news

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today joined his colleagues for a press conference in which Sen. George Borrello (SD-57), Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I-Schoharie), and Assemblyman Michael Lawler (R,C,I,SAM-Pearl River) announced their lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a Department of Health regulation establishing isolation and quarantine procedures for those suspected of having a communicable disease. Hawley and those who’ve brought the lawsuit forward assert its implementation through the regulatory process violates the separation of powers.

Regulation 10 NYCRR 2.13 would empower the Department of Health to forcibly isolate and quarantine individuals exposed to communicable diseases, potentially in locations that aren’t their homes. Adopted on Feb. 22, 2022, the New York State Department of Health’s Public Health and Health Planning Council is set to renew the rule on an emergency basis today. Steps have also been taken by the council to make the regulation permanent.

“The role of the Legislature is to protect the public from dangerous policies like this, which would never survive scrutinous debate in the Assembly,” said Hawley. “When a bill containing most of the same measures this rule does was put before the Assembly in years past (A.416, Perry), it had only a single sponsor, so it seems to me the governor is truly trying to subvert our constitutionally-sanctioned legislative process to put this proposal into law. By subverting the Legislature, the governor has silenced the voices of the people they represent, who almost certainly would not wish to grant their government this overreaching authority.”

Press release:

On behalf of New York Green, CC Environment & Planning and LaBella Associates are holding a Public Input Meeting on Tuesday, April 19, to discuss the Draft Genesee County Resiliency Plan. The Draft Resiliency Plan provides an overview of current and future climate trends and impacts in Genesee County; identification of County assets, risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities; development and prioritization of local resilience strategies; and projects designed for immediate implementation. The Draft Resiliency Plan is available for public review and comment at: COUNTYWIDE RESILIENCY PLAN (ny-green.org).

The Resiliency Plan is being developed in partnership between New York Green and Genesee County, with funding from the NYS Department of State.

The Public Open House will be held on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at the Innovation Room in the Genesee County Economic Development Center Office, located at 99 MedTech Drive in Batavia. There will be two sessions to facilitate participation. The first session will be held from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm. The second will be held from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm. A presentation outlining the Draft Resiliency Plan will be provided, followed by an open discussion.

For more information, contact Sheila Hess at CC Environment & Planning, at (518) 219-4030 or visit COUNTYWIDE RESILIENCY PLAN (ny-green.org).

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement after it was announced Social Security field offices would return to in-person services starting April 7^th, 2022. 

“After months and months of limiting services to countless seniors in Western New York and all around the country, Social Security field offices are finally reopening. The delayed return to in-person services was yet another example of this administration’s failure to adequately provide for the American people. Without the successful advocacy of myself and my Republican colleagues, this situation could have continued for much longer. I am proud to have led the charge in Congress to have in-person services restored, and I will always fight for the needs of my constituents.”

Jacobs has called for return to in-person services for months. In October, Jacobs led 50 of his House colleagues in sending a letter to Acting Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi urging the SSA to work with the AFGE to reopen in-person services as soon as possible. Later, Jacobs introduced the Having Employees Return to Duty (HERD) Act to require government workers to return to work at pre-pandemic staffing levels to provide in-person services for constituents. 

Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Java with Joe E. morning presentation group on Thursday, April 28 at 9 am. This month our Director Ryan Duffy will share the local connection of Joseph Burke and "The Swedish Nightingale," Jenny Lind. Burke was a backup musician for Lind when she traveled around the world with P.T. Barnum. Burke had a summer home in Alexander, NY where Lind visited several times. Come and enjoy free coffee and donuts and learn about this interesting piece of local history. The event is free to the public. If you would like to attend, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment minutes ago, by a 5-1 vote, approved construction of the $345 million Excelsior Energy Center 280-megawatt utility scale solar project on 1,700 acres of farmland in the Town of Byron.

The vote capped a three-year effort by Excelsior Energy to develop the solar system under Article 10 of the state’s Public Service Law – and turned aside opposition to the proposal from Byron Association Against Solar, LLC, and the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Today’s action, broadcast live on the internet from Albany, came just two days before April 8, 2022 statutory deadline.

Members of the Siting Board panel voted following a 15-minute presentation by the Hon. Gregg C. Sayre, presiding examiner for the Department of Public Service, who found that the arguments forwarded by BAAS were not strong enough to delay, alter or relocate the project.

Votes in favor of the project were cast by Tammy Mitchell, director DPS Office of Electric, Gas and Water; Louis Alexander, representing the Department of Environmental Conservation; Elizabeth Lewis-Michl, director of the Department of Health Division of Environmental Health Assessment; Vincent Ravaschiere, senior vice president at Empire State Development, and John Williams, vice president for Policy and Regulatory Affairs of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Norman Pawlak, ad hoc member assigned to the project, cast the lone vote against the proposal.

Sayre stated that while the total project area is 3,443 acres, the “limit of disturbance for construction and operation” is 1,712 acres – with 1,629 inside the proposed project fences. He also mentioned that collection lines will be placed underground and a proposed substation and switching yard will connect the grid to a New York Power Authority 345-kilovolt transmission line nearby.

The project also includes a battery storage facility with a 20-megawatt, four-hour duration capacity, he said.

Three of the five parties in the matter – the DPS, Excelsior Energy and the Town of Byron – reached an agreement on details of the project in the fall of 2021, while the Department of Agriculture & Markets and BAAS joined together against it, including the hiring of a law firm to articulate its points to the Siting Board.

Sayre said the opposition’s key points focused on taking away much of Byron’s prime farmland, changing the “character of the community” and noncompliance with the comprehensive plans of Genesee County and the Town of Byron.

The administrative law judged addressed each one, as follows:

Using and Converting Prime Farmland

“The Department of Agriculture and Markets objected to 30 percent of the project being located on prime farmland and objected that a solar energy project constitutes a permanent conversion of farmland to non-agricultural uses. The draft order finds that the argument about permanent conversion of farmland has been considered before by the Siting Board and was rejected in the Hecate Energy Albany case decided in January of 2021,

“In that case, the Siting Board concluded that a commercial solar facility does not result in a permanent loss of farmland. Where, as in both that case, and in this case, the certificate conditions require the land to be fully restored as closely as possible to its prior condition upon decommissioning to the appropriate security for the decommissioning.

“In this case, there is some permanent loss of farmland due to access roads, and other similar construction, but it amounts to only about 31 acres, which is less than 1 percent of the project's area. The draft order also notes that the applicant has agreed to follow the Department of Agriculture & Markets guidelines for solar energy projects, which deal with construction mitigation for agricultural lands.

“The developer also has agreed to hire a health, safety and environmental manager with agricultural qualifications, as well as agreeing to various reporting requirements and coordinating requirements that involve in the future and … Department of Agriculture staff. Although the department is certainly correct, that agriculture agricultural production will be reduced in the footprint of the project for approximately 30 years, the reason behind that loss is that the property owners in question have voluntarily entered into lease agreements with the applicant.”

“BAAS offered two studies to support its position that the project will have a massive negative impact on farming in the Town of Byron. One of the reports was based on a completely erroneous number of affected acres, starting from the proposition that 3,500 acres of agricultural land would be removed from use for the life of the project. The correct acreage is 1,712 -- about half the amount in the study. That report is also deficient in using one year of crop pricing, in its analysis of impacts rather than a longer average given the price fluctuation that actually occurred over the course of several years in the town's top 10 crops.”

Destroying the ‘Small Town Feeling’

“BAAS offered the testimony of witnesses who stated that the visual impact of the project will destroy the small town feeling and tight knit community spirit of the area of the project. However, that testimony does not directly take issue with the significant visual screening measures that the applicant has agreed to take -- a fair number of plantings, the use of existing woodlands and hedgerows and other screening measures.

“The testimony also does not take direct issue with the visual impact analysis offered by the applicant that indicates that there is minimal expected visibility within the affected visual study area, which is the area within a radius of 5 miles around the fence line of a project. Under these circumstances, the draft order concludes that the BAAS testimony is overstated in claiming that the project will destroy the rural community, and finds that visual impacts have been avoided or minimized to the maximum extent practicable.”

Inconsistent with Comprehensive Plans

“The third issue in dispute is based on the testimony of a local resident who was speaking for himself, not for the town or the county, that the project is inconsistent with the town and county comprehensive plans. The resident is absolutely correct in stating that the protection of agricultural lands is listed as a goal and both of those plans.

“But the draft order finds that the argument of the project's inconsistency with these plans fails for three reasons. First, the town comprehensive plan also explicitly supports the development of clean energy resources. So, there is necessarily, as with most land use issues, some balancing required of competing goals.

“Second, the town in 2021 adopted a solar law that allows for some agricultural siting. The town found that the law was consistent with its comprehensive plan. And the county planning board implicitly found that the law was consistent with both the town and county comprehensive plans when it approved the town law. It is also noteworthy that the project disturbs less than 1 percent of the county's prime farmland.

“Third, as I noted, the … witness was speaking for himself. Neither the town or the county chose to file testimony or briefs against the project. The draft order concludes that the project is in fact not inconsistent with the town or county comprehensive plan.

“I should note that the applicant requested a waiver of 10 specific requirements of that town environmental law. The applicant produced evidence that with respect to these requirements, compliance would make it uneconomical to build the project. No party opposed those proposed waivers, and the order grants them.”

CLICK HERE for press release from the Siting Board.

A two-vehicle collision is reported at Main and Bank streets in Batavia.

Injuries are a sign-off.

City Fire and Mercy EMS on Scene.

Traffic is blocked.

Press release:

Eugene Jankowski Jr. of Batavia finished in first place in the Super Senior division and 30th overall in the Tactical division at the 2022 United States Practical Shooting Association Multigun Nationals last weekend in Clinton, S.C.

One hundred thirty-nine competitors from various states navigated 12 challenging courses of fire over three days.

The USPSA (www.uspsa.org) is the largest shooting organization in the nation.

Jankowski, who is sponsored locally by Offhaus Farms and POTF Shooting Range, has captured numerous pistol, rifle and shotgun shooting competition honors over the past several years.

 

 

The director of the Genesee County Business/Education Alliance compares the ramping up of economic activity following the COVID-19 pandemic to getting back to one’s workout routine after a long layoff.

“In a post-COVID world, it’s like turning on the treadmill and trying to jump on at full speed,” Karyn Winters said on Monday as she updated the Genesee County Legislature’s Human Services Committee on BEA activities before receiving word that the committee is approving more than $9,000 in funding for the agency in 2022.

Although the coronavirus barriers are gone, “challenges are still there,” Winters said, speaking of the BEA’s quest to attract local businesses to support its mission of connecting employers with students proficient in the skilled trades.

A program of Genesee Valley BOCES, the BEA is housed at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce office. It coordinates numerous programs and events focused on workforce development opportunities, including career days, job fairs, Junior Achievement, career exploration field trips and summer career exploration camps.

Winters pointed out that annual membership dues are based on the number of employees at a company and she is finding that it is difficult for many of those businesses “to continue as they normally do.”

As a result, she said the BEA “is leaning on our larger employers” – businesses that have sustained strong financial positions – through its Genesee County Premier Workforce Membership.

She reported that the BEA has partnered with the Genesee County Economic Development Center and GLOW with Your Hands to continue the premier option where members pay $2,500 to $5,000 annually to invest in the future workforce and grow their pool of applicants.

In 2022, new premier members include Batavia Downs Gaming, Bonduelle USA, GCEDC, Liberty Pumps and Oxbo International. Each premier member receives sponsorship status and access to camps and recruitment events.

Winters said the BEA intends to resume the summer career exploration camps that provide middle school students a chance to look at five different industries, such as culinary arts, skilled trades, animal sciences, engineering/technology and medicine.

Through financial support from the legislature and BEA members, she said she expects to hold the cost per student to $95 for the weeklong camp, but acknowledged that costs are going up and finding more funding is an issue.

Toward that end, the Human Services Committee voted in favor of (subject to full legislature approval) a one-time $6,000 payment for summer camp activities along with its yearly appropriation of $3,107.

Winters thanked the committee for the additional money, noting that it will enable her to hire someone to help with the summer programming.

Coming events on the BEA calendar include:

• Graduating Seniors Job Fair, May 10, 9-11 a.m., noon-2 p.m., Genesee Valley BOCES, State Street Road, Batavia. Premier Workforce Membership employers will be represented at the job fair.

• Annual BEA Breakfast, May 6, 7:15 a.m., Terry Hills Restaurant, Clinton Street Road, Batavia. Focus is on Batavia High School’s Introduction to Education class that trained high school students to deliver Junior Achievement's financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programs to Jackson Primary School students.

• Fourth Annual GLOW with Your Hands career exploration day, Sept. 27, details to be announced. A GLOW with Your Hands Healthcare event is being planned for the spring of 2023.

For more information about the BEA, contact Winters at 585-343-7440 or kwinters@geneseeny.com.

By contracting with GLOW OUT, an organization dedicated to providing services for those identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (questioning), Genesee County is opening the door to “a friendly place” for youth -- free from bullying and discrimination.

That’s the view of Lynda Battaglia, director of Mental Health & Community Services, and William Schutt, Youth Bureau director, who presented a resolution this afternoon to the County Legislature’s Human Services Committee seeking $4,000 in start-up funding.

Schutt informed the committee that the idea for a support group in the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming county) region – similar to the established GLYS, WNY, Inc. in Buffalo – started after he learned about a student who was being bullied at school “for a perception of being LGBTQ.”

“That student was told that he could go to the (school’s) GSA (Gay Straight Alliance group), but he said, ‘Then I would out myself for sure in a place where I don’t really feel comfortable in.’”

That set the wheels in motion for Schutt to contact GLOW OUT President Gregory Hallock, who also is executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council in Batavia. GLOW OUT rents space from GO Art!

Following a presentation by Hallock and board members’ training with GLYS personnel, Schutt said everyone had a better idea of how the organization could make a positive difference in the lives of youth (ages 12-21) in that specific population.

“It’s giving somebody a friendly place to go for a couple hours, a couple times of month, for them to be themselves,” Schutt said.

Battaglia said she, as director of community services, has the responsibility “to identify gaps or holes and services in the community for all populations that fall under health services – mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities.”

“It is a service that’s needed,” she said. “To put it in … context, if you think of what social determinants of health are -- so you are in the center and you can think about these positive determinants that you need in order to live a healthy and whole life.

“So, like education, at school, maybe community supports, family supports, access to medical care, access to mental health care -- all of these things that encompass you, as a person, and what LGBT youth are faced with is a very difficult and challenging ability to acquire these positive social determinants of health.”

Battaglia said LGBTQ youth face a significant amount of stigma and shame, and are at a high risk of bullying in school and in their families.

“They're at high risk for substance abuse. They're at high risk of becoming a runaway, becoming homeless, which leads to a whole host of other negative aspects, including medical and mental health,” she added. “And when we think about suicide, in general, for individuals ages 10 to 24, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States for youth that identify as LGBTQ. They contemplate suicide three to four times more so than their peers.”

GLOW OUT will offer mentors, allies and a safe space to talk about life issues, she said, noting that the $4,000 already had been budgeted for special projects.

Referrals from school personnel and families are high right now, Battaglia said, making it doubly important to establish a support group outside of the school setting.

She said if a student is being bullied at his or her school because he or she identifies as LGBTQ, the likelihood of that person wanting to get additional supports within that school is minimal.

“They face further shame, stigmatization and bullying, so they’re not going to the GSAs,” she said. “And when a student gets to our mental health agency, and if this is an area that they need assistance with, we don't have anywhere to refer them to. So, this is a vital service that’s essentially non-existent right now in the county.”

Battaglia said she will be contacting her counterparts in the other three counties to see if they would also provide funding. She also said grants are available for these types of programs.

The Human Services Committee approved the request to appropriate $4,000 for the rest of the calendar year, moving the resolution to the full legislature for consideration.

It was a busy year for the Batavia Police Department, with officers answering 20,341 calls for service in 2021, according to an annual report released by the deparment.

Those calls included:

• 1,115 domestic calls
• 658 mental health calls
• 805 reported thefts
• 868 disturbances

Officers also: 

• Handled 185 fraud complaints
• Conducted 338 escorts
• Responded to 311 alarm calls
• Responded 408 times to 911 hang-up calls
• Handled 492 animal complaints
• Served 386 subpoenas
• Conducted 187 sex offender registrations
• Conducted 594 welfare checks 

There was one murder investigation, 13 rape investigations, 11 robbery investigations, 49 aggravated assaults, 61 burglaries, 12 kidnappings, 41 DWI.

Officers made 501 arrests, of those, three were juveniles.

There were eight arrests for rape, 14 for aggravated assault, 21 for burglary, 52 for theft, 22 for drugs, 40 for DWI

Investigations included 651 motor vehicle accidents. Of those, 107 were injury accidents.

Patrols conducted 2,526 traffic stops and issued 1,490 traffic tickets. 

They also handled 1,712 parking incidents and issued 612 parking tickets.

Christine Loranty shared these photos of a fox den in a gravel pit near her house in Alexander.

Press release:

The Law Street Yard Waste Station will open for the season on MONDAY, APRIL 11th, 2022 for City Residents.  

The station will be open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday until November when time changes to 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The station will also be closed on May 30th for Memorial Day, July 4th for Independence Day, September 5th for Labor Day and November 24th for Thanksgiving. The station will close for the season in early December.

City residents may bring yard waste material (grass, leaves and limbs) to the Law Street Yard Waste Station as there is no spring curb side pickup of these materials.  

The following items cannot be accepted at the station:

Tree stumps, building materials, rock, fill (soil and stone) other debris.  Yard waste shall be free of trash (paper, plastic, bottles, cans…etc.), as this material cannot be processed.

Use Law Street entrance to enter and exit the City Yard Waste Station only.

Press release:

April 4-10, 2022 is National Public Health Week (NPHW) and this year’s theme is “Public Health is Where You Are”. “National Public Health Week is a great opportunity to raise awareness about what public health is,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “This week is used to help educate and highlight the issues that are important to improving the health of individuals, our community and our nation.”

This year, there are daily themes for National Public Health Week and although these are complex issues, there are still small things that you can do to help the health of individuals and our community.

• Monday, April 4th – Racism: A Public Health Crisis
  • Racial inequities in health care, income, housing, education and many other factors have become more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. These inequities impact the health and well-being of community residents. We encourage you to start conversations about health equity and have an open dialogue about how biases and inequities contribute to health disparities in our community.
• Tuesday, April 5th – Public Health Workforce: Essential to our Future
  • The public health workforce is essential to our future! Thank a Public Health Professional for all the work that they have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but also what they will continue to do in the future to help the health of our community.
• Wednesday, April 6th – Community: Collaboration and Resilience
  • Come together as a community to improve housing, education, food, transportation and the environment. Share your voice and opinions about the health of your community by completing the Community Health Assessment survey.  You can access the survey by visiting the following links:
    • English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2022English
    • Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2022Spanish
  • You can also make an impact by joining a community garden, donating food to a local food pantry, or volunteering at a local food distribution event.
• Thursday, April 7th – World Health Day: Health is a Human Right
  • Celebrate World Health Day by protecting our planet and our health. Even doing small things such as walking or cycling to work, buying your groceries from local producers, recycling and buying less plastic can make a difference.
• Friday, April 8th – Accessibility: Closing the Health Equity Gap
  • While there are public health resources available where we live, some barriers can make it hard for people to access and use these resources. These barriers could be physical, mental, financial, or cultural. Advocate for your neighbors and engage your local leaders to support health equity in our community.
• Saturday, April 9th – Climate Change: Taking Action for Equity
  • Understanding and addressing climate change is critical to protecting human health and the environment. By working together, we can lessen the impacts of climate change by making choices that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Small things such as using water efficiently, buying used items, reusing or repurposing items, and reducing your food waste can all make a difference.
• Sunday, April 10th – Mental Wellness: Redefining the Meaning of Health
  • Each year, one in five American will experience mental illness. To improve your mental health, eat a well-balanced diet, engage in physical activity such as walking or hiking, participate in activities you enjoy and connect with others. Seeking help from a mental health professional is a sign of strength, not a weakness.  If you are struggling with depression, contact a mental health provider or call Care + Crisis Helpline at 585-283-5200, or text 741741.

GO Health hopes that you will help celebrate National Public Health Week by participating in some of the ideas described above to help make our community healthier, stronger and safer. By working together, we can build a healthier community and help everyone in Genesee and Orleans Counties live a healthier life. 

Press release:

The Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation is getting Back to the Races as they prepare for the 2022 Derby Day Gala. Due to the pandemic, this major fundraiser has been on hold for the past 2 years, but it is back and better than ever!!! 

The Kentucky- Derby-themed event includes an evening filled with big hats, colorful outfits, food, beverages, raffles and auctions all to support the mission of the foundation. In preparation for the event, the Foundation is reaching out for sponsorships, donations, and prizes.   

Tickets and table sponsorships can be obtained by calling 585-861-0550. More information can be found at www.michaelshope.org. Tickets include admission, food, wine, beer, a professional photo and a random ticket for the actual race. There will be a contest for the best hat, prizes for the most Dapper Derby male and Dapper Derby couple!  

The event will be held May 7 at Terry Hills Golf Course & Banquet Facility in Batavia from 4-9 p.m. 

The Michael Napoleone Foundation assists families facing the challenges of a childhood cancer diagnosis, provides grants for youth activities and programs and supports research efforts in the study of pediatric blood cancers. The Foundation was created in memory of Michael Napoleone, who passed away in 2006 after a battle with Burkitt’s Lymphoma. It was created to give back to those who assisted and pay it forward to those in need.  

Lend a Hand of Hope and come and support a great event for a greater cause! 

Photos: File photo by Howard Owens

Daniel W. Knauss is indicated on counts of assault on a police officer, a Class C violent felony, assault in the second degree, a Class D violent felony, criminal contempt in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor, criminal contempt in the first degree, a Class E felony, resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor, and two counts of harassment in the second degree. Knauss is accused of assaulting and causing serious physical injury to Trooper Mark Catanzaro while the trooper was attempting to perform his lawful duties during an incident on Sept. 29, in the Town of Pavilion. Knauss is accused of violating an order of protection on Sept. 29 by striking a football out of the hands of a protected person. He is accused of intentionally attempting to prevent his arrest. 

Tarrence Y. Williams is indicted on counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a Class B felony and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a Class C felony. Williams is accused of possession of cocaine with the intent to sell on Dec. 16 in the City of Batavia. He is accused of possessing preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances containing a narcotic drug, cocaine, with a weight of an eighth of an ounce or more.

Tamaneek T. Perez-Smith is indicted on counts of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree, felony DWI, felony driving while ability impaired by drugs, resisting arrest, harassment in the second degree, and circumvention of an interlock device. Perez-Smith is accused of driving a 2010 Dodge on Park Road in the Town of Batavia on Sept. 30, while knowing her license was revoked and of driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. She is accused of intentionally trying to prevent her arrest. He is accused of kicking Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush. She is accused of driving a vehicle without an interlock device as previously ordered by a court.

Update: 7 p.m. with legislators' insurance premium information

Time is money – and during 2022-23 budget talks, members of the Batavia City Council emphasized that it was about time for them to get more money for their public service.

The nine members of the lawmaking body voted healthy pay increases for themselves, effective April 1, noting that they hadn’t received a salary hike for about nine years.

The new salary for eight of the Council people is $5,000 – a jump of 43 percent from the $3,500 in the previous budget – while the new salary for City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. is $7,000 – also up 43 percent from his previous stipend of $4,900.

Section 3-4 of the City Charter stipulates that “Council Members shall receive compensation with the Council President receiving 40 percent above the rate for the other Council Members.”

The combined total of the increases is $14,100.

City Manager Rachael Tabelski, when asked about the impact on the budget, said, “Since the introduction of the budget, the proposed tax rate of $8.94 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value has not changed.”

Contacted by The Batavia, Jankowski and Council member Robert Bialkowski said the increases are justified when considering how long it has been since the last raise and the amount of time and effort put into running city government.

“There’s a lot of work involved in being on Council -- from keeping up with all of the business on the agenda and addressing the concerns of our residents, who have put their trust in us,” Jankowski said. “I know that in my case, I have many more obligations beyond the monthly meetings.”

Bialkowski said he takes the job “very seriously” and believes that the pay should be even more than it is when compared to the Town of Batavia and Genesee County Legislature.

“If you do the job correctly, there’s a lot of hours involved,” he said. “I am averaging 20 hours a week on City of Batavia business and put in 40 hours alone just on organizing the Memorial Day parade.”

Bialkowski also pointed out that Council members receive no additional reimbursement for their cell phones, mileage or office expenses, such as copying documents.

Jankowski said he understood that some people believe it should be voluntary, but stands firm to his belief that “if people do a good job, there should be some compensation.”

“Plus, the fact that it is getting harder and harder to find people to serve on boards and committees,” he said.

GENESEE COUNTY LEGISLATURE PAY

The nine members of the Genesee County Legislature received a 2 percent increase for 2022, said County Manager Matt Landers.

All of them will earn $14,225, except Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein, who is paid $19,890 in consideration of her additional responsibilities. Each one also receives full health insurance (their share of the premium is 15 percent) or can take a “buy-back” of $2,600 if not accepting the insurance.

Legislators are required to attend about a half-dozen regular and committee meetings per month, plus all of them are county liaisons to “special assignment” committees.

Those special assignments include the Office for the Aging, Ag & Farmland Protection Board, Audit, Board of Health, Community Services Board/Mental Health, Cooperative Extension, County Park. County Planning Board, E911, Fish & Wildlife Management, Genesee Community College, Holland Land Office, STOP-DWI, Youth Board and Water Resources Agency.

“The legislators spend a considerable amount of time outside of legislature meetings at these at these committee assignments, and then there's also volumes of information that they have to prepare and read and review before meetings,” Landers said. “Beyond that, they are very involved (in day-to-day matters). I poll legislators on a variety of different RFPs (request for proposals) that we send out and they are involved in the hiring process, in many cases.”

Landers mentioned several task forces that are meeting now, such as fire protection, the new county jail and broadband.

“They are putting in plenty of time. They’re definitely not getting rich with the hours they put in,” he added.

TOWN OF BATAVIA BOARD PAY

Pay for Town of Batavia government officials is at the following levels:

Supervisor -- $40,000, same as in 2021.

Deputy Supervisor -- $18,000, same as in 2021.

Three Council members -- $12,000, an increase of $2,000 from 2021.

Tyrone Nathan Thigpen, Sr., 44, of Summit Street, Batavia, is charged with aggravated family offense, endangering the welfare of a child, menacing 2nd, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th.  Thigpen was charged after allegedly displaying a rifle during a disturbance in the presence of a woman and her children while on Batavia Elba Townline Road, Batavia, at 3:15 p.m., April 3. Thigpen was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and ordered held without bail.

Mohammad Imran Nasir, 48, of Grandview Drive, Amherst, is charged with possessing 30,000 or more untaxed cigarettes for the purpose of sales and failure to signal a lane change.  Nasir was stopped at 6:53 p.m., March 31, on Route 77 in Pembroke, by Sgt. Andrew Hale.

(name redacted upon request), 47, of Alexander Road, Alexander, is charged with disobeying a mandate. xxxxx is accused of violating an order of protection at 7:20 a.m., March 28, in the Town of Alexander. He was issued an appearance ticket. He is also charged with criminal contempt 2nd for allegedly violating a stay-away order on five different occasions.

Jordan Ellsworth Brodie, 35, of West Bergen Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, and driving an uninspected motor vehicle. Brodie was stopped at 2:54 a.m., April 3, on Griswold Road, Le Roy, by Deputy David Moore. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Logan Nathaniel Norcott, 25, of Lockpit Road, Clyde, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. A person filed a complaint with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office that Norcott violated an order of protection at 7:45 p.m., March 24.  Norcott was taken into custody by the State Police in Wayne County and transferred to GCSO custody. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Alicia K. Urban, 36, of Batavia, is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17 years old, driving while impaired by drugs, and aggravated DWI with a child in the car. Urban was stopped by State Police at 7:49 p.m., March 29, in the Town of Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Sarah P. Lytle, 39, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Lytle is accused of stealing in the Town of Batavia at 6 p.m., April 1. She was arrested by State Police. She was released on an appearance ticket. No further details released.

Trevor T. Cook, 31, of Holley, is charged with felony DWAI/Drugs. Cook was stopped by State Police at 3:02 a.m., April 2, in the Tonawanda Indian Territory. He was issued an appearance ticket. No further information released.

Devin J. Manning, 22, of Le Roy, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Manning was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 4:36 p.m., March 31, in the Town of Le Roy.  He was released on an appearance ticket. No further details were released.

Press release:

The New York State Police will participate in a national crackdown on distracted driving as part of April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The enforcement effort, called Operation Hang Up, will include increased patrols and checkpoints targeting drivers using electronic devices while behind the wheel. This year’s enforcement detail will run from Monday, April 4, through Monday, April 11, 2022.

Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles to more easily identify motorists who are using handheld devices while driving. CITE vehicles allow the Trooper to better observe distracted driving violations.  These vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.

New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, “Distracted Driving continues to be a leading factor in motor vehicle crashes. Yet, the deaths and injuries caused by distracted driving are 100 percent preventable. Drivers must be aware of their surroundings and consciously reduce distractions and behaviors that take their attention from the road.  State Police will continue to work toward making New York’s roads safer and we will hold distracted drivers accountable.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,142 people were killed in the United States in distraction-affected crashes in 2020. To help prevent more tragedies, NHTSA recommends the following for motorists:

• If you must send or receive a text, pull over to a safe location and park your car first.
• If you have passengers, appoint a “designated texter” to handle all your texting.
• If you can’t resist the temptation to look at your phone, keep it in the trunk.

Current New York State law includes the following penalties for distracted drivers:

• For a first offense, the minimum fine is $50 and the maximum is $200
• A second offense in 18 months increases the maximum fine to $250
• A third offense in 18 months results in a maximum fine of $450
• Probationary and junior drivers face a 120-day suspension of their license for a first offense, and one-year revocation of their permit or license if a second offense is committed within six months

A car and semi-truck collision is reported at Oak Street and Park Road in the City of Batavia.

Unknown injuries. 

City Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 2:41 p.m.: No injuries reported.

Press release from Automobile Club of America:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $4.19, down 6 cents change from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.87. The New York State average is 4.29, down 6 cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.90. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $4.32 (down 4 cents from last week)
• Buffalo - $4.33 (down 3 cents from last week)
• Elmira - $4.21 (down 4 cents from last week)
• Ithaca - $4.25 (down 7 cents from last week)
• Rochester - $4.35 (down 3 cents from last week)
• Rome - $4.26 (down 2 cents from last week)
• Syracuse - $4.28 (down 3 cents from last week)
• Watertown - $4.32 (down 3 cents from last week)

In the past week, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has decreased by six cents. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total domestic gasoline stocks increased while gasoline demand decreased from 8.63 million barrels per day to 8.5 million. The drop in gas demand, alongside growth in total stocks, contributes to price decreases. If demand continues to decline as gasoline stocks continue to build, the national average will likely continue to move lower.

This morning, oil prices are hovering right around the $100 per barrel mark. They dropped after news that the U.S. will release one million barrels of oil per day from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. While the pump price impact will be determined by the exact amount of oil purchased in the market and the duration of the daily releases, some reports have noted that releases could last for up to 180 days. If the releases occurred for that long, the market would likely see downward pressure on oil prices. However, the global oil market remains highly volatile, so additional news that threatens supply could put upward pressure on oil prices.

From Gas Buddy:

“Oil prices fell last week as Covid cases in China surged, prompting restrictions on movements and hurting oil demand. Meanwhile, President Biden's announcement that the U.S. would be releasing 180 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve caused an even further decline in oil, leading gas prices in nearly all areas of the country to fall over the last week," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "So long as oil prices remain under $100 per barrel and there is no escalations in Russia's war on Ukraine, we may be poised to see gas prices decline again this week as the U.S. and other countries try to raise oil supply to tip prices lower."