Ashleigh Stornelli called great role model in community

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – State Sen. Rob Ortt presents Ashleigh Stornelli with the “Woman of Distinction” award for the 62^nd Senate District during a presentation today at the Orleans County Public Safety Building. Sheriff Chris Bourke is in back left.

Ortt and the other state senators can each pick one person in their district for the honor. Ortt said he wanted to highlight a woman working in law enforcement for the award. He wanted the award to go to a woman with high character and who is recognized as a role model.

Sheriff Bourke suggested Stornelli, who has worked in the Sheriff’s Office for six years after starting with the Holley Police Department.

“She is an excellent person and she does a great job for us,” Bourke said during an awards presentation today in the Sheriff’s Office.

Stornelli spent the past three years as the school resource officer Kendall Central School.

She switched back to road patrol to have more flexibility in her schedule so she has the option of being on the county’s SWAT team.

Ortt praised Stornelli for building positive relationships at the Kendall school district and for her training in de-escalating situations with people in a mental health crisis.

Deputy Ashleigh Stornelli accepts the “Woman of Distinction” award today. She was joined by family members, including her husband Trey, son Iziah, daughter Elliana, mother Cheri Poler, and grandmother Theresa Poler.

The award is usually presented in the State Capitol but that ceremony with all 63 award winners throughout the state isn’t happening in Albany due to Covid-19 concerns. Ortt wanted to present the recognition for Stornelli in front of her family and some of her colleagues at the Sheriff’s Office.

Stornell said she gives “110 percent” to the career.

“I take my job extremely seriously and I take it to heart,” she said.

She thanked the sheriff for giving her a chance six years ago when she was hired as a deputy.

Bourke praised her for developing a safety program at Kendall school district and for connecting with many of the students, including having them try a DWI simulator to show the impact of getting behind the wheel while impaired.

Ashleigh Stornelli laughs at a  comment from State Sen. Rob Ortt. He praised her for wanting to advance her career in the Sheriff’s Office.

“In a field that is dominated by men to have a kick-ass woman I think is pretty good,” he said.

Stornelli also was congratulated by County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson and County legislator Ken DeRoller. They praised the Kendall school district for its support of having a deputy work in the district as a school resource officer.

Stornelli grew up in Lyndonville and graduated in Lyndonville’s Class of 2010. She played soccer, basketball, and track at Lyndonville, and then earned an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice at Genesee Community College.

In 2014 she joined the Army National Guard as a 32B — Military Police Officer. She graduated from the 42nd Military Police Company in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in February 2015, and was stationed at the 222nd Military Police Company in Rochester for six years.

In 2015, she was accepted into the Erie County Community College Police Academy and graduated with the 126th Basic Academy Class.

Press Release, Sheriff Chris Bourke

File photo by Tom Rivers: Jeff Gifaldi takes the oath of office on Jan. 6, 2020 as chief deputy of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office. Gifaldi has been promoted to undersheriff. He is shown in this photo with his wife Kelly and daughter Anna. Scott Wilson, the jail superintendent, is at back left.

ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke announces the appointment of Jeffrey Gifaldi to the position of Undersheriff and Robin Riemer to the position of Chief Deputy of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, effective September 20.

Undersheriff Gifaldi has over 21 years of experience including serving the Holley and Albion Police Departments as well as many years at the O.C. Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff, Criminal Investigator, Accident Reconstruction Specialist, Major Felony Crime Task Force member, Fire Investigator and most recently, serving as the Chief Deputy of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Deputy Riemer has 34 years experience in law enforcement including serving as a Correction Officer in the Orleans County Jail, Medina Police Department, Brighton Police Department, MCC Public Safety, O.C. Sheriff’s Marine Division, and most recently as a Sergeant in the Criminal Division. Chief Riemer is a N.Y.S. Certified Police instructor in many disciplines.

Undersheriff Michael Mele retired in August of 2021 following a career of over 22 years of service to the citizens of Orleans County. We wish him well in his future endeavors.

Press Release, Orleans County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch

ALBION – Orleans County works closely with Modern Disposal Services to provide a countywide solid waste program for all of our residents who participate in our program. From time to time, we unfortunately experience some delays in providing this service as scheduled.

Today’s delays are related to the universal staffing problem all employers are having this year. Employees are changing jobs or taking unexpected time off and there is not enough capacity with the employees who do report to work to complete the scheduled assigned tasks or routes.  Therefore solid waste pickups are delayed for one day.

The routes affected today are all of the routes in the town of Clarendon. In the town of Murray we have Route 31, Hindsburg Road, Fancher Road, and Route 237 north of Holley.  All of today’s affected routes will be picked up on Saturday.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this creates for our residents along the affected routes,” said Jack Welch, county chief administrative officer.“If these residents leave out their solid waste, Modern Disposal will have your items collected as soon as Modern is able on Saturday.”

This map from the State Canal Corp. shows where the state will be using canal water to supplement local tributaries and boost fishing opportunities for the fall salmon runs.

ALBION – Last year the State Canal Corp. tried a pilot program, releasing water from the canal into local tributaries for the fall fishing runs.

The program was deemed a success and it will continue this year. The Canal Corp. on Thursday started releasing water into tributaries and will keep doing that until Dec. 13.

That will extend the fall fishing season, and should ensure adequate water flow in streams for salmon, trout and steelhead to swim upstream.

The schedule for releasing water includes:

• Increased flows from Sept. 16 through Dec. 13 for Oak Orchard River in Orleans County, Sandy Creek in Orleans and Monroe counties, and Eighteen Mile Creek in Niagara.
• The flows will be increased from Nov. 4 through Dec. 13 for Johnson Creek in Orleans and Niagara counties, and Salmon Creek in Orleans and Monroe counties.

Fishing has a $28 million annual impact in Orleans County. The local officials say the extended season will be a boost for local restaurants, lodging establishments and other businesses.

The project is part of the “Reimagine the Canals” initiative to better utilize the canal and support many recreational opportunities along the canal system.

Local Orleans EDA says board would lose important connections without elected leaders

Photo by Tom Rivers: Michael Dobell (second from right in back) is the CEO/CFO of the Orleans Economic Development Agency. He is shown speaking during last Friday’s board meeting. Four of the seven board members are elected officials, including Chairman Paul Hendel, far right, who is a member of the Murray Town Board. Three county legislators – Ken DeRoller, John DeFilipps and Skip Draper – also are on the board.

ALBION – Members of the Orleans Economic Development Agency have been closely watching a bill in Albany that would ban elected officials from serving on boards of the industrial development agencies.

The legislation passed in the State Senate but failed in the State Assembly earlier this month. Proponents of the legislation say the elected officials can give out tax breaks and assistance to businesses through their roles on the IDA, and then may ask those businesses for campaign donations.

State Sen. James Skoufis of the Hudson Valley sponsored the legislation that he said would eliminate conflcits of interest for IDA board members. He wants to prohibit any elected official serving at the county, town, city, or village level from serving as a member of the board of any IDA.

In Orleans County, four of the seven board members on the Orleans EDA are elected officials. Paul Hendel, the board chairman, is a Murray town councilman. Three others are county legislators – Ken DeRoller of Kendall, John DeFilipps of Clarendon and Skip Draper of Shelby.

The three other board members who aren’t elected officials include John Misiti, Ed Urbanik of Farm Credit and Carol D’Agostino, the Kendall High School principal.

The Orleans EDA members aren’t hitting up businesses that work with the EDA for campaign dollars in their low-budget re-election efforts, EDA board members said.

Hendel said the board members, especially the county legislators, have important connections within the county government and community, as well as with state and federal officials. The County Legislature provides $190,000 of the EDA budget and also contributes other important in-kind services with infrastructure work.

The elected officials also are engaged in local issues, and can give insights on potential stumbling blocks with projects and also ways to keep economic development initiatives moving forward.

Kevin Zanner, the EDA attorney, told the board on Friday he doesn’t expect the state legislation, banning elected officials from IDA boards, will gain any momentum in Albany.

If the legislation was approved and the elected couldn’t serve on the board, the EDA could be hard-pressed to find volunteers to serve in the roles that would bring a depth of experience and insight to match the elected officials.

In the past, when the EDA had a vacancy on the board, it has sometimes reached out to a recently retired elected official. Ken Rush, a former county legislator, served on the board after he ended his time on the Legislature.

Two of the current board members – DeRoller and DeFilipps – are retiring from Legislature after this year. The County Legislature, which appoints some of the EDA members, could ask the outgoing legislators to continue to serve with the EDA in 2022.

The number of people unemployed in Orleans is about half of what it was last summer, according to State Department of Labor data for July.

In Orleans County, the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in July, compared to 11.5 percent in July 2020, when many businesses were scaled down due to Covid-19 restrictions. In July 2019, before the pandemic, the unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in Orleans.

There are 900 more working in Orleans compared to year ago. There were 16,400 working in Orleans County in July, compared to 15,500 in July 2020. The number on unemployment also is down from 2,000 to 1,000 during that time.

Other nearby rates for July include: Livingston, 4.6%; Monroe, 5.7%; Erie, 5.8%; Niagara, 6.0.

Statewide the unemployment rate is 7.4 percent compared to 14.8 percent in July 2020. The were 8,668,400 working statewide in July, up 626,200 from July 2020. The number on unemployment is down from 1,400,100 to 693,200.

New housing construction has slowed in county in past 15 years

Photo by Tom Rivers: The former Holley High School opened last year with 42 apartments, which were quickly filled. A report about housing in Orleans County said more townhouses, smaller single-family homes needed in the county.

ALBION – A report about housing in Orleans County advises local officials to consider some zoning changes to allow for single-family housing on smaller lot sizes, and also encourage more high-density development, such as townhouses and condominiums.

The report, presented to the Orleans County Legislature last week by LaBella, said the county has an aging housing stock and about half of the houses need repairs.

The median household income in the county also makes it difficult for landlords to charge enough rent, making for a low return on investment.

Building permits for housing are about a third of what they were 15 years ago. The redevelopment of the former Holley High School, which added 42 apartment units last year, is an exception. Those units were quickly rented out and show there is demand for high-density living in the county.

The county paid LaBella $5,000 for the study. County Legislator Ken DeRoller of Kendall advocated for the study after seeing local building permits plummet in recent years and the population steadily decline. DeRoller said that may be a reflection that the existing housing and zoning are not in sync with housing development.

He is suggesting local officials look to set aside some land for housing that may currently be farmland. That is a discussion that should be taken up among farmers, the county’s Farmland Protection Board and local officials. If the zoning was changed to allow smaller lots, DeRoller said there would be affordable new housing opportunities with only a small impact to productive farmland.

There are also opportunities for new construction with vacant lots in villages. DeRoller also sees the Erie Canal as an attractive waterfront option with the right zoning in place.

Key findings in the report include:

• Single-family, owner-occupied units dominate the market: About 50 percent of housing stock throughout the county is comprised of single-family homes on large lots. Future projections show a need for smaller homes on smaller lot sizes, which would also drive down the costs for a new house.

• Almost 50 percent of renter households have housing problems and cannot afford market rents: The report states that 49 percent of renters are living in units that are not affordable. Housing Choice vouchers available in the county address some of the affordability issues, but only a small fraction of the need. The report also says 51 percent  of renters have housing problems such as incomplete kitchens or bathrooms and more than one person per bedroom.

• More than 50 percent of housing stock is 60 years or older: Housing maintenance is therefore a major priority in the county, Labella stated in the report.

• Renters and homeowners both have housing problems: The number of homeowners with housing problems (3,010, according to the report) exceeds the number of renters (2,010) with housing problems.

• Return on investment is low for owners and rental developers: Rental rates in inflation adjusted dollars have decreased over the last 20 years, and home values, in inflation adjusted dollars, are also down in the 20 years. (This doesn’t include the recent spike in the past year with many homes selling for 20 to 25 percent above assessed value.) The lack of growth in rental rates and home values discourages upgrades and maintenance of homes, as well as new developments.

• Population decreasing: Orleans County’s population is down 5.9 percent from 2010 to 2020 or by 2,540 people, from 42,883 to 40,343. From 2000, the decline is 8.7 percent when the population was 44,171. “Finding ways to attract new residents would increase the demand for housing,” the report states.

• Population getting older: The average age of residents in Orleans County increased from 36.2 in 2000 to 43.0 in 2019.

• Shrinking household sizes: The size of the average household shrunk from 2.65 in 2000 to 2.28 in 2019.

• The report also finds a need for more housing units for extremely low-income households, and there is also demand for higher-priced apartments.

DePaul is close to completing a new 40-unit housing project in Albion on Liberty Street. The property is known as the Boxcar Apartments is located between the railroad tracks and Beaver Street. The complex will have 36 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units.

Housing Characteristics

• The report finds that the large majority of housing units are currently owner occupied, with 76 percent owner occupied compared to 24 percent that are renter-occupied.
• Of the occupied housing units in the county, 75 percent are single-family homes, with 11 percent mobile homes, 9 percent that are multi-unit and 5 percent that are two-family.
• New construction of housing units has generally been trending downward. There were 70 building permits for housing in 2004 and that dropped to 24 in 2017 and 23 in 2018 in Orleans County. There was an anomaly in 2019 with 65 permits for housing units, with 42 at the Holley gardens, the former Holley High School that was turned into apartments. Without the school project, there were 23 building permits for housing units in the county in 2019.
• Age of housing stock in Orleans County: The reports shows 57 percent of housing units in the county were built before 1960 and only 6 percent were constructed in last two decades. A breakdown shows 44 percent built from 1939 or earlier, 13 percent from 1940 to 1959; 20 percent from 1960 to 1979; 18 percent from 1980 to 1999; and 6 percent were built in 2000 or later. The report says any housing programs in the county “must” include a component to rehab older homes. Some of those older housing units may need to be demolished.
• Median housing values: Using inflation adjusted values, median housing values in the county have slightly decreased from $105,874 in 2000, $100,366 in 2010 to $98,400 in 2019.
• Median gross rent has also fallen. Using inflation adjusted values, the gross rent for Orleans County rentals has dropped from $774 in 2000 to $732 in 2010 to $728 in 2019.
• Affordability: The report says nearly half of renters, 47 percent, are living in housing that is unaffordable and over 18 percent of renters are spending more than 50 percent of their income on housing. Three out of four homeowners are living in housing that is affordable. Some subsidies are needed to help lower-income people have affordable housing.
• Housing problems: Overall, 31 percent of households report a housing problem, which could include basic needs like a complete kitchen and bathroom facilities. The report said programs for housing rehab are needed but some of the houses are so unsafe and dilapidated it doesn’t make sense to rehab them and they should be torn down.

Demographic Characteristics 

• Population loss: Orleans County’s population is down 8.7 percent from 2000 to 2020, according to the report which cited census data. That is a decline of 3,828 people over 20 years. The population in Orleans was 40,343 in 2020, down from 42,883 in 2010 and 44,171 in 2000.
• The decline on household sizes could result in less demand for the larger single-family houses in the future, according to the report.
• Medina age: The county’s median age has changed significantly from 36.2 in 2000 to 43.0 in 2019, likely due to stagnant population growth, lack of young families and people moving out of county. During that same period, the median age in the state went from 36 to 39 years old, and nationally it went up from 35 to 38.5. Based on current trends and projections, nearly 60 percent of the Orleans County population will be 45 or older by 2040.

ALBION – Property owners in the Lyndonville and Medina school districts will have their school taxes collected by the Orleans County Treasurer’s Office.

The county collected Medina’s taxes for the first time last year and is paid $19,000 for the work. Lyndonville is in its first year of contracting with the County Treasurer’s Office at a cost of $12,000.

Orleans County Treasurer Kim DeFrank has been delegated to be the sole and exclusive authority to collect 2021/2022 school taxes for the Lyndonville and Medina school districts, beginning Sept. 1 through Nov. 1.

The Treasurer’s Office is located at 34 East Park Street, Albion NY 14411. It is accepting tax payments in person, by US mail or a safe and secure drop box outside the Treasurer’s Office.  Cash payments may be made in person only.

The hours of operations include Sept. 1-3 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Labor Day, and then from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Sept. 7.

Any questions regarding these payments may be made by contacting the Orleans County Treasurer at (585) 589-5353.

Nyla Gaylord left to join United Way in Orleans County

ALBION – While the resignation of Nyla Gaylord in early July as executive director may have left a big void in the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, the agency is moving forward with a lot of positive energy, according to board president Sister Dolores O’Dowd.

Gaylord served with GOMOC for 5 ½ years, with more than four of those as executive director. She has accepted a position as director of development and fundraising for United Way of Orleans County.

“We appreciate all the time, effort and expertise she shared with employees, board members and especially the clients of Orleans and Genesee counties,” Sister O’Dowd shared in their summer newsletter.

Meanwhile, the search for a new executive director is continuing.

“We are looking for someone who has a heart for our ministry and someone who is also familiar with the agencies in Orleans and Genesee County with whom we work,” Sister O’Dowd said.

While the past year and a half have been challenging, GOMOC can celebrate a lot of successes. These include the purchase of a new furniture truck with a lift gate, made possible with a generous donation and grant from the Lyndonville Foundation.

“In spite of the challenges, we managed to keep our office going,” Sister O’Dowd said. “No one refused to come to work because of Covid. “We are thankful we could continue to help people with the money we received from grants.

In January this year, GOMOC was the recipient of a $50,000 grant from Eastman Savings and Loan, made possible by United Way of Orleans County. This allowed for creating the ESL/Covid Relief Housing Project to help families and individuals who were economically and financially disadvantaged and who suffered from either loss of income due to Covid or had difficulty making ends meet. GOMOC was able to provide rental/mortgage assistance and help with outstanding utility bills.

Although the ESL/Covid Relief Program ended July 31, GOMOC will continue to service income-eligible families in need through other funding sources and referral processes, wrote program coordinator Lydia Duncan in their newsletter.

Sister O’Dowd is especially excited about a new Financial Literacy Workshop started by Just Friends coordinator and advocate Ayesha Kreutz. Funded by a Heritage Wind community grant, the program is open to residents of Orleans County 12 to 18 years old and their parents. Five participants aged 12 to 18 years will receive a $300 scholarship to open their own investment portfolio or start a business. The program will focus on everything from investing money and saving for the future to interviewing skills, how to get and keep a job, life insurance, budgeting and their credit score. The first class started the second week of August.

Last year, GOMOC handed out school supplies to almost 300 children through donations from individuals and a grant from the Emma Reed Webster Aid Foundation. They are hoping to do the same this year and are still accepting donations of new school supplies and backpacks.

Sister O’Dowd reported the resignation of advocate Sharon Quill, who worked with the furniture program. That void has just been filled by hiring of Gretta Smith, who will start Tuesday as advocate.

Sister O’Dowd said Smith brings a lot to the Ministry of Concern.

“She is a college student in her senior year at Daemon College,” Sister O’Dowd said. “She has worked with many organizations in our area and worked with the poor. She is young and has a lot of good ideas. She will be a good fit.”

GOMOC had to cancel their annual fundraising gala due to Covid, but plan to reschedule it as soon as the danger of Covid has gone away.

“For now, we are depending upon donations from the community and grants,” Sister O’Dowd said.

The Ministry of Concern can also use items such as toilet paper; backpack and school supplies; any size mattresses, box springs and frames; new and gently used sheets and blankets in any size; appliances, such as refrigerators, electric stoves, microwave ovens, washers and dryers; small appliances, including toasters, coffee makers, hand mixers, hot plates, blenders and crock pots; paper towels, tissues, dish and laundry detergent and cleaning supplies; new bed pillows; bath and kitchen towers; and dressers, end tables, recliner chairs; loveseats, sofas, tables and chairs.

Information on how to donate cash or items is available by calling (585) 589-9210 or logging on to their website at www.ministryofconcern.org.

The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its 23rd annual business awards. The deadline to nominate a business or person is Sept. 12.

The categories include:

• Business of the Year – This award is presented to a business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year.
• Lifetime Achievement – This award is presented to an individual with a long-term record of outstanding business achievements.
• Phoenix Award – This award is presented to an organization or business that has successfully adapted or re-used an existing facility.
• New Business of the Year – This award is presented to a business or organization that has opened in the past year.
• Community Service Award – This award is presented to a business, organization or individual that has provided meaningful contributions to the community in either professional or non-professional spheres.
• Agricultural Business of the Year – This award is presented to an agricultural business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year.
• Small Business of the Year – This award is presented to a small business that has experienced significant achievements/success throughout the year.

Send a nomination to the OCCC, PO Box 501, Medina, NY or email it to director@orleanschamber.com, through Google forms (click here) or the Chamber’s Facebook page.

The businesses and individuals will be recognized during an awards dinner on Oct. 21 at the White Birch in Lyndonville.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: From left, Nancy Traxler, head of the Joint Veterans’ Council, Jackie Lonnen, office worker, and legislator Fred Miller pose with a cake honoring volunteer van drivers at Shelby Volunteer Fire Company on Friday noon. Certificates of appreciation were also presented to a dozen and a half volunteer drivers.

MEDINA – A dozen and a half volunteer drivers in the Joint Veterans’ Council’s van service were recognized at a reception Wednesday at Shelby Fire Hall.

The Joint Veterans Council director Nancy Traxler and van service coordinator Phyllis Schrader presented certificates of appreciation to the volunteer drivers.

The drivers are usually recognized annually with a picnic at the Joint Veterans’ Council office, but because 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the program, it was decided to celebrate with a catered lunch.

The volunteer van service was started Dec. 13, 1996 by Jim Andre of Kendall, who saw a need for such a service in Orleans County, Schrader said. They started with a card table, a phone and one van.

Frank  Tower was head of the Joint Veterans’ Council when Andre went to the American Legion and VFW to help in getting his idea started.

One of the longest serving volunteer drivers is Ralph Clute, who started in 1998. He said he has been amazed at how the program has grown over the years. Clute, who served in the Navy, said all of the drivers are veterans themselves or wives of a veteran.

Clockwise from left, Phyllis Schrader, coordinator of the Joint Veterans’ Council volunteer van drivers, and volunteer drivers Judy Larkin, Irene Braley, Butch Patten, Jean Karos and Lee Plummer enjoy conversation at a reception Friday recognizing the volunteers.

After starting out with one van and two drivers (Ron Weaver and Andre), there are now five vans and 25 volunteer drivers. There is always a need for more volunteers, Schrader said.

“This new generation doesn’t volunteer any more,” she said.

Butch Patten of Albion had been a longtime volunteer until he was forced to quit when he developed diabetes. Then he volunteered to work in the office.

Lee Plummer of Lyndonville became a volunteer because Schrader, a former classmate of his, talked him into it.

Traxler stressed how important the van service is to local veterans. She cited the case just recently when a 90-year-old veteran’s caregiver contacted the Joint Veterans’ Council, saying the man had no relatives or friends who could drive. He needed to get to some medical appointments, and the volunteer van service was able to set them all up and get him there.

“The volunteer drivers provide a great service to our community,” said County Legislator Fred Miller. “Volunteering is not a very thankful job. Our veterans have done so much for us, and these volunteers have my admiration.”