Editor:

The Town of Yates has a significant challenge and a monumental opportunity. The challenge is how to take advantage of the green revolution we are witnessing without destroying our town with massive 570-foot tall industrial wind turbines.

The opportunity is to restart the renewable energy conversation and have smart, unbiased experts collaborate with our town. I ask you to consider two issues: economics and solar energy.

Economics: As I go door-to-door talking to folks about the industrial wind turbine proposal of Apex, I find some people who believe that the economic benefits outweigh the negatives. On the one hand, yes – individual land owners who sign leases would benefit, and there would be a certain amount of payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) going to the town.

On the other hand, the economic facts about industrial wind tell another story.

Fact: One out of every three dollars that the Apex’s of the world spend on these projects is taxpayer money. So if it costs a million dollars to build a turbine, why not give the town back the $300,000 and let us pursue efficient and less-intrusive renewable energy?

Fact: The closer the wind turbines are to homes and real estate, the more they negatively affect real estate values. With lower real estate assessments, the town would be receiving less tax revenue. Any offset of town taxes resulting from the PILOT would be quickly dissipated by less tax revenue from property assessments. This is not to mention the land owners who would receive much less than they’d hoped for from the sale of their property before wind turbines were built.

Fact: According to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, existing wind turbine projects in New York State only effectively operate 24.7% of the time. Not a good balance sheet regarding cost benefit analysis.

Solar Energy: With SolarCity in Buffalo and the strong possibility of major nanotechnology companies locating just beyond the southern edge of Orleans County in the Science Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park, our area is poised to be a leader with regard to solar energy.

Did you know that – according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory – it takes 32-acres of solar panels to provide electricity for 1,000 homes? No health issues, negligible impact on migratory birds, no reduction of low-level flying areas for C-130s out of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, and no massive impact on real estate values in our town.

Now of course we would have to consider that solar energy is only available to be gathered during the day and that we would have to use up a small portion of our farmland (or rooftops) to build such a solar panel system. And certainly it would be costly. But with the technology getting better and cheaper – and with cutting edge companies in our own backyard – we might want to consider alternatives to industrial wind turbines.

Don’t forget to vote on Thursday, Sept. 10, Noon to 9 p.m.

Please vote: Simon – Riggi – Pratt!

Cheers!

Jim Simon
Candidate for Yates Town Supervisor

Editor:

The purpose of this letter is to set the record straight as it relates to the question of Deputy James DeFilipps’ Worker’s Compensation as discussed in his own letter to the editor published September 7, 2015.

As the department head that oversees the Orleans County worker’s compensation program and 207C (worker’s compensation for law enforcement officers), Deputy DeFilipps was approved and had his coverage in effect in full directly following the incident in question.

At no time was there any question whether his case would not be approved nor was there any consideration given to canceling after the approval had been given. The Chief Administrative Officer is the sole decision maker for initial determinations of 207C coverage and gave a verbal approval virtually immediately upon learning of the incident and what had happened to Deputy DeFilipps.

Any claims to the contrary are not consistent with the facts according to the worker’s compensation plan and 207C program at Orleans County.

Sincerely,

John C. Welch, Jr.
Director of Personnel and Self Insurance
County of Orleans

Editor:

Why does the majority of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department back Randy Bower and not their “Top Cop”, or third in command? Some say disgruntled? But the majority? Doubtful!

Not endorsing “one of your own” is a vote of no confidence.

I’ve read the endorsements for Randy Bower that go beyond the Orleans County Sheriff’s Deputies and reach the state level. Why do the men and woman locally and at the state level, who put their lives on the line for us every day, not want to back Tom Drennan – “One of their own”? Are they disgruntled, too?

Several articles have been written endorsing each candidate, and everyone has a favorite based on opinion and work encounters. We can read about what past sheriffs have to say and how they worked with Tom, over 8-plus years ago. But my mind keeps coming up with the same question Why?

Why are the current members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, State Police, Orleans County Employees Association, NYS Law Enforcement Officers Union and others not backing their own?

Why does Tom Drennan have no endorsements? Some say because he didn’t ask for them. He says he didn’t ask for them. Why? If he was a better candidate then why didn’t those endorsements come automatically, especially being “one of their own”?

Across the country police officers are being shot daily. We have our own deputy right here in Orleans County and he backs Randy Bower to lead. Why? Now he puts himself out there to relive that horrible night and give his side of the story and within an hour he is being attacked again, and this time by “his own.” Why? Undersheriff Smith was out of state when the shooting happened so his involvement is all hearsay.

Do we want a leader that has been given the no confidence vote by his colleagues? What will this do to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department? As of the last 48 hours, the letters written, the social media attacks (that are downright insulting and offensive), I don’t see any good coming out of the Sheriff’s Department, and I don’t question the WHY’s anymore. If this is the leadership that goes on, it’s no wonder Mr. Drennan has no endorsements.

These are serious questions we as voters should be asking ourselves when we hit the polls on Sept. 10. And if you don’t have time to ask those questions before you pull the lever on the 10th, then you should ask yourself those questions again and again before November.

Martin Troup
Holley

Editor:

I am a police sergeant and have lived in this community for the past 23 years. My employer does not allow me to make political endorsements however I am able to state facts.

Public safety is the most important aspect for a community. That goes part and parcel with professional service from our law enforcement officers. Look closely at the candidates and judge for yourself their qualifications because quite frankly the buck stops at the sheriff’s desk.

The undersheriff and chief deputy jobs are integral to the operation but the sheriff must have the requisite skills and experience to make important decisions and as well as to lead the organization. Throughout my career I have watched unqualified people being elevated to upper management positions. Without exception it has always ended with disastrous consequences for both the agencies and the communities.

If you ran your own campaign would you self promote or sling mud at your opponent? This truly speaks to character and a key tenet of law enforcement is integrity. You have it or you don’t. There is no middle ground.

I have much respect for my police union. They have negotiated my contracts, represented me admirably when I needed them and fought for my rights. With that being said they have not always represented my beliefs.

Police unions are run by elected officials that have the final say. Do not believe four union officials represent the views of the entire union or at times even the majority. It would be like saying the current president and vice president of the United States represent my views on Iran and Immigration Reform when in reality they don’t.

We, as a community, have a very important job on Sept. 10 and Nov. 3. We have a direct hand in what the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will look like for at least the next four years. Look at the facts and judge for yourself, but most importantly get out and vote.

Brett Sobieraski
Kent

Editor:

It is a blessing to teach and learn more about world religions. When you take the time to inquire of others’ beliefs you find that almost every tradition includes extremes; literalist, fundamentalists, as well as moderate and progressive people of faith. Christianity and Islam are no exception.

As we stand vigil against terrorism as a nation, so should we have zero tolerance for those who terrorize in the name of Jesus.

Rev. Lori Staubitz
Unitarian Universalist minister
Brockport

Editor:

I would like to share with the residents of Orleans County my thoughts on the upcoming Republican primary for Sheriff. For those who do not know me, I am the oldest son of retired Chief Deputy Ray Emerson and retired Corrections Officer Sue Emerson, so I have been around the Sheriff’s Office and known both candidates almost my entire life.

I am also a former Public Safety Dispatcher for Orleans County, and therefore worked with both candidates for almost 5 years. Since I no longer work for the Sheriff’s Office and no longer reside in Orleans County, the outcome of this election really will not affect me in any way, which allows me to give you an unbiased, however informed, opinion.

I can tell you that both Tom Drennan and Randy Bower are honest, hard working, dedicated individuals who have the best interests of the citizens of Orleans County, and the employees of the Sheriff’s Office, in mind. I thoroughly enjoyed working with both of them.

The accusations and mudslinging by certain individuals has been appalling. However, there is a simple reason that the only people making accusations are supporters of Randy Bower. They know that Chief Deputy Drennan is the qualified candidate to lead the Sheriff’s Office, and since Randy lacks any kind of law enforcement training or experience, their only hope of winning the election is by way of character assassination.

I can also tell you, after having worked with most of the deputies who have come out in support of Randy, that Undersheriff Steve Smith hit the nail on the head with his previous remarks. Without naming any names, I can tell you most of the current and former deputies that have written letters and publicly supported Randy via social media are the deputies that Tom Drennan has had to “hold accountable” for not doing their job.

From the dispatch chair, it was easy to discern which deputies we worked with were there to work hard and protect the community, and which ones were there to collect a paycheck and do as little as possible. I can tell you with certainty that not all, but most, Bower supporters fell into the latter category.

More now than ever, with the current anti-law enforcement climate in this country, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office needs a proven law enforcement leader, not a politician running the show. Randy Bower is a great guy and an outstanding dispatcher, but he does not know any more about being a police officer than you or I do, much less about how to lead police officers. He is an aspiring politician, from a family of politicians.

Tom Drennan is not a politician, but he is a highly trained, experienced, and decorated law enforcement professional, and that is what the Sheriff’s Office and the residents of Orleans County need. I strongly encourage everyone to vote for Chief Deputy Drennan on Sept. 10 and again on Nov. 3.

Robert G Emerson
Chili

Editor:

What an asset it would be to have Tom Drennan as the next sheriff of Orleans County. Tom has worked his way up through the ranks, obtaining real time, real life, down in the trenches experiences, at every level of law enforcement.

He has held and/or holds the professional positions of Road Patrol, Lieutenant, Criminal Investigator, Major, and his current position of Chief Deputy. The added benefit of holding these positions, throughout his career, is that all of the knowledge, training, experiences and responsibilities of each, both administratively and in the real life trenches of crime, and the knowledge that ensues, allows him to understand, direct and fully participate (if need be) at any level, and at any type of incident, be it accident or criminal.

Along with his professional experiences and career positions, Tom has continually taken training classes to further his knowledge and understanding in regards to crime, victims and families: *Rural Police Academy *Drug Enforcement Investigation *Commercial Vehicle Drug Interdiction *Investigation of Environmental Crimes *Police Supervision Training *Crisis Negotiations *Child Sex Abuse Training *Criminal Investigation School *Emergency Response to Terrorism Awareness *Hazardous Material Awareness *Advanced Techniques in Accident investigation *Crime Scene Photography *Police Crime Scene and Evidence Specialist *DNA Collection as it Pertains to Burglary Investigations

*Personnel Back Ground Investigations *Fire Behavior and Arson Awareness *Arson Investigations-Level I *Instructor Development *Computer Crime Investigations *Flying Armed-Fugitive Extraditions *Human Trafficking *Cold Case Investigations *Impact of Legal Decisions on Law Enforcement *Colonel Henry F. William Homicide Investigation School *Combatting Illegal Handguns *Legal Issues for Today’s Law Enforcement *Professional Development and Internal Investigations *Identification Procedures of Criminal Suspects *Leadership and Police Management *Homicide and Non-Fatal Shooting Investigations *Missing Person Investigation and Alert Protocol *Traumas of Law Enforcement-Dealing with a Line of Duty Death *Law Enforcement Active Shooter Emergency Response *Police Pursuit Policy Workshop *Valor Officer Safety Training *Instructor Tactical Emergency Casualty Care for Law Enforcement *NYS Field Information Officer Coordinator Training.

In any scenario, both investigation wise or in an active situation happening in real time, Tom’s experience and knowledge is both advantageous and critical. This level of experience and training cannot be obtained “overnight” and it acknowledges the level of professionalism Tom has, and the dedication and passion he has for the well being and safety of co-workers, and the people of our county.

He is the type of person to go above and beyond what is required, and he will lead the Sheriff’s Department with the same professionalism, passion, compassion and integrity.

Sincerely,

Mike and Julia Kludt
Kendall

Editor:

Since Chief Deputy Drennan stated, “Don’t take my word for it. Ask someone else who was there. Someone that knows the facts,” in his Sept. 1 letter to the editor, I have been bombarded with text messages and phone calls.

I am someone else who was there, someone who knows the facts. I am James DeFilipps, and I was the one who was shot in the line of duty in the early hours of March 21, 2015 in the Town of Clarendon.

I suffered a severe traumatic injury, the extent of which was unknown at that time, and was of serious concern to the ambulance’s on-board medic. As the ambulance was in route to the hospital, (further along than 2 tenths of a mile), the medic told me that my supervisor (Drennan) had ordered the ambulance to return to the scene. The reason was so pictures could be taken of my vest, all the while valuable time was wasted with regards to receiving prompt medical attention I may have needed.

Just about an hour later my wife was notified of the incident, which occurred less than 3 miles from our home. When they did come to our home they came in an unmarked, unrecognizable car which made my wife nervous to even go to the door.
To make it worse, after telling my wife that I had been shot and was taken to Strong Hospital, she was left alone to get her and our 10-month-old son ready to go to the hospital.

Not only was having the ambulance turn around an error in judgment, the mishandling of this incident continued throughout my recovery period. My Worker’s Compensation was cancelled a few days after the incident because the Chief did not complete the necessary paperwork.

On another occasion during my recovery period, I stopped by the office on a Tuesday, only to find a Grand Jury subpoena in my mailbox that was for Thursday – just 2 days away. I never received a phone call or delivery of a letter to notify me of the subpoena, which would be expected. Furthermore, while I was relieved to be acquitted by the Grand Jury, I was disappointed to have been made aware of the decision by reading it on the Orleans Hub.

During this sensitive time for me and my family, we were disgusted that no one in the upper management of the Sheriff’s Office had the thought and consideration to reach out to me personally. It should have not come as a surprise to my family and I.

I was also called during this incident to ask me why I had not gone to an appointment for an evaluation of my mental health, so I could return to work. As you may have guessed, I was never even notified of the appointment. I was then given a number and told to schedule my own.

It is this blatant disregard for me, my co-workers, and our families that is the reason why I believe there needs to be a change in the upper management of the Sheriff’s Office. The time is now.

This truly has been one of the worst incidents of my life and continues to be. I was down and out, recovering and trying to spend much needed time with my family. I don’t think I should have had to worry about all this, which only created extra stress.

I guess if you want to call me disgruntled that is your choice, but this is how I feel. The Sheriff’s Office’s handling of this has only left me more empty and hurt. It has been a lot harder to put my uniform on every night and go into work since this.

The community has been great and Sheriff’s Office could be too, but it is in need of change. This is why I trust and support Randy Bower for our next Sheriff. Join me in voting Randy Bower for Orleans County Sheriff on Thursday, Sept. 10 in the Republican Primary.

Compassion matters.

James DeFilipps
Holley

Editor:

As a lifelong resident of this county and one who has voted for Sheriff Scott Hess, I would like to know exactly where he is?

Although Hess’s tenure as sheriff of Orleans County is coming to an end, I believe he is still in charge of the department. It concerns me that he seems to be sitting idly by while his employees – namely dispatchers, deputies, corrections officers as well as community members – are attacking the department and his undersheriff and chief deputy.

I do believe that as the sheriff, Hess must give his “OK” to the goings on in the department. This means he is aware of how everything is handled and condones and agrees with it.

In my opinion it is time for him to speak out, and take some of the heat and defend his most trusted in command. How can he sit by while the characters and careers of Undersheriff Steve Smith and Chief Deputy Tom Drennan are under attack on a daily basis?

Sheriff Hess it’s time for you to stand by your men as they have stood by you.

Maryann LeStorti Smith
Holley

Editor:

I just read with interest the letter to the Hub authored by Deputy James DeFilipps. Interest and Shock!

In sum and substance – Deputy DeFilipps references the horrible treatment he received from the “upper management” of the Sheriff’s Office following the events of March 21, 2015. Since I am part of the “upper management” he refers to, I felt the need to respond.

When Jim DeFilipps was shot, Chief Tom Drennan could NOT have been more supportive of Jim and his family in the hours and days following the incident. Jim was given all the time he needed to recover before returning to duty. He was never pressured to come back to work and EVERY “upper management” decision concerning his return to service was made with HIS input.

For him to now say otherwise by telling blatant lies is nothing more than a despicable and deplorable act in an effort to get his candidate, Randy Bower, elected Sheriff.

If Jim was treated so poorly, why was it NOT brought to the attention of myself or the Sheriff months ago? Why are we just now reading about it in the Orleans Hub? I’ll tell you why, because NOW it can be turned into a partisan political issue.

It’s shameful and not worthy of any reasonable individual’s consideration!

Steven D. Smith
Undersheriff of Orleans County

Editor:

For the past 33 years, every year at the end of summer, I have attended the St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in Hulberton. I have always loved going there and seeing family, friends and neighbors all enjoying great food and each other’s company.

In years past you could barely walk through the festival grounds without bumping into someone, literally. It always had outstanding attendance. It was a great fundraiser for St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Patrons came from near and far to enjoy and support it. Sadly, what I saw yesterday was quite the contrary.

As anticipated, if you weren’t there to support Randy Bower’s campaign or to play in the bocce tournament, then you had little reason to attend. A church fundraiser had seemingly been hijacked and turned into a pep rally for Randy Bower trying to be Sheriff.

I would say a fair estimate would be 85 percent of the people at the festival were wearing some type of Bower propaganda. That’s overwhelming for any non-supporters or neutral attendees. I would attribute the seemingly low numbers in attendance to this. It was not a capacity crowd as it once was. And one could just feel how those not wearing a Bower T-shirt were slightly uncomfortable.

I know that parishioners of St. Mary’s voiced concerns to Father Mark about this possibly happening, fearful that it may taint the meaning and purpose of the event. Mr. Bower is also a parish member of St. Mary’s. I can’t speak for him or his campaign, but it would appear that his personal agenda took precedence over his parish’s wishes and his community’s yearly end of summer event. That’s too bad.

For citizens unattached to the Bower campaign, it became an “eat and leave” environment, when it used to be a “stay all day” event. I’m sure people from the Bower camp did stay all day however. It had become their private party after all.

I also know several people from Orleans County that said they would not attend this year, expecting it to be a campaign rally for Randy Bower and not the family-friendly environment it historically has been. That’s not to say the Bower campaign isn’t family oriented. I’m just acknowledging that a political event is not where most people unassociated with a campaign want to spend the last Sunday of the summer with their kids. And thus, many did not.

I personally was unsure how the crowd would look when I arrived. I was hoping to wear the typical Green, Red and White of Italian pride like my Grandmother would have liked. But when I saw the Bower contingent I knew it was no longer the Italian Festival of old. I threw on my “Drennan For Sheriff” T-shirt and proudly entered the event. I was at a pep rally after all, and I’m rooting for the other team.

My mother and I spent some time together there for a little while, donated some food and money, then left. It just wasn’t what it should have been.

The shirt I wore yesterday clearly stood for something more than just a candidate for Sheriff. It stood for honor and integrity. Here’s why: Republican-endorsed candidate Tommy Drennan did make an appearance at St. Rocco’s and spoke to people privately without drawing attention away from the church’s efforts. That’s an appropriate and professional way to handle a public event. I’m proud of him for that.

I feel sorry for St. Mary’s. They lost control of their major fundraiser to a private citizen seeking public office. As I heard one patron say while exiting with his family, not having spent a dime. “All good things must come to an end.”

Hopefully next year, the festival can get back to being the community event it used to be and not someone’s campaign stomping grounds.

Todd R. Smith
Churchville
Proud son of current Orleans County Undersheriff Steven D. Smith

Editor:

I guess what is reported as “vandalism” regarding the mosque having crosses burnt on its property feels more like a serious hate crime.

Imagine if a Muslim had burnt symbols on the lawn at any Christian church. These youngsters “under 21” make me ashamed to be an American.

Deborah Rodrigues
Medina

Editor:

As an individual that has close friends and other direct ties to the community of the World Sufi Foundation, I can say that I have been deeply concerned over the past couple of days.

The three individuals that burned the cross into the ground should have been arrested immediately. Instead, they are able to enjoy the long weekend and carry on with their normal weekend plans.

Do you know who can’t carry on with their normal weekend plans? Every single member in the World Sufi community. Instead, they have to worry about what violent acts are going to be carried out against them next, and if the violence will escalate to something worse.

Again, I am deeply concerned with how law enforcement leaders in our county handled this situation. I saw someone make an excellent point, and I couldn’t agree more with it: “If someone had burned the Muslim religious symbol into the ground of a local Christian church, there would have been an immediate and thorough investigation to find the ‘terrorist’ responsible.”

I am sure that some people might disagree with that comment, but I can say that I 100 percent agree with that statement AND in reality, it’s a fact. I’m not sure why the three individuals did what they did, but I hope that law enforcement leaders can get to the bottom of things and treat it as it is – a hate crime.

As to the World Sufi Foundation – thank you for all of the good that you do in our local communities. Your positive impact doesn’t stop here, it stretches to different countries all over the world and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

I hope to see you all continue to stand strong and keep pushing forward in this tough time, many of us stand behind you and stand with you.

James White
Gaines
Legislator At-Large candidate

Editor:

As an individual who is about to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration, I must say that, in none of my coursework was it advocated to publicly demean one’s subordinates, as Steve Smith did in his letter to the editor in support of Tom Drennan, that appeared on the Orleans Hub on Sept. 5.

While Mr. Smith is a decent man, his letter serves as a misguided form of campaign rhetoric at the expense of the hard-working employees of the Sheriff’s Department. In the letter he attempts to paint the picture that Drennan’s subordinates are afraid to be held accountable and reluctant to do their jobs.

If we are to believe that this is true, then why should Drennan, who is currently their supervisor, be promoted? Has he been serving in this supervisory role while his subordinates fail to respond under his leadership for 12 years? If this is the case then it would be reasonable to believe that, contrary to Mr. Smith’s claims, Drennan does not have the leadership skills to adequately prepare him to be sheriff.

It is also convenient, easy, and ignorant to just brush off any criticism of Drennan by employees past and present, by labeling them as “disgruntled.” Clearly there must be a disconnect somewhere between the current management and both unions, which overwhelmingly support Randy Bower.

Are we to believe that all these Sheriff’s Department employees are disgruntled or is it because they don’t share the same opinion as Mr. Smith? Perhaps Mr. Smith himself is disgruntled. Perhaps the men and women (who work with both Drennan and Bower) just simply prefer Bower because they care about the department and trust Bower in leading it into the future.

You would not promote a coach who has lost the attention of his players, so why would you elect an individual who has lost the respect of his subordinates? Letters like Mr. Smith’s only serve to further drive a wedge between management and the employees.

Positive change is so desperately needed in the Sheriff’s Department and that is the reason why the employees by and large endorse Randy Bower for sheriff. Search “Randy Bower for Sheriff” on Facebook to learn more about what is possible if you vote for Randy Bower in the Republican Primary on Sept. 10.

Chris Caufield
Holley