District attorneys in New York State will get about $30,000 a year raises after the state followed the NYS Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation recommendation for salary increases.

The state had previously agreed to pick up salary increases for district attorneys, but the recent state budget didn’t include those increases that account for an extra $1.6 million throughout the state.

Counties already had their budgets in place, and they continue to have limited room for additional costs due to the state-imposed tax cap, Orleans County legislators said.

They joined counties around the state in passing a formal resolution for the state to pick up the increase in salary.

Many state legislators, including State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, support the state paying for the increase.

“Our hard-working district attorneys deserve this recognition, the invaluable work that they provide make our communities safer and better places to live,” Hawley said. “Mandating that counties pick up this cost however is a direct burden on our middle-class families and I’m glad my bill will provide the proper compensation for our public servants while also protecting the hard-earned money of our taxpayers.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – About 30 people gathered outside the Orleans County Courthouse at noon for the National Day of Prayer, which was created in 1952 by Congress and signed into law by President Harry Truman.

The Rev. Tim Lindsay, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion, leads the group in a prayer. Many of the prayers were directed towards the community and country’s leaders.

Some of the prayer participants lifted their hands in seeking God’s direction and blessing for Orleans County and the United States.

The Rev. Dan Thurber, right, is pastor of the Oak Orchard Assembly of God in Medina. His father, Stanley Thurber, is next to him. The elder Thurber also led Oak Orchard as pastor for many years.

The vice president of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Employees Association says all of its members currently live within the county.

The union represents about 60 employees – correction officers, jail cooks, civil clerks, and dispatchers. They ratified a three-year contract with the county providing 2 percent annual raises. The contract also requires residency within Orleans County for workers hired after April 27, 2016.

Chris Caufield, vice president for the union and a corrections officer, said the union members supported the residency requirement because they already live within Orleans.

“The union was of the opinion that New York State Public Officers Law allows the county to require us to maintain residence in the county without negotiation,” Caufield said today. “That notion, coupled with the fact that every member currently resides in Orleans County, the union membership did not have a problem with agreeing to this contract with that requirement included. We viewed this as something the county could enforce anyway, regardless if we agreed to do so. Essentially, we didn’t feel like we were giving anything up.”

County officials pushed for the residency requirement because they wanted more community commitment for employees to county taxpayers.

Chuck Nesbitt, the county chief administrative officer, said the county will likely push for the residency requirement in other county contracts.

ALBION – A new contract that gives 2 percent annual raises to about 60 employees in the Sheriff’s Department will also require any new employees live in Orleans County.

The County Legislature approved the contract for 2016-2018 last week, following ratification by a union representing workers in the county jail, civil clerks and dispatchers at the Sheriff’s Department.

This is the first contract where the county is making new hires to live in the county, although some department heads currently have that requirement.

“We feel we will get a better product for the community if the employees are invested in the community,” said Chuck Nesbitt, the county chief administrative officer.

County officials pushed for the residency requirement because many of the corrections officers and other civilian staff live outside of the county. The existing employees won’t be required to move within Orleans to keep their jobs. The contract includes employees hired beginning on April 27, when the Legislature approved the deal.

Nesbitt said the county may implement the residency requirement in other union contracts.

“It will probably be a continuing theme,” he said today.

ALBION – Orleans County has hired a firm to examine the feasibility of a solar energy project on county-owned property.

The Orleans County Legislature last week agreed to pay $10,500 to the Wendel firm in Williamsville to study if a solar array would benefit the county.

Orleans officials see potential in a project because of current incentives for utilizing renewable energy.

The county could lock in its electricity rates for 30 years with a large-scale project and also sell back electricity through the solar effort.

“Right now the incentives are at a maximum and the technology continues to improve,” Legislature Chairman David Callard said. “The time may be right.”

Wendel would look at publicly owned land, including sites owned by the Orleans Economic Development Agency, for a possible project, Callard said.

File photo by Peggy Barringer – Peggy Barringer took this photo in January 2014 of a full moon over the Orleans County Courthouse and the County Clerks Building. County officials may shift some of the government offices from the Clerks Building to a possible addition to the County Administration Building on Route 31.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature was asked to not leave the current legislative chambers for a possible new site on Route 31.

The county is exploring putting an addition on to the County Administration Building. It might put the Board of Elections, Public Health Department, and Legislature staff and offices in the new addition.

The county voted last week to hire the Wendel firm in Williamsville to examine the feasibility of the project. Wendel will be paid up to $30,000 for the work.

Bruce Schmidt, a local attorney and the Gaines town justice, said the Legislature shouldn’t move from its current chambers, where the body has met since soon after its inception in 1980. The Legislature replaced the former Board of Supervisors, which met in the first floor of the county courthouse in space now used by Family Court.

The county judge used to have Family Court in the Clerks Building, which was known as the Surrogate’s Building. The building was built in 1888 in the Eastlake Style and is part of the Courthouse Square historic district, which is named to the National Register of Historic Places.

“This building is of a historic nature,” Schmidt told county legislators last week. “This body is of a historic nature.”

Schmidt said the Legislature should stay in the Courthouse Square and not leave for a site that is outside the village, the county seat.

“Creative thinking could keep us here,” Schmidt said.

Legislature Chairman David Callard responded to Schmidt that the historic building wouldn’t disappear if the Legislature left for the new space on the possible addition.

That site might also include conference and training rooms. Schmidt said the Legislature could use existing conference and training rooms at local schools or the library.

Callard said nothing has been determined with the Legislature’s future location. The study is just exploratory, he said.

“How we utilize the building hasn’t been determined,” he said.

The Legislature used to meet the second and fourth Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. in the upper floor of the Clerks Building. However, last year the Legislature changed to having only one meeting a month on the fourth Wednesday.

The walls of the legislative chambers include many photos of the former Board of Supervisors and members of the County Legislature.

“It is significant to this building and for this Square for the Legislature to stay here,” Schmidt said.

ALBION – Motorcyclists held a rally on Sunday in front of the Orleans County Courthouse to remind the public to be careful and look out for motorcycles. Chuck Persons, president of the Orleans County chapter of ABATE, addresses the group that gathered in the rain in front of the courthouse.

There are about 100 members of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education in Orleans County. The group promotes driver safety among its members, and tries to educate other motorists to be extra vigilant in sharing the road with motorcyclists.

State Sen. Robert Ortt thanked motorcyclists for many of the causes they support, including the Patriot Guard, where they provide an escort and presence for a member of the military killed in the line of duty. Motorcyclists also raise funds for many important causes, including Camp Rainbow in Orleans County.

“I want to thank all of you who are big supporters of our veterans,” Ortt said. “That’s what separates many of you from the general public.”

Ed Morgan, right, represents State Assemblyman Steve Hawley at the rally. Morgan and Ortt both said the new state budget includes a big state investment in roads and bridges that should improve safety of motorcyclists and other drivers.

After the rally outside the courthouse, motorcycle riders took off on a ride to the Vets Club in Medina. The awareness ride is usually 50 miles throughout the county, but was shortened to 10 miles on Sunday due to the rain.

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Brian Armison of Centerville in Allegany County competes with his team of powerful horses in Saturday’s “Pull of Champions” at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

This was the third year the Fairgrounds hosted the horse pull for the New York State Horse Pullers Association. About 25 teams of horses, including many of the top teams from the U.S. and Canada, competed in the event, which kicks off the horse-pulling season.

Armison is on the board of directors for the NYS Horse Pullers Association. The association used to hold the “Pull of Champions” at the state fairgrounds in Syracuse. It was moved to Knowlesville in 2014 through the efforts of horse pull competitor Nick Nesbitt of Waterport as well as the support of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County.

Armison said the Fairgrounds in Knowlesville has proven a good fit providing a more central location for horse pulling teams, as well as a supportive host. He praised 4-Hers for selling food and the Extension staff for maintaining a nice dirt track.

“They’re super accommodating,” Armison said. “They even send us a thank you note.”

A team owned by Dennis Weinberger from Reading, Michigan, captured first place in the lightweight division. Weinbegrer, in black hat, also won the title in 2015 at “The Pull of Champions.” He said the horses need strength and stamina to compete at such a high level. His team won by pulling a dynamometer, 16 feet, 7 inches when the dynamometer was weighed down with an additional 4,400 pounds. The dynamometer, in the final pulls, can simulate 160,000 pounds.

Danny Smith from Cummington, Massachusetts, gets a horse ready for competition. This horse was part of a team of two that combined weighed less than 3,425 pounds. There were 25 teams competing in either the lightweight division (3,425 pounds or less), or the heavyweights for teams that exceed 3,425 pounds.

Charlie Blanchard of Winchester, New Hampshire, puts the harnessing equipment on his horse. He is partners with Danny Smith of Massachusetts.

Josh Wickum of Menomonie, Wisc., leads his team in the finals of the lightweight division. Wickum’s team finished second overall in the division.

4-H kids and volunteers sold food and other concessions at the pull. This photo shows Gail Ebbs and 4-Her Jordan Boccacci selling cotton candy.

The Armison Brothers from Centerville – Caleb, left, and Chris, right – get their team ready for the pull. The brothers, who are Brian Armison’s nephews, just jogged the horses as a warmup for the pull.

About 800 people attended the horse pulls on Saturday. The crowd size and numbers of teams continues to grow with the event since it was moved to the 4-H fairgrounds in Knowlesville.

Fire departments need updated legislation to continue lucrative fund-raisers

Press Release, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) is encouraging groups that hold raffles for fundraising and charity to write letters of support to Assemblyman Gary Pretlow (D-Mt. Vernon), chairman of the Assembly’s Racing and Wagering Committee.

Hawley is asking people to write Pretlow to encourage him to introduce legislation that would help groups like the Stafford Fire Department legally operate their raffles.

“It is gravely important to our end goal of bringing back the Stafford car raffle that local groups write letters to Assemblyman Pretlow urging him to introduce the legislation that I have written,” Hawley said. “This is the first step in getting legislation passed. We have to show Assembly leadership that there is intense grassroots support for this legislation and that thousands of non-profits and charitable organizations will be gravely impacted if this injustice isn’t corrected.”

Current gaming regulations do not allow charitable groups and non-profits to collect raffle fees using check or credit cards and do not allow the sale of tickets outside of the county which the event will be taking place. The Stafford Fire Dept. previously sold tickets nation-wide for its annual car raffle and used the proceeds for charitable donations and to fund the department.

Letters to Assemblyman Pretlow should include information about the group’s previous raffles and what profits were used for. A copy should be sent as soon as possible to Pretlow’s Albany office, his district office and Hawley’s district office. If you have any questions please call Hawley’s office at 585-589-5780. Pretlow’s office addresses are below.

Assemblyman Gary Pretlow
LOB 845
Albany, NY 12248

Assemblyman Gary Pretlow
District Office
6 Gramatan Ave.
Mt. Vernon, NY 10550

Photo by Tom Rivers – A deputy patrol car for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office is parked outside the county jail.

ALBION – A study will soon get started looking at law enforcement services in Orleans County, an investigation that will include police chiefs and elected officials from the four villages and Orleans County.

County officials, representatives from the business community and other yet-to-be-named members of a committee will explore the efficiency of current local law enforcement operations and compare them with alternative policing models, including the potential consolidation of all local departments into one.

The state is providing a $36,000 matching “Local Government Efficiency Grant” for the study. The county is paying the other $36,000. The county is seeking proposals from consultants to help with the study. Those proposals are due May 18.

County officials have set May 2017 for completion of the report with recommendations and alternatives for the community.

The study will look at the operations at the Sheriff’s Office, and the Albion, Medina and Holley police departments. Lyndonville also has a part-time officer.

There may be opportunities for shared administration, joint purchasing and other initiatives that would keep the existing village police departments. Or the committee may suggest the village departments be dissolved with a county-wide force taking the lead.

If the villages dissolved their police departments, it would provide significant tax relief for villages. However, county taxes would likely then go up.

Holley has talked before of dissolving its police department and Medina, as part of a failed dissolution proposal last year, said a town-wide force in Shelby and Ridgeway could be created.

County Legislature Chairman David Callard has said he wants to be proactive in looking at policing services and not be caught off guard by a village that dissolves its force, expecting the Sheriff’s Office to assume village road patrols and calls.

The study will look at alignment of current compensation and benefits agreements, determining the costs of a combined police force. The committee will look at potential obstacles to consolidation and provide guidance to overcome those obstacles, according to the county’s RFP.

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Community Action of Orleans and Genesee will receive $625,000 for its weatherization program as part of $57 million in Weatherization Assistance Program funds across New York State. The money will help cut utility costs for approximately 8,600 low-income families and seniors across the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.

The $57 million will be released to a statewide network of non-profit organizations to conduct energy-efficiency work including but not limited to air sealing, insulation, upgrading heating systems, and diagnostic testing to identify hazards such as carbon monoxide and mold to ensure air quality.

“The Weatherization Assistance Program has helped thousands of low-income households across the state make their homes safer and their utility bills more affordable,” Governor Cuomo said. “This funding will build on this success by helping more New Yorkers save money on energy costs while creating cleaner and more sustainable communities in every corner of the state.”

The Weatherization Assistance Program is administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal with funds from the U.S. Departments of Energy and Health and Human Services. Services are available in every county of the state through a statewide network of local providers.

Priority is given to households with children, seniors, persons with disabilities, and those receiving Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds. The program assists all types of housing including single-family homes, multi-family buildings, and manufactured homes. Since the start of the program in 1977, more than 688,000 dwellings have been assisted.

A recent national evaluation of the WAP found that the program is extremely effective in cold climates like New York’s. Work in multi-family buildings is especially cost-effective with WAP investments saving in excess of 20 percent compared to pre-weatherization energy use.

“Low-income households spend more than 10 percent of household income, on average, for heating and other energy expenditures,” said James S. Rubin, commissioner of NYS Homes and Community Renewal. “Adding insulation, sealing air leaks, and tuning heating systems are measures that pay for themselves in energy savings. A relatively modest investment in weatherization funds can mean a world of difference to a family struggling with energy costs or a senior on a fixed income.”