By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 February 2023 at 8:22 am
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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 February 2023 at 8:26 am
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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2023 at 8:02 pm
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.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: Several people spoke at a public hearing on Thursday evening about a redistricting proposal for the Orleans County Legislature. Pictured from left include Jason Dragon of Albion, Jess Marciano of Medina and Jim Renfrew of Clarendon.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2023 at 10:09 am
ALBION – Several Democrats, including the party’s chairman and vice chairman, asked the Orleans County Legislature to try again with a redistricting proposal, and eliminate three at-large or countywide positions.
The Democrats’ leadership said the current makeup of the Legislature – four district positions and three at-large posts – should be changed to seven district positions with no at-large legislators.
“At-large districts, due to their larger size, tend to make it much more difficult for a candidate with limited resources to prevail in an election,” said Jim Renfrew, vice chairman of the Democratic Party. “We believe that at-large districts look too much like a strategy to marginalize minority views.”
Jeff Lewis, chairman of the Orleans County Democratic Party, speaks during Thursday’s public hearing at the legislative chambers of the Orleans County Office Building. He asked the Legislature to eliminate the three at-large positions and instead have seven districts of the same population.
Democrats, which are outnumbered by registered Republicans by a 2-to-1 ratio in the county, are at a competitive disadvantage in county-wide races. Having smaller district positions would make the races less daunting for Democrats and other candidates. In some elections, the entire seven-member Legislature is unopposed. Rarely do more than two legislators have opposition.
“Orleans is the only county in New York that has at-large legislative districts,” Renfrew said. “While there may have been a reason for designing them this way fifty years ago, they diminish democracy in the present time. I think there should be seven districts of equal population, and none of them at-large.”
The redistricting proposal keeps the three at-large positions. There is an at-large legislator from the east end (currently Ed Morgan of Murray), one from the central (currently Don Allport of Gaines) and one from the west end (currently Skip Draper of Shelby.
The county’s population in the 2020 census was 40,343. For redistricting, the 1,456 population in the two state prisons is taken out. That puts the county total at 38,891 for redistricting. Dividing that by the four legislative districts puts the ideal district at 9,723.
With the current district boundaries there would be an 11.7 percent population variance, which is above the 5 percent threshold allowed.
The county worked with Skyline Demographic Consultants, Inc. to bring the four legislative districts within an acceptably close size.
Courtesy of Orleans County Legislature: This map shows a plan for four of the districts for the Orleans County Legislature.
David Schaefer, vice president with Skyline, went over the changes in the districts to bring them within an acceptable size.
The county is looking to add part of western Murray to a district that currently is the towns of Albion and Gaines (currently filled by Fred Miller, the lone Democrat on the Legislature). That gives the Albion-Gaines (District 3) more people and also takes away from District 4 that includes Murray, Kendall and Carlton (currently filled by John Fitzak). The Murray section that is added to District 3 includes 522 people from Murray’s election district 5.
During the last redistricting about a decade ago, the county added a small part of Shelby to District 2 that included Yates and Ridgeway (currently served by Lynne Johnson). This time the county is looking to move more of that area back into District 1, the Shelby-Barre-Clarendon district (represented by Bill Eick). That represents a shift of 418 people.
The three at-large countywide positions don’t legally require any changes because they represent the same population – the entire county.
The Legislature is expected to vote on the redistricting changes during its 4:30 p.m. meeting on Feb. 21. The county is under pressure to get the changes approved because candidates for the position are already going through the endorsement process and soon will be circulating petitions to run.
The Orleans County Democratic Party in December filed a lawsuit to demand the county move forward with redistricting. County officials said the process was already under way before the lawsuit was filed.
“Why a lawsuit?” Renfrew said during the public hearing. “It shows that we are very serious about our concerns, and it gets your attention.”
Jeff Lewis, the Democratic Party chairman, asked the Legislature to “go back to the drawing board” and have a Legislature with seven equally sized districts. He said those districts would be more “community centric where people would know their representative.”
Jason Dragon of the Village of Albion said the current Legislature pushes projects outside the villages. He would like to see districts with a stronger voice for villages. The county, for example, does little to assist villages with their very high tax rates, Dragon said.
Dennis Seekins of Lyndonville urges the Legislature to change the makeup into seven legislative districts instead of the current four with three at-large positions.
Jess Marciano, a Medina village trustee and Democratic Committee member, said eliminating the at-large districts and having more legislative districts would result in smaller areas for the legislators. Instead of districts with an ideal size of 9,723 with four districts they would be 5,556 with seven districts. Marciano said eliminating the at-large positions and having more districts might result in smaller populated towns, such as Barre and Clarendon, having a legislator from that town.
The current makeup includes two legislators from Shelby, two from Gaines, and one each from Yates, Carlton and Murray. Renfrew said it’s odd with the current setup that some towns can have two people on the Legislature while one end of the county (the east side) has one person total.
Marciano asked that there be a non-partisan commission with county residents to determine the lines for the districts, without the county relying solely on a consultant.
Courtesy of Orleans County Legislature: This map shows a plan for four of the districts for the Orleans County Legislature.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 February 2023 at 9:19 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature will take comments during a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Thursday for a redistricting proposal for four legislative districts in the Legislature.
The hearing will be in the legislative chambers at the County Office Building, 14016 Route 31 West in Albion.
The seven-member Legislature has four legislative districts, each with about 10,000 people, and then three at-large or countywide positions.
The four legislative districts are allowed to have up to 5 percent variance in population. But the current districts, without changes, are at 11.7 percent deviation, which is out of compliance with state and federal law.
The county worked with Skyline Demographic Consultants, Inc. to bring the four legislative districts within an acceptably close size.
The county is looking to add part of western Murray to a district that currently is the towns of Albion and Gaines. That gives the Albion-Gaines (District 3) more people and also takes away from District 4 that includes Murray, Kendall and Carlton. The Murray section going to District 3 includes 522 people from Murray’s election district 5.
During the last redistricting about a decade ago, the county added a small part of Shelby to District 2 that included Yates and Ridgeway. This time the county is looking to move more of that area back into District 1, the Shelby-Barre-Clarendon district. That represents a shift of 418 people, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.
County officials are pushing to get the boundaries set for the four districts because it is the start of the election cycle with candidates interviewing political party leaders for endorsements. Candidates also will need to get petitions signed to get on the ballot for a primary and the general election.
The county’s population in the 2020 census was 40,343 people. That census block population shows 1,456 incarcerated people at two state prisons in Albion. Those people are not included the county redistricting process for the legislative districts.
County officials are taking out the 1,456 population for the prisons. That number has then been subtracted from the 40,343 in the census and with another small adjustment the total for the county is 38,891 for redistricting. Dividing that by the four legislative districts puts the ideal district at 9,745.
The redistricting changes would move 940 people into different districts, which is 2.4 percent of the population, said Jack Welch, the county chief administrative officer.
State law allows a 5 percent deviation. A plus or minus of 2.5 percent from the ideal would be 245 people.
The redistricting proposal puts the deviation at a maximum of 4.2 percent, with District 1 down by 2.02 percent from the ideal and District 3 at 2.22 percent over the ideal.
District 1 with most of Shelby, all of Barre and Clarendon would be 9,548 people, or down 197 people or 2.02 percent from the ideal.
District 2 with Yates, Ridgeway and small portion of Shelby would be 9,725, or 20 fewer than the ideal or under by 0.21 percent.
District 3 with Gaines, Albion and part of western Murray would be a population of 9,961, which is over the ideal by 2.22 percent or 216 people.
District 4 with Carlton, Kendall and most of Murray would total 9,747 people, only 2 more than the ideal or off by just 0.02 percent.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2023 at 8:46 am
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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 February 2023 at 3:07 pm
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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 February 2023 at 8:16 am
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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2023 at 4:07 pm
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
This is a computer rendering of what the Knights Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds will look like with 77 solar panels installed on the roof.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 30 January 2023 at 2:41 pm
ALBION – The Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds is about to make history as the first fairgrounds in the country to have solar panels installed by a company that was founded to provide solar energy free of charge to non-profits.
Everybody Solar was founded 11 years ago by Youness Scally of California to focus on non-profits because traditionally, nonprofits did not receive government tax breaks for going solar. That is because as a 501c3, they are exempt from paying taxes, said Scally’s sister Myriam Scally, executive director of Everybody Solar.
He was hoping to fight climate change and support at least one nonprofit in going solar, Myriam said. This year, however, she said things may change because Biden in August executed a new order that nonprofits can benefit from the full tax credit on solar projects. She said, though, the process is still uncertain as the Treasury has not yet provided full guidance.
Youness began contacting foundations, corporations and donors soliciting funds to install solar panels on non-profits’ properties at no cost to them. They have since provided free solar power to 14 nonprofits in 12 states, including Glacier National Park, museums and Native American reservations. Their first expansion was at the Science Center in Ithaca, Myriam said.
Photo by Virginia Kropf: Robert Batt, director of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, looks at information online about Everybody Solar, a company which secures funding to install solar panels for non-profits throughout the country. The Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds is working to become the first fairgrounds in the country to have solar panels installed by Everybody Solar.
Robert Batt, director of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, said he has always been interested in solar, he said. He first learned about Everybody Solar in the fall of 2021 at the YMCA’a Camp Cory in Penn Yan. There, according to information from Myriam, 100 percent of the camp’s electrical needs are offset by solar power during the off season, reducing their bill to near zero for six months of the year.
Batt returned and brought the idea of solar panels to his board and they approved the idea.
“We have this big beautiful roof, so why don’t we have solar panels?” Batt wondered.
The Extension will have 77 solar panels installed on the roof of the Knights Building. Installation will begin as soon as fundraising is complete. The total cost of the project is $57,665, with $28,403 already raised. This includes $10,000 pledged by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s board, Batt said.
Batt explained they have two meters at the fairgrounds, one for the exhibit buildings and the other for the Dwight Hill office building. The solar panels will serve the fairgrounds, not only reducing or nearly eliminating their power bill, but providing an environmental impact reduction. The first year of production is estimated to be 29,145 KW hours, or 103 percent of the fair’s usage. This translates to an environmental impact of offsetting 22.7 tons of CO2/year; 527.5 trees; and 47.8 barrels of oil.
Everybody Solar’s goal is to reduce operating costs for nonprofits, making them more sustainable so they can do more charitable work in their communities, and to protect the environment, Myriam said.
“We’re excited about this project,” she said.
The modules are in the process of being shipped and panels will be shipped when funding is completed.
Myriam said they hope to have all the funds by fall and will aim for installation shortly after. Anyone wishing to make a donation may do so by logging on to everybodysolar.org and clicking on Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension on their project page. On that page is an option to “donate here.” Or donations made be made at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension and designated for “solar project.”
Not only does Everybody Solar work to offset 100 percent of the costs to nonprofits through grant-writing, sponsorships, crowd-sourcing and fundraising events, but they work directly with industry experts to research local regulations, contact and evaluate solar installers, establish long-term partnerships with manufacturers and provide technical support to the nonprofits to make sure the installations come to life.
Paradise Energy Solutions of Geneva has been hired to do the work.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2023 at 9:15 pm
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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 January 2023 at 3:52 pm
(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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 January 2023 at 12:42 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Orleans County Legislator John Fitzak, right, presents a proclamation for National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Accepting the proclamation on Tuesday are Sharon Nenni, left, a caseworker for the Safe Harbour Program and Theresa Elam-Zwifka, director of services for the for Orleans County Department of Social Services.
Legislators highlighted human trafficking which is a commercial sex act induced by force, fraud, or coercion or when a person induced to perform such an act is not yet 18 years old.
Legislators also said trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
“Human trafficking can happen to anyone, but certain populations are disproportionately at risk, including people affected by prior abuse or sexual violence, poverty, and unstable living situations or homelessness, as well as those systemically marginalized and underserved,” legislators said in the resolution.
The county a year ago used a state grant to start the Safe Harbour program, which is designed to offer a safe place for teens (12-18 years of age). In addition to providing education and awareness, Safe Harbour provides lessons in life skills to promote a strong foundation to help children launch into their future.
The Legislature on Tuesday voted to accept $43,350 in Safe Harbour NY funding from the state Office of Children and Family Services. That will fund a countywide response to child trafficking and exploitation during 2023.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 January 2023 at 6:47 pm
The unemployment rate in Orleans County was 3.4 percent in December, one of the lowest rates on record in the county but up slightly from the 3.2 percent in December 2021.
In Orleans there were 16,400 people working in December 2022, compared to 16,300 in December 2021, according to the state Department of Labor. The number of people on unemployment was up from 500 to 600 during those 12 months, according to DOL data.
Other nearby unemployment rates from December 2022 include Genesee at 2.9%, Erie at 3.2%, Livingston at 2.9%, Monroe at 2.9%, Niagara at 3.5% and Wyoming at 3.3%.
Statewide the rate was 3.8 percent (down from 4.5 percent in December 2021) and nationally it was at 3.3 percent (down from 3.7 percent in December 2021).
The unemployment rate in Orleans is edging up after reaching a record low of 2.5 percent in October 2022. It was then 3.0 percent in November 2022.
Before 2022, the county’s unemployment rate has only dipped below 4 percent a few times in the past three decades:
During 1990s, Orleans was below 4 percent twice – 3.8 percent in September 1999 and 3.9 percent in October 1999.
From 2000 to 2009, the rate dipped below 4 percent twice – 3.8 percent in September 2000 and 3.6 percent in October 2000.
From 2010 to 2019, the unemployment rate was below 4 percent five times – 3.5 percent in September and October 2018, 3.7 percent in November 2018, 3.7 percent in September 2019, and 3.8 percent in October 2019.
Then in 2021, the rate only dropped below 4 percent with 3.8 percent in November and then 3.2 percent in December.
During the pandemic, the unemployment rate hit a high of 16.8 percent in April 2020.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 January 2023 at 11:23 am
ALBION – The Orleans County is making a big change in its meeting schedule, starting tomorrow.
For at least 25 years, the meetings have been on Wednesdays. They used to be the second and fourth Wednesdays, generally starting at 4:30 p.m. They then changed to once a month on the fourth Wednesday.
But the Legislature decided to try to fourth Tuesdays this year, with the first session on the new schedule tomorrow.
The Legislature is changing the meeting times to see if that will boost public participation in the county government.
In 2023, the Legislature will meet on the fourth Tuesday during the months of January, March, April, May, June, August, September and October. The meetings will be on the third Tuesday for February, July and December.
The regular meeting on Tuesday starts at 4:30 p.m., but there will be a public hearing at 4:25 on an application for assistance for Freeze-Dry in Albion.
The meeting is in the legislative chambers at the Orleans County Office Building, 14016 Route 31 W in Albion.
Some of the resolutions on the agenda include:
• Setting a public hearing for 6 p.m. on Feb. 9 to reapportion the four legislative districts for the County Legislature.
• Submitting a Community Development Block Grant application to the state for up to $675,000. That grant would assist Freeze-Dry in a $3 million investment and expansion at 11 West Ave. The company is estimating the project will create 45 new jobs.
• Endorsing an application from the Vintage Aircraft Group, which is seeking state funding to purchase and install a solar farm at Pine Hill Airport in Barre.
• Approving an agreement with LeBella Associates to be paid up to $165,000 for architectural and engineering services for a new fuel farm for the county on West Academy Street by the Orleans County DPW.
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.
