District is over statutory limit by about $7 million

HOLLEY – The State Comptroller has faulted Holley Central School for building up surpluses that exceeded the statutory limit by about $7 million.

The comptroller’s office reviewed the previous five fiscal years at the school district and found school leaders regularly underestimated revenues and overestimated expenditures. That created about $6.7 million in surpluses over the five years.

The statutory limit for surplus funds is 4 percent of the ensuing year’s budget or about $920,000 for Holley, which operates on a $23 million budget. The district was over the surplus fund threshold by more than $7 million or 35 percent, according to the comptroller’s report, which was issued last week. (Click here to see it.)

“Due to these practices, the Board and District officials have withheld significant funds from productive use, levied unnecessary taxes and compromised the transparency of District finances to taxpayers,” the Comptroller’s Office stated.

In addition to the big surpluses, Holley shifted $400,000 from the general fund to a capital fund without the required voter approval, according to the Comptroller’s Office.

The Comptroller’s Office suggested Holley use its surplus to pay off debt, finance one-time expenditures, and reduce taxes. The $400,000 in the capital fund should also be returned to the general fund.

The district will work to implement recommendations in the report, Robert D’Angelo, Holley school superintendent, wrote a Jan. 28 response to Robert Meller, chief examiner for the Comptroller’s Office in Buffalo.

D’Angelo, in his letter, said the district has worked to “have adequate resources to deliver programs that the community desires.” He stressed the Comptroller’s Office found no fiscal misconduct or illegal practices.

Holley has the highest tax rate of the school districts in Orleans County at $25.11 per $1,000 of assessed property. That compares to Medina, $23.85; Lyndonville, $18.41; Kendall, $17.21 and Albion, $16.82.

Kendall had a sizable surplus and voted to cut taxes by $1 million in 2013-14.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Village officials have received postcards with squirrels, stuffed animals of the creatures, and other squirrel merchandise that village officials proudly display on the front desk of the Village Office.

HOLLEY – Residents and Holley natives, in a show of support and perhaps a sign of humor, have been sending the Village Office all kinds of squirrel trinkets the past year, since Holley became famous for its Squirrel Slam hunting fund-raiser.

There are stuffed animals of squirrels, post cards with the animals, a squirrel wearing underpants and other squirrel merchandise on the front desk of the Village Office. All of the items have been given to the village, signs of appreciation for Holley and its commitment to a controversial fund-raiser for the fire department, said Village Clerk Jane Murray.

“The residents have been very supportive,” Murray said.

This one is taped to the wall by the front door.

Some animal rights activists have protested the event, where hunters shoot squirrels and win prizes for the heaviest ones. Activists, including at least one state legislator from New York City, have demanded the Slam be canceled.

Holley officials wouldn’t give in last February and the event went on with a record number of people participating, nearly 1,000. This year’s Slam will be Feb. 22. Participation has been capped at 650 and it’s already a sellout.

Activists are still opposing the event, but it hasn’t attracted the media frenzy like last year.

Holley Police Chief William Murphy will have five Holley police officers on duty on Feb. 22, as well as additional officers from the state police, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department and the Albion Police Department.

Another squirrel photo that hangs in the Village Office.

HOLLEY – The Holley Police Department is losing two of its full-time police officers to other nearby police departments, leaving Holley with only Police Chief William Murphy as a full-time presence.

Jennifer Lloyd is leaving the Holley PD to work for the Geneva Police Department. Another Holley officer, Devon Pahuta, is headed to the Batavia Police Department.

The Village Board voted on Tuesday to hire two part-time officers to help with staffing the department, which will continue to provide police protection, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The board hired Dominic D’Antonio, effective Feb. 19. He will be paid $15.22 per hour. He is a veteran police officer.

Cory Collins was hired as a part-time officer at $10.50 an hour. He starts Feb. 26.

In other action on Tuesday:

The Village Board voted to waive a $19 late fee for the water bill for the First Presbyterian Church of Holley.

The board voted to pay David Nenni, the DPW superintendent, $792.30 for five unused vacation days.

Village Clerk Jane Murray said the next village election will be June 17. Mayor Kenney and Trustees Don Penna and David Dill are all up for election. The terms are for two years. Candidates can pick up petitions at the Village Office beginning April 1.

The board approved a request from Nenni, the DPW superintendent, to add no parking signs near the West Union and Orchard Street intersection and the Franklin and Ray Street intersection. Board members said vehicles have been parked near those intersections, making it difficult for the DPW to plow.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The punishing cold winter has produced many icicles, including these hanging on Oak Orchard Health in Albion. The prolonged cold also will be hitting the wallets of electric customers.

HOLLEY – The 792 Village of Holley electric customers should brace themselves for big increases in their bills, village officials said tonight during the monthly Village Board meeting.

Holley has a municipal electric department. It buys power from three sources and all are passing along big increases to the village, which then in turn will have to charge more to its customers.

“On March 1, when people get our bills they will be in for sticker shock,” said Village Trustee Skip Carpenter.

Holley buys most of its electricity from the New York Municipal Power Agency. It charged Holley $84,553 for electricity from Dec. 1 through Dec. 31. In January the bill jumped to $188,513 and is expected to rise this month, Carpenter said.

Holley also buys power from National Grid and the New York Power Authority, usually paying each of them about $20,000 each a month. But those rates are also going up, Carpenter said. He expects the village’s total bill to be about $300,000 for February, about 2.5 times a normal winter month.

“I just feel bad for the residents because it’s going to be hard,” said Village Clerk Jane Murray.

She said the Department of Social Services has been calling the village a few times most days, telling them some low-income village customers expect additional HEAP funding to help with their bills. The federal government on Jan. 30 approved $454 million more for the Home Energy Assistance Program, including $50.62 million more for New York.

The electricity increases come at a time when many village residents are already struggling to pay their bills. Carpenter said about $84,000 in past due bills is owed to the electric department with about $58,000 of that more than a year old.

The Village Board is considering hiring a collections agency that would receive 30 percent of the past due bills. The board is considering whether it should first focus on bills that are at least a year old, or if it should use the collections agency to also go after overdue bills that are two, three or four months overdue.

Mayor John Kenney said Holley needs to “do something” to recoup funds for the electric department.

Carpenter said he feels for residents because many of them simply don’t have the money to pay.

Provided photo

HOLLEY – The Holley Rotary Club is once again assisting a local family that is in need because of a medical problem. The club recently donated $150 in Save-A-Lot gift certificates to help the family during a difficult period. Pictured above is Holley Rotarian John Heise giving the certificates to Holley Central School Social Worker Michaela Lauer, who will give them to the family in need.

Photo courtesy of Gia Arnold – Gia Arnold of Clarendon, with her daughter, speaks at a Second Amendment rally in Warren County last year. Arnold is one of the state coordinators for the New York Revolution, a grass roots organization that formed shortly after the SAFE Act was approved last January by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the State Legislature.

CLARENDON – One of the leaders of a state-wide organization that opposes the SAFE Act may challenge State Sen. George Maziarz for the position in the state Legislature.

Gia Arnold, 24, of Clarendon has been crisscrossing the state since April, helping to organize rallies against the SAFE Act. She helped create the New York Revolution, a grass roots group that has railed against the SAFE Act and tried to advocate for Second Amendment rights.

Arnold said she believes she could be a bigger force in the state Legislature, which went along with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and passed the SAFE Act last January without any public comments.

“I want to find a way into Albany because that is where I can make the most impact,” she said.

Arnold is a registered Republican. She said she is exploring her options for a run for the 62^nd Senate District, which includes all of Orleans, most of Niagara, and a portion of western Monroe counties. She has formed an exploratory committee and intends to file the paperwork with the Board of Elections on Monday to begin her campaign.

Arnold said she isn’t targeting Maziarz, who has pushed legislation to repeal the SAFE Act. He spoke at an April rally in Albion organized by Arnold.

Arnold has three young children. She is co-owner of a tree trimming business with her husband Jeremy. She has witnessed the struggles of a small business owner, through what she said are burdensome taxes and regulations. She thinks the state is quick to offer incentives and tax breaks for new businesses, but does little to help existing enterprises.

“There is too much focus on new businesses,” she said. “What about the people who are already here and struggling?”

Arnold is on her way to a SAFE Act forum today in Delaware County. NY Revolution is urging gun owners to register and vote with a goal of unseating Cuomo as governor in November.

Arnold said she never envisioned herself as a public speaker and a political activist. She said she felt compelled to speak out about the SAFE Act and now the state government.

“I’ve been pushing myself outside my comfort zone,” she said. “I want to be a voice in Albany.”

She wants to run a grass roots campaign, trying to make personal connections with voters. She plans to attend many community events in the three counties.

Maziarz, a  Newfane resident, was first elected to the State Senate in 1995. He is one of the Republican leaders in the Senate. He is a member of SCOPE, the Shooters Committee on Political Education.

HOLLEY – The “Squirrel Slam” fund-raiser for the Holley Fire Department is already sold out with 650 people buying tickets to compete in the Feb. 22 event.

The event drew nearly 1,000 entries last year. The Fire Department decided to cap the participants at 650 because 1,000 proved too many for the reception at fire hall, said Fran Gaylord, Fire Department president.

The event, which has been protested by some animal rights activists, drew national attention to Holley last year. The Fire Department quickly sold out this year with only word of mouth advertising, Gaylord said.

Some of the people who buy tickets don’t intend to hunt. They just want to support the department, Gaylord said. The Fire Department next year may sell tickets for those that want to hunt and then have tickets for non-hunters who want a chance to win raffle prizes.

The Squirrel Slam generates about $6,500 in revenue for the Fire Department. After it pays out $1,500 for prizes, $500 for food and $440 to Holley for police overtime, Gaylord said the event nets about $4,000.

“That’s not bad for a one-day event,” he said.

This is the eighth year the Holley Fire Department has planned the fund-raiser.

In the Holley competition contestants pay an entry fee and then go hunting for squirrels. Hunters as young as 12 can win prizes for biggest squirrels shot.

Animal rights activists protested last year and urged Holley to cancel the event. The Village Board and Fire Department let it continue and participation surged from the usual 250 to nearly 1,000. Outside police were brought in to help manage the protest.

Press release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The Holley Central School District is once again partnering with area businesses to host its annual “Biggest Winner” weight loss challenge.

This healthy living competition is presented by the district’s Wellness Committee and it is open to the Holley community. Adults and students ages 10 and up can participate. The challenge begins with a 6:30 p.m. meeting at the Holley Elementary School on Feb. 11. The competition runs through June.

The Biggest Winner challenge requires participates to weigh in monthly at the school. Participants must also attend at least four out of the five monthly seminars that take place at each weigh-in session. The seminars focus on healthful eating, exercising and tips for weight loss success and include a grab bag prize at each meeting.

At the end of the challenge, a grand prize is given to the participant who has lost the largest percentage of body weight. Last year, the grand prize was a 50-inch large screen Samsung TV.

To register, pick up a form in the Elementary School office or attend the first meeting on Feb. 11 at the Elementary School.

HOLLEY – A “Squirrel Slam” fund-raiser that drew national attention, and a record number of participants last year, will continue this year with the event scheduled for Feb. 22.

This is the eighth year the Holley Fire Department has planned the fund-raiser. The first six years there was no controversy. Last year, the Friends of Animals organization made stopping the event a mission, sending letters to the editor and press releases to the media.

The group showed up in Holley to protest the event, and worked with state legislators to draft legislation to ban animal-killing contests, bills that haven’t passed the Legislature.

“This is the second year FoAis challenging the Holley Fire Department to cancel the violent, regressive ‘Squirrel Slam,’” said Edita Birnkrant, FoA’s NY Director.  “Our experiences protesting the event last year showed a sickening, gun-worshipping culture of adults, teenagers and children who celebrated the violence of mass animal killingcheering on the hunters as they waved fistfuls of dead squirrels in our faces and in the air, even plastered them on their cars, before they entered the fire house to weigh the corpses and win cash and gun prizes.”

Orleans Hub has reached out to Fire Department officials for about two weeks for comments about the Squirrel Slam, but hasn’t received a return call or text message. The department doesn’t highlight the fund-raiser on its web site.

The Daily News of Batavia reports today that the department doesn’t want to comment on the event this year. For more information, visit thedailynewsonline.com.

Friends of Animals will press state legislators to support bills introduced in the Assembly and Senate that would ban wildlife-killing contests.

“Coyotes, squirrels and crows are frequently targeted in New York State in killing contests,” Birnkrant said. “The need to pass pending legislation to ban wildlife-killing contests in New York couldn’t be more urgent.”

In the Holley competition contestants pay an entry fee and then go hunting for squirrels. Hunters as young as 12 can win prizes for biggest squirrels shot.

Animal rights activists protested last year and urged Holley to cancel the event. The Village Board and Fire Department let it continue and participation surged from the usual 250 to about 700. Outside police were brought in to help manage the protest.

Press release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – Please join the Holley Girls Basketball teams on Friday 5:30 to 9 p.m. (JV game starts at 5:30 p.m. and varsity will begin around 7:15 p.m.) at the Holley High School Gymnasium for the Second Annual Fight Against Cancer Fundraiser and Basketball Game.

All of the money raised will go directly to the More Than a Game Foundation at the Golisano’s Children’s Hospital at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. The More Than a Game Foundation helps support children and their families who are battling cancer.

Last year, Holley raised $2,700 with from 30 gift baskets, a grand prize raffle, a 50/50 drawing and the half-court shooting contest.

This year, Holley will be holding a Chinese auction for gift baskets. We will also be having a 50/50 raffle, raffling off two grand prizes and having another half court shooting contest.

The grand prizes include apair of Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins tickets, a restaurant gift card and an authentic Ryan Miller Jersey. The Holley Teachers Association and teacher Julie Wantuck donated the Grand Prize of thetwo Sabres tickets and the Ryan Miller jersey for the fundraiser. The second grand prize is an Ultimate Rochester Sports Fan Basket (which includes four tickets to each of the Rochester Rhinos, RazorSharks, Lancers, Knighthawks and WNY Flash games).

The event Friday is being coordinated by Assistant Principal Dan Courtney; Justin Tese, varsity girls basketball coach; Kristina Mack, JV girls basketball coach; and Mark Thomas, girls modified basketball coach.

Provided photo

The Community Free Library in Holley treated Rita Grosser to a retirement party on Saturday. More than 100 community members attended the gathering, with many congratulating Grosser for her 22 years of service as a library clerk.

State Sen. George Maziarz, left, and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley also attended the retirement party and presented Grosser with citations from the State Legislature for her years of work.

Rita Grosser worked 22 years at Community Free Library

Photos by Sue Cook – Rita Grosser, left, and Library Director Sandra Shaw pose for a picture during a retirement party for Grosser at the library today.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

HOLLEY – A big crowd turned out today for a retirement party for Rita Grosser, who worked 22 years at the Community Free Library in Holley.

Before retiring on Dec. 30, she was their Primary Interlibrary Loan Clerk. Grosser was often the first smiling face anyone saw coming into the library.

“She’s been the basis of this library for many years,” said Sandra Shaw, library director.

Originally, Grosser learned the card catalog, which the librarians nicknamed the cuticle killer. When the first computer was introduced to the library, she learned that as well. The computer wasn’t even on the Internet and instead was linked directly to the NIOGA library database.

“I would like to thank the board for providing a home away from home,” Grosser said in a speech this afternoon. She thanked the children who came into the library for enriching her life and hoped she has served everyone well. “Bless you to all of you and thank you.”

In her employment, Grosser worked with six library directors. She helped with numerous story hours and summer programs. She was there during the expansion of the library into the neighboring video store. She saw changes in technology, such as the move from book-on-tape to book-on-CD and into the downloadable era. The VHS collection that was mostly non-fiction informational films was replaced by DVDs. The explosion of media devices throughout the years has had an impact on the library and her job.

Grosser tells everyone how happy she is to have worked with coworkers and patrons over the years.

Grosser herself is very impressed with the NIOGA interloan system that does not charge a fee like some in Monroe County. If a book is not available in your local library it can be requested and it shows up within two or three days and at no extra charge. She is happy to see an increase in the use of the system from patrons.

Grosser moved from Johnsonburg, Pa., to be closer to her family. Shaw, the library director, recalls working with Grosser at Hurd Orchards in Holley before either of them worked at the library. Eventually they both moved on to the Holley library and Grosser trained Shaw to be a clerk.

Even now that Shaw is director, it is clear she holds great respect for Grosser.

“Rita and I have been through a lot together over the years,” Shaw said.

It was clear from the attendance at her retirement party today that Rita has made a significant impact in many lives. Besides coworkers, the library was flooded with patrons and friends coming to celebrate her hard work. The back room of the library was packed and the party began to trickle out into the main area. It is a safe estimate that well over a hundred people came to visit her, and likely even more than that based on people stopping just to give a hug and wish her well.

Amidst the celebration, everyone only had kind words and high praises to offer. Many stated that Grosser was an amazing listener who provided thoughtful answers. Grosser was also known for getting down to eye level with many of the children and explaining that she knew their parents at the same young age.

“I hope she enjoys her retirement,” said Amanda O’Connell, library board member. “We’ll miss her. She was always so open to new ideas.”

Grosser has some mixed emotions about retiring. She is going to take some time to focus on herself, but she also plans to occasionally volunteer at the library and is especially looking forward to Pajama Story Hour, as well as other summer programs.

HOLLEY – Village residents and businesses will soon see their sewer rates go up so the village can close a deficit in the sewer budget.

The average resident will see their sewer bills increase about $7 to $9 a month, while commercial accounts go up about $9 to $12 a month, said Brian Sorochty, a village trustee.

Holley is still crunching the numbers for the rate increase. The final numbers will be presented during a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 21 at the Village Office, 72 Public Square.

The village is trying to close a $23,000 deficit in the sewer budget and also build a $20,000 fund for operations and contingency. The sewer budget totals $154,941 in 2013-14.

“We have no choice but to raise them,” Mayor John Kenney said about the rates.

Holley’s sewer rates currently are low, village officials said. Residents pay a $10 minimum per month, plus $1 per 1,000 gallons. That would be increased to $2.60 per 1,000 gallons, according to the preliminary proposal.

Commercial sewer users pay a $16.67 minimum per month and a $2.24 rate per 1,000 gallons. That would go to $2.60 per 1,000 gallons with the new sewer proposal. Residents will pay the same minimum monthly charges.

The new rates could go into effect in March or April.

HOLLEY – Dan and Monica Seeler are working on transforming the former Tagg’s Tavern in Holley into a steak and seafood restaurant.

The couple expects to open the Holley Falls Bar and Grill in October or November. Besides extensive renovations to the building, they are trying to ensure enough parking for their customers.

They want to make it as easy as possible for people to park close to the restaurant in the Public Square. The Seelers think a chunk of land next to Hair Affair could be used for 12 vehicles. The lot would need to be cleared. The village owns the land and is open to selling it, Mayor John Kenney told the Seelers during Tuesday’s Village Board meeting.

The Seelers and village attorney John Sansone will negotiate a price for the property.

In other action, The Village Board hired Sharon Ebbs as a temporary part-time imaging clerk. She will be paid with a state grant that is paying for Holley to convert 96,000 paper records into digital records through Laserfiche.

Ebbs, a Holley resident, will be paid $6,468 in the part-time role until June 1, Holley’s deadline for completing the project. The village was awarded a $29,304 Local Government Records Management Improvement  Fund Grant.

Holley will convert payroll records since 1959 and Village Board meeting minutes from 1900 into digital files.