HOLLEY – “The wheels are turning slowly,” Village of Holley Development Corporation Board President Daniel Schiavone told board members Monday evening.

He said changes made in an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency have been given a “blessing” by the village’s attorney – meaning village leaders should now be ready to sign the agreement allowing the eight “Diaz homes” in the village to become the property of the VHDC and then sold.

The EPA has owned the houses for about a decade. The houses were vacated by residents following a chemical leak from the former Diaz Chemical in January 2002. They have been cleaned and tested by the EPA and deemed safe, with the exception of high lead levels. Village officials want them back on the tax rolls.

“The agreement (to which minor changes were made) just came through today,” Schiavone noted during the board meeting.

“It is an involved process, don’t expect things to happen overnight,” Schiavone warned.

“It will happen,” he said, regarding the transition in ownership of the properties, “We’re just going to have to be patient.”

Schiavone also announced that the village has agreed to mow the lawns of the homes while the VHDC is in possession of them.

“That takes a great burden off our shoulders,” he said.

Questions were raised regarding any possible tax liens on the properties which might date to before the EPA purchased the homes. Additionally, board members briefly discussed options for selling the properties, including listing them with a realtor or selling them at auction and whether or not the properties need to be insured.

Board members hope to have answers to their questions in time for their next meeting, which they set for Aug. 31.

“This is gonna happen, they’re gonna be ours,” Schiavone said regarding the properties. “The wheels of the EPA will turn slowly, but they will turn. We need to be prepared to keep the ball rolling.”

CLAREDNDON – Residents had their say Tuesday evening regarding proposed amendments to Clarendon’s zoning ordinance regarding travel trailers, campers and recreational vehicles.

A public hearing on the changes was held just before the Town Board’s regular monthly meeting and three residents expressed concerns regarding several sections of the ordinance.

Charles Kinsey said Section D, which states that no more than two travel trailers or campers/recreational vehicles can be parked on a private lot at the same time might be too restrictive.

He noted homeowners who had the “good fortune” to have more than two campers/recreation vehicles could find themselves, “out of compliance.”

Mark Marsh and Eric Bradshaw both said they have difficulty complying with Sections E and F which require campers, trailers and recreational vehicles to be positioned in a side yard or rear yard of a lot and must comply with setbacks required for residential buildings.

Regarding his 33-foot camper, Marsh said, “There is no way to put it in a side or backyard.” He noted there are other residents, including an elderly neighbor, who have small lots that don’t allow for camper/recreational vehicle storage in side or rear yards.

Bradshaw explained that the arrangement of his property would make it impossible to comply with setback requirements.

Town Board members did not vote on the changes. They agreed to add wording that would give the town’s zoning officer the authority to issue non-compliance letters when hardship issues arise.

Another public hearing (if it proves necessary) was scheduled on that change for the board’s Aug. 18 regular meeting which will be held at the Clarendon Historical Society.

There were no comments regarding changes to the law. Amendments proposed include forbidding the use of travel trailers, campers and recreational vehicles in lieu of a permanent residence; a 30-day limit per calendar year for occupying campers and recreational vehicles on a private lot on an overnight basis.

Other regulations state that campers and recreational vehicles occupied on an overnight basis must be equipped with self-contained potable water and sanitary sewage collection; “gray water” or sewage cannot be drained or dumped from any camper except into collection vehicles or septic disposal systems approved by the county health department; and trailers, campers and recreational vehicles must maintain and display a current license/registration/inspection as required by the State of New York.

Clarendon Town Supervisor Richard Moy said the amendments will help the town address a number of “neighborhood issues,” regarding the use of campers and recreational vehicles. “There are lots of issues,” he said.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski – A deteriorated sidewalk is shown on Thomas Street looking west toward South Main Street in Holley.

HOLLEY – Calling many sidewalks in the village unsafe, Jay Smith told Holley Village Board members during their regular meeting on Tuesday that they should designate annual funding to replace a section of sidewalk on a yearly basis.

Smith said he owns rental property in the village and he worries about the condition of the sidewalks.

“It’s dangerous,” he told board members about the sidewalks along streets just outside the main business district. He said one of his tenants recently twisted an ankle walking on a sidewalk.

Trustee Connie Nenni said sidewalks have been a concern of hers since she ran for office.

“It’s big on our list,” she said of the situation. “It’s one of those things that really bothered me.”

However, she explained that under village law, homeowners are responsible for the maintenance of sidewalks in front of their property.

“I don’t know if the board is willing to take on the expense,” she said.

Nenni explained there are no “teeth” in the village law to make homeowners replace sidewalks.

Board members discussed the possibility of looking into grant money that could help cover some of the cost of replacing sidewalks.

Mayor John Kenney said areas with poor sidewalks have been identified.

“We are looking into ways to keep sidewalks safe,” he said, adding that even in places where sidewalks are in good condition, some residents continue to walk in the street at their own risk.

“If you do nothing it’s only going to get worse,” Smith responded. “I wanted to bring it to you attention.”

He noted sidewalk replacement is “… a large expense. I don’t see homeowners being able to pay.”

Trustee Skip Carpenter noted work has been done to improve sidewalks on some streets including Batavia Street, High Street and East Avenue. Sidewalks along South Main Street from the bridge to Jackson Street will be replaced when water main work is done there in the coming months, he said.

“We will continue to talk about it and try to do something about it,” Nenni told Smith.

‘Dog’ was looking for escaped convicts

Provided photo from Maria Strathearn – Duane “Dog” Chapman, star of a reality TV series, poses with Aaron Strathearn at a gas station in Saranac Lake. Aaron, 14, of Holley was headed to camp and Dog was looking to track down a prison escapee.

HOLLEY – Aaron Strathearn, 14, was leaving for a week-long camp in Saranac Lake, the rewards for being on the High Honor Roll and being active in his 4-H Club.

There was a glitch: The camp in the Adirondacks was close to the manhunt for prison escapee David Sweat, a convicted cop killer. Sweat, 35, and Richard Matt, 49, broke out of Clinton Correctional Facility and had been on the loose for about three weeks.

Matt was tracked down on June 26 and fatally shot by a federal agent.

Aaron was heading to camp while Sweat was still on the run.

“I was a bit nervous sending Aaron to camp with the manhunt focusing 40 miles away,” said Aaron’s mother, Melissa.

On the way to Camp Colby in Saranac Lake, the Strathearns stopped at a gas station. They met a famous person, Duane “Dog” Chapman. He is a star of a reality TV series that shows him kicking in doors and capturing wanted people. Click here for more on Chapman’s show.

Dog gave Aaron a high five for being on the High Honor Roll.

When they made it to Saranac Lake, the Strathearns saw vehicles racing with lights and sirens, on the main road across the lake. While walking to Aaron’s cabin, they saw a helicopter fly overhead.

“When we got back to the car we learned that David Sweat had been captured,” Strathearn said.

Aaron went on to have a great week at camp, his mother said. At the DEC camp, he went canoing, fishing, birding, swimming and was able to try archery and build a shelter.

“He made a lot of friends,” his mother said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MURRAY – Firefighters try to put out the smoky remains from a fire at West Ridge Mobile Estates in Murray on late Friday.

The fire appears to have started in the back end of the mobile home and spread.

The home is owned by Cathy and David Scheck. Their daughter and grandson also live at 16699 Ridge Rd.

The mobile home suffered extensive damage. Mrs. Scheck said everybody got out without being injured, including the family dog. They were still looking for their cat at about 11:30 p.m.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 10:52 p.m. Firefighters form Holley, Fancher-Hulberton-Murray, Kendall and Morton responded to the scene.

Firefighters pull insulation and clothes from the laundry room as they work to put out the fire on Friday night.

The fire is under investigation.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski – This house at 10 Jackson St. in Holley is currently owned by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is expected to soon be transferred to the Village of Holley Development Corporation and then sold.

HOLLEY – The eight “Diaz homes” that have sat empty for more than a decade will soon be on the market.

Members of the Board of Directors of the Village of Holley Development Corporation on Monday evening authorized Board President Daniel Schiavone to work with the EPA to make two minor changes to an agreement with the federal agency before signing the contract.

Once the village and the EPA also sign the agreement, ownership of the homes will be transferred to the Development Corporation and the Board of Directors will decide how to move forward to sell the properties.

Under terms of the agreement, the EPA will receive 50 percent from sale of each of the properties – after closing costs and not counting legal fees.

“I think this is the best deal we are going to get,” Schiavone told board members. “I’m not sure if it’s in our best interest to keep negotiating. There is a buyer for all these homes. Anything will sell if the price is right and it’s our mission to get these homes inhabited and back on the tax rolls.”

He explained the EPA wants to show they didn’t just hand over the properties after spending millions of dollars in cleanup costs.

Schiavone will now work with the EPA to settle two items in the agreement before it is signed by the three parties involved: Clarification regarding how lead abatement is defined and making sure language is correct referring to the Village and the VHDC.

The EPA wants lead abatement done in the homes before they go back on the market, but did not make clear if such abatement could be accomplished per New York State guidelines.

The Development Corporation does not have funds to pay for abatement and Schiavone explained the EPA has suggested the cost could be built into the sale contract of the homes. Additionally, acronyms for the village and the Development Corporation were swapped in places in the agreement and need to be corrected, he said.

The homes are scattered in the area along and off South Main Street (Rt. 237) in the southwest portion of the village, in the neighborhood where the Diaz plant was located.

The properties include: 26 South Main, 27 South Main, 37 South Main, 38 Geddes, 6 Jackson, 10 Jackson, 11 Jackson and 14 Jackson.

The EPA purchased the homes following a chemical leak at the Diaz plant in January 2002.

The homes have been cleared by the EPA of contamination, with the exception of lead, which exceeds EPA levels, Schiavone explained.

“All have been appraised by the EPA,” he noted. “It’s not as disastrous as you might think.”

Schiavone said it is possible the Development Corporation could stand to gain as much as $200,000 to $250,000 from the sale of the homes. Those proceeds will “… allow this organization to move on to other projects in the community,” he said.

The Board of Directors additionally appointed Jeff Martin as group’s real estate attorney during the Monday meeting. Schiavone said Martin has agreed to no upfront costs for his services. He will be paid after the Development Corporation receives funds from the sale of the homes.

The Holley Village Board might move on signing the agreement at its next regular meeting, July 14. The Development Corporation meets again July 27 at 7 p.m.

Holley Village Trustee Skip Carpenter attended Monday’s meeting and said the EPA this summer is expected to install a new waterline on South Main Street to aid in cleanup efforts at the Diaz site. The water line project will also involve installation of new sidewalks.

Carpenter explained the EPA eventually will bring in additional power to facilitate future cleanup at the site.

“The cleanup is sizable,” he noted, but said there is no word on when that work will take place or how long it will last.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Holley graduates are excited are turning their tassels to symbolize the completion of their high school journey.  Samantha Barniak, left, Cheyenne Bartlett and Faith Battaglia are pictured during commencement today at the school auditorium.

There were a lot of Smartphones out capturing scenes from graduation at Holley.

Commencement was moved inside due to the rain. Graduation is usually held outside at the soccer stadium.

The 77 graduates in Holley’s Class of 2015 are heading out to college and careers with advantages over graduates from much bigger communities, Holley commencement speaker said today.

Samantha Zelent is a social worker at the school district. She is also a graduate. And she is grateful for the chance to grow up in Holley and be part of the community today.

The Class of 2015 picked Samantha Zelent, a social worker at the junior-senior high school, to be the keynote speaker today.

“Show pride in where you come from,” Zelent told students during graduation today. “You’re not just from Holley. You are from Holley. Holley is truly an amazing place to be.”

She told the class she has been blessed with close-knit friendships and a caring community.

She recalled bringing some of her friends from Geneseo State College home when she was a student there. They went to Sam’s Diner for breakfast and Zelent, then Samantha Heise, was warmly greeted by many of the diner customers, who asked her how college was going. Her Geneseo classmates were impressed by the community.

Lucas Silvis holds his diploma with his mother Robin Silvis, who is a member of the Holley Board of Education.

More recently, this school year Zelent’s husband John was diagnosed with cancer. Zelent took a leave of absence and she felt the love of the students, who sent her frequent texts and Facebook messages.

“Because Holley is so small you have opportunities that others at bigger schools don’t have where they are just a number,” Zelent said. “Here there is an opportunity to know people on a personal level.”

Zelent urged the students to surround themesleves with peace and love.

“Go into the world and do well,” she said. “But more importantly go into the world and do good.”

Class Salutatorian Nicole Boyle urged her classmates to be conquerors and “go out there and show what Holley kids are made of.”

Emily Radford delivers her valedictory address.

Holley Central School Superintendent Robert D’Angelo and Susan Cory, the middle-high school principal, greet graduates at commencement.

Cory said the Class of 2015 has worked hard to prepare themselves for the next step in their lives. Of the 77 in the class, 53 will go to college, two in the military and 17 directly to the workforce. One foreign exhcange student will return home to Thailand, while a few students are undecided with their next step.

The Class of 2015 is collectively graduating with 450 college credits.

Joe DeFelice stands and is recognized for winning one of the scholarships announced today. Holley’s class was awarded about $16,000 in scholarships.

Taylor DeSimone is recognized as a scholarship winner and one of the Top 10 graduates in the class.

Board of Education President Brenda Swanger presents a diploma to Nicholas Pifer, who received the loudest applause during the ceremony. Nicholas was also recently crowned prom king.

Brenda Swanger also presents a diploma to Glenn Robb.

The diplomas are stacked and ready to be handed out at graduation.

Students file out of the auditorium after the commencement program.

HOLLEY – Police Chief William Murphy is warning village residents of several vehicle break-ins and larcenies, specifically in the areas of East Avenue and North Main, Perry, Geddes, High and South Main streets.

The Holley Police Department is investigating several vehicle break-ins and vehicle larcenies that have occurred in the last two months, including 10 such cases with items stolen in the last four days. These break-ins are primarily taking place after midnight and before 6 a.m., Murphy said.

The department asks all residents to report any suspicious activity they see or hear by calling 911 so the police may investigate.

“We are also asking the residents to make sure they have their vehicles locked and their valuables taken out of their vehicles,” Murphy said.

This is an ongoing investigation, and if anyone has any information concerning the people involved, please call police by dialing 911, he said.