Press release:

The Genesee County Interagency Council is pleased to announce that we will be offering a $1,000 scholarship for the Fall 2021-2022 semester for Genesee Community College students and high school seniors.

Those eligible will be students living in Genesee County and attending Genesee Community College or high school seniors; in good academic standing, and majoring in or intending to major in Human Services, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology ONLY.

Because the goal of this scholarship is to support those students who have a strong drive to contribute to the field of Human Services, special consideration will be given to those students who have already demonstrated a commitment to the field through their employment, volunteer, academic, or extracurricular pursuits.  

Completed applications must be received by Friday, May 7. (See PDF links below to print out, fill out, and mail in. One is for high school students; the other is for GCC students.)

The awardee will be notified by June 1 and presented at our June 17th picnic meeting. However, if the picnic is cancelled due to COVID-19, we will acknowledge the awardee in another way and the check will be mailed directly to the individual.

We look forward to having the opportunity to support a Genesee Community College student in their pursuit of a degree in the field of Human Services.  Please feel free to contact me at (585) 343-1611 if you have any questions.

The mission of the Genesee County Interagency Council is to create fellowship and understanding among community human services agencies. The council helps to identify community issues and encourages development of resolutions.

Genesee County Interagency Council Inc.

P.O. Box 1619

Batavia, NY 14021

• High School Student Application
• Genesee Community College Application

On Monday night, Batavia City Council Member Robert Bialkowski presents a proclamation to Donna Saskowski, executive director of the Arc of Genesee Orleans, denoting March 2021 as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

Saskowski said the local ARC has had a long relationship with the city – even before 1987 when President Ronald Reagan made Development Disabilities Awareness Month a nationally recognized event – and continues as one of the leading employers, with 450 workers in the two counties.

“Thank you for the support and when you see people with development disabilities think about the contributions that they make … they are significant,” she said.

Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Press release:

The legislative leaders and public health directors of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties sent a letter to New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo urgently requesting the designation of a regional mass vaccination clinic at the Genesee Community College (GCC) campus to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to the rural counties.

The letter was signed by: Rochelle Stein, Genesee County Legislative chairwoman; Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislative chairwoman; Rebecca Ryan, Wyoming County Board of Supervisors chairwoman; Paul Pettit, Genesee Orleans County Health Departments director; and, Dr. Gregory Collins, Wyoming County Health Department Medical director.

The letter reads that “Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties have consistently been left out of the COVID-19 response with delays in testing supplies and now with very limited vaccine allocations. All three counties are medically underserved and having a regional clinic with less than a half hour commute would benefit these communities."

The letter went on to state that residents have limited transportation access to Buffalo and Rochester and that a vaccination clinic at GCC would draw the eastern and western portions of other contiguous counties and that it is easily accessible from the Thruway. If properly staffed through assistance by the National Guard the officials said that the GCC clinic would have the capacity of vaccinating in excess of 2,000 individuals per day.  

The letter expresses concerns about the lack of access in rural communities to vaccination site and vaccine supplies.

It concludes that “our three counties look forward to working with your office to provide this much needed and more equitable solution to meet the needs of the more rural communities."

Copies of the letter were also sent Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties state representatives, Assemblyman David DiPietro, Senator Patrick Gallivan, Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, Assemblyman Michael Norris, Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt, and Senator Edward Rath, III.

As Batavia City Council members ponder giving the company that manages the city ice rink a break on their lease and capital improvement fund payments, they also realize they can no longer skate around the need for renovations at the Evans Street facility.

Interim City Manager Rachael Tabelski on Monday night introduced a resolution that would amend and extend the lease agreement with Firland Management, the Virginia-based firm that has operated the Batavia Ice Rink (formerly Falleti Ice Arena) for more than a decade.

Speaking at Council's Conference Meeting at the City Centre Council Boardroom, Tabelski explained that Firland’s finances have taken a severe hit due to COVID-19 as the rink was closed for most of 2020 and just recently saw the return of youth league and high school hockey.

She is recommending that Council let Firland make its next lease payment of $25,000 on Jan. 1, 2022 instead of the current due date of March 1, 2021, and also to reduce its contribution to the rink’s capital fund for 2020-21 from $32,958.30 to $5,000.

Furthermore, she is proposing to extend the contract from its current ending date of March 31, 2021 for two years through March 2023. As a result of negotiations, Firland’s lease payments will be $20,000 annually for 2021-22 and 2022-23 and its capital fund contribution will be $5,000 annually for the next two fiscal years.

Rink Has Some Big-Ticket Items

Currently, $370,000 is in the rink’s capital improvement fund, Tabelski said. That may seem like a large amount, however, a new refrigeration system could cost around $500,000 and a Zamboni dasher board could cost up to $250,000.

Contacted this morning, Tabelski said the time has come for the city manager’s office to conduct a study and analysis, and present a strategy to Council to “move that facility forward.”

“This should be done within the next year with the goal of bringing it back to full capacity and to potentially attract a buyer,” she said.

Council did put $19,500 into the 2021-22 budget to fix the front doors and the locker rooms, both “minor repairs,” Tabelski noted.

Another issue at hand is finding a business or organization interested in having its name affixed to the building. Falleti Motors is not interesting in renewing its “naming rights” agreement with the city, said Tabelski, suggesting a request for proposal will be forthcoming.

During the meeting, Council Member Robert Bialkowski asked about events scheduled for the rink, noting that he couldn’t remember if the activities stated in the contract actually took place.

Tabelski said that events were added during the last negotiation period with Firland “because we’d like to see more done with the facility” and mentioned that the home show is held there and she hopes to see indoor soccer events there.

Council Member Rose Mary Christian asked how much the city is paying to take care of the ice-making system (refrigeration) per year. Tabelski said the city contracts with a separate firm and estimated the price tag at $2,500 to $5,000 annually, but believed that is billed back to Firland. She said she would check on that and get back to Council.

Deferring Costs in a Tough Time

After hearing that the locker rooms have been painted recently, Christian said it was important to know about the refrigeration contract since she believed the city was reducing Firland’s lease payments.

Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said lease payments were being reduced for the one year, but the city was giving Firland more time to make its payments.

“They’re paying the same amount, right?” he asked, and Christian replied, “Only for this year?”

Van Nest entered the conversation, stating “we’re deferring the lease payment that would have been due in March, based on the COVID shutdowns that affected all hockey rinks as Councilman (Paul) Viele and I are well aware because we don’t see each other at the rinks anymore.”

“Deferring it and then basically reducing the capital contributions … so that gives them a little bit more flexibility as Council president indicated to get the operations back to a normal level of service and normal level of programming.”

Christian said she heard that the rink is doing well now, with the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association and the adults leagues in action once again.

Viele said officials are “trying to lump a lot of games in a short amount of time, so what you would play in October, they’re trying to get everything in February and March, and that’s why they’re deferring the payment to get the money.”

Jankowski noted that the rink was closed for many months, and that’s why the city is looking at deferring the payment until Jan. 1, 2022.

Hockey Players Return to the Ice

Van Nest said hockey wasn’t permitted until Feb. 1 of this year, and only skilled-based practices were allowed. Viele said that open skate sessions also were closed to the public.

“It will be the same amount but only the capital part will be reduced dramatically for the two years (since the city has some money in reserves),” Jankowski said. “That will give them two years – one year to get back on their feet, one year to assess and then we’ll be back, talking to them about an extension or whatever we need to do after that. It’s only a two-year agreement.”

Council agreed to forward the measure to its March 8 Business Meeting, where a formal vote will take place.

Van Nest said that Firland would be interested in participating with city officials about future capital projects at the rink.

“Firland has significant experience with capital planning for rinks, development of rinks, renovation of rinks,” he said. “They actually assisted the Buffalo Sabres with development of their practice facility, so in talking to Firland … they indicated they would be happy to look forward to assisting with general capital planning discussions for the facility.”

Roach: Public Safety Comes First

In other action, Council held public hearings for the 2021-22 budget; water rates, meter fees and capital improvement fees, and a local law amending the Business Improvement District plan. All three resolutions were forwarded to the March 8 Business Meeting for a final vote.

City resident John Roach was the only public speaker, expressing his view that the city should not pay the salary of the Batavia Development Corp.’s director since that is not a city position.

“As long as you have any public safety positions vacant, then I think it's wrong that you pay the BDC money to pay for their employee, no matter how good a job, how worthy,” he said. “It’s not a city employee and I think public safety should come first.”

He also questioned giving money to GO ART! for Picnic in the Park and said if the agency doesn’t hold the summer event, the money should go back into the city coffers.

Council Member Patti Pacino responded that there is no money in the 2021-22 budget for that event, and Tabelski said that appropriation was not paid out in 2020-21 as Picnic in the Park was cancelled.

Tax Rate to Increase by 14 Cents

Concerning the budget, Tabelski reported a 2021-22 spending plan of $27.78 million, with $16.855 million of that in the general fund.

The property tax rate would increase by 14 cents per thousand of assessed value – from $9.59 to $9.73. That would cost a homeowner with a $100,000 house about $13 more per year in property taxes.

She said Council has approved reductions in purchasing, overtime and training, and are keeping three firefighter positions, two police officer positions and one laborer position vacant.

Water rates and meter fees would increase by 3.5 percent while capital improvement fees would go up by 10 percent – numbers that have been the norm in recent years.

Amendments to the BID Plan will include three proposed capital projects -- downtown marketing banners ($9,000), downtown music equipment ($30,000) and downtown Christmas decorations ($38,000) – and spell out the amount of the BID’s assessment charge to its members.

From Rochester Regional Health Care:

As eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccinations expands to more members of our community, New York State has shifted the delivery of vaccine allocations from health care systems to state and county mass vaccination sites, pharmacies and to facilities for groups like veterans and those with developmental disabilities.

Because of this shift, Rochester Regional Health is no longer routinely scheduling additional first dose COVID-19 vaccination appointments for non-healthcare workers. We will fulfill all first- and second-dose appointments that are already scheduled. 

We know many in our community are eager to get vaccinated as quickly as possible and know that this has been a frustrating process. Thank you for your patience and persistence.

We recommend continually checking the Finger Lakes Vaccination Hub for the latest on eligibility for and availability of COVID-19 vaccination appointments in our region.

Maddie Muehlig needed 17 points to reach 1,000 on her career going into Monday's Lady Lancers' game against Attica.

She scored 21, with her milestone point coming on a three-pointer in the third quarter.

Elba beat Attica 65-43.

Muehlig (#2 in photos) was 6-10 on three-point shots.

Leah Bezon, who joined the 1,000-point club in Elba's previous game, had 15 points.

Next in line for 1,000 points is Brynn Walczak. She scored 17 points.

Also in girls basketball on Monday:

• Batavia beat Odyssey 63-32
• Oakfield-Alabama beat Byron-Bergen 50-42
• Notre Dame beat Pembroke 62-59

In boys basketball, Le Roy beat Letchworth 66-35.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

A gas line has reportedly broken and is leaking gas at 111 Lake St., Le Roy.

Le Roy fire dispatched.

UPDATE 1:05 p.m.: Ice fell on the line.

UPDATE 1:30 p.m.: Le Roy cleared the scene and the residents are awaiting a repair crew from RG&E.

Press release:

With the current spike in fuel prices, the Genesee-Orleans County Department of Weights & Measures (GO Health W&M) wants the public to know that all pumps in service are up to date with their NYS mandated inspections and have been approved for use. 

“We pumped over 13,000 gallons of fuel testing and verifying fuel meters last year,” said Ronald P. Mannella, director of GO Health W&M. “If a pump is out of tolerance and under-delivering, it is removed from service until repaired. Our tolerances are tight in order to establish fairness and equity in the marketplace.”

Of the 457 petroleum pumps between the two counties, only one was found under delivering and out of tolerance in 2020.

For more information, please contact:

• Genesee County Health Department: (585) 344-2580, ext. 5555 / Health.Dept@co.genesee.ny.us
• Orleans County Health Department: (585) 589-3278 / OCPublicHealth@orleanscountyny.gov

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is releasing the following statement ahead of the virtual summit between President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“Last week, Western New Yorkers were once again left with more uncertainty as the Department of Homeland Security announced an additional monthlong extension of the non-essential travel ban across the northern border. In one of his early executive orders, President Biden signaled that reopening the U.S. – Canada border in a safe and cooperative manner was a priority.

"As a member of the Northern Border Caucus and a representative of a district with a vast amount of New York’s northern border, I urge the administration to uphold that commitment and work with Prime Minister Trudeau on a plan to reopen the border. Western New York families, small businesses, and property owners are relying upon it."

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See a statement from the City Youth Board below this story.

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City Council members tonight reminisced about their childhood days “hanging out at the Y” as they sent out positive vibes about a proposed four-year contract that would put the Genesee Area Family YMCA in charge of running city youth services.

After hearing from Interim City Manager Rachael Tabelski that “the YMCA came in with the best price” and that cost savings to the city are projected at more than $60,000 annually over the next four years, Council Member John Canale and President Eugene Jankowski Jr. strolled down memory lane.

“I heard the YMCA is dying to build a brand-new outdoor city pool like we used to have when I was growing up,” Canale joked.

That prompted Jankowski to endorse the Y, illustrating his support by displaying his YMCA membership card from 1971 that he said he found during “COVID clean-out.”

“So, I was a member as a teenager myself. And now they mention they’re building a large new facility right in the middle of our downtown. So, they’re investing here,” Jankowski said. “This is like a win-win for all of us, including the most important people who are on my list for this whole project is the children themselves – our future – so they can have a place to go, like I had a place to go.”

Canale countered by pointing out that this offers “year-round availability to our local kids.”

“When you and I grew up, I remember distinctly hanging out at the Y, when it was the old building, and you’d just go there and hang out after school or on Saturday (and) shoot pool. They used to have three pool tables downstairs.”

Today, the YMCA is making plans to partner with United Memorial Medical Center for a Healthy Living Campus, a project supported by the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative. It has expanded its services over the years and seems to be in excellent position to operate the city youth program efficiently and effectively.

City leaders decided to not staff their afterschool and summer recreation programs anymore after having to close the Liberty Center for Youth due to the COVID-19 pandemic and also due to budget constraints. They reached out via a request for proposal process to organizations that might be interested in providing these services and the YMCA got the nod.

A resolution outlining the formal agreement with the YMCA and another to dissolve a pact with Genesee County to provide a youth bureau executive director were forwarded to Council’s Business Meeting on March 8^th for a vote.

“I believe this is the right way to provide the residents and youth and families this service, and I think that collaborating with the YMCA for the afterschool program (at the Liberty Center for Youth on the City Church St. Anthony’s campus) has worked out very well thus far,” Tabelski said. “They have been an excellent partner to us in the city.”

Jeff Townsend, district executive director for the GLOW YMCA, said the plan is “to incorporate all of our YMCA services into this new relationship with the city, including swimming at the Y … at our Liberty Center gymnastics center (on Liberty Street near Ficarella’s Pizzeria). We could incorporate gymnastics at the Liberty Center (for Youth) site that we’re currently partnering with the city on for school year programming.”

He said the Liberty Center could host summer programs as well.

“So, the parks could travel throughout the community and participate in some of our other area locations as well as traditional field trips – walking and busing – that’s already in the RFP plan,” he said. “I think that our plan is pretty robust and covering and ensuring that no less services will be provided and probably more services, in fact.”

Jankowski mentioned that other partnerships geared toward youth, such as the National Night Out, already are in place, and Townsend said the YMCA is willing to participate.

Townsend also answered “yes” to a question from Council Member Robert Bialkowski about the possibility of applying for grants to fund additional programs.

Tabelski, responding to a question from Council Member Rose Mary Christian on whether children from outside of the city can participate, said the city receives financial support from the Town of Batavia so its young people – as long as they attend Batavia City or parochial schools – would be able to take part.

Christian said she wouldn’t object to opening the city’s program to youth in surrounding towns and villages in Genesee County as long as the county pays an annual fee.

Following the meeting, Rob Walker, chief executive officer for the GLOW YMCA, said he is excited to partner with the city to deliver summer recreation program at four city parks – John Kennedy, Farrall, Lambert and Williams – and continuing to provide services at the Liberty Center for Youth.

“We bring a tremendous amount of abilities and talents from our organization. We are the leader in youth development and we’re looking forward to a great relationship,” he said.

Walker said the YMCA can offer “enhancements” beyond the scope of the contract because they have a complete facility and the gymnastics center.

“We’re going to take full advantage of all the resources the Y has to enhance what currently has been done in the past," he said.

Healthy Living Campus Advances

Asked about the status of the Healthy Living Campus, Walker said Clark Patterson Lee has been hired as the architect, and the hospital (United Memorial Medical Center) and the Y are moving forward.

“We’ve crossed the $11 million mark in fundraising (the goal is $14 million) and plan on moving forward this fall with construction,” he said. “The community has been amazingly supportive of our project.”

He acknowledged that the coronavirus set the project back a bit.

“Obviously, COVID slowed our efforts down as we had to shift to the needs of the community, which we did, providing emergency childcare and other programs like Y Academy. But we’re back, focused on the project and the goal is to have it open at the end of next year,” he said.

Previous: Interim city manager touts major savings should Council go with Genesee YMCA to provide youth services

Photo: Leading the GLOW YMCA's effort to contract with the City of Batavia to provide youth services beginning April 1 are, from left, Charitie Bruning, childcare and camp director; Jeff Townsend, district executive director; Rob Walker, chief executive officer. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

A statement from the City Youth Board on the prospect of having the Genesee Area Family YMCA operate the municipality’s youth program:

“The City Youth Board worked with the interim city manager through the RFP (Request For Proposal) process and interviewed one agency for the city contract to run youth services. Although, there are always reservations as to whether or not this is the right decision, we were all in agreement that the city should enter into a contract with the YMCA.

“Mr. (Jeff) Townsend answered all our questions satisfactorily and the YMCA is prepared to resume operations of the Liberty Center on April 1st if awarded the contract.

“We were all in agreement that this would be the best option for resuming youth services in a timely fashion since the city laid off all of the part-time staff during the pandemic, and the executive director and the program coordinator both left for other positions. These circumstances left no one with experience to resume the programming leaving contracting the services out as our only viable option.

“The Youth Board works in an advisory capacity and at the end of the day the board is eager to see youth programming resume at the Liberty Center for Youth and through the summer recreational program.

“It would have been nice if we had received more feedback from the community but we understand this has happened pretty quickly and we do feel the COVID-19 protocols have limited community involvement. We are all sympathetic to the city’s budget concerns. However, we feel this is also a quality of life issue and a service that makes our community vibrant and safer. We are investing in our city’s future, our children.”

David Twichell, president

Paula Fischer

Lydia Schauf

Batavia City Council members say they will report the amount they have spent in a search for a new city manager as quickly as possible after the process has been completed.

Council is scheduled to interview the final candidates for the permanent position at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in a special executive session (closed to the public) at the City Centre’s Council Board Room.

City resident John Roach, speaking during the public comments segment of tonight’s Conference Meeting, asked – for the second time -- if any money has been spent in the search for a new city manager.

“Will somebody tell me why I have to actually FOIL (file a Freedom of Information Law request) over a simple question of taxpayer money?” he said. “Have you had to spend any money on this search so far?”

Roach mentioned a story on The Batavian that reported Council’s intention to interview two people, with Interim City Manager Rachael Tabelski believed to be one of them.

“Is there any cost associated with those interviews? As a taxpayer, I’d like to know. We were told that this was going to be free. I know the Council president did warn that nothing is ever really free. But, yet we were told that this would be free,” he continued.

Council Member John Canale and President Eugene Jankowski Jr. responded, with both assuring Roach that the total cost will be determined and released to the public soon.

“I know we have that exact information,” Canale said. “I do believe that Geno alluded to the fact that there would be a very minimal cost in that the search was being provided as a second search (following the search that resulted in the hiring of Martin Moore) free of charge, but there would be additional, small costs for advertising for the national search.”

Canale said he would make sure the numbers are provided after Thursday, adding that he thinks they will be “very, very minimal.”

Jankowski noted that travel costs were minimized because of COVID-19 and the utilization of Zoom videoconferencing to conduct preliminary interviews.

“We didn’t have to fly people around and put them in hotel rooms,” he said. “That process should be finalized very soon and then we’ll have the actual numbers …”

At that point, Council Member Rose Mary Christian asked how many people were interviewed via Zoom, but was quickly reminded that Council was not at liberty to discuss that in a public setting.

“You will be in that process on Thursday, correct, Ro? You will have all those answers then,” Canale said.

“Absolutely,” she replied.

The Batavia High Lady Devils won their fourth straight game tonight, defeating visiting Greece Odyssey, 63-32, in Monroe County League girls’ basketball action.

It was Batavia’s second victory over Odyssey in a week, with the Lady Devils registering a 69-34 win last Monday at Odyssey.

Senior guards Mackenzie Reigle and Bryn Wormley combined for 42 points as Batavia raised its record to 4-3.

Wormley tallied 10 of her 18 in the first quarter as Batavia jumped out to a 19-11 lead and Reigle scored 12 of her game-high 24 in the second quarter to help the Lady Devils to a 43-16 halftime advantage.

Reigle just missed a triple-double as she came up with 11 steals and nine rebounds (plus seven assists).

Seniors Haylee Thornley and Kennedy Kolb chipped in with seven and six points, respectively, while exhibiting solid defense as Batavia limited Odyssey to 14 made baskets.

Serenity Rodgers scored 13 and Asia Philip had 12 for Odyssey.

The Lady Devils are scheduled to host Pittsford Sutherland at 8 p.m. Thursday.

Ta-Da!

Cherry bumped off Raspberry to win the first virtual poll of favorite flavors hosted by the world's only Jell-O Gallery Museum, located in Le Roy.

This year, 530 people picked a flavor they found most toothsome in honor of Le Roy's first celebration of National Jell-O Week.

The final tallies were totaled up on Saturday. And it was the votes counted last -- from fourth-graders at Wolcott Street School -- who shook things up.

There were 458 voters from 40 of the 50 U.S. states, including Hawaii. Missing were votes from: North and South Dakota, Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. They also had voters in Canada, England, Italy and Scotland.

Then 72 fourth-grade students at Wolcott Street School weighed in with their choices. 

Early results forecast Lime in a slight lead over Cherry, followed by third-place Raspberry. Then when the bulk of votes were added up, Raspberry was just jiggling past Lime -- 104 to 100.

Here are the tallies before and after the kids had their say (as denoted by the number after the addition sign):

• Cherry -- 93 + 20 = 113
• (tie) Raspberry -- 104 + 6 = 110
• (tie) Lime -- 100 + 10 = 110
• (tie) Orange -- 70 + 5 = 75
• (tie) Strawberry -- 61 + 14 = 75
• Lemon -- 13 + 1 = 14
• Black Cherry -- 11 + 1 = 12
• Grape -- 6 +13 = 19
• Watermelon -- 0 + 2 = 2

Lynne Belluscio, director of the Le Roy Historical Society, Village Historian, and museum director, was gobsmacked.

"Lime and Raspberry are now tied at 110!" she says, and then here comes "Cherry climbing to first at 113!"

Orange was out in front of Strawberry by one vote, now they, too, are tied for third-place honors at 75.

"It was too close to count," Belluscio said drolly. "Have had a demand for a recount. LOL."

(Couldn't hurt, right?)

Things got a little complicated when factoring in numerous "write-in ballots." 

Some people couldn't choose just one and voted for “all.” Some people, likely contrarians, voted against a flavor -- Lime). Some people voted for pudding. (Jell-O makes pudding but it's not a gelatin dessert -- hello!)

Other flavors mentioned, honorable all (with the possible exception of Celery, of course), were:

• Strawberry Banana;
• Blue / Red;
• Pineapple;
• Sparkling White Grape (debuted in 1997);
• Celery (created in the 1960s);
• Mango;
• Black Currant from England although not a Jell-O brand.

So when adding on 31 votes for "random" flavors, pudding, votes for "all flavors," and even ballots cast stating "I hate jello" (sic), the total vote count was higher than the 530 votes for standard flavors.

In all 561 voters had their say.

Belluscio initiated the virtual voting campaign because the museum has been closed most of the past year due to COVID-19.

Thousands of visitors who would normally vote throughout the year could not do so, so she began accepting votes through different Facebook pages.

The polls remained open through Feb. 21, the last day of National Jell-O Week. Le Roy celebrated it for the first time this year -- and a week early at that.

And as always, people from all over voted, just as they do in person. In fact until 2020, the Gallery recorded votes with Zip Codes from all 50 states.

​"So that is the count through Jell-O Week, but we will continue to take votes and zip codes through the year," Belluscio said. "We expect to reopen the last weekend in March and anticipate going to a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday schedule in April.  

Previously: The jig is up: Le Roy 'jumped the gun' to celebrate National Jell-O Week early

Data Update – 

• Genesee County received 59 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in the:
    • West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke)
    • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) 
    • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.  
• Thirty-one of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been removed from the isolation list.  
• Ten of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Seven of the new positive individuals are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center.

​

Orleans County received 14 new positive cases of COVID-19.  

• The positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby)
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
  • East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.
• Twenty of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Three of the new positive individuals are inmates at the Albion Correctional Facility.

Press release:

Last week Governor Andrew Cuomo issued amendments to his fiscal year 2021-2022 state budget including unnecessary and punitive measures impacting all NYS Department of Health licensed Adult Care Facilities and Assisted Living Residences.  

“It was shocking to see this scourging punishment at a time when assisted living providers and staff have fought valiantly and tirelessly to protect their residents during this pandemic nightmare at great peril to their emotional, mental and financial wellbeing,” said Lisa Newcomb, Empire State Association of Assisted Living’s (ESAAL’s) executive director.

“Instead of the praise and honor that our provider members and their staff so clearly deserve, the Governor is inflicting upon them harsh punishment. Why are we being attacked?”

Specifically, the budget amendments multiply daily penalties tenfold, from $1,000 per day to $10,000 per day. In addition, the amendments eliminate the assisted living provider’s ability to rectify minor, less serious violations without a concurrent fine, meaning that something as minor as submitting one daily survey to the (Health) Department one minute late automatically subjects a provider to a potential fine of $10,000.   

The Department of Health already has broad fining authority in the Public Health Law and a review of the history of fines shows that the state agency has exercised that authority with zeal, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic.

These proposed increased financial penalties coupled with an inability to correct minor infractions without penalty have many assisted living providers concerned about their continued ability to keep their doors open.  

Newcomb concedes that while the numbers of positive cases and resident deaths are not nearly as high as those in nursing homes, assisted living communities have not escaped unscathed: After all, assisted living residents are still frail seniors in a congregate living arrangement and that is where COVID-19 preys.  

“But why the attack? Have there been many allegations of wrongdoing by assisted living providers during the pandemic?” Newcomb asks. “None were mentioned in the Attorney General’s report, despite the fact that she has conducted investigations in some facilities. 

Likewise, there has been barely a mention in the press about the challenges faced by this industry.

On the contrary, despite the Department having imposed virtually all the same mandates on assisted living communities as it has on nursing homes, with virtually no funding assistance, assisted living providers have fought vigorously to protect both their residents and staff.

The Governor also proposes elimination of the only source of modest state funding the state makes available to adult care facilities that serve indigent seniors to make improvements to their buildings and create resident programming. The EQUAL program has been a model where providers and residents work collaboratively to use funds for enhancing the quality of care and services at adult care facilities. 

On behalf of its 300+ provider members, ESAAL calls on the New York State Legislature to reject these amendments and to restore the modest funding that is intended to enhance quality in those residences that serve the poor frail elderly.

About Empire State Association of Assisted Living

Empire State Association of Assisted Living is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening New York State's assisted living sector and promoting the best interests of providers and residents. Founded in 1979, ESAAL is the only association that exclusively represents the assisted living industry, serving 300 Assisted Living Residences, Adult Homes, Enriched Housing Programs and Assisted Living Programs throughout New York State. These member residences are home to more than 30,000 seniors.

ESAAL in Genesee County

There is one assisted living community in Genesee County in the association:

• LeRoy Manor, with about 80 residents.

Jose Alfredo Cruz, 44, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with second-degree menacing and second-degree harassment. At midnight on Feb. 20, Cruz was arrested after a domestic incident. It is alleged he menaced a person and made threats to harm himself. Cruz was arraigned virtually at Genesee County Jail on behalf of Town of Oakfield Court. He is due in GC court on April 5. The case was handled by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun, assisted by Deputy David Moore.

Rodney Lee Harmon Jr., 44, of Church Street, Elba, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree. Harmon was arrested at 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 after allegedly being found in possession of oxycodone hydrochloride when a probation officer visited his home. He was released with an appearance ticket and is due in Elba Town Court at a later date. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Tristan Michael Vaughn, 22, of Richley Road, Darien, is charged with: driving while intoxicated -- first offense; operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .08 percent or more -- first offense; unregistered motor vehicle; moving from lane unsafely. Vaughn was arrested at 6:27 p.m. Feb. 20 on Attica Road in Darien after his vehicle was located off the roadway. He was released with appearance tickets and is due in Darien Town Court on March 16. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Sgt. Andrew Hale.

The City of Batavia issued a press release this morning advising of a Special Conference Meeting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the Council Board Room on the second floor of the Batavia City Centre.

The Batavian has learned from multiple sources that Council will interview finalists for the vacant city manager position at the meeting, which will go into executive session immediately and is closed to the public.

The meeting agenda, per the city’s website, is as follows:

• Call to Order.
• Executive Session ... Employment Matters to Discuss the Potential Appointment of a Particular Person.
• Adjournment.

Interim City Manager Rachael Tabelski has publicly announced her intention to apply for the position.

Council members, citing confidentiality issues since a potential candidate is currently working for the city, have not revealed any information about the number of applicants or the professional search process.

Tabelski has been serving in the interim role since June 22, two days after the city and Martin Moore mutually agreed to terminate his contract.