By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 November 2022 at 3:28 pm
ALBION – Gotta Dance by Miss Amy is welcoming the community to get up and dance to show their appreciation for COVA and raise some money for the organization, which has providing critical services to Albion and the surrounding area since 1979.
There will be a dance-a-thon from 5 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 22 at Gotta Dance at 28 West Bank St. Dancers don’t need to pre-register. They can simply show up and dance, and give a donation of at least $20. Others are welcome to attend and watch the dance-a-thon and leave a donation for COVA. Cider and donuts will be available.
COVA has been struggling financially and could cease operations soon, with a different ambulance organization expected to take over in central Orleans County.
Amy Sidari, owner of Gotta Dance, said COVA has served the community for 43 years, providing emergency help, including for her late mother.
“I pray your family hasn’t needed their help, but for those of you who have, I am sure you share in my gratitude,” Sidari said. “Last year we lost my mom and it was the most difficult two years of our lives. I do not know how we would have made it and kept her safe during times of emergency. Thank you to all the staff who have dedicated their days and hours to serving Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance.”
If there are changes to COVA and the organization closes, Sidari said the funds raised at the dance-a-thon will still go to COVA for the organization to use as needed, possibly to set up scholarships, cover past expenses or emergency needs.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 November 2022 at 1:01 pm
Design by APD Engineering & Architecture in Victor – Hospitality Syracuse is proposing a 2,600-square-foot Taco Bell at 118 West Ave., next to McDonalds.
ALBION – The Village Planning Board will meet at 5 p.m. Thursday to review the site plan for a new Taco Bell in Albion, with the Zoning Board of Appeals to meet at 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 to consider whether the restaurant can have four signs, which is more than the maximum of two allowed in the village code.
The business also wants the main sign on a pole with that sign exceeding the square footage that is allowed in the village code.
Both meetings are at the village office on East Bank Street. The ZBA meeting on Nov. 15 includes a public hearing at 4 p.m.
Hospitality Syracuse is the developer for the new Taco Bell, which is proposed for 118 West Ave. at a vacant paved lot next to McDonalds.
Hospitality Syracuse would remove a 36-foot high steel water tank from the back corner of the lot, and make about 40 percent of the 1.33-acre lot green space with grass. That would be an improvement with drainage at the site over the current space that is nearly all asphalt, members of the Orleans County Planning Board said during an Oct. 27 meeting.
The county board recommended the Village Planning Board approve the site plan, and the ZBA approve the variances.
The County Planning Board encouraged the village and developer to press the state Department of Transportation for a wider driveway or a second driveway to make it easier for tractor-trailers to turn right when exiting the property.
Hospitality Syracuse is proposing four signs with three on the building and one on a freestanding pole. The freestanding sign would be 79.5 square feet, which is above the 48 square foot maximum.
Hospitality Syracuse also is seeking a pole height of 25 feet, which is 5 feet higher than the limit.
The company wants its pole for the sign to be set back 10 feet from the road to align with the sign at McDonalds. However, the village code calls for signs to be set back at least 15 feet.
The total cumulative area of the signs is at 147.6 square feet, which is 44 feet over the Albion zoning.
The developer is seeking the additional building signage due to the unique “tower” aspect of the building design, the company said in its application. A sign on each side of the tower provides architectural symmetry, and a sign over the door identifies the main entrance, Hospitality stated in the application.
The configuration of the drive-through does not allow for a pylon setback greater than what has been proposed, the developer stated in the application.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 November 2022 at 5:37 pm
File photo: The late Wayne Burlison competes in a long distance race. He completed a marathon and also several half marathons.
ALBION – The organizers of the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K announced that next year’s event will also include an option for a half marathon on March 25.
Bert Galloman of Wolfpack Multisport sent an email previous participants on Sunday, informing them that there will be a 13.1-mile option on March 25. Galloman said he wanted to include the half marathon, a distance conquered several times by Burlison, a former Albion elementary school band teacher who passed away at age 36 from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.
Burlison promoted fitness in the community through a Run for God program that took people from the couch to a 5K in less than three months. He lost more than 150 pounds through exercise and better nutrition.
“This was one of Wayne’s favorite race distances and we have been trying to find a way to make this happen and 2023 was finally the right time!” Galloman said in his email. “There will be a limited number of spots for the half marathon for the first year, so don’t miss out on this inaugural event.”
The course map will be released in early December, Galloman said. The 5k course starts on Clarendon Road near the elementary school and goes east on Route 31 to Mount Albion Cemetery. After running in the cemetery, participants come back out on 31 and head back to the elementary school parking lot.
About 75 to 125 runners (and some walkers) typically participate in the Burlison 5K.
Some of the proceeds from the event on March 25 will support a scholarship in Burlison’s name. Some of the money raised from previous races supported a new walking trail at Bullard Park.
“Come join us and break up the cabin fever we all get during the long winter months and let’s have some fun!” Galloman said in a message to runners.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 November 2022 at 3:56 pm
ALBION – The Village of Albion will have a 6 p.m. meeting on Thursday at the village office on East Bank Street to discuss possible projects in the Restore NY program, which could bring up to $10 million to revitalize distressed commercial and residential sites.
The program funds reconstruction, structural repairs, repair and replacement of mechanical systems, energy efficiency upgrades, and demolition.
Projects could include new construction, renovation of existing buildings, facade improvements, and renovation for new retail, office, commercial, industrial, recreational or cultural uses.
The village is working with G & G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing in Spencerport to submit an application. For more information, contact a G & G representative at (585) 368-8866 or Contact@GGProcess.com.
The village already meets the qualifications as an economically distressed community due to poverty levels and economic hardship, said Jay Grasso, owner of G&G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing.
That means the village won’t need to do income surveys for a part of the village to qualify. The entire village meets that criteria, which means projects can be picked throughout the village and not just the downtown business district, like other state programs are focused on.
He sees Albion as a strong contender to receive funding through Restore New York.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2022 at 12:24 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – There are more than 200 raffle items, plus 28 bigger-end items up for raffle today in a benefit for Maddox Pearl and his family.
Maddox, 5, has an incurable brain tumor. He is receiving radiation and has his treatment on Tuesday. His mother Katelyn Pearl said her son is responding well to the treatment and remains very positive.
She and her husband Ryan Pearl are very grateful for the community response to help Maddox.
“The support of the community, our friends and family have shown us we’ll never be able to repay,” Mrs. Pearl said today at the start of the benefit at Dubby’s Tailgate. “This gives us strength and hope. We are looking at every possible way to keep him happy and healthy.”
Maddox Pearl plays pinball at Dubby’s with some assistance from his grandmother Kim Achzet and aunt Riley Fitzwater.
Dubby’s on Platt Street will be hosting family fun time from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with games for children and a raffle of baskets for children. Another basket raffle and big ticket raffle will go from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a cornhole tournament from 5 to 9 p.m.
Maddox’s family and volunteers at the benefit are wearing “Full Steam Ahead” shirts with a train because Maddox loves trains, especially Thomas the Train Engine. His family is planning to take him on the Polar Express train ride in Medina this Christmas season.
Dick DeCarlo, left, and Cameron Heller get ready to flip chickens in an outdoor space by Dubby’s. The 750 chicken barbecue dinners are already sold out.
The chicken barbecue cooking team poses for a photo. Dan Monacelli organized the crew. Tom O’Hearn, Dick DeCarlo and Dusty DeCarlo also were key volunteers in the dinner.
Maureen Bennett, left, organized the basket raffle. She is shown with Annette Pearl, Maddox’s grandmother and a retired special education teacher at Albion. Bennett worked with Pearl for many years. Bennett said the benefit quickly outgrew space at the First Presbyterian Church and was moved to Dubby’s. She praised the community for donating so many raffle baskets, including the high-end items.
“This is pure love at its greatest visibility,” Annette Pearl said, looking at all the donated items and the people arriving for the benefit.
She said the Albion community is showing why it’s a great place to live in its support for Maddox and also with a benefit next Sunday for Byron Neal, 8. Byron also is facing cancer. That benefit will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Maison Albion.
“This community is supporting two children in this small town,” Pearl said. “There is something to be said about living in this small community.”
There are more than 200 items up for raffle at Dubby’s.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2022 at 9:16 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Mallory Kozody stars as Snoopy in the Albion High School Drama Department’s production of The World According to Snoopy!!!
Opening night was Friday with shows today at noon and 7 p.m. in the middle school auditorium. Tickets are $5 each.
Nick Andrews, left, is Linus and Zackary Baron is Charlie Brown.
The musical is based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. This is an updated musical featuring the characters from Peanuts.
Natalie Baron portrays Woodstock in the musical. In this scene she is acting out a scene being written by Snoopy for a book submission. Snoopy received several rejection letters from publishers for the material. Woodstock is quite animated in the show as Snoopy’s best friend.
Nick Andrews as Linus keeps his blanket close at all times. Here the characters are in school struggling with an essay about Edgar Allan Poe. Mallory Kozody provides the voice of the teacher, Ms. Othmar. Alexis Hand in green is Peppermint Patty and Ella Trupo is Sally at right.
There are 17 students in the cast, including from left Khalil Thompkins as Floyd, McKenzie Olmstead as Frieda and Charlie Allen as Eudora. There are 38 students total involved in the production.
Charlie Brown (Zack Baron) seeks help from Lucy (Mallory Ashbery). Charlie Brown struggles with feelings of being a misfit. Lucy doesn’t offer much to make him feel better. Mike Thaine, the high school band teacher in back right, played Charlie Brown in an Albion show in 1985.
In this scene Snoopy (Mallory Kozody) sings about being “The Big Bow Wow” and becoming the “head beagle.”
Photos by Tom Rivers: Kids in the Purple Eagles Wrestling Academy practice stances, takedowns and other wrestling moves on Wednesday evening at the Purple Eagles Wrestling Academy. There are 71 wrestlers in the program from age 4 to seventh- and eighth grade.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 November 2022 at 9:16 am
ALBION – The former Apollo restaurant on Route 31 has a new purpose: the training site for a growing number of young wrestlers.
The Purple Eagles Wrestling Academy received its certificate of occupancy on Monday to run wrestling programs at the former Apollo at 13939 NY 31. The academy will have open houses today and Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m.
The academy already has 71 wrestlers in the program, including 15 girls. It is open to wrestlers from age 4 right through high school. Right now the oldest kids in the program are seventh- and eighth-graders.
Girls wrestling is also an emerging sport with several colleges running programs for female wrestlers. Sanders expects it will be offered in the not-so-distance future at Albion. The wrestling academy will help to get girls ready so Albion can field a competitive team.
Some of the wrestlers in the academy gather for a photo on Wednesday evening. The coaches pictured include Jared Moreland, front left; Mike Sanders, back left; Kyle Piccirilli, front right; and Jeff Lutes, back right. B.J. Aina and Brian Schomske also volunteer as coaches with the program. The wrestling mat used to be owned by the Albion school district for its wrestling program. It was purchased by the Wrestling Academy when the school got a new mat.
Mike Sanders pushed to start the wrestling academy four years ago. The first season there were 44 wrestlers and they used Cafeteria B in the high school. Twice a week, Sanders and the volunteers moved 90 chairs and 15 tables to set up for practices. The season was abruptly cut short because of Covid-19 restrictions in mid-March 2020.
The second year, the program was based out of Sanders’ garage. He had 35 wrestlers in the academy, coming to his garage from Monday through Friday for training.
Last year, in the third season, the program shifted to the Pratt Theater on Main Street with 60 wrestlers.
Sanders said the program is grateful for its new home. It has two large open rooms with mats, lockers for the wrestlers and a big opportunity to grow. The building is owned by Rick Stacey. It was last operated as the Apollo about two decades ago.
The former Apollo on Route 31 is owned by Rick Stacey. He has renovated the site and given it a much different look.
The location gives the program a place year-round. Sanders said there will be wrestling camps and clinics as well as practices.
“We can make our own schedule,” he said. “At the school we were limited to two days.”
The academy will be available for training Monday through Thursday, with live wrestling on Friday.
It costs $50 a month to be in the academy or $200 for the five-month season from November through March. The facility will be available year-round.
The Purple Eagles Wrestling Academy is a non-profit organization. Sanders is president/treasurer and Moreland is vice president/financial advisor. Brian Schomske is secretary/financial advisor. Ashley Sanders is the team coordinator, with Jennifer Moreland the parent liaison, Cassie Schomske the fundraising manager and Justin Mengs, Rocky Sidari and Zach Gillette as at-large members.
Mike Sanders gives instructions to the young wrestlers. Sanders is a former Section VI champ for Albion in 2004 at 130 pounds. He is the varsity coach at Albion this year.
Sanders, 36, won the Section 6 wrestling title in 2004 in the 130-pound weight class. He returned to the area as an English teacher four years ago. He and his wife Ashley have four children.
Sanders went to Gannon and was an All-American wrestler in the 133-pound class. After graduation he taught and coached for five years in Florida and then five years in Virginia before coming home to Albion in 2018. He works in the Albion Middle School.
Sanders said the skills he learned in wrestling, especially the mental approach, have been critical in his life. He wants to share that knowledge with a new generation.
“I want to give back to them,” Sanders said. “It’s mental skills and controlling your emotions. It’s showing up every day and facing challenges.”
Sanders is serving as the Albion varsity wrestling coach for the first time this season, after four years as the assistant coach. He knows the youth wrestling program is a key to building a strong high school program.
When he was a kid, he wrestled in youth programs in Kendall and Holley. The Purple Eagles Wrestling Academy is open to young wrestlers outside of Albion, too. Sanders wants to grow the sport locally, and repay the welcome he received from Kendall and Holley.
These wrestlers get in a cool-down run around one of the big mats. There are two large rooms for training.
The wrestling academy will compete in tournaments in 14 different weight classes through the Niagara Frontier Youth Wrestling League. That competitive team will be called the Purple Eagle Wrestling Academy Team Gold Force. That name is a tribute to the Gold Force Wrestling Club that was led by Hall of Fame coach John Grillo in Holley.
Sanders is assisted in running the program by coaches Jared Moreland, Kyle Piccirilli, Jeff Lutes, B.J. Aina and Brian Schomske.
Moreland is also a sectional champ from when he was at wrestling powerhouse Spencerport. He wrestled at 119 pounds. He is now a sergeant at the Orleans Correctional Facility. Like Sanders, he wants to give back to the sport of wrestling.
“Wrestling is a sport unlike any other in high school,” Moreland said. “It takes a lot of sacrifice and discipline.”
Moreland said the wrestling academy will help other Albion sports programs. He expects to see the wrestlers playing on the football, basketball, baseball, track and other sports teams.
“It will help them to be a gritty tough kid who can handle a challenge,” Moreland said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 November 2022 at 8:40 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The village of Albion continues to upgrade the water plant on Wilson Road in Carlton with the next project a new fluoride building.
ALBION – The village’s water plant will soon have a new building to store fluoride.
The Village Board last week approved a $388,000 bid from Keeler Construction in Barre to do the work. The project will be funded with $312,000 grant from the state Department of Health, with the other $76,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act.
The project is expected to take about two months. Keeler was the lowest of two bidders. The other contractor submitted a bid for about $550,000.
The project consists of the construction of the Fluoridation Building at 14-by-14 feet, construction of building-related structural, architectural, mechanical (HVAC and plumbing) and electrical components and systems.
New fluoridation system components will need to be relocated, plus installation of new piping, valves and appurtenances, as well as site work at the water treatment plant.
The village was keeping the fluoridation chemicals in the water plant. Adam Rush, the chief water plant operator, said it was a subpar setup. The village hasn’t added fluoride to the water since the summer of 2021 but will start doing that again when the new concrete building is ready.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 November 2022 at 9:21 pm
HPC has struggled recently to have a quorum
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Downtown Albion historic marker was recently moved from Waterman Park to near the municipal lot on Main Street next to the Presbyterian Church. This photo was taken Friday evening during Beggar’s Night.
ALBION – The leader of the Albion Historic Preservation Commission is asking the Village Board to reduce the HPC from seven to five members.
Mary Anne Braunbach, the commission chairwoman, said the HPC has struggled at some recent meetings to have a quorum. She doesn’t want to hold up projects in the historic district because the board doesn’t have enough participants for an official meeting.
With seven members, the commission needs at least four for a quorum. If the commission was reduced to five, only three would be needed to have a meeting. Braunbach said some members have been no-shows for several months.
Braunbach said the commission tries to be a resource to building owners looking to upgrade their facades or do other projects. The commission doesn’t want to be an obstacle, she said, but will push for property owners to meet the standard for the historic district.
“We want to let people know we’re working with them,” she told the Village Board last week. “We want to help people make the buildings look better and look historic.”
The village is working on a Main Street grant with several building owners doing projects on their sites. Albion also is looking at additional state funds that could result in significant work in the downtown.
Braunbach told the Village Board the commission wants to be involved in helping property owners plan projects and see them through completion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 November 2022 at 3:30 pm
Funding would ‘transform abandoned and neglected properties into modern, 21st century buildings’
Photo by Tom Rivers: Downtown Albion is shown this morning. Some of the buildings on Main Street are vacant and in disrepair.
ALBION – The Village of Albion is discussing applying for a Restore New York grant that could bring up to $10 million to revitalize commercial and residential properties.
The village last Tuesday held a public meeting with property owners to try to gauge interest in the program. Jay Grasso, owner of G&G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing, gave an overview of the program. He sees Albion as a strong contender to receive funding through Restore New York.
The village already meets the qualifications as an economically distressed community due to poverty levels and economic hardship. That means the village won’t need to do income surveys for a part of the village to qualify. The entire village meets that criteria, which means projects can be picked throughout the village and not just the downtown business district, like other state programs are focused on.
“Albion is in a unique situation with the distressed status,” Grasso told village officials.
That status makes Albion eligible for large state grants that could help jump-start the community’s transformation.
“This is real money,” he said. “I could see several million if we apply.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced today that a new round of $250 million in Restore NY funding is available. Municipalities need to submit an intent to apply form outlying possible projects by Nov. 30. A more thorough application would then be due by Jan. 27, 2023.
“Revitalizing our communities starts with investing in the historic buildings that have long formed the backbone and character of our neighborhoods,” Hochul said in a news release today. “Restore New York funding gives localities the resources to transform abandoned and neglected properties into modern, 21st century buildings. By helping to rebuild and strengthen communities across the state, we will stimulate local economies and continue to build back New York better and stronger.”
Restore NY funding can be used for vacant, abandoned, condemned or surplus buildings. These properties can be demolished, deconstructed, rehabilitated or reconstructed. The grant allows up to $70,000 per residential unit.
Emphasis will be placed on projects in economically distressed communities, projects that leverage other state or federal redevelopment funds and the project’s feasibility and readiness, Hochul’s office said today.
There is up to $10 million for a “special project” that could include several properties.
The program is administered by Empire State Development and is designed to help local governments revitalize their communities and encourage commercial investment, improve the local housing stock, put properties back on the tax rolls, and increase the local tax base.
Grasso, during a presentation to the Village Board last week, said he submitted an application to the state for two electric charging stations in the village’s municipal lot on East Bank Street across from the village office.
Grasso and village officials also are looking at grant options for cyber security at the sewer plant, fire department equipment and recruitment, and records management. Grasso also is urging village officials and buildings owners in the downtown to consider projects in the future for the NY Forward program for downtown revitalization.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Albion Main Street bridge, shown this morning, will close to traffic in two weeks. It is expected to be closed for about 18 months for a major rehab of the bridge from 1914.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 November 2022 at 12:14 pm
Press Release, NYS Department of Transportation
ALBION – New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez today announced that work is slated to begin Monday, November 14 on a project to rehabilitate the State Route 98 lift bridge over the Erie Canal in the Village of Albion, Orleans County.
The project will modernize and extend the lifespan of this important structure, which was built in 1914, and enhance safety and resiliency along a vital travel route to the Village of Albion’s bustling business corridor and the vibrant tourism scene along the Erie Canal. State Route 98, which is also known as North Main Street in the village, also serves as an important conduit for the region’s agricultural products.
“The Erie Canal embodies the perseverance, innovation and ingenuity of New Yorkers and it’s important that our iconic canal bridges continue to reflect our history and serve our communities,” said Commissioner Dominguez. “That is why Governor Hochul and New York State DOT are making this critical investment into the State Route 98 bridge – an investment that will help ensure the long-term vitality of the region’s economy and the entire Albion community without compromising the bridge’s beloved character.”
Work on the bridge is part of a larger $28.3 million project that will also rehabilitate the State Route 19 Bridge over the Erie Canal in the Village of Brockport, which is slated for closure in April 2023. It also builds on NYSDOT’s prior success in modernizing and preserving the iconic structures along the canal, which includes a recently completed, $16.9 million project that rehabilitated similar bridges in the villages of Fairport and Spencerport.
The State Route 98 steel truss bridge serves as an important component to the historic Erie Canal, which is a registered National Historic Landmark. As part of the Canal, the bridge benefits from historical protections that ensure the bridge continues to look as it did early in the 20th century with its trusses and lift towers preserved. This project, will extend the bridge’s service life and better support motorists for a 21st century economy by:
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 towers.
Installing new bridge rails.
Repainting the bridge, maintaining its current shade of green.
During construction, the bridge will be dismantled with individual trusses lifted and placed in the lot adjacent to the Canal, where the rehabilitation work will occur. When work is complete, it will be moved back into place over the Canal.
Due to the nature of this work, the roadway will be closed to motorists and pedestrians for roughly 18 months. A signed detour will be in place utilizing State Routes 31, 387 (Fancher Road), and 104 (Ridge Road). The Erie Canal Trailway will remain open for the duration of the project.
New York State Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt said: “The Erie Canal and the bridges our residents use to traverse it are not only important parts of our regional history but are necessary components of residents’ daily commutes. The rehabilitation of the State Route 98 lift bridge and State Route 19 Bridge will ensure that the culturally significant components of our communities will continue to operate safely while remaining a viable method of transport for future generations. I welcome this $28.3 million investment by the NYS Department of Transportation and look forward to the project’s timely completion.”
Assemblyman Steve Hawley said: “The State Department of Transportation has been working hard to create safer and more efficient transit for individuals, emergency vehicles, school buses, businesses, and agriculture vehicles. We will be working closely with NYSDOT to assure this major project is completed as smoothly as possible.”
Village of Albion Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said: “Businesses and residents are eagerly waiting for the start and completion of the project. They are looking forward to a updated bridge that serves the community in the safest capacity. During this time the Village will work with local organizations to highlight the historic nature of the bridge through education, as well as planning activities in the space south of the bridge.”
New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said: “The Canal Corporation is proud to collaborate with the Department of Transportation on this project as it rehabilitates a critical crossing over the Erie Canal within the Village of Albion and reinforces Governor Hochul’s commitment to investing in infrastructure, so it remains safe and reliable for generations to come. Lift bridges are iconic structures over the canal in Monroe, Orleans, and Niagara counties that connect canalside communities over the historic waterway and this work will improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and boaters.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 October 2022 at 10:40 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Amanda Krenning-Muoio and others from the First Presbyterian Church of Albion hand out candy for Beggar’s Night this evening in Albion. Sue Thaine, the church’s pastor at lower right, dressed up for the occasion.
Several hundred kids wore costumes and collected candy. Downtown was closed off to traffic for the event.
Albion teacher Samantha Flansburg hands candy to Drake Neri, 4, who wore a green skeleton costume. Other teachers in the Albion Teachers Association spot included Meghan Kania, Jen Simpson and Bob Epperson.
A group of women dressed as witches and did a dance down Main Street.
Connie Boyd of Batavia joined in the witches’ dance.
The group of ladies pose for a photo at Marti’s on Main before their dance.
A group from Body by Summer in Brockport performed Michael Jackson’s Thriller in front of the Downtown Browsery. Some Browsery vendors joined in the dance of people dressed as zombies. Summer Torrance led the group in the dance.
A long line of kids stopped by Arnold’s Auto Parts for trunk or treat from the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries. The church gave out more than 1,000 pounds of candy. The Albion Free Methodist Church also did a trunk or treat with lots of candy given away.
Amy Sidari gives away candy at Gotta Dance by Miss Amy. Ray Keffer and Stephanie Yankevich brought their twins, Ryan and Evelyn, to the event. Sidari said she was impressed by the variety of costumes on the kids throughout the evening.
The Albion PTA did a trunk or treat at the village’s municipal lot on Bank Street. Angie Wolfe, an Albion teacher, was one of the stops with candy stashed in her trunk. Her son Caleb helped to give out the candy.
Liz Groat of the Downtown Browsery holds one of the gloves that was filled with candy. The Browsery filled 350 gloves with treats for the kids. Groat was happy to see so many kids and their parents come inside and walk through the Browsery, where there are more than 40 vendors.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2022 at 10:02 pm
Planning Board members voice concern about difficulty of right turn from entrance for tractor-trailers
Design by APD Engineering & Architecture in Victor – Hospitality Syracuse is proposing a 2,600-square-foot Taco Bell at 118 West Ave., next to McDonalds. The Taco Bell site would have 39 parking spaces and room in the drive-through lane for 12 vehicles.
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board is recommending the Village of Albion approve the site plan for a new Taco Bell on Route 31, and also give variances for the signs.
Hospitality Syracuse is the developer for the Taco Bell, which is proposed for 118 West Ave. at a vacant paved lot next to McDonalds.
Hospitality Syracuse would remove a 36-foot high steel water tank from the back corner of the lot, and make about 40 percent of the 1.33-acre lot green space with grass. That would be an improvement with drainage at the site over the current space that is nearly all asphalt, planners noted.
The project now goes to the Village Planning Board for a vote on the site plan, and the Zoning Board of Appeals for consideration of the variance. The ZBA has a public hearing at 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 to hear from the public on the sign variances.
The developer is proposing four signs with three on the building and one on a freestanding pole. The village code calls for a maximum of two signs.
The developer is proposing the new Taco Bell go on this vacant lot next to McDonalds.
The freestanding sign would be 79.5 square feet, which is above the 48 square foot maximum.
Hospitality Syracuse also is seeking a pole height of 25 feet, which is 5 feet higher than the limit.
The company wants its pole for the sign to be set back 10 feet from the road to align with the sign at McDonalds. However, the village code calls for signs to be set back at least 15 feet.
The site plan shows vehicles will need to make a sharp turn left at the end of the drive-through. Planning Board members think it will be difficult for tractor-trailers to have to make that left turn and then turn right onto Route 31.
The total cumulative area of the signs is at 147.6 square feet, which is 44 feet over the Albion zoning.
The developer is seeking the additional building signage due to the unique “tower” aspect of the building design. A sign on each side of the tower provides architectural symmetry, and a sign over the door identifies the main entrance, Hospitality stated in the application.
The configuration of the drive-through does not allow for a pylon setback greater than what has been proposed.
County planning officials said the sign variances would not alter the neighborhood if granted because the Taco Bell would be in the general business district and adjacent to McDonalds.
“Signage and brand recognition are critical to quick-service restaurants,” county planning officials wrote in reviewing the proposal. “The consumer needs to quickly identify the business from a distance and safely navigate to the site. Larger directional signs aid in on-site circulation through the site.”
Planning Board members would like to see a sagging chain-link fence either repaired or removed. The fence at the back end is in good shape. That is along the property line backing up to the Orleans County Highway Department or the Department of Public Works off West Academy Street.
Planning Board members spent the most time at this evening’s meeting expressing concern over tractor-trailers being able to turn right from the property after making deliveries.
The big trucks will need to go through a lane next to the drive-through and then turn left, and then make a hard right, and then another right to get onto Route 31.
“There is no way you can make a right turn safely,” board member Tim Elliott said.
Jim Bensley, county planning director, doesn’t want to see the trucks out of their lanes on Route 31, disrupting traffic. That happens in several locations around the county when trucks are making deliveries.
Stephanie Albright, engineer for the project, said the developer sought two entrances from the state Department of Transportation for the site. There are already three entrances to the property, but the DOT wants it reduced to one entrance. The DOT told the engineer and developer the design allows for tractor-trailers to make right turns without a problem.
The County Planning Board recommended Albion village officials press for a wider entrance to make it easier for the big trucks to turn right.
Albright, the engineer, said Hospitality Syracuse is eyeing a spring construction start for the project.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2022 at 10:55 am
Vinny Navarra says land available for housing development behind Tops
ALBION – Vinny Navarra sees vacant land behind the Tops store on Route 31 as an opportunity for a housing development in the village. Navarra owns some of the acreage and the village also owns 7 landlocked acres.
Navarra said if King Street was extended south, from Route 31 to Allen Road, the vacant land could be developed for about 20 houses. He presented the idea during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting.
The village would need to pay for putting in a road. Navarra said the tax revenue from the new houses should allow the village to recoup its costs in perhaps five years.
He acknowledged the village tried to get him to back the proposal more than a decade ago, but he declined because he had another project in the works. That venture didn’t go forward, Navarra said.
“The village asked before but I wasn’t ready,” he said. “What I wanted to do then didn’t go through.”
He has been approached by companies to put solar panels on his land, but he thinks a housing development would be the best choice for the community. He would like to see smaller ranch-style houses.
Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said the board would consider the idea, and try to get estimates on extending the street and see whether zoning would need to be changed.
Navarra also raised the issue of low water pressure on Allen Road, where he lives. It has been discussed for several years by village officials.
The pressure is above the minimum of 20 psi, but is only 35 psi, said Adam Rush, chief operator for the village’s water system.
Boosting the pressure on the entire line would be expensive, with a higher water tank or large booster pump needed. Or Rush said individual houses could have pumps that cost about $250 to improve the pressure.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2022 at 9:54 am
7 towns close to reaching agreement with Monroe Ambulance
Photos by Tom Rivers: Mercy Flight and COVA officials tell the Albion Village Board the two organizations have reached an agreement for Mercy Flight to take over COVA, which could be as early as next week. Pictured form left include Aaron MacKenzie of COVA; Scott Wooton, vice president of Mercy Flight EMS; Laurie Schwab, chief operations officer for COVA; and Margaret Ferrentino, president of Mercy Flight EMS.
ALBION – COVA has reached an agreement with Mercy Flight EMS to take over as the main ambulance provider in central Orleans County, a deal where Mercy Flight will retain COVA’s 44 employees, work out of the COVA base on South Main Street in Albion and keep two ambulances in service.
However, the four towns in central Orleans – Albion, Barre, Carlton and Gaines – are close to signing a deal with Monroe Ambulance. Monroe currently is the main ambulance provider on the eastern end of the county in the towns of Clarendon, Murray and Kendall. The four central towns are negotiating with Monroe as part of a seven-town agreement.
That deal hasn’t been signed yet, but is expected in the next two weeks.
Mercy Flight officials met with COVA employees on Wednesday evening and stated their commitment to keep the workers. That was a big selling point for Aaron MacKenzie, a COVA paramedic.
COVA ambulance will be closing soon after 43 years, and COVA officials would like to see Mercy Flight EMS take over the central Orleans area, working out of the COVA base on South Main Street in Albion.
“With Mercy Flight we can keep those employees who are passionate in serving this community,” MacKenzie said.
The Mercy Flight deal was announced during Wednesday’s evening Albion Village Board meeting. The COVA board voted Wednesday to reach a memorandum of understanding with Mercy Flight to assume the COVA service area. Mercy Flight said it could start next week.
The MOU would allow Mercy Flight to use COVA’s certificate of need on a temporary basis while working to get the CON from the state Department of Health. That CON is needed to be a primary ambulance provider in the area. Mercy Flight, which has a base in Batavia, has been doing mutual aid calls in central Orleans for several years.
But the town supervisors in the four central towns could sign a contract with Monroe Ambulance to be the main ambulance provider. Sean Pogue, the Barre town supervisor, said this morning he would be open to sitting down with Mercy Flight to hear their plan for serving the area.
He said Monroe has committed to two ambulances in the seven-town block of eastern and central Orleans, and could bring in other resources during a high-volume time by drawing from staff and ambulances in Monroe County.
Monroe officials told Pogue and the town leaders it would need 90 days to ramp up the service and set up a base in Orleans County. However, Monroe could increase its service in Orleans, including the central towns, sooner.
Pogue said the town leaders had been viewing Monroe as the lone option to take over if COVA ended its service. He would be willing to talk with Mercy Flight officials “ASAP” to consider their proposal for providing service.
“The bottom line is we are going to need an ambulance service,” Pogue said today. “I’m going to need it someday and I want it 10 minutes away not 45 minutes.”
Pogue also wants to see the ambulance provider keep as many COVA staff as possible.
Mercy Flight EMS responds to a call in Albion on Oct. 11. The organization has been providing mutual aid for several years.
The Albion Village Board doesn’t have a role in picking the ambulance provider. The board set a hearing for Wednesday about giving COVA $16,000 a month on a short-term basis to help the ambulance provider stay afloat. Albion won’t have to contribute anything with COVA’s impending closing.
COVA President Jennifer Stilwell and Laurie Schwab, the chief operations officer, said COVA has reached its limit and can’t continue. They said they support Mercy Flight, which is a non-profit organization.
“The best fit is to continue with a non-profit,” Schwab told the board.
Stilwell said she favors Mercy Flight for its plan to keep two ambulances in central Orleans, keep the COVA staff, work out of the Albion base and not be hard-nosed with residents on ambulance bills.
“We tried our best,” Stilwell said. “We think this is an answer to prayer. We want to make it seamless. We haven’t closed our doors yet.”
Margaret Ferrentino, president of Mercy Flight EMS, said she has been in the EMS field for 45 years. She commended COVA for its 43 years of service. She said Mercy Flight is ready to start service in central Orleans as the first call for help.
“We want to be considered as a solution for you,” Ferrentino said at the village meeting.
She said there would be no immediate change in the service if Mercy Flight takes over. The organization would review how the COVA assets could be transferred to Mercy Flight. COVA would still be able to collect any of its bills before Mercy Flight takes over, and those older bills as they are paid would help COVA hopefully wipe out its debt.
If Mercy Flight takes over, it would start doing its own billing on the first day.
Scott Wooton, Mercy Flight vice president, believes Mercy Flight can be successful in central Orleans. Mercy Flight would keep two ambulances – an ALS and BLS – in central Orleans. Mercy also has relationships with all the major insurance carriers in Western New York to be paid for its services.
COVA has struggled financially with bill collecting, and also a high percentage of calls with patients on Medicaid or Medicare, where the reimbursement rates are very low, COVA officials said.
Mercy Flight is a $20 million organization with a staff of about 200 employees, including those in the helicopter service and ground-ambulance division. Mercy Flight does about 10,000 ambulance transports a year. COVA does about 2,000 annually.
Anna Tower, the COVA treasurer, thanked the local community for its support during a difficult past few months. She said about 1,200 to 1,500 people signed petitions to keep a community-based, non-profit ambulance in central Orleans.
