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:

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

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:

Is Andrew Cuomo serious about ethics??

On March 23 you posted an article that said Governor Cuomo won’t sign the budget without ethics reform.

In July 2009, as Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo announced a new Wind Industry Ethics Code. At the time, this code was signed by 16 wind development companies. Apex, the company proposing 60 to 70 570-foot industrial wind turbines along the Lake Ontario shoreline, has NOT signed this Ethics Code.

The Apex project manager told me that the Attorney General had not asked them to sign. Is it up to the Attorney General to pursue the wind company? Or does an ethical wind company initiate the signing?

If the Governor is serious about ethics, the AG should ensure that all wind development companies have signed and comply with the Ethics Code.

Do we really have a Wind Development Ethics Code in New York state?
I think not.

Regards,
Susan Dudley
Lyndonville

Editor:

The more time I spend in the Assembly, the more I notice the distinction between New York City and upstate New York. It is clear to me that the needs of downstate continue to dominate New York State politics.

Year after year, New York City drains our education fund dry and more attention is given to things like rent control and New York City’s mass transit system; issues for which upstate New Yorkers have little concern. Two-thirds of representatives in the Assembly have districts south of the Tappan Zee Bridge and their interests continue to dominate the budget process while upstate is left to fight for scraps.

With recent news emerging about the Southern Tier toying with the idea of secession to Pennsylvania, upstate New Yorkers deserve to have a choice about splitting from New York City now more than ever. In 2012, New York spent more on Medicaid than Florida and Texas combined, and this year’s budget will surely raise that to an even higher level.

Why should upstate be forced to take home less pay because of those who chose to remain on government assistance and abuse the system for benefits such as rent and energy assistance and funding for appliances and groceries?

Sen. Joseph Robach (R-Rochester) and I have recently introduced legislation (A.4167) to allow a referendum on the question, “Do you support the division of New York into two separate states?” In doing so, we could measure the citizen support for this initiative to determine if it is actually feasible. As liberals from New York City continue to move upstate generation after generation, they will undoubtedly support increased services and more taxation.

New York has one of the highest exodus rates in the country. Younger generations are realizing that a life in New York is not sustainable due to the abusive tax structure and lack of employment opportunities. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to see if separation from New York City is actually feasible.

Without the expensive downstate burden, we could gain education funding, lower taxes, have full Second Amendment rights, and more opportunities to experience the “American Dream.” Join me in fighting for upstate and passing my legislation so we can build a better “New New York.”

Steve Hawley
Batavia
Assemblyman 139th District

Editor:

Cathi Orr’s recent letter concerning the perilous potential reality of so-called “mechanics’ liens” being filed against landowners who engage with huge companies to install 570-foot industrial wind turbines ought to be taken seriously. It is not that uncommon for contractors, in general, to be stiffed for work they do for the massive companies they sometimes do business with.

A few years ago, I suggested that industrial wind turbines were/are not well-suited to Orleans County for a variety of reasons, including the county’s population density, pleasant rural ambiance, and environmental appeal. The lakeshore is one of many vistas that might very well suffer adverse impacts from structures three times as high as the Presbyterian Church steeple in Albion.

At that time I pointed out that Roscoe, Texas is like a moonscape littered with abandoned oil rigs and precious few people. There is nothing going on there to “mess up.” It is no doubt a suitable location for wind turbines. I would put some abandoned industrial steel mill sites in the same category.

Orleans County has many things that can be harmed by rushing to make the same mistakes others have already made.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

Editor:

The Village of Medina election to fill two trustee positions is Wednesday, March 18. As has been announced, I am a candidate for a write-in vote for one of the positions.

Perhaps I see this election a little differently than others. I am not a single-issue candidate. I see this as an election to vote for the most qualified individuals to spend the next two years working as a member of the team to manage the village.

There are personnel decisions, buying decisions, grant opportunity decisions, financial decisions amongst many other courses of actions. It is about management management of personnel, finances, assets and more. It is not just about a single issue as some would lead you to believe.

Do I have what it takes to be a member of a team working for a common goal, whatever that goal may be? I think that my 28 years military experience, both active and reserve, bears that out. If the military stresses one thing it’s teamwork. I certainly learned that.

Do I have the business management? In all my years of working in business I have had to make personnel decisions, manage assets for large corporations and be responsible for finances. I’m proud of my record and my accomplishments.

I’ve learned many lessons developing and implementing multi-million dollar budgets and supervising, in some cases, over 100 employees at a time. These were good lessons learned that have helped me in all facets of my life.

I am a former trustee. That is well known. I have the experience of being on the board. I also have the experience of attending meetings for years and not just for the village but towns and shared services meetings also. I’ve tried to become educated in the issues facing all.

Not everyone believes that hard work can lead to solutions that face management of the municipality. I believe that it can, that we can find solutions or work with others to achieve a common goal. I ask that you consider my candidacy for the board and write in my name for election. If elected, I promise to work hard for the best interests of the Village of Medina.

Thank you.

Owen Toale
Medina

Editor:

I’m running as a write-in candidate for the Medina Village Board of Trustees. (The election is on March 18.)

I believe consolidation is the best route out of this winter of discontent. What I, and I’m sure many of you, heard and felt after the failed dissolution vote was a cry for solidarity. Not just for our leaders to get along better, but for our government to reflect reality.

The reality is we are one. The reality is we don’t define ourselves by voting district or lines on a map. We are friends and neighbors. We are a community – a family.

On a more pragmatic level, we simply do not need three layers of governance for 6,000 people. Consolidation can lower taxes in the village without raising taxes in the towns, while preserving the same level of service. With what I heard from Seneca Falls, I believe we can lower them across the board.

I’m skeptical of other routes, like shared services or a city charter. I believe that while shared services can save money and reduce inefficiencies, it won’t save as much and it won’t solve structural issues.

And I do not believe the Towns will cooperate any longer than it takes to get through a voting cycle. Villagers already pay for services they don’t actually provide. They had to be dragged into this dialogue as if they don’t work for us.

The dissolution vote was forced by the Towns after four years of flailing and failing to deliver a shared services solution. If one were reached, it would be subject to the whim and magnanimity of these same bodies. The same bodies who created uncertainty about dissolution by their repeated statements that they were under no obligation to cooperate with it.

This “roll up your sleeves and do the work” attitude has been met with “dig in your heels and protect the status quo” by those entrenched in the current regime. You have to wonder why someone is only willing to do what the people are asking for if, and only if, it protects their status and positions. If and only if the fiefdoms remain.

As for petitioning for a city charter, as I’ve said in the past, New York hasn’t issued a new charter in decades. From Albany’s point of view, this problem is solved with million dollar incentives on efficiency and redundancy efforts like consolidation. On the other hand, our population as a single entity makes our request for AIM funding disparity harder to ignore.

In other words, we can be treated like a city, without a city charter. Together we will be heard. Together we cannot be ignored.

I’m not a career politician. I’m not a prior Trustee. But I don’t think we need more of what’s already failed in the past. More of that “roll up your sleeves” rhetoric that will wind out for years and be met by that “dig in and fight” reality. What I do have is 20 years of people and program management, six of which was in community relations. And I bring a healthy dose of awareness of those realities.

The reality is that we can’t keep doing the same thing and get different results. The reality is that we ARE one. Let’s get real, let’s get it done.

Jeremy Hogan
Medina

Editor:

(This letter is addressed to Town of Gaines residents.)

We have been asked by many constituents about numerous deficiencies disclosed in recent audits performed for the town. We have taken appropriate steps to address them.

Some areas of concern were identified within the Town Clerk’s Department outside of our direct control. The Town Clerk is independently elected and is responsible for her own department.

The issues of concern are as follows:

Overstated Mileage Reimbursement
Unauthorized pay increase
Unauthorized cell phone allowance
Unauthorized holiday payment to a deputy
Using town laptop for personal use
Record keeping deficiencies
Not Providing Hunting/Fishing License
Inappropriate discussions to the public regarding town business

The Town Board takes the public trust seriously. Though limited in our authority over the other elected officials, we will continue to act to the fullest extent possible to rectify these deficiencies and keep our government honest.

Respectfully,

Gaines Town Board