Captain Mike Maak retires after 27 ½ years with MFD

File photo – Medina firefighter Mike Maak, right, is pictured with Ridgeway Fire Chief Don Marchner last March during a pellet stove fire on Porter Road in Ridgeway.

MEDINA – Mike Maak, a captain in the Medina Fire Department who was instrumental in the department’s move to full-time ambulance services in Western Orleans County, has retired, effective Jan. 21.

Maak served 27 ½ years with the Fire Department, starting as a callman. Besides his role as captain, he also had been serving as officer in charge since Todd Zinkievich retired as fire chief last June.

“He’s done a lot for the village,” Deputy Mayor Mike Sidari said about Maak at Monday night’s Village Board meeting. “He was instrumental in the ambulance.”

The Fire Department replaced Rural Metro in July 2007 as primary ambulance provider in western Orleans County. The Department grew from six full-time firefighters to 13 as part of the transition and its call volume increased from about 300 a year to nearly 3,000.

Maak in recent years has pushed the Village Board to add more full-time firefighters to help handle the call volume and reduce overtime. He also ran for a county legislator position and lost to incumbent David Callard about four years ago.

Maak’s retirement opens another leadership position in the Fire Department. The Village Board will soon interview candidates for the fire chief’s job and expects to make an appointment next month, Sidari said. Then it will need to fill Maak’s captain position.

Filling those two positions will open two firefighter jobs if the positions are filled internally.

The Medina Police Department also has two full-time positions open, including a lieutenant’s position. Chad Kenward, the new police chief effective Dec. 27, announced that one patrolman, Ed Bower, is leaving Jan. 31 for a job at the Gates Police Department. The village is accepting another officer in a lateral transfer. However, two other positions need to be filled.

The Village Board will busy with interviews to fill some of the positions, and Sidari said existing staff will have to work more hours to cover all of the shifts.

The village should see some savings when the new firefighters and police officers are hired because they will start at lower salaries than the retiring personnel, Sidari said.

File photo – The Village of Medina won’t allow electronic signs like this one at Medina Central School on Maple Ridge Road. The school district isn’t subject to the village’s zoning laws.

MEDINA – The Village of Medina passed a law this evening that bans electronic signs, those featuring animation, flashing, scrolling or spinning messages.

The Village Planning Board recommended the new law, saying it wanted to preserve the character, heritage and history of the community. That emphasis on historical preservation has driven the current “renaissance” in the downtown business district, Planning Board Chairman Chris Busch wrote to the Village Board.

Busch said the Planning Board strives for sign designs that inform but don’t overwhelm people. Digital signs can pose a safety concern because they tend to hold a drivers’ attention for an extended period of time, he said.

Busch said the Planning Board was united in the push to ban the electronic signs. Tim Elliott, a member of the Planning Board, attended tonight’s Village Board meeting.

“In the village you’re coming into a historic area and we don’t want them in,” he said about the signs.

The school district has an electronic sign. That sign was put in before the new law was passed. The school district also isn’t subject to village zoning regulations.

MEDINA – The Village Board is raising the ambulance rates for the Medina Fire Department by 3 percent, and increasing the mileage rate by $3 to $33 per mile.

The new rates are right in line with ambulances in the area, said Eric Dodge, client relations executive for MedEx Billing, Inc.

The village in October 2014 raised the ambulance mileage rate from $20 to $30.

The Village Board this evening approved the 3 percent overall increase in ambulance bills. Medina billed an average of $570.79 per call in fiscal year 2013-14 and $553.41 in 2014-15, according to the report.

The village uses MedEx for is billing. Dodge compared the revenue for the ambulance from the two fiscal years. The amount paid for ambulance services increased from $999,253 (from June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014) to $1,063,610 (from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015).

The Fire Department is seeing less revenue per call on average as more patients are on Medicare, rather than private insurance. Medicare pays at a lower rate. The total Medicare patients increased from 1,233 in 2013-14 to 1,458 in 2014-15, according to the ambulance report.

“What you guys are experiencing is pretty much what everyone else is since the Affordable Care Act,” Dodge told the Village Board.

The number of patients on private insurance dropped from 340 in 2013-14 to 196 the following fiscal year.

Medina was able to increase the percentage of calls that were paid from 88.3 percent to 91.1 percent. That helped boost the total revenue for the ambulance service.

Dodge said Medina has a higher collection rate than the typical ambulance provider. He suggested the village use a different collection agency that sends outstanding bills to credit agencies, affecting the delinquent payers’ credit score. Right now the collection agency doesn’t send that report. Dodge said some people may need that incentive to pay their bills.

Some insurance providers send the bill to pay for the ambulance service to the patient, who should turn those checks over to the Fire Department for the ambulance service. In 2013-14, there were 133 checks kept by patients, and 123 in 2014-15.

Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Kevin Sadrak, one of the performers in the Billy Martin’s Cole All-Star Circus, is high above the show ring in his routine in Medina’s middle school gym on Friday.

The circus performers put on two shows in Medina on Friday. It was a busy week for the cast with performances Sunday in Franklinville, Monday in Coudersport, Tuesday in Albion, Wednesday in Emporium, Thursday in Holley, Friday with two shows in Medina, and today with shows in Livonia and Honeoye.

Jonathan, one of the performers with the Rinny family from Argentina, rides a five-wheel unicycle in the center stage. Friday’s performances were also a fund-raiser for the Twig Association at Medina Memorial Hospital.

Vincent, one of the circus performers, holds a big snake during intermission. People could get their picture taken with snakes.

Vincent turned 14 on Friday. He is pictured with show promoter Billy Martin, who had the crowd sing Happy Birthday to Vincent, who has grown up in the circus.

One of the Rinny family members smiles for the crowd after a juggling routine.

Lucy Perez, 2, of Medina snacks on popcorn during the show in Medina.

One of the jugglers performs on Friday. He also juggled Ping Pong balls with his mouth.

Kevin Sedrak, a contortionist, folds himself into box during one of his routines.

Roger, left, one of the circus comedic performers recruited audience volunteers in a rendition of the famous YMCA song and dance.

Brushstrokes Studios celebrates grand opening

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA Tim and Crystal Elliott, owners of Brushstrokes Studios, celebrate the grand opening of the business today at 409 Main St.

The business opened on Nov. 28 during Medina’s Old Tyme Christmas festival. Brushstrokes has been busy since then, hosting parties, classes and other people who paint their own ceramics or create glass fused art.

“It’s entertainment whether you are 2 years old or 100,” Mr. Elliott said. “You can create a memory.”

Brushstrokes celebrated the grand opening with a ribbon cutting. Pictured, from left, include: employee Jamie Whitmore, Crystal and Tim Elliott, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Deputy Mayor Mike Sidari, and Kathy Blackburn, executive director of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

The business is located in what was once the long-time home for The Journal-Register, Medina’s community newspaper.

“It’s unique,” said Blackburn, the Chamber director. “It’s another thing for children and people to do.”

Customers can paint their own ceramics, such as this frog. It is then glazed, dried and put in a kiln, bringing out vibrant colors.

Brushstrokes also has a glass kiln for artwork and pieces made with glass fusing.

The Elliotts say they already have many dedicated customers, and people interested in classes to learn techniques and hone their skills or just have fun.

“People want something new to do,” Mr. Elliott said. “You get a tangible item to take home.”

Crystal Elliott holds one of the glass fused pieces at Brushstrokes. With glass fusing, glass plates and strings of glass are melted in a design and then can be bent with curves.

Crystal is an elementary school teacher currently working as a long-term substitute teacher at Lyndonville.

She has been working on Brushstrokes for about 2 1/2 years, wanting to give families an activity they can do together. She completed a small business class through the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

Tim Elliott fills a palette with paint at Brushstrokes. Elliott, after working a corporate job, has bought and managed properties in the Medina area, in addition to now owning Brushstrokes with his wife.

The Elliotts have created a High Five Hall of Fame for some of their customers. The blue handprint was made by Madelyn, their 6-year-old daughter. Assemblyman Steve Hawley added his handprint to the display today.

For more on Brushstrokes, call (585) 735-5953 or visit the business’s Facebook page by clicking here.

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health, the parent organization of Medina Memorial Hospital, is eliminating four full-time positions from nursing, care management and registration.

The job cuts represent about 1 percent of the overall staff of 422 workers. The layoffs are effective Feb. 14, said Wendy Jacobson, CEO and president of Orleans Community Health.

“OCH expects to minimize the actual number of reductions by offering impacted associates the opportunity to apply for other vacant positions within the health system,” she said today.

Medina Memorial, like many other hospitals, saw a decrease in patient volume in 2015, Jacobson said.

“The reductions and reassignments also come at a time when area health providers are facing increasing pressure to find operational efficiencies amid continued state and federal cutbacks in healthcare reimbursement and an overall weak economy,” she said in a statement.

Medina Memorial in April was designated as a “Critical Access Hospital” by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

“Operational efficiencies are imperative for designated Critical Access Hospitals and those efficiencies are closely monitored by State and Federal regulatory bodies,” Jacobson said.

The Critical Access designation should bolster the hospital’s chances for grants. Jacobson said she is awaiting notification on one grant that would be great news for Medina Memorial.

Provided photo – Medina posters winners Jaxon Phillips, left, and Logan Meacham are pictured with Medina Lions Club President James Hancock.

Press Release

MEDINA – Every year, Lions Clubs around the world sponsor the Lions International Peace Poster Contest in local schools.

The contest encourages young people to use their artistic abilities and create a poster that represents their vision of peace. Millions of children participate worldwide every year.

This year the Medina Lions Club recognized two Clifford Wise Middle School students for their artwork. Logan Meacham, a sixth grader, took the top honor and sixth grader Jaxon Phillips received an honorable mention.

Physical education teacher Travis Phillips is a Lions Club member and organizes the contest for the club, who had a record number of entries this year.

The school’s art teacher Judy Light says it was great exercise for her students.

“I find the contest to be a good challenge for my students,” Light said. “It is unusual that there is no slogan or logo. The students have to create their image about a message of peace using only symbols and pictures and no words.”

Provided photos – Charles Slack, left, and John Slack were recognized for their many years of service to Medina Savings & Loan on Monday.

MEDINA – Charles Slack and his cousin John Slack both were recognized on Monday during the board of directors meeting at Medina Savings & Loan.

The two are retiring from their positions with Charles serving 37 years on the board, including 25 years as chairman. John gave 27 years to the organization.

Charles has worked in the insurance business and is co-owner of Slack Insurance with his son, Martin. John worked at Fisher-Price and is currently an adjunct professor for GCC in business and marketing.

Medina Savings & Loan has been in the community since 1888.

“We’re one of the few community-chartered banks left,” said Don Colquhoun, who was picked as the board’s new chairman on Monday. “The whole industry is getting rid of the little guy.”

Medina S & L serves Orleans County, eastern Niagara and northern Genesee. Colquhoun said the bank is in “very sound financial condition.”

Colquhoun, a retired executive director for The Arc of Orleans County, prefers the smaller banks to the bigger corporate conglomerates.

“In a small community, small is better,” he said. “We take the money the people deposit and invest it locally. It all stays local.”

The board of directors for the bank are pictured, from left, bottom row: Tim Moriarty (president), Katherine Bogan, Charles Slack, John Slack and Don Colquhoun. Top row: Jeanne Whipple, Craig Lacy, Kathleen Boice, James Gardner, Richard Barry and Ed Fancher.

Provided photo – Medina Mustang Band student leaders are pictured at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse for the New York State Field Band Conference Championship. Students include, from left: Alexis Neuman (Guard Captain, Andrea Toussaint (Assistant Drum Major), Amanda Lunden (Drum Major), Tristan Sanders (Assistant Drum Major) and Brittani Goodin (Guard Captain).

MEDINA – The Medina Mustang Band is going to Disney World. The band, which finished second in the state championship in Syarcuase on Nov. 1, will be performing a compilation of Disney Music at the Grand Parade at the Magic Kingdom on April 22.

The band is looking forward to this once in a lifetime trip and what the new season will bring.

Band Director Jimmy Steele said he is very proud of the band for its accomplishments in the fall season.

“We did a magic show called ‘Illusions.’ The kids did a great job and we were really thrilled with the progress of the little ones from day one of band camp to the end of the season,” he said. “The growth of the kids and how they felt about their performance was great. Overall it was a great season.”

The Medina Band Boosters have been raising money so the cost to students has been reduced to $275 a person. The Boosters are doing another pizza sale on Jan. 30. The last one sold 1,800 pizzas in six hours.

Route 104 Redemption Center also is offering a 6-cent return on bottles and cans that are received to be credited to the Mustang Marching Band.

Nevaeh Roberts

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – When Clifford Wise Middle School teacher Karen Pane heard that one of her students, Nevaeh Roberts, was ill and needed a bone marrow transplant, it saddened Pane and the fourth graders in her class.

The students wanted to do something to help Nevaeh and her family and decided to sell cookies and have a fundraiser to offset some of her medical costs. It was no surprise that students and staff in the Medina School District, who consider themselves family, showed up in a big way.

Natalie Miles shows off one of the 100 cookies she sold.

When all the cookies were sold, Mrs. Pane was able to donate over $1,500 to Nevaeh’s family.

“The students didn’t stop there either,” says Mrs. Pane. “They donated toys, games and activities for her to pass the time when she was receiving treatment in the hospital. They also made cards, wrote notes and created a book to show Nevaeh how much they loved and supported her in her battle. Her mother shared with me how humbled and thankful her family is for everything the district has done for her family. The best part of all is that her bone marrow transplant was a success and Nevaeh should be returning to school in March.”

MEDINA – Firefighters were dispatched to a kitchen fire at 7:08 p.m. today. Firefighters arrived at 105 Starling Drive to smoke coming from a one-story house.

Crews encountered and quickly extinguished a fire in the kitchen that had extended into the cupboards and wall area. The resident of the house was evaluated by EMS crews on scene and refused transport to a hospital, said Steve Cooley, a Medina firefighter and public information officer.

Damage to the structure and contents is estimated at $20,000. The cause appears to be accidental but remains under investigation at this time by Medina fire investigators with assistance from the Medina Police Department. The resident is staying with relatives at this time.

Also assisting on scene were the East Shelby and Lyndonville fire companies.