Editor:

I am writing in relation the Orleans County Planning Board Meeting of April 23, 2015:

“About 30 members from Save Ontario Shores, a citizen group that has formed to oppose the project, attended the County Planning Board meeting, but weren’t allowed to address the board.”

“Planners said they were only looking at the MET tower and the not the overall turbine project.”

Unfortunately, it is true that 30 members from Save Ontario Shores (and each one a resident of the Town of Yates) were not allowed to address the board. These residents of the Town of Yates were present specifically to speak out against the need for a MET tower in the Town of Yates.

Had the Orleans County Planning Board simply asked the group why they were there, they would have quickly understood that it was the MET tower issue on which they wanted to speak.

But alas, the Orleans County Planning Board assumed incorrectly. Good governance is driven by facts … Failed governance is driven by assumption.

Wake up Orleans County Planning Board!!

John Riggi
Town of Yates

Riggi is president of Save Ontario Shores

Editor:

Yes, Sen. Ortt, by voting for the bloated NY State budget, you lied and are a big disappointment to those of us that are working to get rid of NY SAFE ACT, and Common Core, both bordering on communistic and Nazi ideology – my opinion.

The budget expanded the monies available to certain areas of the NY Safe Act, and also funded Common Core, all the while assuring the people in your district that you were opposed to both issues.

Sen. Ortt, being a Republican, can you lay out for the people in your district, the exact Republican Party Platform that you subscribe to? I believe that you make up the platform as you go along, to suit yourself as well as a majority of your party cohorts. “Higher taxes and larger government” instead of the opposite.

Knowing that you come from the same political family as your predecessor, that you voted for the “Message of Necessity” and the budget, does not come as a surprise to me. Unlike your predecessor, subtlety is not your strong virtue, it seems to be one of arrogance and “in your face” and if you don’t like it, “tough.”

Sen. Ortt, you most likely will be banking on the mindset of the apathetic, and forgetful voter in your district between now and your next election cycle, that all will be forgiven. I will do my best to see that your name, and the negativity of your acts will be kept current in the minds of all that I associate with.

Keep in mind, Sen. Ortt, that you cannot serve two masters – the voters that hired you to do the job that they thought they could expect you to do, and the party hierarchy that would use you to further themselves personally.

Also, Sen. Ortt, please remove my name from your “mailing list” of “self-graded report cards,” because I make it my business to stay in tune to the “antics” of the elected in my district and area.

I also will be working in my small way to find someone who would be willing to primary you. I have a couple of good Americans in mind!

Most Sincerely,

Allen Lofthouse
Kendall

Mr. Lofthouse is chairman of the Orleans County Conservative Party.

Editor:

News of Emil Smith’s tragic death slammed both my wife and me when we saw the headline in the Hub. I did not know him as well as Paul Lauricella, but I knew the heart of a man with great soul and precious little, if any, spiritual downside. Paul’s loving tribute to him was, to me, right on point.

I met Emil in late spring, 2013. A few people had told me what a decent guy he was. The Orleans Conservatives were running him for the County Legislature. I went to his home to assess where he stood on local issues, particularly the impending sale of the County Nursing Home. My thought was that he might be someone The Concerned Citizens could run on the Save Our Nursing Home independent line.

Emil’s trademark Ford Ranger pulled into his driveway as I arrived. Within minutes, his heart and engaging genuineness were apparent. Many conservatives seem to take the virtues of privatization as a “given.” Not Emil. Just as so many other thoughtful Orleans residentsincluding most conservatives I knowhe was not having any of it where the vulnerable elderly were concerned.

Emil perfectly illustrated how stereotyping people based on labels is a fool’s errand. His conservatism was a family values oriented belief system with appropriate doses of common sense and fiscal realism. Spending other people’s money was, to Emil, something that should be taken seriously.

Emil was convinced that making equipment last was consistent with representing those who, like him, had to keep things working out of basic frugality and economic necessity. But honoring the many sacrifices made by our parents and grandparents on our behalf was not negotiable.

Emil loved getting to know people, because he cared about others and what they thought. As someone else mentioned, he was a talker, but he was also a listener with loads of compassion. He was an endlessly fascinating mix of interests and values.
It is our loss that Gregory Emil Smith was snatched from us too soon. In the very best sense, Orleans County has lost an American original.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

Editor:

This is in memory of Gregory Emil Smith.

I would always run into Emil all over the place in Orleans County. Whether it was at the gas station, McDonalds, Tops or other establishments you could count on running into Emil and be prepared to get into an in-depth conversation.

We would always talk politics, what was going on locally with the towns or villages or just whatever was on our minds. Emil talked to a lot of people so he knew what many in the community were doing and what was going on in their lives.

He always had a good ear for what you were saying and had sound advice. I was lucky to have been able to be a part of his life. Emil was a very active and core member of the Orleans County Conservative Party. You could always count on Emil to come to the meetings and come to the events that we would set up to get our party out in front of the people.

Photo courtesy of Paul Lauricella – Emil Smith, left, and Al Lofthouse man the booth for the Orleans County Conservatve Party at an event last year.

Emil ran for County Legislature last time around and made us all proud that we had a Conservative in the running. He was going to run again this year and was very excited about doing so. We had been meeting up regularly at McDonalds and discussing our plans.

I was going to run with him and we would have the two Conservatives running, something this county lacks desperately. I saw Emil on Monday and we talked for about an hour or so and I saw him Tuesday night at the party monthly meeting. We talked after in the driveway about what we were going to do next.

During our conversation he mentioned a guy’s name that had for some reason just popped up in his head. He said I don’t know why I thought of this guy it just came to me. He was a good guy and a really smart guy. He quoted something he said to him years ago. So I asked him does he still see this guy? He said no he was killed in a car accident years ago. So I said, not thinking anything of it, “Well it was nice of you to think of him and say his name after all these years.”

We talked some more and probably would have talked even longer but I had to go. The next day he died in that horrible truck accident. It is a real shock. I am very thankful that I got to spend time with him the last two days of his life. I will miss him forever.

This is a big loss for our community and a setback for our party. We have lost two committee members in the last two years to tragedy, my son and Emil. I will always think of this man when I am in all these places.

I won’t forget his laugh, smile and personality. I will truly miss the conversations. He was one of a kind. This is not good-bye, my friend.

I will never forget you. Until we meet again. I know we will have a lot to talk about. RIP Brother.

Paul Lauricella
Lyndonville

Editor:

Emil Smith was/is the kind of person who I would like to be like. He was/is sincere, talented, smart, soft-spoken, but opinionated, positive, honest, and honorable. He was so pleased about the amount of votes he received during his bid for the legislative election, and very pleased about the overall amount of people who got out to vote during a debated election.

He also was enthusiastic about his participation in the Celtic games and his sculptures. I only wish I had taken a picture of him in his kilt because I remember his happy face when he was competing. I do have one of his sculptures which I will treasure. His family and this community was/is blessed to have him in our lives.

Cynthia Troy
Albion

Editor:

There may be some who are unaware that Albion native, Charles Howard, established the world’s first Santa Claus School in Orleans County. Those who are aware of that piece of the past that belongs to us may not see it as such a big deal.

The genius of Albion’s Charles Howard may have been to realize how important Santa Claus could be in the development of children and how much it mattered that Santa be “done” right. The omniscient, loving and kind Father-figure in the red suit had to be convincing and the Santa “experience” indelible.

Mr. Howard recognized how important a belief in Santa Claus could be to the growth of a child’s conscience. Santa had the capacity to reinforce the importance of good behavior in very young people.

Santa Claus can certainly convey some of the best impulses of Christianity. How many of our parents and grandparents used him to help teach the magic of Christmas? Santa knew when you had been naughty or nice. He still is a Christ-like figure that a child can connect with, a means to understanding that it really is better to give than it is to receive. Santa Claus is the embodiment of good, and the mystique of Santa can be an important piece of a child’s emotional and social development.

I cannot help but think that the Santa my Grandma took me to visit at Sibley’s and McCurdy’s in the 1940’s was the real Santa, perhaps one of Charlie Howard’s protégés. In a wonderful way, some of us can say we still believe in Santa Claus thanks, in part perhaps, to Charles Howard.

For the Albion Betterment Committee, honoring Charles Howard’s work and place in local history makes perfect sense. A generation of local residents took understandable pride in having known and worked with him. Residents such as Mary Dreisel and many others helped him realize his dream. Macy’s acknowledged his work and featured him in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for many years.

We, too, have every right to feel positive about what he adds to our sense of who we are.

The Albion Betterment Committee believes that a monument dedicated to the memory of this extraordinary and nationally known figure would be an entirely appropriate tribute to his vision. Such a statue would make it clear that we are about what he was about. The Santa Claus “world” has recognized the significance of Charles Howard and so should we.

Gary Kent
Albion

Mr. Kent is one of the directors of the Albion Betterment Committee.

Editor:

I read with disappointment Senator Rob Ortt’s response to comments critical of his voting for the 2015-16 state budget.

Specifically:

“I disagree with the sentiment that we should have shut down government and defunded State Police, counterterrorism, and emergency services. The effects of such a drastic action would have been incomprehensible. I simply wasn’t willing to put people’s lives at risk in order to score political points with the governor.”

Please. There may have been sentiment to shut down government, but when is the last time that ever happened in New York State? Even in recent years, if a budget was not passed by March 31, almost all New York State government funding for State Police, counterterrorism and emergency services remained intact. People’s lives were not put at risk, and there were budgets that were not passed until the summer.

Concerning political points, what are the chances of bills you co-sponsored for either outright or partial appeal of the SAFE Act being passed by the Senate, the Assembly and signed by the Governor? How much political courage does it take to sponsor such bills versus working within the budget process (such as it is), to make meaningful changes to a law that you or your constituents object to?

And it’s pretty weak gruel to mention in your response to unhappy constituents legislation that includes micro-stamping, mandatory storage and a new CoBIS database. Such legislation has little more chance of getting passed into law than your sponsored/co-sponsored legislation to repeal the SAFE Act in whole or in part.

When you voted to provide funds for an issue that you spoke out strongly against in the campaign and then portray unhappy constituents as wanting to first and foremost make political points, it makes me wonder if you really understand those constituents or the issue.

Add to that little mention by you about the truly dysfunctional “three men in a room” concluded budget process, or that you had only a few hours to read the printed bills prior to the budget vote, and one is left wondering how Albany turns roaring lions into mewing kittens. The problems in Albany transcend issues or parties – and that is the problem.

Finally, it’s telling that Assemblyman Steve Hawley voted No on the budget along with most (if not all) of the Assembly Republicans, yet all Senate Republicans present voted Yes on the budget.

Rightly or wrongly, Assemblyman Hawley asserted what are traditionally thought of as conservative principals when he explained his No vote. Perhaps you’re not as conservative as you portrayed yourself while campaigning. Time will tell.

Tom Klotzbach
Waterport

Editor:

Tom Rivers’ 04/09/15 article on New York’s persistently high tax environment (Click here to see “Study puts NY dead last in economic outlook”), I have no doubt was motivated by his concern for our community’s increasingly crushing tax burden. He has been consistent in his concern about this, as has been evidenced, for instance, by his advocacy in spurring local governments to insist on a more fair formula for distribution of State monies to communities of Albion’s size (yet unrealized).

However, I am concerned about his using ALEC’s report as his sole authority in this article. Though he identified them as a conservative organization, in fact, they are much more than that. They are a most powerful right-wing political lobby, primarily funded by multibillion dollar, mega companies like Exxon Mobil and Koch Industries.

They promote and write anti-tax policy bills for lawmakers, with the underlying notion that all taxes are bad. These policies support the shrinking government to drown it in a bathtub mentality of Grover Norquist, a frequent ALEC speaker. This is having a paralyzing effect on our government’s ability to devise appropriate tax and spending policies (crumbling infrastructure, anyone?). Also, I must point out, that the quoted assemblyman, David Di Pietro, is a Republican, though not identified as such. In this regard, it is no surprise that his views align with ALEC’s.

I understand that the Hub usually attempts to address issues on their own merits without politicizing them, but presenting this data without explaining its partisan bias inadvertently does just that. Having said this, other more objective findings, such as the Congressional Quarterly, also rate NYS near last in this category (No. 49). I am in agreement, our taxes are too high and reform is needed. So, what am I complaining about?

My objection is that a more honest and discerning discussion needs to be had about not only whether and how much to tax, but of whom and for what priorities. ALEC’s nihilist approach currently in vogue with conservative politicians does not allow for this, but instead encourages cookie-cutter tax policies that favor the rich and weaken the rest of us.

In fact, it is tax policy like theirs that is contributing to the widening wealth gap recently acknowledged by both sides of the political spectrum as a threat to our future prosperity and stability. We deserve a more nuanced discussion of this complex issue than ALEC’s biased findings provide.

Pat Cammarata
Albion

Editor:

Do people’s lives and property matter in the Village of Holley, NY?

It’s election time coming up in June. Village of Holley has two positions open on the Village Board.

Village budgets for DPW, village electric, Fire Department, Police Department are also being done.

But how many of the village residents know that one village trustee, Skip Carpenter, is pushing to cut the budget to the Holley Police Department, cut down on daytime patrols, and also stop overnight patrols? With a goal to eliminate the entire police department within the year altogether.

Yes, at first I thought this was just a rumor. But after doing several checking around I found out this is NOT a rumor. This is facts.

It takes on a average response time of 2 to 5 minutes for Holley Police to show up to your house after calling 911. If Holley PD needs back up, it takes an average of 15 to 20 minutes for Sheriff’s Department or NY State Police to respond – possibly longer based on were they are responding from. They could be coming from Albion, Medina, or Lyndonville.

On an average night, the Sheriff’s Department has two patrol units on, NY State Police has one patrol on. These three patrols cover all of Orleans County, handling calls. From drunk driving, accidents, shootings, domestic disputes, fights, break-ins, drug trafficking, etc. The list goes on.

Village of Holley handles over 300 calls a month. This does not include speeding tickets. That is 10 plus calls made to 911 a day on average. Response time is 2 to 5 minutes. If we cut the hours, and do away with the police department. Do you feel if you are being held at gun point, or a robber is in your house that you can wait 15 to 20 minutes for someone to show up, and that is based on if a car is available at the time and not on another call?

Is Skip Carpenter more worried about a budget, that village residents and property is not worth protecting. Look around people, the Village of Holley has one of the highest drug trafficking areas in the county because Village Board members like Skip Carpenter don’t want extra patrols on. He would rather cut the budget and cut patrols before putting your life and property first.

We need people in the Village Board that care about the safety of this village and NOT their own pocket.

If you have the time, I encourage you to run against Skip Carpenter for Village Trustee and let’s worry about the safety of this community.

No one likes budgets. But I would rather have a suitable budget and 24/7 police protection than no budget and no protection because a Village Board member doesn’t want a Police Department.

Steven Gergely
Village of Holley

Editor:

The Holley Wrestling Team and coaching staff would like to thank the many people and organizations who helped organize and contributed to the success of the Holley Wrestling Program throughout this wrestling season.

Several events were conducted and without their help and support these events would not have been a success. The following are the events that took place in which many volunteers were needed: Holley JV and Varsity Wrestling Tournaments, Holley Hawk Wrestling Club, Holley Junior Wrestling Club, Holley Wrestling Club Tournament, Gold Force Wrestling Club Open Mats, and the Holley Wrestling Banquet.

All your contributions, generosity, assistance and efforts did not go unnoticed. Your loyalty and dedication is the main reason why programs and students athletes achieve success.

Thank you once again!

Sincerely,

John J. Grillo
Holley Central School
Head Wrestling Coach

Editor:

Does Article 10 trump Article IX???

In your recent article an Orleans County official is quoted as saying: “They’re putting pressure on the locals and they have no control.”

This is precisely what Apex wants everyone to believe that only the siting board has control over the decisions on power generating facilities. It appears they have successfully convinced our county and local officials to give up their home rule rights and roll over in the face of the promise of “millions of dollars” for the county, towns and landowners.

It is a sad day in the United States of America when ordinary citizens no longer have a say in what happens in their communities, their neighborhood and their lives. We are about to be bamboozled just as they were in Wyoming County.

Article IX is home rule. Article X allows 5 members of the NY state government to make the final decision on siting of power stations generating over 25 MW.

Have we given up home rule to 5 members of the NY state government?
5! Is that democracy in action??

Regards,

Susan E. Dudley
Lyndonville

Editor:

This is in response to Editor Tom Rivers’ article dated March 31, 2015, regarding the upcoming APEX / Public Service Commission informational meeting in Barker. Click here to see “PSC reps will be at Barker meeting on wind project.”

The article refers to “the state’s new Article 10 process, which Orleans County officials say takes away home rule in permitting of the turbines.” This legislation isn’t “new,” it was enacted in 2011 to clarify and consolidate laws governing wind power generating facilities in NYS.

Article 10 doesn’t take away anything. It sets rules for companies to follow when looking to build Industrial Wind Turbines; rules including requirements to follow local, regional, county, state and federal laws, along with public outreach, health and environmental concerns, property values, and working with local government.

Article 10 states that developers must review local zoning and building codes to ensure they are in compliance. Regarding Save Ontario Shores, Mr. Nesbitt’s statement that “They’re putting pressure on the locals and they have no control,” couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The Towns of Yates and Somerset have a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, and Yates has very specific laws governing wind power generation facilities proposed for the town; Local Law No. 1, which is part of the zoning law and has been since Article 10, was introduced.

Concluding in 2012, the Town of Cape Vincent NY, an area very much like Yates and Somerset, defeated BP’s efforts to install wind turbines by enforcing their local law, directing their argument to the Public Service Commission. Yates and Somerset can do the same.

One Yates law governing wind turbines limits their total height to 420 feet, and that’s just one of many presently on the books. Town Boards are also required to issue Special Use Permits for such developments, which require the plan be review by Planning Boards and recommendations as to whether the plans meet zoning and other applicable laws.

The assertions of the Somerset and Yates Boards, and County officials that permitting is up to the state is inaccurate. The Towns of Yates and Somerset have a great deal of influence.

Glenn Maid
Lyndonville

Photo by Tom Rivers – This former one-room schoolhouse on Gaines Basin Road, just north of the Erie Canal, has been largely abandoned since decentralization in the mid-1940s.

Editor:

For about 110 years, from 1835 to 1843, that little cobblestone school house that sits on the west side of Gaines Basin Road, just north of the canal, served to educate the children from Gaines District #2.

Back in the day, the town of Gaines had 12 one-room schoolhouses, roughly located 1.5 miles apart to make access easier by the students in attendance. There is good reason to believe the cobblestone building I am referring to replaced a log school house where young pioneers educators such as Nancy Bullard and Caroline Phipps taught. In fact, it is believed, Miss Phipps, beginning at the age of 14, taught there in the years of 1826-29, before enrolling for a year in the Gaines Academy closer to Gaines Village and The Ridge Road.

As you may know, Miss Phipps distinguished herself as a career educator and advanced learning for women. Her Phipps Union Seminary stood where the County Clerks Office now is from 1837 to 1875.

We in Orleans County who care about historic preservation, cobblestone architecture and the need to honor our past are mounting a grassroots effort to save and restore the 1832 cobblestone schoolhouse.

A work bee and open house is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, beginning at 10 a.m. and going to 2 p.m. Weather permitting we will be cleaning up the grounds and planting flowers.

Inside we will be sweeping the floors, taking inventory of artifacts worth saving and displaying, measuring windows that need replacing, etc. A portable sanitation facility will be available. Volunteers are encouraged to bring bottled water, brooms, work gloves, garbage bags, shovels, rakes and clippers.

Donations of photographs, desks, artifacts, wall hangers would be very much appreciated. Orleans County Historical Association is a 502c3 for tax-deductible contributions. Your treasures would be gently scanned and returned to you promptly and proper citation given the donor in whatever publication they appear.

While we work on prettying up the building, there are three solid efforts underway. An application has been made to the W.G. Pomeroy Foundation for funding ($1,250) for a historic marker to be placed out front. Also two applications are being made to the State and Federal Register of Historic Places. If you know someone who was a student there, a parent, grandparent, great grandparent or of stories to tell, please contact Al Capurso at 590-0763.

“The heritage we share is worthy of our best efforts to preserve it.”

Al Capurso
Gaines

Editor:

These days it is infrequent that we thank our neighbors for anything, much less for a selfless action. However, in the last two weeks we of Save Ontario Shores and other concerned citizens in Yates and Somerset have had the unique opportunity to see some of our neighbors oppose the installation of wind turbines on their land.

These people have had the smarts to dissect the contract, the integrity to reject potential personal profit for the greater good of their town, the heart to put on their neighbors’ shoes, and the courage to say NO to Apex wind turbines on their land.

Some of these people have stood up in front of the Town Boards of Yates and Somerset to explain why they would not sign a contract. Others have remained silent, but their rejection of a lease carries equal weight in this effort to keep our towns turbine-free.

These people are a keystone to rejecting this industrial wind farm from being sited in Somerset and Yates. Without enough leases, Apex will not be able to plant their 570-foot industrial turbines here.

We believe that an industrial wind factory with 60 to 70 of the 570-foot wind turbines will have great negative consequences for this area while providing a fractional amount of electricity into the NYISO grid.

So we thank you neighbors! Our children thank you. Our Grandchildren thank you.

You have played the most important role in keeping Niagara and Orleans counties turbine-free. We stand with you in rejecting the Apex wind project. This fight is not over but you are the front line.

The importance of your action should be acknowledged by everyone who cares about the beauty and peace that we enjoy in rural western New York on the shores of Lake Ontario.

John Riggi, President of Save Ontario Shores
Roger Barth, Director of Save Ontario Shores

Editor:

For the sake of our wonderful emergency response personnel, I personally think it would be great if someone could publish general guidelines for what to do at an intersection when you hear/see an approaching emergency vehicle.

I’m sure there are many lists of rules and procedures out there, but a few local tips would be very much appreciated! I know I’ve been confused. And I’ve seen a few indications that other drivers may be a bit unsure of the best way to yield to our emergency vehicles, particularly fire trucks.

I understand what to do in general, but one instance has me puzzled (and I’ve encountered it multiple times). What is the proper procedure when you’re part of a line of cars stopped at the traffic light at the corner of Route 98 & Route 31? Last summer I was at a loss what to do as some cars remained in their lane, others attempted to pull over onto the (very small!) shoulder in front of the plaza, and still others proceeded as if nothing was happening.

If you are on the “red side” of the light, do you attempt to maneuver out of the line and onto the shoulder?

If you are on the “green side” of the light, do you proceed through as normal (assuming there isn’t a flashing wailing vehicle heading at you!) in an attempt to not block the intersection, or do you treat it as if the light is still red and stay stopped/pull onto the shoulder?

Obviously if the vehicle is oncoming, it’s easier to respond, but what about when it’s coming up behind me, especially if I can only hear it but can’t see it yet?

I realize these may be dumb questions, but since our fire station is north of the corner of 98 & 31, and I do a lot of driving on 98, I keep finding myself in a line of cars with a large fire truck behind us, and none of us are quite sure what our responsibility is!

As I said before, I’m sure I could look online and find a general answer, but I thought perhaps our local fire department might welcome an opportunity to give our community a refresher course on how we can best help them.

Thank you!

Elianna Quatro
Albion