After nearly a decade of grant applications, designs and redesigns, surveys, an estimated 20 meetings, Covid delays, price increases, and finally having Water District 5 within reach, there has been one more glitch in the process, Bethany Town officials say.

Eight households in the district haven’t signed an easement and right-of-way to allow the project on their properties. Town Attorney Dave DiMatteo and Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. informed a room full of interested residents on Wednesday that the water project has been stalled without the necessary signatures, despite repeated attempts to contact the homeowners.

“He's going to their houses, I'm going to their houses. I leave my business card with a nice message: ‘Please call me.’ I text them, I call them, I send them nice letters, crickets,” Hyde said during an informational meeting at Bethany Community Center.

DiMatteo added that he’s thought about scrolling their names on the town’s digital bulletin board outside.

“That way, at least they know we’re looking for them, right?” he said.

At one point early on during the meeting, a blush-faced DiMatteo said the delay was “because of you and not us,” as he stared at the crowd, prompting residents to shout back rebuttals and complaints about another delay.

Ferris Hazlett yelled that he’d had enough, and stormed out of the room of at least 100 people. As someone who has lived in Bethany for 35 years, he has “listened to so many lies,” he said, and he can’t sell his house without a water hook-up.

“Before Carl Hyde got elected, he stood in my driveway and told me we’d have public water. Then there was an excuse, and then Covid. And that's all you hear, and they’re blaming it on us. What about right of domain?” Hazlett said. “I’ve been told by Carl Hyde that shovels will be in the ground by April. We’re here to find out when we’re getting water. Don’t lie and continue to lie. How much digging are you going to do in the winter?”

The Batavian asked DiMatteo about whether the town has the right-of-way for easements onto properties, such as how National Fuel does when installing gas meters outdoors.

“We have the right to do it, but these easements are outside of our right-of-way, on their private property,” he said. “And our respect for their private property, we need their permission.”

The new time period for breaking ground on the district is in the fall, Hyde said. Unless those people who haven’t signed “have a change of heart or mind,” he said, then it could be earlier. He has texted, called, and sent letters to no avail, and likewise for DiMatteo.

Except that’s not the case for all of them. Zack Anderson of Clark Patterson Lee, the lead engineer on the job, said that there are some residents who haven’t signed due to having issues with their easements.

“I don't know all the particulars. Carl and Dave DiMatteo have been discussing those things with the property owners,” Anderson said. “I’ve only been in touch with, I think, a handful of property owners that have had questions for me, that I've met out on site … but I guess there are some that are still outstanding.”

The Batavian asked Hyde about this, and he said he could go down the list about the various problems, such as one property owner not wanting anyone on his property at all and is against the water district; another who was listed under the wrong address; a pest business with an address in Philadelphia; and another accusing the town of trying to force him into an easement. So it does seem like there has been contact. Many of these people are refusing to sign or just say no, Hyde said to The Batavian after the meeting.

“They won’t do anything. For two months, we’ve had 94 easements. I’ve got seven we’re finding this week, they don’t want to do it,” Hyde said. “We’re having a conversation with the engineering firm.”

A mother had asked DiMatteo after the meeting if he would go to her son’s house to notarize his signature, and the attorney said his response was “let’s go right now.”

The water district plan will have to be altered to avoid those properties without a signed easement. That, plus attorney and staff time, mailings, and “chasing people that wanted the water district,” has been a waste of money coming out of the $21.6 million from low-interest government loans, Hyde said.

“We’ve done everything we can; the ball is in their court,” he said. “We’re recalculating a way around their property. Every time we have to add legal fees, that comes out of the $21 million.”

The plan was reduced from two water towers to one because it was located on the highest property in town, at an elevation of 1,305 feet, said water operator Paul Barrett of the Town of Batavia. There won’t be any leftovers from savings, Hyde said, as he’s “not giving back one penny” of the lump sum.

The debt service to property owners is expected to be around $850 to $880 per year, and it is anticipated that this total will decrease in subsequent years as more people join the district.

Residents were instructed to complete a form related to their property — residential, commercial or agricultural — and submit it for Barrett to work on details for the district. They were encouraged not to buy or do anything for their property until the next meeting, which has not been scheduled yet.

“You’ll find out what you need for your particular property,” Barrett said.

Go HERE for prior coverage.    

Could one of the people you see in these photos be the next Steve Moses, the 2015 winner of the CBS reality series Big Brother?

More than 300 people turned up at Batavia Downs on Wednesday to try and repeat what Moses did in the show's 17th season when Moses won slot as a constant through an audition at Batavia Downs.

"He was from the Fredonia area, but he was going to college in St Lawrence up by Alexandria Bay. and of course, we're on the way right. Batavia is right on the Thruway, so he timed his run after spring break to be here for the audition," said Ryan Hasenauer, vice president of business development for Western Regional Off-Track Betting.

Channel 8 out of Rochester, a CBS affiliate, ran the auditions, which involved potential contestants waiting their turn to step into a black-curtained booth to be filmed making their pitch to the show's producers. The video will be screened by the producers and the finalist selected.

"Some people are very reserved, and a lot of people are Type A's like me, where they're very loud about it," Hasenauer said. "They get excited, and like that young lady was saying that you were talking to earlier, she was somebody who's watched the show for a long time, 12 years. Some of these people are geared up to do it. It's an exciting thing for us."

That young lady was Chelsea Dezuko, from Buffalo.

"I've been watching Big Brother since I was maybe, like, 13," Dezuko said. "It's something that me, my mom, my sister, we would do together. We would get together, sit on the living room couch. It was like the one excuse that we got to stay up late for school, like past our bedtime."

Big Brother is really the only reality TV series she's watched.

"Honestly, I'm not a huge reality TV person, but Big Brother just feels different," she said. "I feel like there are people of all walks of life who enter the Big Brother house. I love the competitions. Like one of my Big Brother idols is probably Nicole F. She's won the show before."

Tacido Curry, from New York City, was in Batavia to take his second shot at auditioning for Big Brother. He returned from a trip to Brazil to make it to the audition. 

"I'm one of a kind," Curry said. "I'm a little bit different, so I needed to be on the show."

And he likes his shot.

"I've watched all the seasons, so I wish I were there all the time," Curry said. "I have a very strong personality. I lived in many countries. I am a world survivor. I survived lots of crazy things in my life. I was kidnapped three times. I was in the World Trade Center. I survived the tsunami and the fires of Notre Dame. I'm sure I can survive in the big house. I have a big resume, you know, to share with people and provoke people, too."

Chris Hadlock, from Victor, thinks he's got the resume for a slot on the show as well.

"I've been doing this stuff my whole life," Hadlock said. "I was a professional musician for 30 years. Now, I'm a helicopter pilot. I kind of miss the limelight a little bit, so if I can entertain the crowd, you know what I mean, on a national level, let's do it."

Elba's Brea Smith struck out 10 Attica batters on Tuesday to surpass the century mark in strikeouts as the Lancers beat the Blue Devils 8-5.

Hitting:

• Madison Marks, 4-4, 2 stolen bases, RBI
• Bri Totton, 2-3, 2 stolen bases, 2 runs

Photos by Krisin Smith.

Elba's Nick Scott surpassed 100 strikeouts in his high school career, fanning 10 in a 12-1 win on Monday over Attica.

He now has 109 Ks in his career.

He gave up one run and walked one batter.

Offense:

• Brendan Porey, 2-3, walk, 3 runs, 2 RBIs, 3 stolen bases. Porey is hitting .667 on the year so far.
• Nick Scott, 1-3, RBI, 2 runs, 3 stolen bases, one walk.
• Alex Rascoe, 2-4, RBI, run, 2 stolen bases.

"I'm very proud of our team," said Coach Andrew Boyce. "We challenged them yesterday at practice to jump out to an early lead, and that's exactly what they did. I couldn't be more proud. 6-0 is great, but the boys need to stay humble and keep stacking days. All 13 players saw at least 2 innings of work today, and all contributed to a great team win."

Photos by Krisin Smith.

Oakfield-Alabama beat Notre Dame in softball on Tuesday, 8-4.

Savannah Durham got the win, going all seven innings, giving up six hits, one walk, two earned runs while striking out 12.

• Allison Harkness, 2-3,  3 RBI's
• Raine Denny, 2-3, 2 triples, RBI, 2 runs scored
• Savannah Durham, 1-3, RBI, 2 runs scored
• Jess Sosnowski, 1-3
• Rylee Denny, 1-3

Oakfield-Alabama fell on Tuesday to Kendall in baseball 11-1.

The Hornets are now 3-2, and Kendall improves to 11-1.

Kendal held the Hornets to five hits.

David Schnaufer took the loss, going 3 2/3 innings and giving up eight hits and all 11 runs.

Photos by Jordyn Tobolski.

Press Release:

The Batavia Social Security office located at 571 East Main Street, Batavia, NY, will remain open on Thursday, May 1, and Friday, May 2. The office was scheduled to be closed temporarily for these two days due to space renovations. The renovations have been temporarily delayed due to a facility issue.   

You may continue to call the Batavia Social Security office at 1-866-931-7103.  Social Security office hours are from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.    

Social Security’s customers can now make appointments for all types of services instead of waiting in line, resulting in a better overall experience and reductions in wait times. 

Customers can still wait in line if they cannot or do not want to make an appointment.  Staff at local offices are particularly mindful of vulnerable populations, people with disabilities, and other groups that need specialized or immediate attention when they walk in.  People can schedule an appointment by calling their local office (recommended) or 1-800-772-1213, which also has a call-back feature.  People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call Social Security’s TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.

Welcome home to 2 Gibson Street in the Oakfield School District. This charming 3-bedroom, 1.5 Bath home features a screened porch, an open layout, a formal dining room, natural woodwork, and hardwood floors. The spacious basement has a workbench with a half bath. An attached garage. This home is just a minute’s walk from local amenities. Call Sunny Rathod at Keller Williams today for more details! Call 586-813-2445

Working in law enforcement, the way Sheriff Joseph Graff sees it, is the most rewarding job anybody can have.

He's enjoyed everything he's done since joining the Sheriff's Office in 2005 -- road patrol, criminal investigations, chief of road patrol, chief of investigations, and, since Jan. 1, sheriff.

"All of my positions here have been super rewarding for me," Graff said. "You know, everything that I've done, my road patrol time was exciting, fun, and rewarding. Then all the roles I've had subsequent to that have really followed the same suit. So if you ask me, which one I like the best, I've loved them all. I've loved all my positions here. They've all been great. You know, they all have different facets and different parts that are exciting. And you know, certainly I've enjoyed it all."

The Batavian interviewed Graff on Wednesday to see how he's settling into his new role after five months on the job.

Graff is a congenial and cheerful guy who has always been approachable, even on crime scenes and at serious accident scenes.

"I guess I have always tried to, whether it's people in the community or you guys (reporters), or anyone, give people the same amount of respect that you get from them," 

As a field training officer, Graff said that was the same ethic he tried to pass on to the rookies in his care.

Graff grew up in Stafford in a Catholic household, attending Byron-Bergen Central School for a year before transferring to St. Joe's. He graduated from Notre Dame and then attended St. John Fisher, where he studied finance and economics.

He wasn't sure what he wanted to do, but felt drawn toward law enforcement.  In 1999, he landed a job with Genesee County Probation.

"Patrol jobs were fewer and farther between," Graff said. "Then, you know, at that time in department, life, in society, not a lot of people were retiring. The attrition rate was low. Retirements weren't as frequent as it is now. So I was on the deputy sheriff's list, and when an opening became available, I got hired as a deputy sheriff."

That was in 2005. He worked road patrol until 2015, when he was promoted to chief deputy of road patrol. In 2019, long-time lead criminal investigator Jerome Brewster retired, so Graff returned to investigations as chief deputy of that unit.

When did you first start thinking about becoming a sheriff some day?
"I think it's something that you always think about. You know, when you walk through the door on day one," Graff said.

Do you think all deputies think about becoming sheriff?
"I think they do. I think they should. I think when you do this job, that's something that you kind of always have in your mind, you know, 'Well, yeah, someday I want to be the sheriff.'"

He added, "As I progressed through my career, I had in my mind, always thinking of the end game that, yeah, something I would like to be the sheriff of Genesee County, which, I'm humbled and I'm honored by that."

And, he said, he felt ready for the job when the time came.

"I think having the two roles that I had before this, chief of the road, chief of the Investigation Division, really gave me a front row seat to how the operations work here," Graff said. Then once you get that job, certainly there are other doors. There are those moments of discovery of different things that you have to learn. I'm not naive to the fact that there is still to learn, but, you know, I felt prepared going into it, and certainly having good people around who you know, who have good thoughts and good insights, helps."

Undersheriff Brad Mazur, who also served as undersheriff for Sheriff William Sheron, has been a big help with the transition, Graff said.

"He's been invaluable," Graff said. "All the leaders that we have here at the Sheriff's Office, in the communications division, Animal Control, Genesee Justice, the CAC (Child Advocacy Center), the jail, the road patrol. The Sheriff's Office is more than you know. I'm glad we have established people here who are good leaders that I can trust."

As for goals, the Sheriff's Office, Graff said, has a tradition of community service.

"I want to maintain that, but at the same time, law enforcement has changed even in the course of my career," Graff said. "There's more to do. With the evolution of law enforcement and the changes in law enforcement,  I want to make sure that we're staying in step with that and we're still able to provide the community with the services that we should be providing."

For example, he said, just from the time he started in investigations until now, things are "vastly different."

"The opportunities for investigative leads are much higher, but at the same time, we have different types of crimes that we're looking at, too," Graff said. "I don't want this to all be about investigations, but I'm just thinking that in the future, I want to make sure there are offices prepared to handle anything that comes our way."

One aspect of the job that has changed over the past 20 years is that today, there is a greater emphasis on officer wellness.

"I don't want to just say officer wellness. I want to say, our whole-department wellness," Graff said. "I think historically, law enforcement hasn't had a great track record of recognizing (wellness) and taking care of (wellness). We have become more cognizant of that in recent years. That's something that's on our radar and that we're working to better recognize the tolls that this profession takes. We're trying to be better, recognize that, and assist (officers) along the way."

Outside of public safety, what can law enforcement do to make society better?
"Certainly, public safety is our primary mission. ... We're also in the building community relations business, too. I think a perfect example of that is our SRO (school resource officers) program. They're certainly there for the safety aspect of schools, but they also build those relationships with the students in the schools. Those students relate to the deputy that's in the school as a person, and that certainly helps in that in the direction of public safety, too."

The cost to taxpayers for all the SROs in the county exceeds $1 million. Is it worth it?
"Absolutely. The safety of probably our most vulnerable population, our kids, should be a top priority for everyone. The SROs in the schools certainly provide that safety aspect. But as we were talking about a minute ago, I think the relationships they build in the schools, that they build with the students, probably have unseen benefits. You can't really put a number on it, or put a financial price on, just the benefits of having someone there who they know they can go to, builds a trusting relationship with police, which is obviously super important for a community."

Graff and his wife Erin celebrated their 20th anniversary in January. They have three daughters, Gabrielle, who is now in college, and Gianna and Lila both attend Byron-Bergen.

He credits his mom and dad for his work ethic. 

"I always believed that if you're going to put your name on something, you want it to be right," Graff said.

He's proud to live and work in a community that supports law enforcement, he said. 

"I think we're very fortunate that I live and work in a community where we have the support of our community," Graff said. "It's not like that in other places in the country. I am very grateful that we have the community support that we have here in this county. I think anyone who lives here feels that support. I think it's a great place to live. The weather can be a little shaky now and then, but I love winter. I do love winter. So that doesn't bother me at all."

Any final thoughts?
"I'll tell you, I'm super proud of the Sheriff's Office and who we are and what we do," Graff said. "I still love to come to work every day. I'm excited about opportunities in the future. I want everybody to be as proud of the Sheriff's Office as I am. I guess that's one of my goals."

There may be more market-rate apartments in Batavia’s future if City Council approves an offer to purchase vacant property on Orleans Avenue Extension.

Bruce Curtis of Corfu has offered to buy .45 acres of wooded land in the R2 residential district of the city’s west/southwest side, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said during this week’s conference meeting.

“The resolution before you would allow the city to abandon and discontinue the public use of the paper street and sell 20,750 square feet, point four five acres, to Mr. Curtis, who has offered the city the appraised value of $15,500 for the parcel,” Tabelski said Monday at City Hall.

Curtis owns six parcels, including 120-122 Pearl Street and 23, 25, 27, 29, and 31 Orleans Avenue, all of which abut Orleans Avenue Extension. His intentions are to redevelop the property and build five to seven market-rate single-story duplex residential units, Tabelski said.

This plan falls in line with the city’s Comprehensive Plan that was written in 2017, as it “highlights a mixed use of new housing units as a designated priority for the city.” Curtis also owns units similar to what he intends to create on 32 and 36 River Street, Tabelski said, and they are of “very nice quality.”

The units would be two-bedroom apartments with all of the necessary utilities. Orleans Avenue Extension is now listed as a “paper street,” since it has no utilities connected to it, she said. The parcel was not advertised and no one else approached the city about purchasing it, she said.

The property is “landlocked,” City Attorney George Van Nest said, so it would be difficult for the city or any other developers to make good use of it.

Curtis offered a price that has been deemed a fair market value by a recent appraisal from Bruckner, Tillett, Rossi, Cahill & Associates. All of the appraisal fees and closing costs would be paid by Curtis, Tabelski said in a memo to council.

Another piece of good news is that the property would go onto the tax rolls.

Tabelski recommended that the city “continue to foster housing development,” and authorized council to approve the sale of this property at a future business meeting.

The Batavian was unable to contact Curtis for additional comments.

Press Release:

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the Genesee County Jail’s main phone number, 585-343-0838, will be out of service for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, no incoming calls are able to be received, however, outgoing calls and in-house county extensions will not be affected.

We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

A motorcyclist died at the scene of an accident that was reported at 6:46 p.m. on Monday at Route 19 and the I-490 on-ramp in Le Roy.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Duane L. Girdner, 65, of Rochester, was traveling northbound on Route 19 on a 2005 Vespa Motorcycle when the bike struck the rear passenger side door of a 2015 Chrysler 300, driven by Sara J. Stevens, 25, of Livonia, that was northbound approaching the on-ramp. 

Steven allegedly failed to stop for a stop sign and failed to yield to oncoming traffic, pulling out in front of Girdner's bike.

The collision threw Girdner into the side of the vehicle, causing serious physical injuries. He was pinned under his Vespa until bystanders, Le Roy Fire, and Mercy EMS responded and administered life-saving measures.

Girdner succumbed to his injuries roadside and was pronounced dead by the Coroner's Office at the scene.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, and no charges were announced. The Crash Management Team is handling the investigation. Assisting at the scene were the Le Roy Fire Department, Mercy EMS, Le Roy PD, and multiple bystanders.

Bethany Water District 5 residents are encouraged to attend a meeting this week to discuss water hook-ups with water department personnel, Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. says.

"This is not a meeting you want to miss," he says.

Bring any questions or concerns you have at this time.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bethany Community Center, 10510 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany.

Both Oakfield-Alabama and Roy Hart pounded out 14 hits each, and both teams made seven errors each, but Roy Hart made the most of its opportunities for a 13-7 win on Monday.

The teams went into the ninth inning tied at 7 and Hart rallied for six runs in the top of the inning. The Hornets couldn't answer the the bottom of the ninth.

Pembroke beat Notre Dame in softball on Monday, 8-5, even though the Irish out-hit the Dragons 12 to 8.

Sofia Falleti led the Irish, going 3-4 at the plate, including a double, two singles, and an RBI. Anna Panepinto, Sofia Falleti, Gianna Falleti, Olivia Gillard, and Riley Hare each drove in a run for the Irish. Shirley Thompson and Amelia Sorochty had multiple hits for the Irish. 

No stats submitted for the Dragons.

Photos by Pete Welker

Batvaia defeated Pittsford-Mendon in softball on Monday, 13-1, with the game being called under the mercy rule at the end of the fifth inning.

The Lady Devils are now 2-5. Mendon is 2-6.

The winning pitcher was Ariana Almekinder, who gave up only three hits while striking out four.

Offense:

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Press release:

The Batavia Lady Blue Devils lost to Churchville-Chili 18-6 on Monday evening in Flag Football.

Quarterback Jaimin Macdonald was 17-30 passing for 120 yards, 1 TD, and 3 INTs.  Macdonald also led the team in rushing with 20 yards on six carries.  Wide receiver Leilah Manuel had four receptions for 55 yards, with a 37-yard touchdown reception from Macdonald.  Nicole Doeringer added four receptions for 49 yards.

Defensively, Macdonald led the team with eight flag pulls, 3 for loss from her inside linebacker position.  Manuel and Kylee Brennan added seven flag pulls each, with Brennan adding two passes defended.  

The Lady Blue Devils fall to 3-3 with four regular-season games remaining.  On Friday, May 2, Batavia will host Spencerport for Senior Night at VanDetta Stadium at 6 p.m.

 

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Northgate Rummage Sale • Join us on May 9–10 at the Northgate Youth & Community Center for our Rummage Sale! Come browse a wide variety of gently used items and support the community through your purchases.
Donation Drop-off: Monday–Wednesday, May 5–7 |10:00 AM – 1:00 PM & 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Please note: We will not accept mugs, VHS tapes, non-flat screen TVs, adult clothing/shoes, car seats, cribs, flammable or hazardous materials, or firearms. All acceptable items should be clean and in good condition. Electronics and similar items should be in working order.
Location of Donation drop off and Sale: Northgate Youth & Community Center 350 Bank Street, Batavia, NY 14020