Secretary of State Mosley gets tour of Medina, touts Hochul’s ‘Affordability Agenda’

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 January 2025 at 8:35 am

Photos courtesy of Secretary of State’s Office

MEDINA – Mayor Margurite Sherman gives a tour of the downtown on Tuesday to Walter Mosley, New York’s secretary of state.

Mosley was in Medina to give a presentation on Kathy Hochul’s “Affordability Agenda” which will be detailed by the governor on Tuesday during the State of State address in Albany.

(Left) Mayor Marguerite Sherman gives Walter Mosley, the secretary of state, a tour of Medina on a frigid Tuesday with temperatures in the low 20s. (Right) Before the tour, Sherman welcomed Mosley to City Hall for his presentation.

The secretary of state toured the village to see how a $4.5 million NY Forward grant will be spent. The program is overseen by the Secretary of State.

The state in May 2024 approved divvying up the $4.5 million for eight projects in Medina.

The projects include:

Transform Canal Basin Park into a Waterfront Gateway – $1,345,000. The parking lot along the Erie Canal will be turned into a “waterfront gateway” complete with green space, seating areas and boater/cyclist amenities.
Expand the Canal Village Farmer’s Market – $675,000. Upgrade the Canal Village Farmer’s market campus by modernizing the existing building, constructing a pole barn for additional vendor space and beautifying the site with green space.
Redevelop the Walsh Hotel – $560,000. Convert the upper floors of the former Walsh Hotel into studio and one-bedroom apartments.
Upgrade the Hart House Hotel – $500,000. Upgrade the Hart House Hotel with new amenities including an enhanced outdoor courtyard space, a gourmet gastropub, a hotel guest lounge, a new front porch and an improved facade.
Develop Arenite Brewing Company on the Canal – $500,000. Create a microbrewery with tasting room and outdoor seating overlooking the canal, complete with a rooftop solar installation.
Rehabilitate the Upper Floor Apartments at 409-413 Main Street – $370,000. Renovate the second floor into a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
Establish a Downtown Small Project Grant Fund – $300,000. Create a pool of funding to support business and property owners with smaller-scale projects like facade improvements, window replacement and other repairs.
Install Downtown Wayfinding Signage – $250,000. Implement a system of directional, informational, and interpretive signage to direct visitors to key locations and destinations throughout downtown.

Mayor Marguerite Sherman introduces Water Mosley, the secretary of state, before his presentation at City hall. He highlighted Hochul’s “Affordability Agenda.” Hochul seeks supplemental payments, tax relief and rebates for homeowners, tuition assistance for students, heating and cooling assistance for seniors as well as expanded access to child care assistance and paid leave for families and pregnant women.