Albion

2 congregations say ‘win-win’ with shared church building

Photos by Tom Rivers: Linda Glantz, pastor of the United Methodist Church in Albion, preaches during this morning’s service held at Christ Church, an Episcopal Church. The United Methodists have their service at 9:30, followed the Episcopalians at 11 a.m.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 February 2017 at 5:08 pm

2 years ago United Methodists in Albion started holding services at Episcopal Church

Christ Church holds services for the United Methodist Church at 9:30 on Sundays, followed by the Episcopalians at 11 a.m.

ALBION – Two church congregations have been sharing a building for almost two years now, and the partnership has gone extremely well, leaders from both the United Methodist Church and Christ Church said today.

The United Methodists have been holding services at Christ Church, an Episcopal Church building, since Easter in April 2015. The United Methodists left their historic building at the corner of Platt and East State streets. That building faces a costly roof repair that church members said would take $1 million to fix. That proved too much for the congregation.

They have had the building up for sale and the North Point Chapel, which currently meets at the Arnold Gregory Memorial Complex, has submitted an offer. The sale needs a final approval from the state Attorney General’s Office.

North Point is the church that paid for fireworks in Albion on July 5 for three years. North Point has scheduled a 10 a.m. service on April 2 for the church launch at the former United Methodist building. Click here for more information.

“It will be nice to see the building rejuvenated,” said Reid Cole, chairman of the United Methodist church board of trustees.

He has been a part of the church for more than 50 years, since he was a kid.

The United Methodist Church building has been vacant for about two years. North Point Chapel has submitted an offer than has been accepted by the United Methodists, but needs final approval from the State Attorney General’s Office.

Cole and other United Methodists praised the Episcopalians for sharing their building at 26 South Main St.

“The Episcopalians have been more than welcoming,” said Marie Follett. “They have been wonderful.”

Follett attended services at the United Methodist building for more than 50 years. She continues to play the organ for church services. The United Methodists also have choir practice on Wednesday at Christ Church.

The United Methodists have their hymnals and songbooks on a cart and hand them out for their services. There are about 30 to 50 regular attendees on Sundays for the 9:30 service.

“It’s been good to be able to share space,” Follett said.

The churches share the costs for heating, snow plowing and cleaning services. That has helped the Episcopalians.

Each congregation goes to each other’s community dinners, and other celebrations.

“It’s been a win-win,” said Jan Cheverie, a member of the Christ Church vestry.

Christ Church holds services at 11 a.m. That later service worked well with scheduling for the United Methodists, which have had an earlier worship time.

Jan Cheverie, serving as acolyte during this morning’s Episcopal service, extinguishes the candles at the end of the service.

The United Methodists have a coffee hour after their service, and sometimes that stretches until after the Episcopal service. Members from both congregations can find themselves socializing until well after noon.

Linda Glantz became pastor on July 1 of the United Methodist churches in Albion and Holley. She is pictured inside Christ Church today. Glantz is leading both United Methodist churches in planning for the future.

Linda Glantz started as the United Methodist pastor on July 1. She also leads the United Methodist congregation in Holley.

She said the Albion congregation experienced a loss with leaving its building that was its home for more than 150 years. Now the focus is on the future and being a vital congregation for years to come.

The church leadership is meeting to focus on the next steps – including where to hold services. The United Methodists may decide to stay long-term in the shared role with Christ Church, or it may look for another spot. The church leadership will weigh that decision.

“It is a process to get the church from healing to seeing what the future holds,” Glantz said.

The United Methodists are going to meet the next few weeks in the fellowship hall for church services. That way they can decorate for the Lenten season. Right now there is some shuffling of sacraments and other elements in between the two services.

The Episcopalians are grateful to see their historic building, the oldest of the church buildings at the Courthouse Square, being better utilized, said Kevin Doherty, a warden with the church.

“A used church building is much better than an unused one,” he said after today’s services.

During announcements today at Christ Church, Doherty urged the group to attend an Ash Wednesday observance this Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. led by the United Methodists.

The Rev. Judy Hefner, supply priest for Christ Church, shares an announcement at today’s service. Hefner is holding a prayer devotional that the United Methodists have available for the everyone.

Judy Hefner, the church’s priest, also held up a prayer devotional made available by the United Methodists. She urged the congregation, which today numbered 10, to read the booklet. She said she would include it in her own daily devotionals.

Hefner, a supply priest, said there hasn’t been any hard feelings among the two congregations, which have different styles of worship.

“It’s been good to be able to share space,” she said.

Marie Follett plays the organ at the Christ Church. Follett has been a member of the United Methodist Church for more than 50 years.

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Albion village looks for ways to boost water pressure/volume on Allen Road

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 February 2017 at 11:35 am

ALBION – The Village of Albion has heard from residents on Allen Road for many years who complain about low water pressure and volume.

The village has tried to improve the situation, but Allen Road residents, and some who live on the side streets, continue to say there is a problem.

Village Trustee Mattea Navarra met with several residents on Allen Road recently and they told her they feel like the village has given up on the problem.

The water pressure often falls below 42 pounds per square inch, and some residents see their water slow to a trickle if they try to wash their car outside.

The village Department of Public Works isolated valves along the line to check for pressure and that wasn’t the problem, said Todd Sargent, DPW superintendent.

The village would like some expertise from John Papponetti, an engineer with Labella Associates. Papponetti is a former village resident and Village Board member.

His father, Harry Papponetti, has endured low water pressure or volume for 27 years. Harry Papponetti said the pressure and volume were better when Albion had standpipes at the corner of Route 98 and Allen Road. They were removed in the early-1990s and the Allen Road neighborhood now gets its water from a 3-million-gallon tank at the corner of Route 31A and 98 in Barre.

That tank has higher elevation, and engineers expected it would boost pressure and volume for Allen Road, but Harry Papponetti said that hasn’t been the case since the new storage tank went on line more than 20 years ago.

When the tank is full, there is stronger water pressure, village officials said.

“We’ve been talking about this for months,” said Trustee Stan Farone. “We need to come up with a game plan.”

Village officials, including Sargent, said they would meet next week to focus on resolving the issue.

“We need to communicate with the residents to let them know we’re working on it,” Navarra said.

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Schools get ready for busy March

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 February 2017 at 9:21 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Larry Gaylord, a member of the Building and Grounds Department for Albion Central School, changes the sign this morning for the school, advertising a March 3 basketball game between faculty and state troopers. That game starts at 6:30 and is a benefit for the Middle School FFA.

Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina school districts are all closed for classes this week for mid-winter break.

Next week, the districts begin a busy stretch of the school year. Gaylord said March will require many updates for the sign.

The other side of the sign promotes a March 1 district-wide concert.

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No snow, still lots of fun at Bullard winter event

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 February 2017 at 8:44 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Christmas trees are burned in a bonfire at Bullard Park this evening in an event put on by Energize Albion.

The Albion DPW collected the trees that were discarded at the curb after the holidays.

The bonfire was part of what was intended to be a winter celebration at Bullard today, with snow-related challenges, such as a sledding distance and snowboarding contest. The snow didn’t last long when the temperatures hit 60.

Energize Albion was able to switch to spring-weather events, with basketball, kite-flying and other challenges.

Isaac Sugar, 8, tries to throw a tennis ball through one of the holes in the snowman. Skip Stratton made the snowman cut-outs.

Isaac Sugar, left, and his cousin Aaron Sugar had fun trying to throw the tennis balls through the snowman targets.

Crystal Hand, left, and Jessica Downey serve hot cocoa, which proved popular even on a warm day.

A food truck served hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and other food.

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‘Hope and Love’ at Albion community concert in honor of Elaina Webb

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 February 2017 at 4:51 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – This ballet quartet – Michayla Kovaleski, front left, and Lauren Thomas, and Laiken Ricker, back left, and Rylie Lear – perform Landslide during a community concert this afternoon at the First Baptist Church in Albion. The dancers are part of Gotta Dance by Miss Amy.

The concert is a benefit for Elaina Webb’s family. Elaina, 2 ½, passed away from cancer on Feb. 7. Her mother, Beth Webb, worked several years as a dance instructor at Gotta Dance.

Aleka Schmidt, pastor at First Baptist, welcomes about 150 people for the concert, “Hope and Love are in the Air.”

Amy Sidari, the Gotta Dance owner, shares an inspirational message she called, “Greatness.”

Zachary Neal played three solos on the piano.

The High School Men’s Select Chorus sang two songs, “Blue Skies” and “Catch a Falling Star.”

Gary Simboli directs the Men’s Select Chorus. Simboli also sang two solos, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Make You Feel My Love.” He also directed at the High School Women’s Select Choir.

Albion High School senior Angela Tarricone sang, “Let It Be” and “My Heart Will Go On.”

There were 18 different performing acts altogether in the concert.

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Big crowd comes out for basket auction to benefit Albion Middle School musical

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 February 2017 at 9:45 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Sydney Mulka plays Glinda the Good Witch in the Albion Middle School production of The Wizard of Oz. Aubrey Boyer, front right, is playing Dorothy.

The cast gave a preview of the show tonight during a benefit at The Pillars. The show is more expensive than most middle school shows and tonight’s basket auction will help cover the costs for costumes, backdrops, sets, licensing, etc.

Carrie Kozody, the middle school musical director, addresses about 175 people at the event. The show will be March 17-18 at the Middle School Auditorium.

Community members and businesses donated 80 baskets for the raffle. The event was organized by parents of students in the middle school cast and crew.

Aubrey Boyer sings as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

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Albion Merchants have new leader, more events in 2017

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 February 2017 at 7:49 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers: Lisa Stratton, owner of the Hazy Jade Gift Shop in Albion, is pictured with two of the wine bottle cutouts that will promote a wine-tasting event next month.

ALBION – The Albion Merchants Association has a new leader for 2017 and an expanded lineup of events to promote the downtown and community.

Lisa Stratton last month was elected by the membership to serve as president. She succeeds Adam Johnson, who led the group in 2016. Sarah Brigham also was elected as the vice president.

Brigham is the owner of S-n-L Sweet Escapes. She doesn’t have a storefront. She has a commercial kitchen at her home in Knowlesville.

Brigham has been active in the Merchants, and is taking the lead in planning the upcoming wine-tasting event on March 11. The “Sip and Stroll” wine-tasting had been in August but was moved up to better accommodate wineries.

“I don’t have a storefront but I want to see Albion grow,” Brigham said. “There is a lot of stuff going on in Albion. We just need people to come down and support it.”

Brigham and Stratton worked together to make two 8-foot-high cutouts of wine bottles to promote the wine-tasting event. Those signs will be placed on Main Street, with one planned for the routes 98 and 31 intersection and another a few blocks north of the canal. Stratton will keep an existing one by her store, the Hazy Jade Gift Shop.

Stratton will be celebrating the five-year anniversary of her store next month. She has been active with the Merchants Association for five years, but this is her first time leading the group as president.

“I just want to see our community thrive and our businesses succeed,” she said.

She has spearheaded the downtown flower effort, making sure there are flowers in planters and hanging baskets. She also organizes a group of volunteers who water them on weekends over the summer.

Photo courtesy of Lisa Stratton: Sarah Brigham, owner of S-n-L Sweet Escapes in Albion, paints a sign promoting the March 11 wine-tasting event in Albion.

Stratton is a regular at Village Board meetings and she has pressed the Village Board to establish a downtown rental subsidy for businesses that move into the downtown. Those funds could be combined with a rental subsidy through the Orleans Economic Development Agency to help a business cover the rent while the merchant gets established.

The more businesses in the downtown, the bigger a shopping destination Albion could become, with the businesses drawing traffic for each other, Stratton said.

She would like to see more specialty shops. She said the U-Need-O Burrito store, which opened last year on July 1, has been a welcome addition to Main Street.

Brigham said Stratton has strong support of the AMA’s 32 members.

“She promotes everywhere she goes and she gets things done,” Brigham said.

Some upcoming events for 2017 include: a 14411 Doors Tour on April 22, led by Tom Rivers and highlighting Albion architecture; May 20, community yard sale; flower planting in May; June 9-10, Strawberry Festival; July 10, Cycling the Erie Canal welcome booth; Aug. 12, community yard sale and sidewalk sales; Oct. 7, scarecrow contest and shopping tour; Oct. 27, Beggars’ Night; Nov. 25, Small Business Saturday; and Dec. 9, Hometown Holiday.

“The events bring people in the shops and see what we have to offer,” Stratton said.

The Merchants welcome more members and volunteers for the events. Check the group’s Facebook page for more information.

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Drone captures images of Courthouse, iconic landmark in Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 February 2017 at 9:27 am

Photos courtesy of Elliott Neidert

ALBION – The Orleans County Courthouse has been a striking landmark in Albion since 1858. The domed structure stands out, even when looking down from the sky.

On Tuesday evening, Elliott Neidert, an Albion student, sent up a drone to get some aerial photos of the Courthouse Square and Main Street.

The Albion Rotary Club is working on a Santa Claus-themed mural. (I am the current president of the Rotary Club. I asked Elliott to get some photos from the drone. We waited until there was some snow on the ground and wanted to show the community at dusk, so there was enough light to see the buildings during a night-time scene. I was also hoping for a dramatic sunset and last evening it all worked out.)

Charlie Howard is shown as Santa during a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Howard served as the Macy’s Santa for 18 years.

Our idea for the mural is to show Charlie Howard as Santa in a sleigh, looking down on Albion. We want to show Albion landmarks, such as the Courthouse, the churches and the downtown buildings. I’m also hoping we can include the former Santa School and Christmas Park in the mural.

The Rotary Club is waiting to hear if we’ve received a grant to help pay for the project. We also will likely need some community donations to cover the entire cost.

For now, I wanted to share these stunning images. Thank you, Elliott, for helping with this project.

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Albion student advances to state oratorical contest

Posted 14 February 2017 at 2:09 pm

Provided photo, Albion Central School

An Albion student placed first on Saturday at the Zone 5 American Legion Oratorical Competition at Mount Morris. After winning that competition, Melissa Barnosky, a sophomore, has qualified for the state event on March 11 at Sand Creek Middle School in Albany.

Melissa, third from left, is pictured with Emily Blanchard of Albion who came in second on Saturday. They were escorted by local members of the American Legion including Commander Wally Skrypnik, left, and Adjutant Gary Beefus.

Melissa’s prepared speech was entitled, “Constitutional Rights and Responsibilities of American Citizens.” Emily’s speech was entitled, “The Future of Our Nation.”

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Albion highway superintendent praised for securing grants

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 February 2017 at 10:39 am

ALBION – The Albion Town Board praised Highway Superintendent Michael Neidert for securing two grants, one that will replace a small bridge on Clarendon Road and the other will pay most of the cost for a new single-axle truck.

Neidert and the board discussed the grants during the Town Board meeting on Monday.

A $174,000 grant will pay 100 percent of the cost to replace a small bridge on Clarendon Road over West Branch Sandy Creek. The bridge is about 14 feet long, Neidert said.

He applied for the funding through a $200 million bridge rehabilitation program announced last July by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Last month, Cuomo announced the money was approved for the bridge.

“I just want to congratulate you for applying and following through for something that is of no real cost to the town,” Town Supervisor Matt Passarell told Neidert.

The other board members gave the highway superintendent a round of applause.

The board also approved hiring Chatfield Engineers in Rochester to do the engineering work on the project, including preparing bid specifications, at a cost of $27,936. That cost is also covered by the grant.

Neidert had hoped the project could be completed this summer. He wants to do it while school is out of session because Clarendon Road is a busy road leading to the school.

It doesn’t look like the project will be ready to go in time for this summer, so Neidert said construction will likely be in the summer 2018. It is estimated to take 4 to 6 weeks to replace the bridge.

The town has also been approved for a $50,000 grant from State Sen. Robert Ortt through the State & Municipal Facilities Capital Program (SAM). Those funds will go towards the $80,000 cost to replace a single-axle truck

That truck won’t have plow equipment but will be useful for many projects, Neidert said.

It replaces a truck from 1993. That truck has been sold for $6,900, and proceeds from the sale will go towards the new truck’s cost.

• In other highway department issues, the board approved allowing the county and Rick Stacey, owner of the former Apollo Restaurant site in Albion, to tap into the town sewer line on Route 31. The county and Stacey are paying to bore under Route 31 and tap into the line.

• The board also approved a five-year shared service agreement with the county where both entities will document how they share equipment and manpower. Neidert said the highway departments have been sharing resources for at least 20 years, but haven’t necessarily been writing it all down. Having the documentation will allow the local municipalities to prove to Gov. Cuomo just how much the municipalities do share equipment and manpower for projects. Cuomo has said there are too many local governments in the state, and that they don’t share pavers, and other costly highway equipment.

Neidert said there has long been a spirit of cooperation locally among the highway departments at the village, town and county levels.

• The board also set 7 p.m. on March 13 for a public hearing on a local law allowing games of chance by permitted organizations within the town.

The local law is needed for the American Legion to do pull-tabs. The Legion used to get the annual permit through the village, but the organization has moved outside the village to the former Pap Pap’s Par 3 golf course on Gaines Basin Road.

• The board also agreed to a four-year lease with Toshiba where the town will pay $93.57 monthly for use of a new copier.

Albion Town Board boosts contribution for Strawberry Festival

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 February 2017 at 9:44 am

Photo by Tom Rivers: A marching band heads down Main Street during the Strawberry Festival last June. This year’s festival will be June 9-10.

ALBION – The Albion Town Board, which for the first time in 2015 started setting aside town funds to support the Strawberry Festival, agreed on Monday to contribute $4,000 to the two-day event in June.

That $4,000 is a boost from the $3,000 from the town the past two years. The town funds will go towards the cost of bringing in some of the marching bands for the parade on June 10.

“We’re very grateful,” Michael Bonafede, the festival committee chairman, told the Town Board when it approved the funding on Monday. “That would be so helpful.”

The volunteer-run festival operates on a $22,000 budget, which mostly goes to bringing in entertainment, including the marching bands.

The town funds will cover most of the $4,450 expense for bringing in five popular marching bands: The Hitmen, Mighty St. Joe’s, the Buffalo Stampede, Pembroke Dragons and the Scottish Pipes.

Bonafede said the festival is focused on showcasing Albion, and providing wholesome family entertainment.

This year’s festival will have a Santa theme in honor of Charles Howard, the Albion resident who ran a Santa School in Albion from 1937 to 1966. Howard also served as the Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for 18 years. He remains revered among people who portray Santa for establishing standards in how to act and dress as Santa.

Bonafede said he is hopeful there will be many local floats in the parade with a Santa theme, as well as other activities celebrating Howard. Bonafede said the festival committee also wanted to highlight the effort by the Albion Betterment Committee to have a bronze statue on Main Street in honor of Howard.

The festival has many activities, from a food court, craft vendors, a classic car show, turtle race, trout pond, 5k and 8k race, and a record number of business booths in 2016. Last year a chalk art festival also debuted. Bonafede said the committee is working to add a wooden boat fleet this year.

The committee welcomes more volunteers to help put on the event. For more information, check the festival’s website by clicking here.

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Albion community concert on Saturday will benefit Elaina Webb’s family

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 February 2017 at 4:44 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers: Kyle Webb is pictured with his daughter, Elaina, after Make-A-Wish had a new playground built for the family in their backyard. Elaina passed away Feb. 7 from cancer.

ALBION – A group of singers and dancers from the Albion community will perform in a benefit concert this Saturday at 3 p.m. Proceeds from the event will go to Elaina Webb’s family.

Elaina fought cancer for nine months. She passed away on Feb. 7 at age 2 ½. Her mother Beth Webb was a long-time dance instructor at Gotta Dance by Miss Amy.

The studio’s owner, Amy Sidari, organized the benefit concert for Saturday at the First Baptist Church, 30 West Park St.

“I want the Webb family to know that we love them,” Sidari said.

The lineup of performers include dancers from Gotta Dance, professional singer Marcy Downey, Albion High School Chorus Director Gary Simboli, the men and women’s select choirs at the school, and soloists Angela Tarricone, Evan Steier and Riley Seielstad, as well as Abel Zavitz of Medina. Kelly Kovaleski, who lost her son Nicholas to cancer, also will share a message.

The church has made some improvements for the performance, including putting in a new railing in the balcony so that space can be used. The balcony had been closed, but local contractor Jim Babcock put in the new railing, which stretches 40 feet. Babcock and his wife Linda also removed 85-year-old tattered carpet from the steps leading to the balcony, and painted the steps.

The church also opened up the platform in front, so performers have more space with fewer obstructions.

Aleka Schmidt, the church’s pastor, said she is pleased to see the church be used for a performance with a focus on “hope and love.”

She would like to see more community concerts and events at the church in the future.

A new railing has made it possible for the First Baptist Church to reopen its balcony. This group includes, from left, Aleka Schmidt, Amy Sidari and Jim Babcock.

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250 attend Father-Daughter Dance in Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2017 at 10:40 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Eric Flugel dances with his daughter Autumn during the 19^th annual Father-Daughter Dance this evening at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School.

The event was attended by about 250 people, the largest crowd in the event’s history. Only once before did the event top 200 people. Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion organizes the annual dance held on the Friday near Valentine’s Day.

Nate Varland of Batavia attended the dance with his daughter, Abigail, 4.

Kevin Lemcke of Albion dances with his daughter, Keira, 6.

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Albion firefighter now a member of FDNY as EMT

Provided photo: Andrew Cheverie is pictured on Tuesday after he graduated from the FDNY EMS Academy.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2017 at 9:04 am

‘It’s an opportunity of a lifetime,’ says Andrew Cheverie, 20

Photo from FDNY: Andrew Cheverie, center, is pictured with FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro, left, and James P. Booth, chief of EMS.

NEW YORK CITY – Andrew Cheverie grew up in the Albion Fire Department. He spent countless hours at the fire hall with his father, Al Cheverie, the current president of the AFD.

Andrew, now 20, joined as an explorer at 14, a cadet at 16, and a full-fledged member at 18, trained as an interior firefighter.

The training and mentorship with the AFD convinced him he wanted to make firefighting his career. He is on his way to that goal after graduating on Tuesday as an EMT with the Fire Department of New York.

Cheverie will be part of a team responding to ambulance calls. He had orientation on Thursday and today is his first day taking calls.

He is based out of Washington Heights, Station 13 in northern Manhattan. It’s a busy area for FDNY. Cheverie said he will be responding to five to seven ambulance calls per eight-hour shift.

“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” he said by phone on Thursday night. “I’m looking forward to starting the next phase of my life.”

Andrew earned his Eagle Scout rank and created a smoke simulator and other stations for a fire prevention program. He is pictured on Oct. 14 when an elementary school student moved quickly through the course, staying low.

His parents, Al and Jan Cheverie, attended the graduation program on Tuesday, when 171 new EMTs were sworn in.

“I use the word ‘family’ to describe this Department because this is not simply a job,” FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro told the FDNY EMS Academy graduates. “This is a career. This is a commitment to something bigger than you, bigger than all of us. It is a brotherhood, a sisterhood, and yes, without question, a family. We respond together and everything we do is a team effort.”

Andrew applied for FDNY back in the fall of 2015. He didn’t hear anything from the department then, so he completed a year at the Harrisburg Area Community College, studying fire science. Then he enrolled at Monroe Community College to study fire protection technology.

He was halfway through his first semester at MCC when he got the call from FDNY that he had been accepted in the three-month EMS Academy. Cheverie jumped at the chance.

He said the training through Albion, with Haz-Mat and emergency vehicle operations, stood out and helped him earn a spot at FDNY.

“All of the training at the Albion Fire Department has helped me,” he said. “Without that I wouldn’t have decided to become a firefighter.”

He plans to earn his bachelor’s degree through the John Jay School of Criminal Justice in New York City. His ultimate goal is to be a professional firefighter with the FDNY, transitioning from the ambulance to firefighting.

Cheverie said he can adjust to living in the big city.

“I’m definitely a country boy at heart,” he said. “I loved living in Orleans County, but being 20 years old there is so much to do in the city.”

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Albion Village Board wants progress on parking lot

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 February 2017 at 10:12 am

File photo by Tom Rivers: The Village Board would like to see most of this grassy area on Main Street, next to the First Presbyterian Church, be made into a parking lot.

ALBION – The Village Board wants to see some progress on a new parking lot on Main Street.

The village owns the land that was used for a restaurant until the building was taken down about five years ago. The site is right next to the First Presbyterian Church.

Paving most of the vacant spot for parking would create 17 spaces for vehicles, said Todd Sargent, the Albion DPW superintendent.

The project will take some work because there needs to be a retaining wall between the church and the parking lot, Sargent said. The site also needs some excavation, with a base and then pavement.

Mayor Dean London and Trustee Stan Farone asked Sargent to have cost estimates for the project for the Feb.22 Village Board meeting.

In other action during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting:

• The board authorized village attorney John Gavenda to send a letter to the Town of Barre, asking the town to have Albion supply water for Barre’s Water District No. 8 for 38 years. The village currently supplies the water for Barre’s water districts.

In the past, when the village has agreed to provide water for districts in towns, there wasn’t a 38-year commitment. But the US Department of Agriculture, which is providing a low-interest loan for the water district, would like to see the 38-year commitment. The USDA is providing financing for the district to be paid over 38 years.

London said he supports the long-term deal by the village for providing water. Albion has been trying to get towns that receive village water to make long-term commitments for village water.

• Sargent, the DPW superintendent, said he is working on two grants to help the village plant more trees. The urban forestry grants can also help communities assess the conditions of their trees and develop a plan for maintenance and planting new trees.

• Farone, a member of Energize Albion, welcomed the community to attend a Feb. 18 event at Bullard Park. The “Bonfire at Bullard” event includes a sledding distance contest at 3 p.m., snowboarding distance contest at 3:30 p.m., snowman building contest judging beginning at 4 p.m., and lighting of bonfire at 6 p.m. There will also be food vendors at the park from 4 to 7 p.m.

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