By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 January 2021 at 6:56 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – A fire damaged a Holley house used for seasonal farmworkers on Route 31 in the village. Holley firefighters said they house was currently vacant.
They were dispatched to 9 Wright St. at 4:54 p.m. and were joined by fire companies from neighboring communities.
Ron Meiers operates the Holley ladder truck. The ladder allowed firefighters to get up high at the attic.
Holley fire officials said there was heavy smoke on the second floor, which spread to the attic. Firefighters would cut into the roof and a window in the attic to try to ventilate the house.
The site is between the U.S. Post Office and Holley Presbyterian Church. A section of Route 31 was closed so firefighters could put out the fire.
Diane Rietman sent in this photo of Holley firefighters responding to the smoky house.
No other information is available. Fire investigators are on the scene.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 January 2021 at 4:59 pm
ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke announced there will be two public forums in February for residents to discuss community perceptions on policing, police oversight and police reforms.
These forums will be conducted to meet the requirements set by Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.1, requiring all police agencies in the state
Cuomo is requiring all 500 jurisdictions with law enforcement agencies to adopt a plan for reform by April 1 to be eligible for future state funding. The plan needs to have a chance for public comment. Some police agencies and communities may decide no reform is needed and the agency is meeting the expectations of their residents, Cuomo has said.
The Orleans County Legislature today approved the following appointments as Reform and Reinvention Community members of the Collaborative Committee on behalf of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
Chris Bourke, Orleans County Sheriff
Jack Welch, Chief Administrative Officer
Jeff Gifaldi, Orleans County Chief Deputy
Jimmy White, Orleans County Seasonal Marine Deputy
Margie Aldeco, Community Participant
Trellis Pore, Community Participant
Thaddeus Nauden, Community Participant
Eddie English, Community Participant
The sessions will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 4 and Feb. 8 at the Orleans County Office Building, Legislature Chambers on the second floor, 141016 Route 31 west, Albion, NY 14411. Capacity is limited to 50 people. The meetings will also be available through Zoom videoconferencing.
The Zoom meeting ID is 861 4221 7035 with the passcode: 412090. To join the meeting by phone, call +1 646 558 8656 US (New York).
The Sheriff’s Office intends to conduct these meetings with the public present to review current police force deployments, strategies, policies, procedures and practices to develop a plan to improve such deployments, strategies, policies, procedures, and practices, for the purposes of addressing the particular needs of the communities served by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and promote community engagement to foster trust, fairness, and legitimacy, and to address any racial bias and disproportionate policing of communities of color, according to a statement from the Sheriff’s Office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 January 2021 at 4:26 pm
Orleans and Genesee counties each have 28 new confirmed Covid-19 cases to report today, bringing the combined total for the two counties to 5,828 since March.
In Orleans County, the 28 new positive cases bring the county’s total to 2,087 confirmed cases during the pandemic. The new 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, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments is reporting.
Of the new cases, three are residents of the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina and one is an inmate at the Orleans Correctional Facility, a men’s prison in Albion.
In addition, 8 of the new positive individuals were on quarantine prior to testing positive.
Correction from the G-O Health Departments: The following cases were determined not to be Orleans County residents and have been retracted from today’s data: Case in his/her 50s from the West Region and 0-19 from the East Region.
The county also is reporting 15 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
There are 11 county residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.
Albion Central School is reporting an elementary student tested positive for Covid-19. As the student was last in school on Jan. 21, 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 posted on its website.
Holley Central School said two staff members have tested positive for Covid-19, one at the Middle School/High School and one at the Elementary School. The last day each person was in the district was Jan. 26.
“The health department is still processing these cases and we will cooperate with them,” Brian Bartalo, district superintendent, posted on the HCS website. “If warranted, any official decision on mandatory quarantining of students or additional staff members will come directly from the health department. If the health department indicates to us that there is quarantining required for the students who may have had close contact with these staff members, we will reach out to those families ASAP. In the meantime, if you don’t hear from the school district or the department of health, there’s nothing for anyone to do at this time.”
At Lyndonville Central School all 5th grade students will be on remote learning tomorrow, January 28th, due to a precautionary Covid-19 quarantine.
“Fifth grade families/students impacted by this positive Covid-19 case will be contacted tomorrow with further information and more details after we gather more information and direction from the Health Department,” said Superintendent Jason Smith.
In Genesee County, the 28 new positive cases bring the total to 3,741 confirmed cases during the pandemic.
The new positive cases 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 that 27 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
Genesee has 23 residents hospitalized with Covid.
The local Health Department said a resident over age 65 has passed away from Covid-19. The state Department of Health website (click here) shows 2 more Genesee residents have died from Covid since the last update on Tuesday, and 5 more since Friday, for 106 total now in Genesee.
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments are providing the following information for schools, businesses, coaching staff, athletes, parents of student-athletes, and youth and adult amateur sports leagues in both counties.
“After extended internal consultation and discussion among Finger Lakes and Western Region County Health Officials, it has been determined that higher-risk and moderate risk sports may proceed in Genesee and Orleans counties in accordance with New York State guidelines,” stated Paul Pettit, Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
New York State Interim Guidelines for Sports and Recreation were announced by Governor Cuomo late Friday, January 22. These revisions allow local health departments to authorize non-professional and non- collegiate sports, such as wrestling, ice hockey, basketball, contact lacrosse, and volleyball, to proceed with individual and group training, competitions, and tournaments, effective February 1. Updates were also made to low- and moderate-risk sports and recreation activities.
All responsible parties (schools, businesses, leagues, organizations) must follow the New York State Department of Health’s and applicable Executive Orders for the conduct of their sports and recreation activities.
Per current State guidance, indoor facilities must limit their capacity to no more than 50 percent occupancy and a maximum of two spectators per player. In addition, protocols to ensure social distancing, use of face coverings, and enhanced disinfection protocols must be implemented.
For moderate and higher risk sports, if an athlete, coach or referee receives a positive Covid-19 diagnosis, all in-person team or group activities for that sport (e.g. practices, scrimmages, games, meetings) may result in a 10 day suspension to lessen the spread of infection and allow for the case investigation and contact tracing to occur. Situations will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Participating in higher-risk sports presents significant risks. The level of risk presented by a return to sports is driven by the sport and setting, local disease activity, and individual circumstances including underlying health conditions that may place the athlete or household contacts at increased risk of severe disease should they contract Covid-19.
Individual schools and businesses, student and adult athletes, and parents/guardians must carefully consider a variety of factors before making an individual decision to participate.
To allow continuation of higher risk sport and recreational activities, local health authorities will continue to consider many factors, including but not limited to the following:
Whether there is a more transmissible variant of Covid-19 identified in the area
Local rates of Covid-19 transmission or rate of positivity, and
Local ability to monitor and enforce compliance.
We must work together during these stressful times to ensure that our youth and adults have the opportunity to participate in athletics safely.
The State Department of Health issued this Interim Guidance for Sports and Recreation (click here).
The State Department of Health issued these guidelines for reopening sports and recreation programs (click here).
The state offered this safety plan reopening template (click here).
Stop the spread of Covid: Wear a mask; maintain a social distance of 6 feet; wash your hands often.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 January 2021 at 11:55 am
Governor faulted for ‘catastrophic policy’ that Ortt and colleagues say has shuttered many hospitality businesses
State Senate Leader Robert Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, and his GOP colleagues in the State Senate are pushing a relief package for the restaurant industry.
Since the state imposed restrictions on indoor dining last March, more than 8,000 restaurants have closed in the state, including 4,500 in New York City, resulting in a loss of 365,000 jobs in the state, said State Sen. George Borrello, a Republican from Chautauqua County.
“This has been a pandemic issue that has been exacerbated by catastrophic policy,” he said.
Borrello, a restaurant owner in Sunset Bay, and Ortt said the restaurant industry has suffered from state policies that have unnecessarily curtailed business. They spoke during a press conference in Albany on Tuesday.
“This is truly an emergency,” Borrello said.
He said the governor’s own statistics show only 1.4 percent of the recent Covid spread is from restaurants, while more than 70 percent is attributed to indoor home gatherings.
“This is not a policy that is working for our economy or for the public health,” Borrello said about the restrictions on restaurants.
The Senate Republican Conference unveiled a package of legislation called “Reset New York’s Restaurant and Hospitality Industry.”
Besides the hundreds of thousands of workers who have lost jobs and wages in the restaurant and hospitality industry during the pandemic, the industry is the main slaes tax generator in New York City and is second for the state.
“Unfortunately, our Governor does not seem to understand how important these restaurants, hotels, and their employees are to making our economy function,” Borrello said. “Using his executive authority, the Governor has put extremely damaging and burdensome restrictions on the industry without outlining any plan for how government will help reverse the damage it created. The Senate Democrats have been a voiceless non-entity in this situation, devoid of any plan of their own or proactive initiative to help. It’s high time state government – including the State Senate – roll up our sleeves and begin to restart, rethink, and renew our commitment to restaurants and hospitality businesses to make our State thrive again.”
The Senate Republican proposals for the restaurant and hospitality industry include:
Exempt small businesses from being penalized with higher unemployment insurance rates due to layoffs resulting from Covid-related, government-mandated closures. The exemption would extend for a period of one year from when they are permitted to return to full capacity.
Prohibit internet-based food delivery services (GrubHub and DoorDash) from charging higher fees than they charged on or before March 1, 2020.
Provide small businesses additional time to pay monthly sales and payroll taxes, as well as, business and property taxes;
Offer interest-free loans or lines of credit to small businesses.
Provide a one-year extension for renewal of liquor licenses.
Provide businesses a 90-day grace period to pay any fees or penalties due to state and local agencies.
Also included in the plan announced by the Senate Republican Conference were pieces of legislation that would:
Direct SLA-inflicted fines into a business relief fund to help small businesses get back on their feet.
Provide for a credit on liquor license renewals for the amount of time bars and restaurants were forced to be shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Create a limited state sales tax exemption for the sale of food and drink at restaurants and taverns from state sales and compensating use taxes and granting municipalities the option to grant such limited exemption.
Provide a tax check off box that will direct funds into a business relief fund.
Create an employee retention tax credit, modeled after the Federal Employee Retention Credit, to help employers keep workers on payroll.
“This package of legislation includes necessary measures to help our restaurants and hospitality industry get back on their feet after the sharp declines in revenue they’ve suffered as a result of the pandemic and bad policy,” Borrello said. “Without assistance, too many of our small businesses are going to be forced to close their doors for good – the state needs to act quickly to provide relief.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 January 2021 at 9:00 am
County may add more testing clinics if needed, but will shift to vaccination clinics
There is a rapid Covid-19 testing clinic today from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. This is the last one scheduled by the Orleans County Health Department.
It will be shifting its focus to vaccination clinics, with the first one Thursday at the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company. The appointments are full for that clinic where about 100 people will be vaccinated. That clinic will have the capacity to do 600 vaccinations a day once the county gets more vaccine doses, said Paul Pettit, the public health director for Orleans and Genesee.
“We’re ready to go it’s just a matter of getting the vaccine,” he said.
He praised local volunteers for stepping up to run the rapid test clinic and now the vaccination effort. More people are needed to run the vaccination clinics. Anyone interested in volunteered at the vaccination clinics can reach out to Justin Niederhofer, deputy director of the Orleans County Emergency Management Office, at (585) 589-4414.
The county has been testing about 500 people at the weekly clinics at the Fairgrounds. As of 8:50 this morning, there were still 66 spots open. Click here to register and click here to fill out a form from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
Pettit said the county and region’s daily new Covid cases and percentage of positive tests have been trending downward. He expects the governor today to announce some restrictions to be lifted in the micro-cluster zones in Genesee, Niagara, Monroe and Erie counties. Orleans wasn’t designated in one of those zones.
He said public health officials around the state has been frustrated by the “very slow” distribution of the vaccines so far.
“It is an issue throughout the state,” he said on a conference call Tuesday evening with local officials. “Rural, urban it doesn’t matter. We are all proportionally hurting.”
The supply so far from the federal government has been “anemic,” Pettit said.
“The volume we’re getting is a pittance of what we need,” he said.
Orleans received 200 doses this week, but the Health Department is putting in requests for thousands of vaccine doses.
“We’re doing what we can to advocate from our end,” Pettit said. “Everybody is in the same boat.”
HAMLIN – Remodeling work at the Crosby’s store in the Town of Hamlin is now complete, and the location will host a reopening celebration on Thursday to show off the new features, services and amenities available for customers.
The official ribbon cutting is slated for 9:30 a.m., when area officials, Crosby’s staff and local business representatives will be on hand at the store, located at 1449 Lake Rd North. During the ceremony, Crosby’s will present a check for $1,000 to the Brockport Central School District in support of student activities at the district’s schools.
Customers who use their My Crosby’s Rewards Card will be entered for a chance to win an Amazon Echo Auto Smart Speaker (valued at $49.99). The giveaway runs through February 23rd and is permitted to one entry per day.
Customers may also enter a raffle for their chance to win one of 20 gift cards valued at $25. Winners will be chosen in March for both the gift cards and Amazon Echo Auto. In addition, the first 100 customers (starting at 8 am on Friday, January 29th) will receive a $5 Crosby’s gift card.
“Crosby’s is not just a convenience store – it’s a part of the communities we serve – and we are thrilled to offer an even better shopping experience for our loyal customers and to continue to support the local schools,” said Doug Galli, vice president and general manager of Reid Stores/Crosby’s Convenience Stores. “The remodeled store in Hamlin provides a variety of fresh food options and other convenient amenities – including a new f’real milkshake/smoothie machine. As with all of our locations, the remodeled store incorporates safe checkout procedures to protect both our employees and customers.”
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) and his colleagues in the Assembly Minority have written a letter to Gov. Cuomo, Speaker of the Assembly Carl Heastie and New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins demanding they do not use the budget process to legalize marijuana.
Hawley believes substantial matters of public policy such as the legalization of marijuana should not be advanced through the budgetary process and should instead be debated and discussed as any other legislation would be.
“This policy matter is deserving of meaningful scrutiny and debate, something we haven’t seen much of since the Governor was granted his prolonged and egregious executive powers,” said Hawley. “Legalizing marijuana is a decision for our state that would come with consequences worth discussing, and I am fearful as usual the Governor will care more about acting quickly to please activists and special interests than examining legalization in earnest and what it would really mean for New York.”
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 26 January 2021 at 9:58 pm
Faced with a narrow window to get the winter sports season in, the Section VI Executive Council today voted to adjust the dates for the Winter, Fall 2 and Spring seasons.
The winter season for the High Risk sports of basketball and wrestling is scheduled to begin on February 1 and the Fall 2 season for the High Risk sports of football, volleyball and competitive cheerleading had been slated to get underway just four weeks later on March 1.
The Executive Council therefore approved a new calendar for the three seasons which reflects a minimal amount of overlap.
The Winter season will still begin on February 1 and will run until March 27, the Fall 2 season will run from March 22 to May 15 and the Spring season from May 10 to June 30.
The start of the High Risk Winter season sports is pending the approval of the local county health departments.
Section V also makes Winter season date changes
The Section V Athletic Council today likewise made adjustments to the dates for the Winter sports season.
The Winter season for the High Risk sports of basketball and wrestling will start as scheduled on February 1 and the regular season will conclude on March 6. The sectionals will then conclude by March 14. It will be a closed sectional with a format to be determined.
Section V officials also announced that the start and finish dates for the Fall 2 season will be announced in a few weeks.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 8:45 pm
Joe Martillotta and Zack Burgess will be on ballot in March 16 election
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Republican Party backed Joe Martillotta, left, and Democrats picked Zack Burgess as their candidate in the March 16 election.
ALBION – The Democrats and Republicans each picked their candidate this evening for the March 16 village election.
Both parties held a caucus at 7 p.m. to select a candidate to fill the remaining three years of a trustee position on the Village Board. The position $6,370 a year.
The trustee position became vacant when Kevin Sheehan resigned to take the job as Albion’s code enforcement officer.
Both parties had a low turnout this evening with less than 10 people. Democrats picked Zack Burgess and Republicans nominated Joe Martillotta.
Burgess, 31, works for Bentley Brothers at inside sales. He also has been very active in the Rock the Park music festival at Bullard Park. He serves as co-chairman of the event which has been renamed as the Albion Summer Festival. Last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid-19. Burgess and the organizers are hoping this year’s festival with many bands can happen the first Saturday in August.
Through that event, Burgess said he has worked with many village officials and community members. He also is a member of the Albion Lions Club.
“I want to do anything I can to improve the quality of life in the village,” Burgess said.
He was backed by Democrats at the caucus which was held at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church.
His father, Phil Burgess, made a motion to support Zack, which was seconded by his mother, Lynn. Phil works for Kodak and Lynn has a hair salon at her home on West Park Street.
Zack lives on Hamilton Street.
Joe Martillotta, 69, was backed by the Republicans at a caucus on the second floor of the Albion Visitors Center. Martillotta retired in 2009 after 36 years as a high school social studies and economics teacher.
He and his wife Debbie did extensive renovations of 469 East State St. and opened the Crooked Door Tavern on Jan. 31, 2011. It was his dream of owning a restaurant and bar. They operated the business for more than three years, selling it in April 2014.
Martillotta lives on North Main Street and owns other properties in the village.
“I’ve been paying taxes for years in the village – lots of them,” he said.
He has long advocated for shrinking the size of local government through consolidation. That is an issues he wants to explore.
“We should do it,” he said about dissolutions or consolidations. “Do we really need 15 highway superintendents in Orleans County?”
Each of the 10 towns, four villages and the county all have an elected or appointed superintendent of highways or the DPW.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 5:01 pm
State data shows 3 more deaths from Covid in both Orleans and Genesee since Friday
Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting 49 more cases pf Covid-19 for 5,774 cases in the two counties since March, with 2,061 in Orleans and 3,713 in Genesee.
The two counties have each had three more deaths from Covid since Friday and now are at 74 deaths in Orleans and 104 in Genesee. Click here to see the state data.
In Orleans County, there are 23 new positive cases of Covid-19. They reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).
Of the new cases, two are residents at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.
The 23 individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported. Of the new cases, three were on quarantine prior to testing positive.
Correction from the G-O Health Departments: The following case was determined not to be an Orleans County resident and has been retracted from today’s data: a person in his/her 30s from the West Region.
Orleans is reporting 28 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
There are currently 10 Orleans County residents hospitalized with Covid.
Albion Central School is reporting a student from the high school has tested positive for Covid-19. Because the student was last in school on Jan. 21, 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.
Medina Central School reported a student from the middle school has tested positive for Covid. The student has not been in school for almost two weeks. The Health Department has determined no further quarantines are necessary, said Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent.
In Genesee County, there are 26 new positive cases of Covid-19. The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford). Of the new cases, one is a resident of the Batavia VA Medical Center.
The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.
Genesee is reporting 32 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
Genesee has 21 residents hospitalized due to Covid.
The Health Departments noted two of the deaths in Genesee, both over age 65. One resided at Genesee Senior Living and one was at the Batavia VA Medical Center.
Vaccine Information: At this time all appointments are full. The G-O Health Departments encourage eligible people to keep monitoring in case people have canceled. People are encouraged to cancel their appointment if:
they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, the flu or a cold;
if they have been placed on mandatory quarantine because they are identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19;
or they can’t make the appointment for any other reason.
Canceling the appointment as soon as you are aware you can’t make it will open up a new appointment for someone else. Please make sure you cancel using the information on your confirmation sheet or by calling the provider. The health departments cannot cancel appointments for other providers.
To check for vaccination clinics in Genesee and Orleans counties, click here.
Expanded Broadband, laying groundwork for new Farm Bill among priorities
Press Release, U.S. Rep. Chris Jacobs
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is announcing that he is returning to the House Committee on Agriculture for the 117th Congress.
“Western New York’s economy and communities are directly supported by our agriculture industry,” Jacobs said. “Our farms, processing facilities, and agri-businesses provide thousands of good-paying jobs and present major opportunities to set our region up for future prosperity. It has been my mission to support our farmers in Congress – I made it a priority to be seated on the Agriculture Committee in July when I was first elected and look forward to carrying my work there into the 117th Congress.”
Announced earlier this year, Rep. David Scott (D-GA) will serve as Chairman, and Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) will serve as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture for the 117th Congress. The Committee is charged with reviewing, developing, and advancing policies and proposals to support, improve, and further the needs of American farmers, agricultural businesses, and rural communities. As of 2017, Western New York had over 4,400 farms producing over $1.1 billion in products, representing 22% of all NYS agriculture sales.
“Serving on the Agriculture Committee puts me in the best possible position to advocate for our farmers and their needs,” Jacobs said. “These past few months alone, I was able to work with my colleagues to ensure the Commodity Credit Corporation was allocated necessary funding, increase investments for the USDA ReConnect Broadband Program, and pass COVID-19 relief legislation with direct support programs for farmers like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).”
“This term, there are major priorities that must be addressed. Our region needs improved broadband infrastructure, the agriculture sector needs new and younger farmers to ensure the longevity of such a critical industry, and we need to protect and support our farmers from unfair trade practices so they can access expanded markets and grow their businesses,” Jacobs said. “Finally, we will be in the beginning stages of developing a new Farm Bill early this year. I will be working diligently to ensure that the needs of Western New York farmers are met in that legislation.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 2:23 pm
Ken DeRoller and John DeFilipps have been key county leaders
Photos by Tom Rivers: John DeFilipps, left, and Ken DeRoller are shown in May 2013 when they were both endorsed for the first time by the Orleans County Republican Committee to run for the County Legislature. The two have notified Republican Party leaders they don’t plan to seek re-election.
John DeFilipps of Clarendon and Ken DeRoller of Kendall joined the Orleans County Legislature together just over seven years ago. The two from the east side of the county have been very active and visible, pushing key issues and connecting with local residents and officials at the state and federal levels.
Both have notified Orleans County Republican Party officials they don’t intend to seek re-election to another two-year term.
“Their work ethic has been amazing,” said Skip Draper, a county legislator who is also chairman of the Orleans County Republican Party. “They are very good legislators.”
The election cycle starts sooner now. Candidates used to pursue endorsements from the local parties in April and May. But the schedule was moved up by the state last year. The local political parties are already recruiting candidates and checking with incumbent office holders to see their intentions.
DeFilipps and DeRoller both said they pride themselves on giving the job their all. But they don’t want to be so busy in what is supposed to be a part-time position.
“I like different challenges and it’s time to move on,” DeRoller said today. “I’m the type of person who is built to be 100 percent all in.”
He has been instrumental in having the county and local municipalities tackle waterfront plans along Lake Ontario and the Erie Canal. He also is a member of the Leadership Orleans program, and said it’s critical for the community to develop and encourage a new generation of leaders. The program gives each class exposure to many sectors in the county, from tourism, economic development, agriculture, manufacturing, education, healthcare and more. The 2020 class was interrupted from Covid-19 but is scheduled to resume in April.
DeRoller and DeFilipps are both members of the Orleans Economic Development Agency board of directors. DeRoller is pleased the EDA supported the Cottages at Troutburg in Kendall, where new homes are being built along the lakefront. The agency also has worked to have 300 acres certified and shovel-ready at the Medina Business Park.
The two also graduated from a County Government Institute run by the New York State Association of Counties. They have both pushed to connect with officials in Albany and Washington, DC.
“You have to be in the room where the decisions are being made,” DeFilipps said.
DeFilipps, 63, joined the Legislature after 12 years on the Clarendon Town Board and after retiring from General Motors, farming on the much and running a convenience store in Clarendon.
John DeFilipps takes the oath of office on Aug. 14, 2017 from former County Clerk Karen Lake-Maynard. DeFilipps was picked by the other legislators to serve as the chairman for part of his tenure on the Legislature.
DeFilipps is an at-large legislator, which is a county-wide position. DeRoller represents District 4, the towns of Kendall, Murray and Carlton and the Village of Holley. Both have gone beyond what could reasonably be expected.
In addition to his county committees, DeFilipps serves on the boards for the EDA, the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Fish and Wildlife Board. He also attends many of the town and village meetings around the county, and even goes to many of the county committee meetings which he isn’t on.
“It’s a tough decision,” DeFilipps said about his plan to retire from the Legislature after this year. “But there may be other opportunities.”
DeFilipps said it takes about four years to get a good handle on all of the local issues, and to connect with all the local, state and federal officials, as well as key local stakeholders.
“There is a lot to learn,” he said. “I try to go to all the meetings and I am constantly reading.”
DeFilipps said government is set up to keep the elected officials in “silos.” That’s why he goes to so many village, town and county meetings, as well as connecting with state and federal officials. He wants to see the whole picture.
County Legislator Ken DeRoller speaks during a public meeting in April 2018 about a waterfront plan for the towns of Carlton, Yates and Kendall.
DeRoller, 74, has made economic development a focus, and not just larger projects through the EDA. He supported making the tourism director a full-time position with a sole focus on tourism. Dawn Borchert serves in the role and the county attends more trade shows, distributes more tourism guides under her leadership. The county has also experienced growth in bed tax since expanding its tourism focus.
DeRoller also sees much more potential in Lake Ontario and the Erie Canal. That’s why he has spearheaded the waterfront development plans for both. The Erie Canal, in particular, has been “vastly underutilized,” he said.
DeRoller serves on the state’s Canal Recreationway Commission and is a county representative on the Genesee/Finger Lakes Planning Council.
He will be pushing this year to finalize a waterfront development plan for the Erie Canal in Orleans County. That document is nearly done and can be used to pursue grant funding for projects in the canal communities.
DeRoller is retired after 38 years at Kodak, including 12 years in the information technology department as a business analyst. He also worked with materials handling and logistics for the company.
He served 25 years on the Kendall Town Planning Board, including 15 years as its chairman. DeRoller was particularly interested in the lakefront and making better use of the 7 miles of lakefront in Kendall.
He helped write the comprehensive plan that made it possible to turn a former Salvation Army Camp into the Cottages of Troutburg.
DeRoller also has been an active crusader in getting the state to repave parts of the Lake Ontario State Parkway and rehab some of the Erie Canal bridges.
He estimates he has a collection of about 1,000 business cards from people he’s met in his role advocating for the county.
“I have liked the different challenges, but I feel like it’s time to move on,” DeRoller said. “I’ve built relationships with so many quality people.”
DeRoller and DeFilipps said the county faces many challenges, including the need for more widespread broadband internet.
“You’ve got to push and push,” DeRoller said. “We all need to keep working together.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 12:42 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Orleans County DPW staff clears the sidewalks and steps at Central Hall on East Park Street in Albion. This is the office building for the treasurer’s office and county historian.
The county and much of Upstate NY are under a Winter Weather Advisory until 1 a.m. tonight. Orleans County is expected to get up to 4 inches of snow during the day with another 1 to 2 inches tonight, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
The high temperatures the rest of the week include 28 on Wednesday with another ½ inch of snow possible, 20 on Thursday with a chance of snow showers, 16 on Friday with a chance for snow showers, and 20 on Saturday with a chance for more snow showers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 10:09 am
Leisure and hospitality takes biggest hit with 366,600 job losses
New York State had 1 million fewer people working in December, compared to the December in 2019, according to the state Department of Labor.
Nationally, there were 9,152,000 fewer jobs in December, compared to the previous December.
New York State is seeing some progress with unemployment. The unemployment rate dropped from 8.4 percent in November to 8.2 percent in December, and there were 20,200 fewer people on unemployment in the state, a drop from 764,500 to 744,300. This is the fifth straight month the unemployment rate has declined in the state, according to the DOL.
In the state, New York City is taking the pandemic’s impact on the economy harder than in upstate. The unemployment rate in New York City is 11.4 percent, compared to 5.9 percent outside the city. (The DOL hasn’t released the county by county unemployment rates yet from December. Orleans County’s rate in November was 5.4 percent with 1,000 fewer people were working in the county – 16,800 in November 2019 compared to 15,800 in November 2020.)
The state overall shows 1,018,400 fewer jobs during the 12 months, and the DOL is reporting New York City lost 578,000 jobs during the year. The Rochester metro is down 54,400 jobs, while Buffalo-Niagara Falls has 44,700 fewer positions and Syracuse is down 34,600.
These sectors have experienced the biggest job losses from December 2019 to December 2020:
