Trick-or-treaters were able to visit 28 Downtown businesses on Saturday in an event organized by Michael Marsh of Edward Jones, and all participating businesses purchased their own candy.
Photos by Howard Owens
A parolee with a lengthy criminal history is in custody following a string of car thefts in Genesee County.
Edward G. Ruckdeschel, 61, of Batavia, is charged with two counts of grand larceny in the third degree and two counts of grand larcenhy in the fourth degree, and could face more changes, according to the Sheriff's Office.
During a lengthy investigation, "several" stolen vehicles were located throughout Genesee County and surrounding areas.
The investigation was conducted by road patrols and criminal investigation divisions with the assistance of the State Police and the Orleans County Sheriff's Office.
Ruckdeschel available criminal record goes back to 1986 when he was arrested in Monroe County and sent to prison, convictions for criminal possession of stolen property 2nd and criminal possession of stolen property first.
In 1997, he was imprisoned for criminal mischief in the third degree and burglary in the third degree.
In 2000 he was sent to prison again on a conviction in Cayuga County for grand larceny in the fourth degree.
In 2006, in Oneida County, burglary in the third degree.
In 2011, criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree.
In 2017, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in the second degree.
His first conviction to lead to prison time in Genesee County was in 2020 for grand larceny in the fourth degree, auto theft, and grand larceny in the third degree.
Ruckdeschel was arraigned and jailed without bail.
The Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing and Ruckdeschel faces several additional charges.
With a $150 million future phase III water system and $70 million new county jail facility in progress, coupled with addressing a $3.4 million deficit that “emerged” after receiving budget requests from all department heads, it was no wonder why county Manager Matt Landers needed extra time to put his annual budget message together this year.
What was originally expected for release a week ago had to be delayed until Friday of this week, with Landers explaining along the way that he was working to make edits and needed more time with his words than he did with the budget numbers.
"The next few budgets will have a uniform theme and consistent message from the Manager’s Office, which centers on the new County jail and the constant race to keep water supply ahead of demand. The county is embarking on two of the largest capital infrastructure projects in its history, with a new County jail carrying a price tag of approximately $70 million and phase three of the countywide water system with a current projected price tag of $150 million,” he said in this year’s message. “These two projects are going to weigh heavily on decisions made by the Manager’s Office and County Legislature for the foreseeable future, and is evident in the 2024 recommended County budget.”
Despite all of the upcoming expenses for infrastructure and jail to house men and women out on Route 5, the thrust of the message is not nearly as dire as one might expect. This next year’s all-funds budget of $182,790,077 is $20 million more than the 2023 adopted budget and includes a tax rate that is 37 cents less than the current tax rate, or an expected $8.08 per $1,000 assessed value. For a home assessed at 100,000, if nothing has changed with its assessment this past year, the annual tax bill will decrease by $37.
The total budget also includes:
“This budget funds County government in an efficient and responsible manner while making key investments that will help deliver better service to the residents of Genesee County. The recommended budget stays under the NYS tax cap while covering a lengthy number of expensive State mandates of which we have little to no control,” Landers said. “Crafting a balanced 2024 recommended budget presented considerable challenges, particularly in addressing a $3.4 million deficit that emerged after receiving budget requests from all department heads. To meet the challenge of keeping the net County support impact in line with the 2023 budget, County departments were encouraged to think innovatively and find cost-effective solutions.
“This was a challenge, considering New York State Retirement rates were once again increasing while higher than normal inflation and supply chain issues are causing vendor contracts to increase,” he said. “Despite these increases, I was pleased to see the majority of departments hold the line on spending, which helped greatly in delivering a budget that stays under the tax cap.”
The recommended budget includes $1.5 million of unappropriated fund balance, a decrease of $500,000 from the 2023 adopted County budget, he said. He is proposing a property tax levy of $32,722,377, an increase of $641,615, or 2 percent, which falls within the allowable tax cap. That would drop the current tax rate from $8.45 per $1,000 to $8.08 per $1,000 assessed value for a 4.37 percent decrease.
While he worked with department staff to control spending where possible, Landers also kept an eye on a “continued commitment in increased funding for our roads and bridges infrastructure,” he said, by putting an extra $1 million to play catch-up on work that's been put aside for too long.
“The cracks are showing,” he said. “This continued commitment of an extra $1 million is a big step in addressing the deferred maintenance of the county road and bridge infrastructure.
“The County continues to make strategic investments in its workforce, which will result in better service delivery to Genesee County residents. A large share of the investments in the 2024 recommended budget are being made in public safety,” he said. “Newly created positions are necessary to run an effective 21st Century correctional facility and include creating six new correction officer positions and a new custodial position to help maintain the significantly larger county jail.”
Another key piece of infrastructure is the multi-phase Genesee County Water System, which is nearing completion of the $25+ million phase 2 while Phase 3, a $150 million project, is being quickly designed, Landers said.
“Phase 3 includes bringing in enough water from Monroe County to close the City of Batavia water plant, which draws from a threatened source and has long outlived its useful life,” he said. “However, before the plant comes off-line, millions more have to be invested to ensure water supply keeps up with demand until Phase 3 is complete.”
As he had announced earlier this year, Landers had struck a deal with Mercy Flight and Le Roy Ambulance Service for dedicated ambulance response within the county. That is reflected in the 2024 budget with two new contracts for more than $600,000 annually “to help stabilize emergency response resources in Genesee County.” This action was listed as one of the recommendations from a recent County-funded study that examined fire and ambulance service in Genesee County, he said.
“These new contracts will strengthen the capabilities of local providers, improve emergency response times for County residents and allow the County to avoid directly purchasing ambulances and hiring staff,” he said.
Overall, Landers, with assistance from the assistant county manager and executive assistant, took a “deeper dive” into more specific budget lines, resulting in “significant budgetary savings,” he said, and more sharing of resources between departments.
How is he reducing the tax rate with all of those expenses on the county’s plate?
There’s a $1.5 million fund balance, $1 million from reserves, an increase in sales tax revenue of $6.7 million — due to the price of goods increasing as the result of inflation, larger online purchasing by Genesee County residents and the retail growth happening in the Town of Batavia, plus a large percentage of sales tax from gasoline sales — and recent interest rate increases have earned the county an extra $1.45 million of interest earnings, all going toward the 2024 budget, Landers said.
The public will have the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed budget during a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Courthouse Chambers, second floor of the Old County Courthouse, 7 Main St., Batavia. The county Legislature is expected to vote on a final budget on Nov. 20.
Genesee County’s Legislature approved a slate of resolutions Wednesday, including funding to cover a budget shortage in the Sheriff’s Office due to overtime pay and fringe expenses for services to outside agencies, including for the air show and Darien Lake.
During the Public Service meeting earlier this month, Undersheriff Bradley Mazur explained a shortage of more than $120,000 due to overtime costs, due at least in part to sheriff’s deputy details at the Wings Over Batavia air show and at Darien Lake concerts during this calendar year.
The Legislature approved expenses of $95,000 for the additional overtime in police services, $5,890 for Social Security tax, $1,378 for Medicare tax, and $18,525 in retirement costs, for a total of $120,793.
The county will recoup those expenses by billing the agencies where sheriff's office services were rendered, county Manager Matt Landers said.
The Legislature also approved an increase in revenue to the Sheriff’s Office from STOP-DWI grant funds in the amount of $12,607 to cover the cost of the High Visibility Enforcement Campaign details worked in 2023.
Genesee County law enforcement agencies, including the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police Department, and LeRoy Police Department, will be participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program this coming week to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.
The statewide STOP-DWI Impaired Driving High Visibility Engagement Campaign begins Friday and goes through Tuesday.
The message is simple: Designate a driver, and don’t let alcohol take the wheel. When it comes to impaired driving, “Halloween can turn the roads into a horror fest,” organizers say.
While families spend time with their children 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. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.
Pembroke Town Supervisor Thomas Schneider Jr. is well aware of social media comments in opposition to a planned apartment complex on Route 77 and understands people's concerns, he says.
But he hasn't received a lot of direct contact from opponents at Town Hall.
"We do hear the concerns," Schneider said after Thursday's board meeting. "One thing is the zoning has been in place since 1991. We've been working under the same zoning. I know it's sometimes hard for people to be informed, but if you don't know what's in your zoning, you can't be shocked when something comes in that's allowed in the zoning with a special use permit or buy right."
The project is approved. The Town Planning Board approved it on Sept. 27. On Thursday, GCEDC approved an incentive package for the project. There's no amount of opposition that can stop it now.
But even if there had been greater opposition before the approvals, mere opposition from community residents isn't enough to stop a development that meets all the legal requirements to be built at a specific location.
"According to state law, you shouldn't turn it down just because public opinion is 'we don't want it,'" Schneider said. "There should be a justifiable reason, an evidence-based reason, to turn it down."
Developer Mike Schmidt of Alden is planning to build four buildings over four phases at 8900 Alleghany Road. Each phase consists of a building with eight one-bedroom and 16 two-bedroom units, totaling 96 market-rate units, with 168 parking spaces along with garages.
Schmidt is planning on investigating $15 million in the project.
GCEDC on Thursday approved a sales tax exemption estimated at $739,200, a property tax abatement estimated at $2,020,688, and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $130,000.
Schneider said he personally supports the project.
"My personal feeling on the whole thing is, as a former school board member, there are people who want to be in our district," Schneider said. "Our district does need kids in the district to help it survive."
He said he has met with Schmidt, and he believes Schmidt will do what he says he's going to do.
"I think he's a man of his word," Schneider said. "I don't see him as wanting to have subsidized housing (meaning HUD aid to tenants). The EDC said they're gonna pull the incentives if it is subsidized, so I am not concerned about it. I think there's a lot of change going on in the town this year that has people a little squeamish, but we need to grow."
Growth is part of the town's approved Comprehensive Plan, he said.
"I think that's the direction of the town board's past and present," Schneider said. "The comp plan in the town says (routes) 5 and 77 and 33 should have more intensive type of commercial build-outs."
The project did raise some issues with current zoning, Schneider noted during the meeting, and he's proposing the town work on making some changes to the zoning code with a moratorium on some development until the changes are approved, which could take about a year to get through the legal process.
One example he used of an area to be addressed is bus access to an apartment complex site.
"Things like that we can actually write into the zoning law," Schneider said. "That really takes it out of the hands of the planning board or, (not having) them having a struggle with what type of stipulations to put in the (approval). Let's spell it out."
He stressed he is not proposing a complete ban on anything.
Batavia’s downtown Business Improvement District members would like to spend some of their more than $220,000 capital account to enhance the downtown area, and because that will take a city amendment to do so, a public hearing is necessary.
The BID’s current agreement with the city requires the amendment to “add language for improvements in the district that will be allowable under their capital account,” City Manager Rachael Tabelski said. Tabelski explained the need for the amendment and set a public hearing during this week’s council meeting.
“The BID has requested that we update a very specific portion of the plan in relation to the capital infrastructure fund. They currently have $222,000 designated to be used for projects. And they asked to amend the list we had previously to include capital purchases, enhancements in the district of decorations, banners, planters, light poles and accessories, signs, wayfinding, decorative trash bins and potential sidewalk improvements,” Tabelski said. “So they'd like the ability to do these types of projects within the plan and to spend this funding on those projects. So by modifying the plan, you'd give permission for them to undertake these types of activities with this funding. This is a local law change. So it will need to go through the public hearing process.”
The BID currently has $222,470.50 in its capital account and has requested to make multiple purchases to enhance the district.
Because a substantial portion of the Management Association’s activities are funded by a special assessment levied by the city and its activities are important to the economic health and vitality of the city, it is necessary that the business of the Management Association be performed in an open and public manner, according to city code.
This provides for the residents and businesses in the community to be fully aware of and able to observe the activities of the Management Association Board of Directors, as well as attend and listen to the deliberations and decisions that go into the making of BID policy.
In addition, providing access to meeting minutes allows residents and businesses to observe the decision-making process by the Board and to review the documents leading to those determinations.
Tabelski recommended that the same Local Law No. 3 be amended for the BID plan to include these latest requested improvements and to also include a related public hearing.
That hearing will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 27 in Council Chambers at City Hall.
The Batavian contacted BID President Derek Geib for comment since the matter was going to be part of a public hearing. He did not want to provide comment and instead referred The Batavian to BID Executive Director Shannon Maute, who also did not want to offer a comment.
A little background about the BID may be in order. A local law was adopted on Nov. 24, 1997, outlined in Chapter 58 of the city’s code, to establish the district, which is comprised of several streets from Liberty Street west to Court Street and Ellicott Street north to Washington Avenue.
The local law was amended on June 27, 2005, to include the Ellicott Street business area. It was later further amended on Aug. 6, 2016, and again on March 12, 2018, all of which required public hearings due to the properties within the district being in the public’s interest.
Under General Municipal Law 980-a ... the Batavia City Council requires that the Management Association Board of Directors comply, conform and abide by the State of New York Open Meetings and Public Information laws. This will apply to all Management Association and sub-committee meetings, including executive committee meetings. The Management Association will further post all by-laws, board and committee meeting minutes, annual budgets, audited financial statements and annual reports on the Management Association’s website for public viewing.
The Batavian contacted Tabelski about this requirement, since the BID has not had an active website for several months. The Batavian asked where the reports were being posted and who was responsible for ensuring that they were being posted as mandated by municipal law.
Tabelski did not directly respond to those questions, however, she said that the website was discussed during BID’s meeting on Tuesday and that it was being redeveloped and “should relaunch soon.”
There are two sources for funding the activities of the BID, according to related city documents: the BID assessment and the City of Batavia. The BID assessment for each property is calculated by multiplying the assessed valuation of the property by the BID assessment rate, which was $1.81 per $1,000 of assessed value as of Jan. 18, 2021.
A vehicle has reportedly crashed into a house at 7824 South Lake Road, Le Roy.
No word on injuries.
Le Roy Fire, Le Roy Ambulance, and Mercy EMS dispatched.
UPDATE 5:23 p.m.: A chief on scene reports the vehicle struck a porch and not the house. Bergen had also been dispatched and is now back in service.
UPDATE 5:26 p.m.: No injuries.
Last year's successful Downtown trick-or-treat is returning to the business district again on Saturday.
Organized by Michael Marsh of Edward Jones and sponsored by YNGodess, this is the second year in a row that children have been invited to get into their Halloween costumes and visit participating local businesses for tricks or treats (probably treats).
The event runs from 1 to 3 p.m.
Trick-or-Treat Stops:
The following are in/around the City Centre:
Remember to Trick or Treat responsibly, organizers remind families.
In Trisha Allen’s eyes, the need to help men and women returning to the community after being incarcerated far outweighs her job title at UConnectCare’s Reentry Program.
The Lyndonville resident recently was promoted by the agency, formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, for her efforts over the past 2 ½ years to develop and solidify the program that provides case management and peer recovery services to those who have been in jail or prison.
A five-year employee at UConnectCare, Allen (photo at right) has moved up from coordinator to project director -- with expanded duties that include overseeing seven full- and part-time employees and communicating directly with the officer of the Offender Reentry Program grant from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that funds the local initiative.
Allen said the Reentry Program has helped numerous men and women get their lives back on track.
She said the men and women who utilized the services that are offered and “did the work” are the ones that have made a successful transition from incarceration.
“In the end, it’s a matter of ‘what you put into the program is what you get out of it,’” she said.
Chester Shivers, a key member of the UConnectCare Reentry Program team since 2020, said he can relate to what people are going through as he advanced through a reentry program at another location.
“It has helped me to learn patience and to make healthy decisions,” he said. “I take one day at a time and wish to share the same hope that was given to me to others.”
Currently, the program is serving more than 90 participants in the Genesee and Orleans counties, with some of those people living in transitional housing provided by UConnectCare.
The Reentry Program helps connect participants with the following services: substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, housing, food, clothing, employment and/or job training, childcare, transportation and medical care. Direct case management and housing services are not billed through insurance, enabling participants to avoid those expenses.
Initially, individuals with a history of substance use who were sentenced to jail for a minimum of three months were eligible to qualify for the program. Today, eligibility is not as restrictive.
“We’re now able to serve people that were sentenced to a minimum of 30 days and have served that sentence,” Allen said. “Government is noticing … especially with changes in bail laws that people are not incarcerated as much and for shorter durations.”
Allen said she would like to see the program expanded to include those who haven’t been formally sentenced but served some time through pre-trial release or have had their case diverted through Genesee Justice or Drug Court. She said she also is an advocate for Medication Assisted Treatment for those in recovery.
Since May of this year, Allen has served as the jail counselor in both counties. She said that role ties in nicely with her job with the Reentry Program.
“We’ve been able to get nine or 10 new clients from the counseling sessions,” she said, adding that she visits the Genesee County Jail on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the Orleans County Jail on Wednesdays and Fridays.
A graduate of Genesee Community College, where she received an associate degree in Human Services, Allen also has certification as a peer advocate and is working toward become a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor.
For more information about the Reentry Program, send an email to reentry@uconnectcare.org or call 585-813-6570.
Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for UConnectCare.
The Town of Pembroke is considering the construction of a 25,000-square-foot solar farm on land at the back of Town Park.
The location is behind and to the east of the 18-hole disc golf course and would not be visible to visitors of the park.
The solar farm would be built by Buffalo Solar, based in Depew.
"It's basically a small-scale solar project that would basically cover the electricity usage of the town buildings, and then provide a little bit of revenue stream from it," said Supervisor Thomas Schneider, Jr.
"NYSERDA has been pushing towns and villages to do these projects that helps offset the power," Schneider said. "It would save us between $12,000 and $15,000 a year on our electric bills and then generate a little bit of revenue on the side. It's proposed in the section of Town Park that is just wooded and is not likely to be developed, honestly, ever."
A grain bin fire is reported at 6902 Ivison Road, Byron.
Byron and South Byron fire departments dispatched, along with Bergen's ladder truck and an engine from Elba.
A 2018 decision by the Genesee County Legislature to reduce the amount of sales tax shared with other municipalities in the county is making it harder and harder for the Town of Pembroke to meet its financial obligations, said Supervisor Thomas Schneider, Jr.
The town board reviewed the proposed 2024 budget on Wednesday, scheduling a vote for its Nov. 9 meeting on the proposed spending plan, which doesn't raise taxes, but it does raise the tax levy over the state's allowed two percent.
On Wednesday, the board voted to override the tax cap.
The proposed levy is $410,000, which is $30,000 higher than in 2023.
The larger levy is due to the increased assessed value of property in the Town of Pembroke.
"The county cut us out of the sales tax agreement, like they did five, six years ago, which is why every town is struggling the same as we are with funding now," Schneider said. "We were blessed not to have a town tax for all those many years that we didn't have a town tax. Other towns were still getting the county sales tax money and still had town taxes on top of that."
The proposed budget is $2,621,299.
Schneider said that's the bare minimum needed to keep the town operational. At the same time, the Town is looking at the need to spend $6 million to replace the highway garage.
The money has to come from somewhere, Schneider said. They've looked at increasing building permit fees, and fees have grown because of increased development, and some of that revenue has been shifted to the general fund. But it's not enough. The loss of sales tax revenue is really hurting, Schneider said.
He provided that shows that in 2017, the town received $1,322,812 in sales tax from the county. In 2024, the town will receive $1.06 million. If not for the cuts, accounting for economic growth, under the old agreement, the town would receive more than $1.7 million. The difference is a loss of $646,388.
In 2018, the City of Batavia and County reached a new 40-year sales tax agreement, subsequently approved by the state. By law, the county and city must reach a sales tax agreement, but the county is under no obligation to share sales tax with towns and villages. The towns and villages had no say in the 2018 agreement.
The county shifted sales tax from the towns and villages to help fund a new $60 million jail.
The state levies a four percent sales tax, and the county levies a four percent sales tax, making the local sales tax 8 percent.
From 2004 to 2020, Pembroke had no town property tax. After the new sales tax agreement and the cut in Pembroke's share of sales tax, the town instituted a 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value property tax. The current tax rate, which will not change in 2024, is $1.20 per thousand of assessed value.
"It's hard to know how much sales tax is generated in the Town of Pembroke, but I'll guarantee it's a hell of a lot more than we're getting between all these truckstops, gas stations and the East Pembroke gas station on the thruway," Schneider said. "We should all share in the benefits of sales tax in this county, and we still do, but not where we would have been if that agreement was never basically deep-sixed all those many years ago."
There was one upside to being one of the few men at the Pink Hatters & Friends annual dinner this year, comedian Dan Viola says.
No line at the restroom. Ta-dum-dum.
While humor might seem out of place for something as potentially sobering as an event to celebrate cancer survivors and remember those who have died from the awful disease, this event was a mix of light-hearted laughter and thoughtful recognition.
Viola was in the program line-up after a survivor recognition of those who have survived significant milestones of one year and beyond, and that followed guest speaker Dr. Lori Medeiros, who specializes in breast diseases and breast surgery.
The key importance of having the event is to “celebrate our community’s survivors and continue to fundraise funds for our local community,” nurse manager Olivia Barren said.
She and fellow nurse managers from United Memorial Medical Center’s maternity department came together to put the event together, she said. There were nearly 300 people in attendance, made up of about 50 percent cancer survivors, plus their family, friends, and hospital staff.
“We’ve had really good success with fundraising. And I think at the end of the day, just getting everyone together and being able to celebrate the success, and all the hard work that we put into it, and everyone's survivor’s story, it’s really great,” she said. “We start with the basket raffle. That's our primary source of fundraising. We did a dessert dash, which we were able to raise just under $2,000 with the dessert dash, which I'd never even heard of before. Each table fundraised just within their dinner table, and they put money in an envelope … We had all the way up to $147 was our winning table, and they got to go first. So we raised a lot of money in a very short amount of time with that, so they get to go and pick desserts first. And then the second highest envelope, and next and then so on and so forth.”
Thanks to donations from local bakeries and restaurants, those tables with the highest contributions then dashed to select one of 37 desserts of their choice, she said. It made for a fun ending to dinner and a good way to raise more money for the cause.
Aside from the fundraising aspect, Barren has a deeply personal reason for her passion: “My mom is actually a breast cancer survivor,” she said.
“And so it’s very meaningful to me,” she said. “I’m the OB Department nurse manager, so we do a lot of education for obstetric patients about breast cancer and early screening. And it just hits home, mostly because of my mom.”
The basket raffle, featuring themed baskets of various items, involved contributions from hospital workers and members of the community, she said.
While attendees still wear pink attire and many wear colorful fun pink hats, the main theme of breast cancer awareness for the month of October has expanded to include colon cancer as well.
“All of us wear pink hats to honor breast cancer. But this year, we're talking a lot about — our keynote speaker is actually a survivor of colon cancer,” Barren said. “So not just breast cancer, anybody with cancer stories. But we do focus a lot on the breast cancer side of things.
“I really love being super involved. I love getting together with a community. I love getting together with my friends outside of work to really network and hang out in a low-stresson environment compared to being in the hospital every day where we're dealing with life and death.,” she said. “Here, we get to have fun, eat wonderful food and raise money for our community.”
Pembroke Primary School hosted a trunk or treat for children at the school. The event included activities in the gym.
Photos by Howard Owens.
Voters in the Pembroke Central School District on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved two measures that will authorize the district to make more than $37.5 million in improvements to school facilities.
Here is a summary of what voters approved.
Prop 1: $35,995,000. No additional tax impact. The local share is $6.8 million and will be covered by capital reserves. The balance of the spending plan will be covered by state aid and paying off existing debt.
Prop 1 will:
The plan includes expanding the gym, which will address the current facility's limited seating capacity and eliminate front-row spectators from having their feet on the court during sporting events. The upgrade will also include installing a divider curtain, adding concessions, and an upgraded scoreboard.
At the elementary school, the playground will be updated. The current playground was installed in 1995 and has lasted longer than expected, according to district documentation.
The district states:
However, the maintenance required to keep it as safe as possible has become more and more challenging over time. At the end of this past school year, we had limited access to the playground. Then, over the summer, our maintenance department made a number of repairs and alterations to address concerns that were identified by a certified playground inspector. As a result of their hard work, the playground is accessible to students this fall, with the understanding that splinters are an ongoing issue. The repairs were only a short-term fix, so it is time to assess how to repair and/or upgrade the playground more significantly to make it last another 25-30 years.
The total cost of Prop 2 is $1,535,000. The local share is nearly 100 percent of the projected cost. State aid will cover less than one percent.
According to the district, the tax impact breaks down this way:
For more details on the projects, click here.
For the first time in several months, the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board of directors had a quorum at today’s meeting at Batavia Downs Gaming and was able to conduct a bit of business.
Initially, the board elected Dennis Bassett (City of Rochester) as the temporary chair to cover just this meeting, but later on (following several minutes of discussion about other matters), decided to keep him in that position through the November planning meeting.
The unattended resolutions have been piling up, with WROTB President Henry Wojtaszek informing the board that up to 70 resolutions will need to be considered before the end of the year.
With that being said, it was incumbent upon the board to have a chair in place, Wojtaszek noted.
A motion was made to elect Bassett as the permanent chair, but that failed to pass due to the board’s weighted voting system. All board members eligible to vote, except Erie County’s Jennifer Hibit, supported Bassett. However, since Erie County’s vote has more strength, based on population, the motion was defeated. City of Buffalo director Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney apparently was not eligible to vote as she is waiting for licensing from the New York State Gaming Commission.
Subsequently, other motions were brought forward to elect Bassett temporarily – first for October and then into November – and they carried unanimously.
The board did pass a pair of resolutions pertaining to sales of former WROTB branches in Phoenix, Oswego County, and West Ridge Road, Monroe County.
WROTB sold the Phoenix parlor for $750,000 to CM Family Trust and the West Ridge Road branch to Michael J. Cerone for $500,000.
Wojtaszek said he, with assistance from attorneys and procurement staff, did their best to maximize the sale prices.
Chief Financial Officer Jacquelyne Leach said the proceeds from the West Ridge Road sale will count toward the public benefit corporation’s bottom line as distributions in a normal sale but would not have an impact on distributions to municipalities for 2023.
She did say that the Phoenix sale has the “potential” to increase funds to the 15 counties and two major cities.
While admitting that mistakes have been made, the City of Rochester representative on the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. bristled when “alleged corruption” was brought up during his talk with the media following today’s directors meeting at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road.
City of Rochester representative Dennis Bassett – who was elected as the temporary board chair through November -- took exception to a Buffalo-based reporter’s query about whether the revamped board was intent “on instituting some reforms and cleaning up alleged corruption.”
“Well, we've got not only (new directors) from Erie (County) and (the City of) Buffalo, but we got a new member from Monroe County, which based upon the way the vote goes, that’s pretty good,” Bassett said, referring to the weighted voting system that was put in by New York State mandate last May. “I’d like to say we've got new board members from Erie, from Buffalo, from Monroe County that add new blood.
“And I think corruption is a is a very strong term. I've been on this board, as I said 14 years, and I don't see corruption. We’ve seen some honest procedural mistakes … and we should be held accountable for that. I'd like to say we did everything perfectly, but we haven't. But I think we -- with good intentions – made mistakes.”
Bassett said the board has addressed the problems such as the use of sporting event tickets, the way mileage is reimbursed and health insurance for board members.
“There's been some stubbing of the toes. And yes, I'd like to say we have done … everything right, but we haven’t,” he offered. “We’ve stubbed our toe. But I can also say that in those areas where we’ve had problems, we have corrected them. And that’s the key thing. We’ve listened. We’ve made some very – I would call it -- enthusiastic decisions, whether it be mileage, whether it be our entertainment, whether it be the things that we can control.”
When asked about the former board, which was dominated by Republicans, he said, “Well, you know, to the victor goes the spoils.”
“I'm a Democrat, registered Democrat, and most of the board members during my time were Republicans. And guess what? I never once felt slighted. I will continue to say on this board, we make business decisions. We owe the municipalities and the two cities to make the best business decisions we can so we can put money in their coffers.
“We don’t stand and say this is a Republican decision or this is a Democrat (decision). Is it a good business decision? And that has been our mantra since I’ve been on the board.”
When he was asked whether spending hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past two years on lawyers and lobbyists was a good business decision, Bassett said the board didn’t have “the skill set” to ascertain the correct answers.
“We've had to hire counsel because of some of the things – whether it be the Nolan lawsuit (a wrongful termination suit by former WROTB executive Michael Nolan) … and the (FBI) investigations, sadly to say we had to do some of those things because we didn’t have the skill set to answer the questions that were proposed. But I think we’ve weathered that storm, and I don’t think we’ve got to continue down that path,” he said.
Bassett said he sees the “new blood” as a positive for the board. Actually, six new directors joined the board after the shakeup that terminated the previous board – Jennifer Hibit (Erie County), Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney (Buffalo), James Wilmot (Monroe County), Terrance Baxter (Cayuga County), Paul Bartow (Schuyler County) and Charles Zambito (Genesee County).
“I think it’s good,” Bassett said. “And just the new change we made with having people who are really younger and working, for us to be able to Zoom committee meetings so people can take advantage of getting their ideas (out there) is a big step,”
During this morning’s meeting, the board agreed to give directors the option of attending future committee meetings via Zoom videoconferencing.
It also will be looking into a suggestion from Hibit to livestream the board meetings to, as she said, “make the board more transparent and accessible to the public.”
Bassett emphasized that there will be more transparency going forward and talked about having a strategic plan in place beyond one or two years.
“I've shared with the team that we're on top of the world now,” he said. “We're making good profits. We’re having good numbers. But we need to put together a strategic plan so that we can look out for more than one year, and look at more than several months. How do we look in three and four or five years?
“The world is not going to be the same two and three years from now? So how are we planning? How are we getting ourselves ready for some of the things that may happen that cause us not to be having these record earnings.”
Press Release:
After years of relentless advocacy, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse region has just won the prestigious federal Tech Hub designation he created in the CHIPS & Science Act, putting Upstate NY further on the road to becoming America’s semiconductor superhighway.
Schumer pulled out all the stops to bolster the tri-city region to beat out hundreds of other applications in the nationwide competition. The proposal called the “NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub” will build on the historic investments Schumer delivered that have spurred a boom in semiconductor manufacturing and innovation across Upstate NY and with today’s designation, will now be in an exclusive group of only 31 regions in America to compete for potentially billions in federal funding to transform Upstate NY as a global hub for workforce training, innovation, and manufacturing of semiconductor technology.
“Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are officially on the road to becoming America’s semiconductor superhighway. I created this program with Upstate NY in mind, and now three of our own cities that helped build America, have not only won the exclusive federal Tech Hub designation for semiconductors but also won a once-in-a-generation opportunity to write a new chapter for Upstate NY building our nation’s future. This 3 region Tech Hub will hit the gas on NY’s booming chips industry by attracting new companies, training our workforce for tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and bringing manufacturing in this critical industry back from overseas to right here in Upstate NY,” said Senator Schumer.
“I pulled out all the stops to land this Tech Hub Designation for my great home state – making the case that bringing together these three cities and giving them the resources to combine forces would create an unstoppable engine that will rev the region’s industries to life and make Upstate NY a global center for semiconductors. With this Tech Hubs Designation highlighting the region as one of only a few in the country primed to be the next Silicon Valley in critical technology, combined with federal funding now flooding this triple-threat region, America’s semiconductor manufacturing industry truly couldn’t be in better hands.”
Schumer originally proposed the Tech Hubs program years ago as part of the bipartisan Endless Frontier Act with Upstate NY in mind to help bring critical industries back from overseas in communities that have great potential to lead in new technologies and finally was able to create the Regional Tech Hubs competition in his CHIPS & Science Bill.
Schumer has been a tireless advocate for the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse region proposal, personally writing and calling Commerce Secretary Raimondo multiple times to make the case that Upstate NY is best suited to help drive forward the nation’s semiconductor and broader microelectronics industries.
Schumer said that the three-region consortium beat out hundreds of applications and was one of only 31 regions chosen for the Tech Hub designation. The NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub proposal will now be able to compete for the next phase of the Tech Hubs Program that will invest between $50 and $75 million in each of 5 to 10 Designated Hubs.
Schumer secured an initial infusion of $500 million in last year’s spending bill to jumpstart the Tech Hubs competition, from which Phase 2 awards will be made. The CHIPS & Science Bill included a $10 billion authorization for the Tech Hubs program – meaning that designated Tech Hubs will be able to compete for significantly more investment based on future funding levels.
Schumer said that with this designation, the NY SMART I-Corridor will bring together the combined assets of Buffalo, Rochester,u and Syracuse to help the region become a globally recognized semiconductor manufacturing hub in the next decade, with innovation focused on improving the quality and quantity of semiconductor manufacturing and, along with it, amplifying the region’s microelectronics and microchip supply chain ecosystem. The Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse consortium includes over 80 members from across the public sector, industry, higher-ed, economic and workforce development, and labor. This includes over 22 industry groups and firms, 20 economic development organizations, 8 labor & workforce training organizations, and 10 institutions of higher learning. This application development process was led by three designated conveners, one from each region: The John R. Oishei Foundation in Buffalo, ROC2025 in Rochester, and CenterState CEO in Syracuse.
Specifically, the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub proposal seeks to propel the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse corridor by attracting new suppliers to the region, including onshoring companies from overseas, advancing research & development programs for the semiconductor industry, training the next generation of Upstate New York’s manufacturing workforce, and specifically helping ensure that underserved populations are connected to the tens thousands of good-paying jobs expected to be created in this growing industry in the region.
Schumer has been preparing Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse for this opportunity, working relentlessly to boost Upstate New York as a global tech leader. Schumer’s tireless advocacy has resulted in billions in proposed investments from the semiconductor industry spurred by his Chips & Science Bill. In the Syracuse region alone, Micron has announced plans to invest an historic $100 billion to build a cutting-edge memory fab expected to create nearly 50,000 jobs. In Western NY, Edwards Vacuum will invest $300+ million to build a 600 job U.S. dry pump manufacturing facility to supply the semiconductor industry. With Schumer’s direct advocacy, Buffalo has already received $25 million for its growing tech industry through the American Recue Plan’s Build Back Better Challenge, laying the foundation for the Tech Hub designation they have now secured. In the Rochester region, Corning Incorporated, which manufactures glass critical to the microchip industry, has already invested $139 million in Monroe County – creating over 270 new, good-paying jobs in the Finger Lakes region.
Members of the consortium include semiconductor manufacturers and supply chain business like Micron, INFICON, Corning, Optimax, AMD, TTM Technologies, Saab, Akoustis, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Edwards Vacuum, Linde, Lifatec and SRC; business organizations like NY Photonics with 120-member companies, Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA) with 85-member companies, Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance (BNMA), and the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce; education and research institutions like University of Buffalo, University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Monroe Community College, Syracuse University, Cornell , SUNY Oswego, SUNY ESF, SUNY EOC, and Onondaga Community College; workforce development partners like Centerstate CEO, Northland Workforce Training Center, RochesterWorks, RMAPI, UNiCON, WNY Area Labor Federation, Central-Northern New York Building and Construction Trades Council, IBEW Local 43, and many more.
Press Release:
What: GCC's Forum Players Present: The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse.
Where: Performances in the Stuart Steiner Theatre
When: Nov. 16, 17, 18 @ 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 19 @ 2 p.m. The play is approximately 90 minutes long.
In Larissa FastHorse's hilariously funny satirical play, positive intentions collide with absurd assumptions. As a terminally "woke" teacher, Logan, a high school drama teacher/ actor, enlists the help of some interesting characters: Caden, an elementary school history teacher (frustrated, inspiring Playwright and Actor). Jaxton, a yoga practitioner/actor (politically correct to a fault), and Alicia, a simplistic actress (who has a knack for being painfully honest), scrambles to create a school pageant for children that somehow celebrates Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month, or do they? Find out when you join us on the journey that is The Thanksgiving Play.
Larissa FastHorse (Sicangu Lakota Nation) is a 2020 MacArthur Fellow, award-winning writer/choreographer, and co-founder of Indigenous Direction, the nation's leading consulting company for Indigenous arts and audiences. Her satirical comedy, The Thanksgiving Play (Playwrights Horizons/Geffen Playhouse), is one of America's top ten most produced plays. She is the first Native American playwright in American theater history on that list. The play recently had a short run on Broadway, being the "critics pick" in the New York Times.
The Thanksgiving Play is a relatively new piece, having first been performed in October 2018 off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in NYC. This past spring, The Thanksgiving Play played on Broadway from April 20 through June 11. We are excited to have such a new and critical play being produced at GCC.
Jaime Arena is directing The Thanksgiving Play for her second time; last year she directed the play at SUNY Geneseo. Brodie McPherson is the production designer. Current GCC student Jeriko Suzette is Assistant Director, and Cass Dzielski is the Stage Manager for the production. The show features GCC students Lauren Ruch, Tony Haitz, Qasim Huzair and Isabella Wheeler as the four instructors longing to create a politically correct Thanksgiving Pageant.
Director Jaime Arena wanted to approach this play with compassion for the Native American tribes and their history. She didn't want to lose the satirical aspect, while wanting to give voice to those at the center of the story. Jaime enlisted Karlie Jones, who is Cayuga, to help. "Director Jaime Arena and I have been longtime friends since 2005, and she asked for my input/direction on this piece. Not much is needed to give - Larissa FastHorse hits all the right notes, showcasing a "woke" society wanting to help minority groups in the best way possible and navigating their way to the best answer. Giving space for us to be heard and proving appreciation without appropriation is possible. The conversation of our cultural stereotypes must be heard; this play gives us a chance to voice the current climate of our Indigenous struggles." -Karlie Jones, Cayuga Nation
"I took the same script and reimagined it by adding and subtracting what I did at Geneseo with the same sole purpose, which is to have the audience leave the Stuart Steiner stage after the performance able to understand; it is not our job to speak for any other culture but to stand beside them and have their back as they speak their truth. To me, that is the true definition of an ally." -Jaime Arena, director
Please be advised that the play includes moments depicting historical violence.
Tickets can be purchased on the Genesee Community College website under the 'Center for the Arts' tab: https://www.genesee.edu/campus-life/center-for-the-arts/ General admission is $10. Qualifying discounted tickets (GCC staff and faculty, seniors 55+, children under 16, non-GCC students) are $5. Admission is free for GCC students who present their ID at the box office. Please contact the Box Office with any questions. boxoffice@genesee.edu or call (585) 343-0055 x6490.
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