Press Release, Oak Orchard Health

ALBION/BROCKPORT – Karen Kinter has served as Interim CEO of Oak Orchard Health since September 2022. The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Kinter officially as the CEO of Oak Orchard.

Karen Kinter

“We are thrilled that Karen will be leading our health centers,” said Karen Watt, chairwoman of the Oak Orchard Health. “She brings with her 20 years of executive leadership experience and dedication to serving underserved patients.”

Kinter is a seasoned healthcare executive with more than 20 years in the industry and vast experience establishing, stabilizing and growing healthcare organizations. She has worked extensively with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC).

Before joining Oak Orchard, Karen served as CEO of Regional Health Services FQHC and Vice President of Specialty Revenue Programs at Rochester Regional located in Rochester, where she had financial, operational and strategic responsibility for programs across a large health system.

The RHS FQHC program serves more than 90,000 patients at over 20 locations. In this role, she successfully launched and expanded multiple initiatives to expand access for patients. Additionally, she led the system-wide federal 340B pharmacy program and the business office for the College of Health to focus on developing career paths for nursing professionals and was awarded numerous grants to help grow and sustain services for underserved populations

Prior to joining RRH, Kinter worked at Anthony Jordan Health Center. And before this, she spent more than 10 years with Oak Orchard as the Chief Financial Officer.

A native of Orleans County, Karen earned her undergraduate degree from Medaille College and a Master of Business Administration from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester.

“I live in Orleans County with my family and understand its healthcare needs,” Kinter said. “OOH is poised to take the lead for a healthier community. We have many great community partners that I am looking forward to collaborating with to make us all stronger.”

About Oak Orchard Health 

Originally founded in 1973, Oak Orchard Health has grown from a migrant health project into an integrated health center with multiple locations providing health care services including primary and pediatric care, vision and dental care, behavioral health, as well as nutrition and outreach services for everyone located in the communities they serve. Oak Orchard Health is a recognized patient-centered medical home and 501(c)(3) nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located in the towns of Albion, Alexander, Batavia, Brockport, Corfu, Hornell, Medina, and Warsaw, New York. Learn more about Oak Orchard Health at www.oakorchardhealth.org.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Karen Kinter, then the interim CEO of Oak orchard Health, celebrates a new mobile dental unit for the organization during a ribbon-cutting on Oct. 11. The mobile dental unit is available for the five school districts in Orleans County – Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina. The unit was paid for with a $650,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.

Photos by Tom Rivers: These flags on the lawn in front of the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church are up in April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

ALBION – For the ninth year, RESTORE is placing displays around the region to raise awareness for sexual violence.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which gives RESTORE and rape crisis programs nationwide a spotlight on sexual violence and the resources people can turn to for help.

In each of five counties RESTORE serves there is a display of 1,183 small orange flags, including in front of the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion.

The flags represent the national statistic that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, or 1,271 every day. The displays also include explanatory signage and RESTORE’s 24-hour hotline number.

The flags remain on display throughout the month of April. Additional displays travel across the five-county region, hosted by the colleges where RESTORE partners for advocacy, education and support.

For assistance call the 24-hour hotline Genesee, Livingston, Orleans & Wyoming counties at 1-800-527-1757 and in Monroe County at 1-585-546-2777.

Photo by Marsha Rivers: The sun comes up this morning over Albion. This photo is looking east on East State Street.

An air quality alert has been issued today from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for Orleans County and much of New York State.

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Ground Level Ozone, which is when air quality levels in outdoor air are predicted to be greater than an Air Quality Index value of 100 for Ground Level Ozone.

The Air Quality Index was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale. The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern, the DEC said.

When pollution levels are elevated, the NYS Department of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.

“People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease,” the DEC said. “Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal physician.”

Today is forecast to be sunny with a high of 78 in Orleans County. The highs in the following days include 78 on Saturday, 79 on Sunday, 54 on Monday and 44 on Tuesday.

‘The program is very person-centered and we focus on connecting people to what they want and need to overcome the disorder and be successful in their recovery.’

By Mike Pettinella, GCASA Publicist

As the deadly drug fentanyl wreaks havoc in the United States, resulting in more than 100,000 deaths last year according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of psychostimulants also continues at an alarming rate.

Nearly one in five overdose deaths involve cocaine, one of a host of drugs (both illegal and legal) that are categorized as psychostimulants. More than 5 million Americans reported cocaine use in 2020, which is almost 2 percent of the population, and an estimated 6 million people misused prescription stimulants, such as amphetamines, in the past year.

The misuse of psychostimulants has spread to all populations in all settings, significantly contributing to the overdose epidemic in the U.S.

Jarett LoCicero

Locally, the professionals at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse have recognized the impact of drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and prescription stimulants (brand names Adderall, Ritalin, etc.), and the nonprofit agency has received funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Psychostimulant Support.

The grant, $500,000 for three years through July 2025, will allow GCASA to provide treatment and recovery services to those with psychostimulant use disorder along with prevention education strategies to address the condition and to reduce stigma associated with the disease.

Amy Kabel, assistant director of Grants & Projects, has been assigned as the HRSA RCORP-PS project director; Jarett LoCicero, has been hired as the project coordinator, and Lisa Schutt has been appointed as the project’s lead counselor. GCASA is accepting resumes for the prevention educator position and for peer advocate positions attached to the grant.

Already, project leaders have linked to a consortium that includes Genesee County Mental Health, Orleans County Mental Health, Oak Orchard Health and Lake Plains Community Health, and have started a community support group that meets from 2-3 p.m. every Tuesday at the County Building on East Main Street Road, Batavia.

“The program is very person-centered and we focus on connecting people to what they want and need to overcome the disorder and be successful in their recovery,” LoCicero said. “We understand that there is a huge mental health component and are fortunate to be able to partner with the agencies in our consortium.”

LoCicero said the grant opens the door for GCASA to expand its “continuum of care” philosophy that encompasses treatment, recovery, prevention, maintenance, transportation and supportive living programs.

“Psychostimulant use, cocaine and crack cocaine as well as meth, is an ever-increasing problem, especially among young people and those in ‘commonly overlooked populations such as the LGBTQ and Black communities,’” he said. “Our goal is to reach as many people as we can.”

Kabel, a four-year employee at GCASA, said the project will be successful “because Jarett (who is in recovery) is very focused and understands what substance use disorder is all about.”

She said that more people are hearing about the support group and that residents of both Genesee and Orleans counties are in counseling programs led by Schutt.

The HRSA RCORP-PS project at GCASA offers prevention, treatment, and recovery services specific to individuals who struggle with psychostimulants. Those services include 24/7 peer support, case management, support group, transportation, recovery activities, wellness and fitness, parent and family support, insurance/resource navigation, hepatitis/HIV navigation and naloxone training.

Transportation to the support group at The Recovery Station is available by checking the schedule on The Recovery Station calendar on Facebook or by calling LoCicero at 585-664-4146.

ALBION – The Village of Albion and towns of Albion and Gaines will look closely at the possibility of forming a fire district to manage fire protection for the two towns and village.

The Village Board on Wednesday voted to hire attorney Raymond DiRaddo of Rochester at $175 an hour. That cost will be shared by thirds among the two towns and village, the Village Board said.

The fire department is currently managed by the Village Board and the funding is included in the village budget with the two towns paying a fire protection contract to the village.

The village would like the two towns to pay more towards the fire department budget. With a fire district the fire department expenses would be in its own budget, rather than folded into the village budget.

The costs would be clearly identified, and the communities would likely pay a share based on their assessed value.

The fire district would be managed by a board of commissioners who would be elected. They could focus on managing the fire department.

Lyndonville just shifted to a fire district, rather than having it be part of the village budget with the town of Yates paying a fire protection contract. Holley and Murray also recently formed a joint fire district.

The issue has been brought up before in Albion. Some Village Board members are interested in exploring the district especially with the village facing the need to replace two fire trucks that together could be close to $3 million. The Albion Fire Department has been strongly urging the village in recent years to prepare for replacing a ladder truck from 1996 and a pumper from 1992.

Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said that cost is too much to be borne in the village budget. He said the expense should be spread out among the entire community served by the fire department.

In 2023 the fire protection rates for the towns includes $1.03 in Albion, $1.56 in Barre, 77 cents in Carlton, 89 cents in Clarendon, 78 cents in Gaines, $1.15 in Kendall for the Kendall fire district and $1.61 for the Hamlin-Walker-Morton combined fire district, $1.82 in Murray, $1.16 in Ridgeway, $1.55 in Shelby, and $1.05 in Yates.

ALBION – The Village Board has approved closing off part of Main Street to traffic during the Albion Strawberry Festival on June 9 and 10, a decision that needs a final OK by the state Department of Transportation.

Main Street is already closed from Beaver Alley to the canal while the lift bridge is out for an extensive rehab project.

East Bank and East State streets are closed during the festival from Main to Platt streets. But traffic could always head down Main Street and cross the bridge on the lift bridge. Organizers were concerned traffic would head down Main Street and not have anywhere to turn because West Bank is used for some festival activities.

“The main reason is for the safety of residents and patrons of the festival,” said Village Trustee Tim McMurray, who is a member of the Strawberry Festival Committee.

The plan is for Main Street to be closed off to traffic from Park Street to the canal during the festival. McMurray said there won’t be vendors allowed in the middle of the street, but people can cross Main without being worried about traffic.

The village also will have Bank Street and State Street closed to vehicles from Platt  to Liberty streets.

In addition, State Street will be closed on the Saturday, June 10, from Platt to Ingersoll streets for a car show.

The Village Board also approved closing Main Street on Thursdays after 3 p.m. from Beaver Alley to Bank Street from June 22 to Sept. 28. The request was made by the Albion Merchants Association which is planning a concert series on Thursday evenings. The state DOT needs to give final approval for closing off that section of the street.

The board also approved a request to close East Bank Street to traffic from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 28 for a “Spooky Night” celebration with food vendors, Halloween costumes and other activities. Dan Conrad, owner of Toyz n Kandy, is taking the lead in planning that event.

ALBION – The Village Board on Wednesday backed an effort by the Albion Rotary Club to have a red granite monument by the canal that would honor the 15 victims of the bridge collapse from Sept. 28, 1859.

The monument would be approximately 4 feet high and would note one of the worst tragedies to ever happen on the canal and in Orleans County.

The monument is planned to have artwork on the side facing the water, perhaps 15 handprints to represent the victims. The other side would face the one-way street next to Krantz Furniture. That side would include the names of the victims and provide a brief description of the incident that claimed their lives.

File photo: A historic marker just west of the bridge notes the calamity but doesn’t have enough room to list the people who perished in the disaster.

The deceased from the bridge collapse include: Perry. G. Cole, 19, of Barre; Augusta Martin, 18, of Carlton; Ann Viele, 36, of Gaines; Edwin Stillson, 16, of Barre; Joseph Code, 18, of Albion; Lydia Harris, 11, of Albion; Thomas Handy, 66, of Yates; Sarah Thomas, 10, of Carlton; Harry Henry, 22, of Saratoga County; Ransom S. Murdock, 17, of Carlton; Adelbert Wilcox, 17, of West Kendall; Sophia Pratt, 18, of Toledo, Ohio; Thomas Aulchin, 50, of Paris, C.W; and Jane Lavery, 16, of Albion.

This side of the monument could include artwork to show a silhouette of a wire walker and an image of the bridge.

A big crowd of 250 people and five horses were jammed onto the bridge to watch a wire walker on that fateful day. The community was hosting its annual county fair. At the time the fairgrounds was on Orchard Street about a block from the canal.

A wirewalker, George Williams of Brockport, was going to cross the canal which was about half the width as it is now. The wirewalker took a few steps on the tight rope just west of the canal and then the bridge collapsed, killing 15 people and maiming many others.

There was a wire-walking frenzy back in those days. Jean Francois Gravelet, “The Great Blondin,” walked across Niagara Falls on a tight rope on June 30, 1859. A bunch of copycats sprang up, including one in Albion three months later during the county fair.

The Rotary Club will be seeking a grant through the Rotary district to help pay for the project. It expects to hear back on that application in July. The monument may not be ready until late 2023 or early 2024. The village will put in a concrete footer for the monument, which would be delivered and installed by Brigden Memorials in Albion.

Editor’s Note: I’m a member of the Rotary Club and am “project manager” for the club in working on this monument. I believe the monument will highlight a very tragic day in the community’s past and also will help with heritage tourism efforts in the community. The Albion canal waterfront can use more elements that would interest people. This monument would leave a strong impression on local residents and visitors.

This monument would also be in place for the 200^th navigational season on the Erie Canal next year, and also a year before the bicentennial anniversaries for both the Erie Canal and Orleans County in 2025.

File photo: Tracy Jennings (left) of Papa Thom’s Rockin’ Bagels and Rose Baker of Baker Farms in Medina chat in November at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market in Medina. The market moved indoors for the winter at the former NAPA Auto Parts store on North Main Street.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a new initiative that will double the buying power for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients at farmers’ markets across New York State.

The FreshConnect Fresh2You program will now provide eligible New Yorkers with a dollar-for-dollar match, which will allow families in need to purchase more healthy food, including produce, dairy and meats.

This new initiative will help to offset the recent reduction in SNAP benefits that were a part of pandemic relief efforts as well as record inflation costs, provide increased revenue for New York’s farmers, and boost local food sourcing while eliminating food scarcity, which are among the goals outlined in the Governor’s Executive Budget proposal and her State of the State address.

“New York has taken significant steps to develop strong, mutually-beneficial relationships between local farmers and the communities they feed,” Governor Hochul said. “The new Fresh2You initiative will help ensure New Yorkers have more money to spend on healthy foods like dairy, meat, produce and more, while creating greater health outcomes, an economic boost to New York’s farmers and a stronger food supply chain.”

The FreshConnect Fresh2You initiative will now provide SNAP beneficiaries at participating farmers’ markets with $2 checks for every $2 spent as part of the SNAP program, up from $2 for every $5 spent.

This new initiative is part of the long-standing FreshConnect Checks Program, which is administered by the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets. It helps expand access to fresh food in underserved communities, to improve the diet of individuals in those communities and to foster economic development by supporting local farmers. By allowing the purchase of dairy products, meats and more in addition to the purchase of fruits and vegetables, the FreshConnect program supports even more farmers across New York State.

Any farmer or vendor who is selling a SNAP-eligible food item at any farmers’ market, farm stand or mobile market operating in New York State may accept a FreshConnect Check and now take part in the Fresh2You initiative. Checks can be used to purchase dairy, produce, meats, fish, eggs and more.

The FreshConnect Fresh2You initiative will launch and be available to consumers April 15. Market operators will also be receiving new marketing materials and training on the new initiative.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “We are excited to launch this new match program, understanding the significance of what this will mean to New York consumers and farmers alike. It will increase access to nutritious healthy foods, which will also have a direct benefit to our farmers and producers. I thank Governor Hochul for making this possible, and for her commitment to New York agriculture and strengthening the local food system.”

In addition to SNAP consumers, the FreshConnect Checks program is also available to veterans, service members and their immediate families to use the benefits at New York State farmers’ markets, farm stands and mobile markets. Veterans can receive $50 in FreshConnect coupons this year from New York State Department of Veterans’ Services offices.

About Farmers’ Markets in New York State

Farmers’ markets fill an essential gap in New York’s local food supply chains by improving access to and encouraging consumption of locally grown foods and supporting direct farmer-to-consumer transactions. Farmers’ markets, farm stands and mobile markets are crucial components to a healthy food system.

Today, New York has more than 400 farmers’ markets, 250 farm stands and 10 mobile markets. They provide outlets for agricultural producers to meet the rising consumer demand for a variety of fresh, affordable and convenient products grown directly from the farm.

The Department of Agriculture oversees the FreshConnect Checks (FCC) Program and the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs (FMNP), and maintains a list of farmers’ markets, farm stands, and mobile markets that participate in these programs.

Key

• “FMNP Accepted” – A market that is authorized by the Department to participate in FMNP.
• “FCC Issued” – A market that issues FreshConnect Checks to SNAP EBT card users.
• “FCC Accepted” – A market that has vendors that may accept but does not issue FreshConnect Checks.
• “SNAP Accepted” – A market where customers enrolled in SNAP may use their benefits.

Editor’s Note: The Department of Agriculture lists these farmers’ markets in Orleans County:

• Canal Village Farmers’ Market, 345 Main St., Medina, open Saturdays year-round from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – SNAP accepted, FMNP accepted, FCC issued and FCC accepted
• Circle R Farm Market, 13490 Roosevelt Hwy, Waterport, open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from May 1-October 31 – FMNP accepted and FCC accepted
• Lori’s Market Basket Farm Stand, 51 State St., Holley, open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May 1-November 30 – FCC accepted
• Navarra’s Farm Market and Greenhouses, 3272 Eagle Harbor Rd., Albion, open year-round from Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – SNAP accepted and FCC accepted
• Roberts Farm Market, 11170 Maple Ridge Rd., Medina, open year-round Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with winter hours Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – FCC accepted
• Saeva Farm Stand, 3715 Eagle Harbor Rd., Albion, open year-round daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. – FCC accepted

Provided photos: Master Food Preserver volunteer Karen DesJardin has taught the Intro to Canning class for the last two years. This year, she’ll be joined by fellow MFP volunteer Amy Payne.

Press Release, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County

ALBION –  The Master Food Preservers of Orleans County CCE will be offering their popular “Intro to Canning And Review” class again this year on Wednesday, April 26, at 6 p.m.

Karen Desjardin and Amy Payne. MFP volunteers, will lead participants step-by-step through the basics of preserving food at home. They will show basic equipment needed to get started, as well as offer tried and true tips and tricks to ensure success.

“There seems to be a real interest in getting back to basics, growing and preserving food at home to help keep within food budgets,” Desjardin said. “I think it’s important to offer this class at no charge so that it’s accessible to everyone in our community. Preserving food using tested methods is important for the health and safety of our families. We will show participants where to find research-tested information and recipes so they can have confidence in preserving their own food at home.”

This is the third year that the Master Food Preserver volunteers have offered this Intro to Canning class. Each year the class fills up with new participants, showing the demand and need for this kind of education in Orleans County.

The class will be taught demonstration-style, with experienced volunteers explaining the processes of various methods of home food preservation. The goal is to equip participants with the knowledge to get started preserving at home.

Participants can bring their dial gauge pressure canner lids with them to the class to be tested for free.

Kristina Kleeh, an Orleans County resident who took the class last year, used the knowledge she gained to spend the entire summer canning various produce.

“I was a true beginner, but the information was presented in a positive and easy to understand way, and the instructor had a depth of experience to draw from,” Kleeh explained. “I was able to make great use of my garden last summer, and we’ve been enjoying beginner-level canned treats like dill pickles, salsa, sauce, and jams all year long now!”

In addition to a detailed description of the various methods of preserving foods at home, the MFP volunteers will have different canners and tools available on display for participants look at and ask specific questions about.  There will also be an option for any participant to have their pressure canner tested for free during the class. Anyone attending the free informational class can bring their dial gauge pressure canner lid with them to have its accuracy verified.

“This class is really just a great jumpstart to the canning season,” said Katie Oakes, coordinator of the Master Food Preserver volunteers. “The class highlights the most important information for home food preservers, whether participants have no experience at all or have been canning for years, but maybe not with current methods and recipes. We are so lucky to have such experienced and highly trained volunteers available to offer these types of classes to the public.”

To register for the free Intro to Canning class or for more information about the Master Food Preserver program, call 585-798-4265 or email klo54@cornell.edu.

A variety of the canned goods preserved by Master Food Preservers in the past. Home food preservation is a great way to extend an abundant harvest and ensure food security beyond the growing season.

Press Release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The school district invites senior citizens, 55 and older, for the annual Senior Citizen Appreciation Breakfast on Thursday, May 11, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Holley Elementary Café.

The school district would like to thank the senior citizens in our community for all they’ve done to support our students and schools.

RSVP are due by Monday, May 1, to Connie Nenni in the District Office at 638-6316, ext. 2003. Transportation is available. Please let us know when you RSVP if you need a ride.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has authorized forming a committee to look at the potential implementation of a district court in the county, with the issue possibly going to a public vote in November.

The Legislature cited increasing complexities and frequent changes in state laws with the criminal justice system. Forming a consolidated district court could result in a more effective local court system, legislators said in authorizing the formation of a committee.

The committee includes District Attorney Joe Cardone, Sheriff Chris Bourke, Public Defender Joanne Best, Albion Town Justice Joe Fuller (representing the Orleans County Magistrates Association), Assistant DA Susan Howard, County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch, former Gaines Town Justice and Assistant DA Bruce Schmidt and county legislators John Fitzak and Skip Draper.

The committee expects to hold public hearings on the issue to outline how a district court could look in the county. The hearings will also be a chance for residents to provide feedback. Cardone expects a hearing in the eastern, central and western sides of the county.

“I’m proud of Orleans County with the open mindedness of the County Legislature and the department heads,” Cardone said on Thursday.

He was interviewed at the Public Safety Building with Sheriff Bourke, Public Defender Joanne Best and Susan Howard, the assistant DA.

Bourke said he isn’t necessarily pushing for the district court but wants the information fleshed out with residents having an opportunity to hear about the proposal and vote on it.

‘It’s a different world that we’re living in with respect to the criminal justice system. It’s very complex and difficult. We want to give the people in the community some options.’ – District Attorney Joe Cardone

Several of the town justices have already urged their town boards to oppose a district court saying it takes away local control and reduces the influence of the town justices who are closer to the people.

“It would be a very poor business decision and would defy common sense,” Murray Town Justice Ted Spada said in a May town meeting about a district court.

He said the operational and staffing costs are much higher with a district court.

The DA has been urging the county in recent years to look at a district court. He favors one district court for the county to handle many of the cases currently in front of the town justices. Those judges would still remain if there is a district court. They could still do marriages, code violations, some vehicle and traffic cases, landlord-tenant disputes, small claims and some criminal cases.

“The town justices we have the upmost respect for them and the work that they do,” Cardone said. “But we’re looking at the direction of the complexity of criminal justice in the State of New York.”

The top of the columns at the Orleans County Courthouse are shown last week in Albion. A district court would be different than the local town courts and also the County Court level.

The committee will look at how the workload among the town justices and a district could be divvied up between town courts and district court. The committee also needs to look at a location for the court that would meet all the standards sets by the office of Court Administration.

Among the 10 town courts, only the Murray facility meets the OCA standards. Many of the sites are lacking in adequate space, attorney-client rooms, security, sound and other standards.

Joanne Best, the public defender, said judges handle cases differently in the towns. She sees the benefit of a district court as fairness with cases being handled uniformly in the county.

She also said there is a shortage of attorneys in the county for the public defender and district attorney’s office. Having cases in one location, rather than 10, would make it much easier for the public defender and DA’s office to have attorneys for the proceedings, she said.

“This is about trying to make better use of the system,” she said. “Fewer attorneys would be needed. We would staff one court instead of 10.”

Orleans County has already made strides to a more streamlined court system, Cardone said. When he started as DA about three decades ago, there were 24 local justices with two each at the 10 towns, while Albion and Medina each had two village justices.

Albion and Medina have since abolished their village courts, and now the 10 towns only have one judge, except for Murray which has two but will go to one following Gary Passarell’s retirement.

Ridgeway and Shelby also share a courts facility at the Shelby Town Hall. There are also agreements in the western end – Shelby, Ridgeway and Yates – for the judges to have jurisdiction in all three towns.

“What we’ve done is unprecedented in the State of New York,” Cardone said.

The county the past three years also has been operating a CAP Court (centralized arraignment parts) with arraignments in the county jail at 8:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. This is every day including weekdays, weekends and holidays.

Besides arraignments, the CAP Court handles driver’s license suspensions, orders of protection and outstanding warrants.  The town justices rotate serving in the role for CAP Court. The Sheriff’s Department has been providing security personnel for those proceedings.

Cardone said the CAP Court has been a success, showing the benefits of a centralized system with one spot in the county for arraignments. People have shown they can make it to Albion for the appearances.

Cardone believes the county has been at the forefront for how to run more efficient town courts, and continue to lead the way for the state with the establishment of a district court in a small county.

He looks forward to discussing the possibilities with the community.

“It’s a different world that we’re living in with respect to the criminal justice system,” Cardone said. “It’s very complex and difficult. We want to give the people in the community some options.”

Share to towns and villages has been frozen for more than 2 decades

Photo by Tom Rivers: Shelby town officials met on Tuesday evening at the Town Hall. Pictured from left include Town Clerk Darlene Rich, Town Councilman Jeff Schiffer, attorney Jeff Clark, Town Supervisor Scott Wengewicz, and board members Stephen Seitz, John Pratt and Ed Zelazny.

SHELBY – The Town Board unanimously voted on Tuesday evening to seek more of the local sales tax from the county.

The tax revenue has risen significantly in recent years with online sales being taxed and the price of goods rising through inflation.

However, the county hasn’t increased the amount of sales tax shared with towns and villages since 2001. That year it was boosted slightly after being frozen in 1996.

The county took in $22.5 million in local sales tax in 2022, with the Town of Shelby receiving $105,811 or 0.47 percent of the total.

The Town of Clarendon has been leading the push from towns and villages for more of the local sales tax. It has rallied the towns and villages to seek 14 percent of the total. That’s what the 10 towns and four villages received in 1996.

The county has capped the amount to the towns and villages at $1,366,671 since 2001.

To get to 14 percent of $22.5 million, the county would have to increase the amount to towns and villages to $3,150,000 – a $1,783,329 increase. In 1996, the local sales tax revenue was $9,499,138. It has more than doubled since then.

Shelby Town Supervisor Scott Wengewicz said the town could use more of the sales tax to try to stave off property tax increases while maintaining services for residents.

“Every town is struggling to not raise taxes,” Wengewicz said. “What service do you cut? It’s a juggling act that’s hard to do.”

Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson addressed the issue during the March 28 meeting of the Orleans County Association of Municipalities. She said the county faces big  potential increases due to the state.

“Until the governor’s budget goes through we’re in limbo,” Johnson said.

The county could see a $1 million hit in Medicaid expenses if the state opts to keep all of the federal funding used to help pay for that program, which would be about a 7.5 percent tax hit to the county, she said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul also is proposing to increase the hourly rate for assigned council from $75 to $119 an hour.  This would cost the county approximately $200,000 per year.

In other action at the Shelby Town Board meeting:

• The board voted to increase the hourly pay for Miranda Bennett, a bookkeeper and secretary to the town supervisor, by $3 to $24.25 an hour. Wengewicz said the increase reflects a competitive environment and was needed to keep Bennett from taking another job. He said she has also taking on increased responsibilities.

Councilman John Pratt opposed the increase and encouraged the town to contract with a private firm for accounting. He said it would be cheaper and Shelby wouldn’t have to pay health insurance and other benefits.

• John Parada, a resident of Furness Parkway, asked the Town Board not to extend street lights near his home. There are two street lights there and the town is switching to LED lights for its street lights and has been inquiring if Furness Parkway residents want more street lights. Parada said two are enough for the street.

• Town resident Lawrence Waters asked the Town Board to publicize the outdoor burn ban which is in effect in the state  through May 14. Waters said some residents are burning brush and may not be aware that is prohibited right now.

Wengewicz said the town will post that ban on its website and may send a text to residents who signed up for the town’s mass notification system.

• Waters also asked the status of the proposal from Borrego Energy for two wind turbines at 633 feet tall on land owned by the Smith family on Route 63.

A public hearing on the environmental impacts of the project has been recessed since September. Wengewicz said he expects that hearing will be reconvened or started over.

He said the project hasn’t gone away.

He started as town supervisor on Dec. 13. The town also has a new attorney in Jeff Clark. With the new personnel getting their bearings with the proposal, the town will have to take up the review of the project soon, Wengewicz said.

He is aware that many residents are opposed to the project. Waters said he was “100 percent” against it.

The board can’t simply deny it. It has to have sound reasons and go through an environmental impact review.

“We need to follow the process fully and completely,” said Clark, the town attorney.

Town officials are preparing detailed questions for Borrego as part of the review process, he said.

“We want to be careful and not get in a lawsuit,” Clark said. “We are putting together arguments that are sustainable.”