A rollover accident with a pole and lines down is reported in the area of 5414 Ellicott Street Road.
The vehicle is smoking.
The driver was trapped but a first responder was able to get the door open and the driver was able to self-extricate. Minor injuries.
Bethany Fire and ambulance responding.
UPDATE 6:54 p.m.: Traffic is partially blocked. Traffic control is requested.
It’s not exactly trying to “steal the election,” but the removal of a couple political signs supporting Erica O'Donnell in her bid for an at-large seat on Batavia City Council has an Ellicott Street resident hopping mad.
Diana Kastenbaum is reporting that both of her O'Donnell for City Council yard signs – one on Ellicott and one on Richmond Avenue -- were stolen in the last 24 hours.
“And it’s not even Halloween yet,” she stated in an email to The Batavian.
O’Donnell is the lone Democratic Party candidate in a four-person race for three at-large positions. She is running against incumbent Republicans Eugene Jankowski Jr., Robert Bialkowski and Jeremy Karas.
“The Republican signs for Council are all still standing on Ellicott. This has happened in the past to Dem signs, but not the Republicans signs in the City of Batavia,” Kastenbaum said.
“Someone left a note in my mailbox today to say Erica's signs were no longer in my front yard. I didn't notice if they were there this morning, but when I came home from work only the stakes were left. Of course, I will replace them, but every year we have to deal with this nonsense and no one seems to do anything about it.”
When informed of Kastenbaum’s predicament, Jankowski said he could understand why she would be annoyed.
“I don’t understand what people gain by that,” he said. “I know that in past elections, a few of my signs went missing.”
He also theorized that it could be an O’Donnell supporter who wanted a sign to put up somewhere else.
“I mean, in a couple of days, they’ll all be coming down so if you want one, just ask and you can get one for free,” he said.
Assistant Police Chief Chris Camp said that the Batavia PD has received no reports of political signs being removed from yards in the city thus far this election season.
Photo from yesterday Joanne Meiser.
While falling short of the $3 million predicted by Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp.’s chief financial officer, the 2021 third quarter nevertheless turned out to be a record three-month period at Batavia Downs Gaming.
WROTB’s 17 participating municipalities will be receiving $2,518,587 in earnings from July, August and September and another $62,729 in surcharge in September, according to figures released Thursday by CFO Jacquelyne Leach.
"We fell short because we were able to come to an agreement with the Batavia Downs Gaming Union to provide a much deserved bonus and wage adjustment to our gaming union employees," Leach said.
Furthermore, illustrating the facility’s recent surge in activity, earnings and surcharge distributions of $4.4 million for the first nine months of 2021 are $1.2 million more when compared to the first nine months of 2019 -- a 39.48 percent increase, Leach reported.
Genesee County will be receiving $53,393 in earnings from the third quarter and $1,090 in surcharge from September. For the year, the combined amount going to Genesee is $93,344 – up from $71,287 for the same period in 2019.
The years 2021 and 2019 were used since 2020’s earnings were adversely affected by COVID-19.
The third-quarter numbers for the other GLOW counties are as follows:
Livingston -- $57,738 in earnings and $1,129 in surcharge (September);
Orleans -- $37,144 and $634;
Wyoming -- $36,771 and $671.
Surcharge and earnings distributions for the other GLOW counties for 2021 are as follows:
Livingston -- $100,232 (up from $77,427 in 2019);
Orleans -- $63,187 (up from 51,822 in 2019);
Wyoming -- $63,382 (up from $49,969 in 2019).
Press release:
On October 29th students at Jackson Primary celebrated Halloween along with other fun fall activities during our second annual “Community Helper Day.” We also provided fun alternate activities for those who do not celebrate Halloween.
Students came dressed in their costumes for Halloween and paraded outside to visit the community helpers and their respective vehicles in the bus loop. Students were able to see real-life community heroes dressed in their everyday uniforms.
These community helpers devoted their time to hand candy and goodies out to students at Jackson Primary. The community helpers included an EMT from Mercy Flight, Town and City of Batavia Fire Departments, New York State Troopers, Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy, Pastor Roula from First Presbyterian Church, Bruce Scolfield from Scofield Roll-Off Services, Rachael Tabelski, City Manager who organized The Department of Public Works, First Student of America bus transportation, Kyle Heassler, P.A. from Three Little Birds, Fay Fuerch and K9 Handley from the NYS DEC, Community Schools and Board of Education members John Reigle, Jennifer Lendvay and Michelle Humes. Prior to the event, students learned about who community helper was and why they are important in our community. We felt it was important for students to know that when they choose a costume of a community helper, now they see a real HERO.
The Batavia Police Benevolent Association and Firefighters Association each donated a bike to be raffled off to two Jackson Primary students for “Spooktacular” behavior. We would also like to thank McDonald’s for their donation of ice cream and apple slice coupons.
Jackson has had a long-standing partnership with the First Presbaratyian Church and they provided cider and treat bags for the students. Tim Horton’s also provided over 1000 TimBits.
We are so thankful these community helpers took the time out of their busy schedules to educate students about potential career choices. We look forward to continuing to deepen our partnership with these community helpers in Batavia. We wanted it to be a day the students would not forget! I think together, we accomplished that!!!
Photos by Steve Ognibene.
Press release:
Western Region Off-Track Betting (WROTB) President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek presented representatives from the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester (BCCR) with a check for $19,653 to help support their efforts as they support those to have been touched by breast or gynecologic cancer.
On September 10th, a dinner fundraiser to benefit the BCCR was held inside the Clubhouse in conjunction with a night of racing. The money was raised by several means including the sponsorship of races by individuals and businesses located in Western NY. Some monies came from the local harness racing community as some owners, trainers, and drivers donated all or a portion of their earnings from the busy September 10th race card. Through the dinner, donations, several raffles, and auctions for items, the event raised $19,653.
“We are honored to host an event that raises awareness and funds for the BCCR,” Wojtaszek said. “Their hard work not only funds research but does so much more. The BCCR holds educational and supports events so that members of the community can come together to learn and receive support. The BCCR advocates for legislation at the local, state, and national levels to help further along with funding in the search for a cure. This year the event held onsite was a success due to the hard work of their staff and ours.”
“On behalf of the BCCR, I am astounded by this tremendous support, especially this year as we continue to cope with the fallout of COVID-19,” said Holly Anderson, Executive Director and CEO of the BCCR. “Though it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we feel the support from the Batavia Downs community all year long. They entrust their friends and family members to us, assist us in making important connections within their community, and stay in touch with us on an ongoing basis. Breast cancer takes much more than “awareness”. It needs ACTION. Our friends at Batavia Downs walk the talk.”
Photo by Alecia Kaus
A motor vehicle accident involving two, and possibly three cars is reported in the area of 6435 Ellicott Street Road, Pavilion.
One vehicle possibly in a ditch, another blocking.
One caller complained of back pain. Any other possible injuries are unknown.
Pavilion Fire and Mercy EMS responding.
UPDATE 11:17 p.m.: Mercy Flight won't be required. There is an ambulance from out of the area that came upon the scene and is assisting but the scene commander said he still requires two more ambulances.
UPDATE 11:18 p.m.: All occupants are out of the vehicles. No entrampments.
It was a rare sunny fall day so this afternoon, I took Nellie Bly (my dog) to Genesee County Park -- one of my favorite places in the county -- for a walk and some pictures.
Press release:
The City of Batavia will observe Halloween activities until 8:00 PM on October 31st only.
Below are some tips to keep everyone safe, Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!
Walk Safely
- Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
- Look left, right, and left again when crossing, and keep looking as you cross.
- Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
- Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
- Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
- Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Trick or Treat With an Adult
- Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, remind them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups. Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe
- Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
- Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
- Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
- When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.
Drive Extra Safely on Halloween
- Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited about Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
- Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians, and on curbs. - Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
- Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
- Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic, and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
Domique Sinclair Betantourt, 19, of Wilkins Street, Rochester, is charged with trespass. Betantourt is accused of being on the GCC campus after being banned from the campus following an earlier incident. She was released on an appearance ticket.
Anthony Joseph Maye, 21, of Bovee Road, Begen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or higher, inadequate plate lamp, and refusal to take breath test. Maye was stopped at 3:02 a.m., Oct. 23, on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Sgt. Mathew Clor.
Press release:
Dellinger Avenue from West Main Street (NYS Rt.5) to Washington Avenue is closed to all traffic for a utility repair. The closure is expected to be in place for the day. Residents of Dellinger Avenue South of #11 Dellinger Avenue should access their property from West Main Street. Residents North of #11 Dellinger Avenue should access their property from Washington Avenue.
All motorists that regularly use these streets are asked to seek alternative routes while the closures are in place.
UPDATE: The road has reopened.
Depending upon the closing date of the home that she and her daughter, Raelene, have purchased on Holmes Avenue, Rose Mary Christian is about to close the door on a nearly 30-year career as a member of the Batavia City Council.
Because Christian (in file photo above) is moving from her Williams Street home of 22 years in the Sixth Ward, which she represents, to the First Ward, she will be ineligible to continue on the governing body.
“I would think that we will close on the house within a month,” she said earlier this evening.
If the transaction is finalized before Council’s next meeting on Nov. 8 and Christian is in her new residence, it would mean that Monday night’s meeting was her final hurrah.
During her tenure, she was known for her willingness to speak her mind – ruffling feathers along the way – and fought valiantly to keep taxes down and for her constituents in the Sixth Ward.
The Sixth Ward covers the area south of Main Street and east of Liberty Street, extending to the Genesee County Fairgrounds on East Main Street.
Christian said she will miss the interaction with the residents and her colleagues.
“You know what I’m going to miss is the people in this ward. Am I going to miss Council? Yeah, I’m going to miss some of those people – quite a bit,” she said. “I might have not been able to override them that many times, but I gave it my best. I voted what I believe, you bet I did. And if I voted for four budgets, that’s saying a lot.”
According to the City Charter, someone will have to be appointed to replace Christian and complete her term, which is up for election in two more years, she said,
Christian switched affiliations from Democrat to Republican about 18 months ago, and thinks that could be an issue.
“There will be a problem with it because of the fact that I was a Democrat when I won the last election – and that was my eighth term to be elected,” she said, noting that she served the community for 29 ¾ years.
A check of the City Charter, Chapter 3, Section 3, reads as follows:
“Vacancies in the office of Council member shall be filled by election for the remainder of the unexpired term at the next general election occurring not less than 60 days after the occurrence of the vacancy. Such election to fill a vacancy where it occurs after the last day to file nominating petitions for the primary election shall be filled upon nominations made in the manner provided by law for the filling of vacancies in primary nominations occurring after the primary election.
“Pending such election and qualification of a Council member to fill a vacancy, Council shall fill the vacancy temporarily by appointment of a qualified person who shall be of the same political affiliation as the Council member whose place has become vacant and, if he or she was a ward Council member, a resident of the same ward.
"In the event that Council shall fail to appoint within 30 days after the vacancy, such appointment must be made by the Council President. This appointment must be made within 10 days under the same conditions as to political affiliation and residency noted in the paragraph above."
Going by the paragraph in boldface -- but yet to be confirmed by the city attorney, City Republicans would make the appointment since Christian now is a registered Republican.
Christian said that city leaders have scheduled a farewell party for her on Nov. 22 at City Hall Council Board Room. At the conclusion of that event, which runs from 5:15 to 7 p.m., City Council will present her with a proclamation in recognition of her service.
Press release:
The statewide STOP-DWI Impaired Driving High Visibility Engagement Campaign runs October 30th – November 1st.
This weekend the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the Village of Le Roy Police Department will participate in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.
Halloween is meant to be scary, but not when it comes to driving. When it comes to drunk driving Halloween can turn the roads into a horror fest. While families spend time trick or treating and hosting parties with loved ones, law enforcement officers and STOP-DWI programs across New York State will participate in special efforts to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives.
The STOP-DWI Halloween High Visibility Engagement Campaign is one of many statewide initiatives promoted by STOP-DWI NY and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. The Statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign also targets Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day/End of Summer, Thanksgiving, Holiday Season, Super Bowl weekend and St. Patrick’s Day. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.
Impaired driving is completely preventable. All it takes is a little planning.
Press release:
The Retired Educators of New York Teacher Grant Committee awards the Hudson-Kramer Memorial Grant annually to an educational professional in memory of Ross C. Hudson and Florence Coulter Kramer who were public school teachers and outstanding members of the New York State Retired Teachers Association. The purpose of the grant is to fund an innovative project or program in a New York State public school. Oakfield-Alabama's FFA program that is run by Todd Hofheins was selected to receive the grant this year to support his vision for raising market animals to support the local food pantry. The student who will be overseeing the project purchased with the grant money is Owen Zeliff (8th Grade). Owen comes from the family who have started the food pantry that has been so beneficial to our community, and we are sure he’s again excited to give back! Mr. Hofheins is a very busy teacher, but he agreed to sit for a Q and A session with our student reporter, Lily Haacke, to talk about the grant.
(Lily Haacke ) : What is the project that you will use the grant funds for?
Mr. Hofheins: The OA FFA students currently raise market animals in our school barn but have expressed an interest in helping our local food pantry while also educating the community by explaining the health benefits of using fresh beef. Funds from the grant will be used to purchase a market steer (bought as a calf and raised by our FFA) to provide the Oakfield Community Center/Food Pantry with fresh beef.
(Lily Haacke ): That sounds like a great project, How did the idea come about?
Mr. Hofheins: Oakfield-Alabama FFA Strives to develop student members that are well rounded in Agricultural knowledge and involved with different Community Service opportunities. Several FFA members were involved with a community garden last Summer 2020 and noticed a high demand from local families for fresh foods to offer for a complete and healthy meal. This sparked an interest to raise a market steer and donate the fresh beef to the Food Pantry.
(Lily Haacke): Do you see this as an area of need in Oakfield-Alabama?
Mr. Hofheins: Yes. Many families do not have access to fresh meat due to transportation issues. Others have lower or fixed incomes and fresh beef has become too costly to purchase from the supermarket. Instead, people rely on more affordable but less healthy processed foods which deteriorates their health.
(Lily Haacke ): Is it possible that demand outweighs supply? What will you do if there isn’t enough beef to meet the demand?
Mr. Hofheins: The Oakfield-Alabama-Elba FFA Alumni has offered to help with expenses if needed. Also, the Oakfield-Alabama FFA is also applying for a “Living to Serve” grant to offset the other money needed to raise and finish this project.
(Lily Haacke): Mr. Peterson (Middle School and High School Principal) has bragged about OA students having “authentic experiences” as part of their education here, is this an example of that?
Mr. Hofheins: Absolutely! This project helps support FFA students as part of their supervised agricultural experience by teaching calf selection, animal husbandry, nutrition, showmanship, marketing, and community service.
*This article was written by Lily Haacke as part of a class called OA Pride. The class (taught by Mrs. Tracy Schlagenhauf) includes project-based learning where students take the lead in researching and showcasing positive achievements within the Oakfield-Alabama school and community. The photos were taken by Alexis Main, a student in Mr. David Carpino’s digital photography class.
Press release:
In 2014, voters made their opposition to gerrymandering clear when they voted to authorize the Independent Redistricting Commission to work in a bipartisan fashion to draw maps for our state’s elections, so they were fair and a better reflection of real communities. This year, however, ballot proposals 1, 3, and 4 jeopardize the hard-fought wins New Yorkers have achieved in regard to redistricting and election integrity and could help the Majority retain one-party rule for years to come using partisan maps.
Ballot proposal 1 is complex, perhaps by design, and removes a requirement that maps approved by the Independent Redistricting Commission receive an approval vote from a member appointed by each leader of the Legislature, both in the Majority and the Minority. This requirement was implemented intentionally to ensure each party would have meaningful input in the drafting of electoral maps in New York. If proposal 1 passes, there will be nothing stopping the Majority from passing maps through the commission that are designed to protect their own power, and unfairly disenfranchise their political adversaries.
Proposal 1 also removes a requirement that in the event the commission does not vote in favor of a map, that any map then approved by the Legislature be accepted by a two-thirds majority vote, as that threshold would be lowered to just 60%. This will make it even easier for the Majority to push through self-serving maps in the event they feel the commission’s maps, drafted and voted upon by their appointees, do not do enough to help them electorally. This is another step this proposal takes to weaken the commission and eradicate meaningful bipartisanship from the redistricting process, all to the benefit of the ruling legislative party.
While proponents of ballot proposals 3 and 4 argue they will bolster our democracy, I believe these measures open the door for the abuse of our electoral process and could reduce the faith people have in the integrity of our elections. We’ve seen how mail-in voting can throw elections into disarray last year, when thousands of votes were left uncounted during New York City’s primary elections and when the congressional election held in the 22nd District was left to be resolved in the courts months after voting day. When combined with same-day voter registration, our local boards of election will be overwhelmed with documents to process and verify and could have a lesser ability to properly scrutinize them for fraud and inaccuracy. Newly-registered voters will also be allowed to vote on machines rather than through affidavits, which would make it near impossible to disqualify the votes of those found to be ineligible.
While some of these proposals may sound well-intentioned, I am greatly concerned about the effect they would have on our electoral process and our ability to maintain its integrity. Following a year in which many people have come to question their trust in our basic institutions, we should not be seeking to advance measures that open the door to gerrymandering and foul play. Do your part to defend our elections by flipping over your ballots this November and voting no on ballot proposals 1, 3, and 4”
Press release:
The Batavia Society of Artists will host Artist Shauna Blake on Tuesday, Nov. 9th at Go-Art/Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia at 7 pm. Shauna will demonstrate Acrylic Pour Painting on an ornament. Everyone who comes gets to make one of their own to take home. Please call or text Teresa Tamfer to reserve your spot at (585-506-2465. Non-Members welcome for a $5.00 fee.
BIO: Shauna Blake, Artist
Shauna Blake started painting in her early teens and has devoted her entire working life to her artwork. She has a love for nature and the outdoors and uses the inspiration and energy it provides to create her art.She paints in a wide variety of mediums including, watercolors, acrylics, pen and ink, and silk dyes.
In 1994 she graduated from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a major in Graphic Design and Illustration. She worked in the Graphic Design field for 7 years before joining her husband, Brendan in his glass art business in 2001. Here she expanded her art by studying and creating lampwork glass beads.
Shauna currently sells her hand-painted silk scarves, silk ribbons, and art prints worldwide on her website. www.QuintessenceSilk.com and on the popular Etsy handmade crafts site online.
Press release:
Join the Richmond Memorial Library in assisting families in need in our community.
The RML Teen Programming Group will sponsor a food drive collection from November 1st-November 19th, 2021 at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St, Batavia. Below are some suggestions of acceptable items. Please make sure all items are not past expiration and are non-perishables! A donation bin will be located in the foyer of the library and donations can be dropped off during regular library hours. Donations will be delivered to the Salvation Army. Questions can be directed to Teen Services Librarian Felicia Cecere (fcecere@nioga.org) or at 585-343-9550 ext. 1516 or Library Assistant Ellen Brokaw (ebrokaw@nioga.org).
Suggested Items for Donation:
Boxed Stuffing Mix, Instant Mashed Potatoes, Jars of Gravy (or Gravy Mix Packets), Canned Yams, Cranberry Sauce, Canned Vegetables, Cornbread Mix, Canned Pie Fillings, Pie Crust Mix, Box Dessert Mixes, Drink Mixes, Coffee, Tea, Crackers, Foil Baking Pans, Paper Products.
Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St in the City of Batavia. The library is open Mon-Thurs 9 am - 9 pm and Fri & Sat 9 am - 5 pm. For more about the library, visit batavialibrary.org
Press release:
The Genesee County Health Department is seeking information about the location of a dog and its owner following a dog bite incident around 6:00pm on Saturday, October 23. The owner was walking the dog on a leash on Clifton Avenue in Batavia (near James Street).
The dog is described as a medium-sized white dog with patches of black throughout the body. The dog had medium hair length, similar to a border collie mix and was approximately 40 to 50 pounds. The dog had ears that were flopped over and after the incident, there was damage to the left ear.
The dog’s owner is described as a white male, in his 30’s. He was around 5’8” to 5’10”, medium build, and wearing glasses. The owner has been seen walking the dog in this area before. After the incident, the owner and dog turned back and headed towards Farrall Park area.
It is important to locate the dog to determine whether or not it is current on its rabies shot. If the health status is not identified, post-exposure rabies shots will be offered to several victims.
If you have information about the location of the dog and its owner, please contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555.
Updating the City of Batavia’s building permit fees will even the playing field and produce revenue for the municipality that more accurately reflects the amount of time and effort spent by Inspection Bureau employees on residential and commercial projects.
That’s the view of Assistant City Manager Jill Wiedrick, who proposed a new fee schedule at Monday night’s City Council Conference Meeting at the City Hall Council Board Room.
Wiedrick, asserting that she knows a little bit about construction inspection and code enforcement “to be dangerous,” offered a list of reasons why she thinks the time is right for a revision of permit charges for undertakings such as roofing, fencing, siding and home/business additions.
Working in conjunction with the city’s Bureau of Inspection, Plumbing Board and Bureau of Maintenance, she said the updated fee strategy emphasizes easy calculation (via Energov computer software), fairness, flat fees, signed contracts and penalties for work done without a permit.
Actually, Wiedrick knows more than “a little bit” about the subject as she returned to Batavia in July after serving as the City of Rochester’s manager of zoning. Previously, she worked for the Genesee County Planning Department for seven years and before that worked as a construction inspector.
Charged with evaluating the city’s current state of affairs concerning inspection and permit fees, she said she discovered inefficiencies in the time spent by staff and the way in which fees were determined.
WIEDRICK: PERMITTING IS A PROCESS
“A lot of us think that once those drawings (for the work) are submitted (to the city), that’s the end of the story,” Wiedrick said. “I get my permit and I move on with my life. Unfortunately, that’s not the end of the story. Many times, when our crew gets the permit into the office, it’s reviewed at least twice, maybe three times.”
Wiedrick said in most cases the submitted drawings are missing key information or don’t meet code standards – instances that trigger more work and additional inspections at the location.
“Typically, for residential permits for an addition, the inspection might go out there five times. They’re checking out first what does the soil look like, the forms for the foundation, then see the foundation being poured – they’re out there a number of times,” she said.
Under the current system, city inspectors have to take notes at the site and come back to the office to input the information into a computer. Wiedrick said that with Energov software, this can be done by using a laptop at the property being renovated.
“What it’s (Energov) going to do is provide the opportunity for code enforcement officers to do things in the field live,” she explained. “It’s going to make them 1,000 times more efficient … and the process easier for them and the public. It will advance our inspections department immensely.”
As for the current fee schedule, which hasn’t been updated in at least 15 years, she said it is challenging for the staff and the public to figure out the right permit fees, and often the city receives checks for permit fees in the wrong amount.
LOOKING AT THE KEY COMPONENTS
Key aspects of the permit fee structure as of today include the following:
The proposed new schedule would focus on the following:
“Who doesn’t love flat fee permits?” Wiedrick said. “You know exactly what you’re paying for whatever your project is. A flat fee permit also says you can put in whatever sort of high end products that you’d like to use for that project and not be penalized for that.”
“This happens across the board in every municipality,” she said. “Somebody knows they’re doing a $10,000 deck … and they’ll come in and say, I’m only spending $2,500 and we base the permit fee on that $2,500 and everybody knows that the deck is $10,000 deck but we don’t have the ability at this point to say, no, no, no, I know how much that’s going to be. The proposed fee schedule takes that out.”
“At this point, if I’m a contractor or a person, I’m going to take my chances, I’m going to gamble,” she said. “I’m going to do my project and if I get cited, I know that I’m just going to pay the permit fee – no big deal. And if I don’t, I keep that permit money.”
CHRISTIAN: IT’S NOT THE RIGHT TIME
Upon completing her presentation, Council member Rose Mary Christian quickly spoke against a change in the fees – mentioning the “economy, inflation, food, utilities and gas.”
“I’m looking at these figures here, for instance, an addition to a piece of property – a commercial one where right now it’s $550 (based on 1,400 square feet, $105,000 project), and it will be $1,260. That’s quite a jump,” Christian said. “With everything that’s going on, I think that this is the wrong time to bring this to us. There’s a lot of people out there that are hurting right now and this is going to hurt them even further … I’m not in favor of this by no means.”
Wiedrick countered by saying that another reason for the proposed changes is to cover the city’s expenses for providing the service.
“One of the things that’s happening right now is when a resident does a project or there’s a commercial project, essentially with the current fee schedule, all of the residents of the City of Batavia are subsidizing those projects,” she said. “So, if I never put up a deck in the entire time I’m living in Batavia, I still – because the fees are not commensurate with the work that has to go into it – am subsidizing other work that’s happening.
“The idea was to raise the fees so we’re ensuring that we’re covering those costs and we’re actually keeping pace with the other municipalities.”
Christian replied, “I don’t care what other municipalities are doing. I care about what’s happening here in Batavia.”
City Manager Rachael Tabelski noted that some of the fees in the new schedule are being reduced for residents while some are increasing for various commercial projects.
TABELSKI: NOT A LAUGHING MATTER
“The majority of the commercial projects that we’re seeing are businesses that are thriving and using grant money funneled through the city and we continue to have so much staff time spent on them,” Tabelski said, later adding that contractors “laugh at our fee schedule – at how low our pricing is … but yet how many hours they take from our Inspection office.”
Christian changed her tune a bit, stating that she “can agree” to the commercial work charges (although she cited a proposed commercial fee change in her initial argument).
“But as far as residents go and people from the city, no, I don’t agree with it,” she added.
Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said his takeaway was that an attempt was being made to establish fees that were in line with the cost of the work being performed by Inspection Bureau staff.
“The Inspection office is fully funded by the General fund; it cannot be funded by the water fund or the sewer fund, so it is a direct result of property taxes,” Tabelski said. “We only have those employees … because of property taxes and to try to offset some of that in a small way, especially on commercial type activities … this would be somewhat helpful.”
Council member Robert Bialkowski said that while he didn’t have a problem with the new fee schedule, he did call for educating the public on the need to obtain building permits.
“There’s a lot of work being done on evenings and weekends, and a lot of work that’s not visible from the street … roof replacements and all that – where there’s no permits issued and the people know they need to get a permit,” he said. “There’s contractors that are a little on the shaky side that know they can evade the permits because it won’t be visible from the street.”
CANALE: ‘AN UNFRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT’
Council member John Canale agreed, adding that the perception from commercial contractors and developers is that the “City of Batavia is the hardest one to get along with. (But) I’ve worked with those guys (Inspection Bureau) and I think they’re very easy to get along with.”
“The business world sees us as an unfriendly environment,” he continued. “I hear that all the time. I heard it for years when my father was a councilman. That Batavia is business unfriendly. We’re not. So, if we do a few things proactively, I think we can clean that reputation up a little bit.”
Wiedrick said that inspections is a tough line of work.
“I’m probably one of 10 people in New York that is passionate about inspections because I know how important it is. I’m a big cheerleader for our team because they do a good job,” she said, crediting Code Enforcement Officer Doug Randall for his contribution to the new fee schedule study.
In the end, Jankowski said he looks forward to receiving input from residents and to work on the educational component. The proposal was forwarded to a future Council Business Meeting (possibly Nov. 8) for a possible vote.
Photo: Assistant City Manager Jill Wiedrick, left, speaking to City Council about the proposed permit fee schedule revision. Photo by Mike Pettinella.
Previously: City Council to consider permit fee schedule update
City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. reads a proclamation from the City of Batavia in commemoration of the Genesee Symphony Orchestra's 75th year as Sherry Mosher, left, GSO board member, and Melzie Case, symphony musician, look on at tonight's City Council meeting. Founded as the Batavia Civic Orchestra in 1947, it is one of the oldest civic orchestras in New York State. The proclamation credits the GSO for "enriching the community through high quality performance, educational opportunities, guest artists and partnerships." Photo by Mike Pettinella.
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