Photo by Tom Rivers – The Allens Bridge Road canal bridge in Albion has a weight limit of 7 tons. It is one of several canal bridges that can not carry heavy trucks.

It doesn’t happen very often but the elected town, village and county boards are united on an issue. They have all passed formal resolutions for more state funding for roads and bridges.

The money is already there, said Legislator Ken DeRoller, R-Kendall, but the state diverts funding for roads and bridges to other purposes.

The County Legislature, 10 Town Boards and four Village Boards in the county have all formally approved resolutions “Urging Structural Reform of the State Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund.” Carlton was the most recent to approve the resolution, making it unanimous among the elected municipal boards.

Taxpayers pay billions into the Highway and Bridge Trust Fund through taxes and fees but 75 percent of the money is then “siphoned off to pay for borrowing and operating costs of state agencies, leaving fewer dollars for improving our infrastructure,” according to the resolution.

The local government leaders are urging the governor and State Legislature to develop a multi-year plan for the fund to meet the infrastructure needs for bridges and roads in the state.

This is only the second time all municipal boards in the county have passed the same resolution. The boards did it for the first time last year in opposing the SAFE Act, a gun control law approved by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the State Legislature in January 2013.

The county, towns and villages also have been pressing the state to better maintain bridges in the county. The canal bridges are particularly worrisome, officials said. There are 26 canal bridges in the county, including seven lift bridges.

Twelve of the 26 bridges have been declared “functionally obsolete.” Another six are considered “structurally deficient” by the state Department of Transportation. Two are closed – Brown Street in Albion and Hindsburg Road in Murray. The Knowlesville lift bridge is limited to one lane and 6 tons.

Other bridges have reduced weight limits below 10 tons, including Transit Road in Albion at 9 tons, Allens Bridge Road in Albion at 7 tons, Presbyterian Road in Albion at 5 tons, and Groth Road at 9 tons in Murray. Most of the bridges are about 100 years old. They were installed when the canal was widened in 1909 to 1914.

The closed and weight-reduced bridges forces longer trips for school buses, fire trucks, tractor trailers and big farm equipment, hindering public safety and commerce in the county, legislators said.

With less state funding for bridges, the county is considering using more local dollars for infrastructure projects so more bridges aren’t closed in the near future. That will put the burden of the projects on local taxpayers.

Local ‘Flivver Drivers’ are hosting about 20 of the cars

Photos by Tom Rivers – Joe Baker is pictured with his daughter Stephanie Carrico and her children, from left: Rachel, 1; Bailey, 2; and Annabelle, 4. They are posed with a 1920 Ford Model T.

ALBION – The “Easy Ride Tour” is returning to Albion this weekend and about 20 Model T Fords will be out visiting local sights.

Joe Baker of Albion is organizing the local tour that will include cars from Upstate New York and Southern Ontario. Baker is a member of the local “Flivver Drivers.”

He welcomes the public to stop and chat with the car owners when they make their stops over the weekend. Many of the Model T’s were restored – cars sometimes rescued from hedge rows.

Joe Baker’s grandchildren enjoy the comfy seats in a 1920 Ford Model T. Baker owns three Model T’s that will be featured in this weekend’s “Easy Ride Tour.”

“We try to get as many people interested in this hobby,” Baker said this morning at his home on West Bacon Road. “These cars are 100 years old and will need someone to take care of them.”

Baker will have three Model T’s on the road for the weekend. His daughter, Stephanie Carrico, is bringing a 1931 Model A from her home in Albany.

Carrico grew up with the old cars and has embraced the hobby. She takes her car to store and often drops off her daughter at preschool. People have lots of questions. When she got married, a caravan of Model A’s delivered the wedding party. Her father used to take her to school on the first day in the Model A.

“These clubs are very family oriented,” said Mr. Baker, owner of Quality Construction.

This year’s tour coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Model T. Orleans Ford in Medina will host 20 of the Model T’s, including at least 3 from 1914 or older, on Saturday morning beginning at 9 a.m.

Joe Baker of Albion stands next to a 1926 Ford Model T C Cab Pickup with a 1916 Model T in the middle and a 1920 Model T at the end.

The cars will arrive Friday evening and will visit Rocking R Ranch and Café, Cobble-Ridge Cooperative and Fair Haven Treasures on Ridge Road.

On Saturday, after going to Orleans Ford, they will head to Mac’s Antique Auto Parts in Lockport and then they’re off to Olcott.

Sunday the cars head to Pine Hill Airport in Barre for breakfast, then they go to Brockport and swing back to Schwenk’s Winery in Kent.

Monday they are going to Mount Albion Cemetery before heading out to see the Shoe Tree in Lyndonville, and nearby Amish and Mennonite businesses.

ALBION – In 2011, Orleans County started sending out tax bills that highlighted the local taxpayer costs for the nursing home, state-mandated programs and other general services.

But the county plans to cease the “Truth in Taxation” and return to one line item on tax bills beginning in 2015. The nursing home is being sold and breaking out the categories proved “confusing” to residents, said Legislator Lynne Johnson, R-Lyndonville.

The Legislature will have a public hearing at 4:20 p.m. on Sept. 24 about the changes. The hearing will be in the Legislative Chambers of the County Clerks’ Building at 3 South Main St.

The county will continue to highlight the costs for state-mandated programs, Johnson said, by using a memo box on the bills that says 100 percent of the tax levy goes to state-mandated programs, with Medicaid the most costly.

“We’re still fighting unfunded mandates,” she said. “We aren’t backing off unfunded mandates.”

In other action, the Legislature:

Appointed Ed Morgan of Holley to serve as the county’s new representative on the board of directors for Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. Morgan is the Murray town highway superintendent and the Orleans County Republican Party chairman.

He will replace Marcia Tuohey, who died on Aug. 7 and represented the county for nearly a decade on the OTB board.

One legislator, Fred Miller, opposed the appointment because he said there should have been public input on who would represent the county in the part-time position.

“It’s the process I’m opposed to,” Miller said.

Legislature Chairman David Callard said the county’s appointment still needs to be confirmed by the state Racing and Wagering Board, and that typically takes two to four months. However, if there is a big change with upcoming state elections, Callard said the Racing and Wagering Board might not approve the appointment until spring. That would be a long time for the county to go without representation on the OTB board.

State Sen. George Maziarz urged the County Legislature to fill the position expeditiously so he could help to have the person confirmed, Callard said. Maziarz is ending his career in Albany after this year.

Approved purchase of a new boat for the Orleans County Marine Patrol for $219,675. The new boat will replace a 2001 Baja Marine Vessel.

The new boat is a 27-foot-long Walk Around Cabin Marine Vessel. It will be purchased from SAFE Boats International in Bremerton, Wa. The county will spend up to $100,000 in local dollars for the boat to be financed over seven years. Grants from the state Parks and Recreation and state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will cover more than half the cost.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature plans to raise the maximum income levels for senior citizens to qualify for a tax break.

Right now seniors who earn less than $19,200 are eligible for discounts on their county taxes. That level hasn’t been changed since 2007. The new level would be increased by $2,000.

The county will have a public hearing at 4:25 p.m. on Sept. 24 for the proposal. The hearing will be at the County Clerks’ Building in the Legislative chambers at 3 South Main St.

Right now the county offers 50 percent off for seniors with household incomes up to $13,500. The sliding scale exemption drops to 20 percent off for seniors with annual incomes between $18,300 and $19,199. It’s 0 percent for seniors with incomes at $19,200 or above.

The new proposed schedule includes the following percentage exemptions:

50 percent off for incomes up to $15,500
45 percent off for incomes between $15,500 and $16,499
40 percent between $16,500 and $17,499
35 percent between $17,500 and $18,499
30 percent between $18,500 and $19,399
25 percent between $19,400 and $20,299
20 percent between $20,300 and $21,199
0 percent after $21,200