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Shelby, Ridgeway officials provide scenarios to Medina dissolution

Posted 26 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Prepared by the Town Boards of Ridgeway and Shelby

(Editor’s Note: Brian Napoli is Ridgeway town supervisor and Skip Draper is Shelby town supervisor.)

MEDINA – In an effort to dispel rumors, misunderstandings, and misconceptions concerning the possible dissolution of the Village of Medina, the following article is offered by the Town Boards of Ridgeway and Shelby to provide effected residents with factual information.

There are many issues that must be taken into account should the village dissolve. Many of them will be guided by state law. Should anyone have questions and wish to verify any of this information, they may contact the New York Department of State, New York State Attorney General’s Office, and the Office of the New York State Comptroller. They are the main sources of information and answers for questions.

The decision of whether or not to dissolve is a matter for village residents. Should this issue be brought to a referendum, only the village residents are allowed to vote. Ridgeway and Shelby residents living outside the village are not eligible. Should the village residents decide not to dissolve, this issue may not be brought up again for at least four years.

Should the voters decide to dissolve the Village of Medina, the boards of the towns of Ridgeway and Shelby have 18 months to decide what additional resources are needed to provide town services.

Also, decisions would be made regarding separation of village assets, as well as absorbing them into the respective towns. The Village Board must submit a dissolution plan to the towns. However, the towns are under no obligation to follow it.

Below is an explanation of how different departments and services will be affected should the village decide to dissolve.

Police Department – If the village dissolves, there would no longer be a Police Department. Also, any contracts dealing with the department would be dissolved along with any collective bargaining unit. The reason for this is that, according to the Attorney General’s Office, there are no longer two parties to the contract.

If the residents wish to keep the Police Department, a solution for this would be to establish a Special Police District in what was the former village. This would be paid for by the residents of the former village as a separate tax levy. Another solution would be to ask the Sheriff’s Department to expand and establish a sub-station in the former village.

Fire Department – Because the Fire Department serves only the village, it will not be taken over by the towns. Also, any contracts for services, such as union contracts, are voided and the union bargaining unit is dissolved. The reason for this is because if the village dissolves there are no longer two parties to the contract.

Should village residents wish to keep the Fire Department, a Special Fire District must be established, much like in the towns. Also, to pay for and support this service, only residents of the former village will be charged for it as a separate tax levy.

Ambulance Service – The towns would have to determine how to provide this service. This service could remain a part of the current fire department or a separate ambulance corporation could be established.

Water/Sewer Service – This is a difficult area and one in which even the State does not know how to answer. The reason is that when the dissolution law was passed, it never foresaw a situation where a village straddles two towns. As an example, how do you divide water and sewer infrastructure? How do you divide assets (trucks, equipment)?

Again, in order to do this, a Special District would have to be established and only residents of the former village will be charged maintenance and support. Any contracts, such as union contracts, will be dissolved as there are no longer two parties to the contract.

Another possible solution for this would be to establish a Water/Sewer Authority for the former village. However, according to the Attorney General and Comptroller’s offices, special legislation would be necessary from the State. Historically, this option would take a long time and have very little chance of succeeding.

Public Works & Village Administration – These departments would dissolve with the village. The town boards would have to determine how to provide any services necessary to residents.

Debt – This is a question that was raised when dissolution was first discussed and continues to be asked. What happens to any village debt should the village dissolve?

According to the New York State Attorney General’s Office, all debt created by the village, stays with the village. What this means is any and all debt created by the village will stay in the former village and will be paid by the former village residents. It will not be dispersed throughout the towns. This will be calculated and billed to former village residents as a separate tax levy.

New York State’s Role in this Process – New York created the process by which municipalities can dissolve, however, the final decision is up to the municipalities’ residents.

A Question Continuously Asked – Where do we go from here? The answer: stay informed, ask questions, attend meetings AND, if this comes to a referendum and you are eligible to vote – PLEASE VOTE!!!

Lastly, we value your questions and welcome your comments. You may contact your Town/Village representatives as follows:

Town of Ridgeway – meets the 3rd Monday at 7p.m. at the Ridgeway Town Hall, 410 West Ave, Medina (Phone 585-798-0730)

Town of Shelby – meets the 2^nd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Shelby Town Hall, 4062 Salt Rd, Medina (Phone 585-798-3120)

Village of Medina – meets the 2^nd & 4^th Mondays at 7 p.m. at the Shelby Town Hall, 4062 Salt Works Rd. Medina (Phone 585-798-0710)

Scenes from a frigid Christmas day

Staff Reports Posted 25 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Santa’s house in Medina’s Rotary Park is now vacant as Santa has gone home to the North Pole after delivering all the gifts.

These antique farm tractors sit in the snow along Route 18 in Barker.

The 483′ Canadian freighter Sarah Desgagnes steams eastbound in Lake Ontario and is one of several that are on the lake on Christmas.

Slush ice is clearly visible along the shoreline of Lake Ontario looking east towards Shadigee from Golden Hill State Park.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 25 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Photo by Cheryl Wertman

The gyms around the area are fittingly quiet on this very special day. We therefore are pleased to be able to take this opportunity to wish everyone who enjoys getting their daily news and sports information on the Orleans Hub a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We also wish to thank all of those who have voiced their support and encouragement for the Hub’s coverage and look forward to continuing that coverage in 2014. Over the next few days we will be reviewing what has been a very rewarding year for many of our area athletes and teams with a series of articles community by community beginning on Thursday. Again Happy Holidays and thank-you, Mike and Cheryl Wertman.

Singer keeps Christmas tradition at Holy Family Parish

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Joe Sacco has done it every Christmas morning for at least 20 years: He sings Christmas carols from the choir loft at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, now the Holy Family Parish.

He is shown singing “Birthday of the King.” He also sang “Ave Maria,” “Hark the Herald Angel Sings,” and “Oh Come Let Us Aodre Him.”

Sacco also was the featured soloist during a Christmas Mass at the church, singing several Christmas songs, including “O Holy Night.” He was joined by Harriette Greaser, who played the organ for the carols and at Mass.

St. Joseph’s is a stunning church made of local Medina sandstone. The church has numerous stained-glass windows and a big pipe organ.

Some stores open on Christmas

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – McDonalds is open today in Albion from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. A few other businesses are open as well.

A rare sight at the Walmart Supercenter today: no cars in the parking lot. The store in Albion is usually open 24-7, but took today off.

ALBION – I thought just about all businesses shut down on Christmas. But there are a few stores open in Albion today: the gas stations, Rite Aid and McDonalds.

McDonalds has been advertising on its sign for about a month that it would be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.

Rite Aid didn’t make a big splash about its Christmas hours, but the store is open from 9 to 5 today.

If you’re a last-second shopping procrastinator or if you want a quick bite to eat on the road, I guess you have some options.

National Grid gets it done

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2013 at 7:32 pm

Electricity fully restored in Orleans County

Photo by Tom Rivers – Orleans County is now free from the grip of the ice storm that took out power to half of the county at one point. This photo on Sunday shows the First Presbyterian Church of Albion in the background.

National Grid has restored power to every customer – 18,000-plus – in Orleans County, about two days after an ice storm snapped branches, taking down electrical wires all over the county.

The company is reporting that there are no customers without power in Orleans. At 2 p.m. on Sunday about half of the county lacked power, or 8,590 of National Grid’s 18,174 customers in Orleans.

The power company had 96 crews at its peak in Orleans, working to reattach wires and make other power restorations.

The ice storm knocked power out for about 70,000 customers in western, central and northern New York. As of 7:16 p.m., there were 1,354 customers without power and they are nearly all in the North Country with 840 in Lewis County and 480 in St. Lawrence County. National Grid expects everyone to be back on line by 11:30 p.m.

Only 92 without power in Orleans

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2013 at 12:03 pm

National Grid has fewer than 100 customers without power, about two days after an ice storm snapped big branches and felled numerous trees around Orleans County.

On Sunday afternoon there were 8,590 National Grid customers without power in Orleans. That represented 47.3 percent of National Grid’s customer base in the county.

As of 11:41 p.m. today, there were 92 customers without electricity. The company is working to have them restored today. Of those 92, 76 are in Shelby, with five or six customers without power in Yates, Albion and Clarendon.

Two counties in northern New York still have a lot of people without power. In Jefferson County, 3,846 customers don’t have electricity. National Grid reports it expects them to be back on line by 11:30 p.m. today. St. Lawrence County has 1,185 customers without power.

Public welcome to visit animal shelter on Christmas

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Provided photo – Diesel, a pit bull at the Orleans County Animal Shelter, gets in the holiday spirit.

BARRE – In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, Joette McHugh encourages local residents to not forget about homeless pets in animal shelters.

She will be spending part of Christmas at the Orleans County Animal Shelter, where she is the lead volunteer. She welcomes the community to stop in between 10 a.m. and noon to play with the dogs and cats that are waiting to be adopted.

Three years ago the shelter opened on Christmas for the community to stop by. McHugh said about 30 people visited last Dec. 25, bringing treats and spending time with the animals.

“That’s the magic of Christmas when people show up and give a pet a hug,” she said.

There are six dogs and 11 cats at the shelter. In the last three weeks, 12 dogs and seven cats have been adopted out.

In the past five years, volunteers and the animal control officer have adopted out 1,200 animals from the shelter, the former Starrview Kennels at the corner of routes 98 and 31A.

The volunteers will have Christmas cookies for anyone who wants to stop by and see the animals on Christmas.

Just in time for Christmas: a fresh coating of snow

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Rudolph and a Christmas tree help decorate the Courthouse lawn in Albion while snow falls.

Mother Nature is casting a fresh coat of snow on Orleans County, just in time for Christmas.

The snow will cover up all the mud and some of the branch fragments from the recent storm.

Many residents are out for last-minute holiday preparations. Marcy Williams, a Postal Service carrier, makes a stop in Albion, delivering four packages.

Miller resigns from Albion Village Board

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Hardware store owner set to start as county legislator

Fred Miller is shown speaking during a Democratic Party picnic in July.

ALBION – Fred Miller has resigned as trustee on the Albion Village Board so he can become an Orleans County legislator next week.

Miller, a Democrat, defeated Henry Smith for the position during last month’s election. Miller will be the lone Democrat on the seven-member County Legislature.

He also will be the first village resident from either Albion, Medina, Holley or Lyndonville on the Legislature in many years. The village of Albion hasn’t had a resident on the Legislature, despite being the county seat, since Dick Eddy about 30 years ago.

Miller said he wants to bring “a village voice” to the Legislature, as well as an independent view.

Miller considered staying on as a village trustee and also serving as a legislator. The village doesn’t forbid an elected board member from serving in another elected position, but the county doesn’t allow that.

Before the Legislature started in 1980, the county government was run by the Board of Supervisors, with the town supervisor from each of the 10 towns. The new Legislature purposely didn’t want the legislators to be serving in town or village governments. They wanted the Legislature to be more independent and less committed to any one specific community.

So Miller needed to resign from the Village Board.

Miller, the owner of Family Hardware in Albion since 1986, said he would have resigned as trustee anyway, even if he legally could do both positions.

“It would have been a lot,” he said. “It would have been too much.”

Monday was the last Legislature meeting for Smith. Two other legislators, Ken Rush of Carlton and George Bower of Holley, are retiring from the positions.

Legislature Chairman David Callard thanked the trio for their service.

Power is back on for all except 356

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2013 at 10:58 pm

National Grid made significant progress restoring power in Orleans County today. As of 10:42 p.m., all but 356 customers were back on line.

The power company started the day with 3,275 customers without power. On Sunday there were more than 8,000 with no electricity, or about half of the county.

National Grid had 96 crews in the county today. The company is working to have power fully restored in Orleans by noon tomorrow, the day before Christmas.

National Grid makes progress in power restorations

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2013 at 6:04 pm

Company reports 1,453 still without power in Orleans

Photos by Tom Rivers – A tree crushed this 1995 Cadillac Seville, owned by Shaun Cobb of Albion. The tree damaged two other cars when it fell on Brown Street near the Caroline Street intersection. Cobb has been working to remove the tree by himself.

It shouldn’t be too much longer. That was the message from Paul Wagner, Orleans County emergency management director.

He knows residents want their electricity back on. National Grid has reduced the number of customers without power from 3,275 this morning to 1,453 as of 5:38 p.m. Wagner expects many more will be back on-line before 10 p.m. when National Grid crews will call it a day.

The crews will be back to work in the morning and expect to have power restored to residents by noon.

“We’re nearing the end of the power outage routine in Orleans County,” Wagner told the County Legislature this afternoon.

National Grid has 96 crews working to restore power and reattach lines to houses, Wagner said.

He also noted the six fire companies from Wyoming County that volunteered to help with basement pumping and be on standby for other fire calls. They arrived at about 4 p.m. on Sunday and stayed past noon today, easing some of the burden for local firefighters.

The Wyoming departments include North Java, Harris Corners, Perry, North Java, Warsaw and Arcade. A crew from Chili in Monroe County also was on scene in eastern Orleans.

Wagner said he was grateful the storm did not cause any injuries or fatalities.

Orleans County was alive with the sound of chain saws today while workers and residents cut up some of the fallen branches and trees. Bob Dexter works on a limb behind his stepdaughters’ house on East Park Street.

3,000-plus still without power in Orleans, a day after the storm

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2013 at 7:17 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – Here is another photo from the ice storm on Sunday, showing the Orleans County Courthouse in the background.

More than 3,000 National Grid customers remain without electricity this morning, and the power company advised the lights may not be back on until noon on Christmas Eve.

The ice storm that broke branches and felled trees, resulting in downed power lines. National Grid has made progress since yesterday when 8,590 of 18,174 customers in Orleans County were without electricity.

There are still 3,152 without power, as of 6:43 a.m. today. That represents 17.3 percent of the company’s customer base in Orleans.

It could be worse. In St. Lawrence County in northern New York, 28.0 percent of National Grid customers, 15,442 out of 55,065, are without electricity.

The company made big strides in Genesee County yesterday. As of this morning, only 82 customers were without electricity just south of Orleans.

Monro Muffler manager gets 2 years state prison for selling narcotics

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Swader

ALBION- James Swader, who is accused of selling narcotics from the Monroe Muffler and Brake in Medina, was sentenced to two years in state prison today by Orleans County Court Judge James Punch.

Swader, 52, of Akron was manager of the Monro Muffler at 11334 Maple Ridge Rd. He pleaded guilty to attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.

He was charged on June 4 with five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, five counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and five counts of criminal diversion of prescription medications and prescriptions in the fourth degree.

The Orleans County Major Felony Task Force and the Medina Police Department executed a search warrant on June 4 at Monro Muffler following a three-month investigation into the sale and distribution of prescription narcotic pills in Medina.

As a result of the investigation, a search was executed after numerous narcotic buys were conducted inside the business. Police seized prescription narcotic medications, including morphine and oxycodone, which was located inside the manager’s tool box in the garage area of the business, the Task Force reported.

Readers capture splendor and destruction of ice storm

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2013 at 12:00 am

Many Orleans Hub readers have posted photos from the storm on our Facebook page or emailed them directly to us.

I’ve picked some of my favorite submissions. Thank you for sending all of them, including those I didn’t include in this story.

Gary Tarr of Albion took this photo of a shopping cart coated in ice.

Jessica Harris of Albion took this picture in her back yard. “I opened my back window and snapped away.”

Kristina Martin of Holley captured an image of logs covered in snow and ice.

Rindie Kwiatkowski of Waterport sent in this photo of her son Brandon Blount and his dog Ellen. The tree split in pieces. “It sounded like a bomb going off when this one went,” she said.

Kwiatkowski said the ice-covered berries “was just the most beautiful thing I have ever seen ….. sad but pretty.” Her father, the late Don Cook, was a long-time local photographer who worked for years at the Medina Journal-Register.

Charity Garrow took this picture of a bent over tree on North Avenue in Medina.

Heather Beach Smith of Medina took this picture of the Erie Canal lift bridge on Route 63 in Medina.

Dawn Gardner of Kendall took this photo near the Pembroke exit of the Thruway.

Dena Bradshaw-Scribner took this one of Johnson Creek’s raging waters at the Lyndonville Dam. Many of the local creeks and streams threatened to flood after the storm.