Provided photos

HOLLEY – State Assemblymen Steve Hawley was joined by local officials on Friday when he presented “Historic Business Preservation Registry” citations to two long-time Holley businesses.

The top photo shows Hawley with Dan Klips (center), owner of Stockham Lumber in Holley at 88 Geddes St..

Hawley, second from left, was joined by Holley Village Trustee John Morriss, County Legislator Ed Morgan, County legislator John Fitzak and Holley Mayor Mark Bower.

The state registry recognizes businesses that have been in operation for at least 50 years and have contributed to their community’s history.

Stockham Lumber was founded in 1880 by Nerv L. Cole, Stockham Lumber has over a century of history with its original business focusing on coal and lumber. Stockham Lumber continues its legacy as a lumber company known for its reliability and service with its principles of quality, integrity and customer service remaining in place, Hawley said.

Stockham Lumber has recently expanded and continues to grow the business serving customers across the region ensuring exemplary standards, Hawley noted. There is now an additional Stockham site in Gasport.

Hawley also presented the citation to the Holley Cold Storage on 16677 State Route 31.

Founded in 1902 by Marcus Balcom and Almond Boyce, Holley Cold Storage has become an essential link among regional farmers, food processors and distant markets allowing perishable goods to be preserved safely for extended periods of time, Hawley said.

The facility has provided cold storage services to regional customers and is committed to preserving the legacy of the business while maintaining its role as a steady employer within the Holley community and the region.

3 candidates on ballot for Board of Education in May 19 election

HOLLEY – The school district is proposing a $32,687,000 budget that increases spending by 6.2 percent and would raise taxes by 2.5 percent.

The budget is up by $1,913,000 from the current $30,774,000. The budget maintains all existing programs.

The district will collect $201,768 more in property taxes – from $8,070,702 to $8,272,470. That is under Holley’s allowable tax cap of 4.112 percent, school officials said the district’s budget newsletter. Holley is under the tax cap by $130,100.

In a message to the community, Board of Education President Trina Lorentz and Superintendent Karri D. Schiavone said the district is presenting “a fair and balanced budget.”

“Our dedication to enriching the educational experience in Holley guides every step of this year’s planning,” the wrote in their budget message. “With a renewed emphasis on innovation, growth, and excellence, we’re working to build on our strong foundation and open doors to new possibilities that support students, educators, and our community.”

They said the budget is aligned with the district’s 2024–2029 Strategic Plan, which reflects a shared commitment to achievement, empowerment, inclusion, responsibility and Engagement.

They said the budget prioritizes “high-quality instruction, safe and supportive learning environments, and responsible stewardship of resources to ensure long-term sustainability for our district.”

The tax levy is up to account for increases in contractual and inflationary costs, and “allows us to deliver high quality instructional and extracurricular programs that are expected in our community while remaining fiscally responsible and aligned with our long-term district goals.”

Voters will go to the polls from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 19 at the Holley Middle/High School.

In addition to the budget, there are four propositions:

• Proposition 2 authorizes replacement school buses – one large and one small with a wheelchair lift ($374,000)
• Proposition 3 allows district to collect $217,703 for the Community Free Library
• Proposition 4 authorizes the purchase of a vacant lot adjacent to Woodlands soccer field ($12,500)
• Proposition 5 authorizes the establishment of a Capital Improvements Reserve Fund that will not exceed $10 million

There are also three candidates seeking three seats on the Board of Education. The two candidates with the most votes get three-year terms while the one with the third most votes gets a one-year term. The three-year terms begin July 1, while the shorter term starts May 20 because it’s filling a vacancy.

The candidates on the ballot include:

Cecelia Pacheco Stevens – A CCA at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Pacheco Stevens has four children in the district. She has been an active volunteer at Holley events involving her children.

“I’m running to ensure every student feels supported, heard, and valued,” she said in the district budget newsletter. “I want to be a voice for all students including those who need extra help, those who thrive in the arts, and those who grow through sports. Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and every family deserves to feel connected to their school community.”

Eric DiLella – A retired resident, he volunteers with his therapy dog, visiting hospitals, nursing homes and Call centers for Goodwill.

“I am looking for more ways to support the community,” he said. “When we were raising our kids in the Holley School, it was difficult to juggle a job, kid’s activities, a house and the occasional coaching or scouting assist. Now that I am retired, I can do what I couldn’t do 20 years ago.”

Janet Klossner – She is self-employed at a daycare and also with a hobby farm. Klossner is currently on the Board of Education. She also teaches local fiber arts classes, and is a 4-H leader and barn superintendent who heads up the annual fiber auction at the County Fair.

“I am committed to the youth to ensure they receive a strong education and are prepared for future success, while also keeping taxes manageable for our community,” she said.

HOLLEY – The Village Board on Monday adopted a $3,601,257 village budget that will increase taxes by 9.9 percent.

The $1,303,831 tax levy is up from $1,186,379 for 2025-26. The tax rate will increase from $19.54 to $21.51 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The budget includes the General Fund at $2,165,925, Water Fund at $983,883 and Sewer Fund at $451,448.

During a public hearing on the budget April 15, Mayor Mark Bower said the village hasn’t seen in increase in other revenues and needs to raise taxes.

Holley has sought more of the local sales tax from the Orleans County Legislature but the share to towns and villages hasn’t changed since 2001.

The state is proposing a small increase in AIM (Aid and Incentives to Municipalities). Holley has been stuck at $17,786 in AIM for several years. Gov. Hochul, in her budget proposal, has another $3,732 in AIM for Holley through “Temporary Municipal Assistance.”

Here is a breakdown of the General Fund by each department with previous year in parenthesis: DPW at $870,855 ($782,267); Police at $453,973 ($406,911); Office at $296,729 ($299,789); Code Enforcement at $72,313 ($71,280); Employee Benefits at $199,700 ($136,030) and Debt Payments at $72,710 ($75,146).

The 9.9 percent tax increase follows a budget where taxes went up by 10.0 percent. Over the past two years, the village property taxes have now gone up 20.9 percent or another $225,304 in the tax levy to $1,303,831.

Assemblyman Hawley will present ‘Historic Business Preservation Registry’ citations to Stockham Lumber and Holley Cold Storage

HOLLEY – State Assemblyman Steve Hawley will be presenting “Historic Business Preservation Registry” citations to two long-time Holley businesses on Friday, May 8.

The registry recognizes businesses that have been in operation for at least 50 years and have contributed to their community’s history.

Hawley will be at the Holley Cold Storage on 16677 State Route 31 to present the citation at 1:30 p.m.

Founded in 1902 by Marcus Balcom and Almond Boyce, Holley Cold Storage has become an essential link among regional farmers, food processors and distant markets allowing perishable goods to be preserved safely for extended periods of time, Hawley said.

The facility has provided cold storage services to regional customers and is committed to preserving the legacy of the business while maintaining its role as a steady employer within the Holley community and the region.

Then at 2:15 p.m., Hawley will be at 88 Geddes St. to present Stockham Lumber with its citation.

Founded in 1880 by Nerv L. Cole, Stockham Lumber has over a century of history with its original business focusing on coal and lumber. Stockham Lumber continues its legacy as a lumber company known for its reliability and service with its principles of quality, integrity and customer service remaining in place, Hawley said.

Stockham Lumber has recently expanded and continues to grow the business serving customers across the region ensuring exemplary standards, Hawley noted.

David Hull has been prolific contributor to the series

(Left) This is the cover of the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul book, I can’t Stop Laughing, which featured 101 humorous tales and feel-good stories. (Right) David Hull, shown in a file photo from 2018, has been featured in about 30 of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

HOLLEY – David Hull has written another story that is featured in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

The newest book will be released on April 28 and features 101 stories over 320 pages. The book – “I Can’t Stop Laughing” – includes a story by Hull.

In “It’s All Behind Me Now,” Hull shares a story about sitting on an M & M and having it smear on the back of his khaki pants. He had to give a presentation at parent’s night assembly while he was working as a teacher.  He was then invited to a fancy dinner afterwards with members of the school administration.

Hull continues to be a prolific contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. He has written stories that are featured in about 30 of the books.

Hull is a retired preschool teacher. He grew up in Brockport. Hull has said he checks the Chicken Soup website for future book themes and also gets emails from them about topics. He sends in submissions and said he is accepted about 50 percent of the time.

“If you get rejected you have to try again,” he said in a previous interview.

The most popular Chicken Soup books tend to be humorous ones, and books about pets, Hull said.

Hull studied English in college and earned a degree in education. He worked 28 years as a teacher at the Brockport Child Development Center at Brockport State College.

The Chicken Soup for the Soul series debuted in 1993 and now has published 400 titles and sold more than 100 million copies. The books have been translated into more than 40 languages. For more information on Chicken Soup for the Soul, click here.

Mayor seeks assistance from state and federal governments

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Village of Holley has made several improvements to its police station in recent years but the back wall of the village-owned building next door is in grave condition, and faces $150,000 in emergency repairs, Mayor Mark Bower said.

HOLLEY – Village officials are facing an unexpected emergency repair on the back wall of the building that is connected to the police station on Thomas Street.

Mayor Mark Bower said the entire back wall of the building that is part of the police station needs to be replaced. The village had a structural engineer and contractor look at the back brick wall and the damage was worse than expected. The extensive water damage was revealed when the beadboard and paneling were removed.

The Village Board was expecting to spend $17,000 to $20,000 on the project, but now it will take an estimated $150,000 to fix the problem.

Bower said he has reached out to offices of Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and Assemblyman Steve Hawley to see if the state and federal governments have any funding to help with an emergency repair. He also is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office in Batavia for financial assistance.

“Significant fractures in the brick wall and even the lintels themselves were so much worse than ever anticipated,” Bower wrote in an April 9 letter to Tenney’s office. “While we had nominally budgeted for labor and materials for the job, we are now facing more extensive repairs likely exceeding 150K.”

The police station is right next to the crumbling wall, but Bower said there is a stable wall separating the two sites and the police department should be able to continue to function at the site in the near future. However, he said the code enforcement officer would be justified in requiring the police department to vacant the premises giving the condition of the back wall to the adjoining property.

Bower said there isn’t an alternative site in the village for the police station if it was forced to leave its police station.

He would like the wall to be repaired as soon as possible. The building is from 1900, Bower said.

The village has made several improvements to the police station since 2022, Bower noted, including a new roof, gutters and downspouts, new fascia, doors and windows. The front of the building was repainted and the back one third of the property also has been repaired, Bower said.

“This is essential to the village operations due to the police station,” Bower said in stating his case for state and federal support for the repairs.

HOLLEY – The Village Board will hold a public hearing today at 5:30 p.m. on a tentative $3.6 million village budget that would increase taxes by 9.9 percent. The hearing will be in the village office in the old Holley High School.

This budget proposal follows the 2025-26 budget that raised taxes by 10.0 percent. Over two years, the budgets would represent a 20.9 tax increase or another $225,304 in the tax levy to $1,303,831.

The tax rate in the tentative budget is $21.51 per $1,000 of assessed property, which is up from the $19.54 rate for 2025-26.

The budget was brought up briefly during the monthly Village Board meeting on Tuesday. One resident, Mike Vendetti, said he is concerned about the rising taxes when residents face increases in some many other areas, including a recent jump in their electric bills.

Mayor Mark Bower responded that a village tax increase appears unavoidable.

“We absolutely do not have the revenue,” he said.

The tentative budget shows $3,601,258 in overall spending with $2,165,926 in the general fund, $983,883 in the water fund and $451,448 in the sewer fund.

Within the general fund the tentative budget shows the DPW increasing from $782,267 to $870,855; the Police Department from $406,911 to $453,973; Village Office from $299,789 to $296,729; Code Enforcement from $71,280 to $72,313; Employee Benefits from $136,030 to $199,700; and Debt payments from $75,146 to $72,710.

Here are the tax levies and tax rates in recent village budgets:

• 2026-2027 (tentative) tax levy, $1,303,831; tax rate (tentative), $21.51
• 2025-26 tax levy, $1,186,379; tax rate, $19.54
• 2024-25 tax levy, $1,078,527; tax rate, $17.87

HOLLEY – Holley Central School welcomes senior citizens, 55 and older, in the school district for the annual Senior Citizen Appreciation Breakfast.

It will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on May 7 in the Holley Elementary Café.

“Thank you for your continuous support of our students and schools!” the district said. “We appreciate you.”

Senior citizens should RSVP by Monday, April 27 to Connie Nenni at 585‑638‑6316, ext. 2003.

Aurora’s Sweet Dream shares message of working through obstacles

Photo by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Debbie Patt of Clarendon holds a copy of her first children’s book, Aurora’s Sweet Dream. The book is targeted to children ages 3 to 8 and shows three friends – Aurora, a dog; Greenie, a parakeet; and Frankie, a kitten. They work through challenges in the kitchen to finally make a batch of Super Duper Fudgy Brownies.

Patt had a book release for Aurora’s Sweet Dream last Saturday at the Community Free Library.  Patt is a baker and operated Clarendon Cheesecakes for many years.

The book features her own pets. She staged them in photos and then used assisted AI for the illustrations in the 78-page book.

She brought her dog, Aurora, to Saturday’s book signing. Aurura is a miniature pincher-chihuahua mix.

In the book, Aurora wants to be a baker, but she has many mishaps in the kitchen. Her mixer breaks. She forgets the chocolate chips. But she perseveres.

“If you work hard, you will succeed,” Patt said about the message of the book.

Aurora’s Sweet Dream is available through Amazon and at the Lift Bridge Book Shop in Brockport. Patt expects to be at local festivals selling and promoting the book. A soft cover is $15 and the hard cover sells for $20.

Patt said she is working on other children’s books inspired by her pets.

Patt also is a finalist for “Entrepreneur of Impact” and could win $25,000 and be featured in Entrepreneur Magazine. Click here for more information.

Provided photo: Debbie Patt signs copies of her book during an event last Saturday at the Community Free Library in Holley.

This rendering shows a redesign of the canopy at the front entrance of the middle-high school for Holley. It’s one of the projects approved by voters today for major construction work at the school district.

HOLLEY – District voters today approved a proposed $22.9 million capital project. It passed with 207 yes votes to 60 opposed.

“Thank you to our families, community and staff for your support of this project, which will improve the quality of education for all of our students!” the district posed on its Facebook page.

State aid will cover the vast majority of the costs. Holley already has $4 million set aside for the local share of the project.

The proposed project focuses on four areas: program spaces – athletics & performing arts; safety, security and technology; infrastructure improvements for comfort, reliability and function; and site & transportation improvements.

The district provided this breakdown of the project:

Program Spaces: Athletics & Performing Arts

• Providing A/C to Elementary School gymnasium
• Refinishing gym floors at both ES and MS/HS
• Rock wall improvements at the Elementary School
• Replacing the auditorium stage rigging and curtains, and providing acoustic upgrades at the High School
• Library upgrades at the Elementary School including a new circulation desk

Safety, Security and Technology

• Camera system upgrades and replacements district-wide
• Replacing fiber lines for data systems between the campus buildings
• Audio/Visual upgrades at ES gymnasiums to improve educational experiences
• Replacement of the canopy at the MS/HS for improved sightlines, lighting and security for visitors

Infrastructure Improvements for Comfort, Reliability and Function

• Replacement of windows and masonry restoration at both the ES and MS/HS
• Renovations to restrooms at both academic buildings to improve plumbing and infrastructure and also improve ADA access for all building occupants and visitors
• Replacement of water softening system at the MS/HS
• Providing A/C at data closets at both academic buildings

Site & Transportation Improvements

• Repaving the parking lots around the bus garage
• Utility and sitework improvements at the athletic fields to allow for a toilet facility to be installed
• Providing a new scoreboard for the softball field

Photos by Tom Rivers: Holley students and community volunteers expanded their community cleanup last year on May 17 to include working on the landscaping by the tank at the Holley VFW post. The group reset memorial bricks, put down mulch and yanked out a lot of weeds.

Volunteers are welcome for Canal Clean Sweep events in Orleans County and other canal communities in the state.

The events are planned in alignment with the Parks & Trails New York annual state-wide Earth Day Canal Clean Sweep. Most of the events are April 17 to 19, but not all are in that time frame.

Holley has one of the biggest clean sweep efforts, with more than 100 students in the EarlyAct and Interact Clubs taking the lead in picking up trash along the canal and also on village streets and parks.

Holley calls it a “Day of Impact” and it will be from 10 a.m. to noon on May 17. This year’s clean sweep is in honor of Eric Fredendall, a Holley grad and U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran who passed away at age 46 on Feb. 17 after a battle with cancer.

The “Day of Impact” begins at the elementary school parking lot at 10 a.m. before the volunteers disperse into the community.

Adam Burgio, an Albion student, picks up litter and trash near the railroad tracks by Platt Street on April 19, 2025 during a Canal Clean Sweep event. The Albion Rotary Club and Interact Club at the school filled 19 garbage bags with a total weight of 307 pounds.

Other clean sweep events registered on the Park and Trails website in Orleans County include:

Albion – April 18 from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at Tinsel (Lockstone) and participants will receive free ice cream, gloves and trash bags.

Holley – April 18 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Volunteers will meet in the pavilion at the Canal Park Trail in Holley and will be provided with light breakfast refreshments before cleaning begins. This event is coordinated by the Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District & Orleans County Tourism.

Medina – April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon (with rain date on May 2). The Medina Lions Club welcomes people on the park on the east side of the canal near the lift bridge on the north side of the Medina village. Participants will clean up the trash and mulch the trees, bushes, sculptures and ground signs.

Medina – April 17 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The Medina Junior Senior High School Student IMPACT Club will be picking up litter along the canal, beginning near Ryan Street.

There is time for other groups to register for cleanup events along the canal, too. Click here for more information.

Boat is replica of famed Erie Canal vessel that carried Gov. DeWitt Clinton in 1825

Photo by Tom Rivers: Holley Mayor Mark Bower last week holds a promotional material highlighting the Seneca Chief’s stay in Holley on June 24. The vessel made a much-publicized voyage across the Erie Canal last year in commemoration of the canal’s 200th anniversary. It heads back across the canal from near Albany to Buffalo in June, staying at 16 ports.

HOLLEY – Mark Bower is excited about June 24 in the Village of Holley. The mayor will be welcoming the Seneca Chief that day.

The boat is a replica of the vessel that carried Gov. DeWitt Clinton in 1825 in the maiden voyage that went from one end of the canal to the other.

The replica did a commemorative journey of that voyage last year to help celebrate the bicentennial of the Ere Canal. Last year the Seneca Chief docked in Medina to end the second day of its trip, and the following day went through Orleans County and then stopped in Brockport.

This time, on the journey back to Buffalo, the Seneca Chief will be staying in Holley on June 24 and will offer guided tours of the boat. The following day it will port in Medina.

The Seneca Chief was built by volunteers of the Buffalo Maritime Center. The replica stopped in Medina’s Canal Basin during its “sea trial” in 2024 and again during the 33-day journey to New York City in 2025.

The Seneca Chief is shown on Sept. 26, 2025 during a brief stop in Albion where the public had a chance to tour the boat.

The 73-foot boat features a tiller made from wood pulled from Lockport’s “Flight of Five” locks. The vessel shared historical re-enactments, including the “Wedding of the Waters” ceremony, to canal-side communities in 2025.

The Seneca Chief will be heading back to Buffalo this year. The vessel’s journey this time will be over 22 days, instead of last year’s 33-day effort.

The schedule includes:

• June 6: Waterford
• June 6: Schenectady
• June 7-8: Amsterdam
• June 9-10: Little Falls
• June 11-12: Rome
• June 13: Sylvan Beach
• June 14: Brewerton
• June 15-16: Syracuse
• June 17: Baldwinsville
• June 18-19: Lyons
• June 20-21: Fairport
• June 22-23: Rochester
• June 24: Holley
• June 25: Medina
• June 26: Tonawandas
• June 27: Buffalo

Click here for more on the “Back to Buffalo” voyage for the Seneca Chief.

School officials will present public information session today at 5:30 p.m. in middle/high school cafeteria.

This rendering shows a redesign of the canopy at the front entrance of the middle-high school for Holley.

HOLLEY – The district will present a $22.9 million capital project to voters on March 24. Polls will be open from 12 to 9 p.m. in the middle/high school foyer.

Holley school officials will have a public information session about the project today at 5:30 p.m. in the middle/high school cafeteria.

Holley already has $4 million set aside towards the project and won’t need to raise additional local taxes for the project. The state’s building aid ratio for Holley is 91 percent, the district said.

The proposed project focuses on four areas: program spaces – athletics & performing arts; safety, security and technology; infrastructure improvements for comfort, reliability and function; and site & transportation improvements.

In a letter to the community, district superintendent Karri Schiavone and Board of Education president Trina Lorentz said the Holley community offered continued support of the district and its campus improvements. Holley recently completed a capital project that was approved in 2022.

“Building on those improvements, and in keeping with the district’s responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer resources, Holley is now proposing a new Capital Improvement Project to address additional facility needs,” Schiavone and Lorentz said. “By planning projects thoughtfully and proactively, the district can extend the life of its buildings, avoid more costly emergency repairs, and make efficient use of available funding. The proposed project would be fully funded by utilizing New York State building aid and existing district funds.  Therefore, there will be no tax impact on our residents.”

The auditorium stage also would be significantly updated for first time since the school opened about 50 years ago.

The district provided this breakdown of the project:

Program Spaces: Athletics & Performing Arts

• Providing A/C to Elementary School gymnasium
• Refinishing gym floors at both ES and MS/HS
• Rock wall improvements at the Elementary School
• Replacing the auditorium stage rigging and curtains, and providing acoustic upgrades at the High School
• Library upgrades at the Elementary School including a new circulation desk

Safety, Security and Technology

• Camera system upgrades and replacements district-wide
• Replacing fiber lines for data systems between the campus buildings
• Audio/Visual upgrades at ES gymnasiums to improve educational experiences
• Replacement of the canopy at the MS/HS for improved sightlines, lighting and security for visitors

Infrastructure Improvements for Comfort, Reliability and Function

• Replacement of windows and masonry restoration at both the ES and MS/HS
• Renovations to restrooms at both academic buildings to improve plumbing and infrastructure and also improve ADA access for all building occupants and visitors
• Replacement of water softening system at the MS/HS
• Providing A/C at data closets at both academic buildings

Site & Transportation Improvements

• Repaving the parking lots around the bus garage
• Utility and sitework improvements at the athletic fields to allow for a toilet facility to be installed
• Providing a new scoreboard for the softball field

For more information on the proposed project, click here.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Two very different characters – Shrek played by Aidan Kelley and Donkey played by Kallan Babcock – travel together to save a princess who is in a tower in a castle. They work together to get past a dragon to save her.

Shrek is a loner who is most at peace being alone in his swamp. He encounters Donkey and other banished fairytale characters who are sent to the swamp by Lord Farquaad. Donkey brings non-stop chatter and antics that get on Shrek’s nerves.

Holley performed Shrek on Friday night and has two more shows today at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Holley Junior-Senior High School.

Kohle Pachla plays the pint-sized Lord Farquaad, shown with the Duloc Dancers. They perform “What’s Up Duloc?” Lord Farquaad makes a deal with Shrek to save the princess and then he will get his swamp back.

Fiona played by Isla Schultz has been locked away in the castle for 8,423 days or about 23 years. She sings, “I Know It’s Today” when her prince will come and rescue her.

These fairytale creatures are banished to the swamp by evil Lord Farquaad, who calls them freaks. The 3 Lil Pigs are played by Zoey Warner, Brianna Pellegrino and Grayson Kelley. Leo Ladd is the Big Bad Wolf.

Nico Unterborn plays the role of Pinocchio, whose nose stretches out when he tells a fib.

Donkey (Kallan Babcock) strikes a connection with the Dragon, which previously singed most of the princess’s rescuers. Others were held in captivity. Donkey and the Dragon sing, “Forever.” The Dragon is played by Lillian Haight, Nora Lindsay and Alexis VanAmeron.

Lord Farquaad (Kohle Pachla) is torturing Gingy (Layla Jones) into revealing the whereabouts of other fairytale creatures that are still hiding in his Kingdom so he can have them arrested as well.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mike Vendetti tells the Holley Village Board on Tuesday that a spike in electric bills plus high village taxes is hard on everybody in the village, including landlords who can’t easily pass on the bigger costs to tenants.

HOLLEY – Cheap electricity has long been one of the big pluses of the Village of Holley, which has its own department offering municipal electricity.

But those bills have skyrocketed since last month and many residents have expressed their concern to the Village Board and village office.

“No doubt, each one of us who opened our recent bill, got quite the shock,” Mayor Mark Bower said in a message to village residents last month. “To say that the office has received calls from angry, upset, confused electric customers is an understatement.”

He expects the rates will be high until the winter weather eases, with higher bills expected in March and April.

Bower said Holley gets additional electricity during intense usage from three sources – New York Power Authority, New York Municipal Power Authority and National Grid, and that comes at higher costs than the municipal rates.

During times of high electric usage, such as the recent bitter cold temperatures, the purchase power agreement rates have soared, and not only in Holley. Bower said his February bill was nearly $500 with $311.55 due to the purchase power agreement charges.

One local landlord, Mike Vendetti, attended Tuesday’s Village Board to share his concerns about the rising costs of living in Holley. In addition to the big jump in electric bills, Holley village taxes increased 10 percent in the 2025-26 budget.

Vendetti said the landlords can’t simply pass the higher costs on to tenants.

“We can’t just raise rents or we’re going to chase people right ut of this village,” he said.

The tax levy went from $1,078,527 in 2024-25 to $1,186,380 in the current budget, a $107,853 increase. The village’s tax rate is currently $19.54 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The Village Board needs to adopt a new budget for 2026-27 by April 30.

Bower said he is sympathetic to the higher costs on village taxpayers and residents.

“I hear your message,” he said to Vendetti.

Bower said the village has been able to secure grants for a new playground, and also for upgrades to a pavilion and the canal trail without burdening local taxpayers.