This photo is from a screen shot of the Main Street lift bridge in Albion at 3:45 p.m. A YouTube page shows a livestream of the bridge. Click here to see it.

ALBION – Next Tuesday will be a historic day for Albion, if everything goes as planned.

The trusses from the Main Street lift bridge will be moved by a giant crane to just north of the canal on land owned by the State Canal Corp.

The trusses were expected to be moved this week, but that has been pushed back to Jan. 24, the state Department of Transportation said today.

The bridge closed to traffic on Nov. 14 and isn’t expected to reopen for 18 months as part of a major rehabilitation.

Crane-Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport is general contractor for the project on the bridge that was originally constructed in 1914.

It also will be doing a similar effort in Brockport. The state approved a $28.3 million construction bid for the two bridge projects.

In rebuilding the Albion bridge, Crane-Hogan will be:

• Replacing bridge decks and portions of the truss system with high-strength, galvanized steel.
• Modernizing mechanical and electrical components within the bridge’s lifting system.
• Rehabilitating the bridge tower.
• Installing new bridge rails.
• Repainting the bridge, maintaining its current shade of green.

When the work on the bridge is complete, the span will be moved back into place over the Canal, the state Department of Transportation said.

ALBION – This screen shot was taken at about 9:20 a.m. today, showing a real time view of the Albion Main Street lift bridge.

A camera has been mounted up high on the Pratt and Day building on Main Street, with a live stream available on YouTube (click here).

The “Bridging Albion” group pushed to have the camera installed so people can watch the progress of an extensive rehabilitation of the historic bridge.

The group wanted the camera in place before a large crane arrives and removes the trusses of the bridge next week. That is expected to happen on Tuesday.

The bridge closed to traffic on Nov. 14 and isn’t expected to reopen for 18 months.

Mayor Angel Javier Jr. is at left, Trustee Tim McMurray is at right.

ALBION – Three of the trustees on the Albion Village Board voted “no confidence” in Mayor Angel Javier Jr., saying he acted unilaterally in breaching a union contract with Albion police officers.

Trustees Tim McMurray, Zachary Burgess and Chris Barry this evening voted for a “vote of no confidence” and that the mayor be censured. They asked village attorney John Gavenda to see if there are any legal steps that can be taken for the mayor’s removal from office.

Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley didn’t vote with the other three. Mayor Javier, after the meeting, called the vote of no confidence ‘bull s—.”

The three trustees said Javier acted in conduct unbecoming of a mayor by acting on his own accord and breaching the union contract.

Javier reduced officers’ salary by 5 percent after a firm looked over officers’ pay and determined they had received $236,000 in overpayments over five years based on a miscalculation by the village. The officers switched from 40-hour weeks with five 8-hour shifts to 84-hour pay periods every two weeks, with seven 12-hour shifts. That change was intended to help reduce overtime in the police department.

Javier contends the village made a mistake in the officers’ pay rate, dividing the annual salaries by 2,080 hours instead of 2,184 when the new agreement started with the 84-hour pay periods. Using the smaller number of 2,080 hours resulted in higher hourly pay rates.

McMurray doesn’t believe an error was ever made by the village. He faulted Javier for not sitting down with police union leaders and discussing the issue at length before lowering their pay. If the issue had gone to arbitration, McMurray said the village would have lost.

He also faulted Javier for promoting “false narratives” in the media about the issue which created “a hesitant working relationship with the PBA and unwarranted public scrutiny.”

McMurray also said the report from Bonadio Group has been wrongly characterized as an audit when it was “merely a confirmation of information.” But McMurray said the report used the 2,184 hours to determine the hourly rate when the PBA insists it should have been 2,080 hours. A settlement agreement in November between the board and the Police Benevolent Association says the hourly rate will be based on dividing the annual pay by 2,080 hours.

“The mayor has damaged the reputation of the Village Board of Trustees with the public, PBA and other departments within the village resulting in decreased morale and several employees attempting to and or actually leaving their positions as result,” McMurray said in introducing the resolution.

Javier was elected to a four-year term as mayor last March at age 32. He ran under the Republican line and independent “Better Together Albion Strong.” He was the top vote-getter among three candidates.

He said this after the meeting that he was right to raise the issue of overpayments. The Village Board in November settled with the union when it raised other issues that the union said would cost $714,000 for Fair Labor and Standards Act violations.

Javier said he remains committed to the job as mayor and being a good steward of the village tax dollars.

The PBA said the issue cost the village at least $38,000 with $16,000 for the Bonadio Group, $15,000 to make police officers whole and $7,500 to pay for the police officers’ attorneys. McMurray citing those costs as an unnecessary expense.

Ron Vendetti, a former village code enforcement officer, spoke at the meeting and told the board members they should try to get along and work together for the community.

“Everyone needs to settle down a little bit,” Vendetti said. “You look like the federal government with all the infighting.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Jason Tarnowski, pastor of the Albion Free Methodist Church, stands by an outdoor cabinet that has food for the community. People are welcome to take and leave food.

ALBION – The Albion Free Methodist Church started a new ministry last month where people are welcome to take or leave food in an outdoor cabinet by the entrance of the church at 25 South Platt St.

Church members Rick and Kim Holz came up with the idea to have the cabinet outside, and Mr. Holz constructed the wooden frame for the display.

Jason Tarnowski, pastor of the church since October 2021, said the food is available to anyone in the community. The church calls the cabinet the “Community of Hope Food Ministry.”

He said people from outside the church have been contributed food to the cabinet, including the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries. That church partnered with Arnold’s Auto Parts to stock an outdoor refrigerator with food at Arnold’s on West Bank Street. That refrigerator has been supplied with food since last March.

Tarnowski asks the attendees at the Free Methodist Church to bring non-perishable food on Sundays for the cabinet, or when they attend meetings mid-week.

The Free Methodist Church was founded in Albion in 1859 and is the oldest church in the denomination. Tarnowski said the congregation is committed to being relevant and serving the community.

Press Release, Albion Police Benevolent Association

ALBION – Now that the dust has settled there is one thing that is apparent to the Village of Albion taxpayers. Mayor Angel Javier Jr.’s ill-conceived escapade of attacking the Village of Albion police officers has needlessly cost the Village taxpayers over $38,000!

More than $16,000 for the report from the Bonadio Group.

More than $15,000 to make the members of the Albion Police Department whole.

$7,500 for the police officers’ attorneys.

And who knows how many tens of thousands of dollars the Village wasted on its outside counsel?

When the Mayor first took office in April 2022, he set off on an ill-fated attack on the Albion police officers. The Mayor’s actions were based upon ignorance which was subsequently compounded by incompetence.

Completely unaware of the laws that govern labor relations between the Village and the Police Union, Mayor Javier breached the contract between the Village and the Police Union.

Luckily, back in June 2022, a majority of the Village Board voted to reinstate the correct pay rate. Unfortunately, that was only a temporary stay, which forced the Police Union to file a grievance against the Village.

Following the Village’s breach, the Police Union met with the Village and presented a 28-page Power Point Presentation detailing why the Village was wrong and that the correct pay rate needed to be reinstated. That presentation contained the contract language, the parties’ unequivocal practice of over 160 payroll periods evidencing the correct pay rate used by the parties; Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) decisions, a New York State Comptroller opinion, New York State case law and reasons why the Bonadio report was based upon the wrong assumption.

The Village did not listen.

Following that meeting, the Village compounded its ignorance by incompetence. Rather than swiftly settling the grievance the Village dragged its feet. The Village’s incompetence forced the Police Union to file an Improper Practice charge before PERB.

One has to question if the Village’s delay was an intentional tactic of its representatives as it only increased legal fees the Village had to pay its attorney and the Police Union had to pay to defend against the Village’s breach of contract.

The Mayor’s actions also raised issues the Police Union would never have brought up. Further investigation resulted in the Police Union asserting Fair Labor and Standards Act violations.  The Police Union’s investigation revealed that its members were owed over $714,000!

However, rather than pressing ahead with litigation, the Police Union sought to reduce the Village’s liability and started settlement discussions with the Village. Rather than quickly resolving the issues, the Village delayed, delayed, and delayed. The Village had to capitulate on every issue. With no other avenue but settlement, the Village vindictively added to the police officers’ frustration by delaying the settlement.

This was a story of ignorance, compounded by incompetence. The Mayor’s ignorance of the police officer’s correct pay rate was compounded by the incompetence in the manner in which the Village handled this dispute.

On a daily basis Village of Albion police officers serve and protect village residents.

Now, in the end, it is as it always was. The police officers looked out for the village residents.  When presented with a possible cost to the village residents of almost three quarters of a million dollars, the Police Union resolved the issues just to make sure they were paid correctly.  Unfortunately, there was nothing the Police Union could do to save village residents from the Mayor wasting over $38,000 due to his own ignorance.

Photos courtesy of Albion Police Department

ALBION – The Albion Police Department’s armored vehicle was used to make several rescues during the blizzard from Friday night through Sunday.

The Albion PD acquired the vehicle for free in 2020. It is primarily utilized by the SWAT team, but can be deployed in other emergencies. This was the first time it was brought out in a massive snowstorm.

“It’s intent is for anything we need it for,” said Albion Police Chief David Mogle. “It went through snow that no other vehicle could have gone through.”

Mogle drove the MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) all night Friday. It took 2 ½ hours to go down Route 98 through Elba, and then west on Route 262 in Elba. The MRAP was able to pick up 5 people on 262, and bring them to a warming station in Oakfield, and then joined a convoy rescuing about 15 to 20 more stranded people in the Oakfield.

Mogle said the heavy vehicle with thick tires wouldn’t be stopped from the deep snow, except when the visibility was so poor the drivers couldn’t see anything from the whiteout conditions.

The drivers kept the MRAP on the road, using mailboxes and telephone poles as guides.

Saturday morning the armored vehicles was deployed to the Iroquois Job Corps in Shelby was brought back 8 people who had been without electricity for a day in sub-freezing temperatures. The Shelby and East Shelby volunteer fire departments also transported students and staff to the Comfort Inn and Suites in Medina, with the Town of Shelby helping to plow a path for the vehicles.

The MRAP is equipped with different modes and settings that allow it to navigate through large amounts of snow and different terrain, allowing officers to travel through the low visibility snow conditions and reach those in need of help, Mogle said.

“This is the first time it went through snow like this,” he said today. “We knew it could pretty much go through anything.”

The police chief was advised the officers in the vehicle might find people who perished in their vehicles from the cold. But Mogle said law enforcement isn’t aware of any deaths from the blizzard in Genesee or Orleans. There are 27 deaths in Erie and Niagara counties from the blizzard, including 20 in Buffalo.

“The Albion Police Department would like to commend all law enforcement agencies, fire departments, highway departments and the Orleans County Dispatch Center for their involvement and tireless efforts performed throughout the recent snow storm,” Mogle said.

Provided photos

ALBION – The Orleans Koinonia Kitchen at Harvest Christian Fellowship served 247 meals on Thursday in an early Christmas celebration that included a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The top photo shows Faith Smith, director of the OK Kitchen, speaking to the group in the fellowship hall of the church.

Eladio Beltran, left, prepared Mexican chicken tacos with a side of black beans and red rice.

In addition to the 247 meals, 57 children received gifts from Santa. There were also 25 families given 25 holiday boxes.

“We want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for all the help, support, donations and time that this community took part in to make this night a success,” Smith said.

Harvest Christian Fellowship started hosting the kitchen on June 1. It is open Thursdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and has served nearly 7,000 meals in seven months. There is one meal left for 2022. Volunteers from the West Barre United Methodist Church are preparing and serving that meal this Thursday.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Albion firefighters hose down a car that burst into flames at about 1:30 p.m. today at 8 West Academy St. in Albion.

Aurora Andres said she started her car, a 2003 Dodge Neon, and it started smoking and then caught on fire.

She praised the first responders for a quick response that kept the fire from spreading.

Albion police officers Chris Glogowski and Nathanial Staines, and State Trooper Steven Papponetti were the first on the scene and used fire extinguishers to initially knock down the fire.

“It could have been much worse for sure,” Staines said.

Animals were safely removed from the house including four cats, two dogs and three ferrets.

Albion firefighters John Papponetti and Jeremy Babcock were on the scene.

Will Francis, a fire investigator, is on the scene to determine the cause.

‘We’re all warm, we’re all dry and we’re all alive.’

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Spencer Wright of Rochester holds a baby at about 11 a.m. today in the shelter set up at the Albion Elementary School.

Wright was holding the baby for a man he met yesterday. The father was going to check on his home in Barre.

Wright was one of 28 people who spent the night at the shelter set up at the school.

Wright was driving from Lockport to Rochester at about 3 a.m. Saturday when he went off the road on Route 31A in Barre. He said another car was coming in the opposite direction and driving in the middle of the road.

He was stranded in his car for 2 ½ hours until being picked up by Barre firefighters. He was one of about 20 to 25 people at the Barre firehall before they were moved to the school.

“Without them there would have been a lot of casualties,” Wright said about the firefighters. “They were out driving all night, bringing people in.”

Wright said he tried to stay calm in his car.

“I was just trying to figure out what to do,” he said.

He is grateful for the firefighters and a safe place to ride out the storm.

“We’re all warm, we’re all dry and we’re all alive,” he said.

There were about 75 people who stayed at the shelters last night at the Albion and Medina schools, said Justin Niederhofer, the county’s director of emergency management.

Most of the people in the shelters are from out of the area, with some from Poughkeepsie, Boston, New Jersey. Most of those people left this morning. The Medina shelter will soon be closed with the remaining two people there moved to Albion, where there are currently about 10 people.

A Red Cross trailer was used to bring cots and other supplies to the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School in Albion. The site was staffed by the Health Department. In Medina, a school employee and Mayor Mike Sidari ran that shelter.

Albert Purugganan, his wife and their 13-year-old son are trying to get from New Jersey to Toronto to see family for the holidays. The trip was going fine on the Thruway. They were then directed off the Thruway near Rochester and were on Route 31A in Barre and Albion about 6 p.m. on Saturday when the visibility and road conditions noticeably became very difficult.

They went off road and were soon assisted by a deputy from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

They spent the night on three cots at the Albion school.

“The people here are very helpful,” Purugganan said.

The family is still determined to get to Toronto. They checked their car today, retrieving medications and are hopeful they can get back on the road soon.

They are thankful for the pizza at the shelter last night, and the coffee and other supplies at the temporary shelter.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Five large banners will soon be on the landscape in Albion, proclaiming “Shop Local – Albion is Open!”

Michael Bonafede and Karen Sawicz presented the banners during the Albion Village Board meeting on Tuesday evening. Two of the banners are currently up – one on Cobblestone Museum property in Gaines at the corner of routes 98 and 104, and the other on Rick Stacey’s RS Automation property on Route 98, at the Countyhouse Road intersection south of the village.

The three other banners are planned at village parks: Carosol on Ingersoll and Caroline, Vets Park on Linwood and Brown, and Bullard Park on Route 31.

In addition, 20 smaller yard signs with the same message have been placed in the community.

Sawicz, owner of Lake Country Media, wants drivers to continue to go into the downtown and support local businesses. Bonafede owns the Pratt and Day building, and another historic building in the downtown that together are the home for several businesses.

Sawicz said more signage is also needed to help people, especially those unfamiliar with the community, follow detours with the Main Street lift bridge expected to be closed for about 18 months.

Provided photo

ALBION – The Five Star Bank branch in Albion recently presented a $300 donation to Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries in Albion. The church meets at the Arnold Gregory Office Building and offers many ministries to the community, including serving 2,000 chicken barbecue dinners for free on Dec. 10.

Pictured from left include Lisa DeCarlo, member of Royal Body; Al Wilson, pastor of Royal Body; Debbie Yockel, assistant branch manager; Pam Kennedy (in back), a Five Star employee; Ykeeta Wilson, wife of the pastor and a leader at Royal Body; Danielle LaDue, Five Star employee; and Somnuck Sangasy, branch manager.