The Orleans County Legislature went on the record on Tuesday in opposition to proposals from Gov. Kathy Hochul concerning fossil fueled-powered appliances.

The legislature called the proposed mandates “hypocritical and nonsensical environmental laws which burden the working-class citizens of the county and state.”

The governor last month said she wants to ban fossil fuel hookups in newly constructed buildings started with smaller buildings in 2025, and larger buildings in 2028. Any new homes or apartments would not be permitted to have gas-powered appliances. This does not include existing buildings.

Hochul also called for a ban on the sale of new fossil fuel-powered heating equipment in New York, beginning with smaller buildings in 2030 and larger buildings in 2035.

“The Governor’s ban is intended to help address climate change, but this government mandate is more of a burden on our region’s working-class residents and will have a devastating effect on restaurants, businesses and manufacturing facilities whey they have to convert to all electric,” the County Legislature said in a resolution.

Legislators said the cost to convert a house to electric would be $20,000 to $50,000 per household and would not include any kind of backup system in the event of a power outage.

The Legislature said the mandate creates an “unnecessary financial burden and hardship for businesses that compete on a national or global level.” Legislators said the ban on gas appliances will push more businesses and residents out of the state, contributing to “accelerated population loss.”

The ban on gas appliances and water heaters arlso isn’t feasible in Western New York with its harsh winters and exposed electrical infrastructure, according to the Legislature’s resolution. Appliances used to heat water and cook food need to work during power outages especially during times of inclement weather.

“The Orleans County Legislature hereby strongly urges Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature to fully examine the real-life impact their decisions will have for all New Yorkers, especially those least able to afford them,” the resolution states.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Don Draper takes the oath as undersheriff on Tuesday during a ceremonial swearing-in before the County Legislature meeting. His wife Emmy holds the Bible while Sheriff Chris Bourke administers the oath.

Draper replaces Jeff Gifaldi in the role. Gifaldi has retired and works as a code enforcement officer and also part-time in security at Holley Central School.

Draper is a 25-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office. He worked 20 years as a deputy on road patrol and then as supervisor of court security. He most recently has been a sergeant in charge of the civil division.

“I work for the sheriff,” Draper said about the role as undersheriff. “Whatever he needs done, I will do it.”

Draper is the son of retired Medina Police Chief Don Draper and the brother of Medina Police Department Lt. Todd Draper.

Bourke said the new undersheriff knows all of the positions in the Sheriff’s Office “from top to bottom” and has proven to be very dependable and knowledgeable.

“He’s a solid guy,” Bourke said. “He treats people fairly. That’s what I want.”

The Sheriff’s Office also has a new administrative chief deputy with Steven Ploof. He was unable to attend the ceremonial swearing in. Ploof provides oversight of the Civil Division and the numerous local, state and federal grants managed by the Sheriff’s Office, Bourke said.

Brian Marsceill takes the oath of office as an investigator with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

Marsceill replaces Shannon Brett, who retired from the position. The other investigators in the Sheriff’s Office include Devon Pahuta and Kevin Colonna.

Marsceill started as a deputy at the Sheriff’s Office in 2017. Before that he was as a police officer in Medina and Attica.

The sheriff administered the oath for other staff on Tuesday including Amy Sherman, sheriff’s accounts manager; Tyler Ajitsingh, corrections officer; Kari Hagglund and Jodi Marion as part-time dispatchers; and Theresa Brien as a civil clerk.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Orleans County Legislator Fred Miller shakes hands with Marlene Hill of Medina, one of the board members for Arc GLOW. Miller on Tuesday presented a proclamation on behalf of the County Legislature that declared March as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.”

Arc GLOW officials on hand included Cheryl Englert, board president; John Huber, board member; Martin Miskell, CEO; and Lisa Bors, public relations director.

The former Arc of Genesee Orleans and Arc of Livingston-Wyoming merged in 2021 following 18 months of planning to form the new Arc GLOW. This is the first four-county chapter of The Arc New York. This follows the merger in 2016 of the former Arc of Orleans and Genesee Arc.

In Orleans County, Arc GLOW has homes for individuals with disabilities, operates Orleans Enterprises Work Center in Albion, day habilitation programs, Meals on Wheels/Nutrifare in Albion and Camp Rainbow in Ridgeway. Several programs and departments also share space with the finance department on Caroline Street in Albion, Arc GLOW officials said.

Provided photo: Orleans County legislators – Skip Draper, Lynne Johnson and John Fitzak – are shown outside the office for U.S. Senate majority Leader Charles Schumer.

ALBION – Three Orleans County legislators spent five days in Washington, D.C. for the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. and also met with representatives of U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Representatives Claudia Tenney and Joe Morelle, whose congressional districts include part of Orleans County.

Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson attended the conference with County Legislators John Fitzak and Skip Draper.

“It is critical that we come to Washington to meet face to face with our representatives and their staff. There is no better way to represent our county and make our voices heard,” Johnson said. “We are looking forward to working with our new Congresswoman, Claudia Tenney and Congressman Joe Morelle and are always grateful for the support that Senators Schumer and Gillibrand have given us.”

Johnson said she thanked Gillibrand for helping to secure $2 million towards upgrading the emergency management office, which was built in a bunker style back in 1962.

The county officials also met with staff members from Congressmen Nick Langworthy NY-23, Brandon Williams NY-22, Marc Molinaro NY-19 and Mike Lawler ‘s NY-17 offices as part of a lobbying day on Capitol Hill with county officials from across the country.

Johnson said discussions with the federal officials centered on more funding for broadband, emergency management, infrastructure, roads, Lake Ontario water levels and dredging.

The National Association of Counties Legislative Conference brought together 2,000 elected county officials to focus on federal policy issues that affect counties and their residents.

“Orleans County is pleased to have participated in this conference and represent our citizens and more importantly, to lobby Congress on their behalf,” Johnson said in a news release.

Conference focused on broadband, agricultural and rural affairs, workforce development, health care and public safety policies. The conference culminated with an address by President Joe Biden.

ALBION – The state comptroller’s office is reporting Orleans County took in $22.5 million in local sales in 2022, which was a 3.0 percent increase or by $700,000 from 2021.

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said it was a strong year for sales tax state-wide. All 62 counties showed an increase.

The 3.0 percent growth in Orleans is among the smallest across the state. Only six counties were less: Dutchess, 1.6 percent; Wayne, 2.4 percent; Jefferson, 2.4 percent; Chenango, 2.4 percent; Cayuga, 2.5 percent; and Chautauqua, 2.9 percent.

But Orleans is coming a big year in sales tax in 2021, when the county’s sales tax jumped by $2.4 million or 12.7 percent from $19.4 million in 2020 to $21.8 million in 2021. In 2019, the local sales tax totaled $17.7 million.

In three years, the county sales tax is up by $4.8 million or 27 percent.

The local sales tax is mostly used to fund county government. The county shares $1,366,671 with the 10 towns and four villages. They have been frozen at that level since 2001.

Among other GLOW counties, the sales tax included the following for 2022:

• Genesee, $49.7 million to $54.9 million, up 10.4 percent
• Livingston, $42.2 million to $44.8 million, up 6.2 percent
• Orleans, 21.8 million to 22.5 million, up 3.0 percent
• Wyoming, $22.7 million to $24.8 million, up 9.2 percent

Statewide the sales tax collections were up 12.7 percent or by $2.5 billion in 2022, totaling $22.1 billion in the calendar year, according to the report from the state comptroller.

New York City’s sales tax growth for 2022 was 20.6 percent, more than three times the growth in counties and cities throughout the rest of the state which was up 6.5 percent.

“The pandemic created significant sales tax volatility over the past few years, first with a major decline, then with a strong rebound,” DiNapoli said. “Sales tax growth has remained strong for a sustained stretch as consumers resumed spending relatively quickly after pandemic shutdowns ended. Additionally, the state implemented policies just prior to the pandemic that ensured more online sales were being fully taxed.”

ALBION – Two proposals in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget could result in a big tax hit for Orleans County.

Hochul has proposed increasing the hourly rate for assigned counsel from $75 to $119 an hour.  This would cost the county approximately $200,000 per year, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.

The increase in rates for lawyers in assigned counsel would cost counties and New York City about $150 million more annually, according to an analysis by the New York State Association of Counties.

A bigger impact on county taxpayers would be a proposal for the state to keep federal funding for the Medicaid program that currently is shared with counties and New York City to pay towards Medicaid.

The executive budget would end the Affordable Care Act enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (eFMAP) federal pass-through to counties and New York City. That would zap $1,059,034 per year in revenue to the county budget, or 5.6 percent of the county’s tax levy.

“This ends twenty years of the state sharing the eFMAP funding with counties,” Welch said. “This would be devastating to our taxpayers. Interested persons should contact the Governor’s Office expressing their opinion on this proposed change in the funding of Medicaid for our residents.”

NYSAC has analyzed the governor’s proposals and said eliminating the ACA eFMAP federal pass-thru will require the 57 counties to spend at least $280 million more annually, and about $1 billion more when New York City is included.

Orleans County Youth Board also wants to honor adults who work and volunteer in service to young people

The Orleans County Youth Board wants to honor local youths for their community service and adults for their work on behalf of children in Orleans County.

The Youth Board each year recognizes about 20 youths for their outstanding community service or if they have taken on an extraordinary role in their family. The nominees should be between 14 and 21. Nominations are due by March 31.

In addition to the youth awards, at least two adults will be honored for their service to young people.

The Helen R. Brinsmaid Memorial Youth Worker Award recognizes a youth-serving professional whose work surpasses normal expectations. The award is open to all youth-serving professionals including administrators, caseworkers, counselors, school personnel, juvenile justice workers and others who work with youth and families.

Four people received the Helen R. Brinsmaid Adult Youth Worker Award in 2022: Heather Jackson, a juvenile probation officer; Annette Finch, who is recently retired as director of community services for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee; and Mike and Cheryl Wertman for their work covering youth sports for the Orleans Hub and the former Journal-Register.

The Eileen Heye Adult Volunteer Recognition Award is given to an adult who provides service as a volunteer to Orleans County youth. The Youth Bureau is looking for nominees who are role models for youths, and give of themselves to better the life of children. This might include working directly with young people through youth groups or organizations or by advocating for youth services.

Last year the Eileen Heye Adult Volunteer Recognition Award was presented to Jaime Allport, a volunteer in the Albion Youth Sports Athletic Program. Allport is at the field on games days, from sunrise to sundown. She keeps track of all the rosters, keeps the stats during the games, and will work the concession stands.

Forms can be downloaded at the Orleans County web site. Click here for more information.

For information, contact the Youth Bureau at 585-344-3960 or youthbureau@co.genesee.ny.us.

New Comfort Inn hotel in Medina, Airbnbs, hotel at Bent’s fuel increase

Photo by Tom Rivers: The new Comfort Inn & Suites in Medina opened on March 18, 2022. This photo shows Medina Sandstone Society members in the lobby and front desk area on March 16 for a tour before the opening.

ALBION – Orleans County exceeded $100,000 in bed tax revenues in 2022 for the first time.

There is a 4 percent occupancy tax on hotel rooms and other lodging. That tax added up to $111,013 in 2022.

That topped the previous record high of $79,102 in 2021. The third most was collected in 2020: $58,438.

The county’s occupancy tax has been trending up, increasing annually in recent years. Besides the past three years the totals include $58,424 in 2019, $51,002 in 2018, and $45,374 in 2017, according to data from the county treasurer’s office.

The county is seeing more short-term vacation rentals such as Airbnbs. A 58-room Comfort Inn & Suites opened on March 18 last year in Medina, giving the county its first branded hotel. Bent’s Opera House also opened 10 hotel rooms in 2021.

Kim DeFrank, the county treasurer, said those new lodging options are the biggest reason for the boost in bed tax.

The county sets aside the bed tax to fund tourism department and initiatives to bring in visitors. The increase in funds allowed the county to hire a sportsfishing coordinator in December 2022, filling a position that had been vacant for nearly five years. Ron Bierstine will promote the county’s top tourism draw of sportsfishing. He will be attending more of fishing shows, including in Pennsylvania and Ohio where the county draws many of its fishing visitors, said Dawn Borchet, the county’s tourism director.

The county also has stepped up its digital advertising on Facebook to promote events in Orleans to attract more visitors to the area, Borchet said.

“The campaigns that we have done on Facebook have increased our traffic on our website and additional requests for brochures on Orleans County to be sent to visitors considering our area,” she said.

The county tourism in 2021 also added a billboard along the Thruway in Batavia, promoting the fishing opportunities in Orleans with salmon and trout. That billboard was paid for over two years with federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Borchet said the billboard gets noticed

“Just this past weekend our office, was at a show in Edison, NJ and we had people come up to the booth, letting us know they noticed the billboard on the NYS Thruway,” she said.

Sportsfishing has a total economic impact of $28 million in Orleans County, according to the NY State DEC Anglers Survey for 2017. Out-of-state anglers account for 70 percent of the fishing economic output in Orleans County, $19,620,488 of the $27,989,393. County residents who fish accounted for $1,767,334 in economic activity while other New York state residents outside Orleans represented another $6,601,571.

The tourism department promotes local festivities, museums and other attractions. Click here to see the county’s tourism website.

This year there are many positions up for election at the town and county levels. Paul Lauricella, the Conservative Party chairman in Orleans County, encourages potential candidates to consider running with the Conservative Party line.

People interested can email Lauricella at cadmasterp@aol.com or call at 585-765-9106. They will need to send a submit a letter of intent and fill out a questionnaire.

After that, Lauricella and the party leaders will set up appointments for interviews in front of the committee.

“Endorsements are not guaranteed but all will be heard,” Lauricella said.

Interviews will be Feb. 11 and Feb. 18, so Lauricella encouraged people to submit the paperwork soon.

The local positions up for election this year include:

• County – sheriff and seven legislators
• Albion – town supervisor, two other town board seats, town clerk and highway superintendent
• Barre – town supervisor, two other town board seats, town clerk, town justice and highway superintendent
• Carlton – town supervisor, and two other town board seats
• Clarendon – town supervisor, two other town board seats, town clerk, town justice and highway superintendent
• Gaines – town supervisor, two other town board seats and highway superintendent
• Kendall – town supervisor, two other town board seats and highway superintendent
• Murray – town supervisor, three other town board seats
• Ridgeway – town supervisor, two other town board seats and town justice
• Shelby – town supervisor, two other town board seats, town clerk, town justice and highway superintendent
• Yates – town supervisor, two other town board seats, town clerk and highway superintendent

Photo by Tom Rivers: Genesee Community College’s main campus in Batavia is shown in this file photo from March 2021. GCC also operates campus centers in Orleans, Wyoming and Livingston counties.

ALBION – Orleans County, which spent over $2 million in community college chargebacks in 2020, was well below its budgeted amount in 2022 of $2,050,000.

The county paid $1,657,803 to community colleges last year. That was down from $1,839,535 in 2021 and $2,214,515 in 2020.

The $2.2 million total in 2020 prompted county legislators to set a $2,050,000 cap for the county expense, with anything cost over that to be paid by towns in the county.

But since the $2,050,000 cap was put in place for 2021, the county hasn’t exceeded that amount, meaning the towns haven’t had to pay.

By state law, counties contribute to the community college costs for residents, even if they take classes at community colleges in other counties. The formula was supposed to be the counties, the state and student each paying about a third of the costs, but the state percentage has dropped, pushing a higher percentage of the cost on students and the counties.

Among students in Orleans County, Genesee Community College is the most popular option – by far. GCC accounted for $1,284,261 or 77.5 percent of the county’s total chargebacks of $1,657,803, according to data from the county treasurer’s office.

GCC operates a campus center in Medina, as well as the main campus in Batavia, and other campus centers in Wyoming and Livingston counties. GCC also offers online classes.

Here is a breakdown of what the county was billed for chargebacks from community colleges in the state:

• Genesee Community College ­– $1,284,261
• Niagara County Community College – $139,237
• Monroe Community College – $122,694
• Fashion Institute of Technology – $50,049
• Erie Community College – $22,687
• Finger Lakes Community College – $21,517
• Mohawk Valley Community College –$4,997
• Jefferson Community College – $2,893
• Onondaga Community College – $2,613
• Jamestown Community College – $2,475
• Jefferson Community College – $1,666
• Cayuga County Community College – $1,664
• North Country Community College – $531
• Hudson Valley Community College – $528

The operating chargeback rate for GCC for full-time students is $5,890, plus a $300 capital charge rate per full-time student. That compares to the operating chargeback rates of $4,330 in Erie, $4,560 in Monroe and $6,360 for NCCC.

The Fashion Institute of Technology has the highest operating chargeback in the state at $16,800 per full-time student while Onondaga Community College is the lowest at $2,960.

(Editor’s Note: Joe Palumbo, owner of the Albion Gun Shop, wanted to clarify that the purchased guns aren’t for sale at his shop. He served as the middleman for the guns to be sold back to Sheriff’s deputies and other local law enforcement officers. He said he did the background checks for free as a courtesy for the Sheriff’s Office.)

ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office is switching over from 45 mm handguns to 9 mm handguns and the old guns are being sold.

The County Legislature on Tuesday agreed to sell 23 outdated Glock Model 21, 45 ACP caliber pistols to J.S. Palumbo of the Albion Gun Shop for $310 each or $7,130 total.

The Legislature approved other resolutions relating to the Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, including:

• Authorized acceptance of a $172,413 domestic terrorism prevention grant  through the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. The grant covers two years, from Sept. 1, 2022 to Aug. 31, 2024.

• Accepted $150 in community donations with $100 towards SWAT and $25 each to animal control and the K9 unit.

• Set the following civil office fee schedule for mileage for round trips by the Sheriff’s Office, effective Feb. 1: $20 for Albion 14411 zip code; $24 for Elba, Middleport, Kent and Waterport zip codes; $26 for Medina, Bergen, Brockport, Clarendon and Holley zip codes; $28 for Lyndonville, Oakfield and Kendall zip codes.