Editor:

I write first to thank and commend Mr. Bill Fine for his service to our country while in Vietnam. Second to clarify my stance.

I, and most conservatives, are well used to the left’s very personal attacks when we ask simple questions that they will not – or can not – answer. I have asked liberals in general, and Mr. Fine in particular, how Governor Cuomo and the Democrats that control our state government are not accountable for New York’s long known problems, yet a US Representative in office for two months and a first term U.S President are.

I honestly do not understand that the party that has long dominated New York’s dysfunctional government continues to get a pass on their constituents’ sufferings. It’s all Republicans’ fault all the time. That is not just unfair. It is ludicrous, ridiculous, and extremely far from the truth.

I have asked Mr. Fine this question directly and more than once. “Why is Cuomo not accountable for the ills of ‘his’ state?” Simple question. Yet unanswered.

Mr. Fine wrote on 9/8 that Trump “shows contempt for U.S. Military.” He quotes an article in The Atlantic and “verified” by the NYT, Washington Post, and he included Fox News. This allegation has long been proven false and laughable. I never did find verification on Fox News.

He then blames Trump for an American’s death during an operation in Yemen. If Trump is responsible for that person’s death, how many are Obama/Biden responsible for during their 8 years in office? Thousands? None? Are the standards different for Republicans? One has to wonder if any Democrat has ever made any mistake if that is the case.

Then on 9/17 Mr. Fine wrote that newly elected Chris Jacobs was more concerned with “photo ops” than results in the Glow region’s problems of unemployment and food lines. Again, no mention of the Democrats that actually control this state and are the ones that are ultimately responsible. (Or the Trump induced record-low unemployment rates we enjoyed pre-covid).

Naming a rookie US Representative in office for two months and the President of the United States as the villains in our small community is incomprehensible to me. I again asked Mr. Fine why he chooses to blame these two and not the Democrats. His only response was the personal attack on me published earlier, and to change his previous unrealistic blaming of Jacobs to an overall  bashing of Jacobs’ backing of our president.

Mr. Fine, I guess I too am at fault for Covid, food shortages, unemployment, the bad weather Cuomo blames for the state’s population loss, as well as any and all bad things in life. I say this because I too support our duly elected president in no uncertain terms.

I say that knowing that he is human and makes mistakes – unlike Cuomo who apparently does not make mistakes and is therefore never accountable for NY’s numerous failings.

I will close in again thanking Mr. Fine for his service. I have a unique perspective on that. You see Mr. Fine, as I was “puffing out my chest and waving a flag” as you state, at home sat my DD-214 that reflects service in Vietnam as well. Attack Squadron VA-122 W/C 220 attached to CVN 65, The USS Enterprise.

Yes, I’ve heard screams of agony and fear – albeit on the flight deck and not in the jungle. No, Mr. Fine I have not held dying friends – not there. All I did was escort two of my pilots home to their families and felt their loved ones’ indescribable grief while trying to comfort them. I served voluntarily and simply did as my commanders instructed.   If that makes me less of a patriot than you in your eyes, so be it.

I will not be responding further. Your personal attacks in lieu of answering direct questions goes with the left’s playbook and is not just unproductive – it used to annoy me – now I just find them boring.

Bob Harker

Clarendon

Editor:

The power of the vote is the single most important tool in the kit provided by our founding fathers to preserve this fine democracy in which we live.

The voice of each citizen cast boldly in an effort to inject momentum in a direction that may ensure their own benefit and well-being, to voice their concerns, and remind those among us who have assumed (or wish to assume) control of the many positions of power that effect all of our lives, that the primary goal is to serve the people of the township, county, state, or country as a whole for those who believed them worthy of their position of authority.

In effort to provide what is truly required to make an informed decision on November 3rd, Diane L. Shampine crafted an invitation for public debate to Nadine Hanlon, a candidate for the elected  position of County Clerk. This was verified to have been received on August 28th.

Although the invitation was delivered, we have received no response to date, and as a consequence many voters may be asked to make an important decision while lacking fundamental information. One of the candidates in a two-person race appears to believe this a trivial ritualistic formality, and in doing so has deprived the voters of Orleans County the opportunity to study the strengths and  weaknesses of each candidate presented. One can base their candidacy upon the power of social connections and “glad-handing” or they can stand up and prove themselves knowledgeable and worthy.

One of the people vying for this position has served the public in the County Clerk’s Office for 18 years in varying positions ranging from Index Clerk, to Deputy County Clerk, and now Acting County Clerk (successfully during the most difficult time in modern history).

And one of these candidates isn’t quite certain what the duties of County Clerk actually are, or even what will be required to maintain functionality at the Clerk’s office. This isn’t intended as a hurtful dig but rather a simple statement of fact, which unfortunately must now be made given the lack of opportunity to illustrate facts through debate.

I urge you to show up on November 3rd and exercise your will for the benefit of not only yourself, but for the good of all of Orleans County. Vote for experience, vote for knowledge, vote to ensure the continuity of essential government services utilized by all county residents, provided by the offices of County Clerk – The Office of County Clerk, Pistol Permits, and Department of Motor Vehicles .

Sincerely,

Randy Klossner

Clarendon

Campaign Manager for Diane Shampine

Editor:

I echo Carol Tibbits’ recognition of the fantastic job of our Home Town Heroes banners. It is with so much pride that my Dad’s banner was displayed in the Orleans Hub.

We are so proud of the generation that made Albion great, and am thankful that this Village has recognized our Veterans’ service and dedication to our community.

A heartfelt thanks to all that made this project a reality. This banner recognizes so much pride in our father, family, and the years he dedicated his life to service in this Village and community.

Steve Kast

Churchville

Editor:

Five years ago I signed up for what I thought was a Basic CPR class. I figured a few weeks and I would be certified and could ride on the ambulance and “help out”.  In actuality I had signed up for an EMT certification class which would span 5 months of intense study and signed a contract stating that I would owe $800 to COVA if I failed the class as they were sponsoring me.

This should give you an idea about how clueless I was about the EMS world and how removed my life had always been from what goes on behind the scenes of your local ambulance company, fire department and police department.

Fast forward 5 years. I did not fail the class and as of today I am one of only two active volunteers at COVA and learn something new every time I work. I still consider myself semi-clueless when compared to the people who have devoted their lives to EMS.

Working alongside paramedics and other EMTs with years and countless hours in the field, I have a different comfort level than I do in my normal life. I am grateful for their knowledge, professionalism and willingness to teach as well as their love of the community they live and serve in. I also now have a profound appreciation and gratitude for this community-based ambulance service that I once took for granted would always be here to serve us.

COVA is a non-profit organization and we are not government funded, which means we rely exclusively on donations, patient billing and insurance reimbursements. I always assumed that it was our right to have an ambulance in our town, just like it was our right to have police and fire protection. This is not true. If the funding isn’t there, it is a real possibility that we could lose our community based service.

This means that our families would be served by an ambulance that is not in our town. Instead of COVA’s average 911 response time of under three minutes, and average on-scene time of less than 10 minutes we could be waiting for an out-of-town rig to travel 30-40 minutes. This is the difference between life and death. I cannot imagine the helplessness of making a 911 call for a loved one and having to wait that long for arrival.

Did you know COVA serves the Village of Albion, and Towns of Albion, Barre, Carlton and Gaines including the Villages Rehab Center and both correctional facilities.

With our expenses, it is estimated that it costs COVA about $400 every time the crew and rig go on a call. Our monitors cost almost $36,000, our stretchers are about $17,000 and with other essential lifesaving items on the rig, we are carrying an estimated $125,000 worth of equipment and supplies to serve our patients.

COVA must also budget for almost $700,000 in payroll for our paramedics (average wage is $18/hr, EMTs (average wage is $13/hr) and staff. Our EMS crew and staff is currently some of the lowest paid in the state and some of our office staff have chosen to go volunteer instead of taking from the much needed income. We also pay over $70,000 for insurance, $10,000 for utilities as well as numerous other expenses.

Our average call for an ALS(Advanced Life Support) patient charges $1,000 plus mileage and a BLS (Basic Life Support) patient charges $700 plus mileage. Medicare will only pay about 30% of that charge and Medicaid will only pay 19%. Regular health insurance only allows a certain percentage of that as well. Going back to the $400 cost to get the rig to the call….you can see that it is not easy to stay afloat.

We need your help.  We are planning to meet with the boards at the Village of Albion, and the Towns we serve and ask for financial help by entering into a service contract that would alleviate some of our expenses.

We have been given a formula that is used by other nearby ambulance companies who receive financial backing from their communities. We are hopeful that our community leaders will agree that COVA Ambulance is as important as our fire department and police department wich already receive financial backing.

Please join us in our efforts to keep your families serviced by our local COVA Ambulance. Write, email or phone your town and village board members voicing your support.

Donations may also be sent to COVA Ambulance, 239 South Main St., Albion NY 14411.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Stilwell

Albion

Editor:

Mr. Harker questioned my patriotism stating: “If only all Americans could feel the patriotism exhibited that day. Including you.”

I want to respond. I am a combat Vietnam veteran, I put my life on the line for my country. Has Mr. Harker ever heard the screaming of dying buddies on the battlefield, because I have? Has Mr. Harker ever held his dying lieutenant while the medic tries to save his life, because I have?

I’ll gladly compare my DD-214 with Mr. Harker’s any day of the week. Patriotism is much more than puffing out your chest and waving a flag parading down Main Street. It entails serving your country.

In terms of traditional American values. President Trump has lied about the coronavirus putting millions of American at risk. Lying is not a traditional American value. Congressman Chris Jacobs supports those lies. I support traditional American values like telling the truth. I urge voting against Chris Jacobs and President Trump. Thank you.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

My long overdue thanks to Albion Village Mayor Eileen Banker, staff, the Albion DPW and to anyone else who was involved in the glorious display of banners for our veterans.

I purchased a banner in the first group to be displayed, and when I travel past my father’s it not only gives me a jolt of pride for him but for the other veterans proudly on display.

These people gave so much and asked so little. Congratulations, Albion, we have done something positive!!

Carol Tibbits

Albion

Editor:

To Barre and surrounding community residents, as an elected Barre Town Board member, I believe that it is vital that you know about the proposed wind ordinance that is being proposed by our Town Board. Below are listed some, but not all, of the changes and lack of changes that impact residents’ health, safety and enjoyment of property:

• Setback distance remains as 1.5 times the tip height from any residential or commercial structure. The town law does not protect resident safety from increased noise, increased length of blades, increased turbine height and increased speed of rotation in new turbines.   Because this setback is not from the property line – like most setback requirements – it does not protect the property rights of neighboring properties.

• If a resident wants to subdivide their property or build another residential or commercial building on their property, they may not be allowed to due to the setback requirement set upon them because of this ordinance.

• This is one of the least restrictive setbacks in NY State. Many towns are establishing setbacks at a minimum of a half mile and many are adding restrictions of one mile or more from schools, churches and parks.

• The noise regulations do not meet the suggested standards of the New York State Department of Health in its letter to the Siting Board on March 2020. The noise standards do not use the most current World Health Organization standards released in 2018. The proposed town law will not protect the public from industrial turbine noise.

• There is no property value guarantee.

I proposed the following, which the rest of the Town Board chose not to include in the proposed wind ordinance changes:

• WECS Real Property Value Protection Plan: The WECS applicant shall assure the Town that there will be no loss in real property value within 2 miles of each wind turbine within their WEC units. To legally support this claim, the applicant shall consent in writing to a Real Property Value Protection Agreement as a condition of approval for the WEC unit. This agreement shall provide assurance to non-participating real property owners (i.e. those with no turbines on their property) near the WEC unit, that they have some protection from WEC-related real property values losses.

• Property value is high on the list of concerns of the residents in the Town survey, and has been brought up to the Town Board on several occasions.

• Local professionals in the real-estate business have expressed grave concerns about property value and previous residents have shared that they have moved out of the area due to the current proposed project.

• Property value has been deemed by the Siting Board to be outside the scope of Article 10, and so it is up to the Town Board to establish law to protect the property value.

• Increased maximum height 40% from 500 feet to 700 feet!

• Currently the tallest wind turbine on land in the US stands by itself and is 655 feet at the UL Advanced Wind Turbine Test Facility at West Texas A&M University.

• High Sheldon wind turbines in Wyoming County, NY are 389 feet tall.

If any or all of these issues are concerning to you, or if you have other concerns, please attend the public hearing on Sept. 30th at 6:30 p.m. in the Barre Highway Garage and express your concerns. Or write letters, emails, or make phone calls to your elected officials and share your concerns.

Kerri Richardson

Barre

Editor:

Again, the left finds Andrew Cuomo devoid of any responsibility for the ills of this state.

Bill Fine takes newly elected US Representative Chris Jacobs to task for food lines and infrastructure. Long food lines in our county have been the norm since Covid, and existed long before that. No mention of Cuomo. Chris Jacobs took his current office in July 2020 – two months ago. Prior to that he was a member of the Democrat-dominated and controlled (and dysfunctional) State Senate since late 2016.

Cuomo has been governor since 2011 – nine years and in state or federal government since 1993! This includes his “Cover Up Andy” years as NY Attorney General. Yet again, it’s the rookie representative’s and first term Trump’s fault that NY has been a quagmire of over taxation, over regulation, population loss, crime, and financial distress for decades.

Mr. Fine, I hope you looked out your window last Saturday as so many supporters of law enforcement and conservative-leaning patriots rode or drove by. I know you heard us!

That show of support for traditional American values caused great pride in those involved and all those supporters on the country roads and village streets. If only all Americans could feel the patriotism exhibited that day. Including you.

Bob Harker

Clarendon

Editor:

I just wanted to drop a line congratulating everyone involved with the ongoing renovation of the Bent’s Opera House in Medina.

The outside looks beautiful with the new paint job and the repairs done to the building. I am sure that the interior will be a thing of beauty and a source of pride to the community.

It is great to see the historical buildings undergoing renovations rather than be neglected, or worse yet, torn down.

Can’t wait to visit it after it is completed!

James Comden

Oak Brook, Illinois (former Orleans County resident)

Editor:

I would like to respond to a letter submitted on September 15th, 2020. First I would like to say; YES I went to college and received an undergraduate degree, YES I am currently in a MBA program, NO I have not undergone “progressive indoctrination” and NO I do not have a “fawning love for government,” as the writer claims.

I will not resort to defamation, personal attacks, and baseless claims in response. The writer and I agree on many political issues, this happens to be one we do not agree on.

I am fully aware of what the $0.01 increase in sales tax would amount to on larger purchases. I do not like it. I do not want to pay it. However, it is necessary given the current economic circumstances.

This increase will significantly reduce a county budget deficit. Additionally, revenue generated from this increase will not be “footed” by only Orleans County residents and taxpayers. People travel from out of the county to make purchases within the county, including large purchases, such as vehicles. This would reduce the fiscal impact county property owners could see because of a larger increase in property taxes. I am not arguing this is the perfect solution. There is no perfect solution. Instead, I am arguing this is the most practical and reasonable solution.

In an earlier letter I submitted, I acknowledged some employment cuts are inevitable and necessary.

Some county employees are already seeking employment in other industries and the private sector to avoid potential job loss. The principal argument of broad cuts to county government sounds good in terms of cutting government spending. However, it is impractical and inefficient.

The overwhelming majority of county positions are related to state mandated programs and public safety. Additionally, broad cuts to county government would be detrimental to the local economy during an already fragile economy.

The economy functions on supply and demand. Cutting hundreds of county jobs and transitioning to a part-time labor force would significantly affect the demand side of the economy. People would be out of work and unable to spend at the levels they typically do, causing a decrease in demand.

This impact would then result in negative implications for businesses within the county that rely on consumer spending to stay afloat. A reduction in consumer spending would result in reductions in revenue for local businesses, worsening the economic conditions and putting more jobs and businesses at risk.

Unfortunately, when the state requires programs, the county must provide them, whether the county wants to or not. The alternative is to tie hundreds of thousands of dollars up in litigation that could continue for many years, costing county taxpayers more money. The continuous fiscal failures are at the state level, under the failed leadership of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. New York State continues to mandate programs, cut funding to counties, and spend more at the state level. Unfortunately, the county is burdened with the added costs.

I do believe county leadership has handled this unprecedented time in a professional and effective manner. From my perspective, CAO Welch and other county leaders have been transparent with county employees and the public about the economic circumstances and potential solutions to the problems posed.

Covid has been a true test of leadership, and county leaders have stepped up, from the CAO to the legislature, Sheriff, department heads and other elected officials. This will be my last letter about this topic. I do not believe I am all-knowing. I simply wanted to provide my opinion. I hope we can all come together for the greater good of our community.

Respectfully,

James C. White

Village of Medina

Editor:

As a concerned alumnus, I have been diligently watching all of the Albion Central School District’s Board of Education (BoE) meetings in their entireties since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

And, I am disheartened to write that from my experience the Albion BoE is entirely dysfunctional. BoE members routinely talk over one another and over presenters, snide comments are made, and members are verbally “bullied” by other members. Don’t believe me? Just watch the tape for yourselves – ACSD YouTube Link.

Additionally, the BoE had a highly contentious relationship with former Superintendent Michael Bonnewell, which resulted in his early removal and the appointment of an interim replacement. Think about the costs associated with this – Mr. Bonnewell is still on the payroll.

Did you know that the District had $2.2 million of unused technology grant money that had been just sitting there until August 29, 2020? The Hub wrote an article about this in September 2019. Where were the Chromebooks last Spring when Medina and Lyndonville made them available to every student in grades 7-12? The pandemic requires our school leaders to act quickly in the best interest of the children they serve.

So, it has come as no surprise that on August 22, 2020, a now-unnamed BoE member called 911 to report three boys of color sitting on the entry wall to Hazard Parkway in the Village Albion. The Albion Police responded without incident, but these three young boys were undoubtedly racially profiled. To make matters worse, it has been alleged that the Board member referred to the three boys as “little punks” in their 911 call.

Let me be clear, the BoE member who profiled the three boys and who made the 911 call should resign from the BoE effective immediately. In our America, there should be no seat on the School Board for this member.

Respectfully submitted,

Andrew “Drew” Remley

Oakland, CA, formerly of Albion, NY

Editor:

Chris Jacobs held a press conference on Monday 9/14/20 to announce his plan to eliminate the Scaffold Law on federally funded projects, H.R. 8222 (Orleans Hub 9/15/20).

This sounds just like John Faso’s proposal on 9/21/17 H.R. 3808 to eliminate the Scaffold Law on federal projects. With Republican control of the House, the bill was defeated; Republicans would not support the legislation.

Let’s be clear this was a photo-op to make it look like Mr. Jacobs is doing something for infrastructure while knowing it will go nowhere. This is not a serious proposal. Meanwhile, unemployment in GLOW region is climbing (Orleans Hub 8/27/20) and there are long lines at food banks (Orleans Hub 9/11/20).

While the misery index climbs, Republicans refuse to act on massive unemployment and food insecurity. We need a leader in Washington not a subordinate sloganeer showboat.

Nate McMurray is the leader we need.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

We would like to thank all those who came out to support us in the Village of Medina election.

As you can see, Medina has grown over the past several years. We have seen growth in commerce, industry, and housing. Not one person did this, not one Board, and not one group. It was accomplished  by everyone working together as one.

As your Mayor and Board of Trustees we will continue to work hard for the betterment of our Village and continue to bring a quality of life to Medina that we all can be proud of.

We encourage everyone to participate in your government. Come see what is happening at a Village, Planning or Zoning Board Meeting. E-mail us your concerns and comments. We cannot solve problems that we do not know about.

Thank you again,

Mike Sidari, Mayor

Marguerite Sherman and Tim Elliott, Trustees

Medina

Editor:

Charles Hartway and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful residents in the Village of Medina who turned out to vote in Tuesday’s election.

We would especially like to thank those who supported us in our bids for Mayor and Trustee. Due to Covid-19 safety restrictions, we were not able to effectively campaign as we had hoped. In view of this, and the fact that we were write-in candidates running against three incumbents, we are extremely pleased with the outcome. This proves that, in spite of many obstacles, voters are eager to participate in the election process. Medina is a great place to live!

Thank you all very much,

Mary Hare

Medina

Editor:

In a recent letter about the proposal from the NYS Association of Counties for extra penny in the sales tax, the young man’s progressive indoctrination he got in college clearly shows in his fawning love for government.

So you’re saying that government should never have to change its spending practices while the citizens it fleeces have to tighten their belts and be forced to pay that extra penny? It’s not just one penny.

When you buy something for $100, it’s an extra 100 pennies. You buy a new car or truck for say $40,000 instead of $3,200 in tax you would be paying $3,600 in tax.

They can rob us by force and we are supposed to adjust our living standards so they can run their governments at full gold card status? I am well aware of the 50-50 split on the sales tax and the unfunded mandates. If the spineless bureaucrats at the Association of Counties and county leaders would all pan together and refuse to send Cuomo any money, they might be able to get a better deal on those unfunded mandates. Isn’t that what an association is supposed to be there for? If not, why belong to it?

That won’t happen because then they afraid the flow of money for projects and grants might not keep coming in. It would disrupt the status quo and the easy thing to do is steal a penny or threaten to raise taxes. So what is new there?

Our County Legislature raises taxes every year. Every year. When the people are struggling to live and put away money for taxes one has to always anticipate that the taxes will be more because the taxing entities never let you down when you get the tax bill. If they get that penny you realize it will never go away till they come for the next one. They are using the Democrat play book of never let a good crisis go to waste. This is the perfect time to do the money grab. Don’t think that they haven’t been thinking about this for years.

You would be surprised at how much government you would not even miss if it was gone. You really think this legislature has done a good job during this pandemic? Tell that to the businesses they allowed their health department to harass and eat out their substance. Complaints or not. It’s not knee jerk when someone is stealing from you to call it out. Taxation is theft. They work for us. They forget that and ignore it. They have to constantly be reminded. It’s bad enough we work 5 months out of the year to pay government to be incompetent. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing or should I say Democrats in Republican clothing. So I have to disagree.

Working for the government is no guarantee of a lifelong job. When the private sector has to make cuts to keep going the government should as well. The taxpayers should not be responsible for the ever growing governmental complex that this Legislature created over the  years.

I say you never let this door to be opened. Ordinary citizens will pay more at the grocery store, the department store, at the car dealer, everywhere you spend. You JQ citizen will have less of your hard-earned dollars. I say no penny. We can’t afford it. You at the government, you do with less. People are leaving the state because of high taxes and regulations and the geniuses come up with stealing and raising taxing as the solution. What’s insane is there are actually people who think it is a good idea. The whole world is upside down.

Paul Lauricella

Yates