Editor:

Last Friday afternoon a leak was discovered on the transmission line at the corner of Route 31 and Salt Works Road. Monday afternoon a meeting was held to discuss our options of repairing the leak.

Worst-case scenario would have reduced water pressure in the Village of Medina and Town of Shelby with about 85 homes in Shelby without water for up to 12 hours while the leak was repaired. Tuesday all hands were on location and were able to stop leak with minimal interruption in water delivery to the residents.

On behalf of the Medina Village Board I would like to publicly thank the tireless efforts of the employees from the Medina Department of Public Works, the Towns of Shelby and Ridgeway Highway Departments, and assistance from the Village of Albion, Orleans County Highway Department, Niagara County Water Authority, Shelby Supervisor Ed Houseknecht, and  the owner and employees of Sergi Construction for the effort that was made in stopping a leak in the main water transmission line to the Village of Medina.

This is a great representation of not only shared service but shared knowledge among all that were involved. This joint emergency project saved the Village of Medina thousands of dollars.

Many people are not aware when employees go above and beyond their daily responsibilities. The dedication shown Tuesday should not go unnoticed. Once again thank you for your effort.

Mike Sidari

Mayor

Village of Medina

Editor:

In regards to the $2.5 million state grant awarded for the Yates Town Park, who pays for the following:

1. The initial purchase of the property for the Town of Yates Park? Taxpayers

2. The clearing of the property and landscaping for construction of the park? Taxpayers

3. The barbecue pits, picnic tables, open pavilion, parking lot, port-o-potties? Taxpayers

4. Maintenance of grounds from May to November at $10,000 per season? Taxpayers

5. The reclamation of the shoreline (p.s. this was the most responsible expenditure)? Taxpayers

6. The projected enhancements to the park at a cost of $2.5 million? Taxpayers

7. The maintenance of the kayak launch, playground, walking path, new pavilion, etc.? Taxpayers

8. Who should stand up and say no more? Taxpayers

(Monies received from NYS grants are still out of taxpayers’ pockets.)

Bill Jurinich

Lyndonville

Editor:

The staff of Community Action, the Board of Directors, and the hundreds of families who received a holiday basket wish to express our sincere appreciation and thanks to all the wonderful and caring individuals who assisted our agency this holiday season.

The joy of helping less fortunate families receive a holiday basket filled with food and toys for their children, giving a single individual food and personal items and the smiles, the tears, the hugs, and the thanks were all made possible through the generosity of businesses, civic groups, churches, service organizations, schools, private individuals, people who donated through the angel trees, Albion FFA who organized a food drive with close to 42,000 pounds of food, people who sent money donations and adopted families, and businesses who participated in adopting children.

We also want to thank the children in our school system who helped pack baskets, Albion Baptist Church for use of their church for toys, and the many volunteers who sorted toys and food to give less fortunate families the joy of the holiday season.

Thank you to all the people who donated money to our Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign, the businesses where we had kettles, the bell ringers, and our wonderful coordinators who made it possible to raise $23,576.10 this year.

Through all of you we were able to assist 312 families in Central and Eastern Orleans County.

Community Action could not have done what we did without the wonderful caring people who stepped up and assisted us in making the holidays brighter.

We wish you all a wonderful and safe 2020.

Annette Grillo Finch

Director of Community Services for Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, and Salvation Army Treasurer

Michelle Figueroa

Emergency Services case manager for Community Action

Editor:

Mr. Fine mentions the Russian stock market has benefited from the recent events in Iraq. What he failed to mention is the Russian GDP peaked in 2013 at 2,297 billion US dollars. The current level is less than 1,700 billion US dollars.

This compares to the US GDP which is over 21,000 billion. I don’t believe our current President was in office in 2013. Much of the Russian decline is caused by falling oil prices.

Technology and changes in regulatory requirements have made energy more affordable thus weakening countries that have commodity-driven economies. Middle East tension impacts energy but not to the level it was in the past.

Ed Urbanik

Lyndonville

Editor:

The purpose of this letter is to express my complete and utter dismay regarding the proposal of a solar farm (totaling 11,000 solar panels) with a large lithium battery storage unit at Swett Road. There are several factors that I hope would be considered in regards to this monstrosity!

Our property is on Swett Road and is by the property where the solar farm is being proposed. In fact, my husband’s family once owned the very land the current owner is offering to lease to this solar panel company. We have resided in our home for the last 12 years. Our home was built in 1870 and is considered to be a family homestead.

Many family heirs were born and raised in this house, including my mother-in-law. We are raising our children in this home, as well. We have put a lot of heart and soul into updating our home, yet keeping some of that old farmhouse character, including the cobblestone foundation known to our area.

We were present at the initial meeting where the idea was proposed, after finding out about this that very same day. My first and immediate surprise was the fact that they are asking for a variance, going from 500 feet to 250 feet. Towards the end of the meeting the Town Board went into a closed session, so the public was asked to leave.

Upon exiting the meeting, there were two representatives from the company. They asked if we had any questions. Several of us stayed and had a discussion with them in the foyer. In the discussion, I asked one of the representatives why there needs to be such a high barrier between the properties and her response was, “Well, it’s electric and it’s highly dangerous.” This clearly is not something that one’s children should be able to walk right up to! That alone is an example of why Ridgeway has put 500 feet into place as the law. Asking for that to be literally cut in half is ludicrous.

In addition, I asked one of the representatives to please share the long-term health effects this may cause, as I heard her at the meeting list positive things about the company, but not one negative effect. She refused to answer. Then, I asked her if these emit radiation. She said household appliances emit radiation. So, we are comparing a mass of 11,000 solar panels to a cell phone, which has already been linked as a cancer-causing agent?  I asked her if there has been research done showing such data. She had nothing to say in response to that.

There are several homes in close proximity to this land that would endure such negative effects. In the many solar farm photographs/maps I have seen, most have no residences in the immediate circumference.

Not only am I concerned about the long-term health effects of the families in these residences, but I am concerned about the farm and forest land, as well. There is a large farm adjoining to the west of my property and the property site of the proposed solar panels. This farm may be several hundred acres large. It is sure to reap the negative impacts I keep reading about in regards to mass solar panels. In fact, the land the solar panels would be located on has been very fertile farm land for the past decade.

Also, there is a forest on the northern part of the property of the proposed solar panels. In this forest there is a pond, which would be very near the solar panels. I pray the forest and pond would be left untouched. However, they are sure to reap the negative impacts of the proposed solar panels, too.

The loss of all these acres of land and such negative impacts on the pond, forest land and farm land would surely be detrimental to the wildlife in our area (deer, foxes, Canadian geese, turkey, pheasants, birds, insects, etc.). Other wildlife, including the Earth’s already diminishing number of pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds would face adverse effects, too!

Every single animal I have mentioned are animals I can vouch for seeing on or around this property! In fact, when I told my sister, who lives in the south, about this she said, “You mean that land where we see that wonderful night show of fireflies during the summertime will be gone?” I have read several articles, including ones on government websites that express concerns to farm and forest land from mass solar panels.

Further, what transpires if and when this company decides to remove the solar farm. How would the land be decommissioned to a usable state again? What is the negative impact from its removal?

We have several other concerns, as well. These include the fire radius, explosion radius, the glare from the solar panels, the upkeep of the landscaping surrounding the perimeter, how this will affect our property value, the short trees not truly blocking any view especially as you stand and look out our upstairs windows, the possibility of buzzing sounds, drainage, just to name a few.

At a second meeting, we were told that the company withdrew the variance request, and is simply tweaking their design. In asking what the law states, we were told that both the New York state law and local law are very new and vague.

My concerns are now two-fold: 1.) Why are the laws not clear and written succinctly before even entertaining these proposals and 2.) Why are there not laws indicating that these “farms” should not be built on top of residences?

I feel that residents in Ridgeway need to be apprised of this situation. There are several other proposals popping up. How many of these solar farms are there going to be?

If we don’t do something to stop the floodgate, it’s going to be too late! Our town will be surrounded by solar panels! What will this do to the agricultural economy? What about the ecology? We need to band together!

We need to demand the lawmakers make clear-cut laws! There is a public meeting Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 410 West Avenue. Please attend this meeting and let our voices be heard.

Sincerely,

Heidi Marciniak

Ridgeway

Editor:

The Iranian General, Qasem Soleimani, we just killed had posed a danger to the US for decades. No American laments his death. Now they have responded.

I simply write about the carefully crafted procedures that are being debated as part of everyone thinking on what happened and how the Country proceeds.

Under our Constitution only Congress can declare war and has the power of the purse. The President is the Commander in Chief, constrained only by law, treaty, and international laws to which we have agreed.

After that everything involving the military gets muddled with overlapping laws and procedures. For example, President Regan signed Executive Order 12333 which prohibits assassinating a leader of a foreign government – inter alia  President Nixon was caught assassinating the elected President of Chile.

Another example came up when President Johnson staged the partly fictitious Gulf of Tonkin naval battle so be sure we became involved in Vietnam. In response Congress was concerned about being drawn into wars through the back door and enacted the War Powers Act requiring that it be consulted immediately if military force was used except in the event of emergency self defense.  (Nixon vetoed it but 70 percent of each house overrode the veto.)

More recently in 2002 the President was given the power to deal with 9/11-related terrorism. Presidents have relied on “related” terrorism to justify their actions ever since. Both sides of the aisle from time to time debate if Presidents have gone too far in relying on that authorization.  (That clearly is going to come up again now.) (When President Obama asked for permission to go into Syria after chemical weapons were used – when Syria crossed the “red line” he had set –  that was not related to terrorism and Congress refused a Declaration of War.)

Since the Constitution, laws and executive orders overlap as a practical matter, the President and Congress consult all the time about how to best protect the Country.

As far as you and me are concerned everyone has their opinion but none of us is fully informed.  A few things are clear though. First, Iran is a sophisticated and powerful country with many surrogates. It does not want our small contingencies of troops and planes in its way as it attempts to dominate the Mideast.

Second, you and me may never learn all the facts – unless there are lies involved. Third, as a legal and practical matter, Congress will need to be briefed and involved. It may need to fund new military or defense capabilities. It may need to reinstate conscription. It may decide that the Administration needs entirely new Agencies or Departments to address a changed threat.

It is part of Congress’s job to sure that the Administration is up to the task now required and has the capability it needs in place to actually prevail. It has had to step in before and may or may not now.

I hope this letter helps clarify who does what and why to keep us safe as well as limit mistakes, lies, and political games.  We are a superpower economically; we are a superpower militarily; we still have most of our superpower resources diplomatically.

Our democracy is well developed and as long as everyone honors it, we have managed and will continue to whether the storms that come no matter how much we argue to find optimal solutions.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

Town of Yates property taxpayers last week property tax notices were mailed out. Did yours go up or down? Consider this – a year ago we underwent a town-wide reassessment to bring equal rates to all (being told this could bring lower taxes to many).

When grant money runs out who is going to pay for maintenance, already at $10,000 per year, of the Yates Town Park, given the electricity, increased liability insurance (to cover the jetties, kayak launch, cost of vandalism, and plugged toilets), and Morrison Road repairs the Town Park REDI project will entail?

One last point, why is it only the Town Board has the say, yes or no, to a $2.5 million park enhancement? As a taxpayer, I feel I have no say.

Bill Jurinich

Lyndonville

Editor:

President Trump ordered the assassination of Gen. Qassim Suleimani without notifying members of Congress or apparent consideration of consequences.

Under the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), the President must inform Congress within 48 hours and the President’s actions must be intended to prevent acts of terrorism against the United States. This oversight is required by law. To date there has been no proof provided by this administration that this strike prevented an act of terrorism. This unilateral attack on Suleimani and Iran reveals an escalation of Mr. Trump’s refusal to answer either to Congress or to the American people.

If the attack on Gen. Suleimani was meant to save American life why did the administration deploy about 3,500 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the region? Many experts say this action destabilizes the region and provokes war rather than prevent war.

The timing of this assassination is another concern. With the Senate trial on his impeachment coming up and the general election eleven months away, this raises questions about Mr. Trump’s motives.

Mr. Trump’s record of lies and more lies undermine his credibility both at home and abroad. Mr. Trump’s unaccountable actions and lack of oversight makes him ill-suited to lead a democratic government like the U.S. into war.

Are we going to hear Republicans say they can not take up impeachment because of events in the Middle East? Another concern is Russia. Like Mr. Trump’s ill-timed pull out of Syria, Russia benefited from the assassination, this time economically as the Russian stock market set record highs on increase oil prices.

To me, this appears to be another impulsively ill-conceived action by this administration that will have dire consequences for the U.S. but will benefit Russia. Thank you.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

Why does the Town of Yates need $2.5 million in proposed upgrades to the park?  The file picture is from 2014 – 5 years ago!

I am all for taking advantage of the REDI Grants, but this money could be better spent in other more populated areas in Orleans County that are lacking and could benefit from these proposed improvements. This area is not well populated, and this park has never been utilized to the fullest due to its location.

Who will use all the proposed amenities? How will it be promoted? What will the cost be for advertising it? And once the money has been spent, can Yates afford to maintain it and keep taxes down?

Jeanne Crane

Waterport

Editor:

Soleimani and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force has long been a terrorist organization. They are directly responsible for hundreds of U.S. servicemember deaths in Iraq.

Iran’s goal has always been to destabilize Iraq and exert its influence in the Middle East. This strike eliminates one of the masterminds of those efforts.

State Sen. Robert Ortt

North Tonawanda