By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 March 2021 at 9:43 am
Projects not allowed on sandstone and will include $100 application fee
Photos by Tom Rivers: Chuck Tingley in October is shown working on his “Fake It Til You Make It!” mural on the back of 410 Main St. He painted the back cinder block wall of a building in bright colors. The mural sends a message of the importance of self-confidence in relation to the pursuit of one’s dreams.
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board has approved the new ordinance for murals in the Downtown Historic District.
The new local law was passed on Feb. 22. It was amended last week because to include a $100 application fee for the efforts required from the village in reviewing the proposals. The law approved on Feb. 22 didn’t include an application fee.
The board discussed whether the fee should be $25 or $100, and decided on the higher amount.
“A lot of people will be putting a lot of time into approving these murals,” said Trustee Marguerite Sherman.
The village’s new local law was pushed for after three new murals went up last year in the historic district. Those projects received approval from the Village Planning Board.
That board worked on updating the regulations for the exterior murals in the historic district. The purpose of the law is to permit the murals “in a way that promotes original works of art while preserving the natural historic architectural features of buildings in the Downtown Historic District, fostering a positive community identity and appearance and attracting tourism to the village of Medina,” the local law states.
Some highlights of the law:
• Definition of a mural – A mural is a visual depiction and/or works of art including mosaic, painting, fresco, or graphic art technique applied, painted or placed directly onto the exterior of any wall of a building or structure. Such depictions shall not contain words, logos, emblems, trademarks or other similar devices which identify or advertise any product, service or business.
• Design standards – The murals shall be an original work of art. They need to be designed and constructed under the supervision of a qualified artist/muralist or other qualified professional who has sufficient knowledge in the design and execution of such projects. The murals need to be securely attached to the building or structure to which it is applied.
The murals shall not be on any sandstone or any other type of natural stone, and they shall not obscure or detract from the significant architectural features or have an adverse effect on adjacent properties or facing properties.
Other design prohibitions include no logos, emblems or trademarked symbols. The murals shall not incorporate recognized signs of hatred or discrimination against any race, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, religion, ancestry, marital status, familial status, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. The projects also can’t have electrical or mechanical components, or changing images.
• Schedule – the murals should be completed within six months of the final design application approval. In the event that a mural is not completed within the six month time frame, it is at the discretion of the code enforcement officer to either grant an extension or cancel the existing permit.
• Maintenance – Routine Maintenance of an artwork becomes the responsibility of the building owner where the artwork is located. As part of the contractual requirements, the artist shall develop a maintenance program in cooperation with the building owner or manager for the proper long term care of the artwork. If the mural falls into disrepair, the building owner will be notified in writing and required to make necessary repairs within 30 days.
• Application process – A signed permission form is required from the building owner, and color pictures or renderings of the proposed mural must be submitted in the application.
• Decommissioning – When a mural is at the end of its life span, or if mural is to be removed without a replacement mural, the surface of the building or structure must be restored and repainted with appropriate colors to the Historic Preservation District, which must be approved in advance by the Village of Medina Planning Board upon such approval a Certificate of Appropriateness will be issued after which time work may begin.
Chris Piontkowski of Cheektowaga works on this mural of flowers in November on a cinder block building on Proctor Place, a one-lane road that starts near Rudy’s Diner.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 28 March 2021 at 10:09 am
Padoleski to retire on June 30 after 41 years in village clerk’s office
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Debbie Padoleski sits at her desk at the Medina village offices after announcing her retirement as town clerk. She has worked for the village for 41 years.
MEDINA – After 41 years of working for the village of Medina, village clerk Debbie Padoleski has decided to retire.
Her letter of resignation was read at the village board meeting March 22, with her retirement date on June 30. Mayor Mike Sidari said her resignation was accepted with “extreme regret.”
“She leaves very big shoes to fill,” he said. “We have a better village because of Debbie.”
Padoleski, a daughter of Don and Jean Sipple of Medina, is a 1979 graduate of Medina High School. She said she had originally wanted to be a teacher, but had a rebellious stage right out of high school.
“I decided I didn’t want to go to college, I wanted to go to work,” she said.
She got a job working in the deli at Super Duper. She had been there two and one-half years when, after taking a Civil Service test, she got a call to come in for an interview as clerk-typist for the village of Medina.
“That was 1980 and I think my starting salary was $3.35 an hour,” Padoleski said.
Peggy Crowley was clerk then, and Padoleski shared a desk with the payroll clerk. In mid-1980, Gloria Maryjanowski retired as deputy clerk, and Padoleski took over from her. When Crowley retired in 2013, Padoleski became village clerk.
“The relationships I’ve formed with the people here are going to make it the hardest not to come to work every day,” Padoleski said. “But 41 years is a long time and I want to retire while I’m still young enough to enjoy life. I’ll be 60 in May and Covid makes you think of your mortality.”
She said she was never one to count down the days to her retirement like many people do.
“I love coming to work every day,” she said. “I love my job and I love the people.”
Padoleski said she and her husband Tom, a self-employed contractor, like to travel, but probably not in the coming year, due to Covid.
They have relations in North Carolina and Georgia and a cottage at the lake, where she said they will spend a lot of time.
Padoleski will be succeeded by Jada Burgess of Medina, who has worked for the village for 13 years. She called Padoleski a great mentor.
Photo from State Sen. Rob Ortt’s Office: State Sen. Rob Ortt, left, presented a Small Business of the Month award today to Brody Hoffmeister, owner of Rudy’s Soda Bar & Café in Medina.
Press Release, State Sen. Rob Ortt
MEDINA – Today, Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt recognized Rudy’s Café in medina as his Small Business of the Month for March. Rudy’s Café, located in Medina, has been a staple of the community for three generations, serving residents from around Orleans County and across all of Western New York for decades.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, times were difficult for Rudy’s. However, thanks to their wonderful customers, survival has been made possible through take-out dining and gift card purchases.
Rudy’s Café is so much more than just a local dining establishment, however. The establishment has played a large role in serving local seniors and providing assistance to other small businesses in town.
Thanks to the helping hands of local residents, they have donated over $1,000 in gift cards to local police, firefighters and other first responders. The establishment has also been instrumental in giving back to front-line workers, catering to Medina Memorial Hospital’s medical professionals. Rudy’s continues to give back, having donated to various national health organizations over the years, such as the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
“It’s my honor to recognize Rudy’s Café as my Small Business of the Month,” said Sen. Rob Ortt. “Not only do they serve up great food, but they also embody what it means to be a community establishment. The Covid pandemic has been extremely difficult for small businesses across our nation and specifically family-owned restaurants. I am thrilled to see Rudy’s has been able to adapt and survive and look forward to stopping by for a delicious meal for years to come.”
Rudy’s was established by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Debra Russo in 1988 and was operated by their daughter Kelly until October of 2019. The establishment is now operated by Kelly’s son Brody and his siblings.
Foundation contributes $1 million in grants and donations to community in past 20 years
Photos courtesy of Orleans Community Health Foundation: Pictured fom left include Marc Shurtz, Orleans Community Health CEO; Darren D. Wilson, president of Lyndonville Area Foundation; Heather Smith, executive director of Orleans Community Health Foundation; Jeanne Crane, OCH Foundation Board president; and Suzana Galic, director of Lab Services.
MEDINA – The Lyndonville Area Foundation kicked off the Orleans Community Health Foundation annual fundraising campaign with a $40,000 grant for the purchase of a coagulation analyzer to be used in the lab at Medina Memorial Hospital.
Heather Smith, OCH Foundation executive director, acknowledged her appreciation and support the Lyndonville Area Foundation has provided OCH throughout the last 30 years.
Marc Shurtz, OCH CEO, Darren D. Wilson, president of the Lyndonville Area Foundation. Are shown next to new coagulation analyzer in Medina Memorial Hospital lab.
“They have been a major contributor to our organization on many of our larger projects,” she said. “Their continued support and dedication to the hospital is a true example that we are stronger together.
“Together We Are Stronger” is this year’s Orleans Community Health fundraising campaign in their efforts to raise $350,000 in support of their services and programs.
The coagulation analyzer is used to analyze the hemostasis system for proper coagulation (clotting) of the blood being tested. For some who have Covid-19, testing for clotting properties is a vital routine test that some may have to undergo as the virus is known to have an effect on the hemostasis system.
Suzana Galic, the lab director, has noticed an uptick in tests for clotting properties as a result of Covid-19 this past year. The Medina Memorial Hospital performs over 210,000 different lab tests for nearly 20,000 individual patients annually.
Darren D. Wilson, Lyndonville Area Foundation Board president, expressed his admiration and respect to the LAF’s entire Board of Directors noting that over the past 20 years – from January 2001 to January 2021 – the LAF’s board has voted to approve over $1 million in grants and donations in support of the communities of Lyndonville and the Town of Yates.
“This amount excludes what the Foundation provides in annual college scholarships along with our financial support in the construction of the Stroyan Auditorium to the Lyndonville Central School District,” Wilson said. “Should you include these last two items, the LAF’s distributions would be closer to $2 million over that same 20-year time period.”
“It’s a virtuous cycle,” Wilson said. “The community supports us and we, in turn, support the community. I can think of no better approach.”
The Lyndonville Area Foundation may be reached at PO Box 545, Lyndonville, New York 14098.
Photo courtesy of Medina Central School: From left include Janet Lyndaker, Heidi Lyndaker, Evie Schultz, Bailey Jackson, Sydney Watts and Emma Carson.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Congratulations go to Evie Schultz, Bailey Jackson, Sydney Watts and Emma Carson of Medina High School for receiving the Harvey A. Lyndaker Living to Serve Scholarship.
Mr. Lyndaker was the Vocational Agriculture teacher at Medina Central School District for 35 years and the advisor for the Medina Chapter of the FFA. He passed away in 2020 and the memorial scholarships were set up in his honor at the request of his family. Students applied for the scholarship by answering a series of questions about their feelings on FFA, community service and their future plans after high school.
“I feel incredibly honored,” said Evie Schultz, who was awarded the first place scholarship. “He was a very great man that I was lucky enough to have met quite a few times. I appreciate greatly all the work that Mrs. Lyndaker and their daughter Heidi put into making this possible.”
Mrs. Janet Lyndaker and Heidi presented each of the students with a check and a keepsake box. Heidi told the students that her father lived the FFA motto and how he lived to serve. She encouraged the young ladies to be constant learners.
“Sometimes that means you have to teach yourself, just like my dad,” she said.
Evie Schultz will be attending SUNY Fredonia for Psychology, Emma Carson will be attending Elmira College for Pre-Med (Biology), Bailey Jackson will be attending Cobleskill College for Animal Science and Sydney Watts will be studying Biology/Zoology and an unconfirmed college.
This is the first year for what will be an annual scholarship.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 March 2021 at 12:33 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Scott Robinson, chairman of the Committee on Police Reform Collaborative in Medina, discusses the committee’s report on Monday during the Village Board meeting. The board accepted the report and will be sending it to the state.
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board on Monday evening accepted a police reform report that has been the result of many meetings and public input since last August.
Scott Robinson, president of the Medina Area Partnership, has served as chairman of the Committee on Police Reform Collaborative in Medina. The group has met at least twice a month since August. The committee has updated and reviewed policies on use of force, mental health, body worn cameras, community relations, civilian personnel complaints, performance evaluations, handling deadly force incidents, use of firearms including taser and less lethal shotgun.
The committee has recommended establishing a Community Policing Board that would include a cross-section of the community and meet regularly. That community policing board would work towards forming better relations between law enforcement and the community.
“These relationships can be beneficial to convey information in both directions,” according to the report from Committee on Police Reform Collaborative. “This Board may also be tasked with aiding in community relations events.”
Robinson during Monday’s Village Board meeting urged the village to hold a meeting at least once a year to give community members a chance to better understand the police department policies, and also to raise any concerns. That meeting would also be a forum for the department to offer a recap of the past year.
Robinson praised Police Chief Chad Kenward and other village and police officials for their efforts in developing the plan. Kenward was very forthcoming with information, Robinson said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo mandated all 500 law enforcement agencies in the state submit the police reform plans to the state by April 1 or risk losing any state aid. Medina officials have worked many months on the month, while other communities only in the past month started to meet and get public feedback for the plan.
“We’ve been meeting every other week since August while other communities are just getting started,” Robinson said. “A lot of our committee members have invested a lot of time in this. They have just been phenomenal.”
Some highlights of the plan include:
• MENTAL HEALTH and PROCEDURAL JUSTICE – The committee in Medina recommended increased training for Medina police officers in mental health and procedural justice.
The regular mental health training schedule should seek out opportunities for crisis intervention training and mental health first aid.
Medina has already sent an instructor for certification in “Principled Policing.” That program covers areas such as History of Policing, Communication, Racial Bias, Decision Making, Trust Building and Core Values.
“Regular training in this area may help officers deal with the difficulties of modern-day policing,” the committee report states. “All of these training areas can be reinforced through reality based training, including interactive scenarios involving use of communication skills.”
• COMMUNITY POLICING/RELATIONS: The Committee recommends that the Medina Police Department take efforts to increase community policing and relations. The committee recommended the Medina Village Board put $10,000 in the next budget to assist with these community policing initiatives.
The committee recommended open community meetings hosted by the Medina Police Department. These meetings can be used to relay relevant information, and hear public concerns.
The Medina PD should also do an annual public survey to gather input from local citizens on police activities. The committee surveyed people for the current plan and received 245 responses.
Some other ways to strengthen community interaction with the department could be more officers on foot patrol, bike patrol and community activities. The committee recommended an annual gathering open to the public where police officers can have positive interactions with the community.
Medina might also consider assigning a Community Policing Officer to focus on creating opportunities for positive interactions with the community.
• ACCREDITATION: The Committee recommends that the Medina PD attempt to obtain NYS accreditation status. The NYS Accreditation Program provides outside guidance and oversight to law enforcement to ensure performance in areas such as policies, procedures and training.
• FUNDING: The committee said funding should be increased at the local and state levels for law enforcement and mental health services. The Medina PD could pursue state grant funding for mental health, training and equipment.
The committee also said Medina should fund an investigator position in the Medina PD. “A designated position should result in a higher rate of case closures, which it is assumed will also increase public confidence,” the committee stated in the report.
MEDINA – The Lee-Whedon Memorial Library will now assist people with making Covid-19 vaccine appointments.
Please call and schedule a time with us from Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We will assist anyone with setting up appointments at the NYS run clinics using the Am I Eligible website.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 March 2021 at 9:29 am
Village backs restaurant’s application for some state assistance
Photo by Tom Rivers: Zambistro is looking to expand to 410 Main St., next door to the current site. This photo was taken in August 2020.
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board on Monday voted to back an application for state assistance for an expansion of the Zambistro restaurant on Main Street.
Michael Zambito and his family are looking to expand the restaurant next door at 410 Main St. The state’s Office of Community Renewal has funding available through the Community Development Block Grant program.
Zambistro is estimating the expansion will be a $220,000 project for construction, refrigeration equipment, fixtures and furnishings. Michael Zambito is looking to create a small event space for about 50 people. He expects the project, which includes a small bar, will result in two more full-time employees and four part-timers, said Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency.
She attended Monday’s Village Board meeting and asked the board to support the application. The CDBG program has assisted about 25 to 30 projects in the county in the past two decades.
The CDBG application is being finalized for Zambistro’s expansion. Barone said the business will likely be applying for $60,000 to $80,000 in assistance through the program, with half in a grant and other half a loan that will be paid back to a revolving loan fund managed by the Orleans Land Restoration Corp., which is part of the Orleans EDA. That repaid loan can then be loaned out to other businesses in the county, Barone said.
The Medina Village Board last August approved a certificate of appropriateness for the front façade at 410 Main St. The new-look façade will be very similar to the current look at Zambistro.
The columns and post will stay. Gooseneck lights will be added above the door.
“We want it to look like one solid building all the way across,” Michael Zambito told the Village Planning Board in August.
Zambistro in 2019 completed an addition to dining room.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 March 2021 at 8:27 am
Debbie Padoleski has worked in the clerk’s office for 41 years
Photos by Tom Rivers: Medina Village Clerk Debbie Padoleski, left, and Deputy Clerk Jada Burgess are pictured in August 2019 with a Medina community sign that was refurbished by art students at Medina High School. The sign hangs outside the Village Clerk’s Office at 119 Park Ave.
MEDINA – Debbie Padoleski, the Medina village clerk-treasurer the past eight years, announced she will be retiring on June 30. She has been a hard-working and dependable presence in the village clerk’s office for the past 41 years.
Her resignation was accepted with “extreme regret” by the Village Board on Monday.
Padoleski has been “absolutely invaluable” to the village, said Trustee Owen Toale.
Debbie Padoleski takes notes during Monday’s Village Board meeting at the senior center. Padoelski has served as the village clerk-treasurer the past eight years. She has worked in the village clerk’s office for 41 years.
“It’s going to be a big loss for us,” he said about Padoleski’s retirement. “The village is a much better place because of Debbie Padoleski.”
Padoleski, in a letter to the board, said she submitted her retirement notification with a “heavy heart.” She started in the village clerk’s office at age 19. She praised her predecessor, Peggy Crowley, who worked as village clerk-treasurer for 33 years. Crowley was a big reason why Padoleski made the village clerk’s office her career.
“She taught me how to not take myself or the job too seriously, and maintained a fierce loyalty to the Village of Medina,” Padoleski wrote about Crowley in her letter to the board.
Padoleski said she has been fortunate to work with so many wonderful people over the years – “Mayors, trustees, department heads and co-workers who hold a special place in my heart.”
Padoleski said Jada Burgess, her deputy clerk-treasurer, has always been her right hand, sounding board and friend. Padoleski said the staff in the office has been a “fantastic team.”
She closed her letter, thanking current Mayor Mike Sidari and trustees Owen Toale, Todd Bensley, Marguerite Sherman and Tim Elliott for their service to Medina.
“I appreciate the respect and consideration you have always given me,” Padoleski wrote. “It has been a pleasure to work with all of you, my staff and my fellow department heads.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 March 2021 at 7:19 pm
Performance will be shown virtually with no in-person crowd
Photos courtesy of Lyndonville school district: Alissa Klinetob (a Lyndonville senior) is Marmee and Seagan Majchrzak (a Medina sophomore) portrays Beth in Lyndonville/Medina’s production of Little Women.
LYNDONVILLE – It was just over a year ago when Lyndonville and Medina drama students experienced the disappointment of having their show, Mama Mia, cancelled after months of rehearsals. The Covid-19 pandemic closed the curtain on high school musicals shows throughout New York State.
Lyndonville and Medina, which work together on a musical, are back with a new show. They have Covid safeguards in place, including no in-person audience. The show has been filmed and will go “live” online Friday until next Sunday, March 28.
Qasim Huzair (a Lyndonville senior) portrays Professor Bhaer and Sophia Cardone (Medina senior) stars as Jo.
The leads in the shows are wearing clear masks, which won’t conceal their facial expressions, which was important to director Jennifer Trupo.
“Last year was so heartbreaking,” Trupo said about the show being canceled. “A bunch of our seniors never got to make their last bow.”
This year Lyndonville and Medina are performing Little Women. The cast is smaller than recent Lyndonville/Medina musicals, but the show includes a full ensemble and band. There are 23 student sin the cast, and five more students as assistants.
Trupo and the students saw a video of a Buffalo school performing a musical with the clear masks. Trupo wanted similar masks for her students.
“The clear masks make all the difference because this is a very emotional show,” she said. “With fabric masks we couldn’t see facial expressions.”
The musical is based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, a coming-of-age story set after the Civil War. The plot focuses on the four March sisters— traditional Meg, wild and aspiring writer Jo, timid Beth and romantic Amy.
To ensure the safety of the students and staff, auditions were held online and many of the initial rehearsals were done through Google Meets. The cast and crew transitioned to the stage with safeguards in place to finalize and record the production.
Trupo said she is grateful the two schools are all to put on a full show, even if it won’t be in front of a cheering audience.
“We’re so thankful we have our ensembles, and to have a musical,” Trupo said. “We’re so thankful our administration has allowed us to do this and our community is supporting us and that we have this outlet for the kids.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 March 2021 at 11:53 am
Benefit scheduled on March 27 for Sara Secore
MEDINA – Sara Secore was feeling dizzy and lightheaded just by walking around her house in September 2019.
She went to the doctor’s and had her blood tested. She was in her early 20s and didn’t think too much of it.
Sara Secore
But the results and additional tests showed she had a serious kidney disease. She was put on dialysis due to her failing kidneys.
“This just happened out of nowhere,” Secore said about the kidney disease.
Secore, now 25, and a mother of a 3-year-old son has tried to find an organ donor. A stranger from Albion heard about her situation and offered his kidney. He went through several months of tests, which showed he would be a good match until he was ruled out about two weeks ago. The surgery was supposed to happen next month.
Secore was “devastated” by the news, but she remains hopeful someone will step forward who proves to be the right match. That person needs to have the O-positive blood type.
Until she has a new kidney, Secore is doing nightly dialysis from her home.
“It’s very hard on your body,” she said about the dialysis. “But I have no other option.”
Anyone interested in seeing if they would be a good fit as a living donor for Secore is encouraged to call Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester at (585) 275-7753. Secore asks that they mention Sara Secore, her birthdate of March 13, 1996, and O-positive for the blood type.
Secore’s friends and family also are planning a basket raffle and spaghetti dinner to help her with expenses. That event will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 27 at the Community Fellowship Church, 3146 Johnson Creek Road, Middleport. Drive-through dinners also will be available.
For more information and for tickets contact Holly at (585) 205-5795, Monica at (585) 298-6264 and Cara at (585) 469-9493.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 March 2021 at 5:01 pm
District tries to be ready if state follows CDC and allows desks to be spaced closer
MEDINA – The school district is surveying families to see their intentions if Medina is able to bring back more students for in-person learning.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today updated its guidance for school districts with the spacing of desks in the Covid-19 pandemic. The CDC reduced the minimum distance for desks to be apart from 6 to 3 feet, as long as students are wearing masks.
Before local districts can move desks closer, which would allow for more students in classrooms, the NYS Department of Health would be to accept that guidance from the CDC.
Medina Central School is trying to be ready for the anticipated change and wants to give more students the option of more in-person days of school.
Medina is asking families if they would send their students to school for more in-person days or if they would go remote all school days.
“Our hope is that by being proactive with this survey, we will be able to implement any changes to the NYSDOH school regulations as quickly as possible,” district officials stated on the survey.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 March 2021 at 7:29 am
Village residents will go to the polls today to vote for trustees on the Village Board in Albion and Medina.
In Albion there are two candidates running for one open seat on the board, a three-year term. Voting is from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Office, 35 East Bank St.
The Democratic Party nominated Zachary Burgess of Hamilton Street, and the Republican Party nominated Joe Martillotta of North Main Street. They are seeking to fill a vacancy created when Kevin Sheehan resigned as trustee to become the village code enforcement officer.
The election is back on the schedule for the third Tuesday in March. Last year’s election was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and was finally held on Sept. 15.
Burgess, 31, works for Bentley Brothers as a sales representative. He also has been very active in the Rock the Park music festival at Bullard Park. He serves as co-chairman of the event which has been renamed as the Albion Summer Festival. Last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid-19. Burgess and the organizers are hoping this year’s festival with many bands can happen the first Saturday in August.
Through that event, Burgess said he has worked with many village officials and community members. He also is a member of the Albion Lions Club.
Martillotta, 69, retired in 2009 after 36 years as a high school social studies and economics teacher. He and his wife Debbie did extensive renovations of 469 East State St. and opened the Crooked Door Tavern on Jan. 31, 2011. It was his dream of owning a restaurant and bar. They operated the business for more than three years, selling it in April 2014.
Martillotta owns other properties in the village.
“I’ve been paying taxes for years in the village – lots of them,” he said.
He has long advocated for shrinking the size of local government through consolidation. That is an issue he wants to explore.
In Medina there are two candidates for two trustees. Owen Toale is seeking re-election. He is joined on the “Accountability Party” by Jessica Marciano, a member of the Parks Committee. Todd Bensley, who has been on the board for six years, isn’t seeking re-election.
Voting is from noon to 9 p.m. at Senior Center on West Avenue.
Toale has 10 years experience on the board and is the current deputy mayor. Marciano is making her first run for the Village Board. Toale is retired as the publisher of the former Journal-Register in Medina.
“I’m privileged to serve with a board that understands the needs of the village and has no hidden agendas other than to make Medina a better place to live,” Toale posted on his Facebook page. “I think the progress that has been made in the village with the cooperation of village residents has been nothing short of remarkable.”
Toale noted the trustees each have departments to oversee, and are involved in different committees in the village government. He also has been the chief negotiator for union and department contracts for the past five years.
“Previous administrations have hired labor attorneys at the cost of $150 an hour to negotiate their contracts,” Toale said. “Working with another trustee I have managed to get the contracts done and save the village thousands of dollars in lawyer fees while being fair to the unions and the village.”
He said he works on village budgets that maintain services without an “excessive tax load.” He said he is pleased to see Marciano step up and run for the board.
“Jess is a newcomer to the process but has spent time on the Parks Committee along with attending board meetings for quite some time,” Toale said. “She is learning the role of trustee and will become an asset to the village.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 March 2021 at 5:59 pm
Mark Kruzynski worries about mental health toll on students
Photos by Tom Rivers: Mark Kruzynski is pictured at his office on Friday. He has switched to wearing contact lenses because his glasses kept fogging up while wearing a mask.
MEDINA – It was one year ago today when superintendents in Orleans County’s five districts announced the schools were closed for in-person learning due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mark Kruzynski, Medina’s district superintendent, thought Medina would be shut down for two weeks. But the schools wouldn’t reopen to students until early September.
Medina has 1,410 students. Kruzynski has been the superintendent four more than four years. Prior to that he was Medina’s business administrator, the high school principal, and middle school principal. He started at Medina as a social studies teacher.
“None of that prepared me for a pandemic,” he said Friday during an interview at his office.
Question: So, going back to last year on March 13, were you surprised how quickly it escalated?
Answer: It escalated very quickly. Earlier that week we had just started spring sports. Earlier that week the big debate going around among the school superintendents was should we allow fans at our exceptional senior basketball game, which was between the Niagara-Orleans League and the GR League.
We were debating whether or not fans should be allowed. And school musicals were going on and should we be allowing musicals to go that weekend. And that was the feeling early in the week. At that time the guidance at the time was if you just wash your hands everything will be OK. The CDC wasn’t saying wear masks at the time, just good hygiene. It looked like it was in the cities and not here yet, but you were hearing all of these horror stories that it was spreading.
By the middle of the week I started to think something was going to change. By the end of the week, that Friday morning, I remember calling all of the administrators to come into by office and we’re going to talk. We sat at this table here and figured out what we needed to do if schools were shut down. We still thought we had some time, but we knew if things were going to happen it was going to happen quickly and we needed to be prepared.
That day we sent an email out to all the staff to prepare lesson plans for Monday, and be ready to work from home. In hindsight, I wish we had told all of the kids on Friday to make sure you take everything out of your locker because that was a big challenge to get everybody in and get all of their belongings back. We weren’t really expecting it that Monday.
We knew something was coming. I actually was helping with softball practice. I remember going out to practice that Thursday or Friday and we were wondering if we would ever get to a game because it was a really warm week at the time.
That Saturday I remember waking up on the 14th and there was a positive case confirmed in Rochester. And just like that Monroe County declared a state of emergency. And then all of the schools were shutting down. At the time if you recall it was for two weeks at a time because it was two weeks to flatten the curve.
‘We have seen an incredible rise in mental health. People are social. They are not meant to be sitting at home all day, kids especially. This pandemic has definitely caused anxiety issues. We’re seeing much more of that and depression. We’re seeing kids who normally on the outward appear fine who are really, really struggling with this.’
Q: Was it in late April, when the governor finally said no (in-person) school for the rest of the year?
A: It was late April or May 1. For a while it was in two-week increments. The way this panned out we were learning what was happening at his press conferences. Everybody would watch his press conferences to see what is going to happen today.
But back to that Saturday morning on March 14th, we had seen that there was a case in Monroe County. In Orleans County, one third of Kendall school district is in Monroe County. So immediately Julie Christensen (Kendall superintendent) has a problem whether she can open school or not.
And we also have a lot of people who work here who live in Monroe County. We figure it’s just a matter of time before it’s coming.
Paul Pettit (public health director in Orleans and Genesee counties) and Lynne Johnson (Orleans County Legislature chairwoman), we all had a conference call that day. Lynne issued the state of emergency, because remember at that time the states of emergency were all issued by county.
Lynne, knowing the situation with the schools, she declared the county as a state of emergency. And then Paul Pettit, with the state of emergency, he gave us the advice that it was still our decision – it was the superintendent’s decision – but he gave us the advice that based on the pandemic I’m not recommending you stay open.
We had all announced by 12 o’clock or 1 that day.
The sign at Medina Central School announced on March 14, 2020 that schools would be closed until further notice.
Q: How long were you thinking this would go on with schools closed?
A: I was thinking a couple weeks. This had started earlier in the year and you had seen all of these stories of China barring people in their homes and having these mass sprayers where they would go around and disinfect everything. There was so much truth and not truth. The internet and social media is never a good source for truth, but there was all sorts of stuff out there that this was just a flu or virus.
But we knew at the time there was the fear that nobody really knew how this spread. So we shut down. That night Niagara County shut down. Before too long Erie County closed. A few days later I think the governor officially shut down schools in New York State. There were still some pretty big cities that were open.
Then it was scrambling. We had to put together a meal delivery plan.
Q: That first week were you totally off or did you have to do the meals right away?
A: We started the meals pretty quickly.
Q: With the remote learning, was there a week or two breather with no education from the school?
A: That first week was just kind of review work. Honestly, in our area we weren’t allowed to do new learning because of the way the rules were set up. If we couldn’t provide the same education for everybody we couldn’t provide new content.
We had the broadband gap. Now this year we are at 100 percent with our one-to-one devices. Last year only 60 percent of the students had school-owned devices.
Q: So people were picking up a lot of paper packets?
A: We were mailing out packets left and right. Dan Doctor (the school’s community liaison) was delivering them to people. It was like copy central here. Teachers would email us work and we would put it on the website, each area every Friday, we would put new work up for kids to do.
Paper packets is not the way to learn.
Q: Has it gone better this year with not having the sudden change thrown at you?
A: Yes. We’re better prepared and we’re pushing out new learning everyday. Last year we were kind of hamstrung in the fact we weren’t technologically available to push out new learning and if you couldn’t push out new learning to everybody, then there would be equity problems.
This year we’ve pared down the curriculum to the point where teachers are selecting what they feel are the most important things to teach. We’re moving forward.
This year we’re in a much better spot because at the elementary, which is open five days a week. If your kid is coming to school from grades K through 6, they are here everyday. Or if the parents selected virtual, we have dedicated virtual teachers who work just with those kids during the day.
Q: For K to 6, do you know what percent is remote only?
A: I’d say about 30 percent. We have a waiting list of people who want to come back full time. We’ve been pretty much able to accommodate.
High school there is a bigger social aspect, not that there isn’t in the elementary. In high school we had a lot of people back but then when they realized they’re on Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday and some of their friends are on the opposite schedule and other friends are on virtual. High school has been tough because we’re on the hybrid model. We have brought some kids back four days a week. We’re trying to accommodate as much as our capacity will allow.
Q: So 7 through 12 is hybrid. How many are remote-only?
A: I’d say about one third. That varies from day to day. Thankfully the quarantines are down.
Q: That must have been a nightmare to deal with that?
A: It was very much a logistical nightmare, especially around the holidays. When we had to shut down the high school it wasn’t because of so many students, it was because so many of our staff members had to quarantine. At one point half of our district cleaning staff and all of the high school staff was in quarantine. We just couldn’t clean the buildings.
That was when we shut down for about a week before Thanksgiving until they all came out of quarantine. Now the rules have relaxed a little bit. When it first started if you were in a room with someone for more than an hour, even if you were wearing a mask and social distancing, everybody in that room would be quarantined.
At the elementary level that would knock out an entire class. At the high school we would have to go through every kid’s schedule to see who they had multiple classes with and where they were on a bus. So we had a lot of quarantines there for a while.
Now they have relaxed that if you are wearing a mask and are six feet apart they won’t quarantine the whole room. They will look at it on a case-by-case basis.
Q: What have been some of the hardest parts about this past year for you as a school superintendent?
A: It’s hard to play for one week down the road when you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Last year there was a lot of “What are we going to do about graduation?”, “What are we going to do about prom?” We as a district decided we were just going to wait because we knew things were going to change. A lot of announced their graduation plans on April 1 or May 1 but we knew the guidance was changing on a daily basis so we held off knowing that things might change. We lucked out there. We were able to host in-person graduation when some schools weren’t able to do that. We also have a huge facility where we can adequately social distance people.
But it’s hard to plan. The nature of this job is you’re always thinking six months ahead. We’ve been planning next year’s budget for the last three months. The stimulus changes a lot of those numbers with where you’re going to go.
With the pandemic it was literally changing from press conference to press conference.
Medina split last year’s graduation into three different ceremonies to stay under a 150-maximum set by the state. The service was moved from the auditorium to Vets Park. Mark Kruzynski said the district expects the entire class will be able to graduate together in the same service this June.
Q: Right now the outdoor size limit is 200, and I tend to think it will be more in June.
A: Honestly we’re planning for a full graduation this year. If it’s 200 on March 1, then by June we’ll be in a better spot. If we have to scale it back, then we’ll scale it back. We’re planning on prom. The high school is working on a prom location. It may be limited in capacity but there are a lot of places that have outdoor tents, pavilions, things like that that you can use.
To me that’s the hardest stuff: you just don’t know what the next day is going to be.
We fully did not expect winter sports to start when they did. All of a sudden on a Friday we get a one-week lead time that says here’s winter sports. Well that puts us in a tough spot.
And OK we can have kids running up and down a basketball court but we can’t have kids standing feet six feet apart singing in a choir. Sometimes it’s just illogical.
I don’t know how you explain to a parent that this activity is allowed and this activity isn’t.
Q: What about the marching band, which is outside?
A: We’re hoping by the spring we can put something together. I mean if you think about it with marching band we could be 12 feet apart. We could be six feet apart. It’s outdoors. Is that safer than wrestling?
So there is so much illogic through this whole thing.
Q: I think that’s where the governor and some of the public health officials have lost some people when things don’t make sense.
A: I will say Paul Pettit (local public health director) has been fantastic for us in this county. He basically worked with all five of us (school superintendents). Every teacher who has wanted a vaccine has gotten one. We’re halfway through. March 25 is our last big day and then two weeks after the 25th anybody who wanted a vaccine in the district and that’s across the county. That hasn’t happened in every other county.
Q: How many staff work here?
A: We have about 200 full-time and another 100 part-time. So 300 staff members total.
Q: And they will all be vaccinated?
A: I would say about 70 percent of the total of the staff who has requested it has gotten it (with more to be done through March 25). Some we don’t know if they are going on their own. There is no requirement that we ask people.
Q: There is a lot of concern about the isolation for a lot of the students and their mental health.
A: We have seen an incredible rise in mental health. People are social. They are not meant to be sitting at home all day, kids especially.
We’re reaching out to the kids everyday. This pandemic has definitely caused anxiety issues. We’re seeing much more of that and depression.
Q: When you say you see it, is that an observation or do kids somehow get served for those issues?
A: We have kids check in regularly. Then have a check-in. We ask them, “How are you feeling?” “Is this a drawback or a problem?” If any of those come up our counselors reach out to them and try to find out what is going on so we can help. It has definitely, definitely been made more difficult.
One thing we have done this year: Our counselors go into all of the classrooms. Then try to get in at least weekly to check in on everybody because we’re seeing kids who normally on the outward appear fine who are really, really struggling with this. It’s tough – the uncertainty with when is this going to end. We have dealt a lot with that.
‘I’m thinking the first Christmas concert we have together there probably won’t be a dry eye in the house. The first homecoming rally, nobody is going to take that for granted anymore when we have 2,000 people at Vets Park cheering. Once we fully reopen there is going to be a lot said for people really embracing things.’
Q: Is it difficult because we can’t say when it will end. It does seem like there is more optimism now with fighting Covid.
A: There is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re getting closer. I fully expect, barring any new variants or if it turns out the vaccine didn’t work or something, I fully expect we’ll be back to in-person five days a week by fall.
Right now the vaccine is only approved for adults. We got trials going on with kids. Even though the kids don’t tend to have severe cases of Covid, they are transmitters. We have to make sure people are safe.
Do I think we’ll be there by the fall, yeah. Would I like it to be tomorrow? Absolutely.
When this first started we thought maybe it would be Easter at the latest that we would be back. Who knew it would be this long.
Q: Are there any positives through this, maybe speeding up technology?
A: Yes. For better or worse, it’s forced everybody to learn the latest technology. We just did a superintendent’s conference day a week ago on technology training based on topics the teachers had said they wanted to learn. It turns out by the time we had scheduled it for the conference day they had forced themselves to learn it and move on to more advanced technologies. So that has been an improvement.
There has been more connections made with some kids normally in in-person school. And that’s been a positive.
The community has been fantastic in supporting the schools. I have four kids so I understand how tough it can be when we announced on a Monday night we have to go virtual on Tuesday. But everybody just adjusts and I know how tough that is for parents to arrange for daycare and figure things out like that. But the community has been fantastic in working with us on that and understanding that sometimes our hands are tied.
Q: Let’s say there are 500 people or more at graduation, it will be quite a moment. One of the benefits of this past year will be not taking that for granted.
A: I’m thinking the first Christmas concert we have together there probably won’t be a dry eye in the house. Sports have kind of been coming back but they haven’t had full fans. The first homecoming rally, nobody is going to take that for granted anymore when we have 2,000 people at Vets Park cheering.
The things you always took for granted before and now you realize you can’t have. Once we fully reopen there is going to be a lot said for people really embracing things.
Photo from Medina Central School: Pictured from left include Sofia Lopez, teacher Leah Gates and Natalia Olsen.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Two sixth grade students at Medina’s Clifford Wise Intermediate School have won awards for writing from the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Aurora Women’s Club.
GFWC (Aurora Branch) is a volunteer organization that offers a wide range of programs for community service, while providing members with opportunities for education, personal development and social interaction. The group’s purpose is to promote education at all levels, support partition in the arts, preserve natural resources, stress good citizenship and leadership development, and serve the needs of the community.
Every year the GFWC sponsors creative writing contests for poetry and short story to provide an avenue for students to freely express themselves, as well as draw upon their experiences through writing.
English Language Arts teacher Leah Gates worked with her students on submissions. She was thrilled to hear that Natalia Olsen (sixth grade) won second place in Category 3 for Poetry for her poem “The Tornado” and that Sofia Lopez (sixth grade) won an honorable mention in Category 3 for her short story “Rain”.
Both students received certificates and ribbons and Natalia also received a monetary award for her second place finish.
“We are so proud of these talented young students,” say Principal Christopher Hughes and Assistant Principal Jennifer Stearns.
Q: Are there any positives through this, maybe speeding up technology?
