Provided photo: A Holley student pours coffee for a senior attending the 2022 Senior Citizen Appreciation Breakfast.
Posted 12 April 2023 at 2:52 pm
Press Release, Holley Central School
HOLLEY – The school district invites senior citizens, 55 and older, for the annual Senior Citizen Appreciation Breakfast on Thursday, May 11, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Holley Elementary Café.
The school district would like to thank the senior citizens in our community for all they’ve done to support our students and schools.
RSVP are due by Monday, May 1, to Connie Nenni in the District Office at 638-6316, ext. 2003. Transportation is available. Please let us know when you RSVP if you need a ride.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Bridget O’Toole and Doug Heath are pictured in the law office of Heath & O’Toole PLLC at 66 Public Square in Holley.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 April 2023 at 6:12 pm
HOLLEY – Doug Heath, an attorney with 37 years of experience based in Holley, has welcomed a new partner for his law practice at 66 Public Square.
Bridget O’Toole joined Heath on April 1, forming Heath & O’Toole PLLC. The law firm specializes in estate planning and estate administration as well as municipal, real estate, land use, environmental and energy law.
Heath is a fourth-generation attorney going back 124 years. The lineage includes his father Robert Heath worked as an attorney for 50 years; grandfather, Mark Heath; and great-grandfather, Edward Heath.
Doug Heath has no plans of retiring anytime soon, and he said his practice has been growing. He met O’Toole in her role as the Barre town attorney. Heath works as the town attorney for Gaines and Carlton.
“My practice has been booming,” he said during an interview on Monday in Holley. “I needed to bring in help and I wanted to bring in young help. She represents a new generation attorney and the future.”
Doug Heath and Bridget O’Toole have joined forces in a law practice. Doug is a fourth-generation lawyer. O’Toole spent part of her childhood in Holley before her parents moved to Hilton.
O’Toole happens to be a Holley native. She spent her early years in Holley before her parents moved to Hilton. Her parents, Mike O’Toole and Denise (McAllister) O’Toole, both are from the Holley/Clarendon area. Doug graduated with Bridget’s dad in Holley’s Class of 1977.
O’Toole frequently visited Holley to see family and friends after moving to Hilton.
She earned her law degree from the Albany Law School and has worked as an attorney for 12 years.
O’Toole knows municipal law and has been busy assisting many towns with land use and environmental review of large-scale renewable energy projects, including solar and wind. She will continue with that focus at heath & O’Toole.
Heath will continue with his long-time expertise with municipal work, land use and zoning, residential and commercial real estate, wills, trusts and probate.
O’Toole said Heath is well regarded in the local community, and offers much wisdom from his nearly four decades of experience.
“Doug is a stand-up guy,” O’Toole said. “There are a lot of things to like about Doug. I respect how kind he is and how he treats people.”
O’Toole said she prefers working in a rural community, assisting residents and municipalities.
Heath, who earned his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, is excited for a new phase of the long-time firm.
In addition to O’Toole, the firm is adding another attorney, Bridget Cook, who is starting on May 1. She joins a group that also includes Diane Shampine as paralegal and office manager, Alyce Miller as paralegal, and Jennifer Spencer as paralegal.
“We have a good range of experience,” Heath said. “We are a solid team.”
Heath’s wife Brenda also is recently retired as an attorney. She worked 32 years as the senior court attorney in Orleans County, working for judges Paul Miles, James Punch and Sanford Church.
Heath is excited for the next chapter for the firm based at 66 Public Square.
“The Heath name has a legacy of more than 125 years of legal service to Orleans County,” he said. “We believe that our personalized approach to legal representation will allow us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients and community.”
O’Toole also believes the firm has built a strong team to serve its clients.
“We understand that legal issues can be overwhelming and stressful,” she said. “We pride ourselves on being attorneys with a community focus. Our goal is to provide our clients with the support and advocacy they need to navigate through their legal matters and achieve a positive resolution.”
For more information on Heath & O’Toole, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 April 2023 at 4:47 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MURRAY – Adam Blosenhauer of the Murray Joint Fire District is on the scene of a brush fire on Hindsburg Road in Murray this afternoon.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 3:13 p.m. This is a vineyard and field with lots of wood next to the Salamaca Estate Winery near Ridge Road.
Adam Blosenhauer puts out the field fire on Hindsburg Road. Firefighters from Murray and Albion doused the fire which devoured much of the vineyard.
Matt Francis of the Albion Fire Department carries this hose through the vineyard.
Murray firefighters – right to left Assistant Chief Jimmy Fox, Assistant Chief David Smith and Lieutenant Adam Blosenhauer – hose down chunks of wood and grass.
The dry conditions and temperatures near 70 have the area vulnerable to brush fires, firefighters said.
An outdoor burn ban is in effect from March 16 through May 14. Fox, the assistant chief, said the owners of the property didn’t start the fire. A fire investigator is at the scene to try to determine the cause.
Fox said firefighters started battling the brush fire closest to the winery and moved towards to the vineyard to make sure the fire didn’t get to the barn on site, which has been used for Salamanca Estate Winery.
Albion firefighters used a deck gun to send water into the field that was smoking and hot from the fire. John Papponetti of the Albion FD is up top on the truck.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 March 2023 at 2:25 pm
District responded to 776 calls in 2022, up about 100 from previous year
Photos by Tom Rivers: Don Blosenhauer receives certificates of commendation for 50 years of service a firefighter in Fancher-Hulberton-Murray. He is congratulated by, from left, county legislators John Fitzak, Ed Morgan and Skip Draper (representing State Sen. Rob Ortt), and Eileen Banker (representing Assemblyman Steve Hawley).
CLARENDON – The Murray Joint Fire District held its installation dinner and awards banquet on Saturday at the Clarendon rec hall. The joint district includes firefighters from Fancher-Hulberton-Murray and Holley. They started a joint district on Jan. 1, 2021.
Two firefighters were recognized for 50 years of service. James Mingano has a half century with Holley. He was unable to attend the dinner.
Don Blosenhauer also was honored for 50 years of service, all as an active firefighter. Blosenhauer joined Fancher-Hulberton-Murray at age 18. His father Joseph was one of the charter members of FHM, and young Don hung out at the firehall often as a kid. He eagerly joined as a volunteer firefighter when he turned 18.
“It seemed exciting,” he said on Saturday. “I don’t regret any of it. It’s a lot of camaraderie.”
Blosenhauer worked his way up as a line officer and twice served as chief of FHM. In December he was elected as one of the commissioners of the Murray Joint Fire District.
Mark Porter, president of the Murray Joint Fire District Board of Commissioners, presents a plaque to Don Blosenhauer in appreciation for 50 years of service as volunteer firefighter.
Blosenhauer said training requirements are much more demanding now than when he started, and those requirements keep many from volunteering. He said those regulations, while time-consuming, make firefighting safer for the volunteers.
“It has changed a lot,” he said about the fire service. “There is much more of a safety focus now.”
Blosenhauer has two sons who are active firefighters: Adam and DJ. Blosenhauer’s wife Mary also has been active with the Ladies Auxiliary for about 40 years. Her father, John Sanderson, also was a charter member at FHM.
Blosenhauer said his family has been very understanding of the times when he left family gatherings and missed some of his children’s activities to respond to a fire call or other emergency.
He said he plans to keep staying active as a firefighter. He retired two years ago after a full-time career that included working as a welder, at a stone quarry in Hulberton, as a fabricator with the former Liftec in Holley, and lastly at Bonduelle in Brockport.
Rick Cary, the fire district chief, said firefighters from FHM and Holley responded to 776 calls in 2022, which was up about 150 from the previous year. EMS was the leading call, followed by lift assists, Cary said.
He commended the Murray firefighters for also assisting on about 100 mutual aid calls.
“That speaks not only to the dedication to our community but to our neighbors as well,” Cary said.
Cary announced the fire district will be looking to step up fire prevention efforts this year, educating people from Pre-K to senior citizens.
Fire Chief Rick Cary presents Colton Tuttle with the top responder award. Tuttle made it to about 600 of the fire district calls which Cary said is amazing dedication.
Richard “Dick” Alvut walks to the podium to accept the chief’s award from Rick Cary. Alvut has been very dedicated to the fire district, especially with the fire police. About 140 people attended Saturday’s dinner and banquet.
Frank Balys also is commended for 25 years of volunteer service as a Holley firefighter. He received awards from the local legislators, the Murray Joint Fire District and the Holley Fire Department.
Greg Stafford also was recognized for 30 years to the Holley Fire Department.
Mark Porter presents a plaque to Ed Morgan for his 30 years of service as a fire commissioner, including with the transition to a joint fire district. Most of his time was with the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray fire district.
Fran Gaylord, president of the Holley Fire Department, presents a president’s award to Kevin Dann for all of his assistance, including helping to organize the department’s roster on the computer.
Gaylord also said Ron Meiers, a long-time member who was unable to attend the dinner on Saturday, also will get a president’s award for his reliability to the department in so many ways.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 March 2023 at 9:26 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – Gabe Lindsay stars as Willy Wonka in Holley Junior-Senior High School’s production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka. This is from the opening scene of “Pure Imagination” and Willy Wonka is joined by Oompa-Loompas.
Holley performs the musical with shows at 7 p.m. on Friday and 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday in the Junior-Senior High School Auditorium.
Tickets are available online. Click here for more information.
Ava Quincey plays the role of Charlie Bucket, left, and Charlie is very excited to have found a golden ticket in one of the Wonka chocolate bars. Charlie will be joined by Grandpa Joe (played by Owen Schultz) in a tour of the Wonka chocolate factory.
They are singing one of the shows catchy numbers, “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket.”
The Holley musical is directed by Dustin Gardner. Gardner played the role of Willy Wonka when he was a Kendall student in 2009.
Gardner made his directing debut for Holley last year with Footloose. He said Willy Wonka has a broad appeal to people of all ages. There are 40 students in the cast and another 20 in the crew.
“I’m most excited for the kids who are in a production for the first time,” Gardner said before Tuesday’s rehearsal. “Once they get the lights on them it’s a rush you can’t explain.”
Jax Richards-Dyson is Phineous Trout, a reporter who announces the winners of the Golden Ticket contest throughout the show. Here he interviews Augustus Gloop (played by Jose-Angel Valentin) and Mrs. Gloop (Maggie Skehan).
Augustus loves to eat, and sings “I Eat More!”
Valentin speaks in a German accent and wears some padding for the role. He said the cast members have been very excited about Willy Wonka.
“We’re very much out of our comfort zones,” Valentin said.
Phineous Trout interviews Violet Beauregarde (Ellie Quincey) and her mother, Mrs. Beauregarde (Allison Merle) after Violet finds one of the five Golden Tickets. Violet is a prolific chewer of gum.
(Left) Jayda Shampine plays Veruca Salt, a very wealthy, spoiled brat who sings, “I Want It Now.” Her father is played by Kohle Pachla. (Right) Mike Teavee (Nico Unterborn) is also one of the five Golden Ticket winners. He is addicted to video games. His mother is played by Isla Schultz.
Gabe Lindsay also plays the role of the “The Candy Man.” He sells Wonka chocolate bars. Charlie is the only kid too poor to buy one.
Lindsay said the show has been fun for the cast and crew. The musical sends a powerful theme, he said.
“Don’t be mean, and don’t be a greedy little kid.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 March 2023 at 1:52 pm
HOLLEY – The village is looking to add security cameras to the canal park including gazebo, bathrooms and shower facility, a kiosk with artwork and part of the canal path.
Holley is pursuing proposals from different companies to provide the service as well as WiFi access. Mayor Mark Bower wants cameras on the village’s assets by the canal, especially because Holley is spending $15,200 to tear off and install new shingles on gazebo, bathrooms and kiosk, and replace any rotten plywood on the cupola. The Village Board last month approved the bid from Roger Passarell Construction for that work.
In other action at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting:
• The board voted to continue the real estate listing of the former Village Office building at 72 Public Square for $74,900. That building from 1888 has 4,554 square feet. Click here to see the listing by Early Sunrise Realty.
• Approved hiring Chad Fabry of Murray as a backup part-time code enforcement officer at $27 per hour. He will fill in if Carol McNees is unavailable. Fabry is the code enforcement officer for the Village of Brockport.
• Hired Theresa Weed at $14.25 an hour for up to 20 to organize the paper files and filing for code enforcement office and zoning and planning board.
• Appointed Trustee John Morriss to serve as deputy mayor. He succeeds Connie Nenni who resigned from the Village Board last month.
“I very much miss the previous deputy mayor,” Mayor Bower said. “I appreciate everything that Connie did.”
• Sandra Shaw, director of the Community Free Library in Holley, invited the board members to attend a wine-tasting at the library from 7 to 9 p.m. on April 28. Tickets are $25 each or two for $40 and proceeds go towards funding summer programs at the library.
• Former Mayor and Police Chief Lewis Passarell asked if Holley is staffing its police department 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Passarell said it looks like some shifts aren’t being filled.
Police Chief Bob Barton said the department has frequent turnover, with two of the full-time officers recently leaving for larger departments with higher salaries.
“Are there gaps in the schedule? Absoutely,” Barton responded. “We do the best that we can to provide you with 24-7.”
Barton said there is currently one open shift during the week. He said the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and State Police help cover the needs of the community. But Passarell said that comes at a slower response than from the Holley officers.
When fully staffed Holley has three full-time officers including the police chief, and eight part-timers.
• Set 6 p.m. on April 11 for a public hearing on the village budget for 2023-24. Bower said the budget is shaping up to be under the tax cap. However, Holley approved a resolution to have the option to override the tax cap, which is about a 2 percent increase. That override was “a precautionary measure” in case the final numbers exceed the cap, Bower said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 March 2023 at 1:20 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Rollin Hellner, founder and CEO of Hellner Development Company, said the village is putting up roadblocks in his efforts to upgrade the Holley Hotel.
HOLLEY – The developer looking to acquire the Holley Hotel and upgrade the site, with some of the units to be available for hotel rooms, said he is close to walking away from the project due to roadblocks from village officials.
Rollin Hellner, founder and CEO of Hellner Development Company, said the village has put a stop work order on his attempts to resolve code violations and secure a certificate of occupancy.
He has been working on the building while finalizing a deal with Kathy Blackburn to acquire the site.
Hellner spoke at Tuesday’s Village Board and said Holley has been a difficult municipality to work with, compared to his experiences in other communities, including the City of Buffalo where he said he did a $28 million renovation project.
“It is a really beautiful historical building,” Hellner said about the Holley Hotel. “Our goal is to clean it up.”
Residents in apartments at the Holley Hotel were forced to leave the site on Aug. 24 after the previous village code enforcement officer deemed the building was unsafe and unsanitary on Aug. 3. Residents were given three weeks to find alternative housing.
Hellner said Blackburn made progress with many of the violations and public health issues. He said the rodent and bed bug issues are resolved. The fire escape also has been repaired.
He would like to move forward but isn’t clear why the village stopped work on the building.
“There are currently no hazards,” he said. “A certificate of occupancy should be issued.”
Mayor Mark Bower said at the meeting he didn’t appreciate Hellner’s characterization of village employees and how they’ve handled the issues at the site.
Contacted today he said that Holley’s attorney John Sansone and code enforcement officer Carol McNees are meeting with Hellner to discuss the situation.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Russell and Kristine Wood of Hilton show a rendering of a building that they would like to construct along Bennetts Corners Road to host weddings and other special events.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 March 2023 at 10:07 am
HOLLEY – Russell and Kristine Wood of Hilton searched the region for an ideal spot for a new venue to host weddings and special events.
A 60-acre site along Bennetts Corners Road, near Route 31 on the east side of the village, is a perfect spot in a beautiful natural environment, Mr. Wood said at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting.
Kristine Wood holds a rendering for the interior of the building.
He wants to build a structure that could accommodate up to 300 people. There would be a parking lot with 100 spots.
But the property currently isn’t zoned for commercial. And many of the neighbors said they are concerned about the added noise and traffic in such a quiet area of the village.
“Bennetts Corners Road is already a mess with traffic,” said Kim DeFrank, who lives across the road from the site.
Holley is looking to update its zoning map, and is proposing to make the property zoned for commercial. It currently doesn’t have any zoning designated for the vacant land.
Neighbors, including local attorney Jeff Martin, said the village has not given proper notification to the community about making land commercial. There haven’t been public hearings. There haven’t been appropriate zoning amendments and updates to the comprehensive plan, Martin said.
“This could be 6, 9, 12 months,” he said about the process. “You need to do the zoning amendments first, then the zoning map change.”
He said he is concerned the village gave the developer the go-ahead without following the proper course of action.
“It feels something is getting pushed through without doing the normal process,” Martin said.
The Woods have acquired the property with their aunt from Illinois. Mr. Wood said he has used a Skid Steer to start cleaning up the property, pulling more than a 100 tires from a wooded area, as well as many discarded automobile parts.
But he hasn’t done any other work on the property. He was going to set up a temporary storage building, but took it down.
The community turned out for the village board meeting on Tuesday. Local attorney and Holley resident Jeff Martin is at the podium sharing his concerns about a special events venue on Bennetts Corners Road. Martin said the village gives an appearance of approving the project without going through the proper process.
Mayor Mark Bower said nothing has been decided with the project and there will be plenty of opportunities for the community to weigh in if the project moves forward and there are changes to the zoning map, zoning amendments and comprehensive plan.
“They recognize they have many more hurdles to go through,” Bower said.
The mayor said the land also was pursued by developers for a housing development, and a solar project.
Mr. Wood said if the family is unable to build the special events facility at the site, they would instead likely build two houses for the family to enjoy the property.
However, he wants more people to be able to enjoy the site for special events. That includes the Holley community, which would use the facility for prom, a Christmas event and other activities.
“We intend to do a lot for the community,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 March 2023 at 3:42 pm
Danny’s Equipment, which includes small engine repair, to close on June 30
Photos by Tom Rivers: Danny Dill and his wife Nancy are in the show room today at Danny’s Equipment at 122 W. Albion St. (Route 31) in Holley. Dill is retiring on June 30 and will be closing the business which he started at age 21 in 1977.
HOLLEY – Danny Dill is calling it a career. For nearly 50 years he has sold outdoor power equipment and repaired small engines.
On June 30, he is retiring and closing Danny’s Equipment at 122 West Albion St. He started the business when he was 21 in 1977. He has grown the size of the business, and added two full-time employees. His wife Nancy also joined the operation in 1986 as the accountant and office manager.
“Thank you to all of the people who have supported us over the years,” Dill said today at Danny’s. “We have enjoyed it.”
Dill, 67, and his wife are going to retire while they feel very healthy and can travel to see their daughter out west and Dill’s sister in Idaho. They want to enjoy life without the daily demands of running the business.
Dill said sales have steadily grown each year with people seeking snowblowers, lawn mowers, power blowers, chainsaws, log splitters and weed trimmers. Dill manages the sales while Mark Jackman has been the small engine repair mechanic for 25 years. Ian McGraw has worked for Danny’s the past two years. He does some repairs and makes deliveries, helping customers set up the equipment.
Danny’s is a dealer for products made by Stihl, Toro and Ariens.
“Our service and knowledge is what sets us apart,” he said. “It gives us an advantage.”
Danny Dill has been a fixture along Route 31, selling lawn mowers, snowblowers and other outdoor power equipment.
Danny’s has worked with customers going back two to three generations. They like equipment that he calls “labor savings devices,” especially in winter when it’s much easier to start a snowblower than shovel heavy snow.
The zero-turn lawnmowers have been especially popular in the past 25 years. Customers with big yards can cover a lot of ground in about half the time as a typical riding lawn mower, and the zero-turn mower has much more maneuverability, Dill said.
“People are very busy,” he said. “They want something where they can get the job done faster.”
Dill also has seen a transition to more battery-powered equipment.
He was planning a career as automotive technician. He earned a degree from Alfred State in auto tech, but instead started fixing lawnmowers. His services were in demand right away and Dill never looked back.
“It’s been a very challenging career,” he said. “I’ve always looked forward to it, to coming to work each day.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 March 2023 at 7:47 am
Provided photo
HOLLEY – Holley Police Chief Bob Barton swears in Steve Mesiti on Friday as a new part-time police officer for the Holley Police Department. Mesiti is joined by his two children during the swearing in.
Mesiti worked 20 years for the Brockport Police Department, retiring as lieutenant.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Dale and Carol Strong look at a map showing the agricultural parcels in the Town of Murray. The town held a public forum on Thursday evening to discuss a farmland protection plan.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2023 at 9:50 am
MURRAY – Town officials want to assist local farmers in boosting the profitability of their operations, to help ensure a strong agricultural sector. That includes farms of all sizes, from people with part-time ventures to large operations that are hundreds and thousands of acres.
Murray is working to develop the first farmland protection plan in Orleans County, an effort funded through a $25,000 state grant. Town officials and members of the a steering committee working on the plan held a public forum on Thursday.
They are hoping to develop a draft of the plan soon with a public hearing to follow. A final plan would then be referred to the Orleans County Farmland Protection Board for review and then be adopted by the Town Board. The state Department of Ag & Markets gives the plan the last review.
Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio said a farmland protection plan doesn’t put new restrictions on farmers. It will help them access resources and also help the town set policies to support agriculture, Sidonio told about 30 people at the public forum.
Barbara Johnston, a planner with Labella Associates, has served as consultant for the town on the project. She said Murray is blessed with very productive soils.
“You really have a high quality resource,” she said.
Despite those high-quality soils, Johnston said much of the farmland in Murray is not included in an ag district. She said an ag district offers many benefits for the farmers, including protections from nuisance lawsuits when people sue other normal farm operations, which could be odors or mud on roads. The districts also can give farmers exemptions from paying towards water districts, and also provide more protection from eminent domain where private land can be taken for projects deemed in the public good.
Katie Sommerfeldt, manager of the Orleans County Soil & Water Conservation District, also shared how Soil & Water can assist land owners in grants for many conservation projects. Soil & Water also provides engineering expertise for drainage tiling and projects to help move water on properties.
That agency does agricultural value assessments which can save land owners’ money by paying less in taxes for less profitable acreage.
Sommerfeldt urged farmers and landowners to reach out to the office, especially if they see creeks or ditches clogged. That is becoming an issue with many dead ash trees falling into waterways.
Robert Batt, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, said there are programs through the Extension to assist farm operations of all sizes, including specialized teams for fruits, vegetables and livestock. Cornell also has many programs for smaller farms. There also is the Farm Net program to assist farmers with business consulting, family dynamics, mental health and business transfers.
Robert Batt of the Cornell Cooperative Extension said there are specialized teams to help farmers boost their profitability and avoid pitfalls.
Batt also touted a commercial kitchen in the Trolley Building at the 4-H Fairgrounds that is available to be rented out to help farmers with value-added products.
Batt is on the steering committee working on the farmland protection plan for Murray. Other members include Town Councilman Michael Mele (owner of a garlic farm), Alex Penna (owner of Rockin P Farm and Dam Farms), Amy Machamer (owner of Hurd Orchards and member of NYS Governor’s Ag Advisory Committee), Robert Batt (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County) and James Bensley (Orleans County Planning Director).
Johnston, the planning consultant, led the group in a SWOT analysis to determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to agriculture in Murray.
Some strengths listed include the productive soils, access to canal water for irrigation, good road infrastructure for east-west transport, close proximity to Lake Ontario allowing for microclimate to grow fruit, close access to major population centers to sell farm products, Right to Farm law in place in Murray.
Weaknesses identified include high cost of business with taxes, rising wages and state regulations. New York has a higher minimum wage and has enacted an overtime threshold in agriculture that puts local operations at a competitive disadvantage with many other states. There are also fewer processing plants, such as Duffy Motts and Hunts which used to have a local presence.
Opportunities for farmers could be tapping into agri-tourism, including setting up markets by the canal and at local RV parks. Smaller farm operations could produce honey or grow flowers.
Solar projects – big and small – were identified as a big threat to local farmland.
The steering committee will work to recommend strategies and goals to help foster a stronger ag sector in Murray. Johnston said she expects the plan will be finalized this summer.
Sidonio said he is hopeful the plan could become a model for the rest of the county to make the county’s leading industry even more vibrant.
“I’d like to thank all of the farmers in our county for providing the beautiful landscape we enjoy and often take for granted, said Sidonio, who is married to Machamer of Hurd Orchards. “It os the farmer who provides the fabric that binds us together and allows us to proudly claim we live in rural America. So thank you to all of our farmers and farm families.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 February 2023 at 1:17 pm
Village needs to first fully update comprehensive plan and zoning texts
Courtesy of Orleans County Department of Planning & Development: This map shows the zoning districts in the Village of Holley.
HOLLEY – The Village of Holley is looking to update its zoning map, including a large parcel of land on Bennetts Corners Road as commercial, an expansion of the light industrial zone going south of the railroad tracks, and more land designated as conservation near the Holley Waterfalls.
The Orleans County Planning Board recommended against the changes right now, saying the village first needs to update the comprehensive plan and zoning texts. Changing the map is the last step in the process, Planning Board members said during their meeting last Thursday.
Holley hasn’t updated the map since 2008. The village is working to update the comprehensive plan.
Jeff Martin, a local attorney and Holley resident, said the village has the steps in the process out of order. He said the village also needs to do a “type 1 action” or the longer environmental impact study because more than 25 acres are being rezoned.
Martin said about 40 percent of the total village acreage would be rezoned as part of the updated zoning map.
He is most concerned with rezoning 60 acres on Bennetts Corners Road near Route 31. A developer from Chicago wants to develop that agricultural land into a banquet facility with 100 parking spaces. Martin and another neighbor, Roger Passarell, would have that facility within view of their backyards. They both attended Thursday’s Planning Board meeting.
Martin said the zoning map change appears to be an effort “to legitimize this for the developer without going through the normal process of comprehensive plan and zoning amendments.”
Mylynda Kuba, Holley’s former code enforcement officer, said the village has already passed local laws for some of the zoning map changes, especially in the downtown business district.
“There are currently a lot of open zoning areas,” she said. “The current map doesn’t work. There’s a lot that needs to be done in the Village of Holley.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: This pumper-tanker was moved out of the Holley fire hall this evening for a special election. The fire truck is one of two that will be sold and replaced with one new pumper-tanker and a rescue truck that will be refurbished into a mini-pumper.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 February 2023 at 10:03 pm
MURRAY – Voters in the Murray Joint Fire District approved spending up to $900,000 for a new pumper-tanker fire truck and a refurbished rescue truck that will serve as a mini-pumper.
There was a special election this evening from 6 to 9 p.m. and the expenditures were approved by a 66-45 vote.
The Murray Joint Fire District will be replacing two pumper-tankers that are each about 25 years old. One is based at the Holley fire hall and the other at the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray hall. They each can carry 1,000 gallons of water.
They will be replaced with a new pumper-tanker at a cost of $680,000. Fire district leaders also will convert a rescue truck into a mini-pumper at a cost of $220,000.
The district leaders opted to do the smaller mini-pumper rather than buy two new pumper-tankers to try to reduce the costs to the fire district, said Mark Porter, chairman of the commissioners.
Refurbishing the rescue truck into a mini-pumper also will be easier to get the vehicle into tight driveways and on laneways, Porter said.
The fire district will pursue financing through serial bonds or statutory installment bonds up to 20 years, and may utilize bond anticipation notes for up to five years for the $680,000. For the $220,000, the financing would be for up to 15 years.
MURRAY – The Town of Murray will hold a public forum on Thursday, March 2, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 3840 Fancher Rd. as part of the Town of Murray Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan.
Farmers, farmland owners, residents and others interested in the future of farming and farmland in the Town of Murray are invited to attend.
The program on March 2 will include an overview of the town’s agricultural resources and the Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan as well as presentations on the following topics:
Technical assistance and science-based educational programs, including resources for small farms and new and beginning farmers (Robert Batt, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County)
Agricultural Environmental Management and Agricultural Use Assessment (Katie Sommerfeldt, Orleans County Soil & Water Conservation District)
Orleans County Agricultural District Program (Barbara Johnston, LaBella Associates)
The Town’s Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan will recommend strategies to increase economic opportunities for farms, retain high quality farmland for continued agricultural production and support the contributions of agriculture to the regional economy.
A survey of farmers and farmland owners is underway. The Town expects to complete the Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan by Fall 2023.
A Steering Committee comprised of Michael Mele, Alex Penna, Amy Machamer, Robert Batt (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County) and James Bensley (Orleans County Planning Director) is working with the Town’s planning consultant (LaBella Associates) to prepare the Town’s Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan.
For more information, please contact one of the Steering Committee members or planning consultant Barbara Johnston at (585) 295-6636.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Rollin Hellner, founder and CEO of Hellner Development Company, is pictured Saturday outside The Walsh at 525 West Ave. in Medina. He purchased the building last Wednesday from Tim Cooper.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 February 2023 at 10:15 am
MEDINA – A Medina man with a real estate development business has acquired The Walsh and soon will buy the Holley Hotel.
Rollin Hellner, founder and CEO of Hellner Development Company, is only 29. He already has a real estate portfolio of several hundred thousand square feet with commercial and residential sites in Orleans, Niagara and Erie counties. He focuses on what he said are typically distressed properties.
Hellner lives in Medina in the Maple Crest, a 5,500-square-foot home that he renovated last year.
He had lived in Medina from 2015 to 2020 and was happy to come back to the village last year.
He has been friends with Tim Cooper for several years. Cooper bought The Walsh and worked three years on the first floor of the site. He opened a barroom and second tap room last summer.
Cooper had plans for the second and third floors, but will hand off the project to Hellner who is planning to make second floor apartments and third floor hotel rooms at The Walsh.
“He has a lot of energy and a lot of talent,” Cooper said about Hellner.
The new owner praised Cooper for his work at The Walsh, turning it into a popular gathering place for the community at 525 West Ave.
“Tim did a fantastic job with it,” Hellner said Saturday at The Walsh, as many people were coming into the tap room as part of the Wine About Winter event, with 800 people enjoying wine-tastings at 22 spots in Medina.
Cooper will stay on at The Walsh, managing the tap room.
“He did a lot of improvements that that brought back the original historic character,” Hellner said.
He also praised Cooper for creating a vibe at The Walsh that is focused on conversation and connecting with other people.
“We want it to continue to be a place where Medina residents feel comfortable,” Hellner said.
Rollin Hellner is his company will go through and renovate each of the 40 units at the Holley Hotel.
He also will close on buying the Holley Hotel on March 1. He has an agreement to start work on the site this week. There are some code violations that need to be resolved before people can move back into the building.
Residents in apartments at the Holley Hotel were forced to leave the site on Aug. 24 after the village code enforcement officer deemed the building was unsafe and unsanitary on Aug. 3. Residents were given three weeks to find alternative housing.
Some of the issues have been addressed, and Hellner and his team will work to get the site up to code. He said there will be a rebranding of the site, which will continue to be called the Holley Hotel. There are about 40 units in the Medina sandstone structure at the corner of Route 31 and Thomas Street.
There will be a screening process for tenants in the apartments, and he would like to offer hotel rooms. Initially, the units will be mostly apartments, but long-term he would like about half of the units to be hotel rooms. The building also includes two storefronts.
He said his development company will work on some parts of the outside of the building and go unit by unit inside, renovating the spaces.
“It’s a beautiful building,” Hellner said. “It’s very important piece of the Public Square.”
Mayor Mark Bower said he is very encouraged to see Hellner will be acquiring the site and putting resources into the building and giving it a new image in the community.
Hellner said he sees a lot of potential with Holley with its unique Public Square and its tourist attraction with the Holley Waterfalls.
His projects in Medina, Holley. Middleport, Lockport, Buffalo and Newfane are ambitious efforts, but Hellner said he sees the area as a good investment.
The properties in the villages are more affordable than in the suburbs, and he said he has a dedicated team that knows how to make the properties attractive for residents and businesses.
“I feel very good about a lot of the communities in Niagara and Orleans,” Hellner said. “We offer clean and affordable housing and real estate. I think there’s deals to be made here.”
