Bank of America, former GCC coming off tax rolls, costing village $11K

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Legislature last year bought the former Bank of America on South Main Street, pictured at left,  to be used by the treasurer’s office. The county also bought the former GCC building to be used for probation and the district attorney’s office.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board said Orleans County’s acquisition of two buildings last year will cost the village about $11,000 in lost tax revenue.

The village wants the county to make up that difference.

The county in October approved buying the former GCC building at 456 West Ave. Orleans paid $975,000 for the building owned by Herring Enterprises of Holley.

The site is assessed for $450,000. That building generated $8,608.50 in village property taxes in 2023-24 with the village tax rate at $19.13 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The county intends to move the district attorney’s office and probation department from the Public Safety Building to the GCC site. The Public Safety Building will be reconfigured with more space to be used by the Sheriff’s Office.

In September the County Legislature approved spending $250,000 for the former Bank of America site at 156 S. Main St. It will become the treasurer’s office. That building has a drive-through and is more easily accessible than the current office on East Park Street, county officials said.

The bank is assessed for $125,000, which accounted for $2,391.25 in village taxes in 2023-24.

Both properties will still have to pay village taxes in the 2024-25 budget when the tax bills are due in June. They become exempt from taxes for the first time in September with school taxes, county officials said.

The Village Board worries about a shrinking tax base in the village. In the 2023-24 budget, the overall assessed value dropped by 1.08 percent or by $1,663,794 – down from $154,457,302 to $152,723,508.

Most of the loss in tax base was from the assessed value being lowered at the plaza at 318 West Ave. That plaza includes Save-A-Lot, Pro Hardware, Dollar Tree and the vacant spot formerly for Gordman’s. That value for the site was reduced from $1,856,300 to $816,000 as part of a settlement between the Town of Albion and the owner, A & D Properties (Westwood Financial).

The reduction was a drawn-out process and local officials were expecting an assessment drop. But the county’s purchase of the two buildings caught Albion village officials by surprise.

The Village Board is working on either a letter or a formal resolution to be sent to the county, asking to make up for the lost tax revenue.

The state government has PILOTs (payment in lieu of taxes) with many municipalities around the state when the state acquires land for parks, forests and other purposes. The state gives the City of Albany $15 million a year as the state capital to help make up for no property taxes in the city for so much of the state property. In Albany, 64 percent of the city is tax exempt.

‘As Americans, we have a solemn responsibility to reckon with our history and that includes understanding the painful legacy of slavery in New York.’ – Gov. Kathy Hochul

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

ALBION – Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Carl Heastie today announced their appointments to the Community Commission on Reparations Remedies.

Governor Kathy Hochul

The Commission, formed through legislation signed in December 2023, acknowledges the horrific injustice of slavery and is tasked with examining the legacy of slavery, subsequent discrimination against people of African descent, and the impact these forces continue to have in the present day.

“As Americans, we have a solemn responsibility to reckon with our history and that includes understanding the painful legacy of slavery in New York,” Governor Hochul said. “We have assembled an extraordinary group of highly-qualified individuals to serve on the new Commission, and will review their final recommendations.”

The commission is tasked with examining the legacy of slavery and its lingering negative effects on people currently living in the State of New York, with the goal of issuing a report comprised of recommendations for appropriate action to address these longstanding inequities.

In the process of compiling recommendations, the commission will hold public hearings to solicit input from stakeholders. This written report of findings and recommendations must be submitted to the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leaders of the senate and the assembly, and the Governor of the State of New York no later than one year after the date of the first meeting of the commission.

The commission members include:

• Jennifer Jones Austin is the CEO and Executive Director of FPWA, an anti-poverty policy and advocacy nonprofit with 170 member organizations; its work is centered on economic opportunity and upward mobility. She is a radio host, an author, and public speaker, and sits on the board of many organizations including the National Action Network, the Fordham University Feerick Center for Social Justice, the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior at Harvard University, and the NYC Board of Correction for which she is Chair. Ms. Jones Austin is the chairperson and a commissioner of the NYC Racial Justice Commission, the first commission of its kind in the nation tasked with targeting and dismantling structural and institutional racism across the city. Ms. Jones Austin is also a member of The African American Task Force for Vaccine Equity and Education, which is dedicated to helping overcome their inequitable barriers Black communities face during the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine; and she was a co-sponsor of the New York Police Department Reform and Reinvention Collaborative to end racialized policing and the criminalization of poverty. Ms. Jones Austin previously co-chaired the Mayoral Transition for Bill de Blasio and the NYC Procurement Policy Board. Ms. Jones Austin is an appointee selected by Governor Hochul.
• Timothy R. Hogues serves as the Commissioner for the Department of Civil Service and President of the Civil Service Commission. He was nominated by Governor Kathy Hochul to serve in these roles in April 2022 and unanimously confirmed by the New York State Senate in June 2022. Prior to joining the Department of Civil Service, Commissioner Hogues served as the Personnel Commissioner for Erie County where he was responsible for overseeing services provided to over more than 130 appointing authorities and approximately 24,000 employees countywide through the implementation and maintenance of services that support and facilitate the recruiting, selection, hiring, development, and retention of local government and school district employees in accordance with Civil Service Laws and Regulations. Commissioner Hogues began this role after being appointed by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz in 2019. Commissioner Hogues is a proud graduate of University of Buffalo where he graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration and Management. Mr. Hogues is an appointee selected by Governor Hochul.
• Linda Brown-Robinson is the Immediate Past President of the Syracuse Onondaga NAACP. A born and raised proud New Yorker and a native of Mt. Vernon, Linda’s activism first took hold upon relocating to upstate New York in 1968, where she joined a number of boards. She recalls that one of her first impactful boards was then known as the “Community Folk Art Gallery.” A former Board Member of FOCUS Greater Syracuse, and past member of the Executive Committee for the Onondaga County Democratic Committee, Ms. Brown-Robinson currently serves on the Democratic 5th Ward Committee. Ms. Brown-Robinson is a 2021 InterFaith Leadership Award recipient and was recently appointed as the NYS NAACP Western Region Director, where she oversees 11 Upstate NAACP Branches. Ms. Brown-Robinson is an appointee selected by Governor Hochul.
• Darrick Hamilton, Ph.D. is a university professor, the Henry Cohen Professor of Economics and Urban Policy, and the founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School. Dr. Hamilton served as a member of the economic committee of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force and he was a surrogate and advisor for the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. He has advised numerous other leading Members of Congress, as well as various 2020 presidential candidates. Dr. Hamilton holds a Ph.D from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a BA from Oberlin College. Dr. Hamilton is an appointee selected by Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins.
• Linda Tarrant-Reid is an author, historian, freelance journalist, photographer and community activist. Although most of her career has been focused on literary pursuits, she is currently administrating grow! Eat, a project to grow fresh produce to distribute free-of-charge to the food insecure in Westchester County. The initiative is a program of The Lincoln Park Conservancy, of which Ms. Tarrant-Reid is the Executive Director. Ms. Tarrant-Reid Linda graduated from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in Virginia with a BA in English. Ms. Tarrant-Reid is an appointee selected by Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins.
• Seanelle Hawkins serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Rochester, an affiliate of the National Urban League. Dr. Hawkins is an expert in community engagement and cultural change, advocacy, transitional and permanent supportive housing, fiscal stewardship, strategic planning, and staff development. Her nonprofit executive leadership includes over 20 years in various executive leadership roles for nonprofits and program consultancies in New York and Washington, DC. She also serves as an adjunct professor at St. John Fisher College in its doctoral program of Executive Leadership. A native of Brooklyn, NY, Dr. Hawkins received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, master’s in strategic leadership at Roberts Wesleyan College, and her Doctorate of Education from the Executive Leadership Program at St. John Fisher College. Dr. Hawkins is an appointee selected by Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins.
• Dr. Ron Daniels is Founder and President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW), a progressive, African centered, action-oriented Resource Center dedicated to empowering people of African descent and marginalized communities. As the administrator for the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC), IBW has emerged as a leading organization within the U.S. and global reparations movements. Dr. Daniels serves as the Convener of NAARC. Dr. Daniels holds a BA in History from Youngstown State University, an MA in Political Science from the Rockefeller School of Public Affairs in Albany, New York and a Doctor of Philosophy in Africana Studies from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati. Dr. Daniels is a Distinguished Lecturer Emeritus at York College, City University of New York where he taught courses in Political Science. Dr. Daniels is an appointee selected by Speaker Heastie.
• Lurie Daniel Favors, Esq. is the Executive Director at the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College. She is an author, activist and attorney with a long-standing commitment to racial and social justice. Ms. Daniel Favors earned her JD from New York University, where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern public interest scholar. Ms. Daniel Favors graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a BA in African and African American Studies, with a Minor in Spanish Language. She hosts the Lurie Daniel Favors Show on Sirius XM’s Urban View Network, a national, daily talk show that tackles issues of race, gender, culture, politics and the law. Ms. Daniel Favors is an appointee selected by Speaker Heastie.
• Rev. Dr. Deborah D. Jenkins is Founding Pastor of Faith @Work Christian Church, Coop City, sustaining the ministry for almost 19 years with over 30 years of youth development experience which began as a Child Protective Services Caseworker, expanding to co-founding the Knowledge Development Center which provided quality afterschool services to Black and Latino males which included the New York Newsday Stock Market Game and other empowerment programming. Dr. Jenkins currently serves as NYPD Clergy Liaison in the 45th Precinct with a purpose to bridge the gap between community and law enforcement and works as an adjunct professor at John Jay College in the Public Administration Department. Dr. Jenkins earned her BA from Herbert H. Lehman College, her MA in Policy and Administration from Brooklyn College and her MDiv and DMin from New York Theological Seminary. Dr. Jenkins is an appointee selected by Speaker Heastie.

Legislation S.1163A/A.7691, passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Hochul in 2023 acknowledges the significant role the institution of slavery played in the establishment and history of New York. The legislation established the community commission on reparations remedies, composed of nine members who are especially qualified to serve by virtue of their expertise, education, training, or lived experience in the fields of African or American studies, the criminal legal system, human rights, civil rights, reparations organizations and other relevant fields.

Prior to the American Revolution, there were more enslaved Africans in New York City than in any other city except Charleston, South Carolina, and the population of enslaved Africans accounted for 20 percent of New York’s population, while 40 percent of colonial New York households owned enslaved Africans. This was an integral part of the development of the State of New York, and the consequences of the institution of slavery – and subsequently, discrimination and systemic racism borne of that institution – can still be observed today.

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Press Release, Albion Police Chief David Mogle

ALBION – The Albion Police Department is warning people about another phone scam making its rounds in the area.

This scam involves someone pretending to be a police officer who tells the victim(s) that there is a warrant out for their arrest or that they have pending criminal charges.

During the phone call the scammer will usually ask the victim(s) for money or some type of monetary gift card i.e.) Apple, Sephora, Razer Gold etc. The scammer will state that the victim(s) can purchase these cards and provide them with the information on the card to avoid being arrested.

Scammers are very convincing.  They’ll provide you with a badge number, names of law enforcement officials and judges and courthouse addresses. They will spoof the phone number so it appears on caller ID as if it is coming from a government agency or the court.

During the phone call, the scammer will tell the victim(s) not to tell anyone what is going on and to keep the matter private.

The Albion Police Department wants to remind everyone that these are fraudulent calls and that police departments will not call individuals over the phone and ask for personal information such as bank accounts, social security numbers, credit card information etc.

If you receive a call asking for any of the above information along with any individual asking for gift cards or money in lieu of being arrested the phone call is fraudulent in nature and you are being scammed.

The Albion Police Department asks that if you are a resident of the Village of Albion and have any questions, comments or concerns or believe that you may have possibly been a victim or target please call the Albion Police Department at 585-589-5627.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board intends to pursue state funding for local park improvements and try again for the Restore NY program.

The board on Wednesday said it would apply for a parks grant for a lodge at Bullard Park and some projects in the smaller “pocket parks.”

The Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events Inc., a not-for-profit organization, will do the legwork on the application – teaming with the village to identify projects and the scope of the work.

The not-for-profit can’t be the applicant for the grant through the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. A municipality needs to seek the money, G-ACRE members Kim Remley, Ron Albertson and John Grillo told the Village Board on Wednesday.

G-ACRE will work with the village’s grant writer, G&G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing, to complete the application, which is expected to be due in July. The application will then be submitted by the village.

The village in December 2016 was awarded a $499,605 state grant for Bullard projects, including a splash pad, amphitheater, new bathrooms and other improvements.

G-ACRE would like to make a new lodge the focus of the new application. A lodge in the park would be available year-round and could be rented out by community members. The lodge could have space for up to 90 people.

The group will also look at projects in the smaller neighborhood parks. That could include a fenced-in area for a dog park. Village Trustee Tim McMurray said St. Joseph’s Park on Clinton Street is being considered for the dog park.

Albion last year applied for $2 million through the Restore NY grant program. The village sought to assist 22 properties in the downtown area. Albion didn’t get the grant that would have covered 90 percent of building improvement projects in vacant or underutilized buildings.

Jay Grasso of G&G said the state has made $60 million available for the program this year. The board said it wants to try again. Grasso said the village will submit a notice of intent to apply for Restore NY by March 25 and there will likely be two public meetings about the grant, which is due to be filed in May.

Albion’s grant will be modified from last year’s. Grasso said other compelling projects emerged after the grant was submitted last year. He said he would work with the board and community to determine the most viable projects for the program.

Restore NY last year was available for projects ranging from $50,000 to up to $400,000. Most of the projects include drywall, utility work, plumbing and other improvements to make space more usable for residential and commercial uses.

Albion qualifies as a severely distressed community, making it eligible for Restore NY funding, Grasso said. That state program seeks to revitalize the heart of community centers, bringing funding for residential and commercial projects. Communities can apply for up to $10 million through the program.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced last week the new round of $60 million for Restore NY.

“With Restore New York, we’re putting up $60 million in funding to breathe life back into communities all across our state,” Hochul said in a statement on Feb. 21. “This program gives municipalities the support they need to turn blighted, rundown buildings into housing, commercial hubs, and more, and any local leader ready to unlock their community’s potential should apply.”

There are 2,303 National Grid customers without electricity in Orleans County, the power company’s outage map showed at 9:30 p.m.

Most of those customers should have the electricity back on by midnight.

Powerful winds have knocked down many trees in the county, especially on the eastern side in Clarendon, Murray and Kendall as well as Carlton in central Orleans.

There are 19,642 National Grid customers in Orleans County. The biggest outage includes 1,722 customers in Kendall, part of Murray north of the village of Holley, and Carlton east of Route 98.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board is reaching out to the county, state and federal levels for help with the deteriorating Brown Street canal bridge.

The structure from 1912 has been closed to vehicular traffic since July 18, 2012 after an inspection by the state Department of Transportation showed serious deterioration of major elements of the steel truss floor system.

The Village Board wants the bridge to get a major rehabilitation or be removed. A letter was sent to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, State Sen. Rob Ortt, Assemblyman Steve Hawley and County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson.

“State or Federal resources are needed now to improve the status of this bridge,” according to the letter from Mayor Angel Javier Jr., Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley and trustees Tim McMurray, Chris Barry and David Buczek.

The board states in the letter the bridge was last rehabbed in 1955 – 69 years ago.

The bridge remains open for pedestrians, but village officials said rusty bridge pieces are falling into the canal. The board included photos in the letter of the bridge, calling it a “biohazard” for the Erie Canal.

“You can see clearly from the pictures the erosion of paint, rust, steel fragments, missing bolts and concrete that have fallen into the canal,  contaminating it and its tributaries, like Sandy Creek,” according to the letter from the board.

The village officials note the Brown Street bridge is the third north-south crossing eliminated in the village, with the Clarendon Street bridge demolished and Clinton Street railroad crossing closed.

The village in December asked the DOT to work on the bridge by repairing or removing it – at the very least have it painted.

“We have talked to local and regional officials about this bridge, and everyone passes it to someone else,” the letter states. “Who is the final arbiter? Who will help determine if this bridge is to remain or fall into the canal? Will someone please respond to this request for HELP? Or will we again hear crickets?”

Press Release, Orleans County Tourism Department

ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Tourism today announced that the county will be making solar eclipse glasses available to the public at no charge, beginning this Friday.

The county has 25,000 solar eclipse glasses to distribute. The solar eclipse will pass over Orleans County on April 8.

Orleans County Tourism expects an influx of visitors on April 8.

“I know many residents are looking forward to the total solar eclipse and we want to make sure our residents can view this extraordinary event safely,” said Dawn Borchert, director of Orleans County Tourism.  “We have locations for distribution spread across the county, so I encourage those interested in getting glasses to do so while supplies last.”

Borchert said the distribution of the glasses will be done through the county’s four libraries located in Medina, Albion, Lyndonville and Holley along with the Kendall Town Hall during normal business hours.

These are Orleans County-branded eclipse glasses that are ISO certified and are safe for direct solar viewing of the eclipse.

Families can visit these locations and pick up glasses for the number of family members they have in their households.

The partial eclipse will happen on Monday, April 8th, and will start at 2:06 p.m. in our area and will last until 4:34 p.m.  The total eclipse prime viewing time will be from 3:19 to 3:23 p.m.

 “Dawn Borchert and her team have been promoting this for the last year and have information available for both residents and visitors on the different events that will be taking place throughout the weekend leading up to the eclipse,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.  “The Legislature is very appreciative of our tourism department’s efforts, including organizing the distribution of the eclipse glasses.”

For more information on the eclipse in Orleans County, click here.

ALBION – A former corrections officer was sentenced to six months in the county jail and 10 years of post-release supervision.

Jonathan Dejesus, 42, of Dunkirk apologized in Orleans County Court today before Judge Sanford Church.

Dejesus was sentenced for third-degree rape and official misconduct. He admitted to sexual intercourse with a female inmate at the prison in August 2022.

District Attorney Joe Cardone said the state Corrections Department strongly states to COs in their training that they are not to have relations with inmates.

“He compromised the other people he works with and his family by having this relationship,” Cardone said in court today.

Joanne Best, the public defender, said Dejesus is “extremely remorseful.” She asked that he not be incarcerated and only have the post-release supervision so he could continue working full-time in a new job he started last June. If the judge wanted Dejesus to be in jail, Best asked for weekends only.

“He is extremely regretful for what happened,” Best told Judge Church. “His behavior was inappropriate and he knows that.”

Church gave Dejesus six months in jail and 10 years of post-release supervision where he has to monitored. Church said Dejesus’s action were a clear violation of the policy of being a corrections officer.

Dejesus will have a hearing on April 17 to determine if he will be on the sex offender registry and at what level. He also has to pay a $1,000 sex offender fine, $300 court surcharge and $25 crime victim’s fee.

In other cases today in County Court:

• Kevin McEwen, 41, of Kendall pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree.

McEwen was charged after firing two rounds from a Glock near people on Sept. 18 in Kendall in a dispute over car repairs.

McEwen didn’t try to hit anybody, he was just trying to scare them, Cardone said.

“He did not point at them,” Cardone said. “His intent was to intimidate.”

McEwen admitted in court to having a loaded firearm, and shooting it at a zucchini to scare people.

He faces up to two years in state prison when he is sentenced on May 1.

• Vincent McLeod, 26, a former inmate at Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion pleaded guilty to attempted promoting prison contraband for having a black ceramic razor blade on Nov. 29, 2022. He faces 1 ½ to 3 years more in state prison when he is sentenced on May 29.

He is now an inmate at Wallkill Correctional Facility serving an 8-year sentence for first-degree robbery and attempt assault in the first degree.

• Richard Cuello, 45, a former inmate at Orleans Correctional pleaded guilty to attempted assault in the second degree after an altercation with a corrections officer on March 23, 2023.

Assistant DA Susan Howard said Cuello jumped a CO when the officer went into the bathroom and caused the officer to hit his head, causing a concussion, dizziness and other issues that continue to keep him out of work.

Cuello said he was brushing his teeth when the officer sprayer him in the eyes, causing him to react. When the two tumbled to the ground the officer hit his head on a chair, Cuello said.

Judge Church told Cuello he could go to trial and say he was using self-defense, but Cuello would risk a more serious charge. He opted to pleaded guilty to attempted assault, with a maximum of another 1 ½ to 3 years in prison. He will be sentenced on May 29.

He is now an inmate at the Upstate Correctional Facility in Malone. He is serving a 25-year sentence for first-degree murder.

Photo from Rob Ortt’s Office: State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt speaks in the state capital today during a press conference with many other Republicans in the State Legislature. He wants new legislation named for Laken Riley, a student from Augusta University in Georgia who was killed while out jogging.

Press Release, NYS Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt

ALBANY – Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay, along with Deputy Republican Leader Andrew Lanza and Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo today announced they are renaming S.8533/A.9167 to “Laken’s Law.”

In the wake of the tragic death of Laken Riley, members of the Senate and Assembly Republican Conferences are blasting Governor Hochul for failing to protect Laken Riley . Her killer, illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra, had an alarming criminal history yet sanctuary laws on the books in New York allowed him to walk free after being arrested for reckless endangerment of a child, and then travel to Georgia where he murdered Laken Riley in broad daylight as she was out for a jog.

“It is well past time for the insanity to end – New York must end sanctuary policies that keep law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities when crimes are committed,” Ortt said. “Since we stood here two weeks ago in support of legislation that would do just that, the nation has been watching the case of Laken Riley with horror – the life of a bright young woman whose life was brutally cut short by an illegal immigrant. Make no mistake, Laken Riley would be alive today, if not for the bad policies, championed by state and federal Democrats, who opened our borders and continue to refuse to hold criminals accountable.”

The Senate Republican Conference repeatedly has called on the Governor to take action to address the migrant crisis. Democrat sanctuary and open border policies are impacting the quality of life of every New Yorker, causing chaos and danger in our communities.

In response to the inaction of the Governor, Senator Lanza and Assemblyman Gandolfo introduced  legislation (S.8533/A.9167) that would require local and state law enforcement and certain courts to notify ICE of the arrest or conviction of non-citizens, would reinstate the maximum sentence for 365 day maximum sentence for a class A misdemeanor, and would repeal the “protect our courts act” of 2020 which was designed to discourage cooperation and enforcement of federal immigration laws.

“The senseless murder of Laken Riley is a tragic and horrific incident that could, and should, have been prevented,” said Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay. “Now, her family and friends are in the heartbreaking process of grieving their loved one because of Joe Biden’s broken border policies and New York’s soft-on-crime agenda. Nearly 200,000 illegal immigrants have come to New York. Why are we still refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities?  Democrats are fighting harder to protect the state’s sanctuary status than to protect the well-being of New Yorkers. We need to restore the basic protocols of collaboration that were in place for decades. The continued refusal to pass ‘Laken’s Law’ is dangerous and deadly.”

CARLTON – A new group, the Friends of Orleans County Marine Parks, has been formed to help promote and push for funding for two county parks.

The new “Friends” is a non-profit organization and registered 501c3. It was created under the auspices of the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association.

OONA has been running a summer concert series at the Orleans County Marine Park on Route 98 for about a dozen years. Those events often bring in crowds of 500 people.

With the new Friends group, OONA can pruse funding through the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) to enhance the concerts “and take them to a whole new level,” said Lynne Menz, the Friends president.

The group could also pursue funding through GO Art! for murals on the bridge abutments at the Marine Park.

The Friends also can help the county seek state and federal grants for the Marine Park, and also for the Point Breeze boat launch and lighthouse area.

“Right now we’re putting our wish list together for what enhancements we could do and what funds are available,” said Menz, who is also the county’s tourism coordinator. “We’ll be looking for funding to improve the amenities.”

The Dave Viterna Group performs on July 2, 2019 at the Orleans County Marine Park to kick off last summer’s concert series. There were about 500 people at the concert. The park is located on Route 98 in Point Breeze along the Oak Orchard River. It has hosted the summer concert series since 2010.

Ken Martin is vice president and Frank Panczyszyn is secretary/treasurer with the Friends, while Dawn Borchet, the county tourism director, and Chris Manaseri, OONA president, are ex-officio members.

The Friends may push for pickleball courts at the Marine Park, and an accessible kayak ramp at the boat launch at Point Breeze, while teaming with the county to upgrade other infrastructure at the two sites.

Other nearby parks have Friend groups, including Hamlin Beach State Park and Golden Hill State Park. The Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge also has Friends.

Manaseri is a retired school superintendent at Romulus in Seneca County. When he worked at that district, he was a member of the Friends group for the nearby Sampson State Park.

Manaseri said OONA isn’t being taken over by the new Friends group. OONA will continue with its concert series and other community projects, including helping to make the lighthouse available for tours during the summer.

The Friends will spread the word about the marine parks, which he said are a great asset to the local residents and visitors.

“We think it’s another venue to know what it’s the parks and what’s available in them,” Manaseri said about the Friends.

Menz and the Friends welcome ideas for projects and activities at the parks. The group is getting suggestions, including a light show during the holidays.

Menz moved to Point Breeze 21 years ago. She said a close-knit group there wants to promote the area. It was 14 years ago when construction started on the 35-foot-high lighthouse that has become an icon for the community. That effort was spearheaded by local citizens.

“Point Breeze has really blossomed,” Menz said. “It’s a strong community.”

She sees the Friends group as helping to build on the recent progress at Point Breeze.

She welcomes volunteers and ideas for the parks. To reach her, email lynne@focmp.org.

The group also has a new Facebook page.

MEDINA – The Village Board filled some vacancies on committees and is seeking more applications for other openings.

The board on Monday made the following appointments:

• Planning Board alternate: David Flynn
• Zoning Board of Appeals alternate: Randy Reese
• Parks Commission: Randy Reese
• Tourism Board: Barbara Gorham
• Parks Committee: Michelle Capstick

The Village Board has other openings it would like to fill, including three spots open on Boxwood Cemetery Commission, one position on the Tree Board, and one spot on the Parks Commission.

Residents interested in the position can click here to see a volunteer application to be submitted to the village. Click here to see some of the current committees and their members in the village.

By Shaw-Ree Chen, Ph.D., Chief Quality and Patient Experience Officer, Oak Orchard Health

To keep you healthy and make sure we’re addressing any barriers to good health, your providers need information. We ask parents about what their kids are doing or not doing at different ages, we ask if you’ve been feeling depressed or unhappy. We ask for insurance information so that your bills don’t go to you and cause stress, we need to know if you have trouble getting transportation to the health center so we can arrange it for you We even ask all our patients to provide us with their approximate annual income so we can receive federal dollars to support our patients in need.

Information is vital to providing care – but paper isn’t! When we use paper forms, we create paper waste, and then we use our staff’s valuable time to enter your information into our medical records. Time that could be spent answering your calls or taking care of patients in the waiting room. Our goal is to maximize the time we spend doing things that are directly beneficial to our patients. And of course, technology is helping us along the way.

Self-check-in

Tired of writing down your address every year in your health record even though you’ve lived in the same place since you were born? Self-check-in gives you the ability to review and approve existing demographic information. If you have a cell phone, you will receive a check-in link a few days before your appointment. With this link, you can confirm your appointment, and review your address, phone number, and insurance, even your medical history. When you arrive at the health center you can walk up to the receptionist when called and simply tell them that you filled out the self-check-in information. There still may be a few documents that need to be signed and payment may need to be received, but all the basic information about you and your loved ones will have already been done.

Keep in mind that self-check-in will come from a phone number that your phone may not recognize. We all have to be careful about clicking links from unknown numbers. The way you’ll know this is a legitimate text is that it will include your name and an accurate appointment date. Then you can safely click on the link to review your information.

In the future, self-check-in will become more complete allowing you to confirm other medical and personal information in the comfort of your home.

Kiosks at our health centers

Do not have a cell phone or forgot to do self-check-in? No problem. The Alexander, Pembroke, and Batavia offices now have kiosks in the waiting area. Soon all our health centers will have them.

What is a kiosk? It’s a free-standing machine (think ATM) and it’s super easy to use. Start by signing in with your name and birth date then begin to confirm or add information. Make sure your address and phone are correct. The kiosk also allows you to identify the person(s) you want to share your health information with should you need to do so. You can also review your medical history, just like in self-check-in.

You will still need to step up to the registration desk when it is your turn to let them know you are here to sign a few documents and review payment, but kiosks help us to reduce wait times by giving people different options to check-in.

Why is Oak Orchard Health getting rid of paper?

We always have our eye on patient experience, safe and high-quality care, and cost of care. In addition to the benefits to staff time mentioned before, the cost of printing and safely destroying documents is high and there’s always a risk that a piece of paper with your information on it is given to the wrong person or dropped where it shouldn’t be. The less paper we use, the more cost-effective we can be and the less risk there is of having your information in the wrong hands.

MEDINA – Several village residents told the Village Board on Monday they are concerned about a decline in neighborhoods as well as two large commercial buildings that are badly damaged, one from neglect and another from a fire.

“We used to be one of the most beautiful villages and now we’re at the bottom,” said resident John Parada. “We need to clean up so village looks better.”

Parada urged the village to send up more letters from code enforcement for property maintenance. He asked for a breakdown of how many letters are sent out in recent months.

The board said it would try to have that information available at an upcoming meeting.

Parada reiterated concerns shared by Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency. She urged the board to focus on the gateways leading into the village, where many homes need repair, fresh paint, and porches cleaned of debris. She said unkempt properties hurt efforts to bring in new businesses.

Village Trustee Jess Marciano agreed with several of the speakers, who are concerned about deteriorating properties.

“You’re not wrong,” she said. “That’s something that needs to be addressed.”

Village attorney Matt Brooks said citing people and imposing fines isn’t always the answer. Some people don’t have the money to make repairs or paint their houses. They may be elderly or encountered some misfortune, he said.

“It’s the old saying, it’s very hard to get blood from a stone,” he said. “People are often going through something hard.”

Community volunteers sometimes step up to help a neighbor overwhelmed by the task or short on funds, Brooks and residents noted.

Scott Carlton said village property owners face high property taxes, and are seeing neighborhoods slip into greater decay.

The village needs to reduce its taxes so people have more money for property upkeep, he said.

“It’s a vicious circle with the taxes being so high,” he said. “You have got to do something with taxes. It all falls to the homeowner. There are no big businesses, and when we get them, we give them a break.”

The village is looking to pursue a brownfields grant and also Restore New York grant that could help with some blighted buildings.

The board is concerned, in particular, with 613 Main St., which was badly damaged in a fire on April 7. The property is fenced off, but the board wants to see it either stabilized or a plan for a removal. The village has cited the owner, Jeff Fuller, and there will be a court appearance on March 25 to see if Fuller has action steps for the building.

The village also frets about a former large manufacturing site on East Avenue that has been vacant and a target of vandals in recent years. There have been several small fires in recent years at the three-story building at 525 East Avenue. This 70,600-square-foot building was previously used by the S.A. Cook Furniture Factory.

The property has been sold multiple times through the property tax auction, including in 2016 when it only fetched $100.

A more recent owner – Open the Windows of Heaven, Apostolic Ministry – doesn’t have insurance on the building. The church group also doesn’t have the resources to make extensive repairs or to demo the site.

Brooks, the village attorney, described the site as “a disaster” with no deep pockets to fix or demolish it.

The village six years ago instituted a vacant property registry, and Brooks said that has been successful in utilizing empty homes and buildings. The registry has reduced the vacant sites from about 80 to near 40.

The property owners pay a fee to be on the registry and then annual charges if the buildings remain unoccupied.