Editor:

I am very encouraged that this election cycle, in particular, this year’s Primary Race for Carlton Town Clerk, has voters taking the initiative to become as informed as possible in regards to the two candidates and why this Primary is necessary.

As chairman of the Carlton Republican Committee, I would like to offer some insight as to why we, the Committee, endorsed the incumbent, Karen Narburgh.

To paraphrase McKinney’s Town Law §30, the basic job description for a Town Clerk is to be:

• Custodian of all Town Records, including, but not limited to all meeting minutes, the Ordinance Book, and deeds of conveyances

• Receiver of all monies due the Town (taxes, water bills, etc.)

• Maintainer of the Town’s signboard for legal postings

• Issuer of licenses and permits

In addition to the above, Karen has proven countless times, the actual job description should also include:

• A genuine desire to see that the Town is managed in a positive manner for growth

• Taking pride in being a customer service professional by knowing the residents and landowners

• Being attentive to the resident’s needs and having the ability to resolve issues at the basic level, in a timely fashion, often immediately

• Commitment to being available, whether herself personally or her staff, at any time day, night, or weekend as events arise

• Having the ability to recall prior situations and their outcomes in order to maintain continuity

• Demonstrating knowledge in the various, current programs, and being able to coordinate with each (REDI, LWRP’S, Solar, Wind)

• Being an effective liaison between the Town Board and sub-set boards and positions (Planning, Zoning, Highway and Water Depts., Assessor, Courts)

• Professionally able to work with outside contractors and consultants to better maintain Town assets

These attributes are not ones we are born with. They are developed over time and honed in with dedication, determination, and experience. The Town of Carlton and Karen have committed a lot of time, effort, and resources to give the residents of Carlton a Town Clerk to be proud of.

There is no hidden agenda as to why the Carlton Republican Committee made Karen our endorsed candidate. We, as a Committee, are charged with the duty of putting forward the best and most qualified candidates to serve the Town’s best interests.

That, is in fact, what this position is all about, public service to the community, of which Karen has excelled at.

Respectfully submitted,

John Fitzak

Carlton

Editor:

My name is Laurie Kilburn and I’m currently the Deputy Town Clerk for the Town of Ridgeway. Karen Kaiser, the current Town Clerk, is retiring at the end of this year and therefore I am running for the office of Town Clerk.  I am a lifelong resident of Ridgeway, a dedicated Republican, and have been endorsed by the Conservative Party.

I have been Deputy Town Clerk for over two years and have had the privilege of receiving hands-on training from the Town Clerk. During this time, I’ve learned many duties of the Town Clerk’s office including processing dog licenses, issuing birth, death and marriage licenses, using the DEC system to issue hunting and fishing licenses, records management, tax collection, time keeping and payroll. I’ve also had the opportunity to learn duties that are not performed on a daily basis such as how water districts are formed as well as creating and maintaining cemetery documentation.

I continually focus on my career by attending trainings via webinars and have had the opportunity to attend the NYS Town Clerk’s Conference during my first year as Deputy Town Clerk. Although there is always more to learn, I believe I have the experience and dedication needed to make a smooth transition during the change in office.

I’m asking for the voter’s support on Primary Day, Tuesday, June 22nd.

I will work to make the transition as smooth as possible by serving you with honesty, dedication and respect. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Laurie Kilburn

Ridgeway

Deputy Town Clerk

Editor:

This is not a letter I wanted to write, but I feel that it is important to set the record straight. In true fashion, I am telling it like it is. It is interesting that Murray Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio chooses this moment in time to finally thank the Highway and Water crew.

Dennis Mandigo and myself took over as Highway and Water Superintendents when Ed Morgan retired last year. It would have been nice to have had the Supervisor’s support at any time last year, when it was needed.

The same Highway & Water crew he praised in his letter is the same crew that he belittled all of last year. When the Water crew found a significant leak under Ridge Road in September, Supervisor Sidonio felt the need to take their pipe and have it analyzed, presumably to verify that it was legitimate and not a fake.

During our time as Highway & Water Superintendents last year, Dennis Mandigo and myself saved $180,000 of our Highway Budget, therefore reducing budget spending. The long-term debt was a refinancing of the water districts brought to the Town Board by our previous accountant, Bob Fox.

The discretionary highway spending of $92,000 is still in the budget for the highway to spend, it was simply moved to the General Fund. We do not have live streaming, but did had Zoom meetings, which was a necessity brought on by Covid-19.

The Fancher War Memorial is being restored, thanks to the request and generous donation of Fancher’s own Fred Fiorito.

Lastly, the Water Department Crew, led by Dennis Mandigo, reduced the almost 50% water loss to less than 25%. Although the Board members offered support, the Supervisor did not. Our fine crew accomplished that on their own.

Residents are being deliberately misled. The Supervisor now thanks the same Town Board that he ridiculed last month. Accomplishments listed are from team efforts, not for one person to take credit for. Thank you to our Town Board members – Lloyd Christ, Paul Hendel, Mike Mele and Randy Bower – along with the fine employees, residents and professionals that we rely on to get things done.

Mr. Sidonio is right about one thing; the job of Supervisor is more than just paying bills. It is about having a vision for the entire town, not just what one person wants for themselves. It is about being professional and treating employees and residents with respect. It is about being a good role model and representative for the Town. It is about listening to other people’s ideas. Randy Bower has all of these qualifications.

Search Randy Bower in this very paper to see for yourself and you will see that he is more than qualified on every level.

I do believe in Murray and I believe our residents will elect a Supervisor we can be proud of. Please vote Randy Bower for town supervisor during early voting and Primary Day on June 22nd.

Louise Passarell

Town of Murray

Passarell is the Murray Town Assessor and the Highway and Water Clerk

Editor:

During Men’s Health Month, the Cancer Services Program (CSP) is urgently asking men to get screened for colorectal cancer.

Men in New York State are diagnosed with colorectal cancer more than women. In fact, the rate of colorectal cancer is nearly 30% higher in men than women. Men are also more likely than women to die from the disease. This does not always have to be the case because screening may prevent colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer screening can find growths that can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening can also find cancer early when it may be easier to treat. There are several screening options, including take home stool tests.

New cases of colorectal cancer went down during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, but only because they weren’t being found. Closures caused many people to put off cancer screening. Now that there are safety measures in place at medical clinics there is no reason to delay screening.

If you are 50 or older, get screened. The CSP can provide a take home test kit at no cost to uninsured men ages 50 and older. The kit is quick, easy, and safe. Men younger than age 50 should talk to their health care provider about their risk for colorectal cancer and when to start screening.

Call your health care provider or the CSP to get more information about colon cancer screening.

Lisa Franclemont

Program Manager

Cancer Services Program of Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming & Niagara

Editor:

The Murray Republican Committee is proud to endorse Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio for a 2nd term. We, your elected Republican Committee, take very seriously our job to endorse the appropriate candidates for our town and endorsing Supervisor Sidonio was a right choice. The committee voted unanimously to endorse Joe because of his accomplishments as supervisor, his strong Republican values and his unwavering work ethic.

In Joe’s first year in office, he has accomplished a great deal of victories for the Town of Murray. Serving as the budget manager, Joe has been able to provide historic tax cuts for Murray. He has also saved the town upwards of $630,000 in debt refinancing and has delivered $70,000 in water tax relief.

Supervisor Sidonio’s accounting background and business mind coupled with his strong work ethic and Republican core values is exactly what the Murray Supervisor position requires.

Joe is not a career politician. He is the right person for that position right now. Joe is transparent, accessible and communicates.

He is getting the job done that needs to be done for our town in these changing times. Our town needs that. We believe that past performance is the best indicator for someone’s future behavior, and Supervisor Sidonio’s track record and leadership has spoken for itself which is why we your Town of Murray Republican Committee fully endorse and support Supervisor Sidonio. We ask that you do as well.

Sincerely,

Town of Murray Republican Committee

Letter submitted by Kellie Gregoire, secretary for Murray Republican Committee.

Editor:

As early voting for the 2021 Republican Primary gets underway, the Town of Shelby has a race for two Town Councilman positions. The Town’s Republican Committee has endorsed William Bacon and Stephen Seitz, Sr. for these positions.

William (Bill) Bacon has been on the Town Board for 10 years. During these recent terms, Bill has seen two water projects successfully completed and has been working with the Town Highway Department to lower highway expenses. He has also been the Shelby representative on the Medina Youth Board for 8 years.

Bill looks forward to continuing his work with the Town Board on a proposed solar project and taking steps to save money for the residents of the Town of Shelby.

Stephen (Steve) Seitz, Sr. has been working with the Town Highway Department during his five years in office to purchase new water equipment as well as improve additional road equipment for better efficiency.

Steve aspires to get town-wide water with lower costs to the Shelby residents.

Both of these candidates are open minded to any questions or concerns and very approachable to all residents in the Town of Shelby.

Please remember to place your early vote between now and June 20th at the Board of Elections in Albion or stop in at the Shelby Town Hall on Tuesday, June 22^nd, to vote at the polls.

Town of Shelby Republican Committee

Pat Eick, Chairman

Dale Root, Vice-Chair

CJ Woodruff

John Pratt

Ben Flansburg

Christine Pask

Editor:

We are writing this letter to express our support for Randy Bower as Town of Murray Supervisor in the primary election.

A good leader to us is someone who has vision, integrity, courage, passion and humility. Randy has a proven track record in all these qualities.

He has the vision to lead this Town in a direction that benefits all our residents’ and to provide the services that keep our Town running smoothly and efficiently.

He has integrity, a proven set of core values that engages others to work with him as a team.  He has demonstrated his courage to take on the hard things that face him, and not shy away from obstacles that may block his path or direction.

Randy has passion for his work and seeks quality in all his achievements.

And last, he has the humility to appreciate what others do and recognize their accomplishments and achievements above and beyond his own.

We have all seen Randy’s ability to successfully lead a complex, Countywide organization when others doubted if he could “do the job”! Probably his most redeeming quality is his ability to get others to work together as a team that will best serve all individuals, not a select few. Probably the best way to say it is there is no “I” in Bower, only “WE”!

We highly encourage our fellow Republicans to vote for Randy Bower for Town Supervisor at the primary election on June 22, at the Town Building.

Thank you for your support.

Lloyd Christ, Councilman

Paul Hendel, Councilman

Mike Mele, Councilman

Editor:

This is in response to the letter from Chris Loss. There is a fine line between those who will be gravely impacted by commercial turbines planted close to their home and someone whose family will be profiting by it.

You can take all the bus turbine tours you want, but until you are a parent of a child who has special needs, it would be best to take a back seat and do some real research.

I can assure you that a child who has autism will indeed be negatively impacted by not only 1 but 6 turbines close to their home. This includes the risk of seizures.

I too am a parent of a child who has special needs and also certified in the field of Special Education. If children with autism did not have difficulty processing movement, light or sound, it would make our lives as parents and educators a whole lot easier.

If there were not medical or scientific evidence of the negative side effects of turbines (including risk of seizures), a doctor would never have written a letter expressing their concern over them so close to their patient’s home. There also would not be a need for that population to wear headphones, sunglasses, to block out excessive light and noises that are amplified causing pain and over stimulation; nor reason to avoid or remove our children from places or activities that cause them so much distress and pain.

Have some compassion and concern for others Town of Barre! Support Dr. George McKenna and Dave Waters for councilmen on the Town Board.

Sue Smith

Gaines

Editor:

Here it is time for our Town of Murray Republican Primary and Joe Sidonio is being challenged by Randy Bower. Joe’s campaign material describes his many accomplishments including reducing spending and cutting taxes.

He is the driving force to reduce the town’s 50 percent water loss rate. Joe provides transparency by posting a Supervisor’s Corner on the Town’s website, has initiated Town Hall work meetings with community involvement and provided his cell phone number making himself available to everyone.

Since becoming Supervisor, Joe – who is an accomplished businessman with a degree in accounting – has demonstrated his ability to manage our Town finances better than anyone. That is after all the primary responsibility of Town Supervisor.

As a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Army’s 23rd Infantry Division, I also appreciate that Joe is a  U.S. Marine Corps veteran and it shows in his unrelenting work ethic.

This election should not be turned into a popularity contest because Joe’s challenger comes from a popular family, several of which are employed at the Town of Murray.

Joe’s opponent has been a town councilman for as long as Joe has been Supervisor. What are his accomplishments on the Town Board? What is his platform? He voted against healthcare reform driving up healthcare costs 24%. Why is he in favor of insuring girlfriends and boyfriends of town employees at the expense of the town’s residents? That’s fiscally irresponsible, exhibiting a more liberal than Republican value.

I’m supporting Joe because he’s the endorsed Republican candidate, because of his work ethic and proven track record as supervisor, because he is not related to anyone in Murray Town government, and because he has accomplished everything he promised to do including his tax cuts – all in his first year. He deserves a second term to continue his drive for a  better more efficient town government.

Jim Johnson

Holley

Editor:

We are getting close to voting day, June 22nd (and don’t forget that early voting starts on June 12th) and I want to urge Republican Barre voters to make time to vote!

Please make it a priority! And please vote for Sean Pogue, Lynn Hill and Tom McCabe for Barre Town Board if you don’t want endless litigation hampering the Heritage Wind Project (turbines).

More importantly, don’t put people on the Board who only have one issue they are concerned with rather than governing. It would be a disaster for this town, in my opinion.

This current Board has been strong and visionary in trying to get the best deal for Barre. All concerns raised that they are not giving residents information or are not following protocols is just plain false.

Claims that special needs children are at risk or that there will be health concerns in general are not backed up by factual evidence. And the two credible surveys in Barre clearly showed that the majority of residents support the project. The survey that the anti’s are touting that 70% are against the project would not hold up to any scrutiny by an independent audit.

The fact is that turbines and solar are coming one way or another. We can either get a good deal for the town, county and schools now while it is offered, or see them coming anyway and we get very little. It is not just New York State going to green energy; turbines have been built in 44 states, and there are 12,000 major solar projects currently in the US database. Green energy is on the rise in both blue states and red states. The fact is that people are doing just fine living with them.

It is my belief that in a few short years, no one will freely admit that they opposed wind turbines because the facts will be more widely known. I visited the High Sheldon wind farm community a few years ago with a group to hear residents and Board members talk about their progress after 10 years, and they were very excited to talk to us and tell us how great things have been.

In Sheldon, they also had a group of anti-wind protestors, who claimed that they would  move if the turbines were built, and predicted that all kinds of awful things would happen. As a bus took us around the town, one Board member pointed out that none of the residents who indicated they would move actually did. And the group of speakers said that after the turbines had been around for about a year, many of the residents who had been previously opposed came to thank the Board, citing the lower taxes and other great benefits.

Property values did not go down. The roads were vastly improved. The Town had new equipment. The schools had benefited greatly. The farmers flourished.

So don’t let the anti-crowd mislead you about the turbine project. Don’t let them scare you away from the best deal Barre has ever seen! Please vote on June 22nd for Sean Pogue, Lynn Hill, and Tom McCabe, who will support this issue but will also serve all the residents and do care about many issues besides the turbines.

Chris Loss

Barre

Editor:

This legislative session we passed the most bloated budget in our history, eviscerated Second Amendment rights, raised taxes and failed to gain any new information about the highly questionable actions of our governor.

The Majority gave over double what they did to small businesses to illegal immigrants, and stood silent as those small businesses were forced to close their doors because of the governor’s nonsensical restrictions, which they did not work to rescind.

A focus on passing progressive, activist legislation has left the kitchen-table concerns of working families unaddressed, while pleasing only a small vocal minority of radicals that drown out the voices of everyday people.

I only hope soon the Majority will realize the consequences of ignoring those voices.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Batavia

(Hawley represents the 139th District, which consists of Genesee, Orleans and parts of Monroe County.)

Editor:

Early voting is quickly approaching! June 12^this the first day we can get out to vote in the 2021 primary.  In the Town of Ridgeway, we have two primary races on the Republican line.

There are two seats up for election for the town council. The Ridgeway Republican Committee has endorsed Jeff Toussaint and Cliff Barber for these seats. Jeff has served the town for over 20 years and brings invaluable experience to the roll. Cliff is looking to be elected to his first term as a councilperson.  As a lifelong resident of the area and a small business owner in Ridgeway, he is looking to bring a fresh set of eyes to the table.

For Town Clerk, Ridgeway residents have three candidates to choose from. Hannah Hill is the Republican Committee’s endorsed candidate. Hannah has past experience in the Clerk’s office as well as several years of experience in the banking industry. Her solid financial background and organizational skills will benefit the town in her role. Hannah is a lifelong Orleans County resident and a Ridgeway homeowner who is raising her family here and is excited to work to keep the Town Clerk’s office fiscally responsible and accessible to residents.

The Ridgeway Republican Committee had the opportunity to interview all three candidates running for town clerk as well as the three candidates running to fill the two town council seats. Our committee of 14 felt the endorsed candidates, Hannah Hill, Jeff Toussaint and Cliff Barber, are best suited for the jobs.

The last year and a half have been tough for a lot of people. Covid has made many people pay more attention to politics, both locally and nationally. There are many people that would like to see change happen in our town.

The primary election is a great opportunity to start that change! If you are a registered Republican in the Town of Ridgeway, please take the time to vote.

Early voting is from June 12 to June 20 at the Board of Elections Office in Albion. The primary election is June 22 at the Ridgeway Fire Hall or Ridgeway Town Hall, depending on your address.

Ridgeway Republican Committee

Laura Olinger, Chairperson

Kenny Baker

Charlie Smith

Virginia Nicholson

Ayesha Kreutz

Dawn Meland

Gary Lawton

Steve Bunch

Matt Kreutz

Melody Parker

Amanda Kroening

Kevin Bogan

Steve Songer

Nancy Traxler

Editor:

I would like to extend my support for Randy Bower in the June 22nd Republican Primary for Murray Town Supervisor. In the recent past, Randy was elected to serve as Orleans County Sheriff, where he successfully implemented every objective and tackled every goal he laid out during his campaign, and in just his first two years in office.

He took over a department that lacked vision and instilled a “team-first” mentality while promoting servant leadership. In my position as the Union President of a local law enforcement association, I had the good fortune of working closely with Randy on many occasions. I found him to be a great listener, approachable, and accountable.

After getting to know him over the past six or seven years, it is easy to see why he was once named Person of the Year (2015) by the Orleans Hub – he embodies putting the community first and has selflessly served the public in a variety of roles for many years. He inspires others around him to be the best version of themselves and offers support when needed. Personally, his leadership style inspired me to take on greater responsibilities both professionally and in the community.

The Murray Republicans have a unique opportunity to elect a leader who has proven he can achieve great things undeterred by life’s obstacles. If you are a believer in the core values (integrity, accountability, diligence, perseverance, and discipline), I urge you to join me in supporting Randy Bower for Murray Town Supervisor.

Respectfully,

Chris Caufield

Union President, Orleans County Sheriff’s Employees Association – Local #2966

Editor:

I write to ask readers to call or write their elected state representatives today and oppose the misguided legislation soon to be acted upon in the State Assembly known as the “Gender Recognition Act.”

According to New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, “Bill S.4402-B-Hoylman/A.5465-D-O’Donnell, known as the “Gender Recognition Act,” pertains to name changes, changes of sex designation, and changes to birth certificates. This bill would require the State of New York to issue identifying documents based on the stated gender identities of “transgendered” persons rather than on the biological sex of those individuals. The bill has passed the New York State Senate and could receive a vote in the State Assembly in the near future.”

Those holding offices and leadership positions in government, schools, businesses, and churches must speak unequivocally that “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” One need not be religious to know intuitively that there are only two biological sexes. Nature reveals this plainly for all to behold.

Public officials and leaders are placed into office with the goodwill and trust of those who placed them there. Courage, clarity and common-sense instead of fear and shameless pandering by public leaders is necessary when facing a radicalized minority of our population. Especially when so many unintended consequences threaten us.

Community leaders cannot, must not be silent when wisdom, experience, and sound judgment is needed. Allowing people to choose their gender, codify it by law and legal documents, then grant access to any facility that they choose, puts many who are vulnerable at risk, and engenders confusion in our community when clarity and guidance is so desperately needed. Today we need sound leadership more than ever and a public resolve to allow this misguided and misleading agenda to go no further.

Please do not allow fear, censorship and cancel-culture threats to rob this generation and those that follow of the importance of true leadership that serves the public interest and benefit of all of society. Each one of us must decide and declare how far will we allow the radicalized ideology of the minority to influence and erode our community.

Stand with me please and voice your opinion loudly, respectfully, and resolutely. I’ve made my call, please make yours. Call your elected officials today and hold them accountable for their vote. Thank you for your respectful consideration of this pastor who speaks the truth in love to all people, of all colors, creeds, race, gender, and the community I gladly serve.

My prayer is that principled leadership and the irrefutable wisdom of God’s Word will prevail in a time so perilous as ours. “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. May God bless you!

Pastor Steven Pawley

Shelby Center

Editor:

You might have noticed that political signs are popping up in people’s yards lately. They are even on the side of The Orleans Hub as you read this article. It is officially primary season!

Why should you care about the primaries? Well anytime you can exercise your right to vote, you should. The right to vote is important, it is your opportunity of having a say in what the government does. Voting is a chance to select the person who will represent your beliefs and vision for government.

Primaries are the first step in the process of electing a candidate running for office. Primaries are held to see who will be nominated from his/her political party for the general election in November and are one of the most important phases of the election process. It gives everyone the ability to decide who the best candidate is.

In this year’s primary, there are two Town of Shelby councilperson positions available and I think that William Bacon and Steve Seitz, Sr. are the best candidates for these positions. I have had the pleasure of working with both gentlemen on the Town of Shelby Board since last August.

The amount of experience and knowledge that they bring to the board is immeasurable and has made my first year on the board an incredible learning experience. These men are very approachable to discuss questions and concerns and always represent the best interests of the residents of the Town of Shelby.

These two gentlemen need to be able to continue their work so that the board can continue to be a cohesive and collaborative unit for the Town of Shelby.

Early voting starts on June 12 and continues through June 20. The actual primary day is June 22.  Each and every vote counts, so please take the time to get out, get involved, and vote.

Ryan Wilkins

Town of Shelby Councilperson