Orleans County

Impressive monument for pioneers in Orleans County never came to fruition

Posted 27 March 2021 at 9:09 am

40-foot-high obelisk was planned for Courthouse Square

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 1, No. 9

ALBION – A recent reference question brought this impressive design to light. This image of a towering 40-foot obelisk was one of several submissions under discussion in 1912 for a proposed monument in memory of the Pioneers of Orleans County which was to be erected in Albion at the Courthouse Square.

The Orleans County Pioneer Association was formed in 1859 “to preserve and perpetuate the remembrance of interesting facts connected with the early history of the settlement of Orleans County” and to pay tribute to the settlers who could ”recollect when here was nothing but a dark, unbroken wilderness.”

In June 1910, in anticipation of the upcoming centenary of the original settlement of the county, the Pioneer Association appointed a committee to take charge of the formation of the Orleans County Pioneers Monument Association which would be charged to raise $3,000 to erect a suitable monument in memory of the pioneers.

At a special meeting of the Orleans County Pioneer Association held on Feb. 23, 1911, President John Bidleman was authorized to get approval from the Legislature to erect the monument on the County Courthouse Square. He was also instructed to “secure assistants in the towns to circulate subscription papers among the families of the pioneers for funding the monument.”

The Medina Daily Journal of July 10, 1911 reports the appointment of the following as committee members of the Orleans County Pioneers’ Monument Association: President: Dr. R.W. Bamber, Two Bridges, Supervisor: Daniel D. Daum, Clarendon, Vice-President: Dr. John A. Hartman, Albion, Secretary: Harry E. Colburn, Albion.

It was noted that Dr. Bamber would try to raise $10,000 for the project.

On July 20, 1911, a committee was formed to obtain designs and an estimate of costs. Members included Irving L’Hommedieu of Medina, Lafayette H. Beach of Albion, Jacob Tillis of Gaines, Harry Wellman of Kendall and Dr. W.R. Bamber of Carlton.

A meeting was held on November 23, 1911 to inspect the designs. “Several prominent monument manufacturing concerns and some noted sculptors appeared before the committee and presented miniature models” (Medina Tribune). The cost of the models presented ranged from $3,000 to $15,000. It was reported that the committee hoped to secure a design for less than $10,000.

A final choice was made on December 17, 1911, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. The design, by sculptor Alfred Dreyfus of New York, was of a pioneer woodman in bronze, with long hair, bare-headed, sleeves rolled to elbows, long skin coat, with belt leather leggings, portrayed with uplifted axe, swinging it to chop a fallen log. The total height of the monument would be 18 feet and the cost $6,000.

However, the project did not come to fruition after all. There is no record available of how much money was actually gathered. And, it would seem that there was some dissension. The Medina Daily Journal of June 17, 1912 “decried the action of the Pioneer Association in opposing the Ridge Road Centennial” as “unfortunate.” The Centennial, planned for 1913, was to honor the State’s appropriation in 1813 of $5,000 for the improvements which made it “a great military and emigration highway.”

In actual fact, the two publications which chronicle the Association (Pioneer History of Orleans County, New York, by Arad Thomas and Record of the Orleans County Pioneer Association,) are more evocative than any monument, for they contain compelling first-hand accounts of the settlers’ early trials and tribulations.

They may be accessed at your favorite library or online at the following links: Pioneer History of Orleans County, New York (click here) and the Record of the Orleans County Pioneer Association (click here).

Retired sheriff honored for 60 years of service to East Shelby Fire Company

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 March 2021 at 10:39 am

Photo by Tom Rivers: David Green, second from left, is presented a “Special Recognition Award” from Orleans County Legislator Bill Eick and an award from the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York by Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management coordinator. Debbie Taylor, the East Shelby fire chief, joined Green at the County Legislature’s chambers for the awards for his 60 years of service with the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company.

ALBION — David Green, a retired Orleans County sheriff and fire coordinator, was recognized during Wednesday’s County Legislature meeting with a “Special Recognition Award” for his 60 years of service to the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company.

“Through you selflessness and extreme commitment as a firefighter in your community your efforts have provided a positive impact on the health and safety of the residents of the fire district,” the citation stated from the Legislature.

Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management coordinator, also presented Green with a proclamation from the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York for the 60 years of volunteer service.

The County Legislature also recognized Charles Ralph for his 50 years as a member of the East Shelby Fire Department. Mr. Ralph wasn’t at Wednesday’s Legislature meeting.

Orleans approves agreement to house federal detainees in County Jail

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 March 2021 at 8:48 am

Contract with U.S. Marshals could net county several hundred thousand dollars annually

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Jail and the County Courthouse are pictured recently. The jail on Platt Street in Albion has a capacity for 82 inmates but has been well under that in the past year.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature approved a three-year contract on Wednesday with the U.S. Marshal’s Service to house federal detainees in the county jail, an agreement that could net the county several hundred thousand dollars a year.

The county agreed to house the detainees at $115 a day. The Sheriff’s Office also will transport detainees to court appointments in Buffalo, Rochester and Niagara Falls, and will be paid $40 per hour for each of two staff members assigned to the transport and court appearance. The county will also be paid the current IRS mileage reimbursement rate, which currently is 56 cents a mile.

Sheriff Chris Bourke said the agreement could net the county $500,000 or more. It also won’t overwhelm the jail, which currently has 30 inmates in a facility with a capacity for 82. Of those 30 inmates, 12 are “state-ready” inmates who have been sentenced to state prison. The local jail population during the pandemic in the past year and in the era of bail reform has been about 15 to 20 inmates a day.

Even at the smaller inmate population, the county still must maintain full staffing.

“We have the same costs,” Bourke said. “With the agreement with the Marshals, we’d just have more food and some over-the-counter medications.”

Bourke said the county plans to have up to 10 detainees from the U.S. Marshals at the beginning of the agreement, and then expects to increase it to 15 to 20 detainees.

At 10 detainees a day, the county would be paid $1,150, and that doesn’t include any additional money for transport.

If the county averaged 10 detainees over a year that would be $419,750 in revenue. If the county averaged 15 detainees in the county jail, that would be $629,625 for the year.

The agreement approved on Wednesday runs for a year, from March 1, 2021 to Feb. 28, 2024. county can opt of the agreement with 30 days notice.

County Leg leader wants local government stimulus used for broadband

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 March 2021 at 7:20 am

County officials will ask towns, schools to contribute some stimulus funds to expand high-speed internet

ALBION – The American Rescue Plan includes several millions for local governments, money that the Orleans County Legislature leader says would be put to good use by expanding high-speed internet throughout the county.

Lynne Johnson

The American Rescue Plan also includes $7.9 million for Orleans County, and an additional $4.4 million for the 10 towns and four villages, and $12.5 million for the five school districts.

“If we’re all in this together, it makes it affordable,” said Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman.

The county has been working for about a decade to expand broadband or high-speed internet, but has largely missed out on state and federal grants. The county has data points where the service is currently unavailable. It would cost an estimated $4.2 million to fill all of those gaps.

Johnson would like to bypass another state and federal grant cycle and move quickly to use some of the stimulus funding to bring in broadband. The state and federal grant programs can take many months of waiting to find out if an application is approved, and then many more months to get a project complete. Johnson said it would likely be 1½ to 2 years before broadband could be expanded in Orleans County if the project was funded through a grant.

The Covid pandemic exposed the shortcomings in the county for high-speed internet service, with many households unable to log on to the internet to do homework assignments or to have the option of working from home, Johnson said.

The federal stimulus funding encourages municipalities to use the money for infrastructure projects, including expanding high-speed internet.

“I think the timing is just right,” Johnson said about the funding.

County leaders will be meeting with Niagara County officials to see if they want to do a joint project for broadband. The two counties have been working together on the issue through the Niagara Orleans Regional Alliance. Estimates for bringing high-speed internet in the two counties is over $10 million, with the areas in Orleans at $4.2 million.

Johnson also said she will be convening a roundtable discussion with town and school leaders in Orleans County, trying to get them to help pay for the cost. The county has a breakdown of the internet gaps in all 10 towns, she said.

The county’s $7.9 million from the federal government in the American Rescue Plan doesn’t come in one lump sum. The county gets half this year and the other half next year.

“We would like to move forward immediately,” Johnson said. “We’re ready to go.”

Little interest shown so far in deputy sheriff position test

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 March 2021 at 6:14 am

Protests, new state laws seen as deterrent for people pursuing law enforcement as a career

ALBION – The list of exams for Civil Service positions currently available in Orleans County includes deputy sheriff. Today is the last filing deadline for the position with the agility exam on April 24 and then the written test on May 15.

Normally there are nearly 100 people who file to take the exam. This time there have only been 18 so far, said Sheriff Chris Bourke.

Not only has the position been listed by the Orleans County Personnel Department (click here), but local media have shared press releases from the sheriff, encouraging people to take the exam.

The protests against law enforcement and new state laws, including bail reform, have discouraged people from pursuing a career with the Sheriff’s Office, Bourke said Tuesday during a conference call with local elected officials.

“Police feel we’re under attack,” Undersheriff Mike Mele said about law enforcement as a profession.

Bourke said the atmosphere against law enforcement is resulting in a much smaller pool of people interested in the test for deputy. That could result in “slim pickings.” Usually half of the people are eliminated after the agility test, he said.

Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, believes the Sheriff’s Office is a great place to work. She encouraged people to consider it for their career.

“The Sheriff’s Department is very well supported in Orleans County,” she said during the conference call.

Food distribution schedule set through end of April

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2021 at 11:08 am

The schedule is set for food distributions through late April. Those events have been held most weeks since last April due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

At each distribution, held on Fridays, about 300 boxes of food will be given away in the “Families Food Box Program” which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The distributions are scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m.

The schedule includes:

March 19, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion
March 26, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
April 2, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
April 9, Medina High School, Mustang Drive, Medina
April 16, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion
April 23, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
April 30, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion

“We remind people not to block driveways,” said Melissa Blanar, director of the Office for the Aging, which helps organize the events. “We want to thank all the volunteers. Without them there would be no events. Please be patient and kind.”

197th Erie Canal boating season will run from May 21 to Oct. 13

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 March 2021 at 3:26 pm

File photo by Tom Rivers: These two people and a dog pass underneath the Ingersoll Street lift bridge in Albion on Oct. 14, 2017, when it was a 70-degree fall day.

The State Canal Corp. today announced the schedule for the upcoming boating season with the canal opening on May 21 and continuing until Oct. 13.

That is close to being back to normal after last year’s start was pushed back until June 26. The start in 2020 was supposed to be May 15 but was delayed because canal staff and construction crews were sidelined early in the pandemic. That prevented the State Canal Corp. from doing some of the work needed before the canals could be opened.

In an announcement for the upcoming season today, the Canal Corp. said, “This proposed schedule of operations could be impacted by the Covid pandemic and/or the need to repair critical infrastructure.”

The Canal Corp. also again won’t be charging any tolls or fees for recreational use of the canal system. This is the fifth straight year the tolls have been waived. Those tolls were normally $25 to $100 for a season pass, depending on the size of the vessel.

The upcoming boating season will be the 197^thcontinuous season. Last year the system was in danger of not opening due to Covid, but it opened later than usual.

Standard hours of operation will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The following lift bridges in Orleans County will operate on demand from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. until September 15: Holley, Hulberton, Ingersoll Street in Albion, Main Street in Albion, Eagle Harbor, Knowlesville and Medina.

United Way’s Day of Caring returns April 30

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 11 March 2021 at 12:25 pm

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Employees of Baxter Healthcare in Medina clean up the lawn at Head Start on Ensign Avenue in Medina in this photo from May 9, 2019. From left are Tammy Pogel, Tim Ingrassia, plant manager Kevin Foley and Melinda Pitcher.

After Covid-19 forced organizers to cancel the Day of Caring last spring 2020, United Way of Orleans County is bringing back the day on April 30.

Day of Caring is a volunteer-oriented event of United Ways nationwide, which encourages volunteerism in the community by helping people and non-profit agencies in need.

Creig Shockley, left, and Brian Hosmer, both Baxter employees, repair and put up swings at Camp Rainbow during the Day of Caring on May 9, 2019. Four more Baxter employees painted cabins, while another cleaned the bathrooms.

“The day combines volunteers with work projects county-wide,” said Dean Bellack, director of United Way of Orleans County. “It highlights giving back. If we can get 150 to 200 that will be great.”

Any company employee or member of the community is urged to volunteer for a couple of hours that day in performing simple tasks for agencies or individuals, such as painting a fence, raking a lawn, sorting donated food, delivering meals to the elderly, landscaping or other minor tasks.

“It is an exciting day that offers a unique opportunity for businesses, employees and individuals to participate in making a difference, and to see first-hand how their donations to United Way are benefiting the lives and vitality of our community,” Bellack said.

Not only are volunteers needed to perform various tasks, but projects to do are also needed to make the day a huge success.

Registration forms are available on United Way’s website by clicking on “volunteer” and then “Day of Caring.” Registrations forms should be returned by April 10.

On April 30, volunteers should report to the Trolley Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds at 8 a.m. for breakfast. They should dress in comfortable clothing to suit the day. Volunteer projects will begin immediately following the breakfast and typically last from 9 to 10 a.m. and/or from 2 to 3 p.m.

“This is a great day,” Bellack said. “It promotes good deeds – and the United Way.”

Orleans has lowest vaccination rate among upstate counties

Photos by Tom Rivers: This big banner was outside the mass vaccination clinic at Genesee Community College in Batavia on Sunday. Of the 3,500 doses available, Orleans County residents only were able to get 169 or 4.8 percent.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 March 2021 at 9:04 pm

Orleans County has the lowest vaccination rate in Upstate New York, according to the state’s Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker.

In Orleans, 5,697 out of 40,612 residents or 14.0 percent have received at least one dose of the vaccine. (2,778 or 6.8 percent in the county are completed with the vaccine series.)

The 14.0 percent is well behind the state average of 19.4 percent of residents receiving at least one vaccine dose and behind the 20.7 percent in the Finger Lakes, a nine-county region that includes Orleans. To be at the region’s average, Orleans would need to have 8,406 people with at least the first dose of the vaccine or another 2,709 people from the current 5,697.

Orleans County public health officials are pushing for more mass vaccination clinics to help get the county caught up with the state average for vaccination rates.

The county is also well behind nearby rural counties. Genesee is at 19.4 percent and Wyoming is at 16.2 percent with at least one dose. Livingston is at 18.8 percent.

Wyoming and Orleans have nearly the same population – 40,085 in Wyoming and 40,612 in Orleans. But Wyoming has about 800 more people with at least one vaccine dose than in Orleans – 6,478 in Wyoming and 5,697 in Orleans.

“The numbers show Orleans County hasn’t had the access to get vaccinated compared to the region and the state,” said Paul Pettit, public health director in Orleans and Genesee counties.

“We’re going to keep pushing. We want more vaccines locally.”

The public health departments in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties collaborated on a mass vaccination clinic at GCC in Batavia over five days from Friday through today. That clinic was intended to restricted to the three counties but was opened to everyone who registered, with the 3,500 doses claimed in the first 90 minutes the state website was open.

About half of the shots or 1,666 went to Erie County residents. Orleans County residents only were able to get 169 or 4.8 percent. Genesee County residents received 17.0 percent, Niagara County residents signed up for 12.7 percent, Monroe County got 9.3 percent and Wyoming was only at 2.4 percent. There were residents from 17 other counties who were able to register for the vaccine at the GCC clinic.

“Unfortunately we didn’t get the number of folks we would have liked to for Orleans, Genesee or Wyoming counties,” Pettit said on a conference call this evening with elected officials in Orleans County.

‘The numbers show Orleans County hasn’t had the access to get vaccinated compared to the region and the state. We’re going to keep pushing. We want more vaccines locally.’ – Paul Pettit, public health director

GCC proved an ideal setup for the clinic and Pettit said the three health departments are applying to do another clinic at GCC. They would like there to be residency restrictions so the vaccine could be limited to the three counties.

Pettit also is pushing the state for an additional vaccine allotments for Orleans County to help the county get caught up with the state and region averages.

“We’re trying to get a special allocation, especially for Orleans County because we are behind,” Pettit said. “Hopefully the state will come through with additional allocations.”

The state’s Vaccine Tracker shows few counties are under 15.0 percent with at least one dose. In Western New York, Orleans has the lowest vaccination rate with Allegany the next lowest at 15.3 percent.

In WNY the county rates of residents with at least one vaccine dose, as of 11 a.m. today, include: Orleans, 14.0 percent; Niagara, 17.7 percent; Erie, 20.1 percent; Genesee, 19.4 percent; Wyoming, 16.2 percent; Monroe, 21.4 percent; Livingston, 18.8 percent; Chautauqua, 19.6 percent; Cattaraugus, 16.5 percent; and Allegany, 15.3 percent.

The counties in the state with vaccine rates below 15 percent include: Orleans, 14.0 percent; Steuben, 14.3 percent; Orange, 14.4 percent; and Sullivan at 14.6 percent. In New York City, two boroughs are lower than the vaccination rate in Orleans, with Bronx County (the Bronx) is at 13.6 percent and Kings County (Brooklyn) also at 13.6 percent.

That compares with counties in northern New York where the rates are about double the percent in Orleans. Clinton is at 30.1 percent, with Franklin at 27.2 percent and St. Lawrence at 27.6 percent.

Orleans this week will receive another 600 doses of the vaccine, Pettit said. That includes 200 to be administered by the Health Department, 200 by Rosenkrans Pharmacy in Medina, 100 by Oak Orchard Health and 100 by the Medicine Shoppe in Medina.

“It’s still slow slogging,” Pettit said. “Hopefully we can get a special allocation to give a bump to our numbers.”

Orleans County slated to receive nearly $8 million from American Rescue Plan

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 March 2021 at 5:45 pm

The $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” that passed the U.S. Senate today includes nearly $8 million for the Orleans County government. The plan now goes to vote to the House of Representatives next week and then President Biden for his signature.

The New York State Association of Counties is praising the Senate for approving the funding, which includes $2.2 billion for 57 counties in the state. The funding is divvied up to counties based on population.

NYSAC said the funding amounts for local counties includes:

Orleans, $7,887,187
Genesee, $11,195,927
Livingston, $12,297,147
Wyoming, $7,790,825
Niagara, $40,905,985
Monroe, $144,986,083
Erie, $179,569,145

The New York State Association of Counties issued the following press release this afternoon:

After a year of fighting on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, counties applaud the Senate’s passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan and encourages swift adoption by the House of Representatives, according to the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).

The package, passed today, includes $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local and territorial governments, including $65 billion for counties, a restoration of $5 billion as championed by the Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer. This emergency funding provides direct aid to counties, supporting the essential local government workers who have been on the front-line of the pandemic response.

“We commend our great Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and many members of the New York Congressional Delegation for fighting to ensure that our local governments get the help they deserve. This historic legislation supports the local heroes who have been fighting this pandemic on the front lines and also makes key investments in the future prosperity of our communities,” said NYSAC President Jack Marren, chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors.

The American Rescue Plan includes $3.8 billion for the 57 counties ($2.2 billion) of New York State and New York City ($1.6 billion) based on population. New York City will receive another $4.0 billion through CDBG formula funding.

This funding can be used to respond to the public health emergency caused by the coronavirus as well as address the economic devastation that came with it, including assistance to households, small businesses and nonprofits, aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality. The funding may also be used to help governments provide services and make investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.

“This is a victory for all of the counties in the State of New York and the residents we serve. In a time when so much of our politics is bitterly divided, county leaders from both ends of the political spectrum advocated for this package because it will help them help their communities recover from this pandemic,” said NYSCEA President and Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro.

“We acknowledge the leadership of Senator Schumer and the members of New York’s Congressional Delegation who supported our local governments throughout this pandemic. Without our Senator Schumer, this package would not have included the federal assistance to counties and local governments. He has always been there for New Yorkers, and his resolve has only been strengthened during this this pandemic,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen Acquario.