Provided photos
BUFFALO – The Medina Mustang Band performed on Friday at the state conference for the New York State United Teachers. The band performed before about 2,000 to 2,500 people, representing school districts from throughout the state, at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.

The band performed portions of its street show, “Miss Saigon” and the National Anthem. It was exciting and a source of pride when delegates from other schools complimented our students and their accomplishment in this program, said Kathy Dreyfus, publicity chairwoman for the Marching Band.

May is a busy month for the band starting with the Seneca Falls Pageant on May
15-16, the spring trip to a music festival in Cleveland from May 21-24, Medina’s Memorial Day parade on May 25, and the Gorham Pageant on May 29-30.

The Middle School Spring Concert is June 1 and the High School Spring
Concert is June 2, with both at Medina High School. The season finale is the Band Banquet on June 5.

The band also held its last pizza sale of the school year on April 25, and it was another sell-out. The band wants to thank the community for their continued support of the pizza sales. The photo includes Brianna Bellan (left) and Andrea Toussaint.

MEDINA – Medina firefighters were dispatched to Glenwood Lake today at about 1:15 p.m. after a boat capsized with people in the water, the Fire Department reported.

People fishing from the shore made the emergency call. Firefighters arrived to the scene and found two people holding onto the canoe and being assisted by another boater.

Both people were brought ashore and assessed by firefighters. The two people said they weren’t injured and refused transport for medical treatment.

Both people were wearing life jackets, the Fire Department reported.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Mark Merithew is pictured inside Apple Blossom Florist at 530 Main St., Medina. He has owned the business for about two years and plans to close it at the end of this month.

MEDINA – After 26 years in corporate America, Mark Merithew was looking for a break and a change of pace. He also wanted to follow a dream of running his own business.

His sister, Betty Rogowski, knew an opportunity in Medina. Rogowski owns a bed and breakfast in the village. She also was doing payroll for Apple Blossom Florist.

She told her brother the flower shop was for sale. Merithew decided to buy it from the former owner, Lisa Trippensee, who agreed to stay on a floral designer.

Merithew had his first day of business on April 1, 2013. Now, more than two years later, he is planning to close the business the end of May. He is also willing to sell it. He said the business is profitable, but flowers haven’t been his forte.

He wants to return to his former life in consumer lending, with a focus on putting together financial packages for college students.

“If you’re going to own your own business you should really have a passion for it,” he said this afternoon. “I’m a creative guy but my talent isn’t with flowers.”

Rene Miller, a floral designer at Apple Blossom, works on an arrangement.

Merithew moved to Kent and enjoys his home by Lake Ontario. He wants to stay there after living in Rochester, Cincinnati and northern Virginia. He welcomes a return to work that he said better utilizes his skills. He said he is creative in seeing a spreadsheet and figuring out ways to make college affordable for students.

He appreciates the warm reception from the community the past two years.

“I was an outsider moving in from Virginia,” he said. “The community has been very welcoming.”

Merithew has three part-time employees, including two designers. His sister has also stayed on doing payroll.

Merithew also has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce board of directors, Medina Business Association and has helped with many community events.

He will ramp up for Mother’s Day and then said he is planning a “Time to say good-bye sale” until the end of May.

He also is looking for a home for “Blossom,” a cat that has been staying at the site.

“I’d like to say, ‘Thank you’ to Medina and the Orleans County community,” Merithew said. “I’ve always wanted to own my own business. It was on my to-do list.”

The location has been a flower shop for about 20 years. Before it was Apple Blossom, it was Floristry by Trudy.

Merithew said he enjoyed the many connections in the community throughout the day.

“It’s been a lot of fun coming in here and seeing the customers and the employees,” he said.

For more information on Apple Blossom, visit abfflowers.com.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Employees at Orleans Community Health were out in downtown Medina trying to get public support for a new contract. These employees are pictured in front of the Bent’s Opera House.

MEDINA – Workers at Medina Memorial Hospital/Orleans Community Health say their pay would barely budge over the next three years, according to the contract proposal from Medina Memorial.

The 281 employees in the union were out doing public demonstrations in downtown Medina today, and will be back from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, trying to build public support for a new contract.

Orleans Community Health is offering a three-year deal that would keep employees’ pay at no increase the first year, followed by a 0.25 percent pay hike and then another 0.5 percent in the third year, said Gerard Wojcinski, a respiratory therapist at the hospital and a union delegate.

He said Medina employees are already the lowest paid healthcare workers in Western New York hospitals represented by the union, 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.

Workers at Medina Memorial/OCH are pushing for raises at 5.75 percent in the first year, followed by 4 percent in both the second and third years.

“It would help increase our pay compared to other hospitals in the area,” Wojcinski said at Medina Rotary Park today.

There were about 25 OCH employees at the demonstration this afternoon. Wojcinski said many of the passing cars gave the demonstrators supportive honks.

In addition to the small pay increases, Medina Memorial/OCH leaders want to cut shift differential pay for nurses on the night shift. That is currently a 20 percent difference over the nurse pay during the day.

Workers at Medina Memorial/Orleans Community Health are pictured at Rotary Park. The group includes, from left: Donna Keavney, Debbie Stocker, Noel Kepner, Stephanie Atwell, Gerard Wojcinski, Terra Blount, and Maria Higgs with her children Lincoln and Wyatt Higgs in stroller.

Wojcinski also said a training and education fund would be eliminated, and workers wouldn’t be able to carry over as much unused time. With the most recent contract they could carry over 150 hours a year, but the hospital is proposing to reduce that to 37.5 hours maximum. Anything beyond 150 hours was previosuly paid at the employees’ regular hourly pay. That would be cut by 75 percent after 150 hours of unused carryover time, Wojcinski said.

Employees would also lose pay step increases, weekend differential pay, daily overtime pay, and a drop in Christmas and New Year’s holiday pay, the union said.

The employee contract expired on Dec. 31, 2014.

The pay raises and benefit requests by the union would cost the Orleans Community Health an additional $1.7 million a year, OCH leaders said in a statement today.

“The changes in healthcare reimbursement and shifts in patient volume continue to impact many area healthcare organizations like Orleans Community Health,” OCH said in a statement. “The current contract includes pay practices such as daily overtime and shift differential (from 7.5% to 20% of the hourly pay rate). These pay practices can no longer be supported under the current healthcare environment.”

OCH has proposed the same health insurance and pension programs for employees.

“Orleans Community Health must make sure we have affordable and quality healthcare available for our community,” according to the statement.

Wojcinski and the union say they worry about high staff turnover and low morale if the OCH proposal goes through.

The union said the hospital management and employees have weathered some tough years to keep Medina Memorial open. But the site has turned the corner now that it has higher federal reimbursement rates as a “critical access hospital” and an affiliation with the Catholic Health System, providing access to physicians.

“That’s why we don’t understand why hospital management is demanding that we take pay and benefit cuts in our contract negotiations,” according to a flyer given out by the union today.

Village plans to eliminate 3 positions through attrition

MEDINA – On Monday the Village Board presented a budget to the public that called for an 11.7 percent increase in the tax rate. The public and board members agreed that was too high.

The board met Tuesday, Wednesday and this evening to continue working on the spending plan. The final budget was approved unanimously tonight that will raise the tax rate by 4.2 percent from $16.43 to $17.13 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The rate was at $18.36 before the board decided to make more cuts and put some equipment purchases in a bond.

The board expects a new ambulance for $143,000 and a new police car for $26,000 will be purchased in the next budget year that starts June 1. The village will likely borrow funds for those vehicles rather than pay for the full costs in the 2015-16 budget.

Mayor Andrew Meier said if additional revenue streams come through, the village may be able to pay for the ambulance and police car without borrowing. That would save the village interest costs. He also doesn’t want to see Medina get in the habit of borrowing for ambulances and police vehicles.

But he doesn’t want to see the tax rate continue the upward trajectory.

“Borrowing the money doesn’t solve our problems,” Meier said. “It kicks the can down the road.”

The budget also includes three eliminated positions through attrition, positions that haven’t been identified. The board wants to discuss the issue first with employees and department heads.

The overall $5,037,089 budget increases spending by 1.6 percent or $79,575. The village will take in $2,848,608 in taxes, a 4.1 percent increase or an additional $111,006 from 2014-15.

Meier said Medina is challenged with a shrinking tax base and stagnant revenues outside of property taxes.

The board worked diligently all month to bring the tax increase down to about 4 percent.

“It’s still bad,” Meier said about the increase. “None of us should feel good about a 4 percent tax increase. We should be going in the other direction.”

Photo by Tom Rivers – Medina village residents, including Ed Weider (left) and Dave Barhite, voice concerns about a sizable tax increase during a budget hearing on Monday.

MEDINA – Village property owners are looking at a sizable tax increase, barring some last-minute budget slashing or a boost in revenues for the village.

The Village Board on Monday presented a budget to the public that increases the tax rate by nearly $2 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The village tax rate is $16.44 in 2014-15, but would rise to $18.36, an 11.7 percent increase, in the proposed 2015-16 budget.

Village Board members and department heads say they have been working diligently on the budget all month and have already made many cuts. The board will meet this evening, Wednesday and Thursday to try to reduce the tax impact. Thursday is the deadline to approve a budget.

“Everybody sitting up here owns property in the village,” Village Trustee Mike Sidari said during a public hearing on Monday. “We don’t want to see our village taxes increase either, but some things have to be done.”

Village Board members say they are challenged to maintain services for the community without increasing taxes. The village’s overall tax base fell by $292,276, from $166,544,439 in 2014-15 to $166,252,163, giving the village less tax base to share the fiscal burden.

The shrinking tax base is a factor in the rising tax rate. The budget calls for increasing the tax levy by $315,319 to $3,052,921. The equipment budget would see a $173,907 increase with a new ambulance driving most of that.

The village also has put off some needed equipment upgrades, mainly a new ambulance. The Fire Department has four ambulances and Mayor Andrew Meier said the department should be on a cycle of replacing one a year.

The last new ambulance was in 2013. A new ambulance costs about $140,000. The village is carrying over $66,000 in a reserve fund to help pay for the new ambulance.

Village Board members said they have reached out to Shelby and Ridgeway to contribute to the ambulances. Those towns used to contribute $5,000 each annually to Rural Metro when it provided ambulance services in the community. But they haven’t contributed that money to Medina since its fire department became the primary ambulance provider for Western Orleans County in the past decade.

“We’re a very important piece of the pie for emergency services and they should help contribute,” David Barhite, a former village trustee, said during a public hearing.

He would like to see Yates contribute to the service, as well as Ridgeway and Shelby.

Mitchell Harmer, a local resident, said the towns shouldn’t be expected to pay. When Medina pitched the ambulance service to the community about a decade ago, it didn’t tell the towns it should pay towards the service.

“You wanted to be in the ambulance business,” Harmer said.

Village Trustee Owen Toale said he doesn’t understand why the towns gave money to Rural Metro, “for shoddy ambulance service,” but won’t give money to the village for the service.

Village officials are meeting with representatives from the two towns in renewed shared service discussions following a rejection of dissolution of the village in January.

Toale was elected last month on a campaign for cooperation over consolidation. He believes the coming months will show real progress with the towns helping the village taxpayers.

That won’t have much of an impact in the 2015-16 village budget, but village trustees are hopeful the effort with the two towns can make a difference for the village in the future.

The Village Board is looking for a boost in revenues, outside of raising property taxes. The board on April 13 approved a resolution for the County Legislature to change the formula for sharing local sales tax. The county keeps about 92 percent of the $15 million in sales tax locally.

But only about $400,000 of the total, less than 3 percent, is redirected to the villages. The county shares $1,366,671 of the $15 million with the 10 towns and four villages. That overall town and village share has been frozen since 2001.

Medina receives $159,586 in sales tax revenue. The county divvies up the village and town shares based on assessed values of each municipality. Because the village’s tax base is dropping and the towns are increasing, the villages are getting less in sales tax with the towns getting more.

Trustee Sidari said he would like to see the other villages push for a fairer sales tax formula, and an increase in funds. Freezing the money to the towns and villages is a factor in the rising village tax rate over the years, village officials said.

The board will continue to look at the village budget, for ways to reduce costs. Sidari said Medina already runs a lean operation.

But he thinks there could be some small savings perhaps through a uniform phone provider, by using state bids and perhaps some immediate shared services with the towns.

“These are nickels and dimes,” he said. “But the small stuff can add up.”

Barhite, the former village trustee, urged the board to reach out to the employee unions and seek a wage freeze.

Village resident Mary Hare said an 11.7 percent tax rate increase would be “a good whack” at homeowners, raising their taxes by $100 to $200.

She praised the services provided by the village, and she thanked the department heads and the village employees for their commitment to Medina.

She knows those services come with a cost, but she urged the board to find ways to reduce the tax increase.

“I love the village,” she said. “Our services are fabulous and they don’t come cheap.”

The board will meet 5 p.m. today at the village offices on Park Avenue, with additional budget meetings at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Photos courtesy of Medina Central School

MEDINA – More than hundred students at Medina High School spent several hours working on community service projects in the community on Monday.

The top photos shows an IMPACT group from Medina that includes, from left: Teacher Julie Webber, Johann Anderson, Renee Masters, Lydia Battaglia, Karizma Lathrop and Jessica James.

Students had an option of remaining at school and helping out around the campus or going out in the community.

“We were very impressed with the turnout of students that wanted to volunteer their time,” said teacher Kim Zakes. “We had a lot of underclassmen who wanted to get involved which was great. The students actually came up with the idea on their own from their IMPACT group, which stands for Influencing Many People As Concerned Teens. We all thought it was a fantastic idea.”

Teacher Krista Duhow says they reached out to Village of Medina Public Works Superintendent Peter Houseknecht to see where the students could lend a hand.

Allison and Jake Bensley get ready to head out to clean Butts Park.

“We had groups going to the canal, Boxwood Cemetery and Butts Park to help clean up,” she said.

Teacher Julie Webber helped to coordinate the activities around the campus of the school district.

“We had students cleaning the trophy cases, making signs around the school to help people navigate better, making trash receptacles, decorating cubbies, hanging up college signs, making care packages for the military and planting flower gardens,” she said.

Students were fed lunch, attended a kick-off rally and then divided into teams with a teacher mentor to work on their tasks. Mrs. Webber said when the students returned for their ice cream social, teachers heard nothing but positive feedback.

“They loved it,” Webber said. “They had a lot of fun and really enjoyed helping out.”

Freshmen Renee Masters said, “I believe it was a good day to bond with other classmates that you don’t usually associate with. It was a good thing to do for our community. I really think we should do this more often.”

MEDINA – Several villages streets with numerous potholes will be repaved the second week of May with help from the Orleans County Highway Department.

Peter Houseknecht, Department of Public Works superintendent for the Village of Medina, advised the Village Board this evening that the county would bring its paving machine to Medina the second week of May to help repair West Avenue, Park Avenue, the approaches near the railroad tracks on Gwinn Street and spots on Horan Road.

Sections of those streets may be milled with new pavement put down, Houseknecht said.

The DPW will use hot mix asphalt to fill other potholes in the village. The DPW also is considering pouring concrete on Orient Street near an overpass because asphalt is not holding up, Houseknecht said.

College completes Civil War commemoration, honoring 150th anniversary of pivotal war

Photos and article by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The Union soldiers make a charge on the Confederates during today’s mock battle at the GCC’s Medina campus center on Maple Ridge Road.

The campus has hosted Civil War Encampments the past three years. In 2012, the first encampment was at GCC’s campus in Lima.

Confederates cover their ears and fire one of the cannons during today’s mock battle.

This is the final encampment in the college’s four-year commitment to honor the 150th anniversary of the war. Besides the encampments, GCC has hosted many lectures, exhibits, period concerts and other events to highlight the war and unravel any myths about the “War Between the States.”

In Orleans County, GCC has also sponsored the “Heritage Heroes,” given to local residents committed to preservation projects.

Gary Glaser, left, and Wayne Gerry, both from Southern Ontario in Canada, do a cavalry demonstration today. They also fought with the Union during the mock battle. They were newcomers to the encampment in Medina this year. Glaser said the cavalry were like the “helicopters of the day,” used to run messages and quickly move soldiers.

The Medina community proved a great partner for the Encampment, opening up its downtown for parades and special events, including a surrender ceremony on Saturday. The village blocked off streets and made State Street Park available for a skirmish between the Union and Confederate re-enactors on Saturday.

“It’s been phenomenal,” said Derek Maxfield, a GCC professor and Civil War Encampment coordinator. “The people of Medina have embraced this so much I feel bad that it is ending.”

Several donors from the Medina community have contributed funds along with the college to stage the annual event the past three years.

The rebels are on the move and charge at the Union.

This Confederate soldier grimaces after being fired on in the mock battle by the Union.

Medina village officials and Police Chief Jose Avila have been very accommodating to requests to include the community and bring the re-enactors outside the GCC campus. Maxfield knows there was added work and worry for the village officials, especially for Avila with the mock battle and the sounds of gunfire in the park on Saturday.

“Jose Avila and Mayor Andrew Meier have been very good to us,” Maxfield said. “All we’ve ever had to do is ask. Not all communities rally around history and heritage like in Orleans County. In other places they have let their buildings go. In Orleans County and in Medina there is a will here.”

The battle in the park and the surrender ceremony were moving to onlookers. “It was one of the finest displays of living history come alive I’ve ever seen,” said Chris Busch, chairman of the Orleans Renaissance Group.

He made those remarks on Saturday from a stage on Main Street. He presented Maxfield with an award on behalf of the ORG and Medina community for his efforts in bringing the Civil War Encampment to Medina.

Derek Maxfield, center, holds an award for his efforts to coordinate the Civil War Encampment in Medina the past three years. Chris Busch, left, of the Orleans Renaissance Group and Robert Waters of the Medina Sandstone Society both praised Maxfield for his efforts.

Maxfield and Jim Simon, dean of the GCC Albion and Medina campus centers, would like to see a Heritage Festival in the county next year. They have pitched the idea to some of the local organizations and so far the feedback is good, Maxfield said.

About 100 re-enactors were in town for the Encampment over the weekend. They were grateful for the chance to dig up the campus grounds, building fences and other elements for the battles.

“Here you can do earthworks,” said Scott Lavigne, a re-enactor from Penfield. “You can build a snake rail fence and fill it with sod.”

Lavigne has been pleased to see the Encampment grow in Medina, adding the mounted cavalry this year, the battle in the park, the surrender ceremony and the many exhibitors.

These Confederate soldiers get ready to fire a cannon.

The cannons are loud and leave a trail of fire and smoke.

Albion Middle School technologyteacher Doug Mergler, center with beard, has been a re-enactor with the Confederates for about 20 years. He is a sergeant with the 26th North Carolina Regiment Company G. He said the re-enactors are “trying to get people to remember the nation’s history.” He hopes the onlookers reflect on the sacrifices made by soldiers in all wars.

The Union fires a cannon back at the Confederates.

The Confederates get ready to mount a charge on the Union.

Two rebel soldiers are on the run, trying to pressure the Union. The Confederates won today’s mock battle.

Dan Culver of Shelby (pictured) is in the same Union unit with Scott Lavigne, right. Culver has been a re-enactor for two years when he isn’t teaching forensic science at Hilbert College in Hamburg. The two are taking a break before the mock battle on Saturday afternoon.

Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Civil War re-enactors battled at State Street Park this morning in a loud clash that is part of the Civil War Encampment in Medina.

The top photo shows the advancing Union firing at the Confederate soldiers.

This is the third year the community is hosting the Civil War Encampment. Previously, the re-enactors have had their mock battles at the GCC campus on Maple Ridge Road. Today the fight moved inside the village.

There will be another mock battle on Sunday at 2 p.m. by the GCC campus center. The following photos are in chronological order.

Confederate soldiers load their guns and get ready for battle. They are pictured near the edge of the park along State Street.

Union soldiers wait by the canal bank. The Confederate soldiers are on the other side of the fence.

In the beginning of the battle, the Rebels are on the offensive, pressuring the Union.

Union soldiers get ready to return fire.

Two soldiers on horses emerge from under the canal bridge. The mounted cavalry gives the Union a big advantage in the battle.

The Confederate soldiers stand their ground and fire at the Union.

The Union returns fire and gets ready to advance.

The Confederates reload while under fire.

The Union prepares to charge on the Confederates.

A fallen soldiers is tended to by his Confederate brethren.

The Union is on move, leaving behind a Confederate casualty.

A line of Confederate soldiers gets off some shots against the advancing Union Army.

The Confederacy, pushed to the edge of the park, isn’t giving up.

The cavalry comes up along the edge of the park, putting more pressure on the Confederacy.

These Confederates, including Olin Miller of Albion at left, load their weapons in the waning moments of the battle. Albion teacher Doug Mergler is at back right.

The Rebels are backed up and under pressure from the Union.

Albion teacher Jonathan Sanford, left, and Albion resident Wes Miller contemplate their next move.

The Confederates yield to the Union and the mock battle is over.

Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Civil War, after four brutal years of fighting, came to an end today in downtown Medina.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee (re-enactor Thomas Schobert of West Seneca) and Union General Ulysses Grant (Ed Brodbeck of Cheektowaga) shook hands on Main Street in a recreation of the surrender ceremony at the Appomattox Court House in south central Virginia.

The war was over on April 9, 1865. Genesee Community College has organized Civil War Encampments on the 150th anniversary of the war since 2012, with the first encampment at the Lima campus. Medina has hosted the event the past three years. The encampment continues Sunday at the GCC campus on Route 31A. This is the final time the college will be organizing the event.

The following photos are in chronological order and show the re-enactors at first moving from State Street Park and walking on East Center Street to the downtown for the surrender ceremony.

Confederate soldiers, after losing a battle at State Street Park, walk on Route 31 to downtown Medina.

The Union Army makes its way to Main Street, walking past Rotary Park.

Derek Maxfield, Civil War Encampment coordinator for Genesee Community College, also served as narrator for the surrender ceremony. He is standing at a podium by the Bent’s Opera Hall, which was built during the Civil War.

The two sides stand across from each other on Main Street.

Robert E. Lee hands the terms of surrender to General Grant.

Thomas Schobert, the Lee impersonator, has participated in other surrender ceremonies near the 150th anniversary of the war’s ending.

Today was the first time the Grant impersonator, Ed Brodbeck, participated in a surrender ceremony. Brodbeck said it was emotional, and he felt great respect for Lee and the Confederacy.

Grant demanded the Union soldiers not celebrate their victory.

“There was no shouting or taunting,” Brodbeck said.

The onlookers along the street in Medina also observed “a respectful silence,” which Schobert said he appreciated.

Union and Confederate soldiers shake hands after the surrender.

The fighting over, soldiers pause on Main Street in Medina.

The Confederate soldiers walk down main Street to a flag-raising at Rotary Park.

Confederate and Union soldiers join together to raise the American flag at Rotary Park.

These Union soldiers remove their hats during the flag-raising.

A Union soldier salutes the flag.

General Grant (Ed Brodbeck), Abraham Lincoln (David Kreutz of Lancaster) and General Robert E. Lee (Thomas Schobert) watch the events.

After the surrender ceremony, the soldiers head down Main Street to return to the Civil War Encampment at GCC in Medina.

Provided Photos

MEDINA – The village celebrated Arbor Day today by planting a tree on West Avenue in front of the Medina Historical Society.

In the top photo, Medina Mayor Andrew Meier addresses a group of elementary school students by the Historical Society. Meier is standing on a carriage step while reading the Arbor Day proclamation.

This year more than 60 trees will be planted in Medina. The village has been designated a Tree City USA and has been a Tree City Growth Award recipient from the National Arbor Day Foundation.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, left, joins Mayor Andrew Meier, center, and Michael Kracker from Congressman Chris Collins’s office in tossing some dirt on the newly planted tree.

The new trees in Medina are planned for areas of Park Avenue with additional plantings on West Center Street, West Avenue, Gwinn Street, Elizabeth Street and Mead Avenue.

MEDINA – The Board of Education approved a $34,802,870 budget on Tuesday evening that won’t increase taxes.

The budget goes before district residents for a vote from noon to 8 p.m. on May 19 at the District Office board room next to Medina High School.

The budget maintains existing programming and will increase enrichment offerings in the elementary and middle school. Board of Education President Chris Keller said the district has worked in recent years to restore some of the cuts made about five years ago.

Keller said the district is in solid financial shape for the coming years, as long as the state doesn’t chop education funding like it did about five years ago, forcing Medina and many other districts to cut staff and programs.

The Medina budget will keep the tax levy at $8,863,394, the same as in 2014-15. Total expenses will be up 0.94 percent or by $324,876 to $34,802,870.

However, the budget includes vehicles purchases, which used to be a separate proposition. Taking those out of the regular budget would show a $25,124 decrease compared to the 2014-15 budget, said David Boyle, the district’s interim business administrator.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Medina Board of Education President Chris Keller, left, and District Superintendent Jeff Evoy lead the BOE meeting on Tuesday at Wise Middle School Library.

MEDINA – The school district had 21 percent of eligible students opt out of standardized tests last week for grades 3 through 8, which was a big increase from the 2 percent that refused the test the previous year.

Board of Education President Chris Keller said there has been “a lot of healthy discussion” in the community and state-wide about the ELA and math tests and the opt out movement. Some districts in Erie County had more than half of their students refuse the tests.

Keller thanked the Medina parents and students that declined to opt out last week. (The math tests start today and continue until Friday.)

Keller teaches English at Albion and voiced his concern that tests, for 90 minutes daily over three days in a week, are too lengthy and disruptive to the school day. He said the testing could be concentrated to two days instead of three.

The tests then continue to take teachers out of their classroom in the days after the exams because the teachers have to grade them.

“I have a lot of severe concerns about the test,” Keller said.

He didn’t detail those issues because he said he is grading some of them for Albion and he signed a nondisclosure agreement. But he did say that many educational experts view the tests “as developmentally inappropriate.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the State Legislature want to see more of a teacher’s evaluation be tied to student scores on the Common Core tests. Currently, 20 percent of a teacher’s score is linked to the test results. Cuomo wants to push that to 50 percent of a teacher’s evaluation.

“Politics has gotten involved in education in New York and it has gutted education,” Keller said at Tuesday’s board meeting. “We have a problem right now in that kids can’t read very well, and it’s not just Albion and Medina. It’s state-wide.”

Keller said the state in recent years has put too much emphasis on testing. Rather than recognize that mistake, the state is “doubling down on testing,” Keller said.

Keller prefers the Scholastic testing materials over Pearson, a business that sells education products and services. Scholastic tests are taken on a computer and teachers have immediate access to the results and can respond to students who are struggling, Keller said.

Teachers won’t know the results of the Pearson exams, given last week and this week, for individual students until August or September.

“At that point the students have moved on to the next grade,” Keller said.