By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 February 2018 at 9:58 am
Doherty submits petition to run as independent in Albion
File photo by Tom Rivers: Medina Village Board members have a discussion on April 4 at a board meeting. Mayor Mike Sidari, center, is joined by trustees, from left, Marguerite Sherman, Tim Elliott, Todd Bensley (in back) and Owen Toale.
The slate is set for the March 20 village elections in Orleans County after the deadline passed Tuesday for candidates to submit petitions.
In Medina, three incumbents are all unopposed, including Mayor Mike Sidari and Trustees Marguerite Sherman and Tim Elliott. The trio is running under “The Village Party.” The three were also unopposed when they ran for election two years ago.
In Medina, voting is from noon to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center.
Albion has the most hotly contested race. Incumbent Mayor Dean London isn’t seeking re-election. There is a three-way battle to be the next mayor. Eileen Banker, the current deputy mayor, has the backing of the Republican Party while Joyce Riley is running under the Democratic Party line.
Kevin Doherty will run under the independent “Spark Some Action” party line. He needed to submit a petition signed by 100 registered voters by the deadline on Tuesday. He met that threshold, Village Clerk Linda Babcock said.
There are also two trustee positions up for election. The Republicans endorsed Gary Katsanis and incumbent Stan Farone, while Democrats picked Sandra Walter and Jason Dragon for their candidates.
The voting is from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Hall.
In Lyndonville, there is one position up for election and it’s to fill one year for a trustee. Ann Marie Holland was appointed to board last year when there was a vacancy. She is running under the “Lyndonville Party.” Darren Wilson also submitted a petition to run under the “Main Street Party” in the election.
Voting is from noon to 9 p.m. at Village Hall.
In Lyndonville and Medina, candidates run under independent parties without the official backing of either Republicans or Democrats. Holley used to have its elections in March, but now has them in June.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 February 2018 at 6:40 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers: A crowd gathers in 810 Meadworks in September 2014 during an Ale in Autumn tasting event in Medina. The village updated its zoning to allow wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries and meaderies to be allowed uses in the Downtown Historic District.
The Orleans Economic Development Agency sees the success of many microbreweries and distilleries in historic buildings in other communities.
In Batavia, the Eli Fish Brewing Company will open soon in a former Newberry’s building in the downtown.
In Wilson, the Woodcock Brothers Brewing Co. has become a big attraction in Wilson, Niagara County. Other projects in Western New York are emerging, including an effort to establish a microbrewery and restaurant in an old firehouse in Buffalo.
Orleans County already has a similar success story. 810 Meadworks opened in November 2014 in part of the historic Newell building on West Center Street. Bryan and LaRissa DeGraw operate the business out of space that was most recently a barber shop.
The DeGraws produce mead on site and have a tasting room. Meads are alcoholic drinks made by fermenting honey with water and often fruits, spices, grains and hops.
The Village of Medina had to change its zoning to allow onsite production in the historic district.
The Orleans EDA wants to encourage more similar-type processing facilities. Jim Whipple, chief executive officer of the EDA, said the historic buildings have proven ideal venues for the businesses.
810 Meadworks is located in part of the first floor at 113 West Center St., the R.H. Newell building.
The EDA wants to develop an incentive package for distilleries and micro-breweries, which can attract people to the downtowns, and give other businesses a boost.
The EDA also is willing to work with local governments on adopting zoning to encourage the projects. The EDA wants to partner with local officials to identify buildings for the breweries and distilleries and help to develop a marketing plan to attract potential developers for the businesses, Whipple said.
The agency’s board of directors discussed the issue during Friday’s monthly meeting. Right now the EDA is in the beginning stages. Whipple said he is hopeful other village and town leaders will show an interest in the initiative and work with the EDA.
Medina discussed the issue for several months before revising its zoning ordinance in June 2014. Medina’s zoning now allows for wineries and microbreweries in the historic district and the ordinance gives the village more oversight on the businesses.
The revised regulations state that wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries and meaderies will all be allowed uses in the Downtown Historic District. The village doesn’t limit those businesses to the downtown. They are also be allowed in the General Business District as well as the Light Industrial and Industrial Zones.
The owners of the businesses will need to secure a Special Use Permit. That gives the village more say in the operations for odor, storage, noise and other issues.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 February 2018 at 6:17 pm
Provided photos
MEDINA – Judith Villavisanis, a former Albion resident who now lives in Florida, is back locally to work on a new mural in the children’s section of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.
Villavisanis in 2014 created a new entrance leading to the children’s section. That entrance resembles a giant book and features many characters from children’s books, such as Wilbur, the pig from Charlotte’s Web.
Villavisanis is painting more characters from popular children’s books with the new mural, which is on the south wall of the library.
“When I finished with the book three years ago, I mentioned that the expanse on the south wall was crying out for a visual component,” she said. “But, I never thought I would be back to work on it. Being able to continue my vision in this way is very special to me.”
The current project is a tribute to two people who each served the library for over 20 years: Maryellen Dale as President of the Board of Trustees and Elaine Jamele as Children’s Librarian.
“They both delighted in introducing children to the joys of reading and the wonder of books,” said Catherine Cooper, the library director. “They each derived a particular joy from children’s literature and from the imaginatively iconic, whimsical characters that are now featured on the wall.”
Judith Villavisanis is shown in December 2014, taking a break to pose with a new entrance leading to the children’s section. The entrance resembles a giant book.The portals in the book cover are spots for people to place books. The pig is Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web. She also painted Winnie the Pooh, fairies, elves and other characters.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2018 at 8:41 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Roland Phillips of the Book Shoppe in Medina pours a glass Rosé Hard Cider for Roger and Annette Allis of Medina. The Book Shoppe was one of 28 stops during the 10th annual Wine About Winter in Medina.
There were 854 tickets sold for the event, which includes wine-tastings.
The Rosé Hard Cider served by Phillips was produced as a collaboration by Leonard Oakes Estates Winery in Medina and Rootstocks Ciderworks in Williamson.
Canalside Tattoo was one of the stops on Wine About Winter, which is organized by the Medina Business Association.
Cindy Robinson and Kathy Blackburn are long-time leaders of the MBA. They said the downtown business district is ideal for the event because there are so many shops and businesses that are one-day hosts for the wine-tastings.
Joe Gould of Into The Enigma pours Sauvignon Blanc from 90 + Cellars in Brighton, Mass. He is serving Tony Hipes, Molly Butler, second from left, and Judy Hipes, left. Most of the wines are from the Niagara Wine Trail and Finger Lakes wineries.
Regular tickets for the event are $15. The Medina Business Association pays the wineries a wholesale rate for the wine, rather than asking them to share samples for free. Blackburn of the MBA said the wineries are small businesses and the MBA wants to support them, too, as well as provide a fun outing in the downtown with Wine About Winter.
A souvenir glass highlights the 10th anniversary of Wine About Winter. Blackburn and Robinson of the MBA recalled the first event when they hoped to sell 144 tickets. They had 144 glasses made in 2009. There were 250 tickets for the debut Wine About Winter, with more than 100 people bringing their own glasses.
The event peaked in 2016 with 900 tickets sold. The MBA has considered capping it at 750 but there is too much demand.
Robinson said the wine-tasting has helped introduce people to many of the businesses in the downtown.
The MBA also has an Ale in Autumn event in September and a Sweets in Summer with chocolate and other treats in August.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 February 2018 at 9:14 am
Provided photos
MEDINA – The Medina school district and the Orleans County YMCA celebrated the grand opening of a new Education Recreation Club on Friday evening at the Y.
Dan Doctor, left, is the district’s director of community outreach. He watches kids try some of the games at the site, 306 Pearl St., the former Medina Armory.
The district and Y updated the bottom floor of the YMCA. The district will have after-school programs with tutoring and games in the new Rec Club.
MEDINA – The state Department of Environmental Conservation will detail a proposed $5.1 million of the former Abex Manufacturing facility in Medina at 3959 Bates Rd. The DEC will present a cleanup plan during a public meeting at 6;:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 at Ridgeway Town Hall, 401 West Ave.
The public can make comments at the meeting, or submit them during the 45-day comment period.
The site was originally part of the 48-acre parcel known as the former Abex Corporation Foundry. The 48-acre parcel was subdivided in September 1992 into 2 parcels – 36.7 and 12.3 acre parcels. The 12.3-acre parcel that contains the former foundry buildings was purchased by Brunner International. The 36.7-acre parcel ownership was transferred from Abex to MCG Intermediate Holdings Inc. in 1995 and then in 2006 to County of Orleans Industrial Development Agency.
The former foundry was constructed in the early 1950s. Prior to development the parcels were undeveloped woodland and tilled farmland, according to the DEC fact sheet.
The lagoons were used to collect wash water from the foundry process as well as storm water discharge. The former foundry and manufacturing facility used foundry sands for the casting of metal parts. Foundry sands and waste have been identified across the site and within the settling lagoons. Settled foundry sands in the lagoons was reclaimed for reuse at the former foundry facility by staging adjacent to lagoons or were collected for disposal.
Several Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments were conducted on the site and the adjoining Brunner parcel from 1990 to 2008, the DEC said. The Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments indicated the disposal of remaining foundry sand inventory on site, accumulation of sediment in two of the lagoons, reclaimed foundry sand was staged near the lagoons, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) concentrations in foundry sand disposal area exceeded state standards and guidance values.
A spill of Dasco Kleen and Dasco ARC 417 occurred December 1999 at a pond located behind the former foundry building. A review of past site development and use indicates that site disposal of waste occurred primarily on the western half of the site while the eastern portion of the site has remained largely unaffected by site operations or disposal.
A remedial investigation was conducted under a DEC approved work plan. A total of 159 environmental media samples were collected for laboratory analysis. Investigational activities included:
• Groundwater monitoring well installation and groundwater sampling
• Soil borings and subsurface and surface soil sampling including the lagoons and drainage swales/ditches at the site,
• Soil gas sampling, and
• Surface water sampling.
The laboratory results indicate that the surface and subsurface soil, groundwater, and surface water are impacted above the DEC’s standards and guidance levels for semi-volatile organic compounds and metals, the DEC said.
The impacts appear to be a result of historical activities conducted at the site. Based on the investigation results, the DEC is recommending that the site be remediated.
The remedy proposed for the site includes the following:
• The excavation of all soils in the lagoon areas and along the perimeter of the site that exceed the industrial or protection of groundwater soil cleanup objectives (SCOs).
• The soil/fill material excavated will be transported off-site for disposal at a permitted landfill facility.
• Site restoration activities will include backfill of the excavation areas with clean fill and restore the site to existing grade.
• A cover system will be installed at the site which will include the placement of one foot of cover across approximately 9.50-acres of the site.
• A Site Management Plan will be developed. The Site Management Plan will include an Institutional and Engineering Control Plan that identifies site use restrictions and engineering controls.
The estimated cost to implement the proposed remedy is $5.1 million. Oversight of the cleanup activities will be provided by the DEC.
The DEC is accepting written comments about the proposed remedial action plan for 45 days, from Feb. 2 through March 19.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 January 2018 at 11:58 am
Statue of soldier expected to be installed later this year outside former Armory in Medina
Provided photos courtesy of Lynne Menz
LOCKPORT – Brian Porter of Lockport has been working the past year to create a model of a soldier who looks like one of the young men who trained at the Armory in Medina. The Company F Monument Committee raised $65,000 for a 7-foot-high bronze statue, which is on target to be installed later this fall. It will go on top of a Medina sandstone monument outside the former Medina Armory, which is now a YMCA.
Members of the committee visited Porter’s home studio on Saturday to give a clay model of the statue a final stamp of approval. The model will be moved to the University of Buffalo’s foundry for the mold and casting process.
Those pictured include, from left: Lynne Menz, Cathy Fox, Kathy Iorio, Bill Menz, Jim Freas and Lynne Stewart. Sculptor Brian Porter is in back.
Bill Menz is chairman of the committee that has worked about 10 years on the project. Porter’s model looks like a pre-WWII soldier.
The Company F Memorial Committee is moving along with its effort to have a 7-foot-high bronze statue erected outside the former Armory in Medina.
For about 75 years the Armory on Pearl Street was used as a training site for soldiers . The statue will honor those soldiers and help people appreciate the building’s past in preparing soldiers to defend the country.
Porter is an assistant professor of art at Erie Community College. He created the statue for the Seabees Memorial in North Tonawanda.
The Medina project is the first where he is incorporating 3-D imaging to assist in creating the molds for the cast bronze statue. Porter also collected accessories such as the WWI campaign hat, backpack and a rifle that was carried the day the soldiers left Medina in October 1940.
Lynne Stewart, daughter of WWII veteran Glenn Stewart, holds back her emotions at her first viewing. “He would have been so proud of this,” Stewart said. Porter also was moved by her reaction in seeing the clay model of the solider.
Committee members include three daughters of Company F veterans. The daughters were in attendance to inspect the clay model for approval on Saturday. This was the first time that Lynne Stewart and Kathy Iorio viewed the larger-than-life rendition and were overcome with emotion.
Retired Staff Sargent Jim Freas also saw the model for the first time on Saturday. He shared his expertise and suggested a change to the hand position that would be more representative of marching protocol during that period in military history. The committee members in attendance unanimously approved the sculpture with the requested change.
The final “stamp of approval” was placed by Chairman Menz as suggested by Porter. Menz strategically planted his thumb print on the soldier’s knee as a sign of his approval and also to symbolize his initiative, concept and creation of the Company F Memorial.
Jordan Rath and his son Landon, 3, look at the giant clay soldier. Jordan is a stone mason who will be assisting with the installation. Jordan’s father Brad Rath was involved in Phase I of the memorial as a supplier of sandstone and consultant.
Welder John Kage and Jordan Rath have been recruited by Menz to assist Porter with attaching the finished statue to the existing Medina Sandstone monument. The installation is expected to be this fall.
Provided photos: The cadet Winter Guard unit for Medina competes at Orchard Park on Saturday.
MEDINA – The Winter Guard season actually began in November with auditions followed by practices. This year Medina is sponsoring three guard units. The Pony Cadets, a novice class, consists of 10 new 6th graders performing “Then & Now.”
This is their first season as a member of the North East Color Guard Circuit. Their show is based on the music of two icons in the world of pop music, Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars. This group will not perform at every competition.
The Mustang Cadet WG consists of 13 students in grades 7 and 8 and this is their third year in the NECGC. Their show is “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
Medina’s varsity Winter Guard also competed on Saturday in Orchard Park.
The Varsity Guard consists of 16 girls in grades 9-12 who are seasoned performers. Their show, “24 Hours,” is based on what you would do if you only had 24 hours to live. The music is “Time After Time” by Cindy Lauper and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
On Saturday the Cadet and Varsity guards performed for the first time in Orchard Park. The Cadets took third place out of five competitors. Numerical scores are not given for this class. The Varsity guard is in the Scholastic A class and took first place with a score of 54.66. The next competition, where all three guard units will perform, is Feb. 10 in Batavia.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Cody Crane, a senior at Medina High School, is pictured with Sherri Bensley, assistant director of prevention for GCASA. They have organized a forum on Jan. 30 at the high school about the opioid epidemic. Cody said he wants teen-agers and other community members to discuss the problem and seek help if they are struggling with addictions.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2018 at 4:42 pm
MEDINA – The Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse is always looking for partners to promote prevention and education about addictions.
The agency has found a vocal advocate for education and ending the stigma of addiction in a Medina High School senior.
Cody Crane has worked with GCASA to plan a forum this Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the high school.
Cody, 18, wants the community to talk about the opioid crisis which is affecting many local families. He especially wants high schoolers to be aware of the dangers of using painkillers and other opioids, and the destructive path of addiction that can result.
Tuesday’s program is titled, “Youth unite, battle the stigma.” GCASA staff will give an overview about the epidemic from 6 to 6:30 p.m., with some information about warning signs and understanding that addiction does not discriminate.
Then there will be a panel discussion for an hour. Cody and his mother Christine are on the panel. They have seen loved ones fight addiction. GCASA staff also will be on the panel, including Kathy Hodgins, director of treatment services for GCASA; and Tracey Zakes, a prevention educator for GCASA who works out of the Medina school district. Some people in recovery may also be on the panel.
The final half hour will include training on Narcan, an antidote to someone having an overdose. Narcan can reverse the effects of an overdose and often can save lives.
Cody reached out tot GCASA for the forum. All graduating Medina seniors need to complete at least 10 hours of service with an organization as part of a community service requirement. Cody wanted a forum that would welcome teen-agers. He wants them to be aware of the dangers of the opioid crisis, which has resulted in the deaths of many young people locally and numerous overdoses.
“This is something that needs to be talked about,” he said.
Sherri Bensley, assistant director of prevention for GCASA, said she worries about opioid addictions spreading. The county has “a huge underage drinking problem” and many of those people will gravitate to opioids, she said.
More conversation in the community about the problem should encourage people to seek help, and – she hopes – not get started with using drugs and opioids.
Those struggling with addictions – and their families who often are reeling from the chaos – need support and compassion, Bensley said.
“They’re human,” she said about people fighting addictions. “Somebody loves them. These are people who need love and support.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2018 at 9:09 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Medina Board of Education last August approved selling Towne Primary School for $900,000 to Rainbow CCX International, a company that provides educational services. The sale is expected to close soon.
MEDINA – The school district is pushing to empty the former Towne Primary School. Right now a small part of the site is used by the PTSA to store food and as a packing location for a weekend backpack program.
The PTSA fills backpacks with food for about 70 children in the school. The students receive the backpacks on Fridays to take home over the weekend.
The district might not have another location to serve as the base for the program.
“Everything seems to be maxed out,” said Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent.
He addressed the issue during Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting.
The Board approved selling the school on Aug. 15 for $900,000 to Rainbow CCX International, a company that provides educational services. The sale is close to being final. The district’s insurance company wants the district to vacate the building so the new owner can take over the site soon.
Board members want the backpack program to continue, and want to find a spot for it.
“Let’s try because the program is very beneficial to our students,” said board member Renee Paser-Paull.
Provided photo: Lisa Roeseler, a music teacher at Medina since 1986, will retire at the end of this year.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Lisa Roeseler started at her career as a music teacher Towne Primary School in September 1986 and moved to the High School in September 1987. She has been a popular teacher at Medina, with her vocal ensembles performing in the community, especially the annual holiday concert by the A‘Capella Choir at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Roeseler will retire at the end of this school year. She said there are many highlights in her career, including when her choir twice sang at Kleinhan’s Music Hall in Buffalo. One of those times was working with Grammy and Emmy winning music director and composer John McDaniel.
“He was working as the music director at The Rosie O’Donnell Show and he was the guest conductor with the BPO that year,” she recalled. “He had tears in his eyes because he was so moved by our choir.”
Roeseler also said that her A’Cappella Select Ensemble singing backup for the group Foreigner at Art Park was a big thrill.
“We performed ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ with them,” she said. “That was June of 2012, ten thousand people in the crowd. It was fabulous. It was an awesome experience.”
She also points to her choirs getting A+ ratings at level six at the NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) competitions.
“I wanted to build the choir back up to where Mr. Connor left it,” she said.
Mr. Connor was her choir teacher when she attended Medina High School.
“I have so many fond memories of being in the choir,” Roeseler said. “He did a lot of great things and taught so many people, myself included. It was a great honor when he attended our St. Mary’s concert right before he passed away. He always supported me in my career.”
Roeseler also said it has been wonderful to work at the district that she graduated from and that her mother and father worked at.
“I am so grateful to Mr. Snyder, the principal at the time, for taking a chance on me,” she said. “I was a trumpet player and intended to be an instrumental band director. He interviewed me and gave me the job as high school choir director. When I began teaching at the high school, there was just one big choir.”
Right away, she split the group into two choirs, just as Mr. Connor had.
“And so, I began with 17 in Mixed Chorus and 43 in A’Cappella,” she said. “The program began to grow throughout my career and A’Cappella now averages 92 to 100 and Mixed Chorus 85 to 90. I am very happy that the Medina community continues to embrace the choirs. I really hope the tradition of the A’Cappella Choir continues after my retirement because that is part of Medina, when I think of it.”
File photo: The A’Cappella Choir, led by Lisa Roeseler, performs a holiday concert at a packed St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
The irony of her career is that she never intended to be a music teacher.
“I started out in music therapy at Slippery Rock,” she said. “My first calling was to be a nurse, but I was afraid of the needles and blood. Then I thought, music therapy is kind of medical. Back in the day, they didn’t really exist though except for jobs out in California. I thought I better find another career and a friend of mine was studying music education at Mansfield University and suggested it to me, so I transferred.”
She said Christmas time is hard for any music teacher, but to her, the Community Christmas Concert at St. Mary’s is too much of a tradition to let go.
“We started out at the Presbyterian Church where Mr. Connor had it, but we simply outgrew that church,” Roeseler said. “I was the organist at St. Mary’s, so I asked the rectory if we could move it there. We’ve held it there ever since. I have been asked why I don’t have this particular concert at the high school. I never wanted to, because it then becomes a high school concert. It is for the community, so I wanted to keep it in the community. It is a lot of stress every year, wondering if the A’Cappella can learn the 14 songs, and if they’re going to be ready for the concert. They always pull through with flying colors! I am fortunate enough that my husband and sons have been so supportive of me through the years. My husband is the founding (and only) member of my booster club. He has been there for me for 27 years to help set up and tear down at every community concert. He has been a saint.”
Looking back, she says she had wished she knew the first few years of teaching were probably her greatest.
“A lot of my students back then are now teachers, like Mrs. Woodruff, Mrs. Jones and Mr. Eick, just to name a few,” she said. “They were my first students. We laughed a lot and it was just a simpler time. I have a lot of great memories, but it is time for me to move on.”
Roeseler said she looks forward to a slower pace in retirement.
“I just want to tend to my lawn and work in our vegetable gardens,” she said. “Maybe take a part-time job at a local store or be a receptionist in a medical office. All I can say is that it has been a wonderful, wonderful career here. I hope whoever takes over continues with our traditions. I think the A’Cappella Choir is one of Medina’s best kept secrets. I get emotional when I look at my choirs and I see the smorgasbord of students from athletes, the highly academic, and the kids who just go home after school and watch TV. It’s a melting pot, but when you get them together for the purpose of expressing themselves through singing, they just shine. When that happens, I feel like I have succeeded.”
Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, said that Roeseler is a true treasure for the Medina Central School District.
“One of the highlights every year is watching her choirs perform, both at St. Mary’s and in the school,” he said. “Personally, I am really going to miss working with Lisa. I would like to wish her all of the best for a long and happy retirement. It is going to be impossible to replace her.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 January 2018 at 11:04 am
MEDINA – The school district is working to present a budget to the public in May that won’t raise property taxes.
The 2017-18 school budget reduced taxes by 0.22 percent, down from $8,660,915 to $8,641,861. The Medina Board of Education and school administrators are trying to keep the tax levy at $8,641,861 in the 2018-19 budget.
The district has steadily been reducing taxes in recent years. The 2013-14 budget had a $9,135,636 tax levy. Medina has reduced school taxes by $493,775 since then, a 5.4 percent decrease.
The district has already cut more than $600,000 from early budget requests for the next school year. It still has about $385,000 to either cut and find more revenues in order to keep taxes flat.
The district expects the final state budget will help fill the gap. The district also will keep looking for ways to reduce spending, said Marc Graff, director of finance and human resources.
Medina’s total school aid in the governor’s budget is up by $129,429 to $24,585,767, about two thirds of the district’s budget that will be about $37 million in 2018-19.
Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, said he expects state legislators will push for more school aid as part of budget negotiations.
Will the extra aid cover the entire $385,000 gap? If it doesn’t, Kruzynski said school officials need to find more reductions in the budget. There is a chance the Legislature could come through with more aid beyond the $385,000. If that happens, Kruzynski said some of the cuts thus far might not have to be made. Some of the reductions identified so far for 2018-19 include an elementary summer school program and not replacing some retiring teachers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 January 2018 at 9:46 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman: Helmets for the Mustang football team are lined up in the end zone on Sept. 15, when Vets Park hosted its first game after renovations.
MEDINA – The Board of Education said on Tuesday it would welcome football players from Barker to play on Medina’s team.
Medina already has players from Lyndonville. They practice and play their home games in Medina, and wear the Mustang uniforms. That’s how David Sevenski, the board president, wants it to continue with Barker.
“Just so Barker knows they would be Mustangs,” Sevenski said during Tuesday’s board meeting.
The two schools need to iron out an intermunicipal agreement. Barker has proposed paying $400 for each of its players to be on the Medina team. That would help with the cost of uniforms and coaches, said Mark Kruzynski, Medina district superintendent.
The Lyndonville players have fit in well with the Medina program, and have been contributors to the team, Board of Education members said. The Medina helmets include Tiger paw prints on the back to recognize the Lyndonville players.
Sevenski, the Medina board president, didn’t want to alter the Medina uniforms to accommodate the Barker players, citing the cost. Barker could have 8 to 10 players on the Medina team, Kruzynski said.
Medina and Lyndonville also have a shared soccer team. They typically wear Medina uniforms and play in Medina. However, they do wear Lyndonville uniforms for at least one game a year in Lyndonville.
Roy-Hart ended its agreement with Barker after the recent football season. That change will drop Roy-Hart into a lower classification as a C school. Roy-Hart believes it can better compete in the C division, rather than against B-size schools, Medina officials said on Tuesday.
Medina currently is a B school with the Lyndonville students. Medina would continue in the same classification with Barker, Kruzynski said.
Wendi Pencille, a Medina BOE member, said she would like to see Medina make a commitment to Barker for more than a year so the Barker players don’t have to worry about not having a team.
“I’d like to make sure we never pull the rug out on these kids like Roy-Hart did,” Pencille said during the board meeting. “That was grossly unfair.”
Kruzynski said Medina and Barker will work on the details for Barker to play on the Medina team.
Renee Paser-Paull, a Medina board member, said she is concerned about football and other high-impact sports where players can suffer cognitive issues due to concussions and “micro head hits.” She urged the board and school district to be mindful of the emerging research on head injuries in sports.
“The high-impact sports can have an impact on the futures of our kids,” she said.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Diana Fulcomer, a prevention educator with the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, is pictured with Jason Smith, superintendent of Lyndonville Central School. Fulcomer has been spending at least a day of week at the district this school year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 January 2018 at 10:24 am
‘We’re trying to prevent kids from using the drugs that are killing people.’
Two school districts have increased the presence of prevention educators from the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. Lyndonville and Medina both have GCASA staff in school buildings at least a day a week this school year. Diana Fulcomer has been working out of Lyndonville and Tracy Zakes has been connecting with Medina students.
“It’s been a great program,” said Jason Smith, superintendent of Lyndonville Central School. “I appreciate the partnership with GCASA.”
Fulcomer and Zakes have age-specific programs, as well as workshops for parents.
The educators teach students about the dangers of addictive substances. Fulcomer in some of her presentations focuses on making healthy choices, which includes getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods and not spending too much time on social media.
Smith said he supports the expanded message – coping skills and making good choices.
“If the students are having issues with anxiety, we don’t want them turning to substances,” he said.
Lyndonville and Medina are both paying GCASA $3,500 this school year to have a prevention educator work out of the district.
Mark Kruzynski, Medina superintendent, said Zakes spends at least a day a week at the district. She meets with at-risk high schoolers and other students. She starts with students as young as third grade, teaching communication skills to those elementary students and urging them not to express their anger and frustration through violence.
“It’s going very well,” Kruzynski said about the partnership with GCASA. “Not only do we have the opioid epidemic, but kids today are exposed to so many things.”
Zakes some days spends a solid workday in the district, and other days might only be there a short time. Zakes has been a big asset in helping the district educate students about the dangers of drugs, he said.
“We’re trying to prevent kids from using the drugs that are killing people,” Kruzynski said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 January 2018 at 10:23 am
MEDINA – The Orleans Economic Development Agency on Friday approved about $300,000 in incentives to help facilitate an expansion at Takeform Architectural Graphics.
The EDA board of directors also agreed to sell ¾ of an acre of vacant land to Takeform for $7,500. That land is needed for the 15,500-square-foot expansion and for a parking lot with 40 spaces.
Takeform is doing the expansion behind its current building at 11601 Maple Ridge Rd. The company expects to add 50 full-time jobs over the next three years.
The company currently has 150 employees. That is a significant increase from the nine workers when Takeform started in 2003.
The company will add full-time employees in engineering, graphic design, sales, customer service, project management, machining, fabrication, engraving and assembly. Jim Whipple, the EDA chief executive officer, said the positions will pay an average of $43,000 annually.
Takeform designs and manufactures custom signage and graphics. The expansion will provide manufacturing and design space to accommodate a new business line – the design and printing of products such as custom wall coverings and window films.
Takeform is doing a $2.5 million expansion with a new building, equipment and furnishings. It won’t have to pay taxes on the addition the first year, with 10 percent of the taxes added each following year.
That 10-year PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) will save the company $222,735 in taxes over 10 years. Takeform will be paying $182,238 in taxes on the addition over the 10 years, which represents new tax revenues on land that is currently vacant.
The company also was approved for a $68,844 sales tax abatement. Takeform won’t have to pay the 8 percent sales tax on $860,552 in taxable purchases.
It also won’t have to pay the 1 percent mortgage tax on a $2.5 million mortgage, which will save the company $25,000.
Altogether, the EDA incentives add up to $316,579.
The company’s total investment with the expansion, salaries and benefits for the new employees over three years, and new taxes totals $20.2 million. Dividing that by the $316,579 in incentives shows a benefit/cost ratio of 63.7 to 1. That is more than three times the EDA’s target of 20 to 1 in a benefit/cost ratio, Whipple said.
The EDA board on Friday also approved a $120,000 loan to Takeform/Quorum Group from the EDA’s revolving loan fund account. That is to be paid back over five years at 75 percent of the prime interest rate, which would be 3.19 percent based on a 4.25 percent prime rate.
Provided photos courtesy of Lynne Menz
