Editor:

Reading Mr. Riggi’s recent Letter to the Editor reminds me of the importance to verify what you hear and read. We all must dig deeper for information and fact check often!

This is highlighted by Mr. Riggi’s inaccurate statements regarding noise levels. He says tractors and lawnmowers have a decibel level of 45; this is false.  I came upon this conclusion by talking with local farmers and researching credible online sources. After this research, I found that the decibel range of tractors and lawn mowers is closer to 90 dBa. He is off by 200 percent!

I encourage you to conduct your own research and fact check. Wind energy is one of the safest energy generation forms today. In 2016, the wind generated avoided the equivalent emissions of 33.7 million cars. It’s creating cleaner air and that means less adverse health effects from air pollution, like asthma and respiratory issues.

Linda Fisk

Lyndonville

This deer has become popular at Point Breeze, taking food from residents and allowing the public to pet it. Here it is pictured walking on a dock at one of the marinas.

Editor:

I read with great interest about the yearling buck that has been hanging around the Point Breeze area following people, begging for food, allowing people (even children) to pet it and walking out on the cement pier.

This is very disturbing to me as with all the reporting on this deer not once has the tick problem that exists with the deer tick and Lyme disease been mentioned. This disease is very serious and if not identified early can lead to life crippling issues. The disease is carried by the deer tick which is very small as compared to the dog tick and can be difficult to notice until it is too late. And yes we have it in Orleans County and if you check with the Medina Veterinary Clinic there has been a lot of cases of it with pets this summer.

Anyone who spends time out side around vegetation (birders, hikers, bank fishermen, nature photographers, farmers, hunters and etc.) need to be aware of this problem. These ticks can even exist in your back yard if deer frequent that area. Checking yourself out for ticks, using tick repellent on pants and blousing pant cuffs are good defenses against having a problem with these ticks.

If you find a tick attached to you the damage may have already been done and you need to visit your doctor. Usually a “bulls eye” rash will develop where the tick had attached himself but this is not always true.

How the tick is removed after it has attached itself to you is also important. The head, which is the part that will carry the disease, can easily be broken off and left embedded in the skin which will still transfer the disease. One method for removal that is advised is to use a pair of tweezers to gently pull the tick out of the skin without breaking the head off put this can be tricky. A better way is to put liquid soap on a cotton ball and hold it on the tick and skin for about 30 seconds, the tick will let go and be tangled in the cotton ball.

Unfortunately this deer at Point Breeze has obviously been illegally raised by someone since it was a fawn and is so imprinted on people that it will need to be removed from the area. Folks don’t realize how powerful or quickly a deer can turn dangerous with those sharp hooves.

The other thing that is unbelievable to me is that the head of the wildlife department in the DEC office at Avon did not mention this Lyme disease problem when interviewed and stated that it was a doe when it is quite obvious is a button buck.

He is a year old now and will have sharp little spikes that can be very dangerous come September when they harden and mating season kicks in in October.

Wild animals, even when they seem to be tame, are still wild and can turn nasty at a drop of a hat and people need to realize it is not Disney World out there.

Douglas H. Domedion

Outdoor Columnist for the Lake Country Pennysaver

Editor:

Twenty years ago I often asked my classes to reflect on how monkeys differed from people. The simplistic point I hoped would be thought provoking was that monkeys tend to imitate, whereas people—ideally—tend to differentiate between that which is worthy of imitation and that which is not.

Being more thoughtful than monkeys, one might hope people would not do what is dumb merely because they were aware that someone else had set a precedent for “dumb”.

When a person disrespects another based on anything superficial, it should not matter who has done the disrespecting. If an unemployed person, a junior high student, a U.S. Senator, a criminal, or a corporate C.E.O. mocks another person for their occupation, religion, race, social station, or whatever, it shouldn’t matter who has behaved badly. Bad behavior is bad behavior, and there is no excuse for imitating it the way a monkey arguably might.

When confronted by ignorant intolerance, we can imitate, or resolve to respond more thoughtfully and become determined to treat all targets of unreasoned disrespect more respectfully than we may have in the past.

This is possible even if we have always tried to treat people respectfully regardless of inconsequential differences such as the uniforms they may wear at work, the color of their skin, their accents, what they call the buildings they may worship in, or something else.

How we respond to bad behavior is a measure of our humanity.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

In a recent letter to the editor, statements were made regarding items from a Town of Barre board meeting that need some clarification.

Solar energy installations intended for private use require only a proper building permit.  The Town has no interest in receiving any revenue from private installations. However, if a large commercial installation were proposed and constructed, it would be treated like any other commercial project such as wind farms, cell towers and the like.  The Town regularly receives fees from commercial installations in the Town e.g., National Grid.

Water meters belong to the customer and, as such, are the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain them. If the meter becomes inoperable or is damaged, the homeowner will need to replace it at their cost.

The Town received additional CHIPS funding in the amount of $64,454.  Any money received from the State of New York as CHIPS funds must be spent on road repair and cannot be used to offset any taxes. CHIPS funding accounts for the lion’s share of road repair funding in all towns of Orleans County. The State of New York requires towns to validate that CHIPS funds are spent on road repair

Respectfully

Mark Chamberlain

Supervisor, Barre

Photo by Tom Rivers: Young Explosives sends off fireworks on July 4 in a show that lasted about 40 minutes.

Editor:

The Lyndonville Lions Club held its 43rd Annual Independence Day Celebration on Tuesday, 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 the greatest expense by far 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 nearly 50 businesses and organizations that made donations toward this year’s show. In addition, thanks to all those people 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

Editor:

I’m now retired and worked for Orleans County for 30 years. I’ve been reading a little bit about the divestment plan, and I think it is terrible.

And the people in charge of managing our pension fund agree. Comptroller DiNapoli and others in the Comptroller’s office have publicly stood up against this plan. DiNapoli and others believe that this plan will mean billions in losses. You don’t have to be an expert to understand that a plan that is expected to lose billions is a bad one.

Why is this a bad idea? On paper it doesn’t sound bad, the idea is pensions would be required to pull all investments from any fossil fuel related company. But, this would require a lot of money to be moved (billions), and forcing this change will result in a pension portfolio that is less diversified and more dependent on riskier and lower-yielding investments. I’ve never been one to play the stock market, but I can tell you, that kind of move is not smart.

Having worked for Orleans County for 30 years, I’ve seen plenty of good ideas and some bad ones.  But this one, is one of the worst. I am going to be stuck footing the bill for this bad idea, either through tax hikes or spending cuts. For someone who’s on a fixed income, like me, this bad plan will have real consequences. New York can’t afford this plan, and neither can I.

Deb Sherk

Medina

Editor:

Beware at the Town of Barre’s work meeting on June 7 another zoning law was to be proposed at the town meeting on June 14. If you want solar energy, for your own use – no tax to the town. However, if you want to sell the energy, then a tax must be paid to the town.

Why can farmers sell their farm products without a tax to the town? Why should this be any different? You already pay taxes on your property. Don’t we already have enough taxes and laws?

I spoke against this tax!!!!

At a recent work meeting, some of your board members were taking on trying to make every home owner buy a water meter and charge for repair or if they break make you buy another or pay for repairs.

I spoke against this tax!!!!

We already pay the highest water cost, $5.00 per 1,000 gallons, plus we have a $15.00 maintenance fee.

We were just awarded $64,454 from the state – for the highway department. Why is this money not being adjusted off the property tax or placed in a special project fund to better our community in case of problem down the line, with a road or other town problem expense – instead of raising taxes down the line, when a problem arises? We should maintain back up fund with a cap and cut taxes whenever possible.

It is time to stop this type of government where five people can just tax and place fees on us without our input!

Robin Nacca

Town of Barre supervisor candidate

Editor:

What does Apex Clean Energy really care about your health?  Read on…

APEX Clean Energy attended the Clay County Iowa Supervisor’s Meeting on Tuesday, May 10^th in order to discuss concerns raised regarding the Upland Prairie Wind Project currently proposed for Clay and Dickinson Counties in Iowa.  Presenting to the Board of Supervisors was Mr. Christopher Ollson, PhD, Senior Environmental Health Scientist at Ollson Environmental Health Management.

Mr. Ollson, you may remember, is the person that presented the following position in a 2011 peer-reviewed paper published in the Environmental Health Journal:

“Conducting further research into the effects of wind turbines (and environmental change) on human health, emotional and physical, as well as the effect of public consultation with community groups in reducing preconstruction anxiety, is warranted. Such an undertaking should be initiated prior to public announcement of a project, and could involve baseline community health and attitude surveys …”.

The importance of effects on human health and the need for public consultation prior to the announcement of a project are common-sense goals that all can support.  However, this is the same Mr. Ollson that stated the following regarding health studies, as a paid consultant of Apex, in a meeting with the Niagara County Board of Health in December of 2015:

“The company doesn’t have to do such a study and if people are concerned, they should see their local physician.”

Mr. Ollson, in 2011, as much as requires baseline health studies, prior to the announcement of a project, but just a couple of years later turns 180 degrees and declares; “never mind”.

He further indicated that the Clay County Board of Supervisors must consider the State of Iowa’s experience, as a whole, before making a decision on the project.  The unstated, but clear intent is that Upland Prairie Wind Project should be considered regardless of their own constituent’s local wishes.  Sound familiar?  Mr. Ollson and APEX have learned from New York’s own Article 10 process that they can by-pass localities and go right to the State for project approvals because New York State requires its constituents to subjugate local needs to a state-determined ‘greater good’.  As such, those most impacted by industrial wind turbine emplacement projects don’t count when compared with the whole of New York, where localities have lost the right to self-govern.

During the meeting, a petition was presented to the Clay County Board of Supervisors supporting Apex’s Upland Prairie Wind Project, and Apex indicated signing almost 100 signatures from the citizens in the area. By contrast Apex is trying to do the same in Yates and Somerset as they’re trying to do in Iowa.  That is, convince local governments that massive support exists, when really, only 54 leaseholders (some who do not even live in Yates or Somerset) and a handful of others actually support the project.

Mr. Ollson then told the assembled Board of Supervisors that a good noise level for their constituents would be 45 decibels. Considering that a jet engine in takeoff mode produces 105 decibels, the suggested 45 decibel maximum is synonymous with the noise produced by a lawnmower or tractor – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  That level of noise is not quiet or even healthy for anyone living with this constant level of noise.

In closing, we must remember that Apex is a business that believes Governor Cuomo and the State are on their side.  As such, they will say and do anything to get their way.  Therefore, Governor Cuomo and the State Siting Board must support the Towns of Yates and Somerset in their opposition to the Lighthouse Wind Industrial Wind Turbine Emplacement Project.

Governor Cuomo are you listening?!

More to come.

John B. Riggi

Councilman, Town of Yates

Editor:

Frontier Stone says there is a great need for more limestone in Orleans County. So they want to create two 250-acre holes in the ground next to the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (Swallow Hollow).

However, it has been shown we have ample existing stone quarries to satisfy future needs. Another quarry would literally undermine the existing ones, hurting their bottom lines and causing a loss in local jobs. Keep in mind, Frontier Stone typically does not hire locally.

The DEC is not the failsafe protector of our environment we hope them to be. DEC regulations, in many instances, actually allow for a deterioration in wildlife habitat – very true in this case.

The DEC permit to allow this quarry is based on the notion that Frontier Stone would attempt to “mitigate to the best of their abilities, any negative impacts”.

And what would those impacts be? Blasting out hunks of limestone will reverberate throughout the wildlife refuge. Nesting birds such as eagles, ospreys, hawks, etc., would be disrupted.

Migrating Canada geese would avoid the sanctuary and suffer. Clouds of limestone dust would drift over the entire area as the wind takes it, clogging vital ecosystems. Waste water being pumped out of the mining holes will pollute ground water and tributaries of the Oak Orchard River system. The level of groundwater, so vital to the maintenance of the refuge, will drop, destroying critical habitat for decades.

What will we gain? You and I will gain nothing. A landowner adjacent to the refuge who sells to Frontier Stone will reap thousands. Frontier Stone will reap billions over a 75-year period. Their lawyers and “experts” will be paid. The 250-acre holes will fill with water. But don’t buy their story that this will be a recreation area. Their other water-filled quarries are deemed too dangerous and are off limits to the public.

So, when folks talk about jobs, needed industry and progress, use your common sense and say NO to this quarry.

Thank you.

Al Capurso

Gaines

(Capurso is a candidate for an at-large position on the Orleans County Legislature.)

Editor:

I am relieved to hear that Judge Bannister has ruled in favor of the Holley Fire Department in the matter of the Squirrel Slam, in spite of an ever increasing phalanx of lawyers imported from the New York City firm of Winston and Strawn.

I was becoming concerned that so many attorneys had migrated from NYC to Orleans County to defend the furry little creatures that the pigeons of Gotham would be left without adequate counsel.

Winston and Strawn, to look on the bright side, will probably need to perform no more pro bono work for decades. Should they find the need, however, I have noticed a decline in the population of groundhogs on my property, surely caused by the presence of a certain Australian Shepard.  She will be happy to defend herself – in or out of the courtroom – against any number of lawyers.

Charles Lind

Medina

Photos by Tom Rivers: Santa Claus heads down Main Street on a 1936 Ford truck during the Strawberry Festival Parade.

Editor:

We wish to thank all those who helped us with our participation in the Strawberry Festival.  Special thanks to Dan Parker for again letting us take advantage of his 1936 Ford truck.  Circumstances were not favorable, but he came through and carried Santa and his sleigh like the community minded person he is.

Brenda Mufford and Frank Strasburger contributed by lending us—and driving—Brenda’s very sweet and slightly hot ’71 Chevelle, which transported Parade Grand Marshal, Jane Holland, in style.  Of course, the fact that Brenda drove made extensive street repairs unnecessary once the parade ended.

Special thanks and appreciation to Jacquess and Eugene Harrison, who—along with Kaleigh Albanese—led the procession with a banner identifying Jane Holland as parade marshal.

We owe Jane—Charlie Howard’s granddaughter—all sorts of gratitude for making this year’s parade unusually memorable.  And, of course, what would the event have been without Santa?  Keep in mind that he is busy even at this time of the year.

Albion Central and Mr. Simboli were generous enough to allow us use of the drama department’s appropriately regal chair, making it possible for Santa to greet his fans in a manner befitting his extraordinary approval ratings.

Bruce Landis loaned us a backdrop for the canopy Brooke Albanese once again made available, just in case some parents wished to get some photos of their children and Santa dressed in his summer attire.

Of course, Santa always feels more comfortable riding in a sleigh. Thanks to the generosity of Jim and Linda Babcock, the parade reminded some of a longer journey Santa embarks on toward the end of the year.

Those we overlooked and everyone who helped should feel they contributed to a great event.

Sincerely yours,

Albion Betterment Committee Co-directors

Gary Derwick, Joe Gehl and Gary Kent

Jacquess and Eugene Harrison carry a banner identifying Jane Holland as parade marshal. Kaleigh Albanese also helped lead the procession for Holland, who is Charles W. Howard’s granddaughter.

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Editor:

I just wanted to tell the Strawberry Festival Committee what a awesome job I think they did. I know there is a lot of time and effort that goes into the planning of it and thank you for your commitment.

Sunday morning I drove by the courthouse and down Main Street and Bank Street and was so very impressed how clean it was. Not a single piece of litter. You get a A+! Thanks again.

Donna Wolcott

Albion

Editor:

This is the first of a two-part personal perspective on Orleans County’s assets. Assets are things that have value and are advantageous to those who possess them. Reflected upon, this assessment may be troubling for those who want what is best for our community.

Several years ago, the Ulster County Office for the Aging Director, Ann Cardinale, called me to learn more about the Albion Betterment Committee’s senior gas pumping service. Her idea was to get it going in Ulster.  A bit of our background followed.

“How much do you pay your volunteers?” was one of her early questions. As everyone reading this might, I did my best to respond seriously to what really was a shocking question. When I said they were volunteers and we don’t pay them, she actually said, “Oh, go on”.

“Where do they get the money for the rebates?” was her next question. In retrospect, I am sure it may have sounded flippant, but I told her, “They get it out of their pockets”.  Incredulous, she told me, “I don’t believe you”.

My guess is that hundreds of Orleans volunteers would not find our conversation so shocking. Orleans County is “different”, and that can be a plus.

At the end of our conversation, the director said, “You have a very caring community”.

We do, but it is being subverted, even though it should not be allowed to wither and die. Neither should it be disregarded, nor given away or sold. And neither should our collective assets. I guess no-one intends to sell—or give away—assets such as our public schools and libraries the way we did our County Nursing Home. But there is too much indifference to the future of our only hospital and our extraordinary volunteer fire companies. We are either squandering—or failing to capitalize on—others as well.

Any attempt to enumerate the extent of Orleans County volunteerism would be daunting. No single person has an adequate comprehension of everything people here do for those needing help. Volunteer fire companies are one of the best examples. Church groups are important pieces of what may literally be a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle.  Benefits, basket raffles and runs are indicative. But compiling a comprehensive list of all that is quietly done would take a lot of time and research.

Nonetheless, having an awareness of how giving so many County residents are has enormous potential to positively affect spirits. Limited though it may be for each of us, knowing that we are surrounded with so much unofficial compassion may be life-altering once internalized.

Orleans County also is blessed with loads of meaningful history. That is coming from one appreciates the value of history but doesn’t know the half of it.

We are favored with a rich and diverse environment that includes numerous streams, wetlands, a canal, many quarries, farm ponds, and productive farmlands, as well as wooded areas and proximity to Lake Ontario. Wildlife diversity necessarily follows. Four-footed animals are common Statewide, but many are abundant to the point of being nuisances here. Winged diversity varies more county to county. Our birdlife may be unusually diverse, and a real asset.

Among our less well-recognized—and most secure—advantages is location. Orleans County is within an hour of two urban areas with all that they have to offer. For example, the center of Orleans County can be just 45 minutes from Strong Memorial Hospital.

It is nonetheless remote and decidedly rural, with less congestion, more solitude, a slower pace, arguably greater freedom, and a population with numerous people who know a significant portion of County residents by their first names.

Some of our assets can be squandered. Some appear secure. There are others that can be mismanaged. It may be possible to betray the asset that is, arguably, the soul of the Orleans Community.

That asset may be described variously. The Ulster County Office for the Aging Director may have put it fairly concisely when she described ours as a “very caring community”.  I suspect that caring is related to how interconnected we are, as well as to our familiarity with each other.

Official actions taken in the past ten years have, in many ways, betrayed our very close-knit community.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

Kudos and accolades to Mike Bonafede and his entire committee for putting on yet another great Strawberry Festival.  We were honored, and grateful, that the committee designated this year’s festival in honor of Charlie Howard – Albion’s own famous Santa Claus – for whom we’re campaigning to raise money for a memorial statue.

Having attended a few of the “strategy” meetings I was very impressed by the dedication and professionalism exhibited by all the volunteers who devoted countless hours (and, I’m sure, some of their own money) in working for this event.  Without a doubt, the general public is unaware of the amount of time and effort which this group gives to make this annual affair such a success.

Again – on behalf of the entire Albion community – THANK YOU for what you do for all of us!

Joe Gehl

Co-Director

Albion Betterment Committee

Editor:

Is your small town dying?

Here are some of the reasons I see that are major killing factors in the death of our small towns.

• Declining population is a very serious issue, this alone can bust a community

• Few job opportunities for our young people

• Outrageously high property/county taxes

• Restrictive and Selective Zoning

• Town Board members that lack emotion or real concern for the people they work for

The population is dwindling at an alarming rate because there is no future here. Most communities never recover from this death spiral. Our youngest and brightest are forced to leave the area for decent work.

Some folks stay because they are just stuck here. They are stuck here for a few reasons but mostly because they are struggling financial and frankly, there is no way out so they just exist and earn a meager living.

Some folks simply just walk away from the homes they have worked so hard for because they are taxed out of them. Even if they can afford to stay in them, they are unable to keep up with them because there is not enough money for them to do so. They live paycheck to paycheck. Hand to mouth.

Take a ride in your small town and count the empty homes. Count the homes that have been cut up into apartments. Why is this, you might ask. Well it is to sustain and support the atrocious welfare costs in this county.

This welfare system seems to becoming the “family business” which is and will be handed down from generation to generation and becomes the way of life for many. Once this mindset has taken root, it is most likely too late to turn back. There is over 70% of every dollar collected in county taxes being spent on welfare.

Why? Low paying jobs and for some welfare is a better option.

Why? Little draw or incentive for new or existing business.

Why? Zoning.

There are few good paying jobs in this area because our town officials are using zoning as a weapon with heavy restrictions  making it impossible to prosper. Since there is little business is the area, there is little sales tax being generated therefore not collected and now the burden falls on you. I heard a local politician say “we don’t care about sale tax.” Really. So your property is over taxed and now under valued. Good luck with that sale. Maybe you will just walk away too.

An example on the restrictive zoning is this: a new business is sabotaged right from the get go as zoning wouldn’t allow them to lay out the plan they set in motion and it started with the sign. The sign was not noticeable at all. I said, “How will people  even know it’s there.” It was the first thing I noticed, the sign is in the wrong place. Why? Because that’s zoning at work. Fact is this place will close its doors before long.

Sometimes in this busy world we live in, we need things to jump out at us to grab our attention. Some locales will not permit a digital sign. One zoning law does not fit all, many of our local zoning laws have been adopted from  Albany/NYC. What does that have in common with Orleans County? Zoning has become a business/job killer.

Much of the problem in these dying towns starts with our elected officials. They are there because of uncontested elections, low voter turnout and low meeting audience. Is this a sign of a “lack of interest”  and a “lost cause.” These towns are dying on the vine as elected officials carry on with “business as usual.”

Many of them have no formal education in finance, or business management and have very little, if anything invested in the community. You can see the results.

For some of these town officials, this will be the highest office they will ever hold and you had better look very closely at the ones that are pursuing positions in higher levels of government.

Many of them have become quite content, and drunk with the power of their position and seemingly only act on matters that they will benefit from and to even settle personal vendettas. They lack the skill and the will to make this a better place for us. They really don’t care about our futures.

Rather than using local talent to address town matters, they spend hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars on big city consultants,  lawyers and other organizations on generic reports  and studies  that any number of board members do not take the initiative to read or have the ability to  comprehend  the information.

Having said this, these towns have become a “meal ticket” for these outsiders.  As long as our officials keeping paying them, they will keep stirring the pot and keep billing. Nothing gets resolved and the spending goes on. Meanwhile, folks are stuggling.

Town officials don’t understand what they are doing or they simply don’t care. This puts a tremendous burden on the county. When Albany sees the careless and frivolous spending,  it opens the door for unfunded mandates.

When local newspapers close, information only trickles down to the general public causing no transparency in our local government.  I am sure there are many folks in this area that have issues as well, they will not speak out for fear of ruination or retribution.

Remember, it is an election year. It’s time to get real, they will work for you. You and your vote can make a difference.

Kim Weatherbee

Shelby Center