Editor:

As a resident of the Town of Yates, I support Wesley Bradley for town councilman and John Belson for town supervisor in the election on Tuesday.

They have done a superb job serving our town in the past and have earned the right to be re-elected. Their decisions have been for the best interest of our town.

SOS (Save Ontario Shores) members do not like the decisions the board has made. They sued the very Town Board board they are seeking to be elected to because they didn’t like one of the decisions made.

The following are working on a survey for all town residents: Wes Bradley, Councilman; Taylor Quarles, representing Apex; and Richard Pucher, representing SOS.

On Oct. 8, I received a survey from SOS. This survey had to be postmarked by Oct. 9. Since I am for the wind project, I found this survey were clearly biased and against the project that I support. It led me to believe that this was an attempt to undermine the survey the town committee is working on. That survey is fair for all residents, both for and against the wind project.

I personally know of homeowners and business owners who did not receive a survey. How does that make the SOS survey fair?

Our Town Board has not made a stance for or against the wind project. I will find out their decision, along with everyone else, when they make it public.

I vote for the person who will do the best job for our town. It is my right to put a sign showing my support based on the job they have done and how they handle themselves as board members.

The conduct the SOS members have shown at board meetings is not the conduct I would like to see if they get a seat on our board.

I urge the Town of Yates votes to cast their ballot to re-elect Wesley Bradley for councilman and John Belson for town supervisor. Let these men continue make their decisions, based on facts, not false statements.

I have every confidence that their decisions will be in the best interest of our town.

Donna Bane
Lyndonville

Editor:

Nine weeks?

This is apparently how long it takes for a committee to work on a survey and process regarding the proposed wind project in the Town of Yates.

Resolution No. 72-8/15 was approved on Aug. 13 to, in part, survey town residents on the proposed wind project. Town Councilman Wes Bradley made comments about the survey at the Sept. 9 Town Board meeting.

Councilman Bradley was also quoted in an Oct. 9 article on Orleans Hub that there was no timetable to complete the survey because of the uncertainties of reaching consensus with the three parties.

What? This can’t be the first time a survey for proposed wind turbines has been developed. Even accounting for survey questions specific to the Town of Yates, there should be no need to re-invent the survey “wheel.” And what consensus needs to be reached? Funding? Question format and content? They are not developing the American Community Survey from the Census Bureau.

This indeed is a Town of Yates matter regarding completing the survey. But what is decided could affect residents in positive/negative ways in the towns of Carlton, Gaines and Ridgeway. It’s reasonable that a fair amount of people are waiting to see what the survey results yield.

A survey/process should not being taking nine-plus weeks to complete. If it means extra hours for all involved to get a survey in front of town residents, that is not an unreasonable expectation.

Tom Klotzbach
Waterport

Editor:

Chris Bourke and I have the knowledge, experience, and desire to serve the people of Orleans County. The time is now to give the Office of Sheriff back to the people.

For those of you who have witnessed our campaign over the past ten months, I pledge to you that we will have the same work ethic, drive, and accessibility as your sheriff and undersheriff that has been present in our campaign efforts.

It is a team approach I am bringing to the Office of Sheriff, and you are a part of the team. As the People’s Sheriff, I will focus my service on the people and be an effective advocate for Orleans County. When necessary, I will lobby Albany and our local governments for our public safety needs. We don’t work for the State of New York or any special interests; we work for you, the people of Orleans County. We are a team opposed to the SAFE Act.

Chris and I will work as hard for you as we have with this campaign for sheriff. As lifelong Orleans County residents, coupled with our 60 years of experience, we have a keen awareness of your public safety needs. It is that awareness along with our transparency, availability, and responsiveness that set us apart from my opponents.
There are two unions that comprise the department’s workforce, and I am proud to have garnered the endorsements of both. It means a lot to me that those hard working men and women, with their boots on the ground daily, have put their faith in me. The team is in place to execute our comprehensive plan featuring attainable objectives that will improve all five divisions of the department, at no additional cost to the taxpayers.

I have absolutely loved the entire process of this campaign and meeting all of the great people of Orleans County. Over the past 10 months you have inspired me, motivated me, and encouraged me that change for the best is possible.

In closing, I am truly blessed to live a life with great family, friends, and co-workers. I am running for sheriff to serve you, the people of Orleans County, and together we can make our public safety great.

Sincerely,

Randy Bower
Holley
Candidate for Orleans County Sheriff

Editor:

Tuesday is an extremely important day that will determine the future of the Town of Yates. My name is John Riggi and I am the endorsed Republican Candidate for Yates Town Council. As the endorsed candidate, I urge every registered voter to vote on Election Day, Nov. 3. Your vote is critical!

As you may also know, I am opposed to the Apex Lighthouse Wind project. The Apex Lighthouse Wind issue has expanded into every fiber that is life in this wonderful town. Fact remains, this proposed Industrial Wind Turbine Emplacement Project will forever scar this wonderful place visually, environmentally and socially in ways that will never heal.

However, we have options.

Meaningful economic development is critical to the future of Yates and turbines do not fit the definition of meaningful development. Especially when meaningful development is defined as long term improvement in the quality of life of all residents and a growing tax base.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Thursday, October 7th that 1366 Technologies, a manufacturer of technologies for the solar energy industry, will establish its first large commercial Direct Wafer„¢ production plant and significantly grow its workforce at the high-tech Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park in Alabama, Genesee County. Construction of the manufacturing facility will require two phases during which the company will create at least 1,000 new jobs within a 30 minutes commute Yates.

STAMP project final growth vector indicates 10,000 local jobs to be created at the site from numerous hi-tech business anchors.

The New York State incentive package includes up to $56.3 million and up to 8.5 megawatts of low-cost hydropower. As we have always known, there is significant hydropower capacity in Western New York and it is proven by the use of low cost hydropower to drive this largest economic development project in Genesee County history.

The approval of the STAMP project and its use of low-cost hydropower is of significant interest to the Town of Yates. 1366 Technologies will utilize this low-cost power to recruit and employ high tech, engineering personnel at a $100,000 average annual salary.

They will be spending that $100,000 average wage on homes, schools, goods and services. The competition for those people and dollars will be fierce and Yates needs to be prepared to compete for those people and dollars.

The STAMP Project illustrates one of those options available to the Town of Yates as an option much more suited to our, very unique area of New York State. And there are others as well. However, we need to resolve the turbine issue once and for all in order to move forward into the future.

The Town of Yates needs a plan to take advantage of the economic development opportunities such as the STAMP project. Otherwise, a wind turbine wasteland is our future.

The future of Yates is at stake and will be decided on Nov. 3, 2015.
There is much work to do, but we have a tremendous set of resources at our disposal to drive Yates into a successful future. I promise the constituents of the Town of Yates that I will work diligently to make use of our resources and town laws to guarantee an ever-improving Town of Yates.

John Riggi
Yates
President of Save Ontario Shores and candidate for Yates Town Board

Editor:

As I “sit, sipping coffee over the lake” this morning, I still ponder the sentiments of people like Patrick McKenna, a man I have never met, but understand is the son-in-law of Mr. Belson.

Wasn’t it fortuitous of Mr. McKenna to post that letter to the editor just before mine? Doesn’t his letter reinforce my supposition that “lake people” are resented in Lyndonville? Don’t you think it is time to act on the current state of affairs?

With all due respect to the “sitting” town supervisor and councilman running for re-election, I believe it is time to get out of your seat and address the issues. It is unconscionable that you rest on your laurels that you “love this town,” and that makes you the best candidate for office.

Isn’t it ironic that the two businesses that are your claim to fame are Amish, the very group of people who are shunned by so many of your people? Did you encourage tax breaks for those businesses, like you seem to be willing to do for an out-of-state multimillion dollar company?

Can you even begin to compare the impact Apex would have on the Town of Yates to the two Amish businesses, which, by the way, are owned by residents of this community?

I realize the positions of town supervisor and councilman are thankless jobs. It amazes me that the very busy people who are running for these positions are willing to take on even more responsibility.

They all have extremely important full-time jobs, and yet they are willing to donate countless hours to what appears to be an unappreciative town. But then, we all know that busy, talented, aggressive, forward-thinking individuals are the ones that can and do get the job done.

You have my vote and thanks, Jim Simon, Glenn Maid, and John Riggi. I have every confidence that you are the men who will do just that: Get the job done.

Cynthia Hellert
Town of Yates

Editor:

Let me start by saying that I don’t live in Orleans County. However, I have many family and friends that still do live there so I have a right to care about this sheriff’s race.

I’d just like to shed some light on some skewed information presented by people supporting Randy Bower.

In a recent letter to the Orleans Hub, writer Margo Passerell compared candidate Randy Bower’s lack of experience to retired Sheriff Dave Green and the late great former Monroe County Sheriff Andrew Meloni.

For the record, Sheriff Green was the Orleans County Coordinator of Civil Defense, Natural Disaster and Fire Investigation prior to being elected. He has also been quoted as saying Tom Drennan is the right man for the job and fully supports Drennan as the next sheriff. Comparing Bower to Green makes no sense. Not even Sheriff Green thinks Bower is the right choice.

Furthermore, Randy Bower cannot hold a candle to the Honorable Andrew Meloni, God rest his soul. Ms. Passerell said Sheriff Meloni was a part time clerk for the Sheriff’s Office before being elected Sheriff. That’s true, but it’s only part of the story.

He also served his country in the United States Army, served as Monroe County Undersheriff from 1968-1974, was named Monroe County Public Safety Administrator until 1977, and was the Director of Public Safety and Traffic at the University of Rochester. Sheriff Meloni also earned a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from Empire State College in 1977. (Information courtesy of the Democrat and Chronicle)

He was THEN elected Sheriff in 1979. To say that Sheriff Meloni had no experience is shameful and disrespectful to the man and his family.

Also, according to another Bower enthusiast, Republican voters have no choice but to vote for Randy Bower because he is the Republican candidate. In a letter to the Orleans Hub, David Wells of Medina wrote that it is “blatant disloyalty to their party,” if any registered Republican supports a different candidate. He goes on to say that you should not be displaying any signage other than a Bower sign if you are a registered Republican.

Residents do not deserve to be bullied, or told what they can or can’t do. Voters are human first, and party affiliated second. They are allowed to cast their ballot of their own free will. Regardless of what your party says, you can still vote for whomever you feel is the right choice.

Bower supporters are adamant that Republicans vote the party line without doing research. Is that why Randy Bower was so excited the night he won the primary? Did he feel that voters would just flock like sheep, vote Republican and ensure him a win in November? I don’t know the answer to that, but it makes sense now that we see what Mr. Wells is ordering voters to do.

The Orleans County Republican Committee didn’t even consider Randy Bower as their candidate from the beginning. Why is that? Is it because they feel experience matters? Maybe. Is it because they have worked with an elected Bower in the past and didn’t care to do so again? Maybe. The fact remains, people can vote for whom they want, and shouldn’t be pressured to do otherwise.

Mr. Wells continues in his letter to cite the “New York State Sheriff’s Association” and the “New York State Corrections” unions support Randy Bower, and that both are “state wide law enforcement organizations.”

Again, this is only partially true. The New York State Sheriff’s Association does not support Randy Bower for Sheriff. It is a not for profit organization comprised of all sheriffs of New York State. It isn’t a union.

Mr. Wells should have said the “New York State Deputy’s Association,” which is the local union representing the Road Patrol Deputies in Orleans County. The same goes for the “New York State Corrections” union. It’s actually the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, which represents the Jailors in Orleans County. Neither is a statewide endorsement.

The Bower campaign fiercely defends the fact that experience is not necessary to become the sheriff. When there is no experience to speak of, I guess it’s worth defending. But wouldn’t it be nice if the elected sheriff did have experience, I can’t imagine how that could be seen as anything but positive.

Voters have an important decision to make on Tuesday. I just hope they do themselves a favor and really consider what they’ll get with each candidate.

Tom Drennan will not skew the truth or bully people to vote for him. Experience does and should matter. The real New York State Sheriff’s Association thinks so, and so do we.

My family has done its research, and fully supports Chief Deputy Tom Drennan for Orleans County Sheriff.

Todd Smith
Formerly of Holley
Proud Son of current Undersheriff Steven D. Smith

Editor:

This is regarding Susan Campbell’s letter posted in the Hub on Oct. 28, “SOS accused of undermining wishes of majority of full-time Yates residents.”

The law is the law. You can not vote with just a post office box – you have to have a residential address. The regulations are clear and stated on the NY voter registration website. Ms. Campbell needs to do better research.

If the people of Yates and Somerset don’t understand that this wind turbine project is the BIGGEST & MOST IMPORTANT issue in these two towns right now, they are living in Fantasy Land. The outcome of this potential project, if it continues, will have a negative effect that will last for years.

I sincerely hope that Simon, Riggi and Maid are elected. The town of Yates needs new leadership with new ideas. These men have them and are willing to work with ALL citizens.

I have heard NO ideas from the other candidates.

As to the “wishes of the majority,” the SOS survey clearly showed a majority AGAINST the wind turbine project. The survey promised by the Town of Yates board has yet to materialize and clearly will not be put out before the election.

Susan Dudley
Lyndonville

Editor:

After reading my opponents’ statements in last week’s Pennysaver, I was not happy. I filled out a ‘Freedom of Information Law’ (FOIL) form to collect the numbers. I looked at tax bills on different properties in Barre over three years, tax information and the bond issue in water district #1.

There is a 7.8% tax increase. There is a rise in state retirement and health insurance for town employees, courtroom equipment, contractual costs and maps for the water districts.

Remember last winter? Added salt purchases alone totaled $43,480 plus overtime, maintenance and fuel. Now if you compare your 2014 tax bill to your 2015 bill there is only a change of a few cents. The reason is that the reassessment for National Grid’s power line increased and offset our tax increase.

The water district #1 bond issue is a 23-year bond that started in 1994 and will be paid off in 2016.

The Town of Barre has a website (click here) that posts the minutes of all board meetings. Anyone can view the minutes, see the issues and who was present.

I encourage all to check the web site regularly, attend board meetings on the first and second Wednesday of every month and exercise our right for information.

I want to know the facts, not just half-truths, as I am sure you want. I believe in an open door policy and will work for you as your next Barre Town Councilman.

You want someone that will work for you and not just make promises then vote for Sean Pogue on the Republican line.

Sean Pogue
Barre

Editor:

When it comes to the race for sheriff we keep hearing hearing experience this and experience that. What about your rights to keep and bear arms?

A violation of the constitution Is TREASON! The Democratic candidate by his own admission has stated not only will he violate his OATH of office but commit treason as well.

The people’s sheriff will follow what the people want. Since an amendment would be needed, would he be willing to do the same?

Keeping this in mind, along with experience, Drennan is the best person for our next sheriff and has my vote.

Craig Wilston
Albion

Editor:

I would like to remind the voters of Orleans County that back on May 7, 2015, Tom Drennan was endorsed by the Republican Party Committee as their candidate for sheriff.

The same committee members that have been elected to represent the ten towns of Orleans County and look out for our best interest chose Tom Drennan.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that this committee has the knowledge and information needed to make unbiased choices for their constituents without fear or favor. The reason they hold that position is because we, as voters, trusted them with making important decisions for us.

Many have been quoted as saying, “Vote Republican, be loyal to your party.” As far as I am concerned, the Republican choice WAS Tom Drennan.

Forcing a primary and winning by 21 votes is not representative of what the Republican Party truly wanted, or he would have been overwhelmingly endorsed as such. Out of more than 10,000 active registered Republican voters, only one-third showed up on Sept. 10.

I am honored to have two DRENNAN for SHERIFF signs in my front yard. They are not fancy or showy. They are practical, down to earth and humble signs, which exactly represent the man that they endorse. It could not be more clear that Tom Drennan is absolutely meant to be (and deserves to be) the next sheriff of this County.

Tom Drennan may not have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he was born with a sterling character, and that is something that can never be taken away from him. It’s who he is, always has been and always will be.

Pamela Geraci
Murray