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.

ALBION – The Orleans County Democratic Committee unanimously endorsed a retired Medina police officer and investigator to be the county’s next sheriff.

Donald Organisciak has Democrats backing to run against Republican-endorsed Tom Drennan, the current chief deputy of the Sheriff’s Department, and Randy Bower, a county dispatcher who has the Conservative Party endorsement. Incumbent Scott Hess is retiring after Dec. 31.

About 20 members of the Democratic Party Committee met on Wednesday and gave the party endorsement to Organisciak.

“He has a good track record,” said Jeanne Crane, chairwoman of the Democratic Party.

The Democrats last month endorsed Fred Miller for another two-year term as county legislator. Miller, the owner of Family Hardware in downtown Albion, is the only Democrat on the seven-member County Legislature. The Republican Party opted against endorsing a candidate to run against him this election.

Democrats endorsed another candidate for Legislature on Wednesday. James White, a current senior in college, was backed to run for legislator against incumbent Don Allport for an at-large seat.

Crane said White was been active at Democratic Party events.

“He’s always been interested in politics,” she said about White. “The committee felt he was young and we don’t want to discourage anyone.”

Crane said the party still has time to endorse additional candidates for county offices.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley said he supports an effort to add 103 corrections officers to state prisons throughout the state.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last week that the state will hire the additional full-time correctional officers to bolster safety and security throughout the state’s network of correctional institutions. The governor made the announcement following a tour of Greene Correctional Facility in Coxsackie.

Orleans County has two state prisons: the Orleans Correctional Facility for men and the Albion Correctional Facility for women.

Cuomo made the push to add corrections officers while also trying to build support in the State Legislature for raising the age of criminal responsibility in New York.

New York State is one of only two states in the nation that automatically prosecute 16- and 17-year olds as adults. Currently in New York, youth are detained with the adult population in local jails while awaiting trial. If convicted as adults, these teenagers are then matriculated into the greater adult prison population.

Cuomo wants the Legislature to have 16- and 17-year olds be processed as juveniles for all crimes except for crimes of serious violence, and the governor wants all minors to have access to rehabilitation services.

Hawley issued a statement this afternoon saying he supports the additional corrections officers. Hawley didn’t say whether or not he supports Cuomo’s push to raise the age of criminal responsibility in New York.

Hawley, in his statement today, said the new corrections officers will help offset the recent increased violence in prisons related to changes in the Rockefeller Drug Laws and the infiltration of synthetic marijuana into facilities across the state.

Hawley said the added staff will improve the safety for members of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association.

“New York State has several extremely dangerous maximum security prisons that need increased resources,” Hawley said. “On behalf of local NYSCOPBA chapters and members, I am pleased to hear that the state will be hiring over 100 new employees to protect our prisons and surrounding communities. The additional officers will be employed at prisons that completed a security staffing review for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

“Corrections officers have one of the most dangerous roles in law enforcement, but their success is paramount to keeping violent criminals behind bars and out of society. It is unfortunate that they are often put on the back burner to traditional police officers because they are just as crucial to society’s safety. I will continue to support NYSCOPBA and corrections officers across the state during my time in the Legislature.”

Kuljit Singh

YATES – A Grand Island man was arrested on Monday following a lengthy investigation into the sale and distribution of high-grade marijuana in Orleans, Niagara and Erie counties, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported this afternoon.

The Task Force worked with the Erie County Narcotics Unit and the Niagara County Drug Task Force and seized over 6 pounds of high-grade marijuana with a street value of $30,000. The marijuana was being sent through the U.S. Postal Service from the state of California, the Task Force reported.

Police seized also seized scales, packaging and other drug paraphernalia.

Kuljit Singh, 24, of 95 Waterford Park in Grand Island was charged with one count of criminal sale of marijuana in the first degree, a C felony, and one count of criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, a D felony.

Provided photo – Police seized this cash, marijuana and other drug paraphernalia.

Joseph Sacco, the Task Force supervisor, said packages of marijuana were being sent from California by priority mail to several different addresses in Erie, Niagara and Orleans counties, where the marijuana was then sold.

Singh would then vacuum seal amounts of U.S. currency and send it priority mail to several different addresses in California, the Task Force reported.

Sacco said the investigation continues and further arrests are expected.

Singh was arraigned in Yates Town Court by Town Justice Donald Grabowski. Singh was committed to the Orleans County Jail on $100,000 cash bail or $250,000.00 bond. He is scheduled to return to the Yates Town Court today at 7 p.m.

Singh was arraigned in Yates because one of the packages was delivered to a Yates address, Sacco said. Singh may face additional charges in the other jurisdictions, the Task Force reported.

Governments say savings top $3 million annually

Photo by Tom Rivers – This photo from last Sept. 19 shows Greg Rosato, from the Orleans County Highway Department, filling the county’s paver with road material for Depot Street in the Village of Albion. The county has the only municipal-owned paver in the county and uses it for many town and village projects.

ALBION – Municipalities in Orleans County have spent the past several months documenting how they share services and functions with other municipalities, trying to put a dollar amount on those savings.

The tally is over $3 million in savings and that only includes efforts since 2012. The towns, villages and county have tried to share equipment and services long before that so the savings are actually higher, local officials said.

The state has tasked the municipalities to come up with a “Local Government Tax Efficiency Plan” to try to reduce local taxes. If municipalities can show a 1 percent savings, their property owners will be eligible for a rebate check.

In Orleans County, the four villages, 10 towns and county government take in about $27 million in taxes a year. The state told the municipalities in each county to identify at least 1 percent in savings for the total tax levies. For Orleans County, that 1 percent represents $273,001.

But the county’s efficiency plan is far greater than that: $3,207,502 in savings or $2,934,501 above the target.

“This is what we must do to survive,” said David Callard, chairman of the Orleans County Legislature. “We’re really doing some consequential things.”

The state set a target of 1 percent savings and the Orleans municipalities are at about 12 percent with their cost-cutting efforts and with shared services the past three years. Callard said he expects that percentage will be hard to beat among the other counties.

“I’m very interested in seeing how we stack up,” he said. “The county is standing very good.”

Callard, however, said the local government efficiencies have been years in the making and aren’t the result of a state decree.

“None of this is inspired by our friends in Albany,” said Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer. “These are things we were doing all along.”

Callard doesn’t like the implication from the state that the local governments may be bloated with excess staff and redundant services.

“It’s infuriating that the state is putting the local governments to task when the state should be doing the same thing,” Callard said.

He believes reining in some state programs would provide much bigger tax relief.

Local taxpayers should receive small checks from the state as part of the local tax savings. That also aggravates the local officials because the state will appear to be offering the savings when it comes from the officials at the local level.

The efficiency plan from Orleans County highlights many shared services at the local level that are saving money. Some examples at the county level include:

The partnership with Genesee County, where the two counties share a public health director and three other staff, as well as a joint contract for busing disabled preschool children, has saved Orleans about $328,275 annually, Nesbitt said.

That arrangement alone has more than exceeded the 1 percent savings target for the county.

Orleans also contracts with Genesee for youth bureau administration services, which saves Orleans $13,490 a year. Genesee also provides tax mapping services to Orleans, saving Orleans $12,500 a year.

Orleans has also reduced 22 staff positions from Jan. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2014, which has a annual savings of $1,020,058. This reduction does not count the 100-plus workers at the former county nursing home. That site became privately owned in January.

Selling the county nursing home and moving those employees from the public to private payroll will save taxpayers $1.5 million a year, according to the county’s efficiency plan.

At the town and village level, savings noted in the report include:

The Village of Albion counts $36,000 in savings through shared paving services with local towns and the county, and $63,000 by running Holley’s sewer plant.

Carlton included $1,300 in savings through new energy efficient lighting at the town buildings.

Clarendon replaced a full-time employee with a part-time employee at annual savings of $14,054.

The Village of Holley says it saves $40,000 a year through a contract with Albion, having Albion personnel paid to run Holley’s sewer plant rather than Holley staff or an outside company.

Kendall counts $20,000 in savings through a consolidation of fire districts. Kendall also said it saved $31,200 by sharing an assessor with Carlton, $20,000 by working to establish a health insurance consortium, and $1,000 through more efficient utilities.

Murray counts $70,000 in savings by combining fire districts.

Shelby counts $4,762 in savings new water meters that need less manpower, $3,865 in savings for joint park maintenance with Ridgeway and the Village of Medina, $1,165 in savings for joint procurement with Ridgeway and the Village of Medina, $3,026 for jointing water billing with Medina, and $385 in savings for an automatic flushing system.

Ridgeway sees $2,222 in savings through a joint purchase and ownership of an equipment trailer, $500 in savings through joint purchasing with Shelby and Medina, and $200 in benefit through energy efficient lighting.

Yates put down $500 in savings through energy efficient lighting at the town hall and highway garage.

The report provides a snapshot of some of the money-saving efforts at the local government level, Nesbitt said. He said it proved a good exercise, adding up some of those savings.

“It’s important to let the public know we are working very hard to lower their costs,” he said.

ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board approved several projects on Thursday, including a woodworking business in Kendall, a gravel pit and office addition in Barre, a new church in a Barre home, and an auto repair shop in Ridgeway.

Here are highlights from the Planning Board meeting:

Gerald Solazzo has planners’ support for a church within his residence in Barre at 13404 Gray Rd.

Solazzo is a minister in the Order of Melchizedek and wants to start The Church of the Healing Christ. He would have services, perform marriages, do counseling, Bible reading, praying and healing services at the site, which is in a remote part of the county surrounded by woods.

Keeler Construction has the Planning Board’s support for a gravel pit at 13517 on land owned by Patricia Keeler. The site was last mined about 30 years ago.

In the company’s application, Scott Scharping, chief engineer for Keeler Construction, said Keeler will not mine more than 1,000 tons per year from the site, which is an average of less than a truckload of material per week. Mining hours are proposed for between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

Keeler also is planning a 1,063 square foot addition to an existing 1,950 square foot office building.

Planners said the changes to the building and the gravel pit are logical fit within the existing Keeler Construction complex and would likely be unnoticed by most motorists passing by on West Lee Road (Route 31A).

Brian Voelker, owner of Five Star Automotive, has the board’s support to move his business from Albion to 3922 Salt Works Rd. in Medina in a light industrial district.

Voelker, a Middleport resident, wants to use about 2,700 to 3,200 square feet in a complex of buildings owned by Barnes Metal Finishing.

Karl Driesel wants to open a woodworking business at 1750 Kendall Rd. Driesel wants to construct a 50-by-104-fot building to manufacture custom mill working with the southeast corner of the building used as a showroom.

A detached 18-by-32 foot building would be on the northwest side of the main building and be used for sawdust collection. There will be no painting or finishing work other than sanding.

Planners recommended the Town of Kendall approve the site plan for the project.

The project has one unusual issue. A portion of the Crandall Avenue is actually part of the property and was never acquired by the Town of Kendall. County planners said the town should take over that section of the road.