National Grid customers who lost power on Wednesday night are all back in service this morning, the company said.

A farmer took down wires in Hamlin causing about 2,000 customers in Orleans County, mostly in the Kendall and Kent areas, to lose their electricity. Monroe County also had more than 5,000 without power.

ALBION – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce invites its members to nominate businesses, organizations and individuals who have helped the local business community.

The honorees will be recognized on Sept. 18 at Tillman’s Historic Village Inn to celebrate business in Orleans County.

The Chamber is seeking nominations for awards in the following categories:

Business of the Year: This award is presented to a business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year.

Businessperson of the Year: This award is presented to an individual with a long-term record of outstanding business achievements.

Phoenix Award: This award is presented to an organization or business that has successfully adapted or re-used an existing facility.

New Business of the Year: This award is presented to a business or organization that has opened in the past year.

Community Service Award: This award is presented to a business, organization or individual that has provided meaningful contributions to the community in either professional or non-professional spheres.

Agricultural Business of the Year: This award is presented to an agricultural business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year.

Small Business of the Year: This award is presented to a small business (50 employees or less) that has experienced significant achievements/success throughout the year.

Last year’s winners include: Business of the Year, Brunner International; New Business of the Year, BAD-AsH-BBQ; Entrepreneurial Excellence, Precision Packaging Products; Phoenix Award, Fair Haven Treasures; Community Service, Anni Skowneski and Kenneth DeRoller; Lifetime Achievement, Bruce Krenning and Marcia Tuohey; and Agricultural Business of the Year: Lake Ontario Fruit.

For more information, call the Chamber at (585) 589-7727 or click here.

Nearly 2,000 households in Orleans County are without electricity after farm equipment took down wires in Hamlin, Orleans County dispatch said.

National Grid reports power should be restored to the 1,779 customers without power in Orleans County by 12:45 a.m. on Thursday. Most of the outages are in northeastern Orleans County in the Kendall area.

There are also 5,348 National Grid customers without electricity in Monroe County. They should be back on-line by 12:45 a.m., National Grid said.

ALBION – State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, will give a colleague in the Assembly from New York City a tour of the local Assembly District today, visiting nursing homes, farms, Batavia Downs and other sites.

Hawley and Michael DenDekker, a Democrat from Queens, will tour various veterans affairs organizations. The lawmakers are conducting the tour to raise awareness of veterans’ needs across the state as well as allow representatives from downstate experience the unique rural aspects and farm life of Western New York residents.

DenDekker is chairman of the Assembly’s Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Hawley, a veteran of the Ohio Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves, is ranking minority member of the committee.

“I look forward to this opportunity to highlight various veterans organizations as well as make New York State more inclusive and bridge the gap between upstate and downstate needs,” Hawley said. “My hope is that Assemblyman DenDekker leaves my district with a new perspective on Western New York life. Places like Batavia Downs and fruit and dairy farms offer unique experiences not found in New York City.”

Hawley and DenDekker are scheduled to visit the Batavia VA Medical Center, State Nursing Home/ Genesee County Veterans Administration in Batavia, Batavia Downs, Lamb Farms in Oakfield, The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitative Center in Albion, Toussaint Farms in Medina and Western NY Energy in Medina.

James White was in program fully paid with federal funds

James White speaks at Sunday’s Democratic Party picnic in Albion.

ALBION – James White, a candidate for Orleans County Legislature, believes the county pushed him out of a summer work program for youth based on his candidacy and some criticism of county officials.

White, 21, is running as a Democrat in a strongly Republican county. He says he was terminated from the summer youth program after officials told him he was in violation of the Hatch Act, which bars candidates who receive federal funds in their salaries from pursuing political office. The Act was revised in December 2012, to allow more candidates to run for office if they only receive a portion of their pay through federal funds.

County officials say White wasn’t targeted with the Hatch Act.

“This is not a political issue,” said Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer. “This is a legal issue.”

White was receiving 100 percent of his pay through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. That program allows youths from lower-income backgrounds to work at job sites with the federal government paying the salaries. Orleans County has youths working at 30 sites in the program. White was working at the Cobblestone Country Federal Credit Union in Albion.

When it became clear he was campaigning for Legislature, county officials told him last month he needed to either cease the campaign or give up the job in the federal program. The Hatch Act prevents “running for office in a partisan election” when the candidate is in a position 100 percent federally funded.

White spoke at Sunday’s Orleans County Democratic Party picnic at Bullard park in Albion. During an interview with Orleans Hub, he said he was terminated from the summer program because of the Hatch Act. White said he is seeking a legal opinion because he believes he was targeted by the county due to a letter to the editor critical of the sale of nursing home.

Nesbitt said White hasn’t been targeted. Nesbitt said the county would be exposed legally if White stayed in the program when he was in clear violation of the Hatch Act.

The county wants all candidates to be in compliance with the law and Hatch Act, Nesbitt said. To see guidelines for candidates about the Hatch Act, visit the Office of Special Counsel at https://osc.gov.

One county department head, Paul Fulcomer, is making a run for elected office. Fulcomer, director of Veterans Service Agency, is running for a spot on the Albion Town Board as a Republican.

Fulcomer’s office receives less than 10 percent of its funding from the federal government. County Attorney David Schubel and Nesbitt didn’t see Fulcomer’s candidacy in violation of the Hatch Act. Fulcomer also is planning to retire later this year.

Before the Hatch Act changes in December 2012, some county employees faced tough choices: whether to run for elected office or give up their jobs.

Chuck Kinsey is the former county computer services director. He wanted to run for Clarendon town justice, but his office received a small portion of its budget from the federal government. The county sought an opinion from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel about the Hatch Act, and that office said Kinsey would be violation of the act if he ran for judge and kept his county position, Nesbitt recalled this morning.

Kinsey ultimately opted against running for justice and kept his job. Kevin Sheehan faced a similar dilemma. He wanted to run for the Albion Village Board but he worked as a maintenance mechanic for the VA healthcare system in Batavia. He opted to keep his full-time job rather than run for the Village Board last year. His salary is 100 percent from the federal government.

White wasn’t terminated from the summer youth work program, Nesbitt said. White was given the option to either suspend the campaign or pull out of the program.

White chose to step put of the program. He has since been hired by Tim Hortons. He is entering his senior year at D’Youville College in Buffalo.

Photos by Tom Rivers – James White, a candidate for Orleans County Legislature, speaks at a Democratic Party picnic on Sunday at Bullard Park in Albion.

ALBION – Democrats in Orleans County may be outnumbered by Republicans by 2-to-1, and Republicans may fill nearly all elected positions at the town and county level. But the Democrats say they are determined to give residents a choice on Election Day.

With a new election looming, the Democratic Party has three candidates running for county positions and welcomes more for town elections.

Three candidates for county positions – Donald Organisciak for sheriff, and Fred Miller and James White for county legislator – both thanked the Democratic Party for their support. They spoke during the Democrats summer picnic on Sunday at Bullard Park.

James White is only 21, a college student at D’Youville in Buffalo, majoring in business management with a minor in pre-law. White graduated from Lyndonville in 2012. He expects to be done at D’Youville next year and then plans to attend grad school.

He said the county desperately needs Democrats in the local government. He said one-party rule is leading to privatization of critical services, from home health care nurses to the county nursing home.

Fred Miller said the county would benefit from more political diversity on local municipal boards.

“I see a local government that is failing the taxpayers,” White said at Sunday’s Democratic Party picnic. “The privatization of public services can be very dangerous.”

White, a Gaines resident, is challenging incumbent Don Allport for an at-large seat on the Legislature.

White said he would push for ways to keep younger adults and also cater to senior citizens in the community. Those age groups often have discretionary income to help support local businesses and preserve neighborhoods.

“My generation is fleeing the county at a high rate,” White said. “We need to do something to retain this generation.”

White was working in a summer program that directed federal funds for local businesses and agencies to hire disadvantaged youths ages 16 to 21. He was at Cobblestone Country Federal Credit Union until he said he was terminated from the program by county officials, claiming his participation in the program violated the Hatch Act, which aims to keep federal employees from certain political activities.

White has since been hired by Tim Hortons in Albion. He said he is challenging the county’s Hatch Act determination, believing he was unjustly removed from the program. He said his termination came after he wrote a letter to the editor critical of the county’s selling of the nursing home.

Don Organisciak is running for sheriff of Orleans County.

“I’m not a quitter,” he said about fighting the Hatch Act determination.

White said he hopes he can inspire a new generation of young adults to be active in the community at the political level.

“My generation needs to step up,” he said.

Fred Miller, owner of an Albion hardware store, is the only Democrat on the seven-member County Legislature. He was elected in November 2013. He urged the party to work to get Democratic candidates elected.

“I hope you support newcomers,” Miller said. “We really need new people.”

Miller said he is fiscally conservative and not afraid to speak up.

“I’m a little on the frugal side,” Miller said. “I try to spend your money like it’s my own money.”

The Republican Party didn’t run a candidate against Miller. He started in local politics about 10 years ago, serving on the Albion Village Board. Fran Nayman, a long-time Democratic Party leader, urged Miller to run.

Nayman died in a fire in December at his small engine repair shop. Jeanne Crane, the current party chairwoman, said Nayman was a mentor to many Democrats and a generous donor to many of their campaigns.

Organisciak is retired from the Medina Police Department after a 30-year career. He noted he has the most experience in law enforcement of any candidate in the race. Randy Bower and Tom Drennan, both long-time employees in the Sheriff’s Department, are both running.

Bower, a county dispatcher, has the Conservative line and is forcing a Republican primary against Tom Drennan, the chief deputy who also has the Independence Party line.

Jeanne Crane, leader of the Orleans County Democratic Party, said candidates are welcome for town offices in the county.

Organisciak worked 30 years in Medina, with 16 years as a patrolman, then a year as a sergeant and the final 13 years as the Medina Police Department’s first full-time criminal investigator. Organisciak retired in June 2008 and would work two more years as the school resource officer for Lyndonville Central School.

He is currently a part-time school bus driver.

“If I’m elected I will be a working sheriff,” he said. “I’m not going to limit myself to being in the office all day.”

Organisciak said when he has been out campaigning some people were surprised the Democratic Party still existed in the county.

“We’re here and we’re alive,” he said at Sunday’s picnic.

The Board of Elections reports today that there are 9,991 registered Republicans in the county, 5,246 Democrats, 1,048 members of the Independence Party, and 530 Conservatives, as well as other members of minor parties. In addition, there are 4,686 unaffiliated voters or “blanks.”

Jeanne Crane, the party chairwoman, wants to provide an alternative and choices for voters with Democratic candidates.

The Democratic Party committees at the town levels are soliciting candidates for those races. The town committees will soon have their caucuses with candidates to be picked by mid-September. For more information, contact Crane at 737-6903.

Republicans force several primaries on Sept. 10

ALBION – Candidates for town and county offices submitted petitions to be on the ballot this week, and the list shows several Republican Primaries for Sept. 10.

The Primary will be highlighted by a fight for the Republican line between Tom Drennan, who has been endorsed by the Republican Committee, and Randy Bower. Drennan is chief deputy for the Sheriff’s Department. Bower, a dispatcher for nearly 30 years, submitted enough petitions to force the GOP Primary.

Both candidates for the Republican line will be on the November ballot, regardless of the Primary results because Bower has the Conservative line and Drennan has the Independence Party line.

Another candidate for sheriff, retired Medina police officer Don Organisciak, Jr. has the Democratic Party line. Scott Hess, the incumbent, is retiring after Dec. 31.

Here is a rundown of the candidates at the town and county level:

Orleans County:

Two of the seven incumbent county legislators have opposition. Lynne Johnson (District 2) has the Republican and Indepedence lines against Paul Lauricella, who has the Conservative line for a district that includes Yates, Ridgeway and a portion of Shelby.

Don Allport (at-large) has the Republican line for a county-wide position. He is challenged by James White, a Democrat.

Democrats also endorsed Fred Miller for District 3 (Albion and Gaines). Republicans aren’t running a candidate against him.

The other Republican incumbents are all unopposed including: David Callard (at-large), John DeFilipps (at-large), William Eick (District 1 – Clarendon, Barre and most of Shelby), and Ken DeRoller (District 4 – Kendall, Murray and Carlton).

Rocco Sidari is unopposed for coroner. He is backed by the Conservative and Republican parties.

Albion:

There is a three-way race for highway superintendent with incumbent Jed Standish facing a Republican challenge from Michael Neidert and Chris Kinter.

Town Supervisor Matt Passarell is unopposed and will run under the Republican and Conservative lines.

Other candidates are also unopposed Republicans, including Sarah Basinait for town clerk, and Anthony “Jake” Olles and Paul Fulcomer for Town Council.

Barre:

There is a two-way race for highway superintendent with Bert Mathes, the endorsed Republican, facing a Primary challenge from Dale Brooks, the superintendent for the Village of Albion Department of Public Works. Incumbent Dale Ostroski is retiring.

Other candidates are unopposed including Mark Chamberlain for town supervisor, Maureen Beach for town clerk, and Sean Pogue and Larry Gaylard for Town Council.

Carlton:

There is a three-way race for two four-year positions on the Town Board with Frank Lauta, John Fitzak and Dana Woolston all vying for the Republican line. In addition, Marcus Coville is running for a two-year term on the Town Board.

Incumbent Town Supervisor Gayle Ashbery and Town Justice Patricia Russell are both unopposed.

Clarendon:

There is a four-way Republican Primary for highway superintendent with incumbent Larry Swanger challenged by Tracy Bruce Chalker, Frederick Seeman III and Craig Nicosia. Swanger also has the Independence Party line and Chalker is endorsed by the Conservative Party.

The other Republican candidates are unopposed, including Richard Moy for town supervisor, William Campbell and Allen Robinson for Town Council, Susan Colby for town clerk, and Kevin Rombaut and Thomas DiFante for town justices.

Gaines:

Town Supervisor Carol Culhane is unopposed and secured the Republican and Conservative lines. Other town candidates are unopposed including Town Council candidates Richard DeCarlo as a Republican and Mary Neilans as Republican and Conservative, and Ronald Mannella for highway superintendent with Republican, Conservative and Independence party lines.

Kendall:

The Republican candidates are unopposed including Anthony Cammarata for town supervisor, Barbara Flow and Margaret Lynn Szozda for Town Council, and Warren Kruger for highway superintendent.

Murray:

The Republican incumbents are unopposed, including John Morriss for town supervisor, and Edwin Bower and Lloyd Christ for Town Council.

Ridgeway:

The Republican-endorsed candidates are unopposed including Brian Napoli for town supervisor, Sarah Fisher and Mary Woodruff for Town Council, and Joseph Kujawa for town justice. Kujawa also is endorsed by the Conservative Party.

Shelby:

There is a two-way race for highway superintendent with incumbent Mike Fuller challenged by Ed Houseknecht in a GOP Primary. Fuller also has the Independence Party line.

The other Republican candidates are unopposed, including Merle “Skip” for town supervisor, Kenneth Schaal, Jr. and Dale Stalker for Town Council, and Dawn Keppler for town justice.

Yates:

There are races in this town with James Simon forcing a Republican Primary for town supervisor against incumbent John Belson. Valerie Pratt also is on the ballot as a Republican in a three-way Primary against Wesley Bradley and John Riggi. In addition, Glenn Maid has been endorsed by the Conservative Party for Town Council.
The other Republican candidates are unopposed, including Michele Harling as town clerk and Roger Wolfe for highway superintendent.

The petitions were due at the County Board of Elections on Thursday. Any qualified voter can file an objection to the petitions by Monday, July 13.

The unemployment rate in Orleans County dropped from 7.2 percent in May 2014 to 6.0 percent this past May, according to the state Department of Labor.

There were 17,100 people working in the county in May, compared to 16,800 in May 2014. The number of unemployed fell from 1,300 in May 2014 to 1,100 in May 2015.

The 6.0 percent unemployment rate is higher than the 5.3 percent rate in both New York and for the country. Of the 62 counties in New York, Orleans is one of 14 with an unemployment rate at 6.0 percent or higher.

Here are the rates for other nearby counties: Genesee, 4.7; Wyoming, 5.2; Livingston, 5.3; Niagara, 5.7; Erie, 5.2; and Monroe, 5.1.

Columbia County has the lowest unemployment rate in state at 3.9 percent and the Bronx is the highest at 8.0 percent.

File photo by Tom Rivers – JP Morgan Chase announced in June 2013 it would close its Albion site the following September, cutting about 400 jobs.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article should have stated CRFS has 600 employees, but due to a typo said 60.

ALBION – The economic development agency for Orleans County needs clear policies for why some businesses are approved for tax benefits and assistance and others are not, according to an audit for the State Comptroller’s Office.

The comptroller also said some businesses, notably JP Morgan Chase, are approved for tax-saving benefits and leave town early, without a “recapture of benefits” clause from the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

In the case of Chase, the company received $605,000 in tax abatements in the first three years of the 10-year tax deal. The company paid $98,900 to local governments during that period.

However, the company announced in June 2013 it would close its Albion site the following September, and would eliminate 400 jobs in the village.

The comptroller said Chase was able to leave Albion without returning any of the tax breaks. The EDA needs a clause that requires companies to pay back the benefits if they don’t follow through with promised benefits to the community, according to the comptroller’s report. (Click here to see it.)

Jim Whipple, chief executive officer for the EDA, said the tax incentives gave the community more time with Chase as a major local employer.

“Those three to four years were very important,” Whipple said.

When Chase acquired the former Washington Mutual, Chase evaluated other sites in the country for the Albion operation. The tax incentives helped keep the company in Orleans County until “a further retrenchment in the banking industry,” EDA Board Chairman Paul Hendel said in a letter to the comptroller.

Claims Recovery Financial Services has since moved into the former Chase site and has about 600 employees in Albion.

The EDA in August 2013 also added a recapture-of-benefits clause to be used at the discretion of the agency, Hendel said.

In another case, the EDA under-billed a company for its payment of lieu of taxes by $246,000 over 12 years. The EDA billed the company for less than the PILOT plan approved by the seven-member board.

The comptroller said the payments should be corrected, or else the discrepancy will balloon to $635,000 over 20 years.

The EDA said the PILOT was amended, however the paperwork wasn’t available for that change. That paperwork issue is an isolated incident and has been resolved, Hendel said.

Comptroller staff reviewed Orleans EDA projects from Jan. 1, 2013 to Oct. 10, 2014, and analyzed documents from back to 1998. The EDA has 22 open projects with capital investment of about $134 million. (Western New York Energy in Medina accounts for $89 million of that total.)

The report cited some “deficiencies” in the EDA’s evaluation and approval of businesses seeking benefits, the EDA’s determination of agreement terms with businesses and the subsequent monitoring of the businesses for compliance.

Economic development agencies should follow a 1:10 minimum cost benefit ratio, or $1 granted for at least $10 in capital investment and other benefits to the community, the comptroller said.

The EDA has a document cost-benefit ratio for six of the 22 projects, but not for 16, the comptroller said.

“Lack of consistent computing of the CBA (cost-benefit analysis) for all projects can lead to selective inclusion and exclusion of these ratios by management, potentially creating an advantage or disadvantage for an applicant,” the report states.

The report further states the EDA board and management did not formally document and adopt procedures for calculating cost-benefit ratios and for determining the contractual time periods for businesses seeking financial assistance.

Because of that, evaluation criteria may not be consistently applied, and the basis for approving or rejecting businesses is not clear, according to the report.

Whipple said the EDA board will work to formalize its methodology for the cost-benefit analysis.

The EDA also approves some tax-saving plans for 10 years and others for as long as 30 years. The majority are for 10 years. The comptroller said the EDA needs to be clear in justifying the varying lengths for PILOT plans.

In a response to the comptroller, EDA officials said the standard PILOT is 10 years, but the agency can deviate from that schedule for some manufacturing facilities and vacant buildings.

The comptroller said the EDA should better monitor businesses to see if they are following through with capital investments and job creation (as well as employee salaries and benefits).

The comptroller reviewed employment numbers for the 22 EDA projects and found 14 companies met their employment targets, but eight did not. The 14 businesses exceeded their projections by 278 jobs. However, eight businesses did not meet their projections. Overall, the 22 businesses were projected to create or retain 2,118 jobs, but reported 1,348 jobs for a shortfall of 770.

Associated Brands in Medina had the biggest net increase in jobs with 282.

Photo by Tom Rivers – This car was badly damaged in a two-car accident on June 9 on Route 31 in Albion. No one was seriously injured in the accident, which was caused when a driver took his eyes off the road to reach for peanuts.

Orleans Hub had another strong month in June when we topped 600,000 page views (609,524) for a daily average of 20,317.

We also averaged 6,569 daily unique visitors for one of our best months since Orleans Hub started on April 2, 2013. That is about four times the audience as the former Journal-Register in Medina, which closed in May 2014. At the time it had a circulation of about 1,500 copies.

The top five stories (the ones with the most “clicks”) last month include:

1. 2 taken by ambulance after 3-car accident

2. ‘I thought I was hurt. I thought I was definitely in trouble.’

3. Medina resident accused of abducting infant son from Texas 23 years ago

4. 6 are sentenced for drug and other crimes in County Court

5. Amish community mourns loss of minister who owned organic dairy

The Amish community in the Lyndonville area mourned the loss of Martin Yoder, who operated an organic dairy farm on Murdock Road and also served as a minister in their church.

The most popular sports story (click here) was a feature about two Albion baseball players who earned scholarships to play at GCC.

Photo by Tom Rivers – State officials urged Orleans County canal communities to seek downtown development grants. This photo shows the Main Street clock in Albion, which is part of a downtown district on the National Register of Historic Places.

ALBION – A group of Orleans County legislators travelled to Albany to meet with state officials, pressing high-speed Internet, infrastructure money, downtown development and other issues for the county.

“Everyone we met with was very accommodating to us and to hearing about Orleans County and out initiatives,” said Legislature Chairman David Callard. “We are confident that through this trip we have laid the groundwork to be successful in upcoming funding rounds – especially the Upstate Revitalization Intiative and the New NY Broadband Program. We will continue to press our case to ensure that Orleans County gets its fair share.”

Callard travelled to Albany with legislators Lynne Johnson, Ken DeRoller and John DeFilipps. They met on June 10 with local state legislators – Sen. Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda), Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) and Assemblywoman Jane Corwin (R-Clarence) – as well as representatives from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Department of State and the Canal Corp.

Callard said the state government officials had advice for the county in seeking state funds. The county would be a prime candidate for state grants for the canal villages and historic downtown business districts in Albion, Holley and Medina, Callard said.

The state urged the Orleans communities to pursue Main Street development grants, Callard said.

Holley and Albion both have received those grants in recent years, and Callard said more of that funding would help the canal communities. He said the county could take the lead in working with the villages for those grants.

The state also recommended the county’s lakeshore towns of Yates, Carlton and Kendall update a lakefront development study from about 20 years ago. A fresh study could help those communities, and the county access state funds.

The county sought about $160,000 in state funds for projects at the Orleans County Marine Park in Carlton. Orleans was approved for half of that amount last year. Callard said the outdated development plan was a one factor in why the county missed out on the full amount.

The county is already working on applications for broadband Internet coverage throughout Orleans, including rural pockets without the service. Orleans also is pursuing funds for its emergency radio system to make it interoperable with neighboring counties and to boost service in schools and larger buildings.

Callard said the trip to Albany is part of the Legislature’s stepped-up efforts for state funding for projects in the county.

“Given that a vast majority of key decision makers on state initiatives critical to Orleans County are based in Albany, it’s imperative that we get to the State Capitol to meet face-to-face on a regular basis,” Callard said. “By taking the time to travel to Albany to press our case directly with state officials, they can gauge both our sense of urgency and our great desire to gain state resources and funding for our top priorities.”

The county has also retained a lobbyist for $60,000 for a year to help Orleans County have better success with state grants. The firm, Park Strategies of Albany, helped arrange the meeting on June 10 with the various state officials.

State Sen. Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) both issued statements after the conclusion of the legislative session in Albany.

Both have districts that include Orleans County.

Ortt says work needed to fight ‘destructive policies of downstate politicians and special interests’:

“I believe the 2015 legislative session, now officially concluded, was a mix both personally and for the Western New Yorkers that I represent,” Ortt said. “There have been significant victories for our region on tax relief, education, and job creation. Our unwavering commitment to protecting the property tax cap – and keeping state spending under a similar cap – will result in larger property tax relief checks and record funding for STAR and Enhanced STAR.

“We also secured a key victory for Western New York children, parents, and teachers through record investments in our schools as well as common sense policies to ensure transparency and fairness in student testing and teacher evaluations. We’ve also prioritized local job creation by taking important steps to strengthen agriculture, redevelop brownfields, reduce energy rates, fund infrastructure, and expand green technology.

“In other areas, we increased critical services to veterans returning from combat, children without adequate health care, women subjected to rape and domestic violence, victims of mental illness, and individuals and families affected by disabilities. Stricter measures against drug dealers and sex offenders will keep our families and communities safe.

“But I’m also extremely disappointed in the actions – or inaction – taken by the New York City-dominated Assembly and a downstate liberal Governor on key issues. The Governor and Assembly walked away from most of our common sense reforms to the unconstitutional SAFE Act.

“The Governor threatened to shut down government unless legislators accepted his divisive education proposals. He has also vowed to proceed unilaterally on controversial issues like mandating a minimum wage that’s unacceptable to our small businesses and non-profits and appointing a special prosecutor to investigate our police officers.

“Despite the progress, I’m not ready to declare victory because we still have a lot of work ahead of us to revitalize Western New York and fight back against the destructive policies of downstate politicians and special interests.”

Hawley says upstate ignored as ‘Corruption Session’ comes to a close

“This year’s session has been extremely dysfunctional and marred by gridlock and controversy,” Hawley said. “We saw the downfall of two of Albany ‘s most powerful elected officials, yet there has been little to no meaningful ethics reform passed despite consistent pressure from the Assembly Minority Conference. Gridlock epitomized the waning days of session and the divide between upstate and downstate became much more apparent.

“As upstate businesses continue to struggle and middle-class New York is eroding, legislative leaders selfishly negotiated rent control as their end-of-session priority, an issue virtually meaningless to upstate New York.

“The extended negotiations between the ‘three men in a room’ cost taxpayers almost $40,000 per day for the per diem and travel expenses for the 213 legislators that were required to remain in Albany. We have been in session for a total of 14 hours this week, so that amounts to an extra $160,000, or $11,429 per hour in session, paid for by taxpayers. These extended negotiations are an affront to hardworking citizens of our state. “

Photo by Tom Rivers – Randy Bower, left front, has been endorsed for sheriff by a union representing jail corrections officers, dispatchers, three clerical staff for the Sheriff’s Department, and two kitchen employees at the jail. (Bower is pictured at the far left with Jim Lyman from Council 82, Local Union President Mike Christopher and Lt. Chris Bourke, who Bower said would serve as undersheriff if Bower is elected.)

(Editor’s Note: This article includes two corrections/ clarifications from an earlier version, which stated the union gave most of its support to Randy Bower, then Tom Drennan had second most votes and Donald Organisciak was third. The vote to endorse didn’t include the option to vote for Drennan or Organisciak. It asked union members if they wanted to endorse Bower, not endorse him or if they preferred not to vote. About 60 percent favored endorsing Bower, with about 30 percent saying they didn’t want to endorse him and about 10 percent saying they didn’t want to vote.

The earlier version also listed four job titles that are part of the union but the article may have implied each of the four groups voted for Bower. The vote was the collective total from the four job titles.)

Randy Bower, a dispatcher for nearly 30 years, is running for Orleans County sheriff. He has the Conservative Party endorsement and is working on forcing a Republican primary against Tom Drennan, the chief deputy for the Sheriff’s Department. Drennan was endorsed by the Orleans County Republican Committee last month.

The Democratic Party has endorsed retired Medina police investigator Donald Organisciak for sheriff.

Scott Hess, the incumbent, is retiring on Dec. 31 and isn’t seeking re-election.

Bower and many of his key supporters met Thursday at the Orleans County Veterans Club when Bower was presented a $1,000 campaign donation and endorsement from the Council 82. That union in Albany represents about 4,300 corrections officers and law enforcement officers.

Jim Lyman from Council 82 made the trip to Albion to meet Bower. Lyman said Council 82 takes direction from the local union for endorsements and donations.

Mike Christopher, a corrections officer in the jail for 23 years, is president of the local union. He said the union membership put the endorsement to a vote and Bower received the majority of the support.

Bower reached out to the union for an endorsement, and Christopher said the group welcomed being part of the election process.

Drennan didn’t seek an endorsement from the union and he said he doesn’t want to put employees in an awkward position at work, asking them to pick sides.

Bower also has the endorsement from the Deputy Sheriff’s Association.

With the latest endorsement of the union that represents dispatchers, corrections officers and some other Sheriff’s staff, Bower said he has a team that can work to improve services for residents.

“With the support from the two unions there will be no broken campaign promises,” Bower said. “We can get the job done.”

One of Bower’s plans is to reach out to the state for a more intensive drug and alcohol abuse program for inmates. Bower said many of the inmates are in jail due to their addictions.

Christopher, in his role as correction officer, said he sees the impact drug and alcohol addictions have in crimes that result in jail.

“Nine out of 10 inmates are in there directly or indirectly by drugs or alcohol,” Christopher said. He wants a stronger program to help inmates break the cycle of addiction.

Christopher said he has known Bower since they were kids growing up in Holley. Christopher was the ball boy in junior high when Bower played on the varsity basketball team.

Bower was injured in a car accident at 18, and paralyzed from the waist down. He has shown tremendous determination in living a full and active life since that accident more than three decades ago, Christopher said.

He has watched Bower ride snowmobiles, play golf and hunt since he has been paralyzed from the waist down.

“I’ve known Randy since we were kids and you can’t find a more likable guy,” Christopher said.

He knows Bower can inspire others, and raise the level of performance.

“It’s really a motivation thing,” he said about Bower. “He shows initiative and he has good ideas.”