MEDINA – After a several-month investigation into the possession, sale and distribution of marijuana in the village of Medina, two people were arrested on Friday and police are searching for a third suspect.
The Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, along with the Medina Police Department and the Orleans County Multi-Agency Swat Team executed three search warrants in Medina.
Police executed two search warrants at 510 West Ave. apartments A7 and A5A and the third search warrant at 228 Eagle St.
Police seized over a pound of marijuana, a stolen loaded 22-caliber handgun, a 22-caliber rifle, more than $2,500 in cash, scales, packaging material and other drug paraphernalia.
Rodrick Griffin
Kelly Moriarty
The following were arrested:
Rodrick S. Griffin, 31, of 238 Eagle St., Medina. He was charged with one count of criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, four counts of criminal sale of marijuana in the third degree, five counts of criminal sale of marijuana in the fourth degree.
He also faces four counts of criminal possession of marijuana in the fifth degree, one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, one count of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana.
Kelly A. Moriarty, 34, of 238 Eagle St., Medina. She was charged with one count of criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree and one count of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree.
Both Griffin and Moriarty were arraigned in the Town of Ridgeway Justice Court by Town Justice Dawn Keppler. Griffin was committed to the Orleans County Jail on $75,000 cash bail or bond. Moriarty was committed to the County Jail on $10,000 cash or bond.
Both were to return to the Ridgeway court this morning at 9 a.m.
Further arrests and charges are pending in this investigation, the Task Force reported today.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The pavement on West Park Street in Albion was tore off today and crews will do the same to Hamilton Street on Tuesday. The streets will soon get new pavement.
The Village Department of Public Works was assisted with today’s project by several of the town highway departments in Orleans County. Villager Construction of Fairport brought in a milling machine to tear off the top of the street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Fauzia Aajan was an orphan in Afghanistan
Photo by Tom Rivers – Fauzia Aajan will graduate on Friday, ranked seventh in her class at Lyndonville.
LYNDONVILLE – She arrived a decade ago – shy, malnourished and without a birthday.
Fauzia Aajan spent her first seven years in Afghanistan. When she was 1, her mother died. Her father died when Fauzia was 6.
She seldom attended school, staying with her aunt to help care for a brother suffering from hemophilia.
This Friday Fauzia will graduate from Lyndonville Central School, ranked number 7 in her class. She will attend college this fall at Daeman to major in early childhood education.
Fauzia, 17, may be one of the most grateful graduates to walk across the stage on Friday. If she had stayed in Afghanistan, she would have few opportunities, especially as a girl.
“I have a different perspective because I come from a country where girls don’t get an education,” Fauzia said during an interview at Lyndonville school last week. “In Afghanistan the women are housewives.”
Provided photo – Fauzia Aujan and her brother Sabir came from Afghanistan to Orleans County as part of the Project Life program. Here they are pictured in 2004.
She arrived in Orleans County in the summer of 2004 with her brother Sabir. They were participants in Project Life, a program at the World Life Institute in Waterport that gives orphans some respite in the countryside. Most of the children come from war-ravaged countries such as Chechnya, Bosnia and Afghanistan, as well as Sri Lanka after the devastating tsunami hit.
The kids stay with host families for the summer, learn some English, take art classes, get medical and dental checkups, and have lots of fun.
Idris Salih and his wife Stella Gresham hosted Fauzia and Sabir, who was 9 at the time. Sabir had to be led off the airplane in a wheelchair. He received immediate medical care for his hemophilia.
Nearly all 131 of the Project Life children have returned to their home countries. Fauzia and Sabir have stayed, with Salih and Gresham serving as their guardians.
Photo courtesy of Idris Salih – Stella Gresham and Fauzia have fun at Niagara Falls.
The two siblings played soccer at Lyndonville, made many friends and inspired students and staff with their drive to excel in the classroom. Sabir, 20, just graduated from Genesee Community College. He played soccer for GCC and plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Buffalo.
“You never see ‘give up’ in either of these kids,” said Shane Price, a Lyndonville earth science teacher who worked with Sabir and Fauzia with a college prep program called AVID. “A lot of other kids might give up, but that’s not in their vocabulary.”
Fauzia struggled early with English. She has had to put in extra time to make sure she understands her school work.
“She has inspired a lot of kids to work harder,” Price said. “She sets the bar higher.”
Lyndonville’s principal, Dr. Aaron Slack, said Fauzia and Sabir broadened the students’ horizons, showing them there is a big world.
“They’ve brought a lot to the district, helping us to recognize and appreciate diversity,” Slack said.
Fauzia speaks about the conditions in Afghanistan in some of her classes, especially public speaking. She talks about the poverty of the country, the limited opportunities for girls and many children who are orphaned.
“She has done speeches about her heritage and her story,” said Elissa Smith, a Spanish and public speaking teacher, as well as coordinator of the college prep program. “She does not take for granted any of the opportunities. She has been a reminder that there are children in other places and what they would give for this education.”
Photo by Tom Rivers – Fauzia Aujan appreciates the education and caring atmosphere at Lyndonville Central School.
After Fauzia delivers a speech, her classmates will have their hands up to ask questions about burqas that are worn by some Muslim women, some of the foods in Afghanistan, and other cultural differences.
Fauzia is happy to answer the questions. But she admits she doesn’t have all of the answers, including about herself. She doesn’t know her birthday. It is listed as Jan. 1 on her Passport and official documentation.
Her mother died when Fauzia was 1, and her father died five years later. Fauzia doesn’t know what caused their deaths. She remembers living with her aunt, who worked in a factory.
The factory owner was connected with Project Life. He heard about Sabir and Fauzia.
Idris Salih and Stella Gresham agreed to be a host family for the two siblings in 2004. Sabir’s untreated hemophilia was life threatening. He received needed medication that wasn’t available in Afghanistan.
Salih and Gresham welcomed the two siblings into their family, which includes their daughter Lyuba.
“She has inspired a lot of kids to work harder. She sets the bar higher.” – Lyndonville teacher Shane Price
Fauzia was in elementary school at Lyndonville in first and second grade. She attended school at Sandy Creek Academy in Holley for three years and was home-schooled a year before rejoining Lyndonville for eighth grade.
Photo courtesy of Idris Salih – Fauzia played soccer at Lyndonville and also ran track for one season, doing the 100 meter sprint and the long jump.
She admits she often felt overwhelmed with her school work. Not only was she playing catch up from attending very little school before age 7, but she was learning in a language that wasn’t her native tongue.
“The teachers have been very helpful,” she said. “They’re always there when I need something.”
She played all over the field in soccer – “wherever the coach decides to put me.” And she worked on stage crew in school musicals before joining the cast this year for “Into the Woods” and the senior play.
“It was kind of scary, but I like to push myself,” she said about being on stage.
She is a regular volunteer at the World Life Institute, teaching English and art to war orphans, and chaperoning trips.
She also volunteers at the WLI in other programs, working with the children of farmworkers in crafts, art and English activities.
Fauzia’s goal is to become an elementary school teacher.
Salih doesn’t doubt she will achieve that goal and that her brother will become an engineer.
“Fauzia and her brother have both grown tremendously,” he said. “They’re good kids, and they both have a drive to succeed. They have such a positive outlook.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Editorial:
Photos by Tom Rivers – Gary Kent climbs a ladder to check on a kestrel box on June 10 in the town of Albion. He volunteers with the Orleans County Bluebird Society and Albion Betterment Committee.
June has been a busy month so far in Orleans County. Both Holley and Albion had their big annual festivals, and many other community projects are in full swing.
Many of these betterment efforts are organized and pushed forward by dedicated volunteers. They deserve our thanks.
The sixth annual Murray-Holley June Fest filled Holley with music and fun on June 7. A core of volunteers ran a 5K race, organized a parade, drum corps show, family entertainment and fireworks display. The town of Murray and village of Holley also directed manpower and money to help make the event a success.
Sandy Heise, race organizer for the Jim Ferris Memorial 5K in Holley, presents Jack Richardson with an award on June 7.
A week later, Albion put on its 28th annual Strawberry Festival. The village of Albion and a big group of volunteers make that event a reality.
These are local people working to make their communities a better place. But there are lots of others finding ways to improve our county.
Here are just a few that have been highlighted recently in the Orleans Hub:
Oak Orchard Open: When a fishing tournament discontinued after last year, four Point Breeze stakeholders decided to organize a new tournament. They said the events are too much of a benefit to the Point Breeze economy to not have a tourney.
Three charter boat captains – Richard Hajecki, Bob Songin and Paul Czarnecki – and fisherman Mark Lewis were the driving force behind the new Oak Orchard Open. The tournament drew 36 teams to Point Breeze who reeled in more than $20,000 in prizes, as well as lots of good publicity for the local fishery and sales for businesses.
Birdhouses: Gary Kent of Albion has assembled a small army of volunteers who set up new bluebird houses and kestrel boxes in the county.
There are about 45 kestral boxes and 150 bluebird houses, with more in the pipeline. Kent, leader of the Orleans County Bluebird Society, said the birdhouses will promote wildlife in the county, which he sees as a principal asset.
He has been climbing 15-foot-high ladders to repair kestrel boxes and install new ones. He connects with many residents, finding ways for them to give back to the community through Habitat for Humanity, pumping gas for senior citizens and other projects.
Log cabin at fairgrounds: The walls were rotting and the site had the potential to become a dangerous eyesore at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Bob Fox chips away mortar in the log cabin. He is one of several volunteers working on the project. David Callard is behind him.
The Orleans County Sportsmen’s Federation 40 years ago worked to build the log cabin. It is used for many conservation programs, including hunter-safety classes.
But the three of the wooden walls were falling apart from rot. The Federation rallied to rebuild two of the walls about two years ago, with the third to be rebuilt in June and July this year, in time for the fair.
Volunteers have done the bulk of the work. The County Legislature deserves some kudos for contributing $5,000 to help buy some of the replacement wood. Without some county help, the project would have lingered.
Legislature Chairman David Callard was at the site last week, helping to chip out old mortar between the logs. He sees the cabin as “living history” that helps make the fairgrounds unique.
The Cost of Freedom Tribute: For many months, local veterans groups raised money and helped organize four days of events in Pembroke for The Cost of Freedom Tribute. The Tribute includes a replica of the Moving Wall in honor of Americans who died in the Vietnam War.
There are other displays for other wars, including the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Tribute was in the area from June 12-15. The American Legion in Oakfield-Alabama took the lead in bringing the Cost of Freedom Tribute to the area, but several Orleans County veterans groups provided donations and manpower for the event.
A member of the Special Forces Association Parachute Team descends with an American flag near the Pembroke Town Park on June 12.
Patriot Guard Riders: There is power in presence, and motorcyclists in the Patriot Guard Riders show tremendous strength by their numbers.
They provided an escort for Sgt. Shaina Schmigel when more than 100 motorcyclists led the hearse carrying her body into Medina on June 9. Schmigel, a paratrooper at Fort Bragg, was killed in a night-time training accident.
Motorcyclists lead a motorcade for Sgt. Shaina Schmigel into Medina on June 9.
The Patriot Guard and Hogs and Heroes Foundation send a message of respect, love and loss every time they honor a fallen soldier. They were at calling hours for Schmigel on June 10 and then at her funeral and burial on June 11.
Volunteers are making their presence felt locally, with some people giving of themselves in many ways. Be sure to join them, giving some of your time and expertise to make the community stronger.
Photos by Sue Cook – Nicole McGurn and her fiance Ed Bellinger light the first lantern of the evening.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
POINT BREEZE – Saturday night, the members of OONA celebrated the summer solstice with a party saying goodbye to the spring sun.
During the final moments of sunset, Bob Chaplin played the drums as party-goers shook gourd maracas, hit sticks and cheered.
“I play drums all over the place and I had a night free, so I said I would do it. I was drumming down the sun,” said Bob Chaplain who had been invited by OONA members to help them celebrate.
Cora Goyette and other members light another Chinese lantern.
Jeanne Lauta explained the reason for celebration. “Today is the longest day of the year and summer starts today.”
McGurn releases a lantern into the air while Deanne Borrie watches.
“It’s a great time, great people, a beautiful location, and it was awesome watching the sun go down,” said Debbie Magliocco, who attended as a guest of a member.
The lanterns floated around in the breeze and eventually burned out further down the shore.
Sue Zeppetella said, “I just think it was awesome. This is the third year we’ve done this and it’s a great event. The weather was beautiful and we had fun.”
HULBERTON – On this post card is a picture of the Hulberton Methodist Church in 1911.
It was built in 1836 and was used for regular services until 1945. This card was mailed out inviting people to attend an Old Home Day in 1911.
Dinner and supper for the event were 25 cents. After the church closed, it stood vacant and fell into disrepair. It eventually was torn down in 1969 when the grounds were properly cleaned up.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Village of Albion Parks Program kicks off this Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with park supervisors at three parks: Bullard on Route 31, east of Clarendon Street; Pee Wee Park, next to Bullard; and Veterans, at the corner of Linwood Avenue and Brown Street.
The team of park supervisors for this summer at Albion includes: front row, from left: Samantha Covis, Melissa Dibley, Caitlin Francis, Abigail Squicciarini, Ed Narburgh, Jack Narburgh and Sabastian Piedmont. Back row: Halle Jurs, Justyn Haines, Steve Prentice, Nate Lester, Henry Haines, Brandon Brown and Josue Serafin.
The Parks Program includes supervised recreational games and activities. The program runs Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The season ends on Aug. 1.
The program is free and open to children ages 5 to 16 in the Albion Central School District. Several week-long sports camps will also be offered during the summer through the village parks program. Check with the park supervisors for more information.
Parents are urged to attend the registration during the first week of the Parks Program to meet the supervisors and to fill out important paperwork.
Provided photos – The winning team includes, from left: Kyle Kurkowski, Greg Johnson, Craig Kurkowski and Ian Weatherbee.
The family of David Millis hosted the 8th annual David R. Millis Memorial Golf Tournament on June 1 at the Batavia Country Club and raised $12,500 to assist families battling cancer.
The tournament has now raised $100,600 over eight years. The money is donated to the Knights-Kaderli Memorial Fund, which is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to helping local families with their fight against cancer.
The money is used to assist with prescriptions, medical insurance, nutritional supplements, hospital beds and many other needs.
This year the tournament had 111 golfers and an additional 48 dinner guests. Craig Kurkowski, Kyle Kurkowski, Greg Johnson and Ian Weatherbee won this year’s tournament. Doug Dombrowski, Ryan Dombrowski, Greg Weber, and Cody McKeller finished in second place.
The tournament also held the following competitions: longest drive (men’s) Bill McDonald, (women’s) Bee Monteverde, straightest drive – Brian Millis, closest to the pin (men’s) Joel MacFaland, (women’s) Carol Jones, Pancreatic Cancer Ribbon of Hope – Wes Bradley, chipping contest – Bob Fraser, and putting green contest – Bob Jones.
The Millis family joined for a photo at the tournament on June 1.
Golfers and dinner guests had a chance to find purple golf balls hidden throughout the golf course and banquet hall to help raise awareness for pancreatic cancer. Millis died from that disease. Anyone who found a purple golf ball won a prize.
“I am so happy we had another fantastic tournament this year,” said David’s wife Joan Millis. “I would like to thank all our sponsors, businesses and everyone who donated raffle items, golfers, dinner guests and volunteers. We couldn’t do it without everyone’s support.”
Next year’s tournament will be held on Sunday June 7. For more information, pictures and updates, click here.
“I would also like to thank our children and their families for all of their hard work and for helping so many families that are going through difficult times,” Mrs. Millis said. “I am very proud of all of them and keeping their Dad’s memory alive.”
HOLLEY – In this window from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Holley we see St. Paul the Apostle holding a book and pointing upward.
The window was given in 1894 when the church was built. At the bottom it states: “Presented by Evangeline A. Johnson A.D. 1894.” Mrs. Johnson was a daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Edwin Armstrong of Holley who were among the first members of St. Paul’s Church.
In 1892 Evangeline married Robert Wood Johnson of the famed pharmaceutical company known as Johnson & Johnson.
Editor’s Note: The Cobblestone Society Museum in Gaines is currently featuring an exhibit, “Medicine at the Museum,” that includes several Orleans County ties to pharmaceutical and medical research, including Johnson’s. That exhibit will be on display until Oct. 13.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo By Tom Rivers – Sue Cook has been taking photos and writing stories for the Orleans Hub since January. She lives in Albion and also works as a graphic designer for The Lake Country Pennysaver.
ALBION – Readers of the Orleans Hub started seeing Sue Cook’s byline in January. Her debut article was about a long-time library worker in Holley who retired. (Holley gives retiring library clerk a big sendoff)
Cook has been writing community stories on a regular basis for the past five months. She also works as a graphic designer for The Lake Country Pennysaver. The Orleans Hub is based out of the Pennysaver at 170 North Main St., Albion.
The Orleans Hub went “live” on April 2, 2013. We’ve been growing since then, adding staff with Mike Wertman covering sports and his wife Cheryl photographing sporting events.
Cook, 26, grew up in Albion. She graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Graphic Design and a concentration in Archaeology Material Cultures. While at RIT, she worked as a reporter on the college’s newspaper/magazine.
She has enjoyed getting out of the office and covering stories throughout the county, especially now with the warm weather. She has met many inspiring local residents in the past five months.
“I’m shocked at the number of people here who are doing really interesting things,” Cook said.
She is impressed how the small town communities stay close, and often celebrate each other. For example, Cook noted when Bruce Marshall retired in April as head custodian at Kendall Elementary School, he was given a big party by students and staff. (Kendall head custodian feted after 36 years)
Cook follows the Hub social media accounts and she sees teen-agers and recent graduates giving stories “likes” and commenting on the issues.
“The students see the community is listening to them and we care what they’re doing,” Cook said.
She has written about many of the new businesses in the community, and many of the cultural life events. She has met the artists and actors in many productions. She sees their commitment and the high quality of their work.
“It’s been cool to see behind the scenes what a lot of people don’t get to see,” she said.
The schedule of a reporter is often unpredictable, and the topics are varied.
“I learn something new with every assignment I go to,” Cook said.
Fire photo by Tom Rivers – The band Blind Leading the Blind performs at the Orleans County Marine Park last July to kick off the “Summer Concert Series in the Park.” The series will be back beginning July 8.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
POINT BREEZE – The Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association in Point Breeze is working hard to promote the Oak Orchard area through a concert series and other community projects.
OONA will once again present the Summer Concert Series in the Park on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. from July 8 through August 19. Those concerts will be at the Oak Orchard Marine Park on Rt. 98.
The lineup for the concert series is as follows:
July 8: The Who Dats (classic rock, pop)
July 15: Acoustically Sound (acoustic rock)
July 22: Julie Dunlap & High Maintenance (contemporary country)
July 29: The Dave Viterna Group (blues)
August 5: The Blind Leading the Blind (contemporary rock)
August 12: Jive Street Five (classic golden age, rat pack)
August 19: The Sophisticats (swing, jazz, blues)
On average, each band draws between 200 and 325 people depending on the band’s fan base and the weather. OONA has between 20 and 24 of its members serve as volunteers to help run the event.
OONA receives their funding through business sponsors, admission charges, their 50/50 raffle and membership fees. They also receive a subsidy from the county tourism board to help pay for advertising for the event. This year they have 30 business sponsors. Their membership includes about 100 families totaling to approximately 150 total members. They also have a coupon book that businesses can purchase a space in.
The bands are chosen through a committee of OONA members. About half of the bands this year are new to the series and the other half were so popular they are returning for another concert.
The admission is $2 per person or $5 per family. The Clarendon Lions Club will return this year as vendors to raise money for their organization by selling food and drinks.
“The Lions are a community support. It’s a big fundraiser for them,” said Frank Panczyszyn, the Environmental and Conservation Committee chairwoman.
“We’re happy to have them back,” said Jeanne Lauta, Communications Director.
Photo by Sue Cook – OONA takes interest in the community. They are working to make it a great place to live and visit.
Besides the concert events, OONA works toward improving the community and helping to bring a sense of pride about the Oak Orchard area to the county.
OONA is a member of the Adopt-A-Highway program along Route 98. They are also part of a Neighborhood Watch program. They have helped to recover lost dogs and protect property. During the recent storm, they checked on neighbors and made sure people were safe.
They are also working with Albion to make two walking trails through Volkssport, an international walking organization. One trail would go through Albion, the other would involve the lighthouse in Point Breeze and would focus on points of interest and exercise.
OONA also uses some of its funding toward charity. They have made donations to the Carlton Fire Department, the county nursing home and COVA.
“There’s some circumstances where we donated directly to people in need and their families,” said Panczyszyn.
OONA makes an effort to educate the community and work with officials about issues such as lake levels, dredging, and advocating for better conditions for bridges, roads and the Parkway. The group sends a representative from their organization to town meetings with the interest of property owners and businesses in mind.
“We wanted to make it a social organization as well as community support,” said Communications Director Tracy Panczyszyn. “We’re always looking for more volunteers and ideas of things we can do to get more people involved.”
“We want people to help this grow more. It’s their community,” said Lauta.
Members also have special benefits that are not available to the public. This weekend, OONA members are having an invite-only party at a private residence along the lakeshore. To welcome summer, they will be releasing Chinese lanterns tonight over the lake.
OONA wants for more people from the area who love the lakeshore and Point Breeze to become members and support the community. Even visitors who live outside the area may join. For more information about OONA, visit their website http://www.oakorchard.org/.
Provided photo – JBF Construction recently put a new roof on the Cobblestone Universalist Church and then put one on the neighboring brick house.
Provided photo – JBF Construction recently put a new roof on the Cobblestone Universalist Church and then put one on the neighboring brick house.
GAINES – Two buildings constructed in the 1830s both have new roofs. JBF Construction in Albion worked on the projects last month and in early June.
The Cobblestone Society Museum raised the money for the new roof for the Cobblestone Universalist Church, a building from 1834 on Route 104, just east of Route 98. The project was paid for with donations, including a corporate gift from Christopher-Mitchell Funeral Homes and grants from the Daughters of the American Revolution, The Elizabeth Dye Curtis Foundation & The Orleans County Foundation, and the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Sacred Sites program.
While contractors were working on the church, two museum board members, Gary and Grace Kent, decided to pay for the new roof on the next-door brick house, which was built in circa 1836.
CLARENDON – William O. Kuyal, 54, was arrested Wednesday for driving while intoxicated, failure to yield and failure to stop at a stop sign after a car accident on Route 237 and Powerline Road. Additional charges are pending.
Kuyal, with passenger Dudley C. Kuyal, was westbound on Powerline Road when he failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Route 237 in the Town of Clarendon. A vehicle driven by Julie M. Smith, with passenger Sofia M. Smith, was northbound on Route 237 when it was struck by Kuyal.
Julie M. Smith suffered a broken left wrist and Sofia M. Smith suffered a possible broken left ankle. Both were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
Dudley C. Kuyal suffered multiple fractures and extensive injuries to his abdomen and is currently in guarded condition at Strong.
William O. Kuyal, who refused to submit to a chemical test, was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital and treated for broken ribs.
The Orleans County District Attorney’s office requested a court order chemical test (blood drawn) that was granted by the Clarendon Town Court. Kuyal is scheduled to appear in court on July 14.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 June 2014 at 12:00 am
MEDINA – A committee studying the dissolution of the village of Medina is handing off its plan to the Village Board.
The Medina Dissolution Committee approved a plan last week that would cut taxes for village residents. Property owners outside the village in the towns of Shelby and Ridgeway would see an increase in their town taxes as the two towns pick up some of the services currently provided in the village, according to the plan.
The Village Board will discuss the plan during its 7 p.m. meeting on Monday at the Shelby Town Hall on Salt Works Road.
Village residents would see a drop in taxes ranging from 27 percent in Ridgeway to 34 percent in Shelby. The rate in Ridgeway would drop from $19.49 per $1,000 of assessed property to a projected $14.30, according to the plan. That $5.20 reduction would save a homeowner with a $70,000 house $363 a year in taxes.
Village residents in Shelby currently pay a combined $19.80 rate ($16.45 to the village and $3.35 to the town). That would drop 34 percent to $13.10 and would cut the tax bills from $1,386 for a $70,000 house to $917.
Dissolution Committee members say the ultimate goal is to dissolve the village and then merge the towns of Shelby and Ridgeway. That would bring additional state incentives and provide more efficiencies, committee members said.
If the two towns don’t merge, their residents outside the village would see their taxes go up if the dissolution plan is followed by the towns. Town officials from both Shelby and Ridgeway have said the towns don’t have to follow the plan. The two towns haven’t said how the towns would handle services if the village dissolves.
Ridgeway residents outside the village currently pay a $6.71 rate for town, lighting and fire protection. That would rise 46 percent to $9.83 if the village dissolves and services are picked up according to the plan.
Shelby residents would see a 10 percent increase with dissolution with the current rate for outside-village residents going from $8.36 per $1,000 of assessed property to $9.17. That would raise taxes for a $70,000 home from $585 to $642.
The plan sees $277,000 in cost savings and $541,000 in additional state aid for $818,000 in overall benefit.
Village residents will have the final say in dissolution in a public referendum if the Village Board decides to put it on the ballot or if residents force a public vote through a petition.
Press release, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department
ALBION – Sheriff Scott Hess is pleased to announce that 12 children from Orleans County will attend the NYS Sheriffs’ Association’s Summer Camp this year.
Located on Keuka Lake in Yates County, the Sheriffs’ Summer Camp is designed to provide a solid recreational program combined with the development of a sense of good citizenship.
The camp has been in operation since the mid-1970s and is supported by the NYSSA’s honorary members through their contributions and annual dues. The camp will accommodate hundreds of deserving kids from across the state from June 29 through July 5.
Throughout their week-long stay, these children observe special exhibits and demonstrations presented by Sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement personnel from across the state. Included are D.A.R.E. presentations, boat and bicycle safety programs, law enforcement equipment and technical demonstrations, pistol and archery competitions, and a talent show.
Upon completion of their stay, all “campers” will be awarded a certificate for their participation in a program of “Good Citizenship & Law Enforcement Studies.”
The following children, ages 9 to 12, are the 2014 Orleans County attendees: John Greek, Amber Lowery, McKenzie Olmstead, Vanessa Perez, Caitlyn Ramirez, Antonio Samsel and Jayden Tetrault – all from Albion.
Nathan Silversmith of Holley, Marina Woodward and Marah Woodward from Kendall, and Robert Cooper and Dominic Winters from Medina.
