Town will try to better track water, find leaks

Photo by Tom Rivers – Gaines Town Supervisor Carol Culhane said the town needs to better account for its water, particularly with its record keeping.

GAINES – The town of Gaines had 60 million gallons of unaccounted water go through its water lines in the past 4 ½ years, about $170,000 worth of water that it paid the village of Albion.

Town officials want to reduce that number, which represents about 19 percent of the total public water usage in Gaines.

“We’re going to take a more proactive approach and see if we can get to the bottom of it,” Town Supervisor Carol Culhane said after a meeting Tuesday when an audit of the water system was presented. “For a little town like this that is a lot of money.”

The town contracted with Wendel Energy for a review of the water system. Gerald Summe and Brian Sibiga from Wendel presented the study on Tuesday.

They said the town needs more master water meters in each of its 10 water districts, better record keeping and a plan for regularly replacing residential water meters. The town also needs to make sure no one is getting water without being properly billed, Sibiga said.

The town should also purchase leak detection equipment and establish a program for better tracking and repairing leaks.

The audit showed a loss in water from 8.3 million gallons annually (at $35,600 in revenue) to 15.4 million gallons ($65,400). The American Water Works Association suggests a 10 percent loss as a benchmark. Gaines is nearly double that rate.

“You need to put forward that effort and be good stewards so you know where the water is going,” Sibiga told town officials.

Wendel determined the water loss percentages by taking the number of gallons Gaines is billed for by the village and subtracting what the town then bills its users. Gaines buys water from the village for $2.94 per 1,000 gallons. Town residents are billed $4.25 per 1,000.

Gaines has 27 miles of water lines in 10 water districts with 754 customers. The infrastructure is relatively new and in good shape overall, Summe said. That’s good news because Gaines doesn’t need major capital investments to fix leaking old pipes.

It also leads Wendel officials to suspect that the record keeping needs to be tightened to better account for all of the water.

The company suggested the town look at consolidating all 10 water districts into one town-wide district. That would make billing and management easier. Gaines may also want to consider tiered water rates with larger volume users getting a discount.

The firm said Gaines should consider more master meters on roads and water districts so it can better pinpoint any leaks and problem areas, and should work to replace more residential and large-volume user meters. Those meters lose their effectiveness with each passing year, accounting for some the discrepancy in what Gaines buys from the Albion and what the town then bills its customers.

Without more meters and leak detection equipment, Sibiga said the town will struggle to find that lost water.

“You’re looking for a needle in the haystack when you’re looking for a water leak,” he said. “A lot of this is a ‘Where’s Waldo’ with where the water is going.”

Gaines has built most of its new water districts within the past 20 years. But even relatively new infrastructure can have holes, letting out water.

“You’re not going to stop the system from getting leaks,” Sibiga said. “Every system has leaks. The question is how quickly can you find them and repair them.”

New meters would provide more accurate data for billing records, and Sibiga said the town should meter some problem areas monthly rather than quarterly to better track water consumption and potential losses.

The town should also be diligent in making sure every water consumer is being billed. Culhane wants to see the town go after its record keeping first and see if that narrows the gap in lost water.

Photos by Tom Rivers

This tree toppled after fierce winds hit Tuesday after 7:30 p.m. The tree landed next to the Gaines Town Hall. Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers was at the Gaines Town Hall for a board meeting when a neighboring tree was uprooted and came falling down, scraping against the Town Hall.

The parking lot behind the Gaines Town Hall was littered with leaves and branches from some of the nearby trees after a severe thunderstorm rolled through the area.

The wind knocked down this tree on Route 279, north of Route 104, making the road impassable.

The storm turned the sky dark. The Main Street traffic lights in Albion stopped working at about 8:30 p.m. due to the power outage that lasted overnight.

The storm also flooded local farm fields, including this one along Route 279 in Gaines.

After 18 months of work, Ray and Linda Burke open new business

Photos by Tom Rivers – Linda and Ray Burke are pictured inside Fair Haven Treasures on the business’s opening day on Saturday.

The big brick house was vacant for about five years before being fixed up the past 18 months.

GAINES – Ray and Linda Burke drove by the big brick house many times. They admired the site at the corner of routes 98 and 104, but worried about its decline. For about five years the property was vacant until the Burkes bought it in November 2012.

It was a daunting task, but they renovated the house with a corps of volunteers, determined to breathe new life in a 3,000-square-foot house built in 1834, the same year the Cobblestone Universalist Church was erected across the street.

The Burkes opened Fair Haven Treasures on Saturday. They have high-end artisans and crafters at the site, and they want to make the building available for workshops, concerts, book-signings and other events.

“It just sat here with not much going on,” Mr. Burke said about the building. “It was getting run down.”

The Burkes met Carol Culhane as part of the planning for the town’s bicentennial bash in 2009. Mr. Burke and Culhane also served on the Zoning Board of Appeals together. Culhane is now the town supervisor and she saw potential in the old brick house.

She saw the site as a hub for artists and culture. She shared that vision with the Burkes, and offered to help with the cleaning and painting needed to get the site ready for the public.

Culhane’s husband Gerry also volunteered. The group removed plywood and linoleum from the floors, and discovered hardwood floors underneath. They took out one wall to make a bigger room that can be used for performances, book-signings and public events.

Fair Haven would like to hosts concerts, book-signings, and other events in the 3,000-square-foot building at the corner of routes 98 and 104.

Culhane is managing the site, lining up vendors and events. She said the site is ideally located along historic Ridge Road. The eight-building Cobblestone Society Museum is across the street on both 104 and 98. Other businesses that sell antiques also have opened nearby.

“There is a lot of potential here,” Culhane said. “We could be another Lewiston.”

Culhane is working to have an International Peace Garden established in Fair Haven’s front lawn. The site was once owned by John Proctor, who is considered the Paul Revere of Ridge Road. He warned residents the British were coming during the War of 1812. Proctor also gave the hamlet the name Fair Haven.

Burke has connected with classic car owners and there will be cruise-ins on Sundays beginning June 8 from 4 to 7 p.m.

This fall Culhane wants to bring in teachers who will lead workshops on canning, quilting, sewing and knitting. “People don’t do it anymore but there’s a hunger for it,” Culhane said.

She grew up in the “Dutchtown” neighborhood in Rochester. That area in Jay, Childs and Ames streets has been overwhelmed with crime, and so many of the houses, even her old high school, have been torn down, Culhane said.

When she saw the brick house deteriorating, she worried it would meet the same fate as some of the beloved buildings of her youth.

“I lost my community from when I was growing up,” she said. “I lived through this.”

Culhane, as town supervisor, said the decline of the brick house was hurting the community. She worried if the site fell into more disrepair.

“It’s the centerpiece of Gaines and Childs,” Culhane said. “Repurposing this old house, what else would have happened to it?”

Ted Hicks of Oakfield did a wood turning demonstration on Saturday at Fair Haven Treasures. He also is a vendor at the site.

She believes the site’s use for art and culture will be an asset for the community, possibly leading to a growing trail of venues for artists. She noted the efforts to bring back the Pratt Opera House in Albion and also the Bent’s Opera House in Medina.

Ted Hicks of Oakfield is one of the vendors at Fair Haven. He sells wooden bowls and furniture he makes from reclaimed wood. Hicks typically sells his work at shows. He is grateful to have a permanent site for his products.

“They’ve been very enthusiastic about what this place can become,” Hicks said. “It is a great venue with the historic value of this building and the buildings around it.”

Fair Haven is open Fridays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

These bowls and a table were created by Ted Hicks of Oakfield. He has other wooden furniture for sale that he made from reclaimed wood.

Site, a National Historic Landmark, opens on Mother’s Day

Photo by Tom Rivers – Matt Ballard and Sarah Karas, the co-directors of the Cobblestone Society Museum, are pictured in front of the Ward House (built in 1836) with the Cobblestone Universalist Church (built in 1834) in back. The museum has eight historic structures. It opens on Mother’s Day, about six weeks earlier than its usual schedule.

CHILDS – Since they started as co-directors in February, Matt Ballard and Sarah Karas have been busy at the Cobblestone Society Museum, revamping the museum web site, booking weddings in the historic church from 1834, and getting ready for the season.

The museum includes eight historic structures near the intersection of routes 98 and 104. It is in the only site in the county that has been declared a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior. The museum opens next Sunday on Mother’s Day, about six weeks earlier than in a typical year.

The extended season will make the museum eligible for more grants to help maintain the historic buildings and add programming, said Ballard.

“There is a lot of potential here, we just have to think outside the box,” said Ballard, 26. “There’s a lot of good ideas out there. We want to try some new things.”

Ballard and Karas both graduated in the Class of 2006 at Albion, and they both have master’s degrees in library science at the University of Buffalo. They commuted together for classes. They are friends and both have a love of local history.

They have different strengths and interests, and they said that is benefitting the museum.

Karas, 25, is organizing the weddings, training volunteers and docents, redesigning the gift shop and working on the museum’s social media with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

“Matt and I are constantly organizing,” Karas said.

She volunteered at the museum for over four years, making an inventory of the books at the one-room cobblestone school house. She also organized the materials in the used book sale.

“I really love getting my hands on the old artifacts,” she said. “I really see the potential in this museum. There is such a variety of buildings. There is something here for everyone.”

Karas works part-time as a reference librarian at Genesee Community College in Batavia. Ballard is a part-time library supervisor for Hilbert College in Hamburg.

They are sharing the workload at the museum, which is open every day but Monday and Tuesday from May 12 to Oct. 12.

The cobblestone school house is part of a museum complex that has been declared a National Historic Landmark.

Ballard brings a passion for genealogy and research to the position. But there are plenty of maintenance tasks to tend to, including a recent leak that had to be fixed in the bathrooms.

The two have been connecting with businesses in the county to offer deals as part of a museum pass. They are pushing for more memberships, whether at the individual, family or corporate levels.

Ballard sees the collection of buildings and the artifacts inside as a tremendous showcase of local and regional history. The museum’s designation as a National Historic Landmark will be part of the museum’s branding strategy.

“We want to sell that message to the larger community that this is an important site,” Ballard said. “It is a unique style of construction. We have a wide variety of things. There is something for everybody.”

The museum has a one-room school house built in 1849, a cobblestone house with furnishings from the 1880s, and the church from 1834 – the oldest cobblestone church in North America.

There are several historic buildings on Route 98, just south of Route 104. Those structures include a blacksmith shop, print shop, harness shop, farmer’s hall and even a fancy outhouse. Together the sites provide a snapshot into life in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Many local students used to tour the sites as part of local history programs, but Ballard said those tours dwindled in recent years. He wants to reach out to schools and welcome them to the museum.

He also sees potential in a “Cobblestone Corridor” or Cobblestone Trail along Route 104. The cobblestone homes could all be highlighted with a map that would appeal to tourists.

“The museum would be the centerpiece,” he said.

For more on the Cobblestone Society Museum, click here.

File photo by Tom Rivers – The Cobblestone Society Museum has been awarded a grant to fix the roof on the Cobblestone Universalist Church, a building from 1834 that is part of the museum near the intersection of routes 98 and 104.

Press release
Cobblestone Society Museum

Last week Cobblestone Museum board president Susan Rudnicky received word from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) that the museum was approved for a $6, 100 grant toward the roof repair of the Cobblestone Church.

“Seeking funding to maintain and preserve the historic structures at the Cobblestone Museum is always a challenge,” stated Rudnicky. “This year we were fortunate to receive funding from several sources and the recent news about the DAR Special Projects Grant means that we will be moving ahead on our roof repair project.”

Other funding sources for the roof project include the Sacred Sites program, the Curtis Foundation, and a charitable bequest by Merwin “Tyke” Staines. Former museum director C.W. Lattin recalled that Tyke was a volunteer at the museum since the 1990s and he was always willing to help when and where needed. Tyke often worked in the gift shop and took care of minor repairs around the properties according to Lattin.

Lattin, whose father helped establish the Cobblestone Museum, also held several local folklore storytelling events to raise funds for the roof repair. As an active board member and docent for the museum, Lattin regularly explains to visitors, “The Cobblestone Church is one of the foremost historic sites in our region and we are committed to preserving and investing in our historic properties for future generations to appreciate.”

Built in 1834, the Cobblestone Church is the oldest cobblestone church in North America and is the cornerstone of the museum complex in Gaines. The Cobblestone Society Museum was established in 1960 to collect and disseminate information on the unique form of cobblestone masonry construction that grew in popularity in the forty years prior to the Civil War. This form of masonry is found primarily in New York State and the resource center at the museum serves as the North American center for education on cobblestone buildings.

The grant received from the DAR is part of the Special Grants program that provides financial support to local community projects which exemplify the Society’s three mission areas – historic preservation, education and patriotism. As regent of the local DAR chapter that endorsed the application request, Patrice Birner remarked, “The Orleans Daughters wholeheartedly support this project. We recognize the importance of preserving this National Historic Landmark which draws visitor to Orleans County and the Western New York region.”

Museum leaders anticipate the project to be completed by the end of the summer.

Driver snapped telephone pole at 5 corners

GAINES – About 300 houses are without power this morning after a driver snapped a telephone pole at the 5 corners around midnight.

National Grid is working to restore power and expects to have it back on between 8 and 9 this morning. The outage runs along Route 98 between the canal and Route 104, and also includes Route 279 and runs as far east as Transit Road, National Grid reported.

The accident occurred at about 11:40 p.m. at the 5 corners, where routes 279 and 98 intersect.

Photos by Tom Rivers

EAGLE HARBOR – A house was destroyed by a fire early this morning in the hamlet of Eagle Harbor.

The blaze broke at about 12:30 a.m. and destroyed a house owned by Jeffrey Harding at 3424 West Barre-Eagle Harbor Rd.

Firefighters arrived on scene to see flames shooting through the roof of the house.

The fire could be seen from more than a mile away. The house was located south of the Erie Canal.

Dozens of firefighters were at the scene from the Albion, Barre and Medina Fire Departments.

The fire was mostly knocked down and under control not long after 1 a.m.

Sharon Harding comforts her son Jeffrey while firefighters put out a fire at his house.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The front lawn at Fairhaven Treasures will soon be transformed into an international peace garden.

GAINES – A historic homestead that was renovated and reopened as an art gallery and high-end co-op late last year will soon have an International Peace Garden in its front lawn.

Fairhaven Treasures, at the southeast corner of routes 98 and 104, will have a garden, three flag poles and a stone wall that says “Fairhaven.” That is the name John Proctor gave for the hamlet when he lived there more than 200 years ago.

Proctor is known as the Paul Revere of Ridge Road because he rode along the Ridge warning settlers that the British were coming during the War of 1812. He had a log cabin at the corner of 98 and 104 before the large brick house was built in 1834.

File photo by Tom Rivers – The creek that runs by the Cobblestone Society Museum on Route 98, just south of Route 104, is named for John Proctor. The creek is called “Proctor Brook.”

Ray Burke and his wife Linda now own the property and they worked most of last year upgrading the site. There will be a grand opening for Fairhaven Treasures on May 3-4.

Gaines Town Supervisor Carol Culhane assisted with the renovation providing some of the manual labor. She also connected with the International Peace Garden Foundation about having a site in Gaines at Proctor’s former property.

“It’s a great tourist possibility,” she said.

Fairhaven will be the second peace garden in the county. Brown’s Berry Patch dedicated the first one last year.

File photo by Tom Rivers – Bob and Deborah Brown dedicated a peace garden at Brown’s Berry Patch last October. They were joined by Paula Savage, right, of Batavia who is founder of the Peace Garden Foundation.

The garden locations need to have a historical connection to the War of 1812. At the Browns, family matriarch Bathshua Brown settled in the area in 1804 when the trees were so dense in Carlton the area was known as the Black North. She helped fight off the British in the war and took one of their captains captive.

Bathshua and her pioneering spirit also is noted on a historical marker in front of Brown’s Berry Patch.

The Fairhaven garden will include flag poles for the American, Canadian and Peace Garden flags. Culhane said it will enhance the historic district along the Ridge, which includes the Cobblestone Society Museum.

Photo by Tom Rivers

GAINES – The state Department of Transportation about two weeks ago added new signs near the routes 98 and 104 intersection, highlighting the presence of the Cobblestone Society Museum.

The museum has eight historic buildings, including three with cobblestone masonry. The Cobblestone Church, pictured on Route 104, was built in 1834 and is the oldest cobblestone church in North America.

The museum, which is a National Historic Landmark, opens on Mother’s Day. For more on the museum, click here.

2 also charged with rape after raid by Task Force

Lee Q. Tisdale

Devon Robinson

Four people were jailed after a drug investigation, and two of those people also face charges for rape, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported.

Police made the arrests on Monday following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine, ecstasy and methylone “bath salts” in Orleans County.

The Task Force and Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at 2822 Lattin Rd., in the town of Gaines. Police also investigated reports of under-age parties at the residence which involved alcohol, drug use and sex.

As a result of the investigation, the following were arrested:

Lee Q. Tisdale, 43, of 2822 Lattin Rd., Albion, who was charged with two counts of criminal sale and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, one count of criminal sale and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.

Tisdale also was charged with third-degree rape.

He was arraigned in the Town of Gaines Justice Court on Monday by Town Justice Bruce Schmidt, who sent Tisdale to jail on $250,000 cash bail or $500,000 bond.

Tisdale was to appear in county court on Monday. When he didn’t show, Judge James Punch issued a bench warrant for Tisdale’s arrest.  Tisdale appeared in county court on Wednesday to appear on the bench warrant. He was committed to county jail with no bail.

Devon Robinson, 20, of 19 Lang St., Rochester, who was charged with first-degree rape, one count of sexual misconduct, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Laura J. Campbell

Jennifer L. Davila

Laura J. Campell, 40, of 19 Lang St., Rochester, who was charged with one count of a criminal sex act in the third degree and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Jennifer L. Davilia, 24, of 2822 Lattin Rd., Albion, who was charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, one count of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of unlawful possession of marijuana.

The rape charges stem from Tisdale, Robinson and Campbell allegedly having sexual intercourse and or sexual contact with another person under the age of 17, the Task Force reported.

Robinson, Campell and Davila were all arraigned in Gaines court by Justice Schmidt on Wednesday. Robinson was sent to the county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. Campbell and Davila were both committed to the county jail on $2,500 cash or bond. They are all to return town court at 3 p.m. on April 1.

Orleans County Animal Control assisted officers at the scene of the search warrant and removed four pitbulls that appeared to have injuries due to fighting. The dogs were taken to the vet by animal control and treated for their injures. Tisdale faces numerous charges for animal abuse and neglect, the Task Force reported.

The residence also was condemned by the town of Gaines due to the condition of the property. Tisdale faces numerous codes violations as well.

The Brockport Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation and arrest of Tisdale, who also faced charges in Monroe County.

This investigation is still ongoing and further charges and arrests are pending, the Task Force reported.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Cobblestone Society Museum includes three cobblestone buildings on Route 104 and also this collection of three wooden buildings: a print shop, harness shop, and an exhibit hall of 19th century farming tools. There are other buildings in the complex as well.

Provided photo – Claire Turner, left, and Taylor George have been helping to update the Cobbelstone Society Museum web site and expand the museum’s social media presence.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Cobblestone Society Museum opens for the season on Mother’s Day.

Press release, Cobblestone Society Museum

ALBION – In a classic case of “old meets new,” the Cobblestone Museum is engaging social media and other contemporary communication tools to attract visitors to its historical site near the intersection of routes 98 and 104.

The museum is embracing new technology to reach a wider audience. The museum also hired some fresh faces with new co-directors Sarah Karas and Matthew Ballard. They are teaming with Brockport State College interns Claire Turner and Taylor George to advance the museum board’s goal of drawing more visitors to its unique collection of cobblestone architecture and artifacts.

“Our new co-directors bring complementary talents to the table,” Cobblestone Trustee Diane Palmer said. “And we’re really excited about this new partnership with SUNY Brockport. It’s going to help us create a larger online presence.”

Cobblestone Trustee Stephen Karas helped forge the alliance with Brockport. “It has been refreshing and encouraging to view the different ideas and approaches that the co-directors and interns have designed to promote the Cobblestone through these new venues,” he said. “It is our goal that this will allow us to reach a much broader audience and encourage visits to our museum.”

The museum is already well on its way to achieving a new online “look,” resulting from a web design competition in a Brockport class last fall. One of the winning designers, graphic design and marketing student Claire Turner, also landed one of the two internships with the museum this spring.

As website intern, Turner is working to have the new site up and running in time for the museum’s opening event on Mother’s Day. Turner hails from the Rochester suburb of Greece and plans to pursue a career in the field of brand design. She enjoys the small town charm of Brockport and would like to continue her work with nonprofits.

“Claire’s contributions have been an enormous help so far,” said Ballard, one of museum co-directors. “Her skills in graphic design have put us on the fast track to a beautiful new website.”

Taylor George is the museum’s new social media intern. She has already established new social media accounts on Twitter (@CobblestoneMuse), Pinterest (The Cobblestone Society Museum), and Instagram (Cobblestone Museum), and will be helping maintain these accounts, along with the museum’s current Facebook page (The Cobblestone Museum). She is a journalism and broadcasting student graduating this May.

Originally from the Southern Tier town of Sidney, George would like to move to the South after she graduates to pursue a career in the food writing sector. She said working with her grandmother at the Sidney Historical Museum has inspired her to contribute her skill set to the Cobblestone Museum.

Sarah Karas, one of the new co-directors, has been working with George on the social media aspects.

“It has been a pleasure working with Taylor,” Karas said. “She has great ideas on how to promote events and the museum in a unique way. She has been a valuable addition to our organization.”

The museum will use its new online presence to help promote events, provide information on renting the museum for weddings and meeting spaces, and to generate interest in general admission tours and large group tours. In the future, new interns will continue to maintain the website and social media aspects of the museum.