Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Murray resident Kerri Neale, standing in truck bed, speaks to fellow residents outside the Murray Town Hall on Tuesday evening. The rally was held to protest a proposed local law that would ban firearms from town property and facilities.

MURRAY – The Town Board on Tuesday decided to table a local law that would ban firearms from town-owned property and facilities, following a packed public hearing and rally outside the Town Hall against the proposal.

“We are not going to enact it unless it is done right,” Murray Town Supervisor John Morriss said about Local Law No. 1 of 2016 – Enacting a Workplace Violence Prevention Policy.

Residents packed the town meeting room/courtroom to let leaders know they are not happy with the section of the policy than bans firearms from town property, buildings and vehicles, saying it violates their Constitutional rights.

“The Constitution is the supreme law of the land and this law is belligerent to the Constitution,” resident Kerri Neale told the board. Neale organized a rally outside the Murray town building prior to the meeting, to protest the law.

“We’re not here to point fingers,” he told residents who gathered outside. “We are here to tell them about what we think about our freedoms and our right to defend ourselves.”

SCOPE members attended the Murray meeting to oppose the proposed law from Murray.

Inside the Town Hall, most residents who spoke during the public hearing said they, too, were against the proposed law.

Mattie Zarpentine of Holley said that just like the NY SAFE Act, the proposed Murray law “only impacts the law-abiding those with an intent to harm. Why should they follow the law?”

David Thom, chair of the Orleans County Chapter of the Scope Committee On Political Education (SCOPE), attended the meeting and told town board members that creating a gun-free zone is a bad idea.

“They are the target of choice of perpetrators,” he said. Thom also said such a law would be difficult to enforce.

Louise Passarell, who works for the Town of Murray as water billing clerk, said she was in favor of the law.

“As a town employee, I don’t have a problem with the (firearm) ban,” Passarell said. “I don’t feel safe with people coming in with guns.”

The Murrary Town Board meeting was well attended and garnered media attention due to a public hearing on a controversial proposed local law to ban firearms from town property.

Following the public hearing – which lasted about 35 minutes – Supervisor Morriss thanked residents for attending and said that council members had listened to all comments.

“We need to take a closer look at this,” he said. “To see if we need to tweak it or throw it out completely.”

Town attorney Jeff Martin drafted the law in light of a recommendation from the town’s insurance carrier – New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR). He told residents before the public hearing that comments already received by various town board members had been, “taken to heart,” and noted the law can be changed.

“It may be more restrictive than it needs to be,” he said.

Following the public hearing, Martin recommended that the law not be adopted as drafted.

Murray town officials listen to residents during the public hearing Tuesday evening. The officials include, from left: Town Councilwoman Kathy Case, Town Clerk Cindy Oliver, Town Supervisor John Morriss, attorney Jeff Martin and Town Councilman Paul Hendel.

Town leaders say they need to find out the consequences of not following NYMIR’s recommendation to enact the workplace violence prevention policy before they decide which course to take.

Morriss and Martin told residents that they would be kept informed as the issue progresses. If the proposed local law is changed, another public hearing would have to be held before it was enacted.

“It’s good to see people here,” Kerri Neale told the board following the decision to table the vote. “I would like to see constituents come back and help the board make correct decisions.”

In other business, Supervisor Morriss announced that in response to residents’ concerns over the town’s budget and property taxes, the town plans to create a Citizen Budget Committee with members from the community.

“They would sit down with us as we do the budget so they can see what goes into it,” Morriss said. The new committee would be formed closer to budget season.

Resident Joe Sidonio, who expressed concerns over high property taxes at the Town Board meeting in February, brought new concerns before the board at the Tuesday meeting regarding what he believes is over-taxation in the town’s 15 water districts.

Sidonio provided board members with a water districts bond repayment chart covering property tax, principal, and interest payments in all 15 water districts from 2013-2016. Total overages for the four years comes in at nearly $290,000, Sidonio said.

Sidonio said he was not making an accusation of wrongdoing, but if his understanding of the figures is correct, he would like an explanation of the irregularities.

“I would like an explanation of where the money went,” Sidonio told the board. “I would request a refund to citizens if, in fact, they have been overtaxed.”

Morriss told Sidonio the town has an independent auditor come in every year and that the next audit is scheduled for April.

“While they are here, we will bring this to them,” Morriss told Sidonio. “I want to know what is going on.”

Because of the federal funding involved the creation of the water districts, attorney Jeff Martin told Sidonio that the USDA requires an independent audit every year.

“No shortcomings have been brought to the attention of the town,” Martin said. “We will certainly look into it.”

Provided photos, OCALS

HOLLEY – Jean Mullins is dressed as The Cat in the Hat this morning when the Orleans County Adult Learning Services (OCALS) celebrated Read Across America Day at Grace’s Place Agri-Business Child Development Daycare in Holley.

OCALS members dressed in costume and read books by Dr. Seuss. Today is the birthday of Dr. Seuss, the late Theodor Seuss Geisel, who was born March 2, 1904 and lived until Sept. 24, 1991.

OCALS read books, shared handouts, and cupcakes and juice boxes donated from Wegmans. Many of the volunteers are in OCALS’s Grandma/Grandpa reading program.

Jean Mullins and Gail Christ read to one of the children at ABCD Daycare.

OCALS tutors some of the ABCD students. OCALS currently has nine tutors in its family program. IT has been serving at ABCD the past five years, working with 12-16 students.

Some OCALS tutors also assist at an ABCD site in Newfane, and this year OCALS started a pilot program at Albion School District where tutors support their former ABCD students as they transition to kindergarten.

Many local schools and libraries also had events today in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday.

Provided photos, Erika Thorn

CLARENDON – Holley Cub Scout Pack 3062 had its Pinewood Derby last Saturday at the Clarendon Rec Hall with 43 kids participating in the annual Scouting tradition.

The top photo shows Bears with winning cars, including, from left, in front: Zachary Mrzywka, Destin Brown and John Kuhls. Back row: Ronald Thorn, Owen Schultz, Antonio Ianello and Steven Hein. Erika Thorn, committee chairwoman for Holley Pack 3062, is in back.

Tigers include: Collin Revier, Ben Dale, Hunter Sommerfeldt, Dylan Murphy-Bell, Aro Kruger and Liam Leader. Leader David Robarge is in back.

Webelos include Brody Schutz, Evan Press, Marshall Rubens and Matthew Barlow. Mike Berns is in back.

Wolves include, front row: Tyler Moore, Tyler Andelora and Gunner Knight (accepting the award for his brother Ryker Knight). Second row: Dawson Arnold, Miguel Vasquez-Pulcino, Braden Read, Kayden Schutz, Logan Stoick and Damian Frazer. David Arnold is in back.

Veterans Memorial planned for Hillside Cemetery

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – The Holley Rotary Club served about 200 spaghetti dinners on Saturday, with proceeds going towards an Eagle Scout project at Hillside Cemetery.

The top photo shows Holley Rotarians, from left: Jeff Martin, Larry Swanger, Josh Mitchell and Roger DeFrancesca.

Jacob Crandall, an Eagle Scout candidate, is trying to upgrade the veterans section at the cemetery. He wants a new 25-foot-high flag pole, five granite etched stones (for the Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard), and a pentagon-shaped concrete base. Jacob would like to have the project complete in the spring.

Bob Miller cooks spaghetti at the fund-raiser at the VFW where the Rotary Club meets every Monday evening.

Elissa Rowley is pictured with her father, Bill Downey. Elissa joined the Holley Rotary Club earlier this month. She works as program manager for the National Kidney Foundation. She is a third-generation Rotary member following her grandfather, Frenchy Downey, and her father, who are both members of the Albion Rotary Club.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Only one protestor was in Holley on Saturday to publicly denounce the Squirrel Slam, a hunting contest that is a fund-raiser for the Holley Fire Department.

The event in the previous three years drew national and international attention from animal rights activists. But this time Holley wasn’t in the Bull’s Eye of activists. Only Richard Brummel, an environmental activist from Long Island, was in town with placards against the event.

Brummel chatted with people holding signs in support of the hunters. It was a friendly conversation and Brummel shook their hands before leaving around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Brummel was in Orleans County Court in February 2015, trying to get Judge James Punch to stop the contest. Brummel tried to make the case an environmental impact study should have been done to determine if the contest had a detrimental effect on the local squirrel population. Punch dismissed the case.

Brummel said he is optimistic the case will be taken up by the Fourth Appellate Court in Rochester. Brummel wants the Holley Fire Department to do an environmental impact study on the squirrel population.

“We want an analysis,” Brummel said.

Laura Knab, right, of Albion was across the street from Brummel. She arrived at 9 a.m. by the Holley Hotel and held signs in support of hunters. She was joined by Ahmad Asci, center, and Joe Kellenberger.

Knab, 23, said she has been hunting since she was 12.

“People don’t understand our way of life,” she said.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Holley firefighters are pictured with Alexandria Disque, second from left, and a dog Sadie, as well as Sadie’s owner Cassie Wolfanger, left. Disque and Sadie were rescued this afternoon after being swept in a tunnel on Sandy Creek that goes under the Erie Canal. The firefighters were on a boat that went into the dark tunnel. Pictured from left in back include Fran Gaylord, Harris Reed and Justin McMillon.

HOLLEY – A woman and a dog were both rescued from a near drowning today after they were swept into a dark tunnel that went under the Erie Canal.

Alexandria Disque, 23, was at the Holley Waterfalls with her friend Cassie Wolfanger. They both play on the women’s rugby team at Brockport State College. They were at the waterfalls with Cassie’s dog, Sadie.

The dog, an English yellow lab, fell into Sandy Creek and was soon swept away on the fast-moving current. Disque dove in and tried to save the dog.

Soon both went through a culvert that takes Sandy Creek under the canal. The concrete tunnel is dark.

Wolfanger called 911 when Disque and Sadie vanished.

Today is the Squirrel Slam hunting contest, a fund-raising event for the Holley Fire Department. Many firefighters were at the Holley Fire Hall and they were quickly on the scene at the base of the waterfalls.

Firefighters deployed a rescue boat and Fran Gaylord, Justin McMillon and Harris Reed went into the culvert to find Disque and Sadie.

Photos courtesy of Kurt Wannenwetsch

Firefighters descended near the Holley Waterfalls where Sandy Creek heads under the Erie Canal to find Disque and Sadie. The firefighters are in a line holding a rope as the boat goes into the culvert.

A rope was tied to the boat as firefighters passed into the tunnel. It was hard to see once they entered the tunnel, Gaylord said.

They went about 500 feet down before they found Disque. She found a crack in the concrete and was barely hanging on. She had nearly lost all motor skill function at that point because she was freezing after about a half-hour in the water.

Reed was at the back of the boat and he pulled Disque onto the boat. She was taken by Monroe Ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Holley firefigters bring Alexandria Disque, right, safely to shore after getting her out of the culvert tunnel. Disque’s friend Cassie Wolfanger, left, is relieved to see Disque.

The firefighters went back into the tunnel. They could see a dog’s head bobbing. This time then had to go about 600 feet into the tunnel to get the dog.

Sadie was checked by local veterinarian Dr. Krista Wiley. Gaylord took the dog back to the firehall to warm it up and get the dog some food. Gaylord even took Sadie for a walk.

Sadie is rescued from the water.

Disque and Wolfanger arrived at about 6 p.m. to reunite with the dog. They thanked the firefighters for the rescue.

Gaylord said Disque’s physical fitness likely saved her life, allowing her to withstand the cold and hard-driving water. Disque said she was bundled up in the ambulance and at the hospital. After the ride to Strong, her temperature was taken and it was 92 degrees.

Disque said she was able to hang on to the 80-pound dog by its harness when she was in the culvert before finally letting go. She didn’t know the culvert let out at the other end. She was in the dark in the tunnel, fighting the current when the firefighters arrived in a boat.

Disque and Wolfanger said the Holley Waterfalls is a popular spot for many Brockport students who sometimes want a peaceful spot to study or a chance to enjoy nature.

“Everyone knows about the Holley Waterfalls,” Wolfanger said.

Photos courtesy of Kurt Wannenwetsch

HOLLEY – Several people were transported by Monroe Ambulance to the hospital to be evaluated on Tuesday after a 2-car accident at the intersection of West Albion and South Main streets. There were no serious injuries in the accident, Holley Police Chief Roland Nenni said.

The accident happened at about 12:30 p.m. It was caused by a motorist failing to stop at a red light. That vehicle then struck the van that was traveling north through the intersection, causing the van to overturn, Nenni said.

MURRAY – A man who was acting suicidal on Monday was located by law enforcement officers from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and taken to Strong Memorial Hospital for a mental health evaluation.

Deputies arrived to Hindsburg Road in Murray on Monday after Town of Murray Highway Department snowplow operator Dennis Mandigo called 911 to report a car fire in a field on Hindsburg Road near Transit Church Road.

Mandigo also reported at about 11:30 a.m. that he had spoken to a man near the scene and, minutes later, the person walked away. Deputy Jeff Gifaldi arrived and found the car fully involved with fire. The man had left the scene.

Fancher-Hulberton-Murray and Holley fire departments responded and extinguished the fire.

Gifaldi contacted the Irondequoit Police Department and advised that he was investigating a suspicious fire. The Irondequoit Police Department was asked to go to the home of the registered owner of the burning vehicle in an attempt to locate him, Undersheriff Chris Bourke said in a news release.

Irondequoit Police advised that they had just received information from a relative of the registered owner that indicated the owner was suicidal and was intending to burn himself up in a vehicle, Bourke said.

Sgt. Dean Covis located footprints in the snow that led into a field. Covis and Gifaldi tracked the prints through fields and woods for approximately 2.5 miles. There was a snowstorm occurring at this time which made it difficult for perimeter sheriff patrol units to observe the subject, Bourke said.

After approximately two hours, the suicidal man was located by Bourke coming out of a field on Creek Road near Route 104.

The man was taken into custody without incident and transported to Strong for an evaluation.

Chief commends school district for security efforts

HOLLEY – If you’ve noticed more Holley Police vehicles on the campus of Holley Central School lately, there’s a good reason.

Police Chief Roland Nenni spoke to members of the School Board during their regular meeting Monday regarding his efforts to increase police presence at the school and around the village in general.

Nenni said he has had officers working days stop at both the elementary and middle school/high school buildings on a regular basis over the past few weeks to assist with “bonding with staff and students.”

He explained that the recent efforts are only the beginning of work to strengthen ties between the village police and the school district.

“We want to build bridges,” Chief Nenni told board members. “We want to build a relationship … interact with students … bridge those gaps and make a bond. I can’t thank the staff of the school enough.”

The police chief also thanked board members and commended the district for their campus security efforts. Nenni explained that he acts as commander for the county-wide SWAT team and that, “Holley is above the grade of everybody else,” he observed. “It’s phenomenal, Holley really stepped up over the need for security. I can’t commend you enough.”

Nenni serves as chief of both the Albion and Holley Police Departments and he said he sees the stepped up efforts at the school as part of building a relationship with the entire Holley community.

“It’s nice to see us doing this together,” Board President Brenda Swanger told Nenni. “It’s what we need … I’ve seen your cars around more.”

Board member John Heise agreed with Swanger. “I see the (police) cars much more, they are active around the community. It’s amazing, the change.”

Nenni took over leadership of the Holley Police force in October 2015. He said he is well acquainted with the needs of small communities and wants to respond well to residents’ concerns.

“I want to do our business better,” he said, “have our customers tell us what they are looking for. We want to serve you the best we can.”

In other business, Elementary School Principal Karri Schiavone said parents will see different looking report cards next year as the school is working to move to a standards-based report for parents.

Schiavone said the district has formed a committee that is looking at samples from other districts and working on templates. She noted Holley is behind in aligning grades to standards.

“We need to start reporting to parents on standards,” she explained. “We work with standards in the classroom and on curriculum writing … this is going to be a huge shift and an uncomfortable shift, but we need to do it.”

Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Ken Draper, owner of KD Flooring & Supply stands next to one of the displays of flooring options available at his store, which he recently opened in the historic Old Stone Store in Clarendon.

CLARENDON – The latest chapter in the history of the Clarendon Stone Store has begun with the arrival of KD Flooring & Supply as the new tenant in the ground floor commercial space.

Owner Ken Draper, a Kendall native who now makes his home in Clarendon and who has been in the flooring business since he was 15, says he is thrilled with the location and especially appreciates the history of the building – built in 1836 from Medina sandstone.

“I love this location, I love this old building. I’m here to stay,” he said. “I have no intentions of leaving.”

Draper previously owned Orleans Carpet, which was located on Rt. 104 east of Rt. 98. Recently, his business was located in the village of Holley, but he said parking was an issue. He says he initially was interested in the old grain mill, which sits in the Clarendon hamlet just south of the NYS Routes 237 and 31A intersection where the Stone Store is located, but after looking into that property found, “it would have been too expensive to rehab.”

That’s where Clarendon Historian/Code Enforcement Officer Melissa Ierlan comes in. Draper said she suggested the Stone Store, as the former tenant was leaving.

“It’s a perfect situation for us,” Ierlan says of the flooring business, noting it is a great fit for Clarendon and the Stone Store location. After Draper opened, Ierlan took a stack of 8 X 10 copies of historic photos of the store to the shop and Draper said customers have enjoyed looking through them.

The Old Stone Store was built in 1836 from Medina sandstone.

The building, which is listed on the State and National Historic Registers, functioned as a general store until 1975. It was broken into apartments in later years but by 2007 was sitting empty. The Town of Clarendon was ready to demolish the landmark in 2011 when a group of concerned residents formed the Old Stone Store Preservation Committee and rallied to save the structure from the wrecking ball.

The town agreed to put the building on the market and sell it for one dollar, as long as the new owner could provide a suitable plan for restoration and future use. Late in 2012, Sue and Joe Fertitta of Parma purchased the building and began the work of restoration/ rejuvenation.

Clarendon Supervisor Richard Moy said he is overjoyed with the way the Old Stone Store turned out. “Joe and Sue Fertitta did an outstanding job refurbishing the old store so it could become a viable business and at the same time preserve its historic past. Too many times old historic structures get demolished and once they are gone, some of our history goes with it.”

Supervisor Moy said many people in the Clarendon community are appreciative of the work done by the Fertittas.

The interior of the store includes a display for KD Flooring & Supply.

“It is also important to note that the building is still on our tax rolls and the building generates sales tax for the entire county,” Moy added.

Draper now has the ground floor shop filled with displays and flooring samples from which customers can choose – carpet, tile, linoleum, laminate, hardwood, and ceramic choices abound for both commercial and residential customers.

“I do whatever I can to save customers money,” Draper said. “I keep overhead low and sell below the suggested retail price. I can beat anybody’s price.”

Draper provides installation, but also can guide customers through do-it-yourself projects. He offers “a premium product … first quality name brands with the best prices guaranteed,” he said, and added that 90 percent of the products he sells are American made.

The quality and durability of flooring choices has improved dramatically in recent years – “Some flooring will now last a lifetime,” Draper said.

He works to make sure the shop offers the latest designs, styles and colors and follows that up with customer service. “I educate the customers,” he said. “There’s a lot they don’t know. I educate them here and in their home.”

Draper also offers additional discounts to seniors and veterans, and will continue to honor warranties for customers of Orleans Carpet.

“I stand behind any flooring products you purchase,” he noted, guaranteeing labor for life.

KD Flooring & Supply is open 10 am – 7 pm Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., and Sat. The store is closed on Wed., and Sun., but Draper says he is available to come to the store anytime. Customers can call 585-638-2492.

File photo Tom Rivers – The Hamburg Kingsmen Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps march down Route 31 in the Public Square during a parade in Holley last June 6.

HOLLEY – Two Clarendon residents are hoping to keep the Village of Holley’s Junefest alive. Marge and John Krizan presented a proposal to members of the Holley Village Board during Tuesday’s regular meeting.

“People have enjoyed it,” John Krizan said of the annual festival which was cancelled in recent months due the Town of Murray deciding not to fund its portion of the 2016 celebration and members of the organizing committee saying they could not find enough people to try to keep Junefest going.

“The village has taken a lot of pride in it and all of that meant one wonderful day,” Krizan said. “I would hate to see that go bye-bye.”

He added that he and his wife have talked with many people who have been surprised and shocked to learn that this year’s Junefest had been cancelled.

The Krizans told trustees they are willing to spearhead a movement to form a committee and organize a scaled-back event for this year. They hope to be able to stage a parade, have a band for musical entertainment and locate the celebration “up on the knoll” in the park around the gazebo.

Trustee/Deputy Mayor Brian Sorochty said he was in favor of giving it a try and noted the village should be able to gather information regarding festival organization from former committee members.

“If we walk away (fail to hold Junefest this year) it’s gone,” Sorochty said. “I appreciate your energy. I think it’s great.”

Mayor John Kenney thanked the Krizans for coming to the Village Board and said he will be getting back in touch with them.

“It comes down to manpower,” he advised them. “That is the issue at the forefront.”

In past years the Town of Murray and the Village of Holley have each contributed $5,000 to the Junefest, and Mayor Kenney said the event was also supported by many donations.

Marge Krizan said she hopes groups like the Rotary Club might become involved as well as students from Holley Central School. The Krizans suggested more Clarendon residents might also be interested in helping to organize the event.

“If you think positive, positive things can happen,” she said.