Griffin Della Penna, the voice of the Batavia Muckdogs, interviews Manager Joey Martinez.
Video submitted by the Batavia Muckdogs.
Previously: LIVE: Interview with Batavia Muckdogs Manager Joey Martinez
Town of Batavia Planning Board members concur that details – not conceptual drawings, ideas or generalities – ultimately will determine the course of Brandon Lewis’ request for a special use permit to develop an upscale shooting club, along with other entertainment options, on a 22-acre parcel at 3269 Harloff Rd.
On Tuesday night, planners posed several questions to Lewis, owner of The Firing Pin in Bergen, and Matthew Hume, a Batavia architect who drew up the site plan on property not far from Area 51 Motocross and the New York State Thruway.
Lewis kicked off the Zoom meeting with an overview of his plan and ended it – about 50 minutes later – by agreeing to provide specific information pertaining to hours of operation, the level of target practice, and safety measures prior to an April 20 public hearing on the matter.
It was the second time Lewis appeared before the board. He spoke briefly about the project last month following a presentation of his proposal to the Genesee County Planning Board.
Planning Board Chair Kathleen Jasinski advised Lewis that the board and other town officials have received numerous letters from residents about the plan – with some for it and some against it. She said that safety and noise are two of the major concerns.
Along those lines, planner Paul Marchese said it was imperative that Lewis give board members as many details as possible – the who, what, where, when, why and how – in order for them to make the best decision for the town and its residents.
'Carte blanche' is not an option
“You’re going to have to have some defined tasks – for approval or disapproval,” Marchese said. “We can’t give you a blanket, do what you want out there. From your wide scope events, I wouldn’t feel comfortable just giving you carte blanche approval on something that’s not defined – especially for a special use permit.”
Marchese said Area 51 has a set schedule and there isn’t much latitude when it comes to special use permits.
“I think it’s an interesting concept (but I’m) concerned about continual firearms – it’s pretty loud,” he said, also wanting to know what type of guns will be allowed. “I can understand why the neighbors would be concerned.”
Prior to Marchese’s comments, Lewis touted his “professional approach” to the venture, noting that he and his staff have the qualifications and experience to run a safe and successful shooting range. His plan also includes a small drive-in theater and RV park (primarily for overnight guests) and having the property serve as an event venue for concerts and car shows, for example.
Lewis said he believes that the layout and topography of the land, with its hills and berms, are a good fit for the shooting range, which would serve law enforcement personnel, club members and the general population.
“Another (thing we could provide) would be paintball,” he said. “With 22 acres, the way the land is situated, we could easily run paintball out there with the board’s approval. It’s easy to set up – nothing to construct or build – other than the blow up areas that people use for that type of activity.”
Hours of operation a bone of contention
That all seemed well and good to the board, which turned its focus to shooting days and times as well as noise mitigation after Lewis proposed being open seven days a week – possibly from dawn to dusk.
“We’re looking at a mixed model of operation. We’ll be a private club; the shooting range will be a private club,” Lewis said. “Our intent is Monday through Friday during the work week (and) it will only be open to members. To be a member of the club, you have to take a very extensive safety class. You’ll essentially become an NRA (National Rifle Association) … certified range safety officer, and that covers a lot of information.”
Lewis said he would like to pattern the club after the privately owned Rochester Brooks in Rush.
He said the level of staffing would increase on the weekends, much like The Firing Pin.
“You would come down as a member of the public (with) quicker but still extensive safety briefing to get you up to speed,” he said. “When you’re out on the range shooting – under those circumstances -- there will be a range safety officers present within arm’s reach, monitoring everybody and keeping everybody safe.”
At this point, planner Paul McCullough asked about the normal operating hours.
A later start is a possibility
Lewis said that most people target shoot from dawn to dusk, but he would be open to starting later – maybe at 9 or 10 a.m.
“Depending on the interest and the activities that we’re doing, you’re right, it would probably be dusk – especially obviously in the winter months,” he said. “In the summer, we might push that back on certain nights. Doing trap or skeet, a lot of people work until four or five and couldn’t come out until seven or eight o’clock, and we would cut it off at whatever time is required.”
He did add that he would like to be open at night at different times to accommodate law enforcement and civilians who want to practice shooting with low-level light, using a flashlight or other device.
McCullough said his “concern” was the potential of seven days a week with up to 10 hours a day of potential gunfire.
“I would like to know exactly what days and what hours to inform the neighbors,” he said. “Just the constant noise, I think, will be my issue.”
Lewis said he will clearly define the night shooting, especially in the summer, and hoped to be able to schedule it in connection with Area 51 racing that currently is permitted to 11 p.m.
Noise level can be suppressed
“But that would certainly be limited – maybe twice a month. Another thing, going back to the range design, there’s a lot that you can do to try to keep the sound from property as much as you can with different landscaping and physical sound barriers,” he advised.
“As far the long distance ranges where you would be shooting the bigger firearms, there’s a very interesting technique … of using large tires, suspending them from an A frame and you almost make a suppressor outside out of tires … it knocks out a lot of the noise. We’ll have from various shooting positions with the larger firearms, will essentially be shooting from inside of a structure with sound proofing material that will help soak up a lot of that. We fully understand that noise will be a concern and we want to do what we can to alleviate that.”
Partridge then suggested limiting the hours to 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
“If we go into that route of limiting your hours, how many times a month would you need, let’s say, to dusk -- twice a month?” Partridge said. “I could see allowing it during the weekdays (that) you’re going to go to dusk twice a month or once a month, but that has to be spelled out in your permit.”
Lewis said he would work with town officials to come up with a plan that works for everybody.
Logistically, Lewis said the land will be divided into several “bays,” taking advantage of the artificial hill that was made when Polar Wave tubing occupied the site.
“We’ll be enhancing with some ballistic rubber (that is) perfectly suitable to use on outdoor range,” he said. “It will make it much safer, increases our berm depth, makes it a much more consistent berm that you can shoot into – and it makes it much easier to clean, which is another huge concern of ours. Obviously, the remediation and keeping tabs on the lead to manage the property without hurting the environment (are important).”
He also pointed out the height of the berms (14 to 16 feet) as a positive thing, but acknowledged that having five different ranges – and modifications for competitions – bring about challenges in defining exactly where those target areas will be at various times.
What about existing gun clubs?
After Building Inspector Dan Lang mentioned that there are other shooting ranges in the Town of Batavia, Lewis asked if they were regulated by special use permits or “grandfathered in.”
Lang said the private club on Hopkins Road has been there for quite some time and wasn’t sure of the process used to sanction it.
“Trap shooting is what they focus on, and they also have private membership (with no limits on the type of firearms),” Lang said. “They’ve always had that set schedule, and we haven’t gotten any complaints. It’s gone through that cycle already.
“This being a new proposal, there is a lot more involved with it. Some of the tactical stuff and the training, I think is as important as anything. But would they be considered grandfathered in? Yes.”
Hume added that members of the Hopkins Road club can shoot anytime of the day, and noted that they schedule special events on specific days.
As far as Lewis’ proposal, Hume said that even though they may be open seven days a week, there won’t be shooting for 24 hours.
“Sometimes you get that guy that has a little time during the day … and I think that is what Brandon is trying to provide to his members as well. He doesn’t want to have to say you can only go there on Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m., and that’s it,” Hume said.
The more information, the better
Town Engineer Steve Mountain reiterated the need for Lewis to be “as descriptive as you possibly can at this time on operations and how things are controlled.”
“The concept site plan layout is good but there is so much more information that the planning board is going to need before ultimately making a decision,” Mountain said.
Jasinski then advised Lewis to prepare for the April 20th public hearing, adding that no decision will be made at that meeting although all letters and emails sent to the planning board will be shared at the hearing.
“We will just listen to the comments and we will work as fast as you can get the information to us,” she said.
In the long term, Lewis said he would like to see the shooting range succeed and eventually find “another home for it” as the other uses at the venue take hold.
“I don’t want to say it’s a means to an end (as) the shooting range is where our base is and have the most support. I do see the need for it and certainly believe in it, and I do think the property is very well suited for it. So, I definitely see getting a lot of support from our already established customer base for that use,” he offered. “Again, maybe to help us develop a better one down the road and some of these other uses can really take over and use the property. I’d be completely fine with that.”
Previously: Planners pepper shooting range developer with questions about safety, noise, movie screen glare, berms
Previously: Developer: Outdoor shooting range, drive-in theater will offer 'healthy, family activity'
File photo: Brandon Lewis at The Firing Pin, 2018.
Press release:
Orleans County reporting 10 new positive cases of COVID-19.
Press release:
This is National Public Health Week and this year’s theme is called “Building Bridges to Better Health. ”This is the time to recognize the contribution of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the health of our community.
“Public health has been at the forefront this past year due to the highly visible response of COVID-19,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health).
“However, public health has been promoting, protecting and preventing illness and disease in our communities along with our community partners for many years.”
The GO Health team reminds everyone to take a moment to think about your health and the health of our community. Although COVID-19 has been the primary focus this past year, it is also important to remember to prioritize preventative health measures such as:
It is also important to prioritize your own physical and mental health by:
GO Health hopes that with these reminders, we can work together to build a stronger, healthier community where even though we may be physically distant, we are working together to stay healthy and promoting the health of our community.
“Since it is National Public Health Week, I would like to take the time to thank our GO Health team and community volunteers for their dedication and commitment to our community over the past year,” Pettit said. “We celebrate and recognize you for your perseverance and resilience during such a challenging time in public health.”
Press release:
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) will be traveling to Texas this afternoon for a three-day trip to the Southern border to tour immigration facilities and receive briefings from Border Patrol and local law enforcement.
“We are seeing a growing humanitarian crisis and a surge in criminal activity at our Southern border that is a direct result of President Biden’s reckless policies,” Jacobs said. “The reports we have heard are deeply troubling, so I am traveling with my colleagues to the Southern border to observe the situation firsthand and hear directly from our law enforcement on the ground.”
Jacobs is traveling to the Southern border with seven other members of the House of Representatives, including Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks (IN-03) and Representatives Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), Victoria Spartz (IN-05), Kevin Hern (OK-01), and Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL).
The members will tour Eagle Pass Detention Center and Laughlin Air Force Base as well as the border in both Eagle Pass and Del Rio, Texas. The representatives will also receive briefings from Border Patrol leadership and local law enforcement on current border operations and conditions.
There will be a 13-day electronics recycling event at Ascension Parish in Batavia starting tomorrow, Thursday, April 8, and running through Tuesday, April 20.
The drop-off site is the garage adjacent to the parking lot behind the parish hall, which is located at 17 Sumner St. Signs will be put up to direct you.
Time is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Sunnking Recycling is handling the recycling.
Proceeds will benefit Camp Good Days & Special Times, an organization is working to help improve the quality of life for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer.
Press release:
Officials at Batavia Downs Gaming today (April 7) announced that they will be conducting an in-person job fair inside the Park Place Room this afternoon from 2-6 p.m.
Batavia Downs is looking for servers, dining hosts, cooks, bussers, bartenders, dishwashers, Player’s Club and gaming hosts, event staff, live racing staff, environmental services staff and security staff. Representatives from each department will be on hand to talk to interested applicants.
No experience is necessary for some positions. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Batavia Downs has full- and part-time positions available with benefits.
Human Resources staff will be on hand to answer any questions. If you are unable to attend, resumes can be sent to HR@westernotb.com.
Press release:
Nominations are currently being accepted for this year’s induction class of the Oakfield-Alabama Alumni Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding Oakfield-Alabama Central School District alumni who have achieved distinction in their lives and chosen field after high school through significant contributions to their career, community or through personal achievements.
If you know a person who meets the following criteria, please consider nominating him/her for this prestigious honor:
1. Nominees must be graduates of OACS or one of its predecessors, or have been active in school classes and activities during their senior year. (Nominees who left school while in good standing to perform military service are also eligible. Deceased alumni are not eligible for induction until the fifth anniversary of the year of their death.)
2. Nominees must have graduated prior to 2006.
3. Selection is based on achievement after leaving OACS, which includes a worthy record in more than one, and exemplary achievement in at least one of the following categories:
Anyone may submit a nomination for any person meeting the criteria stated above. Nominations must be made during the nomination period only -- March 1 – May 15th -- by using the Online Nomination Form or the PDF Nomination Form (see link below). Electronically submitted nominations are strongly preferred over mailed-in, hardcopy nominations.
Access the Online Nomination Form here.
Press release:
“The budget the Majority is set to pass this year will increase our state’s spending by about 20 percent over last year’s budget, and it makes me think, has the average New York family increased their spending by that much over the last year?" says Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
"The answer is of course not. While New York families have pared back their spending and lived within their means, our state is poised to increase both spending and taxes in a way that will prove unsustainable, all while giving twice to illegal immigrants what it will distribute to small businesses as aid.
"I am nearly certain that by this time next year the Majority will be talking about the need to further increase our taxes to pay for the increased spending people will come to rely on, which is why I will be voting against this irresponsible budget.”
Press release:
Six Flags Darien Lake, the Thrill Capital of New York, will continue its search for more than 1,500 employees with a first-of-its-kind drive-thru hiring event on Saturday, April 10, and Saturday, April 17.
Applicants should apply online beforehand for positions at the park, waterpark, and hotel and campground and then interview from the comfort and safety of their own cars at the park. Positions require no previous experience with training provided and offer flexible scheduling, competitive wages, and great benefits.
“This innovative new hiring process is a safe and convenient way to connect with job applicants while still providing the familiarity and comfort of a face-to-face interview,” said Six Flags Darien Lake President Chris Thorpe. “We’ll be able to answer questions in-person and make same-day job offers in an easy and inviting format.”
The drive-thru hiring event steps include:
Darien Lake offers new rates for many frontline positions, starting at $12.50 per hour, for employees 14 years old and up.
A variety of positions are available including lifeguards, ride operators, cashiers, front gate ticket takers and sellers as well as positions in Medical Services, Security, Guest Relations, Accommodations, Retail and Food Service.
Six Flags Darien Lake offers great benefits including paid internships, scholarship opportunities, insurance plans, in-park discounts, plus rewards and recognition programs.
A Six Flags seasonal job can be a great option for students, teachers, retirees, or anyone looking for a second job or one that allows them to work around a busy personal schedule. Six Flags also offers unlimited theme park and waterpark admission for employees, free tickets for family and friends, exclusive team member events, and more.
Applicants who are unable to participate in the drive-thru hiring event, may apply online anytime Visit us at https://www.sixflags.com/darienlake/jobs/ for more information.
A pole and wires are down at 13 E. Main St. in the Village of Corfu, in front of Buttercrumbs Bakery. Corfu fire is on scene and mutual aid is requested from East Pembroke fire. Unknown injuries.
UPDATE 9:24 a.m.: The road is shut down by a deputy stationed at routes 33 and 77. Mercy medics are on scene. Command says wires are hanging about 6 feet over the roadway so the roadway is closed to traffic. The power company was contacted and has an ETA of an hour.
UPDATE 9:32 a.m.: The roadway is also closed at Snipery Road and Route 33.
UPDATE 9:35 a.m.: An RG&E rep is on scene now. Tractor-trailers are going to be detoured to Boyce Road, a north/south connector of routes 5 and 33, east of Route 77. Barricades are being put up.
UPDATE 11:10 a.m.: Command reports the barricades will remain in place and the roadway closed/detoured for at least a couple more hours.
UPDATE 12:02 p.m.: Command reports that it is National Grid on scene and they will continue to their work, but a lane will be opened for traffic to resume. The Corfu fire assignment is back in service.
Press release:
Orleans County reporting 11 new positive cases of COVID-19.
City fire was dispatched to a residence on Elm Street for a garbage container fire and it turned out there was extension into the house.
The fire is out.
Firefighters are commencing overhaul.
UPDATE 5:56 p.m.: City fire is clearing the scene.
April is National Poetry Month, and as we did last year, we've asked Batavia Players to read some poems for us. Today, "Pangur Ban" is read by Dorothy Gerhart.
You, members of our community, are also invited to submit videos of yourself reading a poem. Please record your video with your camera set to produce a horizontal frame, keep it steady, well-lit with good quality audio. You can send us your video via wetransfer.com, emailed to: howard@thebatavian.com.
Municipal leaders would be pleasantly surprised if the final New York State budget for 2021-22 includes the restoration of Video Lottery Terminal funding generated from activity at Batavia Downs Gaming.
“If it is indeed true that we will receive the $440,789 that we typically have gotten or even a portion thereof, we could bring back some of the programming we cut in our budget – such as equipment for various departments and overtime for special police details,” City Manager Rachael Tabelski said today.
Tabelski said City Council did not budget for the VLT money, which has become a volatile issue in state budget negotiations – in, then out and then back in again at a reduced amount.
She was reacting to a press release shared by state Sen. Edward Rath III this morning, indicating that the state’s final budget bill includes $800,000 in VLT aid to be split among the city, Town of Batavia and Genesee County.
Rath said that he strongly opposed when the VLT provision originally was left out of the Senate One-House budget.
“Many of our communities are beginning to recover from COVID and the financial implications, to cut their funding at such a critical time would be detrimental,” he said.
Tabelski said she wouldn’t support using VLT money to fund hiring or unfreezing of positions. Instead, she said she would recommend funding police, fire and/or public works positions that were previously unfunded should the state fully restore its Aid and Incentives for Municipalities.
“The AIM payments have been more stable; with the VLT money, we’ve been on a rollercoaster,” she said.
Previous VLT allocations resulted in $200,392 coming to Genesee County and $160,388 coming to the Town of Batavia.
County Manager Matt Landers said he budgeted $160,313 – a 20-percent reduction -- in VLT aid in 2021, but, until recently, was concerned that the county wouldn’t even receive that much.
As far as the Town of Batavia is concerned, Supervisor Gregory Post said the board did not budget for this funding in 2021 because “it has not been reliable.”
“We always were waiting until the last minute (to see if it would be coming),” Post said. “In 2020, when we did budget for it, we received notice that we wouldn’t be receiving it at the expected time.”
Post said the town received part of the VLT funds in 2020 and the rest, minus 5 percent, early in 2021.
He said the $160,388 in unanticipated revenue is “good news” and will help the town “attenuate significant loss in revenue from Genesee County.”
Landers and Tabelski thanked Rath and Assemblyman Stephen Hawley for their efforts to restore the full amount.
“We are grateful to both Senator Rath and Assemblyman Hawley for lobbying for this revenue that benefits the county, city and town greatly,” Landers said.
A spokesperson for Rath moments ago confirmed that the full amount of VLT funding has been put back into the budget, and expected it to be passed over the next several hours.
Press release:
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA will begin providing financial assistance for funeral expenses* incurred after Jan. 20, 2020 for deaths related to coronavirus (COVID-19) to help ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the pandemic.
To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions:
*Please note: If the funeral was prepaid then it is not eligible for these funds.
If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation. Types of information should include:
At Bohm-Calarco-Smith, Burdett & Sanford and H.E. Turner & Co. Inc. we’re dedicated to assisting any community member in this process, regardless of the funeral home they choose to work with. Please contact our office at (585) 344-4295 today to let us support you and your loved ones during this trying time.
An expert in pediatric infectious diseases with Rochester Regional Health is encouraging all young people, 16 years and older, to get vaccinated for COVID-19 but in Genesee County, for 16- and 17-year-olds, getting vaccinated is going to be more difficult.
Of the three vaccines being administered around the state and the nation are from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Only the Pfizer vaccine is approved for 16- and 17-year-olds.
There are no clinics for the Pfizer vaccine planned for Genesee County, which means 16- and 17-year-olds looking to get vaccinated will need to travel Rochester or Buffalo to get the shot in the arm -- twice.
"We are encouraging the 16 and 17-year-olds to sign up for the state-run vaccine sites that provide the Pfizer vaccine which can vaccinate those who are 16 and older," said Nola Goodrich-Kresse, public information officer for the Genesee County Health Department.
There are several state-run clinics in our region, Goodrich-Kresse said. Individuals aged 16 and 17 can check the state site for vaccine locations and check to make sure they are for the Pfizer vaccine.
"Currently, we do not know when or if Pfizer will be provided again locally," Goodrich-Kresse said.
Dr. Cynthia Christy, associate chief of pediatrics for Rochester General Hospital, who spoke to regional media yesterday to encourage young people to get vaccinated, acknowledged that COVID-19 poses little health risk to most young people but said people age 16 and older should consider what it could mean for people around them if they became contagious.
"I would imagine that teenagers do have the sense that nothing is going to impact them and that if they got it, they would be fine," Christy said. "So I think the angle for them is, well, what about your family? What about your grandparents? You probably would be fine if you got it, but this way will prevent you from impacting anyone you love."
For young people, who have been consistently less susceptible to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, the Pfizer vaccine is believed to be 100-percent effective, Christy said, and the side effects are minimal (slightly sore harm, possible low-grade fever).
"As I said before," Christy said, "tell them 'let's bring this pandemic to an end, let's keep me from getting an infection, and let's keep my family and friends safe.' "
Photo: Dr. Cynthia Christy during video conference with regional media.
Press release:
Secure a spot for you and the family for the 18th annual Family Game Night! Spots are still available and with registration closing Friday, make sure you call to register before spots fill up!
The Genesee County Youth Bureau will host the event in celebration of National County Government Month. The event will take place on Thursday, April 29th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at County Building 2, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Family Game Night will be a “Grab 'n’ Go” style event. Families will drive up to the main entrance of County Building 2 and staff will greet them with a family tote that will consist of information about the services provided by the Genesee County Departments as well as prizes and activities.
Each bag will also have snacks, beverages and of course a brand new board game for families to start their own “Family Game Night” at home.
The theme for this year’s County Government Month is “Counties Matter.” Many county residents aren’t aware of the many important services provided by County Government. Each county department will provide information that showcases their roles and responsibilities to our residents.
As we know, counties are on the front lines protecting our communities. Now more than ever, Genesee County residents are seeing firsthand the essential functions counties perform. The county provides critical services to all our residents, beginning at birth and spanning throughout their entire lives.
There is no cost for this event. Adults must be accompanied by a child to receive the board game. Please call the Youth Bureau for more information or to register at 344-3960. Registration is required by April 9th and is only open for the first 30 families to RSVP.
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