By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 April 2023 at 8:57 am
Albion looking at municipal lots for charging stations
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board expects the fast chargers that were approved for the community in a state grant to go in the Canal Basin.
The Village Board initially was thinking the fast chargers would go in the municipal lot behind Main and East Center streets. But the village plans to upgrade that lot as part of the $4.5 million approved in the NY Forward grant, which will touch on several projects in the community.
With that lot likely to be changed with some extensive work, Medina village officials are instead looking to the Canal basin for the charging stations.
The village was approved for $245,184 for two direct-current fast charger pedestals, while the Village of Albion was awarded $10,500 for two Level 2 charging ports. Each charging port can accommodate two vehicles at once and would need the community to set aside two parking spaces for each station.
In Albion, the Village Board was looking at the municipal lot across from the village office on East Bank Street. That lot is in demand and often fall during the workday.
Village officials said they will look at other municipal lots with DPW Superintendent Jay Pahura and Aric Albright, an electrician who is also the sewer plant superintendent.
Both Albion and Medina expect there will be a credit card payment device on the charging stations for people to pay when they use the chargers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 April 2023 at 8:20 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The village will amend its zoning map so residential dwellings are allowed in the upper floors at The Walsh.
MEDINA – The Village Board has approved a zoning change for The Walsh to allow residential dwellings at 525 West Ave.
The board approved a zoning map change to extend the central business overlay district to include The Walsh. That site is currently in the general business district which doesn’t allow residential dwellings.
The Village Board agreed to allow extend central business overlay district, which ended only one site away. Mayor Mike Sidari said extending the overlay isn’t spot zoning.
Rollin Hellner, the new owner of The Walsh, would like to develop six to eight studio or one-bedroom apartments. The Village Planning Board will review the project on both the second and third floors, and Hellner will need a special use permit on a case by case basis which will allow the village to have oversight and input on those units, said Dan Gardner, the village code enforcement officer.
In other action at Monday’s board meeting:
• The board accepted the resignation of Mark Prawel, who is retiring after 16 years as a Medina police officer. In a letter to the board, he thanked the community for the opportunity to serve as a police officer. He wants to spend more time with his family and with an outo repair business.
His retirement leaves Medina with only eight officers on the force right now out of 13 positions. Some new recruits are in the police academy but won’t be covering shifts for another six months, Chief Chad Kenward said.
• The board followed a recommendation from Fire Chief Matt Jackson to increase the rates to have an ambulance staffed for events. Medina has been charged $300 for a four-hour commitment to have an ambulance with two medics at events, such as football games and other sporting events. The charge has then been another $75 per hour.
The new rates are $350 for four hours, and then another $100 per hour.
Provided photos: (Left) Trees for Medina’s 2023 Arbor Day planting have been delivered to the village DPW yard. (Right) An Acer miyabei “Morton” or “State Street” maple will be among the new trees planted. These trees are small to medium, oval-rounded that typically mature to 25 to 40 feet with striking pale golden-yellow fall color.
Press Release, Village of Medina, Municipal Tree Board
MEDINA – In the Village of Medina, Spring means Arbor Day.
Arbor Day, observed nationally on the last Friday of April, this year falls on April 28. Medina’s observance will be held at the on the east end, south side of Frank Street near West Avenue in the village. This year’s celebration will include 2nd and 3rd graders from Medina Central Schools, along with the Oak Orchard Glee Club.
The Arbor Day 2023 celebration will begin at approximately 10 a.m. on the east end Frank Street near West Avenue, and will include the reading of the Arbor Day Proclamation by Mayor Mike Sidari. The trees will planted by the Medina DPW. Medina Central School’s 2nd and 3rd graders will be on hand to help plant the trees and celebrate the day along with a performance by the Oak Orchard Glee Club.
“Forty-six trees in all will be planted this year,” said Kathy Blackburn, Tree Board Chair. “Planting sites include Frank Street, William Street, West Avenue, Butts Park, State Street Park and Boxwood Cemetery.”
“Each year we gain ground in our efforts to reforest the community,” Blackburn said. “Forty-six trees is an excellent planting. That said, we removed nearly 50 old and dying trees this year, so we’re nowhere near running out of annual planting that needs to be done.”
The Tree Board’s focus has been a three-pronged approach for several years: Main arteries and Central Business District area, parks, and high-need residential areas.
“The need for plantings in all of these areas continues,” Blackburn said. “Many of our main roads are looking great, but we continue to plug holes created by removals. Trees in our parks are vastly improving and we’re beginning to make headway in our residential areas. There’s still so much to be done.”
These map shows the area for Medina’s Arbor Day celebration and spots where many new trees will be planted.
Multiple sources of research on the impact of street trees cite numerous benefits, including increase property values, slower/ safer traffic patterns, lower urban air temperatures, and absorption of harmful pollution. Research from 2017 also indicates street trees in neighborhoods result in lower blood pressure and improvement to overall emotional and psychological health.
Arbor Day 2023 will mark the 16th year Medina’s urban forestry program has been a participant in the Tree City USA program of the National Arbor Day Foundation. The annual Tree City award honors Medina’s commitment to community forestry.
The Tree City USA Program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, and the USDA Forest Service. Tree City USA is awarded annually to those communities who qualify and is a national designation.
Medina’s Municipal Tree Ordinance and Arbor Day Celebration have been a model for several other communities looking to establish a board and planting program. Medina receives multiple inquiries for assistance and advice every year from municipalities across the state.
The village maintains a policy of diversity in its urban forest plantings. Species to be planted this year include American Hornbeam, Pagoda dogwood, Gingko, Sweetgum, Tupelo, London Plane sycamore, Sargent cherry, Northern pin oak, and varieties of Elm and Maple.
Blackburn emphasizes that while the village makes great progress each year, there remains much to be done. With increasing costs and limited funding, the task is challenging.
“Everywhere, municipal budgets are tight and the cost of plant material has seen double-digit percentage increases in the last seven years,” Blackburn said. “Each year we remove 40-plus trees that are dead, dying and hazardous. The upside is we replace those trees with new, more desirable cultivars.”
Chris Busch, Medina’s Forestry Coordinator, states that the science of street trees and urban forestry has come a long, long way in the last 40 years.
“At the turn of the nineteenth century when most of our village forest was planted, there was little choice for a street tree – elms and oaks were the more expensive option, and Silver maple was the cheaper option,” Busch explained. “Municipalities were interested in large, fast-growing trees that created beautiful tree-lined streets.”
Busch further explained that despite looking very nice, those trees caused big problems.
“One hundred years later, these trees are massive at nearly 70-plus feet and create numerous issues with infrastructure, safety and utilities,” he said. “Today, thanks to extensive research and breeding, there are literally hundreds of cultivars in every shape and size. These are definitely not your great-grandparents street trees! When taking into consideration various limitations on any site, we can select the right tree for the right spot and insure a much healthier and desirable village forest.”
“Thankfully, the community has been extremely generous in donating funds for trees, both as memorials and general plantings.” said Blackburn. “People see the importance of trees in the village and enjoy the aesthetic impact. We’re incredibly grateful for the financial support we receive through our annual Community Releaf Fund Drive.”
According to Blackburn, donations can be made anytime for general tree planting, memorial trees or for “trees on your street.” Additional information can be obtained at the Village Clerk’s Office or by downloading the Releaf brochure online at villagemedina.org.
“Now more than ever, financial support in the form of gifts and donations from the public are critical,” said Blackburn. “Such support is vital for the future.”
Pictured from left includes authors Edward Ashton, Kalynn Bayron and Dee Romito.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 April 2023 at 8:17 pm
MEDINA – On Saturday, Independent Bookstore Day will be celebrated by nearly a thousand independent bookstores across the country, and in honor of the day, Author’s Note at 519 Main St. has planned a day full of events, treats and fun.
Julie Berry, owner of the business and a New York Times best-selling author, has chosen the theme for the day: “A Bookstore is a Garden. Grow Yourself.” Author’s Note will be lavishly decorated with a botanical theme. Berry has also announced the visit of six authors, who will greet customers and sign copies of their books.
Julie Berry, owner of Author’s Note at 519 Main St., stands by a display of her works. She is promoting Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, with a day full of events and visits from six authors.
The store will open earlier than usual in honor of the day, which celebrates, promotes and highlights the value independent bookstores bring to readers, authors and local communities, Berry said.
At 9:30 a.m., New York Times Bestselling Author Edward Ashton will be in the store until 11 a.m. to greet readers, answer questions, make recommendations and sign copies of his science fiction titles.
New York Times best-selling author Kalynn Bayron from Ithaca will include a visit to Medina High School to tell students about her recent middle grade novel The Vanquishers. She will sign books, recommend titles and greet readers at Author’s Note from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Her other new young adult novel is My Dear Henry, a Jekyll and Hyde remix.
Award-winning Buffalo author Dee Romito will sign books from noon to 2 p.m.
Local author Peggy Thomas will sign her book Hero for the Hungry: The Life and Work of Norman Borlaug and greet fans from 1 to 3 p.m. Her book is a beautifully illustrated biography for young readers of the 20th-century American agriculture scientist whose innovations in crop varieties founded the Green Revolution and fed hundreds of millions of people throughout the world.
Two other authors local to Medina are Darlene Baker and Randall R. Reese.
Baker, author of Going through the Gears, will be at the store from 3 to 5 p.m. to share her journey from a woman trucker to author and how she captured the story in her series of books.
Reese is a Medina native and award-winning screenwriter, comedy improv instructor and author of the Coal Miner’s War, based on the story of the Ludlow Massacre. He will be at the store from 3 to 5 p.m.
These authors who are appearing Saturday at Author’s Note include, from left: Peggy Thomas, Darlene Baker and Randall Reese.
Throughout the day, customers will share in scavenger hunts, various activities, games and treats. They can win a year’s supply of free audiobooks, gift cards and gift baskets. Several IBD-exclusive items supplied by the ABA will be available for sale or giveaway that day only.
This will be Author’s Note second Independent Bookstore Day celebration and the 10th anniversary of the event sponsored by the American Bookselling Association. Last Year, Author’s Note chose the theme “A Bookstore is a Candy Store for the Mind.”
“This year will probably be better for your teeth, but there will still be plenty of treats and sweets,” she said.
Berry explained Independent Bookstore Day was created to help communities, book lovers, authors and booksellers celebrate together all the community, fun and imaginative richness a locally-owned independent bookstore brings them that other means of obtaining books can’t bring.
“We bring authors in all year round to educate and inspire readers, and we support other types of cultural programming, such as musical concerts and swing dances,” Berry said. “We supply books in bulk to area libraries and schools. We create a gathering space for people who love books, and we serve as a delightful destination store for area shoppers. But, in addition, indie bookstores return two and one-half to four times as much revenue to their local economies as chains do. And we work hard to foster literacy and reading for all ages, and especially for the kids in our communities.”
She added in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the rise in online bookselling, chain stores and e-readers caused many people to predict the death of the independent bookstore. Yet, between 2009 and 2018, the number of independent bookstores rose nearly 50 percent. Harvard Business School researcher in a landmark 2020 study explained that indie bookstores thrive in an online-heavy book market by differentiating themselves along three lines – Community, Curation and Convening.
“We’re here because of the incredible support of our customers, who believe in the value of shopping small and shopping locally,” Berry said. “As much as we hope to celebrate what Author’s Note, as an indie bookstore, adds to the region, we especially want to use this day to toast and thank our customers for their loyalty and encouragement, which we rely on.
More information about Independent Bookstore Day festivities at Author’s Note can be found by logging on top AuthorsNote.com or calling (585) 798-3642.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Main Street in Medina is shown on Monday evening. Keeler Construction will start repaving the street next week.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 April 2023 at 3:23 pm
MEDINA – Coming to the village starting next week will be a welcome sight: a paver.
Medina will have about $750,000 worth of state-funded paving done on village streets, Mayor Mike Sidari said.
The village is using its CHIPS funds and more than $600,000 from the state as an official touring route. The CHIPS and touring route funds are both managed by the state Department of Transportation.
Mayor Sidari said he is grateful for the funding and the smoother streets.
Keeler Construction in Barre will be the contractor for the paving. The areas to be paved include:
Main Street from railroad tracks to Commercial Street
Prospect Avenue from lift bridge to West Center Street
Park Avenue from Main Street to the village clerk’s office
West Center Street from Main to Prospect
North and South Academy from Ohio Street to Catherine Street
Genesee Street from Park Avenue to West Oak Orchard
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 April 2023 at 11:42 am
MEDINA – The Medina school district won’t be increasing the tax levy in the 2023-24 school budget.
This is the 14th time in the past 16 years the district won’t be increasing property taxes, District Superintendent Mark Kruzynski said.
“I am pleased to present a budget for the upcoming school year that balances the community’s financial needs with the educational, social, and emotional needs of our students,” he said.
The district’s proposed budget is $40,095,815, which represents a 0.53 percent spending increase from the $39,884,316 in 2022-23.
The tax levy is unchanged at $8,814,697. The tax rate for the current school year was $16.47 per $1,000 of assessed value before equalization rates were applied, which vary by town. The Orleans County Department of Real Property Tax will set the final municipal tax rates in August.
Medina’s budget would be 72.7 percent funded by the state with overall state aid at $29,139,269, an increase of $530,555. Those are the numbers from the governor’s executive budget in January, but the state budget remains at an impasse and is nearly a month late.
“Considering the current state of the economy, the board and administration worked extremely hard to control costs for our community,” said LuAnn Tierney, president of the Medina Board of Education. “As a result, we are thrilled to be able to adopt a budget that represents the board’s commitment to providing an excellent education for our students at a cost that the district taxpayers can continue to support.”
Voting for the budget and board candidates will take place on May 16 from noon to 8 p.m. in the District Office Boardroom. Voters must be at least 18 years old, a citizen of the United States and resident of the district for at least 30 days before the vote.
There are also three open seats on the Board of Education for three-year terms. LuAnn Tierney, Steven Blount, Corinne Ryan and Annette Allis submitted petitions to run for the BOE.
Tierney and Allis are seeking re-election while current board member Arlene Pawlaczyk isn’t running again.
For more information on the candidates, click here to be directed to the school district website.
MEDINA – The annual meeting of the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library will be held at the library on Monday, May 8, at 7 p.m.
Agenda items include voting on a trustee position, the presentation of the annual report and the presentation of the proposed budget. Trustee Isabella Mark is seeking re-election to the Board for a five-year term.
The Board has prepared another conservative budget for 2023-2024. The library is asking for an increase in the library tax of 2.81% which is under the New York State tax cap for the library. The property tax levy will increase to $580,913.
“The library continues to operate a conservative organization,” said Cynthia Kiebala, the Lee-Whedon board president. “Costs have risen in nearly every aspect of our operations and so we must ask for an increase in order to maintain services. We are proud of our staff and our high standards of service.”
Residents of the Medina Central School District are invited to attend this public meeting. The budget vote will be at the library on Tuesday, May 9, from noon to 8 p.m. The library is located at 620 West Ave.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2023 at 12:50 pm
MEDINA – The Village Board gave its blessing for a new charter boat business that would offer cruises along the canal.
Brian Hellner of Newfane wants to give rides for up to six people on a 20-foot-long pontoon boat. Hellner said he has been a licensed charter captain the past 12 years and an avid boater the past 50 years. He also is a former vice president of the Buffalo Maritime Center.
He has been to Medina frequently to see his son, Rollin, who lives in Medina and is a real estate developer.
The elder Hellner said he sees an opportunity to grow tourism in the village through the canal cruises. He plans to call the business, North Star Charters. He would like to offer one-hour rides from Friday through Sunday beginning in early June and going into the fall.
An issue for the board is whether to set aside a dedicated dock space for Hellner, and how much to charge. Medina currently doesn’t charge for use of the docks.
Hellner said he could use one of the smaller finger docks which are less in demand. He doesn’t need access to electricity at the basin because he will have solar panels on the pontoon boat.
“I think it will be a great addition,” Village Trustee Marguerite Sherman said about the boat ride business.
Hellner said he plans to promote the rides through social media and have a sign on the boat. He won’t be putting other signs in the Basin to advertise the business.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2023 at 11:37 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: The 75-foot ladder on Medina aerial ladder truck is extended during an April 7 fire at a Main Street building in Medina. There were five ladder trucks at the fire with others from Albion, Lockport, Murray and Shelby.
MEDINA – The Village Board took another step towards getting a new ladder truck for the Fire Department on Monday.
The board authorized a bond resolution for up to $1,990,000 towards the cost of a new ladder truck. Board members expect the cost will be less than that maximum bond but wanted some room if the cost are higher than expected.
The board will also be pursuing grants and low-interest financing that should result in a smaller bond.
The village is seeking a new ladder truck with a 100-foot-long ladder. That would replace one from 1996 with a 75-foot ladder. The current truck has many mechanical issues and often needs costly repairs that take it out of service.
Medina hasn’t signed a purchase agreement for the new truck. Fire Chief Matt Jackson said the village can expect to wait about three years for a new truck due to the trucks being on back order and with supply chain issues.
The village also is looking to put an addition on the fire hall to accommodate the larger vehicle. The current fire hall only has 2 inches of clearance in the truck bays.
The addition to the fire hall that would be approximately 62 feet, 8 inches by 88 feet, 8 inches. That expansion, plus repairs to the existing fire hall, would be about $4.5 million, according to a report from the Barton & Loguidice firm.
The ladder trucks from Medina, left, and Murray were in service for several hours during the big fire in Medina on April 7. Medina’s truck is 27 years old.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2023 at 9:20 am
MEDINA – Village property owners are in for a big tax increase. The Village Board on Monday evening approved a $7,593,286 budget with a 14.9 percent tax hike.
The village will be collecting $3,786,964 in property taxes, which is up $490,824 from the $3,296,140 tax levy. The budget increases the tax rate by 11.6 percent from $18.85 to $21.15 per $1,000 of assessed property. This is the first time Medina, or any village in Orleans County, tops a $20 tax rate.
Property owners in the Town of Ridgeway are at a 76 percent equalization rate and will pay a village tax rate of $21.24 per $1,000. In Shelby, which is at an 80 percent equalization rate, the village tax rate will be $20.18.
“This year’s budget was one of the most difficult budgets I’ve been involved with in 6 years,” Medina Mayor Mike Sidari said during the meeting on Monday. “We had many, many meetings and many sleepless nights.”
During a public hearing on the tentative budget on April 10, Medina was at a tax rate over $28. Sidari said the budget was chopped since then, but couldn’t contain nearly $400,000 in salary increases and higher costs for employee benefits, including health insurance and retirement.
The final budget shows salaries are up by $191,145 to $3,308,492, while employee benefits increased by $182,391 to $1,580,725.
Sidari said the village also faces rising fuel, inflation and other expenses that couldn’t be avoided.
The board knew the village was headed for a difficult budget process months ago. The board imposed a spending freeze on department heads beginning in January, Sidari said.
Medina faces rising costs and relies on property taxes to offset the increases. The village hasn’t been able to get more of the local sales tax. The county has kept the village and town allotments frozen since 2001. Medina is due to receive $152,047 in the local sales tax this year. Last year the total local sales tax topped $22.5 million in the county.
The state also hasn’t increased the Aid and Incentives to Municipalities or AIM in several years. Medina, population 6,047 in the 2020 census, only gets $45,523 in AIM funding or about $7.50 a person. If Medina was treated as a city it would get much more in AIM. The City of Sherrill, the state’s smallest city with 3,054 people in Oneida County, receives $372,689 or $122 per capita. Another small city, Salamanca in Cattaraugus County, gets $928,131 for a city of 5,929 people or $156 per capita.
Medina hasn’t done a full re-evaluation of its tax base in about five years. The taxable valuation of village increased from $173,928,941 a year ago to $178,984,667 for the new budget. A re-evaluation is planned but those new values won’t take effect until the 2024-25 budget. A higher tax base should drive down the tax rate in the next budget.
The big jump in taxes follows several years of small increases. Here are the recent tax levy amounts and tax rates for the village budget:
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2023 at 9:54 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Village trustees Marguerite Sherman, left, and Tim Elliott hold a flag that was created by a village resident to be considered as an official flag for the community.
Mayor Mike Sidari presented the flag at this evening’s Village Board meeting. Sidari said Medina doesn’t have an official village flag.
The resident who designed the flag asked to be anonymous. The resident worked on the design as a project when largely homebound during the early days of the Covid pandemic. That person paid to have three flags made and gave them to the village.
“It’s a very nice gesture,” Mayor Sidari said about the flag proposal.
Sidari said he will ask for resident feedback the next couple Village Board meetings before deciding whether the design should be adopted as the official flag.
The design includes a mule-drawn packet boat, the former Medina Sandstone top of the White Hotel, which was later the NAPA Auto Parts on Main Street without such a glorious peak. The phrase “Roots in the Past, Eyes on the Future” is included on the flag, borrowing the phrase that was included on some of the village gateway signs and now is on the sign at the village office. There is also a canal bridge on the right sign on the flag.
The Flag Institute said a community flag “is a wonderful way to proclaim the unique identity of a place.” That institute, based in Great Britain, urges towns, villages and counties to design flags to celebrate their places and people, and to use “meaningful symbolism.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: Gregory Hallock (right at podium), executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, greets about 75 people during an announcement on Saturday for $210,000 in grants to local arts programs. He is joined at Hoag Library in Albion by Mary Jo Whitman (left), the education and Statewide Community Regrant Program coordinator; and Jodi Fisher (center), the GO ART! administrative assistant.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2023 at 3:03 pm
ALBION – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council wants a site in Orleans County for an art gallery and also as a base for cultural programs.
Gregory Hallock, the executive director of GO ART!, said the organization is looking to develop a site in Medina, a project that could be about $10 million.
Hallock said the agency will be reaching out to foundations and raising money through donors.
The agency isn’t releasing any plans or more specifics about the project right now, Hallock said on Saturday during an presentation for $210,000 in grants to 50 artists and organizations.
Hallock said GO ART! wants a vibrant arts program in both Genesee and Orleans. In addition to the project in Medina, Hallock said GO ART! will be looking to expand and modernize in Batavia. He expects the fundraising and development will be a major focus for the organization from 2024 to 2027.
“We’re going to have state-of-the-art everything,” he said.
Hallock said the program in Orleans has been helped through partnerships with the local libraries and the Orleans County YMCA. But he said a dedicated site that would offer classes and other programming is needed in Orleans County.
“We will be adding space in Medina,” he told a crowd of about 75 people on Saturday. “More details to come.”
MEDINA – Case-Nic Cookies’ 5th annual Have a Heart Cookie Sale and window raffle fundraiser generated $2,360 for Arc GLOW programs and services.
Mary Lou Tuohey, owner of Case-Nic, started the fundraiser with her daughter Nicole in 2019 as a way to highlight the March observance of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and to raise funds for Arc services at the same time.
Mary Lou’s cookie and raffle idea was inspired by Nicole, who has been receiving services from the Arc since she was a baby. Now, as an adult, Nicole attends Arc GLOW’s Washington Street Day Hab program in Albion. Besides helping raise funds for Arc GLOW, the Tuoheys are also avid fundraisers for another charity close to their heart, the Alzheimer’s Association.
“We love to give back to organizations that mean so much to our family,” Mary Lou said.
In 2023, Have a Heart cookie sales totaled $1,185 and the window raffle raised $1,175.
“This is a true inspiration,” said Lisa Bors, Arc’s Director Public Relations. “We appreciate Nicole, Mary Lou and Case-Nic Cookies’ faithful customers for supporting the Have a Heart campaign this year.”
As designated by Mary Lou and Nicole, funds raised will benefit programs spanning all areas served by Arc GLOW: Camp Rainbow in Lyndonville, Day Habilitation and Recreation programs in Genesee and Orleans counties, and Arc GLOW’s KidStart in Mount Morris.
Photo by Tom Rivers: This is one of the charging stations that was installed at Hoag Library in December 2021.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 April 2023 at 5:36 pm
The villages of Albion and Medina have been approved for funding from the state for electric charging stations for vehicles.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $8.4 million in grants last week to 70 communities statewide.
The Village of Medina has been approved for $245,184 for two direct-current fast charger pedestals, while the Village of Albion was awarded $10,500 for two Level 2 charging ports.
Medina is in the smaller group of 28 of the fast chargers approved for funding, while Albion is in the group that includes 454 Level 2 charging ports, according to the governor’s office.
“New York has made remarkable progress advancing our transition from fossil fuels and reducing harmful vehicle emissions statewide as part of our nation-leading climate agenda,” Governor Hochul said in a news release. “Thanks to initiatives like the Municipal Zero-Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure grants, communities across New York State are taking bold action to protect the environment and tackle the climate crisis. We will continue to invest in clean energy to improve the health and quality of life of New Yorkers and ensure a safe and sustainable future.”
The locations for the charging stations in Albion and Medina haven’t been finalized. Medina village officials discussed having them at either the Canal Basin, in the municipal parking behind Main Street and East Center Street, or at the Senior Center on West Avenue.
Albion village officials discussed having the charging stations on East Bank Street in a municipal lot across from the village office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 April 2023 at 10:16 am
At least 7.5 million gallons of water used to put out fire
Photo by Tom Rivers: The three-story Medina sandstone structure at 613 Main St. is fenced off after a fire on Friday caused extensive damage to the structure. About 400 feet of fencing has been donated by the Hellner Development Corp.
MEDINA – Firefighters used at least 7.5 million gallons of water to put out the fire on Friday at 613 Main St. That doesn’t count the water drawn in two spots from Oak Orchard Creek.
Medina Mayor Mike Sidari, a Medina firefighter for about 40 years, said the blaze was the biggest he’s seen at Medina. He thanked firefighters, about 150 in all, and other responders for getting the fire under control without spreading.
“Thanks to all of those entities that provided help for us,” Sidari said at Monday’s Village Board meeting. “The operation went smoothly.”
A structural engineer has deemed the building in no danger of immediate collapse after the roof and floors caved in. The building is fenced off and the village has an agreement from building owner Jeff Fuller to stabilize the site.
Medina Fire Chief Matt Jackson said trains will be going slower through the village, down from 25 miles per hour to 10 miles per hour to reduce vibrations to the site, which is next to the railroad tracks.
Jackson thanked the many departments that responded with mutual aid, including four that brought aerial ladder trucks to join medina’s. Those five trucks each put at least 2,000 gallons of water a minute on the fire for at least five hours.
Jackson said there weren’t any injuries from the fire, and one of the residents was safely rescued from a second-floor window.
He thanked the Medina Department of Public Works, code enforcement and the Police Department for their work which was “essential” in managing the situation.
Fire investigators from the county and state also continue to work on determining the cause of the blaze, Jackson said.
The fire at 613 Main St. on Friday spewed dark smoke for several hours.
MEDINA – Case-Nic Cookies’ 5th annual Have a Heart Cookie Sale and window raffle fundraiser generated $2,360 for Arc GLOW programs and services.
