By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 January 2025 at 8:32 am
BARRE – The Town of Barre and Orleans County have reached an agreement for Barre to pay $29,906 to the county for assessing services in 2025.
The county is creating a new full-time assessor position in the Real Property Tax Services Office in Albion.
Barre’s previous assessor left the job for a full-time position at the Oakfield-Alabama school district. For 30 years, Barry Flansburg served in the role until retiring Sept. 30, 2022.
Town Supervisor Sean Pogue said working with the county ensures Barre will have an assessor. If the person assigned to Barre is unavailable, Barre can draw on other staff at the Real Property office.
Barre is the third town to contract with the county for the service. Albion and Gaines have paid the county for the service since 2007.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 December 2024 at 10:39 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
BARRE – Firefighters respond this morning to a fire in Barre barn owned by Richard Miller at 13481 Miller Rd.
Firefighters and Miller said the fire started from a skid steer. The fire spread to some hay in the barn.
Firefighters moved the scorched hay from inside, and hosed down the skid steer.
Miller said a neighbor called him to say there was smoke coming from the barn at about 9 a.m.
Two cows were inside as well as many sheep, and they were safely moved to an outdoor pasture. Miller is retired from farming. His two granddaughters show the cows in the Orleans County 4-H Fair.
The barn didn’t appear to suffer any damage from the fire.
Firefighters from Barre, Albion and Medina responded to the scene, as well as the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and Orleans County Emergency Management Office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2024 at 12:17 pm
Apex will pay $1.1 million annually to Barre, Albion Central School, Orleans County; EDA to be paid $4.5 million in 3 payments
BARRE – Heritage Wind expects to start site work in February, clearing trees as part of a large-scale wind energy project that has been in development for about a decade.
Apex Clean Energy, owner of Heritage Wind, will start the tree clearing in February and then have full civil mobilization of its construction crew in July 2025, said Carmen O’Keefe, director of development for Apex.
The project is scheduled to be operational the end of 2026, with a capacity of 126 megawatts. Apex has scaled back the project from an initial plan of 33 turbines generating 184.8 megawatts. The project will now be 27 turbines at 126 megawatts. Apex removed some of the turbines that were planned to be near the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
The construction costs have escalated in recent years, pushing the total cost from $304 million to $373 million.
“It costs more though there are fewer turbines because the cost of materials, turbines and labor has increased fairly significantly since the original resolution was passed in 2021,” O’Keefe said.
Heritage Wind has been permitted to construct Vestas V150 4.5 MW (640 foot high) and Vestas V162 6.0 MW (656 foot high) turbines. O’Keefe said Apex will likely use the 640-foot-high turbines in Barre.
The company will pay $9,000 per megawatt to local municipalities or $1,134,000 in the first year, with a 2 percent increase after that over 25 years.
Barre gets 75 percent of the money as part of a Host Community Agreement. The $6,750 per megawatt totals $850,000.
The remaining 25 percent or $2,250 per megawatt is evenly split by the school district and county. That is $140,175 each.
In addition, Heritage Wind will be paying an administrative fee to the Orleans Economic Development Agency for administering the PILOT with the school district and county.
The EDA will receive $775,000 this month, and then will receive two $1.8 million payments – one by Dec. 1, 2025 or the date of the closing of the PILOT/lease-leaseback transaction and then another $1.8 million a year after the closing.
The combined $4.575 million will be a big boost to the EDA and its economic development efforts, said EDA executive director Michael Dobell. He expects some of the funds will be used to advance development of the Medina Business Park.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 December 2024 at 9:44 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
BARRE – Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped at a home on Oak Orchard Road this afternoon and delivered presents to children. Barre firefighter James Neal is in back.
The Barre Volunteer Fire Company escorted Santa around town today for the 11th annual Santa Express. They made 35 stops, delivering presents to 160 kids and allowing them to spend time with Santa.
The fire company sends out a letter in November, welcoming people to drop off gift-wrapped presents at the firehall and those gifts are then delivered by firefighters and Santa. People are encouraged to make a donation to the fire company if they get a visit from Santa and the firefighters.
Santa and Mrs. Claus pose with Layla Kania, twin brothers Wyatt and Elisa Webb, and Hudson Deuil.
Hudson Deuil was a little shy meeting Santa but gave him a hug before he boarded the fire truck to visit the next group of kids on the Santa Express.
Santa makes a delivery to Cara Dix of Lyndonville, who met Santa at her aunt’s house on Route 98. Her older siblings have been meeting Santa in Barre for about nine years.
“I love this tradition,” said their mother, Krystle Dix. “The kids love seeing Santa. They get one-on-one time with him without being in a big line.”
Barre firefighters split into two different groups in transporting Santa and Mrs. Claus around town. They made their deliveries from 9:30 a.m. to about 4 p.m. They were done in time to see the Bills game start at 4:25 p.m.
The Barre Volunteer Fire Company and Santa schedule the Santa Express in Barre on a Sunday when the Buffalo Bills have an away game and the game time is preferable after 1 p.m. Santa said he is rooting for the Bills in their pursuit of a Super Bowl title.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 December 2024 at 9:01 pm
Barre project among 23 large-scale renewable energy projects to get state contracts
Gov. Kathy Hochul today announced the state has approved contracts for 23 large-scale land-based renewable energy projects, including the Heritage Wind project in Barre.
That project has been down-sized from its initial plan for 33 turbines generating 184.8 megawatts. Heritage Wind now plans 27 turbines with a capacity for 126 megawatts.
Hochul said the 23 renewable energy projects will provide more than 2.3 gigawatts of clean energy, which is enough to power more than 700,000 homes throughout New York State. The projects represent $4.7 billion in private investment while reinforcing the state’s commitment to the development of clean energy, grid resiliency and economic development, Hochul said.
“New York continues to foster competitive opportunities for the clean energy industry to thrive,” Governor Hochul said. “We are delivering on our commitment to make New York more prosperous by harnessing the benefits of a growing clean energy economy, increasing family sustaining jobs and spurring private investment within communities across the State while remaining focused on keeping energy affordable for all New Yorkers.”
The contracted awards are the result of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority’s 2023 Tier 1 Renewable Energy Standard solicitation. The projects are expected to reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by 2.3 million metric tons annually, the equivalent of removing nearly 350,000 cars from the road; provide public health benefits resulting from reduced exposure to harmful pollutants; and provide more than $249 million in commitments to disadvantaged communities from community benefit funds.
The projects include:
Finger Lakes
Trelina Solar Energy Center, NextEra Energy Resources, Seneca County
Cider Solar Farm, Hecate Energy and Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company, Genesee County
Highview Solar, Cordelio Power, Wyoming County
Heritage Wind, Apex Clean Energy, Orleans County
Excelsior Energy Center, NextEra Energy Resources, Genesee County
Central New York
Dog Corners, Cordelio Power, Cayuga County
Scipio Solar, Cordelio Power, Cayuga County
ELP Granby Solar II, VC Renewables, Oswego County
Garnet Energy Center, NextEra Energy Resources, Cayuga County
Mid-Hudson
Little Pond Solar, Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company, Orange County
Mohawk Valley
Tayandenega Solar, Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company, Montgomery County
Rock District Solar, Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company, Schoharie County
Grassy Knoll Solar, Cordelio Power, Herkimer County
Flat Hill Solar, Cordelio Power, Herkimer County
Watkins Road Solar, Cordelio Power, Herkimer County
Hills Solar, Cordelio Power, Herkimer County
Flat Stone Solar, Cordelio Power, Oneida County
North Country
Brookside Solar, AES, Franklin County
Southern Tier
Baron Winds II, RWE, Steuben County
Canisteo Wind Energy Center, Invenergy, Steuben County
Valley Solar, Cordelio Power, Tioga County
Western New York
Alle-Catt Wind, Invenergy, Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties, Wyoming County (Finger Lakes region)
Bear Ridge Solar, Cypress Creek Renewables, Niagara County
Several projects have already commenced construction activities, and all projects are expected to be operational by 2028, Hochul said in a news release.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Painted Sky Ranch brought about a dozen horses for Clarendon’s parade on Dec. 8, 2023. Here they are headed down Church Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 December 2024 at 2:13 pm
Clarendon and Barre are getting ready to host lighted parades.
Clarendon’s parade will be this Friday starting at 7 at the fire hall on Route 31A. The route then goes through the town’s main intersection, takes a right turn onto Route 237, and then a left on Church Street to the Historical Society.
Santa will then greet people at the museum.
Barre also will be hosting its seventh annual lighted tractor at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 14. The parade starts on Route 98 at East Barre Road and goes north on 98 to the Barre Town Park.
Albion also is hosting a parade at 6 p.m. on Dec. 14.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 November 2024 at 9:05 pm
Agreement includes 2 BLS ambulances, 1 ALS flycar for 24-7 in seven Orleans towns
Photo by Tom Rivers: A Mercy Flight EMS ambulance and crew was in service on Sept. 20 at an Albion varsity football game.
BARRE – The Barre Town Board this evening unanimously approved a three-year contract with Mercy Flight EMS to provide ambulance services in a seven-town block in Orleans County.
Mercy Flight submitted the lowest bid for the service at $250,000 in 2025, compared to $570,000 from Monroe Ambulance. The two entities offered similar services in the bid.
The contract calls for Mercy Flight to stage two basic life support ambulance, and one advanced life support fly car in the seven towns for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The fly car doesn’t transport patients, but would have personnel that can provide higher levels of care than the BLS ambulances.
The seven towns are divvying up the costs based on a percentage of current call volume. Barre pays the least of the seven towns at $11,000 in 2025, compared to $13,740 in 2024.
Here is the financial breakdown for the seven towns in the contract:
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)
All seven towns need to approve the contract for it to take effect. The agreement starts Jan. 1. Mercy Flight plans to stage ambulances and the fly car at the former COVA base on South Main Street in Albion and the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray fire hall on Hulberton Road in Murray.
Monroe Ambulance has had the contract, done annually in 2023 and 2024. 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.
The three-year contract calls for Mercy Flight to be paid $275,000 in 2026 and $300,000 in 2027.
BARRE – The Heritage Wind Community Grant Program is now accepting applications for its Fall 2024 grant cycle.
Counting the last grant cycle’s recipients, the grant program has awarded nearly $160,000 to community causes and non-profit organizations working to build healthy communities, increase environmental sustainability, foster economic development, and promote education, since its inception in 2020.
The previous Spring Grant Cycle included the following community organizations: Medina Railroad Museum, Town of Barre, Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, and Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.
Local organizations working in the Town of Barre, and the broader Orleans County community are encouraged to apply. Grants are typically awarded in $250 to $4,000 increments, with priority given to proposals that demonstrate meaningful impacts to the greatest number of area residents.
The four focus areas for the community grant program are:
Building Healthy Communities – Programs that support public health or enhance the quality of life in the community.
Economic Development – Programs that support the economic well-being of the community.
Environmental Sustainability – Programs that support environmental revitalization, sustainability, or empower residents to be stewards of the environment.
Promoting Education – Programs that support educational institutions, especially the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This may include curriculum development, vocational training, or literacy support.
If you have any questions about the program, please contact Anna Mathes at anna.mathes@apexcleanenergy.com or (585) 563-5137.
BARRE – The Comprehensive Plan Committee appointed by the Barre Town Board welcomes your input on the draft Town of Barre Comprehensive Plan Update.
The Comprehensive Plan Committee will hold a public hearing and public informational meeting on Monday, Nov. 18, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Barre Town Hall, 14317 West Barre Rd.
Residents, landowners, and others interested in the future of the Town of Barre are invited to drop in any time between 4 and 7:30 pm. The formal public hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m. The town’s planning consultant will give a brief presentation on the Comprehensive Plan and the Community Survey at 4:30, 6 and 7 p.m.
The Comprehensive Plan will set goals and recommend actions to guide Town decisions regarding:
Land use and zoning
Neighborhood Preservation and Housing
Business and Economic Development
Housing and Residential Quality of Life
Agriculture & Farmland
Natural Resources & Environmental Protection
Utilities
Transportation
Government and Community Services
View the draft Comprehensive Plan Update at the Town’s website: www.townofbarreny.com or at the Town Hall.
For more information, please contact Comprehensive Plan Committee chair George McKenna at (585) 738-4875 or planning consultant Barbara Johnston at (585) 295-6636.
Written comments will be accepted through Dec. 16. Please send them to the Town Clerk via e-mail at clerk@townofbarreny.com or by mail to:
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2024 at 8:20 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
BARRE – It’s an election day winner, every year for at least a half century: a turkey dinner with an assortment of pie served by the West Barre United Methodist Church.
The top photo shows church volunteers getting takeout containers full of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, squash and cranberry sauce.
From left include Lanor Markle, Dan Shuler and Randy Huffman with Alice Mathes on the opposite side of the table.
The church served 482 dinners that were available by presale. The meals have been take-out only since the Covid pandemic in 2020.
“We do it on election day to encourage people to vote and then eat, or to eat and then vote,” said Ruth Miller, a longtime church volunteer.
She can recall the church serving the Thanksgiving-style dinners for at least 50 years.
Church volunteers worked on the dinner the past four days. They cooked 28 turkeys.
These strawberry pies were among 14 different types of pie for people to choose from for the dinner.
Lee Preston gets the tickets from Nancy Muoio and two of her friends.
“It’s a home-cooked meal that I don’t have to cook,” said Barb Titus-Canham, who was in the vehicle with Muoio. The group was going back to Titus-Canham’s home to enjoy the meal together.
Muoio said she has been looking forward to the meal. The big draw: “The pies,” she said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2024 at 9:09 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
BARRE – A farmhouse at 5054 Culver Rd. was badly damaged by a fire that broke out around 3 a.m. today.
Doug Stephens has owned the house for 21 years. He had an electric heater on last night to help take the chill off. Fire investigators told him that the fire appears to have been caused by an electric heater plugged into an outlet.
Stephens lives at the home with two other people. They weren’t injured from the fire.
The main part of the house has been destroyed, but Stephens said firefighters were able to save about half of the structure. He appreciated the big response from firefighters during the middle of the night.
“They did a great job with what they had to deal with,” Stephens said. “They did a hell of a job. I want to thank them all.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 October 2024 at 9:02 am
The Barre Betterment Committee presented Heritage House awards to two homeowners.
BARRE – The Barre Betterment Committee has presented two “Heritage House” awards to the owners of well-kept houses that have endured for about two centuries.
Betsy Miller, president of the BBC, presented Heritage House plaques to Willy and Joan Wraight, posthumously, and to William and Sue Bias.
The Wraight house was built in Barre Center in the early 1800s by the same gentleman who also built the Barre Center Presbyterian Church, Miller said.
The Bias house was built in 1841 by William Puzey out of fieldstone cobble.
The Barre Betterment Committee’s mission is to promote, unite, improve and enhance the quality of life for the common good and general welfare of the people of the Town of Barre. All Barre residents are welcome to join the BBC in this mission. For more information, send a message through Facebook to the Barre Betterment Committee or call (585) 590-7503.
The BBC will next be hosting a Trunk or Treat event at the Barre Town Park from 2 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 26. People are welcome to bring children dressed in costumes to receive candy and treats.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 October 2024 at 9:26 am
Barre, Shelby wanted higher share, but settle on 40 percent
Map from AES: The 200 megawatt solar project in Barre and Shelby would be along Crane, Townline and Burns roads near the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
BARRE – A 200 megawatt solar project in Barre and Shelby will bring $900,000 annually in revenue to local governments, to be shared among two towns, three school districts and Orleans County.
The Orleans Economic Development Agency negotiated the host community agreement for the Hemlock Ridge Solar, discussions that started about 2 ½ years ago among the municipal leaders.
AES, owner of Hemlock Ridge, has agreed to pay $4,500 per megawatt to local governments or $900,000 total the first year, which is expected to be 2026. The amount will increase 2 percent after that. AES is hoping to start construction next summer on Hemlock Ridge with the project operational in 2026. The project is along Crane Road, Townline Road, and Burns Road about 5 miles southeast of Medina.
Typically, the Orleans EDA works out PILOT agreements (payment in lieu of taxes) and the local governments’ share is based on their tax rates. The school districts tend to have the highest tax rates and they get the largest amount among the towns and county in a typical PILOT.
But with Hemlock Ridge the entities agreed to not do a PILOT and base the revenue sharing on their tax rates. In that scenario, the towns would get the least of the revenue because their tax rates are less than the schools districts and county.
The host community agreement gives the two towns 40 percent of the total revenue, but Barre and Shelby wanted more.
The host community agreement hasn’t been made fully public, detailing the amounts for all the governments.
The Barre Town Board on Wednesday voted to accept its share. The project is 82 percent in the Town of Barre and 18 percent in Shelby. The towns together get 40 percent of the revenue or $360,000 the first year the project is operational.
Barre will get 82 percent of the money for the two towns or $295,200, while Shelby gets the other 18 percent or $64,800.
The two towns argued they should receive more than 40 percent because they are dealing with the impacts of the project and have done more work with the developer in siting it.
Barre with the Heritage Wind project will receive 75 percent of the local revenue through that host community agreement.
“We fought like hell but they wouldn’t budge,” Kathy Bennett, the Shelby town attorney, said about the county and school districts.
The Shelby Town Board is expected to finalize the agreement next month. The town also needs to sign a road use agreement during the construction phase of the project.
The Town of Barre also sought more funding, but town attorney Bridget O’Toole said the school districts and county wouldn’t go above 40 percent for the two towns.
“It was a very contentious negotiation with a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” she said after Wednesday’s Town Board meeting.
The County Legislature on Sept. 24 approved its share of the project, with the county amount varying on whether the solar panels are in the Albion, Medina or Oakfield-Alabama school districts.
The county will receive $1,008.90 per megawatt within the Albion school district (22.4 percent of total), $744.83 per megawatt within Oakfield-Alabama district (16.6 percent of the total), and $935.19 per megawatt for the project within Medina school district (20.8 percent).
The school districts, based on the county share and the 40 percent to the two towns, would get the following: 37.6 percent to Albion for the area in ACS; 43.4 percent of Oakfield-Alabama for the land in the project in that district; and 39.2 percent to Medina school district for the area in that district.
After 10 years, another $500 per megawatt will be added to host community agreement and that additional $100,000 a year will go to the two towns with Barre getting 82 percent, O’Toole said.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 October 2024 at 8:22 am
Proceeds come from ‘Tabletop Sales’
Provided photos: (Left) Renee Hungerford, director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, accepts a check from Sharon Miller on behalf of West Barre Church. (Right) The community donates all kind of goods to the West Barre Church, who then store it in a building across the road, where people can come and shop every Friday and Saturday from May to September and leave a donation.
WEST BARRE – For a little church located on a country road, the West Barre Church has proven itself to be a pillar in the community.
Under the leadership of the Worship Committee, the congregation plans fundraisers, serves meals to the public and runs other fundraising events, which allow them to support worthy causes in the community.
One of those causes is Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, and recently, church member Sharon Miller presented a check for $931 to CAOG’s director Renee Hungerford.
A fundraiser called Tabletop Sales grew out of an abundance of donations of all kinds of merchandise, which the public continues to give to the church. The members sort and arrange goods in a large room set aside as a shopping center, where the public can come in shop to their hearts content.
There is merchandise of all kinds, including pictures, kitchen wares, baby items, holiday decorations, toys and gifts, and more. There are no prices on any merchandise. Shoppers simply leave a donation of what they think their items are worth or what they can afford. No one is refused anything because they can’t pay for it.
Members of the community and friends of West Barre Church relax and listen to a band in Mull-Barre Park. When land across the road from West Barre Church was donated by the late Wilbur Mull, the church developed Mull-Barre Park, where they hold concerts all summer.
Money earned is donated to a different cause in the community each month. Previous donations have gone to Hands for Hope, the Cobblestone Museum, Albion’s food kitchen, Ministry of Concern, MAAC and community members.
Miler explained another fundraiser is summer concerts in the park, possible because of Mull-Barre Park.
Since 1993, when a local farmer Wilbur Mull donated land across the street to the church, they have used it for community entertainment and a playground for youth. For the last five years they had a concert in the park on Sunday afternoons. Members of the community bring their lawn chairs and sit under the trees to enjoy the music, which differs every week, from rock and roll and blues to country. An added feature is Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza which sets up a portable wood-fired oven at the edge of the park.
The church is planning a craft show on Oct. 19, chaired by Jann Davis. It will include a basket raffle from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A big part of their ministry is community dinners. They are known for their Election Day turkey dinner, which since Covid, has been drive-thru only. This year’s will be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 5, featuring turkey and all the trimmings.
“We are a church with community in our hearts,” Miller said.
Anyone is welcome to attend worship at 9:30 on Sunday mornings.
