So far, sales tax collections up $2 million in county in first half of the year

Photos by Tom Rivers: An apple-themed bike rack is shown on Main Street in Medina last week. A report from the State Comptroller’s Office shows a big increase in sales tax revenue locally and state-wide.

Orleans County’s sales tax revenue is up 33.5 percent or by $1.4 million for the second quarter of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020 when many businesses were on “pause” with in-person customers either not allowed or limited due to restrictions from the state in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many of those restrictions were eased or lifted in the second quarter of 2021 and the sales tax revenue was up significantly.

Statewide the sales tax was up by 49.2% in the second quarter, surpassing the amount during the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said in a report.

Second quarter sales tax revenue in GLOW counties

• Genesee: $13.2 million ($9.1 million in 2020), up 44.8 percent
• Livingston: $11.3 million (7.8 million in 2020), up 44.9 percent
• Orleans: $5.8 million ($4.4 million in 2020), up 33.5 percent
• Wyoming: $6.2 million ($4.3 million in 2020), up 44.5 percent

Among the nine counties in the Finger Lakes region, the 33.5 percent increase in Orleans is the second lowest. Only Wayne at 32.1 percent is lower. Seneca has the biggest increase at 58.7 percent, followed by Ontario County at 55.2 percent.

For the first half of the year, the sales tax revenue in Orleans County is up by $2 million or 22.1 percent, from $8.8 million the first six months of 2020 to $10.8 million the first half of 2021.

Among the other GLOW counties, Genesee is up 25.0 percent from $18.9 million to $23.7 million. Livingston increased 25.4 percent, from $16.2 million to $20.2 million, and Wyoming is up 25.4 percent, from $8.8 million to $11.0 million.

“The strength of these collections, along with federal aid, will give local governments statewide the chance to improve their fiscal stability, but it will take time to recover from the strain caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” DiNapoli said in a statement about the sales tax report. “While this is good news, local leaders are advised to budget carefully. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s to always plan for unpredictable circumstances.”

The size of the increase largely reflects extremely weak collections in the April to June period of 2020, DiNapoli said.

However, even compared to pre-pandemic collections for the same period in 2019, statewide collections in 2021 were up 8.7% or $396 million. Every region outside of New York City experienced two-year growth over 18 percent. New York City’s collections grew by 44.6 percent in the second quarter of 2021for its first increase after four quarters of year-over-year declines. NYC has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, DiNapoli said.

He said an easing of Covid restrictions, pent-up demand and more internet sales tax collections are all factors in the state-wide sales tax growth.

Downtown Medina is a shopping hotspot in Orleans County.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer has issued a statement today, praising efforts in Orleans and Niagara to move forward with broadband internet projects.

“After thousands of rural families in Niagara and Orleans struggled for years to secure broadband service, I was proud to secure the breakthrough funding in the American Rescue Plan needed by the counties to connect them to 21st century broadband,” Schumer said. “I’ll continue to fight for broadband funding until every home and business in New York has access.”

The Orleans County Legislature last week voted unanimously to accept a $3,608,435 bid to make high-speed internet available for the current 1,351 address points that can’t connect to the service.

The Niagara County Legislature on Tuesday accepted a $4,286,325 bid to make high-speed internet in unserved areas of the county.

Both counties selected the proposal from RTO Wireless of Wellesley, Mass.

In Orleans, RTO will co-locate their technology on existing county-owned communication towers. Those sites include at the Emergency Management Office on West County House Road in Albion, Route 31A in Clarendon, Maple Ridge Road in Medina, Route 31 in Albion next to Public Safety Building, West Avenue in Lyndonville, Route 237 in Kendall, Route 237 in Holley by the water tank.

Orleans will use some of its American Rescue Plan funds for the project. The Orleans County Legislature in June accepted $3,918,951 from U.S. Department of Treasury, the first half of the American Rescue Plan Act funds for Orleans.

The county will use some of those funds for the broadband project, but also will be seeking other federal grants, including to help some of the homeowners with the hook-up costs for connecting to the technology.

Niagara also is seeking other state and federal funds to help fund the project.

Ten high school seniors in Orleans County were recently selected to receive the first of what will most likely become an annual award from United Way of Orleans County.

Earlier this spring, following a successful year in obtaining grants, the United Way board voted to award $500 scholarships each to two students in each of Orleans County’s five schools.

In July,  the scholarships were awarded to Colburn Spierdowis and Aisha Drisdom at Albion Central School; Andrew Drechsel and Julia Buck at Holley Central School; Ethan Kuhn and Madison Nardi at Kendall Central School; Isaac Becker and Lyndsey Snell at Lyndonville Central School; and Amanda Woodruff and Jacob Velesko at Medina Central School.

“The mission of United Way of Orleans County is be a connector of people, resources, ideas and funding to make our community stronger, and those students reflect and embrace that mission,” said Dean Bellack, executive director of United Way.

Criteria for receiving a scholarship was that each student must be heavily involved in community service and giving back, have good grades (not necessarily straight A’s), and be a good citizen.

“Rather than have students apply to us and we choose recipients, when we don’t know the students, we decided to have the schools pick the candidates,” Bellack said. “United Way is thrilled to be able to reward those who are giving back to their community.”

Provided photo

BATAVIA – A new billboard has been installed along the Thruway near the Batavia exit, promoting fishing in Orleans County, in particular, the Oak Orchard River.

The billboard is just east of the Batavia exit on the northside of the Thruway.

The County’s Tourism Department has a two-year agreement with Outfront Media in Boston, Mass. for the billboard. The design will change every six months.

Outfront will be paid $28,600 over the two years with the money coming from the American Rescue Plan Act. Guidelines for  using the funds allow the federal dollars to be used to promote tourism.

The county has transferred $67,978 in American Rescue Plan funds to the Tourism Department.

County officials want to better promote the fishery, which is the county’s top tourism attraction.

A survey in 2017 by the state Department of Environmental Conservation put the total economic impact from fishing in Orleans at $27,989,393 in 2017, according to survey results. Out-of-state anglers account for 70 percent of the fishing economic output in Orleans County, $19,620,488 of the $27,989,393. County residents who fish accounted for $1,767,334 in economic activity while other New York state residents outside Orleans represented another $6,601,571.

The DEC report also ranks which species of fish the anglers were primarily trying to catch. The survey reports that 23 percent said they were primarily fishing in Orleans County for Chinook salmon, with 20 percent saying were after brown trout. Another 18 percent said largemouth bass were their primary target and 14 percent said steelhead/rainbow trout.

Having a grant writer available in Orleans County for non-profit organizations is a game changer, said Dean Bellack, director of United Way of Orleans County.

Matt Holland

Bellack pushed for a $450,000 grant over five years from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation, which has allowed United Way to hire a grant writer and fundraiser for Orleans County.

Matt Holland of Medina assumed his duties as grant writer on July 6, joining Nyla Gaylord of Clarendon, who started as fundraiser several weeks earlier. Gaylord wrote the grant on her own time which resulted in United Way receiving the $450,000.

Holland is a native of Oregon and has worked for 10 years with non-profits, including museums, historic preservation and cultural research.

He has a master’s in anthropology from the University of Buffalo and a bachelor of arts in history from the University of Oregon. His most recent job was with the Buffalo History Museum as program and volunteer coordinator.

He has done a lot of grant writing with the History Museum and Gresham Historical Society in Oregon.

“I thought this job with United Way was a good opportunity to work with and learn about the community I’d just moved into,” Holland said.

His wife Catherine is tasting room manager at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery on Ridge Road.

Having a grant writer free of charge in Orleans County means a lot of non-profit organizations will be able to apply for grants who weren’t able to before, Holland said.

“The sky’s the limit now,” he said. “My goal is to take that burden off agencies who don’t have the time, staff or expertise to write a grant.”

Holland is getting to know everyone in the non-profit community and what needs they have, he said. He is working with United Way to form a committee to look at priorities.

“It has been fascinating to learn all the different projects and needs in the county,” Holland said.

“Our expectations are that we are going to see this impact all non-profits in our county,” Bellack said. “Our priority is to help agencies we support, and eventually all non-profits in the county. Matt has been busy gathering information from the non-profit agencies and prioritizing how we work and who we will work with going forward. We are looking to put together partnerships with our board and the non-profits in the county.”

While people are excited and calling about assistance in writing a grant, Bellack said they have to be sure those asking for help are ready for the grant process.

“They have to have a defined need and their books have to be in order,” he said.

Bellack said it is a complicated process and there are different reporting requirements for federal, state, foundational and corporate grants. Holland is the only full time grant writer in Orleans County, Bellack said.

Any non-profit in Orleans County can contact Holland for information on applying for a grant by e-mailing him at grants@orleansunitedway.org.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Luci Welch, director of the Orleans County Probation Department, receives a special recognition award from County Legislator Skip Draper on Wednesday.

ALBION – Luci Welch, director of the Orleans County Probation Department, has been elected by her peers that lead probation departments around the state to serve as president of the New York State Council of Probation Administrators (COPA).

Welch was presented with a “special recognition award” on Wednesday by the County Legislature for her leadership in the state-wide association.

“You have added great value to the New York State Probation Council and the Orleans County Probation Department through your endeavor assisting justice-involved individuals,” the citation reads from the Legislature. “Your continued dedication to the Public Safety of the people of Orleans County will  forever be widespread, long lasting and extremely appreciated.  The Orleans County Legislature does hereby commend you for your passion and dedication to our Orleans County residents.”

The County Legislature also presented Welch and two probation officers with a proclamation recognizing July 18-24 as “Pre-Trial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week.”

Legislators said the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the services provided by these essential workers at probation.

“During these times of uncertainty, change, and unrest, Probation Professionals provide essential public services that our communities depend on,” legislators said in the proclamation. “Even as their roles expand and change, Probation Professionals help offenders rehabilitate and keep the public safe.”

Probation workers connect individuals on probation to drug and alcohol counseling, mental health assistance, job training, and other services.

The probation staff perform “an array of law enforcement work, including the supervision of a wide range of offenses involving both adults and juvenile offenders, from DWI cases to sex offenses to domestic abuse,” legislators said.

The probation workers “continue to perform this public service even as the Covid¬19 pandemic has added many complications for probation officers to supervise and made their jobs more difficult,” legislators stated in the proclamation.

‘It’s essential we act to finally close the digital divide that has kept so many of our rural communities from reaching their full potential.’ – Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Leg chairwoman

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature today voted unanimously to accept a $3,608,435 bid to make high-speed internet available for the current 1,351 address points that can’t connect to the service.

RTO Wireless of Wellesley, Mass., was awarded the bid from the County Legislature, which culminates a 10-year effort from the county to close the internet gaps.

“Today marks the end of an ambitious and long sought after quest, and the beginning of a new era for Orleans County – high-speed, reliable and affordable internet for every home and business in the county,” said Lynne Johnson, Legislature leader for the county.

The county on May 25 sought requests for proposals (RFPs) for companies to provide wireless internet service for 1,351 addresses in the county currently without access to the service. Companies were asked to submit proposals where they would co-locate their technology on existing county-owned communication towers.

Those sites include at the Emergency Management Office on West County House Road in Albion, Route 31A in Clarendon, Maple Ridge Road in Medina, Route 31 in Albion next to Public Safety Building, West Avenue in Lyndonville, Route 237 in Kendall, Route 237 in Holley by the water tank.

The total of unserved addresses in the county includes 74 in Albion, 302 in Barre, 35 in Carlton, 57 in Clarendon, 39 in Gaines, 16 in Kendall, 41 in Murray, 287 in Ridgeway, 206 in Shelby, and 294 in Yates for 1,351 total.

The last month the Legislature voted to accept $3,918,951 from U.S. Department of Treasury, the first half of the American Rescue Plan Act funds for Orleans. The county expects to use some of those funds for the project, but also will be seeking other federal grants, including to help some of the homeowners with the hook-up costs for connecting to the technology.

Johnson said the FCC considers Orleans County to be nearly covered with high-speed internet access.

“But residents report the service is slow and unreliable,” she said. “And with only one provider serving much of the county, customers have little leverage to demand better service.”

The high-speed internet is critical for students to do online coursework, for residents to have the option to work at home, and for other quality of life issues that depend on high-speed internet.

“Our ability to diversify our economic base is dependent on modern infrastructure, and that includes broadband,” Johnson said during the Legislature’s meeting. “We can say, ‘Come and work here,’ but if we don’t have modern amenities, modern infrastructure, the sales pitch falls flat.”

David Godfrey, a Niagara County legislator, has worked with Johnson and Orleans officials on the issue through the Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance. He said the Niagara County Legislature next week is expected to award a bid to provide internet in its unserved areas.

“We’ve put a lot of time and labor and heartache into this,” Godfrey said.

The counties have been shut out in previous attempts to get state and federal funding.

“I can think of no better way to use the Rescue Funds than to bring our communities into the 21^st Century,” he said.