Photo by Kristina Gabalski:  Ryan Frank and Kameron Walch pose with Holley Elementary School Principal Karri Schiavone. Schiavone presented the two sixth graders with a district Soaring to New Heights Award Monday evening during the Board of Education meeting.
“Kameron and Ryan have both been taking an active role in stopping bullying around the school, especially at school recess,” Schiavone said. “When they see bullying happen, they talk to the targeted student, and help remove that student from the situation and tell the bully to stop. Both boys are great role models on what a good friend looks like, and great role models to stop bullying in the sixth grade.”
Schiavone said the boys’ efforts show that they practice great character traits even when no one is looking.

District also working on policy for bed bug issues

HOLLEY – The Board of Education members unanimously approved the formation of a new district trap shooting team during their regular meeting Monday evening.

Board member Melissa Ierlan said a meeting is planned Feb. 28 at the Holley Rod and Gun Club at which time students can learn more about the team and sign up. Safety training will then begin during the month of March.

Board members discussed forming the team during their January meeting, but members of the administration requested more details.

Middle School/High School Principal Sue Cory said information gathered over the past month has helped her to decide that forming the team is, “very good, very beneficial. I think it’s a great option.”

School attorney Jeff Martin said he will draft a waiver for parents and guardians of students on the team to cover any liability issues, although club activities will take place off-campus at the Rod and Gun Club.

In other business, Board members discussed the creation of a district procedure regarding bedbugs. Bedbugs were found in an elementary classroom in January and again last week.

John Sherman, director of facilities, reported that exterminators treated two rooms last  Friday and no more bugs have been found. “We are in good shape,” Sherman said.

Board President Brenda Swanger noted that the building has been thoroughly searched.

“I witnessed you myself crawling all over the place on your hands and knees,” Swanger told Sherman.

Swanger said she wants the district to prepare a written policy for dealing with bug-related issues. “I don’t care if no one else has one,” she said of the policy.

Superintendent Robert D’Angelo said a policy will be drafted for board approval at the next regular meeting.

Board member Melissa Ierlan questioned what the State Education Department recommends. “People think we can do things we can’t do,” she said.

The district does have a policy for dealing with head lice, administrators said, and noted the bedbug policy could be similar.

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Provided photos

The new student organization at Holley Central School, the Holley Interact Club, spent Thursday helping at the Open Door Mission in Rochester.

The Interact Club is sponsored the Rotary Club and includes high school students.

The Interact Club formed after two Holley students, Jessica Mandigo and Makenzie Ferranti, attending a Rotary sponsored youth conference last year.

Evinn Neadows, a Holley art teacher, is the Interact advisor. She was the Interact president when she was in school at Lewiston.

Students helped make sandwiches at the Open Door Mission.

Jessica Mandigo, the Holley Interact President, posted this statement on the Holley Rotary Club Facebook page:

“Today I had the opportunity to go to Open Door Mission with our school’s Interact Club, and it was truly such an eye-opening experience. I am so very grateful to have been given the chance to volunteer at such an amazing place and make over 50 lunches that they necessarily wouldn’t have without the help of volunteers. Doing what I did today makes me appreciate the things that I have like food, heat, hygiene products, a place to sleep, etc, so much more now.

“We take everything for granted because that is just human nature. Take a minute and really appreciate the things that you do have because they are things that, unfortunately, not everyone has. Go out and volunteer at a place like Open Door Mission. It costs nothing, and means more than the world to people who don’t have the things that we take for granted.”

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Press Release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The Holley Girls’ Basketball program on Wednesday will be hosting their fourth annual “More Than a Game Fight Against Cancer Basketball Fundraiser.”

The JV game will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Holley Middle School/High School Gym with the varsity game to follow at 7:30 p.m. The Hawks will be playing against the Alexander Trojans.

Spectators are encouraged to wear lavender to support all cancer research. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly to the More Than a Game Foundation. Holley has raised over $10,000 the past three years.

At the game, there will be a chance to purchase tickets for a Chinese auction gift basket raffle, a 50/50 drawing, and grand prize raffle; the opportunity to participate in a half-court shooting contest; and other activities. Grand prize tickets can be purchased from a girls’ basketball player or coach.

Keith Roth Allstate Insurance Company has donated a 49″ LG Ultra 4K TV and a brand-new Xbox One S as one of the grand prizes. The other grand prize, donated by Holley Central School District Faculty and Staff, is a pair of tickets to the Maroon 5 concert on Sunday, March 5, and a gift card to Blu Wolf Bistro. Raffle ticket holders do not have to be present at the event to win a prize.

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Photo by Tom Rivers: U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, shown speaking in Holley on Aug. 14, 2014, at the former Diaz Chemical site. John Kenney, Holley’s mayor at the time, is in back.

HOLLEY – U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer told Holley officials today that a “freeze” on all contracts and grants from the Environmental Protection Agency shouldn’t slow down the transfer of eight homes owned by the EPA.

Those houses were abandoned by previous homeowners when they feared the homes were contaminated by a release at the former Diaz Chemical in January 2002.

The EPA has had the sites cleaned. The village has been trying for years to have them put back on the market, boosting the village’s tax base and population.

Schumer sent a letter to the EPA today, Schumer’s office notified Holley Mayor Brian Sorothcy and Dan Schiavone, chairman of the Village of Holley Development Corporation – the entity that would take possession and then try to resell the properties. Some of the proceeds from the sale would go to the village to be used for other economic and community development.

“In light of the reported new policy requiring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to freeze and review action on all pending EPA contracts and grants, I write to strenuously oppose any delay or any reversal in the EPA’s long anticipated and soon-expected transfer of eight houses in the Village of Holley to the Village of Holley Development Corporation (VHDC).

“When the EPA purchased these eight houses a decade ago as part of its response and clean-up of the 2002 Diaz Chemical toxic chemical release, the Village of Holley lost an estimated $700,000 from its tax base and neighboring homeowners suffered from vacant properties marring their community.

“Fortunately by 2014 the EPA determined the eight houses were free of any contamination from the Diaz release and together with the VHDC initiated a plan to transfer ownership of the houses to the VHDC, which in turn would put the houses on the market for sale to new owners.

“This agreement was codified in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the EPA that the Village of Holley signed in September 2016.  Prior to enacting this new freeze and review policy on January 24th, quitclaim deeds to the properties were being prepared for the EPA by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers  (USACE) along with related materials needed for the EPA to process the deed transfers within a matter of weeks. ‎

“This new freeze and review policy must not side-track or derail the transfer of these properties.  A promise is a promise and the signed Memorandum of Agreement directing the transfer of these properties back to the Village of Holley must be abided.  I request your immediate assurance that the transfer process will not now be reversed or delayed.”

Sincerely,

Charles Schumer

U.S. Senator

Schumer also issued this statement to the media about the Trump administration decision’s to freeze all EPA grants and contracts:

“EPA’s fundamental mission to protect clean air and clean water for public health and safety is being impeded by the unprecedented decision to freeze all grants and contracts. This decision could have damaging implications‎ for communities across New York, from delaying testing for lead in schools to restricting efforts to keep drinking water clean to holding up much-needed funding to revitalize toxic brownfield sites. The Administration should reverse this damaging policy immediately.”

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Photo by Kristina Gabalski: The former First Niagara Bank sits empty in a prominent spot of the Public Square in Holley.

HOLLEY – There has been “quite a response” to a petition in support of an effort to bring a new bank to the Village of Holley.

Holley Village Clerk Deborah Schiavone said two pages of the petition at the village offices are full (there are about 30 signatures per page). Local businesses have the petition available and they have requested more pages as the ones they have fill up.  Schiavone said she planned to get petition sheets to the Town of Clarendon offices this week.

The First Niagara branch in Holley closed this past October as part of a consolidation by Key Bank.  Prior to the closing, local officials made a concerted effort to convince KeyBank to keep the Holley First Niagara branch open.

Those stakeholders included officials from the Towns of Kendall, Murray, Clarendon, the Village of Holley, the Holley Central School District, the Kendall Central School District, the Holley Community Free Library and the Holley Joint Fire District.

That effort didn’t sway KeyBank, but the local group is now focusing on finding another bank to take up residence at the Public Square site.

Orleans County Legislator Ken DeRoller has been working to reach out to players in the marketplace.

“It’s a very important issue,” he said of bringing a bank back to the community. “We are all trying our best to bring some kind of banking opportunity to Holley.”

DeRoller said that might come in the in the form of anything from full service banking to an ATM.

“We believe there is an opportunity here,” he said, while noting, “banking has changed.”

The former First Niagara branch building has everything necessary for full-service banking, including safety deposit boxes and a safe, but DeRoller said he is finding that the footprint of the building is considered large.

He said it is important that the community makes it clear through signing the petition, that they want banking opportunities in Holley and that they will make use of the service if an interested bank is found.

“You’ve got to use it or lose it,” DeRoller said. “We still have hope (of finding a new bank) if people step up and sign those petitions.”

In addition to municipal offices in eastern Orleans County, the petition is also available at local businesses.

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Photo courtesy of Holley Central School

HOLLEY – Close to the holidays, some familiar faces were seen at a Holley Middle School/High School home basketball game. Five students from last year’s senior class attended the game together in their military uniforms. They are pictured from left: Ronnie DeWaal and Ross Pinson from the Marines, Thomas Kelly Jr. from the Air Force, and Clarence Moyer and Santino Morales from the Army.

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HOLLEY – The school district has found bed bugs in two elementary school classrooms recently. It brought in an exterminator to treat the classroom, as well as adjacent rooms and the hallway.

“We’re staying on top of it,” said Robert D’Angelo, the school district superintendent. “At this point it looks like we’re in good shape.”

Karri Schiavone, the elementary school principal, sent a notice to parents urging them to be on the look out for the bugs.

They are “hitch hikers” and can attach to student backpacks, coats and clothes, and move from one location to another, D’Angelo said.

The district has advised people to wash and dry clothes on the highest heat for 60 minutes. That heat is effective at killing bed bugs and their eggs.

Clothing, linens and other items that cannot be washed should be dried on high heat for 20 to 30 minutes, the district suggested.

Schiavone told parents in a letter that two live bed bugs and two dead ones were discovered. D’Angelo said district staff continue to be looking closely for any of the bugs. He urged the community to also take precautions.

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Provided photo: Students received a limo ride on Wednesday as a reward for leading their grade levels in reading.

HOLLEY – Winners of the Holley Elementary Pick A Reading Partner (PARP) program were treated to a very special lunch Wednesday – a chauffeured limo ride to the Brockport McDonald’s.

The PARP program is designed to encourage kids to read with their parents on a regular basis.

This year’s program began Dec. 5 with students reading either on their own or with a partner. Minutes spent reading were tracked through Jan. 6 and two winners from each grade level were announced during an assembly Jan. 13.

This year’s winners are Ian Bannister, Jayden Rivera, Julianna Church, Caiden Murray, Kaitlyn Dodson, Felicity Virgilio, Dylan Warner, Brianna Pellegrino, Addison Probst, Parker Tower, Dawson Arnold, Hailey Gonzalez, Alyssa Armstrong, Allison Merle, Kayla Neale, Matthew Bull, Sarah Kelly and Casey Onisk.

The annual event is sponsored by the PTSA to encourage students to enjoy reading.

The students were recognized during an assembly on Jan. 13.

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HOLLEY – The Board of Education discussed forming a team for students to compete in target shooting.

Board member Melissa Ierlan during the Tuesday board meeting brought up having Holley join NYS HS Clay Target League.

Ierlan said she was approached by the Holley Rod & Gun Club regarding formation of a club/team for students.

Ierlan noted the Orleans County Clay Crushers youth shooting team, which includes trap, skeet and sporting clays shooting. She noted that trap shooting trap shooting is a long-standing Olympic sport which became popular as a high school sport nationally in the U.S. in the year 2000.

Teams would consist of five members, she said.  Both boys and girls in grades 6-12 would be eligible.

Ierlan said the club would provide an opportunity for, “kids who may not be served by other sports or academic clubs. It would teach teamwork as well as safety with firearms.”  Participants would take part in a safety course required for hunting licenses as well as an additional safety course after they join. Certified firearms instructors would serve as coaches.

“There are 12 schools involved in New York State,” Ierlan said. “It is growing every year.”

The Holley Rod & Gun Club would help to cover the cost of ammunition and targets, Ierlan said. That would keep the cost for students to between $50-$75. Participants would have to have their own transportation to the Rod & Gun Club and their own firearm to participate.

Ierlan said she has contacted Kendall School Board President Nadine Hanlon regarding the opportunity. The two school districts have been sharing some extracurricular programs.

“The idea sounds awesome,” said Holley Middle School/High School Principal Susan Corey. She said she would like additional information.

Superintendent Robert D’Angelo requested that the district consult with its insurance carrier regarding whether or not creation of the club would necessitate changes in the district’s liability insurance.

During the discussion, Middle School/High School assistant principal/athletic director Dan Courtney explained that clay target shooting is not a state-sanctioned school sport, meaning the group would be considered a school club rather than a school sports team.  He mentioned bass fishing is a sanctioned school sport, a sport which the Kendall Central School District offers students.

Cory said there are Holley students interested in a fishing team.

In other action, the Holley Board of Education on Tuesday evening approved having school principals set up Twitter accounts.

Board vice-president Robin Silvis made the proposal for Cory and Elementary Principal Karri Schiavone to set up accounts, saying Twitter is “a very good vehicle” for sharing information, particularly positive news.

(This article was updated from an earlier version to clarify trap shooting is a long-standing Olympic sport.)

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Robert Miller named to fill vacancy on Town Board

MURRAY – Joe Sidonio, an outspoken critic of the Murray town government in the past year, was not reappointed to his position on the Town Planning Board last week.

Sidonio also represented Murray on the Orleans County Planning Board for more than a decade. But that tenure came to an end because he wasn’t backed by the Town Board to return in that role.

The Town Board approved a list of appointments last Thursday during an annual organizational meeting. The board chose to appoint Elaine Berg to the Town Planning Board and as Murray’s representative on the Orleans County Planning Board.

Berg had been serving on the Zoning Board Appeals. The ZBA meets infrequently and Berg, a former Holley Board of Education member, wanted a more active role with the town, said John Morriss, the Town Supervisor.

Morriss said Sidonio was not targeted by the Town Board due to his criticisms the past year. Sidonio has written frequent letters to the editor and spoken out in town meetings, questioning taxes that have exceeded the rate of inflation. He also has questioned the financials in the water districts’ budgets and suggested the town needs to work harder to safeguard the water system from any outside contamination.

Sidonio took an unusual step in forcing a primary to be on the Murray Republican Committee. He won a seat on Sept. 13.

A committee with board members Paul Hendel and Kathy Case interviewed candidates for the Planning and Zoning boards. The committee suggested Berg, Morriss said today.

(Case has since resigned from the Town Board to serve as an Orleans County elections commissioner.)

Morriss said he has had concerns about Sidonio “overstepping his bounds” as a Planning Board member.

“The committee interviewed candidates and we felt it was time for a change,” Morriss said.

Sidonio said he enjoyed being on the two planning boards. He acknowledged there has been a strained relationship with the Town Board the past year.

“The town and I have been at odds over specific issues,” he said. “I will leave it at that. I serve at their pleasure.”

With Berg moving to the Planning Board, her spot on the ZBA was filled by Bob Cone.

The Town Republican Committee also interviewed candidates to fill Case’s vacant spot on the Town Board.

Robert Miller, who is retired from the state police, was picked for the final year of the term. Sidonio said he also was interested in the position and was interviewed by the Committee (with Sidonio abstaining from that process because he was interviewed.)

The remainder of the term is only one year. The Town Board position will be up for election n November.

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HOLLEY – The Village Board on Thursday joined Murray and the Albion Village Board in pressing the state to overhaul its AIM funding program, so villages and towns receive a boost in funding.

The Aid and Incentives to Municipalities program provides $715 million in aid to upstate cities, villages and towns, but 90 percent of the money goes to cities. That breaks down to $277 in aid for city residents and only $7 per capita for town and village residents.

The Village of Holley receives $17,786 in AIM funding for a village of 1,811 residents, for an average of $9.82 per village resident.

Holley has a police department, as well as street, water, sewer and other community services.

The board approved a resolution that was presented by the Orleans Hub last week in an editorial asking the governor and State Legislature to do more for villages and rural New York. More AIM funds would ease the tax burden on village residents in Orleans County, who pay some of the highest tax rates in the region.

“WHEREAS, the state’s tiny share of AIM funding for villages has put villages at a competitive disadvantage in attracting and retaining businesses and residents;

“WHEREAS, the huge disparity in AIM funding between the cities and villages is a form of state-sponsored economic discrimination, resulting in much higher tax bills for village residents and a diminished quality of life,” the resolution reads.

The Holley Village Board is sending the resolution to the governor, local state legislators, and the New York Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials.

Click here to see the AIM editorial on the Orleans Hub.

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Photos by Kristina Gabalski: Author Michael Keene signs a copy of his book: Vietnam Reflections:  The Untold Story of the Holley Boys for Bev Brennan, a Holley native who lives in Brockport. Brennan said she graduated from Holley prior to the Holley Boys, but has siblings their age. Keene did, “an excellent job,” with the book, Brennan said.

HOLLEY – Michael Keene, author of a book on eight men from Holley who died in the Vietnam War, was thanked by Holley residents today for his effort in Vietnam Reflections: The Untold Story of the Holley Boys.  

“Fantastic, the format is tremendous,” Holley/Murray historian Marsha DeFilipps said about the book, which includes profiles of each soldier and background on the war and the community in the 1960s.

Tom Totter speaks with Michael Keene during the book signing.  Totter said his wife is the niece of Ronald Sisson, one of the Holley Boys.  She was, “very moved by the book,” Totter said.

Keene was at the American Legion in Holley Saturday afternoon to sign copies of the book and speak with community members, friends and family of the eight Vietnam soldiers featured in the book.

DeFilipps said Keene did an excellent job interviewing family members of the “Holley Boys” – John P. Davis, David D. Case, Ronald P. Sisson, Howard L. Bowen, Gary E. Bullock, Gary L. Stymus, George W. Fischer Jr., and Paul S. Mandraccia.

“The families were finally ready to talk about it,” DeFilipps said. “Michael Keene brought out the best of them.”

She assisted Keene in research for the book and in contacting family members.

Keene said he spoke with 35 family members of the “Holley Boys” to compile information for the book.

“I found myself drawn to this community and immersed myself in the history of the community and the lives of the boys,” Keene said.

The village of Holley’s loss during the Vietnam War was staggering.

“It was among the worst casualty rates of any town and high school in the U.S. during Vietnam,” Keene said.

It is clear the Holley community continues to mourn.  Jerry Dowd became emotional remembering his best friend, Howard L. Bowen.

“We are so thankful that somebody would write a great book,” he told Keene. Dowd said he and Bowen shared many happy times together and that Bowen loved people. He said Bowen expressed feelings prior to leaving for the war, that he would not be coming home.

Bowen’s sister, Jane Robinson, also attended the book signing. She said the book is very good. “It’s a beautiful book,” Robinson said.

“We are very pleased to be able to host Mr. Keene today,” former village mayor and retired Holley Central School teacher John Kenney said.

Kenney knows the families of all eight soldiers. He moved to Holley in 1964 and said he taught some of the boys and many of their siblings.

“We’ve known for a long time that the proportion of the dead to the population of village was the highest in the country,” Kenney said.

“The time is right to recognize and focus on what they have done in terms of the sacrifices they made. There is a lot of emotion tied to the old Holley High School and the Vietnam boys.”

Author Michael Keene, a Vietnam War veteran and Pittsford resident, speaks to those attending a book signing for his new book about the “Holley Boys” at the American Legion Post in Holley this afternoon.

Joyce Potote of Holley attended school with many of the soldiers featured in the book.

“I went to the senior prom with Ronnie Sisson,” she remembered.

She has yet to read the book, but noted it is good to finally get the stories of the eight out. “I will probably cry when I read the book,” she said.

Deb DeFilipps is currently reading the book. She knew Paul S. Mandraccia and said the history of the Vietnam War included in the book was very interesting. She was also moved by the inclusion of individual family letters.

“It’s heart-rending,” she said. “It brings you to tears.”

The book is now available as an audio book.  “Even people who don’t like audio books like this audio book,” Keene said.  It includes ten professional voice actors and an original musical score. “I’m proud of the book, I’m really proud of the audio book,” Keene said.

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