Photo and information courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – Carl I. Bergerson Middle School inducted 25 students into the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) on Thursday, April 10.

The current members of NJHS led the ceremony, explaining that the organization is built on the four pillars of scholarship, service, leadership and character and that inductees must exhibit all four qualities and be recommended by a faculty member in order to be eligible.

The current members of NJHS include Madison Blount, Colson Braley, Stryker Braley, Aubrey Bruning, Kelsey Crawford, Blake Doty, Jax Gotte, Lena Grillo, Rianne Hand, Sophie Kozody, Carter Krull, Maddax Krull, Noah Latz, Nicole Loney, Adele Mathes, Logan Mayes, Mary McCormick, Brooklynn Miens, Tatiana Morales, Jane Nesbitt, Hannah Olles, Kamryn Peruzzini, Kendall Peruzzini, Brooklyn Pisano, Parker Roberts, Thailer Seibert, Scarlett Stambach, Oliver Stoffa and Caden Woolston.

Some of the current members were recognized with the Service Pin for completing 25 hours of service. Those members include Colson Braley, Stryker Braley, Kelsey Crawford, Blake Doty, Jax Gotte, Rianne Hand, Sophie Kozody, Carter Krull, Maddax Krull, Nicole Loney, Mary McCormick, Jane Nesbitt, Kamryn Peruzzini and Kendall Peruzzini.

Once the Service Pins were awarded, Mr. Greg Martillotta, the school’s band teacher, addressed both current and new members of NJHS as the night’s guest speaker.

The soon-to-be new inductees were then asked to stand and recite the NJHS pledge before crossing the stage to receive their certificates and sign the registry book. The newly inducted members of NJHS include Madysin Austin, Luciana Borello, Isabella Colonna, Annabella Dusharm, Jeffrey Echevarria-Saldivar, Avery Faskel, William Fisher, Madison Fraiser, Brody Furness, Robert Hickman, Amelia Klatt, Allyson McQuay, Brian Patten, Peyton Pisano, Kennedy Roberts, Sutton Sanders, John Michael Vivas, Caleb Wolfe, Logan Banister, Lucas Conner, LaDereon Griffin, Aaliyah Jones, Aubrey Marconi, Cindy Trejo Mandujano and Sophia Wendt.

Congratulations everyone!

ALBION – The Albion Village Board is working on a budget for 2025-26 that will likely include a sizable tax increase.

The board held a public hearing on the budget on Wednesday. Although spending is up a modest 2.7 percent, the village is looking at a 13 percent tax increase.

The budget needs to be adopted by an April 30 deadline. There could be some additional reductions in spending and the in tax levy, but Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said there is little to cut in the budget.

The general fund expenses would increase by $126,976 or by 2.7 percent from $4,701,848 in 2024-25 to $4,828,825 in the new budget.

The tax levy, what the village collects in property taxes, would go up 13.2 percent or by $410,520 – from $3,117,813 to $3,528,333.

The budget for 2025-26 doesn’t include the fire department, which is now in its own taxing entity as a fire district. That new district sent out its first tax bills in January as part of the tax bill from the town and county, and the fire district doubled the fire department’s budget.

The village has increased the water and sewer rates, and the 2024-25 village budget imposed a 6.6 percent tax increase.

Mayor Javier said he is sensitive to the rising costs on taxpayers, and he thinks dissolving the village is worth considering to help better spread out the costs of services into the towns of Albion and Gaines. There will be a 6 p.m. public hearing on June 11 at the Village Hall to hear from residents about whether the board should pursue a dissolution of the village.

Albion faces rising costs for equipment, including two new dump trucks in the 2025-26 budget, and lots of other capital expenses in the coming years for water and sewer lines, and other infrastructure and equipment.

The board also is using about $200,000 less of fund balance which is a big factor in the proposed increase. The budget for 2024-25 included $261,150 in fund balance, while the proposed budget for 2025-26 only taps $64,000 in fund balance.

Jeff Holler, a local resident, urged the board to set aside more money in reserve funds for those costs in the future. But Javier said that would only jack up the taxes even more.

Javier said the village has tried to get an increase from the county in the local sales tax but has been rebuffed. The local towns and villages remain at the same level since 2001, while the county has been able to keep the rising sales tax revenue since then. The local sales tax totaled $23.4 million in 2024. The county kept all of it except $ 1,366,671 that is divvied up among the 10 towns and four villages. The Village of Albion will get $162,169 of the sales tax in 2025, less than 1 percent.

Trustee William Gabalski acknowledged the village is in a grim predicament of trying to prevent a tax increase despite the need to provide services and fund infrastructure projects, without a boost in outside revenue. The village taxpayers are bearing nearly the full burden, he said.

“We’re in a very difficult situation,” he said at the hearing, when asked about increasing the reserves. “I’d like to do a lot more, but when I look at where the tax levy is no one will be able to afford to live here.”

Trustee Joyce Riley said she favors an incremental approach to adding to the reserves, and also raising water and sewer rates to fund infrastructure.

A consultant gave the village a report last year, suggesting more aggressive rate increases for water and sewer, but Riley said that was an “outlandish” proposal due to the impact on residents.

“The entire village would have come in here and beat us with a broomstick,” Riley said about those steeper costs.

Riley said she doesn’t think dissolving the village will be the best answer for taxpayers, and for providing services.

“We need to explore all of the options,” she said. “We should use a surgical knife and not a hatchet. Melding into the towns may not be the answer.”

Village taxpayers will see a lower tax rate in the next budget, and that’s from reassessments in the village last year that increased the tax base by 42.2 percent or by $63.0 million – from $152,867,932 in 2024-25 to $215,893,938 in 2025-26.

The bigger tax base will have the tax rate drop from $20.40 per $1,000 of assessed property to a tentative $16.34.

The water fund budget would change from $2,069,406 in 2024-25 to $2,195,250 in the new budget. The sewer fund would increase from $1,412,000 to $1,487,250.

The board will meet again at 6 p.m. on Tuesday to discuss and try to finalize the budget.

Provided photos

MEDINA – The Sacred Heart Club delivered canned food and boxes of food to the St. Peter’s Food Pantry on Tuesday. Sacred Heart also gave $50, following a $250 donation last month.

Pictured in photo at left are Sacred Heart President JT Thomas, right and Sacred Heart member Cheryl Gavenda, left, presenting a check and food to pantry volunteer Robin Dubai. In the photo at right, Sacred Heart member Matt Backlas joins Thomas in presenting the check and food.

The Food Pantry welcomes donations, especially with rising food prices making it harder on local residents. The Food Pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sacred Heart gives to other local organizations including LOYAL, Wreaths Across America, the Orleans County 4-H Fair, National Night Out and also allows use of its hall on North Gravel Road for many community organizations and fundraisers.

Sacred Heart President JT Thomas and member Cheryl Gavenda bring the food into the pantry at St. Peter’s.

Village hopes for new owner, but site could face demolition

Photo by Tom Rivers: The former Shay’s bar at 56 North Main St. is in rough condition inside. The Village Board approved a survey and engineering study for the building to help determine the future of the site.

ALBION – The former Shay’s bar at 56 North Main St. has a gaping hole in the roof and a deteriorating interior, and that condition is worrying village officials.

The former operator, Mike Seaver, passed away at age 69 on Sept. 20.

Code enforcement officer Chris Kinter told the Village Board on Wednesday it would “cost a small fortune” to fix the building. He thinks there might be someone willing to take on the project. Or the building may need to be torn down.

Kinter said the walls appear to be bowing inwards, putting the neighboring and adjoining structures at risk.

The Village Board followed village attorney John Gavenda’s advice and approved getting an abstract survey done on the property to see if there are on liens on it. The board also will have an engineering study of the building to determine the extent of the damage and the building conditions. The village will reach out to T.Y. Lin for the assessment of the building.

Kinter also said Shay’s should have an asbestos survey.

All of those costs are expected to be around $7,000. The village will front the expense and then seek to be reimbursed from the owner’s estate.

Kinter said he is hopeful the actions will lead to a new owner that invests in making the building structurally sound and available for public use.

POTSDAM – Lillian Wilson of Medina was recently elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at Clarkson University.

Wilson is among approximately 20,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter.

Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

ALBION – The Tim Hortons in Albion and Medina will be selling “Smile Cookies” from April 28 through May 4, and the restaurants will have extra help on two of those days from local law enforcement officers and other community leaders.

All of the proceeds from the “Smile Cookies” sold at the Albion and Medina Tim Hortons will go to Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Law enforcement, other first responders and some local officials will be at the Albion Tim Hortons on Monday, April 28, from 7 to 10 a.m., helping to put smiles made of frosting on the chocolate chip cookies. The officers and first responders will help at the Tim Hortons in Medina from 7 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

Joey Filippelli, co-owner of the two Tim Hortons, said the Tim Hortons have participated in the “Smile Cookie” fundraiser for many years. This year he wanted to make it a bigger fundraiser, and he reached out to the law enforcement community and other local leaders to participate.

The cookies are $2 and 100 percent of the sales go to the Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester. The Filippelli family also run three Tim Hortons in Rochester and proceeds from the cookie sales there will also go to the Children’s Hospital.

Tim Hortons has been running the “Smile Cookie” fundraiser since 1996. Last year the Tim Hortons at locations in the U.S. and Canada raised $19.8 million for local hospitals, community care organizations, food banks and schools.

Filippelli said this year the cookies are bigger than in the past. They are decorated with blue and pink frosting.

The Albion and Medina Tim Hortons will also have games for customers who buy cookies to have a chance at prizes. Albion will have the games on April 28 from 7 to 10 a.m., while Medina offers them the following day in the morning from 7 to 10.

Filippelli said people who buy several cookies have a chance to spin the wheel, do a Timbit Toss, or guess the Timbits in a box to win prizes.

Photos courtesy of Katie Stiegler

GAINES – Laura Bentley, owner of Fairhaven Inn & Events, welcomed local officials in celebrating the grand opening of Fairhaven on Tuesday.

Bentley has turned the former Tillman’s Village Inn into an events center. The restaurant and bar continue at the site as the Tavern on the Ridge, run by Chad Pike and Julia Hopkins.

Bentley was joined at a ribbon cutting by Darlene Hartway, Chamber of Commerce executive director, and local officials from Orleans County Legislature and local towns. After the ribbon cutting, the officials held their meeting at Fairhaven for the Orleans County Association of Municipalities.

The Orleans County Legislature and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley’s both resented certificates to Bentley for opening Fairhaven Inn & Events. Bentley is hugged by Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairman. Legislator John Fitzak is in back.

For more information on Fairhaven, contact Faye Conley, event coordinator, at Faye@fairhavenvenue.com, or check the Fairhaven website.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature on Tuesday presented a proclamation declaring May as “Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month in Orleans County.”

County Legislator Skip Draper, right, presents the proclamation to Don Sloper, president of the Orleans County chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE); Steve Rosenberg, vice president of ABATE (second from left); and Becky Persons, member of ABATE.

There will be a motorcycle safety and awareness rally at 2 p.m. on May 4 outside the Orleans County Courthouse. The motorcyclists will then go on a 50-mile in the county that ends at the V.F.W. Post 1463 on East Center Street in Medina. Participants can begin to assemble outside the courthouse on East State Street at 1 p.m. on May 4.

Motorcyclists want the public to know they are back on the roadways. The motorcyclists urge drivers to “look twice” and use extra caution when making a left turn or pulling out onto the roadway.

ABATE is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving the rights, safety and freedoms of all motorcyclists. ABATE’s position is to support all efforts and initiatives that will lead to accident prevention and rider safety.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Ryan Flaherty, center, was recognized during Tuesday’s Orleans County Legislature for his local career in law enforcement. He is presented a “Special Recognition Award” from County Legislator Skip Draper, right, and Undersheriff Don Draper.

Flaherty started his career with the Holley Sheriff’s Department in 2002. In 2005, he joined the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy on road patrol. He later worked in the courthouse for security and with the Marine Patrol Division.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The dome at the Orleans County Courthouse was lighted up in red on Tuesday evening as part of “Light Up NY Red” campaign around the state this week, drawing attention to a volunteer firefighter shortage.

Over the last two decades, New York’s volunteer firefighter ranks have plunged by 33 percent, said the Firefighters Association of the State of New York.

FASNY President Eugene Perry encouraged all firehouses statewide to glow red this week. He also urged firefighters to light their homes and businesses with red lights.

“The lights symbolize their commitment to a tradition of neighborly help and the need for more volunteers,” FASNY said.

Additionally, Perry called on residents to join the effort by switching on red porch lights in support of their local fire departments.

‘No amount of money can undo the tremendous harm and suffering the victim survivors have endured.’ – Bishop Michael W. Fisher

Press Release, Diocese of Buffalo

BUFFALO – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors announced today the material terms of a settlement in principle in the Chapter 11 case filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of New York on February 28, 2020.

The Diocese and the Committee believe that this settlement is an important step in bringing healing to survivors of sexual abuse, and in forming a plan that will lead to the Diocese’s eventual exit from Chapter 11.

The Diocese of Buffalo and its parishes and Catholic affiliates will provide a total payment in the amount of $150 million to survivors of sexual abuse for acts perpetrated against them by clergy, religious, lay employees and volunteers.

Although the settlement amount remains subject to a creditor vote and court approval, the settlement amount has been accepted by the Committee. The Committee is comprised entirely of individuals who themselves survived sexual abuse when they were children by clergy members, religious, employees, and volunteers within the Diocese of Buffalo.

“This settlement in principle between the Committee and the Diocese represents an essential milestone on this protracted and arduous journey, and importantly, enables us to finally provide a measure of financial restitution to victim-survivors, which has been our primary objective all along,” explained Bishop Michael W. Fisher. “While indeed a steep sum, no amount of money can undo the tremendous harm and suffering the victim survivors have endured, or eliminate the lingering mental, emotional, and spiritual pain they have been forced to carry throughout their lives.”

The pool of settlement funds will be derived from unrestricted funds of the Diocese, and undetermined amounts from individual parishes from their unrestricted funds, and also contributions from members of Catholic affiliates.

This settlement between the Committee and the Diocese, parishes, and other entities affiliated with the Diocese does not include a contribution from any of the insurance companies that provided coverage to the Diocese and its parishes. The Diocese is continuing its discussions with insurers to determine amounts to be added to the final settlement fund from prevailing coverages.

Small band of active members says the VFW provides important community service, camaraderie

HOLLEY – It was nearly 53 years ago when the VFW established a post in Holley with 36 charter members.

The group took over a former railroad freight station and created a safe haven for veterans of foreign wars to share in camaraderie and community service.

The post only has a small core of active members, and those who remain the backbone of the local VFW say they need a new generation to join and keep the post going.

“It’s very worthwhile,” Mark Morreall, the acting commander, said about the local VFW post. “We’d like to pass the torch.”

The VFW’s current commander, Todd Klatt, is a younger veteran who is deployed to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Klatt is a mechanic in the National Guard.

The VFW hosts a number of fundraisers – chicken barbecues, raffles and other events – to raise money to keep up the hall and give to veterans.

About three or four times a year Morreall goes to the NYS Veterans Home in Batavia distributing gift cards, pizza, chocolate and other presents for the veterans. He usually goes around Christmas, the Super Bowl, Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Morreall, age 69, joined the VFW 14 years ago when there were several members who were World War II veterans and others who served in Korea and Vietnam. But Morreall said many of those members have since passed away, and veterans from more recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan haven’t been joining the post.

“Our numbers are thing, very thin,” he said during an interview last week at the post at 8 Veterans Drive, just south of the railroad tracks off South Main Street. “It’s not just here. It’s the Legion, too.”

The Holley VFW Post includes a memorial by the front door to the nine soldiers from the Holley community who were killed during the Vietnam War. Those young men include: John P. Davis, age 30: David Duane Case, 20; Ronald P. Sisson, 23; Howard L. Bowen, 20; Gary E. Bullock, 24; Gary Lee Stymus, 26; George Warren Fischer Jr., 23; Paul Scott Mandracchia, 18; and David States, 21.

Dave Rearick, 78, has been active in the district leadership for the VFW, including as a commander. The district includes Orleans, Livingston, Wyoming, Genesee and Niagara counties. It has seen 10 posts close, going from 29 to the current 19, Rearick said.

“It’s happening all over New York State and the country,” Rearick said about posts struggling to have enough active members.

Membership at the post costs $30 a year and an application can be picked up by stopping by the VFW. The organization has 120 people on its membership rolls, but a small group of less than 10 does most of the work keeping the post going.

Will Silpoch, 72, has been the quartermaster for more than three decades, handling the duties of treasurer. He also served a two-year stint as commander of the post.

He said the organization needs more fundraisers to keep the finances in the right direction. The VFW has a chicken barbecue planned for June 14.

Mark Morreall, left, and Greg Miller check on a Vietnam era tank that has been outside the post since 2009. Shells around the perimeter need to be repainted and the site needs some landscaping. Morreall said it is getting more difficult for the aging members to keep up with all the work at the post. A plaque by the tank states “In memory of our brothers so they are not forgotten” and lists the nine young men from Holley killed in the Vietnam War.

Greg Miller, age 67, recently became more active at VFW and assists at many of the fundraisers and also in part of the honor guard that attends funerals for veterans including Tuesdays at the National Cemetery in Pembroke.

“I’m the youngest guy on the honor guard,” Miller said. “We’re trying to get a younger generation.”

Miller served 22 years in the navy, enlisted at the end of Vietnam. He also worked with Kodak and Gleason Works, jobs that took him all over the world.

He said he formed stronger bonds with his friends in the military than those at Kodak and Gleason Works.

“There is a certain camaraderie that you get in the service that you don’t get in the civilian world,” he said.

A display inside the VFW includes rifles used in war from the Civil War, World War I, World War II to Korea.

The post was established April 23, 1972 with founding members Charles R. Aldrich, David F. Arnold Jr., John E. Baker, Lewis B. Bowen, Edward F. Carlo, Anthony C. Fallato, Thomas J. Finnefrock, Donald C. Gaines, Charles L. Gunter, Raymond J. Hampson, Kenneth A, Ioannone,

Ivan S. Johnson, Roy S. Kerstetter, Peter P. Korn, Nicholas Mastramano, John V. McAllister, Robt. J. McAllister, Samuel S. McMillion, Frederick J. Newton, John A. Pera, David W. Perrier, Wayne C. Porter, George J. Robertson, Albert J. Sailus,

Roger E. Sargent, Frederick A. Smith, Ralph L. Smith, Dominick Tiberio, Donald J. Lavender, Richard E. Weader, William P. Rase, Harold M. Pratt, Jack W. Wilcox, George H. Bartlett, John W. Wilcox and John P. Bowen.

The VFW and two of the former Marine Corps League members are shown inside the hall at the VFW, which can be rented for $125 for events. From left in front include Ray Madigan Jr. and Tom Sietman from the Marine Corps League, and VFW leaders Mark Morreall and Dave Rearick. In back are Will Silpoch and Greg Miller.

One veterans’ organization based in Holley turned in its charter last year. The Marine Corps League was also based at the VFW. That group started about 20 years ago with 15 members but was down to three.

Ray Madigan Jr. and Tom Sietman, two of the last members, said the group wasn’t able to bring in new members to keep the organization going. Madigan said it became too difficult for the few members to keep up with all the tasks of running the organization, especially now that they’re older.