By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 November 2024 at 4:25 pm
ALBION – The state Department of Transportation will close a section of Ingersoll Street for two days next week to allow for milling of paving on a street that has had more wear and tear the past two years due to the closure of the Main Street lift bridge.
An article on Wednesday said the DOT would do one lane at a time and keep traffic open on Ingersoll. But today the DOT said there would be full roadway closure from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for milling on Tuesday and paving on Wednesday.
The closure is limited to 9 a.ml. to 2:30 p.m. to allow for school buses to cross the canal.
From 9 a.m. to 2:30 traffic will need to use alternate routes to cross the Erie Canal: Butts Road on the east side and Gaines Basin Road on the west side.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 November 2024 at 9:37 am
$300,000 set aside towards new fire truck, fire hall repair or replacement
Photo by Tom Rivers: Members of the newly formed Albion Joint Fire District met on Thursday at Hoag Library to discuss fire district business, including an upcoming election on Dec. 10 for five commissioners and the treasurer. Pictured from left include commissioner Craig Lane, secretary Rachel Hicks, commissioner Chris Kinter, commissioner and chairman Al Cheverie, commissioner Joe Martillotta, commissioner Dave Buczek, and treasurer Victoria Tabor.
ALBION – The Albion Joint Fire District has a budget for 2025, the first year for the entity which will oversee fire protection in the towns of Albion and Gaines, which includes the Village of Albion.
The budget approved by the commissioners totals $872,222, which more than doubles the budget for the fire department when it was under the village budget with contracts from the two towns.
Fire department leaders say the department has long been underfunded, with no reserves for new fire trucks or upgrades to the fire hall.
The new budget for 2025 puts $250,000 into a “Apparatus Repair & Replacement Reserve” and $50,000 into a “Building Repair & Replacement Reserve.”
Al Cheverie, the chairman of the commissioners, said the district needs to replace two fire trucks fairly soon. A new ladder truck to replace one that is 27 years old is expected to cost $2.2 million. A new fire engine to replace one 32 years old would likely have a purchase price of $1.1 million.
The commissioners expect to start working on securing a new ladder truck in 2025, a process that could take four to five years before the new truck is in Albion. Setting aside money ahead of time will reduce the bond payments needed in the future, Cheverie said.
A $2.2 million bond at a 7 percent rate would result in an annual bond payment of about $208,000 a year over 20 years, fire department officials said in June when discussing the budget needs for the department.
A new fire engine at $1.1 million and bonded over 20 years would have an annual payment of $104,000 a year. However, those payments would be significantly less if the fire district has money in its reserves.
The district also has $50,000 set aside for the fire hall for either repairs or a potential replacement. Cheverie said there are no plans to leave the building on Platt Street anytime soon.
Some of the fire department’s expenses were previously absorbed in the village budget and now those costs are clearly defined in the fire district budget plan. That includes $17,000 in utilities and $100,000 for insurance.
Cheverie said the first-year budget for the district includes $70,000 in startup expenses for the district that won’t be a reoccurring expense.
The budget includes $15,000 to pay a treasurer and $15,000 for a secretary, plus $10,400 for janitorial services. With Social Security, Medicare and unemployment added, the three positions will total $47,647 in the budget, and those were costs that weren’t factored into the fire department budget when it was part of the village.
The budget categories include $47,647 for personnel services; $17,000 for contractual service (utilities); $100,000 for insurance; $38,950 for operational expenses; $42,500 for apparatus maintenance; $104,715 for equipment expenses (gear for firefighters and trucks); $61,000 for buildings and grounds maintenance; $160,410 for administrative expenses (fire district formation costs, accountant, attorney, medical exams, recruitment efforts); and $300,000 for the new reserve funds.
Craig Lane, one of the five commissioners, said the district budget initially was $1.3 million and the commissioners pared down some of those costs.
Dave Buczek, one of the commissioners, said the budget puts the fire department on a course for a good future for equipment and recruitment.
“We’re building something for generations to come,” Buczek said at Thursday’s meeting.
Commissioners, treasurer up for election on Dec. 10
The five commissioners started meeting on Aug. 20. Voters in the towns of Albion and Gaines approved forming the Albion Joint Fire District in an Aug. 6 referendum. Albion voted 125 yes, 61 no, while the results in Gaines were 70 yes, 43 no.
Five commissioners were then appointed to help establish the district, and create the budget for the first year in 2025. The Albion Town Board appointed Chris Kinter, the code enforcement officer, and Joe Martillotta, a retired school teacher and business owner. Gaines appointed Al Cheverie, a former Albion Fire Department president, and Craig Lane, the deputy highway superintendent for Orleans County. The Village Board appointed Dave Buczek, a former village trustee, to be the village representative.
Voters will soon pick the commissioners with new terms starting in 2025. There will be an election at Hoag Library on Dec. 10 from 4 to 9 p.m. Candidates for the election can submit a letter to the Albion Joint Fire District, P.O. Box 2, Albion NY 14411. The letter should state the candidate’s desire to run for commissioner. It needs to be received by Nov. 20. The treasurer’s position also will be up for election.
The commissioners’ terms will be for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years, depending on the vote totals for each. The highest vote-getter gets the 5-year term and then the term length goes in descending order of votes. After the December election, the commissioner election should have one position up for election each year.
Photo and information courtesy of Albion Central School
ALBION – National Junior Honor Society students at Albion Middle wrapped up their annual food drive this week.
On Wednesday, NJHS students and their advisor, Lisa Castricone, finished counting and sorting the donations before they were delivered to Community Action. Pictured from left include NJHS members Kendall Peruzzini, Kamryn Peruzzini and Stryker Braley.
The group is built on promoting scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. The NJHS hosts this annual event to help ease the stress of the holiday season.
File photo by Tom Rivers: Weston Burgio, 5, of Albion stepped up to meet Santa Claus on Dec. 2, 2019 at Hoag Library in Albion. Santa returns to Hoag on Dec. 2.
ALBION – Hoag Library invites the community to a wonderful variety of programs this November and December, featuring literary events, historical talks, and festive gatherings to celebrate the season.
Local Author Book Signing with Daniel Southcott
Saturday, Nov. 16, at noon – Join author Daniel Southcott for a book signing of Oh, Danny Boy. Meet the author, gain insights into his writing process, and purchase a signed copy.
Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery with Jim Kennard
Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. – Join the most successful shipwreck hunter in Lake Ontario on a personal and historic exploration of some of the most important shipwrecks discovered in Lake Ontario by his team and shipwreck peers.
Visions: Confessions of a Ghost Writer with Eric Weatherbee (The Humble Bard)
Saturday, Nov. 23, at 6 p.m. – Join us for an evening of wonder as Eric Weatherbee reads aloud some of his latest works.
A Tale of Two Disasters: The Buffalo Blizzards of 1977 & 2022 with Dr. Timothy Kneeland
Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 6 p.m. – This program will offer an in-depth look at two historic blizzards that swept through Buffalo.
Santa visits the Library
Monday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m. – Santa is coming to Hoag Library! Children and families are invited for a festive evening with Santa, spreading holiday cheer and joy.
Friends of the Library: Tasty Treats
Thursday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. – The Friends of the Library invite everyone for a delightful evening of seasonal treats and goodies. Join us for a sweet celebration of the holidays featuring Confection Connection. Call 589-4246 to register.
Hoag Music Series: Rochester Ukulele Orchestra
Saturday, Dec. 7, at noon – Enjoy a lively performance by the Rochester Ukulele Orchestra, bringing a unique and cheerful sound to the library. This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, administered by GO ART!
Friends of the Library: Holiday Sing-Along with Gary Simboli
Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m. – Gather with friends and family for a sing-along led by Gary Simboli. This joyous event is sure to fill the library with holiday spirit.
American Red Cross Blood Drive
Saturday, Dec. 28. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Help save lives this holiday season by donating blood at Hoag Library. The American Red Cross will be on-site, and all eligible donors are encouraged to participate in this life-saving event.
Celebrate the season with Hoag Library’s exciting lineup of events!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2024 at 9:19 pm
Provided photo: Albion eighth-graders Mary McCormick (left) and Kendall Peruzzini (right) are shown with Craig Lane of the Orleans County Department of Public Works after a headstone was delivered for a Civil War soldier buried in an unmarked grave at the Alms House Cemetery on West Countyhouse Road. The public is invited to a dedication ceremony this spring on May 17 at the cemetery.
ALBION – For more than a century, Daniel Walterhouse has been buried in an unmarked grave at the Alms House Cemetery on West Countyhouse Road.
That will change in the spring when a headstone is placed by at the cemetery for Walterhouse, who served with 4th Michigan Infantry during the Civil War.
Two Albion eighth-graders, Kendall Peruzzini and Mary McCormick, spent part of their summer vacation, researching Walterhouse and preparing the application for a headstone.
Tim Archer, the student’s service learning teacher, was tipped off that Walterhouse served in the Civil War by researcher in Michigan, George Wilkinson. He includes many documents about the 4th Michigan Infantry on a website. Wilkinson came across a news clipping that Walterhouse was living in Western New York after serving in the war.
Walterhouse was wounded in 1862 after being was stabbed with a sword in a battle.
Walterhouse and about 200 other residents were buried in a cemetery not far from the Alms House, which was a home for penniless, destitute, sick and others with infirmities and challenges.
Walterhouse lived there for about a decade. He was 87 when he died in 1910.
Peruzzini and McCormick scoured records from more than a century ago, working with Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper and Albion Town Historian Sarah Basinait.
They were able to prove Union soldier Daniel Walterhouse was buried in an unmarked grave at the cemetery about 114 years ago. They found a death record and a 1902 ledger from the Orleans County Alms House listing him as a resident.
The Alms House or “Poor House” was open from 1833 to 1960. It closed in 1960 when the county nursing home opened on Route 31 in Albion.
Peruzzini, McCormick and their teacher Tim Archer submitted an application to the National Cemetery Administration, seeking a headstone for Walterhouse. That headstone has arrived and will be set in the spring by the Orleans County Department of Public Works.
There will be a dedication ceremony for the public to attend on May 17, Archer said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2024 at 9:48 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: McKinstry Street is a popular route for school kids in the mornings and afternoons.
ALBION – The Albion Village Board agreed on Wednesday to reduce the speed limit on McKinistry Street from 30 to 25 miles per hour. That limit will go on McKinstry from East Avenue to East State Street, and will be in effect the same time as the school zone, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on school days.
Trustee Greg Bennett led the effort to lower the speed limit. He said McKinstry is a popular route for students walking to school in the morning and at home in the afternoon.
He wanted the speed to drop to 20 miles per hour but village attorney John Gavenda advised against that, saying the state’s Vehicle and Traffic Law suggests keeping a village speed limit at no lower than 25 miles per hour. A school zone limit can be lower but a school zone needs to be right in front of a school building. McKinstry is a side street near the school.
Bennett said signs about the lower speed limit and enforcement should bring down the speeds and keep pedestrians safer.
Jay Pahura, the DPW superintendent for the village, said pedestrians often walk in the street with earbuds and don’t try to get out of the way of traffic, including village snow plow trucks.
“A lot of the kids don’t get out of the road,” Pahura said during the Village Board meeting.
Bennett said parents and the kids need to do their part with safety on the street. He said the village is doing right by reducing the speed limit.
“We’re trying to slow down the traffic on a busy road,” he said. “It sends a message as a village because there is a lot of foot traffic there.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 November 2024 at 2:28 pm
ALBION – The state Department of Transportation plans to pave a section of Ingersoll Street in the Village of Albion next week.
Ingersoll has suffered far more wear and tear than usual in the past two years while the Main Street lift bridge has been closed and some of that traffic has been redirected down Ingersoll Street.
The DOT has notified village officials Ingersoll will be repaved, one lane at a time, between Caroline and Bank streets on Nov. 18-19.
“The street will be open to one-lane traffic at that time,” said Joyce Riley, Albion’s deputy mayor. “The paving will be delayed if it rains.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley, right, tell the Albion Town Board that village officials are willing to have Albion police officials expand their patrols outside the village in the Town of Albion on a trial basis for six months at no cost to the town. Albion Police Department representatives include, from left: Police Chief David Mogle, Sgt. Robert Wagner and Lt. Brandon Annable.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 November 2024 at 8:26 am
ALBION – The Albion Police Department is willing to expand its patrols outside the village of Albion into the town to help with vehicle and traffic enforcement, and lower-level crimes.
Police Chief David Mogle said the department has the blessing from the Village Board to work outside the village in a six-month trial at no cost to the town.
Mogle said the department is currently hamstrung to respond to some calls because the town, outside the village, is outside the APD jurisdiction. The APD does assist in about 130 to 140 calls a year in the town, often larcenies at Walmart. Mogle said the APD will be the first officer on scene, and then hand those cases over to either the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office or State Police.
Mogle said the APD has at least three officers on duty working day and night shifts and they could respond to calls in the town.
The Town Board would need to sign a memorandum of understanding with the village, allowing the Albion PD to do vehicle and traffic enforcement and handle some of the lower-level crimes, such as harassment. Mogle said there have been fatal accidents and other serious car crashes in the town. The Albion PD could respond sooner to these incidents with the MOU with the town, Mogle said.
“We’d like to prevent crime before it gets to the village,” he said.
Mogle was joined by Lt. Brandon Annable, Sgt. Robert Wagner and Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley in a presentation to the Albion Town Board on Tuesday.
The Albion PD has 12 officers, plus a clerk. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and State Police often have resources away from Albion and can’t quickly get to calls in the town, Mogle said.
“We’re not trying to undercut or diminish the work they do,” Annable told the Town Board. “They do a great job. We’re just trying to help out.”
Town Supervisor Richard Remley and the Town Board said they will consider the expanded coverage from the Albion PD. Mogle and Riley said they would like to see Albion PD working more outside the village in January and see how it goes for six months.
“We’ll definitely consider it and get back to you,” Remley said.
Mogle and Annable presented similar agreements to the Albion Town Board that the Middleport Police Department has with the towns of Hartland and Royalton, and the Le Roy Police Department has with the Town of Le Roy.
The Albion PD would like to focus on traffic enforcement but could handle other calls “as needed,” Mogle said.
The Albion officers also go to EMS calls in the village and could do that for some of the calls outside the village. Mogle said the patrol cars have automated external defibrillators (AED). An AED is used when a person’s heart suddenly stops working. Mogle said officers have made a difference for three people by using AEDs.
“If we can save a life, we’re going to do it,” Mogle said.
Photo by Tom Rivers: A Mercy Flight EMS ambulance is shown Sept. 20 when it was on standby at an Albion varsity football game.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 November 2024 at 8:47 pm
(CORRECTION: This article was updated to state the contract includes an advanced life support fly car that would be staged in Orleans County 24-7, and not 12 hours, 7 days a week as first reported.)
ALBION – The Albion Town Board voted on a new contract for ambulance services for 2025, and picked Mercy Flight EMS over Monroe Ambulance.
Mercy Flight’s bid was less than half of the price from Monroe. Mercy’s bid was $250,000 compared to $570,000 from Monroe. That is for staging two basic life support ambulances in central and eastern Orleans 24 hours a day, seven days a week, plus an advanced life support fly car that would be available 24-7.
The three-year contract increases the ambulance presence by one more BLS ambulance.
“The cost differential is so great and the responses so identical it didn’t make sense not to take on Mercy,” said Richard Remley, the Albion town supervisor.
Monroe was paid $300,000 by the seven towns this year. In the first year of the contract in 2023 with Monroe, the towns paid $181,200. But that was from six towns. Kendall didn’t contribute the first year when Monroe was seeking $200,000 from the seven towns.
Mercy will use the former COVA base on South Main Street in Albion and is expected to have another ambulance based at the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray fire hall on Hulberton Road in Murray. (FHM is now part of the Murray Joint Fire District with the Holley Fire Department.)
Monroe staged an ambulance at the Albion Town Hall. The seven towns didn’t pay for an ambulance service until 2023. Monroe had the certificate of need for the eastern end of the county, but didn’t get paid in the town budgets until 2023. Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance had the CON for central Orleans, but that ambulance provider closed in late 2022.
The contract divvies up the expense for the seven towns based on call volume for 2024, according to the contract approved by the Albion Town Board this evening.
The contract calls for the towns to pay the following in 2025:
Albion, $93,000 ($155,820 in 2024)
Barre, $11,000 ($13,740 in 2024)
Carlton, $18,500 ($22,350 in 2024)
Clarendon, $28,000 ($25,350 in 2024)
Gaines, $38,500 ($12,030 in 2024)
Kendall, $12,750 ($17,850 in 2024)
Murray, $48,250 ($52,860 in 2024)
The contract is contingent on all seven towns approving the agreement. Jim Bell, the Albion town attorney, said he has spoken with representatives from the other six towns and they all expect to approve the new contract.
The agreement is a three-year deal with Mercy Flight getting $275,000 in 2026, and $300,000 in 2027.
Mercy Flight will operate on a fee-for-service basis and will bill insurance companies or patients for service. The money from the seven towns eases some of the financial pressure on operating an ambulance service in Orleans County, where many of the calls have low reimbursement rates from Medicaid and Medicare, town officials have said.
Mercy Flight EMS took over COVA’s ambulance station and vehicles after the organization ceased operations in late 2022. Mercy sought to be considered for the contract for the seven towns in 2023 and 2024. The seven towns put the contract out to bid this summer, requesting RFPs (request for proposals). Monroe and Mercy were the only ambulance providers to respond, Remley said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 November 2024 at 12:04 pm
Provided photo
ALBION – Albion’s Class 1950 held their 74th Reunion in September at the Village House restaurant in Albion. Pictured from left include Pete Nesbitt, Shirley Furnace Gould, Carol Francis Rowcliffe, Ted Swiercznski, Brad Shelp and Ken Rush.
