Photo by Kristina Gabalski: The Clarendon Historical Society is working to restore the chapel at Hillside Cemetery.

CLARENDON – The Clarendon Historical Society this week received a $10,000 grant from the Orleans County Foundation/Curtis Foundation for restoration of the historic Medina Sandstone non-denominational chapel in Hillside Cemetery.

“Their continued support of this project as well as others in Orleans County, demonstrates their active interest in the betterment of our community through engaging with organizations working to improve a variety of programs and places,” Clarendon Historical Society member Erin Anheier said of the Orleans County Foundation/Curtis Foundation.

The Historical Society previously received grants from the Foundation for exterior mortar repointing and window restoration for the chapel.

Historical Society President Melissa Ierlan said the funds will help cover incidentals and the anticipated need of hiring professionals for the restoration process, which will be in compliance with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

She said she is “thrilled people are still granting us money, considering how long it is taking us to get through this process.”

Ierlan explained there has been much time-consuming paperwork involved in the restoration process, and she is humbled by the support the project has been shown.

Hillside Cemetery was placed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2013 with the chapel being a major contributing asset, Anheier said.  In 2014, the Landmark Society of Western New York named the chapel to their “Five to Revive” list.

The chapel was built in 1894 of locally quarried Medina Sandstone, she said, and is a “fine example of Gothic Revival architecture.”

Restoration plans include replacing the slate roof with new slate, rebuilding the stained glass windows and refurbishing the interior.

“Once restored, the chapel is envisioned as a community meeting place for events such as lectures, art shows, musical presentations and weddings. Work is anticipated to begin early in 2017,” Anheier said.

The Historical Society’s fund-raising campaign for restoration of the chapel began in 2014 and Anheier said tax deductible donations have been received from community members, through grants, and from entrance fees for Historical Society-sponsored events at the cemetery and chapel to support the project.

The Historical Society  is “very appreciative of the support and encouragement they have received from the local community and look forward to holding events in the refurbished chapel,” Anheier said.

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‘Vietnam Reflections’ tells story of 8 men from Holley who died in Vietnam War

Provided photo: Don Sisson presents a copy of the book, Vietnam Reflections by Michael T. Keene, to the Community Free Library in Holley. Sandra Shaw, library director, accepts the book from Sisson, whose brother Ronnie P. Sisson was killed in Vietnam on Dec. 16, 1965.

HOLLEY – The family of one of the eight Holley men killed in the Vietnam War donated a copy of a book to the Community Free Library in Holley.

The book, ‘Vietnam Reflections’ by Michael Keene, profiles the eight men from Holley who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

Ronnie Sisson was one of the eight from Holley who died in Vietnam. Don Sisson gave a book to the library in memory of his brother.

The death of Ronnie Sisson and the seven other soldiers from Holley is one of the highest per capita losses from the war of any community in the United States.

Michael Keene, a Vietnam War veteran from Pittsford, interviewed family and friends of the eight Holley soldiers for his book.

Other Holley soldiers featured in the book include: John P. Davis, David Duane Case, Howard L. Bowen, Gary E. Bullock, Gary Lee Stymus, George Warren Fischer Jr. and Paul Scott Mandracchia.

Keene will be signing copies of the book and giving a talk about ‘Vietnam Reflections’ on Jan. 14 at the American Legion in Holley from 2 to 4 p.m.

The Murray-Holley Historical Society will be serving punch and cookies during the event.

Marsha DeFillipps, the Murray-Holley historian since 1979, praised Keene for his effort with the book, which she said is receiving positive reviews from the community.

“It’s great that he did this undertaking, especially not being a local guy,” she said. “It’s a fantastic book.”

She said the book is a tribute to the community and its patriotism.

“We’ve had a lot of sacrifices through the years with all of the wars,” she said.

Every year on Flag Day, elementary students march down Main Street past DeFillipps’ home in the village. The students wave flags and go to the Historical Society Depot where citizenship awards are presented.

“We’re one of the few schools that still does a big Flag Day,” she said.

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HOLLEY – Residents who have noticed a metallic odor and taste in their water don’t need to worry that the water is unsafe.

Village of Holley Mayor Brian Sorochty said this morning that tests results of village water have come back from the Orleans County Health Department showing the water is fine.

“There is no reason not to drink or use the water,” Sorochty said. “There is no boil water advisory, people can use their water as normal.”

The mayor reported to Village Board members during their meeting Tuesday evening about the metallic odor and taste sporadically affecting tap water for some residents and businesses in the village.

The village began flushing hydrants on Tuesday and is adding additional chlorine in an effort to combat any unpleasant taste or smell.

Sorochty explained during the Village Board meeting that the water the village receives from the Monroe County Water Authority has a high pH level, which “eats up chlorine.” The village receives some of its water from its own well in addition to water from the MCWA, he said.

Trustee Connie Nenni, who works for the Holley Central School District, said the odor had affected some of the fountains at the school and some district employees who live in the village noted they had experienced minor skin irritation.

The process of flushing the system appears to be helping. Sorochty said this morning that some residents have reported an improvement in their water since flushing began. Officials are not certain what caused the change in odor and taste.

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Photos by Kristina Gabalski

HOLLEY – A Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Truck is covered with colorful Christmas lights as it makes its way around the Public Square in the village Saturday evening for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Parade.

The parade featured trucks decorated with Christmas lights.

Here, the village’s Electric Department truck is decked-out for the holidays.

The back of one of the fire trucks featured a waving Santa inflatable.

Holley Mayor Brian Sorochty reads off the names of those remembered with Memory Bulbs on the 2016 Village Tree. The names and donors were read just prior to the lighting of the tree in the Public Square. Sorochty said it was an honor for him to take part in the ceremony for the first time as mayor.

Residents gather in the Public Square in Holley to await the lighting of the village’s holiday tree.

The Holley Village Holiday Tree just after being lit Saturday evening with the moon in the clear night sky behind.

Following the parade and tree lighting, Holley residents headed to the warm fire hall for hot cocoa, cookies, pizza and a visit with Santa.

The Holley Fire Hall was a popular spot following the parade and tree lighting.

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HOLLEY – The school district had some sinks test positive for elevated lead levels, but none of the drinking fountains were too high for lead.

“We are very fortunate that no drinking fountains in the entire district were cited,” the district stated on its website. “Mainly sinks used for hand-washing were detected.”

Holley and other school districts in the state are now required by NY to test for lead in any water sources. NY is requiring action for any water source with lead at 15 parts per billion or more.

The district has taken the following corrective actions:

• All outlets detected have been taken out of service.

• Signage will be attached to each affected outlet stating “Do not use for drinking water.”

• Holley will clean the aerators, re-test the first draw, and flush samples to identify if the problem is at the outlet or interior plumbing.

• The district will replace the affected outlets with approved fixtures and re-test.

• Holley will develop a protocol for future testing, although the state does not require the next sampling event to occur until 2020.

The following locations exceeded the 15 ppb threshold:

• Elementary School – faculty sink (93.0 ppb), bathroom sink (20.0 ppb), bathroom sink (16.0 ppb), classroom sink (17.0 ppb), faculty sink (100.0 ppb), kitchen sink (18.0 ppb), classroom sink (31.0 ppb) and another classroom sink (33.0 ppb).

• Junior-Senior High School – kitchen sink (40 ppm) and kitchen sink (16.0 pub).

• Woodlands Pavilion – bathroom sink (19.0 ppb), bathroom sink (26.0 ppb) and a kitchen sink (18.0 ppb).

(Samples at the Woodlands Stadium and transportation facility were all below the state action level.)

The school district’s website includes a comment from the district as well as the report on the testing.

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Photos by Kristina Gabalski

HOLLEY – Santa made an appearance and had gifts for the youngest attendees on Friday night during the annual Community Christmas Party at the Community Free Library in Holley.

More than 150 people enjoyed an evening of music, Christmas stories and a visit with Santa. Library Director Sandra Shaw says the event hosted by the library is a popular one for Holley residents.

“It’s something we do for the community to say ‘thank you’,” she said at the party on Friday night.

The evening included Christmas Carols, a performance by the Holley Middle School/High School Women’s Choir, Mrs. Claus reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, a basket raffle, a visit from Santa and refreshments.

Susan Persia plays piano while those attending the annual Christmas Party sing carols.

“Mrs. Claus” reads “Twas the Night Before Christmas to enthusiastic youngsters.

The Holley Community Christmas Party drew a large number of people for an evening of family events including signing Christmas Carols and reading holiday stories.

Members of the Women’s Choir from Holley Middle School/High School perform at the library.

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Photos by Kristina Gabalski

HOLLEY – The Holley Middle School Chorus performs “The Christmas Song,” arranged by Carol Strommen, during the Winter Concert Thursday evening in the Middle School/High School auditorium.

The Middle School Chorus is directed by Kelly Marzano. She told the audience the group is always “a lot of fun” to work with. Marzano noted school music programs are about “having a good time, making music and making good memories.”

Harleigh Andrews performs a solo during the Middle School Chorus’ performance of “Believe,” arranged by Roger Emerson.

Thomas Dobri (far right) was also a featured soloist during the performance of “Believe.”

The Holley Middle School Band performs “Holiday Bell Festival,” arranged by Eric Osterling, under the direction of Zachary Busch.

The Middle School Band also performed “Bobsled Run,” by Lloyd Conley, and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane, arranged by John Edmonston.

The Holley Middle School/High School Winter Concert also featured performances by the Concert Choir, the Women’s Choir and Concert Band.

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Photos by Kristina Gabalski: Holley Middle School/High School Principal Sue Corey presents the monthly Soaring to New Heights Award to Senior Hannah Biedlingmaier.

HOLLEY – Members of the Holley Central School Board of Education recognized senior class member Hannah Biedlingmaier Monday evening during their regular meeting with the monthly Soaring to New Heights Award.

Biedlingmaier stepped up and volunteered to sew new stoles for the National Honor Society. Holley Middle School/High School Principal Sue Cory said students wear the stoles for Honor Society induction ceremonies and for graduation. The school needed to replace their supply, which was becoming warn from age, Cory said.

She said purchasing new stoles would have cost the district hundreds of dollars.

“Hannah said, ‘I can make them,’ and she did a beautiful job,” Cory said. “Sewing is a bit of a lost art, Hannah makes a lot of her own clothes.”

Cory noted the project became a family effort as many of the stoles were needed for the recent Honor Society induction.

Hannah said 25 stoles were made for the induction ceremonies, but she will make more which are needed for graduation next spring.

Another senior class member, Claudia Dreschel, addressed board members regarding her year spent in Europe as a Rotary exchange student.

Dreschel spent the 2015-2016 school year in Austria and she thanked the Holley Rotary for sponsoring her participation. Dreschel described the differences in high school education between Holley and Austria.

Claudia Dreschel holds her Rotary jacket completely covered in mementos from her exchange trip to Austria.

She explained that when students reach high school age in Austria, they can choose to focus their studies at specialized schools, studying tourism, art, or business, for example.  The students are then ready to enter the workforce if they choose immediately after graduation.

Some students choose to attend an academically-focused high school, Dreschel said.

“They have strong academics, more rigorous than here,” she said.

Dreschel said the experience helped her to appreciate all that Holley Central offers its students.

“We incorporate extracurriculars, they don’t do sports with schooling (in Austria),” she said. “We have student council and clubs.”

Board members asked Dreschel how she traveled to her school and if she felt safe during her stay.

“Public transportation is more accessible there,” Dreschel said, “but I walked to school every day.”  S

he said she felt as safe in Austria as she feels in Holley, and noted incidents of violence can occur anywhere.

In other business, Superintendent Robert D’Angelo and Assistant Superintendent for Business Sharon Zacher gave a preliminary report to board members regarding changes in the minimum wage which will increase annually over the next five years.

“We wanted to give you the heads-up, it’s an eye opener,” Zacher said.

She presented board members with some initial data on how the increases will affect the district.

The changes will affect yearly contract negotiations, Zacher said. She noted the district will have to prepare itself for dealing with the increases as well as how the increases will affect the morale of some staff members.

She noted when the minimum wage reaches a certain level, it will be close to what some district employees who have worked for the school for twelve years are making.

“It’s something we need to get going on,” Zacher said. “We have to get thinking about how to learn to deal with it.”

Board President Brenda Swanger said the minimum wage increases are a growing concern for all area school districts.

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File photo by Tom Rivers: Developers next year expect to start work on a $17 million transformation of the old Holley High School, turning it into senior housing and offices for the village government.

HOLLEY – The Orleans Economic Development Agency has approved a tax-savings plan for Home Leasing, the Rochester company that is planning a $17 million transformation of the old Holley High School.

Home Leasing wants to turn the landmark building in the center of Holley into 41 apartments for low- to moderate-income senior citizens, and also use part of the building for the village offices. The project will reuse a building at 1 Wright St that has set vacant for 20 years. Home Leasing is calling the project, “Holley Gardens.”

The EDA has approved agreements that would save the company more than $800,000 combined in sales, mortgage and property taxes. There was a public hearing last week in Holley about the incentives. There wasn’t any opposition to the proposals that were approved last Friday by the EDA board.

Home Leasing was approved for an 8 percent sales tax abatement on up to $7.8 million in expenses for equipment, materials, furniture and other taxable purchases. That will save Home Leasing $624,000.

The company was also given a break on the mortgage tax, 0.75 percent on a $3,192,700 mortgage, a savings of $23,945.

The EDA worked with local tax entities on a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) plan for 30 years that will save Home Leasing $197,440 in property taxes over 30 years, an average of $6,581 a year.

The PILOT also sets Home Leasing’s tax commitment to $547,669 over 30 years, an average of

$18,255 a year on a property that currently isn’t generating any tax revenue.

Jim Whipple, the EDA chief executive officer, said the project will fill a housing need for quality, affordable housing. The building is prominent on Route 31, a gateway location on the eastern end of Orleans County.

“Holley Garden’s central location presents a transformative opportunity for the immediate and surrounding community by creating a positive, contributing anchor,” the EDA said.

The project will create 40-50 construction jobs and 2 full-time equivalent positions to manage and maintain the residential space.

The EDA has also set up a holding company, the Orleans Land Holdings, so the title of the property can be transferred from the county to the Orleans Land Holdings and then to Home Leasing.

The county has owned the 52,000-square-foot building for many years after Liftec Manufacturing went bankrupt about two decades ago.

Many local, state and federal officials have been working on the project. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer visited the old school on Monday to state his support for federal and state tax incentives that go to developers who renovate historic buildings.

Orleans County legislators in July voted to forgive $75,421 in back taxes for the old Holley High School, easing some of the financial burden on the project for Home Leasing.

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Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer speaks during the Veterans Day ceremony today at the American Legion in Holley. Chuck Eberhart, the Legion commander, is at left.

There were several Veterans Day observances in Orleans County. The Legion in Holley had several speakers from different branches of the military.

Schemer said he prefers to celebrate Veterans Day in a small town, because the sacrifices of veterans in those communities are often more keenly felt by the community.

“It’s the small towns that have often sent the most veterans,” Schumer told a crowd during a program at the Legion in Holley.

Members of the Honor Guard attended the program in Holley today.

Schumer noted that Holley suffered one of the highest per capita losses during the Vietnam War. He read the names of eight soldiers who graduated from Holley and died in Vietnam: Gary E. Bullock, Howard L. Bowen, David D. Case, John P. Davis, George W. Fischer Jr., Paul S. Mandraccia, Ronald P. Sisson and Gary L. Stymus. David States, another solider from Holley, also died in Vietnam.

“They symbolize the greatness of America,” Schumer said of the Holley soldiers.

He said the country didn’t give soldiers during the Vietnam War the respect they deserved.

“One of the saddest chapters in American history is when our Vietnam veterans came back and were not honored. Some of them were vilified. That was a disgrace,” the senator said. “The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have had many divisions about them, people were for them and people were against them, but praise God when our veterans came back they have been honored.”

Schumer shakes hands with a local veteran and thanks him for his service.

The United States wouldn’t have been possible without veterans stepping forward to defend the country, and continuing to answer the call for more than 200 years.

“We’ve a tradition in this grand land of ours from the days of farmers, ordinary farmers, who put down their plows and took up muskets on Bunker Hill to create our freedom and generation after generation after generation has volunteered and served in our armed services,” Schumer said. “Western New York has had a tradition of volunteering in the armed forces in greater numbers in general than any other place in our country because of the spirit of America and the spirit of volunteering.”

Schumer said he has pushed for better healthcare for veterans through the VA system and the GI Bill that helps to pay for college. He also was instrumental in the new Veterans Cemetery in Pembroke.

Major Ryan D’Andrea speaks during today’s ceremony.

Chuck Eberhardt, the post commander, said the community has shown support for veterans, including Holley students who welcomed veterans in the school for a program on Thursday.

Mark Morreall reads a poem that pays tribute to the sacrifices of veterans.

Ron Ayrault, the post chaplain, shares a prayer to end today’s Veterans Day program in Holley.

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