By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 May 2020 at 9:32 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Orleans County Historian Matt Ballard leads a tour and historical presentation to about 200 people on Sept. 13 in downtown Albion. Ballard gave frequent community presentations about local history, wrote a weekly column and worked behind the scenes to modernize the Department of History.
ALBION — Matt Ballard is five-plus years as Orleans County historian took the Department of History to new levels, county legislators said.
He wrote a weekly column highlighting local history, gave many community presentations, developed an online presence for the department, and catalogued the records in the office.
He did it in a part-time role, while working another full-time job and finishing a master’s degree in American History from Brockport State College. (He also has a master’s degree in library science from the University at Buffalo.)
Ballard is leaving Orleans County next month to take a position at the college in North Carolina. He will be assistant director of Collection Strategies at Davidson College.
The seven-member County Legislature on Wednesday presented him with a “Special Recognition Award” for his “outstanding service” as county historian.
Matt Ballard sported an unusual beard style during the June 30 Barre Bicentennial Parade. Ballard competed in a beard contest later that afternoon.
“Your dedication and expertise in modernizing the County’s Department of History along with presentations, articles and tours provided outstanding history to put residents that will forever be widespread, long lasting and extremely appreciated,” the certificate states.
Ballard, 31, started as historian on Feb. 26, 2015. He served in the part-time role while working full-time at Roberts Wesleyan College in North Chili, where he is director of library services.
The historian’s job paid $8,600 in 2019. Ballard said he needed to pick a career, and the library position pays better.
Ballard has been dedicated to the position. When he was on his honeymoon in July 2017, he and his wife Christine planned a trip to England, France and Poland. They visited the Somme American Cemetery in Bony, France and paid their respects at the graves of local soldiers who trained with Company F at the former Medina Armory.
Ballard is the former director of the Cobblestone Museum and then served as its board president. He has been president of the board of trustees for the Orleans County Historical Association and an active member of the Knights of Columbus.
Ballard is an Albion native. He joined Orleans County Genealogical Association when he was 18 and served as treasurer for more than a decade, and was a frequent speaker at the organization’s meetings.
His interest in genealogy led to him pursuing career as a historian and archivist. Ballard added to the Department of History’s digital presence, adding a laptop, email address and updated content on the website.
He has expanded the number subject files from 250 to about 1,400, and that doesn’t include about 750 family files for gathering genealogy materials.
Ballard was named a “Friend of Education” by the Albion school district on April 1, 2019 in appreciation for several projects with seventh-graders. Ballard teamed with Albion’s service learning class to secure a headstone for Civil War veteran John Frost at St. Joseph’s Cemetery on Brown Road in Gaines.
They also added a historical marker at Hillside Cemetery in Clarendon for Charles Herbert Taylor, the only known Orleans County resident killed in the Battle of Gettysburg.
Ballard also helped secure a historical marker for Lemuel Cook of Clarendon, the last living pensioner from the Revolutionary War. That marker is at Cook Cemetery on Munger Road. (Another marker is expected to be dedicated in Holley for home that was a safe house on the Underground Railroad.)
Ballard and the seventh-graders also had a large bronze tablet from World War I placed back at its original location on the Orleans County Courthouse. The historian and students also created interpretive panels in Albion about the Erie Canal and the former Poor House on Countyhouse Road in Albion.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Kids have fun on one of the Midway rides in this photo from July 30, 2016. About 25,000 to 30,000 people attend the fair.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 28 May 2020 at 9:03 pm
KNOWLESVILLE – It is with a lot of sad hearts the Orleans County 4-H Fair Board, chaired by Zack Welker, announced tonight its decision to cancel the 2020 Orleans County 4-H Fair, citing health and safety as the primary reasons in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
The fair was scheduled for July 26 to 31. The event usually draws about 25,000 to 30,000 people.
“As a former 4-Her I understand the impact this will have on our county’s youth, and we are working very hard to put alternatives in place to help them stay plugged in and help them with their fair projects,” Welker said. “Although difficult, we feel this is the most responsible decision to make in keeping both those involved in the fair and the public safe and comfortable. We are here to answer any questions and look forward to helping our youth and looking ahead to the 2021 fair.”
Robert Batt, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension for the last five years, has been involved in 4-H since he was 8 years old as a 4-H member.
“Never in our wildest dreams did any of us think the day would come when we would have to cancel the fair,” Batt said. “This would have been the 73rd year of the fair.”
Fair manager Marty Zwifka echoed Batts disappointment, as they reminisced about previous fair experiences.
“We won’t be sleeping in the llama trailer this year,” Zwifka said.
“I’m already saddened about not eating fair cheeseburgers for two years,” Batt said. “It’s the little things like that clicking through my mind, which made the fair so meaningful. It’s all the little pieces which made the experience so unique.”
Batt said the board shed a lot of tears, as have the volunteers and vendors who were active at the fair.
“Our fair board did everything in our power to try and have this fair,” Zwifka said. “Our volunteers have worked countless hours trying to find a solution, and I haven’t slept in two nights.”
Sun streams into the cattle barn in this photo from July 30, 2016.
Batt said they have been talking about the fair for two months and had many meetings.
“We’ve been through a lot of emotions, because the fair means many things for all of us,” he said. “We moved the entry deadline, but finally realized we couldn’t wait any longer.”
Ultimately, they all felt canceling was the best decision.
Batt said that doesn’t mean there won’t be any 4-H activities. He said the fair was always a way to showcase projects of 4-H youth, bring the community together and support agriculture. They are hoping to be able to have some event or events, such as a virtual livestock auction.
“A virtual auction may be better than a live one, because we can reach new people.” Batt said. “At the fair, people have a few hours to attend the auction, where with a virtual one they will have an entire week.”
They are also looking at ways for livestock youth and consumer sciences clubs to show off their projects.
Batt said they may also try and have a drive-through version of the fair’s famous chicken barbecue, pending approval from the Health Department.
Batt and Zwifka said they can understand how they would have felt as kids if the fair were canceled.
“It’s the coolest thing when teens joke about what they used to do and how they would run the fair,” Batt said.
As many as 500 youth are involved in 4-H at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. Some clubs have been able to meet online, such as the dog and horse programs, Batt said.
“I have had Senior Council meetings online every week because I wanted the kids to stay connected,” he said.
Batt said a study was done several years ago determining the impact of local fairs on their county, and it was significant, although he said revenue from the Orleans County 4-H Fair all went into programming and projects for the next year’s fair. He said it would, however, be a big loss to their vendors, many of whom will lose their entire season this year.
Like everyone, Batt said they will have wait for another year to gather around the giant apple pie tin, eat something unhealthy and deep fried, show kids how cows are milked and just be together.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2020 at 10:19 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The courthouse dome was purple in this photo from Oct. 6, 2015 to highlight Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
ALBION – Orleans County would like to light up the county courthouse dome in the different school colors to celebrate the high school graduates of 2020.
Albion school officials asked that the dome be illumined in purple in honor of the graduating class. County officials want to honor that request and also would like to celebrate students from all five districts – Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina.
John Papponetti, the DPW superintendent, is trying to get the colors to make it happen, county legislators said during their monthly meeting on Wednesday.
In other action on Wednesday, legislators presented several proclamations and special recognition awards including:
• Recognizing National Police Week in Orleans County
National Police Week is set aside to honor America’s law enforcement community for their hard work and dedication in protecting and serving their local communities. The Orleans County Legislature recognizes the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s, Albion Police Officers, Medina Police Officers, Holley Police Officers, the New York State Police, and all other law enforcement officials during the week, which was May 10 to May 16.
• Special Recognition Awards to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, Office for the Aging and the Calvary Cupboard
The County Legislature recognized the three groups for their efforts coordinating Foodlink distributions in Albion and Medina. The three organizations were commended “for helping our residents during this uncertain time in our history and appreciate your services in helping provide comfort and security during times of need by our residents and their families.”
• Proclamation of Older Americans Month in May
“We urge every resident to recognize older adults and the people who support them as essential members of our community.”
• Recognizing Orleans County Correctional Officers
National Correctional Officers Week was May 3-9. The corrections officers at the county jail provide care and custody of about 600 inmates a year.
“Our dedicated Corrections Officers have the responsibility to operate a safe and secure detention facility in compliance with the New York State Corrections Law and with regulations set forth by the New York State Commission of Corrections,” County legislators said.
Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson also noted that no inmates or jail staff have tested positive for Covid-19. She praised Sheriff Chris Bourke and Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson for keeping the virus out of the jail.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 May 2020 at 6:31 pm
State DOL data shows big jump in unemployment
The state Department of Labor today announced the unemployment rates for April in the state and counties. Orleans County is at 15.8 percent and state-wide the rate is at 15.0 percent.
In April 2019, the unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in Orleans and 3.6 percent state-wide.
In March, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in Orleans County and 4.2 percent in the state.
The state DOL report says 14,300 people were working in the county in April, which was down 2,300 from 16,500 in April 2019. The number of unemployed increased by 2,000, from 700 to 2,700.
The Department of Labor reports the unemployment rate for nearby metro areas at 19.2 percent for Buffalo-Niagara Falls and 14.9 percent in Rochester.
The unemployment rates for other nearby counties include Niagara, 21.9 percent; Erie, 18.6 percent; Genesee, 14.4 percent; and Monroe, 15.0 percent.
The state DOL has a list online showing the unemployment rates since January 1976. The 15.0 percent is the highest state-wide rate in the 44 years that records are available. The next highest was 11.2 percent in both January and February 1976.
The last time Orleans County was above 10 percent in unemployment was February 2013 (10.6 percent) and January 2013 (11.2 percent).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 May 2020 at 10:35 pm
New online database lists memorials dedicated to soldiers from Orleans County
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Civil War cannon at Greenwood Cemetery on Route 18 is a memorial for the community’s Civil War veterans.
There won’t be any big parades or official public gatherings in Orleans County on Memorial Day.
Residents can still have a meaningful Memorial Day without a crowd. The Orleans County Tourism Department has created a database of military memorials.
There is a war memorial in all 10 towns in the county. The most remarkable by size and for the number of dead it honors may be the tower at Mount Albion Cemetery, a 68-foot-high sandstone structure that includes the names of 463 county residents killed in the war. The names are in marble slabs inside the tower. That memorial was dedicated in 1876, on the country’s 100th anniversary.
The most recent new memorial is a bronze statue of a soldier that was dedicated on Sept. 7, 2019. That statue honors the soldiers who trained at the former Medina Armory, which is now the Orleans County YMCA.
All of the memorials throughout the county pay homage to sacrifice of soldiers.
“Orleans County’s deepest respect and patriotism is demonstrated in the memorials and monuments scattered throughout the county,” the County Tourism Departments states in a message about the memorials. “Dedicated organizations and individuals have led the efforts to create these monuments in honor of those who served in the Armed Forces and several who paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
Click here to see the online site about the local memorials dedicated to soldiers from Orleans County.
This memorial in front of the Albion Middle School is a memorial to Orleans County residents who were killed in action during the Vietnam War. The memorial was dedicated on May 24, 1996.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 May 2020 at 4:04 pm
Project would add new transmission line from Albion water plant to Ridgeway, 2 new water tanks in western Orleans, and interconnection between Albion and Lyndonville plants
File photo by Tom Rivers: The Albion Department of Public Works worked on Jan. 1, 2019 to repair a leak to its main transmission line on Main Street (Route 98). A consultant is suggested a second transmission main be constructed from the Albion water plant, with the new one providing service for Shelby and Ridgeway.
A firm that looked at ways to improve the water system in Orleans County is suggesting an $12 million upgrade in phase 1.
A second phase at $6 million would bring the total costs to $18 million.
The projects would increase water capacity in the county, improve water pressure and fire flows, and keep more water revenue in the county, instead of to outside suppliers.
That added revenue for more in-county water revenue, as well as expected grant funding for the project, would cover the cost for the project, the Wendel engineering firm told municipal officials.
That project would also would have the added benefit of a lower bulk water rate for many of the towns.
“I think you will find the opportunity here is extraordinary and even historic for the county,” said Chuck Nesbitt, a regional manager for Wendel. “It’s a winner for this community.”
Nesbitt is also the former chief administrative officer for Orleans County before leaving that job after 14 years in December to join Wendel.
The firm presented the results of the study on Thursday evening during a Zoom meeting with local elected officials, and highway and water department leaders.
Gerald Summe, executive vice president of Wendel, and Brian Sibiga, an engineer with Wendel, joined Nesbitt in going over the study.
Sibiga said the current system is plagued by numerous dead ends in waterlines, low fire flows, weak water pressure in spots and a lack of redundancy in the main water transmission line for Albion. If that line on Route 98 went down there is another main line to feed the system.
The study included an inventory of water infrastructure in the county, as well as the personnel devoted to maintaining water lines and running water plants.
The study also looked at how new transmission lines could move water to spots in the county that would be ideal for economic development.
Wendel also looked for potential cost savings and efficiencies that will reduce costs and increase capacity.
The current water rates are not consistent among the towns, and “problematically high in some areas.” For example, Ridgeway and Shelby pay a $5.98 rate 1,000 gallons, which is more than double what most of the towns are paying.
Water suppliers
The Village of Albion is currently the main water provider in central Orleans with its water plant on Wilson Road by Lake Ontario in Carlton. Albion provides about 1.47 million gallons of water daily for 15,000 customers. Albion’s water plant is designed for 3 million gallons. Albion is utilizing about 49 percent of its capacity.
Lyndonville produces about 200,000 gallons of water a day at a plant with a 400,000-gallon peak capacity, or a 50 percent utilization. That plant serves about 2,200 customers.
The also use about 460,000 gallons a day from other users — the Niagara County Water District for western Orleans and Monroe County Water Authority in eastern Orleans.
The study focused on how to better utilize and safeguard two water suppliers in the county – Albion and Lyndonville.
Wendel is suggesting an $18 million project with three main capital initiatives for phase 1 that would increase water pressure and fire flows, and also provide more revenue for in-county water suppliers. That revenue would help reduce the overall per-gallon water cost for the towns, and also pay for the capital projects (which would be eligible for state and federal grants).
The project also would give Albion another main transmission line to feed the water districts, instead of relying solely on the Route 98 main.
Phase I: $12 million
These slides are screen shots from a presentation on Thursday by the Wendel engineering firm. This slide shows a map of the county include an outline for a 10-mile tranmsission line in phase 1. It also shows the water pressure in the towns if the project proceeds.
Project 1: 10-mile transmission line from Carlton, down Route 18, south on Townline Road to Route 104 near Kenyonville Road.
Project cost: $8.4 million
Proposed benefits:
Supplies water to western/southern side of Orleans County
Improves the water flow
Gives secondary route to feed water to Barre and Village of Albion, by coming through Shelby
Provides and improves service to towns of Yates, Shelby and Ridgeway
Reduces water costs in supplied communities
Project 2: Interconnection line at 1,200 feet that would allow Albion to supplement water to Lyndonville and Yates.
Besides the waterline, project would include high-service pump upgrade at Albion water plant, and pressure-reducing valve and meter pit.
Project cost: $892,500
Proposed benefits:
Lyndonville’s water treatment plant would remain in service and Albion’s plant would supplement water to Lyndonville and Yates during high demands. Often farmers could use more water for irrigation and would pay for it, but Lyndonville’s system is maxed out at about 200,000 gallons per day. The interconnection would allow for more water to be sold locally and would help farmers boost the quality of their crops.
The project would increase water sales for Albion, reduce overall water-per-gallon costs, and improve water quality through interconnections. The regional approach would likely lead to more grants for the water projects.
Albion and Lyndonville should also consider sharing operational staff. Albion already has some of its sewer plant employees helping to run the sewer plants in Holley and Elba. Albion could also provide some personnel to help with Lyndonville’s system.
Project 3: Water storage tanks and pump stations in Ridgeway and Shelby
Ridgeway and Shelby each would have a new 250,000 gallon water storage tank, and a new pump station with two booster pumps discharging at 85 PSI (pound-force per square inch).
This project would increase water pressure in Ridgeway from 80 to 103 PSI, to 88 PSI in Shelby and from 55 to 68 PSI in Barre. The pressure would also improve in parts of central Orleans, going from 60 to 89 PSI in Carlton and 70 to 90 PSI in Albion.
The projects would increase the demand for water produced by Albion and Lyndonville to 2.1 million gallons a day, with capacity remaining for another 1.2 million gallons. The two new 250,000-gallon storage tanks would boost storage capacity from 4.75 million gallons to 5.25 million.
Project cost: $3,000,000
Proposed benefits:
Increase in regional revenue
Increase in water supply by average 344,000 gallons a day. Albion water plant utilization would increase from current 49 percent of capacity to 61 percent.
Improve regional water infrastructure
Communities would see increase in water pressure, increase in available fire flow and additional storage for Shelby, Ridgeway and Barre.
Outside of Phase 1, the Village of Albion is already working to upgrade its water plant. The village is undertaking a $3,250,000 improvement project.
The project scope includes chemical and ventilation system improvements, clarifier system rehabilitation, filtration system rehabilitation, bolster pump station No. 1 improvements, miscellaneous building repairs and transmission main improvements along Route 98.
Phase 2 project to expand capacity of Albion water plant, $6 million
After phase 1 is complete, Wendel said Albion and the partner municipalities should consider a phase 2 project that would increase the capacity at the Albion water plant from 3 million gallons and 4.5 million.
That $6 million project would involve a high-service pump station upgrade, filtration upgrade, sedimentation improvements, main building expansion, and associated electrical, mechanical and structural upgrades as well as a new SCADA system (supervisory control and data acquisition) to help monitor and operate the water plant.
The consultants say the town water districts in Albion, Barre, Carlton, Gaines, Murray, Shelby and Ridgeway all currently pay $1.2 million annually for water. (This doesn’t count Murray’s water from the Monroe County Water Authority.)
The Village of Albion provides 621,975 of those gallons per day and the Village of Lyndonville’s water plant provides 112,000 gallons per day to customers in Yates.
The Village of Albion sells the water in a bulk rate to the towns for $2.96 per 1,000 gallons. Lyndonville bills Yates a $2.45 rate. Shelby and Ridgeway are charged $5.98 for water they buy from the Village of Medina, which gets its water from the Niagara County Water District.
Wendel said the project would allow Albion to lower its bulk rate to the towns by 30 cents to $2.66 per 1,00 gallons. That would be less than half of what Ridgeway and Shelby are currently paying. Yates could continue with its $2.45 rate paid to Lyndonville.
That reduced rate would save water customers about $240,000 a year in what they are currently paying, Wendel said.
‘Our water system is old. It’s aging. We’re band-aiding when we need to. We’re spending a lot of money operating the way we are now.’ – John Papponetti, Orleans County DPW superintendent
Sibiga, the Wendel engineer, said the municipal leaders should also look to loop districts to remove dead-ends. That would also improve water pressure and quality, and reduce the need for frequent flushing.
He said the additional transmission line from the Albion plant should be considered a high priority.
“A failure could really be catastrophic,” he said a break in the main transmission line. “There is some room for improvement with investment.”
With the plan proposed by Wendel, Albion and Lyndonville would continue to own their water plants, but the towns would each get a vote in a regional water system administrative board that would guide investments and water supply contracts. Each community would get a vote on how the system operates.
That could include having designated personnel for the water system, rather than having each municipality’s highway or DPW workers also have to run the water systems.
The regional approach would significantly increase the chances for federal and state grants, which would help Albion and Lyndonville with funding to upgrade the water systems.
“This would increase capacity for future developments, whether residential of business development,” Sibiga said about the proposed project. “Having large quantities of potable water is critical for our region to compete, and there would be an anticipated decrease in cost to users.”
The Wendel officials asked the municipal leaders to consider the suggestions of the study and work towards an agreement or memorandum of understanding on how to proceed.
Nesbitt said the regional approach would be a big benefit to the local municipalities.
“It would create future opportunities for increased sales and service,” he said.
John Papponetti, the county’s DPW superintendent, said the proposed projects would address many deficiencies in the water system. Papponetti also is an Albion firefighter. His father, Harry, is the Albion fire chief.
“Many of new districts going in that are dead ends and barely meet fire flow standards,” John Papponetti said.
The new transmission line “would be a major, major benefit for the entire area,” he said.
“Our water system is old,” Papponetti said. “It’s aging. We’re band-aiding when we need to. We’re spending a lot of money operating the way we are now.”
Press Release, Robert Batt, director of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County
Provided photo: There will be 1,200 boxes of produce available for free to the community on May 29 at the Fairgrounds in Knowlesville.
KNOWLESVILLE – Next Friday, May 29, we will be distributing USDA farmers-to-families produce boxes at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension is pleased to share that free USDA farmers-to-families food boxes are available for the public on Friday, May 29.
This is a first come, first served opportunity and there are no pre-orders or deliveries available. Distribution will begin at 10 a.m. and will end when all 1,200 boxes have been handed out.
Anyone is welcome to come and pick up a box — this is not limited to families with children. Those interested should pick up at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds at 12690 Rt. 31 in Albion. You will not need to leave your vehicle for drive through pickup, our staff and volunteers will load into your trunk for you. If you have questions please email orleans@cornell.edu or call the Cooperative Extension at 585-798-4265 and leave a voice mail staff will monitor and respond.
Each box contains 20 pounds of assorted produce such as: Potatoes (1-5 pounds), Oranges (1-4 pounds), Apples (1-3 pounds), Onions (1-3 pounds), Green vegetables (1-3 pounds of broccoli, cabbage, green pepper, etc.), Carrots (1-2 pounds)
We are grateful for this opportunity to support the community and is thankful to the United States Department of Agriculture and James Desiderio Inc. of Buffalo for helping make this food distribution possible.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 May 2020 at 12:00 pm
The number of people filing unemployment claims in Orleans County and New York State isn’t slowing down.
The latest data from the State Labor Department show 229,562 people filed unemployment claims last week, which was more than 203,928 the previous week, ending May 9. A year ago during the same week, there were 12,097 unemployment claims in the state, about 5 percent of the number last week.
In Orleans County, 298 people filed for unemployment last week, which was up from 285 the previous week. A year ago during the same week, 30 people filed for unemployment in Orleans County, according to the state DOL.
Since the state closed and restricted many businesses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 2,271,256 have filed unemployment claims in the state in 10 weeks.
In Orleans County, the total unemployment claims in the county is up to 3,616 in the past nine weeks. Orleans County has a workforce of about 17,000 people. The 3,616 unemployment claims represent about 21 percent of the workforce.
Here are the weekly unemployment claims the past nine weeks in the GLOW counties and statewide:
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2020 at 10:32 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The sign in front of the Hoag Library in Albion on Monday evening notes the Orleans County response rate to the Census. The 48.4 percent rate is among the lowest in Western New York.
Orleans County has one of the lowest response rates to the 2020 Census in Western New York.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports Orleans County response rate is 48.8 percent as of May 17. That is below the state average of 54.3 percent and the national average of 59.6 percent.
In 2010, Orleans had a 66.8 percent response to the Census, which is required to be filled out by law every 10 years.
The county’s response rate is lagging particularly at the lakeshore towns of Yates and Carlton, where there are many seasonal residents. In Yates the response rate is only 33.5 percent and in Carlton it’s 38.5 percent. Residents were urged to fill out the form, which only take s a few minutes online, by April 1.
“The lakeshore remains more problematic,” said Jim Bensley, director of Planning and Development in Orleans County. “And the villages it’s also low. The villages tend to have more renters who can be hard to enumerate.”
Orleans County’s southern towns of Clarendon (62.3 percent), Barre (60.2 percent) and Shelby (57.9 percent) have the highest participation rates with the Census in the county.
Here are the response rates for the 10 towns and four villages in Orleans County:
Towns
Albion: 45.9 percent
Barre: 60.2 percent
Carlton: 38.5 percent
Clarendon: 62.3 percent
Gaines: 49.3 percent
Kendall: 43.8 percent
Murray: 50.6 percent
Ridgeway: 50.7 percent
Shelby: 57.9 percent
Yates: 33.5 percent
Villages
Albion: 43.5 percent
Holley: 51.7 percent
Lyndonville: 52.4 percent
Medina: 50.2 percent
Orleans is doing better than some counties in Western New York. Allegany County is at 41.4 percent and Cattaraugus is at 47.1 percent. But Orleans is at least 10 percent behind the rates of its neighbors: Niagara, Genesee and Monroe counties.
Western New York counties
Allegany, 41.4 percent
Cattaraugus, 47.1 percent
Chautauqua, 52.7 percent
Erie, 64.9 percent
Genesee: 59.6 percent
Livingston: 57.8 percent
Monroe: 62.3 percent
Niagara, 65.5 percent
Wyoming: 52.5 percent
Orleans County isn’t alone with a response rate below 50 percent. New York City is at a 49.1 percent response rate. Hamilton County in the Adirondacks is by far the lowest at 6.7 percent. Some other rural counties in upstate also have low response rates:
Sullivan, 26.9 percent
Delaware, 31.7 percent
Lewis, 33.8 percent
Jefferson, 40.1 percent
Yates, 45.3 percent
Otsego, 45.9 percent
Herkimer, 47.9 percent
Chenango, 49.0 percent
Schuyler, 49.3 percent
St. Lawrence, 49.8 percent
Orleans County is partnering with the four public libraries in the county to promote filling out the Census. The libraries have public access computers with staff willing to offer assistance with the questionnaire. But the library buildings and computers have all been off-limits to the public since mid-March.
Bensley said the Census will have people going door-to-door to have people complete the Census, but that might not be until the fall.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2020 at 6:25 pm
Federal CARES funding directs $46K to Orleans for added elections costs
ALBION – Registered voters in Orleans County this week should receive applications in the mail whether they want an absentee ballot for the June 23 primary and special election.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order on April 24 mandating that the New York State Board of Elections automatically mail every New Yorker a postage-paid application for an absentee ballot.
In Orleans County, the Board of Elections is mailing that application this week to about 24,000 registered voters.
They need to fill out the application and send it back in a postage-paid envelope to then receive an absentee ballot.
It will cost the county $1.95 for every application that is mailed and then returned by mail. The absentee ballots will cost $1.15 for the postage, sending it to each voter and then with the return postage.
The Board of Elections knows it has 24,000 of the ballot applications to mail. A big wild card is how many voters will return the application and want an absentee ballot.
“We have no idea how many we’ll get back,” said Kathy Case, an elections commissioner for the county. “We’re not even estimating.”
Voters still have the option of voting in person from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on June 23. There will also be early voting from June 13 to June 21 to cast ballots in person. Elections officials urge voters who go to the polls to wear masks or facial coverings.
The county has been approved for $46,022 in federal CARES funding to help with the added costs with the primary and election.
Those costs won’t be fully known until the BOE receives applications back in the mail. The BOE will pay the postage for returned applications. At that point, the BOE will also know how many absentee ballots it needs to send.
• Special election on June 23 will include the following candidates to fill the vacant 27th Congressional District:
Nathan D. McMurray – Democratic, Working Families
Chris Jacobs – Republican, Independence
Michael J. Gammariello – Green
Duane Whitmer – Libertarian
The seat was vacated on Sept. 30 with the resignation of Chris Collins, who pleaded guilty to an insider trading scheme.
• Democratic Presidential Primary: There will also be a Democratic Presidential Primary that day. The candidates include Michael Bennet, Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Deval Patrick, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang.
• Republican Primary for 27th: There will also be a Republican primary on June 23 to see who gets the Republican line in the November election for a full two-year term. Jacobs, Beth Parlato and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw are pursuing the Republican line.
Local primaries include County Clerk, Republican Committees in Ridgeway and Murray
• Orleans County Clerk: There are two Republican candidates running for Orleans County Clerk. Diane Shampine is the current acting clerk. She assumed the post after Karen Lake-Maynard retired. Shampine was Lake-Maynard’s deputy clerk for 14 years. Nadine Hanlon, current clerk of the County Legislature, also is seeking the position. Hanlon is also a former Kendall town clerk. She is a current member of the Kendall Board of Education.
• Republican Committees in Murray and Ridgeway: There are also primaries to pick members for Republican Committees in Murray and Ridgeway.
In Murray, there are primaries for three of the districts, with three candidates seeking two positions in District 3, District 5 and District 6.
In District 3, the candidates include Kathleen Case, Anthony Peone and Kerri Neale.
In District 5, the candidates include Lynn Wood, Cynthia Oliver and Ronald Vendetti.
In District 6, the candidates include Kellie Gregoire, Robert Miller and Adam R. Moore.
In Ridgeway, there are three candidates for two positions with District 2 on the Ridgeway Republican Committee. The candidates include Virginia Nicholson, David Stalker and Ayesha Kreutz.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2020 at 12:17 pm
Orleans already facing $1 million revenue loss due to Covid-19 pandemic
Photo by Tom Rivers: The business district with many of the fast food chains on Main Street in Albion is pictured on a recent evening. Sales tax revenues plummeted in the county in April. Many local businesses are closed and restaurants that are open are limited to takeout or delivery.
ALBION – Sales tax revenues, an indicator of sales activity in the local economy, plunged in April across in Orleans County and across the state.
In Orleans, the local sales tax revenue dropped by $514,000, from $1.4 million in April 2019 to about $900,000 last month, according to the State Comptroller’s Office and the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.
Jack Welch
That 36.9 percent drop was the second worst among 62 NY counties. Only Madison County, at a 40 percent drop, took a bigger hit. State-wide, the average decline was 24.4 percent.
Jack Welch, chief administrative officer for Orleans County, said plunging sales tax paints a dire picture for the county.
He was hoping the county would face about a $500,000 loss in sales tax for the whole year, not a month, during the Covid-19 pandemic. That was in a mild scenario.
The county receives about $17 million in sales tax a year. It shares about $1.3 million with the four villages and 10 towns in the county. Those municipalities can expect less money this year in sales tax, Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson advised them during a conference call on Saturday.
“I want the towns to realize it won’t be business as usual with making you whole,” she told the municipal leaders. “We cannot issue you checks for cash we do not have, so budget accordingly.”
Welch said he fears the economic damage will be worse than imagined only a few weeks ago. In addition to plummeting sales tax revenue, the state Office of Court Administration notified the county it wouldn’t be paying to have deputies provide security in the courthouse after June 30. The state provides about $350,000 to county for the annual security contract. The contract allows the county to pay the salaries and benefits of three deputies.
The state has also intercepted federal funding for job development programs provided by the county.
Welch said the shrinking sales tax, loss in state courthouse security contract and intercepted job development funds amounts to a $1 million hit to the county budget.
The county last month temporarily laid off 34 workers and isn’t filling 10 other vacant positions to ease some of the budget pain.
The county’s economy is suffering. In the past two months, 3,331 people filed unemployment claims in the county. That is 20 percent of the workforce.
Orleans is in the Finger Lakes Region, which on Friday started phase 1 of reopening the economy.
Johnson, the Legislature chairwoman, urged residents to adhere to social distancing, wearing face masks and washing their hands frequently to limit the spread of Covid-19. If the infections don’t spike, the county and region should be able to advance to the four phases of reopening the economy.
“We need to do everything we can to get our Main Street up and running,” she said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo also is pushing hard for a federal stimulus package that would help state and local governments in this time of plunging revenue. He is asking for $61 billion in New York for the state, school districts, healthcare systems and the local governments.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 May 2020 at 7:30 pm
ALBION – The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion has nine more cases of Covid-19, bringing the total at the nursing home in Albion to 87.
One more resident has also died from Covid-19, bringing the total deaths at The Villages to 21 from Covid-19, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this evening.
“Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of this individual during this very sad and difficult time,” the local health department said.
The New York State Department of Health swabbed all residents and employees of The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center this past week to test for Covid-19, the local health department said.
Orleans County is reporting 12 total new cases today, with three others besides the nine at The Villages. That brings the total confirmed cases to 166 in the county.
Neighboring Genesee County also has two more cases today for a total of 171 cases.
Orleans County now has nearly as many as Genesee even though Genesee is about 50 percent larger than Orleans. Genesee had a population of 58,171 in the 2019 Census estimate, while Orleans had 40,352 residents, according to the 2019 estimate.
The Villages accounts for 52 percent of the cases in Orleans County. In Genesee County, the federal detention center in Batavia represents 49 of the cases, or 29 percent of the total. The detention center is Genesee largest number of cases outside of the residents in the community.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion has been devastated by Covid-19 with 20 residents dying after contracting the virus. The 120-bed facility has had 78 residents test positive for Covid-19.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 May 2020 at 7:06 pm
Three local state legislators and the leader of the Orleans County Legislature sent a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo today, asking him to “make something meaningful happen” at an nursing home in Albion, where 20 residents have died from Covid-19.
The 120-bed Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center has had 78 residents test positive for the coronavirus.
A letter today was sent to Gov. Cuomo and was signed by State Sen. Robert Ortt, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Assemblyman Michael Norris and County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson.
“Short of requesting the National Guard being called up, we are at a loss of where to go next as the numbers continue to rise,” according to the letter from Hawley, Ortt, Norris and Johnson.
A week ago, Assemblyman Steve Hawley sent a letter to Gov. Cuomo asking the governor to investigate the outbreak of cases and deaths at The Villages. Hawley said several government agencies have become involved in the investigation, including the Governor’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office, the Orleans County Sherriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office and the federal Department of Health and Human Services
“I have called the governor’s office numerous times, and my team and I have spent days sending letters asking for more formal, state-level investigations to take place, but we’ve heard nothing back so far,” Hawley said today in a news release. “If Gov. Cuomo truly cares about the elderly population, as he claims on his daily ‘press briefings,’ he needs to get back to us immediately. The need for state support in this investigation is paramount to holding responsible parties accountable and stopping the spread of sickness and death in our most vulnerable population.”
In the letter, the four legislators say 25 staff members at the nursing home have reached out to them about the operations at The Villages.
“We receive many calls a day from relatives frantic about the safety and well-being of their loved ones,” the four legislators wrote in the letter to Cuomo. “We are sure you are as passionate as we are about ensuring that the residents of this home receive the care, respect and comfort they deserve.”
Cuomo on May 10 issued a new directive requiring all staff at nursing homes be tested twice a week for Covid-19. Nursing homes in the state have until today to submit a plan to the state on how they will meet the new testing requirement. The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments confirmed today that all staff and residents at The Villages were tested for Covid-19 this week.
‘We recognize that during the weeks and months to come that there will be questions and confusion as to what activity is permissible and how to proceed in a safe manner that respects others in the community and complies with the various levels of government.’
Press Release, Orleans County Legislature and Countywide Law Enforcement
To the Citizens of Orleans County:
As all of us enter the first re-opening phase of this pandemic we in county government want to assure the community that it is our goal to do all that we can to assist each of you in your personal and work-related lives.
It is imperative that our efforts be implemented in a manner that is safe to you, your family and the rest of the community while still promoting your quality of life and independence. Even though the State still has imposed mandatory staff and operation restrictions on county government, we recognize the need to be responsive to our residents.
To that end, each of us in local government are striving to do our part in providing you with the services, assistance and advice in order to address your many concerns.
While the re-opening is guided primarily by Executive Orders from the Governor and policies instituted at the state level, as the various phases of the re-opening proceed we are certain there will be many questions and challenges.
In order to facilitate your efforts, Chairwoman Lynne Johnson and the Orleans County Legislature have established the Reopen Orleans Advisory Committee. The Committee is comprised of members of the Orleans County Legislature, the Orleans County Health Department, the business community and law enforcement.
The purpose of this committee is to ensure we open Orleans County in a safe and responsible way to prevent any new spread of COVID-19. Please explore the following websites from the State to help guide you in your personal life and businesses:
During the past several weeks the citizens and businesses of Orleans County have been incredibly co-operative, charitable and understanding when considering the onerous impositions that have been imposed. We recognize that during the weeks and months to come that there will be questions and confusion as to what activity is permissible and how to proceed in a safe manner that respects others in the community and complies with the various levels of government.
Please avail yourselves of the Reopen Orleans Advisory Committee (ROAC). Any questions or concerns you have may be submitted to ROAC by accessing the orleansny.com website and leaving your comments by clicking on the Reopen Orleans Advisory Committee icon. The Committee will endeavor to respond in a timely fashion.
Law enforcement stresses importance of social distancing, safety measures during pandemic
In the meantime Orleans County law enforcement agencies would like to remind all residents of the importance of social distancing, the wearing of face coverings and other safety measures during this unprecedented health crisis.
We would also ask that the Executive Orders that have been issued be followed for everyone’s safety. As the weather turns warmer there will be the desire for many of us to try and resume normal activities. Unfortunately we must begin going back to “normal” in stages. When planning events we ask that the public consult local officials for advice on how to do things safely.
No one wants to revert back to a life style that will see an increase in cases that will result in delay, additional closures and further restrictions. During these often frustrating and trying times please make every effort to cooperate with law enforcement officials in their efforts to enforce the mandates that have been imposed upon them by the state and federal government.
Members of law enforcement feel the same as the rest of the community and wish this pandemic to end as soon as possible. If we all do our part we can hopefully get to the end sooner and safer while minimizing the negative impact of this crisis.
It is the sincerest hope of all of us in the different levels of Orleans County government that each of you and your loved ones stay healthy during this period of challenge and that we can all work in unison to make the often over-whelming impositions of COVID-19 a part of our past.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2020 at 4:59 pm
All 12 fire departments in Orleans County on Saturday will be distributing cloth masks for free at their fire halls from 10 a.m. to noon, or until supplies are depleted.
Each household will be given two of the cloth masks for every member of the household over 2 years old.
The Orleans County Emergency Management Agency received an additional shipment of 7,500 cloth facemasks which will be distributed at the following locations:
Albion Fire Department: 108 N. Platt St. in the Village of Albion
Barre Fire Company:4709 Oak Orchard Rd. in the Town of Barre
Carlton Fire Company Rec Hall: 1853 Oak Orchard Rd. in the Town of Carlton
Clarendon Fire Company: 16169 E Lee Rd. in the Town of Clarendon
East Shelby Fire Company: 5021 East Shelby Rd. in the Town of Shelby
Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company: 3353 Hulberton Rd. in the Town of Murray
Holley Fire Company Fireman’s Field: 55 N. Main St. in the Village of Holley
Kendall Fire Department: 1879 Kendall Rd. in the Town of Kendall
Lyndonville Fire Department: 148 N. Main St. in the Village of Lyndonville
Medina Fire Department:600 Main St. in the Village of Medina
Ridgeway Fire Company: 11392 Ridge Rd. in the Town of Ridgeway
Shelby Fire Company: 4677 South Gravel Rd. in the Town of Shelby
Since the COVID-19 Pandemic began in March, the Emergency Management Office has been working diligently to acquire and distribute personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer.
To date the EMO has distributed the following:
30,200 Gloves
19,775 Surgical Masks
1,985 N95’s
349 Gowns
911 Face Shields
15,000 Cloth Facemasks
1,828 Gallon Containers of Hand Sanitizer
20,000 2 oz. Bottles of Hand Sanitizer
The office has distributed cloth facemasks to the public, government agencies and first responders. Public distribution included 29 different gas stations, grocery stores and pharmacies, as well as RTS, Community Action, Path Stone and the food pantries.
Additionally, Office of the Aging has received 5,300 masks for distribution to the residents they serve. The Department of Mental Health has received 2,000 masks for distribution to the residents they serve.
The EMO and the Department of Public Health have been working with Cornell Cooperative Extension who have received 4,000 masks and an additional 384 gallons of hand sanitizer to keep the agriculture industry working in a safe and healthy manner. Some supplies the EMO received were earmarked for specific heath care facilities and the distribution numbers above do not reflect those supplies.
The Emergency Management Office has received several calls from local businesses about where and how to obtain PPE for their employees. Currently, the EMO supplies are limited and are prioritized for healthcare workers and first responders.
In accordance with the Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.16, “For all essential businesses or entities, any employees who are present in the workplace shall be provided and shall wear face coverings when in direct contact with customers or members of the public. Businesses must provide, at their expense, such face coverings for their employees.”
The EMO also hasn’t vetted vendors nor does it endorse any particular vendor. However, on the EMO website, there is vendor information on where to obtain PPE and other supplies to include hand sanitizer and disinfectants for purchase.
