Editor:

In the wake of the news that the Batavia VA Clinic is receiving ½ million dollars to spend on signs I have this to say:

I find it reprehensible that the VA VISN 2 (which includes Buffalo, Batavia and Rochester) would hand out ½ million dollars for new signs at the Batavia Clinic. I use that VA and they have relatively new signs. I am half blind and must wear glasses and I am almost entirely deaf in my right ear from my combat service. Yet, I can still easily find my way around the Batavia VA using the existing signs without a problem.

There’s no need new signs. Besides, if a vet has problems finding their way, there are plenty of VA employees sitting or standing around to guide you.

I have more complaints against VISN 2 than I can list. Due to their inefficiency, ineffectiveness and complete disregard for my health, I was forced to seek medical attention at Strong Memorial Hospital, even though I am 100 percent service connected. Lucky for me Strong has given me Charity Care at a 60 percent discount, but that still leaves me paying many bills out of my own pocket without VA assistance.

I have been forced to put forth complaints about VA negligence, employee disrespect and downright malpractice to the VA Inspector General. I have also pursued a Congressional Inquiry into the Buffalo VAMC with Congressman Collins office. There is so much wrong with the VA that I have arranged a face-to-face meeting with the congressman later this month to discuss veteran’s issues. To toss ½ million dollars out for new signs at the Batavia VA when veterans are literally dying to get in is unacceptable. This is only one of the many topics I intend to bring up with our congressman.

Non-veterans in America now have the freedom to choose their health care due to Obama’s Health Care Reform Act. Veterans, however, do not have much choice. If a veteran is lucky enough to be working on his own or is married and somehow has private insurance to fall back on, he is lucky. Many veterans are disabled with PTSD, TBI’s or other medical issues. However, they are forced to use the VA unless we pay out of our own pocket. Why do we veterans, the very people who have answered the call to arms to preserve the freedoms of all Americans, have no freedom to choose our own health care? Why are we veterans disenfranchised? Almost discriminated against?

In my opinion, all veterans have become prisoners without freedom of choice for their health care. I also believe it is time to send VA medical centers (such as the Buffalo VA hospital) packing. Get rid of that hospital, which is ripe with politics, deplorable conditions, employee negligence and downright medical misconduct, fraud and overall mismanagement. For example, I had one doctor who had no idea that any one of the hundreds of thousands of American troops fighting the First Gulf War ever set foot on Iraqi soil — and he was the head of his department.

I found that incident so incomprehensible it left me momentarily speechless. I had the doctor pull up a map on his computer to and him where veterans have fought in the in the Middle East in the last 25+ years. Why did I have to tell a VA doctor something he should very well have known when he is supposedly responsible for caring for veterans of every era? That was nonsense. It shows that the very people charged with caring for we veterans have no clue about us at all.

Veterans should have a choice in their health care. It has been proven that the VA is no longer in touch with most veterans, especially we of the younger generation. They have also, regardless of age or military service, either not provided care at all or just simply provided substandard care. They frequently refuse payment for things like going to a non-VA emergency room or hospital which may be closer to the veterans home.

The only VA inpatient hospital or emergency services available to veterans in WNY is in Buffalo. Batavia is only a mere clinic and has no emergency services. Ergo, they don’t need new signs when that money could be used for medical care for veterans.

Is it not better to spend ½ million dollars on care for a veteran than on useless signs? This whole thing is just one more in an endless list of VA mismanagement and absolute total disregard for veterans. It’s deplorable.

Batavia needs to refuse that money and demand that it goes to the care of veterans. For anyone who disagrees, they may just go online to the Veterans Administration Office of the Inspector General and look at the endless complaints they have investigated. Nearly one in every five complaints has been found to be valid and reprimands have resulted.

The VA is antiquated, especially now with Obama’s health care reforms. Veterans should not be forced to be prisoners of the VA system and denied the very freedom of choice in health care that the rest of the American public enjoys. If you look at the VA online they portray themselves as caring and veteran oriented. Don’t believe everything you read. There are more horror stories than there are satisfied veterans.

I urge any veteran that has issues with dealing with the VA to contact me directly at stsills01@yahoo.com. I would be happy to help. We veterans are the only ones who can change the system, but we must do it together.

Many of us have fought in combat and although the fight to end VA corruption and mismanagement must be done with the power of words and not arms, we must still band together as one to fight for what we deserve. We must demand change and fight for our freedom of choice in health care. It’s obvious we cannot leave it up to the VA. We veterans should enjoy the very freedoms we fought for and not be disregarded and thrown aside, which with the VA seems to be the case.

The entire VA should be ashamed of itself and I think it’s time for a shake up and a removal of several VA employees. In the military if we did not do our jobs or did them haphazardly, we would be demoted or worse, chaptered out of the service entirely.

That should be the standard for the VA as well. Either do your jobs and respect veterans or take a hike. If VISN 2 approves or for a minute think it’s okay to spend ½ million dollars for new signs when veterans are still suffering and being ignored, then it’s time we veterans joined together and end VA negligence.

We must demand reform, remove those VA directors that allow such oversight and exercise our rights not only as American citizens, but as proud veterans.

Steven T. Sills
Proud Veteran
Medina

Editor:

I was pleased to read your tribute in the Orleans Hub on August 3, 2015. (Click here to see “Bob Waters exuded enthusiasm for Medina, Orleans County.”)

I have known of Mr. Waters since the early ’70s when The Journal-Register presses ran our Royalton-Hartland School newspaper. When we would tour, as we were learning the rudiments of Journalism, he always made an appearance, and would ask quite pointed questions for high school Juniors and Seniors.

I also ran into him at community functions and in the hospital. I am not certain he actually knew my name, yet always greeted me and inquired as to my well being.

His leadership of Medina was a gift. While we owe him nothing, I think it only reasonable to say that some lasting tribute to this gentleman (and I really mean gentleman) should be provided by the community he loved!

Once again, thank you for your efforts at providing news of quality to our communities in Orleans County!

Dayton Hausman
Medina

Editor:

The failure of the Republican Committee in the Town of Gaines to grant their party’s endorsement to Gaines Town Supervisor Carol Culhane is evidence of confusion (i.e.) lack of Republican “Principle and Ideals,” poor leadership, and certainly a “party over the people” mentality. Anyway, the Gaines Town Clerk is more important to the Republican Committee than are the Gaines taxpayers.

By initiating an audit of Gaines town business and practices, which hadn’t been done in about seven years, Supervisor Culhane’s auditors uncovered acts and misdeeds that certainly did not benefit the taxpaying citizens of Gaines.

Supervisor Culhane has definitely been working toward a better path fiscally and openly for the Town of Gaines government. I don’t believe that the lack of the Gaines Republican Committee’s endorsement will deter her from her original intent of putting Gaines back on the right track.

Supervisor Carol Culhane has support “Posse” in her community, but all of the Gaines citizens should realize that her efforts are for their benefit, with her neither asking for, or expecting, anything in return.

Now, Fast Track Back to the Gaines Town Board meeting, and recorded minutes thereof, on April 14, 2015, and the “Privilege of the Floor” segment, with all of the following information on the Town of Gaines website.

At this meeting, according to the minutes, there were three people who spoke negatively about the way in which Supervisor Culhane and the Town Board distributed information about the offenses of the town clerk to the Orleans County and Town of Gaines residents. Of the three people, two had been involved with town government, and one is currently in Orleans County government.

These degrading and disparaging remarks directed toward Supervisor Culhane by these three individuals were apparently brought on by the letter regarding the current Gaines Town Clerk that was “acknowledged by all of the town board members,” and appeared on the Orleans Hub, in the Batavia Daily News, and the town newsletter included in the water bills.

According to Bill Lattin, former Gaines Supervisor, said he lives or has tried to live by the Golden Rule of “Do Unto Others as You would have them Do Unto You.”

Someone should explain that to the town clerk since I don’t believe that the taxpayers of Gaines done to her what she had done to them.

Lorraine Oakley, former town of Gaines Town Board member, agreed with Mr. Lattin, and said she would also add bullying. Not to be outdone, Susan Heard, current Orleans County treasurer, chimed in with “the letter was mean spirited, and seems like bullying.”

There are many people in the county wondering how the Gaines Town Clerk can still be occupying that position after the audit brought to light her less than honest actions.

Heard wanted to know if the Town Board approves the clerk’s information for payment, and signs her checks. Supervisor Culhane stated that she signs the checks. Ever hear of trust? After a long time period, the Town Board most likely didn’t go over the clerk’s figures for payment with a “fine tooth comb.” I would have to imagine that practice has changed.

Heard also stated that the letter pertaining to the town clerk was “old news” from a couple of years ago. In my opinion, and others, the news will never get old until after the town clerk position is vacated by the current individual.

Hopefully these three individuals are not entertaining any future political aspirations, with their comments being 180 degrees out of whack. I know, I wouldn’t need their representation.

Gaines Republicans who sick and tired of your committee ought to think about circulating your own petitions and be your own person by not having to answer to the political hierarchy.

People who know the team of Carol and Jerry Culhane know how the Culhanes work for the betterment of the Gaines town people, Orleans County, Hospice, numerous churches, hospitals, veterans organizations and hospitals, and scores of other entities, with volunteering, abilities, and personal resources. How many can say that they are as commited?

These are my own opinions, and not expressed by, or for the Orleans County Conservative Party!

Allen Lofthouse
Kendall

Editor’s note: Mr. Lofthouse is chairman of the Orleans County Conservative Party.

Editor:

Greetings. My name is John Riggi and I’m a candidate for Yates Town Council on the Republican ticket for the upcoming November 2015 elections, as endorsed by the Town of Yates Republican Committee.

Having grown up and worked in a farming community (Caledonia, NY), I was taught early in life about the importance of the job that we all have in ensuring our rural lands remain fertile, productive and rural.

Every issue and decision considered by the Town Board must be evaluated by the Board to ensure that all constituent’s desires are taken into account, discussed and communicated prior to any decision on the town’s direction.

This is especially important now in the Town of Yates. Given all that is currently in play right now for the town, it would be easy to focus only on the biggest issue in front of the town right now (industrial wind turbines). That would be a mistake.

We have many issues that need to be addressed and the Town Board needs to take the clear lead in ensuring that we all move forward into the future on a clear, well-defined path that values our past, present and uses that past, present and our unique resources to drive the town to a planned, successful future. Unique resources such as: Agriculture, Lakefront, The Village of Lyndonville, Wildlife, Parklands and The People of The Town of Yates are critical to that future.

Regarding leadership: It is crucial for the Town Board to ensure that the key values of crystal clear ethics, data-driven decision making and ongoing outreach into the community drive the Town Board’s leadership. We are your public servants and as such need to understand your views in order to properly govern and guide our community.

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 these resources and our town laws to guarantee an ever improving Town of Yates.

John Riggi
Candidate for Yates Town Council

Editor’s Note: Riggi is also president of Save Ontario Shores, a group opposed to a wind turbine project in Yates and Somerset.

Editor:

This is my second letter on one of the many issues that plague this county. The sharing and distribution of the sales tax to towns and villages.

As a county I consider each town and village as a unique entity but when it comes to sales tax we are all as one. The sales tax that is collected comes from ALL of Orleans County. The county’s take on sales tax for 2015 may be in the 15-million-dollar range.

The county will only part with about 1 million of that for our towns and villages. Are they kidding? The formula the county uses by assessed value is a joke. The collected sales tax money comes from and belongs to all of us.

Every town and every village is cash strapped and passes that on to us in the form of higher taxes. This miniscule amount that the Legislature reluctantly doles out has been frozen since 2001. That’s 14 years.

In the mean time the beautiful Village of Medina is facing tax increases and flight of residents hurting property values. The Village of Albion has had to borrow money to put new roofs on village buildings. They can’t even afford to demolish blight abandoned houses in the neighborhoods.

I talked with a Village of Lyndonville trustee, who says the village doesn’t know where it will get the money to demolish an abandoned house in our village.

This story that I’m telling you goes on in all our towns and villages throughout our county.

We can not rely on the state for this kind of taxpayer funding. The money is right here in our county. Our establishment Republican legislators won’t give up one dime more to help the people they represent, including the current legislator who I am running against who represents Yates, Ridgeway and part of Shelby.

If we can’t depend on our local leaders to help us, then who? They are the closest representation that we have – the people that we can reach out to. Albany is distant and far.

I stand with the towns and villages on this issue. Above all I stand with the residents of Orleans County that are burdened with outrageous property taxes.

I would like to see a half and half share of this sales tax to all towns and villages. If it’s $15 million, the county gets $7.5 million and the other $7.5 million goes to the towns and villages. This would give the all towns and the very cash-starved villages the shot that they need to get caught up and reduce taxes.

Reducing taxes would bring in more sales tax, grow business, bring in young families with children to grow our declining school population and fill the empty houses. Maybe even spur some growth of new houses.

Our selfish leadership at the Legislature can’t see this and none we elected will stand up for us. You want to talk about cooperation? This would be a great start to a renewed Orleans County.

The County Legislature would have to make some changes but I know there is much fat and redundant programs that could be trimmed.

This is what I would like to see be done with this sales tax inequity. It will not be easy to get this done, but you have to put in place people who will work for you instead of against you .

We have to reduce the property taxes throughout this county if we are to succeed and thrive. It is a must.

Paul Lauricella Jr.
Yates

Editor:

I am Jim Simon, and I am running for the Town of Yates Supervisor position in the upcoming Republican Party primary nomination scheduled for Sept. 10.

I have lived in the Town of Yates for over 10 years, and for me and my wife and 8 children, it was love at first sight. I love everything from the Christmas holiday parties at the Yates Community Library and picking apples, blueberries and strawberries at local farms, to dipping a fishing line and taking in the sunset at Shadigee.

I am an Air Force veteran and I work in local higher education as an administrator. I have grown to appreciate the hard-working and friendly people of our community.

Alas, this community is now being bitterly divided by Apex Clean Energy.

I am adamantly opposed to the Apex Lighthouse Wind Project. I am for transparent, collaborative and inclusive economic development for the betterment of our entire community – including green energy – yet that is precisely the opposite of what is happening in Yates. Let me explain.

Apex Clean Energy, a Virginia-based company, has yet to sign the New York State Wind Ethics Code and has demonstrably failed to conduct itself in an open and honest manner. Why should any of us accept industrial zone planning of 60-70 massive 570-foot wind turbines through secret negotiations with select landowners, even before our town officials are aware of the proposal? If given the opportunity, I would immediately cease all discussions with Apex until it signs and proves it is abiding by the NYS Wind Ethics Code.

The 2011 Article X state law covering large-scale energy production proposals is controlled by a 7-member state “siting board” that will only have two representatives from the affected towns or counties. This law all but takes away local home rule and places the final decision in Albany. If elected, I would immediately partner with the Town Board of Somerset and support their July 7, 2015, resolution against the Apex proposal and the Article X law.

This proposal is not economically feasible. It involves payments to a handful of land owners and it promises a payment in-lieu of taxes to the town, the school district and the county. However, this limited funding does nothing to offset the proven negative impact on property values.

Recent peer-reviewed medical research increasingly points to significant health concerns- including sleep disturbance and vertigo caused by sound, infra-sound and flicker effects – for citizens who live too close to industrial wind turbines (see July-August 2010 Audiology Today journal).

This “green” proposal threatens to degrade our environment and wildlife – from the impact on our migratory bird population to the attractiveness of our rural landscape.

I will be a voice for the citizens of the Town of Yates who are not being heard regarding the Apex industrial wind turbine proposal.

I am for seeking the advice and ideas of all residents, strengthening our small farms and businesses, preserving our natural resources and leveraging county and state support for improving our infrastructure. I look forward to the opportunity to serve my neighbors to make our town better than it already is.

Jim Simon
Town of Yates

Photos by Tom Rivers – The Lyndonville Lions Club put on its biggest fireworks show on July 4, the 41st annual Fourth of July celebration put on by the Lions in Lyndonville.

Editor:

The Lyndonville Lions Club held its 41st Annual Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 4th. The fireworks display, which culminated the festivities and was our largest show ever, was by far the greatest expense for the Lions Club on this day. It is only with the response and support of area businesses, organizations and the general public that these fireworks are possible.

I would like to thank each of the over 50 businesses and organizations that contributed to this year’s show. In addition, thanks to all those individuals who bought raffle tickets, placed money in the Lyndonville Lions Club Independence Day Firecracker Cans and who donated money in the firecracker barrels being pulled along the parade route.

Again, without the tremendous community-minded support of each and every one of you, a display such as this would not be possible. With your continued support, I hope for an even bigger show next year.

Sincerely,

Wes Bradley
Lyndonville Lions Club
Fireworks Fundraising Chairman

Editor:

In late June, the state Legislature finished up a lengthy and unpredictable session in Albany with a broad overall agreement on many legislative issues. With such a diverse state, regionally and politically, it was challenging to get all parties to reach an agreement. I’m encouraged that we were able to come to a settlement with the Governor and Assembly, while still fighting for Western New York.

There’s good news on issues so important to Western New Yorkers, such as tax relief, education, and job creation.

Despite efforts to dramatically scale back the property tax cap, not only were we able to keep it intact, but we extended it for four years. Just this year, the property tax cap will save New York taxpayers over a billion dollars.

I believe the state should lead by example. That’s why I fought to keep state spending under the same two percent growth that applies to local governments and school districts under the property tax cap. This fiscal restraint will save state taxpayers over 1.5 billion dollars this year alone.

These savings will result in larger property tax relief checks and record funding for STAR and Enhanced Star. Together, these measures deliver major tax relief and provide stability to hard-working families, small businesses, and seniors who – for so many years – have been burdened by runaway government spending.

We also secured a key victory for Western New York children, parents, and teachers through record investments in our schools, libraries, and museums. We delivered an additional 25 million dollars in state education aid to schools in my district. We also eliminated nearly all of the anti-Upstate, Gap Elimination Adjustment, which will save taxpayers in my district 18 million dollars. Not only did we push back on some of the Governor’s extreme education policies, we introduced our own measures to comprehensively review Common Core, release tests to help students and teachers, and ensure tests are age appropriate.

Job creation and economic development is another critical matter for Western New York and has been my top priority. We’ve taken important steps to strengthen agriculture, redevelop brownfields, reduce energy rates, fund infrastructure, and expand green technology. These are important first steps to rebuilding the Western New York economy.

In other areas, we increased critical services to veterans returning from combat, children without adequate health care, women subjected to rape and domestic violence, victims of mental illness, and individuals and families affected by disabilities. Stricter measures against drug dealers and sex offenders will keep our families and communities safe. For example, years after the Amanda Lynn Wienckowski tragedy – years after intense negotiations – I’m pleased to report that Amanda Lynn’s law passed the Senate and Assembly.

But I’m also extremely disappointed in the actions – or inaction – taken by the New York City-dominated Assembly and a downstate liberal Governor on key issues. The Governor and Assembly walked away from most of our common sense reforms to the unconstitutional SAFE Act. The Governor threatened to shut down government unless legislators accepted his divisive education proposals. He has also vowed to proceed unilaterally on controversial issues like mandating a minimum wage that’s unacceptable to our small businesses and non-profits, and appointing a special prosecutor to investigate our police officers.

Despite the progress, I’m not ready to declare victory because we still have a lot of work ahead of us to revitalize Western New York and fight back against the destructive policies of downstate politicians and special interests.

State Sen. Rob Ortt
62nd Senate District

Editor:

I’m running for Orleans County Legislature, District 2, which includes Yates, Ridgeway, and part of Shelby. I would like to weigh in on IDAs (industrial development agencies).

With the Comptroller’s audit released on our Orleans County EDA (Economic Development Agency), it gives a great opportunity to highlight what a scam this added layer of government really is.

This audit (click here) shows that this giveaway of taxpayer money is mostly geared toward the politically connected and “Friends of the Legislature.” Something I witnessed with my own eyes not to long ago with our Legislature stepping in with our own tax dollars to make a “Friends” site shovel ready.

Now our Legislature has become a wing of the IDA pulling more money out of our pockets. It’s bad enough that our state picks our pockets to fund this corporate welfare program that is of no benefit to the local taxpayers as far as property tax relief goes. Because of the tax deferments and breaks these chosen businesses get, YOU the taxpayer have to pick up the slack in your property taxes.

Can anyone honestly say that their property taxes have gone down because of all this bribing to keep or bring business to our county? Isn’t the purpose of having larger business in your district to help bring down the property tax burden on the local residents and provide jobs?

That does not happen because of 10, 20, 30 years of tax deferments. Not to mention the millions of dollars in location bribes, in many cases.

Let’s talk about jobs. Many of these job creators overestimate the jobs that are to be created or bring in migrant workers from out of the country to fill them. Intergrow comes to mind. They laugh all the way to the bank. They also know that they have a “Friend” at the IDA that isn’t going to hold them accountable or come after them for a return of finances.

Western NY Energy gets some tax breaks. That’s our money wasted on an inefficient fuel, that creates more pollution, lowers gas mileage, provides no benefit to the environment and has raised the cost of food all over the country. Now they are seeking more tax relief for a another grain storage bin. Where is our tax relief? When is enough, enough?

Can you imagine if this money was just applied to relieve the property tax burden? Until the over-taxation of our property is addressed by our county and elected officials, nothing – no number of bribes and giveaways to micro or big business – is going to get people and business to want to move here and take roots.

I would like to see all IDAs/EDAs ended. That is not going to happen with the current weak Republican leadership. Please take into consideration when you go to vote that I will be a watchdog of the IDA/EDA, holding them and the businesses accountable.

When a business takes the charity of our hard-earned money, they need to be held to their job creation predictions. If they pull out for any reason, they need to be made to pay back all of the money with interest.

We do this with any welfare recipient that defrauds us. Just because someone is wearing a suit does not make them above the law. I wonder if anyone at the EDA will get reprimanded or terminated for this? My guess is they will get a raise and a night out at the Pillars.

We must reduce property taxes in this county or nothing will change.There needs to be a change in all the bodies of government in this county. Progressive Republican ideology has failed us. Vote on the conservative line.

Paul Lauricella Jr.
Lyndonville

Mr. Lauricella is a candidate for County Legislature on the Conservative Party line.

Editor:

I think it is great that Albion is back to having Midget A and B baseball. These are the tools that make are kids stronger and prepare them for bigger and better things.

I do believe that all kids should have a chance to play on these teams and not be selected by who you are. I also don’t feel it is fair that the money is paid out of the Little League account with no cost to the kids playing. That is very unfair to the hundreds of kids and families that have played and will play in this league and have no were to play for the summer.

I ask were there tryouts? Were all kids made aware of these teams? I have been told no.

Maybe people need to start asking questions. The people on the board should understand that it is not their money. It’s the kids and that should mean all kids should have a chance to play, and help improve themselves.

Finally I would like to thank all the coaches for their hard work and timeless hours they put in.

Jeff Holler
Albion