By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 January 2024 at 2:20 pm
Photos courtesy of Tim Archer
ROCHESTER – These Albion students in the Interact Club spent three hours today at Foodlink in Rochester, bagging apples. From left include Gideon Pask, Shania Mathes, Heidi Franco-Lopez and Hailey Lonnen.
The students filled about 500 bags with 5,400 apples total. Foodlink serves families in need in a 10-county area that includes Orleans County.
Tim Archer, the Interact advisor, has been taking students to Foodlink to help pack food for about 15 years.
Hailey Lonnen, left, and Heidi Franco-Lopez volunteer at Foodlink today.
Gideon Pask and Shania Mathes get apples bagged for Foodlink.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 January 2024 at 9:08 pm
ALBION – The Albion Democratic Party held its caucus this evening and backed Greg Bennett, a youth baseball coach for nearly three decades, to run for a trustee on the Village Board.
Greg Bennett
Bennett, 47, works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He has been there nearly five years. Previously, he worked a decade for Baxter Healthcare in Medina.
Bennett is well known in Albion as a long-time coach in the Albion Midget League. He also is an assistant with the Albion varsity baseball team. He also coaches youth baseball teams in the summer and fall.
As a trustee, he said he would be focused on a building a strong team for Albion, pushing people to put aside differences and animosity for the good of the community.
Bennett said he is “level-headed” and will hear out opinions and all sides of an issue before reaching a decision.
“I’m a straight-shooter,” he told Democrats at the caucus at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church.
Bennett was backed for one of two open positions on the Village Board. The election is March 19.
The four-year spots are currently filled by Chris Barry and David Buczek. Barry has been on the board nearly four years while Buczek was appointed last month by Mayor Angel Javier Jr. He is filling the remainder of Zack Burgess’s term.
Buczek intended to run for a full four-year term but said this evening he won’t be running in the election. He said he will remain involved in the village but not on the board.
Bennett said Albion is a safe community, but he would like to see more opportunities for people of all ages.
He was born in the former Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital in Albion and believes Albion is a great place to live, but the community leaders should work to make it even more appealing.
“We have to make sure these kids have a reason to stick around,” he said.
Bennett lives on Chamberlain Street with his fiancé. He has a son and stepdaughter.
The Democrats are open to backing a second candidate. For more information contact Sandra Walter, the Democratic Party chairwoman, at (585) 589-9058.
The Republicans also will be having a caucus on Monday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 January 2024 at 10:36 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Chris Forrester, a volunteer at this morning’s food distribution in Albion in the Platt Street municipal parking lot, carries a chicken to a car with two senior citizens.
Forrester said she has been volunteering at the monthly distributions for about a year. She tries to be high energy in greeting the people.
“Everyone deserves a smile,” she said.
Foodlink brought a truck of food from Rochester. Foodlink also does distributions at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville and in Lyndonville at the Presbyterian Church.
The distribution started at about 9 a.m. but people were in the parking lot for hours before that with the first there at 5 a.m., said Katrina Chaffee, director of Community Service and Reporting at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.
Community Action runs the distribution in Albion, and Chaffee said there has been a big increase in people seeking food with prices rising and people feeling a strain financially. About 150 vehicles typically are there for the distributions, and some vehicles include more than one family.
Ernie Gursslin, a maintenance worker for Community Action, gets boxes ready at the distribution. It was 20 degrees at the start of the distribution.
Today the boxes included macaroni and cheese, tomatillos, grapefruit, bags of Honeycrisp apples, potatoes, onions, cabbage, rolls and chicken. Chaffee said the value of the food is about $100.
Ricky Standish, a Community Action employee, opens up boxes with frozen chickens.
The distributions are funded by the state and will continue until at least June. The distributions started during the Covid pandemic in the spring 2020.
The schedule for the upcoming distributions in Albion at 165 South Platt St. includes:
Monday, January 22 at 9 a.m.
Monday, February 12 at 9 a.m.
Monday, March 11 at 9 a.m.
Monday, April 8 at 9 a.m.
Monday, May 13 at 9 a.m.
Monday, June 10 at 9 a.m.
The schedule at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, 107 North Main St., includes:
Friday, February 16 at 9:30 a.m.
Friday, March 1 at 9:30 a.m.
Friday, March 15 at 9:30 a.m.
Friday, April 5 at 9:30 a.m.
Friday, April 19 at 9:30 a.m.
Friday, May 3 at 9:30 a.m.
Friday, May 17 at 9:30 a.m.
Friday, June 7 at 9:30 a.m.
The Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension also hosts a distribution at the fairgrounds, 12690 State Route 31, Albion, NY.
The next one will be Monday, February 5, beginning at 10 a.m.
The Albion and Lyndonville distributions don’t require registrations, but the Extension strongly encourages that. Those who preregister will be assigned timeslots for pickup (12-12:30, 12:30-1, 1-1:30, 1:30-2). Preregister at 585-798-4265.
Elaine Kovaleski (left), age 86, has been volunteering at the distributions in Albion for about a year. She sorts the food and tries to spread them out evenly in about 150 different boxes.
“It’s amazing how many people need food,” she said.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the Albion distribution can call Community Action at (585) 589-5605.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 January 2024 at 10:44 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – These kids wave their light-up swords and souvenirs during Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus this evening at the Albion High School Gymnasium.
More than 500 people attended the show.
The circus has started its annual swing in the region. The other upcoming local performances include Medina Wise Middle School on Friday with shows at 5:15 and 7:15 p.m.; 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Holley Elementary School; and 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26 at the Kendall High School Gym.
Elena Aristov dazzled the crowd with a series of quick costume changes that looked like magic. She is joined in the show ring by her husband Alex, who also did a very quick suit switch. Their two sons, Ivan and Sasha, also are performers with Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus.
Sasha Aristov juggles a suitcase with his feet in his routine.
James Miller, 4, gets his face painted to look like Spider Man. Elena Aristov is the artist. She was painting faces before the start of the show. James’ mother Porshe Taylor said she has been coming to circus for many years, going back to when she was a kid.
Ivan Arestov displays his skill with Cyr Wheel acrobatics.
Angela Martin wears a blacklight outfit that glows in the dark while she does her aerial artistry up high in the gym.
The performers debuted new costumes, some new music and modified their routines from past shows.
The Albion performance also was a benefit for the Close-Up program which takes high schoolers to Washington, DC.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 17 January 2024 at 12:18 pm
National Grid, Tompkins Community Bank kick off new service with donations
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has announced a new service – free hats and mittens to those in need. Here, CAOG’s executive director Renee Hungerford, Main Street Thrift Store manager Cassie Healy and case manager Jeanette Worsley fill a box in front of the store with hats and mittens, free for the taking.
ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee announced a new service to the community – free hats and mittens to anyone who needs them.
The idea came from Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action, who mentioned it to Jackie Dunham, director of operations.
“I said, ‘We’ve got to make that happen,’” Dunham said.
Hungerford spoke with facilities manager Rick Standish, who indicated he could build a suitable box to hold a supply of hats and mittens. Within a few days, he had completed two boxes, one in front of the Main Street store, and the other behind Community Action’s headquarters on State Street, with the agency’s mini food pantry.
While discussing the new project with Patrick Weissend, manager of Tompkins Community Bank, he asked if Hungerford would like him to run a mitten drive for them. Within two weeks, he had a huge box collected.
“We expect to get people from the new warming center, who will need hats and mittens to keep warm,” Hungerford said.
Another box full of mittens was donated by National Grid.
“There definitely is a need, not just for food, but for warm clothing,” said Jeanette Worsley, case manager at Community Action.
Hungerford said having the boxes available to the public assures those in need can access them any time.
“Obviously, we can’t have staff available 24/7,” she said. “This way, warm hats and mittens are available all the time.”
The public or any organization who would like to make donations of hats and mittens for all ages can drop them off any time in one of the boxes or bring them to the office during business hours or the Main Street Corner Thrifts, Gifts and More from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday or from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 January 2024 at 9:56 am
Kevin Sheehan says mayor didn’t acknowledge letter seeking to fill vacancy
ALBION – Kevin Sheehan says he has a 40-year track record of service to the Albion community, from time on the Village Board including a stint as mayor, to many years with the Knights of Columbus, VFW, youth sports and as the current Planning Board chairman for the Town of Albion.
Kevin Sheehan
Sheehan sent a letter to Mayor Angel Javier Jr., offering to fill a vacancy on the Albion Village Board when Zack Burgess resigned as trustee in October after moving out of the village.
Sheehan said his letter was never acknowledged. Javier chose to fill the vacancy last month with David Buczek, a supervisor for National Grid. The position is up for election on March 19
Sheehan said the village never communicated with him about his letter or the process. He told the board during Wednesday’s meeting there was no communication with him, or with Tom O’Hearn, a retired Albion police lieutenant who also sent in a letter asking to be considered for the vacancy.
Filling the vacancy is a mayoral appointment. Javier told Sheehan he wasn’t considered for the spot.
“None of the letters that came in were considered,” Javier said during Wednesday’s meeting. “You have an election in two months. You have all the opportunity that you want.”
Javier said he didn’t interview Buczek to fill the vacancy. Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley met with him, but she said filling the position was the mayor’s choice.
Trustee Tim McMurray said he was left out of the process to fill the vacancy and said Javier does not share information with him. McMurray said he learned of the appointment in a text message from Riley.
Sheehan said the process is slight to long-time residents with a track record of service to the community. Sheehan said Buczek is largely unknown to village residents. He moved to Albion two years ago.
Sheehan and O’Hearn have been publicly critical of Javier in his first two years as mayor, especially with a dispute over pay with police officers that was settled in favor of the police department. Sheehan also briefly was the village code enforcement officer at the start of Javier’s term.
Sheehan said his letter of interest in serving as trustee should have at least been acknowledged by the mayor.
“If you don’t like me, fine you don’t like me,” Sheehan said. “But why wasn’t there any communication?”
Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Katrina Chaffee, director of community services and reporting at Community Action, has announced a very successful campaign for The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle drive in Orleans County. (Right) Two of the volunteers who rang the bell for The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle drive this year were Jim Wells, left, and Dave Wells, on behalf of the American Legion in Medina.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 January 2024 at 2:38 pm
ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has announced the conclusion of one of the most successful Red Kettle campaigns in recent years.
Community Action has run the Red Kettle holiday drive associated with The Salvation Army for many years in Orleans County, according to Katrina Chaffee, director of Community Services and Reporting at Community Action, who coordinated the Red Kettle drive.
While the length of the drive and available locations to set up have decreased, the Red Kettle campaign this year raised a near-record $12,328, which will be shared by Community Action and the Ministry of Concern. A portion of the money funds summer camp for children, while the rest is used by the two agencies for emergency services, Chaffee said.
Chaffee thanks all the volunteers who rang bells and to Tops in Albion and Medina, and Walmart in Albion which allowed the bell ringers to set up at their businesses.
In former years, the Red Kettle campaign began the day before Thanksgiving, but this year it began Dec. 7. This year’s total bests last year’s $9,732 and is the highest since pre-Covid.
Chaffee added she has just received permission from The Salvation Army to use some of the Red Kettle money to purchase food for the new Warming Center recently opened at Christ Church in Albion, while the Ministry of Concern has received approval to use some of their share to purchase hygiene products. Since the Warming Center opened, four individuals have used it for multiple days, according to Nyla Gaylord, director of United Way of Orleans County, who worked on the committee to establish a warming center.
Community Action has also announced a very busy holiday season, with a high number of families assisted with Christmas gifts and dinner.
In 2022, 187 children received gifts from Community Action and 348 individuals were adopted by an outside organization. Holiday meal boxes were provided to 647 individuals. In 2023, those numbers rose to 341 children who received gifts, 368 individuals adopted by outside organizations and 752 individuals who received a holiday meal box.
“We are grateful to have the honor of helping families have brighter holidays,” said Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee. “Each year during the holiday season, Community Action is buzzing with activity. The team pulls together in so many ways, like bell ringing, collecting toys, distributing food baskets and so much more. I am proud of our team and their commitment to the communities that we serve.”
Chaffee also added her thanks to all the agencies who adopted individuals, and to those who donated food and cash.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 January 2024 at 9:48 am
ALBION – The Village of Albion Water Plant expects to start adding fluoride to the public water supply in February after about a 2 ½-year hiatus.
The village hasn’t added fluoride to the water since the summer of 2021. The village kept fluoridation chemicals in the water plant, but plant chief operator Adam Rush said it was a subpar setup.
The village will soon have a new 14-by-14-foot concrete building ready that will be used to store the fluoride. Keeler Construction was general contractor for that project which is nearly done. Rush told the Village Board on Wednesday there are a few “punch list” items to finish.
Keeler Construction submitted the low bid of $388,000 for the project, which included structural, architectural, mechanical (HVAC and plumbing) and electrical components and systems.
The building was funded with a $312,000 grant from the state Department of Health, with the other $76,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Rush wanted the fluoridation chemicals to be in a separate space and not in the water plant. The space in the water plant where the fluoride was kept is now used for the biomass heating system including a pellet boiler.
The American Dental Association backs having fluoride in water because fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by rebuild and strengthening the tooth’s surface or enamel.
The village water plant produces about 1.5 millions gallons of water of day, mostly for the central Orleans towns of Carlton, Gaines, Albion and Barre, as well as the village of Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 January 2024 at 8:22 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Kyle Gill, left, is shown this afternoon with his daughter Rylee and Kyle’s dad, Ray Gill, during a benefit for Kyle at Dubby’s Tailgate. More than 100 gift baskets, and many larger items were up for raffle.
Kyle, 35, is fighting stage 2 stomach cancer. He has surgery scheduled for Jan. 17 to remove most of his stomach.
Gill is the assistant store manager at Ace Hardware in Albion. He hasn’t been in the store working since July due to his illness and chemotherapy. He is down about 100 pounds and the chemo caused him to lose his distinctive beard.
He said he was grateful to see so many people turn out today, especially the many customers who he used to see so frequently in the store.
These bracelets were available to help Kyle Gill with the costs of his medical care.
Kyle started working for Jerry Ulrich at the Ace Hardware in Lockport when Kyle was 15. He has been in the Albion store the past 15 years, often in the plumbing section, mixing paint and in the back doing window repairs.
Kyle said he wasn’t feeling well back in May, and then was a diagnosed with an ulcer. That ulcer ultimately led to the cancer being detected. Gill said that ulcer likely saved his life and allowed him to get treatment and shrink the cancer.
The Ace Hardware team at today’s benefit includes, front row, from left: Vinnie Tarricone, Lisa Beam, Kyle Gill, Mark Luft, Jed Standish and Jessica Fox. Back row: Bryan Vagg, Hanna Vagg, Lindsy Yeager, Pete Pilon, Molly Jones, Jerry Ulrich, Stew Walck, Jessica Pilon and Renee Colonna.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 January 2024 at 6:05 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – There are 87 two-person teams playing cornhole in Albion today at Dubby’s Tailgate with $5,250 in prizes up for grabs, including $1,500 to the top team.
The “Cornhole Throwdown” is run by the Medina Rotary Club, and expects to raise about $3,000 for the club, said Peter Bartula, the club president and a cornhole enthusiast.
Troy Kingdollar, right, of Holley takes a warmup throw in the double-elimination part of today’s tournament. His partner is Mike Beach of Albion. The two are among the top players locally. After four games in today’s tournament they were in the C division, the bottom third of the teams.
Beach helped organize todays tournament and noted five professional cornhole players were in the tournament, and other top talent from western and central New York.
Kingdollar welcomes the chance for friendly competition.
“It’s fun,” he said. “It’s socializing with other people. There aren’t any fights.”
Joel Zawistowski of South Buffalo is next to Kingdollar at left. Many of the out-of-town teams heard about the tournament on the Scoreholio app that is used to run corn hole tournaments and leagues.
Zawistowski said he is impressed with the cavernous setup at Dubby’s Tailgate, a warehouse with 10,000 square feet of space. He said it’s much bigger than most of the indoor venues he’s been at for cornhole.
Mike Borelli of the Corny Fellows from Hilton thanked the cornhole players for coming out to Albion for the tournament today. Borelli said he is planning a tournament on March 9 to benefit his brother who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.
Borelli said the cornhole community rallies to support people in need.
The cornhole players enjoyed other games and refreshments at Dubby’s when they weren’t playing.
Brian and Rebecca Alexander opened Dubby’s Tailgate about two years ago. Today was the biggest cornhole tournament they have hosted.
Dubby’s has a regular Wednesday evening league for cornhole players. Bartula plays in that league. He said the success of today’s event will likely lead to three or four cornhole tournaments run by local Rotary clubs during the year.
Brian Alexander said the Dubby’s facility impressed the players from out of area and he is hopeful the site can host more regional tournaments in the future. The players liked the space, and having the option for food and beverages from the restaurant at Dubby’s.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 January 2024 at 2:32 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A new 25-bed women and children community residence is taking shape on Butts Road. This will be the first residential program for women and their children for UConnectCare, formerly known as Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.
Contractors started clearing land, removing trees and brush, back in July. The site will allow women, 18 and older, to receive services to aid in their recovery while in a residential setting. Five of the 25 units will accommodate women with children younger than kindergarten. Up to two children can stay in those units. The property will include walking trails and a playground
The project was awarded a $4.6 million grant from the state Department of Health for construction of the residence, which will total $5.2 million.
UConnectCare has seen more women in recovery and addiction programs during the opioid epidemic, with the prevalence of addictive painkillers, John Bennett, UConnectCare executive director, said during a public hearing about the project on Aug. 3, 2022.
The agency expects new women and children’s residence in Albion to be ready in October 2024.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Pete Pilon, manager of the Albion Ace Hardware, and Hanna Vagg, assistant store manager, are shown with some of the baskets up for raffle on Sunday in a fundraiser for Kyle Gill, an assistant store manager at Ace. Vagg is holding a hockey stick signed by members of the Buffalo Sabres.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 January 2024 at 4:24 pm
ALBION – At Ace Hardware in Albion, Kyle Gill is beloved by his co-workers and the customers for his friendliness and knowledge.
Provided photo: Kyle Gill is shown with his 2-year-old daughter, Rylee.
Gill, 35, is the assistant store manager. He has worked at Ace for about 15 years.
“He is a big Teddy Bear,” said Pete Pilon, the store manager. “He would do anything for you. He will always go the extra mile.”
Gill has been diagnosed with stage 2 stomach cancer. He has been undergoing chemo treatments and will have surgery later this month to remove about two-thirds of his stomach. He has lost about 100 pounds, but is optimistic about the future, Pilon said.
There will be a benefit from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday at Dubby’s Tailgate, 165 South Platt St. There will be door prizes, basket raffles, cornhole, darts and other games to help raise money for Gill’s medical expenses. A $20 ticket includes pizza, salad, dessert and a door prize entry.
Ace owners Jerry Ulrich and Molly Jones have purchased “Screw cancer” and “Stomach Cancer Awareness” T-shirts and bracelets and are selling them in support of Gill.
Hanna Vagg, assistant store manager, said the store and customers have rallied to help Gill, with about $3,500 in donations so far, not counting the gift baskets and other items at the benefit on Sunday.
“Kyle is a gentle giant who is always super helpful,” she said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 January 2024 at 12:14 pm
Photos courtesy of Tim Archer
ALBION – The historic marker about immigrants who worked in the Medina Sandstone quarries has a new coat of paint. The marker is next to the First Presbyterian Church of Albion on Main Street.
The immigrants came from Poland, England, Italy and Ireland to work in the quarries. The church with its 175-foot-high steeple is one of the most prominent examples of their work, according to the historic marker.
Some Albion eighth-graders teamed with Melissa Ierlan with giving the marker a facelift. This photo shows students in a social studies enrichment class – Jessie Moore, Monica Thomas and Alayna Flugel – with Ierlan. This is the 37th historical marker that Ierlan has scraped and repainted.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Kristen Ostrander, owner and designer at Bloom’s Flower Shop, likes the added space for the flower shop at 115 East Bank St. Bloom’s moved there over the Christmas holiday and opened on Dec. 26 at the new location.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 December 2023 at 8:49 am
ALBION – Bloom’s Flower Shop, one of the Albion’s longest-lasting businesses, has relocated from 139 South Main St. to 115 East Bank St.
Kristen Ostrander, owner and designer of Bloom’s, left a site with 2,000 square feet to move downtown in a building with 10,000 square feet. She welcomes the chance to grow the business and be a bigger part of downtown activities that promote the community.
“Being down here I’m closer to the other businesses and I can participate in the events and host some of the events,” Ostrander said at the business on Friday.
Bloom’s moved on Dec. 24-25 and opened at the East Bank location on Tuesday. Ostrander and her family have put in a new floor, a cooler, painted and taken out a wall.
She already has received much more foot traffic with the store being in the downtown.
“There is better parking and it’s easier to get in and out,” she said. “There aren’t any stairs.”
Bloom’s earlier this year added tuxedos and now has a changing room for people to try on those clothes.
Ostrander purchased Bloom’s on May 10, 2021 from previous owner Debbie London. The business goes back nearly 90 years in Albion, opening on Sept. 15, 1935. Ostrander said it has been in four different locations over the years, including at 16 East Bank. She has a receipt from 1943 showing that Bloom’s location.
Ostrander said the move to more space gives Bloom’s a brighter future.
“Bloom’s Flower Shop is my passion and love,” she said. “Bloom’s has been such a long-term staple. It belongs in Albion.”
The business will have an open house from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12.
Kristen Ostrander works on a flower arrangement at Bloom’s. The site previously was used by Frontier Heating & AC Service which is now on Route 31A in Barre.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 December 2023 at 8:35 am
David Buczek works as a supervisor for National Grid
ALBION – There is a new trustee on the Albion Village Board, and he said he is committed to working for the good of the community.
David Buczek
David Buczek, 33, is a supervisor for National Grid, part of a team based in Albion that serves an area between Lockport and Spencerport, from Lake Ontario to Elba. He was promoted to supervisor after working as a lineman.
Buczek will finish out the final four months of Zack Burgess’s term. Burgess resigned in October after moving out of the village. That term ends March 31. Buczek said he plans to run for election in March for a full four-year term. He is a registered Democrat and will seek the backing of the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as support from independent voters.
“I’m an upbeat and positive person who will work with both sides of the fence,” he said Wednesday evening after attending his first Village Board meeting as trustee. “We need to find common ground at a time when our politics is so divided.”
Buczek said he sent an email to Mayor Angel Javier Jr. and Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley a couple months ago, expressing his interest to be more involved in the community. They interviewed him and he was appointed by the mayor to fill the vacancy.
Buczek, a Lackawanna native, moved to North Main Street in Albion about two years ago. He sees a lot of potential for the village to attract businesses that would prosper, providing good-paying and reliable jobs.
“Albion is a prime location between Medina and Brockport (east and west) and Batavia and Waterport (north and south),” Buczek said. “As a central hub for these locations, an emphasis should be placed on building the infrastructure for businesses and making it easier for them to establish locations here in Albion.”
Main Street also needs beautification and emphasis to fill store fronts. Buczek said he would work with community leaders and the business community on different events and village traditions in the downtown area, and a plan to better utilize the Main Street buildings.
A third goal for Buczek is ensuring the village workforce receives regular training and has the needed technology to help reduce costs and save energy.
“It is my overall goal to bring a positive change to the community and to give a voice to locals within our government,” he said. “I will work with our government employees and the community to continue to drive change for the future of Albion.”
Buczek wanted a career that would require both working with his hands and critical thinking. He earned a certification in energy utility technology from Erie Community College and overhead climbing. He is nearly done with his master’s degree at Buffalo State University in Multidisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Energy Utility Management. He also became certified in project management from Cornell University. He earlier earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Buffalo State.
