Town supervisor race separated by 1 vote, with council seat also close

BARRE – The winner of the election for Barre town supervisor should be known on Thursday. That’s when the Board of Election will count the absentee ballots that have come in since Tuesday and also do a manual recount of all the votes.

As of Tuesday night, incumbent Sean Pogue has a 1-vote lead over challenger Scott Burnside, 293 to 292. That includes the votes on Tuesday during the general election, nine days of early voting and the absentees that had been received as of Tuesday.

The Board of Elections said there are potentially seven more absentees that could be turned in. They need to arrive to the Board of Elections by Tuesday, Nov. 14, and be postmarked no later than Nov. 7.

The BOE plans to start the count at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.

There is a chance the race could end up in a tie.

Mike Mele, the Republican elections commissioner for the county, is checking with the state Board of Elections about what to do in the race ends in a draw. He talked with other past elections commissioners in Orleans, and none recall there ever being a tie.

Some communities with ties among candidates have flipped a coin, done a run-off election or filled the position by appointment with the municipal board making the decision, and that appointment hasn’t always been one of the candidates in the election. Mele wants to get direction from the state on how to proceed if there isn’t a winner in Barre.

The manual recount in Barre also will include the candidates for the town council. A three-way race for two positions also is close.

Kirk Mathes has a comfortable lead in first place with 339 votes, but Margaret Swan is currently 16 votes ahead of Kerri Richardson, 315 to 299.

Mele said an automatic recount by hand is triggered when a race is within 20 votes or a half percent difference. That is the state elections law, he said.

Pogue, Mathes and Swan all ran under the Republican Party line as well as the independent “Future for Barre” line. Burnside and Richardson were both backed by the Conservative Party.

ALBION – The Village Planning Board agreed on Thursday to allow cannabis dispensaries at sites that are zoned general commercial – as long as they meet the regulations set by the state.

Those regulations keep dispensaries from at least 500 feet from a school and at least 200 feet from a church.

“We will use general commercial as an acceptable area but they still have to meet codes,” Karen Conn, the Planning Board chairwoman, said following a public hearing on the issue. “It’s up to them to find a spot and work with the code enforcement officer.”

No one has submitted a proposal for a dispensary in Albion. The regulations from the state would keep a dispensary away from the school on Route 31. It might also be hard to find a spot in the downtown area because there are several churches there.

Villages officials see the Save-A-Lot plaza on Route 31 and also the general commercial area on Hamilton Street as spots that could be considered for a dispensary.

The Village Board voted on Oct. 21, 2021 to opt in and allow legal marijuana dispensaries. Albion officials at the time said allowing the marijuana sites will make it easier for local residents to get the product in town, instead of driving to other communities and possibly putting others at risk on the roadways.

Village Board members also cited the potential tax benefits for the village. The state will have a 13-cent excise tax per $1 on the marijuana sales, and the village will get 3 of those cents per dollar.

ALBION – A former assisted living complex on Route 98 will be turned into 18 apartments – 14 that are one bedroom and four others that are studio apartments.

The Village of Albion Planning Board approved the site plan and a special use permit for the project at the former Clover Hill Adult Residence on Thursday.

The Planning Board said a vegetative screen will be needed by the parking lot between the north side and south sides of the property at 355 South Main St.

Resident Diana Reed lives next to Clover Hill on the north side. She said a fence would be unacceptable and pushed for arborvitae trees that would be about 15 to 20 feet high.

Planning Board chairwoman Karen Conn said the board could not specify which type of trees or vegetation be planted. But it can insist on the village code which states visual screening must have vegetation at least 4 feet high and spaced no more than 3 feet apart.

A second parking also is planned for the location on the south side. The developer doesn’t want to put that in yet and has been given two years to have an asphalt lot installed with drainage.

Clover Hill closed in March 2022 as an assisted living site. Realtegic LP in Amherst, led by president Ravi Prasher, wants to the turn the site into 18 apartments. Realtegic is working with Buildmore Corporation to convert the facility into apartments. Bilal Huzair of Carlton is CEO of Buildmore.

The current site has 19 parking spaces. The village code requires two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit so there would need to be at least 36 parking spaces.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – An enthusiastic Holley student body, teachers and staff celebrated the girls soccer team with a pep assembly this afternoon. This photo shows the Holley X-Factor running around the girls soccer team to pump up the crowd.

The Holley team leaves Friday morning for a 2 ½-hour drive to Homer in Cortland County for the state soccer tournament. Holley made the final four after defeating Frewsburg from Section VI last Saturday.

Holley won the Section V title by beating long-time rival, Byron-Bergen. Making it to the state tournament is unprecedented for the Holley girls.

Coach Renee Wolf said the strong support from the school and community has made a big difference for the team, creating life-long memories for the players.

Renee Wolf, Holley’s girls soccer coach the past nine seasons, speaks during a pep assembly today in the junior-senior high school gym.

Holley fire trucks have sounded their sirens to welcome the team home after winning Sectionals and then Regionals. Many community members stood in the Public Square to greet the players coming home on the bus.

“It makes the whole experience even more special,” Wolf said. “Our community as a whole, I can’t express my appreciation enough to them.”

Wolf’s daughters, Alivia and Zoey, are both juniors on the team. Renee Wolf said many of the players come over to her house to hang out with her daughters. That has made her feel closer to the players. She has coached them since sixth grade through indoor soccer.

Many of the players have been on teams together going back to when they were 4. Wolf said they know their positions, and trust each other to be in the right spot and make plays.

Samantha Bates is Holley’s top scorer with 29 goals, but Holley had many players who can find the net. Fifteen different players scored goals this season.

Will Kruger is a member of Holley’s X-Factor, a rabid group of fans. He is leading the students in chanting, “I believe that we will win.”

Kruger is on the boys soccer team. He said his teammates have really taken their fandom to a higher level in the playoffs for the girls team, wearing face paint, lots of red for the school colors, and bringing lots of noise.

“It’s been crazy and so exciting to be at the games,” Kruger said. “We like to support each other. It’s a small community.”

Will Kruger gets the crowd fired up during the pep rally.

Samantha Bates, one of the Holley captains, said the energetic crowd makes a difference. She said the girls team cheered for the boys during their games and actually was louder. However, the boys have been stepping up their X-Factor game and really making a difference for the team.

Emma Brady, another captain, agreed.

“It pumps us up,” she said about the fans and support from Holley. “We don’t want to lose in front of everyone.”

Leigha Walker said the team has tried not to look down the road too far, and is focusing on one game at a time.

If Holley wins on Saturday against Waterford-Halfmoon, the Hawks play in the finals Sunday for the state championship.

“We don’t want the season to end,” she said.

Provided photo: The Holley girls soccer team is shown as the X-Factor during one of the boys soccer games earlier this season. Both teams cheer for each other during the season.

Holley will be taking a spectator bus to the game on Saturday, and another one if the team wins and advances to the finals on Sunday.

Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent, has been to all the playoff games and many of the regular season games. He is impressed by the team, and the support for the Hawks.

“Things like this bring what is already a close community even closer together,” he said.

X-Factor members Trent Walker (with ball), and then Tyreek Garrett and Jax Richards-Dyson participate in one of the skits that also included teams from the girls soccer team and teachers. The X-Factor won this competition.

Press Release, NYS Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association

ALBION – A 33-year-old inmate allegedly injured three officers and a sergeant after fighting with staff who attempted to stop her from throwing a box and chair inside the infirmary, the Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association stated in a new release.

Initially,  two officers escorted the inmate to the infirmary after she was involved in an altercation with another inmate. Inside the infirmary,  the inmate grabbed a caustic box and threw it on the floor and attempted to throw a chair.

She was given several orders to stop and continued throwing items inside the infirmary.  Staff ordered her to place her hands against the wall and she refused. The two officers called for a response and forced the inmate to the wall.

The inmate continued to be aggressive and came off the wall and grabbed a female sergeant,  who responded to the incident, by the jacket. The sergeant and three officers forced the inmate to the ground where she remained combative. She attempted to spit on staff until she was brought under control, a spit net applied and placed in handcuffs. Once in handcuffs, she became compliant.

The inmate was evaluated by medical staff and after treatment she was placed in a Special Housing Unit pending disciplinary charges.

The sergeant and three officers were treated by medical staff at the facility for neck, shoulder, elbow, knee and hand injuries. After treatment they remained on duty.

The inmate is serving a five-year sentence after being convicted in Bronx County in 2021 for Robbery 1st and Robbery 3rd.  She is eligible for parole in May 2024.

“I think the public can lose sight to the fact that there is a female inmate population in our prisons that is just as violent as the men who are incarcerated,” said Kenny Gold, Western Region Vice President.  “This latest attack on staff was committed by a female inmate who was sentenced for a violent robbery in 2021 and despite the fact that she is eligible for parole in less than a year, showed little regard for staff when she assaulted and attempted to spit on them. None of our members deserve to deal with this every day.

“With a stripped down disciplinary system as a result of the HALT Act, I hope the State Parole Board takes this incident seriously when considering early release.” Gold said. “I would think the prospect of being denied parole would deter her from attacking staff again. But, as we have seen countless times, inmates simply have absolutely no regard for the safety of staff or other inmates.”

Orleans County voters supported two ballot propositions that ultimately were approved statewide.

Proposition No. 1 allows small city school districts to increase their debt limits from the current 5% threshold and receive more funding.

Orleans voters backed the proposition, 2,365 to 2,119. That is 52.7 percent voting yes and 47.3 percent voting no.

Of the 5,282 people who voted in Orleans, 4,484 or 85 percent flipped the ballot over and voted on the proposition.

The second proposition had more support in Orleans County, with 2,545 in favor of allowing local governments to issue debt beyond their constitutional limits for the next 10 years if the funding is used for construction of sewage facilities. There were 1,924 votes against it in the county. It was supported in Orleans with 57.0 percent in favor and 43.0 percent against.

7 towns asked to pay company $300K for ambulance coverage in 2024

BARRE – The Barre Town Board voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a second year of having Monroe Ambulance as the primary ambulance provider for the town.

Barre will pay $13,740 in 2024, which is up from the $8,000 this year, which is the first time Barre has paid an ambulance provider.

Barre is part of a block of seven towns working on a contract with Monroe. In 2023, Monroe sought $200,000 for the seven towns. It was reduced to $181,200 after Kendall bowed out of the contract, claiming it didn’t need to pay because there already was an agreement with the local fire districts in Kendall.

Monroe is insisting Kendall be in the contract this year and pay towards the cost of dedicated ambulances in Albion and Holley to respond to the seven towns – Albion, Barre, Gaines and Carlton in central Orleans, and Clarendon, Murray and Kendall in eastern Orleans.

Monroe is seeking $300,000 overall from the seven towns. The shares for each town are based on the percentage of overall call volume.

The Town of Albion, which has a nursing home and two state correctional facilities as well as most of the Village of Albion, has just over half of the ambulance calls for the seven towns. The contract with Monroe calls for Albion to pay $155,820 of the total. That is up from $84,400 in 2023. In 2022, the towns weren’t paying anything for ambulance coverage.

Here is what the Monroe contract calls for each of the seven towns to pay in 2024, with the amount they paid in 2023 in parentheses.

• Albion, $155,820 ($84,400)
• Barre, $13,740 ($8,000)
• Carlton, $22,350 ($14,800)
• Clarendon, $25,350 ($18,800)
• Gaines, $12,030 ($24,600)
• Kendall, $17,850 ($0)
• Murray, $52,860 ($30,600)

Barre officials said they want the Barre Volunteer Fire Company to be part of the discussion next year when the town will look to either renew a contract with Monroe or may choose a proposal from Mercy EMS.

Monroe and Mercy are both responding to calls in Barre, depending on which has the closest available ambulance. Mercy has taken over COVA ambulance which was based in Albion.

Barre Town Supervisor Sean Pogue said the block of seven towns plans to go year by year with an ambulance contract for now.

“Once we feel more comfortable we may go to a five-year contract,” Pogue said.

Photo courtesy of Paul Hand

LYNDONVILLE – The St. Joseph’s Catholic Church has been knocked down this week following a fire on Feb. 28, 2023 that caused extensive damage to the site at 36 Lake Ave.

The Diocese of Buffalo announced on July 10 that the church would not be repaired and would be demolished. The wrecking crew has been on site this week.

Paul Hand, a parishioner at St. Joseph’s since 2010, stopped by on Wednesday and saw the main structure in a heap in the basement.

“It is an emotional time for a lot of people,” Hand said. “It was our spiritual home.”

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church was built in 1917 as a mission church under St. Mary’s in Medina.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Here is how the site looked on Feb. 28, 2023 when multiple fire departments responded to the scene.

Firefighters were dispatched to the church at 3:41 a.m. on Feb. 28 when a passerby saw flames shooting out from the back of the building. The fire started in a classroom structure attached to the church. There was smoke and water damage throughout much of the building.

The pews were covered in soot and soggy insulation from the fire. The walls peeled and the former white interior turned gray and black after the fire.

Photos by Paul Hand

Hand started going to St. Joseph’s in 2010 after the Sacred Heart Catholic Church was closed in Medina. Hand now attends St. Mary’s in Medina. He said other parishioners from St. Joseph’s are now going to Catholic churches in Barker, Medina and Albion.

Hand said seeing the site in a demolished state was difficult for him. He was especially struck by seeing the stairs no longer leading to the main building.

“Those were the stairs we walked into every Sunday,” he said. “Now there’s a stairway to nothing.”

He appreciates the Diocese did move to take the building down, rather than have it languish unoccupied for years.

“It would have been a shame to see it sit there deteriorating,” he said. “Now we can move forward.”

Press Release, Congressman Joe Morelle

ROCHESTER – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle announced bipartisan legislation to lower healthcare costs for cancer patients. The Cancer Drug Parity Act will ensure patient copays for oral medications are not higher than the copays for medications administered by a healthcare provider.

“The Cancer Drug Parity Act is a crucial step in ensuring health insurance coverage evolves alongside the remarkable advancements in cancer treatment,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “By bridging the gap between outdated technology and cutting-edge therapies, this act empowers patients to access the best care available. I’m grateful to my colleagues for joining me in prioritizing the well-being of individuals battling cancer—offering hope and relief when they need it most.”

New oral medications are less intrusive than traditional IV chemotherapy treatments, allowing individuals to manage their care at home. However, because they are self-administered, they are covered under pharmacy benefits. Currently, copays are unaffordable for many cancer patients. With out-of-pocket costs reaching $2,000, they are going without care.

The Cancer Drug Parity Act will end the practice of insurers covering oral and self-administered medicines at different cost-sharing rates than intravenous IV chemotherapy by:

• Expanding oral parity protections to privately insured patients whose health care is regulated at the federal level, such as Medicare.
• Preventing insurers from covering oral and self-administered medicines at different cost-sharing rates than IV chemotherapy.
• Implementing these requirements for health plans that already cover both oral and IV chemotherapy treatments.

BARRE – The Town of Barre has the highest voter turnout in Orleans County for the election with 45.3 percent or 599 out of the 1,323 registered voters.

That compares to a countywide percentage of 20.8 percent with 5,282 casting ballots out of 25,455 registered.

Barre has led the voter participation in at least the last four local elections. The town continues to have contested races for the town supervisor and Town Board seats. (Sean Pogue, the incumbent, currently has a 1-vote lead over Scott Burnside for town supervisor, 293-292.)

In 2021, the turnout was 45.6 percent in Barre, and it was 51.2 percent in 2019 and 48.4 percent in 2017.

Back in 2015, Yates topped in turnout among local elections at 50.2 percent. That was the year when candidates, including Jim Simon for town supervisor, ran a vigorous campaign on an anti-wind turbine agenda. Simon won on write-in ballots. Barre had the second highest turnout in November 2015 at 46.4 percent.

In the current election, the turnout countywide was down significantly from four years ago when it was 34.8 percent, with 8,048 voters going to the polls out of 23,183 registered voters. That year there was a hotly contested race for sheriff. This year none of the countywide positions had opposition.

Here are the percentages of turnout among the 10 towns in Orleans County:

• Albion – 11.8% (436 out of 3,684)
• Barre – 45.3% (599 out of 1,323)
• Carlton – 17.7% (370 out of 2,087)
• Clarendon – 12.7% (318 out of 2,509)
• Gaines – 14.5% (296 out of 2,038)
• Kendall – 30.7% (575 out of 1,871)
• Murray – 23.0% (702 out of 3,054)
• Ridgeway – 10.0% (410 out of 4,102)
• Shelby – 34.4% (1,081 out of 3,138)
• Yates – 26.0% (428 out of 1,649)
• Orleans County – 20.8% (5,282 out of 25,455)

Five of the 10 towns – Albion, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines and Ridgeway – did not have any contested races and their turnout was well under 20 percent.

Shelby had the second-highest turnout with voters drawn to the polls with races for town clerk, highway superintendent and the Town Board.

The turnout tends to be significantly higher during presidential election years (next in 2024) or during a gubernatorial year (next in 2026).

Press Release, Rochester Housing Authority

MEDINA – Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Digital Literacy team is running a 2-day event to help residents who qualify for Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, Public Housing, and Section 8 to receive a $30 monthly discount on their internet bill.

The Rochester Housing Authority has let its Orleans County Section 8 participants know to attend and openly invites any similarly qualified low-income family to attend as well, even if they are not a Rochester Housing Authority participant.

While families that qualify can sign-up on their own (there is information in English and Spanish at RochesterHousing.org), those that are somewhat reluctant can step through the process with an in-person guide at the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, 620 West Ave, Medina, NY 14103 on this evening from 6 to 8 p.m. or on Thursday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Attendees are asked to bring their most recent internet bill with them.

About the Rochester Housing Authority

Established in 1955 as an independent public corporation by New York State Public Housing Law, the Rochester Housing Authority serves more than 27,000 lower-income residents and program participants in a five-county Greater Rochester area including Monroe, Orleans, Livingston, Ontario and Wayne counties.

Approximately 20% of those reside in the 2,400-plus RHA public housing units, while others served receive assistance in the form of voucher or certificate programs that help them afford eligible, private housing.

Press Release, GLOW OUT

Each year, on November 20, people worldwide take time to remember those lost to anti-transgender violence. This year, GLOW OUT will host four ceremonies in all GLOW counties simultaneously.

Genesee County’s remembrance ceremony will take place at Old Batavia Courthouse on Main & Ellicott streets; the Zion Episcopal Church in Avon will host Livingston County’s vigil; the ceremony in Orleans County will be in front of Rotary Park on Main Street in Medina; and the event in Wyoming County will be held on the street corner of Main & Borden in Perry. All of the vigils will begin at 7 p.m.

In a broad sense, the phrase “transgender” means anyone whose gender identity or expression is outside of the norms that society ascribes to the gender someone was assigned  at birth. Some might take medication or have surgery to align their body with their gender, while others might not. In the US, transgender people are more likely to be bullied, become homeless, go to jail, or experience violence than their cisgender (non-trans) peers. For these reasons and others, transgender people are also more likely to consider or attempt suicide.

First officially observed in 1999, the International Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day of mourning initiated by a group of US transwomen. It began with a memorial service for Rita Hester, a Black transwoman who was killed in her Boston apartment, a murder that remains unsolved. Annually, the remembrance ceremony is held in a somber acknowledgment of the friends and loved ones taken too soon because of anti-transgender violence.

Anti-transgender violence happens nationwide, resulting in a troubling number of murdered trans people every year. As transphobia intersects with sexism and racism, a large proportion of victims (every single year) are trans women of color – specifically, Black and Latina.

Overall, the number of those killed in the US has declined since 2021 (59, with 41 in 2022). As of this writing, at least 25 transgender Americans have been killed in 2023. Because the Remembrance period begins in November, those killed in the Club Q anti-transgender mass shooting in Colorado in November 2022 will be included in the list read at the vigils. This list is likely incomplete, because of the misreporting and underreporting of these crimes. Some have been disrespected in death by using their “dead name”, the name they were assigned at birth.

Since 2009, November 13-19 has been recognized as Trans Awareness Week. This observation creates the opportunity to uplift joys and successes for our trans loved ones as well. This week allows us to remind our transgender community that their lives are more than tragedy.

After all, we cannot wait for someone to die to give them their flowers. We owe it to their memory and to our future to recognize the importance of  supporting and celebrating our transgender loved ones, community members, and friends – remembering them in death, yes, and loving them while they are alive.

Provided photos

ALBION – Representatives from the Elks Lodge in Albion presented a ceremonial check $3,480 to PAWS Animal Shelter. The Elks also gave $3,400 collected from a basket raffle on Oct. 21 during a jamboree and barbecue cook-off to benefit PAWS.

Pictured from left include April Flesch, Carol Williams and Lynda Standish from the Elks, and Donna Vanderlaan and Patty Coffee with PAWS.

There were five cooks or cooking teams for the competition, including from left: Melvin Artis and Cortlin Artis, Chris Winters (kneeling), Tony Newland, Lee Tisdale of Romyn’s Restaurant, Bert Mathes and Dan Monacelli.

Melvin and Cortlin came in 1st place with a trip to the 1000 Islands, Bert Mathes and Dan Monacelli won 2nd place and $200, and Lee Tisdale won 3rd with $100.

The judges sample the barbecue. They include from left: Orleans County Legislator John Fitzak; Scott DeSmit from The Daily News in Batavia; Elk chaplain, food manager and Bandera band member Bonnie Draper; Medina Mayor Mike Sidari; and Orleans County Undersheriff Don Draper.

Regarding politics and hot-button issues, ‘We don’t talk about it’

Photos by Tom Rivers

BARRE – Dora Leader, left, and Shania Mathes put turkey dinners in plastic bags as part of the assembly line of volunteers at West Barre United Methodist Church.

The church served 479 dinners on Tuesday in an election day tradition going back at least 40 years.

The church used to have a dine-in option, but since the Covid pandemic in 2020 he meals have been served drive-through only.

Scott Bennett, a technician with the Orleans County Board of Elections, picked up eight dinners to take back to the BOE staff in Albion. Bennett, a Barre resident, said he has been coming for the meals on election day for the past 25 years.

The church used to serve lunches and dinners on election day, but has scaled back with fewer volunteers.

Tuesday’s dinner was still a big effort for the church, with members cooking 30 turkeys, five 50-pound bags of potatoes, 80 boxes of stuffing, 60 pies, and many bushels of squash and seven cans of No. 10 cranberry sauce.

The vehicles are lined up for the meals, which were hot items in Barre.

Naomi Caldwell cuts a pumpkin pie into eight slices. She looks forward to helping prepare and serve the dinner every year.

“It’s a lot of effort for a small church but we love it,” Caldwell said. “We are a community. We are one body.”

The church also serves 900 chicken barbecue dinners during July.

Eileen Collins whips up water and butter for the stuffing.

Melissa Dibley is ready to put turkey in the to-go containers.

The event brings the church members together in a town where there are strong opinions about a wind energy project, and who should serve on the Town Board.

“We agree to disagree,” said Joy Markle, one of the coordinators of the dinner. “There are some who are for and some who are against. We don’t talk about it.”