In-depth reporting that goes beyond a single meeting. These stories combine transcript analysis, public records, and independent research to provide context on the issues shaping Albion.
After years of struggling with quorum issues that stalled renovation projects, the Albion Village Board voted in February to dissolve the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), shifting oversight of the village’s 65 registered historic structures to the Planning Board and code enforcement officer.
Faced with a crumbling infrastructure first installed generations ago, the Village of Albion is embarking on a series of aggressive water rate increases that will see the average resident’s bill rise by nearly 75% over three years. The move follows a series of tense village board meetings and aims to plug a massive operating deficit while funding a multi-million dollar overhaul of the East Side. With a poverty rate hovering above 23%, the financial burden threatens to strain a community already struggling with economic hardship.
A standing-room-only crowd gathered in Albion on June 11, 2025, to confront a question plaguing upstate New York: Can the village afford to survive? With a poverty rate nearly double the national average and a population in decline, residents are debating dissolution. However, recent history in neighboring Medina and the harsh realities of shared services suggest that dismantling the village government may offer neither the tax relief nor the preservation of identity that residents seek.