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Albion village taxes will increase 2.6%

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

Tax rate climbs from $16.37 to $16.86 per $1,000

ALBION – The Village Board approved a $6.3 million budget on Wednesday that will raise taxes 2.6 percent and will allow the village to upgrade some infrastructure.

“We’re still able to do some very nice public works projects with streets and drainage,” Mayor Dean Theordorakos said after the budget was approved tonight.

The board approved taking $300,000 from its reserve fund and pursuing a $100,000 bond to tackle some drainage and road maintenance projects. Trustee Fred Miller cast the lone negative vote for the budget. He didn’t like to see the village borrow for road work.

“You’re pulling out your credit card,” he said.

But the mayor said it’s not uncommon for the village to borrow to get some infrastructure projects done. The biggest project will be milling and repaving West State Street.

“We’re improving our infrastructure to make it more livable,” Theodorakos said.

The village may pursue a bigger state grant for sanitary sewer work on Crimson Drive and East State Street, or it may seek a grant for a sanitary sewer, water main, storm drain and road rebuild on a portion of East State Street.

The village’s overall budget – general, water and sewer funds – totals $6,272,510, which is down from the $6,538,637 in 2012-13. The village will levy $2,419,975 in taxes, which is a 2.6 percent increase or $60,371 more from the $2,359,604 collected in 2012-13.

The budget includes $10,000 for economic development. That money isn’t allocated for a specific project. The board opted against designating the money for the Albion Main Street Alliance, as it did the previous four years, but Theodorakos said the money could go to the group once a contract is worked out.

The village tax rate will go up 3.0 percent or 49 cents per $1,000 of assessed property. It will increase from $16.37 to $16.86.

The village saw its overall assessed value drop $608,407 to $143.5 million. That is pushing the tax rate higher. The previous year the assessed was down $420,688 to $144.1 million. The tax rate went up 45 cents to $16.37 in 2012-13.

The village of Medina also is struggling with shrinking assessments and a rising tax rate.

Kendall school project focuses on security, improved educational atmosphere

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

Photos by Tom Rivers – Kendall students in grades 7 through 12 eat lunch in the commons, where Principal Carol D’Agostino, left, is pictured with Julie Christensen, the district superintendent. A $25 million capitol project would move the cafeteria to a different part of the school, so nearby classrooms will be less disrupted by the cafeteria noise. Many other projects are part of the plan that goes before Kendall voters May 21.

KENDALL – When Todd Reichlmayr gives his social studies students a test, he often feels frustrated by the outside noise that pours into his classroom. He can hear other teachers leading class discussions. He hears locker doors slam, and people walking by in the hallways.

Reichlmayr and other teachers in the junior-senior high school have classrooms without back walls and doors. Kendall’s school was built in 1971 in the “open classroom” model.

The rooms were all built in the center of the school building. They don’t have access to the windows on the outer walls. Hallways line the perimeter on the building.

“I’m most concerned about the noise level,” Reichlmayr said Monday in his classroom. “Surprisingly, the kids are so used to it, it doesn’t seem to phase them.”

The classrooms have partitions to help block out some of the noise.

“From a safety end, I don’t have a door,” Reichlmayr said.

The junior-senior high school was built in 1971 in an “open classroom” model that didn’t include contained classrooms. The school includes partitions to try to reduce noise and hallway distractions. A capital project would give all the classroom four walls and their own door.

The district is proposing a $25 million capital project that tackles a number of improvements at the two school buildings, including a reconfiguration of the classroom wings so each room has four walls and a door. That will go a long way to improving the learning atmosphere and security for teachers and students, said Julie Christensen, the district superintendent. The project goes before voters May 21.

“There will be better instructional space,” she said. “It will be fresh and safe.”

Another classroom disrupter, the cafeteria, will be relocated to a wing of the building occupied by the current weight room and another classroom. Right now, the cafeteria “is smack in the middle of the building,” Christensen said.

The commons area, where students eat their meals, will stay put and will be used for other purposes. The new cafeteria will be designed in a way to increase student flow so they can get their meals quicker. The current setup allows for one slow-moving line.

The hallways would also be moved so classrooms would be near the outer windows, giving most of the classrooms access to natural light during the school day.

“We’re finding it a challenge to get the kids through the line in a timely manner,” said Carol D’Agostino, the junior-senior high school principal.

The capital project would give both school buildings new roofs, create secure entrances and lobbies, and upgrade heating systems. The junior-senior high school will receive the most work, including new septic, pavement, track and tennis court surfaces, and solar panels.

Christensen said the upgrades will make the school campus more energy efficient, and will reduce maintenance costs for years to come.

The state will pay 90 percent of the project with Kendall’s local share already saved in a capital reserve account.

There will be a forum on the project 7 p.m. April 30 in the junior-senior high school commons. The May 21 vote will be from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the elementary school.

Moon over Medina

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

Photo by Tom Rivers

A nearly full moon gave downtown Medina a nice glow last night. The downtown will host a Civil War parade this Saturday at 10 a.m., part of the three-day Civil War encampment in the community. Re-enactors will battle by the GCC campus at 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Broken sign no easy fix at Mount Albion

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

Photos by Tom Rivers – A driver smashed the sandstone sign outside Mount Albion Cemetery last December.

Village officials are trying to find a replacement that matches the historic flavor of Mount Albion, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

ALBION – Jason Zicari sensed something was amiss at Mount Albion Cemetery on Dec. 21. He and the staff at the historic cemetery were working on a burial.

Zicari noticed the large sandstone sign in front of the cemetery had been broken off. A chunk of the wrought-iron fence was also knocked out.

A driver late the previous night smashed into the sign and fence. It has been months of haggling with an insurance company since then.

“Everything is waiting on the insurance,” said Zicari, the cemetery foreman.

Zicari is determined to have the sign be made of sandstone and match the historic character of the cemetery, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He is still trying to find a sandstone piece that is smooth on both sides and about 5 feet by 7 feet.

Zicari has been scouting old sandstone pieces, including former sidewalk panels. But those sidewalk pieces tend to be smooth on the top side and rough on the bottom. And they are a little too small for the cemetery sign.

“We got to get lucky,” Zicari said about finding the right sandstone for the project. “We’re trying to find a match and put it up like it was.”

He also wants the letters to be carved to match the former sign, which was installed in 1985. The cemetery crew painted the letters of the sign black about six weeks before it was destroyed. The paint made the sign stand out more, Zicari said.

With the new sign, the village may include that Mount Albion is owned by the village of Albion.

The sign also will need a new foundation. Zicari said the section of the gate that is missing will be replaced with a combination of old and new metal.

He is hopeful the entire project will be done by July.

“We’ve had to start from scratch with the whole thing,” Zicari said.

New track opens in Holley

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

Photos by Tom Rivers

Holley residents Della Morales and Frank Balys walk on the school district’s new all-weather track this evening. The district this week opened the track to the Holley community. Residents are welcome to use the facility seven days a week from 8 a.m. to dusk as long as it isn’t being used by the track team or physical education classes. The new track is part of Holley’s capital project that is focused mostly on renovations to the junior-senior high school. The track is open for walking or running with appropriate footwear.Street shoes, cleats, bikes, scooters, skateboards and pets are not permitted.

Candidates step up to run for BOE

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

Every school district in Orleans County has at least one person willing to serve as a volunteer on the Board of Education. Residents had a Monday deadline to submit petitions to run as candidates for the May 21 election.

Medina and Lyndonville each have five candidates running, while Kendall and Holley each have one and Albion has two candidates.

Here is a list of the districts and the candidates:

Albion – BOE President Margy Brown of Carlton is running for another five-year term while resident Linda Weller seeks a position. Incumbent Marie Snyder opted against re-election.

Holley – Normally three seats are up for election each year, but this time there will only be one because the BOE is shrinking from nine to seven members. Brenda Swanger is seeking re-election to a three-year term while BOE President John Heise and another incumbent, Dorothy Morgan, are not running again this election.

Kendall – Board member Edward Gaesser isn’t seeking re-election. Martin Goodenberry of Morton is unopposed for a five-year term.

Lyndonville – Four seats are up for election with the top three voter-getters receiving three-year terms and the fourth-place finisher getting a two-year term. Incumbents Terry Stinson, Tara Neace and James Moody are running again. Harold Suhr and Michelle Dillenbeck also will be on the ballot.

Medina – Three incumbents – Wendi Pencille, Virginia Nicholson and John McCarthy – are seeking re-election to three-year terms while David Sevinski and Lori Draper are also running. The top three vote-getters will get full terms while the fourth-leading candidate will receive a one-year term.

Lakeside will close Brockport hospital

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 April 2013 at 12:00 am

BROCKPORT – A hospital that serves many residents in eastern and central Orleans County announced today it will close its doors next week.

Lakeside Health System was unable to obtain state funding to help fund its emergency room and inpatient services. Lakeside will continue to operate primary care practices, urgent care and a nursing home.

However, it will shut down its acute care services. Orleans residents on the east side will have to drive farther for health care. Local ambulance services will also have longer transport times for patients going to an ER past the east side of the county.

“We have pursued all options,” said Nancy Plews, chairwoman of the Lakeside board. “Despite our best efforts, NYS has concluded that it will be unable to provide sufficient financial support from its Vital Access Provider Fund in order for the hospital to move forward. This is a tremendously sad day for our employees, medical staff, volunteers and our entire community.”

The hospital stopped accepting inpatient admissions on Saturday. This Friday it won’t accept patients in the ER after 2 p.m. The diagnostic, imaging and lab services will cease at 5 p.m.

“Our employees and medical staff have always been our number one greatest asset and we sincerely thank them for their dedication,” said Interim CEO Jim Cummings. “So many of our employees and medical staff have supported and stood by the health system to the end.”

Lakeside is closing the following departments at the end of today’s business day: Wellness, Respiratory, Occupational Health and Physical Therapy. On Saturday, all remaining inpatients will be transferred to area hospitals. Next Tuesday, April 30, the hospital will close.

Decisions related to the ongoing viability of Lakeside’s two primary care practices, Urgent Care in Spencerport and the Beikirch Care Center in Brockport will be made within the next month.

Lakeside officials will meet with the community 6:30 tonight at the Brockport High School LGI Room to address questions.

Medina village budget ‘very demoralizing’

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 April 2013 at 12:00 am

Mayor says village faces rising costs, shrinking assessments

MEDINA – Village property owners can expect a jolt to their tax bills for the 2013-14 fiscal year that begins June 1.

The tax rate could jump from $15.81 per $1,000 of assessed property to $17, a 7.5 percent increase, Mayor Andrew Meier said after tonight’s board meeting.

“It’s very demoralizing,” he said. “There’s no money anywhere.”

Medina’s village-wide assessment shrunk about $800,000, down to $165 million. Costs are up with rising contributions to the retirement system, health insurance and workers’ compensation. And revenues are down. The rising costs and declining revenues represent about a $300,000 swing from 2012-13.

Meier said fixed costs – employee benefits and wages – give the village little leeway to make reductions. That’s the same with fuel and many other operational expenses, he said.

Some municipalities with growing tax bases can hold their tax rates steady because bigger assessments sometimes keep pace with tax growth. But in Medina, the assessments are going down village-wide.

Meier believes the village tax rate is driving the decline in the values and assessments of village properties. Just moving across the village line into the towns of Shelby or Ridgeway can slash $12 off the overall tax rate for a property owner, saving a property owner with an $85,000 home about $1,000 a year in taxes.

Meier has been pushing to dissolve the village, believing that would create a tax structure that is more equal for village and town residents, rather than the current disparity. The village has received a state grant to study the dissolution. Meier wants to bring the issue to a public referendum. That could be two years away.

“There are inherent, built-in structural problems with how we provide services and split up how we pay for them,” he said. “It uniquely burdens the village.”

Meier wanted to hire a village coordinator to work on the study and help manage the village government, which has about 50 employees and a $4.5 million annual budget.

But he said that position is unlikely given the village’s financial situation for 2013-14.

“The Village Board needs to decide whether it will budget for it,” Meier said. “If we don’t budget for it, then it won’t be there, unless some other money turns up and I don’t think it will.”

Right now, the budget doesn’t include a village coordinator, a position that could pay $70,000 a year.

The Village Board and department heads are working to finalize the budget for a 7 p.m. vote on Monday at the Shelby Town Hall.

Meier worries the 2014-15 could be even more difficult for village property owners. A new reassessment dropped the village values another 5 percent, but those numbers don’t take effect until the 2014-15 budget. The shrinking tax base will put more pressure on the tax rate.

“The grim reality is we haven’t even taking the hit on the new assessments,” Meier said. “That’s next year.”

Sandstone Heritage: Genesee County Jail, Batavia, NY

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 April 2013 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – The Genesee County Jail, built in 1902-03, is part of a historic district in Batavia that was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Editor’s Note: Orleans Hub will be featuring buildings made of Medina sandstone that are included on the National Register of Historic Places.

BATAVIA – It looks like fortress. The Genesee County Jail is one of Batavia’s architectural gems. The building on Main Street has five turrets, a raised foundation and quoins made of rusticated sandstone.

Genesee County Historian Sue Conklin suspects there was a friendly rivalry among counties more than a century ago when they built courthouses, jails and other public buildings. Genesee wanted to out-do its neighbors with the jail, and I believe the county succeeded.

The jail is part of the Genesee County Courthouse Historic District that was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The district represents the civic core of the city and includes buildings from the 1840s to 1920s.

The architect who designed the Genesee County Jail also designed the Attica State Prison.

The collection of historic structures includes the old county courthouse, former city hall, U.S. Post Office, The Holland Land Office Museum, a county office building and a Civil War monument. The jail is the only Medina sandstone building in the disitrict. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, which is close by, also is a striking sandstone structure.

I think the jail is the most impressive of all the buildings in Batavia’s historic district. The building was constructed in 1902-03. It was designed by Poughkeepsie architect William J. Beardsley in a Victorian Gothic style. Beardsley also was the architect for the Attica State Prison and many county courthouses.

The county sheriff and his family used to live in the front portion of the jail building at 14 West Main St. The jail had 10 to 15 cells. There were living quarters for the sheriff and a kitchen in the building until the early 1970s, said Gary Maha, the Genesee sheriff.

The sheriff used to live in the front portion of the jail until the 1970s.

Maha started his career in 1967 as a road patrol deputy. He remembers when the sheriff, deputies and jail were all squeezed into the building.

“It was a house and we were cramped like sardines,” he said.

The county put a brick addition on the jail in 1985. There is now capacity for 97 inmates.

For more than 100 years, the Sheriff’s Office was based out of the building. Maha worked out of the site until 2007, when the county built a new office for the Sheriff’s Department. The county’s back-up dispatch continues to use space in the historic building. The Genesee Justice program also has moved in. The jail takes up most of the space.

Maha marvels at the building, and not just the architecture.

“The woodwork inside there, you just don’t see anymore,” Maha said.

Photo courtesy of Genesee County Historian’s Department.

Early fire apparatus in Albion

Posted 22 April 2013 at 12:00 am

The Albion Fire Department was the first in Western New York with motorized fire apparatus. The Dye Hose Company in 1913 purchased this Thomas Flyer truck. The AFD says it was the first fire truck outside New York City.

The Active Hose Company No. 2, another group of Albion firefighters, acquired a fire truck a year later. Henry Hudson is pictured on the truck. The Active Hose Company No. 2, Hart Protective Hose Company No. 3 and Dye Hose Company No. 5 consolidated in 1976 into the Albion Fire Department. The fire hall on Platt Street displays these fire truck photos and many other historical images of the department’s history, which stretches back to 1828.