Press release:

Renowned ballerina Aesha Ash encourages Byron-Bergen students to dream bigger.

Ballet star Aesha Ash told the hundreds of students at Byron-Bergen Elementary School that when she was growing up in Rochester, “there were no princesses or fairies that looked like me. There were no magical creatures, unicorns or swans that looked like me.”

When she dreamed of being a ballerina, she was told that there were no black ballerinas and that she would never succeed. She dreamed anyway, and she did succeed. She was accepted to the legendary School of American Ballet where she was chosen to join the New York City Ballet when she was 18 — one of the first black dancers in the corps.

How did this world-famous dancer and winner of the National Women’s History Museum's 2016 Women Making History Award, come to be in Byron-Bergen? Fourth-grade teacher Alyson Tardy heard about Ash’s Swan Dreams Project, which was founded in 2011. This project uses powerful imagery to counter negative stereotypes of race and socio-economic background and inspire children to dream bigger.

Tardy thought that Ash’s message would be a great tie-in to the school’s character education program. She invited Ash and coordinated the special visit. Students surprised their visitor with a hallway lined with artwork featuring swans of many shapes and colors.

“The art is so beautiful,” Ash said. “I’m honored that the kids welcomed me this way.”

At the crowded assembly, Ash shared her story with attentive students, beginning with her passion for dance and her determination to become a ballerina.

She explained how she was part of Rochester’s Urban Suburban program, and constantly faced questions and misunderstanding from peers about her background and city neighborhood. Her family was not rich; she told the story of borrowing toe shoes for her first tryout. Even when Ash became a professional ballet dancer, she felt a sense of not belonging, of being different.

“All my life, I’ve fought to change perceptions and dispel myths — for myself, my family and my Rochester community,” she said. “The more that people told me that I couldn’t do something, the more I wanted to do it.”

Ash’s professional dance career lasted 13 years. It included eight years with the NYC Ballet along with performing in the Bejart Ballet in Switzerland and Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, and with many other companies as a freelance artist.

She and her family currently live in California where she is working to make the Swan Dreams Project an afterschool program. She hopes to open a studio where she can teach ballet to children who are not able to afford lessons.

The Swan Dreams Project video she shared with Byron-Bergen students can be found here.

Press release:

Yesterday, Sen. John Bonacic (R-Mount Hope), the head of the New York Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee introduced legislation that would pave the way for sports betting, should the Supreme Court knock down the federal prohibition. 

Western Regional Off Track Betting and Batavia Downs Gaming are perfectly positioned with existing infrastructure to deliver a sports betting platform to our customers in our 15 counties including the cities of Buffalo and Rochester.

As the only municipally owned gaming facility in the state, Batavia Downs Gaming is not only a strong economic driver for Central and Western New York, but it provides critical funding for community development which creates jobs, keeps families safe and helps to offset tax increases for residents.

Since its inception, Batavia Downs Gaming has generated more than $226 million to 17 municipalities and bringing sports betting to our locations will significantly increase these important contributions.

“If we are able to offer sports betting to our customers, we would see more resources flowing directly to our bosses – the millions of New Yorkers who live in the Western Region Off Track Betting counties,” said Henry F. Wojtaszek, president/CEO of Batavia Downs Gaming WROTB. “We’d be able to deliver critical funds to help local law enforcement, first-responders, and help in the fight to keep property tax hikes at bay.

"We want to thank Sen. John Bonacic for his leadership on this important issue. Our delegation in Albany and Governor Cuomo has always stood by our side to get our fair share out of Albany, and we hope it’s no different with sports betting."

Michael Nolan Chief Operating Officer Batavia Downs Gaming/WROTB said: “Operationally with our brick and mortar locations, Batavia Downs Gaming and WROTBC is a natural affiliate to deliver sports wagering to residents of Western and Central New York as we have delivered parimutuel wagering since 1974."

OPEN HOUSE - SATURDAY March 10th! Whether you’re newly retired, considering retiring or just looking for maintenance free living, then Clinton Crossing is the place for you.

Our new homes let you continue living independently with no steps or stairs to climb, plus it’s a relaxing community with friendly neighbors.

All of our 1,200-square-foot homes come complete with two bedroom, one and a half baths, fully equipped kitchen, full size washer and dryer, attached garage, beautiful vinyl deck, ceramic tile and elegant carpets in the living room and bedrooms.

Join us for the open house and see for yourself, all that Clinton Crossings has to offer.

A 16-year-old Le Roy HS student has been charged with making terroristic threats following an incident at the school yesterday where the student threatened to shoot people.

The youth was jailed on $10,000 bail

The Sheriff's Office received a call at 3:15 p.m. yesterday after school officials reported a student had made the threats.

An investigation revealed the male student who was charged was involved in a confrontation with several other students in a hallway and allegedly made the threat during the confrontation.

No weapons were displayed and no weapons were located.

There were no injuries.

The charge is a Class D felony.

From the press release:

The Sheriff's Office commends the school's administration and staff for their quick notification and assistance during the investigation and reminds citizens that we have a 'no tolerance policy' for any violence or threats of violence directed at anyone in or about school.

Le Roy High School presents three performances of "The Little Mermaid" starting tonight.

The current goes up at 6 o'clock and tickets are $10 at the door or available online (click here).

There are also performances at 6 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday.

Yesterday, the cast and crew of 115 students performed twice for students in grades 7 through 12, and grades 1 through 6.

"We hope you will join us in celebrating our amazing hometown talent and enjoy a night of great laughs and fun," said Le Roy Principal Tim McArdle. "This show is going to be so spectacular and, as always, the Pat Patton backdrops take this show to the next level."

Photos by Don Dessert, except bottom photo, by Tim McArdle.

John Kennedy Intermediate School Pasta Fundraiser Community Dinner is ready to go tommorrow night. It will be held at 166 Vine St., Batavia. 

Many local businesses contribute with raffle prizes towards this event including teacher basket themes, too. Each year the chorus group sings songs during each dinner and fun for all ages. All proceeds help defray costs for field trips and other activites.

This is the 27th annual dinner that was started by former retired principal John Murray in January of 1992 after taking over for Angelo Branciforte.

Tickets are available at the door for $7 for adults, $5 students ages 5-12, children 4 and under no charge. Presale savings of $1 if purchased before 3 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) at the main office at the school. There are two seatings at 5 and at 6:30 p.m.  

Pictured from left is teacher Wendy Federico, parent group leader Jana Kesler, and chairperson Christopher Sputore.

Press release:

Oakfield Alabama Central School drama club presents "The Sound of Music" tonight at 7 p.m. with two shows also tomorrow night at 7 and Saturday at noon.

Tickets are Adults $8, students $6 and are available from any cast member or by calling 948-5211, ext. 4515.

Presented through R&H Theatricals.

Any questions contact, Advisor and Director Wendy Bergman at:  wbergman@oahornets.org  

Details are on the school website here.

The leader of the Genesee County Economic Development Center said he is attempting to persuade a company “five times the size of 1366 Technologies” to put its stake in the WNY Science, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park in the Town of Alabama.

“We’ve had five site visits” (with the company),” said Steve Hyde, GCEDC president and chief executive office, this afternoon at the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee meeting, later adding that the business is “five times the size of 1366 as far as investment and jobs go.”

“We will either be the bridesmaid or bride in this deal, and (if the latter) it would change the face of the community,” Hyde said, invoking a nondisclosure agreement. “While 1366 was a start-up, this company is very solid.”

Hyde and GCEDC Board Chairman Paul Battaglia said they were disappointed by the decision of 1366 Technologies, which manufactures solar wafers, to pull out of STAMP – a 1,250-acre, shovel-ready nanotechnologies site developed by the GCEDC.

“It took two years for the announcement that 1366 would be coming and another two years for them to pull the plug on that project,” Battaglia said after Hyde and CFO Lezlie Farrell gave the committee a quick overview of the GCEDC’s financial picture. “It takes a lot of work and effort with no guarantee that we will be successful.”

Hyde said that “fiscal pressures” in the form of decreased funding and a greater workload are “part of the challenges that are hard to overcome.” However, he said he is confident that a deal is in the near future.

“It’s just a matter of when, not if,” he said.

The GCEDC will be coordinating four projects at the STAMP site in the coming months in an effort to achieve what he called the “big house blueprint – big water, big sewer and big electric.”

GCEDC officials reported that the 2018 budget shows $26.9 million in revenue against $27.3 million in expenses, with $1.4 million budgeted for operations and $25.6 million for WNY Stamp.

Hyde said that the shortfall would be covered by annuity streams generated by HP Hood, which has moved into the former Muller Quaker yogurt plant on East Main Street Road.

He bemoaned the fact that financial backing from Genesee County has decreased by 31 percent since 2008 (currently at $193,513 annually) since the agency’s only two sources of funding are project revenues/origination fees and county support.

“The challenge is that we have is that we’ve been in an environment where the body of work has illuminated. The work activity, business development and sales, and workforce development – notably in food, beverage and agriculture – have more than doubled,” he said.

Hyde reported that in 2017, the GCEDC steered 16 projects that resulted in $240 million in pledged capital investment and 288 pledged job creation. Eight of those projects, generating $231 in capital investment, were in the food and beverage/agri-business sector.

For 2018, a key stated GCEDC goal is to secure additional investment to implement STAMP Phase II site and infrastructure development to help make the site globally competitive by better aligning infrastructure readiness timelines with market needs (market-ready/shovel-ready).

In an another development, the Ways & Means Committee engaged in a discussion with Lawley Insurance executives Reggie Dejean and Suzie Ott and County Information Technology Director Steve Zimmer about cyber liability insurance.

Cyber insurance has emerged as a result of increased activity by hackers or other criminals who gain access to a firm’s electronic network. Most notably, but not exclusively, it covers a business' liability for a data breach in which personal and/or confidential information, such as Social Security or credit card numbers, is exposed or stolen.

Zimmer said he didn’t think Genesee County has enough protection in this area.

“Cyber liability insurance would give us the financial resources to bring experts in,” he said, adding that he projected that if all data was lost at the Mental Health department, for example, it would cost up to $3.8 million to rectify the situation.

Currently, he said there are in excess of 700 users -- including volunteer fire department personnel -- on the county’s computer network, which presents the risk of someone opening an infected e-mail or attachment.

Dejean said cyber policies offered by Lawley have limits of $1 million, $2 million or $5 million, and cover data & network liability/third-party liability, web and print content liability, regulatory defense and penalties, cyber extortion (ransomware) and business interruption (loss of income). They also offer the ability to notify up to 250,000 people of a breach.

The committee made no commitment, but did get the figures -- annual premiums of: $21,663 for a $1 million policy; $27,078 for a $2 million policy; $36,061 for a $5 million policy with $100,000 deductible; and $32,818 for a $5 million policy with a $250,000 deductible.

When asked where the money would come from to pay the premium, County Manager Jay Gsell said initially it would come from the county’s self-insurance fund, “but going forward (if people are identified as causing problems) there could be some changes to financing the risk.”

Gsell, responding to a question about how to educate computer users, said he was in favor of formulating a policy, starting with the E-911 board to communicate the responsibilities associated with information technology.

“The education piece has to start sometime soon,” said Ways & Means Chair Marianne Clattenburg.

-- The committee also endorsed a resolution proposing a local law designating the opioid epidemic and its impact on Genesee County a "public nuisance" and to set a course to recover costs incurred by the county in providing related services.

The resolution, in part, states that "as a result of the opioid epidemic, costs related to healthcare, family and social services, criminal justice, addiction and rehabilitation, and many other areas have significantly increased. Many of these costs are paid by the County. The purpose and intent of this Local Law is to allow the County to recover these costs ... whenever practicable, from the responsible party."

A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. March 28 at the Old County Courthouse.

Amy M. Page, 32, of North Road, Scottsville, is charged with felony DWI and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Page was stopped by Le Roy PD on March 4 after a caller, who followed a vehicle on Route 5 from Stafford, reported a vehicle almost hit two vehicles, drove in the wrong lane and went off the road numerous times. Page is accused of driving with a BAC of .18 or greater with three children in the vehicle. She was jailed on $2,500 bail and issued a full stay away order of protection for the children.

Jeffrey Ellinwood, 58, of East Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI and other traffic offenses. Ellinwood was stopped Feb. 26 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD. He is accused of driving with BAC of .18 or greater.

Danielle Derenzo, 53, of Hartshorn Road, Corfu, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, suspended registration, and driving without insurance. Derenzo was stopped Feb. 27 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD.

Chad Giesler, 34, of Barks Road, Caledonia, is charged with DWI, and other traffic offenses. Giesler was stopped March 1 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD.

Phoenix Webb, 18, of County Route 37, Central Square, is charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of marijuana, 4th. During a traffic stop in the the Village of Le Roy on March 3 a police officer smelled the odor of burnt marijuana. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, Webb was found in possession of more than two ounces of marijuana. He was jailed on $500 bail.

Felix Cabreralopez, 65, of Emerson Street, Rochester, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, and uninspected vehicle. Cabreralopez was stopped at 8:51 p.m. Tuesday on South Lake Avenue, Bergen, by Deputy James Stack. He allegedly had his privileges revoked or suspended 10 times on 10 different dates. He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Danielle Renee Tooley, 33, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with bail jumping, 3rd. Tooley is accused of missing a scheduled court appearance.

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. hosted a meeting last week with Genesee County school superintendents, local police officials, local government representatives, along with state representatives Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer, to discuss school safety concerns and the viability of having School Resource officers within each school district.

"School Resource officers can play an important role in our school districts, from helping to resolve conflict to preventing tragedies," said Senator Ranzenhofer.

"I fully support placing these officers in our local school districts, and I have been working to secure state funding to expand School Resource officers in Genesee County and across New York State. I commend Sheriff Sheron for his leadership on this issue, and I will continue to work with him to keep our children safe."

While it was the consensus of most of those in attendance that there should be a School Resource Officer in each school within the county, concerns were expressed of how to fund the position and identifying the source of this funding.

The attendees discussed a variety of possible federal, state and local options and agreed to explore funding sources to offset the cost of the potential School Resource officers.

“I was pleased to meet with Sheriff Sheron, local educators and community stakeholders to discuss how we can increase school safety," said Assemblyman Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia). "The state needs to take action to help our schools become the most secure and comfortable environments they can be.

"We need to look at working with retired law enforcement and veterans in our schools because our children’s safety should be our number one priority.”

Currently, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office has School Resource officers at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership’s (BOCES) Batavia Campus (for the past 15 years) and in the Byron-Bergen Central School District (for the past three years).

Additionally, the Village of Le Roy Police Department provides a School Resource Officer to the Le Roy School District, and the Batavia City School District has security aides within its facilities.

During the meeting, representatives from Genesee Valley Educational Partnership’s (BOCES) Batavia Campus and the Byron-Bergen School District spoke highly about the advantages of having a School Resource Officer.

They explained that it not only provides a safe environment for the students and faculty but also provides for direct interaction and guidance with the students.

Both officials agreed that the benefits of having a School Resource Officer far outweigh the expense associated with the position.

“When we started our SRO Program 15 years ago, the prevailing question was, 'Why?' " said Christopher Hayward, Le Roy Police Chief. “With everything that has happened in the last 15 years, and sadly will continue to happen, the question has to be, ‘Why not?' "

Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch stated, “the City Police Department remains dedicated to the safety and security of all schools within its district. The time has come for the lawmakers in this state to step up and allow school districts to utilize their aid in establishing programs that make sense on a local level.

"This type of flexibility would go a long way to allowing each district in Genesee County to partner with local law enforcement to provide a School Resource Officer.”

Sheriff Sheron stated that it his goal to establish a School Resource Officer in all county schools to ensure the safety and protection of the students and faculty.

“Although the cost associated with placing a School Resource Officer in the schools is significant, I believe the safety and security of our children should be of the utmost precedence,” the sheriff said.

Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputies will be visiting schools on a regular basis and assist during school safety drills. This will aid in familiarizing Deputies with the school’s faculty and students along with the layout and procedures of each school.

Submitted photos. Top photo, Deputy Matt Butler, resource officer for Byron-Bergen, discusses his job with officials.

Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, left, Sheriff William Sheron, right.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley

One Genesee County girls basketball team is advancing to the regional playoffs and for another, its season is over following a pair of Section V consolidation games played Tuesday.

Elba beat Wheatland, 47-38. The Lady Lancers will play for the Far West Region Class D championship Saturday at Rush-Henrietta High School at 3 p.m. against Franklinville of Section VI.

For the Lady Irish of Notre Dame, their season is over after losing the Class C consolidation game (where Class C1's sectional champion plays Class C2's sectional champion for the right to play in the Class C Far West Regional game) to South Seneca, 61-41. For Notre Dame, Margaret Sutherland scored 18 points and Callie McCulley scored 16 points.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins today released the following statement announcing this year’s Congressional Art Competition and encouraging local high school students in New York’s 27th District to participate.

“Each year I am impressed by the talent of the hardworking students across the 27th District as I review their submissions to the Congressional Art Competition,” Congressman Collins said. “This is a unique opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and an exciting chance to have a piece of artwork hanging in the United States Capitol. One of the events I look forward to the most each spring is the reception celebrating the artists and their work.”

Now in its 36th year, the Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students who reside in New York’s 27th Congressional District. Last year there were more than 70 submissions. The winning artist will receive a round trip flight to Washington, D.C., to see their artwork in the U.S. Capitol, where it will be on display for one year.

Submissions are due to either of Congressman Collins’ two district offices no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11. A reception and award ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 14th, at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery, located on the Genesee Community College campus in Batavia. Local high schools have been notified regarding contest rules and submission guidelines.   

Interested students should see their art teacher for details or contact Patrick McKinney from Congressman Collins’ office at (585) 519-4002.

Press release:

While Batavia and Genesee County have long been recognized as one of the top micropolitan regions in the United States, the area received its highest ranking ever as it climbed all the way to number 2 among 575 micropolitans across the country.  The annual rankings are compiled by Site Selection magazine.

Batavia was the only town in New York State to be ranked in the top 40 of micropolitans. It is the 15th consecutive year Batavia and Genesee County have been recognized. The ranking of “Top Micropolitans” is based on cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people which cover at least one county.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment and it once again demonstrates the commitment and collaboration among the public and private sectors to bring new investment and jobs to the region and just as important assisting companies that are already here in expanding and retaining jobs,” said Steve Hyde, president, and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

The GCEDC achieved 16 project “wins” in 2017 that generated approximately $240 million in investment.

Since 2003, the GCEDC has provided similar assistance and incentives for 449 projects which have generated $1.3 billion in capital investment and the creation and/or retention of approximately 4,528 jobs.

Full the full list of rankings, including some commentary about the region’s rise to second place, click here.

Update -- 5:50 p.m. with Judy Hysek's comments

The Batavia Development Corporation Board of Directors this morning approved a $30,000 grant/loan package for Judy Hysek’s EDEN vegan restaurant, the second start-up business at freshLAB in the former JJ Newberry building on Main Street in downtown Batavia.

“Judy’s very distinctly different concept, complete business plan, unwavering pledge to regional ingredient sourcing and commitment to start a restaurant earned her the freshLAB opportunity,” BDC Executive Director Julie Pacatte said.

The restaurant will be situated with Eli Fish Brewing Company, which was the first start-up as the anchor tenant.

The announcement was welcome news to Hysek, who went through a six-month process – starting with the first-ever freshLAB Foodie Challenge in September and followed by a five-month restaurant ownership Boot Camp taught by a variety of respected industry representatives.

“Julie had left me a voicemail saying I was selected and I think I started shaking a little when I was listening to it,” said Hysek, who noted that her husband, Chris, and she have been wanting to start something of their own for the past three or four years. “I’m honestly very honored to have been selected as all of the other contestants are very talented and hard-working.”

BDC officials will be approving a third business for the space, with an anticipated announcement in the coming weeks and opening expected in May.

Pacatte said that dozens of community volunteers participated throughout the process, which also involved more tastings, menu critiques and business plan evaluations.

“A local selection committee reviewed freshLAB expectations along with all related experiences, scoring, feedback and business plan presentations to determine that Judy’s EDEN vegan restaurant was a great fit for our freshLAB restaurant incubator,” she said.

Hysek said that she had been running a small nonprofit gift shop in Rochester for a few years and when they moved back to Batavia, they wanted to do something here.

“We took a small business class at GCC and met Barb Shine last year. She mentioned the freshLab back then and we thought it might be a possibility,” she said.

“Then a few months later we took a tour of the Harvester building and met Julie Pacatte, who also encouraged us to look into the Foodie Challenge for the freshLab space. So we gave it a shot, received some really great feedback and a ton of encouragement and support, and here we are.”

Hysek said the menu features “Not Dogs” made from marinated and grilled carrots that take on the taste of their toppings.

“It’s a much lighter alternative to a regular hot dog and these don’t leave you feeling bogged down,” she said. “My favorite toppings are spicy brown mustard and carmelized onions, but we’ll have a lot of other toppings for customers to choose from as well.”

She said other choices include “great tasting bar food” such as poutine, cauliflower wings and nachos, as well as house-made cheeses, weekly and seasonal specials, a couple of dessert choices, house made Kombucha, lemonades, and fresh pressed juices.

The entire menu is vegan (no animal products).

The tentative timeline for EDEN begins this month with the purchase of specialty equipment, BDC-sponsored training with Chef Tracy prior to opening and the café set-up, with tentative opening and ribbon cutting on April 22 (Earth Day).

Hysek said her family, including her husband, father and brother, are very supportive. She said she plans to be open noon to 9 p.m. every day except Tuesday to start and take it from there. Her goal, after 18 to 24 months at freshLAB, is to move into a more permanent space in Batavia and further expand the menu.

Eli Fish Brewing Company opened for business this week.

Press release:

Genesee Amateur Hockey Association is holding its Beginner Timbits Cross-Ice Jamboree at the Falleti Ice Rink from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. this Saturday. March 10^th.

The “draft” has occurred and teams are set. Stop down and see these mighty little hockey players in action.

Please stop into Tim Hortons for a beverage and treats to thank them for the sponsorship of the Timbits Beginner Program.

Press release:

The Genesee County Interagency Council is pleased to announce the offering of two $1,000 scholarship for the Fall 2018-2019 semester.

Those eligible will be a high school senior living in and attending high school in Genesee County and a student living in Genesee County and attending Genesee Community College; in good academic standing, and majoring in Human Services, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology. 

Because the goal of this scholarship is to support those students who have a strong drive to contribute to the field of Human Services, special consideration will be given to those students who have already demonstrated a commitment to the field through their employment, volunteer, academic or extracurricular pursuits. 

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, May 1. The awardee will be notified by June 1; and presented at the council's June 20^th picnic meeting.

Applications are available from students’ high school counselors and from the Human Services program at GCC. Potential applicants are also welcome to email Amy Swanson, scholarship committee chairwoman at Amy.Swanson@co.genesee.ny.us

The council looks forward to having the opportunity to support a Genesee County high school and community college student in their pursuit of a degree in the field of Human Services.

Armed with $1.6 billion in green bonds earmarked for the Finger Lakes Region and the worldwide emergence of combined heat and power technologies, a representative of a Georgia-based green community development firm encouraged Town of Batavia officials tonight to consider contracting with his company on a large-scale energy-efficient complex.  

“Your investment is the land. We can start with 10 acres and if you have more and can develop more, we will develop more,” said Christopher Wilson of Rochester, NE business development president for Waste to Energy Inc., as he spoke to Town Planning Board and Town Board members at Town Hall on West Main Street Road.

Wilson, in his presentation and question-and-answer period that followed, said the Batavia area – situated between two metropolitan cities – is a prime location for a green development, one void of gasoline-powered automobiles and energy sources that create harmful emissions.

That, he said, is where Waste to Energy Inc. comes in.

Through the use of CHP machines of varying sizes and capacities, Waste to Energy has the ability to “take municipal waste and power it, and then take the by-products to make building materials and create jobs,” Wilson said, noting that CHPs are used at United Memorial Medical Center, the former Genesee County Nursing Home and at O-At-Ka Milk Products.

“It’s called an Eco-Center … where people can work, play, live and enjoy the surrounding area and its environment,” he said. “The catch phrase is ‘immersion’ – where technology and nature come together to make a greener tomorrow today.”

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy website, combine heat and power (CHP) systems, also known as cogeneration, generate electricity and useful thermal energy in a single, integrated system.

Heat that is normally wasted in conventional power generation is recovered as useful energy, which avoids the losses that would be incurred from separate generation of heat and power. While the conventional method has a typical combined efficiency of 45 percent, CHP systems can operate at levels as high as 80 percent.

Waste to Energy is setting up pilot programs – in Maryland, South Carolina and (in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency) in Puerto Rico and California, Wilson said. He said should the Town of Batavia contract with his company it would be the first in this area.

Wilson said an Eco-Center could consist of all or a combination of housing, retail, manufacturing, entertainment and educational entities, and would produce high-paying jobs where even “the guy that mops the floor will make $18 an hour with benefits and a 401K.”

He said an eco-center seamlessly weaves park land, housing, restaurants and comfort in a setting that “promotes local entrepreneurship and local development.”

“I know that we have a problem in Rochester with keeping our millennials. How do we keep them here?” he said. “Give them opportunities right here in Batavia and maybe they will look inward instead of outward.”

Wilson said his company has investors already set up to buy green bonds, and that its concept is “already 45 percent pre-sold, no matter where we put it.”

He said that Waste to Energy -- after receiving the land commitment from a municipality and direction on what the community desires in development -- oversees the site’s construction and manages its workforce and income-producing tenants – both commercial and residential as warranted. He also noted that the complex doesn’t need to accept waste from other sites to survive, adding that the facility can be “self-sustaining.”

Planners said they liked the idea, but were unconvinced in light of all the promises being made by Wilson.

“Conceptually, it sounds real cool, but there’s got to be some kind of catch here,” Paul Marchese said. “The money (to pay for it) has got to come from somewhere. It has to make financial sense for your investors … I need to understand the whole nine yards, and where the dollars are coming from. I don’t want to be involved in something that may be an albatross in 20 years.”

Wilson countered by saying his company has done its homework over the past 10 years, lining up financial partners and investors that believe in the business model.

“Let’s say this guy (Wilson) was actually telling the truth this time,” he said. “This is a joint venture. We need a commitment from you; we will draft a contract and come up with a plan together.”

Town Engineer Steve Mountain said that the Town already conducted a study – called Townville – which incorporates progressive zoning, design and green energy practices – and said he could forward that on to Wilson.

The Townville concept is currently 10 acres, but could be expanded to 100 or 200 acres and include 100 housing units.

“With your plan and using our technology, now your abilities have been expanded exponentially,” Wilson offered.

Wilson said it would take a year to build the development, with his company expecting to "be profitable by the 24th month."

Town officials said they plan to discuss the proposal further.

Photos at top -- Christopher Wilson of Waste to Energy Inc.; Town planners Lou Paganello and Jonathan Long and Town Board Member Patti Michalak look at Eco-Center design; large CHP or cogeneration system. Photos by Mike Pettinella.