Ag community encouraged to show up by the thousands in Albany

BATAVIA – Legislation proposed in Albany that would give farmworkers overtime pay and the right to collective bargaining would actually lead to less pay for workers, who would get fewer hours, and would further strain the finances of the state’s struggling agriculture industry.

That was the message Thursday during a roundtable discussion at Batavia City Hall, which included seven state senators and several farming leaders in Western New York.

State Sen. Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, led the roundtable because he was frustrated three public hearings on the proposed legislation are not in WNY, which is an agricultural powerhouse for fruit, vegetable and dairy farming. Those are all labor-intensive industries. Ortt is the ranking Republican on the State’s Agriculture Committee.

“We understand the impact of this on your livelihood and our state,” Ortt told about 75 people at the 2-hour meeting in Batavia.

About 75 people attended the roundtable discussion on Thursday. The state senators at the meeting said they were disappointed there weren’t any hearings in Western New York about the proposed legislation.

This bill is currently in the Labor Committee of the Senate. The Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act is sponsored by State Sen. Jessica Ramos of Queens. She just took office in the Senate this past Jan. 1.

Farmers at the roundtable said the legislation requiring time-and-half after 8 hours in one day and 40 hours in a week would increase their costs from 17 to 25 percent. Some of the farmers, like fruit grower Jeff Toussaint of Knowlesville, said they would have to look at a different type of farming with far less labor costs. For Toussaint that could mean removing fruit trees and planting corn and soybeans.

He has 19 employees right now, including some who come through the federal H2A program, allowing temporary guest workers from other countries. This year those workers are guaranteed $13.25 per hour and the farmers have to provide them housing.

The farmers said labor costs have been on the rise with the state’s minimum wage increases and the H2A rates, which are all set by the government. When those wages go up, farmers increase the wages for middle managers, herdsmen and others who are above the minimum wage.

Leandro Mateos of Torrey Farms said workers don’t want to see their hours get cut.

Leandro Mateos has worked for Torrey Farms for 30 years. The workers are concerned the state legislation will result in less hours, and smaller paychecks. He said the workers want to work the hours, often in excess of 60 hours a week.

Christian Yunker, a partner with CY Farms and president of the Genesee County Farm Bureau, said the 8-hour daily cap before overtime would be very hard for agriculture, where there are often several slow days from rain and then some long days to make up for the bad weather when the sun is out. The planting and harvest seasons tend to be especially busy, with farms racing to get a lot of work done.

If legislation is passed for farmworkers’ overtime, Yunker said it needs to be based on a weekly amount, and he said overtime shouldn’t kick in until at least 60 hours in agriculture.

CY has 40 full-time employees working about 6,000 acres in Genesee and Orleans counties. If the overtime goes through, Yunker said farms would look to limit the weekly hours to 40. The farms would look to expand its workforce to stay under the 40-hour cap and still get needed work done. However, the labor market is tight, making it unlikely there are more workers who could be hired.

With the H2A program, the workers won’t want to be in a state where they would be capped at 40 hours, he said.

“They’ll go to Michigan,” he said in an interview.

State Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, center, of Amherst is joined up front by State Assemblyman Steve Hawley of Batavia, left, and State Sen. Patrick Gallivan of Elma.

The proposed state legislation puts NY agriculture at a competitive disadvantage with other states and countries, where the labor costs would be much lower, the ag leaders said at the roundtable.

It also jeopardizes the many food processing plants in region, which use local milk, fruits and vegetables. If the input costs are up for those products, the processing plants will look to other states with lower costs, said Steve Hyde, president of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

State Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, R-Amherst, represents Genesee and parts of Monroe and Erie counties. He said the best hope of fighting the legislation is for farmers and their workers to show up in Albany in big numbers to speak with state legislators and the media.

“We need thousands of people across the state to come up (to Albany),” he said.

Farmers said they would reach out to the ag community to see if they could get a big crowd to the state capitol soon. The timing is bad for them because they have been anxious for the weather to break so they can plant crops.

Ranzenhofer urged them to set aside a day and get to Albany.

The Senate is in solid Democratic Party control for the first time in decades. The Democrats also have the majority of the Assembly and the governor’s office. That has the agriculture community and seven Republican state senators at Thursday’s roundtable concerned that legislation will pass giving farmworkers overtime and the right to collective bargaining.

State Sen. Rich Funke, right, of Fairport said the proposed legislation would have a very adverse effect on agriculture, further challenging the rural economy. State Sen. Tom O’Mara of Big Flats is at left.

Yunker is hopeful some middle ground can be reached. He’s OK with collective bargaining but doesn’t want workers to have the right to strike during harvest or at dairy farms when animals need to be milked typically three times a day.

If the legislation passes, as proposed, CY would see its labor costs go up 20 to 25 percent, he said.

“Our business would change dramatically,” he said.

The state senators said the Senate used to be a check in governing the state from more liberal or progressive legislation from New York City area lawmakers. Now, Gov. Cuomo is the best hope for the upstate to push back some of the legislation, some of the state senators said.

And the Republican senators said they are trying to make the case to their Democrat colleagues about the impact of the legislation.

Rich Funke, R-Fairport, said the farmworker legislation poses a big threat to the upstate economy, which depends on a viable agriculture sector to maintain the tax base and support other businesses, such as veterinarians, tractor and equipment dealerships.

“This is the single greatest attack being launched on Upstate New York since I’ve been in office,” Funke said.

The legislation is proposed at a time of crisis in the dairy industry, where 20 percent of those farms have gone out of business the past five years.

Ortt said the state is unfortunately adding to challenges for farms struggling to survive.

“If this goes through it will change how people farm and the ag industry in New York forever,” Ortt said.

It is a new month but the same soggy story in what to date has been a very wet spring as today’s rain has washed out this afternoon’s schedule of local high school diamond contests.

The Niagara-Orleans League Barker vs. Albion, Akron vs. Roy-Hart and Wilson vs. Newfane baseball lames have been postponed as have the Genesee Region League Lyndonville vs. Notre Dame and Holley vs. Byron-Bergen contests.  The Albion vs. Barker game has been rescheduled for May 7.

In softball, the Albion vs. Barker, Roy-Hart vs. Akron and Newfane vs. Wilson N-O games have been postponed as have the Lyndonville vs. Byron-Bergen, Holley vs. Notre Dame and Pembroke vs. Kendall G-R contests. The Albion vs. Barker game has been rescheduled for May 16.

The local schedule of tennis matches is still on including Albion vs. Wilson, Akron vs. Newfane, Holley vs. Elba and Kendall vs. Byron-Bergen.

Provided photo: From left include some of Medina’s Destination Imagination team members, Margaret Klotzbach, Christopher Goyette, Kody Leno, Jessica Granchelli, Ray Paull and Jack Masse.

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – After achieving honors for creativity, teamwork and innovation in regional and state academic tournaments, two Medina High School teams have earned the right to compete in Destination Imagination’s Global Finals, the world’s largest celebration of student creativity, to be held May 22-25 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Team One members include Jack Masse, Margaret Klotzbach, Christopher Goyette, Jessica Granchelli, Kody Leno and Ray Paull. Team Two includes Devin Griffin, James Bieliski, Sophia Cardone, Abby Blount, Lexi Hare and Mary Flores.

They will compete with other teams in one of seven, open-ended challenges that require students to apply science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills, in addition to their talents in improvisation, theater arts, writing, project management, communication, innovation, teamwork, community service and social entrepreneurship.

“The teams have worked very hard are extremely proud of them,” said, Nicole Goyette, team manager.

The Medina team members are among more than 8,000 students representing more than 1,400 teams that will advance to Global Finals. This year, 150,000 students have participated in tournaments throughout the U.S. and 30 countries in hopes of earning a spot at the Global Finals competition in May.

The team is looking for any donations to help defer the cost of the trip to Global Finals. Donations can be made to: Medina CSD, and write “Destination Imagination donation” on the memo line.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Hannah Brewer, a member of the Albion track and field team, sings the national anthem before Thursday’s home meet vs. Newfane. Brewer sang the anthem at all four home meets this spring. She is in the press box in this photo.

She started singing the national anthem this fall at soccer and football games, and then this winter for a wrestling meet. She sings from memory without the lyrics in front of her.

Albion has students in chorus or the select choir sing the anthem before many home athletic competitions. Brewer is unusual in singing the anthem and then going out to compete in the athletic competition.

“I just like singing a lot,” she said after doing the anthem on Thursday.

Brewer, a sophomore, has competed in the shotput and discus events for track and field since she was in eighth grade.

“I find I get pumped up after singing and I’m in the mood to go throw,” she said.

Brewer, 16, has been in the select choir the past two years as well as the school musicals.

ALBION – Two people were sentenced to incarceration in Orleans County Court on Thursday.

Charles Knapp, 50, of Medina was sentenced to 1 ½ years in state prison. He had been in a diversion program and would have avoided prison if he stayed sober. But Knapp wasn’t able to comply with the terms of the program.

He had been in diversion since September 2017. He was arrested on March 1, 2017 after an investigation into the sale and distribution of prescription pills (Aprazolam).

He was sentenced on Thursday to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree. He could have faced up to 2 ½ years in prison for the charge.

In other cases in County Court:

• Jimmie Priestley of Holley was sentenced to 9 months in the county jail for probation violations, including drug use, missing probation appointments and withdrawing from a drug treatment program. Priestley was on probation for falsifying business records.

• Devon Cappucci, 25, a former inmate at the Orleans Correctional Facility, pleaded guilty to aggravated harassment of an employee by an inmate for allegedly spitting blood at a corrections officer in September.

Cappucci was released from prison. He faces up to 1 ½ to 3 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 27.

• Regina Russell, 46, of Niagara Falls was arraigned for two counts of burglary in the second degree and 10 counts of petit larceny.

She and two co-defendants allegedly broke into two farm labor camps in Carlton and Yates on Oct. 11 and stole money, sneakers, a television and household items from farmworkers.

Judge Sanford Church set bail at $5,000.

One of the codefendants is a juvenile and that case is being handled in Family Court. Another codefendant, Alberta Ellis, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree burglary.

ALBION – A former Medina man, who has been in state prison since April 2003, has been indicted for murder after the person he assaulted died on Oct. 27, 2017.

Devante Boston

Devante Boston was 4 when David Ricks severely injured the boy in May 2002. Ricks was the boyfriend of Devante’s mother. Ricks slammed Devante’s head into the floor and caused him serious injuries.

Devante did not get immediate medical treatment. He had brain surgery but was left in a vegetative state. Devante was left unable to walk or talk after the assault. He stayed in a healthcare facility in Buffalo and functioned at about a 6-month-old’s level. He died at age 20 on October 27, 2017.

Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone is pursuing the charge of second-degree murder in Devante’s death. A report from the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office said Devante’s death is a direct cause of his injuries from 2002.

Ricks is to be arraigned on the murder charge in Orleans County Court on May 23. He was indicted by the grand jury on the charge on Thursday.

Ricks is currently an inmate in the Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica. His earliest possible release is in July.

Press Release, U.S. Attorney Grant Jaquith, Northern District of New York

SYRACUSE – Nathaniel P. Lorenz, 47, of Holley was sentenced on Thursday to 18 months, and to pay restitution in the amount of $600,000, following his trial conviction last year on wire and mail fraud charges.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Douglas Shoemaker, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Regional Office of the United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General (USDOT-OIG); New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro; and Robert L. Keihm, Chief Investigator for the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Investigations Bureau.

Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue also ordered Lorenz to serve a 2-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.

Lorenz was convicted on all charges – eight counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud – following a 7-day trial that ended on November 6, 2018. The evidence at trial established that Lorenz, a former police officer and sheriff’s deputy, submitted fake invoices to the New York State Department of Transportation in order to conceal that he was not buying the materials needed to perform bridge maintenance contracts in the Buffalo and Binghamton regions, for which his company was ultimately paid more than $1 million.

Lorenz’s company, ACME Powerwashing Inc. (ACME) of Holley, contracted with NYSDOT in 2015 and 2016 to clean and seal the road portions of bridges, known as concrete bridge decks. The work involved cleaning the bridge decks and then sealing them with a chemical that makes the concrete more resistant to penetration by water, chlorides and waterborne contaminants, which might cause potholes. The Federal Highway Administration, part of the United States Department of Transportation, provided most of the money for these contracts.

Each of these contracts required ACME to purchase a certain amount of sealing chemical, based on how many square feet of concrete bridge deck was sealed. On three contracts in 2015 and 2016, Lorenz submitted fraudulent invoices to NYSDOT in order to conceal that he was not buying the amount of the sealing chemical required by the contracts. Lorenz falsely claimed that he was buying sealing chemicals from S.E. Brett, Inc., another company that he owned that does not sell anything.

This case was investigated by USDOT-OIG, the Office of the New York State Inspector General, and NYSDOT’s Investigations Bureau, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.

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Photo by Tom Rivers: State Sen. Rob Ortt (center), R-North Tonawanda, and State Sen. Tom O’Mara, R-Big Flats, share a light moment during a roundtable discussion this evening at Batavia City Hall about proposed legislation that would give overtime and collective bargaining to farmworkers.

Press Release, State Sen. Rob Ortt

Senator Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) hosted an agriculture roundtable in Batavia this evening for colleagues, industry experts and residents from across Western New York.

As ranking member of the New York State Senate Committee on Agriculture, Ortt has spent the last few weeks visiting, touring, and speaking with farmers from across WNY about newly proposed labor laws and wanted to bring together as many individuals from the agriculture community as possible.

“The purpose of this roundtable was to gain additional insight and inform our local residents and the media on how impactful pending labor legislation could be to our small family farms,” said Sen. Ortt. “We wanted to draw on these farm owners’ and farmworkers’ expertise, and we wanted to offer them an opportunity to voice their concerns and speak with their elected representatives about what can be done to stop newly proposed labor laws. The sponsor of this new labor legislation and the Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture have refused to hold any hearings in Western New York, so we have taken it upon ourselves to give these farm owners, farm workers, farm bureaus and elected officials an opportunity to voice their opinions.”

Recently introduced labor legislation by Senator Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) would force farm owners to pay overtime to seasonal workers who surpass a daily hour limit, require mandatory days off and allow workers to strike. A study by Farm Credit East indicates that this legislation would increase labor costs by an estimated 17 percent and decrease net farm income by approximately 23 percent. In total, the legislation is expected to cost the farming community a total of $299 million.

“With so many small family farms struggling to survive, this legislation would put an end to local farming in New York as we know it,” said Sen. Ortt. “The farm closure rate in New York is currently three times the national average and legislation like that proposed by Sen. Ramos would increase this farm closure number exponentially. It would also drive away our best workers who seek to work as many hours as possible. If capped at 40 hours per week, seasonal employees will look to other states for more work.”

Senate Bill 2837 currently resides in the Senate Labor Committee.

(Editor’s Note: Orleans Hub will have more coverage on the roundtable discussion Friday.)

Photo from Orleans County Sheriff’s Office: Orleans County Jail Sergeant Tony Mignano, Undersheriff Chris Bourke, Chief Deputy Michael Mele and Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson (kneeling) are pictured with some of the prescription drugs that have been turned in.

ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office once again participated in the National Prescription Take-Back Event that was sponsored by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

The collection event yielded over 676 pounds of unused medication and sharps on Saturday with collection sites at the Orleans County Public Safety Building, Medina Fire Department and Holley Fire Department.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has participated in the National Prescription Take-Back Program since 2012 and has collected a combined weight of over 7,500 pounds of unused medications and sharps. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will continue to support future collection events with the purpose of safely disposing unused medications and to reduce the potential for criminal diversion, said Undersheriff Chris Bourke.

“In addition, The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Medina and Holley Fire Departments for supporting this initiative by allowing the Sheriff’s Office to use their facilities as collection locations,” he said. “We would further like to thank the Drug Free Communities Coalition for providing advertising and volunteers at each collection site to assist with the event.”

ALBION – A Rochester man who has been wanted on a warrant in Orleans County since 2017 was taken into custody on Wednesday by the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, the Albion Police Department and the New York State Police.

Jason Wills

Jason T. Wills, 33, of Jay Street has been wanted since Nov. 6, 2017 on an Orleans County indictment warrant for robbery in the first degree. He was subsequently stopped in a vehicle as part of the investigation on South Main Street in the Village of Albion, the Task Force said today.

A warrant was issued resulting from an incident that occurred on March 11, 2016, which was investigated by the Medina Police Department. Wills was arrested by the Medina PD on June 4, 2017 and was arraigned in the Shelby Town Court by Justice Joseph Kujawa. Wills was committed to the county jail on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond. On June 9, 2017, Wills posted $20,000 bond and was released from jail and did not return to court, the Task Force said.

Wills was arraigned in the Orleans County Court by County Court Judge Sanford Church. Wills was committed to the county jail without bail. Wills is to return to County Court on May 23.

Further charges are pending in this investigation, the Task Force said.

KNOWLESVILLE – Having just wrapped up the 2019 Home, Garden and Outdoor Show, the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is ready to embark on another successful year with a new slate of leadership.

In April, Rebecca Charland announced she would be stepping down as director, effective April 30.

“I have been working two jobs for the last three years and my husband recently retired, so I am cutting down to only one part-time position to spend more time with him and my family,” Charland said. “I have enjoyed working with the Chamber and am very happy with the accomplishments I have brought to the organization.”

Darlene Hartway of Medina was approved as the new director at the Chamber’s May 1 board meeting.

“Darlene will be great and she will work for the entire county,” Charland said.

Other leaders approved at the 20th annual board meeting were Paula Knaak of Albion as president, replacing Kathy Blackburn, who has held the position for several years; Liz Midkiff, vice president; Adam Johnson, treasurer; and Bryan DeGraw, secretary.

Blackburn praised Charland’s accomplishments during her three years as director.

“Becky will be missed,” Blackburn said. “She has done an exceptional job and it’s been wonderful working with her. She has made our virtual office work, saving the Chamber the cost of rent, electric and other miscellaneous costs of running an office. This allows us to do more for our business community and members. Becky has helped immensely in obtaining new members and running our programs.”

The Chamber is also looking forward to their leadership under Knaak. Blackburn, who has served the chamber for decades as a board member, director and president, is looking forward to scaling back.

Blackburn said Hartway will bring a different aspect to the Chamber as its new director.

“She has a diverse background in businesses and world travel,” Blackburn said. “She has the personality and many new ideas to bring to the Chamber. I believe she will be an exceptional director and will work well with the communities and businesses and you will see our Chamber continue to grow and be our voice in this ever-changing world of business.”

Hartway said she is excited to get out in the community and talk to businesses.

“I want to make sure they know the Chamber is here to support them and let them know what the Chamber can do for them,” Hartway said.

At the annual Chamber meeting, they also recapped a very productive year.

The Robin Hill Wine Walk in Lyndonville was a success, Blackburn said. Attendance at the annual dinner was fantastic, and the Legislative Luncheon was one of the most successful, with the largest panel they have ever had. She thanked Medina attorney Nathan Pace for being moderator.

Blackburn said the Chamber is always looking for new board members, new Chamber members and participation on various committees.

The Orleans County YMCA is seeking participation from teen-agers in Orleans County in a survey about afterschool programs in the county.

The survey is through the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, which has grants available for 8 counties in Western New York, including Orleans.

“If our voice is not heard as a county, I would be inclined to think we wouldn’t be considered for these funding opportunities, like a Teen Center,” said Greg Reed, Y director for Orleans County.

This is a three-stage survey and the Y has exceeded the benchmarks for the first two stages. This is the last stage of the survey. The deadline for participation is on Friday.

“Our goal in Orleans is to have at least 160 youth and 60 adults participate in this final activity,” Reed said.

The survey takes about 5 minutes to complete. Adults are also welcome to do the survey, which asks people to rate ideas or programs for youths in their county on a scale from 1-5. The survey can be completed on a Smartphone, computer or tablet.

The Wilson Foundation will be using the county level priorities that people indicate to help guide their future investments to support youth and families in the targeted regions.

Click here for more information.

Press Release, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) met with West Point leaders and cadets in recognition of West Point Day at the State Assembly on Wednesday. A proud member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Hawley also has roots of his own in the military, his father was a veteran of World War II and Hawley himself served for seven years in the Ohio Army National Guard as well as the U.S. Army Reserves.

“It is always a great honor to host our West Point leaders and cadets who carry forward this incredible American military tradition,” Hawley said. “West Point embodies what makes America exceptional and its soldiers extraordinary. I commend all of those in the West Point family who continue to protect and serve with the honor and character that makes all of America proud.”

Hawley recently lead a successful bipartisan effort that gained national attention to ensure that the family members and spouses of deceased and disabled military members are provided college benefits free of charge. His vocal advocacy even garnered President Trump’s support for the policy after downstate lawmakers attempted to bury the bill in the legislative committee process.

KENDALL – The school district is proposing a $17,774,362 budget for the 2019-20 school year that increases spending by 2.34 percent, with the tax levy going up by 2.2 percent.

The budget will be voted on by district residents from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 21. The vote will be at the Kendall Town Hall, 1873 Kendall Rd. The district said it moved the polling place from the school to the Town Hall for student safety. Eligible voters must be at least 18 and a legal resident of the district for at least 30 days prior to May 21.

Overall spending is up $406,885 with rising health insurance premiums, utilities and fuel among the causes, as well as the impact of the higher minimum wage in many district departments, said Julie Christensen, the district superintendent. State aid for the district is $12,480,840, which covers 70.2 percent of the budget.

The tax levy will go from $4,715,842 to $4,819,591. That $103,749 increase or 2.2 percent remains below the district’s allowed tax cap, which is 3.81 percent due to carryover from prior years when Kendall was below the cap, as well as other exclusions, Christensen said in a budget message to district residents.

Kendall’s projected tax rate will be $17.02 per $1,000 of assessed property, which compares to a Monroe County average of $23.90, the district stated in its newsletter.

Kendall will have a public hearing on the budget at 6:30 p.m. on May 6 in the library at the Junior-Senior High School.

In addition to the budget, the May 21 vote includes:

• Proposition 2: Transportation bus reserve fund to allow district to spend up to $250,000 for transportation vehicles

• Proposition 3: To elect a member to a five-year term on the Board of Election. Chaley Swift is unopposed.

Photos by Tom Rivers

CARLTON – The Cobblestone Society and Museum held its second annual membership dinner on Wednesday evening, which included an auction at the Carlton Recreation Center.

The event raised about $50,000 for the museum, which is located in Gaines near the intersection of routes 98 and 104.

Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower, center, served as the auctioneer. Larry Albanese, left, was one of the spotters. Marty Taber holds a writing desk that was bought by the highest bidder.

There were 21 items in the live auction.

Joyce Chizick of Lyndonville bids on one of the items, a one-night stay in the Cobblestone Cottage Bed & Breakfast, built in 1837 in Canandaigua.

About 100 people attended the dinner and auction. In addition to the items the live auction, there were 44 items in a silent auction and 42 baskets and gifts in a general raffle.

Tim Pierce, right, fills a plate with food catered by Zambistro in Medina.

Marty Taber holds a rocking chair with blue cushions which was sponsored for the auction by Frank’s Auto Repair in Albion.

Randy Bower scans the room for a bidder at the auction.

Gail Johnson serves as chairwoman of the event, which has become the museum’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

Russ Bosch of Clarendon holds a 1980 clock, which he and his wife Erin Anheier donated for the auction. They also donated a clock from 1870 for the event.

Next year’s Cobblestone Membership Dinner will be May 6, 2020. The museum opens for the season this year on June 1.

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