Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Suzanne Lepkowski, senior class advisor for Holley, puts a sign in the front yard on North Main Street for Alexander Brimacomb.

The members of the Class of 2020 were paid a special visit today by a group of Holley teachers and staff, including Superintendent Brian Bartalo and Junior/Senior High School Principal Sue Cory.

They delivered signs to each member of the Class of 2020.

Suzanne Lepkowski, an English teacher at Holley, brought a mega phone with her and stood in the street to tell one of the seniors congratulations on their impending graduation. Lepkowski has been senior class advisor for 20 years. This is the first time in her lifetime a class has had their senior year disrupted by a pandemic. The students have been out of the school building for six weeks now.

There were several cars at each stop, honking their horns to try to get the seniors’ attention to come outside and see their sign.

Olivia Radford, one of the 81 members of the senior class, poses with her sign after it was delivered by her soccer coach, Renee Wolf.

Radford said she is hoping the seniors can still have their prom and a graduation ceremony – “somehow or someway,” she said.

Roxanne Wagner, principal’s secretary, helps get the signs organized before the team of teachers and staff went out to deliver them beginning at about noon.

Sue Cory, the principal, sent an email to staff to see if any of them were interested in sponsoring a sign for $10 each. She received an almost immediate reaction from teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, clerical staff and administrators. They raised more than the $810 needed for the signs. The extra money will be donated to the senior class.

The signs were made by Keith Neale of 585 Print. Neale, who has two kids in the junior-senior high school, offered a deal on the signs.

Suzanne Lepkowski and Penny Cole, a secretary in the guidance department, load the signs into the back of a vehicle with help from Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent.

Makayla Famoly came out in the front yard to see her sign. She said she appreciated the gesture from the teachers and staff.

Makyla, 16, is graduating a year early. She is holding out hope students will be able to return to school this year.

“I just want to go to prom and walk the stage at graduation,” she said.

This sign is for Mikaela Auch, one of the seniors.

There are also some more generic signs celebrating seniors that teachers and staff requested to have in their yards. Sue Cory, the principal, is pictured in back.

Janelle Miles was thrilled when her sign was dropped off today.

“I cried when they came up here,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting this. It was so nice because it’s been really hard not seeing everyone.”

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Photos by Tom Rivers: Bill Ingham of Morton rides his 1954 Model 40 John Deere tractor during the June Fest parade on June 2, 2018 in Holley.

HOLLEY – The Village of Holley June Fest celebration, scheduled for June 6, has been cancelled due to public health concerns with Covid-19.

The village announced the news today on its Facebook page.

“I am sure this announcement comes as no surprise to our community, given the current extension of the PAUSE until May 15 and the uncertainty of future social distancing and other requirements related to this public health concern beyond this date,” the village states. “It is unfortunate as this has been a fantastic and fast-growing event in our community and it is sad to have to officially cancel this, but we do have a moral obligation to consider our community’s health and welfare first.”

Holley is the second Orleans County community to cancel a big festival. Albion also nixed the annual Strawberry Festival this year. That event is the second Friday and Saturday in June.

Albion and Holley are both planning to have their festivals return in 2021.

Children enjoy a bounce house in Holley’s park during the June Fest in 2018.

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HOLLEY – The Board of Education and the Holley Teachers Association have agreed to a three-year contract giving teachers an average annual salary increase of 3.5 percent.

The contract was approved by the board last month. The contract changes the step salary structure. Not all of the increases for all of the steps are 3.5 percent a year.

The contract is retroactive to July 1, 2019 and continues through June 30, 2022. The agreement includes 105 teachers and eight teaching assistants.

The contract also requires teachers to contribute 12 percent to the health insurance costs for either single or family plans. That is the same rate as in the previous contract.

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HOLLEY – Zack Jacobs sent in this photo he took of a great blue heron looking for fish at the Holley Waterfalls this past weekend.

The weather this week shows highs in the 40s from Monday through Friday, and a high of 50 on Saturday.

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Fire trucks provide escort through Holley on way to hospital

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – A Clarendon fire truck has an “Evan Strong” sign in front of the truck during a processional today, when several fire trucks provided an escort through Holley, Clarendon and to Route 531 in Spencerport for Evan Valentine.

Evan, a Holley High School junior battling leukemia, left this morning to go to Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester. He is preparing for a final treatment of chemo and then a bone marrow transplant.

Evan Valentine smiles while on a ride through Holley this morning. Many community wore orange shirts in his honor and held up signs with messages of support.

Evan was first diagnosed with leukemia in Oct. 19, 2018. He completed four rounds of chemotherapy and returned to school on April 22, 2019. In January, he received the news the leukemia had returned.

This group stands in the parking lot for the soccer field on High Street. Evan plays soccer and golf for the school, and also performs in the musicals and with the chorus. He also is active with the Boy Scouts and is an altar server at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

“He is an inspiration to not only all the students and staff at Holley High School, but to the entire Holley community,” said Brian Bartalo, the Holley school district superintendent. “He is an incredible young man with an engaging personality and unwavering spirit that encourages all of us.”

Bartalo was set up on Route 31 near the entrance of Northampton Park in Brockport, to wave to Evan and his family.

“I’m so proud of the response of the Holley Central School District, the Holley, Clarendon and Brockport Fire Departments and the entire Holley community for pulling together, especially during these trying times, to show their support for one of our own,” Bartalo said. “Holley is an incredible community that has a lot of heart, even when faced with challenges, like we’re all dealing with now.”

There were fire trucks from Holley, Clarendon, Fancher-Hulberton-Murray and Brockport in the escort for Valentine.

The community organized the sendoff for Evan this morning at 10 a.m. Due to the restrictions on visitors at the hospital, many of Evan’s friends haven’t been able to visit him while he recovered from chemo and now as he prepares for his bone marrow transplant. Evan’s classmates, teachers and the firefighters wanted to give him a show of support and strength as he prepares for the transplant.

Some classmates and friends stand in front of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and hold up signs and wave to Evan as he rides by this morning.

Evan’s mother Diane Valentine and her son wave to the people gathered in the parking lot on High Street for the soccer field.

To see a video of the fire trucks and Evan passing through the intersection of routes 237 and 31, click here.

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Callie Updike raises nearly $1,400 for childhood cancer research

Provided photos: Callie Updike of Holley reacts after her head was shaved on Saturday in a fundraiser for childhood cancer research. Callie, 15, did the fundraiser for her Holley classmate Evan Valentine, who is currently being treated for leukemia.

HOLLEY – Callie Updike, one of the student leaders at Holley Junior-Senior High School, has a flair for style, including with her hair. She gives her hair a touch of purple, pink or some other color.

Callie, 15, is a junior at Holley. One of her long-time classmates, Evan Valentine, is currently in remission from leukemia for the second time. Callie last month announced she would shave her head on April 11 to raise money for childhood cancer.

Callie Updike

She picked April 11 in honor of my grandmother’s 73rd birthday. Her grandmother passed away to cancer in 2014.

Callie was hoping Evan could personally shave her head this past Saturday. He has been at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester and is currently home in remission, waiting for a bone marrow transplant. Callie instead went with a virtual event with Evan.

She set a $1,000 fundraising goal and passed that with donations averaging about $20. It’s at $1,368 currently. (Click here to contribute.)

Callie said she decided to shave off her hair when Evan lost his thick head of curls. She talked with Evan about her plan, and he suggested St. Baldrick’s, an organization created for the direct purpose of aiding in childhood cancer research.

“Seeing the hurt that Evan and his family had endured as well as the constant love and support that our community provided, I felt compelled to do what I could to help,” Callie said in an email.

Evan was first diagnosed in Oct. 19, 2018. He completed four rounds of chemotherapy and returned to school on April 22, 2019. In January, he received the news the leukemia had returned.

Callie thanked the donors for contributing to the fundraising effort.

“It’s a modest number, just over a grand, but knowing that we could reach so many community members and gather together in such a trying time brings me immeasurable joy,” she said.

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The Holley Village Board met Tuesday evening through Zoom. Pictured from left include Mayor Brian Sorochty, and trustees James DeFilipps, Rochelle Moroz, Connie Nenni and Kevin Lynch.

HOLLEY — The Holley Village Board has approved a tentative budget that would reduce the tax rate from $16.41 to $16.20 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The board held a public hearing on the budget at Tuesday evening. The meeting was done online through Zoom. The Village Office remains closed to the public due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This was the village’s first meeting online.

The budget will be formally adopted later this month. The village fiscal year runs from June 1 to May 31.

Although the tax rate will be going down, the village will be collecting more in property taxes. The tax levy will go up 2.3 percent or by $20,483 from $887,999 to $908,482.

The tax rate will go down because the village’s tax base grew by about $2 million. The village assessed value is up 3.6 percent or $1,967,513, from $54,098,660 to $56,066,173.

The general fund portion of the budget – office, DPW, police, employee benefits and general debt – totals $1,239,434, while the water budget is $436,401 and the sewer budget is $180,338.

Mayor Brian Sorochty said village officials have been working hard on the budget in recent months. He is pleased the tax rate will go down and the budget is under the property tax cap.

However, he said the village will have to be extra careful this coming fiscal year because state and federal funding may change due to the economic strains from Covid-19’s impact on the economy.

“We will really need scrutinize spending given the uncertainty,” Sorochty said.

In other action at Tuesday’s meeting, the Village Board:

• Approving spending $1,500 for the Waste Water Treatment to purchase two submersible pumps from Goodwin and 100 feet of lay flat hose.

• Approved spending $600 for the Police Department’s annual defibrillator certification conducted by Zoll.

• Approved spending $3605.83 for the Water Department to buy a Well Pump from Bailey Electric.

• Authorized spending $3,800 for the Water Department to buy four sampling stations from Blair Supply.

• Approved up to $900 for flowers and mulch for containers on Public Square and Wright Street.

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Provided photos

HOLLEY – The Easter Bunny spent a couple hours greeting people from a Holley fire truck today. The bunny rode with a procession of Holley and Clarendon fire trucks, including Clarendon’s new rescue/pumper.

The parade passed through the Village of Holley, Ridge Mobile Estates, Countyline Trailer Park and Thomas Estates.

The Schutz family waves to the Easter Bunny.

The Strathearn Family provided the Easter Bunny for a couple hours.

“A huge thank you to the community for coming out and waving to the Easter Bunny during this Covid-19 pandemic and social distancing as I’m sure most of these kids would have loved a picture with the bunny,” according to the Holley Fire Department. “This is truly a hard time for all during a holiday.”

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HOLLEY – The federal Environmental Protection Agency is temporarily suspending a $20 million cleanup project at the former Diaz Chemical site in Holley.

The EPA is planning to have about 20 personnel on site for phase 2 of the cleanup on Jackson Street.

The EPA has already spent $12.5 million on the cleanup, using money from the Superfund. The EPA has removed buildings, pipes, drums and tanks. Only two warehouses remain from Diaz, which declared bankruptcy and abandoned the site in 2002. The company operated for about 30 years in Holley.

The next phase – thermal treatment of contaminated soil and groundwater at the site – will cost $20 million, the EPA said.

“As we continue to adjust to the evolving COVID-19 situation, EPA is taking the necessary steps to ensure that decisions about ongoing cleanup activities at Superfund sites are made with the health and safety of communities, EPA staff, state and tribal partners, and contractors as the priority,” the EPA said in a community notice.

Besides EPA staff, the phase 2 includes personnel from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and contractors. They are temporarily suspending bringing equipment and staff to the Superfund site.

“The suspension of work is a temporary measure as we adjust to the ongoing situation with COVID-19,” the EPA said. “We will be periodically reassessing this decision moving forward and are prepared to come back to the site to continue work as soon as possible. The decision to suspend work was made in consultation with, or at the recommendation of, the Village of Holley.”

The EPA has been working on cleaning up the site for nearly 20 years. With phase 2, the EPA will tackle the contaminated soil on the 5-acre site. The soil poses a threat to the groundwater, EPA officials said.

The dirt can’t simply be carted off the premises until it has been treated to remove the contaminants. The EPA and a contractor will drill 600 wells, spaced about 13 to 15 feet apart, and install an underground system where the soil will be heated up. That will remove below-ground contaminates from soil.

Water vapors also will be collected and treated, and then filtered and discharged into the sewer.

Once the contaminant level drops in the soil, about 100 truckloads are expected to be hauled away to a landfill.

The EPA will have 100 truckloads of clean soil brought to the site. Project managers went over the work with the Holley Village Board in February.

The schedule before Covid-19

The schedule before the delay caused by Covid-19 included contractors drilling test wells and crews starting to mobilize this spring, with soil to be excavated in the summer, with drilling and well installation.

The first stage of the thermal treatment system will go in next winter through summer 2021. A second stage of drilling and well installation is planned for the spring-summer 2021 with the second stage of the thermal treatment system to be installed from winter 2021 to summer 2022.

A concrete cover is part of the project during the treatment stage. The concrete will be removed once the treatment is done.

The project will be substantially complete in the winter of 2023, according to the EPA timeline. A final layer of topsoil and grass will be added to complete the project.

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