This document is a newspaper article that discusses multiple local news stories from Wayne County, New York. It discusses Lyle Maldoon, a Korean War veteran, taking an Honor Flight trip to Washington D.C. memorials. It profiles the valedictorians and salutatorians from Sodus Central School and Williamson Central School. It also discusses the Wayne County Board meeting, including a report on the Ontario Midland Railroad and opposition to the new IJC Plan 2014 for regulating water levels in Lake Ontario.

1. THE SUN & RECORD, THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014 THE SUN RECORD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2008 1
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6 210941 14589
withThe Wayne County Mail
Sun
Record
The
137th Year - No. 20 Official Wayne County newspaper; serving the communities of Sodus, Williamson, Ontario and Walworth June 26, 2014
Continues on page 2
Continues on page 12
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By Catherine Bonke
Graduation 2014 Top 10 Scholars
Williamson Central SchoolSodus Central School
Lyle with his daughter Shari, who was his Veteran Guardian on the trip. They are posing
in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial.
SODUS POINT - He is a US Army veter-
anthatservedinKoreaintheperiodfrom
1953-1955afterthatcountrywasoverrun
by the North Korean and Chinese armies.
Thispastweekend,some60yearslater,
Lyle Maldoon goes to
D.C. with Honor Flight
ROCHESTER, June 22 - Wayne Central
High School’s commencement was cel-
ebrated on Sunday evening at Frontier
Field. Salutatorian Celia Frieda focused
on life’s lessons. Please turn to our gradu-
ation second section for for the story by
Amanda Klein.
Abigail Cox is the Valedictorian for this
year’s Sodus graduates, with an impres-
sive grade point average of 99.708. The
daughter of Martin and Mary Beth Cox,
Abigail is not only a dedicated student,
but also an avid dancer and performer.
She has been taking dance classes
since she was in 5th grade, participated
intheSodusHighSchoolmusicalsforfour
years and acted as choreographer for the
musicals for three years.
When she isn’t studying or dancing,
Abigail works as a waitress at Orbaker’s.
She is the also the president of SCS Na-
tional Honor Society.
Valedictorian Abigail Cox Valedictorian Anderson LukeSalutatorian Nicholas Boldt Salutatorian Nicholas Vitalone
Graduating WCS with the top ranking
in his class, Anderson Luke achieved a
cumulative grade point average of 98.97
among many other honors during his
high school career. The son of Larry and
Diane Luke, Andy will attend Cornell this
fall to pursue a degree in Chemical Engi-
neering.
Andy has been a three-season athlete
throughout his four years at WCS. He ran
on the Varsity Cross Country team and
acted as captain during his junior and se-
nior years. In addition to his four years
playing Basketball, he was also the cap-
tain during his senior year.
he along with 45 other veterans of World
WarIIandKoreawerehonoredwithavis-
it to the War Memorials in Washington,
D.C. His daughter, Shari Tassone, accom-
panied him as his loyal guardian.
Continues on page 12 Continues on page 3Continues on page 3
The Salutatorian for the Sodus Class of
2014isNicholasBoldt,withagradepoint
averageof 98.960. His favoritesubjects in
high school were Human Anatomy and
Physiology, Physics and Chemistry, all of
which will help him as he pursues a de-
gree in Biomedical Engineering at the
University of Rochester this fall.
Nicholas has been involved in Boy
Scouts for six years, earning his Eagle
Scout Award, acting as Senior Patrol
Leader,aswellastheTroopScribe.Inhigh
school, he was a member of the Science
Club, the Masterminds team and Nation-
al Honor Society. He was the President of
Nicholas Vitalone will be the Salutato-
rian for this year’s graduating class with
a final grade point average of 98.55. He
is not only devoted to academics but car-
ries achievements in many other areas of
the school.
He was the president of his class and
the French club for four years. He was in
National Honor Society, serving as the
President during his senior year and a
member of the Masterminds team. Nick
also participated on the Cross Country
team as well as the Indoor and Outdoor
Track teams for all four years.
June 17 - Last Tuesday, the Interna-
tional Joint Commission (IJC) released the
plan for water level regulation of Lake
Ontario. It professes to address some
concernsintheoldwaterregulationplan,
Plan 1958D, but has raised red lights with
shoreline residents: “Who will pay when
floodwaters rise?”
Plan 2014, the result of 14 years of sci-
entific study, will allow for more natural
variation in water levels.
“We’re in partnership with mother na-
ture,” said a commissioner from the IJC,
during a webinar explaining Plan 2014,
last week. “Nature is the chief partner.”
The IJC, a joint or-
ganization between
the Canadian govern-
ment and the US to
share waterways for
the benefit of both
nations created Plan
2014 to address all
concerns. But, local
officials see other-
wise.
“It’s an absolute
atrocity,” said Supervisor Steve LeRoy
from Sodus, who has vehemently op-
posedthenewplansinceitsintroduction.
“They are mistaken when they think that
they can raise that up higher and expect
Sodus Point to survive.”
IJC Plan 2014:
“It doesn’t hold water!”
Sodus Supervisor
Steve LeRoy

2. THE SUN RECORD, THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014
Happenings around Wayne County
Continues on page 16
At the County LevelBy Linda Stevenson
LYONS, June 17 - The County Board
again met in the Public Safety Building
conferenceroomforitsJunemeetinglast
Tuesday, as the ongoing asbestos abate-
ment/HVAC project continues at the old
Lyons courthouse. The work should be
finished in time for the July committee
and board meetings. Walworth Supervi-
sor Patti Marini was absent.
Jim Verbridge, President CEO of the
Ontario Midland Railroad Corporation,
reported to the board on the current
condition of the railroad: “the best in
fifty years,” he declared. Forty-five miles
of track have been or will be refurbished
in compliance with federal regulations.
Since 2005 over 53,000 ties, 100,000
spikes and tons of stone to raise and up-
grade the track have been installed, at a
cost of over $8 million.
Ontario Midland Railroad is a for-profit
business, owned in part by the county,
supplying services and rail to about 40
customers. The east-west section of the
railroadrunsfromWolcotttotheMonroe
County line, with another north-south
section running from Sodus to Newark.
Primary cargoes include biofuels, fertil-
izers, and foodstuffs.
“It's a service that's used quite exten-
sively by some customers,” Verbridge
said. “It also brings a lot of inquiry about
(commercial) sites that are available
along the rail line.”
Sodus Supervisor Steve LeRoy ques-
tioned the increasing number of auto-
mated drop bar crossings he'd noticed.
“Was that mandated by the state or feds
or something?” LeRoy wanted to know.
Wayne County Board: Train talk!
“We addressed
40 of the crossings
to bring them up to
federal regulations.
Some have auto-
mated dropbars
and lights, some
just high visibil-
ity tape,” Verbridge
answered. “With the increased transport
of crude oil, regulations are being much
moretightlyscutinized,evenontheshort
lines. We just spent two days testing all
the equipment.”
ArcadiaSupervisorDickColacinowon-
dered about OMID's Newark service, and
whether there was some way road salt
couldbeunloadedbythetown'shighway
department,whichissituatednearapor-
tion of the track.
The state bid contract for public enti-
ties specifies truck delivery, Verbridge
explained.
“Seems as though we could save a lot
of money in transportations costs,” Co-
lacino mused.
“We talk to people at the State DOT
all the time but can't seem to get any-
where,” Verbridge lamented. “If that
wording was changed, we could do that.
The bid package is ONLY for truck trans-
portation.”
“Right in Williamson there's a pit
where we unload 10 cars of fertilizer at
a time. It would be perfect for salt – or
theoldstonequarryoffZurichroad...”he
continued. “There are other places that
have rail accessibility, all the way east to
Wolcott... but it's been a dead end in the
past to get that wording changed.”
The Board voted to accept the bids of-
fered for the fifty-three properties sold
by tax deed on June 11. Butler Supervi-
sor Dave Spickerman was the lone neg-
ative vote, stating he didn't agree with
the board's new policy. “Sometimes just
an extra few days can make a difference
whether they can save their house or
not.” Huron Supervisor Laurie Crane ab-
stained, due to a family connection with
one of the buyers.
Three supervisors – Crane, Smith of
Ontario, and Park of Wolcott - voted
“Nay” on a resolution tacked on at the
end of the day to allow Gerald VanHout
and Laurie Valentine to pay the taxes,
interest and penalties plus $5,000 to re-
deem their property located at 1508 Al-
derman Road in Macedon. The property
had originally been included in the Tax
Foreclosure proceeding, a claim was filed
against the county on June 4, and the
above settlement offer was made by the
owners' counsel.
The next Board meeting will be on
Tuesday, July 15 at 9 a.m. in the Super-
visors' Chambers on the 2nd floor of the
old courthouse at 26 Church St., Lyons.
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IJC Plan 2014: “It doesn’t hold water!”From page 1
Plan 1958D strictly controlled water
levels in Lake Ontario through the Saun-
ders Dam. The IJC used water supply re-
cords from 1860-1954 to regulate water
levels for residents on the south shore of
Lake Ontario and it has been the guide
for lake level regulation ever since.
In 2000, the IJC used government
funding to complete the International
Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Study,
addressing the shortcomings of Plan
1958D.
According to the IJC, wetlands sur-
roundingthesouthshorerequireperiods
of high and low water levels to germinate
seeds and avoid invasive species.
Consistent water levels through Plan
1958D have damaged wetland ecosys-
tems.
The IJC expressed that with the natu-
rally changing environment, the statistics
used to guide Plan 1958D are outdated
and will not be able to sustain the im-
pacts of climate change.
Supervisor LeRoy, who describes him-
self as an avid outdoorsman, also stated
thatnaturerunsincyclesandecosystems
can evolve to changing environments.
“Back in 1958 they did change an ecosys-
tem,” he said. “Nature has evolved to the
new order.” Drastically changing
water levels may alter species that have
adaptedandthrivedwiththecurrentwa-
terregulationplan.LeRoyalsostatedthat
the IJC couldn’t be certain that changing
the water levels in these marshlands will
result in the intended impacts.
Williamson also has a dedication to
reducing the carbon footprint. “Who
doesn’t want a healthy environment?”
said Williamson Supervisor Jim Hoffman,
pointing out the solar panels outside of
the Williamson Town Hall. “We’re also
very big on economic fairness.”
Trigger levels for extreme highs and
lowsforthelakehavebeensetintheplan,
but the degree of relief for residents dur-
ing emergencies remains uncertain. The
IJC can only act in anticipation of natural
occurrences like heavy rainfall and can’t
manually change the lake level with ease
and efficiency.
“It’ll devastate the south shore,” said
LeRoy, discussing how towns like Sodus
and Williamson built their residential ar-
eas and economies from the 1958D plan,
which only allowed for a four-foot range
in water levels. LeRoy said that the sew-
age system for Sodus was built with the
assumption of continued water level
regulation. With the chance of flooding,
the sewage system may breach, posing a
health risk to residents.
“On average, extremes in flooding
have occurred every two decades,” said
Supervisor Hoffman. “With this plan,
they will occur every six years.”
Supervisor Hoffman stated that the
problem would not be limited to shore-
line residents. The increased risk for
flooding in these homes will cause their
assessedvaluestodecrease,thuscausing
a decrease in revenue for the town. In or-
der to alleviate the losses, the taxes of all
town residents will increase.
“The idea that we shouldn’t have built
our homes on this plan holds no water
with me,” Hoffman said.
While the IJC recognizes the increase
in damages for Lake Ontario residents in
seawalls, docks and shoreline property,
commissioners stated that with the out-
dated regulation plan, costs would have
been expected in the future. The new
plan allows Lake Ontario residents to
confront inevitable costs sooner.
Increasedfundsareexpectedfromthe
hydropowerdam,thehighestbenefactor
of the plan at $5.26 million, but redistri-
bution is at the discretion of the govern-
ment. Changesforrecreationalboating
are projected to be minimal, but LeRoy
andHoffmanstatedthatlowerwaterlev-
els might limit boating in the Sodus Bay
area, taking away from the tourism that
drives local economy.
However, Plan 2014 is simply a recom-
mendation for the US and Canadian gov-
ernmentstoadopt.TheIJCdoesnothave
any legislative authority.
Hoffman and LeRoy have partnered
with elected officials from Wolcott, Hu-
ron and Ontario to form the Lake Shore
Alliance, speaking with representative
state and federal officials to present op-
positions to the bill. They intend to reach
the highest levels of state legislature to
block the passage of any laws in favor of
this directive.
LeRoy feels it is his duty to prevent dis-
proportionate hardship to the citizens
of Sodus. “When you look at the billions
of dollars that have spent to try to build
communities, why would any legislator
support a plan knowing full well that it
will cause disaster?”
It’s Petition Time Again
The following information is provided by the
Wayne County Democratic Committee as a public
service.
It’s petition time again! Did you ever
wonder why someone arrives at your
door every two years and asks you to
sign a petition designating them as a rep-
resentative for your election district and
state representative? Here is some infor-
mation that may help.
According to state election law which
is based on a participative model of de-
mocracy,thelawspecifieshowmembers
of the public participate in choosing rep-
resentatives within their political party
committee to represent them.
The way this happens is through the
petitioningprocess.Everytwoyearseach
party committee solicits voter signatures
sovoterscandesignatewhotheywantto
represent them in their election district
at the county/town level. Two represen-