By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 May 2017 at 9:15 am
ALBION – Bank of America has notified customers it is closing its Albion branch on Aug. 15.
“While your account will stay the same, we’re sorry for the inconvenience this closing causes,” the bank said in a letter to customers dated May 5. “To minimize the inconvenience, we have many others ways you can continue to bank with us.”
The Albion branch is located at 156 South Main St. Bank of America also recently opened a drive-through ATM by Dunkin Donuts in Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 May 2017 at 8:00 am
Photo courtesy of Mike Thaine
ALBION – The Albion Marching Band braved the constant rain on Saturday and practiced for four hours. Andrew Moore looked like he was dressed to go duck hunting.
The marching band normally starts outside practices in early to mid April, but had been confined to using the gym and halls. The band tried going outside once before this spring, but that only lasted 10 minutes before fleeing from the rain.
But the band and its 75 students make their season debut this Saturday at the Lilac Festival in Rochester. Yesterday was the last chance for a long drill practice before the Lilac Festival.
Mike Thaine, the band director, said the students stayed positive despite the rain and 45-degree weather.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 6 May 2017 at 8:06 am
“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 3, Issue 19
ALBION – On November 19, 1913, the Ever-Ready Manufacturing Company of Buffalo delivered a six cylinder, 90 horsepower Thomas flyer hose, chemical, and ladder truck for the Active Hose No. 2 Fire Company in Albion.
At a cost of approximately $6,000, the fully-loaded vehicle was said to max out at 75 miles per hour. A year and a half prior to this delivery, Dye Hose No. 5 Fire Company purchased a similar machine, making Albion’s fire service one of the best in the United States.
This photograph shows Chief Engineer C. Royce Sawyer, right, seated in his recently purchased 1913 Buick Model 30 Roadster, which was designated as the chief’s car for the Dye Hose Company. The vehicle was equipped with a carbonated gas fire extinguisher, visible on the car’s driver-side running board.
Around the time this photograph was taken, two of Albion’s volunteer companies took out incorporation papers following village approval to do so. The process of incorporation allowed both companies to move their automated fire apparatus to the municipal building shown in this photo. Sawyer was an incorporator of the Dye Hose Company, while J. Wallace Eggleston, seated left, was an incorporator of the Active Hose Company.
At the time of his retirement, Eggleston had responded to over 2,000 fire alarms with the Active Hose Co. No. 2, becoming an inactive fireman in 1966 after more than 50 years of service. When the Orleans County mutual-aid system was established in 1949, he served as its first coordinator.
He worked with Sawyer to motorize Albion’s fire apparatus, encouraging village officials to invest in the machine purchased by Dye Hose. Eggleston was also an advocate for the creation of fire districts, convincing nearby towns to enter into contracts with the village to provide fire protection. This effectively spread the cost of the fire department across the tax rolls and reduced fire insurance rates for rural residents.
In the far bay with closed doors, you can see the Dye Hose fire apparatus parked inside. Active Hose housed their vehicles in bays located along Platt Street. This building was later converted into offices for the Village of Albion and the Albion Police Department.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 May 2017 at 12:40 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Amy Sidari, center, is pictured with some of the current and past teachers at the Gotta Dance by Miss Amy studio in Albion.
Sidari opened the business 20 years ago. This year’s recital includes a special celebration for the 20 years. The dance instructors will do a 15-minute dance together.
Sidari worked as the lone dance instructor the first two years before adding additional teachers. Crystal Hollenbeck, front right in the photo, has been a dance instructor for Miss Amy for 16 years. Hollenbeck pushed for the teachers to do a dance together as part of the recital.
There will be recitals today and Saturday at 6 p.m., as well as a noon recital for the younger students. The recitals are at the Albion Middle School Auditorium.
Amy Sidari will also do a dance with many of her family members at this evening’s recital. They will be performing for the crowd, which will include a front row seat for her three aunts, from left in chairs: Jane Sidari, Santa Calles and Louise Felso. The Sidaris and their extended family will performing, “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge.
The family has been rehearsing the dance since March. They are pictured during a rehearsal on Wednesday evening. Steve Coville and his wife Annette, left, joined the three aunts in getting a close seat to the action.
Sidari opened the dance studio at 28 West Bank St. She has expanded from a one-room studio to two dance rooms, with one serving as a larger performing arts center with frequent guests in “The Cabaret at Studio B.” Gotta Dance also offers voice and piano lessons.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 May 2017 at 2:42 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The State Canal Corp. has made a temporary fix to a leak in the canal between the Keitel Road and Densmore Road bridges. The leak was on the southside bank by the Albion Sportsmen’s Club (the former Peck’s Quarry).
The state used concrete blocks and a fabric covered with pea gravel to make a short-term fix, according to an Orleans County official.
The Canal Corp. is digging down to see if additional action is needed.
Orleans Hub left a message with the Canal Corp. on Tuesday but hasn’t received a call back.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 May 2017 at 1:11 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Ann Batt moves a block up high during a game of Jenga this morning at Charles D’Amico High School in Albion. Laurencé Walker (left), a senior at Albion, is in position in case the tower tumbles. Batt was joined by her daughter, Sue Reed.
Senior citizens played many games with students, and also were treated to breakfast and lunch, and a concert by the jazz band and some of the chorus groups.
Jane Sidari rolls oversized dice during a game of Yahtzee. Katie Rustay, a senior, helped run the game.
Kay DiLaura looks over some of the student artwork on display.
Photos by Tom Rivers: These four were elected trustees to Hoag Library on Monday. They include, from left: Anitrice Bennett, Gloria Nauden, Terry Wilbert and Rose English. English is new to the board, while the other three were already serving in the volunteer positions.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 May 2017 at 7:58 am
ALBION – Four residents were elected trustees to Hoag Library on Monday. There were 90 voters on Monday, and Gloria Nauden received the most votes, 77, in being elected to a four-year term.
Anitrice Bennett received 50 votes and was elected to a three-year term. Rose English was elected to a two-year term with 46 votes, and Terry Wilbert secured the final open seat, a one-year term, with 41 votes. Two other candidates also were on the ballot. Debbie DiBacco received 26 votes and Angel Slick, 25.
The trustees met after the library’s annual meeting on Monday and backed Kevin Doherty for another term as president, with Wilbert picked to serve as vice president.
Doherty went over recent highlights for the library, including refinancing the mortgage on the building, switching from Farm Credit to Steuben Trust. The library was able to reduce the mortgage from $1.4 million to $1 million and now has a fixed rate for financing over 20 years at 5 percent interest.
Doherty said the monthly mortgage payment will drop from about $10,000 a month to $6,600. That savings, as well as with electricity cost reductions from the solar array on the library roof, is allowing the library to not seek more funds from residents with property taxes.
Betty Sue Miller, director of Hoag Library, goes over highlights for the library during its annual meeting on Monday.
The budget vote on May 16 will ask the public to approve $682,211 for the library, the same as last year. That proposition is part of the school budget vote from noon to 8 p.m. at the elementary school.
The library has benefitted from recent donations, including $100,000 from Maurice “Mo” Hoag and his wife Courtenay, $75,000 from Dale Blissett in honor of his mother Helen Rice Blissett, and $50,000 from the estate of the late Elio D’Andrea.
Library Director Betty Sue Miller said the donations make Hoag the envy of many libraries in the three-county Nioga library system. Many of the libraries are struggling financially.
“We’re really, really fortunate,” Miller said.
Hoag also has dedicated volunteers. She noted that Bill Lattin comes in weekly to water plants and wind the clocks. Don Trapiss, a library neighbor, watered the lawn last year, helping the grass and trees survive the drought.
Ken Mart, Debbie Barlow, Carol Mayer, Louise Henderson and Joyce Riley all are active volunteers.
The Friends of Library are important contributors as well, Miller said. They sell used books and raise money for Hoag, allowing the library to pay for programs and supplies. The Friends are raising money for a sign outside the library that would advertise programs and events. That stone sign would be computerized with electronic messages. Miller is hopeful it will be in place by next year.
Miller went over some statistics from 2016:
• 90,774 total circulation
• 10,239 number of patrons
• 10,011 items borrowed from other libraries
• 5,921 items loaned to other libraries
• 1,167 items downloaded from overdrive
Hoag Library is a popular meeting place for many organizations, including the Alzheimer’s Association, a Breast Cancer support group, AARP for a driver’s course, and many other community groups, Miller said.
She and the staff are gearing up for the summer reading program, which kicks off June 24 with a theme: “Build a Better World.” The programming will include a reading challenge, but there will also be activities for building and creating, as well as a program on ecology and sustainability. Miller said she will also be promoting “kindness” in building a better world.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 May 2017 at 7:49 am
Provided photos
BATAVIA – The Albion Fire Department held its annual banquet on Saturday at Batavia Downs and honored some of its long-time members for reaching milestone anniversaries for their service to the department.
Ron Armstrong leads the way with 60 years of service. Armstrong, fourth from left in top photo, is pictured with, from left: AFD President Al Cheverie, Deputy Chief Jeremy Graham, Orleans County Emergency Management Office Coordinator Dale Banker, State Sen. Rob Ortt and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
Armstrong, a past fire chief, continues to be an active member of the Fire Department. He gave up driving the fire trucks last year, but continues to operate trucks at the scene and help in other ways.
These Albion firefighters, Eric Bradshaw (left) and Dale Banker, were both recognized for 40 years of service to the department. They are both past chiefs.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 April 2017 at 9:34 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jeremy Babcock is pictured with the Albion Fire Department ladder truck, which he drove to Carlton today for an open house as part of a Recruit NY effort to attract more volunteers to fire departments. Babcock on Saturday was named Albion’s “Firefighter of the Year.”
ALBION – The Albion Fire Department presented its annual awards during a banquet on Saturday at Batavia Downs.
Jeremy Babcock was named “Firefighter of the Year.” The department responded to 485 calls last year (from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017). Babcock led the department by going to 377 calls, despite working full-time at Rochester Institute of Technology as executive director of housing.
Babcock is a key driver for the fire department, and handles the reporting for the state and the village for the department’s calls, as well as the training records.
“Jeremy has become one of our ace number one drivers,” said Fire Chief Harry Papponetti. “He is in charge of one of the most important things, the fire reporting system.”
Babcock will use his vacation days to help the fire department if it needs a fire truck picked up or if other department business needs attention, Papponetti said.
“If I need anything, I give him a call and he does it,” Papponetti said. “He is a hard worker.”
Babcock said he enjoys volunteering with the fire department. He was born with birth defects in both arms but that hasn’t stopped him from be a reliable and important member of the fire department.
The AFD also presented other awards on Saturday.
• Officer of the Year – Jim Perruzzini, a first lieutenant, was awarded the honor. He is in charge of maintenance for the department’s 34 air packs.
“They need to be kept in tip-top shape,” Papponetti said.
Perruzzini makes sure the batteries in the air packs get weekly and monthly checks. Each quarter, about 200 batteries are replaced in the air packs. Perruzzini also makes sure the masks fit properly.
“It takes a lot of work,” Papponetti said.
Perruzzini also keeps fire hall clean by hosing the floor. He also provides leadership on fire and emergency calls.
• Chief’s Award – Steven Papponetti. The award goes to a firefighter “who does extraordinary things throughout the year,” the fire chief said.
Steven Papponetti stayed active with the Fire Department despite spending six months in Albany in the Police Academy. When he was home on weekends, he went to many fire calls, time that could have been spent resting or studying.
When Steven was hired as a state trooper, working out of Auburn, he also continued to volunteer with the Albion Fire Department when he was home.
Harry is Steven’s father. The elder Papponetti said his son has used his skills as a firefighter in some calls as a state trooper, including when a child was choking from a toy and when another child was shot. “At many motor vehicle accidents he is the first one on the scene and he does first aid,” Harry said.
• Driver of the Year – Marty Stirk. Papponetti said Stirk is a committed driver who will stay on the scene for many hours and then clean up the trucks after a fire call. He will also relieve other drivers on the scene if they have to go to work.
• Fire Police Award – James Skaggs, who started in the Fire Police about a year ago and has been very dedicated, Papponetti said.
• President’s Award – Fred Piano, who is chairman of the EMS, Family Life Committee, Fire Safety Prevention Program and also heads the department’s annual memorial service.
“And he’s one of the top responders,” said Al Cheverie, the AFD president. “He is a very active member.”
• Special 60-Year Award – Ron Armstrong, a past fire chief, continues to be an active member of the Fire Department. He gave up driving the fire trucks last year, but continues to operate trucks at the scene and help in other ways.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 April 2017 at 3:22 pm
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board backed several projects on Thursday, including a proposal from Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems/Verizon Wireless to a microcell telecommunications facility on Wal-Mart.
Verizon wants to install a 4-foot wall-mounted antenna and radio unit on the rear of Wal-Mart at 13858 Route 31 West.
The ground space of the unit will measure 4-by-12 feet. The height of the structure, with the antenna, will be 25 feet.
The facility is expected to boost Verizon coverage to slightly north of the canal, south to Allen Road, west to West Barre-Eagle Harbor Road and east to the Albion village line.
In other action, the Planning Board:
• Backed an additional six-month moratorium on industrial solar energy projects in the Town of Albion.
The Albion Town Board first imposed the six-month moratorium on Nov. 14, 2016, and is seeking more time to update its local zoning laws. The moratorium doesn’t include residential projects, only projects exceeding more than one-half acre of land area.
• Approved the Town of Yates proposed zoning ordinance for solar projects. Yates is proposing to separate small and large scale systems, with small projects considered less than 50 kilowatts.
Large-scale projects are at least 50 kW used primarily for offsite sale or consumption.
Small-scale systems are allowed in any zoning district and require site plan approval, compliance with zoning regulations, maintenance of adequate solar access, screening shall be required where possible and practical.
The small-scale projects also should not present any unreasonable safety risks and be only as tall as necessary to achieve goal, according to the proposed ordinance.
Large-scale systems require site plan review and a special use permit in Agricultural/Residential and Industrial zoning districts.
The large-scale systems need blueprints certified by professional engineer or registered architect, a property operation and maintenance plan, and a decommissioning plan.
• Recommended the Town of Barre approve the site plan and modify the special use permit for the Legion of Christ to subdivide its property at 1400 Drake Island Road Extension.
The Legion of Christ, based in Roswell, Ga., is splitting its parcel into approximately a 68-acre parcel and 128-acre parcel.
The town is requiring the Legion of Christ install a 30-foto gravel driveway to allow for access of ambulances, fire trucks and large-scale vehicles.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 April 2017 at 8:55 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board approved additions for Medina Savings & Loan and the Harvest Christian Fellowship church in Albion.
The Planning Board met on Thursday and recommended the Village of Medina give a variance and approve the site plan for a 768-square-foot addition to the bank at 11182 Maple Ridge Rd.
The addition will go on the western edge of the existing 3,480-square-foot building. The addition would have a 13.8-foot side setback, which is less than 20-foot minimum in the village code. Planners recommended Medina give the bank the 6.2-foot variance.
In Albion, Harvest Christian Fellowship wants to do a 5,000-square-foot addition to the east side of an existing 4,200-squre-foot building at 560 East Ave., across from Bullard Park.
The church said the addition is for a sanctuary. The current driveway will not be usable after the addition. A new driveway will be constructed on the west side of existing church building. A house is currently west of the church and will be removed as part of the project.
County planners recommended the Village of Albion approve the project, which is in a Single-Family Residential District.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 April 2017 at 10:21 am
Provided photo: Brad Pritchard has served as junior-senior high principal in Barker the past three years.
ALBION – The Board of Education has picked an Albion graduate who also taught in the district and served as an assistant principal to be the next principal of the middle school.
Brad Pritchard starts on July 1, taking over for Dan Monacelli, who is retiring at the end of the school year.
“I’m extremely excited to be able to come back and serve my community,” Pritchard said this morning. “There are a lot of great qualities in Albion. There is a very talented and gifted group of students who have a lot of diversity.”
Pritchard graduated from Albion in 1991. He and his wife Jamie, a speech pathologist in the elementary school, have three children in the Albion school district. Bryce is a sophomore, Leah is in seventh grade and Drew is a second-grader.
Pritchard earned his bachelor’s degree at Cortland, and then his master’s in education at the University at Buffalo. He earned his certifications in district and building level administration from The College at Brockport.
He worked 14 years as a science teacher in Albion before going into administration. He started as a dean of students and then as assistant principal in the high school.
He took the principal position at Barker three years ago. Pritchard said he has enjoyed the smaller-school setting at Barker.
“It’s a very closeknit community,” he said about Barker. “It’s bittersweet to leave. It’s been a great experience.”
He doesn’t have an assistant principal or dean of students at Barker, which is same arrangement at the middle school in Albion.
“In Albion I already know many of the students and the families,” Pritchard said. “I’m extremely excited to get back.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: Some of the leaders of the United Methodist Church in Albion are pictured by their former church building. The group includes, from left: Reid Cole, Marie Follett, Cathy Moore and Kim Pritt. The United Methodists sold the building last Friday. They have been sharing space with Christ Church, an Episcopal congregation on Main Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 April 2017 at 8:25 am
United Methodists wish blessings upon North Point Chapel
ALBION – The United Methodist Church in Albion officially sold its historic building last week to a new congregation, North Point Chapel.
The sale came about two years after the United Methodists left the building, due to its deteriorating condition, particularly with the roof over the sanctuary.
“It was beyond our means,” said Reid Cole, chairman of the church’s board of trustees.
Engineers estimated it would cost about $1 million to fix the roof and make over brick repairs.
For two years the United Methodists have been holding services at Christ Church, the Episcopalian’s home on Main Street. Cole said that arrangement has worked well for both congregations. The United Methodists plan to stay there for at least the short-term and may consider their own building in the future.
The United Methodists are grateful their former building won’t languish as a vacant site.
“It is better for Albion to keep this as a church,” Cole said.
Cole said potential buyers looked at the church for apartments and offices. He is happy North Point pushed to buy the property, a 14,000-square-foot structure with a neighboring house/office building that is currently rented to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee. Community Action agencies that use the building include ACT – Helping Youth ACT Responsibly, Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) and Early Head Start Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP).
Provided photo: Leaders from the two churches sign closing documents last Friday. Cathy Moore, a trustee with the United Methodist Church, and attorney Sandy Church are on the left. Mike Outten, pastor of North Point Chapel, and attorney Erin Gromley are on the right.
North Point’s pastor Mike Outten signed the final closing papers on Friday, along with UMC leaders. The two churches had been waiting months for a sign-off from the State Attorney General’s Office.
The church and next door house sold for $38,000, with North Point also agreeing to assume the costs for timber beams that are used for roof support. There is a monthly charge for the beams and an additional cost for when the company removes them.
Outten was unable to attend a ceremonial photo on Tuesday with the UMC leaders. He was called to see someone at a Buffalo hospital.
North Point is using the 1959 addition of the church currently for services and offices. North Point was holding services at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex. The church held its first service on April 2 at the former UMC building.
Outten told Orleans Hub on March 29 that North Point Chapel thinks God still has a plan for the building, which includes many stunning stained-glass windows, a pipe organ and space for more than 250 people.
“I walked in here and I just dropped,” Outten said last month.
It wasn’t the windows or the architecture that stunned Outten. It was all of the empty seats. He imagined the sanctuary full of earnest Christians. The church, like so many in the United States, seems way too big for the congregations today.
“There used to be people who sat in these seats and believed in Jesus Christ,” Outten said. “I look around and I see 250 saints singing to God.”
For now, North Point is using space from two classrooms for services.
“We’re here to meet people where they’re at,” Outten said. “Jesus didn’t look at people’s exterior, but at their hearts. This building is just a tool. We will show people that we care for them and love them.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 April 2017 at 3:33 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: A plaque at Hoag Library notes the contributions from Maurice and Courtenay Hoag.
ALBION – The envelope arrived on Good Friday. Inside was a check for $100,000 and a note: “Kevin, Here is a donation to pay down the debt. – Mo and Courtenay”
The letter was addressed to Kevin Doherty, president of the library’s board of trustees.
Maurice “Mo” Hoag and his wife Courtenay have now given $450,000 to the Hoag Library. They initially gave $25,000 in the capital campaign for the new library. They gave another $225,000, bringing it to $250,000 for the naming rights to the building that opened in July 2012.
In July 2015, they sent another $100,000 check and then another $100,000 arrived on April 14. The Hoags have never requested a photo opportunity or press release.
The two $100,000 checks have both been unsolicited and unexpected. They will be used to pay down the mortgage for the library, resulting in smaller annual debt payments and a mortgage that will be paid off sooner.
This year, for example, the library isn’t seeking a tax increase when residents go to the polls on may 16. Doherty said he expects taxes will be flat for at least a couple more years thanks to the donations, including some others as well – $75,000 from Dale Blissett in honor of his mother Helen Rice Blissett and $50,000 from the estate of the late Elio D’Andrea.
Maurice Hoag has strong personal ties to the Albion area where he graduated from Albion High School in 1961 as valedictorian, as well as class president. He continued his education at Cornell where he earned a degree in chemical engineering and met his wife, Courtenay.
The couple currently lives in Maryland, but Maurice has maintained a relationship with Albion and Cornell classmates from the Albion area. The Hoags return to Albion yearly in August for an annual class picnic.
The couple also pays for generous scholarships for Albion college students pursuing chemical engineering.
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Barre Fire Hall on Route 98 is pictured tonight after a public vote for a new building. The current fire hall opened in 1960 after an addition was put on a former schoolhouse.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2017 at 11:35 pm
BARRE – Residents in Barre again voted down spending money for a new fire hall. The proposition, to borrow $2.52 million, was rejected, 188-137.
That is closer than the vote on June 4, 2014, when a proposition to borrow $1.4 million was voted down, 249-114.
There were fewer “no” votes this time, and also more “yes” votes. But Barre firefighters were again disappointed in the outcome.
“It shoots morale to hell,” said Barre firefighter Jesse Babcock after the vote totals were announced.
The new building, in a long-term loan, wouldn’t have increased fire district taxes, said Barry Flansburg, one of the fire commissioners.
Now, the fire company faces the prospect of upgrading an existing building that is too small. The truck bays are too short to accommodate new fire trucks without costly modifications. Barre has to have its fire trucks retrofitted to be shorter and not as long as the regular specifications. That will be the case when the fire company replaces a 1990 pumper. That truck is 27 years old and should be replaced with a new vehicle soon, firefighters said.
Mark Farone, one of the fire commissioners, said a retrofitted new truck could add $200,000 to the truck costs.
He is disappointed in today’s vote. He believes the firefighters and commissioners made the case that the new building would improve fire service without raising taxes. The building also would function as a community center and Red Cross shelter in emergencies.
The ballots are shown after the vote today. There were 188 “no” votes and 137 for “yes.”
“The issue of the building won’t go away with a no vote,” Flansburg said. “We’re really up against it now.”
The proposed new fire hall was expanded from the proposal in 2014 to include a community center after feedback from residents. That center would have been available to community organizations, but wouldn’t have been for wedding receptions and parties.
The main focus was to better accommodate fire trucks and equipment.
The current firehall has four bays with doors that are 10 feet tall. Many of the modern fire trucks are 10 feet, 2 inches tall. Barre had to have its most recent fire truck special ordered so it was 9 feet, 6 inches in height. That made the truck costlier, adding about $100,000 to the cost, Farone said.
The Fire District is the taxing authority for the Barre Volunteer Fire Company. The fire company provides the personnel, and the fire district finances the trucks and equipment. The current firehall is owned by the fire company. The new one would have been owned by the fire district.
The district currently pays an annual fee to the fire company for using the old firehall. That payment could have instead been used as the debt payment for the $2.5 million facility, which would be paid over 30 years. The existing fire hall may have been put up for sale if the proposition for a new building had been approved.
Barre firefighters have tried to show their worth to the community, Flansburg said.
Barre has about 40 active firefighters who responded to 209 calls in 2016. They have fought fires on major holidays, and stepped up outreach efforts, including an annual toy delivery with Santa.
They held open houses on Tuesday evenings, leading up to the vote. Flansburg and Farone said only about four people attended those each week, or about 20 people total.
The firefighters worked hard to put together a project that was sensitive to taxpayers’ budgets, while also meeting the needs of the community and the fire company.
“I don’t know what more we could do,” Flansburg said. “The people would have been paying the same taxes for better service, and they still said no.”
