The fire hall in East Pembroke has served its department well for more than 80 years. Now, Fire District officials hope the department's next fire hall will serve the community well for another 80 to 100 years.

If there is a new fire hall.

Voters will need to approve the expenditure and tax increase to make it possible, and Fire District Commissioner Bill Lawrence says it's absolutely essential to approve the expenditure if East Pembroke Fire is going to continue to provide essential service to the 100 square miles and 5,500 residents over its coverage area.

The proposed fire hall would sit on land purchased by the district more than a decade ago that is a little bit east of the current location. The building would be 11,128 square feet and cost $3 million.

It would contain not only more room for existing fire trucks, but rooms for hose drying, decontamination and air packs.

"It's by no means a castle," Lawrence said. "It's just a basic building. It's got what we need and stuff that we should have had."

For a district that has traditionally held the line on tax increases, the proposal might make some property owners gulp. The tax assessment would go up from the current $1.10 per $1,000 of assessed value to $1.98.

But that price factors in future inflation, new trucks, ongoing maintenance and other expenses.

"There won't be another tax rate increase for 20 years," Lawrence said.

The district, Lawrence said, has always tried to keep taxes down, even while always paying cash for new trucks and keeping its annual budget at $150,000 or less.

Now the district faces a situation where the fire hall must be replaced, but there's not enough money in the bank to cover all of the costs.

"Our feeling was to let the people keep their money," Lawrence said. "We've been asked, 'why didn't you increase the tax rate right along?' But we felt it was better to let people keep their money."

There will be a public meeting June 18 at St. Mary's to discuss the new fire hall and make the case that the expenditure is critically necessary.

A visit to the fire hall's basement might be the district's most convincing evidence.

The former rec hall for the department sits under three bays that were built in the 1970s. The floor was designed to support only 14,000 pounds. The current trucks occupying those three bays weigh more than 45,000 pounds.

On the advice of an engineer, the rec hall was gutted and support beams were constructed.

The lowest available price from a contractor for the support construction was $30,000. The department was able to reduce the sum with its volunteers and material donated by Ed Arnold Scrap, Jay E. Potter Lumber and Fastenal (top photo).

The 1930s era portion of the structure was designed to support on 8,000 pounds and it currently contains a 12,000-pound rescue truck.

The structural problems with the building came to light after a car struck the fire hall Nov. 15, 2012. Before the accident, replacing the fire hall was on the district's long-term to-do list, but didn't become a matter of urgency until the accident brought code inspectors and engineers to the property who found the structure was insufficient for its current use.

Firefighting has changed a lot since the 1930s. Trucks have gotten bigger and the state has implemented ever more stringent and costly regulations. 

For example, new turnout gear for interior firefighters must be purchased every 10 years, at a cost of $3,500. New air packs must be purchased every 15 years and cost $6,500 each. The state requires all tires on fire trucks be replaced every 10 years, whether the tires are worn or not.

Recently, more and more residents have been putting steel roofs on their homes and barns. That presents a new firefighting challenge because the roofs are harder to access -- especially in frosty or wet whether -- to ventilate a fire (a key firefighting strategy).  

The increase in steel roofs means the district needs to buy a new ladder truck at a cost of $675,000.

"Somebody might ask, why are you going to get ladder truck and it's for that reason," Lawrence said. "We can't take care of these houses and some the barns that are getting these roofs on them. We're being pushed into a lot of stuff where we don't have control. It's depressing because you're losing control and still they're coming out with more regulations."

Lawrence also feels like the companies that supply fire departments with apparatus have the departments in a monopolistic hammerlock, giving them the ability to inflate prices.

Rescue 57 cost $270,000, a price Lawrence said is outrageous.

"It's like a wedding," Lawrence said. "If you're going to go anywhere for a wedding, and they know it's a wedding cake, they know it's a wedding dress, they know it's anything else, it doubles the price. They know it's related to fire, they kick the price up. There's no reason that truck should have cost nearly $300,000. No reason at all."

The current fire hall is owned by the East Pembroke Fire Department and Lawrence said district officials feel it would be better for the district to own the fire hall. Building a new one will give the district the chance to correct that historic anomaly.  

The fire department would then sell the current hall -- which, if you need to know -- is not the same parcel as the mud race pits, so the annual mud races would be unaffected by the sale.  

The department goes out on nearly 300 calls a year and currently has 31 volunteer firefighters. The district projects growth in the area that will mean 400 calls annually by 2034 and the department will need 55 volunteers to operate.

There simply isn't room in the current building to upgrade it enough to accomodate that growth. But even just upgrading the electrical, the structural, the mechanical and making it handicapped accessible (which would be required under federal law) would cost nearly $1 million.

Voters in the Town of Barre recently turned down a new fire hall proposal that was about half the price East Pembroke is seeking, but Lawrence said that vote doesn't concern him much.

"It doesn't make us nervous because we know what we have to have to serve the residents of the district," Lawrence said.

This fire truck arrived at EPFD new in 1934. It's the kind of truck the 1930s era fire hall was built to hold; not the massive engines of today. This truck is still technically operational, but is used for display and parades.

The crumbling cement of the floor of the firehouse as seen from the basement.

File photo from the 2012 accident that made the defects with the current fire hall much more obvious.

A two-car accident is reported at Oak Street and Park Road, Batavia.

An officer on scene reports only a minor leg injury.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

MSNBC: Truck-driving safeguards come into sharper focus

It took the City Council 20 minutes to debate whether the city should reimburse the Business Improvement District $1,900 for flowers.

In the end, the resolution passed 5-4, but not before some sharp words where shared in the council chambers.

Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian looked around the room during the debate and wondered why Don Burkel, BID director wasn't there, "so we could rip his ass."

The request for the reimbursement didn't quite come from Burkel, however, it came from Councilman John Canale, who invited Burkel to submit a request for reimbursement. Canale saw it as a symbolic gesture to show common cause between the City Council and the business community. 

Councilwoman Kathy Briggs said the city already does enough for Downtown. The sidewalks are clean, the medians are beautiful and city crews hang the flower baskets.

"The fact is, we just saw this for the last time in our last packet and I'm like, 'oh, what's this,' " Briggs said. "The fact that a few council people were talking about it beforehand, planning it, then why didn't we know about it in a committee report? Why weren't we told about it. I got it in my packet and I'm like, 'what's this?' They didn't come to us at budget time. If you want this done, come to us and let's talk about it, but for me to find it in my packet and then decide it, no."

Councilman John Deleo also opposed the idea.

“I promised voters I would be financially responsible with their money,” Deleo said, “but flowers don’t rise to that level.” 

“It’s not just about making Downtown pretty,” countered Councilwoman Patty Pacino, “it is about making Downtown attractive to new and existing businesses.”

The BID fronted about $3,900 for the hanging baskets.

"I supported Vibrant Batavia because I wanted to bring pride back to the city," said Councilman Pier Cipollone, who spoke at length about the need to restore pride in Batavia. "If more people have pride they'll have a better feeling about being Downtown."

Also Monday: 

The city spent a total of $10,700 during the last fiscal year defending itself against a lawsuit filed by the City Centre Mall Association.

The figure was obtained by resident John Roach through a Freedom of Information Request. Roach complained that the bills he obtained were not “itemized.”

City Manager Jason Molino countered that Roach only requested a total amount for mall litigation and if an itemized accounting was requested, it could be provided.

The legal services summarized in the 2012-2013 fiscal year were incurred before the city filed a countersuit against the Mall Association earlier this year.

A casket bearing the body of Sgt. Shaina Schmigel, the Batavia native and Medina High School graduate, was escorted through Orleans and Genesee counties today by State Police and the Patriot Guard motorcycle group.

At about 7:30 p.m., the procession reached Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral & Cremation Chapel, on West Main Street Road, where it was greeted by a gathering of family friends and supporters.

In a solemn event, Schmiegel's casket was carried into the funeral home, where it will lie in state until Sgt. Schmigel's funeral at 11 a.m., Wednesday. There will then be a funeral procession to Corfu for burial at noon.

Calling hours for family and friends are tomorrow from 2 to 8 p.m.

Sgt. Schmigel's awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2), Army Good Conduct Medal (2), National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and the Parachutist Badge.

She will be buried with full military honors.

A paratrooper, Sgt. Schmigel died of an as yet undetermined cause during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C.

UPDATE: Very nice coverage of the procession through Medina by Tom Rivers at OrleansHub.com.

Flags have been placed on both sides of West Main Street Road, Town of Batavia, adjacent the Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral & Cremation Chapel, to honor Sgt. Shaina Schmigel, a paratrooper who died during training last week.

Schmigel is a decorated Iraq War veteran.

Born in Batavia, Schmigel went to high school in Medina.

The Patriot Guard escorted her casket into Genesee County and then to Medina. The procession is expected in Batavia around 7:15 p.m.

Rita Towner helped organize an effort to use flags from Redfield Parkway to line West Main Street. She's asking that any residents along the route today and Wednesday (when the funeral procession will travel from Batavia to Corfu) to put out any flags they have in the parkway or along the roadway.

Below is a video from Route 77 in Pembroke that was submitted by a reader.

UPDATE: Also participating in the flag placement: Kathy Owens, Dennis Altman, Spencer Towner, Laura Mullen, Quinton and Michelle Taylor, the Browns, Lynn Conroy and her cousins.

A two-car accident with possible entrapment is reported at Route 237 and Cockram Road. A pole is also involved. Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 2:53 p.m.: Fire police are requested to the scene.

Press release:

Brian Shuknecht, son of Dave and Peggy Shuknecht, was recently burned in an accident and is in Strong Memorial Hospital with an expected stay of three to four weeks. A spaghetti dinner benefit is planned for him from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, at Elba Firemen's Rec Hall, located at 7143 Oak Orchard Road.

With burns covering a large portion of his body, he will be enduring at least five skin-graft surgeries with extensive recorvery time. Plus, the family is still recovering from the effects of Dave being seriously injured at work late last year.

The community would like to help the family defray travel costs and any other costs associated with such an extended hospital stay.

Saturday's benefit will include spaghetti dinner, entertainment, 50/50 raffle, trip raffle, tool box raffle, basket raffle, silent auction, Chinese auction, a wine draw and more!

Cost is $10 adults; $6 under 12; under age 3, free.

Tickets are available at Chap's Elba Diner, M&T Bank, Elba Yellow Goose, Val's Hair & Nail Emporium, Torrey Farms, and the Elba Central School District office.

Call 993-2065 or e-mail shuknechtbenefit@gmail.com

If you would like to help, here are some additional ways to do so:

• Donate a basket for Chinese auction and/or a gift certificate for silent auction -- Contact Kim Perl at 716-474-3879
• Donate a bottle of wine for the wine draw -- Contact Heather Dillon at 813-1632
• Donate cookies, brownies, cupcakes for the dinner's dessert -- Please bring to the Rec Hall by 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 14
• If you can't attend the benefit, stop in Friday night, June 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. and place your chance on a Chinese basket.
• Make a cash donation -- Checks may be made out to Elba Sports Boosters, Inc.

For questions, please call Maureen at 716-560-4925.

Pauline J. Hensel, 61, of Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, leaving the scene of an accident, and refusal to take a breath test. Police officers responded at 6:39 p.m. Saturday to Lewiston Road for the report of an erratic driver involved in a property damage accident. A vehicle was located at 8351 Lewiston Road and Hensel identified herself as the driver, according to Batavia PD. She was arraigned and jailed on $3,000 bail.

Marquis D. Flowers, 22, of Carter Street, Rochester, is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, 3rd. Flowers was arrested by Rochester PD and turned over to Batavia PD on an arrest warrant. Flowers was wanted for alleged unauthorized use of a motor vehicle on May 8 in the City of Batavia. Flowers was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Shane Allen McMurray, 34, of Lancer Court, Depew, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. McMurray was arrested following a report at 8 a.m., Sunday, of a vehicle parked on a residential lawn on Alleghany Road, Alabama, with an apparently intoxicated driver. The complaint was investigated by Deputy Chris Parker. McMurray's BAC was allegedly three times the legal limit.

Justin David Cotter, 22, of Lehigh Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Cotter was stopped at 7:50 a.m. Sunday on Dorman Road, Batavia, by Deputy Bradley Mazur.

Cindy Bush, 52, of Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Bush was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident reported at 10:29 a.m. June 4. She was jailed on cash bail. No further details released.

(Name Redacted Upon Request), 18, of Batavia, and a 17-year-old from Caledonia, are charged with petit larceny. Both are accused of stealing from a location in the Town of Batavia. They were arrested by State Police. No further details released.

Batavia officially became a city on January 1, 1915 after having been an incorporated village since 1823. The transition involved a progression through several steps during 1914. During 2014, I will be acknowledging each of these events 100 years after their occurrence.

On this date 100 years ago, June 9, 1914, Batavians went to the polls to vote in a referendum on the proposed charter that would make Batavia a city. Earlier in the year, there had been two different proposals before the State legislature with one providing for a city government run by a city manager and five nonpartisan councilmen elected at large. That proposal failed to gain sufficient support from assemblymen and senators. So, the proposal now before voters in Batavia was a second one which had passed the Assembly and Senate and had been signed by the Governor. This second proposal featured a mayor, six city wards, and a council person from each ward, all with party affiliations.

Earlier in the year, a straw vote had been taken among Batavians on this second proposal, but many questions had been raised about the voting procedure. While the second proposal seemed to have voter support at that time, there was enough doubt about the matter to warrant voting again. Consequently, when the second proposal was passed by the Assembly and Senate, it had been amended to require a referendum on June 9th. If voters failed to again support the proposal at that time, Batavia would not become a city despite approval by the State legislature.

And so, on June 9th, Batavians once more went to the polls. The turnout was not very high, resulting in only a little more than half of the ballots normally cast in village elections. It was not clear what that might signify and it made some supporters of the second proposal a little nervous.

As it turned out, no one needed to worry. One-thousand and seven ballots were cast, with 795 yeas and 212 nays. Thus, after several years of discussion and debate, Batavia was finally going to become a city. All that remained was to elect the new government in upcoming December elections. Who would be elected to serve? In six months, I will let you know.

Town of Batavia Fire Chief Paul Barrett submitted these photos of yesterday's truck fire on Batavia Elba Town Line Road.

Press release:

Howie Hawkins, Green Party candidate for governor of New York State, will conduct a press conference in Bergen on Thursday, June 19 to be followed by a meet-and-greet with local Green Party members.

The slate of Hawkins, Brian Jones, lieutenant governor, Ramon Jimenez, attorney general and Theresa Portelli, comptroller, was nominated at the recent Green Party state convention in Troy.

Hawkins launches his second bid for NY executive after running against Andrew Cuomo in 2010. Jimenez is also reprising a run for AG.

The Green Party candidates have dubbed their platform, the Green New Deal. Hawkins says he plans to challenge the 1-percent tag team of Cuomo and Republican nominee Astorino on economic, climate change and criminal justice issues. Hawkins also wants NY to go carbon free with a 100-percent clean renewable energy by 2030, while providing a public living wage job to any New Yorker who needs one.

The Greens selected NYC Educator Brian Jones to highlight their opposition to Cuomo's education policies promoting privatization of the education system, including his promotion of the Common Core agenda and charter schools. The Greens are seeking full funding to meet the educational needs of New Yorkers, including free tuition at CUNY and SUNY.

The press conference in Bergen is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the residence of Genesee County Green Party member Chris Barons, 24 Clinton St. A Meet-and-Greet will follow a presentation to local Greens at 4 p.m. The event is open to the public.

New York Times: A Triple Crown Tradition Prevails at Belmont Stakes Despite Sour Grapes

A lawnmower fire near a structure is reported at 5461 Ellicott Street Road. Stafford and Bethany fire departments are responding.

A truck is on fire and it's near a building and fuel pump at 3884 Batavia Elba Town Line Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding. Mutual aid is requested from Elba and Oakfield fire departments.

UPDATE 1:24 p.m.: Town of Batavia command says the cab is fully involved and there are also two waste stations nearby.

UPDATE 1:40 p.m.: Command reports the fire is knocked down.

A hazardous weather outlook has been issued by the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

Low pressure is expected to track across portions of Western New York this afternoon and evening, bringing showers and thunderstorms, and possibly some localized flooding.

The likelihood of widespread hazardous weather is low.

UPDATE: More photos.

A one-vehicle rollover accident with possible entrapment is reported on the westbound Thruway at mile market 391. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. Mercy Flight is available if needed.

UPDATE 12:16 p.m.: Two additional ambulances are called to the scene. Mercy Flight will not be needed.

UPDATE 12:29 p.m.: One patient is being transported to UMMC.

UPDATE 12:34 p.m.: A second patient is being taken to UMMC.

UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: The assignment is back in service.

The lore of the ace is the guy who can take the big game on his shoulders and simply dominate. Once again, Notre Dame's Alec Covel showed he's that kind of guy.

He struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced in today's regional championship game in Jamestown against North Collins. If not for some mental lapses in the 4th -- when the Eagles scored two runs without a hit or even a knock into the outfield -- Covel would have completed the game with a one-hit shutout.

Instead, the Fighting Irish advance to the state championship games at Broome Community College next Saturday with a 9-2 win over the Section VI champs.

"I knew he'd pitch a strong game for us," Head Coach Mike Rapone said. "I didn't know it would be that strong. He was really overpowering.

"He was vintage Covel today, that's for sure," Rapone added. "This is what you expect of a big time player in a big time situation and he came through."

The Eagles looked in over their head against Covel from the start of the game. They couldn't catch up with his fastball, and Covel knew it, and curve after curve caused knees to buckle.

"I was feeling really good (during the first three innings)," Covel said. "Everything was working. They weren't catching them, so I just kept throwing fastballs and blowing it past them."

The fourth inning got a little weird and it became easy to imagine the team that looked so dominate minutes earlier could let things get away from them.

Covel hit the first batter he faced in the 4th. The next hitter drew a walk on four pitches.

Catcher Andrew Mullen tried a pick-off play at first and the ball sailed wide of the bag. First baseman Tyler Stroud snagged the errant throw. The Eagle base runner on second was already half way to third and Stroud tried to make the throw. It skipped past Louis Reynolds and North Collins picked up its first run.

Rapone thought Stroud should have just eaten the ball and let the runner advance.

The second run came on a throwing error by Reynolds (Reynolds did not make the throw) off a grounder from the next North Collins hitter.

"Alec's going to get you out of it," Rapone said. "Instead we threw the ball around and allowed those two guys to score."

With the threat of the wheels coming off and North Collins putting together a big inning, Rapone gathered his team on the mound.

"These guys don't get down, but I was afraid they would get a little rattled," said Rapone, who has more than 600 wins as a basketball coach. "It's a little like a timeout in basketball after the other team goes on a little run. You take a timeout and say 'hey, boys, slow down. We've got this. Relax. Take a deep breath.' "

The team got the message and Mullen ended the inning -- a bit of poetic justice -- with a pick-off at first.

Mullen -- who nearly came out of his shoes trying to hit the ball all the way back to Batavia on his first two swings in his next at bat -- would also help tie the game with a bases loaded single, giving Notre Dame a lead, at 4-2, it wouldn't relinquish.

The Irish were confident they could hit the North Collins starter, who had little velocity. His big side-arm curve was easy to pick up and dropped across the plate in a consistent groove. They hit him hard in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before driving him from the game.

Cal Tygart sparked the Irish offense, leading off in three separate innings and scoring all three times. He was 3-5.

"Cal's been strong for us all year long," Rapone said. "He kind of gets lost in the shuffle with the other guys that we have, but he's really done well for us."

Tygart said it was all about having fun and backing the ace.

"We just needed to give Covel the room he needed to work," Tygart said. "He was pitching really well so we needed to come out and give it our all and give him the room to work with."

Covel finished with 11 strikeouts and only one hit allowed.

The most unusual stat of the game was the eight hit batters on the Notre Dame side. Stroud was hit four times.

Notre Dame's state semi-final championship game will be against Smithtown Christian, from Long Island. The winner of the 10 a.m. game Saturday will advance to the final at 4 p.m. in Binghampton.

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The 63rd Annual St. Joe's Lawn Fete kicked off Friday.

Friday evening St. Joe's Alumni Bugal Corps started the evening by playing a show outside Crossroads House and then played on the carnival grounds.

After their performance, the band Inside Out got things rockin' in the beer tent.

The fun continues today from noon to 11 p.m., with the annual parade at 6:30 p.m. Tomorrow, the fete runs from noon to 6 p.m.

I'll be in Jamestown today to cover Notre Dame in the regional championship baseball game this afternoon. Julia Ferrini will cover the parade for us.  

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