Potentially coming soon to DeWitt Recreation Area on Cedar Street in Batavia is a kayak rental kiosk, shown here in Havelock, NC, installed by Rent.Fun LLC, a company being considered by Genesee County. Photo from Rent.Fun website.
If you don’t think there’s fun to be had in Batavia, then look no further than the name of a company being considered for DeWitt Recreation Area on Cedar Street.
Genesee County legislators that make up the Public Service Committee reviewed a move Monday to obtain Rent.Fun LLC to set up a self-service kayak rental kiosk at DeWitt. Kayaking was identified in the county’s comprehensive recreation plan as a “need to be made available to the community.”
Genesee County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens and the deputy superintendent recommended that the committee approve the proposal for the county to enter into an agreement with Rent.Fun, LLC, located in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“There would be four (kayaks) available to rent from spring to fall,” Hens said to The Batavian. “The financial model is that the county would pay itself back on the investment, but we are looking at this as an opportunity to provide a recreational service to the community that also generates residual income and requires no county maintenance.”
The agreement would be for a period of five years, at a total cost of $16,000 for the installation and activation of smart lockers, fully equipped with kayaks/lifejackets and locker signage. Kayak users would then pay a rental fee through use of the kiosk that would go back to the county.
This park amenity expense will come out of the Capital Project DeWitt Improvements Phase IV, with $6,000 of this cost offset by a donation from the Association for the Conservation of Recreational and Natural Spaces (ACORNS), for a total cost of $10,000 to the county.
A final vote will go before the county Legislature in the next couple of weeks.
“If approved, the kayaks will be in place by mid-June,” Hens said.
In 2020-21, the county’s Chamber of Commerce Batavia Rotary Club and Youth Bureau worked together to put a $6,000 grant toward a new kayak launch at DeWitt and purchase kayaks for the Youth Bureau.
Even when I was a little kid I was interested in sports. As early as 5 or 6 years old I was keeping a scrapbook of players from Notre Dame University football. In a previous story, I detailed my dream of someday playing quarterback for the Fighting Irish, but that blew up very quickly, along with my football “career” the first week of freshman year at Notre Dame High School (The Extremely Brief Football Career of a Batavia Boy 12/29/2018).
The memory is a strange thing, but I distinctly recall watching the Cotton Bowl football game in 1954 when I was 7 years old. It stands out because in the game a player from Rice University was running for a touchdown when an opponent from Alabama who was sitting on the bench ran on the field and tackled him.
In October 1956, when I was 9, I remember watching the entire baseball game (in black and white, of course) when Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitched a perfect game in the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers ( I was rooting for the Dodgers though).
In October 1957, my favorite baseball team, the Milwaukee Braves, won the World Series beating the Yankees in seven games. Weekday games back then were in the afternoon (men would go to the games wearing suits!), and unbelievably and forever endearingly, my mom let me stay home “sick” from school one day to watch. I got bragging rights over my friend Charlie who was a Yankees fan, and I now have a pretty impressive collection of '57 Braves memorabilia, including signed balls from the team's four Hall of Famers – Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn, Eddie Matthews, and Red Schoendienst.
In November 1957, I delighted in viewing Notre Dame University, which was a 19-point underdog, end Oklahoma's 47-game winning football streak by upsetting the Sooners 7-0.
I mention these sports events not to brag about my memory (somehow, my brain has blocked out my entire year of kindergarten at Washington School), but to illustrate how focused I could be on athletics at my very young age.
Neighborhood Games
As far as playing sports, that was limited to the neighborhood and parks with my friends. There were no Pop Warner or Vince Lombardi youth football leagues then. (Lombardi was not even a head coach until 1959.) I did have my own helmet, though ( A Batavia Boy's Favorite Childhood Possession Was His Red Football Helmet 10/7/2018).
Sliding, Dave Reilly, tagging out, brother Dan Reilly, and making the safe sign, Charlie Mancuso.
Pretty much the only organized sport with leagues for young kids then was Little League Baseball. But, I was too shy and lacked the confidence to sign up and/or try out. My friends and I would sometimes play at the Little League field on State Street by MacArthur (now Dwyer) Stadium. But, we would play there on the weekday afternoons when no one was around. In the evenings and on weekends, the teams with the uniforms and coaches would take over.
I can't recall anyone in my neighborhoods (first Thomas and Ellicott Avenues, then North Spruce Street) having a basketball hoop in their driveway where we could play that sport. We had a gym at St. Mary's School, but I don't remember the school being in a CYO league or if they were, once again, I was too shy to join.
The first time I even played basketball was in 7th or 8th grade in St. Mary's School gym class. A classmate, Mike Woodward (whose family owned and still runs the Alabama Hotel Restaurant), encouraged me by saying, “ Reilly! You're the tallest kid in the class! You gotta play.” He even took me aside and showed me how to make a layup. But as I got toward high school, I had played very little.
Heading To High School
My freshman year at Notre Dame, I was too crushed by my football debacle to even think of trying any other sport. It was all I could handle just to try to get through algebra and Latin. Veni ,Vidi, Deficere.
As sophomore year became imminent, some of my friends decided to join the cross-country team. Even though I had never done any distance running, this choice seemed feasible to me because I could be with my buddies, everybody automatically made the team, and you wouldn't get your brains beat in.
I really don't remember anything about that season as far as meets, or team record goes. I did discover that I was only a fair runner and never finished in the top 5 to get points, but I enjoyed the exercise and camaraderie of being on a team.
Some of us had to learn the hard way, though, that cross-country running took dedication and commitment. When we first started, our practice route was to jog from the athletic field down Union Street to Oak and then go around the Veterans Hospital Grounds by way of Park Road to Richmond Avenue and back to school. Being high school kids and thinking we were smarter than the coach, some of us would cut through an Oak Street back yard, climb the hospital fence, wait in the woods a while to equal the time, and then cut through to Richmond and finish.
It only took the coach a few days to figure out that we were coming back not out of breath and hardly sweating, so something was amiss. After many extra laps around the field in his plain sight, we learned our lesson, as always - the hard way. Fortunately, the more devoted and capable members of the team had not gone along with our deception anyway.
Harrier History
I continued as a cross-country team member through my junior and senior years and earned a school letter in both years. Starting in 11th grade, we had a new coach, Pete Corbelli, whose day job was being a U. S. mail carrier, and what he delivered and put his stamp on the team was a mix of seriousness combined with fun. Our practices switched to the State (now Centennial) Park, which was about half a mile east on Richmond Avenue. This had three advantages: it was a good warm-up exercise to jog there and back to start and end practice, it had hilly terrain more similar to where our meets would take place, and we were mostly in view of the coach, so there would be no shenanigans.
Our local meets were run at Terry Hills Golf Course on Clinton Street Road. Most of our away races took place at Delaware Park in downtown Buffalo. Back then, Notre Dame, being part of the Diocese of Buffalo, participated mostly in leagues with teams located in Buffalo or to its west. Some of our opponents were St. Mary's of Lancaster, Our Lady of Victory, St. Francis of Athol Springs, Father Baker, Cardinal Mindszenty of Dunkirk, and Saint Mary's School for the Deaf in Buffalo.
We had a good team in my junior and senior years, with some of my classmates earning most of our meet points. Dan Martin, Mike Palloni and Jim Heatherman were the stalwarts, with Ron Hermance and Mike's younger brother John pitching in too. In junior year, our record was 5-3, and we finished fifth out of 13 schools in the All-Catholic meet. Senior year our team went 5-2 and ranked sixth among 18 in the year-ending championships. I say “our,” realizing that my contribution was more of being a good team member and providing laughs on the bus and at practice more than actually earning any points. Coach Pete's assessment of my running skills was, “Reilly, you run like a horse!” and he didn't mean a thoroughbred. More like a Clydesdale pulling a beer wagon.
(To Be Continued: in a future edition, I will detail my high school forays into basketball and track or “Getting Splinters and Eating Cinders.”)
According to the 2023 County Health Rankings, released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI), Genesee and Orleans Counties rank 42nd and 55th, respectively in overall Health Outcomes. The Rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
“Each year, we look at the County Health Rankings to get an overview of our health and factors that influence our health,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments(GO Health). “The county with the lowest score (best health) gets a rank of #1 for that state, and the county with the highest score (worst health) is assigned a rank corresponding to the number of total counties ranked in each state. New York State has 62 counties.”
According to the Rankings, the five healthiest counties in New York State starting with the most healthy are Putnam, followed by Saratoga, Nassau, Rockland and Tompkins. The five counties with the poorest health, starting with the least healthy are Bronx, Cattaraugus, Sullivan, Chemung, and Montgomery. The rankings are broken into two main categories, Health Outcomes, which include length of life and quality of life, and Health Factors, which include health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment. The 2023 County Health Rankings findings for Genesee and Orleans Counties are:
Genesee County
Ranked 42/62 in Health Outcomes compared to 38/62 counties in 2022
Ranked 22/62 in Health Factors compared to 16/62 counties in 2022
Orleans County
Ranked 55/62 in Health Outcomes compared to 54/62 counties in 2022
Ranked 57/62 in Health Factors compared to 55/62 counties in 2022
“As Chief Health Strategists, we collaborate with our partners and community members to provide quality training, education and referrals as well as develop coalitions to explore the best way to help our county residents thrive and improve health factors,” stated Pettit.
As referenced below, both Genesee and Orleans Counties have health factors that could be improved, specifically with local access to physicians, mental health providers and dentists, along with excessive drinking, adult obesity, and adult smoking. Access to care significantly impacts and drives the rankings for both counties. Additionally, it is a substantial barrier for residents and, ultimately, has an impact on not only an individual’s physical, social and mental health, but their overall quality of life.
Genesee County/Orleans County/New York State
Primary Care Physicians to Patient Ratio
3,350:1/13,330:1/1,170:1
Mental Health Providers
570:1/1,610:1/300:1
Dentists
2,750:1/4,470:1/1,220:1
Excessive Drinking
23%/21%/18%
Adult Obesity
29%/34%/27%
Adult Smoking
18%/21%/12%
This year, the focus area of the Rankings was the connection between civic health and the health of the community. The factors that were added included Voter Turnout (Genesee at 64.3%; Orleans at 56.9%) and Census Participation (Genesee at 64.3%; Orleans at 54.0%). Voting and participating in the U.S. census are both examples of civic participation, which can help influence residents’ quality of life and help improve the health of our community.
The Rankings have become an important tool for communities that want to improve health for all. Working collaboratively with community partners in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties (GOW), Genesee and Orleans counties have completed the GOW 2022-2024 Community Health Assessment and are working on the chosen priorities in the Community Health Improvement Plan over the next three years. We analyze the Rankings along with New York State data and community input from the Community Health Assessment survey and Community Conversations to determine these priorities.
For the 2022-2024 Community Health Improvement Plan, preventing chronic disease, promoting well-being, and preventing mental and substance use disorders were selected as the priority areas that will be the focus moving forward.
For more information on Health Department programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:
Byron-Bergen Senior Kendall Phillips signs letter of intent with parents and brother as witnesses.
Press Release:
Byron-Bergen Central School District proudly announces that on Tuesday, May 9, senior Kendall Phillips signed a letter of intent to attend SUNY Brockport as a member of its softball team. At SUNY Brockport, Phillips plans to study Childhood Inclusive Education. Her commitment to SUNY Brockport was witnessed by her parents and brother.
Phillips is a six-year Varsity Softball player, a three-time Genesee Region All-Star, and was named 5th team Class C All-State. In 2022, she was entered into the NYSPHSAA and Section V record book for 20 strikeouts in one game.
In the 2022 season, Phillips had a .583 batting average and pitched 84 innings with 159 strikeouts. She also did not give up a walk in the first 67 batters faced. So far in the 2023 season, she holds a .410 batting average and has pitched 61 innings with 124 strikeouts.
“I am extremely happy for Kendall Phillips and her prospects for the future,” said Byron-Bergen Athletic Director Rich Hannan. “She is a fantastic example of what a student athlete should be. She is a great softball player and an even better person. She works extremely hard for her academic and athletic success. I know she will do great things at SUNY Brockport both in the classroom and on the softball field. We are all proud of Kendall and wish her the best of luck in the future!”
In addition to softball, Philipps is Student Council Senior Class President, a member of National Honor Society, Scholastic Bowl, Varsity Club, Yearbook Club, and is Steppin’ Up Club President. She volunteers at the Elementary School in kindergarten daily. She participates in soccer, basketball, and softball where she earned all-star status in basketball for 1 year and softball for 3 years. She has also been a captain of each sport for multiple years. The travel softball teams she participates on include Edge and Smash It Sports.
“I would like to thank my parents for always supporting me and pushing me to be my best as well as all of my coaches who have helped me become the player and person I am today,” said Phillips. “Without their encouragement and support, I couldn't have earned valedictorian honors and furthered my academic and athletic career at SUNY Brockport.”
Dewey Avenue from Birchwood Apartments to South Main Street, Madison Avenue, Orleans Avenue, and Adams Street will experience construction delays and lane reductions for the cold milling of the pavement on Wednesday, May 17 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
All residents on these streets are asked not to park on the roadway during the day and either park in their driveways or neighboring streets. All area motorists are asked to avoid these streets if possible.
Portions of this work are weather dependent and delays may occur.
Please plan accordingly; thank you for your cooperation in advance.
Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith during a past budget meeting. School boards have put in the work for the 2023-24 budgets, now it's time for district residents to cast your votes. File Photo by Howard Owens.
Millions of dollars are on the line in all eight Genesee County public school districts this week as district residents will be asked to vote for 2023-24 budgets, related tax levies, school board member candidates, and other propositions for capital or other designated reserves and purchases of equipment, school buses, security systems, or additional personnel.
Each district’s budget and propositions are listed below, per each district's website, along with hours for the vote on Tuesday.
Alexander Central School: District residents will be asked to vote on:
Proposition 1 of the total budget, $20,847,995.
Proposition 2 of bus purchases for two 64-passenger buses $338,425, and one traverse (small vehicle) $37,700.
Proposition 3 of equipment purchases of a mower-ventrac $63,800; a truck (plow blade - dump body) $67,9l9; and two wide view printers $8,900.
Proposition 4 seeks to establish a capital reserve of $975,000.
Proposition 5 seeks to establish a bus reserve of $5OO,OOO.
Other parts of the budget include selling a Suburban, plow truck, lawn mower, and two buses; a capital outlay of $100,000; and a security/warning system for $350,000.
Hours: 1 to 8 p.m. in Room 112 of the Middle-High School
Batavia City School District This year's budget is about $4 million more than this past year, with a correlating 1 percent tax levy increase. Superintendent Jason Smith previously gave his rationale for shoring up now in anticipation of what's down the road.
“For context, our allowable tax cap is 8.42 percent, and the preliminary budget presented last week had just over a 3 percent levy increase. Based on Board feedback, the proposed levy has now been reduced to just over 1 percent. There were a few factors driving this decision. First, this budget calls for the addition of three school buses from our transportation contractor, which, if drivers can be hired, will reduce the time for our students (to be) on buses, which has been a source of community and family concerns and one which we have listened to,” Smith said. “Second, our transportation contract will not be renewed at the end of next year, which means the entire contract is up for renewal and is subject to price increases. We also fully expect the state mandate of electric buses and the related costs with this requirement to be passed down to districts by our future transportation contractor, further increasing costs. The District needs to plan carefully both now and for the future for these increased costs.”
“Additionally, we expect our tax cap for the 2024-25 budget to be negative, which would yield a tax decrease and reduced revenue, and the Board and I are not interested in asking our voters to override the tax cap, which would require a 60 percent approval of voters, as opposed to a simple majority,” he said. “Seeking a just over 1 percent levy increase for the 23-24 budget will provide revenue for both the current and future needs of the district.
District residents will be asked to vote on:
Proposition 1 of the total budget of $58.9 million.
Proposition 2 seeks to establish a new capital reserve of $10 million for 10 years.
Proposition 3 seeks to continue having a student ex-officio member on the board.
Election of two Board of Education members to fill two seats, with incumbents Alice Benedict and Barbara Bowman running.
Byron Bergen Central School District residents are asked to vote on:
Proposition 1 2023-24Proposed Budget For the purpose ofadopting a budgetof$25,972,402 for the 2023-24 school year, which includesa1.76 percent increase in expenditures anda 0.44 percent increasein the2023-24 tax levy.
Thebudgetwasbalanced utilizinga 2.5 percent increase inStateAid, a 0.44% increase in the tax levy, and interest income asaresultof increased interestrates, school reserves and fundbalance.
Proposition 2 BusPurchase Proposition to authorize the purchase of two minibusses and three minivans at a total cost not to exceed $283,421. The estimated average cost for thebus proposition isless than $2.00 per year on a house valued at $100,000.
Proposition 3To authorize the creationofanew CapitalReserveFund–2023 and to dissolve theold CapitalReserve–2019.Allmonies in theold Capital Reserve-2019willbe transferred into thenewCapital ReserveFund-2023.
InOctober2021, Districtvotersauthorizedthe2021 CapitalProjectand the use of $2millioninthe Capital Reserve-2019 to be used towardsthe cost of the2021CapitalProject. With this approval, going forward,the Capital Reserve-2019 canno longer befunded withany excessmoniesremaining at theendofeachschool yearforfuture capital projects.
Inorder tostart savingexcessmoniesfor a capital project infutureyears, we areasking the voterstoapprove the creationofa new Capital Reservefundtitled“Capital ReserveFund-2023”. The lifeof this reserveis15 yearsandthe reserve cannot be fundedmorethan$4 million overthatsametimeframe.One futurepotential useof sucha capitalreservemay be to purchase andinstall infrastructure to meetthe NYS-mandated zero-emission vehicle requirement.
Proposition 4To authorize the creationofaTechnology and Equipment Reserve–2023
Afewyears ago, theDistrictreceivedand usedSMART Bondmoniesfrom NYS topurchase and installmass notification, and security cameras andenhance secure entryways at both the Elementaryand Jr/Sr High Schools for safety and security. Itis anticipated that this technology mayneed updating orreplacingwithin thenext7 to 10years.The creation and ability tofunda Technologyand Equipment reservefundoverthe sametimeperiod, would providetheDistrict withasavings account that could beusedto replace and upgradethis technology whenneeded.
Selectionof three (3) BoardofEducationcandidates. The two (2) candidates with thehighestnumberof votes willservea three (3) year termbeginning July 1,2023. The third candidate with the third highestnumber of votes will fill the vacant seatof WilliamForsyth, whose termwill endonJune 30,2024.
We have four (4) candidates running for threeopen seats this year, they are: LisaForsyth, Amy Phillips, Lynn Smith and CindyMatthews.
Hours: Noon to9p.m. at the Senior High School gym (This is a new location). Absentee Ballotvoting Ballotmust be receivedin the District Office by5 p.m. Tuesday.
Elba Central School Proposition 1 is the Annual School budget in the amount of $11,708,369.
Proposition 2 is to Authorize an Energy Performance Contract project to improve the utility efficiency of the buildings and maximize cost savings; this is funded entirely through utility companies. The Board of Education may authorize this project without voter approval. However, we are seeking voter approval for this proposal which will increase the State aid to the school by 10% and will allow us to improve and repair the facilities without an impact to the taxpayers.
Proposition 3 is to authorize to appropriate and expend for the purchase of one 65-passenger bus to maintain a well-running fleet and maximize State aid funding.
Election for one 5-year term on the School Board. Incumbent Dean Norton is running for the one open seat.
Hours: Voting will be from 12 until 8 p.m. in the school auditorium lobby. A secure entryway vestibule has been designed to allow limited access to our buildings. This improvement will provide a convenient drop-off location in the current bus loop for students and their belongings, as well as streamline our attendance protocols and early dismissal procedures.
Le Roy Central School The total budget for the 2023-2024 school year will be $30,227,508, which is an increase of 9.1 percent or $2,518,520.
A good portion of this increase is due to the addition of 2.5 FTE positions (2 FTE special education positions and a 0.5 FTE instructional support position (at the Wolcott Street School), rising costs associated with contractual requirements, student programming, and healthcare.
District residents will be voting for:
Proposition 1 That the Board of Education of the Le Roy Central School District in the Counties of Genesee and Livingston be authorized to expend the sum of $30,227,508.00 for the 2023-24 school year and to accumulate no planned balance and levy the necessary tax therefor.
Proposition 2 That the Trustees of the Woodward Memorial Library in the Counties of Genesee and Livingston be authorized to expend the sum of $360,000.00 to support the Woodward Memorial Library for the 2023-24 school year.
Election of Board of Education candidates TWO THREE (3) YEAR TERMS (7/1/23 - 6/30/26) Vote for Any Two (2) Jacalyn Whiting Denise Duthe WOODWARD MEMORIAL LIBRARY Vote for One (1) Lynda Lowe Laura Williams
Hours: The vote is set for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Library Media Center at the Wolcott Street School. The Trigon Gym and triple doors by Memorial Auditorium will be open for entry/exit to vote. Parking will be available on Main Street, in Trigon Park, and in the Lapp parking lot.
Oakfield-Alabama Central School Proposed Budget: $24,094,600 Proposed Increase: $504,994 (2.14 percent) Tax Levy Increase: 0 percent
District residents will be voting for:
Proposition 1 Shall the budget for the school year 2023‐2024, as submitted by the Board of Education of the Oakfield‐Alabama Central School District #1, be approved in the amount of $24,094,600 and shall taxes be levied on the taxable property of the District to meet the requirements of such budget?
Proposition 2 Shall the Haxton Public Library be permanently established as a school public library for the benefit and free use of all residents of the Oakfield‐Alabama Central School District and be authorized to raise $156,280 to support and maintain such library?
BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTIONS: There are 3 open Board Seats each for a 3-year term. Qualified voters will select from the following candidates on the Ballot: Kyle O’Connor, Jackie Yunker‐Davis, Pete Zeliff, and Natalie Emerson
Pavilion Central School District residents will be voting on:
Proposition 1 Annual Budget Referendum 2023 - 2024 The Board of Education has approved, for your consideration, a budget for the 2023-2024 school year in the amount of $18,869,393. Overall, this reflects a year-to-year spending increase of $582,042 or 3.18 percent. The tax levy will increase by $85,396 or 1.5 percent to $5,778,383.
Proposition 2 School Board Member Election. We are asking voters to vote for a Board of Education candidate. We have one seat open on the Board this year. The seat is for a five-year term. We have three candidates running for the position. Our first candidate, Chris Jeffres, currently holds the position and is seeking re-election. Also running are Lana Flint and Roxanne Holthaus. To learn more about each candidate, please visit our website www.pavilioncsd.org.
Proposition 3 Hollwedel Memorial Public Library Trustees. The Hollwedel Memorial Library is asking the public to vote for two trustees. The candidates are Kelly Harris and Joan Gray. Joan Gray is currently a trustee and is seeking re-election.
Additional Items of Note: Included in this budget are funds for another $100,000 capital outlay project. This project will include improvements to the front entrance access, restoration and improvements to flooring, and replacement of the electronic message board at the Middle/High School building. Capital outlay projects qualify for building aid the following year which is approximately 87.6 percent for our district.
Pembroke Central School For the 2023-2024 school year, the Board of Education proposes a budget of $26,732,685, which includes a cap compliant tax levy and other revenue funds
Projected State Aid = $15,534,910
Appropriation of $1,500,000 of fund balance
Use of $466,000 from reserve funds
Tax levy increase of $264,721 (Under the tax cap for the 12th year in a row.)
Based on current assessed values, the full-value tax rate is projected to be $17.29. For a home assessed at $150,000, this projected tax rate represents a total increase of $28.80 for the year, assuming the basic STAR and excluding special tax exemptions to our honored veterans.
District residents will be voting on:
Proposition 1 “Shall the Board of Education of the Pembroke Central School District be authorized to expend the amount of $26,732,685 for general fund appropriations during the 2023-2024 school year and to levy the necessary tax upon real property in said district?
Proposition 2 “Shall the Board of Education of the Pembroke Central School District, Genesee County, New York, be authorized to purchase school buses, including incidental equipment and expenses in connection therewith, at a maximum estimated cost of $438,776.38, and said amount (less any trade-in allowance) or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be raised by the levy of a tax upon the taxable property of said School District and collected in annual installments as provided by Section 416 of the Educational Law; and, in anticipation of such tax, obligations of said School District shall be issued?”
Proposition 3 “Shall the sum of $96,900 be raised by annual levy of a tax upon the taxable real property within the Pembroke Central School District for the purpose of funding the operating budget of the Corfu Public Library?”
Elect one (1) member of the Board of Education for a five-year term, commencing July 1, 2023 and expiring June 30, 2028. (Vote for ONE): John Cima
Elect up to three (3) members of the Board of Trustees of the Corfu Public Library, for three-year terms, commencing July 1, 2023 and expiring on June 30, 2026. (Vote for THREE): Michael Plitt ___________ (Write In) ___________ (Write In)
Elect one (1) member of the Board of Education for a two-year unexpired term, commencing July 1, 2023 and expiring June 30, 2025. (Vote for ONE): ___________ (Write In)
Elect one (1) member of the Board of Trustees of the Corfu Public Library, for a two-year unexpired term, commencing July 1, 2023 and expiring on June 30, 2025. (Vote for ONE): ___________ (Write In)
Hours: 12 to 8 p.m. at the Jr./Sr. High School gymnasium.
Brittany L. Richway, 32, of Syracuse, and Angel M. Scott, 34, of Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Richway and Scott are accused of stealing from a location in the Town of Batavia at 7:46 p.m. on May 11. They were arrested by the State Police and released on an appearance ticket. No further information was released.
Michael R. Vickery, 45, of Lackawanna, is charged with petit larceny. Vickery is accused of stealing from a location in the Town of Batavia at 12:52 p.m. on May 10. He was arrested by State Police and released on an appearance ticket. No further information was released.
Daniel Stevens, 49, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Stevens is accused of stealing from a location in the Town of Batavia on May 8 at 9:46 a.m. Stevens was released by State Police and released on an appearance ticket. No further information was released.
Cody Middlebrooks, 32, of Akron, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Middlebrooks is accused of damaging property in the Town of Alabama on May 9 at 4:15 a.m. He was arrested by State Police. His release status is unknown. No further information was released.
Tony Robert Graber, 44, of Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Graber is accused of violating a complete stay-away order of protection on May 5 in the Town of Batavia. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail, arraigned, and released on bail.
Brian N. Miles is indicted on counts of attempted forgery in the second degree, a Class E felony, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a Class D felony, criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Miles is accused of attempting to fill out JP Morgan check that belonged to another person in order to obtain cash on Nov. 15, 2021,d while at the ESL Federal Credit Union on Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia. He was allegedly found in possession of a stolen JP Morgan checkbook. On that date, he was allegedly found in possession of cocaine.
Timothy W. Szurgot is indicted on counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, a Class D felony and criminal impersonation in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Szurgot was allegedly found in possession of a stolen 2018 Focus on Oct. 25 in the Town of Batavia. He is accused of assuming the identity of another person on Oct. 25 with the intent to defraud another person.
Joseph G. Bauer is indicted on a felony count of DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, a Class E felony. Bauer is accused of driving drunk while on a suspended license on July 4 in the Town of Darien, on Park Road.
The Batavian brings you more local news coverage than any other news source in Genesee County. Here are the stories we reported before the competition in the past week.
Members of the New Breed Motorcycle Club out of Rochester lead a funeral possession from Monroe County to Machpelah Cemetery on North Street in Le Roy on Saturday for Dustin Rich.
The 25-year-old Batavia resident was killed in an accident while driving his motorcycle in Brighton on May 1.
A friend of Rich's, Gordon Montgomery, said the turnout of the motorcycle club demonstrated how motorcyclists treat their fallen.
He shared the quote, “Show me the manner in which a nation cares for its dead, and I will measure with mathematical exactness, the tender mercy of its people, their respect for the law of the land and their loyalty to high ideals.”
File photo of hydrant flushing at a location on Ellicott Street, Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
Press release:
The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing / testing fire hydrants on Monday and Tuesday from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area of North of Main Street and West of Bank Street.
Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about 5 minutes or until clear.
This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification, and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes. Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settles in the water lines. Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel's knowledge of the hydrant locations.
If you have any questions, or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the fire department at 585-345-6375.
Design rendering from area variance application submitted by Genesee BIogas for a tall digester tank for a proposed plant in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in the Town of Batavia.
A long-discussed plan to build a biogas plant in the Genesee Valley Agri-business Park in the Town of Batavia is again moving forward with the recommended approval on Thursday of a height variance for a storage tank on the property.
Sara Gilbert, of Pinewood Engineering, asked the board to Genesee County Planning Board on Thursday to recommend approval for the company to build a digester storage tank taller than allowed by zoning code. The biogas plant seeks approval for an 83.5-foot tall digester tank.
Gilbert noted that the board previously recommended approval of the variance for a plant location that was going to be just outside the ag park but the Town of Batavia board prefers the company build the plant inside the park so the application for the variance needed to be resubmitted for the new location in the park.
She also noted that HP Hood was granted a variance for a much taller tank, and Oatka Milk has tanks with heights that do not conform to the zoning code so the Genesee Biogas proposal is consistent with existing construction in the area.
The board approved the recommendation with one no-vote, from Eric Biscaro, who expressed concern about potential odor from the plant.
Eric Biscaro Photo by Howard Owens.
"I don't care what the height of the tank is, personally," Biscaro said. "I mean, I'm right next to this thing, and I would just as soon get back into that park further because I work at Armor (Building Supply) right down the road from Oatka and Let me tell you, it's pretty ripe there sometimes. And I'm close to this plant, living near there then I am at work. I'm under the impression that this plant is going to smell worse than Oatka."
No, Gilbert said, everything at the plant is enclosed, and the air coming out of the plant is filtered.
"It is different than maybe a more traditional digester," Gilbert said. "It actually has a negative pressure system that can pull the air out and put it through a biofilter system that filters the air. So it does not have a strong smell. And it doesn't have any animal waste at all associated with it. It's only food-grade waste from the plants in the park."
Genesee County Planning Director also informed the board that the only matter on the agenda for Thursday was the high variance. Genesee Biogas will present at a later date a site plan review, where issues such as odor can be considered.
In 2014, at a previous public meeting, Paul Toretta, CEO of CH4 Biogas, explained how the plant works: "We make green power out of organic waste. Once the digester does its thing, it captures methane and powers an engine that makes green power and puts it on the grid. The engine produces heat that can be used to heat Quaker Muller and Alpina (the plants in the park at the time), helping them cut their heating bill."
Quaker Muller's plant is now owned and operated by HP Hood, and Alpina is owned and operated by the Upstate Milk Cooperative.
Postal workers Dominic Iacuzza, Mitchell Muskopf, and Chris Holley, in front of food donations gathered by mail carriers on Saturday as part of a postal-worker-initiated food drive that encouraged postal customers to leave bags of food for carriers to pick up. Photo by Howard Owens.
On Saturday, postal carriers in Batavia -- as part of a national campaign -- collected food donations from postal customers. Folks on carriers' routes were asked to leave food in bags for pickup.
Brandon Snyder, who organized the drive locally, said that as of 2 p.m., 1,136 pounds of food were donated to Care-a-Van and another 1,435 points to the Salvation Army, with other local charities expected to pick up donations.
Ava Davids decorating an egg in a Ukrainian style called pysanky at GO ART! on Saturday. Photo by Howard Owens.
GO ART! today hosted the first of a two-part class on Ukrainian egg decorating, or pysanky. Pysankar master artist Irene Grassman is leading the class as part of GO ART!'s Explore Art! program.
GO ART! staff member Jodi Fisher with her decorated egg. Photo by Howard Owens
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), a member of the Ways and Means Committee, voted in favor of H.R. 1163, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act. This bill provides states with incentives to investigate and recover fraudulent unemployment insurance payments while working to fight and prevent future fraud.
Tenney was an original cosponsor of this legislation and supported its passage in the House Ways and Means Committee when it was considered earlier this year. The bill passed the House by a vote of 230-200. Tenney spoke on the House floor in support of this legislation earlier today. You can watch her remarks here.
Tenney has led the charge to hold New York accountable for its pandemic-era fraud, waste, and abuse. After a report by the New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli found rampant Unemployment Insurance fraud totaling $11 billion, Tenney sent a letter to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli expressing concerns over his office’s decision to delay key findings related to the audit until after New York’s 2022 gubernatorial election between Kathy Hochul and Lee Zeldin.
“The total cost of improper unemployment insurance payments across our country has reached at least $191 billion, with some experts estimating it as high as $400 billion,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “New York alone accounts for $11 billion in fraudulent charges. Countless constituents contacted my office to notify us of receiving unemployment forms they hadn’t requested and dealing with the ramifications of having their identity stolen to obtain fraudulent funds. The Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act moves us one important step closer to recovering lost taxpayer dollars, holding fraudsters accountable, and putting in place a system to protect against future fraud.”
Specifically, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act:
Allows states to retain 25% of recovered fraudulent federal funds.
Allows states to use recovery funds to improve UI program integrity and fraud prevention.
Allows states to retain five percent of state UI overpayments recovered upon meeting data matching integrity conditions and dedicating such funds to preventing future fraud.
Extends the statute of limitations for criminal charges or civil actions for prosecuting fraud from five to ten years.
A 62-year-old Batavia man has been arrested by the Sheriff's Office, accused of an ongoing series of sex offenses against a child.
Alvin Ezra Way, of West Main Street, is charged with six counts of predatory sexual abuse against a child, six counts of criminal sexual act in the first degree, and course of sexual conduct against a child.
In New York's penal code, predatory sexual abuse against a child is a Class A-II felony and accused the defendant of being older than 18 years old, and the victim is younger than 13 years old.
If convicted, Way faces 10 to 25 years in prison.
The alleged incidents occurred over multiple years at a residence in the Town of Batavia.
Way was arraigned in the Central Arraignment Court on Friday and ordered held in custody.
Genesee County Legislature celebrates Older Americans Month (May 2023) this week, as Legislator Brooks Hawley presents a proclamation to Diana Fox, director of Office for the Aging and Advisory Board member Gina Stella.
William Joyce, veterans services officer for Genesee County, receives bundles of tickets from Batavia Downs President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek on Friday afternoon at Batavia Downs. Photo by Howard Owens.
Press Release:
Officials from Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel presented 2,000 complimentary tickets to William Joyce, Director of the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency. 250 Tickets from each of Batavia’s Summer Concert Series were included.
“Batavia Downs has always supported our local Veterans," said Batavia Downs CEO and President Henry Wojtaszek. “This is the fifthsoncert series in a row that we’ve given tickets to the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency. We happy to do anything we can to give back to our local Veterans for all they’ve done for our country.”
Tickets for the concert series can be purchased at BataviaConcerts.com. Performances include:
For anyone who grew up in Genesee County, you may recall those fun weekend nights of pulling on a pair of roller skates and gliding around the floor of Skate 98 as a DJ blasted dance and rock tunes and the dimmed atmosphere was a great canvas for colored scrolling lights.
If you’re yearning for some of those fun nostalgic times — and decent exercise to boot — or looking to build some new memories, management at the McCarthy Ice Arena has brought back public roller and inline skating from 7 to 9 p.m. every Friday.
And for only $5 a person, rink Manager Kati Murray says.
“We’re trying to get people in here to skate for a couple of hours,” she said to The Batavian Friday afternoon. “We do not have rentals, but we’re in the process of getting them, we might rent them out from a place. We have music, just like we do for the ice skating.”
The Batavian asked if the place does anything with lighting, and Murray said, “Funny you ask that.”
“We’re in the process of putting up lights that flash, we’re putting them up for next Friday,” she said. “We’ll have flashing lights and a black light, and we’re getting updated music.”
Skaters will get the entire floor to bop along to tunes, in between taking breaks for a snack from the concession stand. This is the second week of public skating, and Murray believes it will take some time for people to catch on that the rink is open for this activity.
There are also two nights of floor hockey: Tuesdays have five adult teams already signed up, and Wednesdays are offering pickup teams for kids 14 and under from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and one for adults 7 to 8:30 p.m. Those are just beginning, and anyone interested in joining can just show up at the designated time.
The cost for Wednesday’s teams is $10 a person, and goalies are free. For more information about any of the teams, email adam@mccarthyicearena.com.
There’s still time to dig out and dust off those rollerblades from the garage, and head out to the ice arena on Evans Street, Batavia. For more information, go to McCarthy Ice Arena. https://www.mccarthyicearena.com/ or call 585-250-4040.
Submitted photos of rollerskating at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia, top, and playing floor hockey, above.
The Board of Trustees of Notre Dame High School is pleased to announce that Mrs. Melissa Lindner has been named the new principal of Notre Dame High School of Batavia, effective July 1, 2023.
President of the Board James Sutherland made the announcement, saying, “We are excited to welcome Melissa to our Notre Dame family. Her experience in private education is extensive. She comes to ND from Saints Peter and Paul School in Williamsville, NY, where she served as principal for the last four years. Melissa has a strong history as a school leader, teacher and coach. Her impressive background in coaching includes both primary and high school level experiences, where she oversaw the Athletic Director and coaching staff, but most notably, she has coached at the collegiate level as well.”
Mrs. Lindner brings a wealth of experience and commitment to Catholic education. She has a passion for STREAM, (integration of Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Arts and Math) and was a featured presenter at the National Catholic Education Conference on the subject in 2022. Melissa is looking forward to inspiring faculty to have an active focus within STREAM education and to be an instructional leader who will work collaboratively with staff and parents to provide a positive impact on teaching and learning.
“It is an honor to be coming to an established preparatory school environment whose excellence is always at the forefront. As a dedicated Catholic School teacher, coach and administrator, I look forward to empowering the school community to continue to grow in all aspects while keeping the strong traditions of Notre Dame always in perspective”, Lindner said.
She would like to thank the Board of Trustees for their confidence in appointing her, commenting, “as soon as I walked through the doors of the school, I felt like part of the ND family.”
“For over 70 years, ND has left an indelible impression on our local community, as her sons and daughters have gone on to impact communities throughout our nation and our world”, states Sutherland. “We are proud to see a new era of leadership as Melissa Lindner brings both impressive experience as well as a strong background as a Catholic School educator.”
Please join the Board, staff and faculty of Notre Dame in welcoming Mrs. Melissa Lindner to her new position.
