By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 September 2018 at 2:55 pm
Provided photo: State Sen. Robert Ortt, center, this morning presented ceremonial checks to the leaders of the four public libraries in Orleans County as well as the Cobblestone Museum and Medina Railroad Museum.
ALBION – The four public libraries and two museums in Orleans County will share $40,000 in state funding to boost their educational programming.
State Sen. Robert Ortt this morning met with the museum and library leaders at Hoag Library in Albion and presented them with ceremonial checks.
The four public libraries – Hoag in Albion, Community Free Library in Holley, Yates Community Library in Lyndonville and Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina – will each receive $5,000.
The Cobblestone Museum and Medina Railroad Museum will each get $10,000.
This funding will go toward the creation of educational programs within the various facilities, as well as the updating of technological resources, Ortt said.
“I am proud that I was able to secure this funding for some of the wonderful educational facilities we have located across Orleans County,” said Sen. Ortt. “These institutions play such an important role in preserving the history of Orleans County, and in educating our county’s future generations and I am thankful that we have such great leadership at each one of these entities to foster their continued successes.”
Image courtesy of GCC: Ray Ball Jr. kindly lent his vast collection of period uniforms for this image. He was photographed by Maureen Spindler of GCC. Mount Albion Cemetery will host a timeline festival on Sept. 15.
Posted 4 September 2018 at 11:22 am
FDR, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, General Grant and Abigail Adams impressionists will make appearances
Press Release, Orleans County Heritage Festival
Provided photos: Elizabeth Cady Stanton as portrayed by impressionist Dr. Melinda Grube, who makes three appearances during the festival.
Have you ever thought that it would be cool to meet President Abraham Lincoln, or maybe first lady Abigail Adams? Ever wondered about the history of barn quilts or the Erie Canal?
If you are a Civil War buff, maybe you have thought it would be fascinating to be a fly on the wall as you listen to General Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman plotting the demise of the Confederate armies. If so, the 3rd annual Orleans County Heritage Festival is just for you! All of your curiosities may be satisfied by taking advantage of 10 days of heritage events.
The 3rd annual Orleans County Heritage Festival runs Sept. 7 to Sept. 16 and features 10 days of fascinating, entertaining, and educational events – most of which are free. You don’t have to be a resident of Orleans County to appreciate, or enjoy, this year’s calendar of events. Organizers chose to focus on four themes this year: the Erie Canal, historic women, barns/barn quilts, and nature/wildlife.
The festival kick-off event is on Sept. 7 at the Clarendon Historical Society from 6 to 9 p.m. There will be live music featuring recording artist Sonny Mayo, food, local wines and more.
At the same location the following day, Saturday, there will be a Civil War encampment and at 2 p.m. the world premiere of the two-man show “Now we stand by each other always.” The play features a conversation between Civil War commanders Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Major Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman. Based on a March 1865 discussion between the men at City Point, Virginia, where Grant made his headquarters, the play will be performed by Genesee Community College professors Tracy Ford (as Sherman) and Derek Maxfield (as Grant). This free event is outdoors, weather-permitting; lawn chairs are suggested.
On Sunday, Sept. 9th, the Cobblestone Museum in Albion will host Elizabeth Cady Stanton, portrayed by Dr. Melinda Grube, for a 1 p.m. presentation. The Cobblestone complex will be open for tours as well. Later that day, the Hoag Library in Albion will host a genealogy workshop presentation by Dee Robinson, retired Town of Gaines historian, at 7 p.m.
GCC professors Derek Maxfield, left, portrays Ulysses S. Grant and Tracy Ford is William Tecumseh Sherman in a play that will be performed for the first time Saturday, Sept. 8, at 2 p.m.
Dr. Grube will also appear at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 10, at the Hoag Library for a women’s history program entitled “Justifying Suffrage: From Mothers of the Republic to Angels of the Home.” Even before the patriots of 1776 first proclaimed that “all men are created equal,” Americans struggled to define women’s proper role. Are women included among the equal “men” of this nation? Are women citizens? Are they persons? Join Dr. Grube as she examines the issues.
Hurd Orchards in Holley hosts a unique presentation on Wednesday, Sept. 12, titled, “Song of an Orchardist” including lunch and lyric music in the Hurd Orchard barn. There will be poems from Monty Mason’s Song of an Orchardist book too (19th century fruit grower from Albion). The 12:30 to 2 p.m. event requires reservations, so book early.
Two great events are slated for Friday, Sept. 14. The first will be hosted by the Lyndonville Central School and will feature a concert focusing on the songs of the Erie Canal by the Lyndonville 5th-6th grade Summer Music Camp students at 1 p.m. That evening, the Orleans County Daughters of the American Revolution in Albion will host Dr. Terrianne Schulte, of D’Youville College, for her presentation “We Have to Create a National Debate, Community by Community…”: Women Trailblazers in Environmental Reform. Throughout the 20th century, women have played important leadership roles in environmental preservation and restoration, often by educating the public regarding complex environmental issues to encourage grassroots activism. The event is free and open to the public.
Come out on Saturday, Sept. 15, for the “Epochs in Orleans” Timeline Festival at the West Park in Mount Albion Cemetery, Albion, featuring a walk through history – from First Lady Abigail Adams and President James Polk to Civil War Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. The daylong event runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be cemetery tours with Orleans County Historian Matt Ballard at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Stick around for special presentations at 11 a.m. with Derek Maxfield as Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant, 1 p.m. with Melinda Grube as First Lady Abigail Adams, and 3 p.m. Albert McFadyen as President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The event at Mt. Albion is free and open to the public.
Also on Saturday, at 7 p.m., Kendall Central School District will feature movie director Julianne Donofrio and her film, “Pieced Together” – a moving documentary about the Barn Quilt Trail which began in Ohio and influential in our own Barn Quilt Trail that was started in Kendall.
There are many other great events over the ten day festival. For the full schedule of events, click here.
Folks with questions may contact Prof. Derek Maxfield, one of the festival organizers, at ddmaxfield@genesee.edu.
Photo by Tom Rivers: A quilt pattern on a barn is pictured in Kendall in October 2017 on Route 237. The barn is part of the Country Barn Quilt Trail in Kendall. The barn quilts are highlighted in the upcoming Heritage Festival.
Press Release, New York State Association of Counties
Last week, nearly 150 county leaders from New York and New Jersey, including three Orleans County legislators, attended a conference at the White House. The meeting was policy-oriented and included opportunities for discussion between the states’ county leaders and White House Administration officials.
Lynne Johnson, Don Allport and Skip Draper from Orleans County joined other county leaders in hearing presentations from 10 administration officials, including senior presidential counsel Kellyanne Conway. The event was part of a series the White House has been holding with county-level officials from around the country. County officials from across the state, representing both parties, were invited.
“It was an important and productive visit to the White House,” said Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature. “New York county officials have never been invited to hear first hand the direction of the country. This provided us to present our concerns, locally and understand the policies of the Federal government. Agriculture, veterans issues, infrastructure, the opioid crisis were some of the issues we raised. We will be following up with the contacts we made to help our communities.”
The event was run by the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. Officials from the departments of energy, agriculture and education, a U.S. trade representative, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement addressed the delegates as well.
“This was an unprecedented event – it’s the first time any White House has reached out to counties and opened up the discussion,” said Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. “Counties administer federal programs at the local level, so open communication between the levels of government is crucial to developing sound policy.”
Policy discussions focused on agriculture and dairy, the opioid crisis, immigration reform and the impact on New York State, drinking water safety, infrastructure, and changes in tax policy. Each of these issue areas greatly impact New York’s counties and communities.
The New York delegates convened before the White House event for a briefing on national county priorities, hosted by the National Association of Counties.
Select federal issues of concern to New York counties include:
The Proposed Federal Infrastructure Program
On the plus side, the President’s proposed program would reduce regulatory barriers to road and bridge projects and public private partnerships. For example, the proposal would allow for only one environmental review for a project to get green lighted.
On the negative side, the funding proposed would require a 20 percent federal and 80 percent local match. For many current projects this amounts to a complete reversal of federal/local match levels, where federal support can be as high as 80 percent today for major projects. Given the fiscal constraints facing NY counties, local governments would be hard pressed to leverage much of the $200 billion in federal funding for county and town road and bridge projects in NY. The President’s focus on infrastructure is welcome but counties, states and congress will need to work to find a better balance.
Federal Tax Reforms and the Cap on State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction
While many New Yorkers will benefit from several provisions in the Federal Tax Reforms enacted late last year, many other New Yorkers will be hurt by the $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction. New Yorkers pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation, so many homeowners, particularly in downstate area pay much more than $10,000 in combined income and property taxes. It is important to note that the federal tax changes related to SALT will impact downstate areas much differently than most of upstate. However, the negative fiscal impacts generated downstate, because of their large size, will hurt the whole state and over time these impacts will grow.
For many years, going back decades in fact, New York State has been a donor state to the federal government. This means we send far more in federal income taxes to Washington DC than we get back in federal grants and aid. In the most recent year this imbalance was nearly $50 billion. The new federal SALT limitations unfairly shifts even more revenues from New York State, and a handful of others, and redistributes that money to the rest of the nation. The imbalances experienced by donor states like New York, reduces our overall GDP growth compared to the “donee” states – a better balance needs to be found on the SALT provisions going forward.
Battling the Opioid Crisis and Federal Funding
Counties are on the forefront of the battle against the opioid epidemic across the nation and particularly in New York State. We appreciate the President appointing a commission that is focused on reducing over-prescription, cutting off the supply of illicit drugs, and helping those struggling with addiction. We ask that federal funding be streamlined to states and counties to allow us to invest in more community-based programs such as jail-based substance abuse programs.
Immigration Reform and New York
We appreciate the President’s focus on curbing illegal immigration, but we ask the White House to recognize the reliance of New York’s farmers and tourism businesses on immigrant labor. Reforms should allow current, trained workers to stay on farms as well as improve the guest worker H2A visa program to address seasonal and year-round labor needs on our farms and allow for J1 visas for foreign students to work in communities that rely on summer tourism.
US EPA PFOA MCL/US DOD Funding for cleanup and testing near military bases around NY
PFOA and PFOS are fluorinated chemicals used to make carpets, clothing, cookware and other products that are resistant to water, grease, or stains. When they get into drinking water, they are linked to cancers and immune system impairments. The federal budget includes $63.8 million for remediation and research efforts for communities contaminated by PFOS and PFOA. The Department of Defense will receive $43.8 million for identifying and cleaning up former waste disposal sites on military property for the remediation of those two chemicals. New York has several sites in need of remediation.
Local governments also urge the EPA to establish a maximum contaminant limit for PFAS in drinking water.
Passage of the Farm Bill
Agriculture is a significant part of New York’s economy and a central pillar of New York’s agriculture production is dairy farming. Recent trends have hurt dairy farmers significantly and there are provisions within the Farm bill that can help New York’s farmers and we strongly encourage congress to finish deliberations on the Farm Bill to protect all of our farmers.
Internet Sales Tax
The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding the collection of Internet sales tax by states provided an outcome positive for states and that the White House supported. There have been efforts in the past by Congress to change federal laws to create a nationwide standard, but it has been many years since there has been any serious attempt. With the new Supreme Court decision in place, states now have a clear blueprint for how they can move forward and still maintain the rights of all parties impacted. Because of recent events, we do not believe Congress needs to enact any new federal law that imposes a federally mandated one-size-fits all solution. The Supreme Court has provided a clear path forward and states should be allowed to proceed on their own without congressional intervention.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 August 2018 at 8:01 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Dale Banker, Orleans County’s Emergency Management coordinator, is pictured at a fire in Carlton on May 20. He is a member of the NYS Association of Fire Chiefs radio communication committee/board.
ALBION – Two Orleans County employees are serving on state boards for emergency communications.
Dale Banker, director of the Orleans County Emergency management Office, has been named to the NYS Association of Fire Chiefs Radio Communications Committee.
Banker, a former Albion fire chief, has served as the EMO leader for about four years, during which time the county has worked to upgrade its emergency communications system.
Allen Turner is the communications coordinator for the dispatch center at Orleans County. He has worked nearly 26 years for the county starting as a dispatcher. He is a member of the East Shelby Volunteer Company.
Another county official has been named to state Interoperable and Emergency Communications Board.
Allen Turner, the county’s 911 communications coordinator, is the first from Orleans County to serve on that board which has 25 members. The term is for four years.
The group will make recommendations to the commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services on the expenditure of grants and other funding programs related to interoperable and emergency communications.
The board also will make recommendations related to the development, coordination and implementation of policies, plans, standards, programs and services related to interoperable and emergency communications, including but not limited to ensuring compliance with federal mandates for interoperable communications and compatibility with the national incident management system.
The board also will:
Establish structures and guidelines to maintain interoperable communications planning and coordination at the statewide level.
Establish, promulgate and revise standards for the operation of public safety answering points.
Establish guidelines regarding the creation of regionally based radio communications systems compatible with the structures and guidelines consistent with federal mandates and best practices.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 August 2018 at 4:00 pm
Radio towers would be added in Lyndonville and Kendall with boosted coverage in Holley
Photo by Tom Rivers: Moving telecommunications equipment from a tower in Clarendon to the Holley water tank on Route 237 would improve coverage in Holley without hurting Clarendon, county officials were told by a consultant on Wednesday.
ALBION – Orleans County is seeking $6 million in state funding to upgrade the emergency communications system by adding towers in Carlton and Lyndonville, and also move the equipment from a tower in Clarendon to the Holley water tower.
The grant would also pay for software and other upgrades for the system, which serves firefighters, law enforcement, highway employees, probation and some other municipal workers in the county.
The system currently has poor coverage in the Holley area, along Lake Ontario and some other isolated locations in the county, especially in buildings with thick walls.
The County Legislature on Wednesday voted to seek a grant through the 2018 Statewide Interoperable Communications Targeted Grant through the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office. The state is allowing a maximum of $6 million per county for the grants.
Tim Warth, a consultant for the county with Radio Technologies, said Orleans is one of 10 counties in the state identified as “in need.”
The proposed project would also improve interoperability with neighboring counties, allowing personnel to cross county boundaries and still have a radio signal.
The two new 180-foot-high towers in Lyndonville and Kendall would enhance coverage by the lake, and allow a lower strength signal so Orleans isn’t interfering with Canada’s system, Warth said.
Warth put together a budget for the project that total $5,880,730, just below the $6 million cap.
If Orleans is approved for funding this grant cycle, Warth said the county could pursue additional money from the state for phase 2 that would include a tower in Carlton and also in Albion by the Public Safety Building.
In the cunty application for funding, Warth states the $5,880,730 project would represent 8.6 percent of the county budget in 2016, compared to 1.5 percent of Niagara’s and 0.3 percent of Monroe County’s.
“This project is not possible without financial support,” Warth said.
He also said Orleans has received far less in state funding for emergency communications in the past five years than other nearby counties. The grant funding from the state totals $2.9 million for Orleans, compared to $10.1 million for Genesee, $10.7 million for Livingston, $4.1 million for Niagara, $5.1 million for Erie and $12.1 million for Monroe.
“There is quite a disparity with other counties,” Warth said.
The county’s application is due Aug. 31 with the grants to be announced in late September or October.
“We’re very confident we’ll get a large portion of the grant,” Warth told county legislators.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 August 2018 at 5:45 pm
Lynne Johnson
ALBION – Three Orleans County legislators will be at a meeting at the White House on Thursday for county officials from New York State.
Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville, Legislator Don Allport of Gaines and Legislator Skip Draper of Shelby will leave Wednesday for the meeting and will return on Friday.
Because of the White House meeting, the County Legislature’s meeting scheduled for Wednesday was moved up to today.
Johnson said the county leaders will be meeting with “White House leaders to be determined.”
All three legislators had to pass background checks by the Secret Service.
“It should be interesting,” Johnson said about the session. “It’s the chance of my lifetime.”
Photos by Tom Rivers: Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw, left, speaks with Ed Morgan, chairman of the Orleans County Republican Party, during the GOP summer picnic on Sunday at the Archer’s Club by the Oak Orchard River in Carlton.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 August 2018 at 10:34 am
Ortt, Hawley are both pursuing position along with about a dozen others
CARLTON – It will be an intense next 10 days for Republican Party leaders in the eight counties that are in the 27th Congressional District.
They will be interviewing about 10 candidates this week who want to replace Chris Collins as the GOP candidate on the ballot in November. The Republican leaders want to narrow the field to three candidates by the end of the week and then, in about 10 days from now, pick a final candidate.
“It’s very complicated,” Ed Morgan, the Orleans County Republican Party chairman, told Republicans on Sunday during the summer picnic at the Archer’s Club.
Ed Morgan, chairman of the Orleans County Republican Party, addresses about 100 people who attended the summer picnic on Sunday at the Archer’s Club. Carlton Highway Superintendent Kurt Van Wycke is in back at left.
Collins suspended his re-election campaign after being indicted on Aug. 8 for insider trading. He faces charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and making false statements to the FBI.
Morgan said the congressman should be considered innocent until proven guilty. Collins has suspended his re-election campaign, and Republican leaders want to remove his name from the ballot.
It’s too late in the process for the usual candidate nominations or primaries. That leaves it to the eight county chairmen to find a replacement, but Morgan acknowledged the Democratic Party leaders are expected to mount a legal challenge to keep Collins on the ballot.
“All of this could go haywire because the Democrats will take it to federal court and the judge could decide in October that Chris Collins has to stay on the ballot,” Morgan said.
If a sitting state legislator is picked to replace Collins on the ballot, the Republicans would then have to find another candidate to run for that state seat.
“It could be a trickle-down effect where we might have to fill other seats,” Morgan said.
State Sen. Rob Ortt and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley are both interested in serving as the Republican candidate for the 27th Congressional District.
It would also be risky for a state legislator to pursue the Congressional spot because a judge could decide Collins is the candidate. State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Sen. Robert Ortt both want to be considered to take Collins’ place on the ballot. They can’t be on the ballot for two positions. They could be picked to be the Congressional candidate only to have Collins stay on the ballot, and then they couldn’t run for the Assembly or State Senate.
Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw stopped at the Orleans County Republican Party picnic on Sunday. He doesn’t have an election in November for his current position. He could run for Congress this November without requiring Republican leaders to find a replacement for him to run as comptroller.
“I don’t have an election so there would be nothing lost,” he said about state legislators who would have to relinquish their position. “I’m the best bet and I’m the safest bet.”
Mychajliw is a former investigative news reporter in Buffalo.
“My job was holding politicians accountable, both Democrats and Republicans,” he said about his previous career as a reporter.
He has already been elected comptroller three times in Erie County, where Democrats outnumber Republicans.
“I’m battle tested,” he said. “I’m ready to get in a brawl with Nate McMurray.”
McMurray is backed by the Democratic Party. He is the current Grand Island town supervisor. His campaign has been given more media attention since Collins was arrested, and the McMurray said his fundraising in the few days after Collins’ arrest topped the totals in the previous months.
McMurray and Democratic Party leaders say Republicans shouldn’t be able to swap a different candidate for Collins so late in the political calendar.
“We’re going ahead with the process because of time,” Morgan told Republicans at the picnic. “Our opponents couldn’t have picked a better time to put us behind the 8 Ball and I have no doubt in my mind they did that.”
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley greets Republicans on Sunday in Carlton at the Republican Party’s summer picnic.
Hawley, the local assemblyman for more than 12 years, is pursuing the Congressional seat because he said he has been encouraged to pursue the position by so many business owners, residents and organizations such as Unshackle Upstate and the National Federation of Independent Business.
“That’s why I’m interested,” he said. “It’s about the people and businesses of Western New York.”
He said his background as a small business owner with his insurance company and also from his days in farming make him a good fit to represent the district, which includes all of Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston and portions of Erie, Monroe, Niagara and Ontario counties.
It’s a heavily agriculture district. Hawley said he already knows the farming issues and other concerns in the rural communities.
“I know how things work because I’ve been there,” he said. “Right now we need some stability and calmness (in the Congressional position).”
Hawley said he would hold frequent town hall meetings if he was elected to Congress. Collins has been criticized for not holding those type of events.
“It’s about being open and transparent with the people,” Hawley said.
State Sen. Robert Ortt joined the Republicans for lunch before heading to Warsaw for another GOP gathering.
Ortt has been in the State Senate for about four years with a district that includes Orleans, most of Niagara and the western portion of Monroe counties. Normally, candidates for Congress spend at least a year working on the campaign.
“Most congressional races are marathons,” Ortt said. “But this is a sprint over 60 to 70 days.”
If he is picked the candidate he said he would be all over the district.
“Whoever works the hardest” will likely win, Ortt said.
After meeting with Republicans Sunday at the Archer’s Club, Ortt, Hawley and Mychajliw left to see Republicans in Warsaw, Wyoming County. Then there was another GOP event later in the evening in Niagara County.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2018 at 6:06 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Employees from Environmental Enterprises Inc. in Cincinnati move drums of household hazardous waste today at the Orleans County Highway Department.
About 240 residents participated in a household hazardous waste drop-off today in Albion. The county has organized the event the past four years and hires Environmental Enterprises Inc. to take away the hazardous household products.
The event is chance for residents to dispose of automobile batteries, propane tanks, oil-based paints, solvents, polishes/waxes, aerosols, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, adhesives & resins, motor oil & filters, acids, corrosives, antifreeze and other household hazardous waste.
Numerous propane tanks were dropped off by residents.
The county will pay Environmental Enterprises Inc. about $20,000 to take about the hazardous household waste. The state will pay half of the expense. The final cost will be determined after all the materials are weighed.
Last year residents dropped off about 10,000 pounds of paint.
Jim Bensley, left, is the county’s director of planning and development. He helped run the event today.
The collection event doesn’t include explosives, pressurized tanks, ammunition, PCBs, pathologic waste, infectious waste, radioactive waste, syringes, pharmaceuticals, computers and electronics.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Henry Smith, center, speaks during a ground-breaking ceremony on June 28, 2017 for a new transportation facility for the Regional Transit Service in Orleans. The new $4 million facility is nearly done on West Academy Street in Albion. Smith is joined at the ground-breaking by from left: David Callard, former Orleans County Legislature chairman; and Bill Carpenter, CEO of Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority, parent organization of RTS Orleans.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 August 2018 at 8:22 am
Former county legislator pleased with new transportation facility in Albion
ALBION – Henry Smith, a former Orleans County legislator, will be stepping down on Dec. 31 as the county’s representative on the board of directors for the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority.
Smith said the RGRTA has shown its commitment to Orleans County, purchasing new buses, modifying services and building a new $4 million transportation facility on West Academy Street in Albion, next to the Orleans County Highway Department.
The new building could be ready later this month or in September, Smith said.
“I’m very, very proud and excited about what we’ve been able to accomplish over the years,” he said.
He has served in the unpaid position for decade. He went to the RGRTA offices before the county had the public bus service and pushed the agency to come to Orleans. It started operations in the county in 2003.
It was originally called Orleans Transit Service or OTS. Now it’s RTS Orleans and serves about 40,000 riders a year.
“I went to RGRTA and told them we needed a bus system,” Smith recalled. “I felt it was important because not everyone has an automobile and they still need a vehicle to get to appointments and to jobs.”
With the new 13,000-square-foot transportation facility nearly done for RTS Orleans, Smith said he has accomplished his main goals for the agency. The new $4 million facility puts RTS in a better position to grow the service in the county.
The facility will include eight indoor bus bays, three bus maintenance bays, a vehicle wash bay, storage for parts and materials, administrative office space, a break room with kitchenette, and designated parking.
Federal aid funneled to the state will pay 80 percent or about $3.2 million of the cost, while the state pays 10 percent and RTS pays the other 10 percent.
“I’ve been there long enough and feel I’ve accomplish enough especially with new facility going in,” Smith said. “I wanted to see that brought to fruition.”
The County Legislature has recommended two people – either former State Assemblyman Charlie Nesbitt or current Orleans County Planning and Development Director James Bensley – to be considered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to represent the county on the RGRTA board.
Smith said he enjoyed advocating for the county in the role.
“I worked hard and tried to represent Orleans County to the best of my ability,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 August 2018 at 9:13 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Scott Caraboolad, center, and his motorbike stunt team perform in early October last year on East State Street in Albion, in front of about 300 people by the Orleans County Courthouse. Ride 4 Life will return Sept. 13-15.
A group of local pastors took a chance last year in welcoming a group of motorcycle stunt riders to the county for shows at local schools, as well as community performances in Albion and Medina and a big event at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
The stunt riders impress with their acrobatics on the motorcycles. They also brought a message of overcoming addiction.
Scott Caraboolad, the lead rider, also shared about his Christian faith during the community performances in Albion and Medina, as well as the “Hopefest” at the Fairgrounds, which was attended by about 1,500 attended.
Tim Lindsay, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, didn’t know what to expect with the motorcycle riders. They won him over with their sincerity in their message, and their ability to captivate a crowd with the wheelies and other tricks they do on the motorcycles.
File photo: Scott Caraboolad speaks to Holley students after a stunt show last October.
Lindsay is a member of Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation, which includes pastors from about a dozen local churches. They worked to bring in Ride 4 Life last year and will have Caraboolad and his team back from Sept. 13-15.
PACT worked with other local agencies to welcome the motorcycle riders. PACT has been part of forums on the opioid addiction in Orleans County and has urged people to become coaches in assisting people through recovery.
“Our goal is to keep people who are vulnerable to drug addiction from going down that path,” Lindsay told the Albion Rotary Club on Thursday. “People who are in drug addiction we want to give them some hope and connect them to resources.”
Ride 4 Life will perform stunt shows at some of the local schools and share a message about making good choices. The stunt riders will also be featured during a 6 p.m. show on Sept. 13 in Medina’s Canal Basin, 6 p.m. on Sept. 14 in Albion on East State Street in front of the courthouse, and during “Hopefest” from noon to 6 p.m. on Sept. 15 at the fairgrounds.
The Hopefest will also include a classic car cruise-in with free admission. For information about the car show, call 585-590-0777.
Lindsay said PACT has a long-term goal of developing a community care center in the county for people fighting addiction.
