MEDINA – Laura Guzik, an employee for the past 36 years at Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center (formerly Orchard Manor), tosses her bouquet of flowers on Thursday during a mock wedding.
Guzik would get married for the real two days later on Saturday.
Laura Guzik and Keith Ward celebrated a mock wedding on Thursday Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center. Laura, an LPN and employee at the nursing center for 36 years, is a lifelong Medina resident.
Ward was born in Warsaw in Wyoming County and lived in California for 40 years before returning to Albion. He met Laura’s son Bobby while attending Genesee Community College. Bobby liked Keith so much he invited him home for dinner. In time, Laura and Keith hit it off and started dating. The rest, as they say, is history.
Jamie Murphy, activities director, decided it would be fun to include the residents in the wedding planning. Laura was game, so Murphy and her staff and residents got busy making tissue flowers at a craft session to be used for decorations. They even created Laura’s wedding bouquet. The flowers adorned the aisle, tables, and grapevine wedding arch.
Residents donned hats and fancy jewelry for the affair. Laura wore her actual wedding dress for all to see. Traditional wedding music played as they waited for the ceremony to begin. Jamie Murphy officiated. She read words of advice for a good marriage she had compiled from residents and staff.
Vows and rings were exchanged and Mr. and Mrs. Ward were pronounced “husband and wife.”
Everyone indulged in cake and punch. The “newlyweds” danced to Love Will Keep Us Alive by The Eagles and Color My World by Chicago.
Laura even threw her bouquet which was caught by resident, Karen Boone. Karen was thrilled.
Laura’s Orchard Nursing Center family wished her and Keith well as they departed.
MEDINA – The Webster Marching Band held its 33rd annual field show on Saturday with seven bands performing.
In SS1 Medina took first place with a score of 81.90 followed by East Irondequoit in second at 78.45.
Other winners were LeRoy in SS3 with 66.35; Hilton in LS3 with 72.15; Orchard Park in LS2 with 81.70 and Victor in National with 86.05. The Webster band is in LS2 but that performed in exhibition and therefore was not scored.
Amongst Medina’s instructional staff are six former members of the marching band including Matt Jaeger, Joe Organisciak, Diana Baker, Jeff Pask, TJ Gray and Katie Granchelli. These individuals know first-hand the value of the program and strive to teach that along with the techniques to be successful. The band will perform again on Oct. 13 at Victor and Oct. 20 at Orchard Park.
The state championships are Sunday, Oct. 28, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. The Band Boosters are again offering a charter bus for 55 people for $25 each (not including entrance to the Dome for $19.) This is a great deal because passengers won’t have to be concerned with the price of gas, parking fees, thruway tolls or places to park or traffic.
Reservations are being taken now by contacting Jim Steele at 585-317-9389. The cut-off date is Oct. 17.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 October 2018 at 8:41 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Medina Fire Department held its annual open house on Sunday. Donato Rosario, a new Medina firefighter, helps Nathan Gray, 4, of Medina aim a fire nozzle at a target as part of the open house.
The open house included fire safety material, fire station tours, fire extinguisher training, family activities, car seat inspections and other activities.
Fake smoke comes out of the 35-foot-long fire safety training trailer. The trailer is owned by Orleans County’s Emergency Management Office, and is available to all 12 fire departments in the county.
Inside, there are smoke simulators with fog. The trailer is used to help children and families develop fire escape plans. Firefighters stress the importance of having working smoke alarms, knowing two ways of getting out of a room. A door is the first try, but the second way out may be a window. Families should also have a meeting place outside a house or apartment in case of fire. Usually that is in front of the residence.
Robert McCarthy, 12, of Medina sprays water on the targets set up in the parking lot behind the fire hall.
Jonathan Higgins, a captain with the Fire Department, assists Robert McCarthy in aiming the nozzle at the targets.
Before the open house the Fire Department held its annual memorial service. This year the department honored the late Raymond “Pete” Morgan, a long-time Medina firefighter and police officer who passed away on Jan. 31 at age 68. A memorial brick is in his honor by the firefighter memorial in front of City Hall.
Photos courtesy of Steve Cooley: The memorial service was moved inside the firehall due to the weather.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Alix Gilman, who owns the Shirt Factory Café with Scott Robinson, sets up cups as she gets ready to serve a specialty drink to the first participants in Medina ’s Canal Village Food Tour on Saturday.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 October 2018 at 7:57 am
MEDINA – Sue Green and Sue Squires of Medina are longtime friends who are always looking for new things to do.
Saturday’s first Canal Village Food Tour was no exception and the ladies were among the first to purchase their tickets when they went on sale.
“I was excited about the street part and history walk,” Squires said. “I have a lot of friends who visit from out of town and it will be fun to tell them about the things I’ve learned.”
Green said for her it was a lot about spending time with her friends, but the bonus was learning about things in her home town that she never knew before. Also, having a career in the food industry, she said it would be interesting to see what they got to eat and drink along the way.
The Canal Village Food Tour was sponsored by Orleans Renaissance Group, Canal Village Farmers’ Market and Shirt Factory Café. It was an idea born out of the very successful Farm to Table dinners the last several years in Medina, said Chris Busch, president of ORG.
Lifelong friends Sue Green, left, and Sue Squires, both of Medina, show their tickets to Medina’s first Canal Village Food Tour Saturday at the Shirt Factory Café, where participants gathered to begin their culinary journey.
The food tour began at the Shirt Factory Café, where owners Alix Gilman and Scott Robinson first served a seasonal specialty drink, ending with a Medina 1832 sparkling cocktail. The couple then acted as tour guides as they led their group of a dozen to participating venues in downtown Medina, sharing stories of the historic buildings along the way.
Makaila Albanese was working at the counter during the morning, and said everyone who came back after the tour was talking about the progress in Medina and asking lots of questions.
“There’s definitely talk of doing another tour,” she said.
Scott Robinson said business owners were all excited about how the first food tour went and they are anxious to try another.
“This was a test run to see how it would go,” Robinson said. “It’s pretty sure we’ll have another before the end of the year. People were pretty impressed with what is going on in Medina .”
Future food tours will most likely accommodate more people, while keeping each group small, Robinson said.
“At this point, almost anything is on the table,” he said.
Iva McKenna and her daughter Jenny of Albion showed up early, hoping to get tickets, but they were all sold out.
“So we made our own tour,” Iva said. “We went to Sourced in Millville for breakfast, then came here to the Shirt Factory Café for coffee and now we’re going to the farmers’ market. Then we’ll end up at the MAAC Thrift Depot to shop.”
Provided photo: (Left to right): Freshmen Zaric Boyce, Joe Cecchini and Zachary Fike work with alpaca fiber.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Medina High School’s Agriculture Exploration class has taken on a cool project by making dryer balls out of alpaca fiber.
An alpaca is a species of South American camelid and is very similar to a llama. The school district’s farm has several of the animals and Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, Todd Eick, thought it would be a great project for his students to make all-natural dryer balls.
The balls are a friendly alternative to chemicals on fabric softeners and dryer sheets that reduce static and wrinkles.
“Most of the students in the Ag Exploration class are in 8th and 9th grade and have been spending class time skirting alpaca fibers,” he says.
Skirting means cleaning out vegetation from the fibers.
“We make the dryer balls out of the skirted material and the waste that is picked out is either turned into mesh balls for bird nest makers or put into our compost bin,” Eick said. “It is a zero waste project.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 October 2018 at 3:27 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Menzo Case (center), president and CEO of Generations Bank, helps cut the ribbon this morning on the first day of the merger of Medina Savings & Loan Association with Generations Bank, which is based in Seneca Falls.
Medina S & L started in Medina in 1888. Case said Generations was looking to grow and was attracted to the Medina community, which is a similar size small town as Seneca Falls.
Medina S & L’s existing branch offices – Maple Ridge Road in Medina and inside the Wal-Mart on Route 31 in Albion – will become branch offices of Generations Bank. The Medina branch offices will operate under the name “MSL, a division of Generations Bank” for at least two years.
All of the current 12 Medina employees will remain, Case said.
Menzo Case, president and CEO of Generations Bank, said the bank looks forward to serving the Medina, Albion and Orleans County community. “We are pleased to announce our partnership with Medina Savings and Loan,” Case said. “We are very familiar with Medina, its conservative approach to banking and its deep roots in the communities it serves. We are very excited about the future of our combined company.”
Two members of Medina’s board of directors will become members of the boards of directors of Generations Bank, Seneca-Cayuga and The Seneca Falls Savings Bank, MHC, the mutual holding company of Generations Bank.
The Medina board members include Tim Moriarty, who has retired as the president of the Medina Savings and Loan, and Howie Gardner, who was on the board for the Medina S & L.
“We couldn’t have picked a better merger partner,” said Don Colquhoun, who was the chairman of the Medina S & L. “Their emphasis on their customers and community reminded us of ourselves. The cultures are very similar.”
The Medina S & L sites will soon new technology implemented that would have been costly for the small town bank, Colquhoun said.
The sign for the Medina Savings and Loan on Maple Ridge Road in Medina is scheduled to be removed tomorrow with a new sign going up to reflect Generations Bank.
Brad Jones, chairman of the board for Generations Bank, said Medina and Orleans County are similar to Seneca Falls and Seneca County, which have a rich history with a renewed focus on economic development.
“This is more than a merger,” Jones said. “This is a marriage made in Heaven.”
Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature, was among the local officials who welcomed Generations Bank to the county. Johnson said the bank can be a partner in promoting economic development in the community. She called Orleans, “an up and coming county.”
Medina Mayor Mike Sidari and Assemblyman Michael Norris also attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning and welcomed Generations to Orleans County.
CAMILLIS – The Medina Mustang Marching Band traveled to West Genesee High School in Camillus on Saturday for the band’s third competition this season.
Nine bands competed in four classifications while West Genesee performed in exhibition. In SS1, Medina took first place with a score of 80.85 followed by Central Square in second with 78.95, New Hartford in third with 77.0 and Mohonasen in fourth with 75.80.
In LS3, Rome Free Academy won first with 71.5 and Phoenix had the high score in SS2 with 70.50. In the National Class, Cicero North Syracuse earned first place with a score of 86.40 followed by Baldwinsville in second with 84.90 and Liverpool in third with 81.90.
The band continues to tweak the show each week in preparation for the state championships at Syracuse on Oct. 28. There are three competitions before the state championship. The next shows are Oct. 6 in Webster, Oct. 13 in Victor and Oct. 20 at Orchard Park.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Descendants of James P. Clark, for whom the Butts-Clark American Legion is named, pose under his picture during a ceremony Saturday in honor of the 100th anniversary of the soldier’s death during World War I. Seated from left are Carol Clark, great-niece; Chere Bougard, great-niece, holding great-great-great-niece Roxa Paige, 3; and Sandy Bougard, wife of great-nephew Tom Bougard. Standing from left are great-great-niece, Jennifer Clark Page with children Daphne, 7, and Arthur, 19 months; Katherine and Randy Bougard, great-nephew; Barry Scolaro, husband of great-niece Chere Bougard; and Thomas Bougard, great-nephew.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 30 September 2018 at 9:06 am
MEDINA – Jennifer Clark Paige never knew her great-great-uncle Cpl. James P. Clark.
But on Saturday, she and her second cousin Chere Bougard of North Tonawanda had a hard time choking back the tears during a special ceremony honoring Clark at the American Legion Post on North Main Street .
“Although I never met him, he’s a hero and I would not be here without his sacrifice,” Paige said.
An honor guard from the Butts-Clark American Legion and Medina VFW offer a three-gun salute during ceremonies to honor Cpl. James P. Clark, who died 100 years ago Saturday while serving in World War I. In the background is bugler Russell Young, and standing at attention are Jim Freas and chaplain Dave Kusmierczak.
Cpl. James P. Clark was a Medina resident and member of Company F, who trained at the Medina Armory, along with his brothers Leslie and Seth.
All three were at the Hindenburg Line in France on Sept. 27, 1918, when James was shot and died.
“I had it in my mind we could go to France and visit the American section of Bony Cemetery, where Uncle James is buried,” said Chere Bougard, great-niece. “When it became apparent we weren’t going to get there, we started making other plans to memorialize him.”
About five years ago Bougard visited the Butts-Clark American Legion, which is named for Lt. John Butts and Clark.
She suggested to her second cousin, Jennifer Clark Page of Buffalo, about doing a ceremony in Medina, and Paige said, “Yes, yes.”
“We contacted the Post and they were more than welcoming,” Bougard said.
Glenn Whitmore, commander of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post in Medina, presents a coin given at military funerals to Chere Bougard of North Tonawanda, great-niece of Cpl. James P. Clark, who was killed in action 100 years ago and for whom the Post was named.
Saturday’s ceremony began with the Pledge of Allegiance and reading of the circumstances surrounding Cpl. Clark’s death by Cathy Fox.
“Today, Sept. 29, 2018, marks the 100th anniversary of Cpl. James P. Clark’s death,” Fox said. “It is appropriate we gather to pay our respects to this young soldier.
“One-hundred years ago, Company F, 108th Infantry, which was made up of infantrymen from Medina and New York City, was part of one of the great offensive movements launched by American forces during World War I – to break through the German defenses at the Hindenburg Line. The object was Bony, France. That day, the attack began in the early morning hours and as the day progressed, they suffered heavy casualties. But, by 11 a.m. they had reached their goal.
“As the offensive progressed, the commanding officers of the unit were also lost. Cpl. James P. Clark of Medina assumed command of his unit at a moment when confusion could have overcome the men. For nearly 20 minutes, he urged his friends forward before receiving a gunshot wound to the chest. He died in the arms of his comrades. Of the 239 in Company F who had started the long march across the shell- and bullet-racked field, only 54 answered roll call after the engagement.”
Cathy Fox with the American Legion reads the story of Cpl. James P. Clark’s death during World War I during a ceremony honoring him Saturday at the Butts-Clark American Legion. At right is Legion commander Glenn Whitmore.
Cpl. Clark was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for “leading his men into effective action after all superior officers had been killed, and directing that action coolly and courageously.”
Fox explained that following the war, in early 1919 as the American Legion was becoming an official veterans’ organization, posts were being organized across the country. In Medina, the first step was deciding on a name for the new post, and it was a policy to name a post after a resident who had given his life for his country in the Great War.
This picture of the Clark brothers shows Leslie, 6; Seth, 4; and James, 2. It was provided by the family, who visited the American Legion Post in Medina Saturday on the 100th anniversary of James’ death in World War I. All three brothers were serving at the Hindenburg Line when James was killed.
Cpl. Clark was one of Medina’s first to die in France. The decision to name the post after him also honored his family, whose two other sons were wounded and able to return home.
Saturday’s ceremony then moved outside, where an Honor Guard from the American Legion and VFW gave a three-gun salute, followed by the playing of Taps by bugler Russell Young.
Legion commander Glenn Whitmore said it was a pleasure and an honor to have Clark ’s family there, as he presented Bougard with a coin which is given to a family at a military funeral. He also held up the Company F flag, under which Clark had served.
“We feel so honored to have the cooperation of these great people in Medina,” Bougard said.
“This has been very special,” Fox said.
Chere Bougard of North Tonawanda is solemn as the story of her great-uncle Cpl. James P. Clark’s death is read at the Butts-Clark American Legion Post on Saturday. Saturday marked the 100th anniversary of the soldier’s death at the Hindenburg Line.
From left, Glenn Whitmore, commander of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post; Jennifer Clark Page, great-great-niece of James P. Clark; Chere Bougard, great-niece of Clark’s; and Cathy Fox with the American Legion cut the cake during a ceremony Saturday to honor Clark, who died 100 years ago at the Hindenburg Line during World War I.
The Honor Guard from the VFW and American Legion in Medina pose with the family of Cpl. James P. Clark, who was killed 100 years ago Saturday during World War I, and for whom the American Legion is named.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 September 2018 at 4:11 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Medina Department of Public Works installs a new playground today at Butts Park. The DPW recently removed a wooden playground, which was rotted and in rough shape.
The DPW dug holes and is setting steel poles for the new pieces today. Volunteers have been helping put together the playground. They are expected to be done with the project on Saturday around 1 p.m.
Mayor Mike Sidari, left, and resident Tom McGrane work together to assemble one of the seated areas in the playground. They were there several hours today.
The playground and wood chips cost just under $40,000. Sidari said the volunteer labor from the community is saving several thousand dollars for the installation.
McGrane, a retired teacher, appreciated the opportunity to help.
“The one that was here before needed to be reconstructed,” he said. “This one will be much safer.”
This rendering shows how the new playground will look when it’s complete. Sidari said it should be open to the public on Wednesday.
Owen Toale, left, and Scott Grimm work together to assemble part of the playground.
The village hired Parkitects from Lansing, NY, near Ithaca for the project. Parkitects has a site manager, Nathan Emery, to make sure the playground is constructed properly. Emery said he works with communities every weekend on playground projects, including recent community builds in Salamanca and Jamestown.
“It’s great to get the community involved,” he said. “They take more pride in their playground.”
Volunteers will be at the park until dusk today and will return in the morning.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 28 September 2018 at 12:15 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Mark Cye, CEO of Medina Memorial Hospital (Orleans Community Health), demonstrates the new security system recently installed with a donation by the Association of Twigs. Looking on are Tish McAdoo, secretary of Twigs and Human Resource Benefit specialist at the hospital; Jean Wetherbee, vice president of Twigs; Jeanne Crane, president; and Sandy Smith, treasurer.
MEDINA – Medina Memorial Hospital (Orleans Community Health) has taken a step forward to insure the security of patients and staff.
With a donation from the Association of Twigs, the hospital has recently installed a new security system.
“With all the things going on today, like the man who broke into Lockport hospital to steal drugs, law enforcement has been checking the ease of access at facilities like ours,” said Mark Cye, CEO of Orleans Community Health. “This is one way to protect staff and patients, and allows staff to better monitor who is coming and going.”
There are three access points at the hospital – through the lobby, the hall after registration and the hall near the access to the elevator.
Employees have a badge to enter, as well as volunteers and board members. Visitors have to be buzzed in.
Twig has long been a supporter of the hospital and has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars for improvements, services and new equipment for the hospital. Most of the money was raised through the gift shop, which they had to discontinue little more than a year ago, because of lack of help.
“Our money we had won’t last forever, but we still have minor fundraisers, such as the vending machines,” said Twig president Jeanne Crane.
Several individual Twig groups have their own fundraisers, such as Lilac which has a jewelry sale and book sale twice a year. Other active groups donate what they can.
Twig was founded in 1963 and had more than 300 members and more than a dozen branches at its peak. Today there are less than half that which still meet.
In the past, Twigs have pledged to build the birthing wing, purchase X-ray equipment and remodel offices and the lobby.
The recent donation for the security system was $11,000
“Without the Twigs’ support, this is another project which we couldn’t have moved forward,” Cye said.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company and Medina Lions Club will join forces on Oct. 13 to sponsor the fire company’s open house and chicken barbecue and the Lions’ annual Scarecrow Fest. Shown at Forrestel Farms, where the Scarecrow Fest will take place, are from left: Lions Jim Hancock and Charlene Walsh, Forrestel Farms owner Mary Herbert, Lion Sherry Wheatley who heads the Scarecrow Fest, and firefighter Jason Watts who heads the chicken barbecue.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 27 September 2018 at 11:50 am
MEDINA – The Medina Lions Club and Shelby Volunteer Fire Company will join forces for the first time on Oct. 13 for two popular events.
For the first time in its more than 10-year history, the Medina Lions Scarecrow Fest will take place at Forrestel Farms, just a stone’s throw from the Shelby firehall on Route 63, where an open house and chicken barbecue have been planned for the same day.
Sherry Wheatley, who started the annual Scarecrow Fest as a member of Medina Lions, Shelby firefighter Jason Watts and Lions member Jim Hancock pose with a scarecrow at Forrestel Farms, where the annual Scarecrow Fest will take place on Oct. 13. The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company will have a chicken barbecue the same day and donate part of the proceeds to the Medina Lions Club.
Sherry Wheatley, who chairs the annual Scarecrow Fest for Medina Lions, called Shelby firefighters to ask if they would consider doing a chicken barbecue during the Scarecrow Fest. Firefighter Jason Watts replied they were already planning some special events for that day, which included a chicken barbecue.
The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company was already planning an open house and fire prevention activities for the community, which will also include tours of the county’s fire safety trailer.
The fire company has agreed to donate a portion of every chicken barbecue ticket sold to the Lions Club.
The barbecue will be served from 11 a.m. until sold out. Tickets may be purchased from any Lions Club member, Shelby firefighter or at Zambito Realty on North Main Street, English Rose Tea Shoppe on Main Street or Ashlee’s Place on East Center Street.
The Lions have been sponsoring a Scarecrow Fest for many years and have tried several locations, including the canal basin, YMCA and Roberts Farm Market. This will be the first year to have it at the historic Forrestel Farm, which was established in 1825.
Owner Mary Herbert was delighted to cooperate with them.
“Our award-winning sports/riding camp here is the best-kept secret in Orleans County ,” Herbert said. “I’m thrilled to share my historic farm with more of the community.”
The Scarecrow Fest is an idea developed by Wheatley and is truly a community event, she said.
A lot of different games are planned for the kids, and everything is donated, Wheatley said.
She gets old clothes from the MAAC Thrift Shop; her mother Pauline Lanning cuts out and sews 200 scarecrow heads; the art classes at Medina High School paints the faces; Iroquois Job Corps makes stakes for the bodies and helps carry out all the T posts the day before; wood for the stakes is donated by Matt Mundion; and Craig Lacy from Medina Parts lets them store the supplies in his building.
Wheatley said this is such a fun event for all ages, and she loves seeing parents’ and grandparents’ faces as their children choose the clothing to make a scarecrow and take part in the other activities.
Charlene Walsh is chairing the Scarecrow Fest with Wheatley.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 September 2018 at 8:22 am
Medina urged to add public restroom in downtown
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Officials cut the ribbon on May 29 dedicating a new Visitor’s Center in Medina. The Tourism Committee took over Santa Claus house in Rotary Park, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. From left are Dave Miller, volunteer; Kelly Kiebala, a member of the Tourism Committee; Linda Hansler, volunteer; Alfred Nixon, volunteer; Mayor Mike Sidari; Orleans County Tourism Coordinator Dawn Borchert; Jim Hancock, head of the Medina Tourism Committee; and Maureen Sanderson, Pat Bellucci, Bob Farman, Gail Miller and Barb Filipiak , volunteers.
MEDINA – The Medina Tourism Committee changed the location for its welcome center this summer and the more prominent location in downtown Medina resulted in a big increase in visitors.
Jim Hancock, chairman of the Medina Tourism Committee, shared the news with the Village Board on Monday evening when he gave a report about the season.
The visitor center used to be in City Hall. Last year, only 50 people stopped by the site. This year, with the Tourism Committee at the Santa House at Rotary Park, there were 184 visitors who stopped by for information about Medina, Hancock said. Those visitors were from 28 states and three countries.
“It was really nice to welcome them to Medina,” Hancock said.
The Tourism Committee’s volunteers have been running a welcome center for 10 years now, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They keep the welcome center staffed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“It was so much more enjoyable for them because we actually had visitors,” Hancock said. “We did tremendously better than we have ever done before.”
The Village Board approved the use of the Santa House this year and the board gave the Tourism Committee permission to use it again next year. Hancock said the committee will soon move out its brochures and tourism supplies so the building can be prepared for the upcoming Christmas season.
Visitors also provided feedback about downtown Medina and Hancock said the strongest suggestion was to have a public bathroom. He said the Village of Holley has “a gorgeous setup” at its canal park with public bathrooms and showers.
Hancock urged Medina to add public restrooms, a project that he said could be part of the village’s waterfront revitalization plan.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2018 at 3:21 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: This playground at Butts Park will be removed and replaced with a new one this weekend, with volunteers doing much of the work along with the Medina Department of Public Works.
MEDINA – A big turnout of volunteers is expected on Friday and Saturday to help build a new playground at Butts Park, Mayor Mike Sidari said.
Takeform Architectural Graphics, the Medina Fire Department and Medina teachers will all be helping to construct the new playground, as well as other volunteers.
The Medina Department of Public Works is taking out the old playground and will ready the site for the new construction.
Volunteers will be at the park to start work on Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m.
“It will be a great community event, a community build,” Sidari said.
In other action at the Village Board meeting on Monday:
• Renewed an agreement with Medina Central School where the district will pay the village $60,000 to have a police officer dedicated to the school district as a resource officer for 10 months. If that officer has to miss a day at the school to fill in on a regular shift, the district’s cost will be reduced by $350 each day. The $60,000 is the same as 2017-18.
• Hired Donato Rosario as a new firefighter/EMT. Rosario, 19, of Albion participated in a job shadow program with the fire department two years ago when he was a senior in high school.
He enjoyed it so much he switched his career plans from chiropractor to being a firefighter.
“This is exactly what our shadowing program is all about,” Fire Chief Tom Lupo told the Village Board.
Rosario currently works for COVA with its ambulance service based in Hamlin. He will start with Medina on Oct. 8.
• Approved village water for the Aldi store on Maple Ridge Road, which is doing a small addition and store remodeling, the mayor said.
The company has to pay the village a $175 tap-in fee, and also assume the costs of running a line to the site. Aldi also has to pay 1 ½ times the water rate as village residents.
• Announced that Beggar’s Night will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 26, the last Friday in October. Many of the downtown businesses will be handing out treats to children in costume. Police Chief Chad Kenward said regular trick-or-treating hours will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Halloween, Oct. 31.
• Medina Business Association President Cindy Robinson informed the board that Ale in Autumn will be this Saturday and about 650 people are expected to attend the event, which includes beer tastings at many downtown locations.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Tops store on Maple Ridge Road in Medina is pictured on Monday evening. The store is part of a plaza assessed at $3,471,000.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2018 at 1:53 pm
Tops Markets is seeking to lower its assessments for its stores in Albion and Medina. If Tops is successful in court, the company would pay about $100,000 less in taxes in Orleans County.
Tops, which filed for bankruptcy in February, has Article 7 proceedings against Albion and Shelby for the two stores in Orleans County.
In Albion, the store at 408 West Ave. is assessed for $2,750,000. Tops wants the assessment lowered to $1,775,660. The tax rate is a combined $45.74 for the Town of Albion ($2.75), Village of Albion ($17.73), Orleans County ($9.86) and Albion Central School ($15.40).
At a $2,750,000 assessment, Tops pays a $125,785 tax bill. The Albion store is about 50,000 square feet. If the assessment is reduced by $974,340, the company would pay $44,566 less in taxes.
The company also is seeking a reduction for the store in Medina, which is part of a 90,000-square-foot plaza at 11200 Maple Ridge Rd. That building, which also includes a gas station, is assessed for $3,471,000.
The tax rate for the property is $52.04 and includes the Town of Shelby ($3.65), Village of Medina ($17.18), Orleans County ($10.09) and Medina Central School ($21.12).
The Medina site is assessed for $3,471,000. It is owned by Medina Center LLC, which along with Tops is seeking a lower assessment. They want it lowered to $2,665,800. If successful, the $805,200 reduction would lower the taxes by $41,903 from $180,630.
The towns of Shelby and Albion were notified in late July that they assessments would be challenged in court. The towns set the values with their assessors and the towns are responsible for defending the assessments if they are challenged.
However, three years ago Orleans County approved a new policy where the towns wouldn’t have to bear the full burden of an assessment challenge by themselves if the assessments were over $3 million. The villages, school districts and county would all be asked to help finance a legal battle.
At the time the owners of the Orchard Manor nursing home in Medina and the Villages of Orleans, a nursing home in Albion, were challenging their assessments.
The towns have the lowest tax rates and stand to lose the least with an assessment challenge, while the county, villages and school districts have more money at stake.
With the new policy the Albion Tops is just under the $3 million threshold so the Town of Albion will have to defend the case by itself. However, in Medina the assessment is over $3 million and the other taxing entities are being asked to help with each paying a share that reflects the percentage of their tax rate to the whole. For the Village of Medina, the $17.18 tax rate represents 33 percent of the total. The school district will pay 41 percent, while the county pays 19 percent and the town, 7 percent, as part of the agreement.
The Medina Village Board on Monday agreed to contribute to the legal defense as part of the agreement with the other entities. If the county, school district or village decided not to help with the legal defense, the agreement calls for the town to pay the full share.
Matthew Brooks, the village attorney, has been hired to defend Shelby with the assessment challenge.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2018 at 8:25 am
MEDINA – A new 5-kilometer race on Veterans Day will be a benefit for veterans in Orleans County.
Organizers Jennifer Thom and Sarah Levanduski-Surdel are creating Operation Honor, a non-profit organization, to raise money for veterans. Proceeds from the first race will go to the Warrior House in West Shelby, which provides a hunting retreat for wounded vets and children who have lost a parent in war.
The Medina Village Board approved the 5k during its meeting on Monday. The race will start at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the Junior Wilson Sportsmen’s Club on Bates Road. The route goes through village and ends at Junior Wilson.
Operation Honor is seeking sponsors and participants for the 5k. For more information, check the group’s Facebook page.
