Carol Culhane paints ox in honor of county’s bicentennial

Photos by Tom Rivers

CARLTON – A statue of an ox is painted to pay homage to early settlers in Orleans County, which this year commemorated its 200^th anniversary.

Carol Culhane, a member of the Orleans County Bicentennial Committee, is nearly done with the ox. She has been working on it, on and off, the past three months. It will go in a county building or perhaps be displayed outside. The exact spot is to be determined. Right now it’s in the rec room at her house in Carlton. She has the first coats of paint on two other oxen as well.

The ox body is painted black. Culhane painted the county seal on one side and the bicentennial logo on the other. The seal has a gold color that Culhane also used for the horns and hooves.

The Bicentennial Committee picked an ox as a mascot and symbol for the county’s 200^th anniversary. Oxen were critical for the pioneers, pulling wagons and helping to clear forests and plant crops.

Culhane read about many of the early settlers in a book by Arad Thomas in 1871, “Pioneer History of Orleans County.” Thomas interviewed many of the settlers. That book provides first-hand accounts of the tenacity needed to survive in the early 1800s when the settlers often lacked food for themselves and their livestock. Many of the settlers, including their children, died from disease.

Culhane has painted a portrait of a settler from each of the 10 towns and four villages. She included women, whose contributions often weren’t recorded.

Thomas featured some women in his book. But Culhane said Dee Robinson, a retired Gaines historian, wrote about the contributions of many local women in her book, “Historical Amnesia.”

The settlers highlighted by Culhane include:

• Nehemiah Ingersoll – Village of Albion
• Roswell Burrows – Town of Albion
• Lansing Bailey – Town of Barre
• Bathshua Brown – Town of Carlton
• Elizabeth Johnson – Village of Lyndonville
• David Jones – Town of Kendall
• Fanny Ferguson – Town of Murray
• Phoebe Sprague – Village of Holley
• Chauncey Robinson – Town of Clarendon
• Elizabeth Gilbert – Town of Gaines
• Peter Hoag – Village of Medina
• Seymour Murdock – Town of Ridgeway
• Matthew Gregory – Town of Shelby
• Horace Goold – Town of Yates

Arad Thomas’s book included photos of 12 of the 14 settlers painted by Culhane. She used AI to get a sketch for pioneers, Bathshua Brown and Elizabeth Gilbert. Culhane provided some details about their lives to help create the depictions from AI.

Culhane who like to see a display with information about each of the 14 people featured in portraits.

She marvels at women like Elizabeth Gilbert of Gaines and Bathshua Brown of Carlton. Both became widows and had to forge a new life in Orleans County without a spouse.

They endured the loss of children and faced intense hardships in trying to build new lives in Orleans County.

Brown and her husband moved to Orleans County, traveling by boat in 1804. Elijah Brown did not survive the trip and he was buried in the Brown Cemetery at the Bridges in 1804, the first marked burial in Orleans County. Elijah and Bathshua had 17 children, with 12 living to adulthood.

The Brown family continues to live and farm in Carlton – 221 years after Bathshua and her children moved to the area.

Culhane said the settlers had hard lives, and she wanted to honor their efforts in the early days of the county.

“Look at what they went through,” Culhane said. “All of them had strength and grace and courage to carry on.”

County Historian Catherine Cooper, left, commended Culhane for her vision for the ox and the artwork. Cooper said the ox’s face was particularly striking. Cooper said she would like the ox to prominently displayed by the county.

Culhane has long used her artistic talents to support veterans, Hospice of Orleans County and other causes. She created a bicentennial poster for the county, showing the modern Courthouse Square and an earlier log cabin that existed on the spot before the courthouse was built in 1858.

Culhane painted three horses for Rochester’s Horses on Praade in 2001 and a giraffe for the Animal Scramble in 2003. Culhane sees home those community art projects were fun and encouraged people to explore Rochester and Monroe County.

She thinks the painted oxen can have a similar impact in Orleans County. She has painted the third one. Stacey Kirby Steward painted the first one in 2024 during the Orleans County 4-H Fair. It included an agricultural scene on one side and fair scenes on the other side. That ox is at the fairgrounds.

Melissa Ierlan used decoupage to cover an ox with photos from Clarendon. That ox is at the Clarendon Historical Society.

Culhane has two more to do. Next up will be one with vignettes from Point Breeze and Carlton. She is painting that one for the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association and Friends of the Orleans County Marine Park.

Then she will paint another one with scenes from around the county, some historic and other of the modern day.

The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council approved grants for the upcoming two oxen by Culhane, while the one celebrating the early settlers was funded from the Orleans County Bicentennial Committee.

The Town of Kendall and Town of Carlton also are working on oxen for their towns. Culhane would like to see more added each year to celebrate the community and build a tourism attraction for the county.

“I think it’s a great asset for the county,” she said about the painted oxen.

Culhane said it was an honor to paint the ox for the county, which she said she loves dearly.

The minimum wage is on the rise again and will go to $16 an hour beginning on Jan. 1 in Orleans County. That is up 50 cents from the current $15.50 an hour.

It continues a trend where the minimum wage has increased from $11.80 in 2020 to $12.50 in 2021, $13.20 in 2022, $14.20 in 2023, $15 in 2024 and $15.50 in 2025.

This will be the last scheduled increase with a set amount. After 2026, any increases will be tied to inflation.

The rate will be $16 an hour for Orleans County and most of upstate. The minimum wage will be $17 per hour for New York City, Long Island and Westchester County.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Nyla Gaylord, executive director for the United Way of Orleans County, speaks during a forum in May about housing challenges in Orleans County. The organization has worked on several issues in the community outside of the traditional fundraising efforts by the United Way.

After more than six decades of service, the United Way of Orleans County has officially changed its name to Orleans Community Connects.

The change reflects the organization’s deep roots in the community and its expanding role as a connector of people, resources and opportunities, according to executive director Nyla Gaylord.

“This new name represents who we’ve become – a local, independent organization focused on collaboration, innovation and the unique strengths of Orleans County,” Gaylord said.  “We are still the same trusted organization our community knows and values, but with a renewed energy and vision for the future.”

The new tagline – “Rooted in Community, Driven by Connections” – captures the organization’s focus on partnership-driven initiatives that improve lives and strengthens familiar neighborhoods in Orleans County.

Gaylord continued, “Over the past several years, the organization has led efforts in housing revitalization, digital literacy, caregiver support and food access, bringing together residents, local government and nonprofits to tackle community challenges.”

Orleans Community Connects remains dedicated to serving all residents of the county,  continuing to support programs and services that build local capacity and connect people to essential resources. Fundraising will continue to be a priority to enable us to fund these programs and services, Gaylord added.

“This change isn’t about moving away from our past, it’s about building upon our recent successes,” she said. “We are growing into a future where collaboration and community connections are the keys to lasting change.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mike Donahue is the bugler while Taps was played as part of the Honor Guard on Dec. 14, 2024 during the first Wreaths Across America at Mount Albion Cemetery.

By Ginny Kropf and Tom Rivers

More than 2,300 wreaths will be set at veterans’ graves today at cemeteries in Albion, Holley/Clarendon, Medina and Lyndonville.

All four are hosting ceremonies at noon today as art of Wreaths Across America.

Volunteers will be placing 300 wreaths at Hillside Cemetery, about 450 in Lyndonville at Lynhaven and other sites, 360 at Mount Albion Cemetery, and over 1,260 in Medina at Boxwood, St. Mary’s and other cemeteries.

Medina was the first community in Orleans County to embrace Wreaths Across America in 2013. The wreaths are purchased for $17 each. The first year Medina had nine wreaths and now has over 1,200.

More than 5,600 communities around the country will honor service members laid to rest as part of Wreaths Across America.

Wreaths Across America began when Morrill Worcester, owner of a wreath company in Maine, visited Arlington National Cemetery and realized many veterans’ graves did not have wreaths.

That Christmas Worcester had extra wreaths and arranged to have them shipped to Arlington and placed on graves in the older part of the cemetery which had fewer visitors. His action picked up support, and since then Wreaths Across American has become a national tradition.

Kathy Blackburn pushed to start the effort in Medina and coordinated the program for about a decade. Tom Snyder is now heading Wreaths Across America in Medina.

He said 1,260 wreaths will be placed on veterans’ graves in Medina. A brief ceremony will begin at noon at Boxwood Cemetery, with Nik Mroz, director of Orleans County Veterans’ Services, as emcee.

Following the ceremony, which includes placing a wreath on the grave of a veteran from each branch of the military, volunteers will start placing the wreaths on the rest of the veterans’ graves in the cemetery. Snyder commended the Medina DPW, who placed the boxes of wreaths in strategic locations throughout the cemeteries.

Last year, Blackburn felt it was time to give up her role in the wreath project and turned it over to local businesswoman Gloria Snyder. This year Tom Snyder, who is Gloria’s brother-in-law and a Navy veteran, agreed to take on the project.

“I also take a wreath every year to my father’s grave at Mount Albion,” Snyder said.

Snyder encourages the public to consider buying a wreath for a veteran’s grave. During the month of December, they can be purchased for $17, buy one, get one free. Any resident may purchase one or make a donation to the project at the village office on Park Avenue.

Photos by Tom Rivers

GAINES – Rob Batt, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, honors the “Friends of the Extension” during the CCE’s annual meeting last week at the Tavern on the Ridge.

Gary and Dawn Marciszewski received the award for their volunteer efforts running the Senior Council Stand during the week-long 4-H Fair. They order all the food and stay with the volunteers from morning to night.

The stand raises about $15,000 during the week to support 4-H programs.

The Marciszewskis have been involved with 4-H for decades. They were poultry superintendents and chaperones for trips. Mrs. Marciszewski also was a dog club leader.

They work with about 100 youths in the Senior Council Stand during the week. Mrs. Marciszewski said the kids enjoy taking responsibility when they have their shifts.

“They like to cook, make change and stock shelves,” she said. They like to do things.”

She and her husband have enjoyed watching the 4-Hers grow up over the years.

Jann Davis of West Barre, left, was honored as the 4-H Volunteer of the Year. She is presented the award by Kristina Gabalski, the 4-H program leader.

Davis is vice president of the Horse Program Development Committee and coach of the Horse Bowl and Hippology teams. A former 4-H program leader, Davis returned to volunteering with 4-H about two years ago. She joined a strong horse program that has dozens of youths, Gabalski said.

The program is Orleans, however, had limited equine knowledge-related programs and contests. Davis stepped in to run Horse Bowl and Hippology for Orleans County.

Horse Bowl is in a  Jeopardy-style format, giving youths a chance to showcase their horse knowledge in a competitive event. Horse Bowl asks questions about equine terms, the horse industry, feeding and care, and anatomy.

Hippology is more rigorous testing of equine science and application of equine knowledge in a competitive setting. “Hippo” means horse in Greek and “ology” is the study of.

Davis led teams in Horse Bowl and Hippology contests in regional contests last spring, and then the Hippology competition at the State Fair in August.

“Jann is incredibly knowledgeable, creative, enthusiastic, patient and kind,” Gabalski said. “She also understands the importance of setting expectations and challenges for youth while supporting them with the knowledge that they have the grit and ability to go outside their comfort zones and do these things.”

There are currently seven youths in the program. Davis said three more are expected to soon join.

Other 4-H leaders were recognized during the annual meeting:

• Barb Kurzowski for 27 years with the Rabbit Raisers and poultry clubs
• Erik Seielstad for 13 years with the robotics program
• Dawn Marciszewski for the 4-H Senior Council Stand
• Robyn Watts for 48 years with the Abundant Harvest 4-H Club. She also leads the Family and Consumer Science Program Development Committee.
• Melissa Asento for five years leading the Goat Busters Club.
• Bill Gerling for 35 years with the rabbit program

Caton Conde, president of the board of directors for the CCE, addressed about 75 people at the annual meeting. Conde was an active member of the 4-H program as a kid when she was Caton McKenna. She thanked the many 4-H volunteers for offering such a meaningful program in Orleans County.

“As a proud 4-H alum, I know firsthand how transformative the programs we offer can be,” Conde said. “Raising animals, learning new skills, showing at the fair – these moments create not only incredible memories but also a strong work ethic that stays with you for life.”

Conde said she felt so strongly about the 4-H, she named her daughter Clover, which is the 4-H logo. Her son is in the 4-H Lego Club. She looks forward to her children growing up in the program and showing animals and entering projects at the fair.

There are 319 youths enrolled in 4-H. They entered 3,337 exhibits at the county fair.

Some other highlights from the year:

• Master gardeners and food preservers completed 2,335 hours of service teaching 1,388 class participants
• Digital literacy served an average of 1.2 people very working day
• The Elderberries Senior Cooking program expanded to serve eight counties in WNY
• An average of 400 households attended monthly food distributions at the fairgrounds.
• Families used 2,000 seed packets from the master gardeners seed share program to start and grow their own plants at home
• Pesticide education supported 165 individuals taking pretest training for essential licensing

Press Release, Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon

ALBION – Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon today said those who are still using a standard driver’s license to board a domestic flight will be faced with a new $45 fee from the Transportation Security Administrations (TSA) beginning Feb. 1.

Those who have a New York State REAL ID license, enhanced license, passport or other DHS trusted traveler cards like Nexus are not impacted.

“As many people know, REAL ID requirements to board domestic flights took full effect earlier this year after years of postponement,” said Hanlon.  “If you failed to get a REAL ID compliant document, TSA will soon begin charging you a fee to board a flight to cover the cost of an alternative ID verification process.”

Hanlon said specifically the fee is to use the TSA Confirm.ID process which uses advanced biometrics and biographic data for identification verification. Users will be directed to an online portal to provide personal details and documents. The approval is then good for 10 days.

 “I highly suggest people who plan on flying and have yet to get their REAL ID do so and avoid the new process and fee,” said Hanlon.

Hanlon reminded residents that New York State offers both a REAL ID license and Enhanced Driver’s License to meet the federal requirements. The difference is the Enhanced can be used for travel to Canada, Mexico and some Caribbean countries.

Residents can visit www.dmv.ny.gov  to learn about the different options and the documentation you must bring to the DMV to be issued one. The Orleans County Clerk’s Office is also a passport acceptance agency. Click here to learn more.

Taxes increase 2.6 percent, but that’s within county’s allowable limit

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Legislature last week held a public hearing on the county’s $100,261,320 budget for 2026. From left include Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer and budget officer; Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the County Legislature; and Lisa Stenshorn, clerk of the legislature.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has unanimously approved the 2026 budget, a $100,261,320 spending plan that increases taxes by 2.6 percent.

That is under the county’s allowable tax levy limit. The levy will increase by $500,000 in 2026 – from $19,639,000 to $20,139,000. The county’s allowable limit is an increase of $623,787. The tax rate will go up 14 cents from $7.91 to $8.05 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The budget tops $100 million for the first time. Spending is up 1.18 percent from the $99,092,747 in 2025 to $100,261,320.

County officials said the budget faced pressure from two significant increases: retirement contributions and the costs of a mental health program for people deemed unfit to stand trial.

Lynne Johnson, the County Legislature chairwoman, thanked Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch and County Treasurer Kim DeFrank for their work on the budget.

Jack Welch, the chief administrative officer, said two big expenses, pension contributions and a mental health law 730.30, strained the budget for 2026.

“This has been a particularly challenging year and the fact that we continued to stay under the property tax cap is a testament to the hard work and creativity of Jack, Kim and all of our department heads,” Johnson said during a budget hearing on Dec. 3.

The budget also faces a 20.8 percent increase in New York State retirement costs due to a lower stock market evaluation on March 31, 2025, as well as some employees earning more money from longer work weeks – 35 to 40 hours, Welch said.

The county’s bill for retirement costs will be up $786,267 in 2026. The retirement costs are one of the nine state mandated programs which now account of 115 percent of the tax levy, Welch said.

The other big increase for the county: Mental Health Law Expense 730.30, where people deemed unfit to stand trial are committed to a facility. That can cost $30,000 to $50,000 a month per person.

The “730” expense went from $57,000 in 2023 to $367,000 in 2024 (with $50,000 budgeted). This year the budget was increased to $550,000 but the county has already spent over $1.8 million. The budgeted amount for 2026 is $1.5 million.

The cost used to be a 50-50 split with the state, but the state made it a 100 percent county expense.

“Orleans County and its taxpayers have no more capacity left to continue with these drastic increases. New York State must address this and do it now,” Johnson said.

The county was able to stay under the tax cap despite the big increases in retirement contributions and the “730” costs through other cost savings and revenue growth.

The county is moving its health insurance and medical coverage from Highmark to NYSHIP’s Empire Plan, which will reduce those costs by 6 percent.

The county also is projecting a $1.6 million increase in the local sales tax revenue. This year the sales tax receipts have been strong, nearly 9 percent ahead of 2024.

Welch said the budget maintains core county services and programs “in the most cost-effective manner possible, complies with the New York State property tax cap and provides funding for prioritized projects and programs while avoiding fiscal stress.”

Welch and Johnson both said the county budget remains driven by state-mandated programs.

The nine mandated programs used to account for 90 percent of the overall tax levy. With the 12026 budget, those mandates now account for $23,196,803 or 115.2 percent of the tax levy, Welch said.

9 state-mandated programs:

• Medicaid – $8,810,237 (down 0.3 percent)
• Public assistance/Safety Net – $3,169,135 (up 6.5 percent)
• Child welfare/protection – $2,321,194 (up 2.7 percent)
• Special education – $1,042,878 (up 3.5 percent)
• Indigent defense – $605,188 (down 19.2 percent)
• Probation – $830,723 (up 19.6 percent)
• Mental Health law expense 730.30 – $1.5 million (up 272.7 percent)
• Early intervention – $360,258 (up 13.0 percent)
• Pension – $4,557,190 (up 20.8 percent)

Total: $23,196,803 (up 10.1 percent)

Welch said the budget also maintains funding to local municipalities (sales tax sharing, community college local expense, animal control, vehicle and traffic prosecution) at $3,819,691 in 2026, up from $3,810,445. That accounts for 19.0 percent of tax levy or $1.53 of the overall rate.

The budget keeps funding at the same levels for organizations providing services in the county including:

Cornell Cooperative Extension at $240,000; Orleans Economic Development Agency at $200,000; Soil & Water at $100,500, four public libraries to share $10,000; Mercy Flight at $5,000; Council of the Arts at $4,000; Cobblestone Museum, $3,000.

The budget includes $8,566,052 for capital projects:

Highway – $7,446,143 ($7,060,509 from state and federal governments)

• Local bridge and culvert repairs, $50,000
• Patch and seal county roads, $150,000
• Highway reconstruction, $2,668,458
• Eagle Harbor Knowlesville culvert, $865,000
• Bridge Project #2, $2,375,500
• Groth Road bridge replacement, $1,337,185

Buildings and grounds – $610,000 (all county cost)

• Boiler pump (Public Square), $40,000
• Pole barn, $150,000
• Parking lot at DPW, $130,000
• Elevator maintenance, $30,000
• Air handlers (Treasurer and Probation), $50,000
• Fiber loop, $210,000

Sheriff – $509,909 (All county cost)

• Animal control for leased truck, $15,000
• Fleet maintenance program: 2026, $105,000
• Fleet maintenance program: 2024, $52,957
• Fleet maintenance program: 2025, $106,800
• Tasers lease (2024-2028), $45,575
• 8×10 omega plate, $15,000
• Jail – vests, $13,577
• Jail – Axon Tasers lease, $6,000
• Jail repairs, $150,000

2025 guide put special emphasis on bicentennial of Orleans County and Erie Canal

Press Release, Orleans County Tourism Department

The cover of the 2025 Orleans County Travel Guide features a vintage black-and-white image of downtown Medina from the 1906 Old Home Days, accompanied by three photos showcasing agriculture, the Erie Canal and world-class fishing on Lake Ontario.

ALBION – Orleans County Tourism is proud to announce that its 2025 travel guide “Celebrate Orleans County’s Bicentennial” has received the Excellence in Print Marketing: Large Format Print Publications for Destination Marketing Associations award at the inaugural ANDIES Awards, held during the Campground Owners Expo in Branson, Missouri on December 3.

The 2025 travel guide, designed by Orleans County Tourism Creative Director Lynne Menz, commemorates the bicentennials of Orleans County and the Erie Canal. Designed as a collectible, coffee-table-style publication, it features a vintage black-and-white background image from the 1906 Old Home Days in Medina, along with three cover photos showcasing the county’s signature attractions: agriculture, the Erie Canal and world-class fishing on Lake Ontario.

“I am deeply humbled by the unexpected accolades as I complete my tenure with Orleans County Tourism and transition into my retirement,” Menz said. “It has been an honor to highlight the many assets that Orleans County has to offer as a destination. I am especially grateful for the partnerships with those who contributed to the content, including photographers, historians and colleagues.”

“We’re thrilled to be recognized by our peers with this ANDIES Award for the Orleans County travel guide,” adds Dawn Borchert, Orleans County Tourism director. “We wanted to make this a special travel guide this year, and my staff worked hard to achieve this for our bicentennial celebration of Orleans County.”

Anderson’s Brochure Distribution Service, a division of Merchantry Tourism LLC, has been serving the outdoor hospitality and tourism industries for more than 40 years and is widely respected for its expertise.

Owned and operated by Lisa and Don Bennett Jr., the company developed the ANDIES Awards to recognize excellence in print marketing for businesses and associations in these industries. The awards honor creativity, design and effectiveness in engaging audiences, with winners selected by a panel of industry professionals with expertise in tourism, outdoor hospitality and marketing.

The 2025 travel guide is available at the Orleans County Tourism Office in the Orleans County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 W, Albion, N.Y., at local libraries or online (click here) for viewing or to request a copy.

Photos from Orleans County Sheriff’s Office

ALBION – The Walmart store in Albion hosted “Shop with a Cop” on Saturday with 10 children paired with someone from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

The store provided a $5,000 grant for the Sheriff’s employees and representatives to help kids pick out gifts for their family members.

“The Sheriff’s Office teamed up with children from across Orleans County for a morning of shopping, laughter, and creating memories that will last far beyond the holiday season,” the Sheriff’s Office posted on its Facebook page. “Seeing the excitement on each child’s face is a reminder of why we do what we do.”

(Left) Bilal Huzair, a chaplain with the Sheriff’s Office, assists a young shopper. (Right) Dawn Basinait, a sergeant in the Orleans County Jail, helps a child pick out gifts for family members.

“A huge thank-you to Walmart for their continued partnership that makes this event possible every year,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to give back and proud to serve this incredible community.

The Orleans County Office of Child and Family Services also assists in the event.

Photo courtesy of Operation Honor

ALBION – Operation Honor director Jenn Thom, right, hands a $5,000 check to Jim Nudd, Veterans Service Officer for the Orleans County. The money goes to the veterans’ van service run by the Joint Veterans Council.

The proceeds come from a recent cornhole tournament that Operation Honor ran in the Knights of Columbus hall in Medina, as well as some of the revenue from a golf tournament this past summer run by the Knights of Columbus.

The van service provides transportation for honorably discharged veterans who reside in Orleans County to their scheduled VA medical appointments.

Operation Honor this Saturday at noon will be placing 360 wreaths on soldiers’ graves at Mount Albion Cemetery. This is the second year Operation Honor is part of Wreaths Across America.

Last year Operation Honor placed 200 wreaths on veterans’ graves at Mount Albion. Volunteers are welcome to be there at noon on Saturday to help set the wreaths.

County Historian to move to space next to Subway in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Central Hall building at 34 East Park St. will soon be vacated and put up for sale by Orleans County. The County Historian will move to a space next to the Subway.

ALBION – The County Legislature agreed today to a lease space in a plaza on South Main Street for the county historian, a move that will be made as soon as the space is ready.

The historian works out of the top floor of Central Hall at 34 East Park St. That building will become vacate once the historian and Department of History are moved to the plaza. County officials said the change is a cost-cutting move that could save $90,000 to $110,000 a year in maintenance and other expenses once the building is sold.

The change also will make the historian’s office more accessible to the public, county officials said. The space is on the first floor and people won’t need to climb stairs to access the building.

The county has owned Central Hall the past 45 years. It was used by the treasurer until September 2024 and used to be the offices for the Probation Department.

The County Historian and the Department of History’s artifacts will move to 2,000 square feet of space on the side of a plaza next to Subway. Most of this space is on the north side of the building. The historian and any visitors to the office can use a parking lot for the county treasurer.

Central Hall, a solid red-brick building, was a school from 1882 to 1934, and then was used as the post for the American Legion until the site was bought by the county in 1980.

The historian will move to 2,000 square feet of space on the north side of the plaza, facing the parking lot of the treasurer’s office. There will be a part of the historian’s office facing the main parking lot.

The county won’t have to pay to lease the building except for the cost of utilities and to renovate the site. The county also will plow the parking lot in the winter. The county is already plowing out the treasurer’s office and some of the spots in the lot that are used for the treasurer’s office.

The Buildings and Grounds staff for the county will be putting in an ADA-compliant bathroom and making other renovations to the site.

The lease agreement was approved by the Legislature in a 6-1 vote. Legislator Fred Miller cast the lone no vote. He thanked Lynne Johnson, the Legislature chairwoman, for her work on the lease but he didn’t agree with the relocation of the historian to the plaza.

“I don’t feel this is what the county should be doing,” Miller said during the Legislature meeting.

The Legislature approved the lease with Nomax Albion, LLC, which is owned by Noah Michaels. He reached out to the county about leasing the space in exchange for plowing the parking lot for the plaza.

The county doesn’t have a solid move-in date for the historian. It depends on when the space can be made ready by the Buildings and Grounds staff.

After about a month delay to the federal government shutdown, the HEAP is scheduled to open on Monday, Dec. 1, in New York State.

If you are applying for the first time, a phone interview is necessary which can be completed beginning on Dec. 1. Applications will be available at the County Office Building in Albion, PathStone, Community Action, or Ministry of Concern; at the Community Center in Holley; or at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.

You can apply online for HEAP by visiting www.myBenefits.ny.gov.  If you received a benefit through a HEAP case last season you may apply through www.myBenefits.ny.gov or submit your completed application along with necessary documentation to the Department of Social Services, 14016 Rt. 31 W. Albion, NY 14411.

If you are currently a Public Assistance or SNAP recipient, you should automatically receive your HEAP benefit through your case. Please be sure your worker has accurate vendor and account information to prevent a delay with your HEAP grant.

For questions or to set up an appointment call (585) 589-3182. If you are aged 60 or older, please call the Office for Aging at 589-3191.

For more information on HEAP, click here.

New ‘DMV DRIVES’ system expected to be activated in February

Press Release, Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon

ALBION – Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon today announced the county Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office will be closed on Wednesday, December 3, and will close early on four other Wednesdays over the next few months.

The closures are necessary for staff members to train for the new state DMV modernization project.

Specifically, the staff is training on Phase I of the new NYS DMV DRIVES operating system that is planned to go live in February.  The new system is expected to enhance efficiency, customer service and security in the handling of motor vehicle transactions.

Beyond the December 3rd closure, the limited DMV office hours are:

• Wednesday, Dec. 10, closed from noon to 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 7, closed from noon to 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 21, closed from noon to 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 11, closed from noon to 4:30 p.m.

“These statewide DMV changes are a significant upgrade to our current system and given the small size of our staff, the only way to efficiently complete the training in time for the launch of the new system is to close the office,” said Hanlon.  “We very much appreciate the public’s understanding.”

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Jim Nudd, left, and Nik Mroz, director of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency, hand out free turkeys to veterans on Friday. Here, Albion American Legion commander Brad Rouse gets his free turkey.

ALBION – Orleans County veterans received 125 free turkeys for Thanksgiving this year, thanks to support from the Pfc. Joseph Dwyer Peer-to-Peer program.

Nik Mroz, director of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency, and retired veteran Jim Nudd handed out the turkeys on Friday.

One of the first to get his free turkey was Brad Rouse, commander of the Albion American Legion, who praised the give-away program, funded by the Pfc. Joseph Dwyer Peer-to-Peer program.

“This is an excellent program,” Rouse said. “I also picked up one for my vice commander, Bob Gilsinan. We will probably cook both of them for veterans in the Legion.”

Mroz said in total they handed out 1,000 pounds of turkeys. They also do a ham give-away at Easter, passing out 100 hams to veterans.

Provided photos

ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke announced that Julie Vendetti, a long-time dispatcher, is the new communications coordinator for the Sheriff’s Office.

She succeeds Allen Turner who retired in October after a 33-year career with the Sheriff’s Office. Vendetti’s appointment is effective Oct. 28.

“I am confident that all members of our agency will work with Julie Vendetti to ensure that she has a smooth transition into his new role,” Sheriff Bourke said.

The Sheriff’s Office has 10 full-time dispatchers and four part-timers that receive about 40,000 calls for service each year. The dispatch center handles calls for fire, EMS, ambulance, police/law enforcement, animal control, and the coroner’s office.

Dispatchers also handle other non-emergency calls that brings the total call volume to about 61,000, Bourke said.

“The communications coordinator is responsible for assisting the sheriff with the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the many operating platforms that make the 911 center work,” Bourke said.

The center is currently doing a $1.1 million mandated upgrade to the Motorola/Vesta/Frontier 911 phone equipment as well as the computer-aided dispatch. The upgrade includes a new report management system (RMS), the sheriff said.

“The 911 center is an extremely important component to public safety and is the lifeline to our residents in Orleans County,” he said.

Allen Turner was celebrated by many of his co-workers, retired sheriffs and other law enforcement personnel during a retirement party last month.