Photos by Tom Rivers – Orleans County Legislature Chairman David Callard speaks to 250 people during the Republican fall rally on Saturday at the Ridgeway firehall.

RIDGEWAY – Taxes are down, businesses are moving in, and the county is tackling other needed projects, from replacing bridges and culverts to laying the groundwork for high-speed Internet.

That was the message from six incumbent Orleans County legislators who spoke on Saturday during the Orleans County Republican fall rally at the Ridgeway firehall.

“If you like to be involved and do good things for the people of Orleans County, then the Orleans County Legislature is the place to be,” said David Callard, the Legislature chairman.

He spoke to 250 people on Saturday during the rally at the Ridgeway firehall. Callard of Ridgeway is the longest-serving legislator with 22 years on the county board.

He said the county’s fiscal position is strong after selling the county nursing home. The sale from the nursing home and the annual relief from having to subsidize the facility with tax dollars has allowed the county to reduce taxes by 1.5 percent in 2015, Callard and Legislator Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville noted. (Callard serves as a county-wide legislator from the west end of the county.)

The Legislature also approved taking out an $8 million bond to replace bridges, culverts and roofs (on Public Safety Building and County Administration Building), while also adding two new pole barns for the highway department to cover expensive equipment, including a paver.

Callard said the county and the Orleans Economic Development Agency are positioning Orleans to agricultural economic development projects. Pride Pak is the latest to announce a big investment in the county – $15 million for a new vegetable processing and packaging plant in Medina. That facility is expected to be ready in June 2016 with 85 to 100 employees. Additional expansions could bring the workforce up to 200 employees.

Other agriculture-related businesses – Western New York Energy in Medina, Intergrow Greenhouses in Gaines, Lake Ontario Fruit in Gaines, and H.H. Dobbins in Lyndonville – have also recently made big investments.

Callard said the county has more land with infrastructure in place that can attract more businesses.

The Legislature has seven members with six Republicans. The GOP isn’t running a candidate against Fred Miller, a Democrat from Albion. Ed Morgan, the Republican Party chairman, said Miller has done a good job in his first term on the Legislature.

Johnson

Two of the Republicans, Johnson and Don Allport of Gaines, have opposition on Nov. 3. Johnson is challenged by Paul Lauricella of the Conservative Party while Allport faces James White, a Democrat.

Each of the six Republican legislators were given a few minutes to speak at the rally on Saturday.

Allport highlighted the partnerships through Orleans and Genesee counties in sharing a public health director and board of directors. The shared staff has saved Orleans $400,000 annually, said Allport, a county-wide legislator from central Orleans.

Allport

“We are leading the state,” he said about the shared service initiatives with Genesee.

Allport is a past chairman of the board for The Arc of Orleans. That agency has also approved a merger with the Genesee County ARC. The merger should reduce costs for the two counties while maintaining services for people with developmental disabilities, Allport said.

He also highlighted efforts by the Mental Health Department to improve services, including same-day service for walk-ins.

DeFilipps

John DeFilipps of Clarendon serves on the EDA board and he said the agency has the county well positioned for new businesses and expansions with shovel-ready sites. DeFilipps is an at-large legislator from the east side of the county.

He noted Pride Pak’s $15 million commitment to the new site in Medina, the prospect of a new hotel in Medina and a “virtual spec” building at the Medina Business Park.

The county also stepped up with three e-waste sites to collect TVs and other hosuehold electronics after they were being thrown in ditches because of a state law that banned them from being accepted with curbside trash pickups.

DeFilipps and Johnson both highlighted the effort to bring high-speed Internet to the community. Johnson is the county’s representative on the Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance.

That two-county partnership has the two counties prepped and in good position to benefit from $500 million available from the state to expand high-speed Internet service, especially in rural underserved areas.

“The students, farmers and businesses all need it,” Johnson said about the fast Internet. Johnson represents a district that includes Yates, Ridgeway and a portion of Shelby.

Legislator Bill Eick talks about the county’s efforts to improve infrastructure.

Legislator Bill Eick serves a district that includes Barre, Clarendon and most of Shelby. He also is on the county’s Highway Committee.

He said Orleans will use about $5 million of the $8 million bond to replace six bridges and some culverts. Those projects started last year.

The state and federal government used to pay up to 95 percent of the bridge replacement costs, but that money has been hard to come by recently. The county took out the bond last year after several bridges were in danger of being closed.

Eick said harsh winters and heavy equipment are taking a toll on the bridges, culverts and roads.

“It’s going to be an ongoing issue,” he said about the infrastructure. “They’re not lasting.”

The county will continue to press the state and federal governments to help pay for the bridge and culvert work, Eick said.

DeRoller

Ken DeRoller of Kendall represents a district that includes Kendall, Murray and Carlton. He said the canal bridges, with several at weight reductions or closures, pose a challenge for businesses, farms, school buses and emergency equipment. The county continues to push the state to better maintain the bridges at higher weight limits.

DeRoller highlighted successes in public safety, including the work of the Major Felony Crime Task Force, which includes officers from the Sheriff’s Office, and Albion, Medina and Holley police departments.

The Task Force has made 905 drug arrests since 2007, and has a nearly 100 percent conviction rate, DeRoller said, and also has seized $840,000.

The county also started a Traffic Diversion program in 2010 which keeps that ticket revenue, up to $150,000, with local courts, while giving motorists the chance to have their tickets reduced, DeRoller said.

He also noted a drug take-back program, led by jail superintendent Scott Wilson, has collected nearly 3,000 pounds in unused prescriptions, keeping that medicine from being abused and also being flushed into local waterways.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Orleans County sheriff candidate Tom Drennan, left, and Brett Sobieraski meet with reporters this afternoon. If Drennan is elected sheriff on Nov. 3, he said his choice for undersheriff would Sobieraski, who has a 27-year career in law enforcement.

KENDALL – When Brett Sobieraski’s house was broken into, and guns and jewelry were stolen seven years ago, the Rochester Police Department sergeant knew what it was like to be a victim of a crime.

He didn’t like feeling so vulnerable.

Sobieraski lives in Kent. About two days after the crime, Tom Drennan and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office had it solved. Drennan, the chief deputy for the Sheriff’s Office, worked with investigators to make the arrests. Sobieraski’s possessions were returned to him.

“Tom Drennan was most responsible for solving that crime,” Sobieraski said today when he stood by Drennan, a candidate for sheriff. “I was astounded by the professionalism shown by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.”

Drennan announced today if he is elected on Nov. 3, he would make Sobieraski his undersheriff. The two have known each other for about two decades. Their children attended Kendall Central School together.

Drennan and Sobieraski made the undersheriff announcement today at the Kendall community park gazebo across from the elementary school. Drennan wanted to highlight his small-town roots and commitment to protecting residents.

Sobieraski has a 27-year career in law enforcement. He started with the Lockport Police Department, and has worked the past 23 years with the Rochester Police Department, including the past 15 as a supervising sergeant with the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team.

He leads the multi-agency task force of undercover officers. He has participated in more than 2,000 search warrants, including some with the Major Felony Crime Task Force from Orleans County.

Tom Drennan and Brett Sobieraski take questions from the media this afternoon.

Sobieraski said Orleans County is not immune from drugs, especially heroin, and violent crime. He wants to take his years of experience and help train and raise the standards of professionalism in the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

He said he and Drennan are similar in expecting high standards and accountability for officers.

“When someone shows up for work, they work hard for their paycheck and their community,” Sobieraski said.

Drennan has shied away from picking an undersheriff, saying residents should focus on the sheriff’s name on the ballot. Randy Bower won a close primary over Drennan for the Republican line on Sept. 10, 1,671 to 1,650.

Bower, a public safety dispatcher, has been campaigning with Chris Bourke, a long-time lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Office, as the undersheriff choice.

Drennan said he has been asked repeatedly who he would name as undersheriff.

“It’s a topic that everyone’s bringing up and I don’t want it to be a distraction anymore,” he said.

Drennan said Sobieraski would bring “fresh eyes” to the department and help Drennan in his push for an accredited department through the state. To be accredited, the department will need clear policies and training for officers, as well as regular audits.

Drennan said accreditation would establish uniform standards and responses for deputies when they are working with the public.

“It would create standardization, whether it’s Deputy A or Deputy Z,” he said. “It would become a much more professional agency.”

Sobieraski has served as a police academy instructor the past nine years. He has taught SWAT, police supervisor, active shooter and enhanced in-service classes.

He also is a board member and former chairman for seven years of Huther Doyle, an outpatient addiction recovery agency.

Sobieraski said he welcomes the chance to work where he lives. He wants to help equip and train the local deputies. He also said the department is small enough, where Sobieraski can spring into action and help on calls.

Drennan said he too would be visible and working on police calls.

The Nov. 3 election also includes retired Medina police investigator Don Organisciak, who is running as a Democrat. He hasn’t said publicly who would serve as his undersheriff.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Randy Bower speaks during the Republican fall rally on Saturday night at the Ridgeway fire hall. Bower won the Republican Primary on Sept. 10.

RIDGEWAY – Randy Bower, the Republican candidate for Orleans County sheriff, addresses 250 people on Saturday night during the Republican fall rally at Ridgeway fire hall.

Bower discussed some of the goals he has for the Sheriff’s Office, including a drug treatment program in the county jail, and stepped up sheriff’s patrols for Kendall and Lyndonville schools and rural businesses.

“It’s the people of Orleans County that we work for,” Bower told the Republican crowd.

He also wants a deputy assigned to help with animal control calls, and Orleans County dispatchers to have access to video links inside the schools. (School superintendents would be notified if the Sheriff’s Office was using those video links, Bower said.) The access to see what’s happening in the schools could speed up a law enforcement response in an emergency or crisis.

The jail is the largest division of the Sheriff’s Office with 30 corrections officers, two cooks and a jail superintendent. The jail can peak with 80 inmates inside the facility on Platt Street in Albion. Many of the inmates have drug problems, which often fuels their other crimes, Bower said.

Providing the inmates with treatment will make them less likely to commit more crimes when they get out of jail, and also will help them to regain control of their lives, Bower said.

Bower, a dispatcher for the county for nearly 30 years, said he would push the state for funding of the drug treatment program. He believes state officials could be convinced to make Orleans County a pilot program for such an effort.

He said he would push for local, state and federal dollars to ensure the Sheriff’s Office has the personnel and equipment to do serve the public in Orleans County.

Bower pushed for the Republican endorsement last spring, but committee members in a close vote picked Tom Drennan, the chief deputy, as the Republican candidate for sheriff.

Bower forced a primary, and has campaigned with Chris Bourke, a lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Office, as Bower’s undersheriff choice if Bower is elected. Many of the deputies also are backing Bower, and have been visible wearing red shirts for Bower during community parades and other events. (Many Bower supporters also cheered and applauded loudly while he went through some of his goals for the Sheriff’s Office on Saturday night.)

Drennan lost the primary by 21 votes, 1,671 to 1,650. He is staying in the race under the Independence and Reform lines.

Bower, in addition to the Republican line, has been endorsed by the Conservative Party.

The Nov. 3 election includes a third candidate: retired Medina police investigator Don Organisciak, who is running as a Democrat.

Bower urged Republicans to unite behind his candidacy and keep the Sheriff’s Office under the leadership of a Republican.

Bower addressed the group from a stage in the firehall. Two high school students lifted him to the stage in his wheelchair. Bower has been paralyzed from the waist down since a car accident when he was 18.

“This wheelchair is just a perception,” he told the Republican crowd. “I can do anything I want.”

Bower, in a previous interview, said he lives a blessed life with his wife Robin and their two grown children: Jessica and Jacob. In addition to working as a dispatcher, he has been a member of the Sheriff’s Department’s Off-Road Patrol from 1992-1998, riding all-terrain vehicles to help locate missing persons, stolen property and respond to other situations.

Bower wants to be sheriff because he said he has the leadership skills, vision and communication skills to run the department and serve the public.

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – It was the third annual Family Game Night at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds with activities light on gadgets but designed to make residents and children more aware of services in the community.

In the top photo, Cincere Lowe, 8, of Albion gets his face painted to look like a vampire. Vivian Neroni, a DSS worker, shared her artistic talents at the face-painting station.

Families could also play board games and meet the staff at many county departments, which offered activities for families to learn about county services. The event was coordinated by the Youth Bureau.

Tom Drennan lets Aaron Schmidli of Medina try on a bullet-proof vest. Drennan, chief deputy for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, said the vest weighs 20 to 25 pounds. Aaron’s brother Andrew, in back, also had a chance to wear the vest.

Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer, went fishing with his daughter Jane, 4. They hooked a magnetic lake trout at a station run by the Orleans County Tourism Department.

Dale Banker (left), the county’s emergency management director, and Pat Eick, administrative assistant for the Emergency Management Office, pass out an “Emergency Go Bag” to County Legislator John DeFilipps, right. Eick developed the bags with emergency items for people to keep in their vehicles in case they are stranded with winter around the corner.

EDA says residents don’t need to wait for Pride Pak, STAMP to find local jobs

ALBION – There are about 200 jobs available in Orleans County, ranging from sales reps, food service worker, software engineer, and many others, including Holley police chief.

“There is the full gamut of skills,” Jim Whipple, executive director for the Orleans Economic Development Agency, told the board of directors last Friday. “There is entry level right up to engineers.”

Many of the jobs are listed through the Job Development Agency in Orleans County. (labor.ny.gov). Many jobs are also listed on the Orleans Hub – Click here.

Some of the jobs are seasonal farm work. However, companies such as CRFS in Albion, Baxter Healthcare in Medina, the Arc of Orleans County, Saint-Gobain ADFORS in Albion, Takeform Architectural Graphics in Medina and Velocitii in Medina are trying to fill full-time permanent positions.

“These are very tangible jobs that are available,” Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the EDA, told the board of directors.

Orleans County’s unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in August, higher than the state rate of 5.2 percent, which is the lowest in NY since May 2008.

There will be more job opportunities next year when Pride Pak is expected to hire 85 to 100 people for a new vegetable processing and packaging site in Medina.

Last week, 1366 Technologies also announced it will build a new high-tech manufacturing plant in the Town of Alabama, employing 600 people in phase one of what could be a $700 million build-out.

EDA leaders said the two projects will provide many job opportunities for Orleans County residents. However, residents need not wait on those projects because there are opportunities available right now.

Organisciak says he would ‘lead by example’ in Sheriff’s Department

Photos by Tom Rivers – Don Organisciak is pictured with friends and family during a spaghetti fund-raiser Oct.3 at the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company. Some of the group includes his son Jimmy, right; Don’s wife Jacky (left); and Jeanne Crane, Democratic Party chairwoman, second from left in front.

MEDINA – Don Organisciak has seen the letters to the editor and a public displays from supporters for both Randy Bower and Tom Drennan, candidates to be the next Orleans County sheriff.

Organisciak winced at many of the letters to the editor during last month’s Republican primary. Some letter writers questioned Drennan’s judgment and other writers doubted if Bower has the qualifications to lead the Sheriff’s Department.

“As a leader you have to stay out of that,” Organisciak said about the letters and also many social media posts. “It degrades the Sheriff’s Department and the men.”

Organisciak is the Democrat candidate for sheriff. Bower won the Republican primary by 21 votes and also will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot as a Conservative. Drennan also has two lines for Nov. 3 – the Independence Party and Reform Party line.

Organisciak, a retired Medina police officer and investigator, said the sheriff’s race shouldn’t be a popularity contest. He urges voters to look at the experience and qualifications of all three. He has a 30-year career in law enforcement, capped by two years as the school resource officer in Lyndonville.

“Don is a good candidate with a lot of good experience,” said Jeanne Crane, the Democratic Party chairwoman. “Looking at their experience, Don has done some things the others haven’t.”

He sees a divided Sheriff’s Department, and says he can be a unifying leader for the department.

“They need someone they can look up to, who’s been there, done that,” Organisciak said. “I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, but we need to bring professionalism and loyalty back.”

Don Organisciak walks in the parade in Lyndonville during the Fourth of July.

It would normally be a tall order for a Democrat to win in a county-wide election. Former sheriff David Green was a Democrat who won several elections before retiring about 20 years ago. Currently, all county-wide elected positions are filled by Republicans.

Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2 to 1 in Orleans County. The current enrollment numbers include 5,261 Democrats and 10,099 Republicans.

There are also 1,055 registered members of the Independence Party, 529 Conservative Party members and 147 members of the Working Families Party.
A big wild card is the 4,754 “blanks” or voters who aren’t registered with a political party.

Organisciak and Crane think Republicans will split the vote for Drennan and Bower, with some Republicans also siding with Organisciak.

Organisciak is currently a part-time school bus driver for Medina. He said he has enjoyed the recent months of his campaign, attending community festivals and events, and meeting many residents throughout the county.

“It has been fun,” he said. “The people finally have a choice. It’s better than a two-horse race. It’s now a three-horse race.”

The three candidates will be featured during a forum on Oct. 21, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Albion Elks Lodge, 428 West State St.

New York Revolution and the Orleans County SCOPE are coordinating the forum. Steven Aldstadt, president of SCOPE in New York, will be the moderator of the forum.

Provided photo

ALBION – Rick Heise of Albion, center, won a Buffalo Bills package through the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. Heise is pictured with Laverne Bates, GOMOC executive director, and Mary Grace Demarse, treasurer for the agency.

Heise won two tickets to last Sunday’s Bills game versus the New York Giants. The seats were 12 rows up at the center line of Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Ministry of Concern raised $2,000 through the raffle that included the two seats at the 50-yard-line, plus a Bills jacket, hat, shirt, golf balls, signed pictures and a year’s subscription to Sports Illustrated.

“Thanks to all who throughout the summer bought chances to win the Bills Basket in support of the Ministry of Concern program that provides emergency services to assist families living in poverty, used furniture as needed and a creative children’s E3Team program, that provides events focused on Energy, Encouragement and Empowerment and the positive influence of a great team of coaches,” Bates said.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Randy Bower, a candidate for Orleans County sheriff, is pictured at a Sept. 11 memorial service in Albion. Bower forced a Primary and won the Republican line for sheriff. The race has been a hard-fought battle and also has generated lots of traffic on Orleans Hub.

September was a record-breaker for traffic on the Orleans Hub. We obliterated records for unique visitors and page views, and also set a new record for most traffic for sports in a month.

We had 765,677 page views in 30 days last month, a daily average of 25,523. We averaged 7,671 unique visitors each day of the month. This is the first time we’ve been over a 7,000 daily average in a month.

The race to be the next Orleans County sheriff generating a lot of interest to the site, especially in the letters to the editor, which included letters from the two Republican candidates, Tom Drennan and Randy Bower, and many of their supporters.

Two of the letters about the sheriff’s race were in the top 5 for most clicked on stories for September. Bower won the Republican line with a narrow victory in the Primary over Drennan, 1,671 votes to 1,650. (The two are both on the ballot for Nov. 3, which will also include Don Organisciak, the Democratic Party candidate and retired Medina police investigator.)

The death of Deputy Erin Fuller, by a self-inflicted gun shot, also reverberated in the community. His funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including many police officers in Orleans County and Western New York.

Law enforcement officers included a black band over their badges in honor of Fuller. This photo shows the badge worn by Deputy Josh Narburgh at Fuller’s funeral on Sept. 19.

Here are the top five stories in September (the ones with the most clicks).

1. Sheriff’s Office mourning loss of Deputy Erin Fuller

2. Deputy wounded in shootout says upper management has shown ‘blatant disregard’ for his well-being

3. ‘He was incredibly special. He was absolutely a hero.’

4. Drennan responds to allegations of micromanaging and ambulance interference

5. Crucifix burned into front lawn at Waterport mosque

Fall sports season has been in full swing and Mike Wertman has been providing a daily report on the games. His wife Cheryl also takes many photos showing action and drama from the games.

Sports had 38,107 pageviews last month or a 1,270 daily average, which is our highest ever. That just counts the people who click on the “Local Sports” tab. We also get a lot of sports traffic through Facebook and Twitter.

The most viewed sports story for the month was the season-opening victory for the Medina/Lyndonville football team, a 46-41 win over Lew-Port at Vets Park on Sept. 4.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Jake Cotter runs in for a two-point conversion for the Mustangs as Nick Christman tries for the tackle for the Lancers during the 46-41 season-opening win for Medina/Lyndonville.

‘It’s a great organization with great people doing great things for our community.’ – Grace Denniston, chairwoman of Community Action board

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Ed Fancher, executive director for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee,welcomes about 100 people during a celebration of the agency’s 50th anniversary on Thursday at Hickory Ridge Country Club.

Fancher noted the agency has grown to several sites in the two counties, and continues to grow and expand services for the community.

He started with Community Action in 1987 as the fiscal director. He was 22 at the time. Community Action had a $750,000 annual budget in 1987.

Now it has a budget of $5.5 million and 130 employees, who provide emergency services, a food pantry, Head Start early childhood education, weatherization, transportation, child care resource and referral, Alternative Choices for Teens (to promote positive choices and less risky behavior), disability program navigation, and a community center that serves lunches in Holley.

Community Action also runs the Main Street Store in Albion, providing job readiness skills. That store moved into the former American Legion Post in Albion last year, after renovating the site.

Grace Denniston, the retired Office for the Aging director in Orleans County, is now the Community Action board of directors chairwoman. She joins Fancher at the podium.

She had the Community Action employees stand and be recognized. They work on the “front lines” in providing important services to needy families in the community, Denniston said.

She also said Community Action works closely with many other agencies to provide services in the two counties.

“It’s a great organization with great people doing great things for our community,” Denniston said.

Community Action organizations were started with the “War on Poverty” initiative by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The former Orleans County Board of Supervisors did a needs assessment of the county in June 1965 to see if a Community Action would be helpful.

Three months later the organization was incorporated. Fancher marvels at how quickly the county leaders moved to establish Community Action 50 years ago.

This photo shows the former Guido’s Super Market on East State Street in Albion, which has been home to Community Action for many years. The photo was part of a historical display during Thursday’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson reads a proclamation from the County Legislature in honor of Community Action’s 50 years.

The Legislature praised the agency for a half century of service and “acknowledges their many achievements by providing priceless resources to our Orleans County community.”

Eileen Kirkpatrick, DSS commissioner in Genesee County, reads a proclamation from Genesee County in honor of Community Action.

Like Lynne Johnson, Kirkpatrick has also served on the Community Action board of directors.

The agency collaborates with Department of Social Services in both counties, the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, Red Cross and other agencies.

A group of about 100 people attended the celebration at Hickory Ridge. They are listening to a proclamation from the State Legislature for Community Action. Eileen Banker, representing State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Sen. Robert Ortt, and Jay Grasso, representing State Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, present the proclamation to Ed Fancher.

The Batavia Swing Band entertained after the official speeches and dinner. Dan Gross plays the drums for the group.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The owners of the Orchard Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Bates Road in Medina are contesting the assessment for the property, claiming it should be assessed at $410,000 and not $4.1 million.

Orleans County legislators agreed to contribute county dollars to fight tax assessment challenges where many thousands of dollars of tax revenue are at stake for municipalities.

The county will only get involved with properties assessed at $3 million or more, and if the owners are seeking at least a 10 percent reduction or more than $300,000 off the assessed value.

Towns handle assessing properties in Orleans County, and those values determine the taxes on the properties for villages, towns, county and schools. However, the towns have the smallest of the tax rates of the local municipalities. The towns also have the smallest budgets for defending an assessment challenge against more well-financed corporations.

The County Legislature voted to help with the tax challenges on Monday. The county is getting involved after two nursing home owners filed legal action to drastically reduce their assessments – and local property tax bills.

The owners of Orchard Manor in Medina are seeking the biggest reduction as a percentage. The 160-bed facility is assessed at $4.1 million – the sale price from 2012. The owners, Global Health Care, say the assessment should be $410,000.

Global Health pays about $225,500 in property taxes with a combined tax rate of about $55 per $1,000 of assessed property. Shelby has less than a tenth of the combined tax rates. The town rate is $3.48, with the county rate at $9.89, the village at $17.13 and the school district at $23.01. (There is also a library tax rate of $1.37.)

The county currently takes in $40,549 in taxes from Orchard Manor at the $4.1 million assessment. If Global Health is successful in reducing the assessment to $410,000, it would pay a tenth in taxes what it does now or $4,055 to the county.

The County Legislature made a stipulation that it would only participate in the tax challenges if the other municipalities also shared in the fight, with the amount to be spent to be based on the percentage of the municipalities’ tax rates. That would shift most of the financial burden for defending the assessment to the village and school district, which have the higher tax rates.

Shelby town officials have asked the village to join in the fight. The formula voted on by the county would make Shelby pay the least in defending the assessment.

The Village Board has discussed the issue behind closed doors because it is a legal issue. At least one board member questions if the village should join the tax fight because village residents already pay in their town taxes for assessing.

The village receives $70,233 in taxes from Orchard Manor, which pays a $17.13 tax rate per $1,000 of assessed property. If Orchard Manor’s assessment falls to $410,000, it would pay $7,023 in taxes, or more than $63,000 less to the village.

The former county-owned nursing home is now privately owned by Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC. The company paid $7.8 million on for the 120-bed Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center on Route 31 in Albion.

The property went on the tax rolls for the first time this year with a $6,618,900 assessment. Comprehensive is challenging that assessment, filing legal papers saying it should be valued at $2.5 million.

Albion Town Supervisor Matt Passarell said he and James Bell, the town attorney, have discussed the issue and will bring it to the full Town Board soon.

Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson, left, and Sheriff’s Deputy Marty Stirk prepare to transport collected items for destruction.

Press Release, Sheriff Scott Hess
ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that another successful Household Pharmaceuticals Collection Event was held this past weekend.

During the four-hour detail, which was held at three locations within the county, unwanted and/or expired medications and drug paraphernalia in excess of 630 pounds were surrendered for destruction. This was the most successful collection event, to date.

As in years past, it is anticipated that another collection event will be held in the spring of 2016.

Some of the items are boxed and ready to taken to be destroyed. Residents dropped off pharmaceuticals at the Holley Fire Department, Orleans County Public Safety Building in Albion, and Medina Fire Department.

ALBION – Two local groups have organized a candidate forum with the three people seeking to be the next sheriff of Orleans County.

Don Organisciak, Randy Bower and Tom Drennan are all scheduled to be at an Oct. 21 candidate forum. They will have an opportunity to give opening and closing statements, and respond to questions from the public.

“We want educated voters,” said Mattie Zarpentine, one of the forum organizers. “That’s our goal.”

Zarpentine, a Holley resident, is regional director for New York Revolution. She worked with David Thom, chairman of Orleans County SCOPE (Shooters Committee On Political Education), to set up the forum.

The three candidates are all vying to replace Scott Hess, who is retiring from the job on Dec. 31. Zarpentine said it has been a heated campaign that has generated lots of public interest.

Organisciak is a retired Medina police investigator who is running with the Democratic Party line. Bower, a public safety dispatcher, won the Republican primary over Drennan. Bower also has the Conservative Party line.

Drennan, chief deputy for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, has the Independence and Reform party lines.

“I would like people to go to the polls and know their candidates,” Zarpentine said. “It’s different when you get to see them face to face. You really get to know them which is important because one of them will be your sheriff.”

The forum will be Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Albion Elks Lodge in Albion at 428 West State St. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

The election is Nov. 3.