Photo by Tom Rivers: Contractors put in the racking system for a solar project at Beals Road by Route 31 in Ridgeway on Oct. 12, 2019. Borrego Solar Systems also built a solar array on Allis Road. The projects are on 16.5 acres on Beals Road and 29 acres on Allis Road, land owned by Ken Baker, a local livestock farmer.

ALBION – Many of the towns in Orleans County are being eyed for renewable energy projects, especially solar projects.

The smaller-scale solar typically take up 20 to 50 acres. But one project in Barre and Shelby would need 1,300 acres.

Utility-size wind energy projects in Barre and Yates would also consume some farmland for turbines, and perhaps for access roads and other infrastructure for the projects.

The solar projects, however, are more plentiful locally and would take up more land.

Matt Passarell, an Albion town councilman, told Orleans County Planning Board members he doesn’t want the county to lose prime farmland to the projects. Agriculture is the county’s top industry, and Passarell said the community leaders need to work with state and federal officials to make sure agriculture stays a powerful economic driver in the county. Albion is among the towns being considered for solar projects.

Jim Bensley, the county’s director of Planning and Development, said there is concern from planning officials in other rural areas in Western New York that farmland could be lost due to the energy projects.

Orleans County could see more big solar projects which could put some of the prime farmland at risk.

Jim Panek of Panek Farms was on the agenda last Thursday for a solar project in Lyndonville. That 340-kilowatt solar energy system is at Lynwood Drive along the right-of-way for the former Hojack railroad line on land that isn’t good farmland.

Panek also has solar arrays on Eagle Harbor Road in Albion at a former harness racing training track, which also was;t good for crops.

He said he gets three or four letters a week from solar companies looking to do projects. He would only consider them on marginal farmland.

“We aren’t going to take our prime farmland away to do a solar farm,” he told the Planning Board.

The energy companies want land that is close to transmission lines. Farmers have tried to steer companies to land without drainage tile or that isn’t very productive.

If more renewable energy projects are in the future, some of the more fertile soil could be targeted for the projects.

Bruce Kirby, a retired fruit grower on Densmore Road in Gaines, is a member of the County Planning Board. He said his farm twice was approached for solar projects, which didn’t become a reality.

He said the revenue from those projects can provide critical funding to keep farms, especially smaller operations, in business.

He also said the projects don’t change the land forever. The soil could be farmed when the solar panels or turbines are removed.

“It’s not permanent,” Kirby said. “We’re not destroying the ag resource you have in this county. Ask around and see how much people are making in farming. These projects provide secondary money to help farms.”

ALBION – Supportive Care of Orleans County is issuing an invitation to the public to “Wake up and smell the flowers.”

From March 1 to March 13, Supportive Care (Hospice) will conduct its annual spring bouquet sale.

“We need our Orleans County community to rally around this 30-year fundraiser, now more than ever,” said Derek Reiner, Development and Public Relations manager.

Supportive Care is accepting pre-sales orders, starting immediately. They have a goal to sell 2,000 bouquets, Reiner said.

“This is a big fundraising effort for us, thanks to support from community members,” Reiner said. “What better way to brighten someone’s day than with a beautiful bouquet or planter kit that supports a worthy cause at the same time.”

Orders are due by Feb. 26. They can be e-mailed to dreiner@scorleans.org or may be placed by calling Reiner at 589-0809. Orders will be available any day of the week between March 1 and March 13. Payment of $10 each is due upon delivery.

“Many of you have supported the bouquet sale for several years and Hospice is truly grateful,” Reiner said. “To those of you new to our fundraising endeavor, welcome to the special community of Hospice friends. By selling our bouquets or planter kits from your business, office or school, you are making a difference in the lives of those facing advanced terminal illness in Orleans County, as well as their families and loved ones.”

Genesee and Orleans top 6,000 confirmed Covid cases during pandemic

Orleans County has three more deaths from Covid, with two people under age 65 and one over 65, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments is reporting this evening.

According to state fatality data, Orleans now has 78 deaths from Covid and Genesee is at 107.

One of the deaths reported today was a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina. The individual was under the age of 65, the Health Departments said.

“We will not be reporting any further information to protect the privacy of the individuals and their families,” the Health Departments said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of these individuals at this very sad time.”

Orleans County also is reporting 36 new positive cases of Covid-19 today in the first update since Friday afternoon. That puts the total cases in the county at 2,164 since last March.

The positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Five of the new positive individuals are residents at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina and one is a resident at the Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion. Of the 36 new cases, 7 were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also is reporting 56 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The county has four residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.

Albion Central School reported an elementary staff member tested positive for Covid-19. As the staff member was last in school on Jan. 22, the Department of Health has determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff due to the 48-hour look-back period, the district stated on its website.

In Genesee County, there are 46 new positive cases for a total of 3,867 cases since last March.

Combined Orleans and Genesee now have passed 6,000 cases (6,031) in the two counties. Orleans has 40,352 people, according to the 2019 Census estimate, and Genesee is at 57,280, according to the 2019 Census estimate. The 6,031 cases represent 6.2 percent of the combined population of 97,632.

The new positive cases in Genesee reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

Genesee is reporting 50 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are 20 Genesee residents hospitalized due to Covid.

Active Cases: The number of active cases in the two counties declined from 292 on Friday to 249 today. That includes Orleans County dropping below 100, from 127 to 98. Genesee is down from 165 on Friday to 151 today.

Photo by Tom Rivers: A wind turbine is pictured on the Tug Hill Plateau in northern New York. Barre is proposing an ordinance to allow turbines that would be up to 700 feet in height.

BARRE – The Orleans County Planning Board last week voted in support of the Town of Barre proposed changes to its ordinance for wind turbines, including increasing the maximum height from 500 to 700 feet.

That change would accommodate Apex Clean Energy, which is proposing 33 wind turbines that would be a maximum 680 feet high.

If approved and built, the 184.8 megawatt project known as Heritage Wind would connect to the New York State electrical grid via an interconnection substation that would be constructed within the town along the existing National Grid Lockport-to-Mortimer 115 kV power line.

The Planning Board voted on the ordinance, and the specifics of the Heritage Wind project. County planners last Thursday recommended Barre approve the proposed ordinance. There was little discussion about the amendments.

Town Supervisor Sean Pogue described the changes as “tightening things up” in the existing code.

“What we’ve requested is more strict than what the state has,” Pogue said during the meeting, which was conducted through Zoom.

Some of the regulations proposed for the turbines include:

• Setback distances: The zoning amendments establish setbacks from property lines to be at least 1.5 times the tip height of a turbine from any public roadways or above-ground power lines, and that is for non-participating land owners or those without leases for a turbine as well as participating land owners.

For non-participating property owners (those without leases for a turbine company), the turbines would have to have setbacks at least twice the turbine height from the property line.

• Noise: The town’s proposed ordinance states noise shall not exceed 45 dBA of equivalent continuous sound for 8 hours at non-participating structures and 40 dBA at night outside at non-participating structures. The standard is 55 dBA at participating structures and 50 dBA at night for turbines at night on leaseholders’ land.

The turbines or Wind Energy Conversion Systems shall not produce human perceptible vibrations inside any non-participating structures that exceed the limits of residential use recommended in American National Standards Institute.

• Height: can not exceed 700 feet as measured from the base of the unit to the tip of unit’s longest blade. The current ordinance caps the turbine height at 500 feet tip height.

• Roads: Companies are encouraged to use existing roadways as much as possible. If that isn’t practical and a access or new roadway is needed, the turbines should be built in a way so they are level with the surrounding environment.

The wind turbine company is responsible for damages to public roads during the installation or maintenance of the turbines. The company shall post a public improvement bond prior to the issuance of a building permit. The amount shall be determined by the Town Board.

• Shadow flicker: The Wind Energy Conversion System shall be designed so the shadow flicker from each turbine will not fall on a specific area of a roadway or residential structure for more than 25 hours a year. If a turbines exceeds the 25 hours, it “shall be shut down until the offending condition is remedied,” the ordinance states.

• Construction hours: The construction hours will be limited to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays except in cases of cement pours or component deliveries. Maintenance of the facilities shall be limited to the same time frames, except in cases of emergency.

• Decommissioning: at the end of the useful life or where otherwise necessary an individual turbine may need to be decommissioned or the entire project decommissioned. The applicant or its successors are responsible for decommissioning and all costs associated with it, including removing turbines, blades, nacelles, towers, transformers, above-ground collection cables and poles, permanent meteorological towers and collection substation.

Foundation and collection lines buried less than a depth of 36 inches in non-agricultural lands and less than 48 inches in agricultural lands also must be removed.

The applicant will post and maintain financial assurance in the amount of the net decommissioning costs, on a per turbine basis, to be determined by a qualified, independent engineer, at the applicant’s expense. The net decommissioning cost shall be updated a year after facility operation and then every fifth year thereafter.

• Restoration: The applicant and its successors that may own and operate the project are responsible for restoration and all costs associated with restoring the project site, including agricultural lands and public roads.

The town acknowledges that the state could pre-empt this local law though Article 10 of the NYS Public Service Law and the new 94-C of the NYS Executive Law. The state has a Siting Board to review and approve larger-scale renewable energy projects that exceed 25 megawatts. State officials have said they will try to stay within local laws as much as practical.

Sheryl Watts would like to expand program to all nursing homes, assisted care sites in county

Sponsors are sought for “balloon buddies” for each of the 140 residents at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. The balloons will include a poem.

MEDINA – A certified balloon artist wants to bring some joy to residents of nursing homes and assisted-care sites in Orleans County.

Sheryl Watts, owner of Air Raising Events, has joined a nationwide effort in the Adopt-A-Grandparent Balloon Buddy Campaign.

She is first focusing on making a balloon buddy for all 140 residents at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. Watts is halfway there. She doesn’t want to do the program unless every resident gets a balloon, which is a smiley-faced character with a heart. She will add a poem that the recipients are not forgotten and are loved.

“We want to adopt everyone so no one feels left out,” she said. “Once they are all adopted, I make the balloon buddies and deliver them at one time.”

The balloon buddy campaign is a national effort by balloon artists, seeking to bring some extra joy to senior living facilities, which have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic, including extended separation from loved ones.

Watts is seeking sponsors for $15 for a balloon buddy for each resident. If she has sponsors for all 140 residents at Orchard, she will then do the program at another site in Orleans County.

Watts has been working as a balloon artist for the past 20 years, working at children’s parties, graduation events, weddings and other celebrations.

Balloon artists throughout the country are joining the effort to bring balloon buddies to the senior citizens.

“We like the idea of bringing hope and happiness to the seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities,” she said. “Many of them are suffering from depression and loneliness.”

For more on the program, including how to become a sponsor, click here.

Sheryl Watts made this strawberry costume during the June 2019 Strawberry Festival Parade. She has been making balloon creations the past 20 years.

Planning Board also supports 6-month moratorium in Gaines on battery storage systems

LYNDONVILLE – The Orleans County Planning Board has recommended the Village of Lyndonville approve the site plan for a 340-kilowatt solar energy system for Panek Farms at Lynwood Drive.

The project would be ground-mounted in an Agricultural-Residential District in the northeast corner of the village. The panels would be installed along the right-of-way for the former Hojack railroad line on land that isn’t good farmland, Jim Panek, one of the farm owners, told the Planning Board on Thursday.

The land currently isn’t being farmed. The spot is out of sight for most residents and will include a fence, Panek said.

The system would include 960 ground-mounted solar modules.

This is the second solar project on Panek land. The farm also has one on Eagle Harbor Road in Albion at a former harness racing training track. That land also wasn’t good for growing crops.

The two projects will generate enough electricity for the farm’s use, Panek said.

In other referrals, the Planning Board:

• Recommended the Town of Barre approve the site plan and a special use permit for Joshua Watkins to operate a diesel/gas powered vehicle repair shop at 4227 Oak Orchard Rd., about 2,000 feet south of the Route 31A and Route 98 intersection.

Watkins plans to work on over-the-road semi-trucks, farm equipment and other large vehicles. A garage is already built for most of the repairs to be done. Some repairs may be done outside in a fenced-in area if the trailers are too big for the garage.

The site will have employee parking and a customer waiting area. It will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The site is in Barre’s General Business District.

• Backed the Town of Gaines which wants a six-month moratorium on all battery and energy storage systems for six months.

The moratorium will give the town time to research the new uses of battery and energy storage systems and their potential impacts upon the community.

The town is encouraged to explore the impact of battery and energy storage systems near occupied neighboring structures, the proper emergency response protocols for the systems’ malfunctions such as fires, and the proper disposal of systems at the end of their life cycles.

Photo from Albion Central School: Mickey Edwards is pictured in the district office with a painting of the high school. Edwards starts today as Albion school superintendent.

ALBION – Today is the first day for Mickey Edwards as Albion’s new district superintendent. Edwards, an Albion graduate, rejoins the district after serving as superintendent at Byron-Bergen Central School.

Edwards said he plans to be very busy the next 90 days, getting reconnected to district stakeholders.

“I want to connect with community members and organizations to hear what people are proud of and listen to any concerns,” Edwards said.

While he never really left Albion – all three of his children graduated from the district and he lives in Kent – Edwards emphasized the importance of communication, not just with the school, but with the community at large.

“I want Albion to know I am available to them,” Edwards said. “I want to be out and involved and part of the team.”

After graduating from Albion, Edwards spent four years active duty in the United States Marine Corps before beginning his career as an art teacher at Albion. He then served as dean of students in the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School, assistant principal at Carl I. Bergerson Middle School, and a principal at Charles D’Amico High School.

“This is where it all started,” Edwards said. “I have so many great memories of my childhood and of Albion, which is one of the reasons I am so excited and wanted to come home.”

After working at Albion, he was the Coordinator of Curriculum and Instruction at Orleans-Niagara BOCES before gaining six years of experience as a superintendent. In 2014 he was appointed as the superintendent at Wyoming Central School District. He was there two years before being hired in 2016 as superintendent at Byron-Bergen Central School.

“My hope is to bring my experiences, skills and network of contacts to the district and help build upon our mission of Achievement, Character and Success for Life,” Edwards said. “I look forward to being a part of the team and serving our community together.”

Press Release, Five Star Bank

Five Star Bank, a subsidiary of Financial Institutions, is now accepting Paycheck Protection Program loan applications to meet the needs of small businesses and communities across Western and Central New York.

“The health of small business is central to the economic health of our communities,” said Martin K. Birmingham, President and CEO of Five Star Bank. “Our associates are pleased to be able to assist small businesses to take advantage of critical funding available to sustain their operations and preserve jobs. Following the first round of applications and funding, we have further streamlined our processes so that we can provide the most efficient and effective support to businesses interested in applying.”

To apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan through Five Star Bank, applicants will need an active Five Star Bank business checking account, which can be opened online.

To apply for a loan or open a new business checking account, visit: five-starbank.com/five-star-cares#Business_Relief or call (888) 312-1066.

The PPP loan program has been extended to Wednesday, March 31, 2021. PPP Loans are available to small businesses, independent contractors, self-employed individuals, and sole proprietors.

In 2020, Five Star Bank was able to assist more than 1,700 small businesses in obtaining $270 million of PPP loans, helping to preserve an estimated 18,000 jobs.

New Guidelines to Expand Loan Eligibility

• Eligibility is expanded for first-time borrowers to continue to help small businesses on the road to recovery.
• Businesses with no more than 500 employees
• Housing co-ops with less than 300 employees
• Certain trade associations and chambers of commerce, nonprofits, states, or state instrumentalities that engage in destination or tourism marketing or providing live events (destination marketing organizations)
• Seasonal employers
• Borrowers with an existing PPP loan may also be eligible for a Second Draw PPP loan.

Expansion of Forgivable Expenses

• In addition to payroll, rent, mortgage interest, and utilities, PPP funds may also be used on additional forgivable expenses, including:
• Business software, Cloud computing services, or payroll processing
• Costs related to property damage, vandalism, or looting due to public disturbances in 2020
• Payments to suppliers that are essential to the business’ operations
• Operating or capital expenses to comply with public health directives, including the installation of ventilation systems or physical barriers and the purchase of personal protective equipment

About Five Star Bank and Financial Institutions, Inc.

Five Star Bank provides a wide range of consumer and commercial banking and lending services to individuals, municipalities, and businesses through a network of more than 45 offices throughout Western and Central New York State. Additional Five Star Bank information is available at www.five-starbank.com and on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

File photo by Tom Rivers: The flag is lowered in this photo from May at The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion, out of respect for the victims of Covid-19.

ALBION – A nursing home in Albion where 30 residents have passed away due to Covid-19 has been hit with a $66,632 fine for Covid violations.

The fine is the largest penalty for a nursing home in New York State for Covid violations, according to an article in The Buffalo News.

The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center was fined $20,000 in September by the state Department of Health for violations cited in a May 9 state inspection of the facility.

The new fine from the federal government is based on that earlier state inspection. DOH inspectors on May 9 said facility staff weren’t following proper infection prevention and control measures. One example included certified nursing aides and licensed practical nurses entering and exiting a room of a person with Covid, and then entering rooms of other residents without Covid.

The staff “passed breakfast trays, assisted with the residents’ meals and provided hands on care without wearing PPE and completing proper hand hygiene,” according to the DOH report.

The DOH said personal protective equipment wasn’t readily available to staff. Several employees told DOH there wasn’t adequate PPE for workers.

The Department of Health also reported that many nursing home employees, including agency staff, did not seem educated on infection control policies, standard/droplet precautions and Covid-19.

The Villages has had 93 of its residents in the 120-bed facility test positive for Covid. The Villages hasn’t experienced any deaths among residents since May due to Covid.

The nursing home is one of 20 in the state under investigation by the Attorney General Tish James. She released a report last week about nursing homes and their response during the pandemic. The AG said many nursing homes weren’t prepared to protect residents from Covid-19.

The AG also faulted the state for underreporting the deaths of nursing homes residents from Covid by as much as 50 percent.

Finger Lakes positivity rate drops below 4 percent

This chart from the Governor’s Office shows each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results over the last three days.

In the Finger Lakes, the 7-day average for positive tests dropped below 4 percent on Saturday to 3.92. At the beginning of the month, the region’s positivity rate was over 10 percent.

The nine-county region also has 542 people hospitalized due to Covid. That is more than 400 fewer than the 964 on Dec. 28.

Locally, among the GLOW counties, here are the percent positive in the past 7 days:

• Genesee, 4.5 percent
• Livingston, 4.1 percent
• Orleans, 6.2 percent
• Wyoming, 7.4 percent

This is the percent positive in the past 14 days:

• Genesee, 5.2 percent
• Livingston, 5.4 percent
• Orleans, 6.1 percent
• Wyoming, 8.4 percent

Statewide the positivity rate is at 4.44 percent. It was at 7.45 percent on Jan. 1. There were also 7,976 patient hospitalizations statewide on Saturday. The hospitalizations were at 9,273 on Jan. 19.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the state 7-day average Covid-19 positivity rate has declined for 23 straight days.

“We’ve dealt with a holiday surge driven by increased social activity, the surge is reducing, and the state’s 7-day average positivity rate has declined for 23 straight days, which is a significant trend,” Cuomo said. “As we continue to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as supply will allow, with our expansive distribution network ready to vaccinate significantly more people, it’s critical that New Yorkers stay safe. All the models show a continued reduction, and so we’ve been able to loosen restrictions with micro-clusters, the orange zones, and New York City indoor dining. In the here and now, the news is very good, but keep an eye on the U.K. variants and the other variants because all of them suggest more diligence will be needed.”

Nearly 3,000 have filled out survey so far

A group that is researching the internet gaps in Orleans County and developing a plan to improve broadband access is moving to a solutions phase.

The public is welcome to sign up for different sessions beginning this week. The more participation, the better in helping the Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative Steering Team pursue funding for expanded internet in the county, said Mary Beth Debus, president of Program Savvy Consulting.

She is assisting in the steering team in compiling the data about the internet shortcomings in the county, and trying to identify funding sources to expand services.

“The first several months we’ve been trying to define how different communities within the community are impacted by the lack of internet,” Debus said.

So far, nearly 3,000 people have filled out 48-question surveys about internet access and needs. The steering committee would like to have 5,000 surveys completed, but Debus said having nearly 3,000 surveys filled out so far “is a really impressive number” and shows the community is engaged in the issue. Click here to see the survey.

The committee will have 16 different sessions to dig deeper in the local internet challenges and gaps. Click here to see the topics and to register. If you register for a session, you should also register for the orientation.

Some of the topics include:

• Digital Literacy: Older Adults – How might we help older adults discover opportunities provided by learning technology as well as how to use devices/access internet? How do we alert to concerns of fraud and misinformation? Might we push in these services through existing infrastructure?
• Digital Literacy: Youth – How might we address gaps in digital literacy for Youth? How might we integrate internet safety into programming? How might we teach computer skills (vs. just phone).
• Economic Equity: Access to Internet and Devices – How might we increase access to internet and devices for those with economic barriers?
• Increasing Content for the Spanish Speaking Community – How might we increase access to content, training, coaching, and resources for primarily Spanish speaking community? How might we teach use of translation options?
• Digital Literacy: Expanding Existing Services – There are existing training and coaching programs within Orleans County including BOCES, GLOW Workforce Development, NIOGA Libraries, and GCC BEST Center. How might we make these more accessible to the community? How can we design to be fully utilized and self-sustaining?
• Digital Literacy: The Unemployed and Underemployed – How might we build the digital literacy skills of those out of work or displaced such that they can more successfully find and secure jobs? How might we link the unemployed to existing programs to support them?
• Digital Literacy: Preparing the Future Workforce – What are the skills most needed in the future and what are some mechanisms for building these skills in future employees? In what ways can the business community/employers help to develop this workforce? What services/trainings/supports would be helpful to exist to support all businesses?
• Digital Literacy – Supporting Schools, Students, and Families – How might the school systems support the community in developing digital literacy skills? What is the best way to offer support? How do we take full advantage of investment in technology? How do we support educators, students, and families?
• Accessing and Using Internet: Solutions – How might we develop access to information technology resources for nonprofits? How might we enable use of technology for nonprofits to better achieve their missions?
• Improving Internet Access – How can people with poor internet improve that internet? What options might be available? How do we alert people to these options? How might we reduce economic barriers?
• Digital Literacy: Improving Access for Those Living with Disabilities – How might access to internet and devices be improved for those with disabilities? How might we teach digital literacy in an inclusive manner? How do we teach safety?
• Improving Access to Health Care – How might we help patients learn to successfully participate in tele-med? How do we share the benefits? How do we develop health literacy? How do we ensure that they have access to devices that will work for them? Could we design positions that support digital/health literacy?
• Developing an IT Workforce – How might we both attract educational programs to the community and recruit participants to these programs? How might we connect need to future jobs? How might we support those most in need of employment?
• Designing a Digital Literacy Campaign – How do we get the community engaged in wanting to improve skills? How might we help the community to know the value of digital literacy? How do we share where to go to get help?
• Putting It All Together: Developing an Initiative – This set of sessions will review all of the ideas from the individual sessions and search for overlaps, contingencies, and opportunities for coordination. This will be a longer process and will take place over three sessions and will require prework of reading prepared document of prior work.

MEDINA – A committee that has been meeting since August to study police reform is recommending changes for the Medina Police Department, including the establishment of the Community Policing Board.

That board should include a cross-section of the community and should meet regularly, the Committee on Police Reform Collaborative. The new community policing board would work towards forming better relations between law enforcement and the community.

“These relationships can be beneficial to convey information in both directions,” according to the report from Committee on Police Reform Collaborative. “This Board may also be tasked with aiding in community relations events.”

The committee submitted a draft report this past week of its recommendations. (Click here to see the report.) The Village Board set a 7 p.m. public hearing on Feb. 22 for residents to comment on the report.

Medina needs to submit a report to the state by April 1. Gov. Andrew Cuomo last June approved an executive order requiring all 500 municipal police agencies in the state to have the public involved in studying current police policies, with possible recommendations for changes. Those reports need to be submitted to the state by April 1 or Cuomo said the state will withhold funding from communities that don’t do the report, which needs to include public meetings.

Cuomo, in his executive order, said the communities with police departments need to go over their policies on use of force by police officers, crowd management, community policing, implicit bias awareness training, de-escalation training and practices, restorative justice practices, community-based outreach and citizen complaint procedures. The communities may find no changes are needed, Cuomo said.

• MENTAL HEALTH and PROCEDURAL JUSTICE – The committee in Medina also is recommending increased training for Medina police officers in mental health and procedural justice.

The regular mental health training schedule should seek out opportunities for crisis intervention training and mental health first aid.

Medina has already sent an instructor for certification in “Principled Policing.” That program covers areas such as History of Policing, Communication, Racial Bias, Decision Making, Trust Building and Core Values.

“Regular training in this area may help officers deal with the difficulties of modern-day policing,” the committee report states. “All of these training areas can be reinforced through reality based training, including interactive scenarios involving use of communication skills.”

• COMMUNITY POLICING/RELATIONS: The Committee recommends that the Medina Police Department take efforts to increase community policing and relations. The committee recommended the Medina Village Board put $10,000 in the next budget to assist with these community policing initiatives.

The committee recommended open community meetings hosted by the Medina Police Department. These meetings can be used to relay relevant information, and hear public concerns.

The Medina PD should also do an annual public survey to gather input from local citizens on police activities.

Some other ways to strengthen community interaction with the department could be more officers on foot patrol, bike patrol and community activities. The committee recommended an annual gathering open to the public where police officers can have positive interactions with the community.

Medina might also consider assigning a Community Policing Officer to focus on creating opportunities for positive interactions with the community.

• ACCREDITATION: The Committee recommends that the Medina PD attempt to obtain NYS accreditation status. The NYS Accreditation Program provides outside guidance and oversight to law enforcement to ensure performance in areas such as policies, procedures and training.

• FUNDING: The committee said funding should be increased at the local and state levels for law enforcement and mental health services.

The Medina PD could pursue state grant funding for mental health, training and equipment.

The committee also said Medina should fund an investigator position in the Medina PD. “A designated position should result in a higher rate of case closures, which it is assumed will also increase public confidence,” the committee stated in the report.

• The Committee members include Chairman Scott Robinson (Medina Area Partnership), Medina Mayor Mike Sidari, Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward, Daniel Doctor (Medina Central School District Representative), Pastor Jovannie Canales, Jacquie Chinn, Medina PD Lt. Todd Draper, Sherry Tuohey, David King, Cynthia King, Danielle Figura (Orleans County Mental Health Department), Joe Cardone (Orleans County District Attorney) and Joanne Best (Orleans County Public Defender).

• The Medina Police Department currently has 13 officers, including a police chief, lieutenant, sergeant, a school-resource officer, eight patrolmen (including a K-9 officer) and a part-time officer. The department operates with two officers on duty 24-7. The department made 465 arrests in 2016, 551 in 2017, 416 in 2018 and 374 in 2019.

• Survey: The committee created an online survey with topics about transparency, racial bias, trustworthiness, and community participation. Respondents could also list their biggest concerns, as well as suggestions for improvements.

There was approximately 255 respondents to the survey, with 90 percent from Medina residents, with an equal response between male and females, with 80 percent from White, 8 percent from Hispanic and 7 percent from Black.

The survey respondents gave an overall ranking of the Medina PD at 3.7 out of 5, with the biggest concerns listed at 27% say increased training, 27 percent said community policing/relations, and 21 percent said mental health.

• Department policies reviewed: The committee reviewed the following departmental policies: use of force, mental health, body worn cameras, community relations, civilian personnel complaints, performance evaluations, handling deadly force incidents, use of firearms including taser and less lethal shotgun.

An email address was created to allow residents to voice specific concerns in detail. The committee will continue to accept comments at medinaprrc@gmail.com.

A Shield of Sterling motivates wearer to pursue goodness

MEDINA – The Village Board has approved installation of about 50 bluebird houses at several local parks and Boxwood Cemetery.

Daniel Rosentreter presented the plan to the Village Board, which gave its approval on Monday.  Rosentreter needs to check with DPW Superintendent Jason Watts on the final locations.

Rosentreter, 28, would like to have most of the bluebird houses in place before the April-May nesting season.

The bluebird houses will be on ¾-inch galvanized electrical pipe, which have a smooth surface so squirrels can’t climb up on them, Rosentreter said.

He is an avid birder and wildlife photographer who wants to encourage bluebirds in the Medina community.

“The bluebird has decreased in population,” Rosentreter said. “This is a big way to bring them back.”

He is planning to have the bluebird houses installed at the perimeter of Boxwood Cemetery, Butts Park, Canal Basin Park, Gulf Park, Gwinn Street Park, Lions Park Pine Street Park and State Street Park.

When this group of bluebird house sis done, Rosentreter said he would like to add some to Ridgeway at a municipal-owned cemeteries and also at the Shelridge Country Club.

He has some volunteers to help with the effort of installing the bluebird houses.

“We have a lot of work to do now that this has been approved,” he said. “