By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 August 2020 at 7:53 am
Catherine Cooper has been serving as Ridgeway town historian
Photo by Tom Rivers: Catherine Cooper speaks during an event in 2016 at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina, where she worked for 33 years, including 10 years as director, until her retirement in June.
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature appointed Catherine Cooper as county historian on Wednesday. She succeeds Matt Ballard, who served in the post for more than five years.
Ballard took a position in North Carolina as assistant director of Collection Strategies at Davidson College.
Cooper is well versed in local history. She has been the Ridgeway town historian and retired in June after 33 years at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina. She was the director for 10 years, and hosted many historical programs and displays.
The historian position pays $11,500 annually. Cooper’s first day on the job is Sept. 14.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 August 2020 at 8:06 pm
Ron Mannella has handled job for Genesee and Orleans counties
Photo by Tom Rivers: Orleans County legislator Don Allport presents a “Special Recognition Award” this afternoon to Ron Mannella, the director of Weights & Measures for both Orleans and Genesee counties. (County Legislator Bill Eick is in back.)
ALBION – Ron Mannella, the Weights & Measures director in Orleans and Genesee counties, has been honored by the state Department of Health with a 2020 Public Health Works! Honor Roll Award.
Mannella received the award from Dr. Howard Zucker, the state’s public health commissioner, “in recognition of your outstanding commitment to public health by promoting the overall heath of the community, preventing disease, and helping New York become the healthiest state in the nation.”
Zucker, in a letter to Mannella, praised his dedication to the field of public health and his efforts to promote equity in the marketplace by ensuring the accuracy of weighing and measuring devices in the two counties.
He was nominated for the award by Paul Pettit, the public health director in Genesee and Orleans.
Manella has worked as weights and measures director in Orleans County for about 18 months. This year he added Genesee County to the job. That saved the two counties $41,000, and Mannella proved to be up to the challenge of doing a role that used to be filled by two people.
“There’s a direct positive fiscal impact and the work he’s getting the job done,” Pettit told Orleans County legislators today. “The work he has been putting out has been top notch.”
Pettit said Mannella also has helped the public better understand the function of Weights & Measures with his posts on social media and on the department’s website.
Weights & Measures acts as financial protection for both the buyer and the seller, ensuring fair transactions for all parties involved. Mannella tests devices used in day-to-day activities, including at gas stations, grocery stores, delis, bakeries, produce stands, laundromats and other businesses.
Last year there were 1,111 devices tested (Genesee: 705, Orleans: 406). Of those, 85.42% initially tested correct. When a device is found incorrect and in the store’s favor, Mannella orders the device repaired. It can be used again until it passes inspection.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 August 2020 at 2:46 pm
Lynne Johnson says pandemic has highlighted other challenges in community, including access to childcare and nutritious food
Photo by Tom Rivers: Lynne Johnson said there are many needs facing the community during the pandemic.
ALBION – Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson praised county residents for their efforts to slow the spread of Covid-19, especially with only a few cases in most recent weeks.
“Orleans County’s resilience has been nothing short of incredible in the face of Covid-19,” she said on Tuesday during the monthly meeting of the Orleans County Association of Municipalities. “In these past six months we’ve risen to the moment by staying home, staying apart, and staying vigilant.”
The county has had 287 people test positive for Covid-19, and suffered 55 deaths, with 54 of those at nursing homes in Albion and Medina.
The rate of new cases has significantly slowed, even as the county and region have reopened the economy.
“I know these months have both been unpredictable and unsettling, but because of your vigilance we’re on the right path in managing this disease,” Johnson said.
She praised the local village, town and county officials who have been working more hours to help protect the community during the Covid-19 pandemic. She urged the local officials and residents to continue to take precautions and guard against the spread of the virus, especially with predictions from public health officials that there could be a surge or second wave this fall or winter.
Johnson said she worries about other negative impacts on the community, due to the impact of Covid-19.
“Our community’s needs for access to mental health, nutritious food and other social supports are rising and present challenges that we must respond to with sustained vigilance parallel to our Covid response,” she said.
There are greater needs for childcare as people try to return to work in person. Johnson also said there are increased calls about domestic violence and stress on other health conditions during this pandemic.
“We must all ask ourselves what role we play in caring for those around us, whether they be a friend, family member, neighbor or stranger,” Johnson told the local officials during their meeting on Tuesday evening. “We are asking everyone to join us in investing our energy into caring for one another and leveraging our resources to help meet the needs of the community.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 August 2020 at 2:02 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – Hugh Gabalski, left, and his brother John were among the volunteers who helped distribute 1,900 boxes of food today at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
This was the seventh food distribution event at the fairgrounds during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Today’s boxes included 1,450 of produce and 450 of dairy.
The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County works with James Desiderio Inc., a Buffalo food distributor, and Foodlink in Rochester on the events.
Today’s 20-pound boxes of produce included 8 ears of corn, 3 pounds of apples, 2 green squash, 1 pint of grape tomatoes, 3 green peppers, 3 pounds of onions and 5 pounds of potatoes.
There have been food distributions at the Fairgrounds the second and fourth Wednesdays, and on Fridays at either Albion, Medina or Holley. This Friday morning at the Holley Junior-Senior High School parking is the last distribution on the schedule. That event will likely start around 8:30 and lasts until the food runs out.
Organizers have been waiting to hear from Foodlink and the other distributors if the government-funded program will continue.
Annette Finch, community service director for Community Action, and Melissa Blanar, Office for the Aging director in the county, are leading the distribution on Friday in Holley.
Robert Batt of the Extension has been organizing the efforts at the Fairgrounds. He commended the Kendall Lions Club for taking 69 boxes to people in Kendall, while the Albion Lions Club distributed 15 to Albion community members. The Hands 4 Hope ministry also picked up 10 to be given out to people who may not have cars or were unable to get a ride to the Fairgrounds.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Main Street in Medina is pictured last week. Local sales tax revenues are now slightly ahead of last year’s pace, despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 August 2020 at 11:22 am
ALBION – Town and village officials in Orleans County have been bracing for a cut in local sales tax payments, were are distributed by the County Legislature.
The county in late June announced the payments would be delayed and perhaps reduced do to a slowing economy. The county’s sales tax revenue was down about $1 million in April and May compared to those months in 2019.
Orleans County Legislator John DeFilipps tells town and village officials they won’t be taking a local sales tax hit this year. DeFilipps is speaking Tuesday evening at the monthly Orleans County Association of Municipalities, which was held at Tillman’s Village Inn. County Legislator Ken DeRoller, center, and Gaines Town Justice Bruce Schmidt, left, are among the local officials who attended the meeting.
But the sales tax has since rebounded, now just slightly ahead of the pace from 2019. The revenue is up $62,040 or 0.1%. With sales tax now holding steady, county officials agreed to keep the towns and villages whole for 2020.
“With sales tax coming back, we will be releasing the money,” County Legislator John DeFilipps, chairman of the county’s finance committee, told town and village officials on Tuesday during the Orleans County Association of Municipalities.
The county will soon be sending out $961,618 among the 10 towns and four villages. The Legislature in April approved the first payment of $405,053.
With the sales tax sharing agreement, the county distributes $1,366,671 to towns and villages. That has been the number since 2001.
This is how the money is to be divvied up this year:
Villages – $375,620 total in 2020
Albion, $165,688; Holley, $45,051; Lyndonville, $15,243; and Medina, $149,638.
The funding is typically paid quarterly. The county made the first payment on April 1, but hasn’t made any since.
DeFilipps said he remains concerned about the sales tax revenue because they economy hasn’t fully reopened.
“We don’t know what will happen in the future,” he said. “In the future, we may decide to hold back some of the sales tax.”
Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer, said the state is diverting some of the local sales tax.
The county will see $102,814 in its sales tax withheld by the state in January and diverted to the Fiscally Distressed Hospital Fund, with another $87,460 to be withheld later 2021, Welch said.
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 shifting of sales tax to Aim and the Distressed Hospital Fund will cost the county $480,550, Welch said.
The sales tax was lagging behind last year’s pace, but Welch said growth in sales tax on internet sales helped the county hold steady in sales tax revenue.
The county saw the biggest decline in sales from March through May in the following categories:
• Automobile sales, down 38 percent compared to same period in 2019
• Restaurants and other eating places, down 26 percent
• Gasoline sales down 21.1 percent, and petroleum and petroleum products wholesale down 34.9 percent. The cost of fuel dropped about 18 percent and consumption is expected to decline about 10 percent for the year, Welch said.
Lynne Johnson, the County Legislature chairwoman, said she recognizes the towns and villages have their own fiscal challenges and need the full amount of sales tax they were expecting in their budgets.
“We’re a partnership here with the county and the towns,” she said. “One situation that has come out of Covid, it has brought us closer – the county and the towns.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 August 2020 at 10:00 am
Orleans County has a backlog of pistol permit applications that will likely take months to get caught up on.
There are currently 218 applications that need to be processed. Sheriff Chris Bourke said the county has been receiving about two or three a day.
There used to be a monthly pistol permit class at Hoag Library in Albion. But the library has closed its meeting rooms to the public since mid-March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office last month was able to offer the 4-hour pistol permit class for the first time during the pandemic. The Clarendon Rec Hall on Route 31A is being used for the classes, which are being offered twice a month with the maximum capacity of each class at 25 people.
That would allow the Sheriff’s Office to accommodate 50 people a month for the pistol permit applications. With 218 applications – and more expected – it will take several months to get caught up, said Mike Mele, the undersheriff.
The Sheriff’s Office has already received 58 pistol permit applications since Aug. 1, Bourke said.
‘Fresh Air Adventures – New York’s Falls to the Finger Lakes’ encourages exploration in 4 rural counties
The GLOW counties have developed a new logo and branding campaign to encourage people to explore sites and attractions in the four rural counties.
Press Release, Tourism departments from GLOW counties
Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties are excited to launch a new regional tourism program – “Fresh Air Adventures – New York’s Falls to the Finger Lakes.”
This is a refresh of the successful long-running Country Byways of Greater Niagara and the Finger Lakes program, which has existed for over 25 years and has given the GLOW counties collaborative capabilities to leverage our unique rural towns and villages, collective attractions and prime location between Niagara Falls and the Finger Lakes.
File photos by Tom Rivers: Fishermen try to catch salmon and trout along the Oak Orchard River in October 2015.
“In 2020 people were forced to rethink their travel plans,” said Dawn L. Borchert, Orleans County Tourism Director. “Many had to forfeit air travel to exotic locations and be creative with road trips. Fresh Air Adventures is a great tool to plot out a stimulating excursion off the ‘beaten path,’ especially while driving from the metropolitan area of New York City to Niagara Falls. They will be pleasantly surprised to find family friendly towns and villages along the route, as well as the wide open spaces that Letchworth State Park, the Erie Canal and Lake Ontario have to offer.”
The goals of Fresh Air Adventures are to encourage travel to our world-class attractions, discover our quaint towns and villages, and experience all that our great region has to offer. The initiative includes a new comprehensive website (www.FreshAirAdventuresNY.com) designed by Corporate Communications based out of Rochester, as well as Facebook and Instagram (@FreshAirAdventuresNY) platforms.
Each of these digital tools will provide tourists a wealth of valuable information, including outdoor recreation experiences, culinary and craft beverage fare, overnight accommodations, events, adventure ideas/itineraries, interactive maps and trip planning capabilities.
Fresh Air Adventures, as part of New York Empire State Development’s I LOVE NY program, will continue Country Byways work of marketing approximately 1,000 GLOW tourism businesses. As we navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, our marketing will concentrate on NYS travelers and once the pandemic is over, we will resume marketing to national and international leisure and group tour travelers and those passing along major routes traveling to Buffalo, Niagara Falls USA/Canada and the Finger Lakes from places like New York City, Toronto, Canada and elsewhere within a six-hour drive.
This visitation is critical to our area economy and the sustainability of our small business community. Tourists spend more than $238 million in the GLOW region each year, which translates to $28 million in sales tax dollars, over $15 million of which remains local so the GLOW counties can improve the quality of life for residents.
A hot air balloon takes off at Letchworth State Park in Wyoming County this photo from May 2015.
Along with the Fresh Air Adventures moniker, includes a new logo that features earth-tone colors, adventurous fonts, the profile of New York State to give visitors a sense of location/place, and clever touches like a bird in flight and a waypoint marker dotting the “i” in AIR – adding to the explorative nature of the brand. The tagline, “New York’s Falls to Finger Lakes” adds to the intrigue, playing on internationally renowned outdoor landmarks like Niagara Falls, the major waterfalls in Letchworth State Park and the Finger Lakes.
“Fresh Air Adventures tells tourists exactly what they can expect when they visit our region,” said Eric Szucs, Tourism Director for the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. “We have a spacious, safe, and beautiful natural setting, so the GLOW counties collaborated to build this incredible program supported by a comprehensive website and social media platforms. In doing so, we can share the outdoor experiences and uniqueness of our rural villages and the small businesses that make up our communities. It’s an incredible way to connect so many outdoor landmarks like Lake Ontario, Letchworth State Park and the Finger Lakes.”
“The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to continue the long-standing collaboration between our tourism offices in promoting our great region. Each county has a unique set of offerings that once packaged together offer visitors a wide range of activities to experience all within a one-hour radius. Working together, we are also able to enhance our individual marketing reach,” said Kelly Rapone, Genesee County Tourism Marketing Director.
“A regional collaboration connecting ‘Falls to the Finger Lakes’ stands to benefit the hundreds of small businesses through the region that cater to and delight tourists year-round,” said Laura Lane, President & CEO of the Livingston County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. “Travelers looking for Fresh Air Adventures will surely delight as they make their way throughout the GLOW region counties and enjoy the multitude of experiences coupled with an array of complementary shopping, dining and indoor explorations. Livingston County appreciates working with our neighboring counties to truly connect New York’s Falls to Finger Lakes – creating a memorable vacation experience.
Provided photos: Orleans County will install about 1,500 feet of rocks along Lakeshore Road in Carlton to protect the road from further erosion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 August 2020 at 9:02 am
CARLTON – Orleans County is moving forward with two public works projects in Carlton that are part of the Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI), a $300 million state-wide effort.
The county will be redoing the public boat launch at Point Breeze, the one near the Black North Inn, and also will be stabilizing the shoreline along about 1,500 feet of Lakeshore Road.
The high Lake Ontario water levels in 2017 and 2019 chewed away the shoreline by Lakeshore Road, east of Point Breeze.
The state will pay 95 percent of the costs through REDI, a state program announced last year to protect public infrastructure and assets from Lake Ontario flooding.
The county is working with engineers on design to prepare the projects for bid.
• The Lakeshore Road project will cost an estimated $2 million. The county will hire a contractor to re-establish the shoreline, which was eroded from the high water levels in 2017 and 2019.
Big rocks will be brought in for about 1,500 feet of the shoreline by the road, east of Route 98. The project also includes drainage improvements along the road, said John Papponetti, the county’s DPW superintendent.
Work on that project is expected to start in the fall. The county is responsible for 5 percent of the costs.
• Point Breeze Boat Launch: The county also will upgraded the public boat launch at Point Breeze, a project estimated to cost $750,000.
The county will be replacing the ramp, the two boat launches and the docks at the site.
When the lake levels are high, the boat launch is useless for boaters because their vehicles flood out trying to launch a boat.
The project includes floatable walkways which will tie into a concrete ramp. The current concrete ramp will be removed and a new one put in that will be pulled farther back on land.
The contractor will likely need to set up a coffer dam and pump out water during construction to work on the project. The launch will be regraded and concrete poured for the new ramps and docks.
The project also includes milling and paving the driveway and parking lot.
Construction is expected in the fall after the boating season with a goal to be done next spring before the start of a new boating season, Papponetti said.
‘Our kitchens don’t have to be a dangerous place. With a little patience and care, we can make sure that we are never the victims of a kitchen fire.’
Press Release, Orleans County Emergency Management Office
With a recent surge in kitchen fires in our area, now is a great time to remind people of some very important fire prevention/safety tips.
Kitchen fires are the most common fires that occur inside of structures in our country today. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an average of 470 home cooking fires per day happen in the US. This results in 173,200 cooking fires annually.
However, there are ways to make cooking a safer and more pleasant activity. Here are some safety tips that you can put into practice to ensure that you aren’t one of the many people who experience a kitchen fire:
Do not leave your stove/oven/microwave unattended! If you start to cook something, remain with it until you are finished cooking. (An unattended stove is the leading cause of all kitchen fires).
If pots or pans catch fire, do not move them! You could spread the fire or burn yourself.(Simply cover the pot or pan with a lid or cookie sheet and turn off the heat).
Never throw water on a grease fire! This could cause the fire to flare up and may help it to spread onto the ceiling or walls. (As mentioned above, covering the pot or pan and turning off the heat should work).
Don’t leave flammable items on the stove. (Keep potholders, towels, paper products and other flammable items away from any heat source).
Make sure that you can easily read your stove’s dials and knobs. This will help you to see if your stove is on or not.
Make sure you turn on the proper burner. Oftentimes, a person will put a pot on the stoveand turn the wrong burner on.
Do not overload electrical outlets with multiple appliances.
Plug appliances in only when you need them. Unplug them when they are not in use.
Keep pot handles pointed toward the back or inside of the stove to avoid being knocked off the stove.
Keep children away from the stove!
Wear snug clothing or short sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can get too close to a burner and catch fire. (If you do catch fire: stop, drop, and roll to put the fire out).
Do not put metal in the microwave oven.
Slowly remove lids from containers in microwave ovens after cooking. Steam inside containers can scald.
If you have a fire in your microwave, keep the door shut, unplug it, leave the house immediately, and go to a neighbor’s house (or use your cell phone from outside the house) and call 911.
If you have a self-cleaning oven, make sure you know how to use it. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Make sure everything is clear both inside and outside of the oven beforehand so that nothing can catch fire.
If you are come home tired at night, don’t use the stove. Many fires start when people put food on the stove and fall asleep while it is cooking.
If you find that you have a kitchen fire, get out of the house immediately and don’t return. You should have a fire escape plan complete with working smoke alarms, at least two ways out of every room in the house, and a meeting place outside in front of your house. Practice this plan and help your family members understand the importance of such a plan.
Call 911 from a neighbor’s house or your cell phone if you have it on you. Always pay attention when you are in the kitchen.
Our kitchens don’t have to be a dangerous place. With a little patience and care, we can make sure that we are never the victims of a kitchen fire.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 August 2020 at 11:36 am
The U.S. Census Bureau has staff going door-to-door in Orleans County, trying to get residents to fill out the Census.
Orleans has a low response rate to the census so far. Only 51.6 percent have filled it out. The county’s neighbors have a higher rate. In Niagara, it’s 68.3 percent; in Genesee, 62.2 percent; and Monroe, 65.2 percent.
The state-wide response rate is 59.1 percent.
The Census Bureau says the survey is quick to fill out, taking 5 to 10 minutes.
The survey s done by law every 10 years. An accurate count is important for communities so they receive their fair share of state and federal dollars. The census is also used to draw the boundaries in legislative districts.
Census officials are also working in partnership with local organizations to host events in public places where there will be assistance filling out the census.
The census will be collected until Sept. 30.
Households can still respond now by completing and mailing back the paper questionnaire they received, by responding online at 2020census.gov, or by phone at 844-330-2020.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 August 2020 at 11:39 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo isn’t alone among elected officials in New York State seeking federal funding to preserve local services and stave off property tax hikes.
Cuomo on Friday was joined by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie in sending a letter to New York’s Congressional Delegation, seeking $30 billion in federal funding over two years for state and local governments.
The New York State Association of Counties also is pressing the federal government to come through with local government aid due to the loss of revenue and rising expenses from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Over the past several months, we have been assured through the many steps of the legislative process that state and local needs would be addressed in subsequent legislation,” according to the letter from Cuomo, Stewart-Cousins and Heastie. “As it appears as we have now reached the end of that road, it is essential that we receive this assistance without further delay.”
They say that revenues to local and state governments have been in “free fall” during the pandemic while government has spent more to fight the spread of the virus.
“The actions you take in the coming days to address many needs of the pandemic can serve to bolster these efforts while transitioning our state to the next and necessary phase of economic recovery,” Cuomo and the Legislature leaders wrote.
The NYSAC group of county officials across the state also issued a “Last Call to Save Local Jobs and Services” on Friday. They are urging President Trump and congressional leaders to reach an agreement on a stimulus bill that includes direct, flexible aid to states and local governments.
Counties are more than halfway through their budget year and facing the increased costs of fighting Covid-19 while experiencing big drops in revenue.
NYSAC says thousands of jobs, vital services and millions of dollars in economic activity are at risk if Congress fails to act. Congress and the president need to act or else there will be further cuts to local governments that could jeopardize efforts to keep Covid-19 under control and slow the economic recovery, NYSAC said.
“For nearly 6 months, counties have been responding to a pandemic that began as a public health crisis and evolved into an economic crisis,” said John F. Marren, president of NYSAC and chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors. “Counties have tightened their belts to do more with less than anyone ever thought possible—leading the local health response to the virus and providing essential services to support our communities. But local governments are out of time and need Congress to reach an agreement to provide direct, flexible aid to local governments before they’re forced to make drastic cuts to jobs and services.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 August 2020 at 1:51 pm
‘It’s time for our leaders in Washington to come together and compromise on a plan that provides direct federal aid to support our communities during this crisis and keep us moving forward.’ – Lynne Johnson
Photo by Tom Rivers: Lynne Johnson is chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature.
ALBION – Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said federal funding is essential for the county as part of a new stimulus relief package in Congress, or else the county will be forced to cut services and lay off employees.
The county already is feeling the economic pain from Covid-19, with a steep drop in sales tax revenues, hotel and bed taxes, and gaming revenue.
The New York State Association of Counties released a report that puts Orleans County’s revenue losses at $4,198,375 in 2020 in a “milder” scenario and $7,722,264 in a severe case.
The county also is looking a revenue hits in 2021 at $1,049,594 in a milder projection to $3,861,132 in the severe scenario.
Combined, in the two years, Orleans County is looking at revenue reductions ranging from $5,247,969 to $11,583,396.
“Local governments are teetering on the edge of a fiscal cliff as demands for services rise and economic activity is at a standstill,” Johnson said today in a statement. “With Covid-19 cases rising around the nation and the economy struggling to get back on track, now is not the time to be cutting services, jobs or limiting the capacity of our frontline workers to keep the virus in check. It’s time for our leaders in Washington to come together and compromise on a plan that provides direct federal aid to support our communities during this crisis and keep us moving forward.”
This year’s county budget is $71.7 million. The county administers a wide array of social services, including childcare for first responders, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), child support, child welfare services, and substance abuse prevention services.
The report from NYSAC shows counties and the New York City facing a $13.5 billion loss in revenue over two fiscal years that could lead to significant cuts to services and permanent layoffs, slowing the economic recovery and threatening gains made against the virus.
Without direct federal aid to backfill this loss of revenue, counties won’t be able to fund the testing, tracing, and emergency response activities needed to get the pandemic under control and get our communities back on their feet, Johnson said.
“County governments are facing a perfect fiscal storm, as severe revenue loss and high demand for social service programs threaten to grind county government to a halt and stall our progress in combatting Covid-19,” she said. “Without help from our federal partners in the form of direct aid to local governments, counties simply won’t be able to provide the essential services that are crucial to stopping the virus and reopening our communities.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 July 2020 at 3:39 pm
ALBION – The announcement today that Rainbow Preschool is closing ends a program that is nearly 50 years old.
The school, with sites in Albion and Batavia, serves children ages 2 ½ to 5 with developmental and intellectual disabilities. There are no similar programs in Orleans or Genesee counties.
“The closure of Rainbow Preschool this close to the school year without sufficient notice presents a significant challenge to find suitable locations to provide center-based services to children in the pre-k program,” said Paul Pettit, public health director in the two counties.
The Health Department works with families to find options to preschool programs for children with disabilities.
“Our staff are currently working with all the county school special education committees to find alternate options for the school year,” Pettit said. “With such a late notice of closure, this is extremely challenging as many of the out-of-county facilities are already full so there is limited availability to take these now displaced children.”
Rainbow Preschool provided special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, assistive technology, counseling, parent training, music therapy, and speech/language therapy for students to prepare them for kindergarten.
The school was run by the Arc of Genesee Orleans. At its peak, a former employee said the school served 300 children. The enrollment for 2020-21 was at 26 students.
“This decision was made with heavy hearts,” Donna Saskowski, Arc executive director, said in a statement.
She cited uncertain funding and declining enrollment as factors in the decision to close, as well as uncertainty with the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, no date has been given by the state for when students and teachers could return to class.
She said the Arc will work with parents and with school district representatives to find appropriate placements and ensure continuity of services.
Pettit said it will be difficult to find another preschool, especially when that is close to home.
“There is the new reality of having to bus children to out-of-county programs in surrounding counties which is challenging both on a logistics (time on the bus – could be up to an hour or more each way) and cost standpoint to the county (busing costs will increase significantly),” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 July 2020 at 10:38 am
ALBION – The county government is bringing back workers who were temporary laid off in April due to fiscal constraints on the county due to plummeting sales tax revenues, and delays in aid and reimbursements from the state.
The County Legislature on April 18 voted to temporarily lay off 34 employees and also not fill 10 vacant positions.
The county has already recalled nine of the laid off workers in the past month. County officials have notified 25 other employees they should report to work on Aug. 1 or their first scheduled day of work in August. The county will keep 11 positions vacant for now, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.
The layoffs were voluntary with the employees receiving the $600 weekly in enhanced federal unemployment assistance, on top of the usual unemployment. The $600 from the federal government expires this week.
Republicans in Congress have proposed extending the enhanced federal unemployment benefits at $200 a week, while Democrats are pushing for the $600 weekly stipend to continue.
Welch said the county’s budget situation would be vastly improved if Congress and President Trump approve aid for local and state government as part of a stimulus and federal relief package currently under negotiation in Washington, D.C.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been pressing Congress and the president to approve federal funding for states and local governments or else there will be drastic cuts in services with local tax increases.
“Until we know where we stand in state aid we are not planning across-the-board type of cuts,” Welch said. “We are looking to target cuts directly with the reduction with state and or federal aid reductions. We need a few more pieces of this puzzle before we could make wise and prudent decisions. August will hopefully be the key month when all of these pieces finally come together.”
ALBION — The Orleans County Animal Shelter remains closed to the public until further notice due to Covid-19.
Only animal control officers are permitted to enter the shelter and complete the adoption process at this time. We are now in the process of taking in stray dogs as well as voluntary surrenders of dogs and cats where applicable.
