CLARENDON – The towns of Barre and Clarendon were unable to hold a planned public hearing on the possible consolidation of their justice courts Tuesday evening due to the Barre Town Board not making the necessary quorum.

Barre Supervisor Mark Chamberlain explained that health-related issues had kept some members from attending.

Despite the fact an official public hearing could not be held, municipal leaders decided to discuss the issue informally and answer questions from residents in attendance.

Clarendon Supervisor Richard Moy explained that an official public hearing will need to be held as part of the process. If one or both of the towns then decide against consolidation, the issue would be dead. If both town boards agree to consolidate the court, the issue would be on the November ballot for a public vote. Clarendon residents would additionally decide if the town would go from two justices to one.

Moy outlined facts regarding consolidation: Each town can retain its own court facility; Clarendon Town Justice Thomas DiFante and Barre Town Justice Richard DeCarlo would have jurisdiction in both towns; and money would stay in the town in which it was collected.

Moy also clarified figures regarding state grant money. A $12,000 matching grant would be available to each town for costs associated with the consolidation process and additional grant money would be available from the state following consolidation.

District Attorney night would be held in each town, just as it is now, Moy added.

Joe Cardone, Orleans County district attorney, attended the meeting.

“From my perspective, (consolidation) has worked well,” he said, regarding the west side of the county where the Ridgeway, Shelby, and Yates justice courts have been consolidated.

“One judge is able to handle the workload in these jurisdictions,” he said and noted that in 1992, the county had 23 municipal justices.

“I think now the number is down to 14,” Cardone said.

Besides the town court consolidation on the western end, where the three towns went from two judges to one each, the villages of Medina and Albion eliminated their courts, with towns picking up the added workload.

A Clarendon resident asked about the extent of financial savings if consolidation takes place.

“It’s not a huge amount of money,” Moy said and explained that at budget time, the town could decide to pay a single justice more, but not as much as both justices combined.

“Overall, most people will tell you there’s not great financial savings,” Cardone added. “There are some savings to the county.”

Others asked about what would happen if one of the justices needs to take a long-term leave. Cardone explained that County Court Judge James Punch would then appoint someone to serve as justice. In the case of short-term leaves, one judge would take over both courts. If a judge needs to recuse himself from a case, the case is moved to another jurisdiction.

Barre Town Justice Richard DeCarlo expressed concerns that in the future, the state might step in and change the law regarding consolidation – perhaps compelling towns to have only one court facility.

“The direction from the state has been to let local jurisdictions do what best works for them to make the court system most efficient,” Cardone responded, but explained if changes come from the state level, there would not be much the towns could do.

Clarendon Town Attorney Karl Essler said that the town boards could work together on the language of future resolutions regarding court consolidation to help protect them from any future changes which might happen at the state level.

Town of Ridgeway Court Clerk Stacy Silker attended the meeting.

“It works just fine,” she said of consolidation on the county’s west side and referenced a recent traffic ticket conflict in the Ridgeway court. “We sent it to Yates and didn’t have to take it to Judge Punch,” she said.

Clarendon and Barre will now have to determine if they can set a new date for an official public hearing, or, if because of the time-frame, need to pass another resolution first before calling for a public hearing.

Sept. 28 is the “drop dead date” for the towns to approve consolidation in order for the issue to appear on this November’s ballot, Moy said.

Roy Carter

A Rochester man is in Orleans County Jail without bail after being arrested on Monday and charged with eight counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, a Class B felony.

Roy L. Carter, 39, of 474 Alexander St. is accused of selling crack cocaine in Orleans County, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported today.

Carter was arrested after a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine from Rochester to Orleans County. The Task Force was assisted by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, Town of Ogden Police Department, Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team and Rochester Police Department in executing a search warrant on a vehicle in Spencerport and a residence at 474 Alexander St., Rochester.

Photo courtesy of Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force

Police seized approximately 50 grams of crack cocaine and powder cocaine, a loaded defaced 9 mm semi-auto pistol, more than $1,000 in cash, scales, packaging and other drug paraphernalia.

Carter was committed to Orleans County Jail without bail, and is to appear in Orleans County Court at 2 p.m. today. He is currently on probation in Monroe County.

Further drug and weapon charges are pending in Monroe County, the Task Force reported.

ALBION – The federal Environmental Protection Agency has denied a grant application to identify brownfields, sites in Orleans County that may be contaminated and need environmental remediation.

The EPA sent a letter on May 28, notifying the Orleans Economic Development Agency of the news.

The EPA had 730 grant requests, but only had enough money to approve 253 projects, David R. Lloyd, director of the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, wrote in a letter to Jim Whipple, Orleans EDA chief executive officer.

The EDA sought the funds through the EPA’s National Brownfields Program Grant competition.

Lloyd urged the EDA to try for a brownfields grant next year.

“I commend your efforts and appreciate the time and energy you put into preparing your grant proposal,” Lloyd said in the letter to the EDA. “Although your proposal was not selected, we thank you for your continued efforts to return brownfields to productive reuse.”

Press Release, Sheriff Scott Hess

ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess is pleased to announce that 12 children from Orleans County will attend the NYS Sheriffs’ Association’s Summer Camp this year.

Located on Keuka Lake in Yates County, the Sheriffs’ Summer Camp is designed to provide a solid recreational program combined with the development of a sense of good citizenship. The camp has been in operation since the mid-1970s and is supported by the NYSSA’s honorary members through their contributions and annual dues. This year, as in the past, the camp will accommodate hundreds of deserving kids from across New York State from June 28 through July 4.

Throughout their week-long stay, these children observe special exhibits and demonstrations presented by Sheriff’s Deputies and other law enforcement personnel from across the state. Included are D.A.R.E. presentations, boat- and bicycle-safety programs, law-enforcement equipment & technical demonstrations, pistol & archery competitions, and a talent show.

Upon completion of their stay, all campers will be awarded a certificate for their participation in a program of Good Citizenship & Law Enforcement Studies.

The following children are the 2015 Orleans County attendees:

From Albion: Maria Cruz, 12, Kaitlyn Ramirez, 12, Raul Cruz, 11, Vanessa Perez, 10, Alejandro Samsel, 10, Anayeli Cruz, 9, Charles Samsel, 9, and Raja Warren, 9.

From Kent: Brianna Sample, 10, and Aries Schuster, 10.

From Lyndonville: Tyler Sietmann, 12.

From Waterport: Elizabeth Inman, 11.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo today announced resurfacing projects totaling $75 million will be completed this year on approximately 428 lane miles of state highways across New York. That includes Route 98 from Route 31A to Route 104 in Orleans County.

Funding for these projects was accelerated into this construction season in order to repair widespread damage from deep frost over the winter.

“It’s important to keep the state’s highways in top shape, and after another harsh winter, we’re expediting critical repair projects to ensure the roads are safer for New Yorkers,” Governor Cuomo said. “This funding will speed up much-needed resurfacing and rebuilding efforts, which is good for motorists across the state.”

These accelerated paving projects are in addition to more than $437 million in capital construction funds dedicated to paving an estimated 2,311 miles of state roads in the 2015-2016 State Fiscal Year.

Depending on the location, the New York State Department of Transportation’s resurfacing projects will include paving over sections of rough road, removing the worn top layer of pavement from all travel lanes and shoulders, repairing base concrete and/or asphalt and installing a new asphalt riding surface.

Wherever practical, pavement that is removed will be recycled and reused, either at the same location or in future construction. Traffic signal vehicle detectors will be replaced and new pavement markings will be installed as needed.

“By accelerating essential resurfacing projects into this construction year, we are able to mitigate some of the damage caused the severe freeze-thaw cycle that contributed to advanced road deterioration this winter,” said DOT Commissioner Joan McDonald.

File photo by Tom Rivers – The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center became privately owned this year and was added to the tax rolls for the first time at a $6,618,900 assessment. Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC bought the site for $7.8 million.

ALBION – For the first time since the nursing home was constructed in 1960, the site on Route 31 in Albion was added to the tax rolls this year.

The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center was purchased for $7.8 million by Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC. The site has 120 beds, including a rehabilitation unit.

The site went on the tax rolls in May with a $6,618,900 assessment. Assessors factored the site’s market value and its annual income in trying to determine the assessed value, said Dawn Allen, the director of real property tax services in Orleans County.

The new owners of the nursing home are challenging the $6,618,900, filing a grievance saying the assessment should be lower. A final assessment will be determined before July 1 by the Board of Assessment Review.

The site is just outside the Village of Albion and won’t give the village a much-needed boost in its assessed value. However, the Town of Albion, Orleans County and Albion Central School will all see a jump in their tax rolls.

Comprehensive would have to pay $211,606 in taxes to the town, county, school district and library based on a combined $31.97 tax rate on a $6,618,900 assessment. Every $1 million in assessed value means $31,970 in taxes.

Another nursing home in the county also is challenging its assessment.

Global Health Care purchased Orchard Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, a 160-bed nursing home on Bates Road, in 2012 from Medina Memorial Hospital. The site sold for $4.1 million and that has been its assessment since going on the tax rolls for the first time in 2013. That site is located within the Village of Medina.

Global Health Care has filed a grievance, challenging the assessment. The issue will be considered by the Board of Assessment Review, weighing information from Global and the local assessor.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The bishop of the Western New York Diocese for the Episcopal Church spent several hours in Orleans County on Wednesday, visiting sites in Albion and Medina.

The Right Rev. R. William Franklin is pictured with Robert Waters, a member of the St. John’s Episcopal Church in Medina. They are pictured at City Hall in Medina after Waters showed Franklin the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame. Several Episcopal churches in WNY were built with Medina Sandstone, some nearly 200 years ago.

Franklin is the 11th bishop for the diocese since 1839. He has a doctorate in church history from Harvard University.

He stopped at several historic sites in Orleans County on Wednesday and sees potential for the community to utilize its historic assets, including the churches.

Franklin visited the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion, a site that includes 40-plus Tiffany stained-glass windows. The church was built with money from Albion native George Pullman, who amassed a fortune with luxurious railroad sleeping cars.

Franklin said Pullman is an influential figure in the local and national history. The bishop also wanted to see the church building in Albion.

Bob Waters shows Bishop Franklin the Sandstone Hall of Fame. Franklin highlights St. Paul’s Cathedral, a big Episcopal church in Buffalo that was included in the first class of the Sandstone Hall of Fame.

“It is unusual in a small town to find a big, beautiful Universalist church,” he said.

He visited the historic downtown business districts in Albion and Medina, learning about the history of the communities. He also had lunch at the Shirt Factory Café and was given a tour of Baxter Healthcare in Medina.

“These are fascinating towns,” Franklin said.

As bishop, Franklin leads 59 congregations in eight counties. He visits each church at least once a year, often showing up just before the service and staying for a luncheon. He wants to do more than just visit for a service and a meal. He wants to help connect the congregations to the community.

Many of the Episcopal churches are struggling with members. The local Episcopal churches have a dozen or fewer people on most Sundays. The churches are sharing clergy.

Franklin said he is working with church leaders throughout the diocese to plan a “sustainable” future for the churches.

“My goal is to keep all of the churches open because every one is precious,” he said.

Franklin met with members of the St. John’s Episcopal Church. Cynthia Kiebala, one of the church wardens, was pleased to see the bishop touring Orleans County and supporting the congregations. Kiebala said the churches may have small numbers, but she sees big value in the congregations.

“We have outreach ministries and concern for one another,” she said.

File photo by Tom Rivers – Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson is pictured on March 24, speaking about the disadvantages facing many Orleans County residents and businesses due to unavailable or low-quality Internet access. She addressed David Salway, director of NYS Broadband Program Office, during a roundtable discussion at the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. Tom Biamonte (left), owner of Shelby Crushed Stone, said his company suffers because there isn’t Internet on Blair Road in Shelby. David Godfrey, a Niagara County legislator, is second from right and Ken DeRoller, Orleans County legislator, is at right.

ALBANY – A two-county collaboration to bring high-speed Internet to underserved rural pockets of the community was recognized last week in Albany as the “Most Collaborative Broadband Program.”

Niagara and Orleans counties have been working on the initiative to extend broadband throughout the two counties through the Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance.

Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson and Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey were recognized with the award at the 3rd Annual NYS Broadband Summit. Hosted by the NYS Broadband Program Office, the event honored New York’s outstanding broadband industry leaders.

Johnson and Godfrey were acknowledged for leading a dual county initiative to deliver affordable broadband Internet to unserved address points in both Orleans and Niagara counties after an intensive study revealed more than 3,900 unserved addresses existed in areas the New York Broadband Map had documented was almost 100-percent covered.

In reality, the county leaders said only 65 percent of the rural areas in both counties had access to high-speed Internet. Cable and Internet providers are able to report to the state that an entire census block has Internet coverage, even if only one house on the block has Internet access, which has resulted in inflated coverage reports across New York State.

Johnson and Godfrey were nominated for the award by the Ridgeway Town Supervisor Brian Napoli, who several years ago identified the need for more broadband throughout Orleans and initiated talks on how to expand it.

In early 2014, a NORA-commissioned study from BPGreene & Associates revealed the unserved address points in both Niagara and Orleans counties. Regionally, it was well known there were many areas with no coverage which would hinder economic development efforts, if left unaddressed. NORA’s survey results provided overwhelming data that was so concrete the state accepted NORA’s study to formally update the New York State Broadband Map.

Along with Legislators Johnson and Godfrey, the 2015 Broadband Summit also commended Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the “New NY Broadband Program” created so all New Yorkers would have access to reliable and affordable high-speed Internet service by 2019. The state has committed $500 million to the effort.

Through the NORA Broadband Initiative, Johnson and Godfrey have addressed the lack of connectivity for many residents, small and agri-businesses, tourism and other industries in more rural counties.

The work from NORA has the two counties well positioned to access state funding for high-speed Internet expansion.

“As legislators, we could no longer ignore the broadband gap that existed,” said Orleans County Legislature Chairman David Callard. “We are proud to be part of this trailblazing initiative and thankful for the support of the NYS Broadband Program and Governor Cuomo through his New NY Broadband campaign.”

‘Unfair zone pricing’ pushes up prices in Orleans, Genesee

Press Release, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) today announced that the Assembly passed legislation he multi-sponsored to end the unfair practice of geographic zone pricing regarding gasoline sales.

Hawley said he has been a leading opponent of this practice and has written to former Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and current Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, urging them to investigate the practice in Genesee and Orleans counties.

“I am proud to announce that the Assembly has finally taken measures to end the unfair practice of zone pricing, known as gouging, for gasoline sales in my district and across New York State,” Hawley said. “Three separate undercover investigations conducted by two different attorneys general have found that gasoline prices were excessively higher in Genesee and Orleans counties than in neighboring counties.

“Many families in my district are still struggling to pay their bills and remain in their homes and affording a full tank of gas should be the least of their concerns. This bill mandates the New York State Attorney General to enforce the fair zoning of gasoline prices statewide, an initiative I have called for several times. I am relieved that this bill offers relief from the unethical tactics used by petroleum companies to fix gasoline prices in my district.”

HOLLEY – Randy Bower said today he already has enough signatures to force a Republican Primary in the race for sheriff against GOP-endorsed candidate Tom Drennan.

Drennan received the Republican Party Committee’s endorsement on May 7. There are about 10,000 registered Republicans in Orleans County. To force a primary, Bower needs at least 5 percent or about 500 signatures on petitions from eligible Republicans

Those petitions are due to the Board of Elections between July 6-9.

Bower said he has far exceeded the minimum threshold to force a Republican Primary on Sept. 10.

“I have more than enough,” he said. “It is unbelievable how well we did.”

Bower has worked as a dispatcher since 1986 for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department. He has the Conservative Party endorsement and will be on the ballot in November.

Drennan started his career with the Sheriff’s Department as a deputy in 1992 on road patrol. He has been the department’s chief deputy since July 2006.

The Orleans County Democratic Party last week endorsed a retired Medina police officer and investigator, Don Organisciak, as its candidate.

Scott Hess, the current sheriff, has decided to retire after his term expires on Dec. 31.

ALBION – The Arc of Orleans has received an $8,000 grant from the NYSARC Trust Services. The funding, approved for NYSARC chapters state-wide, will pay for recreational opportunities for people with disabilities.

Last year the chapter in Orleans County received a similar grant from the NYSARC Trust Services that served 90 people in Orleans County, who travelled to Hidden Valley Animal Adventure in Wyoming County, and Corning Glass Center where they each made a glass flower.

They also spent a day at Seabreeze Amusement Park in Rochester and had a picnic. The group from the Arc also went to the Strasenburgh Planetarium and the Rochester Museum & Science Center. One of the Arc sites purchased arts and crafts supplies for the residents to work on.

Individials served by the Arc also attended several Buffalo Bills and Rochester Amerks games. They also were able to have several holiday themed celebrations due to the generosity of this grant, according to Darlene Golson, community relations manager for The Arc.

The Arc plans to use the $8,000 grant for similar trips and programs this year, she said.

MEDINA – Don Organisciak worked 30 years as a police officer for 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 misses police work and welcomes the chance to return to law enforcement. On Wednesday he was backed by the Democratic Party as its candidate for sheriff.

“I wouldn’t reinvent the wheel,” he said about the job as sheriff. “I’m a cop’s cop. If you don’t have happy employees they won’t want to work for you.”

Organisciak currently is a part-time school bus driver in Medina. He has lived in Medina all of his life. He and his wife Jacalyn have two grown sons.

Organisciak said his top goals would be good response times for officers called for complaints and emergencies, and a department with strong morale.

“The first thing is to protect the residents of Orleans County,” he said. “With the staff I’d have an open-door policy.”

There is now a three-way battle to be the next sheriff to succeed Scott Hess, who is retiring on Dec. 31. The Republican Party endorsed Tom Drennan, chief deputy of the Sheriff’s Department, and the Conservative Party backed Randy Bower, a dispatcher for the Sheriff’s Department.

Republicans holds a 2-1 edge in enrollment over Democrats in Orleans County and that makes it difficult for a Democrat to win a county-wide election.

However, political observers note that Drennan and Bower could split the Republican vote, and Organisciak could pull out a narrow win in November with a big turnout from Democrats as well as votes for Organisciak from other residents.

Organisciak said he believes he has the experience to do the job and be a strong leader for the department. The job is largely administrative, but Organisciak said he wouldn’t limit himself to working at a desk.

“I’d be a working sheriff,” he said. “I wouldn’t ask my men to do anything I wouldn’t do myself. From my time as criminal investigator, I’m used to being called out at night.”

Organisciak said he knows many of the officers in the Sheriff’s Department, State Police and even FBI from his time as criminal investigator.

“I have a good rapport with the other law enforcement agencies,” he said.