POINT BREEZE – There will be two formal dedication ceremonies this week declaring Route 98 in Orleans and Genesee counties as the “Genesee/Orleans Veterans Memorial Highway.”

The ceremony in Orleans County will be 3 p.m. on Thursday at the Point Breeze Exit off Lake Ontario State Parkway.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Sen. George Maziarz are scheduled to attend the dedication ceremony, which is open to the public.

“In memory of the soldiers who gave their lives to defend our freedoms, we are dedicating the Genesee/Orleans Veterans Memorial Highway,” Hawley said. “As we enter Memorial Day weekend, I hope that people will take time to reflect on the sacrifice of our fallen soldiers and commit their lives to the service of their neighbors. This is how we can truly honor their memory.”

Genesee County will have a dedication ceremony at 8:30 a.m. on Friday in Attica at the Genesee-Wyoming County line on Route 98 at 11281 Alexander Rd.

Voters will weigh in on budgets, candidates and propositions on Tuesday

Residents will go to the polls on Tuesday to vote on school budgets, propositions for buses and library funding, and also to elect members of the Board of Education.

Two of the districts will actually cut taxes, two will maintain the same tax levy and one is proposing a small increase.

Here is a snapshot of each district:

Albion

The district is proposing a $33,551,051 budget that increases spending by 0.61 percent from the $33,349,049 in 2013-14.

Albion is proposing a small tax decrease – a drop of 0.1 percent or $7,007 to $8,439,939.

The budget maintains existing programs and sets aside about $130,000 more for computer hardware, software and bandwidth upgrades in anticipation to a transition to on-line testing.

Four candidates are running for three positions on the Board of Education: two five-year terms and one one-year term. The top two vote-getters will get the five-year terms while the candidate with the third most votes gets the one-year term.

Kevin Doherty and David Sidari are both finishing five-year terms. They are running again. Marie Snyder, another incumbent, had a break from the BOE but was recently appointed to fill a vacancy from Melissa Osburn.  Her term has one year remaining. Snyder will be on the ballot. Wendy Kirby also is running for the BOE.

Propositions include $440,000 to spend for buses and $667,070 for Hoag Library. The library money is up 2.0 percent from the $654,000 in 2013-14.

Voting is from noon to 8 p.m. at the elementary school’s conference room A.

Holley

The 2014-15 operating budget is proposed at $25,070,000, a 9.11 percent increase over the 2013-14 budget of $2,093,571. The budget figure represents the addition of all-day kindergarten, four instructional staff positions and the elimination of short-term debt.

Other propositions include: establishing a $2.5 million capital reserve fund; reducing the size of the Board of Education from seven to five positions (If approved, it becomes effective, July 1, 2015); and raising $104,705 in taxes for the Community Free Library, which is up 2.0 percent from the $102,652 in 2013-14.

Three candidates are running for three positions, with the top two candidates getting three-year terms and other receiving a two-year term.

John Heise, the former BOE president, is running again after choosing not to a year ago. Other candidates include incumbents Robin Silvis and Salvatore DeLuca Jr. Another incumbent, Norman Knight, has opted not to seek re-election.

The vote will be from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Holley Middle School/High School foyer.

Kendall

Residents will vote on a budget from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the elementary school gymnasium. The $14,826,116 budget increases spending by 5.5 percent from $14,051,383.

The new budget doesn’t cut existing programs. It adds a student services coordinator and two special education teachers, one each at the elementary and high school levels.

The new budget follows one from 2013-14 that cut $1 million from property taxes. The 2014-15 budget will increase taxes by 1.36 percent. The tax levy will slightly rise in the new budget, from $4,606,613 to $4,669,245. That is about $110,000 below the district’s tax cap.

Voters will also weigh in on a proposition to spend up to $250,000 from the district’s school replacement reserve fund.

A new member will also be elected to the Board of Education. Lucille Welch has decided against seeking re-election after 10 years on the board. Chaley Swift is the lone candidate for the five-year term.

Lyndonville

The $13,188,750 budget increases spending by 0.72 percent, but doesn’t raise taxes.

The budget maintains existing programming for students. The budget also includes $100,000 in capital projects, including varsity gym lights, masonry upkeep and dock stairs and hand rails.

Residents will also spending money from a transportation reserve account, which includes $105,000 for a new bus and $38,000 for a new pickup with a plow.

Another proposition asks voters to approve creating a new capital reserve account that would have up to $2 million. The money can only be expended with voter approval.

The Yates Community Library is seeking voter permission for $84,637, a 2.59 percent increase.

Only one position is open on the Board of Education after voters last year approved shrinking the board by two seats. Incumbent Susan Hrovat is unopposed in seeking a three-year term.

Voting will be from 1 to 9 p.m. at the PEI Library.

Medina

The district is proposing a $34,479,994 budget that increases spending by 2 percent from $33,805,130. The budget does not increase taxes, keeping the tax levy at $9,044,280.

The budget maintains existing school and extracurricular programming, including modified sports.

Residents will be asked to approve a $200,000 proposition to buy one 66-seat bus and two 30-seat passenger buses.

There are five candidates seeking four positions on the Board of Education. The top three candidates will receive three-year terms while the candidate with the fourth most votes gets a one-year term. The one-year term will fill Rosalind Lind’s vacant position.

Three incumbents – Christopher Keller, William Keppler and David Sevenski – are seeking re-election. Other candidates include Renee Paser-Paull and former BOE member Virginia Nicholson.

The vote will be held from noon to 8 p.m. at the District Office board room next to Medina High School.

ALBION – The letters keep coming in, about five a week since around March 1.

Residents write to state legislators, Orleans County legislators and Carlton town officials, expressing concern about the bridge and road maintenance with the Lake Ontario State Parkway. The county has received 66 so far about the Parkway’s condition.

“Restriction detours, Bridge Closure and Road Maintenance continue on a downward path, which is having a very negative influence on safe and efficient flow of vehicle travel, which is vital to our Orleans County well being,” according to one letter about the Parkway.

County and town officials have urged residents to write to State Sen. George Maziarz and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley about the Parkway.

“LOSP is a very key resource in the North Country of Orleans County supporting our Tourism and Residential travel,” according to a prototype letter sent by several residents.

The County Legislature and several Town Boards have passed formal resolutions requesting the state not divert funds from the NYS Highway and Bridge Trust Fund. Keeping that money for intended purpose would allow the state to better maintain its roads and bridges, the local government leaders have said.

Gia Arnold has the Orleans County Conservative Party’s official endorsement in her campaign for the State Senate against George Maziarz.

The Conservative Party Committee endorsed Arnold on Tuesday. Allen Lofthouse, the party chairman, said Maziarz, a 19-year-incumbent, is “a good man.”

But the party leaders like Arnold’s passion. The 24-year-old from Holley runs a tree service with her husband Jeremy. Mrs. Arnold is a state-wide leader of New York Revolution, a group that wants to repeal the SAFE Act. She has led rallies around the state against the gun control measure.

“She comes on strong,” Lofthouse said. “She is pretty passionate about her beliefs. She is real focused.”

Lofthouse said Maziarz has been an advocate for school funding, but hasn’t done enough for Orleans County.

“Nineteen years is a long time,” Lofthouse said about Maziarz’s career in Albany. “We’ve been pushing for term limits.”

Lofthouse first met Arnold through their involvement in the Tea Party movement in Orleans County. Arnold is making her first run for elected office.

“I know she’s young but I don’t think it hurts,” Lofthouse said. “Maybe she can draw more young people to be interested.”

Arnold is running for the 62nd Senate District that includes all of Orleans, most of Niagara and a portion of western Monroe counties.

ALBION Two weeks from today Orleans County will transition to a new $7.1 million emergency communications system. The “cut-over” is scheduled for 10 a.m. on May 28.

At that time, the county will switch from a 22-year-old analog system to a digital system. There will be better reception and coverage throughout the county, said Paul Wagner, the county’s emergency management director.

The project is adding three new transmission towers – at Route 31A by the Clarendon highway garage, in Albion on Countyhouse Road by the Emergency Management Office and in Shelby on Route 31A by the Medina water tank. That will improve coverage, especially at the outer edges of the county where there have been gaps and unreliability in reception.

Firefighters and police often voice complaints about drops in coverage at the eastern and western ends of the county.

The emergency communications system includes 1,100 radios for police, firefighters, Probation officers and other emergency responders. The project includes 390 new radios while the others are being reprogrammed for the new system.

The upgrade also includes emergency communications equipment at the dispatch center and a backup location. Wagner said the analog system will continue as a standby in case there are any glitches with the new system.

A new map – “Route 98 has it all!” – connects attractions along Route 98 from downtown Albion going north to Lake Ontario.

About 20 businesses and attractions are noted along the Route 98 corridor, starting with Arnold’s Auto Parts a block off 98 on West Bank Street and ending at the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.

The map highlights restaurants, fly shops, gas stations, an art gallery, gift shops, farm markets, marinas, lodging and historic sites, such as the Pratt Opera House and the Cobblestone Society Museum.

“We’re trying to connect the waterways and the historic attractions,” said Judith Koehler, who worked on the project for the Albion Main Street Alliance. The organization partnered with the Western Erie Canal Alliance in the project.

The map will be distributed beginning today in other canal communities, including Lockport and Lyons. The map will also be available at several locations in Orleans County.

Koehler pushed to have the map ready for the start of the canal season and she met that goal. The canal opened this week for its 190^th season. Koehler said Albion wants to connect its canal and historic enthusiasts to tourists at the lake, and vice versa.

“This will be a reciprocal partnership,” she said.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Brooke Pontillo was elected this morning as the new president of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce. She is pictured outside the Chamber office on Main Street in Albion.

ALBION – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce has a new president who is committed to helping local businesses become stronger.

Brooke Pontillo, a senior account executive for Toshiba, has been working in the county for 16 years. The Batavia resident has Orleans as her sales territory.

“The people of Orleans County have been so good to me and Toshiba,” she said this morning.

The Chamber has 350 members. It has nearly $27,000 in the bank. Pontillo credited Kathy Blackburn, the Chamber’s executive director, for leading the organization to a stronger financial position.

A growth in members as well as revenue from events is making the Chamber healthier, and putting the group in a position to do more for the community, said Cindy Robinson, the outgoing president. She served in that role for three years.

Last month’s Home and Garden Show, for example, netted $5,579 for the Chamber. The event at the fairgrounds attracted 3,500 to 4,000 people over two days, Blackburn said.

Last year the Chamber debuted a public art project, the Palettes of Orleans. It included 73 paintings by artists that were displayed at businesses. The artwork was auctioned off in October and some of the proceeds are being directed to each of the five school districts in the county for art scholarships. Each district will receive $250.

The program will be capped at 50 paintings, and this year they will be on 11-by-14-inch canvasses. Artists have a July 1 deadline to complete the paintings.

The Chamber today also elected Mark Merithew of Apple Blossom Florist in Medina as vice president. Brett Hill of Albone & Hill Plumbing and Joseph Organiściak of Sandbox Union were elected as new members of the board.

“We had another year of growth with new events, new members and new board members,” Robinson said during the annual meeting. “The board is moving in the right direction.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – About 75 bikers gathered by the Orleans County Courthouse this afternoon and then left on a 50-mile motorcycle safety and awareness ride. The event was orgranized by the Orleans County chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education.

Chuck Persons, president of ABATE in Orleans County, urges bikers to be safe on the roadways. He is speaking from the top of the courthouse steps.

Murray Highway Superintendent Ed Morgan, one of the speakers at the rally, said local roads are in “deplorable shape” after a brutal winter. Morgan was representing State Assemblyman Steve Hawley at the rally. Morgan credited Hawley and State Sen. George Maziarz for a state funding boost to help fill potholes.

Chuck Persons addresses a crowd of about 75 bikers before their 50-mile ride through the county today. The ride ends at the VFW in Medina.

Adam Tabelski, a representative for State Sen. George Maziarz, spoke at the rally and praised the ABATE chapter for its push for safety. Tabelski urged other motorists to take extra care for the motorcycles on the highway. “Look twice, save a life,” Tabelski said, quoting a popular ABATE sign.

Motorcyclists listen to speakers in front of the courthouse.

Photos by Tom Rivers – The lift bridge in Knowlesville is limited to one lane and a 6-ton weight limit. It is among several in the county that aren’t equipped to handle heavier traffic.

Orleans County officials thought their push for more state resources for canal bridges would get more attention if town and village leaders are joined the rallying cry.

The towns and villages are responding, and passing resolutions asking for more state funds to keep up the bridges. There are 25 state-owned canal bridges in the county, including seven lift bridges. (The village of Medina owns the Glenwood Avenue bridge.)

Twelve of the 26 bridges have been declared “functionally obsolete.” Another six are considered “structurally deficient” by the state Department of Transportation.

Two are closed – Brown Street in Albion and Hindsburg Road in Murray. The Knowlesville lift bridge is limited to one lane and 6 tons. Other bridges have reduced weight limits below 10 tons, including Transit Road in Albion at 9 tons, Allens Bridge Road in Albion at 7 tons, Presbyterian Road in Albion at 5 tons, and Groth Road at 9 tons in Murray.

The county has a report about the bridge conditions at orleansny.com. It used state DOT data from bridge inspections to create the report.

Most of the bridges are about 100 years old. They were installed when the canal was widened in 1909 to 1914.

The County Legislature has passed two recent resolutions seeking more state attention for the bridges. The first resolution expressed the Legislature’s growing concerns about the limited access due to closed bridges or reduced weight limits.

That forces longer trips for school buses, fire trucks, tractor trailers and big farm equipment, hindering public safety and commerce in the county, legislators said.

The Beals Road bridge in Ridgeway is pictured during the winter. The bridge is one of 12 of the 26 canal bridges in the county declared as functionally obsolete by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The Town Boards at Barre, Clarendon, Murray, Ridgeway and Shelby all have passed resolutions stating their concern about the limited access with the bridges. The Medina Village Board also joined the effort with a formal resolution on Monday.

Medina Mayor Andrew Meier said the issue is particularly hard on villages that have several of the canal bridges. The village would like to see the governor and state develop a bridge plan to better maintain the spans over the historic waterway.

“Hopefully the governor pays some attention,” said Mark Irwin, a village trustee.

The Legislature also passed a resolution in March calling on the state to not raid a fund that was supposed to be dedicated for road and bridge work. If that fund wasn’t diverted for other purposes, county legislators said there would be more state resources for infrastructure.

Residents and taxpayers pay billions in taxes and fees into the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund. They pay through highway taxes, motor vehicle taxes and fees, petroleum business taxes and other fees. However, county legislators said more than 75 percent of the funds or $1.6 billion was diverted to other agencies in the last state fiscal year.

The County Legislature passed a resolution urging the governor and State Legislature to develop a multi-year plan for the fund to meet the infrastructure needs for bridges and roads in the state.

The towns of Clarendon and Shelby have passed formal resolutions supporting the issue.

Bruce Good’s Lotto win proved popular with Orleans Hub readers. It was our most viewed story of April.Orleans Hub on April 16 was the first to report Good won $300,000 on a scratch-off ticket he bought at Fischer’s Newsroom in Albion. (Click here to see “Albion man wins $300K in Lotto.”)

“I hit the mother lode,” Good told Orleans Hub. “It’s a game changer. It’s nice to know there will be a nest egg for retirement and that I can help out some friends and family if they need it.”

Our other top stories for the month, ranked 2 through 5 include:

“Lyndonville ranked as one of best high schools by U.S. News” on April 22 (Click here).

“16 face drug charges after arrests in Albion and Carlton” on April 1 (Click here).

Photo by Tom Rivers – Orleans Hub was quick on the scene when this fire broke out in Eagle Harbor at about 1 a.m. on Easter.

“Fire engulfs Eagle Harbor home” on April 20 (Click here).

“3 Albion sisters hurt in Ridgeway crash” on April 12 (Click here).

Palette project, $200K grant program on agenda for 2014

File photo by Tom Rivers – Stacey Kirby created this palette, which was on display in Bindings Bookstore in Albion, during last year’s Palettes of Orleans. The Chamber of Commerce plans to do the effort again this year.

The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce will elect a new board president on Wednesday, and at least two new members are expected to join the board.

The Chamber will have its annual meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday at its office, 102 North Main St., Suite No. 1. The meeting is open to the community, but the Chamber would appreciate an RSVP by calling 589-7727.

After two years of leading the Chamber, Cindy Robinson of Medina is expected to step down as president and be replaced by Brooke Pontillo of Toshiba, the current VP. Mark Merithew of Apple Blossom Florist is expected to become the vice president. Brett Hill of Albone & Hill Plumbing and Joseph Organiściak of Sandbox Union have agreed to join the board.

“We have a younger generation stepping up that believes in Orleans County, that wants to come back and raise their families here,” said Kathy Blackburn, Chamber executive director.

The Chamber plans to announce it will continue the Palettes of Orleans public art project this year. The program debuted last year with 73 palettes on display in businesses throughout the county.

The Chamber also is administering a $200,000 grant program from an anonymous donor that provides matching grants in Medina for building improvements at homes and businesses.

Press release, Sheriff Scott Hess

ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess is pleased to report on another successful Prescription Drug Take-Back Event, which was held this past Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Here in Orleans County, a total of 406 pounds of unused prescription medications was collected.  According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, residents in the eight counties of Western New York surrendered 11,255 pounds of unused prescription medications during the four-hour collection period.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office is proud to participate in this event, held twice during each year, in collaboration with the DEA, the Orleans County Health Department, and the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse.

The next event will be held this fall.

Candidates have submitted petitions to run for volunteer positions on the Board of Education at the five school districts in Orleans County.

Two of the districts will have contested elections, while two have lone candidates seeking a single open position. Holley has three candidates for three spots.

Monday was the deadline for the petitions. The election is May 20.

Here is the rundown for each district:

ALBION – Four candidates are running for three positions: two five-year terms and one one-year term.

Kevin Doherty and David Sidari are both finishing five-year terms. They are running again. Marie Snyder, another incumbent, had a break from the BOE but was recently appointed to fill a vacancy from Melissa Osburn.  Her term has one year remaining. Snyder will be on the ballot.

Wendy Kirby also is running for the BOE. The top two vote-getters will get the five-year terms while the candidate with the third most votes gets the one-year term.

HOLLEY – Three candidates are running for three positions, with the top two candidates getting three-year terms and other receiving a two-year term.

John Heise, the former BOE president, is running again after choosing not to a year ago. Other candidates include incumbents Robin Silvis and Salvatore DeLuca Jr.

Another incumbent, Norman Knight, has opted not to seek re-election.

KENDALL – Lucille Welch has decided against seeking re-election after 10 years on the board. Chaley Swift is the lone candidate to file a petition to run for the five-year term.

LYNDONVILLE – Incumbent Susan Hrovat is unopposed in seeking a three-year term.

MEDINA – There are five candidates seeking four positions on the Board of Education.

The top three candidates will receive three-year terms while the candidate with the fourth most votes gets a one-year term. The one-year term will fill Rosalind Lind’s vacant position.

Three incumbents – Christopher Keller, William Keppler and David Sevenski – are seeking re-election. Other candidates include Renee Paser-Paull and former BOE member Virginia Nicholson.