MEDINA – Village officials are wrestling with sticker shock for the cost of a new addition to the fire hall and upgrades to the existing fire station.

The Village Board was expecting the project to be around $4.5 million. That was the estimate about a year ago from Barton & Loguidice, an engineering firm. The company’s latest projections put the tally at just over $6.1 million.

“We’re very concerned about the price tag for this building,” Mayor Mike Sidari told Tim Bivens, vice president with Barton & Loguidice during a board meeting on Wednesday. Village officials met with Bivens in a phone conference.

Bivens said the project could be scaled back, perhaps by eliminating $1.1 million in work on the existing fire hall, and reducing the scope of the project on the new addition. Contingencies also represent about 30 percent of the cost.

Village Trustee Marguerite Sherman said the project needs to be downsized due to the expense.

“Our village can’t afford what is being presented here,” she said.

The addition is needed as the village prepares for a new ladder truck that is too big for the current fire hall. The new truck is expected to be delivered in about two years.

The board on June 26 accepted the bid for $1,698,995 from Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisc. to build the new fire truck with a 100-foot-long ladder. The truck will replace a 28-year-old ladder truck with a 75-foot ladder.

The truck is taller than the current one and won’t fit in the bay at the fire station. The current ladder truck has a clearance of 10 feet, 4 inches but the space in the garage is 10 feet, 6 inches.

The new ladder trucks will have a clearance of 13 feet. The design for the new hall addition would have two bays that allow up to 14 feet. The taller truck is the typical size for a ladder truck. Doing a smaller size is a special order, said Fire Chief Matt Jackson.

The fire chief said he supports trying to scale back the building project.

“I’m a taxpayer as well,” he said. “I understand it. Whatever we can do to get the cost down.”

Chief Matt Jackson during a March open house showed how the current concrete floors in the 1930s fire hall are uneven and sinking. The new fire hall addition and repair project calls for taking out the old concrete floors and putting down new concrete.

The village has sought grants and state and federal assistance for the project but so far has no outside funding to help offset the costs on village taxpayers. Bivens said there is federal money for infrastructure projects with roads and bridges, and water and sewer projects, but nothing to help with fire and police station upgrades.

He suggested the Village Board determine what it can spend on the project, and Barton & Loguidice can make a design that fits the budget.

The board wants a little more time to consider how to proceed. Medina has started the process to take out a bond for up to $5.6 million to pay for the project, but Mayor Sidari and the trustees said they don’t want to incur that much debt for the project. The board will ask its bond counsel to present the annual debt payments for a project at $3 million, $3.5 million and $4 million.

The board was told by the bond counsel that the annual payments for the $1.7 million bond for the ladder truck would be $159,000 over 20 years putting that expense at close to $3.2 million with a 6.5 percent annual financing cost.

The addition to the fire hall that would be approximately 62 feet, 8 inches by 88 feet, 8 inches. The plan is to move the ladder truck and an engine to the addition, and then allow four ambulances to go in the current fire hall. The spots used by the ambulances could be made available to the police department for patrol cars or it could become a meeting space.

The total scope of the project includes:

• A new public entry, radio room/office, laundry room, EMS room, restrooms, Decon room, gear room, mechanical room, tool room, and apparatus bay with the existing apparatus bay being repurposed to house the village ambulances.
• A mezzanine space to be located along the perimeter of the new apparatus bay with file storage and office space accessed from the existing building second floor hallway.
• A new air and vapor barrier membrane and new exterior cladding system to be installed over the existing concrete masonry unit wall construction of the existing fire station, and the existing overhead sectional doors to be relocated and replaced allowing for adequate clearances around the ambulance apparatus bay.
• The renewal of the building’s existing façade will result in creating a weather tight envelope while simultaneously allowing the cladding system of the addition to carry over creating a cohesive look to the updated facility.
• The existing concrete slab in the existing ambulance apparatus bay to be replaced, including the installation of new trench drainage and epoxy floor finish.
• The outdated emergency generator located south of the alley to be replaced and upgraded to accommodate the fire station and addition.

Sherman said the village needs to determine “needs versus wants” with the project. Bivens said the village could bid out the project with some alternates, and could pick some of those depending on the bids submitted by contractors.

John Parada was among several local residents who urged the board at the meeting to try to bring the cost down significantly with the project.

“Our taxes are so high,” he said. “We’ll be stuck paying the bill.”

The current village budget for 2023-24 raised the village taxes by 14.9 percent with the tax rate going from $18.85 to $21.15 per $1,000 of assessed property.

MEDINA – A new concrete mixer truck owned by Orleans Ready Mix is featured in the 2024 calendar for Rotabelt, a manufacturer of conveyor belt attachments for concrete mixer trucks. The company is based in Milton, Pa.

Orleans Ready Mix is featured in September in the calendar. It highlights one of Orleans Ready Mix’s newest mixer trucks. It had a Rotabelt conveyor system installed valued at over $100,000, not including the cost of the new truck.

The new Orleans Ready Mix truck has not yet been placed into service, but will be when the season begins. Orleans Ready Mix is a subsidiary of Orleans Construction Company located at 12334 Ridge Road, owned by Reginald Cichocki with about 10 full-time employees.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Hart Hotel is one of the lodging businesses in Medina. Hart Hotel includes five rooms and two lofts on the third floor of 113 West Center St.

MEDINA – The Medina Village Board is trying again to get state support for a 2 percent occupancy tax for room rentals in the village.

Medina first tried to have the tax imposed in 2018 but it has stalled in the State Legislature.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley agreed to introduce legislation in the Assembly. The Village Board is asking State Sen. Rob Ortt to sponsor the legislation in the State Senate. Ortt has done that before but one of his staff members told the board he is reluctant to back bills that result in a tax increase.

Medina Mayor Mike Sidari said the occupancy tax is on visitors to the community, not local residents. It would provide much-needed revenue for the village to promote tourism and economic development, leading to more visitors to help local businesses, Sidari said.

He will see Ortt on Friday at the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Luncheon at the White Birch in Lyndonville. Sidari said he will urge Ortt to introduce the bill in the Senate.

The state legislation is needed to give Medina permission to impose a hotel/motel occupancy tax of 2 percent. Medina village officials say the funds will towards promoting tourism and economic development in the community.

Past legislation for the occupancy tax said it shall apply to any “tourist home, inn, club, hotel, motel or other similar place of public accommodation.” The owners of the properties, including Airbnbs, will be required to impose the tax. The village’s chief fiscal officer will then collect the tax.

The tax does not apply to people who are considered “permanent residents” of a hotel or motel, those staying at least 30 consecutive days.

Orleans County also imposes a 4 percent occupancy tax that generates about $100,000 a year and is used solely by the county for its tourism promotion efforts.

In its resolution on Wednesday seeking the occupancy tax, the Village Board said it seeks to use the funds to promote the Erie Canal, the historic downtown, agri-tourism and other attractions.

Provided photo: Priscilla Yuen will perform Saturday at Lyndonville Presbyterian Church in a fundraiser for the congregation’s capital drive campaign.

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonille Presbyterian Church will host a concert from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday for the community featuring pianist Priscilla Yuen.

This is the second concert in a three-part series at Lyndonville Presbyterian.

“Her appearance is a rare opportunity for rural communities to experience artists who usually perform in larger city venues with high price tickets,” said Martha Mitchell, the church pastor. The tickets are $10 at the door with proceeds going towards the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church’s Capital Drive Campaign.

Yuen has enjoyed a rich and varied career as a soloist, collaborator, teacher and administrator. Currently a faculty member at the Eastman School of Music, she regularly supports instrumentalists and vocalists from across the Eastman community as they prepare for recitals, competitions and recordings. Additionally, she serves on the piano faculty at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

As a collaborative pianist, Yuen has performed at colleges and universities across the United States, as well as at venues such as the Kennedy Center and New York City’s Yamaha Hall. Since 2016, Ms. Yuen has performed extensively across the country with Eastman faculty trombonist Mark Kellogg.

Gary Simboli of Albion kicked off the concert series with his show, Accentuate the Positive. The third in the series will be on March 9 at 3 p.m. with the E-Yah-Pah-Hah Woodwind Quintet, led by Kae Wilbert of Albion. They will be performing contemporary Native American compositions. The ensemble features Kae Wilbert on bassoon, Susan Walders on flute, Maggie Warren on French horn, Scott Horsington on clarinet and Darren Pulley on oboe. The quintet performed last October at the Native American celebration at the Seneca Art and Culture Center at Ganondagan. Tickets are $10 at the door.

There will also be a musical event with a ham dinner, music and dancing held at the Ridgeway Fire Hall. Gary Simboli will entertain during dinner and a dance band will follow for dancing after dinner. Those tickets are $25 and can be obtained by calling (404) 667-0753 or (716) 795-9426.

Press Release, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, Western District of New York

ROCHESTER – Ebony Shine, 37, of Rochester, and formerly of Medina, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.

Shine was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl,

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that Shine was arrested on Nov. 15, 2022, after investigators executed federal search warrants at her residence on Post Avenue in Rochester and several other locations.

During the search of Shine’s residence, approximately $4,506 in U.S. currency, drug paraphernalia, three firearms, and over 100 rounds of ammunition, were recovered. On 12 occasions between October 2021, and November 15, 2022, at locations in Medina and Rochester, Shine sold over 440 grams of fentanyl, 119 grams of cocaine, and a 9mm pistol to an individual working with law enforcement.

Shine supervised the distribution of quantities of fentanyl by her sons and co-conspirators, Emmanual Taylor and Nasir Shine. Taylor and Nasir Shine were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, under the direction of the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office and District Attorney Joseph Cardone, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent- in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Christopher Bourke, the Medina Police Department, under the direction of Chief Todd Draper, the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.

MIDDLEPORT – Several fire departments responded this afternoon to a house fire at 9472 Seaman Rd. in the Town of Hartland.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 12:54 p.m. Personnel and equipment from multiple fire companies arrived on scene and confirmed a working fire on the second floor of the residence, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release.

“Fire personnel quickly extinguished the fire,” the Sheriff’s Office stated. “All residents were able to safely exit the residence before emergency personnel responded. No injuries were reported and the investigation into the cause of the fire is being handled by the Niagara County Fire Investigation Unit.”

Medina firefighters responded as well as fire departments from Hartland, Middleport, Barker, and Gasport with Ridgeway on standby.

Photos courtesy of Tim Archer

ROCHESTER – These Albion students in the Interact Club spent three hours today at Foodlink in Rochester, bagging apples. From left include Gideon Pask, Shania Mathes, Heidi Franco-Lopez and Hailey Lonnen.

The students filled about 500 bags with 5,400 apples total. Foodlink serves families in need in a 10-county area that includes Orleans County.

Tim Archer, the Interact advisor, has been taking students to Foodlink to help pack food for about 15 years.

Hailey Lonnen, left, and Heidi Franco-Lopez volunteer at Foodlink today.

Gideon Pask and Shania Mathes get apples bagged for Foodlink.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature on Tuesday approved a bid for $678,014 to replace the County Line Bridge over Jeddo Creek in the Town of Ridgeway.

J. Bognar Construction of Sardinia submitted the lowest bridge for the project. The bridge replacement is funded 95 percent by the federal government, with the county picking up the remaining 5 percent, county legislators said.

Construction is expected to start in the spring.

ALBION – A Medina man who admitted to having fentanyl with the intent to sell it, and also having a load firearm was sentenced to six years in state prison today as well as five years of post-release supervision.

Xavier Hand

Xavier Hand was sentenced by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church. Hand pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree.

Church sentenced Hand to the maximum under a plea agreement. He could have faced up to 15 years in prison without the plea if convicted at a trial.

Hand was charged last February and accused of selling and distributing fentanyl pills disguised as prescription oxycodone pills. He also allegedly disguised Xanax bars and high-grade marijuana.

Law enforcement seized 114 fentanyl pills disguised as Oxycodone pills, over 2,000 disguised Xanax bars, over a half of pound of Psilocybin mushrooms, over 14 pounds of high-grade marijuana, over $156,000 in cash, a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, scales, numerous packaging material and other drug paraphernalia.

“This defendant is an extensive seller of drugs in our community,” District Attorney Joe Cardone told Judge Church.

Hand kept the drugs at his home and also from a storage unit.

Joanne Best, the public defender, disputed that hand has an extensive record of selling drugs. He has one previous arrest for drug possession.

She said Hand has taken full responsibility for his actions. She asked for a drug treatment o shock program while incarcerated. She said Hand functioned as a mule in the drug sales.

Hand apologized to the community, his friends and family for the crimes. He said he grew up in a broken and lost his father when Hand was 6 years old and his mother when he was 12. Hand said he recently has been baptized and wants to lead a church someday, educating people about the dangers of drugs.

Judge Church said Hand played an active role in the drug sales, and was on probation when committing the crimes.

“I think he was more than a mule,” Church responded to Best.

In another case today, Judge Church sentenced Jennifer T. Sportsman, 48, of Clarendon to two years of probation for criminal possession of stolen property.

M. J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel: Aaron J. Peters was killed in a tree removal accident at Golden Hill State Park.

BARKER – A state parks employee was killed on Jan. 17 in a tree removal accident at Golden Hill State Park in Barker.

Aaron J. Peters, 32, worked in the state parks’ regional tree removal crew and ropes access team.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has directed flags on state buildings to be flown at half-staff today in honor Peters who worked three years for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

“Aaron Peters’ tragic death reminds us that New York State employees often put themselves in harm’s way while working to improve the safety of their fellow citizens and colleagues,” Governor Hochul said. “He will not be forgotten by his friends and family, and my heart goes out to all of those whose lives he touched.”

Hochul’s office said Peters had deep family ties to the state park system. He was the son of recently retired Niagara Region Deputy General Manager Ron Peters and Jennifer Ray, who recently left the regional business office.

ALBION – Orleans County is looking to extend a pilot program lowering the age from 14 to 12 for people to hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun or muzzle-loading firearm.

The county approved the program in 2021, and there have been “absolutely no accidents reported,” said Lynne Johnson, the County legislature chairwoman.

The Legislature on Tuesday voted to set a public hearing at 4:20 p.m. on Feb. 20 to extend the pilot program.

The state has allowed counties to opt in in the pilot program with the lower age. The youth hunters need to be under the supervision of an experienced adult hunter.

Youths ages 12 and 13 could already hunt deer and bear with archery equipment and small game with firearms. Until the pilot program, New York was the only state that didn’t allow 12- and 13-year-olds to hunt big game with a firearm.

The public hearing will be at the legislative chambers at the County Office Building, 14016 Route 31 in Albion.

MEDINA – Sponsors of the Canal Village Farmers’ Market are praising the generosity of Medina businessman Craig Lacy for loaning his building for the market to set up during winter months.

The market has re-located to the former NAPA Auto Parts store on North Main Street for the winter, according to Chris Busch, president of Orleans Renaissance Group, which sponsors the market.

“Since 2015, the market has operated during the summer at their site on the corner of West Center Street and West Avenue,” Busch said. “It’s a great spot for a festive, open-air summer market, but not so much for winter.”

Site of a former drive-in bank building, the location provides extremely limited sheltered space and little heat, Busch said.

Gail Miller, who has been market manager since 2015, said for a summer market, the downtown corner site is fantastic.

“It provides a festive market atmosphere in a central downtown location,” she said. “The building is essentially used for sto4rage. It was originally built as a gas station and has very little interior space that can be heated.”

Buyers stop at Bower Family Farms table at Medina’s winter Canal Village Farmers’ Market to check out the microgreens. In the background, a customer makes a purchase from Baker Farms of Medina. The market has relocated to the former NAPA store on North Main Street for the winter months.

Knowing the site’s limitations for winter operations, Lacy stepped in over a year ago and offered his empty storefront on North Main Street.

Lacy’s family has owned the historic sandstone structure since 1925, when his father M. Cady Lacy and Charles Haak salvaged the building after a tragic fire. They added the rear section and began an auto parts business and machine shop. For many years, locals knew the business as NAPA Auto Parts Store. Unfortunately, corporate NAPA decided to relocate their store to Maple Ridge Road in April 2021, leaving Lacy’s building without a tenant.

“Craig literally saved the winter market,” Miller said. “His incredibly generous gesture has been a game changer. We can’t you how grateful both we and our customers are to have this big, heated space. He’s done the community a tremendous service and we’re thankful for it.”

“All of us at the market and ORG are so grateful to Craig for his generosity,” Busch added. “Because of him, the community is able to gather at a great farmers’ market throughout the winter. Medina is lucky to have Craig and to have such a great community resource as the market.”

The indoor site retains all of the summer market vendors throughout the winter, Busch said.

Among the regular weekly vendors are Heartland Organics of Johnson’s Creek (mushrooms and mushroom products), Stone Hollow Farms of Middleport (fresh bread), Catherine Street Bakery of Medina (pies, cookies, scones and jams), Baker Farms of Medina (beef and pork), Human Farms and Greenhouse of Appleton (produce, spice blends and BBQ sauces), LockRidge Apiary of Lockport (local honey and honey products), and Bower Family Farms and Greenhouse of Lockport (microgreens).

Other vendors rotate in and out, including 3BeesWax, Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, 810 Meadworks, Mountain Mule Ciderhouse and Dot’s Pantry (savory relishes, jams, mustards, dressings, chutney, cheeses and pierogi.

Miller said they are also able to feature crafters and any non-profits as well. Community groups frequent the “Community Table,” a space for non-profits and groups to set up and connect with the public.

Erica Wanecski of Medina is an avid volunteer who helps many organizations throughout the area. She loves to spend a Saturday talking to shoppers about the Medina Historical Society, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners or the Iroquois Wildlife Refuge.

“People are anxious to hear about these places, and I love talking to them,” Wanecski said.

Miller said they have many other groups who avail themselves of the Community Table. Among them are PAWS, Canalside Radio, Mustang Marching Band, Office for the Aging, Orleans Mental Health, Medina Head Start, Girl Scouts of WNY, Orleans County Veterans Services, NYS Department of Health, Medina Fire Department and many others.

“It’s a great way for community groups to connect with people,” Miller said.

She added they are always looking for community-minded people to volunteer at the market.

“Medina is very lucky to have such a great community resource as this farmers’ market,” Miller said. “But it doesn’t just happen. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes logistics that make it happen every week, because of volunteers who give generously of their time and talent.”

Busch agreed, saying a community farmers’ market makes a community vibrant. They’re a great public gathering space. Every week, people meet up and enjoy connecting with each other and with local farmers and providers.

“People really appreciate access to fresh, local foods, products and information,” Busch said. “And they enjoy just having fun.”

Dehydrated organic mushrooms such as these can be found weekly at Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market, which is set up at the former NAPA building for the winter.

In addition to a dedicated core of volunteers, the market also benefits from generous community sponsorship, lending financial support to the operation.

“We are so incredibly lucky to have financial benefactors who believe in what we’re doing,” Busch said. “Their philanthropism makes possible live music at the summer market, activities for kids and critical supplemental operating funds. Without them, there would be no market.”

Summer market operations, including live music and kids’ activities are sponsored by Takeform, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services-Zambito Realtors and Mrs. Maureen Hungerford.

The Canal Village Farmers’ Market has become not only a valued community space, but a tourism destination, Miller said.

“I am constantly amazed by where the patrons travel from all year round,” she said. “We have visitors from Buffalo, Clarence, Youngstown, Lewiston, East Aurora, Williamsville and other Western New York communities. “Our market really does matter. People enjoy and appreciate having a direct relationship between local farmers, producers and the consumer, and we appreciate that the market promotes local agriculture – our primary industry.”

Additional information about Canal Village Farmers’ Market or becoming a vendor, volunteer or corporate sponsor can be found on the market’s Facebook page or by e-mailing Miller at canalvillagemarket@gmail.com.

The winter market at 345 Main St. operates from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through May. The summer market begins in June and runs through October from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 127 West Center St., corner of West Avenue.

The market operates under the auspices of the Orleans Renaissance Group, a 501(c)3 arts, culture and preservation organization based in Medina.

Jasmine Almeter made a centipede last year

Photos courtesy of Jasmine Almeter

MORTON – Yesterday, with temperatures just above freezing, proved ideal for making a snowman, or in Jasmine Almeter’s case, a snow-mouse.

Almeter owns Residential and Commercial Pest Pro in Morton, just outside Orleans County. She started the business last year. (She made a centipede out of snow last year.)

The snow-mouse and its burrow took a couple hours to build on Tuesday, when temperatures were above freezing for the first time in about a week.

ALBION – The Albion Democratic Party held its caucus this evening and backed Greg Bennett, a youth baseball coach for nearly three decades, to run for a trustee on the Village Board.

Greg Bennett

Bennett, 47, works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He has been there nearly five years. Previously, he worked a decade for Baxter Healthcare in Medina.

Bennett is well known in Albion as a long-time coach in the Albion Midget League. He also is an assistant with the Albion varsity baseball team. He also coaches youth baseball teams in the summer and fall.

As a trustee, he said he would be focused on a building a strong team for Albion, pushing people to put aside differences and animosity for the good of the community.

Bennett said he is “level-headed” and will hear out opinions and all sides of an issue before reaching a decision.

“I’m a straight-shooter,” he told Democrats at the caucus at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church.

Bennett was backed for one of two open positions on the Village Board. The election is March 19.

The four-year spots are currently filled by Chris Barry and David Buczek. Barry has been on the board nearly four years while Buczek was appointed last month by Mayor Angel Javier Jr. He is filling the remainder of Zack Burgess’s term.

Buczek intended to run for a full four-year term but said this evening he won’t be running in the election. He said he will remain involved in the village but not on the board.

Bennett said Albion is a safe community, but he would like to see more opportunities for people of all ages.

He was born in the former Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital in Albion and believes Albion is a great place to live, but the community leaders should work to make it even more appealing.

“We have to make sure these kids have a reason to stick around,” he said.

Bennett lives on Chamberlain Street with his fiancé. He has a son and stepdaughter.

The Democrats are open to backing a second candidate. For more information contact Sandra Walter, the Democratic Party chairwoman, at (585) 589-9058.

The Republicans also will be having a caucus on Monday.