HOLLEY – Sandra Shaw, director of the Community Free Library in Holley, holds one of the new puppets at the library’s puppet theatre. The puppets can be borrowed by patrons.

The library has added a puppet theatre, dress-up station, tool bench, veterinary clinic and other stations for children to play that are free of electronics.

Before George Maziarz retired on Dec. 31, 2014, the state senator directed $6,300 to the library in Holley. The library has used those funds for its children’s library, creating a more inviting space with fun things for children, Shaw said.

“Everything now is electronic,” Shaw said at the library in the Public Square. “We’re trying to get the to use their imagination.”

This toy kitchen is part of the new play stations in the Children’s Room at the library. The kitchen has shopping carts, plastic food and dishes.

If children are worried about an sick stuffed animal, they can take it to Doc McStuffin’s Veterinary Clinic.

“Play is the work of children,” Shaw said. “There are lots of studies being published showing the relationship between opportunities for play and the development of reading and learning skills. We have books, so we decided to expand the play opportunities for children. They can play, then find books in the library related to what they were playing.”

The costume closet gives children a chance to transform into different characters and roles.

Shaw thanked the library’s board of trustees and their families who came in on a Sunday in January and put the play centers together.

There is more to come. A new castle entrance way, to be created by artist and retired teacher Larry Dabney, will be added as part of the grant funds from Maziarz.

“No longer will they just be walking from one room to another,” Shaw said. “Now they will be entering a world created just for them.”

When the castle is completed, the library plans to have a ribbon-cutting celebration for the community, complete with a puppet show, face painting, and other events.

Photos by Kristina Gabalski
HOLLEY – Eager listeners at the Community Free Library in Holley enjoy the story of “Gretchen Groundhog: It’s Your Day” during the children’s story hour this morning.

Delia Bush-Greanier, also known as “Miss Dee” read several groundhog-related story books to the children, just a day after Groundhog’s Day.

Punxsutawney Phil, the famous Pennsylvania groundhog, did not see his shadow on Tuesday. According to Groundhog Day lore that means it will be an early spring.

Comptroller cites Holley for ‘moderate fiscal stress’

Photo by Tom Rivers – The sign in front of the Holley Elementary School lists upcoming activities at the district.

By Tom Rivers and Kristina Gabalski

The state comptroller’s office has put out its annual assessment of school district’s fiscal stress and Holley was cited at a “moderate” level.

Other districts in Orleans County didn’t have a designation, but the comptroller’s scoring system gave the districts points for either fiscal or environmental stress, in some cases both.

Holley accumulated 48.3 points for fiscal stress, the most of any one the five districts in Orleans County. Albion had the second most with 20 points.

Both districts moved money out of the general fund, drawing attention of the comptroller’s office. Holley gave money back to the taxpayers, which reduced taxes, and also paid down debt, said Sharon Zacher, the district’s assistant superintendent for business.

Holley Central School District issued a statement on its Facebook page saying, ” from a financial standpoint, the district is and continues to be in good financial condition.”

In an interview, Zacher said the district’s finances and cash flow are in good condition.

“The district chose to pay down additional debt and reduce the tax levy,” she said. “As a result, the district fund balance and reserves were significantly lowered causing the calculation for fiscal stress to rise. A portion of district reserves were moved to account for the capital project that was voter approved in December 2014.”

Albion moved money from the general fund to a capital reserve fund. District voters in May 2015 approved a $14.3 million capital project. The district has to pay a 9 percent local share, $1,286,000, and it has that money in a reserve fund.

“We transferred funds from surplus to a fund that was set up for that purpose,” Shawn Liddle, Albion’s assistant superintendent for business, told the Board of Education on Monday. “We’re well below any designation for fiscal stress.”

The comptroller’s office based its fiscal stress report on five categories for school districts: year-end fund balance, end-fund balance, operating deficits, cash position, and use of short-term debt and fixed costs.

Kendall was given a fiscal score of 6.7 percent (no designation), and Lyndonville and Medina were given a 0 percent fiscal stress score.

The comptroller’s office also scored districts on environmental stress. None of the Orleans County districts were designated, but they were assigned points in the comptroller’s indicators, including property values, enrollment, budget votes, graduation rate and free & reduced priced lunch.

Lyndonville scored the highest at 26.7 percent for environmental stress, followed by Albion at 20 percent, Kendall at 13.3 percent, and Holley and Medina both at 6.7 percent.

For more on the comptroller’s report, click here.

Press Release, Holley Police Chief Roland Nenni

HOLLEY – The Holley Police Department is currently investigating the larceny of two vehicles recently from residences on South Main Street in the Village of Holley.

The crimes occurred in the mid to late evening. The vehicles were located at a later time in the City of Rochester in close proximity to each other. The vehicles were located in the area of Lake Avenue and Lyell Avenue in Rochester.

Holley residents are asked to be vigilant and report any suspicious persons or activity immediately. Residents are also asked to make sure their vehicles are locked and not left unattended with the keys in the vehicle or valuable items inside the vehicle. Video footage from the area of the crimes is being reviewed.

Anyone with information related to the crimes is asked to contact the Holley Police by calling 911.

Provided photo

HOLLEY – The leaders of the Holley Joint Fire District were sworn into office on Wednesday at the Holley Fire Hall on Thomas Street. The Fire District has a new fire chief with Kevin Dann. He succeeds Peter Hendrickson, who served as chief for five years.

The officers include, from left: Kevin Dann, fire chief; Harris Reed, deputy fire chief; Raymond McMillion, assistant fire chief; Eric Brett, captain; Robert Wood, lieutenant; and Susan Dann, EMS lieutenant. Ron Meiers, a lieutenant, isn’t pictured.

HOLLEY – Members of the Village of Holley Development Corporation had the group’s first meeting of the new year scheduled Monday evening, but due to a lack of quorum, and no new business on which to vote, no action was taken.

However, Board President Daniel Schiavone updated those attending on the status of the situation between the VHDC, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the village over the eight Diaz homes the VHDC is hoping to acquire and sell.

“We’re close to moving forward,” Schiavone said of the still unsigned agreement between the three parties. “The EPA has found the money to get lead evaluation (lead assessment) done on the eight properties.”

The evaluation will ascertain the level of lead contamination in the homes and how much cleanup would cost. Additionally, the EPA will provide information on the cost of the option of tearing down the homes and disposing of any contaminated materials.

Schiavone said the EPA expects reports by the end of the month and the information provided will make members of the VHDC, “… more comfortable with accepting ownership, once we have an idea of cleanup costs,” he said.

Progress on transferring ownership from the EPA to the VHDC stalled late last summer over wording in the agreement requiring certified lead abatement – the cost of which might threaten the future ability of the VHDC to sell the homes, Schiavone said.

The date for the next meeting of the VHDC was not set, but Schiavone said board members should be prepared to potentially, “vote to accept ownership of the homes,” at that time.

He explained that the VHDC has to sell the homes with the condition that the new owner has the money to cover cleanup costs. A certificate of occupancy will not be issued until proper cleanup is done by the new owner.

When the EPA comes through with information regarding the lead assessment, prospective buyers will “be clear on what the cost of cleanup would be,” Schiavone said.

He noted that with the homes valued between $0 and $60,000, once the cost of cleanup is factored in, the village might end up splitting perhaps $80,000 with the EPA for all eight properties. The EPA and the VHDC will split the money from the sale of the properties 50-50.

Currently the VHDC has no money and even $40,000 would be of benefit, Schiavone observed, allowing the Board to begin its mission of, “positive development for Holley. The goal is to get rid of vacant eyesores in our community … it makes Holley more attractive and takes our image up a notch,” he said.

Photos by Tom Rivers
CLARENDON – Firefighters work to put out a fire at the corner of Bennetts Corners Road and Fourth Section Road (Route 31A) on Wednesday night.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 9:30 p.m. The house at 4507 Bennetts Corners Road is owned by Geoffrey Whittier, who had it on a land contract to residents who recently moved in, a town official said. The residents weren’t in the house at the time of the fire. A neighbor managed to let the pets out of the house.

Firefighters said there were no injuries and the fire is under investigation.

Tim Adams, a Fancher-Hulberton-Murray firefighter, cuts through the metal roof. He uses ladders so he doesn’t slide off the roof. Not only are the metal roofs harder to cut through, but they are also slippery, firefighters said.

Tim Adams, left, is joined on the roof by Joseph Morlino, a F-H-M firefighter. They were working to cut through the roof to help ventilate the house.

Firefighters also work on the back of the house, which sustained damage.

Fran Gaylord, a Holley firefighter and deputy fire coordinator for Orleans County, operates the ladder truck for the Clarendon Fire Company. It was about 20 degrees out while firefighters worked to put out the fire.

Route 31A was closed to traffic near the Bennetts Corners Road intersection.

Dave Knapp, a fire investigator for the county, said he would check the heat source in the house to see if that was the cause. He said fires often happen once the cold weather hits and furnaces and fire places are used after sitting idle for months. He urged residents to make sure their chimneys are maintained and cleaned.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski – Clarendon Town Board members vote on annual designations and appointments Monday during the board’s organizational meeting. The group includes, from left: Councilman Marc Major, Councilman Paul Nicosia, Town Clerk Susan Colby, Town Supervisor Richard Moy, Attorney Karl Essler, Councilman Allen Robinson, and Councilman William Campbell.

CLARENDON – Members of the Clarendon Town Board met Monday evening for the organizational meeting to make annual designations and appointments.

As in 2015, the Town Board will meet regularly on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 16385 Church St., with the exception of August when the meeting will be held at the Historical Society Barn, 16426 Fourth Section Rd.

Allen Robinson was re-appointed Deputy Supervisor and committee appointments include: Highway Committee: Marc Major and Allen Robinson; Building Committee: Marc Major and Paul Nicosia; and Budget Committee: Supervisor Richard Moy and Allen Robinson.

Moy was appointed Town Marriage Officer with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2017.

“Anyone who wants to get married, I can do it,” Moy said following the appointment.

Additionally, council members decided not to hire a part-time laborer to assist the Water Department. Moy explained that there is a problem with people not paying water bills and he proposed that a part-time person could help Highway/Water Superintendent Larry Swanger with reading water meters, re-sets, repairs and turning water the water supply on and off.

“There are people out there not paying,” Moy said. “It’s got to be taken care of in a timely manner. It shouldn’t get to the point of being put on taxes.”

Swanger told the board he would handle the job. “I’ll get on it more often,” Swanger said.

Press Release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – Holley Central School District has taken several measures over the last few years to ensure the safety of students and staff while they are on campus.

This includes employing security officers in both buildings, locking the doors at the beginning of the school day, issuing swipe cards to faculty and staff for building access, using video surveillance throughout the campus and performing lockdown drills.

“Even though there have been no incidents or threats to the security of Holley Central School District, given the current state of the world we’re living in, we’re being proactive by seamlessly integrating these measures into the regular school day,” said Robert D’Angelo, district superintendent.

Several years ago, the Board of Education approved the district contracting with C.O.P. Security to employ security officers in the Elementary School and Middle School/High School buildings during the school day, as well as during evening hours and special events.

The security officers are all former police officers or sheriff’s deputies from local law enforcement agencies. The officers patrol inside and outside the buildings daily and can be seen at district concerts and sporting events. The students greet the officers daily, and they have become very comfortable with the officers’ presence in the district.

D’Angelo is appreciative of their presence.

“They are part and parcel of the culture of the district,” said D’Angelo. “Everyone knows them. The presence of C.O.P. Security helps us maintain a safe and orderly environment. We gain from their experience with law enforcement, which adds to the safety and security of Holley Schools.”

Bob Lillie, who is a security officer at the Elementary School, approves of the measures Holley has taken to keep district employees and students safe.

“From what I’ve seen, Holley security is head and shoulders above the other schools in the area,” said Lillie. “We have to be so security conscious in this age, it just makes sense. Our presence has a calming effect on people because we’re there to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Lillie also enjoys the interaction he has with students. “I enjoy the kids. They crack me up with how honest they are. We’re able to fill in the gaps for the principals and give the kids a neutral person to talk to. In addition to providing security, I see myself and the other officers as ambassadors to get the kids to do right and make good choices. The staff has been very appreciative of having us here, too, and they tell us they feel better having us here.”

D’Angelo agrees. “The security officers are outstanding role models,” he said. “In the past, we’ve had them go into classrooms and talk about bike safety, perform car seat checks for the community, and educate students about their rights and responsibilities as citizens.”

The Board was also instrumental in approving locking the exterior doors to both buildings, issuing swipe cards to faculty and staff to gain entry, and equipping the campus with security cameras.

Security at the Elementary School was enhanced with the decision to contain visitors in the foyer by locking the interior doors to the main hallways. The Board also strives to make sure there are enough lights installed on campus for evening events as students travel between buildings and parking areas.

“I am so thankful that the Board of Education has been committed to taking the lead on adding security measures to the district,” said D’Angelo. “Without them, it wouldn’t happen.”

D’Angelo is part of the Superintendents and Law Enforcement Group, where the five Orleans County school superintendents meet with Orleans County law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office to collaborate on maintaining the safety and security of all Orleans County schools. Holley recently performed a lockdown drill in both schools and all agencies came together for the debriefing on the drill.

“The cooperation from these agencies has been phenomenal,” said D’Angelo. “They were very complimentary about how well the drill went in Holley.”