By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Editorial
File photo by Tom Rivers – Downtown Albion, shown in this picture from a year ago, has many independent merchants offering products and services.
For many of our local merchants, the next month is a make or break time for their businesses. I hope for their sake, and for our community’s, they succeed. But they can’t do it own their own. They need local residents to spend some of their money at these establishments.
It’s harder and harder for the small town merchants to make it. Customers seem entranced by the malls and mega-retailers with their massive marketing budgets. Dollars spent there don’t stay in our community and trickle back to other local businesses.
There is a perception of savings with the giant chains, and I suppose a trip to the mall is a chance for a little adventure. But I would encourage you to give the local downtown business districts a try. There are more businesses in our local downtowns than many people realize. Dollars spent there stay in our community.
The “mom and pop” businesses spend it with other local businesses. They employ local people. They try to keep up historic buildings that are part of our community identity.
Today is Small Business Saturday, a national initiative that seeks to direct some of the holiday shopping dollars with the local merchants.
Medina and Albion have events today as an added incentive to shop downtown. Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas is a jam-packed schedule from 9 a.m. to the evening, a schedule highlighted by a Parade of Lights at 6 p.m. Click here to see the full schedule.
The Albion Merchants Association is offering a raffle with $100 of gift certificates from local businesses.
The Orleans Hub is possible because of the many advertisers in our community. We won’t survive without these small businesses. These are the business owners who support other local efforts. They are the ones who sponsor 5K races, who take out ads in the school yearbooks, who give baskets of items for benefit fund-raisers.
These are the businesses that build a strong community. They are deserving of your support.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Editorial
Photo by Tom Rivers – This photo shows downtown Albion after a storm barreled through the area in June. Albion is among the top 100 jurisdictions for highest tax rates out of 3,663 in the state.
Orleans Hub reported on Tuesday that several of our local municipalities are among the most tax oppressed in the State of New York. Medina tops the local communities and nearly all of 3,663 jurisdictions in the state for highest tax rate. (Click here to see that article.)
Only Wellsville and a few other Allegany County towns and villages top the $54.13 combined tax rate in Medina. That ranked 13th in the state, according to the Empire Center’s study.
Medina’s overall rate includes $25.63 for the school district, $15.52 for the village, $9.63 for county and either $3.35 for Town of Shelby, according to 2012 data.
Other Orleans communities are close behind Medina. The Village of Holley is 50th overall at $49.98 – $24.94 for school, $12.99 for village, $9.65 for county and $2.40 for town of Murray.
The Village of Albion is 77th at $47.77 – $18.06 for school, $15.92 for village, $9.60 for county and $4.19 for town of Gaines.
You see the report and it’s easy to point fingers at the villages, to blame the village officials for the crushing tax burden in these locales.
But it’s not the villages’ fault. New York gives the villages very little in state aid, while showering cities with funds. Cities get the lion’s share of Aid and Incentives to Municipalities, state funds designed to help preserve the population cores by helping to maintain aging infrastructure and keep up with critical services such as police and fire protection.
Villages have these same issues, but the state turns its back on these communities. To keep police officers, patch pot holes and maintain parks and cemeteries, villages have to pass nearly the full cost onto to village taxpayers. That’s why these tax rates in the villages are so sky high.
Villages get about $5 to $10 in per capita AIM funding. For Medina, that totaled $45,523 for 6,065 people or $7.51 a person. That is far cry from what a similar size city gets. Consider the City of Sherrill in Oneida County. That city actually has half the people as Medina. The city gets $372,689 in state funding or $121.35 a person. Sherill’s combined tax rates are only $32.66, more than $20 less than in Medina.
Cities also have the added benefit of being spared a town tax. Villages not only are deprived of state aid, but a village resident gets double taxed by towns. In Orleans County, if you live in a village you will pay a double-digit tax rate and then pay about $3 to $4 more per $1,000 of assessed property to a town.
It is a crushing burden. These villages are at a major competitive disadvantage in attracting and keeping residents and businesses. Move to a small city or out in the country and you’ll pay far less in taxes.
Consider the City of Batavia. That city of 15,465 receives $1,750,975 in state funding. That helps drive down the city tax rate to $10.52 per $1,000, about half of the combined village/town rates in Medina, Albion and Holley – our local villages that are high on the tax oppressed list.
The bigger the city, the more generous the state is in helping those municipalities provide services and ease the tax burden for residents, who are often senior citizens and lower-income people – the same situation in villages.
Consider the City of Buffalo, which receives a whopping $161.3 million in state AIM funding for 261,310 residents or $617.22 per person. Buffalo’s combined tax rate is only $27.74 per $1,000 of assessed property, about half the rate in Medina.
I fully support the aid for cities, but the state needs to direct similar funding to the villages, or else they will continue to see property values fall and tax rates jump, creating a vicious spiral.
Our local officials need to sound the alarm about this situation and demand equitable treatment from the state. By propping up the cities, the state is picking winners and losers. It’s particularly destructive in small rural counties like Orleans and Allegany where there are no cities. These counties don’t have any population centers with reasonable taxes. Every village is a high-tax environment.
That ultimately chases businesses outside the county, which results in fewer jobs and retail establishments. That means less local sales tax for the counties, which further drives up our property taxes. The vicious cycle continues, with no end in sight unless that state can be fair with the AIM dollars.
Press Release, Albion Police Chief Ronald Nenni III
The Albion Police Department hosted and supervised a multi-agency Orleans County Wide DWI Saturation Patrol from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 3 a.m. today.
This type of detail has never been done in Orleans County and combined the law enforcement efforts from every law enforcement agency in Orleans County along with state and federal resources.
The agencies involved consisted of the Albion Police, Medina Police, Holley Police, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Orleans County Probation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol.
The detailed results are as follows:
7 DWI Arrests (4 in the Village of Albion, 1 in the Village of Medina, 1 in the Village of Holley and 1 in the Town of Yates).
Traffic Stops: 45
Tickets Issued: 31
Other: 1 Unlawful Possession of Marijuana Arrest, 1 Probation Violator and 1 Warrant Suspect wanted by Livingston County taken into custody.
The Albion Police Department and the other law enforcement agencies are committed to making the roadways safe for all those who travel upon them.
Intoxicated drivers do not follow jurisdictional lines so we decided that we would not either.
The commitment and dedication by the officers who worked the detail undoubtedly saved lives in Orleans County.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Self Advocates in Arc were featured in March
ALBION – They were pictured in a group, holding T-shirts that say, “SELF ADVOCATE All Stars.” The group planned to raise their profile this year, marching in parades and doing car washes.
Orleans Hub featured the Self Advocates on March 13, 2014. That photo was entered by The Arc of Orleans County in a state-wide contest and it won third place.
NYSARC, Inc., the state-wide association of member ARC organizations, recognizes news organizations each year for articles and photos about people with disabilities.
Jonathan Doherty, the Self Advocate’s fund-raising chairman, arranged for the Orleans Hub to come take the photo last March. He was one of the founding members of the Advocates in 2006, when the group launched a mission to eliminate the “R-word.”
Darlene Golson, community relations manager for The Arc, is pictured with Tom Rivers, editor of Orleans Hub.
The Self Advocates were able to convince county legislators to take a stand in May 2010. The Legislature passed an official county resolution, telling local, state and federal governments to no longer use the word “retarded” in describing people with developmental disabilities. The R-word is a “vicious slang” that is insulting and hurtful to people with developmental disabilities and their families, legislators said in their resolution four years ago.
The honor from NYSARC is the first journalism award won by Orleans Hub since we started on April 2, 2013. We won the Entrepreneurial Excellence award from the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce in 2013.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Author will visit area in March to talk about book
LYNDONVILLE – The new book for the community reading project has been announced, and readers can expect to face many contemporary issues in the novel.
“The Tale for Three Counties” announced on Thursday the 13th book in the community reading effort will be “We Are Called To Rise,” by Laura McBride. The story focuses on an immigrant boy whose family struggles to assimilate. A woman wrestles with an imploding marriage and troubled son. A wounded soldier recovers from an injury.
These are some of the themes and characters in the book, which is available at local libraries and bookstores. The libraries will host discussion groups beginning in January in preparation for McBride’s visit from March 26-28.
She will visit locations in Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties, including Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina on March 27.
“It’s very current and addresses contemporary topics,” said Catherine Cooper, Lee-Whedon director and a member of the Tail committee. “It’s very heartfelt and very warm.”
Yates Community Library hosted a book unveiling program on Thursday, when the latest Tale was announced.
ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess, center, recognized two members of his staff today for 20 years of service with the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Jim Halstead, left, joined the Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 11, 1994, under then Sheriff David Green. Some of Jim’s career highlights include being a DARE Instructor for many years, a member of the Sheriff’s Marine Unit and a boating safety instructor, a member of the SCUBA team, and a member of the Motorcycle Unit. Jim has announced his plans to retire next month.
Investigator Corey Black, right, was sworn into the Sheriff’s Office as a deputy on Nov. 28, 1994, also under Sheriff Green. Black was promoted to sergeant in March 1999 and promoted to investigator in February 2000.
Corey is the senior member of the Criminal Investigation Division and has been involved in numerous high-profile investigations during his career. In addition to his duties as an investigator, he is also a Police Instructor, Range Officer, SWAT Leader, and he is a member of the New York Tactical Officers Association.
Halstead and Black each received a congratulatory letter this afternoon from the sheriff and a Certificate of Achievement for “20 Years of Dedicated & Faithful Service to the Sheriff’s Office & the County of Orleans.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Zoning change approved for Jet Ski business in Shelby
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board supported a bed and breakfast in Kendall and also a zoning change in Shelby to allow for a Jet Ski business.
Planners met on Thursday and recommended the Town of Kendall approve the site plan and variance for the bed and breakfast at 2038 Peter Smith Rd.
Ron Bierstine, owner of Orleans Outdoor in Carlton, wants to establish the bed and breakfast at the corner of Route 18 and Peter Smith Road. The site would utilize about 750 square feet in a ranch home. There is room for a maximum of eight occupants in three rooms for the B & B.
Planning Board members noted the site is in an isolated location near farmland and woodland. There shouldn’t be any adverse impacts to neighbors, planners said.
The town ordinance requires a 90-foot setback for off-street parking. Bierstine is proposing a 38-foot setback. Planners recommend he receive the 52-foot variance. Planners said the variance would not result in an undesirable change to neighborhood character.
Bierstine expects the bed and breakfast will be largely seasonal with peak business during the September to December tributary fishing season.
Planners also supported a zoning change in the Town of Shelby. Eric and Margaret Hill want to change four parcels at 10812 Maple Ridge Rd. (next to the Orleans-Niagara BOCES) from Agricultural/Residential to General Business. That change would allow them to operate a business selling and repairing Jet Skis at the southeast corner of Maple Ridge Road and Shelby Basin Road.
The zoning change fits in with the area, planners noted. The north side of Maple Ridge Road near the site includes about 2,100 feet of property that is zoned General Commercial.
ALBION – Hospice of Orleans is pleased to announce that Nyla Gaylord has joined the team as Director of Development and Community Relations.
An Orleans County native, Gaylord has extensive experience in grant writing, fundraising, program development and not-for-profit leadership. She graduated from Holley High School and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and Writing from Houghton College in Houghton. She then earned a Master’s Degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Public Administration from SUNY Brockport.
After a number of years working for organizations that provide services to people with disabilities, she returned to school and completed a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Disability Studies at Syracuse University.
Gaylord has been an active member of the Orleans County community. She was a foster parent for many years and is currently a member of the Clarendon Historical Society, assisting with grant writing efforts.
After commuting to jobs in Rochester for more than 30 years, Gaylord is delighted to be working locally for such an important cause.
“I’m very committed to rallying community support to ensure that Hospice of Orleans continues to be an independent local organization, not part of a large health system,” she said. “Hospice services were there for my loved ones to help them reclaim control over their life and remain surrounded by family, friends and community as they faced an incurable illness. I look forward to helping ensure that Hospice services continue to be available locally for anyone who requests them.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
GAINES – There is a noticeable increase in truck traffic on routes 31 and 104 in Orleans County today. With the NY Thruway closed from Rochester to the Pennsylvania line, many of the trucks are using the state roads in Orleans County to head east or west.
In the photo above, a caravan of truckers head down Route 104 at about 1:30 today. I was at The Village Inn for lunch today and it seemed for every car on 104 there was a tractor trailer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – A total of 33 volunteer firefighters from six fire departments in Orleans County left Albion at about 4 p.m. for assignments in the Buffalo area.
Orleans Hub reported earlier this afternoon that 24 to 30 firefighters were expected to go. Dale Banker, the emergency management coordinator for the county, confirmed 33 firefighters answered the call.
Banker reached out to the local fire departments after getting a request from the Erie County Fire Coordinator’s office and the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
The firefighters will be in Erie County until 8 p.m. on Friday. Banker said another wave of firefighters are expected Friday night and over the weekend.
Firefighters left today from Albion, Barre, Clarendon, Holley, Lyndonville, Shelby and Ridgeway.
Barre, Holley and Shelby also sent fire engines, and Albion, Clarendon and Lyndonville took off-road vehicles with tracks to maneuver in the high snow.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – Orleans County is assembling teams of firefighters to head to the Buffalo area to check on residents and respond to other fire and emergency calls.
Firefighters will gather at the Civil Defense Center at 3:30 p.m. today to get their instructions. Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management director, expects 24 to 30 firefighters to be sent to Erie County. They are expected to arrive around 5 p.m. and stay until 8 p.m. on Friday.
They will take three off-road vehicles and three fire engines. Firefighters are going from Albion, Barre, Clarendon, Holley, Shelby and Ridgeway.
Additional firefighters from the county may be sent Friday night and over the weekend, Banker said. The weekend duty could include pumping basements because temperatures are forecast to be well above freezing, leading to big snow melts.
Fourteen firefighters from the county have already been to Lackawanna. They checked on stranded motorists and transported them to a shelter. Three firefighters – Albion Fire Chief Rocky Sidari, Calrton Fire Chief Andrew Niederhofer and Albion firefighter Stan Farone – nearly delivered a baby in the Albion fire chief’s truck. They were able to get the mother to Mercy Hospital in South Buffalo just in time before the birth, Sidari said.
Some Erie County communities received 5 to 6 feet of snow on Tuesday, with another 2 feet falling today. Sidari said he was shocked to see the big walls of snow.
“The pictures don’t do it justice,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m just dumbfounded.”
Firefighters from Orleans County have used all-terrain four-wheelers to check on stranded motorists in Lackawanna. Firefighters have been transporting some of the motorists, who were stranded in their cars for more than 16 hours.
They took the motorists to a fire hall in Lackawanna. One person, a diabetic, was transported by firefighters and would later have to be taken by ambulance for medical treatment, said Albion Fire Chief Rocky Sidari.
It took firefighters from Orleans County 1 ½ hours to drive 9 miles from Cheektowaga to Lackawanna last night. Erie County has been in a state of emergency due a monstrous storm that dropped about 5 feet of snow.
Firefighters aren’t sure how long they will be assisting in Erie County.
“Thankfully it has stopped snowing,” Albion Fire Chief Rocky Sidari said this morning at about 7.
But another storm is due to hit the Buffalo area tonight and Thursday.
Firefighters from four fire companies in Orleans County are assisting in the snow-battered Buffalo area. They brought along a snowmobile and three off-road four-wheelers.
The Albion Fire Department is providing the snowmobile, an off-road vehicle and seven firefighters. Two Carlton firefighters have volunteered, as well as two from Clarendon and three from Lyndonville. Clarendon and Lyndonville also brought off-road four-wheelers.
Carlton Fire Chief Andrew Niederhofer is among the local firefighters in Lackawanna, checking on stranded motorists. He is pictured inside a vehicle with a wall of snow outside.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2014 at 10:08 pm
Albion, Carlton, Clarendon and Lyndonville all send help
Firefighters from four fire companies in Orleans County have arrived in Cheektowaga to help residents and motorists that have been inundated with snow.
There are 14 firefighters from Orleans County that will spend the next 24 to 48 hours in the Buffalo area, said Rocky Sidari, Albion fire chief. They brought along a snowmobile and three off-road four-wheelers.
The Albion Fire Department is providing the snowmobile, an off-road vehicle and seven firefighters. Two Carlton firefighters have volunteered, as well as two from Clarendon and three from Lyndonville. Clarendon and Lyndonville also are bringing off-road four-wheelers.
The National Guard also has been activated to help with the storm response. The National Guard will send 150 soldiers and airmen, seven Bobcats, 10 dump trucks, and five Humvees, according to Channel 4 in Buffalo.
