Editor:

As the current Deputy Town Clerk for the Town of Ridgeway, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for those who have continued to support me as I run for Town Clerk.

I am in my third year of service as first Deputy and have learned to perform many of the duties required of a Town Clerk. I have had the privilege of learning directly from Town Clerk, Karen Kaiser, and have attended numerous trainings to further my education and continue learning the numerous tasks that are required in this position.

I am up to date on the many changes that have occurred in this office from the systems used, ongoing projects, and regulations required due to Covid.

I have lived in Ridgeway my entire life and was honored to be able to serve the community that I love. I have been a dedicated, registered Republican and have received the endorsement from the Conservative Party as I am committed to upholding the Constitution and believe strongly in all of its values.

While I have not had the privilege of serving in a public position before and my name may not be as well known as others, I have been honored to serve the residents of Ridgeway in the Town Clerk’s office and hope to continue doing so.

I believe that my knowledge, experience and dedication will provide the highest level of service for Ridgeway and I will continue serving the residents with honesty and respect. I am also running on an Independent line, Laurie Kilburn for the People of Ridgeway.  I ask for your continued support by voting for me on November 2nd.

Sincerely,

Laurie Kilburn

Ridgeway Deputy Town Clerk

Editor:

Over the past 3 years, I have had issues with crosswalk problems. Meaning numerous times, I have almost been struck in the crosswalk, in two areas – North Main Street, East State Street, on the Post Office side and South Main Street and Rt. 31 Crosby’s side.

As of writing this, it happened again on Oct. 19. Drivers need to be aware of people crossing. Once a car came within 12 inches or less – it almost struck me.

Everyone needs to be cautious, paying attention around them. Some drivers think that they are the only ones out there. So please folks, be careful, look, drive smartly. It’s your life that can be saved.

Craig Chamberlain

Albion

In the Beginning

By Darlene Benton 

“In the beginning was the word..” (John 1:1)  Without language, human beings begin life with pure potential, little angels open to their new world. How humans manifest their potential, their unique, souled being, all begins with words.

From our beginning in the womb, the words and thoughts of the mother, the people in the midst of the mother, also begin the process of the development of “Who Am I?” All thoughts create form. Thoughts, words and actions hold energy, they create one’s experience in and of the world.

As science has caught up with what sages, prophets and healers through history have known, it has proven with electromagnetic imaging, thoughts and stimuli create an energetic impulse in every tissue and organ in the body. As a bodyworker working with numerous modalities, I have witnessed what many teachers impressed on me; “Our issues are in our tissues.”

With the overwhelming array of media nowadays, we are not just reading ideas in books and newspapers, we are being spoken to by voices, colorful images, videography and sound effects. As humans, we are born as sponges soaking up the energy of our surroundings. It’s no wonder people are experiencing such pain in their physical and mental being.

Words and images have become such a profound aspect of who we are, from birth, we aren’t aware of who we truly are. Every thought, word and action in our daily life is the result of the words we have been exposed to since conception. Joy, fear, guilt, love, anger; each of our emotions triggered in any experience, have been taught to us since conception. Like a computer, garbage in, garbage out.

Maybe examining how words have shaped our separation from one another instead of bonding us with our fellow humans might be a helpful observation. Listening more than we speak will give us an interesting new perspective. Are the words we hear in our heads, spoken by our mouth or others’ mouths, words to help humanity be as one, or are they words that separate us?

Listen from the heart instead of the mind as if you have no head. See how this feels. Judgment and confusion originate in the mind; from our hearts, love and compassion.

Darlene Benton is the director of Paradise Healing Arts in Albion.

Editor:

An interesting choice awaits voters in Barre on Nov. 2nd: Jerry Solazzo is running for Town Supervisor on a platform of improving the quality of life for all Barre residents and property owners.

A longtime and full-time resident of Barre, this retired school teacher with two Masters degrees and a Doctorate Degree in Natural Health, is also down-to-earth and cares for the health and wellbeing of his neighbors in this town.

He recognizes the damage done to residents’ relationships with one another by recent controversies, and feels it is time to bring healing, fairness and civility back to public life. As Supervisor, he will look beyond wind turbines to the many other important issues that face Barre now, and make the most of the opportunities that are presenting themselves to rural communities today.

People are moving out of urban areas seeking healthier places where their local officials are reasonable and reliable, intelligent and forward looking. Solazzo is all of these.

Furthermore, he is not beholden to any faction in Barre, and will use his gifts to restore professionalism and fairness to the functioning of town government.

For Barre’s sake, I hope her voters will choose Jerry Solazzo as their next Town Supervisor.

Andrea Rebeck

Barre, NY and Nashua, NH

Editor:

From the groundbreaking for our town park upgrade to the upcoming celebration of our town’s 200th anniversary – The Yates Town Board is grateful for the opportunity to serve our community.

On Monday, we broke ground on the $2.531 Million Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Town Park Project. We expect the work to be completed by the summer of 2022.

The project will include a large pavilion with public restrooms, a playground, a kayak launch, a sightseeing pier, and a handicap accessible walking path. The funding for the park upgrade came from a NY State grant, a Lyndonville Area Foundation grant, and some in-kind service work provided by our town highway department.

We are completing our third year of what should be the final year of our efforts to remediate the general town-wide negative reserve fund. Some of the negative reserve was inherited, and some of it was a result of fighting Apex Clean Energy and increases in the fire and ambulance budgets.  While we did raise taxes above the tax cap in 2021, we remained below the 2% tax cap in the previous 4 years and are proposing a budget for 2022 that is below the tax cap.

Through fiscal belt-tightening as well as challenging but fair and earnest negotiations with Town Department Heads, the Lyndonville Fire Company, and the Yates Highway union members, we are very pleased with the recognition of our strong financial forecast as identified by the September 2021 S&P Global Rating of “Stable, A-”.

Our strategic planning efforts are a high priority of our Town Board.  We completed the Yates-Ridgeway-Shelby-Medina-Lyndonville Comprehensive Plan; are nearing completion on Yates-Carlton-Kendall-Lyndonville Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP); and are looking forward to partnering on a deeper level with the highway and fire departments to ensure appropriate equipment, training and support for the future is planned and budgeted for by developing long term, fiscally responsible goals and action steps to enhance the safety of our community and the employees and volunteers.

Promising economic development initiatives include the opening of Niagara Specialty Foods, a new Mennonite Market Store breaking ground on Route 18, and a recently completed scoping study with the Town of Somerset to explore manure bio-digester renewable energy options for local dairy farmers.

We will continue to fight the state’s efforts to try to eliminate our town’s NYS constitutional right to home rule when it comes to approving, taxing, and siting industrial renewable energy projects.  We most recently enjoined a lawsuit (with no cost to town taxpayers) against the Office of Renewable Energy Siting regarding dictatorial laws and regulations.

Finally, we are very excited that the 200th Anniversary planning committee is in the final stages of producing a plan for the 2022 anniversary year to include: a July “Family Fair” during the July 4th weekend with historical artifacts displayed in the town hall; an August “Harvest Fair” with live music, period children’s games, and locally harvested foods; and a September “Grand Finale Lake Fair” featuring the ribbon cutting of the town park with a formal ceremony followed by live music, birthday cake, and more!

We hope to continue to faithfully serve the Town of Yates.

Please vote for Jim Simon (Supervisor), Harold Suhr (Councilman) and Terry Chaffee, Jr. (Councilman) on November 2nd.

Very Respectfully,

Supervisor Jim Simon

Councilmembers Harold Suhr, Terry Chaffee, Jr., John Riggi and Susan Hrovat

Editor:

I decided to run for the Yates Town Board not because I need the aggravation but because what I have seen happen over the last 6 years I find disturbing.

I threw my full support behind this board. I really thought that things would be different. I campaigned for them. Our committee even endorsed the supervisor at the end of his first term.

This board has raised taxes 6 years in a row with 2021 being the highest at 15.29%. There is also an absolutely unacceptable comptroller audit. Click here for the full report.

The public called for change of our bookkeeping and of the yearly auditor that missed the errors. Our A account was missing 86,000 dollars that to this day is still not fixed. It has caused much hardship for the town. There was a cheaper more competent alternative. Why was there not a change made? Our Supervisor said I quote. “I get to pick the book keeper.” Now the taxpayers are paying more and also paying $14,000 yearly on top of that for software for this “private firm.”

For the first time the town had to bond out in 5-year payments the purchase of a new tractor mower for the highway department at $105,000. A lot of money but town always had saved in reserves. Are we broke? Mismanaged? Supervisor said it’s the last administration’s fault. He has an obsession to put in motion everything in the comprehensive plan update. There were 5,553 surveys sent out with 740 returned in western Orleans. Between 3 towns that’s 13.4%. This should have been DOA. I was told that this was a real good amount of responses by the supervisor, according to the people who were getting many thousands for writing it.

A $2.5 million upgrade to our “remote” town park even though the people living around it were vocally opposed to it. That fell on deaf ears. It has really burdened one in-park property owner. Unclear how much the taxpayers will be paying for yearly maintenance. It’s $10,000 now. Will that double, triple? Also an obsession to obtain the NYSEG property and take $23,000 off the tax rolls for a nature reserve for the park. Other plans include a sidewalk to nowhere. A double-wide sidewalk at the edge of the village with a bike path down to Shadigee. What do you do when you arrive for the few that will use it? All private lanes. A loss of privacy for all, easements needed?

A proposed bike path/nature trail from 63 to Morrison Road down to the park. Did I mention the million-dollar renovation to the town hall? The upstairs with an elevator. Couldn’t we build a new town hall with a million dollars? The $20 million bio-digester that the town will own. They are talking to everyone but the local farmers. All of this obtained through grants. Millions and millions of dollars worth. All of the high maintenance from these projects that bring in bring in no money will be paid for by our small tax base indefinitely. The taxpayers will also have to come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars in matching money for these grants and grant fees. Will a certain area foundation be willing to do more “secret votes” to obtain the matching money again?

The Town broke the agreed contract with our volunteer fire company. Town is responsible for 81 percent, village 19 percent of fire budget. Town refused to pay $15,400 that would go toward a new pumper.

They did pay 2 payments this year but less the $15,400 in the contract. Would have cost the village and town $25,000 each to litigate. Not worth it so our fire department and the public gets the shaft. They passed Oct. 14 an overly generous 4-year union contract that totally disregards the small tax base in this town and economic climate. Then they voted to move forward a budget that raises taxes.

My conclusion is this board is out of touch with the people that they are supposed to serve. It has become controlling and completely self-serving. This is why I am running for a councilman’s seat to make sure money is used properly, to do the town business and put priorities first.

We take in a certain amount of money every year. That’s what you have to live within just like the people that you tax. If there’s any money left you give it back to the people in a tax cut.

I will be your voice. I will be ethical, frugal, and take the oath of office and your constitutional rights seriously. Stop the Tax and Spend.

I ask for your vote on November 2nd on the Conservative or The Lyndonville Taxpayers First line.

Thank you.

Paul Lauricella

Yates

Editor:

Congressman Chris Jacobs voted against raising the debt ceiling. Raising the debt ceiling allows the government to pay for spending already allocated, included spending approved by Mr. Jacobs.

Republicans added $7.8 trillion to the debt just during the Trump administration. Historically, Republicans have added more to the national debt than Democrats. PolitiFact reported (7/23/19), that under President Ronald Reagan “the federal deficit went from about $78.9 billion at the beginning of Reagan’s presidency to $152.6 billion at the end of it.”

At the end of George H. W. Bush, the debt was $255 billion, an increase of $181.3 billion.

At the end of Bill Clinton’s presidency there was a surplus of $128.2 billion. George W. Bush “left office in 2009 with a federal deficit of roughly $1.41 trillion.” That is we went from a surplus of $128.2 billion to a deficit of $1.41 trillion.

President Barack Obama “left the presidency with a deficit of approximately $584.6 billion, which is more than halving $1.41 trillion.”

“President Donald Trump Treasury Department reported that Washington is on track to post a $1.1 trillion deficit by the end of September.” Remember this report was printed in 2019 before the pandemic and the end of Mr. Trump’s presidency.

Mr. Jacobs’s vote wasn’t just foolish it was irresponsible. Moody’s Analytic in a report issued 10/7/21 stated that such an event (a default on the debt), would cause 6 million to lose their jobs and the unemployment would climb to 9%.

A report by the Congressional Accountability Office in 2012 found that even the brinkmanship of 2011 cost taxpayers $1.3 billion and drove up interest rates on homes and cars. Mr. Jacobs’s vote to willingly and knowingly undermine our nation’s financial health is below the dignity of someone representing Western New York.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

This letter comes from life-long residents of the Town of Barre.

Our first and most important point is to inform the residents of Barre of the upcoming election in November for council and supervisor positions. Barre has the opportunity to move forward with a project which will enhance the town and offer benefits to each town resident.

The Heritage Wind project is Barre’s opportunity for a new beginning and to make its mark as a pioneer in our county for progress. This clean energy project will provide many financial advantages for school districts, roads and highways, parks and recreational areas and will offer tax breaks for all Barre residents.

Unfortunately  we have opposition in our town who don’t want progress. They want to shut down this opportunity for everyone in Barre. They have vilified the Town Board for doing their job,  which is to consider the proposal, examine the positives and negatives, and make a decision they feel is in the best interest of the town.

Nothing short of slamming the door in Heritage Wind’s face would’ve been acceptable to them.   They are running on one agenda – Stop the Wind Turbines. Electing officials who are clearly running on one agenda is dangerous and counterproductive.

If you are a resident who wants to benefit financially in the form of lower taxes, better roads and parks, and if you want progress make sure you vote for candidates who join town government for the right reasons.

Their agenda is to serve you, working together, growing and keeping our community rural while protecting our values and environment with compassion and enthusiasm!

Vote on Nov. 2nd for Sean Pogue as town supervisor and write-in candidates, Steve Harling and Tom Decker, for Town Board.

Kirk and Alice Mathes

Barre

Editor:

Where is the integrity? Where is the love of community? Multiple signs for Dave Waters and George Mckenna, who are running the Republican and Independent line for councilmen spots this upcoming election, have been stolen and replaced with other signs.

Waters and McKenna won the Republican primary beating out current sitting town board members. They have actively voiced their love and dedication to the community – and their deep desire for the Town Board to have complete transparency.

Regardless of your own political affiliation and beliefs, it is illegal to remove political signs. It is dishonorable, not only to these candidates but to the residents of Barre.

Likewise, putting signs up directly in front of someone else’s political sign is infantile. Your vote is where you should rightfully voice your personal stance, not in actions that belittle the community. Be better Barre!

Barbara Verburg

Barre

Editor:

I find it hard to believe that this news outlet has not covered the outrageous headline, “The Villages of Orleans plans $1.6M expansion into assisted living.”

The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center owners are notorious for making boastful statements on how they will improve the quality of life for the infirmed, yet in reality, it’s how they can provide little, yet profit the most.

On 9/26/2019 Department of State, Division of Corporations, listed a new entity name Albion Retirement Village, LLC. The members of this group are Mr. Evan Lahasky, Mr. David Gast, Mr. Sam Halper, Mr. Shabse Fuch and Mrs. Debbie Korngut.

All five members of this LLC have a percentage of ownership in The Villages Of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation. This group made an application to NYS DOH for Certificate of Need for 25 Assisted Living Program beds and 28 Adult Home beds.

In their application to the state they said they were “seasoned healthcare and business executives” and all bring “experience that will benefit this endeavor.”

Now let me get this straight, a facility that is currently under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services “Special Focus Facility Program” due to their lack of expertise in supplying proper PPE and proper execution of infection control measures should now be allowed to operate an assisted living and adult care home?

They have clearly demonstrated since Mr. Benjamin Landa signed the paperwork to buy the nursing home in 2014 that they do not hold any expertise in operating a well-run facility. They have failed our community. They have no local ties here. The residents are dollar signs, not fragile lives that need tender care.

Their expertise at skirting state mandates, rules and regulations, and acquiring state funding is truly what they are good at. What did they do with the $853,236 from the CDC Provider Relief Fund which they received for fighting the Covid-19 virus?

For the families who witnessed the spiral down event of the handling of Covid-19 in this facility, they will certainly agree that they felt helpless and outraged.

For the NYS Public Health and Health Planning Council to even consider the authorization for the additional beds only makes me wonder how much research have they done seeing how they hold a one-star rating which is the lowest overall rating that a nursing home can receive. A one-star rating indicates that the nursing home shows evidence of significantly poor levels of care.

The Villages is not their only nursing home that they are involved with that have this low rating, but that’s a lecture for another day.  This should be a no-go project. They should be made to demonstrate their “expertise” in managing what they currently have before moving forward. For those of us who have experienced the no hot water for years, no heat, no air conditioning, sitting for hours in feces and urine due to no staff, the mystery food on the tray and the total lack of human compassion for their staff, residents and families, we say to NYS…..review your documents again and do your job! Protect those who need us the most!

Kelly Bentley

Albion

Editor:

The debt ceiling brouhaha is set to come in December. Refusal to raise the debt ceiling is a subterfuge. The so-called debt ceiling does not allow bigger budgets in the future but, rather, is used to pay for debts already incurred. That includes our Social Security.

The Federal government borrows liberally from our Social Security Trust Fund at a low fixed rate. Therefore raising the debt limit is needed to pay our bill. But there is a double whammy as we pledge the taxing power to secure the bonds (debt) we issue which are paid at market rate.

So if the debt limit is not raised we not only have no money to repay Social Security but also our other creditors who are required to be paid first under the terms of our bonds.

Social Security recipients can not force prompt payment as they can not apply penalties and demand higher interest. Regular creditors can. And if they don’t want to lend interest rises, taxes rise artificially, and people lose their jobs.

The debt ceiling is unsound financial management. It’s a smoke job just like claiming the debt ceiling is meant to save money. Both, all, share the purpose of serving up out of context sound clips and block tax increases on the rich to repay the increased national debt.

But while tax breaks increase debt that debt is not like the two current targeted infrastructure bills. FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford understood that investment in making life better for the middle class brings huge returns for all. Day care puts people in the job market. Many are economies of scale – like being able to take the bus to work rather than buy and pay for a car.

It’s like business not having to pay for hugely expensive health insurance but having more money to build factories and hire the people to run them. (Medicare gives the same service 25 percent cheaper due to lower overhead and being not for profit.) It’s like buying less oil and using the money to build.

Defaulting on the debt will costs jobs and risk recession. It means more decades of economic uncertainty for the middle class which gets sooner or later gets the bill.

We are finally being offered smart changes again – a New New Deal – and we should grab it.

It is so sad that so few remember this country’s heyday and how smart government investment and debt we paid for made it happen for all, not just a few. The goal was to be sure the infrastructure – physical and social – was in place so all of us could go as far as an individual’s will and talents could take him or her.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

A very important vote is coming up on November 2nd, which can determine whether the Town of Barre will be embroiled in fighting and make no progress or move forward on many issues that need addressing.

A vote for Sean Pogue for Town Supervisor and write-in candidates, Steve Harling and Tom Decker, will insure that Barre will move in a positive direction.

Steve and Tom, as new candidates will have fresh ideas, are anxious to work on issues such as water districts, improved infrastructure, and so much more. They want to calm things down and restore respect and positivity to the community.

Over the past five years, due to the controversy surrounding the turbine issue, there has been much strife and anger at every Town Board meeting. Steve and Tom want to change that! It doesn’t matter if you are for or against the Heritage Wind project, you will want to see a positive change!

While Steve and Tom are for green energy, they know the application has been sent to the state, which will approve the project or not. They have no say at this point, but they will have a say in managing the $1.2 million dollars that will come to Barre each year from this project!

And this is why you need to vote! The other candidates (George McKenna and Dave Waters) have adamantly campaigned against the Heritage Wind Project. They say they want to challenge everything. They have made comments that the money coming in won’t really benefit Barre.

The money coming in from the project is about the size of the current budget. Instead of using this money to reduce taxes, improve equipment and improve the town itself, it could be used to bring lawsuits against both Heritage Wind and New York State. This will ensure endless fighting and rancor!

Look what happened in the Town of Somerset, they fought against the Lighthouse Project and in 2018 spent $400,000 out of their budget. There is no other way to fight back except through litigation. Litigation usually goes nowhere. There could cancel out all or most of the benefits that Barre could have had otherwise!

Don’t let this happen! Let the money coming in from green energy projects benefit Barre and not line the pockets of lawyers!

Louise Henderson

Barre

Editor:

Any rational person has reservations about the huge towers for the wind energy project proposed for Barre. But alternate energy is coming and we are thinking piecemeal, short term and do not know which sides facts to believe.

Along huge stretches of the beltway south of Chicago there are wind mills south of the road in beautiful farm land as far as the eye. Windmill income puts all those farms are in a better financial position to fight off the further expansion of suburbia which is on the other, north,  side of the road.

Barre and the entire character of Orleans County will be effected by how the county – and not just any one municipality – deal with alternate energy production. Even now while we all hate the Landfill, Albion – unlike other places – neglected to require generators to convert all the methane into power for the local grid.

If we were going to be stuck with it we could have demanded tapping the energy, selling it and royalties – Barre is being offered yearly side money not tied to production to cover increased costs for roads etc. as the host community.

Orleans County – New York in general – has WATER. To take full advantage of that we have to start thinking about energy demands and alternate energy just as surely as we think about water and roads.

The question must always start “how best to?” And as much as I dislike and distrust  “professional planners,” it can start with inquires as simple as where do we find the independent expertise we need.

It’s time to start including energy in all these land use discussions.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

Congressman Chris Jacobs is critical of Democrat’s economic policies. In a press release Mr. Jacobs stated: “Once again, Democrats are playing games with our nation’s economic recovery. Nancy Pelosi is asking Republicans to act on a bipartisan basis to raise the debt limit so she can force through $3.5 trillion in unnecessary partisan spending.”

Budgets reflect values and priorities. Republican budgets tend to focus on tax cuts for the rich while Democrats tend to focus on programs benefiting citizens. It is the goal of both parties to create jobs and improve life for everyone.

Historically speaking Democrats create a better economic outlook than Republicans. The American Economic Association issued a report in April 2016 which stated: “The US economy has performed better when the president of the United States is a Democrat rather than a Republican, almost regardless of how one measures performance. For many measures, including real GDP growth (our focus), the performance gap is large and significant.”

The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee in June 2016 in comparing Democrats vs Republican reported: “The data show that, since World War II, the economy has performed substantially better under Democratic presidents.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps a monthly total of net jobs added. Beginning with the Truman administration 6 Democratic administration in office 429 months added 70.5 million jobs while 7 Republican administration in office for 475 months added 29.1 million jobs.

Democrats averaged 164,000 jobs per month and Republicans averaged 61,000 jobs per month.”

As I stated earlier budgets reflect values and priorities and as the statistics and research shows Democrats’ budgets improve the economy for everyone. It is Mr. Jacobs and his Republican cohorts that are trying to hurt our nation’s economic recovery.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

On Monday morning at 10 there was the Orleans County public hearing at the Barre Town Hall for the proposed PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) by Heritage Wind.

Each person was given 3 minutes to make a comment to the officials regarding the PILOT. However, there were certain people who spoke over their 3 minute limit and even one person who shined a strobe in their eyes to simulate wind terrine flicker! How disrespectful is that?

This was not a public hearing for pro or con on turbines. It was for the proposed Orleans County PILOT!

The pros would be that a set amount of money would be paid to the affected municipalities on a set schedule. The “con” thoughts are that the assessments may change over the years thus increasing taxes paid by Heritage over the years.

If New York State takes over the turbine taxation, the local government could be excluded all together and receive no funds!

Ruth Miller

Barre