By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 October 2023 at 2:51 pm
Provided photo
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature last week presented a proclamation recognizing Sheriff’s Week, which was Sept. 17-23.
Pictured from left include Deputy Savannah Tackley, Deputy Dana Goetze, Deputy Cory Martindale, County Legislator Skip Draper, Deputy Adam Hazel and Undersheriff Don Draper.
Sheriff’s Week recognizes the work done by county sheriff offices across New York State.
“The Office of Sheriff has evolved into a modern, professional, full-service law enforcement agency, manned by fully trained police officers, using state-of-the-art technology and applying the latest and most advanced theories and practices in the criminal justice field,” the proclamation states.
Some drivers could have license suspended if they didn’t submit results of vision exams
Press Release, Orleans and Niagara county clerks
Niagara County Clerk Joseph A. Jastrzemski and Orleans County Clerk Nadine P. Hanlon today announced that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has begun sending out driver’s license suspension notices to the 95,000 motorists who renewed their license between 3/1/2020 and 8/31/2021 by self-certifying their vision but have failed to submit the results.
“During the pandemic, New York allowed drivers with expiring licenses to renew them online without the eye exam as DMV offices were shut down,” said Jastrzemski. “However, there was still a requirement that these drivers would have to submit a vision test to DMV at a later date. We are now at the point that those who have failed to do so are facing imminent license suspension.”
The two county clerks said the fastest and easiest way to comply is to visit a local DMV office where a person can have their vision checked free of charge and DMV employees will handle submitting the results to the state.
Alternatively, a person may be tested by an approved provider and the provider will submit the results to the DMV. If you pass a test from a provider not approved by the DMV, the provider must complete a vision test report and you must submit it.
Submissions to DMV can be made electronically or by mail. All the information, instructions, list of approved providers and submission link/mailing address can be found by clicking here.
“The state DMV will begin suspending driver’s licenses on December 1, so time is quickly running out on those who have not yet complied,” said Hanlon. “Whether you visit a DMV office or choose a different path to get your vision checked, the important thing is not to delay and get it done.”
Provided photos: (Left) Pumpkins can be decorated with simple natural elements like this one designed by Master Gardener Kristina Gabalski. (Right) Master Gardener Lisa Lancaster with her big pumpkin and a scarecrow – ready for fall!
Posted 29 September 2023 at 1:09 pm
Contributed by Katie Oakes, Orleans County CCE Master Gardener Coordinator
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County CCE Master Gardeners will host the first-ever PumpkinPalooza pumpkin contest at this year’s Medina Lions Club Scarecrow Fest on Oct. 14.
The contest welcomes entries from the public in three categories – Biggest Pumpkin (by circumference), Best Decorated Pumpkin, and Best Carved Pumpkin. Master Gardener volunteers will be on site to judge the entries, and there will be prizes for each category winner.
Pumpkins can be dropped off at the side door of the Lartz building (close to the pie plate) between 9 and 11 a.m. Judging will be immediately after drop-off closes, and winners will be announced at 2 p.m. All participants must collect their pumpkins at the close of the Scarecrow Fest at 3 p.m.
The Highway Department decorated a pumpkin for the annual Family Game Night.
The idea for the contest came to Master Gardeners Lisa Lancaster and Erica Joan Wanecski while they were sitting at the Master Gardener table at the Canal Village Farmer’s Market over the summer.
They were handing out gardening information and free seeds when a customer came up to share his experience growing a giant pumpkin the previous season. Erica and Lisa wondered how many other gardeners or creative decorators might want to showcase their own masterpieces in the community.
They decided a friendly pumpkin competition was the perfect way to allow the public to display their works of art or gardening prowess. This will be the first pumpkin-themed event for the Master Gardeners, and if it goes well, they’d love to see it continue as an annual tradition.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing people’s creativity, in decorating and also in carving, ” said Lisa Lancaster, chairperson of the event for the Master Gardener program. “Pumpkins are such a universal symbol of autumn that this is a way to celebrate the season even more!”
It seemed a natural fit to host the Pumpkinpalooza event in conjunction with the Medina Lions Club Scarecrow Festival on the second Saturday of October. The Scarecrow Fest is hugely popular, with hundreds of local families showing up to make their own scarecrow.
When Katie Oakes, coordinator of the Master Gardener volunteers in Orleans County, reached out to Jim Hancock, co-chair of the event for the Lions Club, to ask if they would allow the Pumpkinpalooza as an add-on to their traditional festival, the answer was an emphatic “yes!” from the board.
“We’re hoping to draw some new people and reach a wider audience,” explained Erica Joan Wanecski, chairperson of the Master Gardener program. “The more activities that are present at the Scarecrow Fest, the longer people will stay and the more fun they will have! We’re hoping the Pumpkinpalooza can benefit everyone.”
Anyone entering a pumpkin in the category of “Biggest Pumpkin” must be able to transport the pumpkin themselves – there will be no equipment available to move large pumpkins. One prize will be given to the winner of each category – winner need not be present to win. Please contact Katie Oakes at 585-798-4265 ext 125 or klo54@cornell.edu with any questions on Pumpkinpalooza or the Master Gardener program.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 September 2023 at 4:06 pm
John Sansone joins Susan Howard in bid to replace Joe Cardone, who is retiring after 2024
Photo by Tom Rivers: John Sansone is shown on Sept. 11 at the Courthouse Square when he attended the 9/11 memorial service.
ALBION – A long-time attorney who has worked in Orleans County announced today he will be running to succeed Joe Cardone as Orleans County district attorney. Cardone is retiring after 2024 following more than three decades in the role.
John Sansone announced his candidacy today. Sansone lives in Lockport. He is married to Maria Sansone, formerly Maria Obes of Holley. They have been renovating her Holley childhood home and are excited to move to the home on East Avenue.
John Sansone
Sansone has worked as an attorney for 28 years, including as Holley’s municipal lawyer since 2001. He also is Clarendon’s town attorney, and previously served as town attorney for Kendall and Murray.
He worked for the Orleans County Public Defender’s Office from 1998 to 2001 and has been with the District Attorney’s Office since 2007. In that role he has been prosecutor for felony jury trials and misdemeanor jury and bench trials. He has presented cases to the grand jury, participated in criminal investigations, charging decisions and case reviews.
Sansone, 56, also said he works closely with law enforcement and victims of crimes, performs discovery compliance.
“It would be an immense honor to serve as your District Attorney because the residents and communities of Orleans County deserve a seamless transition at the top of law enforcement,” Sansone said in a statement to the Orleans Hub. “Keeping our communities safe, especially in the current climate, is priority number one. The only way to effectively accomplish that goal is to fairly hold people accountable for their actions. To do that requires tireless preparation, extensive effort, a tenacious attitude, outstanding legal skill and tested trial experience. That is the only proven recipe for success in difficult cases.”
Susan Howard, who also works in the DA’s office with Cardone, also is running for DA next year. She and Sansone are both Republicans. Howard is an Orleans County resident.
Sansone touted his experience and commitment to justice. He has been lead prosecutor in the Niagara County Attorney’s Office for 22 years and won an award in 2019 as the Best AFC (Attorney for Children) in Niagara County.
He is currently special prosecutor for Kendall and Ridgeway in Orleans County and town prosecutor for Newfane and Pendleton in Niagara County.
Before becoming an attorney, Sansone worked as a reporter for The Union-Sun & Journal in Lockport, covering courts and the “crime beat” in Niagara County, as well as reporting on the Niagara County Legislature.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 September 2023 at 3:21 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers: The former Bank of America site at 156 S. Main St. is now owned by Orleans County and will become the treasurer’s office in 2024.
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature on Tuesday approved spending $250,000 to buy the former Bank of America building at 156 South Main St.
The site has been vacant since the bank closed on Aug. 15, 2017. County officials are planning to make the building the home for the treasurer’s office.
“With the drive-through, it will be very helpful for the elderly,” said Kim DeFrank, the county treasurer.
The current treasurer’s office is in Central Hall at 34 East Park St. DeFrank said the building can be difficult for the public to use. Parking is in back of the building, and the handicapped accessibility ramp is on the back side of the building.
Central Hall was built in 1882 and was a school until 1934. It was the home to the Sheret Post #35 American Legion from 1935 until the county acquired it in 1980. The site has been used for the treasurer’s office, probation, computer services and historian. Currently, only the treasurer’s officer and historian’s office are using the building.
The red-brick building needs repointing and estimates have topped $100,000, DeFrank said.
The treasurer’s office is seeing more demand from the public. This September and October it is collecting the school taxes for the Albion school district for the first time. It also collects for Lyndonville and Medina.
The Bank of America’s south side is shown today (facing the plaza that includes Subway and several other businesses and organizations).
DeFrank is hopeful the treasurer’s office can be moved to the bank site by this time next year.
She said the site needs some paint, new carpets and a build out of offices. The driveway should also be redone.
The treasurer’s office received new furniture late last year, and DeFrank said the furnishings and equipment can be moved to the former bank site.
The county bought the bank building from 156 South Albion LLC, which is based at 56 Exchange St. in Rochester.
DeFrank said she expects the treasurer’s office will be put up for sale after the office shifts to the former bank.
Legislature leader says Genesee trying to ‘steamroll’ Orleans in accepting STAMP sewer
Press Release, Orleans County Legislature
ALBION – Last night, the Orleans County Legislature voted unanimously for a resolution to preserve the Oak Orchard River and local tributaries in Orleans County. The Legislature continues to push back against Genesee County’s Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park’s (STAMP) plan to discharge to six million gallons of wastewater a day from STAMP into Oak Orchard River by way of the Town of Shelby.
“Tonight’s resolution and the lawsuit we filed last week to prevent this wastewater discharge are not actions we take lightly, as we have a long record of partnering with our friends in Genesee County,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature. “But partnerships are built upon being able to have conversations on difficult topics like wastewater and then cooperating on a solution that works for everyone.
“Yet, throughout this process, Genesee County and their economic development agency have not engaged with Orleans County leadership, developed a plan in the backroom to dump wastewater in Orleans County without our input and then, when questioned, just decided to attempt to steamroll us, rather than work together. I cannot express enough the level of disappointment we feel in their actions.”
Johnson said the resolution clearly states the concerns Orleans County has regarding the wastewater discharge including impacts on tourism, sport fishing, flooding, property damage, declining real estate values and more. Johnson believes there are other avenues Genesee should be exploring for managing wastewater.
“I have said all along and want to repeat it again, that our legislators are in support of STAMP and the economic development projects that will lead to investment and jobs for our entire region,” said Johnson. “But that economic growth cannot come at the expense of Orleans County’s natural resources.
Johnson also acknowledged the efforts of New York State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, who represents both counties in the State Legislature and has been attempting to mediate a solution.
“We appreciate that Assemblyman Hawley is taking an active role in bringing all parties together,” said Johnson. “We must work together on an alternative.”
Here is the resolution approved by the Orleans County Legislature on Tuesday:
RESOLUTION NO. 456-923 – SUPPORT TO PRESERVE THE OAK ORCHARD RIVER AND LOCAL TRIBUTARIES IN ORLEANS COUNTY
WHEREAS, this Legislature finds that while the potential economic output generated by the STAMP Project in Genesee County could be beneficial, discharges into waters of Orleans County will have various adverse and substantial economic impact on Orleans County, its residents, and businesses; and
WHEREAS, this Legislature further finds that impact to the local infrastructure available for residents and businesses would be limited if STAMP Sewer Works, Inc. were to discharge 6 million gallons a day (6MGD) of wastewater from the STAMP site in Genesee County into Oak Orchard River by way of the Town of Shelby in Orleans County; and
WHEREAS, this Legislature further finds that communities with interests in Oak Orchard River and Lake Ontario are concerned with the economic impacts on local real estate values, economic development, and $27 million in annual tourism and recreation revenue unique to Oak Orchard River, tributaries in Orleans County and Lake Ontario, with respect to discharging 6MGD of waste into Oak Orchard River, a tributary of Lake Ontario; and
WHEREAS, this Legislature further finds that Lake Ontario is subject to water level fluctuations from the International Joint Commission (IJC) which slows the draining of Oak Orchard River and other local tributaries of Lake Ontario; and
WHEREAS, this Legislature further finds that areas of flooding have been mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) includes much of the land within the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (INWR) in the Town of Shelby is within a flood hazard zone; and
WHEREAS, this Legislature further finds that increased coastal erosion in recent years has increased flooding along the Lake Ontario shoreline and construction standards in flood areas should be restricted in order to prevent property and other damage due to flooding, and to maintain open pathways for flood waters; and
WHEREAS, this Legislature further finds that flood zones in Orleans County have been identified along the following water bodies and their tributaries: Oak Orchard River-Medina, Ridgeway, Shelby; Johnson Creek-Lyndonville, Yates; Fish Creek-Ridgeway, Shelby; Marsh Creek-Yates; Jeddo Creek- Ridgeway, Yates; Erie Canal-Medina, Ridgway, Shelby; Lake Ontario-Yates; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that other methods of managing wastewater are available in Genesee County that would not result in the same impacts to Orleans County; and
WHEREAS, this Legislature further finds that both the design and plan to discharge 6MGD of wastewater from STAMP would stir up sediment and increase pollution in Oak Orchard River and tributaries in Orleans County; and
WHEREAS, this Legislature further finds that the volume and velocity of STAMP wastewater would increase turbidity and hasten erosion along the banks of the waterways in Orleans County; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that the choice to develop project data based on unlikely events does not fully address or satisfy concerns about sediment, erosion, flooding, and economic impacts; now be it
RESOLVED, that this Legislature find and declares that it is the duty of Orleans County to act to preserve the Oak Orchard River and local tributaries in Orleans County for the economic vitality of affected communities.
Photos by Tom Rivers: The former home of Cornell Cooperative Extension at 20 Main St., Albion, was a rundown mansion when Neal and Kim Martillotta-Muscarella purchased it three years ago. It is now the home of her art gallery, featuring the work of many artists in the region.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 September 2023 at 8:34 am
ALBION – The Cobblestone Society and Museum has stepped up to recognize historic preservation efforts in Orleans County. The organization will honor its first group of preservation award winners on Oct. 20 at Maison Albion.
The event begins at 6 p.m. with music by the Orleans County String Band, a complimentary dinner catered by Zambistro, a cash bar and address by keynote speaker Andrew Meier, Esq. Emcee will be Albion native Brenda Tremblay. A tax-deductible donation for the ongoing preservation work of the Cobblestone Society and Museum will be accepted following the program.
Six historic properties will be recognized for their owners’ dedicated efforts to restore and maintain these outstanding structures in our community.
Properties are the Harriet Greaser Presbyterian Manse at 31 East State St., Albion; the Diana Dragan Reed Home at 349 South Main St., Albion; The Walsh Hotel on West Avenue, Medina; Pine Hill School at 4757 Pine Hill Rd., Barre; Bent’s Opera House on West Center and Main Street in Medina; and Marti’s on Main Street, 20 Main St., Albion.
Tim and Catherine Cooper of Medina restored the Wash Hotel, which goes back to 1852, when the Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Company completed the railroad through Medina. The building was recently purchased by Rollin Hellner.
Cobblestone Society and Museum director Doug Farley encourages Orleans County residents to show their support and appreciation of these historic restorations by attending this event.
Meier is a lifelong resident of Medina, graduate of Syracuse University College of Law and a partner in WSM Elder Law, with offices in Medina and Lockport. He owns the c.1876 Hart House Hotel, formerly R.H. Newell Shirt Factory, which he rehabilitated in 2005. His next project is a c.1880 Eastlake “stick style” home, which will be rehabilitated over the next 24 months.
Emcee Brenda Tremblay hosts a classical music program on 91.5FM each weekday morning, streaming at classical915.org. She has earned three Gracies from the Association of Women in Radio and Television, many AP awards and a national Gabriel Award. She also produces and hosts the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s radio concerts at 8 p.m. Monday nights and collaborates with WXXI news to cover the arts across all media services.
Her passion is singing and she has performed with choirs at Carnegie Hall, Westminster Abbey and in the Forbidden City in Beijing. She currently serves as music director at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Brockport.
Reservations for the evening must be made by Oct. 10 by e-mailing director@cobblestonemuseum.org or calling (585) 589-9013. Indicate a choice of filet of sirloin/chicken French or vegetarian risotto.
Provided photos: Pine Hill School, owned by Steve and Paula Nesbitt, was built c.1835 of fieldstones.
Diana Dragan Reed’s home at 349 South Main St., Albion, was built in 1876 and took seven years to build.
Bent’s Opera House is located on the third floor of this historic Medina sandstone building at the corner of West Center and Main streets in Medina. Medina native and entrepreneur Roger Hungerford purchased the building to save it from crumbling into the street. It is now home to boutique hotel rooms, an upscale restaurant and events center.
The Queen Anne Presbyterian Manse at 31 East State St., Albion, has been privately owned for more than 30 years and is now occupied by Harriette Greaser and her daughter. Harriette and her late husband Phil brought the property back to grandeur.
This updated flood map from FEMA shows most of the Town of Murray and the Village of Holley.
Staff Reports Posted 25 September 2023 at 2:20 pm
ALBION – Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be in Orleans County on Oct. 12 to present new flood maps.
FEMA officials and representatives from the state Department of Environmental Conservation will present the maps and will take input from the public from 3 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 12 at Hoag Library, 124 South Main St., Albion. (There is a chance the meeting will need to be rescheduled if there is a federal government shutdown.)
Emergency management officials at the county, state and federal level have been working to reduce the effects of severe weather and natural disasters.
FEMA issued the following press release about the flood maps and the meeting on Oct. 12:
On July 17, FEMA released preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Orleans County for public comments. The new maps (click here) give updated information about communities’ flood risk and are used to identify areas that may require flood insurance coverage.
The previous maps for Orleans County were developed in the 1970s and ’80s and some areas show significant changes.
FEMA and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation invite residents to learn if they were affected, and what actions can be taken to protect themselves.
The open house doesn’t include a formal presentation. Residents can attend at any time between 3 and 7 p.m., for any length of time. At the open house, residents will be able to talk one-on-one with FEMA representatives, to learn more about their flood risk and to get information on potential changes to flood insurance rates and requirements.
If you already have flood insurance, please bring a copy of your declaration page. Residents can also see preliminary versions of the Flood Insurance Study report and the FIRMs here. They can also see the updated preliminary maps compared to the old paper maps using the Old Paper Effective vs. New Digital Preliminary Data viewer.
The previous FIRMs for Orleans County were paper maps dating from the 1970s and 1980s. Because they will be available online, the new maps provide an additional level of transparency for residents. They also help community members make decisions about how to protect themselves from future flood events. The maps and FIS report are the basis for each community’s floodplain management regulations.
Due to these map changes, some properties in Orleans County may no longer be in the high-risk flood zone, known as the Special Flood Hazard Area. If the building will be outside the high-risk flood zone on the new FIRM, flood insurance is no longer federally required. Flood insurance is still recommended, for both homeowners and renters.
Some properties may be included in a high-risk flood zone for the first time. This may lead to those affected property owners being required to buy flood insurance. Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. Community members should know their current flood risk and use the available tools and programs to make their property and community safer.
To request a reasonable accommodation (sign language, real-time captioning or other), please email Michael.Foley3@fema.dhs.gov or FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov, or call (833) 285-7448, FEMA’s Civil Rights Resource Line.
To learn more or to access the flood maps, visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov. Visit floodsmart.gov to learn about flood insurance. You may also contact a map specialist at the FEMA Mapping and Insurance eXchange (FMIX) at (877) 336-2627 or FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jami Allport is the new executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. She is shown at GOMOC’s office on third floor of the Albion Visitor’s Center, 121 North Main St.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 16 September 2023 at 5:20 pm
ALBION – Jami Allport is enthusiastic about her new job as director of Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern.
Allport, a resident of Albion, took over the reins of the “Agency of Last Resort” after Bob Harker retired earlier this summer.
Allport was born in the Thousand Islands and has lived in Albion since her family moved there when she was in eighth grade. She graduated from Albion High School and Genesee Community College prior to entering the workforce. She is continuing to study online at Southern New Hampshire University for a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
She was working for a non-profit, driving to Lockport and Niagara Falls, when the Ministry of Concern reached out to her and asked to have a conversation about becoming director of their agency.
“The mission of the Ministry of Concern really resonates with me,” Allport said. “I believe serving your community is one of the most important things one can do.”
Allport said she saw the offer as an opportunity to be closer to home and available if her kids needed her during the day.
She has three stepchildren and two children, ranging in ages from 28 to 4. She coaches high school and junior varsity cheerleading.
She is optimistic that the Ministry of Concern is in a great place.
“We have a wonderful staff,” she said. “The drive they have is incredible. They are amazing youth advocates.”
Office Manager Nicole Brady of Medina does a great job working with youth, Allport said.
The Ministry of Concern is offering life skills classes, teaching things such as balancing a checkbook.
The agency has been working with the Albion Police Department, and just finished a very successful backpack drive.
“We provided more than 116 families with school supplies and backpacks,” Allport said.
The Ministry of Concern truly is the “agency of last resort,” she said.
“When everybody else says ‘no,’ we help,” she said. “Whether one is homeless or just out of prison,’ we welcome you with open arms. If your cup is a little short, we will fill it up.”
She added that it takes a lot of courage for someone to ask for help, and GOMOC will do everything possible to make them welcome.
They have started to put up job postings on a board in the waiting room.
“Everyone in this country could be just one instance away from being homeless or hungry,” Allport said. “We are here to give ‘a hand up, not a handout.’”
Allport is also excited to announce that the Ministry of Concern has stepped up to manage the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle drive at Christmas time.
“We are looking for volunteers to ring bells and help with other aspects of the program, such as greeters and emptying donation cans,” she said. “If you can’t give physical gifts, give your time.
She said often high school students need to do community service hours to graduate.
“If you have time to give, see me,” she said. “If you need to do community service, come see me.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 September 2023 at 9:25 pm
Art Hill Excavating named Business of the Year
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jennifer Hill-Young is shown with her father Art Hill during a celebration on Nov. 11, 2017 at the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company. They threw a party to celebration 40 years of Art Hill Excavating. Mr. Hill passed away on Jan. 26 at age 78 after suffering a fall in Florida. His daughter continues to run the business.
The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce has announced its annual award winners. They will be honored on Oct. 19 at the White Birch Country Club in Lyndonville. It will be the Chamber’s 25th annual awards dinner.
The winners for 2023 include:
• Business of the Year – Art Hill Excavating
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Mark Tillman
• Phoenix Award – The Webber Hotel
• New Business of the Year – The Grove 1848 Bistro & Bar
• Community Service Award – Mary Lou Tuohey
• Agricultural Business of the Year – Orleans Poverty Hill Farms
• Businessperson of the Year – Dan Klips
• Small Business of the Year – Sourced Market & Eatery
• Hidden Gem – The Downtown Browsery
For more information on the Chamber of Commerce, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 September 2023 at 9:17 am
Genesee attorney calls Orleans action ‘frivolous and politicized attack’
Photos by Tom Rivers: The new sewer line is shown on Aug. 12 on Route 63 in the Town of Alabama, Genesee County. Orleans County officials are seeking to stop the construction from going to the STAMP site about 10 miles north to the Oak Orchard Creek.
SHELBY – Orleans County is suing its neighbor to try to stop a sewer line from coming into the Town of Shelby and depositing up to 6 million gallons of what Orleans says is “contaminated” water into the Oak Orchard Creek.
The county on Monday filed an Article 78 complaint in State Supreme Court, seeking to halt placement of a sewer line from the STAMP site to the Oak Orchard Creek, a 9.5-mile long pipe along Route 63 that has been under construction since Aug. 3.
Orleans is asking for a temporary restraining order to stop construction so the arguments can be heard in court without the pipeline getting built in Orleans County.
The court action from Orleans County is called a “frivolous and politicized attack” in a court response from Craig A. Leslie, attorney for GCEDC and others named in the suit.
Orleans County officials contend the county never gave its permission for the project, and the Genesee County Economic Development Center formed a “sham corporation” – STAMP Sewer Works – to make the project happen.
The STAMP site is 1,250 acres and is considered a top priority for economic development officials in the region. It is targeted for advanced manufacturing – semi-conductors and renewables manufacturing.
Plug Power is currently building a $290 million facility at STAMP for a green hydrogen production facility that includes an electric substation. The new facility will produce 45 metric tons of green liquid hydrogen daily when fully operational, making it the largest green hydrogen production facility in North America. Plug will employ 60 people.
Another company, Edwards Vacuum, announced last November it would build a $319 million “factory of the future” at STAMP in a project serving the semiconductor industry. Edwards plans to employ 600 high-skill professionals at the semiconductor dry pump manufacturing facility.
The commitments from the two companies follow a 20-year effort to develop STAMP in a rural area of Genesee County, only a few miles south of the Orleans County border. STAMP has been pushed by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Gov. Kathy Hochul and her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo.
But Orleans County officials say the Genesee County Economic Development Center has been driving the contracts for the project, including engineering and construction – and that is illegal because an economic development agency can’t fund and push projects outside its own county unless it has permission from the other municipalities, Jennifer Persico, an attorney representing Orleans County, wrote in the complaint filed in State Supreme Court in Orleans County.
Jennifer Persico, an attorney with Lippes Mathias LLP, speaks during an eminent domain public hearing on July 27. She said at the hearing that the Genesee County Economic Development Center illegally created STAMP Sewer Works as “a sham corporation” to do the eminent domain proceedings against two Orleans County property owners.
In the court filing, she said Orleans “strenuously objects” to the sewer project.
Genesee County EDC is illegally funding a project outside its jurisdiction, Orleans contends in its complaint. The EDC paid for easements to allow for temporary construction, including all but two in Shelby. Orleans County secured two easements in Shelby with the stipulation no sewer line can be constructed.
Orleans officials contend the sewer discharge could limit the county’s efforts to develop its own business park in Medina, and the water may cause flooding and hurt the county’s $30 million annual fishing industry at the Oak Orchard, which is world renown for salmon and trout fishing.
The GCEDC on March 25, 2021 awarded a $9,777,000 contract to G. DeVincentis & Son Construction Company for the 20-inch sewer main which goes from the northern refuge boundary to north of Shelby Center. GCEDC accepted low bid from Highlander for construction at $5,193,445 and approved a $900,000 contract and a $560,000 contract to Clark Patterson Lee for engineering services for the sewer project. GCEDC approved the bids without the consent of Orleans County.
The request for bids shows GCEDC contemplated construction in Orleans County without the consent of Orleans, Persico said.
GCEDC also has purchased at 18 temporary easements in Orleans County to allow for construction of the sewer line, without consent of Orleans, a violation of general municipal law, according to the complaint.
Orleans, in the complaint, also faults Genesee County EDC for improperly forming STAMP Sewer Works, for illegally funding and noticing the eminent domain hearing at the Alabama fire hall on July 27.
Orleans seeks to have the Supreme Court annul the easements. The county also seeks to stop the GCEDC-backed project in Orleans without the county support. That includes efforts from the GCEDC-affiliated Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation and STAMP Sewer Works.
Leslie, attorney for GCEDC, asked the judge, Frank Caruso, to not approve a temporary restraining order on the project. Leslie said the sewer line construction has received all of the needed environmental and right-of-way permits from the state Department of Transportation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to cross the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
Leslie said Orleans County shouldn’t be granted a temporary restraining order because the project is still weeks and even months from getting into Orleans. Persico wrote in her court filing the project was likely a matter of hours or days until it started in Orleans. The contractor is currently installing the sewer line in the refuge in Genesee County, Leslie wrote.
Orleans is beyond its authority isn’t seeking to stop all sewer line construction when the project currently is solely in Genesee County.
Leslie , the GCEDC attorney, said the claim that GCEDC is using its own money is false because the funding is part of $33 million awarded for STAMP development by Empire State Development, a state entity “which fully supports the STAMP project,” Leslie wrote.
He responded that the Town of Shelby gave its consent to the sewer line project, and so did the Orleans County Department of Health.
He asked the judge to deny the Orleans request for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order.
“Orleans County will sustain no injury by the continued construction of the Force Main, particularly in Genesee County, while this matter is appropriately determined by this Court,” Leslie wrote to Judge Caruso. “Meanwhile, STAMP Sewer will be irreparably harmed if the overbroad and unreasonable order requested by Orleans County is granted.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 September 2023 at 9:44 am
Legislator on EDA board says Legislature unlikely to approve that request
ALBION – The Orleans Economic Development Agency, an organization focused on spurring business activity in the county, is seeking a $50,000 funding increase from the Orleans County Legislature for 2024.
The county allocated $200,000 for the Orleans EDA for 2023, up from $190,000 in 2022.
The agency’s board of directors on Friday approved a $385,000 budget for the EDA in 2024. The agency has been waiting on several larger projects to move forward in the past two years, including renewable energy projects and expansions at local companies.
The EDA generates some of its revenue through fees, which are usually 2 percent of the total investment in a project. A $3 million expansion, for example, would net $60,000 for the EDA if the project received assistance from the agency.
The EDA has had some cash-flow challenges. It received a $500,000 loan from the county in October 2022 to be paid back over three years at 3 percent interest each year. The terms call for the EDA to pay the county a third of the principal each year.
The first payment of $166,666.67 plus $22,500 is due March 1, 2024. The second payment of $166,666.67 plus $10,000 in interest is due March 1, 2025. The third payment of $166,666.66 plus $5,000 is due March 1, 2026.
The agency is seeking a 25 percent increase from the county in its annual government allocation. But Skip Draper, a county legislator and EDA board member, said the county has its own challenges and he doesn’t expect much of an increase from the county for the EDA in 2024.
Draper said the county was notified by the state that it is reducing reimbursements for several social services programs that are mandated by the state. That could be a $3 million hit to the county, Draper said.
“It’s unlikely,” Draper said about the $50,000 increase being approved. “The mandates are up (from the state0 but the reimbursements are down.”
John Misiti, the EDA board chairman, said the county loan has helped the EDA through a challenging year. He said he expects a turnaround for the EDA finances soon.
“We are navigating through a tight year,” he said. “We need a big project to hit.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 September 2023 at 4:32 pm
ALBION – The Orleans Economic Development Agency expects it will be surveying recent graduates of small business training program to hear from the entrepreneurs the strengths and weaknesses of the eight-week class, and hear if they have ideas to make it better.
The EDA has been offering the program for since 1999, with 567 people completing the Microenterprise Assistance Program.
Matt Holland is the new leader of MAP following the retirement last month of Diane Blanchard, who was the coordinator of the program for about two decades.
The EDA is open to tweaking the program, perhaps expanding it to 10 weeks. The organization wants to hear from MAP grads on how well the program prepared them to run a business and if there are any topics that could use more attention.
“We want to set them up to succeed,” said John Misiti, chairman of the Orleans EDA board of directors.
He praised Blanchard for her long-term commitment to the program. He said the EDA is always looking for continuous improvement.
The EDA expects it will reach out to graduates from the program in the past five years. The EDA wants to hear how many of those grads are in business, how many started a business but closed, and how many opted not to venture out with a business.
Some of the class sessions focused on:
Development of comprehensive business plans
Marketing and advertising
Business organization
Tax, accounting, insurance and financing
Specialized computer application
Creating effective leadership
The EDA may want to add a session on developing an online presence and online marketing, said Gabrielle Barone, the EDA vice president for business development. She believes an online presence makes a big difference for many small businesses.
Michael Dobell, the EDA executive director, said the change in leadership with MAP is a chance to take stock of the program and look for ways to make it better – with lots of input from the recent graduates.
“Let’s talk to them and see how MAP could have helped them even more,” he said at today EDA board meeting.
The survey should provide lots of feedback for the EDA as it looks to upgrade the program, board members said.
“Let’s see if there are any common stumbling blocks that we could address in MAP,” said board member Ed Urbanik. He said running a small business right now is “a tough environment.”
The program also has made grants available to some of the recent grads to help with equipment or to be used as working capital.
The EDA was awarded a $300,000 state grant about a year ago to help small businesses. The grants have ranged from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $35,000. The grants can be used to buy equipment or be used as working capital. About $33,000 remains to be disbursed from that grant. The EDA also received a previous $200,000 grant to assist small businesses.
The EDA would like to apply again for that grant program, Dobell said.
The agency isn’t offering the training class this fall, but will get back to offering the classroom instruction in the spring. There are usually 10 to 20 students in each class.
The EDA is directing people interested in small business training to try an on-line course offered through Niagara County Community College this fall. Those grads are eligible to apply for the grants offering through the EDA.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 September 2023 at 3:24 pm
Letters of intent due by Sept. 29
Press Release, Rochester Area Community Foundation
In an effort to expand and enhance its support for each of the rural counties in its service area, Rochester Area Community Foundation will infuse up to $50,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations helping to improve the quality of life for residents in Orleans County.
This new funding opportunity is part of an intentional strategy by the Community Foundation to increase access to critical services, tackle disparities faced by residents, and bolster services of the nonprofits on the front lines. This effort aligns with the Foundation’s main goals of creating a more equitable community and strengthening our region’s vitality.
“The pot of money is $50,000 for this first round,” said Mary F. Holleran, senior vice president, of communications for the Rochester Area Community Foundation. “How many grants and the amount of each depend on the number of applications. In Wayne County, for example, grants ranged from $1,000 to one for $20,000. In Yates County, one grant was $10,000 and one was for $15,000 and several were smaller.”
The first step in the grant application process is for nonprofits serving Orleans County to submit letters of intent (LOIs), which serve as a brief, initial outline of the need for grant funding. LOIs are now being accepted through the Community Foundation’s online portal at www.racf.org/GrantPortal, which will connect to the Regional Grantmaking 2023-24 Application. Submissions must be made by Sept. 29.
Select applicants whose projects align most closely with the Foundation’s impact areas — poverty, academic achievement, racial equity and understanding, arts and culture, historical preservation, environmental justice, aging — will then be invited to submit full applications for further consideration of funding.
This grant round includes additional funding opportunities for nonprofits serving Orleans, Genesee and Livingston counties. This past summer, additional grant dollars were made available in Wayne and Yates counties, in partnership with the Foundation’s geographic affiliates there. A total of 30 nonprofit organizations serving those two counties received grants.
If a nonprofit has questions about eligibility or the grant portal, please email grants@racf.org.
About Rochester Area Community Foundation: In 1972, a group of local residents founded Rochester Area Community Foundation as an endowment to provide ongoing and long-term support for the Rochester-Finger Lakes region. The Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, and other nonprofit organizations to establish charitable funds or contribute to existing permanent funds that help address the region’s current and evolving needs. In its first 50 years, the Foundation has distributed more than $674 million in grants and scholarships throughout our region and beyond.
Photo by Tom Rivers: John Becker of the Kendall Fire Department joined other firefighters at the Sept. 11 observance last year. In 2001, Kendall also had a firefighter killed in the line of duty. Richard Buongiorne was fatally injured on January 9 when he was struck by two vehicles while he was directing traffic at the intersection of Routes 18 and 237 in Kendall.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 September 2023 at 7:19 pm
Memorial observances are planned on Sept. 11 in Albion and Brockport for the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
The service in Albion will be at 6 p.m. on the courthouse lawn near the Sept. 11 memorial.
Scott Schmidt will again serve as the keynote speaker at the observance. Schmidt spent three weeks with a federal team – U.S. Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) – and assisted in collecting and identifying remains, and interviewing family members searching for loved ones. He left for New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. He was there for 20 days, including a week at Ground Zero.
Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, is scheduled to give the welcome address for the event and lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Don Snyder, a chaplain with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, will offer an invocation and benediction. Orleans County EMO Director Justin Niederhofer will read the timeline of events from Sept. 11, 2001, when nearly 3,000 people were killed when four airplanes were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and a rural field in Shanksville, Pa.
Doug Egling will play a rendition of America the Beautiful on his EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) and members of all Orleans County American Legion and VFW Posts will fire a rifle volley and play Taps.
Many local, county and state law enforcement personnel as well as firefighters and EMS personnel also are expected to attend the service.
A contingent of DMORT personnel from around the state that responded to NYC will be in attendance as well.
In Brockport, the 22nd annual September 11th vigil will be held at the Brockport Fire Department Station #4 at 237 S. Main St., where there is a Sept. 11 memorial. There will be an opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m., followed by a ringing of the bell at 8:47 a.m., a “Ring of Gold” observance at 6 p.m. and closing ceremony at 6:30 p.m.
In an effort to expand and enhance its support for each of the rural counties in its service area, Rochester Area Community Foundation will infuse up to $50,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations helping to improve the quality of life for residents in Orleans County.
