District implemented own policy about a year ago, before state-wide ban in September

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mollie Mark, assistant principal at Medina Junior-Senior High School, goes over data on student discipline that shows a drop in referrals since students have been banned from using their cell phones during the school day.

MEDINA – It was just over a year ago when the Medina Junior-Senior High School implemented a “bell to bell” cell phone ban in the school.

Medina started the new policy in January 2025, the beginning of the second semester. The district was ahead of the state which imposed its own state-wide cell phone ban in schools beginning in September at the start of the new school year.

Medina has seen a drop in student discipline referrals since instituting the new cell phone policy, and students report they are better able to focus on their studies. The hallways and cafeteria also are much noisier, which is a good sign that students are talking and laughing with their classmates rather than scrolling on their phones, said Mollie Mark, the school’s assistant principal.

She and Michael Cavanaugh, the junior-senior high principal, presented data to the Board of Education on Tuesday about student discipline and phone violations.

Discipline Data – first semester from September to January

• 2025-26: 562
• 2024-25: 727
• 2023-24: 744
• 2022-23: 623
• 2021-22: 1,104

Phone violations

• 2024-25: 156 first violations, 15 violations and 11 contracts
• 2025-26: 73 first violations, 8 second violations and 0 contracts

The school policy sets the following discipline for students who violate the cell phone policy:

• First Offense – Student delivers device to the main office and may pick it up at the end of the day.

• Second Offense – Student delivers device to the main office and is held for parent pick-up.

• Third Offense – Student delivers device to the main office and is held for parent pick up. A conference is then held and a contract is put into place with the parent/guardian.

Cavanaugh told the board there has been a “transformative change” in the school building since the new policy started. Students have to keep all devices silenced and in their lockers for the duration of the school day – from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.   That includes cell phones, earbuds/headphones, tablets and smartwatches. (The only exceptions to this policy are with a note provided by a medical doctor and the approval of school administration.)

Cavanaugh interviewed students on video about the policy change and showed their responses.

“People are interacting more with each other rather than sitting on their phone,” one male student said.

Other students said the school atmosphere is much more calmer.

“Everyone gets along better,” the male student said.

Students aren’t recording each other or posting on social media about other students during the school day, reducing a lot of anxiety among students.

“It’s easier to pay attention in class,” another male student said. “It’s less stressful.”

A female high school student said she is better able to focus on her classwork and made the honor for the first two marking periods this school year.

“It’s less stressful because I’m not constantly checking the phone,” she said.

Village will see what new truck will command on the market; Medina may ultimately decide to keep it

Photos by Tom Rivers: Village Trustee Deborah Padoleski, left, led the effort to declare the ladder truck as surplus to begin the process of possibility selling the equipment before it is put into service. Trustee Jess Marciano, right, voted to not declare the truck surplus.

MEDINA – The majority of the Medina Village Board voted on Monday to declare a new ladder truck surplus to start the process of possibility selling the truck and backing off plans for a new addition of the fire hall.

Trustee Deborah Padoleski introduced the resolution to declare the truck surplus, and that was seconded by Trustee Mark Prawel. They were joined by Trustee Scott Bieliski in voting to declare it surplus, with Trustee Jess Marciano and Mayor Marguerite Sherman in favor of keeping the new $1.7 million truck.

The truck has been delivered to Medina and is currently being kept in the compost facility on North Gravel Road near Boxwood Cemetery. The current fire hall is too small for the new ladder truck. The previous truck from 1996 was 10 feet, 4 inches in height and could barely fit in the fire hall bay, which has a height of 10 feet, 6 inches. The new truck is about 13 feet in height.

A representative from Pierce Manufacturing is in Medina for three days this week to train median firefighters on the new truck. That started on Monday and continues to Wednesday.

Captain Michael Young of the Medina Fire Department urges the Village Board to keep the ladder truck, saying it offers many benefits for fighting fires and responding to emergencies. He said upgrades to the fire hall have been put off for decades.

The board agreed to allow the training to be complete, but the three board members in favor of selling the don’t want the truck to be lettered saying, “Medina Fire Department.”

The training is an estimated $4,000 to $6,000 and is part of the contract with Pierce, said Fire Chief Steve Cooley. The detailing also is an estimated $6,300 and is included in the contract.

Trustee Bieliski said it doesn’t make sense to have the lettering done if the truck will be sold to another department.

He wants to see what the truck will command in the market. Medina paid $1.7 million for it, and now quint trucks with 100-foot-long ladders are going for $2.5 million.

The village could make a profit on the sale and those proceeds could go to buying a used ladder truck that would fit in the existing fire hall, Bieliski said during Monday’s Village Board meeting.

 Village Attorney Matt Brooks said he has tried to research a similar situation, where a village has bought a new piece of equipment only to turn around and declare it surplus. He hasn’t found a similar example.

The village may need to do a referendum to sell the ladder truck. It may face tax issues if it makes a profit. It will need a sign-off from its lender, the US Department of Agriculture. Brooks said there may be other issues to check as well.

Declaring an item surplus is usually done when the item is “superfluous or unusable,” Brooks said.

The new ladder trucks obviously isn’t unusable, and he said it may be a stretch to say it’s superfluous especially when the village could then buy a used ladder truck.

“Does it fit the definition of surplus,” he said. “It might.”

Padoleski, who is retired as Medina’s village clerk, said she checked with Rural Development, a branch of the USDA, and the agency is fine with the truck being declared surplus and Medina paying off the 20-year loan right away.

Mayor Sherman said she wants to convene a meeting with Rural Development, the village’s financial advisor and the village attorney about the next steps and ramifications.

Sherman said she and Bieliski and Fire Chief Cooley have looked up used ladder trucks and they are expensive, well over $1 million with some at $1.7 million.

And Captain Michael Young of the Medina FD said the used trucks don’t fit in the existing fire hall, either.

Padoleski and Bieliski said the need for a addition on the fire hall is a big factor in why they want to declare the truck surplus and move to sell it. The expense to village taxpayers isn’t just the truck, but the addition as well.

They said the truck at $1.7 million and a million-dollar-plus addition will turn into about a $4 million expense with interest to be paid over 20 years.

“it’s not just the matter of the truck,” Padoleski said. “We have nowhere to put it. It’s the truck and the building.”

Captain Michael Young of the Medina Fire Department said the current fire hall was built for the Department of Public Works in the 1930s, with the fire department moving its base of operations there in the 1950s.

The entrance to the fire hall is on a pitch. Young said there aren’t used ladder trucks on the market that would fit in the fire hall. Medina’s 30-year-old truck was shorter and wider to allow the two inches of clearance. But most other ladder trucks are longer and would need at least 5 inches of clearance, he said.

The addition to the fire hall has been sought by the department since before the contract to buy the ladder truck was approved by the board in March 2023. The board at the time thought there would be enough time to work out an addition and also address deficiencies in the existing fire hall.

Mayor Sherman also said the costs of fire trucks were rapidly escalating and the board wanted to lock in a price. Since then the costs for similar ladder trucks have climbed about $800,000 to $2.5 million.

But the costs were high, an estimated $6 million. The board then scaled down the scope of the project to a one-bay addition at just over $1 million. The board – which has three new members in the past two years – has been unable to reach a consensus.

Bieliski said the village taxes are too high for many residents and businesses, and a 20-year commitment to a new ladder truck and addition doesn’t make sense for overtaxed property owners.

He said Medina is the only village in Orleans County with a paid fire department. He said there are many other needs in the village from water, sewer, streets and sidewalks.

“I don’t think this purchase was being a smart consumer,” Bieliski said about the ladder truck. “I think we have to think about Medina. We don’t have to be the leaders when it’s on the backs of the people of Medina.”

He said declaring the truck surplus puts the truck on “pause” and gives the village more time to look at other options.

If the village would take $300,000 to $400,000 loss on selling the new truck, Bieliski said he wouldn’t support that.

But he thinks there is buyer that would allow medina to make a profit that could go towards a quality used truck.

“Buying a new truck and new building is 100 percent wrong to do to the taxpayers,” he said.

The new ladder truck needs to some additional outfitting and could be ready to go into service around April 1. But Bieliski said he wants to hold off on putting the truck into service to maximize its value to a potential buyer.

Mayor Sherman said the difficulties with ladder truck and all the negative publicity have been “embarrassing” for the village.

She is hopeful the fire department will ultimately end up with a ladder truck, whether the new one or a good used truck, that is safe and allows them to serve the community.

Sherman said she continues to look for funding for the addition. She wanted to pursue a $1 million grant through the state’s Community Development Block Grant program, but couldn’t get a majority of the board to approve that application.

MEDINA – The library will be off limits to the public after March 21 for about six weeks to allow contractors to work on the construction project that will not only put an addition o the library, but revamp the interior furnishings.

The $5.2 million construction project is behind schedule. Initially, the library building was expected to be closed for a few weeks.

Being closed for about six weeks will keep the project on schedule, Lee-Whedon officials posted today on the library’s social media.

The library will close at 5 p.m. on March 21, a Saturday, and then reopen at 10 a.m. on May 4, a Monday. The project is expected to be complete in July.

“This gives our construction crews unlimited access to the library and will expedite the process!!” Lee-Whedon stated on its Facebook page. “We appreciate your understanding and patience. We will all be rewarded with a beautiful, modern, spacious library in the end!!”

Lee-Whedon broke ground last Aug. 22 for a 4,785-square-foot addition on the back of the current library, which is 11,100 square feet.

The addition will create space for two meeting rooms, two tutoring rooms, a programming room with makerspace, Friends of the Library book sale room, a quiet research room, an art gallery, a teen room and 14 parking spots.

There will also be additional restrooms, a new circulation desk, a new entry portico with automatic sliding doors, about a 10 percent increase in the collection and upgraded technology.

The state is contributing nearly $1.7 million in New York State Public Library Construction Aid grants to the $5.2 million project. The community also has donated more than $500,000 to the expansion.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Cindy Robinson, owner of The English Rose Tea Shoppe, pours Lovejoy wine from Chateau Buffalo for Ralph Primerano and Sue Squires.

Patrick Weissend, who has been the official ID checker for all of the Wine About Winter events, suits up at Medina Senior Center on Saturday in preparation for several hours of standing outside in near-zero temperatures as participants arrive.

MEDINA – Medina Area Partnership’s Wine About Winter has been a hit since the first one 16 years ago, and this year’s sub-zero temperatures did nothing to deter this one Saturday.

“We had a great turnout considering today’s weather,” said Ann Fisher-Bale, organizer of the event. “It was nearly perfect attendance. People bundled up and showed up for this yearly event.”

The event’s 800 tickets sold out two weeks ago, and while only a handful stayed home because of the cold, the majority showed up, dressed in snow pants, hooded coats, scarves, heated gloves and handwarmers, ready to visit the 25 participating businesses and organizations.

Ticket holders arrived at the Senior Center, where their identification was checked and they received a goodie bag with coupons, Chapstick, hand warmers, mini bottle of water, oyster crackers, a program and pen. Chapstick and handwarmers were a late-minute addition by Fisher-Bale when she learned what the weather would be. Also new this year was a Wine About Winter tee shirt, with all of MAP’s upcoming events printed on the back.

These include the Easter Bunny and Golden Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt on March 28; a Murder Mystery and Mocktails on May 2; the Enchanted Faery Festival on June 20; annual sidewalk sales Aug, 1; Ale in Autumn on Sept. 26; Beggar’s Night Oct. 30; Moonlight Madness on Nove. 19; Olde Tyme Christmas and Parade of Lights on Nov. 28; and Holiday Open Houses Dec. 3 through Dec. 6.

The shirts were made possible thanks to the generosity of 10 of our sponsors, Fisher-Bale said.

At The English Rose Tea Shoppe one participant had ice frozen on the bottom of his glass, just walking from Tapped on Main.

The English Rose Tea Shoppe’s owner Cindy Robinson poured Lovejoy, a rose from Chateau Buffalo. She was especially excited over the selection of wine as she grew up in the Lovejoy section of Buffalo, she said.

Ralph Primerano and Sue Squires both liked the wine. Squires, who has rarely missed a Wine About Winter, said she enjoyed the cream puffs served at the Medina Theater.

Patrick Weissend, left, checks the ID for friends Ryan and Jocelyn Arnold of Medina and Ricky and Anne Missell of Gasport. The couples were the first to arrive for check-in at the Medina Senior Center on Saturday for Wine About Winter.

Carol Bellack and Robin Wehling said the cold was not bad, as long as they kept stopping in a store every few minutes where it was warm.

They were happy with the wine choices they had tried so far.

“We’ve had a lot of white wines and I like white wine,” Wehling said.

She has only missed one Wine About Winter and has all the glasses to prove it.

Bob Arnold and his wife Marie Bell of Akron have attended all the Wine About Winter events, but one, he said.

A new feature this year was two snack stops – one at Medina Theater and the other at Author’s Note.

Another feature for the first time at Wine About Winter was a photo booth at Alexandra Peracciny Photography above Blissett’s on Main Street.

It is customary at these events to stagger the start times, to eliminate too much congestion in stores at one time. The first group started at 1 p.m., with the last group starting at 4 p.m.

The committee for organizing Wine About Winter are all set up and waiting for the arrival of the 800 who bought tickets for the event. From left are Mary Lewis, Ann Fisher-Bale, Laura Gardner and Wendy Wilson. The women have been involved in all 17 of the annual events.

Kristin Haines from Marjim Manor in Appleton pours Lady of the Manor wine at the Medina Historical Society for Kat Schepis of Medina. The wine had a little cranberry and a little berry, Haines said.

Wendy Wilson, left, and Ann Fisher-Bale wait to verify tickets with their cell phones, validating ticket holders at the Medina Senior Center for Wine About Winter on Saturday.

Photos by Tom Rivers: More than 200 supporters of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina attended a fundraising gala on a bitterly cold Friday night. These supporters place there tickets in the hopes of winning some of the items in the basket auction. About 120 items were in that auction, plus about 50 others (mostly library book shelves, chairs and tables) available in a live auction.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Sharon Kleinhans, left, library clerk, hands an auction brochure to Georgia Thomas as the start of the gala to support Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.

MEDINA – The first gala to support Lee-Whedon Memorial Library was a resounding success Friday night, according to library director Kristine Mostyn.

Mostyn said the gala was the idea of the Capital Committee in charge of fundraising. More than 200 people purchased tickets to the event, which featured hors d’oeuvres from Hans Bakery and Zambistro Restaurant, beverages, music by DSP Jazz, a silent and live auction and a basket raffle.

Cynthia Kiebala, president of the library board of directors, announced they had exceeded their $500,000 goal in community donations toward the library expansion, which is expected to be completed in June. She thanked the staff and all the supporters who donated art, crafts, books and gift certificates for their auction and basket raffle, as well as monetary donors.

Lee-Whedon celebrated a ground-breaking last Aug. 22 for a 4,785-square-foot addition on the back of the current library, which is 11,100 square feet. The project will cost $5.2 million.

The addition will create space for two meeting rooms, two tutoring rooms, a programming room with makerspace, Friends of the Library book sale room, a quiet research room, an art gallery, a teen room and 14 parking spots.

There will also be additional restrooms, a new circulation desk, a new entry portico with automatic sliding doors, about a 10 percent increase in the collection and upgraded technology.

The state is contributing nearly $1.7 million in New York State Public Library Construction Aid grants to the $5.2 million project. In December, Lee-Whedon also received $25,000 in funding from the Garmin Family Foundation administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

With the more than $500,000 in community donations that leaves about $3 million to be financed for the project.

“I’m very impressed with the number of people that came out tonight for us,” library director Kristine Mostyn said. “There is a great level of support in the community for the library.”

One of the guests at the gala was Ruth Cleveland of Medina who is a member of Friends of the Library.

“I come here a couple of times a week,” she said. “I like to work on the jigsaw puzzles. This is a happy place.”

(Left) Lee-Whedon president Cynthia Kiebala welcomes the more than 200 guests who attended the fundraising gala Friday night. (Right) Wes Pickreign, a retired Medina school principal, solicits a bid from the audience during Lee-Whedon Memorial Library’s auction at their gala Friday night. The event raised about $18,000, topping the $15,000 goal. The funds will reduce what is needed from the local community in financing for the expansion project.

Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman said she brought her kids to the library when they were little.

“Now I bring my grandchildren,” she said. “When I was working at the high school I used to tutor students here after school. They were always willing to share their space with us.”

Wes Pickreign stepped up as auctioneer for the evening’s live auction of library furniture and shelving. A highlight of the auction were two whimsical tables, one resembling a stack of books and the other a hamburger. After a lively bidding war, they were sold for $210 and $220, respectively.

Many of furnishings will be replaced as part of the capitol project. The book shelves that are about 7 feet tall will be removed for new ones about 5 feet tall to make the books easier to reach for patrons.

The library will be closed from March 23 and until reopening on May 4 to complete the work on the inside.

Staff of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library posed for a picture prior to welcoming guests to the first ever gala Friday night at the library. From left are Kristine Mostyn, director; Jessica Kozlowski, library clerk; Lisa Pritchard, tech services; Sharon Kleinhans, library clerk; Marna Grimes, page; Darlene Schepis, library clerk; Samantha Covis, assistant director; Joy Cameron, Amanda Wolford and Kelsie Stahl, library clerks; and Tricia Mumau, children’s services.

Guests enjoy conversation and refreshments at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library’s first fundraising gala Friday night. From left are Brian Grimes, David Boice (shaking hands with Tom Zangerle) and Linda Pickreign, who is a board member of the library. At right is Wes Pickreign, who served as auctioneer for the evening.

Supporting Lee-Whedon Memorial Library at its gala Friday night are, from left, Theresa Pierson of Royalton, Shelly Budziszewski of Middleport, Liz Bednarz of Gasport and Joyce Chizick of Lyndonville. Pierson and Budziszewski visit the library often with their children, who love to read and take part in library programs. Bednarz loves crafting and visits the library to take part in their adult craft program. Chizick enjoys Finally Fridays at the library.

Photos by Tom Rivers: There were about 120 items in the basket raffle, including many treats, books, gift certificates and art work. The book in the center, Last Call, is by Renee Lama and chronicles 150 years of restaurants, hotels and taverns in the Medina area.

Elizabeth Cooper created a doll showing love for Lee-Whedon Memorial Library that was among the items in the auction. It was included with a book about one-room schoolhouses in Shelby, written by Alice Zacher.

Sharon Klienhans, right, greets the gala attendees and hands them their paddles for the auction.

Wes Pickreign served as auctioneer and drummed up support from bidders for many of the library’s furnishings that will be replaced, including the circulation desks, several tables, chairs, metal and wood shelves, cabinets and work stations.

MEDINA – Mary Lewis, owner of Creekside Floral and Gift Shop in Medina, knows the winter months are difficult, especially this year with so many bitterly cold days and very limited sunshine.

She said winter days are especially hard for senior citizens in nursing homes and assisted care facilities.

She posted on the Creekside Floral Facebook page about “Plants with Purpose.” She wanted to give a blooming plant to senior citizens at Orchard Manor, the North Wing of Medina Memorial Hospital and The Willows. She asked for $10 sponsors for each plant, a Kalanchoe.

The community responded, sponsoring 198 plants to cover all of the residents at the three sites. They also went over the limit by 35 and counting. Lewis has added The Villages of Orleans in Albion for “Plants with Purpose.”

She will deliver them by mid-week next week, in time for Valentine’s Day.

“I just wanted to brighten their day,” she said. “The winter months are some of the dreariest. We need more kindness in the world.”

Lewis thanked the sponsors for their quick and generous response. If she runs out of the Kalanchoe plants for everyone at The Villages, she said she would find other valentine-themed gifts for them. For more information about being a sponsor, call 585-798-1200.

Provided photos: The varsity winter guard for Medina is shown in action during a competition on Saturday in Victor.

Information courtesy of Medina Mustang Band Boosters

VICTOR – The Medina Mustang winter guards are still practicing and performing despite the weather.

On Jan. 24 the guards competed in Orchard Park and Medina’s JV guard came in 3rd out of 4 in the cadet class with a score of 45.27.  The varsity guard came in 2nd out of two with a score of 50.57.

This Saturday the  guards traveled to Victor for competition. A total of 22 guards performed in various classifications. Medina’s JV guard tied for 1st place with Correy Indoor in the Cadet class but not scored.

Medina’s varsity guard performed in the A1 class and came in 4th with a score of 54.16..

The guards are under  instruction from Melissa Jaeger along with assistance from Director Matt Jaeger, Assistant Director Kyla Leno,  Andrea Busch, Katie Crooks and Kara Brown.

The guards will next compete on Feb. 7 in Batavia, Feb. 28 in Lancaster, March 7 in Greece and Medina’s home show on March 14.  It’s always amazing to see these students perform at a fast pace utilizing their dance skills along with various pieces of equipment.

Medina’s junior varsity team also performed at Victor.

File photo by Tom Rivers: The Village of Medina is accepting bids for a new pedestrian bridge over Oak Orchard Creek on Maple Ridge Road. The project also includes sidewalks in that area.

MEDINA – The Village of Medina is accepting construction bids for a pedestrian bridge over Oak Orchard Creek on Maple Ridge Road, a long-awaited project that also includes about a half mile of sidewalks.

The village in 2021 was awarded a $1,094,196 grant to construct the bridge and sidewalks as part of a multi-use path for pedestrians and bicycles. The funding was awarded by the state through a federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant.

That is covering 80 percent of the project. The remaining 20 percent will be paid locally from the village, Town of Shelby, Orleans County and Orleans Economic Development Agency.

The section of Maple Ridge Road by the creek has become busier with a housing development, several new businesses and also the GCC campus center. There are also about 200 available acres in the area being promoted for development by the EDA.

Mayor Marguerite Sherman said the project will make it much safer for residents and cyclists along that stretch of Maple Ridge. The spot by the creek, in particular, has a very narrow space for pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge will be north of the busy road.

Contractors need to turn in their bids by 3 p.m. on Feb. 18 at the Village Office. At that time the bids will be opened and read aloud.

The sidewalks will go 200 feet east of the Intersection of Maple Ridge Road (NY 31A) and South Main Street (NY 63), and then to 1,900 feet east of the intersection of Maple Ridge Road (NY 31A) and South Main Street (NY 63).

Board could include election change as referendum on March 18 ballot

Photo by Tom Rivers: Jess Marciano, a Medina village trustee and the deputy mayor,  speaks during Thursday’s board meeting about moving the village election from the third Tuesday in March to the third Tuesday in June.

MEDINA – The village could move back its election by three months to June. Holley, Brockport and other villages have their elections the third Tuesday in June, rather than the third Tuesday in March.

If that happens in Medina, the terms for trustees and mayor would start on July 1, rather than April 1. Moving the start back would give trustees and the mayor some time to adjust to the their roles on the Village Board rather than face the big task of putting together the village budget at the immediate start of their terms, said Jess Marciano, a village trustee who is suggesting the change.

The board has several extra meetings in April as it works with department heads to put together a budget that must be adopted by April 30.

“This is incredibly unfair,” Marciano said at Thursday’s board meeting.

The town and county elected officials begin their terms on Jan. 1, after the budgets have been adopted by the prior administrations. Board of Education members start their terms on July 1, after the budgets have been adopted.

If the Village Board terms started on July 1, instead of April 1, the Village Board members would have months to gain a deeper understanding of the village government by the time it’s budget season.

“It would give people more of an opportunity to get their feet underneath them before setting the village tax rate which affects everyone in the village,” Marciano said.

A later village election also would give candidates better weather to be collecting petitions to get on the ballot. Right now that needs to be done in early February. The candidates then go door-to-door campaigning in some rough weather.

A June election would give the process better weather conditions when more residents are also around to vote in person.

The board will need to decide next month if it wants to put the issue on the ballot for a referendum during the March 18 election. (This year’s election is the third Wednesday in March. It was moved back a day due to St. Patrick’s Day.)

Board members on Thursday said they were willing to discuss the issue more on Feb. 9 and Feb. 23. The board needs to decide by Feb. 23 if the issue will be on the ballot for March 18.

“I’m not sold on it, but I’m open to talking about it,” said Trustee Deb Padoleski.

Photos courtesy of Jennifer Stearns/Principal of Clifford Wise Intermediate School – Lee Teitsworth, senior vice president at Liberty Balloons in Groveland, brought a hot air balloon to Clifford Wise Intermediate School on Friday and let students go inside it. This group includes fifth- and sixth-graders. Teitsworth also spoke with third- and fourth-graders.

Information courtesy of Medina Central School

MEDINA – Students in grades 3–6 at Clifford Wise Intermediate School celebrated their academic efforts and success for Marking Period 2 on Friday with an unforgettable, sky-high experience.

As part of the celebration, Liberty Balloons visited the school with a presentation – “The Sky Is the Limit” – encouraging students to keep reaching for their goals while learning the science behind hot air ballooning. The interactive program combined motivation with hands-on learning, giving students a closer look at how hot air balloons work and the physics that allow them to soar.

Lee Teitsworth discusses the science behind hot air balloons taking flight.

Students first viewed an informational presentation explaining the principles of hot air balloon flight, including how heated air creates lift and how propane burners are used to control altitude. The excitement continued in the Wise gymnasium, where a real hot air balloon was fully inflated, on its side, indoors. Students were given the rare opportunity to sit inside the balloon, experiencing its size and structure up close.

To complete the experience, students briefly stepped outside—just under five minutes—to safely observe the lighting of the propane flames, a dramatic highlight that brought the science lesson to life.

Remax Reality and the Clifford Wise Student Council sponsored the event. For more information on Liberty Balloons, click here.

These third- and fourth-graders see a brief outdoor presentation.

Majority of board believes used fire truck with no fire hall addition makes most sense

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Medina Village Board moved its meeting on Thursday evening to the high school auditorium due to a larger crowd expected as the board tries to determine whether it will put a new ladder truck into service and put an addition on the fire hall for the new truck. From left include Village Trustee Debbie Padoleski, Trustee Jess Marciano, Clerk/Treasurer Jada Burgess, Mayor Marguerite Sherman, Trustee Mark Prawel, Trustee Scott Bieliski and Village Attorney Matt Brooks.

MEDINA – In a meeting that stretched more than four hours, Village Board members and the pubic debated on Thursday night whether to keep a $1.7 million ladder truck for the fire department and put an addition on the fire hall.

Three of the board members – Debbie Padoleski, Mark Prawel and Scott Bieliski – voted to have the board pursue options to sell the new truck and see if a used ladder truck is available that would fit in the existing fire hall.

That trio of trustees said the new truck and an addition is too costly for the community where many residents are already overwhelmed by taxes.

Padoleski said the truck and addition would raise the village tax rate by at least $1 per $1,000 of assessed property, and it would be a 20-year commitment to pay off the truck and addition.

Bieliski noted that Medina in March 2023 agreed to pay $1,698,995 to Pierce Manufacturing  in Appleton, Wisc. for a new fire truck with a 100-foot-long ladder. It took nearly three years for the truck to be manufactured. It hasn’t been put into service yet.

Since Medina’s contract nearly three years ago, the costs for ladder trucks have continued to escalate. The Albion Joint Fire District on Aug. 14 voted to buy a new ladder truck at a cost of $2,480,698 from Pierce Manufacturing.

Bieliski said he will reach out to a broker to see if there is interest in Medina’s new truck and at what price. He expects the truck could command $2 million, which would allow Medina to pay off its loan for the truck and have extra money to pursue a used ladder truck.

If Medina would take a loss on selling the truck, Bieliski said it shouldn’t be sold.

Village resident Brian Wiesinger speaks during Thursday’s board meeting. About 150 people attended the meeting that stretched more than four hours, starting at 6 p.m. and ending at 10:20. Wiesinger said the village should look at a more affordable option with a ladder truck.

Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman and Trustee Jess Marciano said they remain committed to keeping the new ladder truck and putting on a one-bay addition.

Marciano noted the fire hall addition and upgrades were cut from about $6 million to just over $1 million.

Sherman said she continues to seek grants and assistance with the addition. She met last week with representatives from U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. The village needs more detailed drawings and cost estimates for the addition to move forward with seeking grants, Sherman said.

She hasn’t been able to get the majority of the board’s support to hire a firm for those cost estimates.

Village resident Robin Wehling said she supports giving the Medina firefighters the equipment they need to best serve the community. She said the new ladder truck would account for a 48-cent in the tax rate.

Trustees and Padoleski and Bieliski said the cost of the addition puts the total expense for the new truck closer to about $4 million when financing is included over 20 years. They said that amounts to about $1 more in the tax rate.

(Left) Jason Cogovan said he supports the Medina Fire Department but it needs to be at an affordable level for the community. “It’s about delivering services in a responsible way,” he said. He suggested going to a volunteer fire department and looking at contracting for EMS services.

(Right) Village resident Linda Limina, who is also a Shelby town councilwoman, said the Medina board needs to reach out to neighboring towns about helping to pay more for services provided by the village.

“Village residents shouldn’t be the only ones funding the service,” she said.

She worries the added debt from the ladder truck and addition will push village taxes even higher.

Medina firefighter Steve Miller said the Village Board has known for many years the fire hall needed upgrades and that a new ladder truck wouldn’t fit in the current building.

He said the board hasn’t been properly planning for the fire department for more than a decade.

Trustee Bieliski told Miller and the firefighters in attendance they were using “fear-mongering” to pressure the board into keeping the truck and putting on an addition.

Miller said not getting the new ladder truck could result in higher insurance costs for residents and businesses if Medina’s ISO rating is negatively impacted.

He also said there could be delays in response times if the community needs to wait for a ladder truck from elsewhere.

“This is not a scare tactic,” Miller said. “This is simply the truth.”

Trustee Debbie Padoleski, left, says Medina is bearing too much of the expense for fire protection and EMS services in the community.

Padoleski said data from 2024 shows Medina’s ladder truck only was used for 33 calls, with 12 inside the village and 21 outside.

“The Village of Medina taxpayers cannot and should not subsidize mutal aid in the county,” Padoleski said.

Medina’s Ladder 40 is 30 years old and has been out of service since June due to mechanical issues.

The village put it up for sale and sold it for $8,700 at Thursday’s meeting. It was listed online for sale through an auction company. Trustee Mark Prawel wanted to oppose the sale but the title had already been signed over and the deal done without a final village vote. Prawel thought the old truck was worth more than $8,700.

In the future, the board said none of the sales from items declared surplus will be finalized until a board vote to approve the sale.

State now contributing nearly $1.7 million to $5.2 million project

This rendering from Passero Associates shows the front of the library in Medina, which includes an overhang near the entrance. This is part of a $5 million capital project at the library, which includes a 4,785-square-foot addition.

MEDINA – Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina has received confirmation of an additional $874,124 grant from New York State Public Library Construction Aid towards the library’s $5.2 million expansion.

This is the second state library construction grant. Lee-Whedon also received a $795,320 grant in construction aid which brings the total from the state to $1,669,444.

In December, Lee-Whedon also received $25,000 in funding from the Garmin Family Foundation administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

“Lee-Whedon has received a total of $1,697,444 in grants toward expansion costs exceeding our goal of $1.5 million,” said Kristine Mostyn, the library executive director.

Lee-Whedon will host a gala and auction from 7 to 10 p.m. on Feb. 6. That is expected to be the final big fundraising event for the library expansion. Click here for more information about that event.

Lee-Whedon celebrated a ground-breaking on Aug. 22, 2025 for a 4,785-square-foot addition on the back of the current library, which is 11,100 square feet. That project is expected to be complete in July.

The addition will create space for two meeting rooms, two tutoring rooms, a programming room with makerspace, Friends of the Library book sale room, a quiet research room, an art gallery, a teen room and 14 parking spots.

There will also be additional restrooms, a new circulation desk, a new entry portico with automatic sliding doors, about a 10 percent increase in the collection and upgraded technology.

“The library’s expansion project is designed to meet growing community needs and ensure the facility can continue to provide high-quality service for decades to come,” Mostyn said.

MEDINA – The Medina Village Board has rescheduled this evening’s board meeting to Thursday at 6 p.m. The meeting will be at the Medina High School auditorium due to a big crowd expected.

The Village Board is trying to determine its next steps with accepting a new ladder truck and finding a place to house it. The current Medina fire hall is too small to accommodate the truck. Some of the board members would prefer to sell the new truck and not put an addition on the fire hall, saying the truck and addition are too costly for village taxpayers.

Mayor Marguerite Sherman wants to move forward with the ladder truck and addition, saying they are critical to the Medina Fire Department to provide fire protection services to the community.

Other items on Thursday’s agenda include:

• Discussion/resolution on locations for Medina Triennial art projects
• Discussion/resolution to accept the donation of tables to be placed by the Sydney Gross Memorial
• Discussion/resolution on Medina Community Garden location
• Resolution to approve Hospice banner request at Rotary Park
• Resolution to approve MAP’s request for Wine About Winter
• Resolution to appoint of election inspectors for March 18 election
• Resolution to accept Wreaths Across America donations and a resolution to accept Hometown Hero donations
• Resolution on furnace replacement at the Department of Public Works
• Resolution to purchase an Allison 4000 RDS Series Dump Truck utilizing CHIPS funding
• Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an annual agreement between the Village of Medina and Matthew Brooks, Esq.