Editor:

In response to Town Supervisor Joseph Grube, I would like to thank him for making sure that the Zoning Ordinance is back up on the Town Website. I would also like to point out to him that the 2012 minutes were always on the previous website.  The entire board at that time had access to the website and I did read them both in hard copy and on line.

I am confident that the ZBA will be very professional and vigilant in their process of reviewing the Dollar General application. Thank you for your kind response.

Sincerely,

Sue Smith

Gaines

Editor:

My name is Joseph Gangi Jr, not Sr. as was written in the article on the Hub about the September 13^th Primary in Gaines, NY. Since it was put out there, yes, the Republican Nominating Committee did endorse my opponent. Now, it doesn’t really matter who received the endorsement because the winner of the Primary on September 13th will be the Republican candidate for the Town of Gaines Councilperson seat in the General Election this November 2018.

This is in the hands of Gaines residents now and no one else. Remember, this is not an election about us against them or me against you, this election is about you, our town, and all of us.

Our elected officials should be concerned about all the residents of Gaines, not just a handful. We all live in this community together.

If you want an objective voice as a member of the Gaines Town Board, Vote Gangi for Gaines.

If you want someone who will be here and is in it for the long haul, Vote Gangi For Gaines.

If you want someone with no hidden agenda, a free thinker who has the best interest of our whole community, Vote Gangi For Gaines.

If you want someone who will be accessible to listen to some of your concerns, Vote Gangi for Gaines.

It is imperative that Gaines residents let their voices be heard. Come out and vote on September 13th in the Republican Primary. Do not vote for me because we’re friends, vote for me because you believe in my message for our town. I will not lie to you and say “I have all the answers” because I don’t – no one does. But what I do have is the sense to do what’s right.

I know I have a lot to learn and I’m willing to take the time to do so. I also know you can never please everyone, sometimes, as hard as they are, tough decisions have to be made.

Now, take a good look at the letters of our town, Gaines, you will see that the letters of my name “Gangi” are in our town’s name – Gaines – so you see, Gangi really is for Gaines.

We will talk again soon, thank you and God bless you,

Joe Gangi, Jr.

Gaines

Editor:

As Town Supervisor, I’d like to respond to the July 20th letter of Susan Smith. Firstly, thank you Susan for reminding me to put the zoning ordinance on the new Town Website! As we transitioned to this great new design and resource, I failed to realize the zoning ordinance wasn’t on the previous website. You see, when it was built, everything that existed previously was moved over to the new version.

You’ll also find that we’ve placed all the minutes from 2012 on the website. This is the year the last changes were made to the zoning ordinance. Up until a few weeks ago, the minutes outlining the elimination of the Gaines Planning Board and other zoning actions taken in that year were missing from the old website. Those are now available for everyone to read.

As an update related to Dollar General, you can review the minutes of the previous meetings and learn that the Town has engaged with our engineering firm, Chatfield Engineers (now a part of MRB Group), to advise the town on the actions to take and to ensure all applicable laws, rules, and regulations are being met. This is being done at no cost to the town, since the developer involved in this project has provided the town with funds to hold in escrow for the costs of the site plan review.

We’ve also added the information that I have been provided thus far regarding the Dollar General project to the website on our “Announcements and Information” page. That is located on the website under the “Announcements” link. As more information is provided to me, I’ll add it to the website in the same place.

Lastly, I’d like to make sure it is clear to everyone that the Gaines Zoning Board of Appeals is responsible for the review of the proposed Dollar General. There are very specific processes they must follow, and I have every reason to believe they will be diligent in their duties as they work through that review process. I would encourage anyone who has an interest in the project to attend the Zoning Board meetings, ask questions, and stay informed. The Town Board and I will do all we can to make sure the information gathered is available in a timely manner on the website.

Thank you,

Joseph Grube

Town Supervisor

Town of Gaines

Editor:

Misinformation or putting the “cart before the horse” seems to be the new way of thinking in the Town of Gaines, especially concerning the proposed Dollar General store.

I would strongly suggest to anyone that is concerned to please read the zoning ordinances section 525 “Permissible Special Uses” citing Convenience Stores on page 24 added in 2002 by local law as a permissible use; and section 401) CH Commercial/Historic District, which has remained un-changed since 2002. Please note that you will have to FOIL this, seeing the Town Board has not included the Zoning Ordinances on their new website even though it was posted on the old website. It may also be beneficial to foil 2002 minutes from the “Planning Board” and “Town Board” to gather a better understanding of the former policy makers who have become some of today’s biggest naysayers.

Please do your own homework before you make presumptions on anything in your town.  There is a lot of misinformation out there.

Sincerely,

Sue Smith

Gaines

Editor:

With the untimely passing of our respected friend and councilman Ed Bower, Murray is faced with an unforeseen election. The town board may appoint someone to fill the vacant seat, but only until the next election which is in November.

I have submitted petitions to run for election to this seat to work with the board and our newly elected Supervisor towards continued improvement for our Town.

I’m no stranger to politics. When the absentee ballots were read in the Murray 2017 supervisor election, we came up short by 6 votes in the largest voter turnout in memory. I congratulated my opponent and offered to help in any way for the betterment of our community. He appreciated that and said he would work to earn our respect.

Throughout the 2017 campaign I spoke of the difficulties of bringing about change when the status quo has been unchallenged for decades. The campaign for change was difficult, but when the dust settled, the community had made significant progress.

• Our town tax rate remained flat.

• The mysterious four-year ongoing water leak on Ridge Road ended.

• The water department enacted new policies for bulk water users connecting to hydrants.

• The double dipping health care stipends ended.

• Elected officials are being held accountable.

Our work is not finished. Water district users are still being over taxed for their bond repayments. Water operation and maintenance costs are not spread evenly to all users. This system is not sustainable, is grossly unfair, and must be fixed.

That’s detail stuff. The big picture? The Town of Murray is poised for bigger and better things, but so long as power remains concentrated in the hands of the few who profit from the status quo, we simply won’t reach our potential.

We all have a voice that needs to be heard. Our future should not be determined by a small group in a back room. By working together, we can build the future that is meant for all of us.

Joe Sidonio

Murray

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Editor:

Andrew Cuomo continues to waste state resources on litigation which is frivolous at best. A Federal judge today tossed New York’s lawsuit which blamed climate change on five major oil companies. Cuomo can join his friends form California which had a similar suit tossed last week.

Both states have also filed suit regarding the recent tax law changes attempting to reverse federal tax legislation as discriminatory. These states only have themselves to blame for their wasteful spending which have created their fiscal mess.

Edward Urbanik

Lyndonville

Editor:

Thank you Bob Golden for your letter to the Editor on July 13, 2018.  I do not know you and am not familiar with the Social Justice Committee at Holy Family Parish. However, I am the daughter of an immigrant who was fleeing Nazi Germany.

My father’s family was not Jewish but young German boys were forced to join the Nazi Youth Group if they stayed in Germany. He was about 19 years old when he came to America.   Luckily, my father and other family members were welcomed to America via Ellis Island with the Statue of Liberty standing tall.

The anti-Jewish, anti-German sentiment starting to spread through America had not reached its fever pitch yet. I would not exist today to write this letter had his ship been turned around at the New York Harbor.

My father did not speak much if any English. He had little money and only an 8th grade education. My father worked at low-income labor jobs throughout most of his life. I have a copy of his citizenship papers. He married an American girl. His son, my brother, and I both excelled in public school and college. We turned out to be hard workers, never in trouble with the law, and productive American citizens.

My story has been replicated millions of times for America has been and should always be a “nation of immigrants.” I find in Mr. Golden’s letter a lot of effort to research actuality and not just blurt out “fears” and “assumptions.” Mr. Golden also exhibits common sense and compassion. Mr. Golden comprehends the true meaning of America and American values.

Thank you, Mr. Golden for taking the time to express your views publicly.

Elizabeth Storch

Middleport

Editor:

Kudos to Crosby’s who is now selling gasoline without ethanol at their store at Orchard Street and North Main Street in Albion, just north of the canal.

Ethanol-free gas is best for small gas engines and may be necessary for some of them, especially on older equipment. Ethanol-free gas is easier to store for the long term, so that it makes equipment that is not frequently used (like a standalone generator) more reliable in operation. In some situations, ethanol-free gas makes for easier starting, especially in cold weather.

I’m glad to see this available locally. I had been travelling to Batavia to get it. Thank you!

Gary Katsanis

Albion

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Editor:

First, allow me these three asides:

This summer might be the perfect one for getting into providing water for “your” birds.  Once begun, changing the water in a bird bath should be a daily ritual.

Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina may not know the Constitution as well as he thinks he does. During the farcical interrogation of Peter Strzok, Gowdy spoke of impeachment as though he was confusing “indictment” by the House of Representatives with conviction by the United States Senate.

Wouldn’t it be special if the Orleans County Legislature helped the Towns of Barre and Yates with the costs of their efforts to navigate the specter of 600-foot-high wind turbines being erected in otherwise pristine wooded areas of each as Niagara County Legislators have done for Somerset?

When Iowa governor Robert Ray died earlier this week at age 89, the nation gave up another shining example of the decency that defines who we are as a people. As governor, Ray welcomed Southeast Asian refugees at a time when many others refused.

Governor Ray had much in common with politicians such as John McCain (the guy the Trumpster thought was only a hero because he got captured), Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, Charley Dent and our 16th President.

Among other noteworthy red staters was Senator Bob Dole. Dole nagged Mr. Clinton until he took a stand against the thugs who often hid behind a veil of sanctimonious religion to systematically subject Bosnian Muslim families to the unspeakable (make Hitler proud) horrors visited upon them by “don’t confuse me with the facts” nitwits like Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic. At his trial at The Hague, one of them insisted he was innocent of war crimes because he didn’t actually execute anyone. He just gave the orders that resulted in the slaughter of thousands.

But choreographed executions were major improvements over the far more imaginative, depraved acts of horrific barbarity done in the interests of the ethnic /religious purity some seem to so prize.

Ray and Dole had an arguably better understanding of what the United States of America is all about than many of their contemporaries.

While it is safe to say that this writer will never have an (R) beside his name, the people alluded to above (unlike many of today’s enablers) would help make it possible for me to be proud to call myself one.

Regards,

Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

Some unwarranted criticism has been levelled against Somerset Supervisor Dan Engert for his claim that 70 percent of residents oppose the installation of industrial wind turbines in our community and are thus opposed to Lighthouse Wind.

Supervisor Engert is entirely correct, as not one, but three independent surveys have shown this to be the case. The high response rate to these surveys, over 60 percent participation, is the justification. If you care to ignore the statistical justification for this, as some are doing, there is other irrefutable evidence that supports the claim.

Consider the NYSDPS Lighthouse Wind website where over 1,000 entries oppose the project.

Consider the 30 organizations that are on record with significant concerns about the project or totally oppose it.

Consider the Save Ontario Shores organization and their hundreds of active supporters.

Consider the Power Coalition group of 12 organizations in opposition to the project.

Consider the numerous ordnances written in the Townships of Yates and Somerset with overwhelming public support that protect our Towns against the industrialization that project will bring.

Consider the numerous Town Board meetings over the past four years, most recently in the past week where those opposing the project have vastly outnumbered supporters.

Consider the political landscape, where through two election cycles, town board candidates in opposition to Lighthouse Wind in both Yates and Somerset have run unopposed or handily won. Supervisor Simon of Yates, a solid opponent of Lighthouse Wind, was elected to his original position on a write-in ballot. Quite a feat!

Those who question the overwhelming public opposition to Lighthouse Wind are in deep denial. There may be 10,000 or more acres under lease but acres do not vote, people vote, and they have spoken loudly and clearly that Lighthouse Wind is the wrong project in the wrong place. We do not want our quiet lakeshore community industrialized. The risks are too great. The benefits are nil.

The project must be cancelled.

James C. Hoffman

Somerset

Editor:

This is one of the most despicable moments in our history. The President of the United States has publically chosen to side with a foreign government over the work of the men and women of our intelligence agencies.

I grew up in the era of Ronald Reagan. I remember Reagan standing up to Gorbachev and demanding, “tear down this wall!” He did this with strength, not weakness. He fought for American values on the world stage because they were also human values. Humane values. We have seen nothing but weakness from this president.

It’s clear now that the pre-eminence of Western Democracy is in jeopardy. The threat is coming from inside our country. Every citizen has a responsibility to stand up and say that this is wrong. The alarm bell has to be rung: we have to defend Democracy. We have to be outspoken today. We have to vote in November.

Nate McMurray

Grand Island

(McMurray is the Democratic Party candidate for Congress in the 27^th District.)

Editor:

We urge you to read the July 2018 Western New York Catholic with four articles on immigration: Bishop Malone’s “Let’s Build Bridges, Not Walls,” “Catholic Leaders Condemn Zero Tolerance” and two columns.

When President Trump first took office, he said, regarding the “undocumented,” it doesn’t make sense to deport successful, productive people.

Regarding refugees, thanks to President Trump for stopping his administration’s odious process of separating, even infant children from their parents and siblings and imprisoning them without contact.

But that’s just the beginning of needs that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops have asked our government to address:

We’re still faced with these unjust and/or inhumane actions:

1. Imprisoning refugee children and parents “indefinitely.” According to Time magazine, they secured a memo that the Attorney General and HHS are considering using a Super Fund toxic-contaminated former army base, with “austere” conditions.

2. Denying asylum to women fleeing domestic violence.

3. The attorney general is still calling for “zero tolerance” regarding the “undocumented.” That creates the prospect of separating a million-plus children and families.

4. Deporting persons (DACA eligible), who came here as children through no fault of their own, and have prospered and contributed, many now with wives and children.

5. Deporting anyone who came to the US to work since 1986 until recently (and we allowed employers to hire “undocumented,” although it was against the law), and did work and contribute, who’ve educated themselves, who’ve served in the US Military, who are caretakers for children and elderly, who are victims of and witnesses to crime, and not serious criminals nor discernible security threats. (Protected up till recently by Prosecutorial Discretion.)

6. Depriving farmers of productive, non-criminal workers. (Being “undocumented” is not a crime, where hiring them is.) We’ve allowed this for so long, particularly from 1986 to 2003, to enforce the law harshly now would be both unjust and economically foolish.

It seems the President has taken some poor advice or appointed the wrong people.

As Catholics we should urge the President to allow more refugees (as we’ve done in the past) and follow his initial thoughts on “undocumented” farmworkers and other such workers. We should likewise urge Congress to finally approve a bi-partisan bill, that takes into consideration the justice and Christian principles that the Bishops and other religious and civic leaders and organizations have advised since 2003.

We realize the President has expressed concern over criminality of the “undocumented.” The reality is that immigrants are no more likely to commit crime that any other population group, and victim studies verify that.  Even with respect to “street crime,” they’re likely less prone, than American citizens, who find themselves in difficult circumstances.

Bob Golden and the Holy Family Social Justice Committee

Albion

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Editor:

This letter is for Mr. Capurso and any other left wing extremist who I gladly offend. Mr. Capurso’s uneducated response to my recent letter on July 2 was a result of his exposure to fake news from CBS, NBC, CNBC, CNN, late night talk show hosts, the entire Democrat Party and many others foaming at the mouth with vitriol and hatred for Conservatives, the Supreme Court and President Trump that happens to be beating the pants off of this twisted ideology. Leftists are losing at every turn and are about to be swept away with a big “Red Wave” this November.

Mr. Capurso, those that are sneaking across our border with children, they are coming here with lots of money? They are paying their own way? Or are the taxpayers now responsible for their welfare? I’m am sure for a fact that your grandfather worked very hard and that your grandmother stayed home, kept the house and raised the children, but doesn’t that conflict with the radical feminist views of woman in your party today?

Mr. Capurso, you mention morality. You are a member of a party that demands the taking of human unborn life by mere choice at all trimesters. You also by supporting illegal entry to this country condone human trafficking, rape, child sex, murder, drug smuggling, gang violence and all the degradation that come with it.

You support taking away the self worth and dignity of a human by training today’s youth that the government trough is where you feed – by destroying generations of humans with Johnson’s new deal. Please Mr. Capurso don’t talk to me about morality when you are a proud Democrat.

So when you’re confronted with the truth and that brick wall comes up over common sense – and the words Christian values, charity, benevolence, children, mercy and compassion – start to remember you belong to a party that fights for, condones and is its number 1 issue since Roe vs. Wade is the murder by choice of 60,069,971 Americans and non-Americans on our soil in the womb. That’s more than Hitler, Stalin and Mao combined.

Trump will appoint another Antonin Scalia to the Supreme Court very soon. Trump equals America winning! Build the wall. No watered down weak bills. Congressman Collins, are you listening? I hope so.

Paul Lauricella

Lyndonville

Editor:

We, the undersigned Municipal Historians of Orleans County, are profoundly disappointed with the disregard the Gaines Zoning Board of Appeals has shown for the only National Historic Landmark in Orleans County by entertaining the possibility of building a Dollar General across the road from the Gaines District No. 5 Cobblestone Schoolhouse in Childs.

The Cobblestone Society stands as a stalwart supporter of historic preservation and derives much of its authenticity from the nature of the surrounding community. The three buildings that constitute this significant landmark demonstrate a unique method of construction developed and perfected between 1825 and 1860.

In 1993, the Secretary of the Interior designated the Cobblestone Historic District as one of just over 2,500 National Historic Landmarks in the United States. It is imperative that the integrity of this district and designation remain intact. Regardless of what type of faux finish is used for the facade, the new structure will be inauthentic, and will destroy the tenor of the neighborhood.

We respectfully request that the Town of Gaines protect what is both a local and national treasure and reject the proposal.

Thank You,

Matthew R. Ballard, Orleans County Historian

Adrienne Kirby, Gaines Town Historian

Adrienne Daniels, Barre Town Historian

Lysbeth Hoffman, Carlton Town Historian

Melissa Ierlan, Clarendon Town Historian

Marsha DeFilipps, Holley Village Historian, Murray Town Historian

Alice Zacher, Shelby Town Historian

Dawn Metty, Yates Town Historian

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Editor:

The Lyndonville Lions Club held its 44th Annual Independence Day Celebration on Wednesday, July 4th. The fireworks display, which culminated the festivities, has become one of the largest shows in all of Western New York.

This fireworks display is by far the greatest expense for the Lions Club on this day. It is only due to the response and support of area businesses, organizations and the general public that a show of this magnitude is possible. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to each of the over 50 businesses and organizations that made donations toward this year’s show.

In addition, thanks to all those people who gave donations, who bought raffle tickets, who placed money in our Independence Day Firecracker Cans and who dropped money in the firecracker barrels along the parade route.

Again, without the tremendous community-minded support of each and every one of you, a display such as this would not be possible. With your continued support, I hope that displays like this may continue for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Wes Bradley

Lyndonville Lions Club

Fireworks Fundraising Chairman