MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced major changes in their surgical department, with the departure of Dr. Todd Prier and the addition of three new surgeons.

As part of this expansion, Prier will leave the end of December to accept a position in Rochester, according to Scott Robinson, director of marketing, communication and outreach at OCH.

“We thank him for his time in our community,” Robinson said.

Joining Dr. Joseph Misiti in Medina’s surgical unit will be Drs. Devon Huff, Jeffrey Schratz and Robert Hodge.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Devon Huff, Dr. Jeffrey Schratz and Dr. Robert Hodge to our medical team,” said Marc Shurtz, CEO of Orleans Community Health. “This expansion of surgical services reflects our ongoing dedication to meeting the evolving healthcare needs of our community.”

Huff recently received his doctorate at the University of Buffalo. He then chose to remain at UB for his residency training and has remained in the greater Buffalo area throughout his career. He brings extensive experience in laparoscopic surgery and in advanced wound care.

Schratz is a distinguished surgeon with a proven track record. A native of Amherst, he attended Canisius High School, and then received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Williams College, before attending the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine for his medical degree. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Buffalo. Schratz specializes in general and laparoscopic surgery.

Hodge received his medical degree at the University of Louisville and completed his surgical residency at the University of Buffalo. He specializes in general and laparoscopic surgery. Additionally, he is certified in robotic surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

These surgeons will complement the existing team of healthcare professionals and play a pivotal role in expanding the range of surgical services offered at Medina Memorial Hospital, Robinson said.

The addition of these three accomplished surgeons marks a significant milestone in OCH’s efforts to enhance the healthcare services available at Medina Memorial Hospital, according to Shurtz. Orleans Community Health is confident the expanded surgical team will contribute to the continued success of our organization in providing exceptional care to our community, he said.

MEDINA – Two agencies which assist families at Christmas got a big boost for their holiday programs Friday morning with the donation of toys at Canalside Tattoo in Medina.

Community Action of Orleans Genesee and MAAC’s Red Barrel program picked up the toys which were collected by Canalside Tattoo during the Parade of Lights on Nov. 25.

Canalside has been collecting the toys since 2017. Andrew Szatkowski of Medina approached Canalside owner Shawn Ramsey with the idea, after the Corporate Toy Challenge in Medina was discontinued.

“Andrew and I both grew up realizing the need in the community,” Ramsey said. “I’m in a position now to be able to help and I wanted to affect a change. Being conveniently located on Main Street and Park Avenue, we decided to take advantage of the thousands of people in town for the annual Christmas celebration.”

Ramsey advertised for people to drop off new toys at his store, and the donations poured in.

Ramsey stressed that all toys collected stay to help children locally.

“That was Andy’s directive,” Ramsey said.

Each year the toys are divided between Community Action and MAAC.

On hand with their staff to collect the toys were Katrina Chaffee, director of community services and reporting for Community Action, and Sherri Tuohey, head of MAAC’s Red Barrel Program, with assistance from Jim Sipple.

Chaffee said Community Action already has 110 families signed up for Christmas assistance. Sixty of those families have children.

“And that’s just in the Albion area,” she said. “We depend heavily on these donations. Otherwise, we would have to turn to the community to adopt families.”

Jeanette Worsley, case manager at Community Action, said volunteers from Baxter are coming in this year to help them pack Christmas boxes.

Tuohey was likewise very appreciative of the donations.

“We have such a great need this year in the Medina community,” she said. “Any kind of help is much needed and appreciated. It is so wonderful what Andy started and Shawn is continuing here.”

Kendall town supervisor urges Leg to cut more but chairwoman says budget ‘bare bones’

Photos by Tom Rivers: Orleans County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch and Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson go over the county’s $92 million budget during a public hearing on Thursday.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature approved a $92,494,994 budget on Thursday in a 7-0 vote.

The budget increases the tax levy by 3.25 percent or by $607,000 to $19,264,000. The tax rate is going down by $1.30 from $9.87 to $8.57 per $1,000 of assessed property. However, property owners won’t all pay the same tax rates because not all towns are at 100 percent full valuation.

Four towns – Carlton, Kendall, Ridgeway and Shelby – completed town-wide reassessments in 2023 and are at full value. They will pay a lower tax rate for the 2024 county taxes.

Other towns – Albion, Gaines, Murray and Yates – haven’t done reassessments for several years and will pay a much higher tax rate. Barre and Clarendon were reassessed in 2022 and will have a higher rate than $8.57 but not as high as the four towns that are at least four years from their last town-wide re-evaluation.

The exact final rates aren’t set yet. The tax bills are to be mailed by Jan. 1.

County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said the budget preserves county programs and stays within the tax cap despite more than $2 million being pushed on the county from the state.

“Budgets are all about dollars and cents,” Johnson said during the budget hearing. “But budgets are also about strategic priorities and long-term plans. We need to govern to meet immediate needs and demands, while investing in areas that foster growth and future opportunity.”

Three town supervisors – Sean Pogue of Barre, Richard Moy of Clarendon and Tony Cammarata of Kendall – attended the hearing and had questions for legislators.

Moy said residents ask him about the county recent acquisitions totaling $1,7250,000. He asked where that money came from and if it’s in the 2024 budget.

Jack Welch, the county chief administrative officer and budget officer, said the county was able to pay for the properties out of the reserves for the 2023 budget.

Moy said the county’s population is down about 2,500 to about 40,000 total. “And we keep buying new buildings.”

Johnson said the acquisitions weren’t new buildings, but vacant property that fills a need.

Three town supervisors – from left Sean Pogue of Barre, Richard Moy of Clarendon, and Tony Cammarata of Kendall – attended the budget hearing and had questions for the county legislators.

The Legislature on Oct. 24 approved spending $975,000 to acquire the former building used for Genesee Community College in Albion and 25.7 vacant acres adjacent to the property for $500,000. The county will move the Probation Department and District Attorney’s office out of the Public Safety Building and into the former GCC site.

The Public Safety Building has been the home for Probation, the DA’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office and the 911 dispatch center for the past 25 years. But that building has challenges, especially with a big flat roof.

In September the Legislature approved spending $250,000 for the former Bank of America site at 156 S. Main St. in Albion, which will become the treasurer’s office in 2024. That building has a drive-through and is more easily accessible than the current office on East Park Street, county officials said.

The current treasurer’s building at Central Hall “is a money trap for us,” Johnson said about continuing to invest in that property.

“We’ve kicked the can down the road so many years,” she said.

Pogue from Barre asked how much the county stands to gain in revenue from solar projects. There are currently four that will be online in 2024 and the county will collect $25,000 combined from all four. As more of the projects are complete and generating electricity, the county will collect more revenue, said Kathy Bogan, the county attorney. The projects generate $7,000 in revenue for local governments for each megawatt. That $7,000 is divvied up by thirds to the town the project is located in, the county and the school district.

Cammarata of Kendall said the 3.25 percent tax increase is high. He urged the Legislature to find more to cut in the budget or tap more money from its reserve.

“All I’m asking is you take another look at it,” Cammarata said. “I feel for the people of Orleans County. Look one more time and see if you can slice that down. The people are suffering. If you cut it, it sends a message to the people that you care about them.”

Johnson said legislators, department heads, Welch and county treasurer Kim DeFrank have worked in recent months to minimize the tax increase. She said the budget was “bare bones” and burdened by unfunded state mandates.

Welch said the mandated programs from the state are up about $2.2 million or 12.9 percent for nine mandates to $19,056,290. That includes Medicaid up 17.7 percent to $8,693,594; Pension costs up 3.2 percent to $3,041,025; Public assistance/Safety Net increase of 21.6 percent to $2,330,569; Child welfare/Protection up 21.5 percent to $2,193,962; Special education up 4.5 percent to $990,270; Probation increase of 9.6 percent to $779,651; Indigent defense up 36.6 percent to $700,834; Early intervention up 3.2 percent to $276,385; and Mental Health law expense, up 87.5 percent to $50,000.

The budget addresses several capital projects with the total for 2024 at $7,883,213 with the county cost at $3,525,358.

The projects include: $2,150,000 of highway reconstruction (100 percent funded by CHIPS), $1.5 million with bridge projects (3 for design and 1 replacement to be funded with federal TIP and state BridgeNY), $1.3 million of culvert and bridge repairs (local funds), $1,242,000 of patching and sealing county roads (local funds), $557,199 for DPW equipment (SHIPS and state SAM), $396,935 for software and technology (local funds), $265,686 for Buildings & Grounds projects (local funds), $200,000 for jail general repairs (local funds), $195,493 for vehicles and equipment for Sheriff’s Office (local funds), and $75,000 for emergency management vehicle (state and federal funds).

Welch said a homeless crisis for temporary and permanent emergency housing placements has increased the workload for the Department of Social Services. Assisting the homeless as well as other mandated programs through DSS prompted the county to increase the hours for DSS workers from 35 to 37.5 hours per week.

The county is hoping to have more county employees go from 35 to 37.5 hours in 2024. That will be a discussion with the unions.

Welch said the employees will be paid more for those extra hours, but the county will save money by not having to pay for more health insurance and benefits if more employees were hired.

The budget also increases the solid waste fee by $4 to $220 a year.

The county budget provides funding for other organizations in the county, with some slated to get an increase and others not.

The four public libraries will stay at $10,000. Mercy Flight stays at $5,000. The Cobblestone Museum will get $3,000. The organization hasn’t been a line item in the budget in recent years but sometimes received $3,000 from the county’s contingency funds.

The budget allocates $200,000 for the Economic Development Agency, up from $190,000 in 2023. The Soil & Water Conservation District goes from $95,000 in 2023 to $97,500.

The Sportsmen’s Federation sees its funding cut from $1,000 to $0.

The Cooperative Extension stays at $240,000, even though the organization requested $275,000. The Extension has been at $240,000 since at least 2020. The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council remains at $4,000.

The county has an allowable growth rate in the tax cap of 3.76 percent for 2024, or $701,733, Welch said, noting the adopted budget stayed under that cap.

Provided photos: The Lyndonville school district has a much-improved fitness center that includes more exercise equipment, including these stationary bikes.

Press Release, Lyndonville Central School

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville school district has set Monday for the grand reopening of the fitness center located at 25 Housel Ave.

State-of-the-art new equipment has been purchased and installed, including: stationary bikes, treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical machines, glide trainers, squat racks with TRX cable crossover systems, core bags, kettlebells, free weights, Olympic bars, Plyo Boxes, a dual pulley machine, rowing machine, as well as two additional squat racks. Some of the existing equipment still has good life left in it and has been incorporated into the room plan as well.

Funding for our fitness center was made possible through state grants which promote social-emotional well-being and physical fitness. There was no impact to our taxpayers.

The district is pleased to offer such an outstanding fitness center to the Lyndonville community. From Dec. 4 through May 2024, the fitness center is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. on days that school is in session. The center is available for use by residents of the Lyndonville Central School District, age 18 and older, free of charge. Community members should use the Tech Entrance to access the Fitness Center.

Middle and high school students who live in the district may use the facility in the evenings with adult supervision. The fitness center is available for use by our students during the school day and for student-athletes after school.

We invite and encourage community members to come out and take advantage of LCSD’s “new” fitness center hours.

There are many new free weights for residents to build stronger bodies.

Provided photo: Assemblyman Steve Hawley encouraged people to drop off toys at the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern’s office in Albion or the Genesee County YMCA in Batavia.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) today announced his December toy drive to help those in need enjoy a magical Christmas.

The drive will last from now through Dec. 18. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, 121 N. Main St., Suite 311 in Albion, or at the Genesee County YWCA at 301 North St. in Batavia. Toys for all ages will be accepted but there is a great need for toys for pre-teens and teenagers.

“Many families in our community are struggling to make ends meet, and the thought of providing Christmas gifts for their children seems like an impossible task,” Hawley said. “But you can help. I’m hosting a Christmas Toy Drive, running from now until December 18, to bring joy and laughter to the homes of those in need. Your generous donations will ensure every child in our community has a Merry Christmas. This year, all toys collected will be distributed to families in need through the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. Together, we can make this Christmas truly special for the children of our community. Thank you for your generosity and support.”

Photo and information courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION — Nine students from Charles D’Amico High School competed in The American Legion Oratorical Contest on Thursday.

Sponsored by the American Legion Sheret Post #35, contestants participate in the annual contest by writing and presenting an eight to 10-minute speech on a section of the Constitution that interests them.

The participants include Brody Hafner, Matthew Kania, Lucy Rivers, Zack Baron, Jackie Santiago Garcia, Jordan Wright, Aubrey Gannon, Samantha Dobo and Kelli Dingle.

Baron won first place, Rivers was second and Gannon, third. Baron and Rivers advance to the county competition.

Participants are pictured with contest judge and past American Legion Auxiliary President Janet Tanner, contest judge and Legion Auxiliary President Pam Taylor, and local contest organizer and past Commander of American Legion Sheret Post Phil Warne.

KENDALL – Ashley Nenni is grateful for her 2-year-old daughter, Paisley. Despite her health challenges, Paisley shows lots of spunk and love.

Paisley was born with her small intestine outside her body. She was also seven weeks premature. Her small intestines were removed and Paisley only had 15 centimeters left.

Ashley Nenni and Josh Daniels are shown with their daughter, Paisley.

She has a central line and g-tube surgically implanted to receive most of her nutrition. With the central line comes many infections, and hospitalizations for Paisley.

Paisley has Short Bowel Syndrome or “Short Gut Syndrome,” where the body is unable to absorb enough nutrients from food due to the massive loss of intestine. The small intestine is where most of the nutrients are absorbed during digestion.

The community will have a benefit for Paisley and her family on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Kendall Fire Hall. There will be breakfast with Santa for $15 for adults and $7 for kids ages 3 to 10. Kids under age 3 are free. Tickets will sold at the door. The food is catered by The Grove 1848. Music will be provided by DJ Mike Neale.

Ashley Nenni, 25, and Paisley’s father Josh Daniels appreciate the community’s support.

Nenni grew up in Holley and lives in Waterport. She said she often takes Paisley to two or three doctor’s appointments each week, and there are frequent hospitalizations due to the infections.

Ashley said Paisley has adapted to the condition because it is all she has ever known. She even cleans the g-tube.

Paisley in February 2023 had her small intestine extended to 45 centimeters. Paisley is working her way off from her Total Parenteral Nutrition.

The family is grateful for the benefit on Saturday. Ashley said they face expenses for driving to doctor appointments and frequent hospital stays, and some missed work.

The benefit is planned by Sue Dann and Paisley’s grandmother Tammy Nenni. There are almost 200 baskets to be raffled and a signed cleat from Tre’Davious White of the Buffalo Bills.

Ashley’s dad is Rollie Nenni, the retired Albion and Holley police chief. He was also fire chief in Holley.

Ashley said her father is a stable presence in what can be often stressful times navigating the healthcare for her daughter.

“He helps to calm me down,” she said.

Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a video press conference on Thursday to announce her push to crack down on robocalls, robotexts, and AI scams.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

Americans receive 4 billion robocalls every month, many of them from scammers. And as artificial intelligence grows more sophisticated, phone scams are becoming more sophisticated as well.

Voice cloning, for instance, allows a scammer to mimic or impersonate the voice of an individual’s loved ones in order to steal money or information. Gillibrand is reintroducing the Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Calls (DO NOT Call) Act to establish new criminal penalties for robocallers, including prison time. She is also calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate and track potentially devastating AI-powered scams.

“Robocalls are obnoxious and disruptive at best and mechanisms for insidious scams at worst,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Scammers should not be allowed unfettered access to New Yorkers at all times of day and night. I am reintroducing the DO NOT Call Act to finally crack down on robocalls and robotexts and impose stricter penalties for scammers – including up to 3 years in prison. I’m also calling on the FTC to investigate and track increasingly common AI scams that target vulnerable New Yorkers. I am determined to end relentless robocalls and look forward to getting this legislation passed.”

The Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Calls (DO NOT Call) Act strengths criminal penalties for intentional violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which regulates the use of telemarketing calls. Under the DO NOT Call Act, repeated violations of telemarketing prohibitions are punishable by a prison sentence of up to 3 years.  The bill also doubles the fine for falsifying caller ID information from $10,000 to $20,000.

Senator Gillibrand is also calling on the FTC to track the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to perpetrate frauds and scams in its Consumer Sentinel Network, a database to track scams that can be shared with local, state, and federal law enforcement.

Press Release, Medina Lindy

MEDINA – Medina Lindy in the Village will hold its second annual “Cool Yule” themed Holiday Lindy Hop swing dance on Thursday, December 14th from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. at Bent’s Opera House.

DJ Tommy Sprinkles from Swing Buffalo will serve up holiday jazz hits of yore, including classics by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, for area dancers in Bent’s historic opera house, now gorgeously decorated for the season.

Unlike previous monthly dances, December’s dance falls on the second Thursday of December. In the past, dances have been held on the third Thursday of each month. Going forward, dances will fall on the second Thursday of the month unless otherwise noted.

The “Cool Yule” dance caps off Medina Lindy in the Village’s second year of community-centered social dances at Bent’s Opera House. A free beginner lesson at 6:30 will be included as part of the evening’s festivities, with the dance itself immediately following at 7:30.  Tickets for the dance are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and $30 for families, all of which include the free lesson.

All dance levels including beginner and spectator are welcome. Holiday attire is optional but encouraged. The “Cool Yule” holiday dance event will feature an all-blue decoration theme for a spectacular visual backdrop to an evening of swing jazz holiday fun.

“Cool Yule” celebrates both the season and the ways in which 2023 was an eventful year for Medina Lindy in the Village. This December dance will be the group’s twelfth monthly dance of the year. Medina Lindy dances were featured on WHAM and WKBW ABC News stations.

They held a successful “Swing Pink” fundraiser dance for breast cancer research, hosted a huge live band event featuring Gordon Webster’s Jazz Septet, held a Lindy Exchange featuring dancers from all across the region, and have continued to hold free weekly Lindy Hop lessons throughout the year. Medina Lindy’s founder, Medina resident Phil Berry, is now in active development on a feature film involving Lindy Hop dancing to be filmed this summer in both Sweden and in Western New York and will host an information session about the project in January.

For more information about Medina Lindy in the Village, or upcoming dances and lessons, visit www.MedinaLindy.com, or www.facebook.com/groups/medinalindy, or email info@MedinaLindy.com.

ALBION – After nearly a year with no bridge spanning the Erie Canal on Main Street in Albion, the trusses are expected to be put back on Monday. The bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in the spring.

The 53,000-pound trusses were removed in Jan. 27 with Clark Rigging & Rental using a big crane with a 400-ton capacity.

The crane has been in Albion this week but the weather hasn’t cooperated due to the wind on some days, and today’s anticipated rain.

A 53,000-pound truss from the Main Street lift bridge in Albion was moved to land just north of the canal on Jan. 27. Clark Rigging & Rental was able to use a big crane with a 400-ton capacity.

The 115-foot-long trusses have been refurbished while placed on cradles on the north side of the canal. Some of the existing steel was rehabilitated and other corded pieces were replaced with new high-pressured beams and other steel.

The state Department of Transportation is paying for a major overhaul of the bridge from 1914. It last received extensive work in the 1980s and has had frequent repairs since then.

The Albion and Brockport lift bridges on Main Street are both getting a massive overhaul. They were bid together for a combined $28.3 million project.

Provided photo

HOLLEY – Melissa Ierlan, Clarendon town historian, stands next to a new historical marker that will go in front of the former Holley High School in the spring.

The marker notes the ultimate sacrifice of nine young men from Holley who were killed during the Vietnam War: John P. Davis, David D. Case, Ronnie P. Sisson, David P. States, Howard Bowen, Gary E. Bullock, Gary L. Stymus, George W. Fischer Jr. and Paul S. Mandracchia. Holley had one of the highest per capita casualty rates in the country during the Vietnam War.

The marker is planned to be dedicated in front of the school on Memorial Day in 2024. The young men attended school there. The building is now used for apartments and also the Village of Holley offices.

Home Leasing, owner of the property, agreed to allow the sign be installed in the front yard of the building, Ierlan said.

Funding from the Elizabeth Dye Curtis Foundation, Clarendon Historical Society and Murray-Holley Historical Society.

Nicholas D’Amura, a middle/high school history teacher at Holley, and his students helped with the wording on the sign.

“This marker is to commemorate the nine young men who lost their lives in service to their country during the conflict in Vietnam. The ‘Holley Boys’ attended classes here at the high school in the heart of the village before war called them to adulthood. They grew up with stories of their fathers from battlefields past, and each of them served with distinction when the great battle of their age arrived.

“Holley sent her finest when called.”

The marker ends with a quote from Abraham Lincoln: “I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.”

LYNDONVILLE – The school district is presenting a $19,505,384 capital project to voters on Dec. 14, a plan that will address several needs for the school campus without raising new taxes, said Sharon Smith, the district superintendent.

“There is nothing shiny about what we’re doing,” Smith said today. “We’re taking care of the house. We’re fixing our roofs, the heating systems, the bathrooms. We’re being good stewards of our school home.”

Voting will be from noon to 8:30 p.m. in the foyer of the Stroyan Auditorium at 25 Housel Ave.

The project includes:

• A new synthetic track with a natural grass regulation soccer field in the middle and better drainage added for the site. This enables the school to host home track meets for the first time in more than a decade, and the track can be used by the community.
• Entrances for both school buildings renovated to improve security and safety.
• Demolition of the wing known as the “metal building” with replacement on the same footprint of four new classrooms. School officials say the metal building has outlived its expiration date, and it is not cost-effective to renovate.
• Replacement of the roof in the areas that were not part of the emergency roof projects.
• Heating and cooling (HVAC) improvements

Lyndonville has about $4.3 million in capital reserve funds for the local share of the project. State aid will cover the rest.

The district worked with Wendel, an engineering and architectural firm, to finalize the project. An initial list of facility upgrades and site improvements was over $50 million. Smith said the goal was to pick priority items without increasing taxes.