative.
Given the central location of the Public Safety Building, the Town of Albion benefits from the fastest response times from our deputies, compared to other towns. Based on the data, and totality of the circumstances, we believe OCSO should remain the primary agency for all calls in the Town of Albion.
We are proud to serve all residents of Orleans County and see no reason to change the current arrangement.
The goal of law enforcement is to maintain a safe community, which the Sheriff’s Office has successfully achieved and continues to uphold.
Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Torry N. Tooley
President, Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association
