Editor:

It can’t just be me that keeps seeing comments on social media and articles in the news about erasing our history. I am saddened by the fact that people have put all of our country’s history in one silo. That silo is one of shame. Things happened throughout history and history was recorded. How would we know what happened before us if it had not?

We learn from it and hope that we don’t repeat some of it. Laws are made to avoid some of it happening again and to help the people who were wronged. Women can vote, slaves were freed, countries went to war to defend a certain way of life which allowed people to exist as human beings – not Jews or slaves for example.

I feel like this is trickling down to our little Orleans County in some ways. I am a local town historian and have been for 15 years. In the beginning, when I asked people to share pictures or stories, they often didn’t bother. I just kept right on asking. Why you say? Because it is our history and after a generation has died off then how will we ever know?

I am fortunate enough to say that many people in the county know that I am a historian. I get invited to speak at schools and other historical societies frequently. I am always sharing what I have or what I learn with others because that is what I am supposed to do.

Every now and again people will send me items through the mail or bring me boxes of items that they don’t know what to do with but could not bring themselves to throw away. I TAKE IT ALL! I look at everything and make piles for other historians in other towns if it pertains to them. It sometimes takes a lot of work but let’s face it, we are not in it for the pay!

I was made aware of a situation where a decades-long historian passed away and her records were in her home. The town did the right thing and went and collected an entire room of historical items. Books, pictures you name it.

What happened after that makes me angry. Someone spent a good portion of their lifetime collecting these items and saving them. An individual was appointed to the job and then proceeded to throw away books, photos and newspapers in the dumpster.

Thank God for the town clerk who went into the dumpster and retrieved as much as she could from underneath garbage and maggots. The town should be so lucky to have an individual who cares this much. It is now being dried out and hopefully saved for future generations.

This town clerk like my own is the records officer for the town and totally understands the significance of some records. While some records are not nearly as important as others historically, she knows to ask me (the historian) before she gets rid of anything due to its future historical value.

The gratitude of a high school student doing research or a distant family member being shown an old photograph or story about their ancestor is priceless!

Melissa Ierlan

Town of Clarendon Historian

Editor:

My representative is Congressman Chris Jacobs. In January, Mr. Jacobs voted to overturn the election in Pennsylvania and Arizona, even after both states certified their election for Joe Biden as free and fair.

Neither Mr. Jacobs nor has anyone else ever shown any evidence to the contrary. Before the vote Mitch McConnell told lawmakers: “The voters, the courts and the states have spoken. If we overrule them, it would damage our Republic forever.”

My congressman does not care if he damages our Republic forever, all he cares about is himself. For example, Mr. Jacobs traveled to the Southern border with other Republicans and Mr. Anthony Aguero who was hired as a guide and translator. (CNN reported on 7/2/21 that Mr. Aguero was one of the insurrectionist on Jan. 6th and a known criminal, with several arrests, the last for vehicular assault.)

The trip to the Southern border was a staged political event to demonize and dehumanize migrants coming this country for a better life. My congressman wants to blame President Biden for these people coming to America. Never mind that migrants from Central America and Mexico pick our fruits and vegetables and milk our dairy cows.

Mr. Jacobs wants to block their entrance, which financially hurts local farmers. My congressman would rather pal around with insurrectionist and criminals than work on real problems like immigration reform.

Instead of running on a policy platform, my congressman wants to run on fearmongering and scapegoating. We deserve better.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

I wish to take a moment to thank the residents of Murray for their support in this Primary Election.

For it is they who choose the governance of our community and I am grateful for their confidence in electing me as the Republican nominee for Murray Town Supervisor.

Now that the Primary Election is over it’s time to set aside our political differences, end the infighting and get back to work. We are public servants. Every Councilman, Justice, Clerk, Highway worker, Assessor, Code Officer, Planning and Zoning Board member work for the people of Murray. Everything we do is for the community. Remember that.

Our “Team” extends beyond the Town Hall to every corner of Murray. What can we do better? Every voice deserves to be heard with mutual respect both inside and outside of the Town Hall.

The things that are worth doing are never easy. We have great opportunities in Murray. Unlimited possibilities to be had if we work hard together and respect one another.

I promise to do my best for you.

Sincerely,

Joseph Sidonio

Murray

Editor:

It is with great honor that I can officially say that I received the voters of Shelby full support! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for electing me during the Republican Primary and giving me an opportunity to be your voice in Town Hall.

Furthermore, a congratulations is needed for Councilman Seitz and Supervisor Smith for their re-election. Additionally, even though Bill Bacon came up short, he deserves a debt of gratitude for his years of service. It takes a lot of courage to even decide to run, let alone serve, as one can imagine.

I do not take this challenge lightly nor will I let you down. I will fight for transparency every step of the way, bring a strong fiscally conservative voice to curb spending, and make sure the Town of Shelby residents have a voice front and center.

Even if you did not vote for me, you still deserve to be heard. This campaign was all about bringing a fresh perspective to the status quo while emphasizing the rights of the entire community. I am sure there will be disagreements along the way, but I look forward to working with everyone for the betterment of Shelby.

If you see me around town do not hesitate to stop and talk or ask questions. I want to be the best councilman I can be so that we can make Shelby great again, together!

Thank you again for your trust, support, and encouragement.

Eddie Zelazny

Councilman-elect

Town of Shelby

Editor,

A quick clarification and comment regarding the July 2, 2021 industrial, renewable energy siting letter submitted by Ms. Joanne Scanlon of Rush, New York.

Ms. Scanlon states the following in her letter:

“The approval of Morris Ridge Solar Energy Center is a victory for us here in the community, and for the new Office of Renewable Energy Siting that provides an efficient process to get shovels in the ground for large-scale renewable projects while preserving local community involvement. ORES was created under climate-forward legislation signed by Governor Cuomo, and replaces an arcane, unworkable predecessor.”

Ms. Scanlon, in her letter, is making comment that the Morris Ridge Solar Energy Center (Mount Morris, New York (Livingston County) is a victory for “us here in the community.” To clarify, Mount Morris, New York (Livingston County) is approximately 28 miles distant from the Town of Rush, New York (Monroe County).

Webster’s definition of the term community states the following:  ”A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.”

Clearly, Mount Morris, New York (Livingston County) is not the same place as Rush, NY (Monroe County). Additionally, if Ms. Scanlon is indicating that the people of Rush, NY and Mount Morris, NY are in any way homogenous regarding support/opposition of renewable energy projects or even anthropogenic climate change, her comments ring as highly disingenuous.

Lastly, her comment that the Morris Ridge Solar Energy Center is a victory for the new Office of Renewable Energy Siting is also disingenuous. The new “efficient process” she references is now under legal challenge.

This legal challenge/lawsuit from numerous, statewide town and environmental groups, has been filed because the new siting law (94c) eliminates all meaningful local zoning laws and constituent inputs from the siting process. 94c eliminated Home Rule. In fact, the lawsuit was filed after ORES ignored each of the thousands of public comments that were submitted as a part of the new 94c regulation development process and as a result, left the regulations unchanged. To be clear, the unchanged 94c regulations were written by a pro-wind/pro-solar lobbying group hired by ORES. Smelling fishy yet?

Ms. Scanlon clearly seems to have either forgotten or ignored Article IX of the New York State Constitution which protects the Right of Home Rule for New York State municipalities. New York State, with the passing of 94c has actually usurped the Right of Home Rule from every village, town, city and county in New York State.

My understanding, from 8th grade Civics class, is that our government was enacted to protect The People’s rights not bestow or usurp them. 94c is a clear usurpation of the rights of every municipality and citizen of the State of New York and if unchecked, is a sword that will cut all that is near and dear to The People.

It is clear to me that Ms. Scanlon either needs additional education on 94c and the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act or may actually fully support of 94c and the thinly veiled eminent domain process that it represents.

Ms. Scanlon should, at a minimum, review the definition of the term “community.”

Thank you.

John B. Riggi

Councilman, Town of Yates

Editor:

A compromise infrastructure bill for roads and the like was hailed as a success. This young Nobel Prize nominee puts the success in prospective:

“People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!” – Greta Thunberg

The thermometer and fires in Lakes in the Artic prove the magnitude of the problem. Some sacrifice is required of anyone who puts their family and children first. There are no easy answers. No cheat sheet.

We funded the transcontinental railroad. (It created new jobs.) We again have to come up with the seed money for climate change even if that means “wealth taxes” on those who have benefitted disproportionately as they convinced us to shove the problem down the road.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

This is in response to an Orleans Hub article on June 25, “State approves first two large-scale renewable energy projects through ORES.”

The approval of Morris Ridge Solar Energy Center is a victory for us here in the community, and for the new Office of Renewable Energy Siting that provides an efficient process to get shovels in the ground for large-scale renewable projects while preserving local community involvement. ORES was created under climate-forward legislation signed by Governor Cuomo, and replaces an arcane, unworkable predecessor.

The need keeps getting greater to transition to renewable energy with these large-scale projects as the profound effects of climate change become ever more evident. The Pacific Northwest is suffering unprecedented blasts of triple-digit heat, farmers in the drought-stricken American West are selling water rights instead of planting crops, we see changes in wildlife and agriculture here, all because of climate change.

Large-scale solar power is the perfect antidote for our climate woes, directly replacing climate-killing burning of fossil fuels. It also brings major economic benefits. Morris Ridge Solar comes with jobs and economic investment. We can all celebrate its advent

Joanne Scanlon

Rush

Editor:

July 4th is a good time to reflect on our founding documents – the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

As a combat veteran I know the sacrifices the founding fathers made in signing the Declaration of Independence. I know the screams of dying buddies; I know Independence is not just picnics, cherry pies and fireworks.

I also know this nation is fundamentally an ideal. An ideal based on self sacrifice for the common good to benefit society. The Constitution starts with “We the People of the United States,” and talks of the common good.

The Declaration of Independence states that governments are instituted to secure the unalienable rights of individuals but governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Currently, in Republican-led states, there is a push to prevent minorities from voting violating the principles of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Furthermore, it is a betrayal of the sacrifices made by all who fought to defend the ideal of this great nation.

I encourage everyone to read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, to support the inclusiveness of both documents and vote and take part in our democracy. Thank you.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the residents of Gaines for their overwhelming support during the Primary Election for Gaines Town Justice. Your vote of confidence is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Respectfully,

Charles Prentice Jr.

Gaines

Editor:

So many times the Orleans Hub reporter/photographer, Tom Rivers, is behind the scenes gathering news, writing articles, and taking photographs.

What readers don’t see is the man who is willing to pitch in and help when needed. Case in point, the most recent food giveaway at the Ridgeway Fire Hall on Friday, June 25. Tom was there to report on the giveaway, but the story doesn’t end there!

We were short-handed, and Tom put his camera down to pitch in and help us distribute food to those waiting in line. I just want to thank Tom Rivers for his help during this giveaway. It is much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Curt Strickland

Albion

Editor:

When we talk about just about anything that needs a solution(s) we look at strengths, weaknesses, compromises and then improve it. In the last few months a legal theory that rejects Marxist and Socialist analysis been tagged by a partisan press as both Marxist and Socialist. Crazy contradictory stuff.

In fact Critical Race Theory is simply a type of legal analysis (Frankfurt School) which looks at a law’s effects and examines them to see if they shed light on the law’s original intent, its strengths and its shortcomings to inform the future and do things better.

CRT sheds light, for example, on one consideration that came up when the Constitution was written. Slavery would still be legal if so many slave states had not traitorously left the Union  and lost their votes in the Senate. The South lost the 1/3 needed to block abolition; even today,  with 50 states, there would not be enough votes in the Senate overturn slavery with the 1/3 blocking right.

To add insult to injury, the south also lost the ability to count non-voting Blacks as citizens which it had counted towards proportional representation in House of Representatives. That is why Democrats in the 1880s passed Jim Crow laws designed to keep Blacks from voting.  (Jim Crow-like restrictions that target poor blacks are again an issue. True there are no fees for voting now but there are no collection boxes and few polling places near where Blacks live under these laws now either.)

It’s also important to know that the final fury for the Civil War started because northern states refused to return escaped slaves. In fact just over in Syracuse its citizens would not let the US Army take former slaves back south to their owners. That was one of the major issues the South pointed to when it said it had to succeed to preserve slavery.

Now, we study the ins and outs of pitting the promise of liberty contained in the Declaration of Independence versus the formality of the Constitution. Preserving that balance was part of traditional legal interpretation taught in law schools since 1802 and why some Supreme Court Justices even now always consider the effect, if any, their decision may have on the promise of “Liberty.”

It is relevant to discussions of Constitutional change. For example, in order to pass the 13th Amendment doing away with slavery, a provision making it legal to enslave blacks for crimes had to be included. Then that compromise was dealt with under the 14th amendment which required “due process” to all citizens when liberty is at stake. And the 14th, and then the 15th amendments, gave Congress the power to trump those Jim Crow laws. It did that in the ’66 Civil Rights Law  the Dixiecrat arguments then are the Republican argument now. Interesting, eh?

Also it’s relevant now when debating Confederate statutes that when the legal bars on building those monuments were removed at the turn of the last century, hundreds of Confederate-related statutes, roads, and schools were erected in dozens of states with NO ties to the Civil War! Knowing that informs the debate on whether or not there is a legitimate historic tie to the  Civil War or to racism when arguing about what to do with them. That is why so many say it’s a community decision about what it wants to say about itself.

Critical Race Theory looks at historic fact to help lawyers, politicians, prosecutors, judges, police, and historians discuss the implication of their jobs. History informs. Even discussing numbers stuff like the compliance rate with reporting hate crimes is affected. For some it’s simply outlook. CRT is one tool for problem identification and solution. You need to know what’s going on to address it.

Misrepresenting Critical Race Theory is pretty low politics. It shows the speaker has not read Wiki to learn what it’s about. Moreover it’s racist to call something that is not racist, racist – it’s a “Woke” rewriting of history.

Who is going to claim we should not try to have accurate facts? Who is going to claim they know all there is to know?

For example the numbers tell us that tax cuts over the last 40 years have created a wealthy class. Is that Marxist or just economics? And we just had a President who the conservative courts uniformly have held violated fundamental Rules of Law. Is discussion of that off limits too? And shouldn’t we be discussing and investigating how Facebook data and other sources show that Republican precinct data ended being used for ad buys by fictitious Russian hackers.

Since facts are important isn’t it interesting to know that the earth’s crust trapped twice that amount of heat from the sun since 2006 or do we ignore the thermometer?

Ignoring  data is tearing us apart. Frankly, as a society, we need to deal with the limits of gullibility. Today it’s CRT. Tomorrow will it be the thermometer again?

Non-Civil War states may have to stop claiming their statues are historic. Better answers about putting a higher percent of polling places in white neighborhoods is worth straight answers.  Someday it could be how the middle class vanished.

Agree or not but listen and talk respectfully but the current descriptions of CRT are WOKE.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

This last year, industry and society at large have shifted drastically as the challenges we’ve faced have forced us to be more innovative and resilient than ever before.

However, even as private businesses and families alike found new ways to thrive while braving a pandemic, it was another year of business as usual for the Governor and his allies in the legislative Majority.

They worked to raise taxes, chip away further at our constitutional rights and construct the most expensive budget in our state’s history, a monstrous proposal that spends more than Texas and Florida do within a year combined, while doing little for those who need help most.

Giving recovering small businesses less than half of what’s being given to undocumented immigrants in direct assistance is unconscionable, and there’s nothing progressive about letting small, family-owned businesses die for the sake of helping people who broke our laws to be here.

These small businesses are built up over decades through generations, and are places where people find their first jobs or even their lifelong careers. They are what make the towns, villages and cities where we live the unique and special places we know them to be, and it has been incredibly saddening to see so many of them continue to struggle when there’s so much more we could have done to support them, their employees and the communities they serve.

What has been even worse than the Majority’s failure to provide adequate assistance to our small business owners, has been their unwillingness to stand up to the governor’s active attempts to encumber their success. Even as he remained embroiled in scandal and under investigation at multiple levels of government, they refused to meaningfully curtail his emergency authority or rescind any of the restrictions he placed on small businesses, even as available scientific data demonstrated that they were unnecessary.

Despite all of the questions surrounding his conduct, and especially his handling of nursing homes during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the governor held a grip on power as firm as ever as we left Albany after session. Even as the Assembly itself has conducted an investigation throughout the last several months into his multiple potential wrongdoings, we still have nothing to show for it.

While this year was largely disappointing, legislatively speaking, there was at least one bright spot within it that I feel we should all be proud of. After fighting to make it happen for years and having my proposals to do so shot down in committee, I was proud to see a bill passed (A.7865) that will provide free tuition to members of Gold Star families. While I wish we were able to pass this bill even earlier to begin helping Gold Star families as soon as possible, President Reagan said it best, “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

So I am simply relieved to see this idea become law one way or another. It is indeed heartening that on at least one issue we were able to come together and do the right thing, so I am hopeful that next year we can build upon that success bearing in mind who we really need to be helping here in New York state.

Steve Hawley

Batavia

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

Editor:

Edward Zelazny, how do you expect to be an effective board member when you are engaged in a lawsuit against that same board?

Also, how can you complain about the legal costs if you are part of the reason for the costs? I totally get the part about landowner rights and your right to fight for those rights. I don’t get how you expect to have it both ways.

I very much resent that you are trying to paint the board as a secretive, deceitful group.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.

We have three or four budget planning meetings each year which are open to the public. In the three budgets done since I joined the board, we had one non-board member person attend. All this is very much in the open and I have never seen you take an interest until now when it helps you politically. Yes, you have attended board meetings but I don’t remember you speaking.

Before you make statements about budget roll over you should get some education about fund accounting which we have to use in public settings. As I have learned, because I run a farm business too, it is totally different than cash-based accounting. If we have a line item, such as legal fees, we can only spend what is in that line for the year. You can’t go over or move money from other lines.

So, the usual process is to have a safety margin in the budget numbers and hope to not use it. If the money is not spent it can be used in the next year’s budget and keep tax increases lower.  Not how we do it on the farm, but how it is done in public accounting.

New York State has a tax cap of 2% per year for public entities. We have been at or below it every year. The 2021 budget, because of how NY calculates it, our tax cap was 1.3%.

Ed, we have known each other all our lives. I know you as good man and an excellent farmer. I can hopefully claim those same traits, and have tried to bring those to my work as Town of Shelby Supervisor.

I know all those on the board have been trying to do what is best for the town. I do know from being on the inside of the town board that we are doing a good job, and we are always trying to do better.

I do not like politics and am certainly not a spin doctor, but I have responded over the last several days because some good board members have been attacked for political gain with statements which were spun to your advantage.

Jeff Smith

Town of Shelby Supervisor

Editor:

If you weren’t there at the Hoag Library in Albion last Thursday, June 17, for this opportunity to be at not just one but two meetings to help build racial relations in your community, you still have ample chances in your lifetime!

At both of these book review sessions, the book, “White Fragility” by author Robin DiAngelo, was discussed. The literary work points out the opportunities that white people in our society can realize they have to help minimize racial divide after self examination of racist tendencies that we may not be aware of.

There were modest groups of people at both, a mix of race. The discussion was fairly open. It seemed to be a worthy follow up event to the committee established to discuss race and local police forces by Sheriff Chris Bourke and County Legislature Chairman, Lynne Johnson.

By the way, as an invested Orleans County resident and county worker for over 50 years, I am impressed by those appointed to that committee representing different factions of my home county.

Whether or not people had an opinion on the book and whether or not those overall opinions were positive or negative, was not the point. The point is that this type of discussion is actually taking place, and the existence of this book has brought this about. That is the important fact.

The last five years in this country has really brought to light that we have a lot of work to do to bring more cohesion to our nation as it pertains to race relations. In my mind, “fear” in our hearts is the overriding factor in allowing race to be a divider in our country and in our world.

If we could only just overcome our “fear” to really get to know each other, willing to meet and socialize with others of different races, I believe we can go more in the right direction of this dilemma.

Ignoring that a problem exists can only hurt, not help. I am begging people of my race, of the white persuasion, to do what you can to try to help our country be more cohesive.

I’ll end this with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The time is always right to do what is right….”

Gerry Golden

Rochester

Editor:

We write this in objection to the Supervisor’s letter. This election is not about individual attacks. It comes down to whether we want change or carry on with the status quo?

Knowledge is power and boy did we learn some interesting things from a FOIL request. Here are the facts. You don’t have to take our word for it. These numbers exist in the budget that every person has a right to see. These facts help tell a story of what is happening in the Town of Shelby that politicians don’t want us to uncover.

In 2017 the Town spent $53,904 on attorney fees, an increase of over two times from the previous year. In 2018, the Town budgeted $80,000 and spent $122,152.11, this is the year of the land owners’ fight. In 2019, the Town spent $73,931.16, which cannot be wholly attributed to land owners. In 2020, the Town spent $105,057, certainly not wholly attributed to land owners. In 2021, they budgeted $127,500 and we’re curious as to what they will spend on that.

See there’s no reason to believe that spending will go down based on the trends. Since 2017, the Town has seen an increase of nearly 60% for budgeted attorney fees. That is the definition of out of control. Many of us own our business. Since when do we rollover unused money in a budget line while increasing the costs of goods and services? That’s not how budgets work and frankly, it’s just a spin to distract from the real issues.

Real issues such as tax hikes and town wide reassessment. Our taxes have gone up every single year since 2016. Additionally, our taxes have jumped nearly 10% since 2016! Again these are facts and public knowledge. These budgets are the same ones that Seitz and Bacon approve in unison every year. When you add up the spending, the attorney fees, the increase tax rates, and the town wide reassessment, we come to only one conclusion – failure.

If Seitz and Bacon are trying to tell citizens that we shouldn’t fight for our rights then this is more reason we need change! If they would conduct business in the open and stop targeting our own citizens, we wouldn’t need to have these high priced attorneys.

The land owners’ lawsuit vs. the Town was an attempt to protect our personal property. Right or wrong, we as citizens have that right to do so. It wasn’t frivolous, it was important. That lawsuit comprised of more than 20 people, not just one person.

Don’t let the political spin distort the facts. Town of Shelby residents deserve representation that fights for them not against them.

Susan M Slingerland

Brian Murray, Sr.

Eddie Zelazny

Kenneth Oliver

Jeffrey Stockwell

Paul Luthart

Donald Garrett, Sr.

Bob Kwandrans

Jim Zelazny

Steve Miller

Lee Hellert