By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – Fishermen try to catch trout and salmon in October by St. Mary’s Archer’s Club at the Oak Orchard River.
The club started 70 years ago and offers hospitality to many local and visiting fishermen, especially during its annual fishing derby.
The Orleans County Legislature on Wednesday presented the Archer’s Club with a Special Recognition award for its 70 years of dedication and service to the community. The Archer’s Club has 142 members.
Pictured from left include: Mike Waterhouse, the county’s sportsfishing promotion coordinator; County Legislator John DeFillipps; Alan Hackenberg, Archer’s Club president; Jim Wooldridge, past president; and John Page, past president.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – County Legislator Don Allport speaks against a plan for wind turbines that would peak at about 600 feet high in Yates and Somerset.
ALBION – Orleans County legislators today stated their opposition to a proposed Lighthouse Wind project that could include as many as 71 industrial-sized wind turbines in Yates and Somerset.
County legislators have avoided taking a public stand on the issue, saying previously they wanted to wait on a survey of town residents and also not appear to be meddling in a town issue.
But the Public Service Commission has set a Jan. 6 deadline for comments on a preliminary scoping document from Apex Clean Energy. (The PSC today announced the deadline has been extended until Jan. 12.)
Legislators said they have heard “the voice of the people” and want to state the county’s opposition to the project to the Public Service Commission.
“Keep in mind we still have an uphill battle,” Legislature Chairman David Callard said at today’s meeting that was attended by several Yates residents who have opposed the project.
A siting board will decide if the project is approved. The seven-member board has five members from state agencies and will include two local residents. That gives the state the majority of the say in voting on the project.
Legislators opposed the project that they said would “place commercial wind turbines within this quaint, beautiful Town of Yates.”
The Legislature also opposed the state’s Article 10 law, which gives the state the power to site the turbines, not the local government leaders.
In a separate resolution, legislators stated their support for “Constitutional Home Rule.”
Legislator Don Allport said he worries the state could force landfills and other unwanted projects on communities with the Article 10 Law. Allport said Albion was able to prevent a new landfill in the community since the mid-1990s because it has local laws against additional landfills. He said the proposed turbines are “monsters.”
By passing Article 10, the state led by Gov. Andrew Cuomo has stripped local municipalities of their powers to use zoning and land use in their communities, legislators said in the resolution.
Photos by Tom Rivers – Richard Pucher, a member of the Save Ontario Shores citizen group opposed to turbines in Yates and Somerset, addresses the Orleans County Legislature this afternoon.
Paul Pettit, Orleans County public health director, said the Genesee-Orleans Board of Health also has concerns about the project because the state and Apex haven’t done baseline studies measuring the health of residents and environmental conditions in the community before the project.
Pettit said the Article 10 process skirts some important environmental studies for such a large project.
“We’ve been very concerned with the health impacts,” Pettit said at today’s Legislature meeting. “We feel strongly that studies should be done.”
Russ Martino, a former Yates town supervisor, spoke at today’s meeting. He said the Town of Yates is working on the results of a 10-question survey of residents. More than 1,000 have been returned to the town, Martino said, and results should be presented at the Dec. 28 Town Board meeting.
Martino is a retired Lyndonville principal who has lived in Yates for 48 years.
“I’ve never seen the commotion that the siting of the wind turbines has caused,” Martino told county legislators. “It pits neighbor versus neighbor.”
Richard Pucher, a retired Lyndonville superintendent, has been active with Save Ontario Shores. Pucher said many school administrators head to Florida in retirement, but he has opted to stay in the community.
“I stayed here because I love my community and I don’t want to see it destroyed,” Pucher said.
He urged the Legislature to follow the Somerset Town Board, Niagara County Legislature and State Sen. Robert Ortt in opposing the project.
Jim Simon was elected Yates town supervisor in November on a write-in campaign. Simon was endorsed by Save Ontario Shores and has been against the turbine project.
He was pleased with the Orleans County Legislature resolutions opposing Lighthouse Wind and Article 10.
“I am very encouraged by the Orleans County Legislature resolutions for Home Rule and against the Apex proposal,” Simon said.
He said he expects the town survey will show strong opposition to Lighthouse Wind. He expects the new Yates Town Board will officially oppose the project early next year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Statuesque, New York – An occasional series
Photos by Tom Rivers
SENECA FALLS – In the spring of 1851, two women met and they would form one of the most powerful two-person teams in New York history for the next 50 years.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were both leaders in the push for women’s rights, including suffrage.
They met in Seneca Falls in an encounter arranged by Amelia Bloomer, a dynamo in her own right. She also is famous for “Bloomers.” She was the first woman to wear pantaloons under her dresses, and is wearing the style in this depiction.
Seneca Falls commemorates this meeting with statues of the three women by the Cayuga-Seneca Canal. They are shown by East Bayard Street. These statues are life-size, and are slightly elevated from ground level.
The statues – “When Anthony met Stanton” – are a gift from New York State to Seneca Falls in 1998, when George Pataki was governor. The gift was made “On Behalf of the Governor’s Commission Honoring the Achievements of Women,” according to a plaque by the display.
Susan B. Anthony is at left, with Amelia Bloomer in center and Elizabeth Cady Stanton at right. The statues were dedicated on July 18, 1998. A.E. Ted Aub served as a sculptor of the statues.
Anthony and Stanton were the prime movers in the fight for women’s right. They weren’t alive when women finally achieved the right to vote on Aug. 26, 1920 with the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Stanton for 50 years would write hundreds of letters to the editor, and give numerous speeches. She wrote articles on divorce, property rights and temperence. (She also adopted the Bloomer costume.) Anthony was a Rochester school teacher who was unrelenting in her organizational skills, lobbying and execution of the women’s rights agenda.
Seneca Falls has adopted the statue depiction as an icon for the many signs in the community directing people to historic sites and public services.
There is another series of bronze statues in Seneca Falls, home of The Women’s Rights National Historical Park. The U.S. government created the park in downtown Seneca Falls and commissioned 20 statues of the “The First Wave.”
Sculptor Lloyd Lillie created the life-size bronze statues of the five women who organized the First Women’s Rights Convention, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton at left. The display includes a few of the men who came in support of social, political, and religious equality for women. Acclaimed abolitionist Frederick Douglass is depicted in center.
Thomas and Mary Ann M’Clintock were active in the women’s rights movement, and also actively championed abolition, temperance and Native American rights. They attended the first women’s rights convention on July 19-20, 1848. The original Declaration of Sentiments was written at the M’Clintock house in nearby Waterloo.
The statues in the lobby of the Visitor Center at the National Park in Seneca Falls represent the first wave of women’s rights activists in the United States. There were more than 300 women and men who organized and participated in the first Women’s Rights Convention.
The “Declaration of Sentiments” declared that “all men and women are created equal.” The document demands equal rights for women in property and custody laws, educational opportunities, and participation in the church, professions, and politics.
Seneca Falls is about the same size as Albion and Medina. I was there over the weekend for the “It’s A Wonderful Life” festival. Bedford Falls in the famous movie is believed to be based on Seneca Falls.
The community is a vibrant place. It capitalizes on its role in U.S. history and has fun with its possible connection to one of the most popular movies of all time. I picked up a lot of ideas for how Albion, Medina and our other communities could better promote their history.
Albion could certainly do more showcasing its ties to Charles Howard and his role in shaping the look and behavior of Santa Claus through his Santa School. Albion could develop a Santa Claus museum in the downtown. It would add a lot of energy to Main Street and help nearby shops capitalize with Santa-themed merchandise. (Seneca Falls has a museum for It’s A Wonderful Life and uses the movie as a focus for a very popular community festival. I ran the 5k race on Saturday that had 4,000 runners.)
It would be interesting to see how the local government, including the county, helps with the projects in Seneca Falls. I would guess there is a nice public-private partnership with lots of volunteers. But the government probably needed to step up with money and personnel to get these projects off the ground.
The Women’s Rights National Historic Park is in a renovated downtown building in Seneca Falls.
The National Women’s Hall of Fame also is in a downtown building, but that organization is looking to create the “Great Hall of Women” in a massive former knitting mill, a $25 million project with state support. That site could open next December.
Provided photos – Participants in Holley’s “Biggest Winner” weight reduction contest use hand weights during the December meeting of the program.
Press Release Holley Central School
HOLLEY – The Holley Biggest Winner Weight Reduction Contest was in full swing at a Dec. 1 monthly meeting in the Holley Elementary School Cafeteria.
After weighing in, the participants stayed to listen to the owners of S & S Fitness and Martial Arts Center, Scott and Sandy Haug, talk about interval training and participate in a workout session led by the Haugs.
The contest is in its fourth year at the school, with anyone age 10 or older who lives in Holley or works for the school district eligible to participate. In the past three years, 152 participants have lost a grand total of 901 pounds in the contest.
The contest kicked off in November with a presentation on nutrition by the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The 48 participants weigh in at the school on the first Tuesday of each month, and then stay for a presentation on a different aspect of exercise or nutrition.
Participants perform lunges, led by Scott Haug (wearing hat), owner of S & S Fitness and Martial Arts Center, during the December meeting of the Holley’s Biggest Winner Weight Reduction Contest.
At the December meeting, participants worked out their upper and lower bodies by doing two sets each of bicep curls, triceps extensions, skier jumps, squats and lunges with the Haugs. The two sets, or intervals, work off more calories than a constant level of effort in the same exercise because they increase the level of cardiovascular effort.
At each meeting, participants have a chance to win prizes in the monthly drawing. Current prizes being offered are restaurant deals and tickets to sporting events, museums, art galleries, state parks and amusement parks. Grand prizes will be awarded to those who lose the most percentage of weight by the final meeting in June. Grand prizes so far include a Wegmans gift card, an overnight at the Rochester Airport Marriott Hotel, and cash prizes from Heath & Martin and Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, Inc.
The next meeting of the Biggest Winner Contest is on Jan. 5 at 6:30 p.m., where Robert Batt from Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension will present information about meal choices and food additives, using a Star Wars theme.
HOLLEY – Holley Cub Scout Pack 3062 volunteered at the Loaf and Ladle Soup kitchen held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Saturday. The boys helped set up, serve, and clean up.
Pictured include, front row, from left: Ben Dale, Dylan Murphy-Bell, Kayden Schutz, Hunter Sommerfeldt and David Arnold.
Back row: Hunter Pachla, Kohle Pachla, Brody Schutz, Ronald Thorn, Zachary Mrzywka and Dawson Arnold.
MEDINA – A Rochester man face drug charges after being arrested Tuesday at the Rite Aid parking lot in Medina, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force is reporting.
Maurice D. Jacobs, 37, of 24 Conkey Ave. was charged two counts of criminal sale and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, which are Class B felonies.
His arrest followed a three-month investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine from Rochester to Orleans County, the Task Force reported.
Jacobs was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Joseph Fuller and committed to the county jail on $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond.
The Task Force made the arrest along with the Medina Police Department. Joe Sacco, supervising investigator for the Task Force, says the investigation continues and more arrests are pending.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 December 2015 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – Albion village officials have been trying for years to get state assistance to upgrade equipment at Bullard Park. The grants announced last week by the state didn’t include funding for Bullard.
ALBION – The Village of Albion tried again for a state grant to update Bullard Park, but the long list of grants announced by the state last week didn’t include Bullard.
Village officials say they haven’t received official notification that Albion was denied in its request for $400,000. However, the village and its grantwriter, Jean O’Connell and Associates in Clarence, have combed through the list of grant winners and didn’t see money for Albion.
Albion tried for grants from the state in 2012 and 2013, then seeking $600,000. The application was scaled back this time with the top goals a new spray park and playground equipment.
The village created a committee, Rebuild Bullard, to prioritize the funding and projects at the park on Route 31.
The Albion Lions Club, Elks Club, village and town have all rallied to try to upgrade the park, which has hosted new community events in recent years, including the Rock the Park music festival and a Metro 10 race pitting Rochester and Buffalo runners.
The grants approved by the state have put a focus on jobs and economic development. The village thought the spray park would not only improve the quality of life for local children and their families, but would be a draw to the community. There currently isn’t a spray park in Orleans County, and some local residents go outside Orleans to spray parks on hot summer days.
Even without state help, the village has been making improvements to the park with new playground equipment added last year at the Pee Wee section of the park. The sledding hill also has been reshaped with fill from the Clarendon Street bridge. Stairs and hand rails also have been added to the sledding hill.
HAMLIN – An 18-year-old accidently shot his friend in the hand with a deceased relative’s gun on Monday evening, causing non life-threatening injuries, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The incident occurred at 1728 County Line Rd., just across the Orleans County line.
William R. Miller, 18, accidentally shot his friend Tyler Strassner, 19, of Kendall in the hand. The bullet went through his wrist and into his upper right abdomen near his liver. The accident occurred at Miller’s residence, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Miller has been charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon for having a deceased relative’s gun, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
Strassner was taken by Monroe Ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital. The bullet was removed and he was stitched up and discharged at about 10:30 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 December 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – Randy Bower will be about $11,000 less as sheriff in 2016 than his predecessor, retiring Scott Hess.Orleans County legislators on Wednesday voted to set Bower’s pay at $71,322, which is grade 11, step 3 in the pay scale. Hess is retiring after 12 years sheriff. He has been paid $82,621 in 2015 at grade 11, step 9.
County legislators met in executive session to discuss Bower’s pay on Wednesday. The group decided that Bower would make less than Hess based on Bower’s experience.
Bower was elected sheriff last month. He has worked nearly 30 years as a public safety dispatcher.
Hess became sheriff after working for the Albion Police Department for about 20 years, including several years as police chief.
“This is just a starting salary,” David Callard, chairman of the Orleans County Legislature, said about Bower’s pay level. “We have great expectations for the job he’ll do.”
Callard said the Legislature could have started Bower at either step 1 or step 2, but opted for step 3. Bower’s salary and pay steps should increase each year he’s on the job, Callard said.
Legislator Ken DeRoller also said Bower’s pay is just at the “starting level” and will go up in the future.
“We’re looking forward to working with the new sheriff,” DeRoller said.
Legislators had a public hearing setting the pay for some appointed and elected officials. Those positions will see 2 percent increases in 2016. That includes the seven legislator positions.
The chairman will be paid $17,087, the vice chairman $12,920 and the other five legislators, $11,390 each.
Some other positions and the pay for 2016 include: county clerk, $77,529; county treasurer, $77,529; director of personnel, $81,963; highway superintendent, $84,273; social services commissioner, $84,273; real property tax director, $71,322; director of computer services, $72,930; IT operations analyst I, $58,383; director of community health services, $68,372; secretary to highway superintendent, $49,410; director of emergency management, $30,588; and county historian, $8,160.
The 2 percent increases were opposed by Paul Lauricella, who ran for legislator this year with Conservative Party backing. He lost the election to Lynne Johnson. Lauricella, speaking during the public hearing, said the raises are too much for taxpayers.
“I have a hard time understanding that,” he said about the 2 percent increases.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 December 2015 at 12:00 am
GAINES – Town Supervisor Carol Culhane said the town’s focus for pushing to have a 154-foot-high turbine moved at Watt Farms has been to protect the public.
The Gaines Zoning Board of Appeals voted on Dec. 4, 2013 that the turbine should be relocated farther away from a farm market, storage building and U-pick area of the farm on Route 98.
“The Zoning Board of Appeals exercised good judgment abiding by our zoning laws/ordinances for public safety,” Culhane said this afternoon. “No one said Chris Watt couldn’t have a turbine but we said he could not have it where it could fall on people.”
The issue was fought in court and on Friday a State Supreme Court judge ruled in favor of Chris and Karen Watt, saying the turbine can stay put.
Judge James Punch has previously sided with the town, but he said in his decision on Friday that a “Determination and Order” from the State Department of Agriculture and Markets prompted him to reopen the matter. When he decided in favor of the Gaines ZBA in December 2014, Punch said Ag and Markets hadn’t yet issued its determination and order.
That agency, led by Commissioner Richard Ball, said forcing the Watts to relocate the turbine was unduly burdensome and would cost the farm $20,000.
Ag and Markets in that order said the town didn’t use the proper setback distance.
Gaines determined the setback distance by multiplying the 154-foot turbine by 1.1 for a 169.4-foot setback minimum. Gaines officials said the turbine needed to be moved at least 169.4 feet away from the farm market, train ride course and designated U-pick areas.
Ag and Markets suggested the setback from “human-occupied buildings” be five times the rotor distance or five times 23.6 feet, which would be 118 feet for the Watt turbine. Ag and Markets based that suggestion from the recommendation by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority or NYSERDA.
NYSERDA uses that setback for buildings that are occupied a majority of the time and not occasionally, such as in Watt’s situation. The train route at Watt’s and the U-pick area are temporarily visited by the public and insisting on a setback there “unreasonably restricts the farm operation,” Ball said in his letter last January.
Culhane isn’t sure if this is the last action in the case, if the town has another option in challenging the ruling from Judge Punch.
“I am disappointed that Judge Punch reversed himself and agreed with Ag and Markets that public safety is not important in consideration of land use and applying our zoning ordinances,” Culhane said. “Judge Punch got it right twice before he got it wrong.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 December 2015 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – An acting Supreme Court justice has issued a ruling that the 154-foot-high wind turbine at Watt Farms on Route 98 doesn’t have to be moved from a farm market and storage building. The issue has been in litigation with Gaines town officials demanding the turbine be relocated.
GAINES – A 154-foot-high wind turbine that has been the focus of lawsuits doesn’t have to be relocated, a State Supreme Court judge ruled on Friday.
The Town of Gaines Zoning Board of Appeals on Dec. 4, 2013, said the turbine would have to be moved away from a farm market and U-pick orchard at Watt Farms.
James Punch, acting Supreme Court justice in Orleans County, upheld the Gaines ZBA last December. However, the decision and the Gaines position was challenged by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Ag and Markets said forcing the Watts to move the turbine, at a cost of $20,000, would unreasonable and unnecessary, according to a letter on Jan. 14, 2015 from Richard A. Ball, commissioner of Ag and Markets.
He sent the letter to town officials, telling them they needed to comply with the Agriculture and Markets Law.
Punch, in a decision on Friday, said his decision a year ago was made without the Determination and Order from Ag and Markets. The state agency had sent advisory letters on the issue before Punch’s decision in December 2014, but the Determination and Order followed.
Ag and Markets said Gaines, with its insistence the turbine be moved, “unreasonably restricts the farm operation.” Punch sides with Watts in his latest decision and tells Gaines it must comply with the order from Ag and Markets, dated Jan. 13, 2015.
Ag and Markets in that order said the town didn’t use the proper setback distance. Gaines determined the setback distance by multiplying the 154-foot turbine by 1.1 for a 169.4-foot setback minimum.
Gaines officials said the turbine needed to be moved at least 169.4 feet away from the farm market, train ride course and designated U-pick areas.
Ag and Markets suggested the setback from “human-occupied buildings” be five times the rotor distance or five times 23.6 feet, which would be 118 feet for the Watt turbine. Ag and Markets based that suggestion from the recommendation by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority or NYSERDA.
NYSERDA uses that setback for buildings that are occupied a majority of the time and not occasionally, such as in Watt’s situation. The train route at Watt’s and the U-pick area are temporarily visited by the public and insisting on a setback there “unreasonably restricts the farm operation,” Ball said in his letter.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 December 2015 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – Jose Avila has led the Medina Police Department for 18 ½ years. He is retiring in 11 days.
MEDINA – Jose Avila attended his final Village Board as police chief on Monday. He has been going to the board meetings, at least two a month, for the past 18 ½ years.
He will be retiring in 11 days, ending a 32-year career in law enforcement. He has served as Medina’s police chief the past 18 years with another six months before that as assistant chief.
Avila told the board on Monday that he is grateful for the opportunity to lead the Medina Police Department. Chad Kenward, a Medina police officer, has been appointed to succeed Avila as chief.
“You should feel very proud of your service to the village,” Mayor Andrew Meier told Avila during Monday’s meeting. “A lot of people hold you in high regard.”
Village Board members all expressed appreciation for Avila’s service and conduct on the job.
“It’s not easy being the police chief in a small town,” said Trustee Owen Toale. “You’re a target.”
Toale said Avila put in extra time and effort as police chief. He also managed the department well with some budget constraints, Trustee Mike Sidari said.
Trustee Todd Bensley said Avila has been a good communicator with board members.
“I appreciate your open communication,” Bensley said. “I wish you a well-deserved retirement.”
Avila also has been functioning as Medina’s animal control officer, looking after dogs picked up and kept in the dog pound at the Police Department.
Village officials are trying to work out a deal with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department to pick up loose dogs in Medina. Sidari doesn’t think there should be a charge because village residents pay for the service through their town taxes, but Avila said the county will want additional money.
He suggested the village consider hiring a part-time person for the job.
The Medina Police Department will continue to handle the job in early 2016 until a longer-term solution can be worked out.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Orr
POINT BREEZE – Jennifer Orr of Albion didn’t expect to take her kids to the beach today, but that is what she did with temperatures at 72 degrees and lots of sunshine.
She was at Point Breeze with her kids when they decided to make their own version of a snowman in the sand.
There is still no sign of snow in the forecast. There is, however, a chance for strong winds. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for Orleans County and much of Western New York from 4 p.m. today until 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
File photo by Tom Rivers – Walter Zelazny & Sons farm in Medina was out harvesting corn on Nov. 14, 2014 in this field at the corner of Route 63 and Fletcher Chapel Road.
Press Release Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office
ALBANY – Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the growth of agricultural sales in New York outpaced the national average, with cash receipts up 36 percent across the state, more than the 32 percent gain nationally.
In 2014, farmers in New York State also set a new record for sales with $6.36 billion in cash receipts, up from $4.7 billion in 2010, representing a nearly $1.7 billion increase in gross income from sales of crops, livestock, and other products.
“New York State is home to thriving agricultural businesses known for their high-quality products and award-winning tastes,” Governor Cuomo said. “This administration’s continued commitment to cutting through the red tape, lowering costs and investing in this vital industry is paying dividends today. I congratulate all of New York’s farmers on another banner year.”
Since taking office, Cuomo has made the state’s agricultural economy a top priority, supporting agricultural research, promoting locally grown and produced foods, helping to market the booming craft beverage industry, and connecting our farmers and agri-businesses to new markets through farmers’ markets, Taste NY stores and increased procurement opportunities.
As a result, New York has seen a surge in average gross income and a significant increase in sales of many of the state’s top commodities.
Since 2010, the following commodities have shown the greatest increases:
Poultry and eggs up 63 percent to $206 million;
Peaches up 80 percent to $12.6 million;
Honey production up 59 percent to just under $9 million;
Cattle production up 132 percent to $415 million; and
Hay up 173 percent to $147 million.
The New York dairy industry also saw record high dairy prices in 2014, constituting approximately half of the state’s agricultural receipts.
The Governor’s Taste NY initiative continues to expand since its launch in 2013, helping to link our local producers and growers to consumers around the world through events, culinary tours and several Taste NY stores. This year, the state opened four Taste NY stores, including the first store outside New York State in Puerto Rico.
There are now 11 Taste NY stores along our highways and in our transportation hubs, enabling travelers to buy New York State’s homegrown and homemade products. The Taste NY Market at Todd Hill recently exceeded $1 million in sales.
The state also held three Taste NY Culinary Tours in 2015 that brought together more than 100 restaurateurs, many from downstate, to the Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley and Long Island regions to experience the quality and diversity of agricultural products specific to the region and encourage local sourcing.
Cuomo has pushed to help agricultural producers and growers tap into the New York City marketplace, and connect with schools. The recently announced Farm to School program will assist Pre-K-12 schools procure and serve healthy, locally grown foods on school menus, bolstering the demand for agricultural products.
In addition, partnerships across the state and in particular, downstate, are helping the industry bring its goods and products to the state’s growing number of farmers’ markets.
New York is also leading the growth of the rapidly expanding farm-based beverage industry. The overhaul of legislative and regulatory policies, coupled with substantial improvements to the state’s business climate, have stimulated record growth in craft producers, while increasing demand of agricultural producers.
Since 2011, the industry overall has grown 154 percent. New York now has more than more than 800 beer, wine, spirits, and cider businesses, contributing over $27 billion to New York’s economy annually.
“With the Governor’s commitment to growing the agricultural economy and New York State farmers’ increased innovation and resiliency, New York State has a winning combination,” said New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball. “There’s no doubt the agricultural economy is stronger now than ever. With record sales and a significant growth trend in sales of many key commodities, New York continues to be a leader in agriculture.”
According to a study conducted by Cornell Professor Todd Schmit, New York’s agricultural sector has a strong multiplier effect on the state’s economy. For every dollar spent in agricultural output, an additional $.43 is generated for non-agricultural industries. In addition, every new job created within agriculture leads to the creation of .80 non-agricultural jobs.
“The growth of agricultural sales demonstrates that farming in this state is an extremely important industry to New York’s rural economy,” said Dean Norton, New York Farm Bureau president. “It could not have been possible without the hard work and commitment demonstrated on farms in every region to produce quality products that consumers want. The growth also demonstrates what is possible when the State improves the business climate for family farms and invests in industry promotion.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2015 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – The 3-million gallon water tank on Route 31A was drained on Sept. 28, 2015 so inspectors could check the tank for structural deficiencies.
MEDINA – The Village Board approved borrowing $1.25 million to take care of serious deficiencies in a 3-million-gallon water tank on Maple Ridge Road.
The Orleans County Health Department is pushing the upgrades. The village drained the tank and made emergency, temporary repairs in late September.
The tank is currently about a third full, at a water height up to 11 feet. It is currently passing Health Department standards at the low water level in the tank, said Brian Sibiga, an engineer with Wendel.
The firm will be paid $80,079 to oversee the renovations to the concrete tank. Wendel will do design work and prepare bid specifications for a project that is expected to go out to contractors in March with the work done before the peak summer water demand.
The proposed upgrades/improvements include concrete patching, crack coating, and upgrades to the tank exterior with crack sealing and coating. There will also be upgrades to the tank’s interior and improvements to the existing pump station.
“There is quite a bit of work needed on the tank,” Sibiga told the Village Board this evening.
The upgrades should give the tank another 20 years of useful life, Sibiga said.
The village also is looking to replace about 2,000 water meters for village customers. That project will improve village efficiencies and water operations. The Village Board declared the project would not have a negative environmental impact.
That project is separate from the $1.25 million being borrowed for the water tank project.
