On a typical day, western New York and New York City may seem like vastly different worlds, but on September 11, terrorist attacks at the heart of New York State's financial and cultural center reminded residents that we are all New Yorkers.

As federal and state agencies were closed, and primary elections postponed, most local governments here made the decision to remain open.

Hamlin Supervisor Austin Warner said he began checking with other town supervisors when he learned that Monroe County was closing its offices. "One of the other supervisors suggested that we can't give in to the terrorists, we can't shut down or they win," Warner said. "So we went with that thought and stayed open." Warner said he told department heads that if an employee felt the need to go home, that would be okay. One Hamlin employee has a son who is a New York City police officer; she was able to verify that her son was safe, Warner said.

The Village of Holley and Town of Sweden remained open Tuesday and conducted their regularly scheduled meetings that night. Supervisor Buddy Lester led an emotional Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of the meeting and called for a moment of silence. The town board meeting was conducted with a television set tuned into disaster coverage.

Parma offices stayed open with a staff member commenting, "We couldn't see playing into the terrorists hands."

The Village of Brockport was one of the few local municipalities to close. Vice Mayor Mort Wexler made the call to close the village offices and send home the department of public works crew following a consultation with vacationing Mayor Josephine Matela. Village Clerk Leslie Morelli said the village's decision was to follow the lead of the county.

Ogden Supervisor Gay Lenhard said she never considered closing the town hall. The emergency preparedness director and police chief remained in contact with her throughout the day, she said. Less business seemed to come into the office, she said, probably because most people not at work stayed home to watch the events develop. "I think it worked out well for our staff to be here, with each other, talking about what was happening, lending each other emotional support."

The Town of Clarendon office was scheduled to be closed Tuesday because of the primary. Voting began at noon and continued for at least half an hour before Town Clerk Susan Klatt received word that the primary was postponed. Voting booths were then closed. Clarendon cancelled its town board meeting for Tuesday evening. Klatt said the board may hold a special meeting to pay bills, then move the rest of the agenda to next month's meeting.

The same thing happened in the Town of Clarkson, which stayed open for regular business, but where voting was underway before officials knew to lock up the machines. Voting machines will likely remain where they are until the primary has been rescheduled.

Local schools stayed open Tuesday. By Wednesday morning Hilton Superintendent John Cooper had recorded a message on the district's phone system stating that the district continued to monitor the situation with the physical and emotional safety of students the focus. His message said the school decided it was best to keep children in school, but that the district was supportive of parents who made the personal decision to take their children home.

Brockport Schools Superintendent James Fallon said the district received hundreds of phone calls from parents, most of whom were glad children were kept in school.

"I would never send the young students home when we couldn't be sure there would be parents there waiting for them," Fallon said. He said some parents did come to the schools and take their children home, and as Cooper said about Hilton, Brockport was supportive of those personal decisions. Counselors are available in most schools for students upset by the events, and schools are counseling parents to talk to their children about the attacks and the fears generated. Most schools canceled all after school activities on Tuesday, but resumed them on Wednesday.

SUNY Brockport closed Tuesday by order of the governor. Spokesperson Karla Merrifield said that meant that classes were canceled and non-essential employees sent home, but all student services remained in operation.

The college is in the process of surveying residence halls to determine the impact of the disaster on Brockport students. A large number of SUNY Brockport students are from the New York City area as are a large number of faculty members. At press time, about a dozen were waiting to hear about loved ones. At least 20 had heard their loved one or someone they knew was presumed lost.

A candlelight service, sponsored by the Brockport Student Government, was held Wednesday evening following an interfaith prayer service at the Newman Center. The college is also helping students who are enlisted in the National Guard to answer the call-up.

As western New Yorkers remained anxious to discover the fates of friends, loved ones and colleagues in New York City, they also seemed to be united in their determination to carry on the work of local government, the education of children, the contribution to relief efforts and support of each other's emotional needs.