Editor:

On behalf of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee County, we thank all the wonderful people who rang bells for the Salvation Army. The money raised in Orleans County through the kettle campaign stays in Orleans County and especially all the businesses, churches, organizations, and individuals who adopted a child for the holidays.

Without all of you we at Community Action could not have provided a holiday season filled with smiles and joy for our less fortunate neighbors in the community.

Thanks also go out to the many groups that collected food – the Boy Scout food drive, organizations, and especially the wonderful young adults from Albion FFA that delivered 30,000 pounds of food. We share our good fortune with all food pantries, soup kitchens, Nutrifare, Meals on Wheels, and Medina Association of Churches.

We appreciated all the coats, jackets, clothes, scarfs and mittens that were donated so we could provide a warm coat for the winter.

I wish everyone could experience the tears in the eyes of people who received food, toys and coats. Community Action staff work very hard to ensure that all who need us are helped.

Save-A-Lot again donated fruit baskets for our elderly shut-ins. This is a gift they did not expect.

Over the years, we have found out how much our community does when called upon, you are truly not only our Angels but Angels for less fortunate people among us. We at Community Action wish you all a safe and wonderful New Year.

Sincerely,

Annette Grillo Finch
Director of Community Services

Editor:

The Town of Yates released survey results pertaining to the Lighthouse Wind project on Dec. 28, 2015. There was a 47 percent return of the 2,549 surveys mailed to eligible voters in the town.

The only question we need to look at is Number 10, which asks whether the respondent is in favor of or opposed to the project. There is no ambiguity in the response of 66 percent opposed to the project.

Apex has put out a baffling spin to these results. The following was published by Apex in the Orleans Hub: “When people have a chance to learn the facts about the project, rather than being forced to rely on the misinformation being pushed by opponents, they become more supportive of Lighthouse Wind and what it means for this community.”

What did I miss? How in the world did they come to this conclusion?

The people in the Town of Yates have spoken.

The Orleans County Legislature recognized this when they voted to oppose this project at their Dec. 16 meeting. We commend Legislators Allport and Johnson for putting forth the resolutions to oppose the state’s Article 10 law and to oppose this project. The Orleans County Legislature didn’t need to wait for the survey results.

The voters spoke loudly and clearly in November when they elected Jim Simon as town supervisor in a write-in campaign. They spoke clearly when John Riggi, outgoing president of Save Ontario Shores, garnered the most votes for town councilman. Both of these men have been openly and strongly opposed to this project.

Taxpayers in the Town of Somerset responded to a survey months ago with overwhelming opposition to the project. The Somerset Town Board and the Niagara County Legislature also adopted resolutions in opposition to the installation of industrial wind turbines, reflecting the will of their constituents.

Senator Ortt declared recently, “This project needs to stop.” Congressman Collins has expressed concerns about the future of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Base should this project go through, and wants to see a “thorough study of any potential impacts these structures would have on current and future operations at NFARS.”

We don’t need to wait until Apex’s application is submitted to take a position. We already have taken one, over and over again, and it’s time for Apex to listen to the people in the towns of Yates and Somerset.

Pamela Atwater
Incoming President of Save Ontario Shores

Editor:

The response of the Apex representatives to the results of the Yates survey is baffling. What part of “No” don’t they understand?

Every survey that has been taken, in Somerset, in local newspapers, and in Yates has been overwhelmingly against building an industrial wind facility in this area. Apex seems unwilling to admit this fact. More likely, they know that residents’ opinions are ultimately irrelevant, that the State can force it down our throats whether we vote against it or not. Cronyism triumphs.

A dispassionate look at the situation shows our region with the Niagara Power Project running under capacity and the Somerset power plant barely running at all, and the STAMP facility using the availability of under-used hydropower to attract new factories. But we need to put 600-foot towers on pastoral farmland to generate more power?

If there was a legitimate case for industrial wind here, why is Apex leasing the land for the turbine towers instead of buying it? The life of a wind turbine is 20 years. Apex builds the facility and sells it; that’s in their business plan.

Whoever owns those leases in 20 years can choose to walk away from them. Then the farmer who leased his land has a 600-foot tower with an oil-filled dead turbine on top of it, sitting on a huge block of concrete, and it’s his problem because it’s on his land. Apex won’t be around to help, and whoever buys the lease from them will have no obligation to do so.

We who live here are being shut out of the decision making process. That’s insulting. We are smart enough to tell a good idea from a bad one. And we are certainly smart enough to tell when we are being sold a bill of goods. The survey results prove that.

Douglas Pratt
Lyndonville

Editor:

On Christmas Eve we had our 2-year-old son in the ER. The decision to go to our community hospital wasn’t any easy one due to previously poor service.

But with our little guy bleeding for over an hour from falling with a toy flute in his mouth – seeking care as close to home seemed to be the best choice.

Upon arrival we were told they were extremely busy. I too work in a health care facility and understand the chaos that can come unexpectedly. While registering, we overheard a family on there way out of the ER say that they had been there for 7 hours. My stomach turned.

We were put in a room to wait for the doctor to examine my son, keep in mind still bleeding. After 2 hours of being told “just a few more minutes” but I had enough. We were able to get the bleeding to stop ourselves and got my son to start talking and playing.

We decided to head home and follow up with our primary care physician. For a health care facility that states they are there for the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of the patient and family, you’d expect more.

My family is a big supporter of our community and it’s a shame that my son was treated as just another room filled instead of a child with a medical emergency.

We would love to be able to support our local hospital but with poor customer service, short staffed ER and physicians that expect families to wait on them, we will drive the extra miles to ensure our family receives quality care.

It’s important that each patient and family is treated with respect, dignity and compassion.

Randi Poler
Medina

Editor:

We believe the results of the survey in the Town of Yates demonstrate what we have found over time. When people have a chance to learn the facts about the project, rather than being forced to rely on the misinformation being pushed by opponents, they become more supportive of Lighthouse Wind and what it means for this community. (Click here to see the survey results.)

The Article 10 process will fully study the concerns that remain, and we encourage people to get involved. We invite the public, as always, to stop into our office in Barker to learn more and ask any questions they may have.

Renewable energy is important for our future, and Lighthouse Wind continues the rich history of energy production in this area. Apex looks forward to continuing that dialogue and answering any questions people may have as they continue to evaluate the project.

As shown in the responses to questions 6, 7, and 8, survey respondents recognize the importance of assessing the potential impacts Lighthouse Wind might have on wildlife, health, and the Air Reserve Station. We also recognize the importance of these efforts, and we are confident that the studies required through the Article 10 process will accurately analyze and quantify these items.

It is vital in any wind project to correctly site the turbines to eliminate or mitigate health risks and environmental impact. Although this survey demonstrates that many community members still hold some reservations about Lighthouse Wind, we remain hopeful that once residents have an opportunity to consider the results of the studies we are conducting, they will become supporters of the project and the many benefits it will bring to the region.

Lighthouse Wind reaffirms its commitment to submitting an application under Article 10. We look forward to working with the communitiesboth during this Preliminary Scoping phase and while the studies are undertakento gather the information necessary to create a detailed application that will allow stakeholders to make a fact-based determination about the Lighthouse Wind project.

The application will be filed once all studies have been completed, and only at that time will we have enough information to determine the appropriate size, location, and turbine height for the project.

Until our application is submitted in summer 2016, it is impossible to fully judge the project on its merits. The Yates Town Board has taken a very responsible approach in waiting to take a position until all of the relevant information has been collected and submitted as part of the application process, and we encourage others to follow its lead.

Taylor Quarles

Development Manager, Lighthouse Wind
Apex Clean Energy

Editor:

Clara Martin’s departure from the Board of Elections leaves a void that will be difficult to fill. As Deputy Republican Election Commissioner, Clara was a steady, professional, accommodating presence. She performed her duties with an absence of partisanship and an abundance of class. The office always ran smoothly with the exemplary cooperation that existed between her and Deputy Democratic Election Commissioner, Eileen Aina.

It would be great if someone half as apolitical as Clara was chosen to replace her.

The good news is that Martin will be taking the position of secretary to Sheriff-elect Randy Bower. As he demonstrated in his selection of Undersheriff Chris Bourke, Bower is determined to surround himself with other widely respected people.

Having two people who respect the public as much as Bourke and Martin in the Sheriff’s Office will only serve to increase the chances that Bower will be able to deliver on his commitment to serving all the people of Orleans County.

While the Board of Elections has lost an invaluable employee, the Sheriff’s Department has added yet another.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

Editor:

The “word” is that Deputy Republican Election Commissioner, Clara Martin, is leaving the Board of Elections to become Sheriff-elect Randy Bower’s secretary.

The Board of Elections will have a near impossible task attempting to find anyone as good at her job as Clara Martin. She was the mirror image of Democratic Deputy Eileen Aina. The two of them embody the spirit of cooperation so notably absent in anything vaguely resembling government today. The Board of Elections may be the one place where such a tandem could be tested.

Throughout my foray into the turbulent waters of local politics, Clara was always accommodating and genuinely pleasant. There was never the slightest indication of needless partisanship where she was concerned. She embodies what is special about Orleans residents.

Bower’s choice for Undersheriff was superb with Chris Bourke. Clara Martin, in my opinion, is no less so. Bower is recruiting people who will be assets in ensuring that all county residents will be increasingly well-served by the Sheriff’s Department.

Clara Martin should be recognized for outstanding service at The Board of Elections. I would bet she will be no less outstanding in her new position.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

Editor:

Orleans County Legislature on the Apex Wind Turbine Project. What took you so long? This was a no-brainier. It’s Agenda 21 and a taxpayer scam right from the get-go. All green energy is a scam. It has to be subsidized and the product is worn out long before it pays for itself only to put it back on the subsidy gravy train. In this case it will destroy a town on the outside and below the surface.

Even Progressives like Ortt and “Climate Change Steve” were on board before you guys. Did it finally take the appearance of “Don Russ” and Richard Pucher to bring you to hand kissing?

I’m also curious who wrote the dramatic speech Legislator Johnson read? There is no way she could have written that because she was nowhere to found for the last year while all the debating was going on over this wind scam. She did not represent anyone. Nor did she give or has she given the people that she claims to represent a personal opinion either way on this wind scam. I had all I could do not to burst out into laughter, so I remained professional.

Then we had to listen to the Legislator Allport regurgitate his opinions on Article 10 and the gas price gouging from the October meeting before the election only to witness him along with the rest of the Legislature violate their oath of office and throw the 4th amendment out the window by voting into law the second-hand store law.

No sorry, no praise here. Praise is for volunteers, not for people who are paid to do a professional job. I believe it’s our legislators controlling progressive ideology the likes of Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi that left them to be holds outs till the last minute. All I can say is it’s about time.

Paul Lauricella Jr.
Town of Yates

Editor:

In your article, “County Legislature, Medina Memorial oppose mandated staffing levels at hospitals,” I must strongly object to Lynne Johnson’s quote which says, “One size does not fit all.” There should be some differentiation between units sure, but ultimately, when it comes to caring for sick patients in hospitals, one size does fit all.

When considering appropriate staffing levels for nurses, there are numerous things to take into account. A hospital’s budget should not be one of them. There is no arguing that Medina Hospital is a great and much needed resource in our community. Assuredly, I would like it to remain open. But what good is a resource if it’s not really a resource at all?

Overburdening your nurses with too many patients or simply more sick patients than one nurse can handle means you’ve effectively removed that skilled caregiver from the equation. At that point, wouldn’t you be better off staying home?

I have worked in small hospitals and large. Understaffing is an issue across the board and it undeniably leads to poorer patient outcomes, errors in judgement and high staff turnover. These are all very, very costly to healthcare systems.

Yet, something happens when you become an administrator. You start to see things in terms of immediate, daily dollars and cents, forgetting what it’s like to have every one of your call lights going off with no help in sight.

Stop for a minute and imagine the cost savings of having every nurse you’ve trained remain within your facility because they’re happy, your liability/litigation costs drastically reduced for lack of offenses and patient satisfaction surveys coming back favorably (which would directly increase your federal reimbursements). What a wonderful world it would be, no?

Well, that is the case in California where minimum staffing levels have been legally mandated and in place since 2004. The sky did not fall and healthcare did not crumble. In fact, in a 2010 study (see nysna.org), it was noted that these lower patient-to-nurse ratios led to lower patient mortality and increased staff retention.

I have been on the lesser side of a 15:1 patient-to-nurse ratio in an emergency department in the last year, more than once. It’s happening everywhere, believe it or not. Sure, Medina doesn’t have those volumes but how about 6:1 and all of the sudden there’s a cardiac arrest? It’s scary for everyone involved: doctors, nurses, patients and patient family members.

Ask yourself, if we know that every additional patient a nurse assumes leads to a 7 percent greater likelihood of any of his/her patients experiencing adverse events, why do we keep pushing the envelope? The answer is, simply, money. And that’s a sad state of affairs.

I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning more to follow the Hub’s link to nysna.org and read about nurse staffing ratios. I’d also encourage you to talk to any one of your friends or family who are bedside nurses not involved in policy making or facility-level decisions. Ask them how often they’re understaffed and what that means. Most importantly, write your state representatives and let them know that this matters to you.

Robert Shaw RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN
Lyndonville

Editor:

I would like to commend the Orleans County Legislature for taking a stance on the proposed project by Apex. It is encouraging and refreshing to see our Legislature take a stance on an issue that has been a top priority in our communities.

To Mr. Callard, Mr. Allport, Mr. Miller, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Eick, Mr. DeRoller and Mr. DeFilipps – thank you for standing up and speaking out. It is greatly appreciated.

Respectfully and with gratitude,

James White
Gaines

Editor:

Orleans County is noteworthy for its varied habitat and wildlife diversity. The fact that it is an extremely productive agricultural region adds to its suitability for supporting abundant wildlife populations. Our diverse habitat is particularly supportive of a wide variety of birdlife.

Our environment is one of the things that make Orleans County an increasingly attractive place to live. Protecting our environmental assets is vital to maintaining one of the advantages we already have.

Democrats tend to be extremely supportive of renewable energy technologies, including utilizing solar energy and harnessing the wind. We take air quality, global warming, and climate change seriously. In the first Republican debate this year, Marco Rubio actually said Democrats take the position they do on climate change because they “want to destroy the economy!”

The theory and science supporting renewables make sense to most Democrats. Development of renewables is already stimulating economic development and jobs in New York State. An “all of the above” energy strategy with decreasing emphasis on fossil fuels is an existing reality. The oil, gas and coal industries are in constant denial mode, struggling mightily to maintain their privileged position and market share.

The fact that we need more emphasis on renewables does not meanat least to methat wind turbines are a good idea no matter where you put them. Though electricity generated by wind is advantageous, destroying prime farmland, valuable residential space and ideal wildlife habitat in order to lessen reliance on fossil fuels sacrifices things of equal, or greater, value to achieve an otherwise worthwhile goal.

Residences in Orleans County are of course typically adjacent to an overlay of roads. Farmland ordinarily is found behind people’s homes or adjacent to our roads. Woodlots are very often roughly midway between parallel roads (Think County House Road and Route 31A and Routes 98 and 279). With normal setbacks for industrial turbines, erecting turbines and building service roads in much of Orleans County would come at the expense of considerable woodland habitat. Not even avid sportsmen seem to have picked up on this.

In my view (not shared by many in my party), there are innumerable locations in New York State far better suited to wind turbines than Orleans County. Abandoned industrial sites come to mind. The Tug Hill plateau is another. Areas of lower population density are better suited. If 590′ wind turbines were going to be placed in the Atlantic Flyway, locating them offshore would be far preferable environmentally to locating them on the fertile Lake Ontario plain.

In the interests of brevity, I would conclude by saying that it isn’t advisable to embrace wind turbine technology so wholeheartedly that we lose sight of so many other things that have demonstrable value as well.

One of our problems is that too few residents of Orleans County realize how environmentally favored our area is. When they do, they may not be able to envision how much damage locating and building a major industrial wind turbine “farm” here could do.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

Editor:

I would like to take a moment in this holiday season to put a spotlight on a very magical thing that apparently happens every year. But until today I had no knowledge that Mrs. Claus lives in Orleans County. As anyone can see walking into Albion Wal-Mart they start their layaway programs back up for the holiday season.

As a mother of four children this is a lifesaver. To be able to get my kids gifts and slowly pay it off makes the holidays more do-able and stress-free. But today (Dec. 11) I was blessed with a Christmas miracle and realized Mrs. Claus is a neighbor.

See, at about 10:45 this morning, while in Wal-Mart slowly working my way back to layaway, I received a phone call from a Crystal at Wal-Mart. Sadly I missed the call due to chasing my nearly 2-year-old down the toy aisle. So once Sadie was distracted by a toy, I listened to the 24-second message assuming she had called to tell me something had happened to my layaway.

Instead the message informed me that a Good Samaritan had come in and paid my balance in full! I was in shock. I scooped up Sadie and bolted to the Courtesy Desk, where I found Crystal with a list of 10+ names of individuals who had their layaways paid off.

As I waited for them to get my now paid for gifts I began to cry. In a world that lately is full of nastiness and people hurting people a woman in small rural Orleans County came to her Wal-Mart and helped make 10+ families’ Christmas.

I do not know this woman nor her I. She did not know that my two youngest children were both born under 2 pounds and special needs. She did not know that because of their special needs, I had to stay home for the last two years to take care of them.

I just returned to work part time but was still worried how we were going to “swing” Christmas. She knew none of that. She came into that store trying to lighten the burden on some families.

I doubt she even realizes the blessing she has bestowed on our families. She, in a span of a few minutes, restored my faith in humanity and our future. She reminded me that the hate-filled headlines in the news can not erase people like her – genuine good people full of compassion, kindness and love.

Even though I asked who she was, the steadfast elves in Wal-Mart refused to name “Mrs. Claus,” whom I wanted to send a thank you note. The only tidbit they offered is she has been doing this for a couple years now. So Mrs. Claus if you are reading this on behalf of the Beneways (and all the past and future families you have helped) we say a very big Thank You!

Every time I see my kids playing with the toys you helped purchase I will be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas and that Angels live among us. What a blessing you are to our community! You have inspired my family and I, we are already thinking of ways to “pay it forward.” A lesson we needed to be reminded.

Mrs. Claus saves the day!

God Bless and Happy Holidays!

Ray and Jaime Beneway
Medina

Editor:

I commend and applaud Sen. Ortt for taking a stance on the Lighthouse Wind project. It is encouraging to see an elected official take a stance on an issue that has been so divisive in our community and surrounding communities.

With this being said, elected officials are put in their positions to lead and I am calling on our Orleans County legislators to do what we all know they are capable of doingbeing leaders and taking a stance on the issue.

Whether it is in support or opposition of the project, I would like to see our legislators publicly state their positions. Their stances do not have to align with my beliefs on the issue. It will be satisfying to simply have them speak out and take a stance.

Legislators, if you’re reading this, I urge you to do what Sen. Ortt did and take a stance. As elected officials, we are looking to you, our leaders, to take a stance.

Respectfully,

James White
Gaines

Editor:

Thank you to State Senator Robert Ortt for standing up for local control and self-determination and supporting those who wish to preserve the environment and the rural character of Orleans County.

Ortt’s unequivocal stance on the wind energy project proposed for Somerset and Yates is refreshing. At last we may have an elected representative who is willing to represent us. With his strong stand on the proposed wind energy project, Senator Ortt has demonstrated that he is not afraid to do what his conscience tells him is right and actually lead.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

Editor:

My hat goes off to all of the candidates who put their hearts, their will and their reputations out there for the world to dissect. I couldn’t imagine the courage it would take, not to mention the energy expended, to battle for my personal beliefs on such a public platform.

As the height of the election results begins to wither, so do the spirits of those who came in behind the winners. This is a told tale through the many letters to the editor displaying disharmony in the tallying votes.

It appears that fallen candidates, and their supporters alike, can’t help but get that last “jab” in when posting their concessions. It’s coming across as contradictory, and to be honest, a bit condescending. Not to mention that this type of behavior has the possible effects of alienating voters for future elections.

In my personal opinion, the only post that would qualify as a gracious bow, to his or her ascended competitor, is a simple and straightforward “congratulations.” I believe that the first words of a candidate who took second today, could very well be the foundation for his or her next campaign – if he or she chooses.

As far as the statement goes, “That any Republican primary winner is virtually guaranteed victory in Orleans County” … Hogwash!

Yes, it’s public record that “normally, a Democrat is working with an enrollment base roughly half that of his/her Republican opponent” in Orleans County. But in reality, there’s little doubt in my mind that there are just as many, if not more, Democrats as Republicans within our community. The hard truth is: There are just more Republicans registered.

The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting different results. If the registered Democrats of this county plan on winning upcoming elections by changing the minds of the registered Republicans, well then, quite frankly, they deserve to fall short.

Attention Orleans County Democratic Party: It’s not rocket science why your despair is falling on deaf ears; you don’t have enough registered voters to listen. Instead of standing on a podium to grumble about how things are, why not spend your time enlisting change for potential success? Educate people on the importance of their ideals. Help get potential voters registered within your party. And please, stop blaming the other side of the ticket for your plight.

“When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.” (Napolean Hill)

Richard Klaver
Albion