By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 February 2019 at 12:23 pm
Photos courtesy of Anne Holland at Lyndonville Central School
LYNDONVILLE – Sarah Goodenough discusses the benefits of nutrition and a plant-based food service with Lyndonville students on Friday. She lost more than 140 pounds through changes in diet and exercise.
Goodenough was one of nine speakers on Friday at Career Day at the school, when students in grades 6 to 8 heard from people in a variety of different jobs.
Meghan Gapa discusses video production in her job at 13WHAM in Rochester. Gapa is a Lyndonville graduate.
Ken Strickland, an investigator with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, talks about his career in law enforcement.
Joe DiPasio, the business administrator for Lyndonville Central School, talks about his job working with the district’s finances.
Other speakers included: Darrel Oakes, agriculture; Vern Fonda, DEC Officer; Ashton Lang, firefighter/EMT; Dave Cook, photo journalism; and Rebecca Mannella, corporate educator through Medina Memorial Hospital.
Career Day was organized by Kim Nealon, a school counselor. It was held in the former elementary school. Students rotated to each session in 20-minute intervals.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 February 2019 at 1:04 pm
LYNDONVILLE – The Board of Education sees the benefit of having a student representative on the board, to hear directly from a member of the student body about school activities and the impact of some board decisions.
Medina has a student on the board, although in a non-voting capacity. The student also can’t sit in on executive sessions where personnel and possible litigation are discussed.
The Medina student representative was approved last May in a public vote by the community.
If Lyndonville wants a student representative, it also needs the public’s support in a vote. The Lyndonville BOE can decide up until April whether it wants to put the matter up for a vote in May 21.
“It would be a benefit for the board to hear from the students and for them to see the interworkings of the board,” said Ted Lewis, BOE president.
In Medina, the High School Student Association president serves as the student representative. Medina also has an alternate.
Harold Suhr, a Lyndonville BOE member, said he would support having several students on the board, to increase the student viewpoints. He said it’s impossible for one student to represent all students.
The state law limits districts to one student representative on the board, said Jason Smith, Lyndonville school superintendent.
Districts may be able to have a bigger pool of alternates. That’s something the district will research.
“I see it as a positive,” said Susan Hrovat, a Lyndonville BOE member. “I don’t see a negative.”
File photo by Tom Rivers: Kids get help crossing Route 63 after being dropped off by a Lyndonville school bus on a rainy May 5, 2017.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 February 2019 at 12:00 pm
District will consider if it should hire own bus drivers for service
LYNDONVILLE – The school district may be looking at a significant increase in the costs of transporting students.
The district’s current transportation provider, Student Transportation of America (Ridge Road Express), notified Lyndonville it won’t accept a renewal of the contract at a cost-of-living rate.
STA wants to keep providing service to Lyndonville, but said the contract needs to be rebid to reflect higher operating costs.
STA also has provided the service to Albion the past 30 years and that contract was rebid, with STA the low bidder – at a 30 percent increase.
The company has told school leaders the rising minimum wage is pushing up operational costs with bus drivers and aides getting paid more money.
Under Andrew Cuomo, who is starting his ninth year as governor, the minimum wage in Orleans County has gone from $7.25 to $11.10 this year. In 2020 it will be $11.80 and then $12.50 in 2021.
Joe DiPassio Jr., Lyndonville’s school business administrator, has tentatively budgeted for a 44 percent increase in transportation costs or $308,064. That would go from $701,300 to $1,009,364.
“I’m hoping it won’t be that high,” he told the Board of Education on Monday.
Lyndonville is rebidding the bus contract and it may be a joint bid with Barker and Roy-Hart. The economies of scale could get the three districts a better deal, said Jason Smith, Lyndonville’s district superintendent.
The districts will use a consultant to try to reach out to more transportation companies. Albion only had two bidders. STA’s bid was actually about half the cost of the other company’s proposal.
Lyndonville’s low bid for the service may be less than the $308,000 increase DiPassio put in the budget. He didn’t want to underestimate the cost and have the district scrambling to find the money. State aid will cover about 90 percent of the cost, but there is a lag of about a year in that reimbursement, DiPassio said.
He is putting together a tentative budget by March 1, because Lyndonville’s projected budget for spending and the tax levy need to be submitted to the state. The budget can be modified before it goes to a public vote on May 21.
Lyndonville’s budget right now calls for a 2 percent tax increase, which stays under the tax cap.
Transportation is the biggest increase facing the district. Given the big hike, Board of Education members said a better option might be for the district to provide the service with its own employees.
Lyndonville owns the buses, with STA providing drivers, a manager and a mechanic.
Bus drivers are in short supply. STA guarantees the district won’t be left without a driver for a bus run.
“We’ll look at every option given the cost increases,” said Ted Lewis, the BOE president. “We’ll look at all options to try to minimize the impact to taxpayers.”
Photos by Tom Rivers: Tom Barry urges the Lyndonville Board of Education to let the school have its own varsity boys soccer team, beginning next school year. Barry said Lyndonville and Medina both have plenty of boys for their own teams.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 February 2019 at 10:32 am
Although numbers for team, district doesn’t want to jeopardize other shared programs with Medina
LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville varsity boys soccer players will continue to play on a merged team with Medina for at least the next four years, the Lyndonville Board of Education decided on Monday during a contentious board meeting.
Many Lyndonville parents have urged the district to bring back its own boys soccer team. Lyndonville has played with Medina the past six years with Medina hosting the team. Both districts have an upcoming varsity cohort with nearly 20 players from each school. There are 11 players on the field at once and each team should have some substitutes.
Some Lyndonville parents said a combined team will mean many good players will be cut and won’t play, or will be on the bench when they could be playing for their own school.
Susan Hrovat said the merged programs boost opportunities for Lyndonville students.
The board admitted it has been a difficult decision.
“I’m so torn on this it’s painful,” said board member Steven Vann. “To bring soccer back isn’t worth losing all the rest of it.”
Vann said the agreements are “an all or nothing deal.”
Richard Mufford, Lyndonville’s board vice president, disputed that, saying the eight shared programs are intended to be looked at individually.
Medina wouldn’t drop Lyndonville from the other agreements because Medina would otherwise struggle to field their own teams and their programs would be diminished.
“They’re in as much need of us as we are of them,” Mufford said.
He said the intermunicipal agreements were supposed to be temporary and evaluated on a frequent basis, looking at student numbers and other issues.
Lyndonville and Medina have eight shared programs with Lyndonville hosting the boys volleyball, girls varsity soccer and the musical program. Medina hosts a merged boys varsity soccer, varsity football, cross country, the marching band and swimming.
Medina school officials wanted stability and a long-term commitment from Lyndonville. Normally the agreements between the districts are for one or two years for each program. This time the agreements will be for four years.
“We’re trying to be creative and innovative by doing things,” said board member Susan Hrovat. “We’ve provided more opportunities than I ever remember.”
Ted Lewis, the Lyndonville BOE president, said the merged programs have given Lyndonville students new opportunities with football, swimming, cross country and the marching band, which aren’t offered at Lyndonville. The merged teams also ensure other programs will continue.
“That speaks to adding and maximizing opportunities,” he said.
Lyndonville in recent years has typically only had five to 8 players on the boys soccer team. This past season it had 12. Lewis said the district has a declining student enrollment.
“Yes, for a few years we have the numbers,” he said. “But with the current demographics we’ll go back to a number of five or six players.”
Ted Lewis, the BOE president, wants stability in the merged programs.
The merged team passed with a 5-2 vote. Mufford and Terry Stinson both voted against the merged boys soccer, but backed the other seven intermunicipal agreements.
Mufford is a Medina graduate. He said both schools are great communities. He wants to see more support for the merged teams. Right now, only the family members of the players tend to go to games.
That differs from Lyndonville basketball games and other sports where Lyndonville has its own team. Those games are big community events, he said.
Mufford would also like to see more games played in Lyndonville with the merged team. Medina is in Section 6 and Lyndonville is in Section 5. The Section 6 referees by contract can’t work on a field in Section 5 for league games, Lyndonville school officials said. That has limited Lyndonville to hosting a few non-league games and exhibitions.
Stinson also said the community needs to embrace the merged teams as a Lyndonville team, and show support for the athletes from both schools.
Katie Whipple has a son on the team. She said the Lyndonville and Medina kids each play on their own modified and JV teams, and then some players are left out with the merged varsity team. She said Lyndonville should be focused on trying to have as many kids opportunities to play as possible. Some who have played since seventh grade will see their soccer careers end by the time they are juniors and seniors, she said.
When the board was voting, Whipple’s husband Patrick interjected and told the board it wasn’t following its policies for decision-making.
“You are being negligent in your duty,” Whipple yelled.
He was told to “stand down” and leave the room by board members. Whipple obliged and left the meeting after back-and-forth shouting.
Board member Kelly Cousins acknowledged the issue has stirred passion from parents. She said that participation from the community is an asset for the school district, she said.
Cousins said she spoke with a Medina board member who told her Medina didn’t want Lyndonville to leave the merged boys soccer.
Cousins said Medina isn’t dictating the decision-making at Lyndonville. However, Medina would see Lyndonville’s departure from a merged boys soccer as hurting the relationship between the two districts, Cousins said the Medina board member told her.
“I’m not willing to take that risk,” Cousins said about straining the partnership between the two districts.
Board member Sue Hrovat of Lyndonville said she had a similar conversation with a Medina board member, who told Hrovat Lyndonville’s exit from that agreement would be viewed unfavorably with the other shared agreements. Hrovat supports staying with Medina, for all of the programs.
“I know that this is the best thing for our school long-term,” she said.
File photo by Tracey Lewis: The 63 graduates in the Class of 2017 toss their caps following commencement on June 23, 2017.
Posted 8 February 2019 at 1:12 pm
Press Release, Lyndonville Central School
LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville L.A. Webber Middle-High School is ranked No. 36 among upstate NY high schools for its graduation rate in June 2018.
The top 50 ranking is according to data recently released by the New York State Education Department for 2018 graduation rates. Lyndonville’s graduation rate was 96 percent in June 2018, more than 15 points higher than the state average.
The district also annually receives high marks on several surveys for school safety and student support.
“This ranking is credit to our teachers, counselors, and administration who continually to work closely with our students and families to ensure their success,” said Jason Smith, Superintendent of Schools.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Ruth Hedges, a member of the Lyndonville Methodist Church, shows off the sign her son Curtis Canham designed for the new clothing depot the church will open in March.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 6 February 2019 at 9:07 am
LYNDONVILLE – Opening a thrift store in Lyndonville is fulfilling a vision God has for the Lyndonville United Methodist Church, pastor Olga Gonzalez said.
“The first time I met with Ruth Hedges and she shared with me the vision God was giving her about a thrift store, I knew that was God’s plan for the Lyndonville community and beyond,” Gonzalez said.
The church had 1,000 square feet of space in its basement which was not being utilized, and that’s where the thrift store will be located. Entrance will be on the north side of the church.
Plans are shaping up and support is overwhelming for the project. They have been collecting donations of goods since last summer. They were able to get free racks and hangars from the Bon Ton in Lockport when it closed.
Hedges, a member of the church, started searching for a name.
“We went through a lot of names and had a lot of suggestions,” Hedges said.
Olga Gonzalez started as pastor of the Lyndonville United Methodist Church in July.
One day, recalling a verse from the Bible in Romans 12:9-13, she decided on Hope Resales: A Community Thrift Store. Her son, Curtis Canham, is a graphic designer and came up with a logo for the thrift store.
The church plans to open Hope Resales on March 30.
They are looking to the community for donations to stock the store.
The annual winter rummage sale is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and suitable merchandise left from the sale will help to stock the thrift store.
Valerie Wells, church secretary, is a lifelong resident of Lyndonville and remembers when there used to be a thrift store in Lyndonville.
“But that was years ago,” she said.
The church welcomes donations of good, clean clothing and household items. They cannot accommodate large appliances or furniture.
Gonzalez’ wish is that Hope Resales will benefit the Lyndonville community and beyond. As a Hispanic, Puerto Rican pastor, Gonzalez also hopes to reach out to the Hispanic people in the area.
“I want everyone to come and see God’s love through Hope Resales,” she said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 February 2019 at 9:31 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Fire Department held its annual awards banquet on Saturday evening at the Carlton Recreation Hall and honored several firefighters, including Wes Bradley, right, who was recognized for 40 years of service to the department.
Bradley is congratulated by Eileen Banker, chief of staff for Assemblyman Steve Hawley; Dale Banker, the Orleans County emergency management coordinator, and State Sen. Robert Ortt.
Bradley, who also serves as the department’s chaplain, gave the invocation and benediction at the event.
Other firefighters were recognized for milestones for years of service, including Emerson “Tinker” Young with 20 years and Jason Gerety for 25 years.
Mike Heideman and Anna Schuner were both named “Firefighter of the Year” for 2018 by Chief Ben Bane. The chief said the two are dedicated behind the scenes in the keeping the fire department running, and also respond to many of the department’s fire calls.
“They’re always there willing to help,” Bane said.
Heideman, 48, has been active with the fire department for 33 years, since he was 15. His son, T.J., was firefighter of the year in 2016.
Heideman said he enjoys helping the community. He works in Lyndonville at Monroe Electronics.
Schuner, 49, became an active firefighter seven years ago. She also has been in the Auxiliary for 15 years. Her husband has been a firefighter for about 40 years.
Schuner, like Heideman, is trained to be an interior firefighter. When she took the class, she said she was the oldest in the group.
“We’re always looking for members,” she said.
She urged people, even those without a background in the fire department, to consider joining the fire department.
“I enjoy it,” she said. “I love helping and it’s a need. It makes you feel good.”
Schuner, who works in research and development at Associated Brands in Medina, also was presented the President’s Award from Gary White, who just finished his first year as the department’s president. Schuner has filled that role before. She was helpful to White with the business side of the department, from paying bills to getting permits for different events.
Ken Starr received the Chief’s Award for his service to the fire department. Ben Bane, second from right, is Lyndonville fire chief.
Cindy Grabowski gets a hug from Nicole Kistner, Auxiliary president, after Grabowski received the Auxiliary President’s Award. She stepped up to serve as secretary last year.
State Sen. Robert Ortt said the community is fortunate to have dedicated volunteers in the fire departments. Not only do they serve their community, but they often assist neighboring departments when he needed. He noted Lyndonville responded after midnight on Jan. 21 in the bitter cold when Barker’s village office and library were consumed by fire.
Dale Banker, right, the county’s emergency management coordinator, administers the oath of office to the fire department and auxiliary officers.
The fire officers for 2019 include: Ben Bane, chief; Steve Bane Jr., first assistant chief; Mike Heideman, second assistant chief; TJ Heideman, fire captain; DJ Woodward, fire lieutenant; Wally Snyder, EMS captain; Harold Scribner, fire police captain; and Wes Bradley, chaplain.
The executive officers include: Gary White, president; Greg Schuner, vice president; Peter Kage, secretary; and Jim Wells, treasurer.
The Auxiliary officers include Nicole Kistner, president; Cheryl Mapes, vice president; Cindy Grabowski, secretary; and Anna Schuner, treasurer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 February 2019 at 3:16 pm
Two villages in Orleans County will have elections for village trustees on March 19.
Medina has two positions for two years on the ballot. The spots are currently filled by Todd Bensley and Owen Toale. They have both taken out petitions to seek re-election. A village resident 18 and older can submit petitions to run for the board. The petitions need to be signed by at least 100 registered voters in the village.
The petitions are due at the village office by Feb. 13.
Voting for the March 19 election will be from noon to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center, the former railroad depot on West Avenue.
Lyndonville also has two trustee positions for four-year terms on the ballot. The spots are currently filled by Darren Wilson and Mary Kage. They have both taken out petitions to run for the board again.
Candidates need to submit petitions signed by at least 25 registered voters in the village. The petitions are due by Feb. 13.
Voting will be from noon to 9 a.m. on March 19 at the Village Hall on Main Street.
The two other villages in the county don’t have elections this March. Albion is in an off election year and Holley has its elections in June.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Patrick Whipple presents data to the Lyndonville Board of Education on Monday which he said shows at least 19 Lyndonville boys want to play varsity soccer for Lyndonville. Those boys are currently in grades 9 to 11, and would be sophomores, juniors or seniors next fall.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 January 2019 at 9:34 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman: Nate Dillenbeck, a Lyndonville student who plays on the combined Medina/Lyndonville team, is shown on Oct. 1 during a game at Lyndonville when Dillenbeck scored 4 goals against Global Concepts. Typically, the Medina/Lyndonville team plays its home games at Medina and wears Medina uniforms.
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Board of Education was asked to bring back its own varsity boys soccer team on Monday, instead of being part of a shared team with Medina.
The two schools have played as a joint team for six seasons, starting in the fall of 2013. Both schools at the time would have struggled to field their own team.
But now both schools have enough players to field competitive teams on their own, according to two parents who spoke at Monday’s Board of Education meeting.
Lyndonville and Medina both had strong JV teams this fall, and should be in good shape for players on the varsity level for at least the next two to three seasons, some of the Lyndonville parents said.
Lyndonville is discussing its shared sports with Medina. The board hasn’t made a decision about next school year.
Penny Barry, parent of Lyndonville soccer player, said the “overwhelmingly consensus” of the JV soccer players and their parents is not to continue with the merger next school year.
Lyndonville has at least 19 players who would like to play on a Lyndonville-only team.
“Why would we do this again?” she asked the Board of Education on Monday. “We have the numbers.”
Lyndonville boys are part of teams based in Medina for football and soccer in the fall. The schools also have a combined volleyball team in the fall. The football and soccer players wear the Medina Mustang uniforms, except for two home soccer games at Lyndonville.
Patrick Whipple, another soccer parent, presented data to the board that showed at least 19 Lyndonville boys, currently in grades 9 to 11, played soccer this fall. There are 11 players on the field at a time, and teams need to have several substitutes.
Other parents who spoke to Orleans Hub said a Lyndonville-only team would help build school spirit. Right now there are only a few games for Lyndonville boy athletes to play in front of the home crowd in the fall.
Ted Lewis, the BOE president, said the board expects to make a decision next month on 2-year agreements with Medina for sharing different sports programs, as well as the musical which is based in Lyndonville, and the marching band which is based in Medina.
Lewis said the partnership with Medina has been positive for both districts by maintaining opportunities for students. In some cases, it has created new opportunities. Neither school had a volleyball team until that was added.
The board welcomes feedback from the community about the issue. The district website (click here) has a “Let’s Talk” feature where the community, including current and former Lyndonville athletes, can share an opinion about the merged sports.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Dr. Aaron Slack, junior-senior high school principal at Lyndonville, holds a Chromebook laptop at a Board of Education meeting this evening. He gave a presentation about Phase 4 of the school district’s Smart Schools initiative which would include buying 300 of the laptops for students in grades 7 through 12 next school year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 January 2019 at 10:37 pm
LYNDONVILLE – The school district wants to make laptops available for all students in grades 7 through 12 next school year, using state funds through the Smart Schools initiative.
Lyndonville was approved for $733,151 in Smart Schools funding in 2014. The 300 new Google Chromebooks would be part of Phase 4 of the Smart Schools in Lyndonville and would cost about $90,000.
Lyndonville held a public hearing about the proposal on Monday evening. The plan needs to get final approval from the State Education Department.
Lyndonville has already worked to upgrade its server and network through earlier phases of the Smart Schools.
The district has used some of the laptops in classes, but students haven’t been assigned their own computer to take home. That will change in September, as part of Phase 4.
Some teachers are using the computers in class, and students can do assignments and take tests on the laptops.
Dr. Aaron Slack, junior-senior high school principal at Lyndonville, has been working on the Phase 4 proposal with the computers. He said using the Chromebooks will help students transition to college, where many students are expected to complete homework and write papers and submit them electronically to their professors.
Slack said the district now has a strong enough network and wireless Internet access to handle students and teachers using the Chromebooks.
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By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 January 2019 at 8:53 am
Provided photos
LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville veterans and members of the American Legion, Joseph Hausler (left) and Steve Goodrich (right), are pictured with Gvani Rodriguez, an eighth grade student at Lyndonville who created the artwork to be used as a book for the American Legion in Lyndonville.
The American Legion in Lyndonville reached out to the school’s Art Department to have a student create a cover for a book the Legion is making that holds documentation for any service member that resided in Lyndonville throughout history.
Gvani used an image of the iconic shoe tree to represent Lyndonville as well as to show the roots of all the servicemen and women who have come through the town.
Joseph Hausler presents Gvani with a certificate. There will be another presentation to honor the Gvani and his artwork on Jan. 24 at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 January 2019 at 8:35 am
YATES – The Yates Town Board approved a corrective action plan last month and sent it to the Office of the State Comptroller after a critical audit in October.
The comptroller’s audit said there isn’t missing money or misappropriated funds in Yates. However, the comptroller said Yates hasn’t kept adequate financial records or provided adequate oversight to the town bookkeeper.
The town spends about $1.3 million each year. The report covered Jan. 1, 2016 to July 17, 2018. (Click here to see the audit.)
The Office of Comptroller said the town’s fund balance had a deficit of $86,345 as of December 31, 2016 and should have been better monitored. The Office of the Comptroller issued the following recommendations:
• Ensure that financial records are complete, accurate and up-to-date.
• Provide effective oversight of the bookkeeper.
• Provide the Town Board adequate, comprehensive and up-to-date monthly financial reports.
• Address the financial problems affecting the general town-wide fund when adopting the 2019 budget.
Town Supervisor James Simon said in an Oct. 5 letter to the Office of the State Comptroller that he and the town had already implemented some of the recommendations. Simon, for example, now does an expanded Supervisor’s Monthly Report. Yates has also eliminated the bookkeeper position in favor of a professional services contract with Millennium Roads LLC in Lyndonville. It has approved a fund balance policy to address the general town-wide fund.
“As a relatively new town supervisor, I appreciate the recommendations,” Simon wrote to the Office of the State Comptroller on Oct. 5. “I understand that the audit did not find any hint of misappropriated or missing funds, and that the town’s overall financial condition is sound. I recognize the importance of providing more comprehensive financial management, of ensuring better oversight of the bookkeeping function, and of developing a viable fund balance policy.”
The Town Board on Dec. 27 approved a corrective action plan and submitted it to the Office of the Comptroller.
The plan of action includes additional monthly reports about the town’s financial records that include revenue/expense control and balance sheets (assets, liabilities, reserves and fund balance) reports. (This has already been implemented by the town.)
The town worked with Millennium Roads to utilize accounting software so Yates isn’t maintaining two cash ledgers. That was implemented last month.
The comptroller said the town needs to ensure bank reconciliations for all amounts are performed timely and properly. Simon said Millennium will provide summaries of the bank reconciliation for all accounts and will review for accuracy and to resolve any discrepancies. That is to be implemented by Jan. 31.
The town supervisor’s monthly reports now include all money received and disbursed, cash balances and detailed year-to-date budget-to-actual comparisons of revenues and expenditures for each fund, according to the corrective action plan.
The Town Board on Dec. 13 also passed a new fund balance policy in coordination with the Office of the State Comptroller. The town said it will take about three years to build up the fund balance. That time is needed so Yates can stay under the state tax cap, town officials wrote in the corrective action plan.
Provided photo: The Lyndonville Area Foundation presented its final payment today towards the Stroyan Auditorium. Pictured from left include: Darren D. Wilson, president of the Lyndonville Area Foundation; Douglas Hedges, Foundation treasurer; and Jason Smith, superintendent of Lyndonville Central School District.
Staff Reports Posted 4 January 2019 at 6:34 pm
Organization paid $361K over 20 years for Foundation’s biggest commitment in its history
LYNDONVILLE – This morning the Lyndonville Area Foundation was proud to present its final payment on Lyndonville Central School’s Stroyan Auditorium.
This payment represents a 20-year capstone on an agreement begun in 1998 by then-school superintendent, the late Richard Pucher, and the Lyndonville Area Foundation.
The agreement reached at that time called for 20 consecutive annual payments to the school district by the Foundation representing the public portion cost of the auditorium’s construction. The public portion would have been the amount taxpayers of the school district were responsible for if the Lyndonville Area Foundation had chosen not to cover this cost.
“At that time, the Foundation had recently benefitted from a substantial bequest by the estate of the late Mabel Stroyan, a life-long Lyndonville resident,” said Darren D. Wilson, the Foundation’s current president, “It was her bequest that enabled the Foundation to fund the public portion of this project – a cost that eventually exceeded $361,000.”
The commitment to the auditorium is the largest contribution since the Foundation started in 1967.
“As the mission of the Foundation is to provide for cultural, educational and civic projects within Lyndonville and the Town of Yates, the Stroyan Auditorium was a perfect fit,” said Doug Hedges, the Foundation’s treasurer.
Hedges and Wilson praised the “enormous generosity, gifting and legacy to the Foundation by individuals such as the late Mable Stroyan that make this all possible.”
Now that the 20-year commitment has been met for the auditorium, the Foundation has more flexibility for funding other initiatives in the community.
“While this final payment is a milestone for us, it also eases the Foundation’s annual obligations to allow for the possible consideration towards even more projects in the future,” Wilson said.
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Central School District is currently accepting applications for the 3rd Annual Educator of the Year Award, to be named in June 2019.
Parents, students, and community members are eligible to nominate a Lyndonville educator for this special honor. Applications need to be submitted by February 8, 2019.
The Educator of the Year will also receive a $1,000 grant to be used for special programming in his or her department or grade level.
John Bailey, an elementary music teacher, was the first recipient of the award in 2017, and second grade teacher Shannon Arlington was last year’s honoree.
Nominees for the award must have completed at least four years of teaching at Lyndonville.
Nominees should also:
• Be an exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled teacher;
• Inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn;
• Have a strong sense of values, integrity and professional ethics;
• Actively collaborate with colleagues, administration, parents and families;
• Demonstrate innovative 21st century skills and continuing professional growth;
• Have the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues;
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Village of Lyndonville has a fence on the north side of the Lyndonville because water is eroding the soil.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 January 2019 at 9:13 am
LYNDONVILLE – The village is working to replace two flood gates by the Lyndonville dam to keep water flowing through Johnson Creek.
The gates are corroded and water is backing up, washing out soil on the north side of the dam. The village has a section of land by the north wall fenced off due to the erosion.
The Village Board is working with engineer Paul Chatfield of the MRB Group on the project. The board last month on MRB’s recommendation approved a bid CPE Service System Solutions for two new flood gates.
The board has to approve an upcoming bid for installation of the gates. The entire project could be about $175,000, Mayor John Belson said.
The village has approved two new flood gates for a the dam in a repair project that should keep the water from washing out soil by the north wall of the dam.
The village has been approved for $100,000 from state Sen. Robert Ortt through the State and Municipal Facilities Capital Funding Program or SAM. The money will come through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.
The Lyndonville Area Foundation has also approved $65,000 toward the project.
The village will cover any remaining cost over $165,000.
Once the new gates are received by Lyndonville, the village will need to declare the repair an emergency to allow 30 days to make the repair, the mayor said.
