Local News
WIND ENERGY: Albion advisory committee to consist of community, planning and zoning board members
ALBION — By adopting a new local law, the Albion Town Board will be able to form advisory committees on an “as need basis,” Supervisor Eugene Christopher said Monday evening.
The first committee formed will look into all aspects of wind energy, from its legalities of it to the aesthetics, said committee member William Coxeter.
“We’re going to look at the whole gamut,” he said. “Aside from that, I really don’t have any comment because we haven’t met yet.”
While the advisory committee will not be in a position to make policies, the members will be bringing issues before the town board during the course of their research, Christopher said.
The Town of Albion reinstated its wind energy moratorium for one year in March. The committee has been given a fall deadline in order to give the board time to make decisions regarding wind farms prior to putting the budget together at the end of the year, according to Christopher.
“We would like to have it wrapped up by September,” he said.
Aside from Coxeter, five other people have been named to the team that will research windmills, including Town Planning Board Chairman Jody Neal, town zoning board member Hugh Dudley, Town Code Enforcement Officer Duane Delamarter and residents Dale Davis and Kathleen Bates.
According to Councilwoman Judith Koehler, the committee should be made up of people with varying views on wind energy and that during a presentation earlier in the year by land use attorney Dan Spitzer of Hodgson Russ had suggested policy setting boards do a survey of the community to find the best people for an advisory committee.
“I don’t want to give the appearance to the community that we’re stacking the committee,” she said.
Koehler said if the town put a few additional people on the ad hoc board it could potentially increase the committee’s credibility as well as bring people out of the woodwork who have not taken on a role in government in the past.
“It might not hurt to run an ad to generate interest,” Councilman Timothy Neilans said.
The board decided that it would begin actively seeking three more people to fill the seats on the committee, bringing the membership to nine people so that there is an odd number for voting purposes within the group.
“My personal feeling is you don’t want to have a lot if you want to be effective as a group,” Dudley said, but was comfortable with the committee consisting of nine individuals.
Contact reporter Miranda Vagg at 798-1400, ext. 2225.
- Local News
-
-
Teens accused of harassing mosque parishioners
Members of the World Sufi Foundation Mosque have experienced harassment in the past, but nothing like what happened earlier this week. The disruption resulted in the arrest of five teens — one of whom is facing criminal charges for allegedly firing a weapon.
-
Dad gets 6 months in child's death
An Orleans County man who pleaded guilty in June to criminally negligent homicide in his daughter’s death was sentenced Monday to serve six months in jail.
-
Teens accused of harassing Carlton mosque
Members of the World Sufi Foundation Mosque have experienced harassment in the past, but nothing like what happened earlier this week. The disruption resulted in the arrest of five teens — one of whom is facing criminal charges for allegedly firing a weapon.
-
Community Action helps children prepare for school
Community Action of Orleans and Genesee completed its annual back to school drive Thursday, helping more than 200 children get supplies.
-
Remembering 9/11
Each year a group gathers in Albion to remember those who lost their lives that September day nine years ago. Holding tributes and candlelight vigils, the Orleans County American Legion has hosted the event to pay tribute to those involved in 9/11.
-
Special gift pushes trust campaign over the top
The Sandstone Trust of Medina has exceeded its 2010 summer campaign goal on the strength of a very special memorial gift which was made public this week. The immediate family of the late Fern J. Blackburn (widow of Paul R. Blackburn) presented a major contribution to the Trust committee in an amount equaling 20 percent of the entire summer campaign goal of $25,000. With this support, the total of summer gifts stands today at approx. $27,000, leaders said.
-
District confirms leave of absence
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Department issued an appearance ticket Aug. 21, requiring a district administrator to appear in Batavia Town Court next month to answer a charge of driving while intoxicated. The Holley Central School District can confirm that the administrator has been on leave since Aug. 3, which includes the alleged time of the incident.
-
Village improves skateboard agreement
The Village of Albion board had good news for skateboarders and Santa Clauses on Wednesday, approving the Town of Albion’s offer to help pay for skate park equipment and offering to assist with the upcoming celebration of legendary Santa Claus Charles Howard.
-
Fifty-six years strong for Camp Rainbow Fund
The Camp Rainbow Fund, which inherited its new name six months ago from the former Journal-Register Camp Fund, continued this summer to do good work on behalf of children in Orleans County. A total of $5,074 was raised from the public to send boys and girls “into the sunshine of Camp Rainbow,” located on Town Line Road in the northern part of Ridgeway.
-
Natale introduces book about spirituality, sexuality
Maintaining a relationship with God can be difficult for anyone who is tempted by the distractions of everyday life — money, sex, addictions. But faith goes deeper than the labels affixed to these indulgences and the churches people go to seeking guidance.
- More Local News Headlines
-
