Photos by Ginny Kropf: Teri Lester, left, and Kathy Alexander move a wardrobe into a display on the floor of the Main Street Store. The store has a large variety of furniture at very reasonable prices.

ALBION – The Main Street Thrift Store, like many others, is struggling because of Covid, said Renee Hungerford, director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.

The store offers employment services, on-the-job training and post-employment support to local residents. Proceeds from the store make these services possible.

Hungerford and Katrina Chaffee, director of community services for Community Action, met last week with employees and volunteers at the store to promote community support and remind the public of the great service this store provides.

The store, which opened in 2014, is managed by Michelle George. Other employees are Teri Lester, Kathy Alexander and Cassie Eagle, who is classroom instructor and in training for store manager. John Heschke is a volunteer who performs a variety of duties.

The store has embarked on a campaign to thank the community for its support and encourage shoppers to check out the Main Street Thrift Store. For the first time, the store has posted coupons online, in addition to the daily specials on select items in the store.

“When everyone else’s prices are going up, ours are going down,” George said.

They are also running an employee contest, in which employees get a supply of tickets to hand out to family and friends. The who has the most tickets returned will win a $100 gift card to Home Depot.

This year, the store participated in Albion’s Sip and Stroll, with food samples, wine tasting and live music.

Staff and volunteers of the Main Street Store sit on several sofas which are for sale at the store, which is offering coupons to get people back into the store, after the slowdown caused by Covid. From left are John Heschke, volunteer; Teri Lester, Kathy Alexander, Michelle George and Cassie Eagle, staff; Renee Hungerford, director of Community Action; and Katrina Chaffee, director of community services and reporting.

George calls the Main Street Thrift Store the area’s “Best kept secret.”

They offer men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, shoes, handbags, jewelry, household goods, small appliances, electronics, collectibles, books and games and furniture, even a violin, among other things. A year-round holiday room is very popular, George said.

An important part of their success is donations from the community – of gently loved household items and clothing. They offer pick-up for large furniture items. Cash or credit card donations are accepted at the store on Just Giving at https://caoginc.org/. The Main Street Store should be indicated in the message of support.

Volunteers are also welcome to decorate displays and work at the cash register. There is also an opportunity for people to create e-bay listings for the store.

George also explained the important service the store provides to Albion Central School students. The store contracts with the school to provide one-on-one tutoring for credit recovery. Students come to the store one day a week for instruction by Eagle. Sessions are also attended by Eagle’s dog Aggie. Eagle said they found the dog had a calming effect on students.

The Main Street Thrift Store is open from 10:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Information is available on their Facebook page at Mainstreetthriftstore.albion.

Press Release, Albion Police Chief David Mogle

ALBION – On April 9^th at approximately 12:13 a.m., Albion police officers were dispatched to the 300 block of West State Street for the report of shots fired.

Once on scene, officers located evidence confirming that shots were fired. At this time, it is believed that no one was injured in this incident and officers did recover a semi-automatic handgun near the scene that was previously reported stolen in an unrelated incident outside Orleans County.

This incident is being actively investigated by the Albion Police Department and anyone with any information regarding this investigation is strongly urged to contact the Albion Police Department at (585) 589-5627, the Orleans County Dispatch Center at (585) 589-5527 or 911.

The Albion Police Department was assisted in this investigation by the New York State Police and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Timmy Ficarella, 4, of Warsaw holds one of the nine golden eggs in today’s Easter egg hunt on the courthouse lawn.

The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries, a church that meets at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex, had 3,000 eggs scattered on the lawn for children.

Kids with one of the nine big golden eggs could win larger prizes including a bicycle or scooter.

The Easter Bunny hugs Joshua Bennett, 4, of Albion while his mother Jamie Bennett gets a photo.

Wallace McHenry, 6, of Holley is happy after finding an egg with a treat inside.

Student volunteers helped distribute 150 Easter baskets after the egg hunt.

Pastor Albert Wilson of the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries welcomes families to the egg hunt. He was pleased to see so many kids. He thanked Arnold’s Auto Parts and the Masonic Lodge in Albion for their support of the event.

“It’s all about family,” Wilson said. “It’s bringing back activities. This is just a start of what God is allowing us to do in Albion, and more is coming.”

Matt Hollenbeck of the Masonic Lodge cooks hot dogs. The Masons gave away 500 hot dogs and 600 orders of French fries.

Before the Egg hunt, about 15 Albion businesses hosted an egg scavenger hunt with businesses handing out to treats to kids. Laura Kemler, owner of Laura Loxley’s, hands out Kit Kat candy bars to these siblings – Julie, Mollie and Andrew Westenfeld of Barre Center. More than 200 kids stopped by the businesses in the “Easter Hop.”

Allie Snitzel, 10, of Albion gets her face painted by Brenda Nanni at the Coffee Joint.

Karen Mogle of the Coffee Joint hands out plastic eggs of candy.

Carter Annecharico, 7, of Medina gets treat at Toyz n Kandy as part of the Easter Hop. He also visited the face-painting artist for some snake artwork.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Emily Mojein, left, and Leah Orsini, Covid response specialists with the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments, are at a table highlighting volunteer opportunities through the department, namely through VALOR – Volunteer Alliance Linking Our Responses.

VALOR assists the health department with health emergency repsonses, humanitarian projects and in trainings for prepared and safe communities.

The group is among nine organizations at a Volunteer Fair today from 2 to 4 p.m. at Hoag Library.

The volunteer fair is being organized by the Albion Rotary Club. There is a cake available celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club.

Alex Krebs (left), president of the Rotary Club, and Doug Farley, director of the Cobblestone Museum, promote their organizations.

Farley said the museum is seeking two summer interns which receive a stipend, as well as many volunteers to help with tours, grounds upkeep, the gift shop and used book sale, general office tasks and help with special events.

Organizations can be part of an online directory listing volunteer opportunities. For more information, email Robert Batt at rpb23@cornell.edu.

“So many Orleans County organizations are able to have the impact they do because our friends and neighbors are willing to volunteer and contribute,” said Batt, who is executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County. “We hope this event and the volunteer opportunity directory will be a good way to help connect those looking to help and organizations looking for a hand.”

Photos by Tom Rivers: A plaque inside the Hoag Library in Albion recognizes the gifts from Maurice “Mo” Hoag and his wife Courtenay.

ALBION – Last month the Hoag Library in Albion paid off its mortgage – 10 years ahead of schedule.

The fast-paced payoff is thanks to Maurice “Mo” Hoag and his wife Courtenay. They gave another $200,000 to close out the mortgage. That will result in a 10 percent cut in the library taxes.

The Hoags have been steady donors to the library. Initially they gave $25,000 towards the capitol campaign for the new library about a decade ago. But they increased that by $225,000 to $250,000 and secured the naming rights for the building.

In July 2015, they sent another $100,000 check and then another $100,000 arrived on April 14, 2017. In 2018, they sent a check for $250,000, then gave another $100,000 and the latest at $200,000. That makes for a cool one million in total.

Mr. Hoag said the donations were never about getting his name on the library. He just wanted to help his hometown and believed the library was a great way to improve access to education and opportunity for everyone.

Hoag grew up in Albion and graduated in 1961 as valedictorian. He lived in big cities throughout the country, as well as Geneva, Switzerland during a successful 30-year career in chemical manufacturing.

The Hoags live in Baltimore and come back to Albion for annual class reunions. Mr. Hoag stays in touch with many of his classmates. He saw the community struggle, with the closing of many businesses including Liptons. He viewed a vibrant and modern library as a way to help counteract those losses.

Hoag Library has become a vital part of the Albion community since opening nearly 10 years ago in July 2012.

When the new library opened, circulation went way up, programs saw bigger crowds and meeting rooms were booked. The library is a gem for the community, a symbol of success for citizens committed to a noble cause.

The Hoags made the daunting task of building a new library easier and they haven’t stopped with their support.

They have never requested a photo opportunity or press release. They send in the checks unannounced with a note from Mr. Hoag to use it to pay down the mortgage.

The Hoags also fund generous scholarships for Albion college students pursuing engineering. Those scholarships are for $12,500. They also donated towards the bronze statue of a Santa in downtown Albion that will celebrate the life of the late Charles Howard, who started a Santa School in Albion.

Mr. and Mrs. Hoag, we thank you for your support of the Albion community.

District proposes capital reserve to transfer $13 million from overfunded post-employment benefit reserve

ALBION – The Board of Education approved a $38,298,690 budget on Monday evening that will go before voters on May 17.

The budget keeps the tax levy at $8,449,039. This is the 14^th time in the past 16 years that taxes have either stayed the same or decreased.

The district was faulted in an audit last month from the state comptroller’s office for building a surplus of funds in excess of the statutory limit by $17.3 million.

The audit said Albion on a regular basis would overestimate appropriations, resulting in the district levying more real property taxes than needed and the accumulation of a sizable surplus fund balance.

The district has a multi-year plan to reduce the surplus. Those funds protect the district from any future swings in state aid, which accounts for about 75 percent of the district budget.

Board of Education member Margy Brown said she is proud of the district’s financial position and hopes the district can continue to hold taxes largely in check for another decade or more.

Brown, a member of the district’s finance committee, said Albion has taken an “extreme conservative” approach in guarding the district finances from spikes in taxes.

Kathy Harling, the board president, in a response to the comptroller’s office, said the district’s leadership has had a collective goal over the years “to minimize the impact of inconsistency of funding levels from the State Education Department while trying to maintain an effective instructional program insulated form swings in state aid revenues.”

The audit offers a chance “for continuous improvement” and Albion will be looking to implement some of the recommendations from the comptroller’s officer.

One suggestion is moving most of the funds in a post-employment benefit reserve to a capital reserve fund.

The May 17 vote includes a proposition to establish a Capital Improvements Reserve Fund for acquisition, construction, reconstruction, expansion, renovation, alteration and improvements of buildings, facilities, sites and real property in the district, or the district’s share of any projects undertaken by the Orleans-Niagara BOCES. The district wishes to set the amount at $15 million.

Albion is proposing to transfer $13,831,050 coming from the District’s Retirement Contribution Reserve Fund. That is the amount the state comptroller’s office said the account is overfunded.

“This is essentially a savings account which will be used to pay for necessary repairs of our buildings in the future,” Harling wrote in a budget message on the district website. “We are extremely proud of our school facilities and grateful for the investment our community has made in them.”

Even with the transfer, the Employee Retirement System would remain fully funded at $1,730,335, the district said.

That $13.8 million plus another $7,195,000 in a capital reserve fund would cover most, perhaps all, of the construction costs for $26.69 million capital project approved by district voters on Dec. 14. The project that includes work at all three schools, as well as the bus garage, and new synthetic playing surfaces for football, soccer and softball.

Albion could pay for the project without taking out a bond. That would save in financing costs and interest. The state would still pay Albion back over 15 years the state share, plus interest.

“We will save the taxpayers a ton of money by not paying interest over 15 years,” said Rick Recckio, the district’s business administrator.

To transfer the $13.8 million, the district needs to create the new capital reserve fund. It will be set at a maximum of $15 million.

The $38.3 million overall school budget maintains all current programs and also adds summer programs and after-school opportunities to help students make up for lost classroom time during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Maintenance/custodial expenses also were increased from $1,506,661 to $1,863,092. Major maintenance items included in the 2022-23 plan are painting, carpet replacement, energy efficiency, health and safety updates, blacktop striping and stair tread replacement.

The vote on May 17 will be from noon to 8 p.m. in elementary school conference room A.

Propositions to be voted on include:

• Proposition 1 – School budget at $38,298,690
• Proposition 2 – Bus purchase at $550,000
• Proposition 3 – Hoag Library at $648,964
• Proposition 4 – Establishment and proposed initial funding and utilization of a capital improvements reserve fund

Two board seats also will be up for election. They are currently filled by Kathy Harling and Wayne Wadhams. Both positions are five-year terms.

ALBION – The school is proposing to spend $1.8 million for an emergency classroom notification system.

This would be the first time Albion has dipped into its share of its $2,238,441 share of the state-funded Smart Schools Bond Act, a $2 billion fund approved by voters state-wide in 2014.

Those funds can be used classroom connectivity, classroom technology, community connectivity, Pre-K classroom improvements, elimination of temporary classroom or trailers as classrooms, or school security enhancements.

Albion’s Technology Committee has endorsed the proposal, Edward’s said.

Albion school officials said the district project falls under safety and security enhancements. The new emergency classroom notification would replace a PA/clock system with classroom speakers and displays. This will be a digital system with audio and display notification, said Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent.

In addition to the $1.8 million, Albion would need to spend $70,000 to upgrade the IT network to support the system with $15,000 coming from Smart Bond and $55,000 from the E-Rate federal technology fund.

There won’t be any local cost because the funding is already set aside from the state, Edwards said.

Albion residents can review the proposal online and send any comments in the next 30 days to Edwards by email at medwards@albionk12.org. There will also be a public hearing about the proposal in about a month.

If the board adopts the plan following public comments, it will go to the State Education Department for review. Edwards said the state has been spending about eight to 10 months reviewing the plans from other districts.

Albion would have about $400,000 left of its share of the Smart Schools Bond Act  that will be “evergreen funds” that could be used in the future, Edwards said.

ALBION – The school district stands to receive nearly $200,000 from a Florida-based company installing a new solar project on Gaines-Waterport Road.

DG Gaines LLC of Juno, Fla. has agreed to an Educational Contribution Agreement with the school district where ACS will receive $95,000 before the project’s commercial operation date and then another $95,000 a year later. The company will also provide the district with $500 annually for 15 years through a payment in lieu of taxes for $7,500 total in the PILOT.

That brings the total revenue to the district at $187,500.

The district opted for the Educational Contribution Agreement to avoid the PILOT impact on calculating the tax cap. With the tax cap calculation, PILOTS received in the prior year and projected in the current year are added and subtracted from the calculation, which has an impact on the district’s ability to levy taxes in the first and last year of the agreement, school officials said.

In other action during Monday’s Board of Education meeting:

• Panek Farms will continue to work 63 acres of the school district’s land in a lease at $70 per acre annually. That adds up to $4,410 for the district.

The Board of Education approved the deal on Monday evening that extends the lease for five more years.

Margy Brown, a board of education member, said the Panek family has donated to FFA in addition to maintaining the farmland.

“I’m very appreciative of Panek Farms and their support of the kids at Albion Central School,” she said.

• Accepted a $7,379.60 donation from the Xerox Corporation to support a summer camp program at the school district. The funding was secured by Elissa Nesbitt, a former Board of Education member who works at Xerox.

• Approved a new $500 memorial scholarship in memory of Francis “Fritz” Neidert, a former Albion fire chief and long-time firefighter. His family created the scholarship to be awarded to a graduate who wants to be a firefighter and has been accepted to a college program for fire science technology.

• Agreed to change the name of the High School Multicultural Club to the Diversity Club. The group said changing the name should help bring more members to the club and make more people feel included. The club’s main goal is to bring people together.

Photo by Tom Rivers: High School Principal Jenn Ashbery speaks during the commencement for the Class of 2021 on June 25, 2021. That was the first time the ceremony was held on the football field.

ALBION – The high school graduation ceremony will remain outside on the football field.

Jenn Ashbery, the high school principal, announced the plan during Monday’s Board of Education meeting.

Commencement is typically held in the high school gym but was moved to the football field last year on June 25 for the first time. In 2020, there wasn’t a live ceremony. The district compiled a video of grads receiving their diplomas individually.

Last year in the return to a live ceremony each graduate was limited to three tickets. This year there won’t be a limit on attendance and graduates can invite as many people as they want.

The ceremony at Spierdowis Field is planned for 7 p.m. on June 24. In case of rain it will be moved to June 25 at either 11 a.m. or 5 p.m., Ashbery said.

There will also be another change: the graduates won’t sit in the bleachers. Instead they will be up the front in chairs so the class president, valedictorian and salutatorian can see their faces when they give their speeches. Last year, the students were sitting behind the speakers.

Other upcoming events for the Class of 2022 include:

• May 12 – Honors Convocation, High School Gymnasium
• June 10 – Crash simulation in high school parking lot
• June 10 – Senior Prom at Hickory Ridge
• June 17 – Class Night at Middle School Auditorium
• TBD Baccalaureate

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – New Albion Mayor Angel Javier Jr. takes the oath of office this evening. June Persia is holding the Bible while Village Attorney John Gavenda administers the oath. Javier’s father Angel is in back.

Javier, 32, was elected on March 15, receiving 378 votes to 195 for Vickie Elsenheimer and 137 for Kevin Graham.

Today’s organizational meeting was the first meeting for the new Village Board. Javier is joined on the board by Tim McMurray and Joyce Riley, who were elected on March 15. They join Zack Burgess and Chris Barry. Javier appointed Barry as the deputy mayor. Burgess was elected about a year ago and Barry was appointed to the board in May 2020 and then was elected in September 2020 in a year when the election was delayed six months due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Javier and the board will be busy this month putting together the village budget that must be adopted by April 30. The board will have budget meetings April 6-8, and April 11-15 “as needed.”

The board also approved resolutions to have the village recreation director work on two or three layouts for frisbee golf at Bullard Park.

The board also voted to have DPW Superintendent Jay Pahura compile an unofficial survey of streets and sidewalks in the village, which will help prioritize repairs in the future.

The board also voted to seek out a developer for the village website and wants to begin planning use of social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

The board also wants to established a “Loved Ones” initiative at Mount Albion Cemetery with mapping of the cemetery, cleaning of grave stones and have an internal database maintained and eventually published by the village deputy clerk.

Joyce Riley takes the oath while her mother Alma holds the Bible and sister Wanda is in back.

Tim McMurray is sworn in as trustee. He is joined by his children, Kali and Bryden, and his aunt and uncle, Ron and Jill Albertson.

The board also appointed Tracy VanSkiver, the former village code officer, to serve as clerk-treasurer. She succeeds Linda Babcock, who is retiring. Mary O’Sullivan was appointed the deputy clerk-treasurer.

Other appointments include:

• Registrar – Tracy VanSkiver; Deputy Registrar – Mary O’Sullivan
• Village Attorney – John Gavenda
• Fair Housing Officer – Tracy VanSkiver
• Planning Board – Matt Hand
• Zoning Board of Appeals— Anthony Wynn
• Recreation Committee – Geno Allport, Annette Finch, Bernard Baldwin, Mike Beach, Terry Wilbert and Susan Oschmann
• Historic Preservation Committee – Loretta Tomasino and Adam Fischer
• Library trustee as mayor’s appointment – Diana Dudley
• Grievance Committee – Anthony Wynn, Kim Remley and June Persia
• Official banks for village monies – First Niagara, Bank of America, KeyBank and J.P. Morgan Chase
• Official newspaper to carry legal notices for village – The Daily News in Batavia

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Sara Flansburg of Middleport finishes the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K this morning in Albion.

The event is in memory of an Albion elementary music teacher who passed away at age 36 from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.

Jose Quiros of Medina was the first male to finish and Lindon Morici of Albion was the first woman to cross the finish line.

Martha Doody of Shortsville finished the race. She holds “Doody” a mascot she uses to raise awareness of irritable bowel syndrome. Martha said she plans to be a part of another race to promote awareness for colon cancer this fall – Strollin for the Colon “Toni’s Race” in Rochester.

She is wearing the hats that were given out to all participants today.

Kathy Jurs, right, and Colleen Dinitto of Albion finish the 3.17-mile course together. The race started on Clarendon Road near the school and went east on Route 31 to Mount Albion Cemetery and came back on 31, ending in the school parking lot.

Race director Bert Gillman, right, welcomes the runners and walkers and sends up a drone to capture footage of the race. Gallman is also the race director for the Strawberry Festival 5K/8K on June 11.

Christine Nickerson of Byron, front, and Natalie Lowes of Webster near the finish line.

Age group awards and tasty cookies awaited after the race.

Marlene Poole of Caledonia, Bib No. 75, and Michael Scherff of Le Roy, Bib No. 64, lead a group in covering the distance this morning. Scherff is Wayne Burlison’s brother-in-law. Burlison’s wife Lisa and son Adam also attended the event today.

Walk/Run in Albion is colon cancer awareness event

Photo by Tom Rivers: This portrait of Wayne Burlison was displayed on a tree along the course at Mount Albion Cemetery during the 2016 race.

ALBION – The Run for Wayne, in memory of Albion music teacher Wayne Burlison, returns on Saturday.

The event is also the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K. It starts at 10 a.m. on Clarendon Road near the Albion Elementary School parking lot and heads east along Route 31. The course then goes through Mount Albion cemetery with the walkers/runners then coming back on 31 to the elementary school parking lot.

So far 75 have preregistered for the event. The online registration ends at 5 p.m. today. People can sign up the day of the event beginning at 9 a.m. at the parking lot of the school.

Every participant will receive a custom winter beanie hat with the logo of the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K.

The 2020 race was cancelled and last year runners were released in pods of 25 every 10 minutes. The event on Saturday will be the return of a mass start.

The course is slightly longer than a 5K with the distance at 3.17 miles instead of 3.1. The 3.17 signifies 3 months and 17 days. That’s how long Burlison lived after being diagnosed with colon cancer. He passed away at age 36 from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.

Colon cancer is the second leading cancer death among men, but is often treatable if detected in the early stages.

Bert Gallmon, one of Burlison’s friends, is managing the race.

“I want to make sure his spirit lives on because of what he did for the community and for those who knew him,” Gallmon said today.

Burlison was active in several musical groups in the community and also helped start the Albion Running Club. He lost more than 150 pounds through better nutrition and exercise and completed a marathon and half-marathons.

He and his wife Lisa have a son, Adam.

Proceeds from the race support a scholarship in Burlison’s name. Some of the proceeds from the race also have supported a new walking trail at Bullard Park.

There will be a post-race celebration under the overhangs in the parking lot with chili and bagels.