By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 November 2018 at 10:12 am
File photo by Tom Rivers: Skip Helfrich, program director for the new Leadership Orleans program, leads the opening retreat for the class on Jan. 18 at Tillman’s Village Inn. The retreat was for two days. The class of 25 has met monthly throughout the year.
A new leadership program that started in January with 25 people is nearing the conclusion for its first year, with a new class of about 25 to start in two months.
Leadership Orleans was years in the making. Orleans had been one of the few counties without a leadership program.
The debut class has 25 members and is led by director Skip Helfrich, a graduate of the program in Niagara County.
The class members come from a cross section of the community, including law enforcement, government department heads, farm owners, agency directors and other business leaders.
“In building a class we wanted to have a nice mix,” Helfrich told the County Legislature recently. “We are hoping the participants will volunteer, and step up and serve on boards or run for office – whatever it takes to make Orleans County better.”
The new Leadership Orleans became a reality in 2018 after the County Legislature set aside $33,000 in 2017 to get the program off the ground. The county contribution was reduced to $22,000 in 2018 and is slated for $16,000 in 2019.
Three county employees are also in the class: James DeFilipps, deputy for Orleans County Sheriff’s Office; Nadine Hanlon, clerk of Orleans County Legislature; and Eddie Moss, director of computer services for Orleans County.
Hanlon, a lifelong resident, said the program has proven to be an eye-opener about the resources and opportunities in the county.
“I think it’s been a wonderful thing,” she told county legislators on Oct. 24. “I grew up in this community and I’ve been involved, but I’m still learning the wonderful things this community has to offer.”
Charlie Nesbitt, a retired state assemblyman, has been instrumental in securing sponsors and support for the program.
He pushed for Leadership Orleans so key people in the community could better understand how local government, businesses and other sectors work. The class draws on a cross section of the community. The program picked residents who have demonstrated leadership abilities, interest in community affairs, and a commitment to Orleans County’s future.
‘We are hoping the participants will volunteer, and step up and serve on boards or run for office – whatever it takes to make Orleans County better.’ – Skip Helfrich, director of Leadership Orleans
The participants also pay $1,950 for tuition. The program requires enrolled individuals to commit to a two-day opening retreat, one full day per month of program participation over a ten-month period, and a two-day closing retreat/graduation ceremony.
Each month the group learned about a different sector of the community, including government, arts and culture, volunteerism and non-profit organizations, community health, tourism and recreation, agribusiness, economic & workforce development, and education.
Helfrich said 130 people have been impacted so far from the program and that includes 79 community presenters, 25 class participants, 11 people on the steering committee, 12 different design teams and 17 other community friends. The group has visited 56 sites in the county.
The participants already have forged a strong bond and network, he said. The graduates of the program will become a Leadership Orleans Alumni Association, who can continue to support each other and be a resource to the future program participants.
The new class will start in January. There was more interest than available spots so there is now a waiting list. Helfrich said that’s a good indication the community is finding value in the program.
Helfrich works part-time as the director out of an office at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee in Albion. Helfrich is the president/owner of Human Energies, a human resources and organizational development consulting firm. He leads many retreats for other leadership programs.
“My focus was to get this first year going and create something that will last,” he told the Legislature.
For more information on Leadership Orleans, click here.
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By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2018 at 12:08 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers: Justin Niederhofer shows two of the mass casualty kits that are going to ambulances, fire departments, Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicles and other first responders.
ALBION – New kits with tourniquets, gauze and other supplies will be available for each fire department, Sheriff’s Office road patrol vehicle and ambulance provider in the county, helping first responders to “stop the bleed.”
The Orleans County Emergency Management Office has received state funding to purchase the mass casualty kits. Right now there are 33 kits in the field with about 30 more coming. Those 63 kits have 400 tourniquets.
The smaller kits have four tourniquets and the larger ones have eight. The kits also have bandages, gauze and an instruction sheet.
The EMO pushed to have the kits after a mass casualty training exercise in September 2017. First responders realized the fire departments and Orleans County Sheriff’s Office road patrol vehicles weren’t equipped with tourniquets and other supplies to stop multiple people from bleeding out.
A person can bleed out with 3 to 10 minutes if the wound isn’t stopped, said Justin Niederhofer, assistant Carlton fire chief.
He also is an EMT for COVA ambulance, the lead medic for the county’s SWAT team and Carlton’s representative on the county’s EMS Council. He has been coordinating the effort to get the kits in the county
State funding for about $40,000 is paying for the kits and training.
“It was brought up at the County EMS Council that we weren’t that well prepared supply wise,” said Dale Banker, the county’s EMO coordinator. “Hopefully all those medical supplies never have to be used.”
If there was a mass shooting or an accident with multiple victims, the kits could be critical to stopping the bleed.
Each fire department is getting two of the kits. Medina Fire Department will get four of the bigger for each of its ambulances, and COVA will have three.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will have one in all 12 road vehicles, and the three investigators which each have one. The fire coordinators and lead medics also will carry the kits.
First responders are being trained on how to use the kits. Banker and Niederhofer want to expand the number of kits to local schools as well.
There will be training for using the kits for first responders in eastern, central and western Orleans, Banker said.
He urged everyone to familiarize themselves with how to use a tourniquet to help someone having a massive bleed.
“Just some basic training in using a tourniquet and you could save someone’s life,” he said.
The kits include gauze, tourniquets and other supplies to try to prevent a person from bleeding out.
Press Release, Niagara County Public Information Office
New York State Office of the Attorney General, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) have made funding available across New York State for newly formed Land Banks.
Enterprise is now dedicating additional funding to support Land Banks, with funds coming from a bank settlement negotiated by the New York State Office of the Attorney General. Enterprise selected the Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corporation (NORLIC) as a recipient for a $500,000 grant.
Many of the neighborhoods targeted through the Land Bank are transitioning neighborhoods, that through proper selection of properties and investments, can be strengthened to reverse trends. Revitalization may include acquisition, rehabilitation and demolition of derelict properties.
Orleans County Legislature Chairperson Lynne M. Johnson said, “with this vital funding the Land Bank can begin the important work of breathing new life into struggling areas of our region.”
“The Land Bank has already had the sale of its first property in North Tonawanda in the short time it has been formed,” said Niagara County Chairman W. Keith McNall. “This money will assist in our intervention with abandoned properties by developing and implementing a long term plan for the revitalization of our stressed neighborhoods.”
“The Land Bank is a forward thinking tool that combats blight in our cities and seeks to preserve and enhance the value of its land assets,” said Niagara County Legislator Richard Andres.
North Tonawanda Legislator, Randy Bradt applauded the efforts of the NORLIC staff and Board of Directors to obtain this grant.
“It’s a way we can support our community in reviving our residential and commercial spaces,” Bradt said. “The renaissance along our canal corridor and Webster Street needs to continue into the Oliver Street areas; this funding allows us to take a huge step in that direction. We’re dedicated to making sure Oliver Street becomes the prosperous community it once was.”
Provided photo courtesy of Modern Disposal: Modern Disposal will be transitioning to 96-gallon garbage totes in 2019, with a goal to have them in place by July 1.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 October 2018 at 5:31 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: The smaller recycling bins will be replaced by much larger totes in 2019.
ALBION – Orleans County will be transitioning to new 96-gallon recycling totes in 2019.
The change will make it easier for Modern Disposal to pick up recycling, and should hold off increases in the costs for picking up garbage and recycling for the next few years, county officials said.
Residents currently use recycling bins that are emptied weekly by Modern. The company has two employees per truck, with a driver and another employee grabbing and emptying the bins. It takes about a minute for each stop in the county.
Modern will be switching to 96-gallon totes that have covers. Those totes can be grabbed by a mechanical arm, lifted into the arm and emptied into the recycling truck.
The change will allow Modern to staff each recycling truck with one employee. The company can also speed up the collection effort, spending an every of 12 seconds per stop.
“It’s a way to keep the costs in line,” said Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer.
Residents in 2018 paid $212 for annual garbage and recycling collection. The cost will stay about that price for the next few years with the recycling change, Nesbitt said.
“Otherwise, we are looking at a 10 to 15 percent increase,” he said.
Modern also will pick up the recycling every two weeks, instead of weekly once the totes are in place.
The county needs to purchase about 15,000 of them at a cost of about $55 or about $800,000 total. Nesbitt said a state grant from the Department of Environmental Conservation is expected to cover half the costs.
There will be public information meetings next year to help prepare residents for the changes. Nesbitt said the new recycling program has a July 1 target date for kick off.
The County Legislature last week approved a new five-year contract with Modern for garbage and recycling collection. The annual cost is $3,001,495 with the current system, but drops to $2,707,160 when the new system is fully phased in.
Peggy Barringer of Albion won the grand prize in the 2017 contest for this image of a fisherman and sailboat during a sunset at Point Breeze. She also won in 2016 with an image of blossoms at Mount Albion Cemetery.
Once again, Orleans County Tourism wants your best “Tourism Worthy” photos for the 2019 Calendar and Travel Guide.
The 3rd annual Orleans County Tourism Photo Contest is an opportunity to showcase the unique character, events and natural beauty of our region. And, it offers a chance to win a pair of concert tickets. Contest rules are as follows:
• Eligibility: the contest is open to any amateur or professional photographer with the exception of employees of the Orleans County Tourism Department. Images with the photographer’s signature or watermark across the image are not eligible.
• Locale & Subject: all photographs must be taken within Orleans County with a “tourism- draw” subject matter such as recreation, heritage, nature, annual event or tourist attractions.
• Deadline: All entries must be submitted by midnight, Nov. 2, via email or postmarked no later than Nov. 1. Winners will be notified by Nov. 14.
Orleans County Tourism Photo Contest 14016 Route 31 West, Albion, NY 14411
Alternatively, you can fax entry & release forms to 585-589-3283. Contact Lynne Menz at 585-589-3103 with questions.
A panel of judges will rate the photos on the basis of “Tourism Attraction” relevance, subject matter, creativity and quality as well as those which capture the unique quality and beauty of our region. Judges are looking for the “wow factor” or “magazine cover worthy” image.
Click here to see the contest rules and application.
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce presented nine awards on Thursday during the Chamber’s 20th annual awards dinner. The following were recognized, front row, from left: Gail Miller, Business Person of the Year; Katie Misiti (Sourced Market & Eatery), New Business of the Year; Wayne Litchfield, Community Service Award; Darlene Hartway, Sourced Market & Eatery; Jaye Sullivan, Lifetime Achievement; and Iva McKenna (Country Lane Veterinary Services), Business of the Year. Back row: Wendy Wilson (LynOaken Farms), Agricultural Business of the Year; Chris Oakes (LynOaken Farms); Jeff Oakes (LynOaken Farms); Jessica Tobin (Penasack Contract Manufacturer), Employer of the Year; Adam Johnson (39 Problems), Phoenix Award; Aaron and Jim Preston (Preston’s Lawncare & Landscaping), Small Business of the Year; and George McKenna (Country Lane Veterinary Services).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 October 2018 at 11:47 am
LYNDONVILLE – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce honored local businesses and community leaders on Thursday during its 20th annual awards dinner at the White Birch Golf Club.
The business owners were praised for providing jobs, maintaining buildings and injecting optimism into the community.
The award winners also received citations from State Sen. Rob Ortt and Assebmlyman Steve Hawley.
The following were recognized by the Chamber:
• Business the Year – Country Lane Veterinary Services in Barre
George McKenna, owner of Country Lane Veterinary Services, was recognized as Business of the Year. He is congratulated by, from left: State Sen. Robert Ortt, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Becky Charland, director of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.
George and Ivan McKenna started the business 28 years ago on East Barre Road in Barre. They have nine employees. They have hosted many interns over the years and George McKenna said five or six have gone on to become veterinarians and many others are veterinary technicians.
“They teach compassion and a work ethic,” said Leonel Rosario, co-owner of last year’s Business of the Year, Mariachi De Oro.
George and Iva are parents to four grown daughters. Kerri Richardson, one of their children, is the business manager at Country Lane.
George said the business may add an associate veterinarian and expand.
He praised his excellent employees through the years and the dedication and understanding of his family.
“It’s a lot like farming,” he told a crowd of 135 at the Chamber dinner. “Emergencies happen.”
• Agricultural Business of the Year – LynOaken Farms in Lyndonville
Wendy Wilson, president of LynOaken Farms and Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, accepts the Agricultural Business of the Year award with Chris Oakes (left), production manager; and Jeff Oakes, storage manager, for LynOaken.
The Oakes family has been farming in Lyndonville since Leonard Oakes started the farm in 1919. His successors have stayed dedicated to growing apples, but they have also expanded into grapes, wine, a retail market and their own delivery business, taking apples and peaches to 90 locations in Western and Central NY.
LynOaken has 34 full-time employees at the farm and with its winery and wine-tasting site on Ridge Road in Medina.
The family was praised for diversifying the business and becoming a destination site in Orleans County. LynOaken has a U-pick orchard that includes heirloom varieties.
The winery is named for the farm’s founder, Leonard Oakes. It hosts a Steampunk Festival in late August each year that draws about 1,000 people.
The farm is expanding and adding a new packing line and eco-friendly refrigeration.
Next year LynOaken will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Jaye Sullivan, owner of Blissett’s Specialty Shop in Medina
Jaye Sullivan, honored for lifetime achievement, gets a hug from Bruce Landis, who was last year’s winner.
Jaye Sullivan grew up working at Blissett’s Specialty Shop in Medina. She is the third generation owner of the business, which was started in 1941 by Sullivan’s grandparents, Chester and Beatrice Blissett, who opened their first store in Albion. They opened a second store in Medina, Blissett’s Children’s Shop, in about 1950. After experiencing a serious accident, the Blissetts closed the Albion store.
Jaye Sullivan has adapted the business from a children’s store to include bridal wear and specialty items, such as christening and prom dresses.
Sullivan has served her community, as a member of the Medina Board of Education, and an officer in the Medina Business Association. She also is a member of the Decorate Medina Committee.
She said she is grateful to have grown up in her family and is determined to keep the store going.
• Small Business of the Year – Preston’s Lawncare & Landscaping in Albion
Molly Preston is joined by her husband Jim, left, and brother-in-law Aaron Preston. Preston’s Lawncare & Landscaping was named Small Business of the Year.
Jim Preston started the business in 2015 and his brother Aaron joined him as a partner in 2016. They have five employees.
The Preston brothers had a business as teen-agers, mowing lawns in the Kendall area. They worked other jobs after high school, but came back to working together with lawns and landscaping.
Their business has grown to five seasonal workers, along with the two brothers and other family. They do lawncare and landscaping from cutting grass to the increasingly popular hardscape – patio pavers, fireplaces, walkways and retaining walls. They also trim bushes, put in mulch and tackle over lawncare and landscaping issues.
The business is based at Zig Zag Road where the brothers have greenhouses and grow nursery stock.
They praised their father, the late James Preston Sr., for getting them involved in the business. The elder Preston was 56 when he died on Sept. 23, 2015, following a career at Kodak.
The Prestons’ mother, Marie, also opened her own business, Preston’s Country Market, this year on Ridge Road in Gaines. She sells some of the apples grown by her son, Jim.
The Prestons said they are grateful for the support of their customers, who are almost all Orleans County residents.
• New Business of the Year – Sourced Market & Eatery in Medina
Katie Misiti, co-owner of Sourced Market & Eatery in Medina, accepts the award for New Business of the Year.
The Hartway family was honored for opening a business with a focus on local and natural foods. Sourced Market and Eatery already has expanded its interior and outdoor seating to accommodate the public to the site on Maple Ridge Road in Millville.
The family is looking to add greenhouses so it can grow year-round organic produce and herbs.
Darlene Hartway runs the business with her children. Katie Misiti manages the kitchen and plans the menu every week, while handling the majority of work in the kitchen and coordinating catering events.
“I’m excited for the next year,” Misiti said. “We have some big plans.”
Her brother Travis Hartway is a baker for Sourced and is often at the counter serving customers.
Three of their sons run Hartway Brothers Farm near Millville, land once owned by their grandfather. The boys, Nathaniel, Justin and Franklin, grow squash and pumpkins for the market.
Phoenix Award – 39 Problems Bar & Grill in Albion
Adam and Tina Johnson were recognized with the Phoenix Award for their effort in opening the 39 Problems restaurant and bar in a historic downtown Albion location.
Adam and Tina Johnson transformed a vacant building on Albion’s Main Street into a bar and restaurant. The dining area and bar for 39 Problems opened on March 1, following more than two years of hard work.
The site has added energy and foot traffic to downtown Albion.
The Johnsons were praised for perseverance and vision in opening the bar and restaurant in a building from 1866 that has been the home to many businesses, starting with a coffin and furniture company and more recently to a hair salon.
The couple purchased the building, which includes three storefronts, in 2015. They have been working diligently to renovate the site, while preserving its historic charm. In June 2016 they opened 39 Problems, selling pizza, grilled foods and “chill desserts.” The site didn’t have a dine-in option.
Now 39 Problems has a dine-in restaurant. The Johnsons have two of three storefronts done, and they would eventually like to expand the dining area to the remaining storefront.
The Johnsons have done a major upgrade at the site, adding a new kitchen, two new bathrooms, wiring, gas lines, structural and roof repairs, masonry work and lots of other attention.
The storefront has been changed. The windows are now aluminum framed with insulated glass. Johnson kept the cast iron columns and removed paint on the Medina sandstone at the storefronts. Some of the wood from the storefront was repurposed above the bar.
Mr. Johnson named the business 39 Problems because of the challenges in renovating the site at 39 North Main St. That is the unfinished storefront and the largest of the three.
• Business Person of the Year – Gail Miller of Medina
Gail Miller accepts congratulations for Business Person of the Year.
Gail Miller has been the volunteer coordinator for Medina ’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market since it opened in 2015. The market has grown from 8 to 20 vendors and now has a year-round presence.
The site on West Center Street across from the Post Office brings together farms, wineries, artists, musicians and families on Saturdays. The site has proven popular for bringing the community together, the Chamber said.
Miller retired in 2013 as a business analyst for IBM. She has been heavily committed to growing the market, securing vendors and promoting local agriculture.
She thanked the vendors for being so reliable and for providing quality produce and products at the market.
The vendors offer a variety of products, such as sausage, pork, chemical free and heirloom produce, dehydrated mixes, vegan food, baked goods, poultry, flour and maple syrup.
There are also vendors with children’s books, and wineries that rotate every Saturday. A Canal Kids’ Tent provides games, puzzles, chalk art and free books to children.
• Employer of the Year (presented by Orleans County Job Development Agency) – Penasack Machine Co. in Albion
Jessica Tobin is vice president for Penasack Contract Manufacturer in Albion, which was honored as Employer of the Year.
The Chamber presented a new award for the first time as part of a collaboration with the Orleans County Job Development Agency.
The Chamber and Job Development want to recognize a local business that demonstrates a commitment to its workforce, and in turn a workforce that is committed to the business, said Kelly Kiebala, the Job Development Agency leader.
Penasack Contract Manufacturer on Sanford Street is a sheet metal fabricator. It has 43 employees, with many referred by Job Development.
The company was recognized as Employer of the Year “for consistently providing quality, well-paying jobs in Orleans County,” Kiebala said. “Individuals working for Penasack are provided training and opportunities for advancement.”
Employees referred to Penasack provide feedback that the business has “a welcoming company culture and encouragement to increase skills. Penasack has been quietly and dependably providing these job opportunities in Orleans County for decades, and we are honored to be able to recognize them as Employer of the Year for 2018,” Kiebala said.
Jessica Tobin, Penasack vice president, said the business if fortunate to many so many dedicated employees.
• Community Service Award – Wayne Litchfield of Medina
Wayne Litchfield of Medina was honored with a Community Service Award for his volunteer efforts with many local organizations.
Since he retired as an Orleans County dispatcher in 2013, following a 28-year career, Wayne Litchfield has been an active community volunteer, helping many organizations.
“He is anything that is needed in this community,” said Jacki Mowers-Sciarabba, last year’s winner. “He will offer any help he can give.”
He is a direct care volunteer at Hospice of Orleans, a leader in the Orleans-Recovery Hope Begins Here organization, which offers assistance to people fighting addictions. He is a member of the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force, and a member of the Orleans United Drug-Free Coalition.
Litchfield, 67, is a member of the VALOR Medical Reserve Corps for the Orleans County Health Department. He is the director of media and technology at the Albion Free Methodist Church. He also is a mentor in the Just Friends program through the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern.
He is on the planning committee for the Metro 10 race, and helps with the organization, set up and manning of water stations, and will spring into action when needed.
He also is a consistent volunteer at the Community Kitchen in Albion and the Hands 4 Hope Ministry on Saturdays.
He also helps at Care Net of Greater Orleans, Gotta Dance at Miss Amy and the Ride 4 Life.
He grew up in Holley and was an active volunteer firefighter and member of the rescue squad before becoming a dispatcher.
He was hospitalized in July with congestive heart failure. He has rebounded and said he welcomes the chance to serve the community.
“I always say just give me one more volunteer,” he said. “Just give me one more.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 October 2018 at 8:40 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Emily Cebula, director of the Yates Community Library, joined other library directors in asking for a funding increase from the Orleans County Legislature.
ALBION – Directors from the four public libraries in Orleans County made their annual pitch for more funding from the County Legislature recently.
The county currently provides $10,087 to the four libraries – Albion (Hoag Library), Holley (Community Free Library), Lyndonville (Yates Community Library) and Medina (Lee-Whedon Memorial Library).
The libraries would like to receive $1 per resident or $42,883.
The county was giving $29,914 to be shared among the four libraries as recently as 2002, but that dropped to $7,480 in 2003. Since then, the amount was raised to $12,587 in 2007, $13,617 in 2010, and then was cut to $10,087 in 2011. It hasn’t changed since then.
During a budget presentation on Sept. 26, the library leaders’ presentation focused on the services the four sites provide for seniors, from large print books, to concerts and entertainment, to expertise in using computers and technology. In previous years, library directors touted their children’s programming.
Emily Cebula, director of the Yates Community Library, said the libraries are committed to serving everyone in the community, regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances.
“We love our jobs,” Cebula said. “We want you to know we are doing our best for new people in our county and people who have been here forever.”
A funding boost from the county would allow the libraries to maintain a current collection, acquire new books and other materials, and lessen pressure to raise their taxes.
The local libraries will be part of an upcoming community engagement initiative through the Nioga Library System, looking for more ways to engage the community.
The Nioga study will also look at changes in the local communities, including a rising percentage of senior citizens.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul meets with Orleans County Democrats on Saturday evening during their fall rally at the Elks Club. About 60 people attended the event. She is shown visiting Jim Renfrew and his wife, Robin Dunnington, who hosted one of the first candidate parties in their Clarendon home for Hochul in 2011. Those grass roots events helped her to get elected, despite a strong Republican advantage in the district.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 October 2018 at 10:03 pm
ALBION – Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said Nov. 6 will be a big day for Democrats in the state, and locally a candidate for Congress may do what many thought was impossible only a few months ago.
Nate McMurray may topple Chris Collins in the 27th Congressional District, which is the most Republican-leaning district in the state.
“Lightning will strike twice and we’ll send another Democrat to Washington,” Hochul said Saturday during the Orleans County Fall Democrat Rally.
Hochul pulled off an upset when she was elected to Congress for the District in 2011. But redistricting added more Republicans and she lost a close re-election to Chris Collins in 2012.
Orleans County Democratic Party Chairwoman Jeanne Crane touts the candidacies of Joyce Riley, left, for Gaines Town Board and Kathy Hochul for lieutenant governor. Crane called Hochul, “a Western New York gal.”
Now McMurray, the Grand Island town supervisor, is in a neck-and-neck battle with Collins, according to polling data.
Hochul said more Democrats are energized this election, and more Republicans are reluctant to support Collins, who is under federal indictment for insider trading.
Kathy Hochul said support from Upstate New York was critical in her winning a Democratic Primary last month.
There was a bigger turnout statewide in the primary last month, compared to four years ago when many of the statewide offices were on the ballot. In Orleans County, for example, Hochul received 605 votes for lieutenant governor on Sept. 13 versus the 197 for Jumane Williams.
Four years earlier, when she first ran for lieutenant governor, the turnout was much smaller. She received 297 votes to Timothy Wu’s 103.
This election Democrats are more engaged, and more determined to vote, Hochul said.
“I expect a Democratic surge,” she said. “You can see it and feel it, and I’m embracing it.”
She praised the Democrats state-wide candidates, which include Andrew Cuomo for governor, Tom DiNapoli for comptroller, Letitia James for attorney general and Kirsten Gellibrand for U.S. senator.
The Democrats’ top priorities are investments in jobs, healthcare and education, Hochul said.
She praised the 60 people at the Democrats Fally Rally. She said it isn’t easy to be a Democrat and in Republican-dominated county.
“These are the Democrats I admire the most,” she said. “These are the ones who are most passionate about Democratic values. I admire you for having the courage to step up and say, ‘I’m a Democrat.’”
Joe DiPasquale of Lockport also addressed the crowd on Saturday. DiPasquale is challenging Michael Norris in the 144th Assembly District, which includes Shelby in Orleans County and parts of Erie and Niagara counties.
Joe DiPasquale wants the state to invest more in public education and protecting the environment.
DiPasquale said he will make the environment and more resources in public education his priorities. He worries about high cancer rates locally, and wants Niagara County to stop accepting toxic trash from outside the area.
He sees tourism as an economic driver, especially with the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, which opened in 1825.
“The Erie Canal turns 200 in seven years,” he said. “Are we ready?”
Jeannette Riley also asked for support in her campaign for the Gaines Town Board against Corey Black.
Riley said she looks forward to being part of a team to bring down taxes and make homes more affordable.
“Nothing is going to get done by one person alone,” she said. “We need each other. This is my community, and I want to make it a safer place. I want to make it a more welcoming place.”
Riley acknowledged it’s difficult for local Democrats to feel part of the local political process.
“Right now many of us feel unheard and unattended,” she said. “They only way to change that is to get out and vote.”
You’re here checking the site, so you know: Orleans Hub is a vital resource for our community. Day in and day out, we share information and insights that matter to those who live and work in the towns, villages and hamlets of our county. Local advertisers help make the Hub possible, and so can you.
Donate today to keep Orleans Hub healthy and accessible to all. Thank you!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 October 2018 at 2:59 pm
Provided photos
RIDGEWAY – The Orleans County Highway Department installed big pieces of concrete this week for a new culvert on Culvert Road in Ridgeway, just south of Ridge Road.
The Highway Department made the concrete decking and other concrete pieces for the culvert, and then installed the components.
By not hiring the job out to a contractor, the county saved significant money, county officials said.
Labella Associates did the engineering work, the only outside firm hired for the job.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $45 million in state grant funding has been awarded to 57 counties and New York City for emergency communications. The grants include $403,172 for Orleans County.
This funding enables local governments to expand their emergency response capabilities to enhance public safety operations. The 2018 Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant program supports nine Regional Communications Consortiums that focus on improving critical emergency communications across the state, as well as coordination between counties, state and federal agencies.
“In an emergency, every second counts and it’s critically important that first responders have the tools and resources they need to receive information fast to help New Yorkers in their time of need,” Cuomo said. “This funding will help us create a stronger, safer New York for all.”
The State Interoperable Communications Grant, administered by the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, has awarded more than $450 million in seven rounds to 57 counties and New York City since 2010.
The Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant is formula based and funded by cellular surcharge revenue. The program has allowed counties to make vital improvements in the way first responders can communicate between each other and different regions of the state using land mobile radio systems.
Each county and New York City can submit applications to fund projects involving infrastructure, equipment and technology upgrades. Eligible counties can use this funding for a variety of functions, including expanding radio coverage by installing new equipment at towers and antenna sites, implementing Next Generation 911 technologies and standards, setting up communication channels among public safety radio systems, consolidating emergency services dispatch centers, supporting the operations of public safety dispatch centers, and deploying new technology that help counties link their systems together.
Additionally, this funding will support training and exercises to promote efficient inter-regional communications, cooperation, and overall first responder readiness.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Two commanders of veterans’ agencies attended the Pfc. Joseph P. Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Event and Picnic Saturday at Orleans County Fairgrounds. Here, Glenn Whitmore, left, commander of American Legion Post 204 in Medina, and Dan Anderson, right, commander of VFW Post 1483 in Medina, pose with Veterans’ Services director Earl Schmidt and his wife Cathy.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 October 2018 at 7:42 pm
KNOWLESVILLE – The Pfc. Joseph P. Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Kick-off Event and Picnic was a resounding success and one which organizers hope will be the first of many such events.
Saturday at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, dozens of veterans and their families showed up for the event, organized by Earl and Cathy Schmidt with grant money Mr. Schmidt applied for through State Sen. Rob Ortt.
Guests enjoyed lunch, popcorn, music by DJs Kenny and Bonnie Draper, and children’s activities.
The Niagara Falls Air Force Base provided a bounce house and children’s games.
Cathy Schmidt announced she is forming a group for veterans’ spouses and caregivers, which she calls “Clovers.” It stands for “caregivers, loved ones and spouses.”
Her goal is to organize a variety of activities for veterans’ spouses and caregivers, such as bowling, chocolate bingo, kayaking and excursions. She has already planned a bus excursion to a Sabres’ game.
The YMCA in Medina is also going to cooperate by giving 10 percent off the cost of membership to veterans.
Earl Schmidt, director of Orleans County Veterans’ Services, and his wife Cathy pose with Arianna Smith and her dad Brad Smith of Albion and Greg Stanton of Medina at the first Pfc. Joseph P. Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Event and Picnic Saturday at the Orleans County Fairgrounds. Both Brad Smith and Stanton were Seabees. Smith was a Navy combat veteran in Iraq.
Greg Stanton of Medina said he heard about the picnic when talking to Earl Schmidt, director of the Veterans Service Agency in Orleans County, several months ago.
“So I came to see what’s going on,” Stanton said. “The whole idea is to gets vets in Orleans County connected with each other, and that’s pretty cool.”
He said it’s nice veterans are finally getting the accolades and appreciation they deserve.
Stanton is a Seabee who signed up for the military right out of high school. He served two and one-half years in active duty and two and one-half years in the Reserves and went to college on a VA loan.
“Just a few years ago, I found out I was eligible for health care,” he said. “I have nothing but praise for the VA in Batavia and Buffalo .”
Rachael Spearante of Albion, a volunteer with the American Legion Auxiliary, hands out informational pamphlets at the Peer-to-Peer Veterans’ picnic Saturday at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Earl Schmidt said he started the peer-to-peer program to provide a non-clinical approach for veterans and their families in Orleans County. The grant through Ortt’s office is for $52,500
Schmidt’s hope is to prevent any tragedy here such as the story of Pcf. Joseph P. Dwyer, for whom the Peer-to-Peer program is named. Dwyer was a North Carolina veteran who, after a year and a half of trying to navigate the system after his discharge, committed suicide.
“The system failed him,” Schmidt said. “We are brothers and sisters working together and I’ll be here as your liaison.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Holley Canal Park is pictured in June. The site includes a gazebo, public bathrooms with showers, boat tie-ups and camp sites.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2018 at 10:40 am
Several canal communities in Orleans County will soon get to work on a waterfront revitalization plan.
The Orleans County Legislature has approved an agreement with NYS Department of State to create the Erie Canal Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan.
The plan will provide a clear direction for suitable future development, reflect a community consensus, and establish a long-term partnership among local governments and the state.
In a resolution last week, the Legislature states, “the Erie Canal was critical to early community settlement and commerce in Orleans County and remains an essential asset for the purposes of economic development, recreation, tourism and cultural heritage.”
The state is providing a $62,000 grant for the plan, while the county contributes $10,000 in cash, and the participating towns and villages pay $10,500. The county Department of Planning and Development will also provide $167 of in-kind services.
The Village of Medina also is working on a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan and received a $37,500 state grant for the effort. Medina has already formed a committee and hired a consultant, Bergmann Associates.
Medina will have a meeting on Oct. 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Medina High School, 2 Mustang Drive, welcoming the public to discuss how to best utilize the waterfront in the community, including the canal, Oak Orchard River and Glenwood Lake.
The Orleans plan will focus on the villages of Albion and Holley, and towns of Murray, Albion, Gaines, Ridgeway and Shelby.
The county expects to hire a consultant and start work on the plan in early 2019. Ken DeRoller, a county legislator, said the two planning efforts will work together.
There may be less than obvious ways to better capitalize on the canal, such as allowing more siphons for farmers to irrigate crops, DeRoller said.
“We are looking forward to enhancing the use of this asset in our county,” he said.
NYSAC will have ‘Mandate Monitor’ to track impact of state mandates on county taxes
Chuck Nesbitt
ROCHESTER – Charles “Chuck” Nesbitt Jr., chief administrative officer of Orleans County, was elected today to serve as president of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).
NYSAC is a bipartisan municipal association serving all 62 counties of New York State including the City of New York. Organized in 1925, NYSAC’s mission is to represent, educate, advocate for, and serve member counties and the thousands of elected and appointed county officials who serve the public.
“I look forward to serving as NYSAC’s president and advocating for our counties in both Albany and Washington,” said Nesbitt, an Albion resident. “Our Association provides a strong platform for us to come together to voice our needs as the local governments closest to our communities.”
Since 2005, Nesbitt has served as the chief administrative officer of Orleans County. Prior to that he was an economic development specialist for Empire State Development in Rochester. He has also served as president of the New York State Association of County Administrators and Managers since 2008.
Nesbitt announced that during his presidency, he will focus on tracking the impact of existing and new state mandates on counties and county taxpayers. Under this initiative, a “Mandate Monitor” will examine the impact of implementing the Raise the Age law and the ongoing impact of other state mandates that consume most or all of the property taxes collected at the county level.
“Mr. Nesbitt is an experienced and respected county leader, and he will be a tremendous asset to NYSAC during a time when the county voice must be included in state and federal policy decisions,” said NYSAC Immediate Past President and Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 September 2018 at 1:48 pm
County chief administrative office officer will lead NYS Association of Counties
File Photo: Chuck Nesbitt, the Orleans County chief administrative officer, is pictured in June 2016 outside the Orleans County Clerk’s Building.
ROCHESTER – Next week county officials from across the state will meet in Rochester for the ‘fall seminar of the New York State Association of Counties.
One of the highlights of the meeting will be the swearing in of NYSAC’s new president for the upcoming year. Chuck Nesbitt, Orleans County’s chief administrative officer, will take the reins from MaryEllen Odell, the Putnam County Executive.
Nesbitt of Albion will be sworn in as NYSAC president at the Tuesday conference luncheon.
Nesbitt has been heavily involved in the organization in recent years as a member of the executive committee since 2016. He has been an at-large member of the NYSAC Board of Director since 2014. He was elected as the president of the NYS County Administrators’ Association in 2008.
NYSAC is a bipartisan municipal association serving all 62 counties of New York State including the City of New York. Organized in 1925, NYSAC’s mission is to represent, educate, advocate for, and serve member counties and the thousands of elected and appointed county officials who serve the public.
NYSAC has been an effective advocacy organization for counties, Nesbitt said, and the group values the opinions from counties of all sizes.
The conference next week will take place at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center and the Hyatt Regency Rochester, with an offsite special event planned for The Strong Museum.
Workshops at the conference will cover a range of issues, including the opioid crisis, drinking water safety, women in county government, climate resiliency, dispute resolution, sports gaming, and election cyber security.
As chief administrative officer in Orleans County, Nesbitt acts on behalf of the County Legislature and works closely with Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson to implement county policy and oversee the activities of all county departments. He also serves as the county’s budget officer.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 21 September 2018 at 9:06 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Earl Schmidt, left, director of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency, presents a plaque to Frank Berger of Medina for his dedication and work in support of local veterans. At right is Dave Kusmierczak of Medina, president of the Joint Veterans Council.
MEDINA – Earl Schmidt, director of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency, announced a first time event for veterans and their families at the Council’s September meeting.
A veterans’ Peer to Peer Support event and picnic will take place Oct. 6 at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. The program is funded from the state grant secured by Schmidt and the Orleans County Mental Health Department.
From noon to 3 p.m., all veterans and their families can enjoy fun, food and music.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will be there doing children’s IDs, and there will be a bounce house for kids, donated by the Niagara Falls Air Force Base.
It has taken a year to receive the funds Schmidt applied for, he said.
The Peer to Peer Support Program was established in honor of a North Carolina veteran, Pfc. Joseph P. Dwyer. After returning home from Iraq, Dwyer suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury. He received care from the VA, but had a hard time integrating into civilian life, eventually taking his own life.
The New York State Senate started a program to assist veterans in a non-clinical setting, putting them and their families together, peer-to-peer, and connecting them with community resources.
Orleans County ’s share of the grant to run this program is $52,500. Niagara County received $185,000, along with Erie and Monroe counties.
Schmidt’s wife Catherine, who has a background in running family support for military families, is helping to coordinate the volunteer program in Orleans County .
Reservations are needed for the Peer-to-Peer picnic and may be made by calling 589-3223.
Dave Kusmierczak, right, president of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency, took time out from the September meeting to recognize James Andre for being the longest serving volunteer with the veterans’ van service, which he helped establish.
In other business, Phyllis Schrader, head of the volunteer van service, reported 172 veterans were transported in July and 186 in August. She asked if the Veterans Service Agency could provide a small tire pump for drivers to use, as frequently the tires on their transport vans have low pressure. The Agency voted to purchase one for the office.
In his monthly report, Schmidt said his office met with 677 personnel in July and 575 in August.
He talked about the progress on the National Veterans’ Cemetery which will be established in Pembroke. He said it had been put out to bids, but they all came in too high. It will be put out again, seeking bids from non-government contractors. He expects groundbreaking to be in the spring, with completion by the summer of 2020.
Schmidt also reported that after a year of deliberation, the Albion Village Board last week passed the real property exemption for Cold War veterans. There are still four municipalities in the county which have not passed the exemption, he said.
A Medina veteran, Frank Berger, was presented with a plaque in recognition of his longtime support of programs to benefit veterans. Schmidt purchased the plaque with his own money because he was appreciative of all Berger has done.
Veterans Service Agency president Dave Kusmierczak reported on the 9-11 ceremony, which this year was organized by Gary Befus of the American Legion in Albion.
Kusmierczak talked about the patriotic ceremony the Medina American Legion and VFW conducted at the Warrior House event Saturday in West Shelby. Schmidt said he has applied for funds for the Warrior House and his office will be partnering with them to make sure it never has to close.
Glen Whitmore from the Butts-Clark American Legion said the great-great-granddaughter of James Clark wants to have a get-together at the post.
Tim McGee with Albion Masons, who cooked breakfast for the meeting, said the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Albion is hosting a special service for veterans on Nov. 11.
An Albion resident and Marine, Maxine Schening, announced she is trying to form a local chapter of the Women’s Marines Association. She is vice president of the Western New York Chapter, she said.
