Village Board expects to make cuts to department or eliminate it

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Holley Village Board met on Tuesday at the American Legion for the board’s monthly meeting. From left include trustees Rochelle Moroz and Jessica MacClaren, Mayor Mark Bower, attorney John Sansone, and trustees John Morriss and Brenden Bedard.

HOLLEY – The Holley Village Board is discussing whether to eliminate the police department which accounts for over $500,000 to village taxpayers each year.

Mayor Mark Bower said the board is determined to try to bring down the tax burden in the village. Residents and some of the larger businesses in Holley tell him the taxes are too high in the village.

The board discussed the police department on Tuesday. Deputy Mayor John Morriss said the department accounts for $523,973 of the village’s $2,165,925 budget in 2026-27.

“If we dissolve (the police department), we need to have a plan in place for how our citizens will be protected,” Morriss said.

Holley needs to know from the Orleans County sheriff and the county legislators if there would be increased patrols and coverage in the village if the Holley PD were to dissolve, and would the county be expecting the village to pay for that coverage. Morriss said the village property owners already pay in county taxes towards the Sheriff’s Office.

“What would it cost us?” Morriss said during Tuesday’s meeting. “Would it be above what we’re already paying in taxes?”

Holley Police Chief Bob Barton is shown during Holley’s Flag Day celebration on June 13, 2025. Barton plans to retire as police chief in July 2027. He leads a department with two full-time officers and several part-timers.

The Holley PD has a chief, two full-time officers and six part-timers. There are officers on duty nearly 24-7. There are currently two night shifts not filled each week.

Each eight-hour shift costs the village about $200 to $250 for officer pay. If the police department continues, Morriss said the board and department could look at reducing some shifts when there are typically few calls.

During the month of July, Morriss broke down the call volume of about 100 calls for service: 15 calls on overnight; 16 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; 32 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 6 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and 31 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

During the month of August, Morriss said Thursdays and Fridays were the busiest days while Tuesdays saw the fewest calls.

Mayor Bower said he would like the board to decide next month if it will look to either reduce costs in the department and keep it, or look towards dissolution.

If the police department is dissolved, the board could make the decision on its own or put it to a public vote. If the board makes the decision, it would be subject to a permissive referendum, where residents could sign a petition requiring a public referendum.

Either way, there would need to be public hearings to get input from the community.

Besides eliminating some shifts, Holley could have an acting chief among its officers after Chief Bob Barton retires. Barton is expected to retire in July. His salary for the year is $59,580.

The two full-time officers are paid $25.75 an hour and $27.81 an hour, respectively. The part-time officers range in hourly pay from $18.54 an hour to $27.81.

If there was an acting chief, that person would likely be paid $30 an hour, the board said on Tuesday.

If there is a public vote on dissolution, Mayor Bower said it will be in its own special election and not be included in the next village election which is in June 2028.

The sign on the police station says the PD has been serving the community since 1930.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HULBERTON – Lori Richardson, left, and Noreen Ford have chicken parmesan ready at today’s St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in Hulberton.

There were big crowds for the event, with people showing up an hour early for the Italian food.

Ford co-chairs the food pavilion with her brother Bill Bower and his wife Rose Mary.

Ford graduated from the St. Mary’s School in Holley and has been at every one of the 51 festivals.

“We see a lot of people who we went to school with and their families,” Ford said.

The event is a fundraiser for the ONE Catholic Family of Churches.

Gail Christ works with other volunteers to get powered dough waffles.

The festival grounds were packed with people.

There were about 25 vendors selling arts, crafts and vegetables.

Chuck Maxon and Rachael Spychalski serve up spaghetti dinners.

Some of the spaghetti crew include from left Gary Maxon, Chuck Maxon, Rachael Spychalski and Jean Maxon.

Volunteers started preparing the food for St. Rocco’s on Tuesday.

They cooked 40 pounds of spaghetti, 45 gallons of meat sauce and 1,350 meatballs.

The volunteers also prepared 224 pans of eggplant with six servings a pan. The eggplant was donated by Vendetti Farms and Piedimonte Farms.

Jean Maxon is the overall festival chairwoman. She said the group promoted the festival more in the region. She was impressed by the big crowds.

There were 12 teams competing in the bocce tournament.

Enzio Molinaro, 1 ½ of Lockport, holds one of the bocce balls on an idle court. He was at the festival to watch his uncle and grandfather play.

Katie Robinson, a pianist and vocalist, performed hits from the 1970s and 1980s including Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Carole King, Seals and Crofts, Cyndi Lauper and James Taylor. Here she is singing, “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The old Holley High School is shown on June 16. The front steps crumbled in spots and have been partially blocked off to the public.

HOLLEY – The Holley Village Board will be changing its meeting location for the next   three meetings while repairs are made to the front steps at the old Holley High School.

The village is a tenant at the building and holds its monthly meetings in the former auditorium.

The monthly board meetings will instead be held at the American Legion at 1 Wright St., beginning on Tuesday and then on Oct.13 and Nov. 10.

The village offices moved from 72 Public Square to the former school beginning in August 2020.

Home Leasing turned the building, which was vacant for more than two decades, into 41 apartments and the offices for the village. It was a $17 million transformation to redevelop the property now called the Holley Gardens.

Home Leasing earlier this year notified the village that the old school and the majority of real estate properties have been sold to Pennrose Holdings, a Philadelphia-based firm.

HOLLEY – The Holley community will have a celebration on Sept. 11 for residents who are 90 and older.

The event will be hosted by Holley Mayor Mark Bower, Clarendon Town Supervisor Marc Major and Murray Town Supervisor Gerald Rightmyer.

The village and two towns first started a special celebration for their residents who are 90 and older in 2022, and then another party in 2024.

The Sept. 11 event will start at 1 p.m. on the grounds of the American Legion with a reception to follow inside the Legion.

The honorees include:

• Village of Holley – Margaret Roggow

• Town of Clarendon – Marion Myers and Orren VanOrden

• Town of Murray – Betty Knight, Betty Rex and Roy Kenyon

In addition, three long-time former residents will be recognized – Mary Brocksopp, Dorothy Kenyon Freestone and Joseph Salvatore.

File photos by Tom Rivers: Joe Morlino was among many volunteers cooking food at St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in Hulberton on Sept. 1, 2024. The event is a big fundraiser for the ONE Catholic Family of Churches. Morlino has been volunteering at the festival for 20 years. He is shown cooking French fries, ravioli and mozzarella sticks.

Press Release, ONE Catholic Family of Churches

HULBERTON – The St Rocco’s Annual Italian Festival is celebrating its 51st year with a variety of local musicians on Sunday.

Live music will begin at 11 a.m., and it will feature a varied line-up of talent under the tent throughout the afternoon until 4 p.m.

First up, from 11a.m. to noon, will be PSA – Public Service Announcement, a  Holley High School band including lead singer Isla Schultz, Brody Williams on drums, Aidan Kelley on guitar and Kallan Babcock on bass.

From noon to 1 p.m., Roxy’s Accordion Band will take the stage. The legacy of Roxy Caccamise and her Roxy’s Music Store in Batavia has carried on after her passing by her family and a collection of accordion enthusiasts.

Katie Robinson, a pianist and vocalist, will perform from 1 to 2 p.m. Katie performs hits from the 1970s and 1980s including Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Carole King, Seals and Crofts, Cyndi Lauper, James Taylor and more.

Rounding out the live music, from 2 to 4 p.m. will be the Bennetts Corners Band. The band members are Michael Kinsey, Tom Kinsey, Charles Kinsey and Nathaniel Kinsey. They play American Folk, Celtic Folk, American Country, Sea Shanties, and they take occasional comedic breaks.

“We are blessed and excited to be able to host this wonderful community event,” said Jeanne Maxon, chair of the festival committee. “It is especially fun to showcase some amazing local musicians – so please bring a lawn chair and enjoy the free entertainment.”

The St. Rocco Italian Festival is at 3415 Hulberton Rd.  Traditional food favorites are served from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the beer tent will offer Rohrbach Beer & Black Creek Cidery on tap.

There will be a bocce tournament, vendors, raffles and family play areas. The event grounds are a smoke & vape free environment. For their safety, no pets will be allowed. There is plenty of free on-site parking. The festival is a cash-only event with no ATM access.

Members of a band, PSA, from Holley Central School performed on June 24 when the Seneca Chief boat came to town. The band members include lead singer Isla Schultz, Brody Williams on drums, Aidan Kelley on guitar and Kallan Babcock on bass.

Event continues today in Holley’s Canal Park

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Bart Dentino sings “I Wish I Was A Dinosaur” on Saturday at Holley’s Canal Park. Dentino was one of the featured performers at the Erie Canal Artisan Festival in Holley.

The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council organized the three-day event which started Friday and concludes today. Other performers on Saturday included Judd Sunshine, Damn the Flood and Paul Almeter.

Today’s schedule for musicians includes:

• Bart Dentino Children’s Performance (10 to 11 a.m.)
• Judd Sunshine Children’s Performance (11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.)
• Bart Dentino Children’s Performance (1 to 2 p.m.)
• Judd Sunshine Children’s Performance (2:30 to 3:15 p.m.)
• The Strummerz (4 to 5 p.m.)

J. Lee Jewelry in Lockport is one of about 20 vendors at the festival. Gary and Sharon Melius have been working on the jewelry together the past 19 years.

They enjoyed the setting for the Holley show.

“It’s very homey,” Mrs. Melius said.

The vendors were set up along the path at Holley’s Canal Park.

Jodi Fisher, program director for GO Art!, said she was pleased to see more vendors as well as four food trucks for the event.

“It’s a beautiful location,” she said about the Holley site. “A lot of people don’t know about this park. It has shade and the paved walkway makes it accessible.”

GO Art! also wanted to highlight artisan vendors at the festival.

GO Art! distributed DoodleFace toy and wall art made by the Holley company that also makes Teacher Geek products. The DoodleFace products are available for free during the festival in Holley. Kids can color on the sets and them wipe them clean. They can be displayed easily on walls.

Helenna Ummen, in back at left, works for GO Art! as the creative administrations and communications coordinator.

Bart Dentino will be back today in kid-friendly concerts at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The stage is next to the playground. Admission is free.

Provided photos: Melissa Snider is shown with her sister Amanda Snider, on right side of the photos. There will be a benefit today for Amanda from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Clarendon Rec Hall.

CLARENDON – There will be a benefit today at the Clarendon Rec Hall for a young woman battling stage 4 carcinoma sarcoma.

Amanda Snider, 38, of Holley also has Dandy Walker Syndrome which causes some mental disabilities.

Her sister Melissa and their family and friends will have the benefit from 2 to 6 p.m. at 16169 East Lee Rd.

Melissa said she loves her sister very much and the benefit will help pay for Amanda’s medical care and other bills.

Amanda has had surgery to remove a nodule from her lung. Doctors are considering the next steps in her treatment.

“She is recovering very well,” her sister said.

Tickets for the spaghetti dinner are $17 at the door and include meatballs by the Bella Pasta Restaurant in Rochester and sauce by Fazool’s Italian Bistro in Rochester. Dinners will be served from 3 to 5 p.m.

There will also be a basket raffle, 50/50, music and other door prizes.

Photos courtesy of GO Art! – Bart Dentino, left, and Judd Sunshine will both be performing Saturday and Sunday at the Erie Canal Artisan Festival in Holley.

Press Release, GO Art!

HOLLEY – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council has planned a three-day Erie Canal Artisan Festival in Holley from Friday through Sunday at the Canal Trail Park.

The schedule includes:

Friday

Vendor preview (5-9 p.m.)

Holley Concerts on the Canal featuring the Blue Circle Band (6-8 p.m.)

Saturday

Vendors and food trucks (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Music and children’s performances (10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.)

• Judd Sunshine Children’s Performance (10-10:45 a.m.)
• Bart Dentino Children’s Performance (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
• Judd Sunshine Children’s Performance (1-1:45 p.m.)
• Bart Dentino Children’s Performance (2:30-3:30 p.m.)
• Damn the Flood (4-5 p.m.)
• Paul Almeter (5:30-6:30 p.m.)

Family outdoor movie (7 to 9 p.m.)

Sunday

Vendors and food trucks (10 a.m. to  5 p.m.)

Music and children’s performances (10 a.m. to  5 p.m.)

• Bart Dentino Children’s Performance (10 to 11 a.m.)
• Judd Sunshine Children’s Performance (11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.)
• Bart Dentino Children’s Performance (1 to 2 p.m.)
• Judd Sunshine Children’s Performance (2:30 to 3:15 p.m.)
• The Strummerz (4 to 5 p.m.)

Families are invited to sing, laugh, imagine and join in when award-winning children’s musician Bart Dentino performs at the GO Art! festival on Saturday and Sunday.

Dentino will present two one-hour shows each day, combining original music, humor, storytelling, and plenty of audience participation in a warm, engaging experience for children and the grown-ups who bring them.

Dentino has spent more than three decades creating music and arts experiences that invite children to use their imaginations and discover that their ideas and voices matter. His original album I Wish I Was a Dinosaur was selected as an American Library Association Notable Children’s Recording. He has appeared as guest soloist with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s Orkidstra concert, performed frequently at The Strong Museum and the Rochester Museum & Science Center, and was featured on PBS as an innovator in children’s music.

The festival performances will feature songs from I Wish I Was a Dinosaur and The Spaces Between the Leaves, along with interactive favorites designed to get the whole family singing and participating.

Judd Sunshine is a pianist and vocalist with over 30 years of experience as a professional musician and entertainer. An extensive repertoire of well-known popular music from the ’40s to the present as well as special styles such as children’s music, jazz standards, classic rock, blues, country, and bluegrass music.

Paul Almeter, left, will be performing Saturday. Damn the Flood, right, features an acoustic duo features Billy Lambert and Michael Iten.

The band “Damn the Flood” is an acoustic duo featuring longtime musicians Billy Lambert and Michael Iten. Lambert is a singer-songwriter who has released two solo albums and fronts the long-lived Rochester rock band Woody Dodge. Iten has performed in various bands such as Mayberry After Midnight, The Incredible Venus Flytrap, The Neurotic Blondes, and Phoenix, featuring the Morgan Twins.

Their duo features acoustic and electric guitars, tight harmonies, and harmonica. They will be playing from 4-5 p.m. on Saturday.

Paul Almeter who will be playing from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. He has played multiple times at Batavia Ramble Explore Art and Music Festival. He has been featured at various open mics and has performed at several GO Art! music series.

Strummerz will perform Sunday from 4 to 5 p.m. Strummerz is a musical duo based in Batavia, featuring members Rich Conroy and Don Bouchard. Established in 2001, they perform classic rock, pop, and folk music from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.

Press Release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The Holley school district will host Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 2-3, and registration is now open until Sept. 8 for the annual Alumni Soccer and Alumni Football games.

The games are open to all Holley alumni who graduated from the district on or before 2023. Participants do not need to have played the sport while attending Holley to take part.

The Alumni Soccer Game will be held on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. at Sander Soccer Field at The Woodlands. To register to play in the game, complete the registration form: Holley Alumni Soccer Game Registration.

Alumni cheerleaders are also invited to participate during the soccer game. To register to cheer for the game, complete the registration form: Holley Alumni Soccer Game – Cheerleading Registration.

The Alumni Flag Football Game will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 4:30 p.m. at Hawk Stadium. To register to play in the game, complete the registration form: Holley Alumni Football Game Registration.

The Alumni Soccer Game will benefit the Interact Club and the Eighth Grade Washington, D.C., Trip Scholarship Fund. The Alumni Football Game will benefit the Holley JV/Varsity Wrestling teams.

Press Release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The Holley Central School District is proud to announce that all dual enrollment courses offered at Holley Jr./Sr. High School will now be available to students tuition-free, eliminating any cost burden for families.

Through the district’s continued partnership with area colleges and universities, and as part of the Early College Access (ECA) program through Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES, students who have completed prerequisites and are currently registered for college courses will no longer pay tuition beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

Holley students currently take dual enrollment classes at SUNY Brockport and Genesee Community College. The new policy from the school district doesn’t include students in the 3-1-3 program at Brockport.

Dual enrollment courses allow high school students to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously, enhancing their academic readiness for higher education while helping to reduce the overall cost of a college degree.

“Investing in dual enrollment is an investment in our students’ futures,” said Brendan Keiser, Director of Teaching and Learning. “By removing the financial barrier to college-level coursework, we are empowering our students to earn college credit and take confident steps toward their postsecondary goals.”

“This initiative reflects our commitment to the goals outlined in our Strategic Action Plan and our Portrait of a Graduate,” said Karri Schiavone, Superintendent of Schools. “By making dual enrollment tuition-free, we are ensuring that more students have access to challenging academic experiences that build confidence, expand opportunities, and prepare them for success in college, careers, and life.”

The Holley Central School District remains committed to ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education characterized by rigorous, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences that challenge students, foster their growth, and inspire them to reach their full potential.

For more information, families are encouraged to contact Principal Matthew Feldman at (585) 815-5459.

Severe, prolonged cold spell strained electric system, causing big jump

Photos by Tom Rivers: Jim Stokes, executive director of the Municipal Electric Utilities Association, speaks during the Village of Holley board meeting on Tuesday. In back from left include board members Rochelle Moroz, Jessica MacClaren, Mayor Mark Bower, Brenden Bedard and John Morriss.

HOLLEY – Village residents are accustomed to getting a very good deal on their electric bills. But last winter those costs skyrocketed after a prolonged cold spell in late January and part of February.

There were about two weeks total of very cold weather, and the frigid temperatures affected the Northeast, straining the electric system.

The power stayed on, but the price was up exponentially, even for municipal electric systems like Holley, said Jim Stokes, executive director of the Municipal Electric Utilities Association.

He addressed the Holley Village Board and residents during Tuesday’s Village Board meeting. Stokes said the state has taken some big power plants off line in recent years. That has hurt the in-state power generation capacity.

Jim Stokes said the state’s electric-generating capacity remains vulnerable to peak demand times where the power would need to be purchased from other states or Canada.

During times of peak demand, such as a prolonged freeze, the demand soars, and New York State looks to get power from Canada and neighboring states. Those areas also saw increased demand during last winter’s drawn-out severe cold, Stokes said.

Holley typically gets its electricity at a very lower price through a Niagara hydropower allocation. The Municipal Electric Utilities Association hedges that price and secures a low price for the 51 municipal systems. Holley has 1,008 customers on a 2,400-voltage system.

But the if the power demand exceeds the hedged amount of power, the municipal systems have to get more power from the open market at a time of high demand and very high prices.

“The market price went through the roof,” he said.

A kilowatt hour is typically about 29 to 30 cents in New York State. But in a municipal-owned system like Holley the cost is about 3 to 3.5 cents. During last winter’s severe cold, the price on the open market shot to 60 cents to a $1, causing shockingly high electric bills, even in Holley.

Stokes said the state hasn’t added significant electric capacity and is vulnerable again this coming winter if there is a prolonged cold spell.

He suggests insulating houses and taking other actions to reduce use during a peak demand time.

The best way to avoid the price spike is for an easier winter, without a prolonged deep freeze.

“Milder temps is our best hope,” he said.

He also was asked by Mayor Mark Bower if larger industrial users can cause price spikes. Stokes said the larger users help keep the base rates down because they pay a high percentage of those costs. But if the demand soars and the municipal systems needs power from the open market, a larger user can be a detriment.

“Large uses are not necessarily bad users,” he said. “The systems without industrial users struggle because it’s all on the backs of the residents.”

Jim Stokes presented Holley with two signs and plaques that proclaim Holley’s is a carbon-free electric system. The village gets a hydropower allocation from the Niagara Power Project. Pictured with Stokes include Matt Campbell (left), the village’s electric & water superintendent; and Mayor Mark Bower. The signs will likely be displayed with the Holley welcome signs at each end of Route 31 in the village.

Photos courtesy of Village of Holley

HOLLEY – The Village of Holley unveiled a new sign today for the Holley Community Garden that is located off State Street.

Mayor Mark Bower is shown removing a covering from the new sign. The village used a grant from The Community Heart and Soul Foundation to pay for the sign.

The Holley Community Garden started in 2017 through the County Health Department, Clarendon Lions Club, Myron Holley Garden Club, and Village of Holley employees and officials. Susan Persia was at the sign unveiling today. She was instrumental in starting the community garden nearly a decade ago.

Beer tent is open and band will play tonight

Photo by Tom Rivers: Lee Bement of Pitcher, NY competes with “New Yorker” in the modified class at the Murray Tractor Pull on July 19, 2025. His tractor is turbine powered and hits 13,000 RPMs.

MURRAY – Organizers of the Murray Tractor Pull have announced the event will be cancelled today due to the severe thunderstorms.

The beer tent will be open and the band will play starting at 6:30 p.m. until 11p.m.

The tractor pull is held on Groth Road in Murray and typically draws 1,000 to 1,500 fans. Last year’s event raised $13,000 for the Ronald McDonald House.

The Christ family created the pulling track and facility about 30 years ago on Groth Road.

Press Release, NYS Department of Transportation

MURRAY – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge that carries Transit Road over the Erie Canal in the Town of Murray, Orleans County, has been temporarily closed to traffic to facilitate bridge work.

Motorists should use the Densmore Road bridge to the west. Signboards have been positioned to alert motorists ahead of the closure and NYSDOT will keep the public apprised regarding the reopening of the bridge.

Motorists should anticipate travel delays during this time and are advised to seek alternate routes if necessary. Construction activities are weather dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.

Provided photos

HOLLEY – Jim DeFilipps was commended and presented with a plaque from Mayor Mark Bower during Defilipps’ final meeting as a village trustee on June 29. He was on the board for over a decade.

DeFilipps, a former Holley police officer, chose not to seek re-election last month. Brenden Bedard has taken his position as a trustee. DeFilipps currently works as chief deputy of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office. He was deputy of the year in 2015 in New York State.

The photo at left shows DeFilipps with his children, Jake and Gianna. At right, Mayor Mark Bower presents DeFilipps with a plaque for his service.

The board also on June 29 accepted the resignation of Katie Niles as village treasurer and Sarah Lyons as the deputy clerk-treasurer. The board appointed Lyons to be the village treasurer at an hourly pay of $25.46 and Vesna McGlen to be deputy treasurer at hourly rate of $20 per hour.