Michelle and Matthew Cryer await cleanup from Monday night crash

Photos courtesy of Michelle Cryer

CLARENDON – A tractor trailer hauling grain crashed in the front of Michelle and Matthew Cryer’s property on Holley-Byron Road on Monday at 9:10 p.m. The truck from Whitetale Trucking in Gasport was hauling grain.

The truck took down trees, a utility pole with a transformer and a fire hydrant, while dumping tons of grain. The driver was able to walk away from the accident.

The Cryers haven’t been able to leave their property since Monday night because wires and pieces of the truck remain in the driveway, along with all the grain.

The driveway and front of the Cryers’ property is filled with grain after the tractor-trailer collided with trees.

National Grid was able to reset a pole and remove its fallen wires on Monday night, but Michelle Cryer said Spectrum and Verizon haven’t taken care of their wires, delaying the removal of the grain and chunks of the truck and trailer.

“We’ve been on the phone with everybody,” Mrs. Cryer said this morning. “The cleanup can’t happen because the wires are in the way.”

This tractor-trailer took down trees and wires after an accident Monday night in Clarendon.

Mrs. Cryer has cancelled doctor’s appointments because she couldn’t leave her property. Her home is set back about 200 yards from Holley-Byron Road (Route 237).

She and her husband felt the house shake with the crash, even though they are set back a distance from the road.

The accident happened on the curve of Holley-Byron Road, between Brown Schoolhouse Road and Glidden Road. Cryer said this is the seventh accident in the past 5 to 6 years.

“Consistently people are crashing on the front of our property,” she said.

The tractor-trailer on Monday was headed north and went off the road at the curve.

Since then the Cryers have been stuck home. They wanted to go out on Tuesday for Mr. Cryer’s birthday.

“We had to stay home but I told him his birthday came in with a bang,” she said.

UPDATE at 11:01 a.m.: Verizon was on site and left just before 11 a.m. after lifting its wires and also for Spectrum to allow for a cleanup of the front of the property.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Clarendon Town Board met this morning for the 2026 organizational meeting. From left up front include Town Councilman Fred Seeman, Councilman Chris Caufield, Town Clerk Susan Colby, Town Supervisor Marc Major, Councilman Allen Robinson and Councilman Bruce Hovey.

CLARENDON – The Clarendon Town Board met this morning for its annual organizational meeting where appointments are made and salaries set for different positions in the town government.

The board held off on making appointments to three positions that have been held by Melissa Ierlan. She was charged on Tuesday by State Police with two felonies – falsifying business records in the first degree and second-degree grand larceny with property value exceeding $50,000.

Ierlan has been serving as Clarendon’s code enforcement officer and building inspector, the administrator of Hillside Cemetery and also the town historian. She also is president of the Clarendon Historical Society, which is separate from the town government.

Town Supervisor Marc Major said he has no comment at this time about the allegations against Ierlan. The State Police also hasn’t provided any information except listing the charges on the daily blotter report.

Fred Seeman, Ierlan’s husband and a town councilman, said State Police have provided little information to him and Ierlan except to say the allegations involve the Historical Society.

The board during the organizational meeting tabled filling the code officer/zoning inspector at a salary of $44,440; the cemetery caretaker/administrator at an annual salary of $7,293; and the town historian at a salary of $1,950.

Some of the other appointments include:

• Cemetery maintenance for $7,150, Tracy Chalker
• Dog enumerator at $2,280, Susan Colby
• Planning Board Chairman – David Griggs, with Patrick White as deputy chairman
• Deputy Town Supervisor at $1,298, Allen Robinson
• Cleaning Service at $65 a week, Michelle Chalker of Save Time Cleaning
• Water Superintendent at $10,402, Tracy Chalker
• Water District billing clerk at $20 an hour, Donna Moore
• Water District collection clerk at $5,244 annual salary, Linda Barrett

The board also set the following pay rates and salaries:

• Highway superintendent, $66,977; foreman in highway department, $31.32 per hour; full-time motor equipment operator, $30.73 an hour (top rate) and $30.59 an hour for other MEO; part-time MEO, $22.73 an hour; part-time cemetery laborer, $17.14 an hour.
• Assessor, $27,281; assessor clerk/bookkeeper to the supervisor, $27,891; town clerk/tax collector, $47,114; primary deputy town clerk, $21 an hour; secondary part-time deputy, $16.20 an hour; part-time records deputy, $16.20 an hour.
• Planning Board chairman, $126 per meeting; members, $31 per meeting; Board of Assessment Review, $150 per hearing day; secretary to Board of Assessment Review, $250 annual salary; four town council members, $4,202 annually; town supervisor, $12,988; budget officer, $806; town justice, $16,200; court clerk, $20 an hour; registrar of vital statistics, $408 annually.
• The board also named the Suburban News/Westside News as the official newspaper to carry legal notices; Five Star Bank as the official town bank; the mileage reimbursement rate at 70 cents per mile; and meal reimbursement for meetings/conferences not to exceed $68 per day.

CLARENDON – Fred Seeman is due to take the oath of office for a new term as Clarendon town councilman on Friday.

Cecelia Pacheco Stevens

Seeman’s wife, Melissa Ierlan, serves as the town’s code enforcement officer. She is also administrator of the Hillside Cemetery, and a leader of the Clarendon Historical Society.

She was charged by State Police on Tuesday with two felonies – falsifying business records in the first degree and second-degree grand larceny with property value exceeding $50,000.

State Police haven’t released more information about the case and Clarendon Town Supervisor Marc Major has declined any comment.

Cecelia Pacheco Stevens ran for the Clarendon Town Board in November and lost to Seeman and Chris Caufield. Stevens, a Democrat, received 125 votes to 311 for Caufield and 310 for Seeman.

Stevens issued a statement on Wednesday evening asking Seeman to resign and not be sworn in for a new term.

This is the statement released by the campaign of Cecelia Pacheco Stevens:

The campaign of Cecelia Pacheco Stevens wishes to address recent developments affecting the Town Board with care, respect, and a continued focus on the best interests of our community.

Recent news reports have indicated that Melissa Ierlan, a valued and longtime member of our community, has been arrested by New York State Police on felony theft charges. As with all legal matters, it is essential to state clearly and unequivocally that Melissa is innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. We recognize the many contributions she has made to our town and hope that due process proceeds fairly and justly.

Fred Seeman, her husband and a current member of the Town Board, has not been accused of any wrongdoing. There is no allegation that he was involved in or aware of the matters currently before the courts. However, the Town Board is entrusted with significant responsibility, including oversight of public funds and financial decision-making on behalf of residents.

At moments like this, community trust is paramount. While difficult, residents reasonably expect their elected officials to consider whether their continued service supports that trust. With this in mind, we respectfully urge Fred Seeman to consider resigning from the Town Board in the interest of transparency and public confidence.

The upcoming organizational meeting on January 2 at 9:00 a.m., when Fred is scheduled to be sworn into a new term, presents an appropriate opportunity for him to do so.

Should a vacancy occur, we strongly encourage the Town Board to appoint Cecelia Pacheco Stevens to serve our community. Ms. Stevens ran a positive, Clarendon-focused campaign, conducted herself with integrity, and continued to advocate for residents even after the November election. Appointing her would bring a new voice to the Board. A voice grounded in civic engagement, accountability, and respect for the public trust.

Our town deserves leadership that reflects both competence and confidence from the community it serves. We believe Cecelia Pacheco Stevens embodies those values and stands ready to serve.

Respectfully,

The Campaign of Cecelia Pacheco Stevens

Melissa Ierlan

CLARENDON – Melissa Ierlan, the Town of Clarendon’s code enforcement officer and building inspector, was charged with two felonies by state police on Tuesday for falsifying business records in the first degree and second-degree grand larceny with property value exceeding $50,000.

Ierlan, 54, was arraigned by central arraignment in Albion. State Police haven’t released any additional information and Clarendon Town Supervisor Marc Major said he had no comment at this time. Ierlan’s husband, Fred Seeman, is a member of the Town Board.

Ierlan is well regarded in the community for her years leading the Clarendon Historical Society and efforts to improve Hillside Cemetery. She also leads the town’s annual Christmas celebration at the Historical Society.

She has repainted and refurbished more than 50 historical markers in the past decade in the community and is a past member of the Holley Board of Education.

Photos courtesy of Dana Jessmer: (Left) Nearly two dozen individuals and their caregivers attended a Christmas party in their honor on Dec. 2 at the Clarendon Historical Society. Here, they listen to Ryan Klatt on vocals and guitar. (Right) Beulah and Pam Jenks enjoy each other’s company during a Christmas party Dec. 2 to celebrate the Caregivers Revitalize program.

CLARENDON – More than 50 attendees attended a festive Christmas party on Dec. 2 at the Clarendon Historical Society to celebrate the Caregivers’ Revitalize program. The evening offered a much-needed evening of relaxation and connection for Orleans County caregivers and their loved ones.

The event from 4 to 7 p.m. featured a dinner provided by 58 Main BBQ & Brew, along with cookies and pies for dessert. Guests were also treated to live music by Ryan Klatt, whose performance was so well received, that he continued playing until 9 p.m., way beyond his scheduled end time.

The event, funded by United Way of Orleans County with a grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Caregiver Support Initiative, provided an evening of food, music and camaraderie.

“We want to get the word out to Orleans County caregivers that we are here to help support them,” said Samantha Koons, site coordinator of Clarendon Caregivers Revitalize. “Sometimes you need time away from caring for your loved one – to run errands, attend a doctor’s appointment or simply take a much-needed break. Social gatherings like this help to reduce stress and foster connections among caregivers for ongoing support. I would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make this event a success.”

The Caregivers Revitalize program provides a welcoming environment, where caregivers and their loved ones can receive support and re-establish social ties within their community. A caregiver is anyone who assists a spouse, parent, family member, friend or neighbor with tasks, such as medication management, medical appointments, mobility, personal care, housework shopping or meal preparation.

“Tuesday’s party was truly a great event,” said caregiver Pam Jenks. “To have a small gathering like that with others who have been caregivers or are current caregivers is truly heartwarming. This organization is unselfish and willing to take time to help others so caregivers can take a break. My life is dedicated to my mom, helping her every day. Unfortunately, she has Alzheimer’s, but her spirit is still here with us. Especially when special events like this include songs from her time. As in her picture here with me, mom is singing ‘Take Me Home, Country Road.’ It truly warms my heart that the little things like this bring her back.”

Respite sites are located at the Clarendon Historical Society, 16426 Fourth Section Rd., (Route 31A), Clarendon, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays; and at Christ Episcopal Church, 26 South Main St., Albion (Park Street entrance only) from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursdays. Both sites are closed on holidays.

For more information about respite sites or volunteer opportunities, call (585) 209-9151 or (585) 208-4999; or e-mail Caregiversrevitalize@gmail.com. They can also be followed on Facebook at Caregivers Revitalize – Orleans County, NY.

Photos by Tom Rivers

CLARENDON – Santa waves to people along Route 237 in Clarendon during a lighted parade on Friday night. He was able to ride on Clarendon’s ladder truck.

The fifth annual parade started at the fire hall on Route 31A, then went through the town’s main intersection and took a right turn onto Route 237, and then a left on Church Street to the Historical Society.

Santa was able to ride up high on the fire truck, waving to people who braved the cold temperatures for the parade.

Megan Rombaut drives this tractor from Rombaut Repair and Landscape.

The Holley Interact Club at the school district brought a contingent of kids for the parade.

Apollo Wilmot, 7, shares a Christmas wish list with Santa in the Clarendon Historical Society museum.

Town Historian Melissa Ierlan holds her granddaughter Rylie next to an ox statue that Ierlan covered with photos from Clarendon as part of the Orleans County Bicentennial celebration this year.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office led off the parade with a contingent of vehicles.

The Boy Scouts carried the colors – American flag and one for the Boy Scouts.

Girl Scouts had a float in the parade and they promoted an upcoming cookie sale.

The Grinch was back in the parade and handed out onions to people along the route.

The Murray Joint Fire District participated in the parade and put some Christmas lights on a fire truck.

Stonehill Farms joined the parade the procession.

Albion and Barre host parades on Dec. 13

Photos by Tom Rivers: Clarendon’s lighted parade on Dec. 6, 2024 included this goat, shown rounding the corner from Route 31A onto Route 237.

There are three more lighted parades this holiday season in Orleans County following Medina’s Parade of Lights this past Saturday.

Clarendon’s parade is today 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 in Clarendon.

Barre also will be hosting its eighth annual lighted tractor parade at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 13. The parade starts on Route 98 at East Barre Road and goes north on 98 to the Barre Town Park.

Albion is hosting Charles W. Howard’s Hometown Parade at 6 p.m. on Dec. 13. The parade starts and ends at Dubby’s Tailgate on Platt Street. The route goes on Route 31 heading west, turns right on Main Street, right on State Street and then right on Platt Street.

Santa rides on a trailer pulled by a tractor in last year’s Barre Tractor Parade.

Provided photo

CLARENDON – Scouts from Troop 59 in Clarendon were out this morning in the annual “Scouting for Food.” They collected over 600 individual food items.

“We would like to thank the Community for their enormous support and the Community Center in Holley for distributing this food in a time of great need,” said Randy Moore, the troop’s scoutmaster.

Pictured from left are: Tyler Moore, Logan Lane, James Shaw, Scoutmaster Randy Moore and Committee Chairman Ken Shaw.

Residents could hook into system that would run along 31A, Bennetts Corners Road

Photos by Tom Rivers: Matt Zarbo, director of engineering for Square Engineering in Buffalo, discusses constructing a sewer line from the Heron Falls park on Route 31A and connect with the Village of Holley sewer system on Bennetts Corners Road near Route 31.

CLARENDON – Heron Falls is offering to spend $2 million to extend public sewers in the town by about 2 miles.

Heron Falls has about 400 housing units and 800 residents. The park on Route 31A, formerly called Thomas Estates, wants to decommission its aging wastewater treatment system on site and instead run a 4-inch sewer line to connect with Holley’s sewer system.

Heron Falls would pay for the new sewer lines and a pump station, and then turn the project over to the Village of Holley. Residents along 1,650 feet on Route 31A and then 9,150 feet along Bennetts Corners Road would have the option to connect to the sewer system, but wouldn’t be required.

During an information meeting about the project on Monday, some Bennetts Corners Road residents – Dan Cater, Katie Applegate and Charles Kinsey – said they were concerned the public sewer line would bring more development to the rural road which they said already sees lots of speeding motorists.

Cater said the construction of the project could have negative impacts on properties, and he also worries potential leaks in the sewer line could contaminate well water.

“I only see negatives,” Cater said during the meeting. “I only see negatives for my family and neighbors.”

Matt Zarbo shows how the proposed sewer line would go east 1,650 feet along Route 31A, and then north 9,150 feet along Bennetts Corners Road.

Matt Zarbo, an engineer working as a consultant for Heron Falls, said the sewer line is safer than having septic near wells. He said there is very little chance the sewer line would leak. The sewer line should last for a century.

The project would use directional drilling to minimize construction impacts, he said.

Applegate said the rural nature of the community is a big draw for the residents.

“I don’t want to see development on Bennetts Corners,” she said. “It would decimate the peacefulness we have in that area.”

The project would give the village of Holley more sewer users to help the village pay for its sewer plant, which recently completed over $2 million in upgrades.

Holley’s sewer plant currently treats about 210,000 gallons a day. Heron Falls would send another 38,000 to 70,000 a gallons to Holley’s plant which has a capacity to treat 450,000 gallons a day. Even with Heron Falls, Holley would have plenty of capacity to accommodate other users, said Aric Albright, the sewer plant chief operator.

The project needs the Clarendon Town Board’s approval to proceed. Town Supervisor Marc Major said he wants the board to consider the comments made during the meeting. The board hasn’t set a date on when it will vote on the issue.

Major said residents can check the Town Board agenda and attend upcoming meetings. The regular town board meetings are the third Tuesday each month beginning at 7 p.m.

Matt Zarbo speaks during a public information meeting on Monday at the Clarendon Town Hall. About 25 people attended the meeting. Town Supervisor Marc Major said the board would discuss the issue in an upcoming meeting.

If the town doesn’t allow the sewer project, Zarbo said Heron Falls would have to spend more to put in a new waste water treatment facility, and would need to pay an operator for the system. That would also mean there wouldn’t be a new sewer line over about 2 miles for residents to have the option to tap into, and Holley wouldn’t get the sewer revenue from Heron Falls.

The proposal to run a sewer line and connect to Holley’s system is the best option for Heron Falls residents, Zarbo said, while offering a benefit for residents along the line and the Village of Holley.

“We view this as a win, win, win,” Zarbo said about the benefits for Heron Falls, Clarendon and Holley.

A Heron Falls representative said the park has no plans of expanding and adding more units as part of the proposed sewer project.

Heron Falls is working to have all the approvals in place between now and February, so construction can start in the spring and be done in the fall 2026. It has an agreement with Holley to connect into the sewer system. Heron Falls also is working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Transportation to get their approval.

Clarendon historian shows students bicentennial ox, historic jail cell

Photos courtesy of Tim Archer

CLARENDON – A group of Albion Middle School students recently had a memorable trip to Clarendon with Town Historian Melissa Ierlan.

Ierlan has repainted about 40 historical markers in the community in recent years and hse put the students to work on four of them.

The photo at top shows eighth graders Jeffrey Echevarría, Daniel Dash, Brian Patten and Caleb Wolf.

Ierlan also showed the students the progress on decorating a fiberglass ox with historic photos from Clarendon. This ox is part of a celebration of Orleans County’s 200^th anniversary this year. Ierlan is a member of the Bicentennial Committee.

The students toured the Clarendon Historical Society and saw old farm implements and a 100-year-old jail cell.

Photos courtesy of Susan Starkweather Miller

CLARENDON – Melissa Ierlan is shown leading a tour of Robinson Cemetery on Route 237 near Glidden Road last Sunday.

The tour was sponsored by the Orleans County Historical Association.

Some of the notable burials at Robinson Cemetery include:

• Chauncey Robinson (1792-1866): Veteran, War of 1812; Abolitionist
• William Lewis (1787-1826): First Sheriff of Orleans County
• John Dodge (1749-1830): Veteran, American Revolution
• Samuel Milliken (1752-1842): Veteran, American Revolution
• Thomas McManners: Escaped Slave; Veteran, American Revolution
• Shubael Lewis (1785-1861): Colonel, New York State Militia

Melissa Ierlan, the town of Clarendon historian, served as the guide of the tour at Robinson Cemetery on Aug. 10.

The Orleans County Historical Association has tours every Sunday evening beginning at 6 p.m. in August. Mount Albion was the first to be featured on Aug. 3, followed by Robinson on Aug. 10. The tours are free with goodwill donations accepted.

The remaining schedule includes:

• Millville Cemetery today at 4394 East Shelby Rd., Medina. Highlights will be a visit to the wooden chapel/memorial vault and a tour of some of the impressive monuments, including the gravestone of Asa Hill, a Civil War soldier who suffered amputation of a leg, yet returned to run the family farm a few short miles west of the cemetery.
• The tour on Aug. 24 Greenwood Cemetery, 16670 Roosevelt Highway/Route 18, Kendall, will focus on the first Norwegian settlement in the United States in 1825 in Kendall. Orleans County historian Catherine Cooper will lead this tour.
• Aug. 31 at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 581 East Ave., Albion, will conclude the series of tours. Catherine Cooper and Sue Starkweather Miller will lead the tour, which will include a visit to the chapel to view the beautiful interior stained glass windows, and stops at several prominent gravesites.

Photos by Tom Rivers

CLARENDON – A fast-moving fire this morning devoured a garage and badly damaged a house at 17195 Elizabeth Drive.

The residents of the home safely got out and no one was injured from the fire.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 9:30 a.m. for reports of an attached garage fire spreading to the house. The garage at right in photo was totally destroyed from the fire.

Elizabeth Drive is located off Hall Road on the eastern end of Clarendon. This home was about 800 feet off Elizabeth on a private drive.

Multiple fire departments responded to the scene including Clarendon, Murray, Brockport, Spencerport, South Byron, Barre and Kendall.

Orleans County fire investigators also are at the scene.