Press Release, Western New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association
ALBION — The Western New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will hold a Safety Fair for Orleans County residents from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 23, for those caring for loved ones with dementia. The event will take place at the Cornell Cooperative Extension on Route 31 at the 4-H Fairgrounds.
“Caring for someone with dementia and knowing how to keep them safe is a tough job,” said Chelsea Torgalski, education program manager at the WNY Chapter. “The Alzheimer’s Association, along with other community organizations, will offer resources to help with these challenges.”
In addition to safety and community information, care consultants will be on site to meet privately with caregivers if needed.
Residents may attend anytime between 1 and 3 p.m. Registration is not required but recommended at bit.ly/OCSAFETY. Anyone who registers will receive free safety tools when they attend.
The free program is supported in part by a grant from the New York State Department of Health.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, call the 24/7 Alzheimer’s Association Helpline at 800.272.3900 or visit alz.org.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 February 2023 at 3:27 pm
Sierra Biological has new building, growing workforce
Photos by Tom Rivers: Casey Decker recently sold his company, Sierra Biological, to Beneficial Insectary. Decker will stay on as leader of Sierra Biological on Swett Road in Ridgeway. The company distributes nematodes and other insects to control pests that can damage or destroy plants that produce vegetables, flowers, fruits and cannabis.
RIDGEWAY – A company on Swett Road in Ridgeway has built an army of tiny insects that are used for pest control to help farmers and greenhouse operators produce crops – flowers, fruits, vegetables and cannabis.
Sierra Biological moved its operations to Ridgeway in May 2016. Casey Decker, the company’s CEO, founded the company in California. He was operating it in an out building at his home with his wife Nina.
They needed more room for the business. But real estate is very expensive in California. Decker had a big client at a greenhouse in Canada just over the border from Western New York. He also had a customer in Buffalo.
Decker scouted sites in WNY and settled on a former collision shop on Swett Road in Ridgeway.
The business has steadily grown since then, and currently has 10 employees. Decker put in climate-controlled rooms and has maxed out the space.
Sierra Biological is set to grow more. It has a new 10,800-square-foot facility next door and last month closed a deal with Beneficial Insectary Inc., where that company now has 100 percent equity of Sierra. Decker will stay on overseeing Sierra Biological.
Tyler Palmer, manager of Sierra Biological in Ridgeway, examines aphids that are growing on oat plants. These plant with aphids that don’t harm the plant will then be introduced to parasitic wasps that will wipe out other aphids threatening the oats. Sierra Biological offers an alternative to using pesticides and other chemical sprays that Palmer said can be costly and sometimes damage the plants as well as the targeted insects.
Decker said the deal with Beneficial Insectary consolidates a long-standing and successful collaboration between the two companies, and gives Sierra Biological access to more products and technological to grow the business in Ridgeway.
“It is a logical and mutually beneficial way to give our excellent collaboration with Beneficial Insectary a more structural and permanent character,” Decker said. “I will continue to lead Sierra Biological and will further operate as an independent distributor with a regional focus in the Northeast. My clients value our quality, reliability, and personal service. The logistical and administrative benefits of a closer relationship with Beneficial Insectary will mean I can dedicate more of my time to serving their needs.”
Cliff Noorlander, CEO of Beneficial Insectary, issued this statement: “I look forward to continuing my excellent working relationship with Casey within this new setting. It consolidates our long-standing relationship with Sierra Biological.
“We’ll be able to realize many operational synergies which will allow Casey to focus even more on serving his customers,” Noorlander said. “As part of the Biobest Group, I value the independence with which Beneficial Insectary can continue to operate and grow. I firmly intend to work in the same spirit with Sierra Biological.
“In addition to operational synergies, Sierra Biological brings certain in-house production and research programs. We look forward to the opportunity to further develop these relying on the resources and know-how of the group. Sierra’s technologies include nematodes and new technologies to control cannabis pests, which we will aim to leverage as part of our offering to this important market segment.”
Casey Decker and Tyler Palmer are shown inside a new facility on Swett Road with two floors of climate-controlled rooms. The space triples the size of Sierra Biological in Ridgeway.
Decker said he is thankful for his career working to control insects to help his customers grow more vibrant crops with bigger yields.
Sierra Biological can help farmers and greenhouse operators scout pests that are damaging plants and crops, and develop a strategy to reduce or eliminate those pests, and do it in a way that is natural without any pesticides.
“It’s mentally stimulating and not mind-numbing,” Decker said. “There is something every day that is different and each problem has 20 possible solutions.”
Decker said he was fortunate when not long after moving to Ridgeway he got a knock on the door from Tyler Palmer, who was then a recent graduate of Morrisville State College with an associate’s degree in diesel technology and a bachelor’s in renewable energy.
He had worked for a wind turbine company and then Western New York Energy in Medina.
Nematodes will be introduced into these wax worms, and then released by customers to target a predator, which could be grubs. Many customers use these nematodes on their lawns in Canada. Sierra Biological has insects that will destroy thrips, spider mites, aphids and fungus gnats, as well as other plant pests.
Palmer, a Lyndonville native, welcomed the chance to help grow Sierra Biological and help the customers grow their crops in a very earth-friendly approach.
He has been a manager at Sierra Biological for six years. He likes the science behind the job.
“We replicate nature in a lab,” he said. “We’re just bringing what Mother Nature did inside.”
Sierra is sought after by organic farms and greenhouses, as well as conventional operators. They’re approach – introducing pests that prey on insects damaging plants – has saved customers from costly pesticides and sprays, and resulted in more robust yields.
“We’re an alternative to pesticides,” Palmer said.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 16 February 2023 at 12:29 pm
MEDINA – Orleans County’s American Legion family – the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion – welcomed members and officers of the Eighth District to the Department Officers’ Testimonial dinner Wednesday night at Junior Wilson Sportsmen’s Club.
Guests included David R. Riley Sr. of Rome, New York American Legion Department commander; Nancy Babis of Lockport, Auxiliary Department president; Timothy Van Patten II of East Amherst, Sons of the Legion New York State Detachment commander; Henry Link of Portland, Eighth District commander; Charles Eberhardt of Holley, Orleans County commander; James Bojanowski of Orchard Park, Seventh- and Eighth-District vice commander; Cathy Fox, Orleans County Auxiliary president; Sue Williams of Salamanca, Eighth District Auxiliary president; and Diman Smith, Eighth District SAL Detachment commander.
Also in attendance were Skip Draper of Medina, representing the Orleans County Legislature and State Senator Rob Ortt; and Barry Flansburg of Barre, respresenting Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
Honored guests each spoke about their dedication to the Legion organization and shared their reason for believing in its mission.
From left, Cathy Fox of Medina, president of the Orleans County American Legion Auxiliary; Nancy Babis of Lockport, the Auxiliaries’ New York State Department president; and Sue Williams, Eighth District Auxiliary president, posed for a photo prior to dinner Wednesday at the annual Department Officers’ Testimonial dinner.
Nancy Babis, a 62-year member of the American Legion Auxiliary, is passionate about Honor Flight and devotes her time to raising money for the project.
“It’s my mission to put as many soldiers as I can on a plane to visit Washington, D.C. and see their memorial,” she said. “I’ve been on one and I’m going again in June on a special Honor Flight for Purple Heart recipients. I’m looking for any Purple Heart veteran from any war. They can contact me at Nyalapresident@gmail.com or call me at (716) 628-3797.”
She said in 202 there were 21,800 veterans sent to Washington on Honor flights. Another 40,000 or more are on a waiting list to go. World War II veterans get priority, but a veteran who served in any war can apply to go on a flight.
Anyone who wishes to make a donation to Honor Flight can send a check to American Legion Auxiliary Department of NY, 1580 Columbia Turnpike, Building 1, Suite 3, Castleton on Hudson, NY 12033.
Babis also said the membership goal in Orleans County is at 76 percent, with 11 more members needed to fill the quota. She explained two important programs – Girls’ State and the Legion’s Family College.
In his speech, Timothy Van Patten II said seven new SAL groups were started in the state last year. He is dedicated to the SAL’s mission of giving out American flags to as many people as possible. He loves history, and as the SAL’s historian, he recently submitted his history report at the national convention and came home with first place.
He also shared that $2,762,945 has been donated from the New York State Detachment to fight for legislation to assure veterans’ benefits. An active member of the Civil Air Patrol, Van Patten said the majority of search and rescue missions in the United States involve the Civil Air Patrol. A dedicated effort of the CAP is to encourage young cadets to learn to fly, hoping to help ease the pilot shortage in America.
Cathy Fox commended the Orleans County Auxiliary members who give a lot of their time and support to veterans in Orleans County.
As New York State Department commander, David R. Riley Sr. has a long list of credentials. He retired from the military as a staff sergeant E5, and has a long list of medals, including the Air Force’s Good Conduct Medal and New York State Medal of Merit. He has held positions of leadership at his post, the district and nationally. He currently instructs at the Family College. He is retired after 39 1/2 years as a corrections officer.
His reasons for belonging to the American Legion include the wonderful programs they offer and “because I have a right to.”
“What I get out of it are great friendships and the satisfaction knowing we have accomplished something; the satisfaction we are helping a veteran by getting legislation passed; the satisfaction of seeing a veteran being helped by a service officer; seeing improvement in healthcare for women veterans; putting flags in a cemetery; and the excitement of a crowd when we march by in a parade,” Riley said.
He added he gets satisfaction when he mentors someone or when he signs up a new member.
“When the community sees the good we do, we will grow,” he said.
Riley also touched on the problem of suicide among veterans, which is 50 percent higher than the national average. The American Legion is working to find resources to assist veterans and offer them support, he said. There are programs to help veterans, but often they lack adequate funding, he added. He reminded the audience that anyone contemplating suicide or knowing of anyone can call 988 and press “1” to receive help.
The evening also included a ceremony by Butts-Clark American Legion’s newly elected commander James Wells, paying tribute to POWs/MIAs.
Prior to the evening dinner and program, the guests spent the day touring Orleans County, including Lake Ontario, Mount Albion Cemetery and Oak Orchard Lighthouse.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 February 2023 at 11:49 am
MEDINA – If the Village Board moves forward with new basketball courts at Butts Park, it could cost $166,703.
That is the low estimate from contractors who submitted quotes for the project. American Paving and Excavating, Inc. of Clarence Center has the low estimate so far for the project. Other contractors submitted bids for different pieces of the project. American paving was the only company that said it would take charge of the entire project.
The bid includes an area 94 feet by 115 feet and covers excavation, paving, striping, sealing and four basketball posts, backboards and nets.
Melissa Valley from the Medina Mustang Boosters is leading the effort to get new courts at Butts Park on South Main Street. Currently there aren’t outdoor courts in Medina.
The Village Board wants the new courts but isn’t willing to pay the full cost out of the village budget. The village hasn’t determined how much it can pay towards the project. The board is looking to use some of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds towards the project.
Mayor Mike Sidari said he would like to see if grants could help with the new courts, and if the Mustang Boosters can help with fundraising.
The estimate from American Paving includes excavating an area 94 feet by 115 feet and going down 10 inches. The company would remove all sod, topsoil, dirt and clay and dispose of it offsite.
It would then install 8 inches of 2-inch crush run limestone and compact with a 7-ton vibratory roller. It would grade the stone to form a true and level surface, and then install a 2-inch course of type-3 dense binder. It would then put a 1-inch course of 1AC fine topping.
Valley encouraged the board to push forward with the project, which she said has been talked about for a few years now.
The two courts would by an 84-by-50 foot area. There would be 5 feet between the courts with a 5-foot perimeter runoff. There would be two hoops at each court, one at each end.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 February 2023 at 8:24 am
Construction costs have soared, grants haven’t kept pace to put in new waterlines
Photo by Tom Rivers: Shar Pratt speaks during Monday’s Shelby Town Board meeting and asks the Town Board to push for public water for many of the residents suffering from too little water in their wells. “This is 2023,” she said. “It’s a health and safety priority.”
SHELBY – Town residents, many of them desperate for public water, won’t have a quick or cheap fix for getting a public waterline by their homes, residents were told on Monday.
Construction costs have soared since the start of the pandemic about three years ago – by 2 to 2.5 times. And grant amounts from the state and federal governments haven’t kept up with the rising costs.
Shelby has about 70,000 linear feet without public waterlines – nearly 14 miles. To bring an 8-inch waterline to all of the spots would be about $12 million, said Jason Foote, an engineer and project manager with Clark Patterson Lee.
The town would need about $10 million in state and federal grants to make that project affordable for residents. The state comptroller sets a threshold for affordability for public water projects at $1,040 in annual expense to residents. Shelby residents pay an average of $478 for their water bills. That leaves about $552 left for the debt for a water district to under the state comptroller threshold.
The construction estimates are currently about $125 per linear foot, which is much higher than a few years ago, Foote said.
“There is high demand for contractors and low supply (for materials) – which is the direct opposite of what you need for low pricing,” he said.
Three town residents spoke during the meeting and urged the board to try to bring public water to residents. They said their wells have been nearly depleted. One woman said her family limits showers to 2 minutes and hauls in water.
“It’s horrible,” said Karrie Cronkhite of Wheeler Road. “In 2023, people shouldn’t have to live this way.”
She said her well has progressively worsened in the past three years. She estimated she is spending $100 a month on buying water in jugs and about $25 a week at the laundromat.
Shar Pratt of Martin Road said her well has largely dried up since last August. Her husband John, a member of the Town Board, has to lug water to the house. They put in auxiliary tanks for water so they can keep flushing their toilets, doing dishes and laundry at home. But it’s a lot of work to haul water two to three times a week.
“This is 2023,” Pratt said. “We shouldn’t have to live like this. It’s a health and safety priority.”
Andrea Walton of Maple Ridge Road said she is one of six homes on Maple Ridge without public water access. They have been asking the town the past three years to find a way to bring public water to that area.
Foote, the engineer, suggested the town try to break the project in multiple water districts to try to maximize the state and federal grants. He broke the areas without water into three potential projects (which could be modified).
For part 1 he suggested part of Maple Ridge Road (between Salt Works Road and Charles Street), Sanderson Road, Waterworks Road, Munzel Road and Martin Road. That includes 36 equivalent dwelling units on about 26,000 linear feet. Foote said the estimated construction would be about $4.5 million and would need $3.6 million to $3.8 million in grants to be affordable to residents.
Part 2 would be as $3.3 million project with 32 EDUs over about 20,000 linear feet and include Wheeler Road, Hemlock Ridge Road and Townline Road.
Part 3 would be about $4.2 million with 18 EDUs with part of Martin Road, Townline Road (including in Barre), Barber Road and Smith Road in Barre.
Foote stressed that no district boundaries are set, and those areas identified in his proposal could be shifted to make a district larger or smaller.
“I think it’s going to be smaller projects,” Foote said about the size of the water districts. “You need to prioritize the areas.”
One of the funding agencies, the federal Rural Development, wants to spread out its grants to many communities so it’s unlikely it would give Shelby a massive grant to cover the entire town currently without public water, Foote said.
He presented an option for three different phases, but he said it could be reworked to two phases, or even four phases.
He urged the town to start working on grants and other government assistance.
Scott Wengewicz, the town supervisor, said he supports pursuing as many avenues as possible for grant funding.
“The Fog” by Julie Lambert-Coleman was the 2022 winner of the Art of the Rural exhibition.
BATAVIA – GO ART! announces a call for artwork for its sixth annual juried exhibition, Art of the Rural.
The exhibition is open to all artists. All work must be original, created by the submitting artist, and not previously exhibited at GO ART! All media is accepted. Artwork must be ready to hang, and no larger than 36” x 36.”
GO ART! members may submit up to five works for $30, $5 for each additional work. Non-members may submit up to three works for $30, $5 for each additional work.
Artists can drop off submissions at GO ART! located in Seymour Place, 201 East Main Street, Batavia between March 22 and April 1, during regular business hours. No entries will be accepted after April 1.
“The Art of the Rural is one of my favorite exhibitions,” said Mary Jo Whitman, GO ART! education director. “It is so exciting to see all of the talent that comes out of our region. It really is a fabulous opportunity for artists of every level to showcase their talents while exploring the theme: rural.”
Art of the Rural will be on display from April 5 to June 5. The winners will be announced at the artist reception, April 20, from 5 to 8 p.m.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College is excited to announce the model tryouts for its 42nd annual fashion show, “Ageless”. The tryouts will be Feb. 21 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. and Feb. 23 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the College’s Forum.
The “Ageless” fashion show celebrates fashion in all its forms and highlights the diversity of style across generations. As such, the tryouts are open to all ages, genders, ethnicities and sizes. Anyone who has a passion for fashion and wants to be a part of this exciting event is encouraged to attend the tryouts.
This year’s show will pay tribute to fashion trends throughout the decades from the 1920s to today and beyond, showcasing the talent and creativity and interpretation of GCC’s fashion students. The show will be held in the Richard C. Call Arena’s 24,000-square-foot indoor field house, which will accommodate up to 2,000 guests.
“I am incredibly excited for our students to showcase their talents and creativity through this year’s fashion show,” said GCC’s fashion instructor, Laura Taylor. “Ageless is a truly immersive production, featuring pre-show interviews, photo-ops with coordinators, and a post-show party and vendor market. Our students have put in a tremendous amount of work and effort to make this year’s show a truly unforgettable experience.”
To register for the model tryouts, interested individuals should email fashionshow@genesee.edu or Laura Taylor, assistant professor of Fashion Business at ljtaylor@genesee.edu.
As it has in the past, the Fashion Show will include a vendor fair giving local businesses a chance to showcase their products and services. There are still a few tables available for additional vendors. Interested businesses should email Izzie Lanasa at ilanasa@my.genesee.edu. Tables are only $25.
This year’s fashion show offers exclusive sponsorship opportunities for businesses, organizations, and individuals interested in supporting the GCC fashion program. For more information, please contact Laura Taylor at ljtaylor@genesee.edu. Don’t miss out on this exciting event, celebrating the timelessness of fashion and the talent of GCC’s fashion students.
Ticket information for “Ageless” will be released soon. To stay updated on the latest developments, follow @gccfashionprogram on Instagram and @trendygcc on Twitter. The show will also be live-streamed globally, making it accessible to a wider audience. To view GCC’s 2022 fashion show, click here.
MURRAY – The Town of Murray will hold a public forum on Thursday, March 2, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 3840 Fancher Rd. as part of the Town of Murray Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan.
Farmers, farmland owners, residents and others interested in the future of farming and farmland in the Town of Murray are invited to attend.
The program on March 2 will include an overview of the town’s agricultural resources and the Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan as well as presentations on the following topics:
Technical assistance and science-based educational programs, including resources for small farms and new and beginning farmers (Robert Batt, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County)
Agricultural Environmental Management and Agricultural Use Assessment (Katie Sommerfeldt, Orleans County Soil & Water Conservation District)
Orleans County Agricultural District Program (Barbara Johnston, LaBella Associates)
The Town’s Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan will recommend strategies to increase economic opportunities for farms, retain high quality farmland for continued agricultural production and support the contributions of agriculture to the regional economy.
A survey of farmers and farmland owners is underway. The Town expects to complete the Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan by Fall 2023.
A Steering Committee comprised of Michael Mele, Alex Penna, Amy Machamer, Robert Batt (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County) and James Bensley (Orleans County Planning Director) is working with the Town’s planning consultant (LaBella Associates) to prepare the Town’s Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan.
For more information, please contact one of the Steering Committee members or planning consultant Barbara Johnston at (585) 295-6636.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 February 2023 at 11:00 am
ALBION – A Buffalo was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison today by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.
Dennis Bach, 36, pleaded guilty on Nov. 16 to to fourth-degree grand larceny. He admitted to taking about $11,000 worth of construction supplies from Pride Pak in Medina.
Judge Church ordered Bach to pay restitution to Pride Pak and also issued an order of protection for Bach to stay away from the company’s property on Maple Ridge Road.
Bach’s attorney Jeffrey Malaber asked the judge to sentence Bach to five years of probation so he could work and support his family. Malaber said this is Bach’s first felony conviction.
“He stands prepared to prove to the court that this isn’t who he is and won’t be who he is going forward,” Malaber told the judge.
Judge Church said he will recommend the option of shock camp in prison, which could be a sentence of about six months if the Department of Corrections accepts Bach into the program.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the 2023 dates for Free Freshwater Fishing Days in New York. The requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived during the following six days this year: February 18 to 19; June 24 to 25; National Hunting and Fishing Day, September 23; and November 11.
“Free fishing days offer established anglers an opportunity to share their passion for fishing with those who may be newer to the sport,” Governor Hochul said. “Spreading these days throughout the year gives anglers of all ages, abilities, and experience levels a chance to fish across the seasons and discover the abundant fishing opportunities in New York – benefiting our local economies in the process.”
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “Over the years, DEC has received feedback from people who permanently picked up the sport after attending one of New York’s free freshwater fishing days, and that’s something we love to hear. Fishing New York’s world-class waters is more than just an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors all year long, it’s a perfect chance to spend time and connect with family and friends.”
Colder weather is creating great ice fishing opportunities, with popular species to target through the ice in New York including yellow perch; northern pike; walleye; lake trout; brown trout; Atlantic salmon; and black crappie.
Those interested in ice fishing should check the thickness of ice before leaving the shore. Four inches of solid clear ice is usually safe for anglers accessing ice on foot. However, ice thickness can vary between waterbodies and even within the same waterbody, increasing the need to ensure thickness.
Anglers should be particularly cautious of areas of moving water and around boat docks and houses where bubblers may be installed to reduce ice from forming. Checking the ice can easily be done with an auger or spud bar at various spots.
In addition, fishing with a family member or friend is also encouraged for safety. Local bait and tackle shops are a great source for finding out where there is safe ice and what anglers are catching. For more information on ice fishing, including prominent fish species plentiful during the winter months and tips on ice safety, visit DEC’s ice fishing website.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 February 2023 at 9:03 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jeff Schiffer takes the oath of office as a new member of the Shelby Town Board on Monday evening. Town Clerk Darlene Rich administers the oath.
SHELBY – The Town Board has a new town councilman and also a new town justice.
The board appointed Jeff Schiffer to fill a vacancy on the board created by the resignation of Ryan Wilkins.
Schiffer is retired after a 36-year career with the state Department of Corrections, working as a corrections officer, counselor, sergeant and supervising counselor. He worked at the Albion, Orleans and Attica prisons.
Ed Grabowski
“I love everybody around here,” Schiffer said about the town. “I just want to try to help.”
Schiffer’s appointment brings the Town Board to full strength at five members. The board on Dec. 13 also appointed Scott Wengewicz as the Shelby town supervisor following the resignation of Jeff Smith from that position on Oct. 12.
The board on Monday also filled a vacant town justice position. Ed Grabowski will serve in the role following the resignation of Dawn Keppler on Dec. 2. She was a town justice since 1999.
Grabowski, an attorney and a retired criminal justice teacher at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES, was a town justice from 1990 to 1994. He also was a police officer for eight years from 1973 to 1981.
Grabowski has worked as an attorney for the past 25 years. He also represents Medina as a member of the Orleans/Niagara BOCES school board.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 February 2023 at 8:21 am
A high wind warning is in effect today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Orleans, Niagara, Genesee and northern Erie counties.
There will be southwest winds from 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph expected, the National Weather Service in Buffalo said.
“Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines,” the Weather Service said. “Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.”
Today is forecast to be partly sunny with a high near 65. Thursday’s high will be near 43 followed by a high near 28 on Friday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 February 2023 at 9:05 pm
MEDINA – Voters in the school district today approved a proposed $34,357,277 capital project by a 269-43 vote. That is 86.5 percent of the votes in favor of the project.
The project includes significant work at the three school buildings, plus the bus garage.
There won’t be any new taxes as part of the capital project. District officials said the cost will be covered through $29,895,213 from state building aid (87 percent of the total cost), $2,750,000 from capital reserve and $1,712,064 by retiring debt service payments, resulting in a “tax neutral” financing plan, district superintendent Dr. Mark Kruzynski said in a letter to the community.
After the vote totals were announced at about 8:15 p.m. in the district office, he thanked the community for supporting the project.
“This will improve the roads, the security, the traffic flow and our entire program,” he said.
The district will work to finalize design spefications to be sent to the state Department of Education for their approval. That is expected to take six to eight months. He expects the project will go out to bid around Thanksgiving. The work could be spread out over two to three years, Kruzynski said.
Here is a breakdown of the capital project:
Junior/Senior High School – $17,324,760
Reconstruct secure entrance vestibule
Reconstruct Main Office including lock-down security notification
New Choral Room (including new office and practice rooms)
New Band Room addition (including new offices, practice rooms, and storage)
New Music Storage Room with stage access
Replace stage curtains and add stage outlets
New STEAM Classroom
New Technology Computer Lab
New Technology Wood Shop addition (including exterior dust collector system)
New Greenhouse addition
New first-floor connector link to provide access to new classrooms
New first-floor classrooms at former District Office
New 8’ wide corridor including new single ADA-compliant toilet rooms
New first-floor boys’ and girls’ toilet rooms
New second-floor boys’ and girls’ toilet rooms
Reconstruct existing roadways and parking areas
New shared bus arrival/dismissal parking area for Jr/Sr High School and Intermediate School
Clifford H. Wise Intermediate – $9,769,533
Reconstruct secure entrance vestibule
Reconstruct Main Office including lock-down security notification
Reconstruct existing Pool (including pool tank, gutter, deck, mechanical equipment, and lighting)
Reglaze and reseal windows with failed seals
Reconstruct select mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems throughout the building, including generator replacement, panel board replacement, sanitary piping replacement, sump pump replacement and crawlspace drainage improvements
Reconstruct existing roadways and parking areas: reconstruct existing exit onto Gwinn Street and expanded parking and roadway configuration
Oak Orchard Primary School – $6,198,091
Reconstruct secure entrance vestibule
Reconstruct Main Office including lock-down security notification
New District Office in former Media Center
Reconstruct Girls’ Locker Room to provide ADA-compliant toilets adjacent to Cafeteria and Gymnasium
New Media Center
New Computer Lab
Reconstruct select mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems throughout the building, including panel board replacement, sanitary piping replacement and crawlspace drainage improvements
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 February 2023 at 4:06 pm
Village expects to have public information meeting in near future on fire hall expansion, new ladder truck
MEDINA – Mayor Mike Sidari wants to build public support for a new ladder truck and an expanded fire hall to accommodate that big fire apparatus.
The board will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 to tour the fire hall and see the shortcomings of that facility: including doors that only have about 2 inches of clearance for fire trucks, sunken and uneven floors, and cracks in the walls.
Sidari said he would like to have the public also see the deficiencies of the building in person. He said the fire department has a clear need for a bigger and more modern fire hall.
The board in November received a report from the Barton & Loguidice firm that estimated the fire addition, plus repairs to the current fire hall, would be about $4.5 million. That doesn’t include the cost for the new ladder truck which could be in the $1.5 million to $2 million range, depending on when the village commits to the truck.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The current fire hall barely has clearance for fire trucks and the building needs some repairs. Newer fire trucks are too tall for the current bays.
The prices have been rising fast in recent years, with a shortage of materials and lead time now over 3 years from when the truck is ordered to when it is ready.
Fire Chief Matt Jackson told the Village Board on Monday the current lead time is 39 to 41 months.
Jackson and the fire department in recent years have been urging the Village Board to commit to a new ladder truck and a bigger fire hall.
“There is no doubt we have been dragging our feet,” Sidari said during Monday’s board meeting. “The biggest thing is we need the public buy-in. If we don’t, you know what will happen. It will be all over social media and it will get ugly.”
Sidari would like there to be public information meetings for residents to learn more about the need for the ladder truck and bigger building.
The board also wants to expand the village office next to the fire hall door on Park Avenue.
Barton & Loguidice put the fire hall addition at $4.5 million with the addition to the village office at up to $1.5 million. With furnishings for the two buildings, the total cost could be close to $7 million, Sidari said.
The plan for the fire hall includes an addition approximately 62 feet, 8 inches by 88 feet, 8 inches.
The addition would be on the current fire hall on the west side in an area that is currently a parking lot. That addition is needed to house a new ladder truck.
The current ladder truck is from 1996. That truck has a ladder that is 75 feet long. That truck has a clearance of 10.4 feet but the space in the garage is 10 feet, 6 inches, Jackson said.
The new ladder trucks have a clearance of 13 feet. The design for the new hall addition would have bays that allow up to 14 feet.
With a new space for fire trucks, the ambulances could be moved to the current fire house. The space for the ambulances right now could be used for police cars or perhaps as a meeting area, Sidari said.
The fire hall project also would include:
A new public entry, radio room/office, laundry room, EMS room, restrooms, Decon room, gear room, mechanical room, tool room, and apparatus bay with the existing apparatus bay being repurposed to house the village ambulances.
A mezzanine space will be located along the perimeter of the new apparatus bay with file storage and office space accessed from the existing building second floor hallway.
A new air and vapor barrier membrane and new exterior cladding system will be installed over the existing concrete masonry unit wall construction of the existing fire station, and the existing overhead sectional doors will be relocated and replaced allowing for adequate clearances around the ambulance apparatus bay.
The renewal of the building’s existing façade will result in creating a weather tight envelope while simultaneously allowing the cladding system of the addition to carry over creating a cohesive look to the updated facility.
The existing concrete slab in the existing ambulance apparatus bay will be replaced, including the installation of new trench drainage and epoxy floor finish.
The outdated emergency generator located south of the alley will be replaced and upgraded to accommodate the fire station and addition.
“We really have to get buy-in from the village residents,” Sidari said. “Let’s show them why we really need this.”
Sidari would like to see chalk markings on the outside of the current fire hall to show the height needed for a new ladder truck. He also said residents should be invited to see firefighters move the big trucks in and out of the fire hall, to see the tight fit.
They also can see the other damage in the building, which Barton & Loguidice estimated would cost about $600,000 to fix.
The village is considering a 42 by 48 foot addition with a vestibule on the side that is 7 feet by 10 feet, 8 inches. That addition primarily would include meeting space.
The project would include two fully accessible restrooms and drinking fountains, as well as more parking. A window would be eliminated in the employee breakroom, and a hallway reconfigured to the new addition.
Barton & Loguidice said the village office addition presents infrastructure challenges similar to the fire station addition. Although there is no underground electrical service, there may be utility work associated with the construction of the new restrooms to connect into the sanitary piping within Park Avenue’s right of way, the report states.
The Village Board is looking to expand the village office and add some parking in the greenspace area west of the current village office on Park Avenue.
