Database lists local products and services from Orleans County contractors, vendors and suppliers

Photo by Tom Rivers: Art Hill Excavating did the site work for the new hotel in on Maple Ridge Road in medina. That hotel will be a Comfort Inn & Suites and is expected to open in March.

ALBION – The Orleans Economic Development Agency is urging local businesses to register or renew their listing with the “Only in Orleans” database.

The EDA created the site in 2017 as a database of available products and services from Orleans County contractors, vendors and suppliers. Companies doing projects in the county could then easily see options for working with local businesses for new construction or other projects. There is no charge to be included on Only in Orleans.

“The Only in Orleans database gives us an overview of the local products and services that might be available for projects coming down the pipeline,” said Michael Dobell, chief executive officer of the Orleans EDA. “A reliable list of local companies that can be plugged in to new development or expansion projects gives us a competitive strength.”

General, electrical and mechanical contractors and those who perform site work, masonry, roofing, paving, excavating, survey, engineering and landscaping services can review the criteria and registration form at Only in Orleans.

Vendors that also supply equipment or materials for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing or excavation projects or have lumber, computers, fixtures, furniture or greenhouses in Orleans County are also encouraged to register on the website.

The Only in Orleans database is a resource for companies doing construction in the county that are looking to hire locally for the work.

The Orleans Economic Development Agency cannot advocate for one business over another. There are no guarantees or incentives tied to anything related to registration or listing in the local database, the EDA said.

The “Register” page of “Only in Orleans” contains a link to the registration form which is submitted to the portal upon completion. The database is simply a way for the agency to maintain active contractor and vendor information.

ALBION — Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke was authorized by the County Legislature to pursue leasing five new patrol vehicles and have them up-fitted, at a cost not to exceed $86,000.

There is currently a state-wide shortage of patrol vehicles as well as multiple microchip shortages due manufacturing shutdowns from Covid-19, county legislators said on Wednesday.

In other action, the Legislature:

• Approved an agreement between the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Works where one full-time DPW employee will be assigned to do maintenance at the county jail at a rate not to exceed $84,679 during 2022.

• Authorized the Sheriff’s Office to spend $39,168 for new handguns, $5,247 for ammunition, and $17,244 for the less-than-lethal Tasers.

• Authorized the treasurer to use $188,268 of American Rescue Plan Act funds for payroll in the Public Safety Communication System, Sheriff’s Office and Jail.

• Approved a $12,500 stipend for full-time attorneys in the District Attorney’s Office to bring the pay on par with attorneys in the Public Defender’s Office. A state grant has increased the pay for full-time attorneys for the Public Defender’s Office. The disparity in pay between the two offices was making it difficult to hire full-time attorneys in the District Attorney’s Office, legislators said.

The county will offer the $12,500 stipend in the DA’s Office for as long as the Public Defender’s Office receives the grant from the NYS Office of Indigent Legal Services.

• Appointed County Legislator Fred miller of Albion to the Orleans County Jury Board for a two-year term.

• Appointed County Legislator Skip Draper of Medina for a two-year term as a trustee representing Orleans County on the 8th Judicial District Law Library Board of Trustees.

• Authorized the Health Department to spend up to $100,000 for an anti-rabies vaccine for post-exposure treatment for Orleans County residents.

• Appointed County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson to a two-year term on the Genesee Transportation Council Board and John Papponetti, the County DPW superintendent, to serve as an alternative. Papponetti also was appointed to serve on the GTC Planning Committee.

• The following were appointed to three-year terms on the Orleans County Planning Board: Bruce Kirby representing Gaines, Chris Watt as alternate for Gaines, Mylynda Kuba representing Holley, and Monica Seeler as Holley alternate.

• Reappointed the following to the Oak Orchard Watershed Board: County Legislator Ed Morgan who is chairman of the Soil and Water Conservation District Board, Guy Smith of Albion, Peter Smith of Albion and Jon Peglow of Barre.

• Reappointed the following to the Orleans County Board of Ethics: Julie Christensen, retired Kendall school district superintendent; Russ Martino, retired Yates town supervisor and Lyndonville principal, and John DeFilipps, retired county legislator.

• Appointed county legislators Bill Eick of Shelby and Fred Miller of Albion to two-year terms on the Local Development Corporation Board.

• Authorized the Health Department to spend $130,880 to make an emergency purchase of KN95 masks and iHealth OTC test kits from Vizocom in El Cajon, Calif. The department will coordinate with local school districts on their reopening plans and will include Covid-19 testing. There is no county cost in the purchase.

• Approved spending $17,182 for 26 Panasonic cameras and mounting junction boxes, 10 Ubiquiti POE switches and two level 4 Ubiquiti Enterprise switches. The equipment is needed “to protect Orleans County assets from external threats to safety and security and provide robust connectivity throughout the county,” legislators stated in a resolution.

The unemployment rate was at 3.1 percent in Orleans County in December, which is the lowest rate in at least 30 years.

The county 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.
• Since 2020, the rate only dropped below 4 percent the past two months – 3.8 percent in November and then 3.1 percent in December.

The state Department of Labor reports about 500 people in the county are on unemployment, the lowest since at least 1990. (Click here to see a database on the labor force in Orleans County since 1990.) There were 1,100 unemployed in December 2020.

The labor force currently totals 16,900 in Orleans County, which is down from 17,200 in December 2020, 17,500 in December 2019, and a drop of 2,000 from the 18,900 in December 2012. Going back to December 2005, the labor force was over 20,000 at 20,100.

During the pandemic, the unemployment rate hit a high of 16.8 percent in April 2020. In 2021, the rate peaked at 7.6 percent in February and has steadily declined from 5.7 percent in July, 5.6 percent in August, 4.2 percent in September, 4.1 percent in October, 3.8 percent in November and 3.1 percent in December.

State-wide the unemployment rate is at 5.0 percent in December, down from 8.5 percent in December 2020. The US unemployment rate is at 3.7 percent in December, down from 6.5 percent in December 2020.

The unemployment rate among the GLOW counties in December includes 2.7 percent in Genesee, 2.6 percent in Livingston, 3.1 percent in Orleans and 3.1 percent in Wyoming.

Among New York counties, the rate is highest in the Bronx at 11.1 percent and lowest at 2.2 percent at Columbia, Saratoga and Tompkins.

Press Release, Orleans County Emergency Management Office

The Orleans County Emergency Management Office is asking the public not to call for an ambulance in a non-emergency situation so ambulances and EMS crews can focus on those with medical emergencies.

There has been a large increase in ambulances being requested for non-emergency situations causing a burden on the limited number of ambulances available in our region, the EMO said in a news release.

An ambulance should only be requested when a true emergency exists. Many ambulances, hospitals and urgent cares are overwhelmed right now by patients who are not experiencing medical emergencies.

When should you call 911 for an ambulance?

• If someone is experiencing a true medical emergency, call 911.
• Some examples of true medical emergencies include the following: cardiac arrest, choking, chest pains, difficulty breathing, sudden confusion, altered mental status, if moving a patient could cause further injury, too weak to move or unsteady, seizures, allergic reaction, unconsciousness, falls with injuries and uncontrolled bleeding are a few examples but not all.
• If you have any doubts about whether a condition may be a true medical emergency call 911
• An ambulance will not get you seen in the ER faster. Going by private car, using a taxi or ride-sharing service are often cheaper than an ambulance and will get you seen just as fast based on the hospital’s triage system.
• Common colds, low grade fevers, stubbed toes, tooth aches, chronic pain, etc. are all conditions that are not life threatening and do not warrant the need for an ambulance.
• Seek treatments from urgent cares and your primary care doctor for conditions that are not emergencies.

“The ambulance you call for something that isn’t an emergency could take an ambulance away from someone who truly needs it, delaying their care and potentially causing them greater injury or even death,” the Orleans County Emergency Management Office said.

Municipalities develop ‘comprehensive strategy to transform the waterfront communities’

Photo by Tom Rivers: Ed Flynn, director of planning at LaBella Associates, goes over a Canal Corridor Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan for the villages of Albion and Holley, and the towns of Albion, Murray, Gaines, Ridgeway and Shelby. He is speaking at a recent County Legislature meeting. The Village of Medina has developed its own waterfront plan.

ALBION – A group of local officials that studied how to better utilize the Erie Canal has completed its plan and submitted it to the state for a final review.

A steering committee developed a Canal Corridor Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan for the villages of Albion and Holley, and the towns of Albion, Murray, Gaines, Ridgeway and Shelby. The Village of Medina decided to work on its own waterfront plan and has submitted it to the state for a final OK.

The plan outside of Medina along the canal includes upgrading downtown buildings, developing a new marina in Albion, installing kayak launches and signage.

The county received a state grant for $62,000 to develop the plan and hired LaBella Associates as a consultant on the project. Ed Flynn, director of planning at LaBella, presented the final plan to the County Legislature recently.

He called the plan “a comprehensive strategy to transform the waterfront communities.” It is the first plan in the county that is focused on better utilizing the Erie Canal. The plan, which identifies many priority projects, will be an asset in helping the municipalities pursue state grants for the initiatives and also setting a clear course for the future, Flynn said.

Courtesy of Labella Associates: A committee looking at ways to better utilize the Erie Canal has suggested a privately owned marina that offers gas and other services would draw more boating traffic to the Albion area.

The steering committee set four goals with the plan:

1. Leverage the Canal’s Recreational Resources – capitalize on the canal’s wealth of land and water-based recreational sources.

2. Stimulate Tourism along the Canal – attract local, regional and national visitors to promote the long-term sustainability of the Erie Canal.

3. Accelerate Revitalization of Corridor Communities – investments in villages, downtowns, and anchors along the corridor will improve the economy and quality of life for Orleans County residents and benefit businesses and tourists.

4. Promote the Corridor’s Identity, Sense of Place, and History – protect, promote and leverage the canal corridor’s unique character and culture to advance the revitalization of Orleans County and the corridor communities.

The steering committee identified eight priority projects that provide access to the waterfront, increase recreational opportunities and advance economic development opportunities.

Some of the proposed priority projects include:

• Canal Corridor Building Assistance Program: would provide grant funding of up to $600,000 to assist multiple buildings or an anchor building with interior and exterior improvements. Albion and Holley have both received New York Main Street grants for building improvements in the downtown.
• Small Business Assistance Program: A countywide program with grant and loan funding to assist new and existing businesses with growth, with restaurants and culinary operations getting the priority.
• Activate the Canal Waterfront: Repurpose underutilized spaces, including parking lots, which could be turned into performance space and improved aesthetically with landscaping and lighting. The initiative would include rear facade upgrades and enhanced water recreation opportunities. The committee used the Village of Albion’s parking lot by the canal near Platt Street as an example of space that could be improved. The committee suggested Albion redesign and resurface a parking lot by the canal, adding lighting and landscaping and making the space available to be used for concerts and events.
• 

  The committee suggested Albion redesign and resurface a parking lot by the canal, adding lighting and landscaping and making the space available to be used for concerts and events.

  Increase Water-Based Recreation Facilities: Add kayak and boat launches, piers and tie-ups in the villages of Albion and Holley. The area needs private entities to offer kayak rentals.

• Construct a marina in Albion: A private marina is needed that offers gas services, tie-ups and other services.
• Install signage along the Canal: There needs to be signs with distances to the next ports and nearby canal communities. There should also be signs directing people to businesses and services.
• Winter Recreation Program: This could include “pop-up” temporary ice skating rinks, cross country skiing and winter festivals.
• Siphon for agriculture: Siphoning water from the canal reduces agriculture costs and also can be used to provide water for creeks and fishing.

Some other projects identified by the steering committee include: Arts along the canal with statues and public art relevant to the canal and county; Trail connections to natural areas (Groth Road in Murray and Presbyterian Road in Knowlesville area); Celebrate the Holley canal loop with pavement, lighting and signage; Attract a rental business offering bikes and kayaks; Promote tugboats; Upgrade the towpath trail surface for bikes, increase the number of events and redevelop the Murray quarry ponds for recreation.

The plan has been submitted to the Department of State for a final review.

Press Release, Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon

ALBION – The Pistol Permit “Recertification” Process, also recently referred to in the news as “renewal” of your pistol permit, has been a topic of much discussion and also has caused many inquiries through the Orleans County Pistol Permit Office.

Nadine Hanlon, Orleans County Clerk, would like to provide the following information to make the recertification process easy.

The “New York State Pistol/Revolver License Recertification” is a process handled entirely by the New York State Police Pistol Permit Bureau in Albany. The Orleans County Pistol Permit Office cannot accept these forms for filing.

The recertification process is in addition to the usual local processing of activity on your Orleans County Pistol Permit – it is a summary of your current pistol permit status to Albany, which is mandatory every 5 years.

The Orleans County Pistol Permit Office does not have information on your current recertification status.

If you do not have internet access, please call the NYS Troopers in Albany at: 1-855-lawguns (1-855-529-4867) to determine your recertification status with them, and for further inquiries.

For those with internet access, you can access the New York State Police Pistol Permit website through the Orleans County Pistol Permit website, by clicking here, or search “Orleans County, NY – Pistol Permits.”

From our website, you can then access the following links on the NYS Police Pistol Permit website, as follows:

• Recertification – New York State Pistol/Revolver License Holder: New York State firearms laws require pistol/revolver license holders to recertify their status every five years.  Click here for more information.

The status of submitted recertification forms can be conveniently checked by clicking here. You will need to have your New York State Driver License or Non-Driver Identification Card in order to check or complete your recertification status.

Orleans County is joining 10 other counties in the Finger Lakes in asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to reconsider a vaccine booster requirement for healthcare workers.

Gov. Kathy Hochul

Hochul announced on Jan. 7 that healthcare workers would be required to get the booster within two weeks of being eligible.

County leaders wrote in a Jan. 12 letter to Hochul that their healthcare systems are already short-staffed and overwhelmed, and the booster mandate will further strain the hospital workforce.

“Our hospital systems are facing severe staffing shortages coupled with increasing patient loads caused by the Omicron surge,” according to the letter from county officials in Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Steuben, Livingston, Schuyler, Yates, Seneca, Ontario, Wayne and Monroe. “We have significant concerns that if even a handful of healthcare workers are dismissed for their refusal to receive the booster within the designated timeframe, it could exacerbate an already tenuous situation.”

The counties tell Hochul that each county “fully supports the value of vaccinations and has worked tirelessly to administer vaccinations to our citizens.”

The coalition of counties asked Hochul to offer a test-out option on a temporary basis for vaccinated healthcare workers who don’t have the booster in the timeframe put forth by the governor. That option could just be “until the Omicron wave subsides and the hospital capacity crisis abates,” according to the letter from the counties.

“Our concerns are the potential negative impacts to an already beleaguered healthcare workforce at a time when our communities can least afford it,” the letter concludes.

ALBION – The Orleans County made several appointments during an organizational meeting last week and also gave final approval for 2 percent raises for the legislators, the same rate as the county employees and department heads.

Legislator Don Allport cast the lone vote against the pay increases for legislators, saying local taxpayers are already seeing big hikes in inflation, driving up costs for purchases and shouldn’t have to shoulder any more increases.

With the 2 percent increases the salaries for the legislators for 2022 includes $19,243 for the chairman, $14,550 for the vice chairman and the five other legislators at $12,828 each.

The appointments and designations approved by the Legislature include:

• Lisa Stenshorn to continue as Clerk of the Legislature
• Kathy Bogan to continue as County Attorney for a term of two years
• The Daily News of Batavia designated as official newspaper for legal notices
• Don Allport designated by the Republicans as Majority Leader of the Legislature and that Fred Miller is designated by the Democrats as Minority Leader of the Legislature.
• The 2022 regular meetings of the County Legislature will be held on the fourth Wednesday of the months of January through October at 4:30 p.m. at the Orleans County Legislative Chambers. The November meeting will be the third Wednesday and the December meeting will be the third Monday.
• The Legislature appoints the following delegates and alternates to the InterCounty Association of Western New York to represent Orleans County, effective January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023: Skip Draper, John Fitzak, William Eick, Lynne Johnson, Jack Welch and Lisa Stenshorn.
• Appointed the following county legislators to board of directors for Orleans Economic Development Agency: Skip Draper of Medina and John Fitzak of Carlton.
• Appointed the following as members of the Soil and Water Conservation District Board: county legislators Bill Eick and Ed Morgan, Ridgeway town highway superintendent John Olinger.
• Appointed the following the sportsmen and legislative representatives to the Fish and Wildlife Management Act Board, terms effective January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023: county legislators Ed Morgan and Bill Eick, and Murray resident Neil Valentine.

The garbage collection today in the village of Holley and towns Albion and Murray is delayed until Saturday. The Albion section includes residents on Route 31.

“The unintended consequences of the Covid-19 rise in positive cases has affected the collection of our solid waste as scheduled,” said Jack Welch, chief administrative officer for Orleans County.

He urged residents in the affected areas to leave out their bins and Modern Disposal will collect the solid waste on Saturday.

The nearly 2,000 test kits that were distributed to municipal buildings around the county were quickly snatched up by residents.

None of the town or village halls, as well as the County Office Building have any left.

The County Emergency Management Office delivered 1,822 of the test kits, which each have two tests.

They were available for free to the public.

The County EMO expects more kits will be coming but haven’t been told how many more test kits and when they will be available.

ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Social Services is launching the Lilypad, a Safe Harbour program that is designed to be a safe place for teens (12-18 years of age).

The Lilypad is a place for teens to land where they are supported and educated prior to launching into their future. The program will be run by the Department of Social Services staff with guest speakers and presenters.

The goal of the Lilypad is to identify youth who have been trafficked, sexually exploited, or who are at risk of victimization and to meet identified service needs of these youth.

“Orleans County DSS is aware that young people are faced with incredible challenges today,” DSS said in a press release. “As a county we would like to be able to provide information and resources to Orleans County teens about Sex Trafficking, and Sexual Exploitation, which includes online safety, grooming, commercial exploitation, etc.”

In addition to providing education and awareness, the Lilypad will be providing lessons in life skills to promote a strong foundation to help children launch into their future.

The Lilypad will be located within the Hoag Library from 4 to 6 p.m. on the following dates: March 22, March 29, April 5, April 12, April 19 and April 26. Advance registration is required.  A raffle ticket will be earned for each session that a teen completes for an opportunity to win a 14-day trip to Outward Bound.

Please contact Sharon Nenni at DSS for more information, or to register your teen, contact Sharon.Nenni@orleanscountyny.gov or 585-589-3136.

If you suspect that a child or adult is being trafficked, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

2 new legislators – John Fitzak and Ed Morgan – start their terms

Photos by Tom Rivers: Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon, back to camera, administers the oath of office to the seven Orleans County legislators on Wednesday. Pictured from left include Bill Eick, Ed Morgan, Lynne Johnson, Don Allport, Fred Miller, John Fitzak and Skip Draper.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature will continue to be led by Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville.

The owner of an accounting business was unanimously picked by the other legislators to remain as chairwoman. She has been in the role the past four years and was backed for another two-year term.

Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville was picked by her colleagues on the Legislature to remain their leader. She has been chairwoman the past four years and was backed for another two-year term. She was re-elected by voters in November for a district that includes Yates, Ridgeway and small part of Shelby.

She has been a county legislator for 14 years.

Fred Miller, the only Democrat on the seven-member board, said Johnson serves the county well in the role.

“I’m happy with what she’s doing,” Miller said.

Johnson had the added responsibility of serving as interim chief administrative officer for over three months in between when Chuck Nesbitt left for a different job and Jack Welch started in March 2020.

Johnson also represents the county in weekly phone calls with an 11-county Finger Lakes group working on responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Johnson, Welch and Public Health Director Paul Pettit represent Orleans in those discussions.

Legislator Skip Draper said Johnson is an effective advocate for the county, pressing for more resources, whether vaccines, Covid tests or other funding.

“She’s done an outstanding job since she has been chair,” Draper said.

He praised her for pushing through important projects, including needed infrastructure, especially a wireless broadband expansion that has been a decade in the works.

Johnson said the Legislature is a great team. Bill Eick is the vice chairman and he has stepped up even more since he retired as a plant operator at Western New York Energy.

“I’m honored to continue as chairman of the Legislature and intend to lead our efforts on moving our community forward from the pandemic, even as we must continue to deal with new strains of the virus,” Johnson said. “We must rebuild and expand our economy and provide services to those in need. The key is to work together within the Legislature and with our partners outside county government to make the best uses of our resources.”

Johnson assigned legislators to the following committees:

• Public Safety (Sheriff, Emergency Management, District Attorney, Public Defender, Probation and Courts) – Draper, Allport and Johnson
• Health (Mental Health, Public Health) – Allport, Miller and Johnson
• Highway (Department of Public Works) – Eick, Morgan and Johnson
• Home & Community Services (Planning & Development, Tourism, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Soil & Water Conservation District, Historian) – Eick, Morgan and Johnson
• Economic Assistance & Opportunity (Social Services, Office for the Aging, Veterans, Youth Bureau, Elections, and Job Development Agency) – Miller, Fitzak and Johnson
• Administration & Finance (County Clerk, Real Property Tax Services, Computer Services, Employee Assistance Program, Personnel & Self Insurance, Treasurer, County Attorney, and Economic Development Agency) – Draper, Fitzak and Johnson
• Legislative (Chief Administrative Officer, Clerk of the Legislature, Fire Advisory Board, Off-Track Betting Corp., and Safety Committee) – Eick and Johnson

“You have a lot of work in front of you,” Johnson said after announcing the committee assignments.

Bill Eick signs the oath which was administered by County Clerk Nadine Hanlon. He represents a district that includes most of Shelby and towns of Barre and Clarendon. Eick was picked to serve as the Legislature’s vice chairman. He is a retired dairy farmer who then worked 10 years as an operator at Western New York Energy’s ethanol plant.

Ed Morgan signs the oath of office while his wife Dorothy is next to him. Morgan is retired as Murray’s highway superintendent. He serves in an at-large position which is countywide.

Don Allport signs the oath. He is also an at-large legislator, covering the entire county. There are three at-large legislators, one who lives in the east side of the county (Ed Morgan), one from central (Allport), and one from the western side (Skip Draper).

Fred Miller, a retired hardware store owner in Albion, signs the oath. His district includes the towns of Albion and Gaines. Miller is the lone Democrat on the Legislature. He previously served as an Albion village trustee.

Skip Draper signs the oath. He is the Orleans County Republican Party chairman and former Shelby town supervisor.

John Fitzak signs the oath. He is joined by his sons, Alex (left) and Nick. Fitzak will retire in May as a corrections officer at the Orleans Correctional Facility. He also has owned the Albion Redemption Center the past 19 years and is working to put in fuel and marina services at the site to serve boaters along the Erie Canal. Fitzak also served five years on the Carlton Town Board.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature meets this afternoon to determine the seven-member group’s leader for the next two years.

Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville has served as Legislature chairwoman for the past four years, twice chosen by her peers to two-year terms.

Bill Eick of Shelby has been the group’s vice chairman the past two years.

The Legislature will make other appointments during today’s meeting at 4:30 p.m., including the Legislature clerk and county attorney.

During the organizational meeting today, legislators will also vote on their salaries. The agenda calls for 2 percent raises with the chairperson to be paid $19,243, the vice chair’s salary at $14,550 and the other five legislators to be paid $12,828.

Legislators also are due to be reimbursed mileage for attending meetings and tending to other duties as a legislator.