Michael Dobell

MEDINA – The new leader of Orleans Economic Development Agency has more than a decade of experience working for major hotels in Buffalo, Rochester and Minneapolis.

Michael Dobell, 36, of Lyndonville said he brings a customer service focus to the job as executive director for the EDA. He started the position last week and succeeds Jim Whipple, who has retired but is staying on in a part-time advisory role through the end of April. Whipple led the EDA for 15 years.

Dobell, 36, was director of sales and marketing at Hyatt Regency Buffalo the past five years. Prior to that he worked for the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis and Radisson Rochester Riverside. In that career, it wasn’t just the hotel he was promoting to clients: it was the overall experience in the community.

Dobell sees a similar message in his role with the EDA. Businesses will be looking at the “total experience” in Orleans County.

“How can we best showcase the entire community?” he said. “We’re in this together. It’s really a team effort.”

Dobell said it will take the efforts of local and state officials, as well as citizens in the county, to make the community an enticing place to live and work.

He sees lots of assets for the EDA to promote to businesses, especially the 300-acre Medina Business Park, which is one of the largest certified shovel ready sites in the state. Whipple in the EDA worked more than a decade to create the park with infrastructure.

“What Jim and his team have done the past 15 years is an amazing job,” Dobell said the EDA conference room at 121 North Main St., Albion. “He laid the groundwork to take Orleans County to the next level.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: The 300-acre Medina Business Park is one of the largest certified shovel-ready sites in the state. It has all the infrastructure in place.

Dobell lives in Lyndonville with his wife, Clancy. She is the daughter of Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman. Dobell was drawn to the Lyndonville community because it is similar in size to where he grew up on a dairy farm in Andover, Allegany County. Dobell was active in the 4-H program as a kid. He earned a bachelor’s degree in financial planning from Alfred University.

“In a small town there is the camaraderie of the community and the business owners,” he said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to be part of the up and coming Orleans County development.”

Paul Hendel, the Orleans EDA board chairman, said Dobell is a “forward-thinking” leader who will make serving the local businesses and prospective companies a priority.

“He is a great fit for this organization and the entire county,” Hendel said. “He has the knowledge, skills and personality, and he has a proven track record in sales.”

Dobell is one of the three full-time staff for the EDA. Hendel agrees with Dobell’s philosophy that economic development will take the work of many in the community.

“As an organization we cannot exist in a bubble,” Hendel said. “We need support from towns, village and county and our state legislators.”

The EDA is in a good position with several sites that should be attractive to companies around the county. Hendel praised Whipple for bringing municipal partners together for EDA projects.

“Jim did a great job putting Orleans County on the map,” Hendel said. “Jim was a superstar for the agency, in my opinion. With Michael, I see a person with lot of same skill sets as Jim and a vision to take organization to the next level.”

Hendel said the economic development business is also about relationships, and building trust with business leaders. Orleans in recent years has welcomed several companies from Southern Ontario, Canada.

That Canadian province has been a “great partner” in bringing jobs to Orleans County, Hendel said.

Hendel expects to see more economic development as more progress is made getting Covid-19 under control.

“We are primed to just explode with the assets in our county and the infrastructure,” Hendel said.

Legislators also highlight Probation Department, Arc of Genesee Orleans

Robert Batt and Melissa Blanar have both been recognized as alumni of the year by Leadership Orleans.

The Orleans County Legislature last week recognized two leaders with special recognition awards, and also highlighted the Probation Department.

The Legislature also issued a proclamation declaring March as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.”

Robert Batt and Melissa Blanar were recently announced as the Leadership Orleans alumni of the year.

Blanar is director of the Office for the Aging and Batt is executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County. Blanar completed the year-long Leadership Orleans program in 2019 and Batt was in the inaugural class in 2018.

The two have stepped up leading their agencies or organizations in the past year, with added responsibilities due to Covid-19 and the restrictions from the state due to the pandemic.

Blanar and Batt also have been critical to food distributions which started last April and are currently being held most Fridays at a site in the county.

“You have gone far and beyond your professional leadership roles in serving the aging of our county during the Covid-19 pandemic through your extreme efforts in organizing multiple food distributions and other pandemic realities,” The Legislature said in the Special Recognition Award for Blanar. “This will forever be widespread, long lasting and extremely appreciated. The Orleans County Legislature does hereby commend you for your passion and dedication to our Orleans County residents.

Batt was praised his “extreme efforts in organizing multiple food distributions and other pandemic realities. This will forever be widespread, long lasting and extremely appreciated. The Orleans County Legislature does hereby commend you for your passion and dedication to our Orleans County residents.”

• Probation Department: The Legislature also presented a Special Recognition Award to Orleans County Probation Department, congratulating the department on being recognized from NYS Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives. The state praised the county Probation Department for developing a “Best Practice” procedure for the return of Violation Of Probation: Declaration of Delinquency Petitions from the courts.

Probation also was recognized by the state for creating and using a “Probationer Handbook” which is a document developed to assist adult offenders placed under probation supervision with all aspects of their sentence.

“The Orleans County Legislature wishes to share our appreciation for your passion and dedication to the duties of your department and does hereby commend you and your team in the services you provide Orleans County and beyond,” the award states.

• Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month: The Legislature also issued a proclamation declaring March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The Legislature said developmental disabilities affect more than 7 million Americans and their families.

“People with developmental disabilities can be vital and vibrant members of our communities, improving the quality of life for all of us,” the proclamation states.

There are about 600 ARC chapters in the country, including the Arc of Genesee Orleans.

“The Orleans County Legislature proudly recognizes the achievements of Arc of Genesee Orleans and supports this organization’s mission of being a partner for people with disabilities, and a gateway to opportunities for each person to experience their desired potential,” the proclamation states.

ALBION – A $200,000 grant for the Microenterprise Assistance Program would offer funding for graduates of the small business class run by the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

An article last week on the Orleans Hub said the $200,000 grant would be to extend the program another two years to 2023.

But the Orleans EDA isn’t seeking the grant for the costs of operating the MAP class. Instead, the grant would allow the EDA to make grants available to graduates of MAP, ranging from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $35,000, said Diane Blanchard, manager of MAP.

That funding would be available to graduates of the spring and fall classes this year and in 2022. The grants to the small business owners would be for working capital, advertising, marketing and needed equipment.

More than 500 people have graduated from the Microenterprise Assistance Program since it started in 1999. The 10-week program is offered in the spring and fall and gives small business owners tips in marketing, handling stress, computers, legal issues, bookkeeping and taxes – all factors that are key to running successful businesses. They also must complete a business plan.

The spring class that starts April 6 is already full. The class sessions are held at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex in Albion.

The Orleans County Legislature is applying for the grant on behalf of the Orleans Economic Development Agency from the New York State Community Development Block Grant Program.

The food distributions that started last April during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic will continue in March and through April.

At each distribution, held most Fridays, about 300 boxes of food are given away in the “Families Food Box Program” which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The distributions are scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m.

The schedule for the next five weeks includes:

• February 26^th – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 NYS Route 31, Knowlesville. The line of cars needs to form south on Taylor Hill Road. There will be no entrance on Route 31.
• March 5 – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 NYS Route 31, Knowlesville
• March 12 – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 NYS Route 31, Knowlesville
• March 19, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion
• March 26, location to be determined

The distributions will continue through April but those dates and locations haven’t been set.

Organizers ask that people not line up before 8 a.m. due to possible winter weather conditions.  “We remind people not to block driveways,” said Melissa Blanar, director of the Office for the Aging, which helps organize the events. “We want to thank all the volunteers. Without them there would be no events. Please be patient and kind.”

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature voted on Wednesday to seek a $200,000 grant to continue a small business education program.

More than 500 people have graduated from the Microenterprise Assistance Program since it started in 1999. The 10-week program is offered in the spring and fall and gives small business owners tips in marketing, handling stress, computers, legal issues, bookkeeping and taxes – all factors that are key to running successful businesses. They also must complete a business plan.

The spring class that starts April 6 is already full. The class sessions are held at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex in Albion.

ALBION – The Orleans County District Attorney’s Office is applying for a $170,000 state grant to help the county with its expenses to meet new state regulations for discovery, or the evidence to be shared with the defendants and their lawyers.

The DA’s Office has added two employees and purchased equipment to comply with the regulations. That equipment connects the DA’s Office, law enforcement agencies, defense attorneys and others to share discovery materials.

Beginning last year the state required the DA’s offices and law enforcement agencies to turn over evidence to defendants and their lawyers within 15 to 30 days after arraignment. Discovery often includes police reports, 911 calls and recordings, and DNA results.

The state is making the $170,000 available to the county through what is expected to be a one-time grant, District Attorney Joe Cardone said.

There will be $40 million available statewide. The funding covers expenses retroactively from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.

Press Release, Genesee-Orleans County Weights & Measures Department

With the current spike in fuel prices, the Genesee-Orleans County Department of Weights & Measures wants the public to know that all pumps in service are up to date with their state-mandated inspections and have been approved for use.

“We pumped over 13,000 gallons of fuel testing and verifying fuel meters last year,” stated Ronald P. Mannella, Weights and Measures director in the two counties. “If a pump is out of tolerance and under delivering, it is removed from service until repaired. Our tolerances are tight in order to establish fairness and equity in the marketplace.”

Of the 457 petroleum pumps between the two counties, only one was found under delivering and out of tolerance in 2020.

$10.7 million project improves traffic flow in canal towns

Photo by Tom Rivers: Traffic passes over the Gaines Basin Road canal bridge on Nov. 26, 2020. The bridge reopened after a major rehabilitation, one of seven canal bridges that were upgraded as part of a $10.7 million initiative by the state Department of Transportation. The Gaines Basin bridge was closed for about six months for the construction work.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Cuomo today announced the completion of a $10.7 million project to rehabilitate seven historic single-lane bridges across the Erie Canal in the towns of Murray, Albion, Gaines, Ridgeway and the Village of Medina.

The state Department of Transportation replaced the steel flooring and raised the legal weight limit on all seven 100-year old truss bridges to allow farm equipment, trucks and other commercial vehicles to safely pass while simultaneously improving the flow of both people and commerce throughout the region.

The historic project builds on the regional Finger Lakes Forward initiative, which has already invested over $8 billion to revitalize communities and facilitate commerce along the Erie Canal and the surrounding region.

“New York has made unprecedented investments to upgrade the state’s infrastructure to increase public safety while boosting economic activity along the Erie Canal,” Governor Cuomo said. “The historic Erie Canal is critical for doing business in the region and we’re proud to honor the Canal’s commercial legacy by bringing these bridges into the 21st century. This project will ensure that locals and visitors alike get where they need to go quickly and safely.”

Construction on the project began in December 2018 and has included repairs to the structures and installation of high-strength galvanized steel to replace steel flooring systems and truss elements of the bridges. Each bridge also received a fresh coat of paint. Work took place at the following locations:

• Bennetts Corners Road, between Route 31 and Gulf Road, in the Town of Murray.
• Telegraph Road, between Route 237 and Groth Road, in the Town of Murray.
• Transit Road, between Route 31 and West Brockville Road, in the Town of Murray.
• Densmore Road, north of Route 31, in the Town of Albion.
• Gaines Basin Road, between Albion Eagle Harbor Road and West Bacon Road, in the Town of Gaines.
• Bates Road, between Telegraph Road and Portage Road, in the Village of Medina.
• Marshall Road, between Route 31 and School Road, in the Town of Ridgeway.

Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said, “The residents of Orleans County are very grateful to Governor Cuomo and the NYSDOT for providing the funding to complete seven Erie Canal Bridge rehabilitation projects. After two years of construction efforts we now have safe and reliable access over the canal for our emergency services, commuters, and farmers. These bridges not only are a part of our rich heritage, but provide vital connections to our local businesses and residents. Investing in infrastructure is an easy thing to ignore, and you don’t know it’s too late until you are in crisis mode. It’s great to see this kind of investment paying dividends in developing reliable infrastructure that will keep our economy strong.”

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The Erie Canal is a treasured part of the history of New York State and continues to play a vital role in sustaining the economic health and well-being of the Finger Lakes Region. The rehabilitation of these bridges demonstrates our commitment to improving the canal’s infrastructure to meet the needs of a 21st century economy while still respecting the important role the canal and the bridges have played in the history of not only the region but also the entire state and nation.”

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “The rehabilitation of these seven iconic bridges over the Erie Canal is another example of Governor Cuomo’s continued investment in canalside communities that ensures these vital crossings continue to support the economic needs of the region. The Canal Corporation is proud to collaborate with the Department of Transportation on this project as it greatly improves the safety for all vehicles, including local farming equipment and emergency responders, crossing over the bridges and for the boats passing underneath on the canal.”

Melissa Blanar of the Office for the Aging and Robert Batt of Cornell Cooperative Extension praised for service to county

Melissa Blanar

ALBION – Leadership Orleans has announced its alumni of the year for 2020: Melissa Blanar and Robert Batt.

Blanar, director of the office for the Aging in Orleans County, graduated from Leadership Orleans in 2019. Batt, a graduate of the inaugural class in 2018, is executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County.

Robert Batt

“Their ongoing leadership efforts during 2020 supported many areas of need in Orleans County,” The Leadership Orleans Steering Committee said. “Both went far and beyond their professional leadership roles through their organizations to serve at even greater levels. In reaching out, their natural leadership styles inspired the volunteer efforts of many others who to this day are still assisting them in fulfilling those needs. From distributing food to community members to addressing other pandemic realities, Robert and Melissa have been there to share their leadership skills.”

Leadership Orleans is a year-long program with about 25 members in a class who learn about the different sectors of the county, from agriculture, manufacturing, education, healthcare, government and other industries and services. Last year’s class was disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of a graduation in December, the Class of 2020’s commencement is tentatively scheduled for May 20, 2021. Batt and Blanar will be recognized at that ceremony.

Batt and Blanar have both been instrumental in the food distributions during the pandemic. They have worked with Foodlink and other distributors to have boxes of food available for free to local residents. (There is a food distribution this morning at Medina Central School.)

Those distributions have been at Holley, Clarendon, Albion, Medina, Ridgeway and the 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville.

Melissa Blanar, left, carried milk to residents’ vehicles at a food distribution on Nov. 13, 2020 in Albion. Her office has been extra busy in the past year assisting seniors during the Covid pandemic, including recent efforts trying to help them make appointments for the vaccine.

Robert Batt carries a box of food to a car on July 2, 2020 during a distribution at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. Batt helped at similar events throughout the county. He also wrote a grant and is on a committee to bridge the digital divide in the county by bringing more high-speed internet access to Orleans.

File photo by Tom Rivers: Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone said legalizing recreational marijuana will make the roadways less safe.

ALBION – Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone is concerned the state will follow through with legalizing recreational use of marijuana, which he said will result in more accidents and fatalities on the local roadways.

Cardone said Colorado legalized marijuana and marijuana-related traffic deaths went up by three times.

“In other stats, road fatalities have more than tripled,” Cardone said in a conference call Tuesday evening with other local officials. “It’s created a tremendous amount of problems.”

The District Attorneys Association of New York expects the State Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to approve legalizing marijuana this year, Cardone said.

Cuomo this week said he will push to have legalization approved as part of the state budget, which is due by April 1.

Cuomo said legalization is projected to create more than 60,000 new jobs, spur $3.5 billion in economic activity while generating an estimated $350 million in tax revenue once fully implemented.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley spoke on the Tuesday conference call and said the state’s fiscal woes are putting even more pressure on state legislators and the governor to legalize marijuana. Hawley said he opposes the move and said the governor has inflated numbers on the economic benefits of legalization.

“It’s hiding in the budget bill,” Hawley said about the marijuana proposal. “It should be based on facts and figures and statistics. We’re going to do all we can to make sure this isn’t going to happen.”

Cardone said the state shouldn’t ease up on laws to generate revenue.

“I see it as selling out on our morality to balance budget, which is wrong,” Cardone said.

Provided photo: Correction officers Kyle Strickland, left, and Jenna Reglan, right, graduated from the Niagara County Corrections Academy. They are shown with Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson, center.

Press Release, Sheriff Chris Bourke

ALBION – Two part-time Correction Officers Kyle Strickland and Jenna Raglan graduated on Jan. 22 from the 22nd Niagara County Corrections Academy Class.

The Basic Corrections Academy provides newly appointed officers with the basic skills and requirements for becoming a corrections officer. The basic corrections academy, is physically and mentally demanding and requires students to attend eight weeks of instructional training that include the following topics:

• Effective Communication
• Security and Supervisor
• Defensive Tactics and Physical fitness.
• Legal Issues
• Special Needs Inmate Care and Supervision
• Essential Services
• Officer Wellness
• Basic Firearms Training
• Aerosol Chemical Agents
• Criminal Procedure Law
• Fire Prevention
• Written Communication / Report Writing
• Interagency Cooperation
• Crime Scene Preservation
• Penal Law
• Extensive Use of Force Training
• Stress Management
• Hostage Survival
• First Aid/CPR
• Direct Supervision
• Suicide Prevention
• Inmate Transportation

In addition to the above listed training, students also received 40 hours of crisis intervention training, which provides officers with de-escalation techniques to reduce the need for using force with inmates that are suffering from a variety of mental health disorders.

Basic Corrections Officer Training is the foundation for new officers that are beginning their careers as corrections officers with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office. Newly appointed officers will also receive extensive on-the-job field training that provides a practical and procedural application of the required regulations for the Orleans County Jail.

Morning DMV appointments can be honored after 11 a.m. Tuesday

Press Release, Jack Welch, Orleans County chief administrative officer

ALBION – In anticipation of the first major snow storm of this year, Orleans County officials have decided to delay the opening of the County Offices until 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our workers and our residents we are delaying the opening of our County Offices until 11 a.m. on Tuesday,” said Orleans County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch.

This delay will allow the Department of Public Works to plow the parking lots and shovel the sidewalks prior to our opening to the public at 11 a.m. This delay in opening should allow the majority of workers a safer commute into work with the anticipated amount and duration of snowfall which is set to begin this evening.

Employees who are not involved in our public safety operations or our Department of Public Works operations should delay their report to work until 11 a.m. on Tuesday. For any residents who have appointments between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., we will do our best to accommodate those appointments prior to the end of the workday on Tuesday.

From Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon: “Due to Orleans County Offices delaying their opening until 11 a.m. tomorrow, Orleans County DMV customers who had appointments scheduled between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, will be allowed to come to DMV, by checking in first with security, to have their appointments honored until 4 p.m. that afternoon.  We ask for patience as we still will need to follow COVID protocols.”

County revenues increased 9.2% while sales tax plummeted 10.0% statewide

Photo by Tom Rivers: Main Street in Medina is pictured on Aug. 18.

Sales tax revenues plunged 10 percent statewide in 2020, with New York City the hardest hit. Its sales tax collections were down 18.7%, from $8.23 billion to $6.69 billion.

Orleans County, however, had one of the biggest increases in the state, up by 9.2 percent – from $17.7 million in 2019 to $19.4 million in 2020.

Orleans was up while the neighboring counties – Niagara, Genesee and Monroe – all experienced sales tax declines, according to a report from State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Orleans saw sales tax gains in three out of the four quarters in 2020. January through March sales tax collections were at $4.4 million in 2020, up from $3.8 million in 2019. April through June dropped from $4.6 million in 2019 to $4.4 million. Collections were then up from July through September, from $4.7 million to $5.4 million, and then from October through December the sales tax was up from $4.7 million to $5.2 million.

Here are the sales tax collections for Orleans County and other nearby counties:

• Orleans County, $17.7 million in 2019, $19.4 million in 2020 – 9.2% increase
• Genesee County, $42.5 million in 2019, $41.4 million in 2020 – 2.5% decrease
• Livingston County, $35.5 million in 2019, $36.3 million in 2020 – 2.3% increase
• Wyoming County, $19.0 million in 2019, $20.0 million in 2020, 5.1% increase
• Erie County, $829.4 million in 2019, $814.6 million in 2020, 1.8% decrease
• Niagara County, $129.8 million in 2019, $129.1 million in 2020, 0.5% decrease
• Monroe County, $526.0 million in 2019, $511.2 million in 2020, 2.8% decrease

The 9.2 percent increase for Orleans was topped only by Westchester at 9.8 percent, Oswego at 10.5 percent and Delaware at 10.7 percent. (The comptroller said Westchester’s increase was largely due to an increase in the local sales tax rate from 3 to 4 cents.)

State-wide, 30 of the counties had sales tax increase while 27 suffered declines, with Tompkins County showing the biggest drop at 10.4 percent.

DiNapoli’s report said the sales tax took its biggest hit from march through May when many businesses were closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. The sectors with the biggest year-over-year declines were restaurants, traveler accommodations and clothing stores.

Some sectors saw increases, including “beer, wine, and liquor stores” and “other information services” (internet content publishers and broadcasters). The comptroller’s report noted increases for “electronic shopping and mail-order houses,” which includes major online-only retailers, such as Amazon.

The sales more than doubled from electronic shopping and mail-order houses from both March to May and then June to August periods, the comptroller’s report stated.

The $1.7 million increase for Orleans County doesn’t all go in the county coffers. The county is seeing the state take some of the local sales tax and divert it. The county is having $102,814 in its sales tax withheld by the state and sent to the Fiscally Distressed Hospital Fund, with another $87,460 to be withheld later 2021, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.

The county also will have $290,276 taken from its sales tax for AIM (Aid and Incentives to Municipalities). That used to be paid for by the state to some towns and villages but now comes from the local sales tax.

The county’s sales tax also includes $1,366,671 to be shared with the 10 towns and four villages. That amount hasn’t changed since 2001.

Issue highlighted as county tries to build support for expanded broadband coverage

ALBION – Orleans County senior citizens, who are feeling desperate to get an appointment for a Covd-19 vaccine, are struggling to access online websites to sign up, Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said today.

Lynne Johnson

Instead of trying online to register for the vaccine, 500 seniors have instead called the Orleans County Office for the Aging to get on the waiting list.

She highlighted the issue today during a Zoom conference call with Congressman Chris Jacobs, news reporters and members of the Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative Steering Team.

“They dial the Office for the Aging because they don’t have internet or don’t know how to use internet,” Johnson said during the news conference.

In rural Wyoming County, Jacobs said he was told about half of the available vaccines administered in the county have been claimed by people outside Wyoming because that county also struggles with spotty or nonexistent internet service.

Johnson has been working nearly a decade to expand broadband in Orleans County, including by partnering with neighboring Niagara County. Cost estimates to fill the gaps in coverage in the two counties are about $10 million, including $4 million for the areas in Orleans County.

‘This issue (high-speed internet) is critical to the future prosperity of the region. This is the rural electrification of years ago and we need to view it as such.’ – Congressman Chris Jacobs

Orleans hasn’t been unable to make significant progress in expanding the service locally. Johnson said the county has been bypassed by the state and federal governments for funding.

Johnson is optimistic, however, that federal funding soon will be available for the county. She praised the Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative Steering Team for helping to documents the need in the county. That group has received nearly 3,000 surveys from residents, and conducted more than 50 interviews with business and community leaders, which all quantifies the woes of inadequate or nonexistent internet service.

It effects students trying to do homework online, businesses that need to file reports, residents trying to fill out job applications and anyone trying to enjoy a movie through Netflix.

Johnson said about 20 percent of the county does not have high-speed internet service available, and more places have subpar coverage. It’s a major issue as the county tries to retain and attract residents and businesses.

Chris Jacobs

Jacobs thanked the local officials and the Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative Steering Team for their work on a “critically important issue” that he said “cuts across entirety of 27^th Congressional District.”

The gaps in coverage has been even more apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic, with more students forced to school remotely at home and more people trying to work from their residence.

One issue to resolve in Orleans is a clear data map that shows where coverage doesn’t exist in the county, and current addresses where it needs to be upgraded. Johnson said local officials have gone house by house and have showed 20 percent doesn’t have access to the service.

That differs from state maps which put coverage at about 98 percent. That’s because if one house in a census block has high-speed internet, the state considers that block covered, Johnson said.

Jacobs said he will be pressing the Public Service Commission at the state to provide accurate data maps about where the service isn’t currently available.

“This issue is critical to the future prosperity of the region,” Jacobs said. “This is the rural electrification of years ago and we need to view it as such.”

In Orleans County, nearly 3,000 people have already completed online surveys in English or Spanish about their internet needs and current service. There are also printed surveys at local libraries and some non-profit agencies.

The survey will remain available until the end of February. The Steering Committee welcomes more feedback from residents through the surveys.

“The more people that fill out the survey, the more accurate data will be and we can make a more compelling case,” Jacobs said.

The Steering Committee also is moving to a solutions phase and already has about 250 people committed to 2-hour sessions to help brainstorm solutions, said Mary Beth Debus, a consultant hired to assist the county with the project, which is led by the Orleans County United Way.

The response from the survey and the commitment to attend the sessions shows the widespread support and determination from residents and community leaders to improve the situation, Debus told Jacobs.

Dean Bellack, executive director of the United Way, told Jacobs the county needs more than just expanded connectivity with high-speed internet. Many people, including seniors, lack expertise to use the service and devices.

The Steering Committee is looking to have trained people available to help people use technology, including telemedicine services. The county may also want to look at technology literacy camps, including for youths, Bellack said.

“These are some of the hundred different ideas we’re putting together,” he said.

Here are some other highlights from the survey so far:

• 81% of Orleans County residents who do not have internet at home (15% of respondents) do not have an option for getting internet because it isn’t available to them.
• When asked how reliable their internet is, only 23% said it was very reliable. A larger percentage (27%) described it as spotty or not working well at all. (The remaining said they had occasional problems.)
• 78% said that they experience problems if there are multiple devices being used at the same time.
• 35% of residents need to always, often, or sometimes leave their homes in order to do activities on the internet.
• One in five students is having trouble using the device their school provided them.
• 32% of students do not have an adult in the house who can help them with their technology needs.
• 59% of respondents could work from home all or part of the time.
• 67% of respondents have been asked to work from home all or part of the time by their employers but 12% of them were unable to. 60% of those who did encountered poor and/or slow connectivity.
• About 15% of job seekers are having trouble with digital literacy interfering with job search process (filling out job applications, using email, etc.)

Committee members say Sheriff’s Office is responsive to community, embracing more training to de-escalate volatile situations

This screen shot from Thursday evening’s public forum through Zoom shows, from left, County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch, County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson and Sheriff Chris Bourke.

ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke on Thursday evening led the first of two public forums on police reform, which is required by all 500 police agencies in the state.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo in June issued an executive order, mandating the law enforcement agencies review policies on use of force and de-escalation, with training of officers on bias in profiling. The governor urged each department to form a committee to review the policies and solicit feedback from residents.

Each department needs to submit a plan to the state by April 1, or they could be cut off from state funding.

Bourke and his committee will hold another public forum at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8. Click here to see a link to the Zoom instructions for the meeting.

“What we are really boiling this all down to is we want the community, no matter your background, that when they deal with law enforcement they are getting a fair shake,” said District Attorney Joe Cardone.

He is a member of the Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Committee for both the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and Medina Police Department.

Cardone spoke at the Sheriff’s Office public forum on Thursday. He said the committee wants to hear from the public if they have concerns when they have interactions with law enforcement. There is also a form (click here) for people to submit comments about the Sheriff’s Office that will be directed to the committee.)

Joanne Best, the county’s public defender, also is on the committee. She asked residents to fill out the form or be part of the Feb. 8 public forum.

“We welcome input from community on how things could be done better,” she said.

That feedback can help the Sheriff’s Office and the committee work on policies that may need improvement and possibly more training for officers.

“Even though it can be adversarial it’s important the population feels respected and that law enforcement is dealing with them in a fair manner,” Cardone said.

‘We heard about defunding our police. For all that our Sheriff’s Department does for our county I wish that we could fund them more.’ – Lynne Johnson, County Legislature leader

The Sheriff’s Office website currently lists policies on de-escalation of force, implied bias, community relations, citizen complaints and investigation of hate crimes.

Bourke said deputies have received more training in responding to people in a mental health crisis. They are trained to help de-escalate those and other potentially volatile situations.

The Sheriff’s Office operates with the purpose that “all persons have the right to dignified treatment under the law; protection of this right is a duty which is binding upon all members,” according to the community relations policy.

The policy about bias-based profiling states that all members of the Sheriff’s Office “will not affect a stop, detention, or search of any person which is motivated by race, color, ethnicity, age, gender or sexual orientation.”

Bourke said the Sheriff’s Office has about 100 employees with 45 at the county jail. There are usually 22 to 24 deputy sheriffs, which includes two investigators, three sergeants, a lieutenant and one civil sergeant. The Sheriff’s Office currently has two vacancies for deputies and an investigator.

Jeff Gifaldi, the chief deputy, said the Sheriff’s Office has three patrol cars out 24-7, except on the weekends, when it is increased to four cars.

The Sheriff’s Office also runs a marine patrol from April 1 to Nov. 1 with a full-time deputy and 10 part-timers. The work in 26 miles of water along Lake Ontario, as well as Lake Alice, Glenwood Lake, the Erie Canal and other smaller bodies of water, Bourke said.

The Sheriff’s Office also runs the 911 dispatch center with nine full-time dispatchers and two part-timers. Last year they handled 32,000 calls.

County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said the Sheriff’s Office could use more funding to carry out its mission.

“Last years in the events of civil unrest throughout nation, we heard about defunding our police,” Johnson said. “For all that our Sheriff’s Department does for our county I wish that we could fund them more. Defunding our police is not an option in Orleans County.”

She praised the Sheriff’s Office for its community outreach efforts, and increased training for officers.

“I can’t see how we could have better peacemakers,” she said. “Orleans County supports the law enforcement we have 100 percent.”

Terry Wilbert of Albion asked the lone question from the community during Thursday’s forum. He asked about the diversity of the workforce, including if there are women among the deputies.

Bourke said there two women among the deputies, which includes an investigator and a school resource officer. There are four corrections officers who are Black and one of the seasonal marine deputies is Latino, Bourke said.

Thaddeus Nauden, a community member on the committee, said the Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement have the trust of the community.

“My problem isn’t with the police department in Orleans County,” he said during the forum. “In Orleans County I haven’t seen any problems. The problem is with justice system after the arrest. Too many criminals are put out on the street after their arrest.”

Eddie English, pastor of The Lord’s House in Waterport, also commended the Sheriff’s Office for “doing a great job” and for building many partnerships in the community.

Margie Aldacco, director of a safe house in the county, also is on the committee. She said residents likely aren’t aware of the many programs by the Sheriff’s Office.

James White, a seasonal deputy on the Marine Division, also serves on the committee.

“It’s not just about writing tickets,” he said. “It’s about effecting real change in the community.

We have a good department, with good leadership and they strive to serve the community.”

Trellis Pore, another committee member, said the Sheriff’s Office is embracing training and is focused on serving residents.

“It’s a breath of fresh air to see our Sheriff’s Department wants to have a safe community,” he said.

Bourke said a “few bad apples” among police officers have given law enforcement “a black eye.” He said incidents of police brutality “turn my stomach.”

He said the Sheriff’s Office will continue to have officers trained in de-escalation with mental health and other crises.

“My opinion is the training never stops,” he said. “You have to adjust with the times.”