ALBION – Several members of the Albion Fire Department gave the Village Board an emphatic no when it came to posting the firefighters’ training records on the village website.

Members of the department said they heard some members of the board thought it would be a good way to show the levels of training by the volunteers.

But the several firefighters said that would only bring unwanted attention and some community members would try to rank the importance of each firefighter.

“We all put in a lot of training,” said Austin Zobel, vice president of the Albion FD. “None of us are consenting to our names being posted.”

The Albion firefighters all have their basic training, and others have specialties, which could be as interior firefighters, emergency medical services or traffic control, as well as other areas.

“Everybody has a niche,” he said.

The firefighters do most of their training at the Orleans County Emergency Management Office on West Countyhouse Road, working with firefighters from other departments.

Fire Chief Rob Conner said the issue rankled many of the firefighters, who saw the possible posting of the information as an unnecessary intrusion.

“I’m proud of the work they do,” Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley said in response to a question about the making the training records public. “People should know we’re working with quality and we do things right.”

But after the response from the fire department, Riley said she would back off her support for posting the training records.

She said she appreciates the volunteer service from the firefighters and only wanted to recognize that effort.

Village Trustee Chris Barry said Riley should have handled the issue differently, rather than causing angst among the firefighters.

“The board is very appreciative of the volunteer fire department,” Barry said. “This village needs you.”

Riley said she would have welcomed a phone call from a member of the fire department, explaining the concerns about the issue.

In other action at Wednesday’s Village Board meeting:

• The board amended the cost for a Hometown Hero banner from $185 to $200 with the increase covering a hike in shipping the banners. Village Clerk-Treasurer Tracy VanSkiver said the village manages the program at cost with no money made by the village.

• Voted to hire Alana Piccirilli as a part-time clerk at $15 per hour.

• Made Jeff Gifaldi permanent as a part-time code enforcement officer at $25 per hour, not to exceed 1,040 hours in a year.

• Appointed Ian Mowatt to the Village’s Historic Preservation Commission. Mowatt is the Albion town historian.

Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Aug. 14, 2016 shows people on a tour of Mount Albion Cemetery, near the chapel that was built in 1875 with a slate roof. The building and its roof could use repairs.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board wants to hear from its department heads on how the village should best spend about $150,000 remaining in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The village was approved for $585,812 in federal funding through ARPA. The board has given department heads until next month to submit proposals for the remaining money.

Some ideas from village officials already have been submitted, including slate roof repairs at the chapel at Mount Albion Cemetery, a new pump at the sewer plant, new picnic tables and a pavilion at Bullard Park, a panic button and handicapped accessible door at the Village Office, a utility box on an pickup truck used by the Albion Fire Department (to carry EMS supplies).

The village also will be doing a new building by its water plant to store fluoride. The village was approved for a $305,000 grant towards the building, but the low bid for the project is $388,000. Village officials are checking to see if the ARPA funds could go towards the $83,000 that isn’t covered by the grant.

Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley urged all of the departments to submit their proposals with estimated costs so the board can prioritize how to spend the money.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Ray Smith, an employee with the Albion Department of Public Works, puts a coat of paint on a steel frame holding a new scoreboard at Bullard Park. The DPW put in concrete footers for the frame and installed an electric line for the new scoreboard.

The scoreboard was donated by Mark Cammilleri, owner of the local Burger King.

The youth football and cheerleading program also raised money for the scoreboard through many fundraisers.

The Albion DPW is working to have the scoreboard ready for this Saturday’s slate of football games at the park on Route 31. Albion has been the only team in the youth football league without a scoreboard.

Not having the scoreboard also is challenging for spectators, players and coaches who often aren’t sure of the score and how much time is left on the clock.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Doug Egling of Albion performs a solo on his saxophone during a performance on June 27, 2019 in Albion’s Canal Concert Series. Egling and the band Cold Fusion Arts play blues, jazz/rock fusion with a pinch of funk.

ALBION – The Village of Albion is extending its summer concert series by one more week with the performance shifting from by the canal to the amphitheater stage at Bullard Park.

The band Cold Fusion Arts will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the amphitheater. The band includes Grayson Krol on basses, Mike Putnam on guitars and guitar synths, Paul Goodwin on kit and percussion, Kate Egling on vocals, and Doug Egling on saxes, flutes and wind synth.

Village officials wanted to have one more concert to cap off the summer series and try it at the amphitheater, where a new stage debuted last year. Food trucks are expected for the concert. Admission is free for the music.

Albion closed out the concert series by the canal last Thursday with a performance by the Who Dats. About a 100 attended the event. There canal spot hosted six concerts on Thursday evenings from July 14 to Aug. 18.

The amphitheater hosted the Rock the Park music festival on Aug. 6 with seven bands, including Nerds Gone Wild to cap the event.

ALBION – A basket raffle with 50 different items as well as gift cards raised about $1,300 for the activities department at The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center on Route 31 in Albion.

“Weather turned out in our favor so everyone who took part enjoyed a day of fun, food and music,” said Kristin Bloom, the activities director. “A huge shout out to our community, friends and families of The Villages for all their support. Residents even took part in purchasing tickets and enjoying lunch from the food trucks.”

The funds will go towards bingo prizes, cookouts for the residents, craft supplies and even some bigger ticket items that can be utilized by all residents and to keep hygiene products on hand for those who may have run out, Bloom said.

DOT also working on Brockport’s lift bridge as part of $28.3 million rehab for 2 bridges

Photo by Tom Rivers: Traffic moves along Main Street in Albion this evening. The Main Street lift bridge will close for about 18 months as part of a major rehabilitation of the bridge from 1914.

ALBION – The Main Street lift bridge will close to traffic on Oct. 17 and not reopen for about 18 months until the spring of 2024, the state Department of Transportation said this evening during a community meeting at Hoag Library.

The bridge from 1914 will get an extensive rehabilitation. It is part of a $28.3 million project that includes the Main Street lift bridge in Brockport. The bridge in Brockport is expected to close in April 2023 and reopen in the spring 2024.

Crane-Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport ins the general contractor on the two bridges. Crane-Hogan did the rehab work on seven canal bridges in Orleans County from 2018 to 2021. That was a $10.8 million project for the work on the single-lane truss bridges.

DOT officials said a planned closure for the two lift bridges is better than shutting down a bridge on an emergency.

“This is a planned event versus an emergency,” said DOT official said at this evening’s meeting. “We know what’s coming and everybody can plan for it.”

Michael Bonafede, owner of the Pratt and Day buildings in the downtown, speaks about the bridge project with engineer Jonathan Long.

The project includes replace the bridge deck and portions of the truss system with high-strength, galvanized steel. The lifting system’s mechanical and electrical components will be replaced and the lift towers rehabilitated. Crane-Hogan will also replace the bridge rails and repaint the bridge in the current shade of green.

“The work will modernize and fortify the internal workings of the bridge without comprising the external character that makes this bridge an iconic part of the Albion community,” the DOT in a brochure about the project.

Michael Bonafede, a downtown business and building owner, said the bridge closure for such an extended time will be a hardship on the community, especially the downtown merchants.

“It’s a huge project,” Bonafede said. “It’s going to be disruptive but the outcome is going to be worth it. It’s nice that they are saving the bridge. The Erie Canal is a tourist attraction.”

Bonafede shared concerns with DOT staff that some of the building owners will have lifts in the downtown for façade and window work as part of a Main Street initiative that was partially funded by the state.

Bonafede asked the DOT to not block off areas where some of that work will be done, including Morrison Realty which is close to the canal.

“In the end this is good for our community,” Bonafede said about a revamped bridge. “With a project this big you’re going to be inconvenienced. But for the long run, they’re going to make it better.”

Hoag Library hosted a meeting for the community to discuss the project with officials from the state Department of Transportation and Canal Corp.

Joyce Riley, the Albion deputy mayor, urged the community to make an extra effort to support the downtown merchants when the bridge is closed. She also said the closure could be a chance to hold events in the downtown that normally wouldn’t be possible because it is difficult to have the street blocked off.

She welcomes ideas from businesses and other community members for events in the downtown area while the bridge is closed.

“It’s going to affect the traffic pattern when everyone is skirting around the downtown,” Riley said.

She said the Main Street closure is the latest blow to the traffic flow in Albion, following the long-term closure of the Brown Street canal bridge about a decade ago and then the dismantling of the Clarendon Street bridge in the spring 2015.

“It’s getting harder and harder to get around in the community,” she said.

With the Main Street lift bridge closure, the DOT’s posted detour will be to utilize routes 31, 387 (Fancher Road), and 104 (Ridge Road). Most vehicles are expected to use the Ingersoll Street lift bridge in the village.

State DOT and Canal Corp. officials discuss the bridge project with community members at Hoag Library.

Brockport Mayor Margay Blackman attended the session in Albion. Brockport has been preparing for the closure of its Main Street lift bridge for the past year.

The village has a Bridging the Closure Committee with subcommittees on marketing, active transportation, vehicular traffic and events.

The groups are working on events on Main Street while the bridge is closed. Blackman said that could include having the farmers’ market right on the street and allowing restaurants to do outdoor service.

Brockport like Albion has a second lift bridge close by with the one on Park Avenue. Blackman said the village will have signs and notices to help route motorists around the community.

Brockport will also be encouraging biking and other “active transportation” during the closure. Some in the village think the closure could be an opportunity for the downtown merchants.

“We’re talking about how to market the closure and make it a positive,” Blackman said. “We want to get people interested in these bridges and how they work.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The 26th Daniel Spierdowis Memorial Fishing Derby was held today from 9 a.m. to noon at Albion Sportsmen’s Association on Keitel Road.

The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. The Sportsmen’s Association brought it back this year and 63 kids tried to catch fish.

Weston Burgio of Albion holds a sunfish.  He was in the 5 to 8 year old division. He won that group with a cumulative total of 7 pounds, 13 ounces. That not only was the most weight in that age group, but led all age groups.

The derby was open to kids 16 and younger.

Provided photo: Brayden Snook caught the biggest fish overall, a 20-inch largemouth bass.

Albert Allen, a member of the Sportsmen’s Association, measures a 14-inch largemouth bass caught by Adam Yanicki, 14, of Hartland.

These sisters – Chloe, Kennedy and Addison – try to catch fish in one of the former quarries at the Sportsmen’s Association.

Logan Cole, 8, of Kendall is focused on feeling a tug in his line from a fish.

Xavier Penafiel puts a worm on the hook during today’s fishing derby.

Jenna DeSmit casts out a line during today’s derby.

The derby is named in honor of Danny Spierdowis, who loved the outdoors, especially fishing in the former Peck quarries at the Sportsmen’s Association.

Spierdowis was killed in a car accident at age 19 on Jan. 20, 1990. His mother Linda remains active at the Sportsmen’s Association, tending to the flowers at the clubhouse.

Linda was at today’s derby. So was Danny’s sister, Karen Spierdowis.

Karen said she was thrilled to see so many kids fishing.

“It’s nice to be back doing it,” she said.

Tony Giaforte, a Sportsmen’s Association member, weighs fish caught during the derby.

The association provided lunch and many prizes for the participants.