By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2016 at 2:57 pm
ALBION – The tentative budget for Orleans County would reduce the tax rate by 3 cents to $9.86 per $1,000 of assessed property.
However, the county would take in 2.5 percent more in taxes, up $405,260 to $16,728,410. The $2.5 percent increase remains under the tax cap because the county was under it in recent years and can carry over that difference.
The tax rate will go down slightly because total assessed value in the county grew 2.844 percent from $1.650 billion to $1.696 billion.
The tentative budget was filed on Wednesday by Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer and budget officer. The County Legislature will have a public hearing on Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Orleans County Courthouse.
Overall spending is up 1.81 percent or by $1.18 million to $65,614,624. This will be the third year the county hasn’t had the nursing home, and Nesbitt said that spared the county from an estimated $2 million tax hit for 2017.
Here are some highlights from Nesbitt in the tentative budget:
• Mental Health
The county has opened satellite mental health offices in each of the five school districts, and is now working to offer integrated primary care and mental health services in a collaborative partnership with Oak Orchard Health.
The 2017 budget includes four positions to staff ten new satellite offices across the five districts that had been added throughout 2016.
“These positions are revenue generating, justifying themselves from a cost benefit standpoint,” Nesbitt said in his budget message.
The county is seeking grants to shift some services to the main campus by the County Administration Building. Those grants funds could be used to develop a new facility to modernize Public Health and Mental Health operations, expand offerings, and reorganize county facilities, Nesbitt said.
“An added benefit of the project will be a reduction of wear and tear on historic Courthouse Square, taking pressure off the historically significant buildings,” he said.
• Aging
Office for the Aging has a grant to add a full-time aging service specialist. In January 2017, a statewide advertising campaign will encourage New Yorkers to contact NY Connects throughout the state as a No Wrong Door entity providing access to long-term care services. This newly created position will screen all calls and walk‐ins for individuals from birth to death for long-term care services.
• Planning
The county last year added a planning professional to the Planning Department to address comprehensive planning in the local communities, including waterfront revitalization, harbor dredging and community development.
• Pensions
Although the overall employer contribution percentage remained the same and full-time equivalent numbers are up slightly from 2016, the amount budgeted for the New York State Retirement System was down $27,387 from 2016 at $2,627,117 (a reduction of just over 1%). This is reflective of some Tier 5 and 6 penetration, Nesbitt said.
• Health Insurance
Orleans County continues to benefit from a partnership with the Alliance of Western New York, Nesbitt said. The county’s overall premium increase is projected at a 2.77 percent increase or $131,956.
• County Jail
The county jail shows the largest single increase of any department at $277,127.
“Regulators at the state level have forced the county to eliminate most of the revenue for boarding inmates in our facility,” Nesbitt said. “The state has also required that the county change the methodology for allocation of command staff at the facility. This has resulted in additional costs to the facility.”
• State mandates
The nine major state mandates that used to make up 90 percent of statewide county property taxes are down slightly from $16,397,378 in 2016 to $16,319,197 in 2017. This reduction is primarily due to reductions in the local Medicaid share resulting from enhancements in the Affordable Care Act.
“If the ACA is repealed, it will have a significant impact on property taxes across the state of New York and likely forcing universal Tax Cap overrides by counties across the state,” Nesbitt said.
The local cost of the nine state mandated programs equals 97.56 percent of the county property tax levy, he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 November 2016 at 4:56 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Richard Coleman of Eagle Harbor Road in Barre made this sign with his grandson. “Your putting your stamp out there, rather than somebody else’s,” Coleman said about the home-made sign. Coleman said he supports Donald Trump for his push to strengthen the military and boost the economy.
Of the 62 counties in New York, Orleans is expected to have one of the biggest shows of support for Donald Trump today.
Orleans is solidly Republican and two years ago when Rob Astorino ran against Andrew Cuomo for governor, Orleans voters gave Astorino 73.4 percent of the vote. That was the second highest percentage of all counties. Only Wyoming County, at 76.0 percent, topped Orleans in backing the Republican candidate. (State-wide, Cuomo won re-election with 54 percent of the vote.)
Ed Morgan, the Orleans County Republican Party chairman, said he expects big numbers for Trump in Orleans. The Orleans GOP Committee was the first of all the NY counties to endorse Trump back in February.
Trump signs far outnumber ones for Clinton on the local landscape.
Morgan said the GOP county leaders compare votes in their counties to see the Republican support. Morgan said Orleans might be able to wrestle bragging rights from Wyoming when it comes to which county votes the most Republican today.
He said the Republican ideals strike a chord with many local residents.
“We’re a rural county with working people,” he said. “We’re a giving county.”
The voter enrollment rolls count 10,732 Republicans in Orleans, compared to 5,518 Democrats.
There are 23,263 registered voters total. The number of independent voters – blanks – at 5,100 nearly matches the number of Democrats. Appealing to independents and third parties can help a Democrat in a Republican-dominated county.
There are also 1,113 registered members of the Independence Party and 542 Conservatives. Other party enrollments include: Working Families, 154; Green, 64; Libertarian, 35; Women’s Equality, 3; and Reform, 2.
Even Jeanne Crane, the leader of the Orleans County Democratic Party, said she expects Orleans County will give Donald Trump strong support today.
The county is solidly Republican, and that enrollment advantage is tough for a Democratic Party candidate to overcome, she said.
Crane has been encouraged by many blue signs in lawns in support of Hillary Clinton for president. Crane said those public displays aren’t always easy in a county where Democrats are at such a disadvantage.
“It’s tough for a Democrat in Orleans County because we’re outnumbered 2-to-1 by the Republicans,” she said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2016 at 7:10 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
CHURCHVILLE – Members of the Mad Scientists, a First Lego League team from Orleans County, is congratulated after being named one of five teams to advance to a regional competition on Dec. 11 at the University of Rochester.
This photo shows Emma Foote, Bryce Wilson and Zachary Neal getting high-fives from officials and leaders of today’s qualifier at Churchville-Chili Middle School. There were 18 teams with the top five advancing to regionals.
The Mad Scientists also won the award for best project. The Mad Scientists developed a prosthetic leg for a dog.
This photo shows Joshua Bovenzi and the team accepting that award. The FLL teams throughout the country had to do a project on “Animal Allies.” They needed to research animals, present that information during today’s competition, and build and program a robot to perform different tasks.
The Mad Scientists include, from left: Joshua Bovenzi, Bryce Wilson, Emma Foote, Deegan Bragg, Zachary Neal and Aiden Miller.
Orleans County has three FLL teams who compete in the 4-H program. The Orleans teams are led by Marlene and Erik Seielstad of Albion. They have led the program, open to students in grades 4 through 8, since it started five years ago.
This team was named the “B-Keepers.” They researched bees and their importance in pollinating crops and vegetation and offered solutions to fight Colony Collapse Disorder, which has hurt the bee population. The team include, from left: Jacob Foote, Nicolas Burke, Bryce Mathes, James Michael Beach and Isaac Becker.
This team from Orleans – KOWZ (Kids Only Work Zone) – created a contraption for a dog to turn on the lights in the dark. Dogs can’t reach a light switch, but with this invention they could pull on the bottom lever and turn on the lights. Parents of a child in a wheelchair at the competition today liked the invention so much, they took it home with them to use in their house for their son. The KOWZ team includes Jayden Neal, Russell Kingdollar, Jacob Draper, Lance Moyer and Samuel Yousey.
The Hippie Pandas, a team from a Girl Scout troop in Churchville, once again was named the overall champion in the qualifier. The Hippie Pandas are a dominant team and advanced to the national competition in 2014.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 November 2016 at 3:37 pm
File photos by Tom Rivers: John Borello, left, and Ed Hilfiker, guitarists with The Who Dats, perform during the Orleans County 4-H Fair in this photo from July 2015. If the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension is approved for a state grant, the main performing stage would shift to the Curtis Pavilion, rather than the temporary stage shown here.
KNOWLESVILLE – In July, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the state would set aside $5 million to help county fairs with capital improvements. Each fair could receive up to $200,000 with the money awarded on a first come-first served basis.
Officials with the Orleans County Fair Committee and the Cornell Cooperative Extension have identified projects for the grant.
The state is expected to soon accept applications for the funds. Orleans has one of the most popular youth fairs in the state, and Robert Batt, a 4-H educator, is hopeful the fairgrounds in Knowlesville can secure a full $200,000 grant.
“It’s exciting for us because you don’t get money like this, for infrastructure and repairs,” Batt said. “Usually the grants go to a new building.”
The biggest project identified by Fair and Extension leaders is an upgrade to the performance stage at the Curtis Building. This is the building where the popular chicken barbecue happens every Thursday evening during fair week. The stage is also used to crown fair royalty and recognize 4-H’ers on Saturday, the last day of the fair.
Fair officials want to tear down the current pavilion stage and replace it with a larger performing area. The new stage would include changing rooms on the west end of the stage and east end would have two restroom and two shower-stall bathrooms as well as an exterior hand wash sink.
The project would also include an electrical upgrade in the pavilion and the installation of stage lighting.
The Extension and Fair Committee would like the stage to be improved so concerts, karaoke, the talent show and other performances could be at the Curtis Pavilion. Right now the fair has to pay to have a temporary stage set up with a tent and hundreds of chairs and bleachers. If the project goes forward, it would eliminate the need for stage and tent rental for the future at a savings of $2,500 per year.
“It’s going to have a long-lasting impact on the fairgrounds and hopefully make the building more useful for the entire community,” Batt said.
Emma Ambrose of Medina and other riders in the hunter hack event wait for their turns to compete at the fair in July 2015. The state grant, if approved for Orleans, would enlarge the horse arena.
Other improvement projects identified with the $200,000 grant include:
• Trolley Building roof replacement
• Horse washrack replacement
• Paving of Fairgrounds “mainway” area
• Electrical: Addition of second leg for carnival camping off swine pavilion. Underground wire and leg of ten 30-foot spots south of creek for new 4-H camping
• Double the size of horse arena
If there is money remaining in the $200,000 grant, Batt said Fair leaders are looking to make over the bathrooms with fresh paint, some lighting repair and new “safety mirrors.”
The fair would also like to replace ash trees that were removed this year with quick-growing shade trees.
The Fair Committee and Extension also would like upgrades to fairgrounds lighting, by replacing current lighting with LED. The group would like to replace all wiring with conduit, and possibly move lines underground to parking lots.
Cuomo announced on July 20 there would be $5 million available to county fairs. (The fairs have to pay for the projects and then get 100 percent reimbursed for the work.)
“Our county fairs are a vibrant part of New York’s culture and history and play an integral role in generating economic activity in communities across the state,” Cuomo said when he announced the grant opportunity. “By facilitating key infrastructural improvements and renovations at county fairs statewide, this funding will help ensure visitors come back year after year. I encourage fairs to put their best projects forward and apply this fall.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 November 2016 at 12:38 pm
ALBION – The three Orleans County coroners have offered cut their pay in half for some calls that require limited work on their part.
The coroners are paid $100 per call. However, they will now be paid $50 for calls with Hospice of Orleans, where the cause of death doesn’t require as much investigative work, said Scott Schmidt, the county’s chief coroner.
“It doesn’t make sense to charge the citizens of the county a full $100,” Schmidt said about those deaths.
On the other side, some deaths can require lots of investigative work to determine the cause of death. The corners don’t get paid more for those calls.
The three coroners – Schmidt, Rocco Sidari and Charlie Smith – handle about 120 deaths a year with Hospice. Reducing the rate for those calls to $50 will save the county about $6,000 annually.
The Legislature last week voted to set the base pay for coroners at $1,930 in 2017, plus $100 for each standard case and $50 for a phone release case with a patient at Hospice.
In other news at the County Legislature meeting:
• The Legislature agreed to enter into a contract between the office for the Aging and Home Leasing, the company looking to develop the old Holley High School. If the project becomes a reality, there would be services available at the site for residents with special needs.
The agreement between Office for the Aging and Home Leasing was needed so the company could fulfill requirements for a funding commitment for the project.
• The county accepted a bid from Nudd Towers in Ontario for maintenance of the five towers that are part of the county’s emergency radio system. The maintenance contract for the first time includes the three new towers that went up in 2014. Those towers are by the Clarendon Highway Department near Route 31A, in Albion by the Civil Defense Center on West County House Road and one in Shelby next to the Medina water tank on Route 31A. The county also had two other radio towers, including the main one which reaches 485 feet.
Lyndonville resident Paul Lauricella said he thought that maintenance contract was too costly. County officials said Nudd can make minor repairs, including re-lamping the towers and tightening bolts.
If there was a problem with a light on a tower, the Federal Aviation Administration could force the county to fix it right away or be fined.
“It’s money well spent,” said Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management coordinator. “You couldn’t pay me a million dollars to climb up there.”
• Legislator Don Allport said the Community Services Board needs more members. The group would like more representation from the west side of the county Allport said the group meets monthly, except during the summer, at the Mental Health Department next to the County Administration Building.
File photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County 4-H Fair will add a second night of fireworks this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County.
KNOWLESVILLE – With the approach of the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension centennial in 2017, the Board of Directors is seeking members of the community to plan for celebrating the milestone.
On November 10 at 7:00 p.m., the annual OCCCE Teamwork meeting will include a reflection on the past and plans to celebrate the future. Already several events and activities have been suggested by current volunteers, alumni and youth.
Some of these ideas include an alumni photo taken during the fair, special fair entertainment, a memorial carving, bringing back vintage posters and publication, a centennial quilt and quilt show, presentations of historical foods and clothing, and the re-release of an updated “History of the Orleans County 4-H Fair” book by Dr. Neil Johnson, a long-time leader of the rabbit club and the a local historian.
At the Nov. 10 meeting, the committee will work to identify a theme that represents the first 100 years of successfully carrying out the mission of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension – to provide relevant, accessible, research-based information to grow confident youth and successful farms and gardens for a strong and healthy Orleans community.
The Extension is looking for volunteers to participate in the planning group or having a hands on role in the activities. If you are interested, you can connect with the office at 798-4265 or by emailing orleans@cornell.edu.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2016 at 8:02 am
$17 million in 2017 is an attainable goal
This washed-out sign declaring Orleans County as “Home of the King” with a faint outline of a salmon greets motorists on Route 98 near the Elba-Barre townline. The county could do much better with gateway signage highlighting local attractions.
Orleans County and the local school and village governments have all been in shrink mode in recent years, making big reductions in staff.
The county sold the nursing home, and many of its departments have fewer employees than a decade ago. Villages have fewer police officers and DPW staff.
In some cases, the municipalities are sharing staff to bring down costs. Orleans and Genesee counties have teamed up to have Public Health employees working in both counties. Holley has contracted with Albion for police chief services and for expertise running its sewer plant.
The officials have found ways to reduce the overall government overhead.
But there is another way to bring down property taxes, a way that would lift up local businesses.
The local governments should look to boost sales tax revenues in the county. There should be a push to have Orleans residents spend more within our county, and there should be a concerted effort to bring in more visitors.
Right now, Orleans County ranks as the fourth worse out of 62 counties in sales tax per capita, despite ranking 25th from the bottom in median household income.
Orleans gets $358 per person in sales tax. We are one of only six counties below $400 per person, according to the Office of the State Comptroller. Wyoming County, which is similar in size to Orleans at about 40,000 people, gets $394 per capita in sales tax.
Orleans County, population 42,235 in 2013, took in $15,469,950 in sales tax in 2015. There was $15,703,363 in 2014.
Wyoming County, population 41,531 in 2013, took in $16,591,138 in 2015 and $16,853,447 in 2014.
A hot air balloon takes off at Letchworth State Park in this photo from May 2015. Wyoming County has numerous signs in many towns pointing people to the park.
I often hear people say Orleans is the poorest county in the state. That isn’t true. Our median household income is $48,502. There are 62 counties in New York and Orleans ranks 25th worst (or 37th highest) in median household income, according to the Census Bureau. The Census compiled the data in household income from 2009-2013 in the American Community Survey.
In Western New York, Orleans tops Niagara County ($47,955), Allegany ($42,429) and Cattaraugus at $42,603.
Wyoming has a higher household income than Orleans. Wyoming is 34th out of 62 counties at $51,100.
A reasonable goal with sales tax for Orleans would be to match Wyoming. Orleans would need to bring in about $1.1 million more a year.
Although Wyoming has a higher median household income, Orleans has slightly more people.
I would like to see our elected officials launch a campaign to boost sales tax to $17 million in 2017 and to $20 million by 2020.
Every $1 million in sales tax represents $25 million in taxable spending.
Here are some ideas (little and big projects) to reach that goal:
Sell more gas (and other stuff) locally
We lose a lot of sales tax because our gas prices are higher than neighboring counties. Meeting with gas providers, explaining how their prices hurt us and drive up taxes, may get some relief.
Educating the consumer may be best bet to capture more sales tax from gas sales. Consumers may not realize when they buy gas in Elba, Brockport or Lockport, they are depriving their own municipality of that revenue. If they buy 15 gallons a week outside Orleans (with the county losing about 8 cents in sales tax per gallon) that’s $1.20 lost each week or $60 for the year. Multiply that by thousands of people.
The Chamber of Commerce and local governments should develop a “Buy in Orleans” campaign and promote it heavily. “Shop locally and lower your taxes.”
Develop heritage trails
It was a big deal about two years ago when the state allowed the Niagara Wine Trail to extend past Niagara County through Orleans, all the way to near Rochester. The state even provided money for road signs. But the local wineries and Niagara Wine Trail have struggled with getting permits and approvals for the signs. This photo shows the sign on Route 104 near the Niagara-Orleans border.
A Sandstone Trail on Route 31 – Sandstone signs for municipalities and roadside signs for attractions. (The Sandstone Trail should include a quarrymen memorial in either Medina, Holley or Albion, or perhaps a quarrymen tribute in each community. The sandstone quarries were one of the community’s most dominant industries for about a century, and attracted thousands of immigrants to Orleans. Many of their descendants continue to live among us.)
Route 98 corridor from Batavia to Point Breeze (several museums on this stretch). Add bronze statues/memorial sites in Batavia (for horsemen at Batavia Downs) in Elba (for muck farmers) and in Albion (for Santa and/or quarrymen).
Promote and better develop an Albion Heritage Trail that ties together the historic sites at Mount Albion Cemetery, Courthouse Square, downtown, Erie Canal, and Cobblestone Museum as well as many grand old homes.
Partner with Niagara and Monroe counties to establish and promote Cobblestone Trail on Route 104 with Cobblestone Museum the centerpiece.
Work with wineries to get Niagara Wine Trail signs up. (They were approved more than two years ago but bureaucracy has stymied the sign efforts.)
As the county nears its 200th anniversary in 2026, the local officials should be mulling ways to celebrate that milestone. Perhaps the quarrymen memorial and other tributes would be attractions while paying homage to our heritage.
Historic assets
Holley has the only original section of the Erie Canal remaining from between Buffalo and Rochester. A humble sign nailed to a tree notes that distinction.
Holley has the only remaining original loop of Erie Canal. It is currently filled with wild brush and vegetation. If it was cleared out, with interpretive signage, it could be an attraction.
There are many other historic assets, from cemeteries, stately homes and historic districts. A package could be developed to capitalize on the interest in history and heritage. Orleans County has many stories to tell from the war of 1812, Erie Canal, Underground Railroad, industrial revolution (Medina sandstone quarries) and much more. Some of these sites could be connected through hitching posts and carriage steps, especially if someone provided carriage rides to see the historic trail.
Work to obtain a Pullman Sleeping Car that would be parked in Albion and rented out to coffee shop/bakery.
As part of the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal construction, Orleans County and the canal towns should try each year to introduce a painted fiberglass mule and oxen. They could be gradually introduced over the eight-year bicentennial which starts next year and ends in 2025. The county may want to work with GO Art! and contribute some funds to the effort. Numerous communities have done these type of public art projects, including Batavia, Buffalo, Rochester and Olean, just to name a few.
Natural wonders
The Medina Waterfalls is an awesome site, but it’s largely inaccessible to the public.
Medina has one of the most impressive waterfalls along the canal, but it is largely inaccessible to public. Having an elevated platform from canal leading back to waterfalls would put an attraction in play, drawing more people to Medina.
There is also a nice waterfall in Shelby. If pubic access was secured, it would be a nice spot for families and others to enjoy.
Holley has a second waterfalls by the water plant that would be popular with a viewing platform. (This one is actually in Clarendon, but is close to the waterfall near the canal off Frisbee Terrace.)
Bronze Statues
Provide some funding for bronze statues for Company F Memorial in Medina and Charles Howard in Albion. Both would provide an iconic character for their communities. The Howard statue of a Santa would promote Albion’s Santa history and could spur the downtown to become home to Santa-themed businesses (The Santa Café and Bake Shop, for example).
Support existing community events
Set aside $50,000 annually from the $200K-plus in gambling money (as part of the state settlement with the Senecas) and use it to make local festivals better and to support projects, such as bronze statues, better gateway signage, etc.
Get more out of fishing
Fishermen try to catch salmon and trout along the Oak Orchard River last October.
Orleans gets about $12 million in spending from fishing. That’s a far cry from the $100 million up in the Oswego area with the Salmon River. We could do more. I would start with better gateway signs at the county borders. The current ones that say, “Home of the King” with a salmon are washed out and unnoticeable. Dramatic signs that say, “Catch me if you can,” might reel in more fishing cash.
Conclusion
The county should form a sales tax commission or task force that would work with the town and village governments, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and business associations to have an action plan for putting more assets in play that would bring more visitors to the county and also encourage Orleans residents to spend more locally.
That would grow the sales tax, reduce pressure on property taxes, and stimulate local businesses.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 October 2016 at 2:06 pm
File photo, Badge of Honor Association: Orleans County Deputy James DeFilipps speaks on June 18 during the Policeman’s Ball in Rochester.
San DIEGO, CA. – James DeFilipps, the Orleans County deputy who survived a shootout last year after being shot twice in the abdomen, was honored earlier this month in San Diego by the International Police Chiefs Association/DuPont Kevlar Survivors’ Club.
DeFilipps was chosen as the 2016 Honoree of the Year. He received the award during a luncheon on Oct. 15 during the 123rd International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference and Exposition.
DeFilipps was one of the first on the scene in response to a domestic disturbance call when he noticed the suspect’s vehicle speeding by on the road on March 21, 2015.
DeFilipps was in pursuit when the suspect exited his vehicle and hid from the officers on scene. The suspect then began to shoot at the officers from a nearby wooded area in Clarendon, striking DeFilipps twice in the torso.
DeFilipps fired back, eliminating the threat, and then maintained his position and used the flashlight on his rifle to illuminate the suspect’s location for the other officers. His quick response saved the lives of the other officers at the scene and, thanks to the use of his body armor, DeFilipps sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to a news release from the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
“The brave actions of Deputy James A. DeFilipps helped save the lives of his fellow officers,” said IACP President, Chief Terrence M. Cunningham of the Wellesley (MA) Police Department. “We are pleased to honor Deputy DeFilipps for being an example to others for wearing his vest.”
Since 1987, IACP has partnered with DuPont to honor those police officers who have survived life-threatening incidents because they were wearing their personal body armor. To-date, more than 3,100 officers who have been saved from death or serious injury by wearing body armor have been honored, with one officer chosen annually as the Honoree of the Year. The award helps to reinforce the use of body armor every day and every shift for officer safety. It also serves as a reminder of the heroic efforts police exhibit while serving their communities.
“Every day, law enforcement officers confront multiple, unpredictable situations that can quickly become life-threatening or disabling,” said Steve LaGanke, Global Marketing Manager, DuPont Protection Solutions. “At DuPont, we are committed to providing advanced materials that help officers, like Deputy DeFilipps, come home safely day after day. We hope that his inspiring story of heroism and survival will help reinforce the fact that wearing personal body armor can mean the difference between life and death.”
DeFilipps, a Holley resident, has worked as a deputy in Orleans County for 13 years after starting his career with the Holley Police Department. The New York State Sheriff’s Association named him the “Deputy of the Year” in 2015.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 October 2016 at 8:16 am
Provided photo: The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has unused medication boxed up and ready to be delivered to an incineration facility after the Drug Take-Back Day last Saturday. Pictured, from left, include: Christopher Shabazz, a correctional officer at the county jail; Scott Wilson, jail superintendent; and Michael Mele, chief deputy.
ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office last Saturday participated in the National Prescription Take-Back Event that was sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The collection event yielded over 600 pounds of unused medication and sharps from five locations in Orleans County.
All collected medications were transported by the Sheriff’s Office to a designated incineration facility for destruction.
The National Prescription Take-Back Event has been very successful in Orleans County and has resulted more than 4,300 pounds of unused medications and sharps being turned in.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will continue to support future collection events with the purpose of safely disposing unused medications and to reduce the potential for criminal diversion, said Sheriff Randy Bower.
On Oct. 22, drop-off sites included the Orleans County Public Safety Building in Albion, Holley Fire Hall, Kendall Fire Hall, Lyndonville Fire Hall and Medina Fire Hall.
“The Orleans County Sheriff’s Department would like to thank all of the Fire Departments that participated in the event,” Bower said. “We would further like to thank the Drug Free Communities Coalition for providing volunteers at each collection site and the Orleans County Public Health Department for assisting in advertising the event.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2016 at 7:24 pm
File photo: The dredging barge is near the breakwall at the Oak Orchard Harbor in this photo from August 2014.
POINT BREEZE – Orleans County legislators want to reignite a push for a dredging plan for harbors on the southshore of Lake Ontario.
The harbors haven’t been dredged on a timely basis the past decade, leaving a buildup of sediment and silt that can make some channels impassable for larger boats.
The Oak Orchard Harbor was last dredged in 2014. It went 10 years between dredgings. County officials said the harbor should be cleared of sentiment every three to five years.
Orleans wants to partner with other southshore counties to come up with a plan for cyclical dredging, said Legislator Lynne Johnson, R-Lyndonville.
Niagara County already is interested in the project, and so is Wayne County. If there are multiple counties in a dredging plan that could help with convince companies with dredging equipment to offer a better price for the sediment removal, Johnson said.
The Army Corps of Engineers has been determining the dredging schedule, and in recent years the Corps has given priority to busier harbors, rather than those that are primary for recreation, such as Oak Orchard’s.
The Oak Orchard Harbor was dredged when federal funds from Superstorm Sandy were directed for the job.
Congress hasn’t set aside money on a regular basis to clean out recreational harbors like the Oak Orchard. During low lake-level years, boats can run aground in the harbor. That happened to the Oak Orchard in 2012.
A clogged harbor makes the county’s fishing and recreational boating industries vulnerable. The harbor generates about $7 million in economic activity for the county, resulting in 117 direct and indirect jobs. It also yields $283,484 in sales tax revenue for the county with the same sales tax for the state, according to a consultant, Frank Sciremammano of FES Environmental and Marine Consultants.
Sciremammano worked with six southshore counties on a plan for regular harbor maintenance and dredging back in 2014. The Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging the Genesee River and the Port of Oswego, which are both commercial harbors, but the recreational harbors have languished.
“We need to have a plan, a cyclical schedule,” Johnson said today. “We don’t want to wait 10 years before we have our harbor dredged again.”
The federal money from the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy took some of the urgency away for the harbor dredging plan. But Johnson said the county wants to push the plan again.
Orleans and Niagara (and perhaps Wayne and others) intend to seek state funding from the Department of State. That money may go to a contractor with dredging equipment, Johnson said.
The Oak Orchard Harbor is important for the fishing industry, which is the county’s top tourism draw. It’s also popular with many recreational boaters.
“We need to capitalize on the tourism and fishing industries,” she said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2016 at 11:24 am
File photo by Tom Rivers: Bill Oliver, a dispatcher for 25 years, talks over the air in this photo from April 2015.
ALBION – Orleans County officials are joining a movement – Rescue 911 – to have the state stop diverting money for dispatch and 911.
The New York State Association of Counties and the NY Sheriffs Association are both stepping up efforts to have the state give back more money to modernize 911 systems so they can better handle text messages and enhanced GPS.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has two full-time dispatchers working around the clock. Sheriff Randy Bower said the dispatch handles about 30,000 calls annually and serves all of the county.
The state imposes surcharges on cellphone bills that are supposed to raise money for 911 phone systems. New York’s surcharge of about $1.20 per month generated $185 million last year, but only $70 million went back to 911 systems, with the state using a big chunk of the money for its own budget.
The federal government is requiring states and localities to adopt Next Generation 911 standards. Equipment and technology costs associated with New York’s NG911 services are expected to approach $2.2 billion over the next 10 years, NYSAC (New York State Association of Counties) said.
“Unless and until counties have access to a dedicated revenue stream to help pay for the system upgrades and new communications equipment, NG911 will be out of reach for many areas of the state. That’s what this campaign is all about,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. “In order to meet the expectations of the millions of New Yorkers who are calling and texting 911 from their cell phone, we need to upgrade our systems.”
In the 1960’s emergency phone calls came through dedicated phone lines into the homes, and workers would then notify the fire department, NYSAC said.
As these emergency call services were consolidated under 911, the function was taken over by the state police. Today, most of the state’s 911 emergency communication systems are operated and funded at the county level. However, in the absence of additional resources many counties will be unable to finance public safety upgrades and equipment without a more dedicated revenue stream, Acquario said in a news release.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 October 2016 at 10:13 pm
File photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Courthouse has a pink tint in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in this photo from last October. The photo also shows the Orleans County Jail and the Presbyterian Church. The dome will shine green for the first time on March 12.
ALBION – The Orleans County Courthouse has been illuminated in pink for breast cancer awareness and purple for domestic violence awareness.
On Mach 12, the dome will glow green at night for the first time in honor of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts selling cookies. The organization was founded on March 12, 1912 with the first Girl Scout troop in Savannah, Ga.
The Orleans County Legislature approved the request today for green lights to shine on the dome on March 12.
The Legislature also agreed to allow Hospice of Orleans to have a banner on the courthouse lawn from Nov. 1 to Nov. 15 for National Hospice and Palliative Care Month.
Legislators also announced they have received 358 letters urging a speed reduction on Route 18 by the Kendall Junior-Senior High School.
The speed limit is currently 50 miles per hour by the school. Legislator Ken DeRoller, R-Kendall, said there is strong support in the community to lower the speed in the school zone, where DeRoller said there have been 19 accidents in recent years.
The issue will be decided by the state Department of Transportation because it is a state road.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Otto, a K-9 that joined the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department on Oct. 13, was introduced at the Orleans County Legislature meeting this afternoon. Legislature Chairman David Callard, center, presented Otto with some welcome gifts, including dog biscuits, a toy and rawhide. Jeff Cole, a deputy and the dog’s handler, is at left and Sheriff Randy Bower is at right.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 October 2016 at 6:11 pm
Deputy Jeff Cole said Otto will be an asset for local law enforcement. Sheriff Randy Bower is at right and Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer, is at left in back.
ALBION – The newest member of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department received a warm welcome today when Otto, a German Shepherd from Holland, was introduced at the County Legislature meeting.
Otto is 27 months old and already has been trained in tracking. He has been working with Deputy Jeff Cole since the dog arrived at the Buffalo airport on Oct. 13.
Cole and Otto will received more training in the coming months, working with K-9 handler Lt. James Hildreth of the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department. Cole said he and Otto will also learn from the Rochester Police Department’s K-9 teams.
Sheriff Randy Bower and Cole both thanked members of the community for donating generously. Bower said 73 donors gave $12,405. That more than covered the $8,500 cost of Otto from Upstate K-9 in Hilton.
The extra money will pay for equipment and some other expenses with having the dog.
Bower said the dog is useful for solving crimes, finding suspects and also for public relations. Otto will join Cole for patrols and for narcotics detection.
Bower said the Sheriff’s Department first had a K-9 in 1997 when then Lt. Chris Bourke, now the undersheriff, served as the handler.
“It’s nice that we can continue it,” Bower said about the K-9 program. “We couldn’t have done it without the community.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 October 2016 at 12:27 pm
Photo – Solarize Orleans: A barn on Eagle Harbor Road in Albion has solar panels mounted on the roof.
MEDINA – The deadline has been extended for homeowners and businesses in Orleans County to sign on for discounted solar power.
Orleans County has been approved for discounted solar in an incentive program. But contracts need to be signed by Nov. 18 to be eligible for the reduced rate.
The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce has teamed with a solar installer, Solar by CIR in Lackawanna, for the discounted installation costs and power.
The solar panels could be mounted on older or newer homes, barns, garages or even on the ground if there is enough land for the projects, said Adam Tabelski, project manager.
“There is never a bad time to look at new and innovative ways to reduce you’re your utility bills whether you’re a resident or a business,” Tabelski said today.
Nearly 70 residents and business owners have reached out to Solar by CIR to inquire about solar installations for their homes and businesses, the company said.
To date, contracts on eight of those projects have been signed. The projects are in various parts of the county. The eight projects will add a cumulative production capacity of more than 87.9 kW and save a combined $7,900 on those residents’ electric bills annually, Solar by CIR said.
That is the equivalent environmental impact of taking 13 cars, traveling an average 11,346 miles annually, off the road for one year, the company said.
The participant signup deadline for the campaign has been extended by a few weeks until Nov. 18. The discount offers about two-thirds off the installation costs.
For example, typical home systems cost $15,000 to $21,000 before reductions and rebates. With the lower prices Solarize Orleans negotiates, plus an incentive from NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority), and state and federal tax rebates, a typical homeowner will pay about $5,000 to $8,000, according to Solarize Orleans.
Solar by CIR will host a “Last Call” mixer on Wednesday at 810 Meadworks, 113 West Center Street in Medina, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Anyone who is interested in solar can meet with CIR representatives. For more information, email Melanie McMahan at mmcmahan@cirelectric.com.
For more information, go to the Solarize Orleans website at www.solarizeorleans.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 October 2016 at 2:17 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers: An Albion resident on East Avenue has a sign out in support for Donald Trump.
ALBION – The contentious race for U.S. president has resulted in a jump in voter registrations at the Board of Elections in Orleans County.
The BOE has registered 1,963 voters so far this year, bringing the county’s total roll to 23,262 eligible voters.
The increase of nearly 2,000 registered voters is about double the number from 2015 when the county added 1,089 registered voters. (In some cases, the registered voters are just changing addresses or may have a name change.)
About half of the new registered voters in Orleans were processed online through the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
The state Department of Motor Vehicle’s automated online system (click here) processed 214,356 online voter registration applications from October 1 to October 14, including 122,147 from first-time voters.
The number of applications received during those two weeks shattered the previous one month record of 140,602 applications, including 78,432 from first time voters in September.
This sign on Allen Road in Albion proclaims support for Hillary Clinton.
“Our online voter registration system has broken down barriers and enabled hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to participate in the electoral process,” Governor Cuomo said. “These new records demonstrate the ease and success of this system and I am proud these New Yorkers are ensuring their voices are heard.”
Since Governor Cuomo launched the online application system in 2012, the DMV website has processed 822,014 online voter registration applications, including 383,118 from first time voters.
The Orleans County BOE also needs to have enough ballots for the Nov. 8 election. Given the interest in the presidential race, the BOE is having enough ballots for 85 percent of the registered voters. That would be a big increase from the 70 percent that were available in 2012 during the Obama-Romney presidential race.
If the 85 percent isn’t enough, the BOE also has a stack of affidavit and other emergency ballots, said Eileen Aina, a deputy election commissioner.
