Editor:

When I personally needed help, Office for the Aging was there with information and assistance getting services, like HEAP and Meals on Wheels. There was so much help available out of one office.

When I was working, I referred many patients to OFA for help. I never heard a bad word about them.

Melissa Blanar and her staff deserve congratulations on the OFA reaching its 50-year milestone, and thanks for making life better for Orleans County seniors.

Eileen K. Kosieracki, D.O., retired

Albion

Editor:

In an April 24 article of the Hub, Albion Mayor Javier stated that a village tax increase of 13% was needed. He suggested “dissolving the village (government) is worth considering to help spread out the cost of services into the towns of Albion and Gaines.” And the Mayor added that “when I look at the tax levy, no one will able to live here.”

In 2020 Orleans County had 40,343 residents. In 2023 the number was 39,124 a decrease of 3%.

I think the Mayor is on the right track. Consolidation appears to be the only way to keep taxes and costs down. Voters should tell the ten town, four village and the county governments, they have had enough. Consolidate all 14 towns and village governments into the county before taxes are so high more people leave.

Why 14 governments when one can do the job more efficiently? A good place to start is with the New York State “Guide to Petitioning for Local Government Consolidation or Dissolution” available online.

Jack Capurso

Albion High School, Class of 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

Budget season is always a challenging time for elected officials. Striking a balance between keeping taxes low, maintaining essential services, or making tough decisions about what to cut is never easy.

That said, the village still needs to move forward—simply maintaining the status quo isn’t enough to bring about real improvement.

I’d like to propose the creation of a sidewalk replacement fund to help enhance our community of Medina. While sidewalks are privately owned by property owners throughout the village, they provide a clear benefit to everyone.

If the village were to allocate, for example, $20,000 and offer a 20% reimbursement upon project completion, it could serve as an incentive for property owners to invest in sidewalk improvements.

Worst-case scenario, no one applies and the $20,000 simply carries over. In the best-case scenario, we get new sidewalks that benefit the entire community. This could be structured as an annual application process, operating on a first-come, first-served basis—or, if there’s high demand, a rubric could be implemented to prioritize applications.

Growth of Medina is needed and this is a small way to help.

Tim Elliott

Medina

Editor:

This is a message from the Shelby Republican Committee. As stated in my previous letter April 8th, a date and venue for our Republican Primary debate has been selected.

I would like to invite the residents in the Town of Shelby on May 22 at 6 p.m. to the Shelby Fire Hall on Route 63. Light refreshments will be available.

Please attend, ask questions and bring up concerns to the candidates. The committee feels there is a lot to question, as there is a wide range between endorsed and non-endorsed views.

First, we question the stance and position on the tax issue between the village and outside the village. Should snow plowing be thrust upon a small portion of citizens?

The committee thinks the quarry issue should surface again, as discovered an active mining permit is in hand with only the overlay in place to protect the Wildlife Preserve.

Another worthy topic to think about is Shelby water. Why is there such disdain or controversy on the Royalton water project?

Come find out what the candidates think and feel on topics. Let’s have a friendly chat with neighbors.

Hope to see you all May 22 at the Shelby Fire Hall on Route 63 at 6 p.m.

Thank you,

Dale Root

Town of Shelby Republican Chairman

Editor:

As one who taught teens about the Constitution for 29 years, the incremental threats to the document crafted by our Founding Fathers to provide us with a republican form of government worry me greatly.  Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and James Madison would likely be concerned as well.

Was it an accident that those who gave us a representative democracy with separation of powers described the branch of our government that they did in Article One? The legislative branch was first among equals.  And what rights were allotted a measure of protection in Amendment One?

Article Two empowers the head of the executive branch to enforce the law. Grant and Lincoln were among the many presidents who have done so—both Federalist and anti-Federalist, Republican and Democrat. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by the president who appears on our five-dollar bills and one penny pieces—a president with humility, character and integrity.

In my opinion those who head the executive branch should ideally be role models for our young people.  And those of us who care about maintaining our status as a sort of beacon on a hill had better start defending our Constitution against all enemies—foreign and domestic—while we still have a Constitution to defend.

Sincerely yours,

Gary F. Kent

Albion

Editor:

In 2024 Orleans County turned out in droves to elect Donald Trump and his promise to Make America Great Again. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was created for his initiative to address waste, fraud and abuse in government.

Orleans County is said to have one of highest ratios of tax rate per assessed value in the United States. Orleans County Republicans whose GOP Committees are filled with elected and appointed officials must account for that.

There is waste, fraud and abuse at every level of Government from the outhouse to the White House. How can we make America Great Again while ignoring the need for efficiency at home in our County, Towns and Villages?

Here in Murray, we continually struggle with our Water Department. Despite earlier successes in reducing water taxes, refinancing, and reducing water loss, still, the Town cannot operate our water department competitively.

Murray purchases surplus water from Monroe Water Authority (MWA) at full retail price not wholesale. It’s their highest priced water. We also purchase water from Albion at a lesser rate. Consequently, Murray water users pay a blended rate of $6.25/1,000 gallons plus admin fees.

If the Town dissolved its water department as did the Town of Kendall, homeowners would pay $4.01/1,000 plus admin fees. MWA would reduce your rates and we save over $30,000/year in administration costs. Reductions in labor and equipment could save another $100,000/year. So, why are we paying more for the same water when we can get it for less?

The answer is simple. Political patronage and pride. We don’t need increased budgets to build empires. This is Government not the private sector. There will be pushback and claims made that they are operating cheaper than MWA. That is simply not true. I studied our water system financials in depth and numbers don’t lie.

The Town defunded the independent annual financial audit. With the calamity surrounding ethics, unreported cash and a struggling water department taxpayers would expect financial statement certification.

The combined tax rate in Murray for county, town, fire, school & library is $43.84/1,000 of assessed value. Add to that Village of Holley taxes, garbage tax and water district taxes. For farmers, it costs $34.80 per acre plus water tax for cropland. Keep in mind Murray’s equalization rate dropped to 66% so taxpayers can expect a reevaluation soon increasing assessments a minimum of 34%. Is it any wonder why farms convert lands to solar? If you enjoy your landscape, control your taxes, support agriculture or you will be living in an industrial complex.

When there are power outages, you call a utility company not a highway department. When there is a water leak call a utility company not a highway department.

Time to quit blaming Albany for everything. It’s a broken record.

Time to buckle up and make tough decisions.

Time to tighten the ship.

Time to create a more efficient and effective government.

Begin by dissolving the Murray Water Department and save taxpayers a bundle.

We need COGE, County of Orleans Government Efficiency.

Joseph Sidonio

Murray

Editor:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and her Republican colleagues are choosing to turn a strong economy into a recession. President Trump and Republicans inherited an economy that was considered the “envy of the world,” according to the Economist magazine.

Inflation was falling, wages, consumer spending, and corporation profits were rising, and unemployment was low. Just three months in, office and economists from Goldman Sachs, Moody’s Analytics, Wells Fargo, and others are predicting a significant slowdown in economic activity with J.P. Morgan saying that the risk of a recession this year is at 60 percent.

Ms. Tenney and her colleagues can vote to end the emergency powers the President is using to impose recession-inducing tariffs, and the Executive Orders he is using to cut the Department of Education, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as well as massive layoffs at Health and Human Services, Veterans Administration, Social Security Administration and other agencies.

It is her constituents that will be hurt by these policies. Farmers in her district will pay more for fertilizer, and lose markets to sell their commodities, consumers in her district will pay more for groceries; meanwhile unemployment will increase, and veteran services will be cut in Batavia and Canandaigua, both in her district.

Congress, not the President, has the authority to levy tariffs and Congress, not the President, has the power to end agencies such as the U.S.A.I.D. or the Department of Education.

It is her job to be a check and balance on the executive branch of government especially when that Executive pushes policies that are economically harming her constituents. Her constituents elected her to be their voice in Washington, to put forth their concerns. Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is abdicating her responsibilities.

William Fine

Brockport

Provided photo: Railcars at the Medina Railroad Museum have been vandalized with graffiti.

Editor:

Vandalism is not a victimless crime. The Medina Railroad Museum, for those who don’t know, is a chartered non-profit organization on West Avenue in downtown Medina.

The museum has a large collection of railroad-related artifacts, as well as several pieces of historic railroad equipment. People travel from all over the country, and even many parts of the world to visit the museum.

How many people? Including special events such as Polar Express and Day Out With Thomas, upwards of 30,000 people per year. These are all folks who not only visit the museum, but many of whom spend time and money in the village’s local businesses.

Among the museum’s collection is a train of 8 passenger cars. These railcars together hold a total of 476 people and are used throughout the year, giving people rides along the railroad and through our local towns. As one of the people who maintains and looks after our train, imagine my sorrow and disgust when I got a report that graffiti was spotted on our railcars on Friday, April 11th.

I need to mention that the group who maintains these railcars for the museum is stretched very thin. Oftentimes, it’s 1-3 of us working for a couple of hours on a weekend. We have a lot of projects that always need to be completed within our very limited amount of availability, so setbacks like this can delay other important work.

We are also almost entirely volunteer, and the money we use to maintain the train comes from donations and from revenue that the train itself generates during rides. Some of the paint covers numbers and stencils which are required by federal law to be on the side of the train, so it now cannot technically be moved without at least some paint stripping and new stenciling in a few spots. Fortunately, we have some time to clean up the mess before our next event.

We have already filed a police report with the Medina PD. Parents, please consider where your children may have been after school the last few days, especially if your child or a child you know has recently gotten into trouble at school. It seems as though the vandal(s) fit that bill.

If you know anything about this or the people who did it, please either contact me at ccatlinrailroad@gmail.com or the Medina Police Department directly. I will be following up with the school district next week as well to inform them of the situation; they were already closed by the time I got out there today.

Sincerely,

Cody Catlin

Medina Railroad Museum Car Department

Editor:

Can anyone explain why, on a day when the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the Trump Administration on  deportation practices (2nd time), the only immigration news on Fox News was that a lower Court agreed the Administration  correctly interprets a registration provision in a 1952 law?  (The fight under that law will be if visitors like Canadians will be included and if some crazy things mentioned – like  jailing them in Central America – are legal.)

Both are and will be interesting. Where is “Fair and Balanced”?

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that no one shall be “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

And the Fourteenth Amendment also states that no State shall “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” Due process is so important that it is the only command that is stated twice in the Constitution.

It is a fundamental principle of fairness in the legal system ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and has a chance to defend themselves against government actions. The Constitution states that due process is extended to everyone including undocumented immigrants, or those who have overstayed their visas, and even those who have committed crimes against this country; think Donald J. Trump.

Mr. Trump was extended the Constitutional right of due process, even after he was convicted of crimes and when the evidence against him was overwhelming. Despite the fairness shown to Mr. Trump, the Trump administration is denying due process to people in this country, violating the Constitution and the basic American principle of fairness.

The administration doesn’t care about the rule of law. It arrested over 200 individuals because they had a tattoo that in someone’s arbitrary opinion, looked like a gang tattoo, and denied them their Constitutional rights of due process, deporting them without any legal basis. Since this administration is routinely violating the Constitution and the rule of law, can anyone still claim we live in a democracy?

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

The renowned Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said: “Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.”

It is worth keeping that statement in mind when considering the huge tax breaks – $472 million! – offered by the GCEDC as an enticement to build a large data center at the STAMP site in Genesee County. Once built, the data center will be occupied by a tenant company.  The firm building the data center currently has a soft commitment from a potential tenant: a  Fortune 50 company (i.e., a very large, very wealthy company).

The GCEDC has argued that, since no cash is actually being exchanged in the tax deal, it’s really not as bad as critics make it out to be, but rather it’s just part of a win-win deal for badly needed economic development in a state that ranks near the bottom for business friendliness. Furthermore, they noted that it’s possible that Albany will push through tax relief legislation, so some or all of the taxes they propose to abate might just disappear. Sounds great, right?

There’s a bit of sophistry in this argument that needs to be sorted out. Tax abatements, whether they come from GCEDC or Albany, are dollars that the data center does not have to pay. That’s a huge win for the data center and a huge win for the GCEDC, which, interestingly, stands to collect tens of millions of dollars as a reward for the transaction.

But what about the rest of us, the taxpayers of New York? Well, that’s tax money that we’ll never see, money that might have been useful to support any number of worthwhile public projects. Adding insult to injury is the proposal to give the data center a price break on massive amounts of electricity, a move that is likely to result in higher electric rates for residential ratepayers.

The counterargument for all this is that the data center will spur economic growth in the area, thereby offsetting the tax breaks.  But that’s not how data centers work. They need few workers (around 120 jobs, so about $3.9M in subsidies per job).

What they need are 1) tons of electricity, enough to power multiple western NY counties, 2) clean water, and 3) a place to dump their sewage. That’s it. There is no way that a data center per se can be rationalized as a magnet to draw other companies to the site.

However, what a data center could do is pay for an electric substation, thereby accomplishing what Plug Power failed to do. Even though the net effect of a highly subsidized data center will be to put an additional burden on the taxpayers and electric ratepayers of New York, the hope is that electrifying the site will attract other companies that will create  jobs and boost the economy. Thus the data center would be an expensive means to a desirable end.

Don’t believe it.  STAMP is fundamentally flawed.

STAMP is tainted with the original sin of “bad location.” This is not news. Twelve years ago (!) a detailed critical analysis of STAMP concluded that it was “a poster child for location inefficiency.”

The very real economic, environmental, and ethical problems that plague the STAMP site are all related to the fact that it’s in the wrong place – in a remote, wet, rural area, lacking infrastructure, and nearly surrounded by protected and tribal lands.

Yes, if you wave enough money at a company it may decide to accept the risk and build there (Edwards Vacuum, recipient of $18 million of Sen. Schumer’s CHIPS money, is an example) but at what cost to taxpayers and ratepayers? This tradeoff is not worth making.  The proposed heavily subsidized data center at STAMP is a terrible idea, clearly not in the interest of the citizens of New York.

Sooner or later the truth will come out, and STAMP will be recognized as a failure, not because it was poorly conceived or managed, but because it was poorly sited.  If development at STAMP continues, the only uncertainties will be the amount of taxpayer money that will be sacrificed, and the amount of damage done to  protected lands, tribal lands, and local waterways.

Economic growth is important and desirable, but it’s got to be smart, ethical growth. It is incumbent on thoughtful New Yorkers to make our voices heard, and express our disapproval of STAMP in general and the data center in particular.

David Giacherio

Kent

Editor:

Spicy

Spicy was taken to Medina Stray Haven. He was to get neutered and returned to me, his owner (Katie Bourke). He escaped from the owner of this shelter on the night of April 6 before his neuter the following morning.

He is lost in Medina from Elm Street and not familiar with the area because he’s from Albion. I am offering a safe return reward for him. He is all up to date on vaccines and not aggressive, but very frightened as he’s only ever been an indoor kitty.

He’s 8 months old, a tuxedo cat and responds to the name of Spicy. We are heartbroken and praying for his return.

Anyone with information about Spicy can reach me at (585) 297-6198 or by email at katiebourke24@gmail.com.

Katie Bourke

Albion

Editor:

The Shelby Republican Committee held its spaghetti dinner fundraiser March 29th at the Knights of Columbus. I would like to say thank you to all that attended, to the Knights for being a gracious host and the various businesses that made donations.

It was a wonderful evening having our endorsed candidates – Scott Wengewicz for Shelby Supervisor, and Mike Moriarty and Vassilios Bitsas for town council member positions –available to answer questions and hear concerns of our constituents.

 As the weather warms up we are looking forward to going door to door to continue introducing the three endorsed candidates and answer any questions you may have as we approach the Republican primary election on June 24th.

Scott is the incumbent for Town Supervisor. He started his position with the Christmas blizzard of 2022, being the 4th Supervisor in Shelby since 2020. In the last 2-plus years he has extinguished many fires the town has been battling. We look forward to seeing more positive leadership from him in the future.

Mike and Vassilios might be new to the political scene, but they are ready to fight for the residents. Both are no-nonsense local businessmen. Mike is the general manager at Pride Pak while Vassilios who lives in the village manages & helps his family with their many restaurants. I have enjoyed getting to know these young men and I believe they will bring a much needed fresh mindset to the Town Board.

As many of you know where there are politics there will be unfortunate drama – at least how it seems in Shelby. I hope you, the voter, will do your due diligence to research and get to know all candidates before you cast your vote.

I would like to invite all persons running in the Shelby Republican Primary to a date in May for a debate. I believe it is important to our town constituents to attend and ask their questions, bring up concerns and be able to hear all persons running express their views under one roof not just read one-sided post cards with no explanation to “facts” given.

Candidates will be mailed an invitation and I will inform the public when a date and location is secured.

Thank you,

Dale Root

Town of Shelby Republican Chairman

Editor:

Four years ago, I ran to serve our great community as a Town Councilman. I promised to be the voice of the people, the watchdog, making sure to shine a light on the dark shadows of government to create more transparency. Talk is cheap when we operate in a results-driven world.

Many of you know me as a straight shooter. It’s dangerous when the political party bosses hand pick blind leaders to promote their power and greed. We pick up enough BS on the farm throughout the year and sheep are useful for when you can’t sleep. We don’t deserve this kind of leadership in Town Hall.

I can look back at the last four years and be proud that the promises I made were kept, which make me accountable to our community. I’m not a bobble-head politician, I do not blindly follow the party bosses. My “agenda” comes from you, the people.

My record speaks for itself. Shelby is not barren wasteland. It’s full of opportunity. We have a majority-controlled government that doesn’t prioritize us but rather prefers status-quo. I have proudly voted “No” when it negatively impacts our community and vote “Yes” when it’s the right thing to do. No one is perfect but I’m proud of the accountability and transparency we have mandated over the last four years.

One of the biggest things I can do as a Councilman is vote on the budget. I have never voted for a tax increase; I routinely seek a tax decrease. In fact, when the majority-led Town Board couldn’t justify their over spending on paper, they justified it through the reassessment. I was the most vocal opponent! Revenue isn’t the problem, out-of-control politicians are!

When the majority-led Town Board wanted to institute email voting on Town business, I led the fight against it so that our community can have accountability and transparency. I was proud to bring our meetings to a YouTube channel so that our community can actively participate even when they are not in attendance.

I’m most often a minority voice but it’s an important voice. This election, we have the opportunity to choose between status-quo and the right direction for Shelby. I will continue to be the champion of our community and not the party bosses. Together, we can leave the BS on the farm while delivering results for the taxpayers.

Ed Zelazny

Shelby Town Councilman

Editor:

On February 28, GCEDC approved the construction of a data center at their STAMP site just outside the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s Big Woods.

Project “Double Reed” will be enormous—900,000 square feet. Hard to picture, isn’t it? Here are a couple comparisons: Marketplace Mall in Henrietta has 804,806 square feet of retail space; the Carrier Dome in Syracuse (now the JMA Wireless Dome) contains 527,320 square feet. Huge.

In addition, GCEDC misleadingly says that the building will only be one story tall—one story that rises 31 or 44 feet. Those are some high ceilings.

Imagine that you are driving through the countryside of pretty farms, fields, and woods. Then suddenly, a monstrous, blockish data center. No (proposed) landscaping will be able to hide it. And even if it could, you will be able to hear the low-frequency hum of the fans used to cool the equipment, a continuous sound, from miles away. Noise pollution has serious health effects—and if it’s bad from outside, it’s got to be worse to work inside.

The Sisters of St. Joseph live the mission of reconciling neighbor to neighbor and neighbor to God. They are committed to the good of the Earth and its people.  At a taxpayer cost of $3.9 million per (projected) job, the so-called benefits of “Double Reed” do not serve the land or the community

Holly Rockwell

Justice and Care for Creation Coordinator

Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester