Editor:

It is not surprising that a leaseholder would attack my cautionary letter to Barre as there can be very large sums of money involved for leaseholder residents. They are well paid for the impact that the turbines will have on their property.

Our experience from Apex in Somerset and Yates is that they consider leaseholders as project “participants,” have special meetings with them, and give them information others do not have.  This included information that Apex did not give to our town boards and town supervisors. The information that the PILOT Apex is seeking is 20 years actually makes my case stronger because that means that there is a far less financial benefit each year.

Notice that the Heritage Wind website mentions 30 years of benefits to leaseholders and a vague 25-year benefit to the region. It’s lack of clarity is not reassuring. And there is no guarantee as to how long these industrial wind turbines will actually operate.

The leaseholder made a great deal about the host community agreement but that is also included in the total dollar value Apex advertised. If Apex is planning to make a large settlement with the town that means they are planning on a smaller PILOT and there will be far less for the school. So, cut back on plans for the school items listed in the Apex ad.

Relying on the Apex website for Heritage Wind isn’t a thorough information source. Believing that the PILOT will increase over time does not take into account what has happened in Cazenovia with Fenner Wind or the Tug Hill Plateau with Maple Ridge. Those wind companies wanted to cut the value of their projects to a small fraction of their true value – a 97% reduction in the Maple Ridge case.

Maple Ridge is still pending and Fenner has settled for half of taxes the town expected after their original 15-year PILOT ended. This is happening with wind projects across the U.S. – California, Texas, Iowa – to lower the amount of money paid to the towns. Don’t hold your breath that your PILOT payments will increase. They may actually decrease over time.

The leaseholder advised people to visit the Apex website for Heritage Wind. If you are going to take the time to do that take a look at other Apex projects and you will see that each project’s website is a cookie cutter format of all the rest. Any site will do – just substitute the title Heritage Wind on any site.

After that viewing, visit the opposition websites and read about both sides of the issue – not just the Apex sales pitch. Read about sleep deprivation, infrasound, light flicker, turbine fires, ice throw, blade breakage and tower collapses (component liberation is the spin on that one), view one of the movies created by people who have the horror of living too near turbines, or read about the wholesale killing of eagles, bats, and migrating birds. Then remember that the turbines they are proposing for Barre are hundreds of feet taller (with substantially longer blades) than most in the United States.

I wrote my letter of caution because Apex has stated that they plan to build wind turbines from one end of Lake Ontario to the other. I do not want Western New York to be turned into an industrialized nightmare.

Industrial wind turbines produce only a tiny fraction of the electricity that they claim to and it is a highly subsidized product that cannot get to New York City where it is needed. There is much to be lost and not enough to be gained in either electricity or money. Leaseholders and shareholders will benefit, the rest will suffer. Beware of advice given by a leaseholder.

Elizabeth Wolanyk

Barker

Editor:

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office recently promoted two deputies to the rank of Sergeant.  The #1 candidate on the Civil Service Sergeant’s list supported Brett Sobieraski in the June Primary and was therefore denied the promotion.

The two candidates who scored much lower on the exam but supported Brett’s opponent and attended political fundraisers for him were each promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Although Civil Service Law allows for this type of cronyism, does it make this right?

In a Facebook post after the June Primary, dated July 1st, Brett’s opponent stated in his post “there will be no retaliation for supporting another candidate.” I guess he forgot he posted this when the promotions were made.

Leadership is not a position or a title. It is action and example. Let’s elect a sheriff who will take the politics and cronyism out of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office. Let Brett Sobieraski be the example of what leadership looks like. It’s time to restore morale for the individuals who we, as a community, rely on each and every day to protect us.

Please write in your vote for Brett Sobieraski on Nov. 5.

Martin J. Stirk, Sr.

Albion

Editor:

Dear Save Ontario Shores, as a lifetime resident of the town of Barre, I ask that your organization stops meddling in our town’s business. Your fight against wind turbines is not welcome in our town.

In the early days of Heritage Wind, SOS came to one of our board meetings, and our town board let them know they are not welcome. I am curious as to why they continue to insert themselves in Barre, and pay hundreds of dollars for a full page ad in the Pennysaver. Barre does not want to end up like Somerset and Yates.

For those who do not know, Save Ontario Shores had a nasty battle fighting Lighthouse Wind in Somerset and Yates. Let’s talk about how great things are going for those towns. The town of Somerset basked in the glory of a hefty PILOT from their coal plant for many years. That coal plant will be shut down in the next year, and the PILOT has been decreasing drastically over the past few years.

Since 2017, their town taxes have doubled. Instead of inviting new business in to make up for the increasing taxes, the town of Somerset spent $400,000 of taxpayer dollars fighting the wind project.

Now, they are begging the state to give them subsidized money to develop a data center that will cost $65 million to create 165 jobs. Each of those jobs would cost about $515,000 of taxpayer money. The Yates Town Board was so concerned with fighting the wind project that they weren’t able to keep track of their books, and were reprimanded by the state comptroller.

I don’t know about you, but this is not what I want in my town. SOS, please stop trying to involve yourselves in the Heritage Wind project and the town of Barre. Our residents are not interested in your tactics. Your towns will continue collapsing as ours flourishes with the money from Heritage Wind.

Kirk, Alice and Charles Mathes

Barre

Editor:

I would like to thank the Villages of Orleans Nursing Home for hosting trick and treating for the children.

My grandsons loved visiting and seeing the residents. The residents all had smiles on their faces as they greeted each child. It was a win-win for the children and the residents.

Marie Snyder

Albion

Editor:

This letter is being written in response to Mr. Root’s Letter to the Editor dated October 29, 2019, accusing me of having a “fractured relationship” with the Shelby Town Board.

I have done everything the Town Board has asked of me (and then some) as the Town of Shelby Highway Superintendent for the last 14 years. In addition, I have accomplished the following:

• Oversaw the multi-agency Shelby, Ridgeway and Medina $2.5 million Bates Road Reconstruction Project, working daily with engineers, approving changes, modifications and signing off on all pay estimate paperwork. This project was successful, as evident by the current growth of our Medina Business Park.

• Worked with the Town Board and DEC on the remediation of the contaminated soil at the old town property on Maple Ridge Road by making a bio-cell, saving taxpayers $90,000-plus, so that Aldi’s could acquire the property.

• Worked with the Town Board and employees as we assumed the responsibilities of operating two private cemeteries (Millville and Mount Pleasant), saving the taxpayers $50,000 per year.

• At the request of the Town Board, I personally oversee the storage, packaging and shipping of the Orleans County e-waste site, located at the Town of Shelby building.

• Along with the Town Board, I have utilized students from the Iroquois Job Corps trade school to paint the Clerk’s offices and the masonry students to repair the stone head wall at the Shelby Center cemetery.

• Along with the Town Board, I have utilized personnel from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department Alternatives to Incarceration Program to paint fire hydrants and pick up roadside debris, several times in the past 14 years.

• Along with the Town Board, I acquired the help of the New York State Department of Corrections inmates to paint the entire outside of the Town of Shelby building, and the inside of the truck bay area.

There are facts that the taxpayers need to know about me, that go above and beyond what my opponent is can do:

• I have established working relationships with other municipalities to foster shared services within our county. My opponent does not have these relationships.

• I have over 40 years of experience handling rural snowplowing operations, including the Blizzard of ’77 and several other major snowstorms. It has been my goal to keep our residents safe, especially during the winter months.

• I have knowledge and expertise on rural road building and repair that I have acquired from years of service working with the former Superintendent and by attending Cornell Local Road Schools.

• I am currently certified as a Class C and D New York State Department of Health Water Systems Operator, which is mandated in order to provide water to our residents.

I take my job very seriously and work within a tight budget to maintain our roads and cemeteries. Our roads are safe. Our cemeteries are well maintained. Our municipalities have a great working relationship with each other.

If you would like this to continue, I would appreciate your vote for re-election on Nov. 5.

Sincerely,

Michael O. Fuller

Town of Shelby Highway Superintendent

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Editor:

My name is Michael Maak and I writing to inform voters in the Town of Ridgeway and Village of Medina why I am running for Town Supervisor.

A little bit about who I am for those who may not know me. I am a life-long, 50-year resident of the Village of Medina in the Town of Ridgeway side. For some that may not be aware the Village of Medina is split between two townships. I have lived in the village on the Ridgeway side since I was born.

I worked as a Village of Medina Fire Department employee, retiring in January 2016 as Captain. I served 27 years as a paid employee having served two years prior from 1987 to 1989 as a callmen firefighter. I continue today to work in the emergency services as a Paramedic.

I am running for Supervisor to represent all residents of the Town of Ridgeway including the taxpayers that live in the village. I feel that for as long as I have been an adult, the village taxpayer is only acknowledged when one runs for office or more recently when the Village of Medina held a dissolution vote. Only then were the taxpayers given any attention from the Town Supervisor.

As a taxpayer in the of the village in the Town of Ridgeway, I feel that we have taxation without representation. We pay taxes and receive nothing in return with the exception of the campaign put on by the town to scare village residents with a misleading narrative for not dissolving the village in 2015.

I am running to advocate a better equality for all taxpayers and not just those in the town. In 2015 it was pushed for more discussion for shared services with the Town of Ridgeway, Shelby and Village of Medina that has been lost in the years following with no real discussion or resolution to share or consolidate. I have a plan if elected.

First of all, I want to look at a merger of the Town Highway Department with the Town of Shelby. It is an opportunity that was missed this year to consolidate the Highway Superintendent position with the retirement of the Ridgeway Highway Superintendent.

An endorsed candidate in the Town of Shelby has campaigned on the issue that the position can be changed. It is my opinion that, just like the Town Court, we could combine the two Superintendent’s position into one and form a Shel-Ridge Highway Department that eventually could be merged with the Village of Medina DPW with one superintendent for the three municipalities. This would allow for money already in the budget to go from salary to having another employee to clean ditches or maintain roadsides that have been neglected.

Another area is the Emergency Services of which I am very familiar with. I would like to see more funding to the Ridgeway Fire Department as I feel that they are currently underfunded. This has lead to a decline in recruiting and maintaining volunteer firefighters and EMT’s. I know firsthand that many do not stay in the fire service because of the continued need to fund raise for the Fire Company.

When I first got involved there were many members and always enough responders. Today numbers would astonish people that less than five people respond to calls on average. My proposal is to look into creating a Fire District of which a Board of Commissioners chart their course for funding and how they survive for the future as volunteerism is dying in our country.

This is not a new concept. This already occurs in the county in the Towns of Barre, Murray and Kendall and with a Joint Fire District with Holley Fire Department. This could potentially lead to another merger of the fire departments in the Western Battalion that is composed of Ridgeway, Yates and Shelby.

A recent Hub article about the Clarendon Town Supervisor Richard Moy bringing the attention to the decline of the volunteer fire department. My proposal for a Fire District removes Town of Ridgeway Council from negotiating a contract with the Fire Department and allows for the Board of Commissioners setting the annual fire tax with the town taxpayers voting on this annually as is the case in Fire Districts.

Thirdly, I want to look at the budget and see where we can put money that village taxpayers contribute that goes back into assisting the Medina Village Board with road and sidewalk upkeep, tree maintenance, and potential tax relief with a share of sales tax revenue that currently goes to the Town of Ridgeway with the Village of Medina seeing nothing for this.

My fourth plan is to promote and advocate for more renewable energy projects with in the Town of Ridgeway.

In closing, I say this that if you are happy with the way the Town of Ridgeway government is working for you then I accept that. If you are unhappy with how the Town Board and Supervisor have worked for you as a taxpayer in recent years then I am asking you give me your vote and I will work diligently to find ways to change things and potentially provide more for the tax dollars spent, with the hope of maintaining and containing costs. With some changes we could lower the tax burden.

I have worked and retired on the taxpayer dime and I am very aware of cost containment and very fortunate that my career allowed me to retire with a pension.

I hope you give me your vote on Nov. 5.

Sincerely,

Michael Maak

Ridgeway

Democrat-endorsed candidate for Town of Ridgeway Supervisor

Editor:

I’m writing in support of Joe Sidonio for Murray Supervisor. My family has had the pleasure over the past 6 years to develop a wonderful relationship with him, his family and their farm.

Joe is honest, hardworking and matter of fact. He works tirelessly. His work ethic, integrity and business management skills are exactly what this town needs. Who else has shown the dedication to wanting to help our Town as much as Joe?

Over the years Joe has shown nothing but kindness and generosity to my family. My kids love him and his dog Gus. Joe constantly makes himself available to help, especially in winter by doing us the favor of plowing us out on the Ridge. Not because we ask him to, but because he knows how much it helps us with our busy work schedule and that’s what good neighbors do. We have never had an unkind word spoken. We couldn’t ask for a better neighbor and friend.

Joe has a real passion for our town and wants to see it move forward in a positive direction for us all. In the June primary election, town residents showed up in support of Joe by electing him across the board as the Republican, Conservative and Independence candidate for Murray Supervisor.

However, the current administration and against their own Republican Party bylaws are trying to run a backdoor campaign attempting to steal the election against the will of the people. Do they have what is best for the town in mind or what’s best for themselves in mind?

I’m voting for Joe because he has shown the grit, determination and intelligence to bring our town back on track. He will bring accountability and restore much needed confidence to government. Don’t be misled, the tax rate remained flat however with the increased town-wide assessments and the increase in budget spending our out-of-pocket tax bills will increase.

If you would like to see Murray thrive and be more inclusive to all residents then it’s crucial that you get out and vote on Nov. 5.

Adam Moore

Murray

Editor:

My name is John Riggi and I am running for re-election as Yates Town Councilman.

The last four years have been a very busy and critical time for the Town of Yates and I’m extremely grateful to have served the constituents of Yates for these past four years. I am committed to serving the Town of Yates for the next four years as I believe that we are at a crossroads that needs to be effectively managed to ensure the successful future of our Town.

The platform I ran on 2016 was one that clearly stated the Vision for Yates for 2016 and moving forward. I am proud to communicate positive, forward movement in each of the following platform planks:

Our Town:

1. Farming – Continued support of our farming legacy via update of the Western Orleans Comprehensive Plan.

2. Lakefront – Protection of public lakefront access through submission and receipt of New York State 2017 flood grant monies. These funds are strengthening shorelines at the Town Park (foot of Morrison Road), the foot of Marshall Road and the foot of Countyline Road. Additionally, the Local Waterfront Redevelopment Plan (LWRP) is in final stages of development. LWRP funds will significantly improve public access to the lakefront as well as Johnson’s Creek.

3. Lyndonville Village Center – Expansion of the Local Waterfront Redevelopment Plan (LWRP) area to include Johnson’s Creek.

4. Parklands – The State (REDI Commission) has awarded the Town of Yates $2.5 million for expansion of the Town Park that will include annexation of NYSEG land contiguous to the Town Park, lakeshore protection of the annexed parcel as well as preservation and protection of the Federally registered wetland within the annexed portion of the Town Park.

5. Unique Wildlife – Our ongoing and successful fight to preserve our local environment has ensured a safe haven for local and migrating species of wildlife.

6. The People of the Town of Yates – Additionally, our ongoing and successful fight to preserve our local environment has ensured the quality of life, health and well-being of our residents.

As we move forward into 2020, we are utilizing our unique building blocks to not only consistently and prudently develop economic opportunities within the Town of Yates, but to leverage economic development opportunities throughout Western New York to the benefit of our Town.

I humbly ask for your vote for Town Councilman on Election Day on Nov. 5.

John B. Riggi

Councilman

Town of Yates

Editor:

We are writing to make residents of the Town of Murray aware that they have a choice for Town of Murray Supervisor in the Nov. 5 election.

The incumbent, Bob Miller is not on the ballot, but he is running a write-in campaign. This means that on the bottom line of your ballot, in the Supervisor column, you can write in “Bob Miller” to cast your vote for him.

The Murray Town Board currently consists of two long-time members, two new members in the past two years, and a new supervisor. There has been change! We work hard to represent every resident of the Town and to keep spending in check, while maintaining our services to the residents.

Last year, the tax rate did not increase and this year the tax rate has gone down. Per the New York State Comptroller, the Town of Murray has an excellent Fiscal Stress score of only 3.3 out of 100. Please do your research to find out the real facts.

I urge everyone to get out and vote. Keep the people, who are doing good work, in office. Vote Bob Miller, Neil Valentine and Lloyd Christ on Nov. 5 at the Town of Murray Highway Building from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.  Your support is greatly appreciated.

Paul Hendel, Councilman

Neil Valentine, Councilman

Murray

Editor:

This letter is in response to Sean Pogue’s letter to the editor on October 29.

Sean, I would like to thank you for saying I am a nice gentleman. I would also like to congratulate you on your recent engagement; I sincerely hope you two will be very happy together.

Citizens for Change are against the industrial wind turbines in Barre; I don’t see how ignoring the most current, relevant issue for the Town of Barre is a negative. It shows the transparency the citizens of Barre need. However, it appears you just didn’t “do (your) homework.” You are misinformed about Citizens for Change’s platform – There is much more.

I have been and will continue to be upfront. If I don’t know something – I’ll tell you. Honest communication is our top priority. Citizens for Change knows the importance of being transparent with the public and the need for Alternate Tax Abatement.

I am running for Supervisor of the Town of Barre to be a voice for the community. I intend to do so in a positive and effective manner if elected in. It is time for someone with an ethical standard to step into the role of supervisor.

I encourage all residents of Barre to find us on Facebook or email us at barrenycfc@gmail.com. Cindy, Kerri or I will gladly answer any of your questions and concerns.

Please vote for Cindy Burnside, Kerri Richardson and Gerald Solazzo – Citizens for Change!

Dr. Gerald Solazzo ND

Barre