Mediator will try to bring 2 sides together on 5-year agreement

Photo by Tom Rivers: This sign on West State Street shows support for Albion teachers for a new contract with the school district.

ALBION – The Albion Teachers’ Association and the school district are about $1.4 million apart as they try to reach agreement in a new five-year contract. That is less than $300,000 a year in what teachers are seeking and the district is proposing.

Both sides would like to reach a deal soon. The teachers have declared an impasse and an arbitrator will try to bring the teachers and district to agreement.

Albion teachers are seeking raises that reflect the cost-of-living increases and also the extra workload as the district demands more time each day for teachers to be in the classroom. (The first year of the contract would be an extra 10 minutes, and then 20 minutes from years 2 to 5.)

“As a union we would like to work this out with the district,” said Bruce Pritchett, a middle school social studies teacher and vice president of the union. “They are our colleagues. We don’t want strife. We want to get back to being 100 percent focused on kids.”

Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent, was an art teacher at Albion and a member of the Albion Teachers Association before going into school administration. Edwards said he values the teachers and wants them to be fairly paid.

The new contract needs to allow the district to stay within the state-imposed tax cap of about 2 percent annually. The new contract will set the floor for future contracts and the commitment from local taxpayers, Edwards said.

“My hope is we reach a conclusion that is fair and fiscally responsible for both parties and the community,” he said. “It’s about sustainability and being fair to the community.”

Albion hasn’t increased what it collects in property taxes in 18 of the last 20 years. The district has benefitted from steady increases in state aid, but Edwards said there is no guarantee that will continue in the future with the state.

“Every year you don’t know what’s coming out of the Governor’s Office,” he said.

The teachers have been without a contract for over a year. They still get their regular step increases and all other benefits while there isn’t a contract except teachers on the highest step of 24 because there isn’t a step increase for them. The district said the steps are an average of 3.8 percent (ranging from 2.6 to 10.6 percent).

The district is proposing in the new contract the regular pay hikes with step increases, plus additional raises of 6.9 percent in the first year, 3.3 percent in the second year, 3.5 percent the third year, 3.3 percent the fourth year and 3.4 percent in the fifth year. The total increase over the 5 years would be 22.1 percent or $2,742,032.

The ATA is seeking a contract that would be about $1.4 million over what the district is offering. The ATA is seeking the usual salary steps plus a 4.8 percent increase the first year, and then 10 percent the second year, 5.7 percent the third year, 4.7 percent the fourth year and 4.7 percent the fifth year.

The ATA negotiating team on Nov. 26 agreed to the district’s contract offer. The district and ATA’s negotiating team reached a tentative agreement on Nov. 26. But that agreement was rejected by a 3-to-1 ratio on Dec. 11 by teachers, who have since picked a new negotiating team.

The team met with district leaders and representatives three times in June but were unable to resolve differences. The ATA then declared an impasse.

The district wants teachers to work more instructional time because the district currently is close to the 990-hour minimum for the elementary school and 900-hour minimum for secondary levels, Edwards said. If there is a snow day or other emergency, Albion is cutting it very close to meet the minimum standard, Edwards said.

Longer school days for teachers

The district wants two extra days for teachers with the school year for conference days and also wants to add 10 more minutes of classroom instruction the first year of the agreement and then 20 minutes beginning the following four years. Edwards said it will be determined how the extra time will be added, perhaps with earlier start times of the school day and later end times.

Pritchett said that added time represents 4.7 percent more time in the classroom for teachers. The contract should reflect that additional workload, as well as the cost-of-living increases that he said are about 4 percent.

The district in recent years has underspent its budget on teacher salaries, which has helped the district amass about $52 million in reserves, Pritchett said. The past school year, the district underspent the total $45 million budget by about $9.5 million, he said. The State Comptroller’s Office has faulted the district for having too much money in reserves.

The teachers union wants to see the district spend what it budgets on teacher salaries and other needs in the district, Pritchett said.

“I don’t think we are being unreasonable,” he said. “If they just spend what they have earmarked for teachers.”

Impasse declared, next steps

On June 24, the district team and ATA met without resolving their issues. The ATA declared an impasse.

The district first wanted to address four matters previously identified: physician verification of sick leave, sick leave bank committee representation, nonresident children’s enrollment, and the extracurricular activities schedule.

Since the impasse was declared, the Public Employment Relations Board has appointed a mediator, Gregory Poland, to meet with both parties and narrow the issues in dispute.

If mediation does not resolve the impasse, a neutral fact-finder holds hearings, reviews each party’s position, and issues public, non-binding recommendations for settlement.

The parties may reach agreement at any stage – during mediation, after fact-finding, or through continued direct bargaining, the district was advised during last week’s Board of Education meeting by Karl Kristoff, a labor relations specialist for Orleans/Niagara BOCES.

Pritchett said the ATA would like to see the contract be settled without going into a drawn-out mediation process. A date hasn’t been set by the mediator for the two sides to meet. He has been told it could be three to six months before the mediator sets up a meeting.

“I would love to work this out before Thanksgiving,” Pritchett said. “It would be another thing to be thankful for. We are willing to sit down and discuss time and money, which are the two biggest issues, and then discuss the other things.”

Brett Boring says he is responding well to chemo for multiple myeloma

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Brett Boring greets his sister, the Rev. Susan Boring, during a benefit today in his honor at the Albion Elks Lodge.

Brett, 54, was diagnosed on May 10 with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. He said he has been responding well to chemo and is hopeful to have a stem cell transplant.

Christine Robinson looks over some of the baskets up for raffle. There were about 100 items in the basket auction, as well as a 50/50 raffle.

Elks members Mike Jenks, right, and John Spinks, left, were among the volunteers serving up 300 pulled pork dinners at the Elks Lodge. Boring has been a long-time member of the Elks and a current trustee.

“Brett is the kind of person who will do anything and everything to help someone out,” Jenks said.

Brett Boring was happy to see many friends, co-workers and family members, including his former father-in-law, Bill Staub.

Boring works as an electrician at the Albion Correctional Facility. He said he appreciated so many people coming out and contributing to the benefit today. He said he has helped with many of the benefit events over the years that have been hosted by the Elks.

“I’ve done hundreds of these for people,” Boring said. “You don’t realize what it does for people until you are the one that receives the benefit.”

Proceeds from the benefit will help Boring with his medical expenses and long-term treatments.

Chris Wilson sang for about three hours during the benefit today.

Ted Narburgh checks out some of the baskets and gift cards at the auction.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – It was a full capacity crowd for this afternoon’s concert at Hoag Library featuring internationally acclaimed guitarist Muriel Anderson.

About 100 people filled the meeting rooms of the library for the concert, which included a special guest, renowned guitarist Kinloch Nelson.

The free concert was made possible through a state grant administered by GO Art!

Anderson is an award-winning guitarist, harp guitarist, composer, and performer known for her innovative musicianship and engaging live performances. She has performed around the world and is recognized for her ability to blend a variety of musical styles.

First art auction for non-profit set for Sept. 26

Photos by Tom Rivers: Kim Martillotta Muscarella greets people at Friday’s art show at the Marti’s on Main Art gallery. Muscarella has been leading art shows in Albion for nearly 20 years, including the past five years at 20 South Main St., a historic building in Albion that previously was home to the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County.

ALBION – Marti’s on Main welcomed an energetic crowd on Friday evening to the art gallery at 20 South Main St. The show features works by Jill Gussow, Jennifer Hecker and Rosanne Muscari.

This is the sixth of eight monthly art shows at the gallery. There is an opening reception on the third Fridays each month.

Gussow and Hecker were both art professors for Kim Martillotta Muscarella, the director of Marti’s on main, when she was a student at SUNY Brockport. Mascari and Muscarella connected through the Brockport Artists’ Guild.

Jill Gussow shows one of her paintings which include a fabric collage. This one shows a bird in mourning. Gussow has 18 art pieces in the show.

She is now retired as an art professor from SUNY Brockport and the University of Rochester. She taught photo and design classes to Muscarella when she was a student at Brockport.

Gussow appreciates the variety of art displayed at the Marti’s gallery.

“Usually art galleries are sterile, but this is anything but that,” Gussow said. “Kim’s network of artists has really grown.”

Jennifer Hecker is shown with one of her flame-warped glass sculptures. Her works have water themes. She is beginning her 38^th year as a professor at Brockport.

She welcomed the chance to show 12 of her works at Marti’s.

“This gallery definitely has Kim’s flair,” Hecker said. “The energy is just great.”

Rosanne Mascari of Brockport has 18 pieces in the show at Marti’s. Mascari paints abstracts in acrylic.

She has been featured before at Marti’s. She thanked Muscarella for the outlet for artists to display their work.

“This gallery is great because Kim is so great,” Mascari said. “She breathes life into her fellow artists.”

People check out the artwork in this month’s show at the Marti’s gallery.

The art auction on Sept. 26 will have a preview starting at 5:30 p.m. with the auction beginning at 6:30.

The auction features pieces donated by 35 artists. Todd Jantzi of Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service will be the auctioneer.

The proceeds will help with the operational costs of the gallery as well as programming. Marti’s is now a non-profit organization. For more information on the auction, click here.

‘Socks’ reunites with pot-bellied siblings

Photos courtesy of Stephanie Marquardt: This pig named Socks created a lot of buzz in the Albion community while it was loose for nine days. Socks is now back home with her siblings, two pot-bellied pigs.

ALBION – The black pig that was on the lam for more than a week in Albion is back home. The pig named Socks came out of a wooded area last night and reunited with her two pot-bellied sisters.

Stephanie Marquardt said she called out to Socks, a pig that was on Keitel Road near the Route 31 intersection. The pig walked over to Marquardt and stepped into a horse trailer with her sisters.

Socks was sold to another person last Tuesday. That person hit a bump on Lattin Road, the tailgate fell and Socks jumped out of a vehicle and into the countryside.

Socks, right, is happy to be back home with a sibling.

Many people posted pictures of Socks on social media, typically wandering along Keitel Road or Riches Corners Road. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office posted on social media on Wednesday that it was well aware of the pig on the loose.

“She was just a little home farm piggy and now she has so much publicity,” Marquardt said. “She is the mascot of Albion. Everybody has been stopping me and calling me the pig mommy. We are extremely surprised that are little pig has caused so much commotion.”

Marquardt and her family have been raising pigs in a fenced-in area in their backyard on Lattin Road. They want to keep Socks and will be putting in some fencing reinforcements. She expects to start a GoFundMe if people want to help pay for the stronger fence.

Socks is a four-month-old pig, and weighs about 85 to 100 pounds. Her mother is a Duroc and the father is American Guinea. Marquardt said the pig get top 400 pounds as it gets older.

Marquardt didn’t initially know Socks was on the loose until she saw the frenzy on social media. The pig was supposed to be with a new owner.

Marquardt said Socks seemed to enjoy all the attention and food people were leaving for her. Socks was hard to corral because many people were chasing her, Marquardt said.

She waited until Thursday night when the neighborhood was quiet and she called out to Socks. The pig then emerged from a wooded area.

“She comes when she is called,” Marquardt said.

Albion Village Board considers selling park, relocating statue

Photos by Tom Rivers: The statue of Santa in honor of the late Charles W. Howard is located at Waterman Park on North Main Street in Albion, where there is also a Santa-themed mural and a sleigh. About $100,000 in community donations paid for the statue and mural.

ALBION – A group that has helped raise $100,000 for a bronze statue, large mural of Santa, and other improvements to Waterman Park wants those elements to stay put.

The Village Board is talking about putting the park up for sale with the hope of having food businesses in trailers and other entertainment at the site. Mayor Tim McMurray said it could be a big draw to downtown, helping to feed other businesses.

Selling the small park also would out it back on the tax rolls, generating funds for the village and relieve the village of caring for the site.

But the Albion Betterment Committee wants to make it clear it wants the Santa to remain in the park.

Jerome Pawlak, a director on the Albion Betterment Committee, speaks during the board’s meeting Tuesday in the Hoag Library. Behind him are downtown business owner David Snell, left, and ABC director Gary Kent.

Pawlak said keeping the park with a Santa statue, mural and sleigh creates a synergy as the Betterment Committee works to develop a museum to the Santa School. The Charles W. Howard Santa School was in Albion from 1937 until Howard’s death in 1966. The school continues in his name in Midland, Mich.

Ken Bieber speaks at last week’s Village Board meeting. From left in back include Mayor Tim McMurray and village trustees Greg Bennett and Kevin Sheehan. William Gabalski and Jami Allport also are on the board.

Bieber owns the building on the north side of the Waterman Park. He said making the park available for food trailers could be a big draw. He didn’t want to get rid of the Santa-themed elements celebrating Charles Howard and Albion’s heritage with the original Santa School. He thinks the could be better positioned in Albion with the statue in the sidewalk in front of the future museum, and the mural in a more prominent part of Albion.

“It’s not getting rid of Santa by any stretch of the imagination,” he said.

Mayor Tim McMurray and Deputy Mayor Greg Bennett said village-owned land between the Presbyterian Church and a parking lot also could be a higher-profile location for the Santa statue, mural and sleigh, especially if a Santa House were part of the layout.

“This was never anti-Charles Howard or anti-Santa,” McMurray said at last week’s Village Board meeting.

He said the Santa mural and one on the opposite side of the park featuring quarrymen “fight each other” and aren’t complimentary to each other. He sees the Santa and large Santa mural as “kind of hidden” in the pocket park about a half block south of the canal.

He favors putting the land up for sale, giving the opportunity for a more dynamic asset in the downtown while also putting the site back on the tax rolls.

An Orleans Hub article on Aug. 13 about the possible sale of the park last month drew nearly 300 comments on the Orleans Hub’s Facebook page with many opposing the sale, and urging the board to try to fill vacant storefronts instead.

“I think that the park is fine just as it is for now,” village resident Jason Dragon posted. “The expense is very low, and it provides a nice visual contrast for the downtown area. I can’t see how privatizing it will add value given that is has been a challenge to utilize many of the other downtown buildings for decades.”

Phil Schening said selling the park and making it available for business would be a good move.

“Clear it out and let food trucks set up there to draw people downtown, permits required with a time frame so more than one get a chance to sell,” Schening wrote.

This photo taken from a window of the Pratt theater shows Waterman Park. Besides the Santa statue and mural, there is a mural depicting quarrymen and a n interpretive panel highlighting the historic districts in the community.

Lori Laine has been active in promoting the Santa projects in Albion. She said she might try to buy the land if it is put up for sale so the statue could stay there.

McMurray said if the idea advances, with the land going for sale, he would have Bieber share his plan in detail and disclose the renderings. McMurray believes the community would rally behind Bieber’s ideas.

“Once you see a visual, I promise you you’ll say, ‘Give me a shovel and I’ll dig it up,’” McMurray said.

If the land is up for sale, McMurray said it would likely have to go to the highest bidder.

Bieber was at the Betterment Committee’s board meeting on Tuesday and heard the group’s strong opposition to relocating the Santa elements. He said he doesn’t want to push a project without community support and would be fine with the spot staying as a Santa-themed park.

Betterment Committee members said there are many unknowns about the village’s talk to sell the park. Can the village simply list it for sale and sell it, or does it need the State Legislature’s permission to sell a park? ABC members said municipalities often need the state’s OK to sell parkland.

Also, would the state Department of Transportation even allow the statue to be situated in the sidewalk? The DOT in past has allowed temporary items in the sidewalk, but not permanent things.

Photo from Orleans County Sheriff’s Office

ALBION – A black pig is on the loose in the Abion area, and sightings of this pig have frequently been posted on social media in the past week. This morning the pig was spotted close to the Keitel Road and Route 31 intersection.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office is well aware of this pig and are trying to corral it.

“The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has received multiple reports of a pig loose in the Town of Albion,” the Sheriff’s Office posted on its Facebook page. “Numerous attempts were made to contain the pig. The Sheriff’s Office and owners are aware, and are working to resolve the matter.”

Photos courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – The school district gathered on Friday for a group photo to celebrate 150 years of the school district. This year there are 1,649 students and 278 staff members.

The district did a similar photo 25 years ago, gathering on the football field, for a group photo. That time it was for the 125^th anniversary.

The district will be celebrating the milestone anniversary throughout the year, especially during homecoming on Oct. 5 through Oct. 10, the 150^th day of the school year and with other activities.

One of the teachers, Tim Archer, is working with students on a 150^th anniversary booklet about the district that was established in 1876.

Photos courtesy of Mike Thaine

ROCHESTER – The choir at the First Presbyterian Church of Albion sang the national anthem just before the Rochester Red Wings game on labor day, Sept. 7.

The Red Wings would go on to defeat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, 3-1.

The choir received an enthusiastic response from the standing-room only crowd, with one long-time usher remarking that it was one of the top anthem renditions of the season, one of the church members said.

Pictured from left in row one: Anna Symons, Martha Batt, Annette Mannella, Pastor & Choir Director Sue Thaine, Amanda Krenning-Muoio and Jeanine Baron.  Second row: Donna Eisermann, Maggie Martin, Kevin Gardner, Tod Symons, Erin Moody, Alec Sherman and Shirley Mazourek-Murray. (Missing from photo: Sharon Anderson and Marietta Schuth)

The choir’s performance was projected on the ESL Ballpark’s Jumbotron scoreboard.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion Village Board on Wednesday issued a proclamation declaring September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The board presented the proclamation to Tina and Jeremy Neal, who are the parents of Byron Neal, at age 8 on April 14, 2023 after a brave battle with cancer.

From include village trustees Jami Allport, William Gabalski, Jeremy and Tina Neal, Mayor Tim McMurray, and trustees Greg Bennett and Kevin Sheehan.

“Village of Albion residents are urged to recognize the impact of pediatric cancer on families within our community and honor the children in our community whose lives have been cut short by cancer,” the proclamation states.

Tina Neal thanked the board for issuing the proclamation and showing support for the families who have lost children to cancer. The Neal family is active in C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association.

The proclamation states National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is a time to honor children and families affected by this deadly disease and to rally support for ground- breaking research that can save kids’ lives.

The American Cancer Society states that in 2025 about 9,550 children in the United States under the age of 15 are expected to die from cancer.

In the Rochester region, 61 local children have been newly diagnosed with cancer, and 5 have relapsed and 5 children have died from the disease in 2025.

“Although cancer is pernicious and complex, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month challenges us to change the numbers; we must remain vigilant to improve these statistics and press forward,” the proclamation states.