Smithtown Christian celebrated a first-round victory over the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame this afternoon at Broome Community College in Binghamton. Smithtown won 7-1, eliminating Notre Dame from the state championship series.
We'll have a game story and photos later (long drive back to Batavia before I can work on it).
Executives at P.W. Minor, a locally founded, 147-year-old business, reportedly told employees today that the firm is closing July 31 and the workers will be out of their jobs.
Employees posted about the announcement on Facebook and The Batavian contacted two employees directly. One wouldn't comment, the other confirmed the announcement.
The shoe-manufacturing company was founded in 1867 by two Civil War veterans who originally called their company Minor Brothers Boots and Shoes.
The Batavian e-mailed P.W. Minor's CEO Wally Hinchey at about 6 p.m. seeking comment and has not received a response.
Monetary value cannot be placed on the cost of freedom. It has been, and continues to be, paid with the blood, sweat and tears of a nation’s people.
Opening ceremonies for the Cost of Freedom Memorial Wall were held Thursday at Pembroke Town Park. Kicking off the day’s events was Bobbie Metcalf’s stirring rendition of the National Anthem. Then retired Army Brigadier General Frank Cipolla spoke briefly of the number of men and women who have lost their lives during times of war. He further spoke of the strength of Americans.
While the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall had made an appearance in Western New York in 2010, the Cost of Freedom Memorial Wall is making its first debut in the area. This monument commemorates every veteran that has fought and died in battle from the Revolutionary War up to and including the war in Afghanistan.
“This wall commemorates every veteran (who) has fought and died for our freedom,” said Timothy Burch, a member of the Oakfield-Alabama American Legion Post #626. “Including firefighters, policemen and first responders of 9/11.”
The memorial spans the length of almost two football fields, resembling the Wall in Washington, D.C.. A permanent monument, donated by Galley Monuments, Batavia, has been set at the site as tribute to fallen soldiers. In addition, the American Legion opened a contest to local schools and asked the question, "What does the cost of freedom mean to you?". Of those who participated, Abby Shaw, of Pembroke, won the contest and her poem titled "The Cost of Freedom" is inscribed on one side of the stone.
“I’m very excited to be a part of this event,” Burch said. “I joined the Legion almost a year ago and I fell into this face-first. I wanted to be involved. I have an emotional attachment to those who have volunteered to serve during wartime. Both my grandfathers served, as well as my father.”
“So many people from the community are involved in this,” said Joe Joyce, vice commander of Post 626. “It’s amazing.”
According to Joyce, bringing the memorial to the area was almost two years in the making. Donations and fundraisers were held to generate enough capital to make it happen.
“Not one person turned me down when we (the Legion) asked for a donation,” Joyce said. “The response from the community was outstanding.”
“This display will educate people to really show what the cost of freedom is,” Burch said, “and shows how many people sacrificed their lives so that we remain a free country.
“My uncle’s name is on this wall. He died in Korea,” Burch continued. “My service was insignificant by way of comparison to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. They should be honored every day.”
According to the American Veterans Traveling Tribute -- the organization whose mission is to bring the Cost of Freedom Tribute and The Traveling Wall to as many communities as possible -- this event is the first to hold separate days to honor each service area.
“We are setting a precedence for the wall. We are making history with this event,” Burch said.
Alan Myers, a World War II veteran, said, “It’s awesome, isn’t that what the young people say, really emotional, to be involved in this event. It makes people aware of just what the military goes through.”
Myers, who served three years with the 13th Defense Atlantic Fleet, led the motorcade Wednesday with his quarter-ton World War II jeep. According to Myers, the jeep he was driving came off the line the day Pearl Harbor was attacked and was also used during the war.
In addition to the memorial, displays throughout the grounds include a tribute to the attack on the Twin Towers, as well as, information on each branch of the military and police and firefighters. The four-day event itself is free, however, donations will be accepted to help defray the cost of bringing the wall to the area.
“When you listen to our National Anthem, I mean really listen,” Burch said. “It was written during the Revolutionary War during after a long battle. Francis Scott Key was simply writing about what he was seeing at that time (the bombarding of the American forces at Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore on the night of Sept. 13–14, 1814). That’s war. That’s the cost of freedom.”
http://www.zenfolio.com/zf/tools/slideshow.aspx?id=18989488
A tree and power lines are reportedly on fire at 2378 Genesee St. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding.
UPDATE 6:25 p.m.: National Grid is being contacted.
UPDATE 6:27 p.m.: A responder says there are three primary lines down across the roadway, two of which are covered by a large tree limb. There is a confirmed power outage in the immediate area as a result. National Grid is aware but no ETA given.
UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: Only eastbound traffic will be allowed to continue traveling.
UPDATE 7:48 p.m.: East Pembroke is back in service. National Grid is on scene fixing the problem.
A two-car personal injury accident is reported at West Main and River streets in the city. Police, fire and Mercy medics are on scene.
UPDATE 6:38 p.m.: City fire is back in headquarters.
A year ago, Town of Le Roy officials took a look at 118 acres of land on its books and decided the town really had no short-term nor long-term use for it, so they decided to put it up for sale.
That decision came under fire from about five local residents at the town board's Thursday meeting.
The parcel is being sold to Zoladz Construction Co. for $95,000. Zoladz plans to open a facility to recycle municipal green waste and concrete from reconstruction projects.
Neighboring landowners are concerned about the noise, the dust and the possible pollution.
"We don't dispute your right to sell it," Thomas Ryan said. "It's who you sold it to."
Supervisor Steve Barbeau spoke at length about the history of the property and the decision to sell it. He said the sale was advertised in the Le Roy PennySaver and the Genesee Valley PennySaver and he wrote about it in his column for the Le Roy PennySaver.
In the end, only two potential buyers came forward: One offering about $40,000 and Zoladz.
The lower bid came from an outdoor club that would have used the property for hunting.
Town Attorney Reid Whiting said the town tried to convince the club to increase its bid, but the club leadership said that just wasn't possible.
The board didn't act on Zoladz's offer right away. Instead, Barbeau took the issue to the Le Roy Business Council for advice and feedback.
Members there, he said, supported accepting the higher bid from the commercial business, getting the property back on the tax roles.
The board held another public meeting about the issue and then decided to accept Zoladz's purchase offer.
It's still not a done deal, Barbeau said, and even once the property is conveyed to Zoladz, the company must still seek DEC permits and get zoning approval.
While the property is in an industrial zone, the list of permitted uses in Le Roy's industrial zone doesn't include green waste and concrete recycling. The company will need a variance for such an operation, which must be approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Town Board.
The parcel is located off Neid Road, just north of Gulf Road, in an area dominated by Hanson and Dolomite quarries. It's near the Lehigh Railroad derailment site, which Barbeau noted the town got an unrequested reminder about a couple of years ago.
Tom Dintruff and other neighbors raised concerns about possible pollution at the site.
At one time, the site was a quarry, then in the 1940s, it became a town dump. In 1979, a fire shut it down.
The fire burned for 10 days with various fire departments dumping water on it to try and control it, Dintruff said.
Dintruff said one local business owner advised against even trying to put the fire out, especially with water.
"You don't know what's in there," Dintruff said the man told town officials. "He wasn't saying it's a mystery. He was saying he knew what was in there."
The land has been unused and unoccupied since.
Ryan, Charlie Miller and Keith Maxwell raised concerns about truck traffic and noise.
Ryan said when he bought his land, it was with the belief that the old town dump would never be used again because of the environmental issues.
"I wouldn't have bought my place if I'd known there would be trucks running up and down my front yard," he said.
The roadway into the dump is just 55 feet from the front of his house.
He added, "Neid Road is already starting to crumble. There are no shoulders. I don't think it's set up for industrial traffic."
There was no resolution to the issue for the local residents last night and no promises were made by the board regarding future actions.
Press release:
The Le Roy Police Department is asking for assistance in determining who stole a wallet from an elderly female while in a supermarket on West Main Street in Le Roy. The victim states that she was in the market between 3 and 3:45 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, when an unknown person stole her wallet from inside her purse while she was not looking.
The Le Roy Police is advising all citizens to be alert for this type of criminal behavior as it is not unusual for criminals to follow individuals around a store, then distract the attention of the victim intentionally or wait until the victim is distracted for other reasons, then reach into the purse and steal the wallet.
The Le Roy Police is asking that the citizens be alert to this type of behavior and call 9-1-1 immediately if you see this type of behavior happening to yourself or others.
John A. Snook, 26, of Central Avenue, Batavia, was arrested June 10 and charged with criminal obstruction of breathing/blood circulation, second-degree harassment, and unlawful imprisonment. The arrest was made following his release from Orleans County Jail on a separate charge. The new charges stem from a domestic incident in the City of Batavia. Orleans County Sheriff's Department transported Snook to the Genesee County line and he was taken to Batavia City Court and arraigned in front of Judge Balbick. He was then put in county jail and bail was set at $2,500. The matter was investigated by Batavia Police officer Jamie Givens.
Nathen Edward Donald Brege, 22, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. On June 11 he was arrested for allegedly violating an order of protection issued by the Town of Oakfield Court by allegedly threatening the protected individual in an incident on May 31 on South Pearl Street in Oakfield. He was issued an appearance ticket. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's deputy Joseph Loftus.
Sean Robert Doran, 24, of Harper Street, Rochester, is charged with DWI, aggrevated DWI, and speeding over 55 mph on June 11 on Route 20 in the Town of Alexander. He is scheduled to be arraigned on July 1 in Alexander Town Court. The incident was investigated by Sheriff's deputy Kevin McCarthy.
Thomas Edward Bobeck, 44, of Parwood Drive, Cheektowaga, is charged with operation of a motor vehicle with a BAC of .08 or more as a first offense, and DWI, first offense. He was arrested on said charges after being observed allegedly driving in an unsafe manner while on Alleghany Road in Darien on June 12. He is to be arraigned on July 8 in Darien Town Court. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's deputy Joseph Corona, assisted by deputy Brian Thompson.
Ivan Jerrod Walton, 21, of Yates Avenue, Sauk Village, Ill., is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd, stemming from an incident on March 25 at the Sears Hometown Store on Lewiston Road, Batavia. The subject was being held in the Livingston County Jail on an unrelated matter. He was arrested on June 9 and arraigned in front of Justice Williams from Batavia Town Court on said charge and returned to Livingston County Jail. Bail was set at $2,500. The matter was investigated by Sheriff's deputy Christopher Parker, assisted by deputy John Baiocco.
Press release:
The Le Roy Police Department is asking all citizens to be vigilant for scams over the telephone and/or computer. Recently two citizens received calls from persons pretending to be a “relative” from out of state who was in jail and needed money to get out. The caller asked the citizen to go to a nearby pharmacy to purchase a “green dot” card or other liquid transferrable funds and have the money sent to them for bail.
It is important for all to know that these callers are really unscrupulous and will steal as much money as you send to them up to and including your life savings if not stopped. Further, once you have been targeted the caller will continue to call you attempting to victimize you numerous times.
If you receive a suspicious phone call or e-mail, please contact the Le Roy Police Department or your local Police agency BEFORE SENDING ANY MONEY so we can assist you in determining if this is a scam.
Once the money has been sent, there is little to no chance of getting it back or determining/identifying the scammer.
Eugene Jankowski, former lieutenant with Batavia PD and current City Council member, recently took home four awards from the 2014 NY State IDPA International Defensive Pistol Championships at Pine City Sportsman's Club near Elmira.
Jankowski finished:
Notre Dame High School held a rally this morning in support of its baseball team before the team left for Binghamton and a shot at a state championship.
Tomorrow, in a final four match, the Fighting Irish play Smithtown Christian High School. The winner will play either Hancock or Heuvelton Central. The Batavian will bring you full coverage or ND's run at the title. This is only the second time in the school's history that the baseball team has played for a state championship.
Photos submitted by Joseph Scanlan.
The Town of Le Roy Board had no choice but to pursue a lawsuit against one of its own local businesses, attorney Reid Whiting said Thursday night during a discussion with town residents of the Frost Ridge legal proceedings.
About 25 Frost Ridge supporters turned out to the board meeting and spoke up during a conversation that lasted at least 90 minutes.
There were no speakers supporting the board's lawsuit.
Frost Ridge is being sued by both the town and two neighboring residents over its very existence as a campground and its ability to hold outdoor music concerts.
The neighbors, David and Marny Cleere and Scott and Betsy Collins, have been pushing the town to enforce its zoning ordinance in regards to Frost Ridge, Whiting said. The two couples made it clear, Whiting said, the town would be sued if it failed to enforce its ordinances.
Such a failure, Whiting said, would embolden others to violate the zoning code and give the town little recourse for enforcement.
"If we ignored the violations, we would be found in dereliction of our duty and we would not be able to defend ourselves in other matters," Whiting said.
Later in the meeting, he said, "We did not act lightly. We did not act recklessly. We did not act without thought. We have a statutory duty to enforce the laws of Le Roy. If we do not, we are at risk. If we're at risk, you're all at risk."
The town board decided to sue Frost Ridge rather than defend its own Zoning Board of Appeals, which determined in 1978 and again 2013 that Frost Ridge was an existing, nonconforming use and permissible under the town's law.
Supervisor Steve Barbeau (second photo) said the ZBA overstepped its authority by making those determinations.
"The issue of whether something is grandfathered in or not grandfathered in is not their decision," Barbeau said. "If in the 1960s a record of music was played over the PA system so now that translates into Molly Hatchett coming in for a concert, if you believe that's the case, that's not something within the purview of the ZBA to rule on."
Both Whiting and Barbeau made the point that the town board was not criticizing the ZBA or arguing with the ZBA. The town did not sue the ZBA. Cleere/Collins sued the ZBA.
Whiting leaned heavily in more than one statement that the town's position obviously had merit because Judge Robert C. Noonan issued a temporary injunction against amplified music and alcohol sales at Frost Ridge.
"Judge Noonan takes precedent over anything the town board does," Whiting said.
When Eilleen Sherman Dries (top photo) said a code enforcement officer, who trained the town's current officer, told her Frost Ridge was a pre-existing nonconforming use, Whiting snapped, "The only thing that matters is what Noonan says."
At the hearing prior to Noonan's ruling, the ZBA was not represented. Whiting told Noonan during the hearing that the ZBA had been served notice that it was a defendant in the Cleere/Collins suit but chose not to be represented. That turned out not to be an accurate statement. Chairwoman Debbie Jackett has since said the board stands behind its determination that Frost Ridge is not violating existing town code.
The ZBA will be represented by its own attorney, paid for by the town, at further court proceedings.
Late in the meeting, Whiting said the town is just a secondary player in the legal proceedings, even though Noonan denied the Cleere/Collins side its own request for an injunction, granting just the town's request for an injunction.
If the other sides in the case were able to come to an agreement, Whiting said, he would not interfere with the agreement, but bring it back to the town board for consideration.
Coming to an agreement was the major request of just about every resident who spoke during the meeting.
"This is revenue we had and now it's going to Caledonia instead of Genesee County," said Lucie Ann Griffis (Disclosure, Griffis is a part-time sales rep for The Batavian). "This is revenue that not only the town needs, but the whole area needs. It's a shame the town board couldn't jump aboard on this and instead of saying what we can't do, saying what we can do.
"It's a shame what's being said about use, about the town not being friendly to business. I'm a lifer here. This is a travesty that we're losing this revenue based on the complaints of just a couple of people."
Carl (who refused to provide his last name) also complained about lost business.
"The town board should be out trying to promote the town and promote business and not take away a business because of some violation of code, because one or two complaints, and shut something down," Carl said. "The board should try and do some something to help them."
A couple sitting behind Carl said they were from Rochester and camp regularly at Frost Ridge, and have camped there since before the current ownership. They both said Le Roy has started to gain a bad reputation in Rochester because of situations like this.
Jennifer Keys also spoke in favor of finding some compromise that could save Frost Ridge.
"We cannot deny that Frost Ridge is a great source of revenue for our community," Keys said. "I would like to see it worked out so that the revenue stays here rather than going to Caledonia or Batavia."
Barbeau said the town has already tried to reach a compromise with Frost Ridge owners Greg and David Luetticke-Archbell, but at the 11th hour, the owners hired an attorney who withdrew their application for a special use permit for the campground.
"Once they conformed to that, then they could seek out a variance for concerts," Barbeau said. "There was no guarantee at all. It would have gone through the ZBA, then the planning board and then a public hearing and then the town board."
Keys responded, "I don't want to speak for the owners, but since they're not here, it's my understanding that county planning told them you can't do that, that their application (for a special use permit) wasn't valid because they didn't need it. They felt threatened and things blew up and here we are now. I would still hope something could be worked out."
Greg and David are out of town and not available for clarification, but The Batavian has previously spoke to sources who said Greg and David were advised by their attorney at the time that the special use permit was a trap. The issuance of a permit would negate prior rulings by the ZBA and end concerts at the Ridge.
Barbeau said he did try to find a compromise for Frost Ridge last summer and that he convinced Cleere/Collins to hold off on a suit during the 2013 concert season because shutting things down with contracts signed and deposits paid would have been economically devastating for Greg and David.
"I do bristle and I will continue to bristle when people say we didn't try as a town board to do anything to work things out," Barbeau said.
Barbeau said if Frost Ridge had continued with its application, he was confident it would have been approved by the board unanimously and then he was going to propose a town-wide zoning change that would have permitted concerts on any property three times a year -- Memorial Day, the Oatka Festival and July 4.
Frost Ridge hosts concerts at least nine times a year.
"They were gambling (when they withdrew their application) and they gambled wrong," Whiting said.
A man named Steve (who also refused to give his last name), made one last plea for resolution favorable to the town near the end of the discussion.
"This is a no-win situation," Steve said. "If you win the lawsuit, you lose all that revenue from all those people who come to Frost Ridge. "If you lose the lawsuit, you're going to owe the campground all that money, all the while costing me and the other residents a lot of money. You need to get in a room with everybody and work it out."
One audience member kept asking how the supporters could go about getting an item on the agenda at a future board meeting about the board reconsidering its position, and the answer was, there's a public comments section on every agenda.
"I want to know when we can ask you to represent the majority of the people in Le Roy instead of just two people," she said.
A person who was trapped inside a flooding vehicle at 1600 Erie St. in Darien managed to get out. Darien firefighters are on scene. The location is between Tinkham and Alleghany roads.
UPDATE 8:54 p.m.: Darien fire is back in service.
From the National Weather Service in Buffalo:
A flash flood warning has been issued for Southwestern Genesee County until 12:45 a.m., June 13, by the National Weather Service.
At 8:20 p.m. the Doppler radar indicated a narrow band of torrential rainfall from a persistent area of thunderstorms. Radar estimates that two to three inches of rain has has fallen in a small area, including the towns of Darien and Alexander. An additional one to two inches are possible through late evening.
Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, country roads, as well as farmlands along the banks and creeks.
Never drive through flooded roads, or turn around. Don't drown!
Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today is blasting a proposal by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that will significantly hurt the local cheese industry. The FDA is contemplating banning cheese makers from the centuries-old practice of aging cheese on wooden boards. This process is commonplace among artisan cheese makers operating across New York’s 27th Congressional District.
“This is just the latest example of a federal government hell-bent on regulating everything it can get its hands on,” Congressman Collins said. “The process of aging cheese on wood boards is older than the federal government itself. Once again, the bureaucrats in Washington who are totally out of touch with the real world are arbitrarily introducing new rules and regulations that will hurt local economies, cost people their jobs, and stall business growth.”
Approximately 15 to 20 percent of the cheese made by Yancey's Fancy in Pembroke, NY, (Genesee County) is aged on wooden boards. The company recently announced a major expansion aimed at increasing production of the very cheeses aged through the process targeted by the FDA. The company currently employs 120 people.
“The proposal that FDA has made to ban the use of wood for curing cheese will negatively impact our plans to grow the natural side of our specialty cheese business,” said Brian Bailey, VP of Operations for Yancey's Fancy. “My understanding is that the rule was going forward without any discussion with the cheese industry, and apparently without any consideration to the impact that such a ruling would have.
"There is a far greater tonnage of cheese imported into the United States that is cured on wood than what is made in the United States, yet I haven’t heard of any ruling to address that issue either. There is plenty of science that supports wood as a safe material for curing cheese but I’ve seen no evidence to date that science has been considered...Producing safe, quality food is as much our mission and goal as it is FDA’s. Our existence depends on it.”
Congressman Collins is sending a letter to the FDA encouraging them to abandon this proposal immediately. A significant amount of cheese imported from abroad is aged on wood boards and currently not subject to FDA’s scrutiny of this particular aging process. In reacting to the proposal, American cheese makers said the FDA was not acting on sound science or law.
Press release, as approved by Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello:
The following people were arrested by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office during the Dave Matthews Band concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center (PAC) on June 11:
A 17-year -old male, of Cassandra Circle, Churchville, was arrested for criminal impersonation, 2nd, after allegedly impersonating another person while attempting to gain entry to the concert venue. He was also charged with three counts of possession of another's license. He was arraigned in Darien Town Court and jailed in lieu of $1,000 bail.
The following were issued appearance ticket for 4 p.m., June, 24, in Darien Town Court:
(name redacted; allegedly false name used), 21, of Lake Street, Perry, was arrested for trespass after allegedly reentering the south PAC entrance after being ejected from the venue and told not to return.
William A. Meister, 29, of Windmill Road, West Seneca, was arrested for trespass after allegedly reentering the south PAC entrance after being ejected from the venue and told not to return.
Richard W. Meister, 63, of Abbott Road, Orchard Park, was arrested for trespass after allegedly reentering the south PAC entrance after being ejected from the venue and told not to return.
Robert E. Langenbrahn, 38, of Chili Avenue, Rochester, was arrested for harassment after allegedly punching a male in the back of the head and also urinating on that person’s leg.
A 17-year-old male, of West Ham Circle, West Chili, was arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana after allegedly being found in possession of marijuana.
(name redacted upon request), 19, of West Grimsby Road, Buffalo, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of a fraudulent license.
Jeremy M. Jacobs III, 18, of North Davis Road, East Aurora, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of a fraudulent license.
Jacob A. Shine, 19, of Krantz Lane, Getzville, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of a fraudulent license.
Rachel A. McConnell,19, of South Wind Way, Rochester, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of another’s license.
Matthew M. Moran, 18, of East Gotham Road, Watertown, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of another’s license.
Austin R. Briganti,18, of Essla Drive, Rochester, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of a fraudulent license.
A 17-year-old male, of Shrubbery Lane, Rochester, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of another’s license.
A 17-year-old male, of Meadow Spring Court, East Amherst, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of another’s license
Cole M. Essler, 19, of Nunda, was issued a uniform traffic ticket for possession of another’s license.
Press release:
City Manager Jason Molino today announced his appointment of Gretchen DiFante as assistant city manager for the City of Batavia. DiFante was selected following a national search that resulted in 60 applicants.
As a 16-year resident of the City of Batavia, DiFante has held senior executive roles in Western New York businesses including: director of Efficient Customer Support for Rich Products Corp., in Buffalo; executive vice president at P.W. Minor, in Batavia; and as executive director of Agape Counseling Associates, in Rochester. She also maintains a consulting business, StandOUT Results, in which she has worked with chief executive level clients to facilitate the development of data-based strategic plans and design and provide leadership training for senior and mid-level managers and supervisors in approximately 23 different industries.
DiFante has served in several local leadership positions and is a current member of the Board of Education for the Batavia City School District. She is also a veteran with the Air Force Reserves, graduate of the inaugural class of Leadership Genesee, past board member of the Genesee YMCA, Rochester Area Triathletes, and currently serves as an advisory board member to the Citizens Against Teen Suicide (CATS) group in Rochester.
Pier Cipollone, 4th Ward council member who participated in the interview process, said, “I believe Gretchen has the management and leadership qualities that will allow her to assimilate into her new role easily. She has a familiarity with city staff and along with her abilities as a skilled facilitator should enable her to become productive almost immediately. I believe she will be a great asset to the City.”
City Manager Jason Molino added, “Gretchen has unique leadership skills that enable her to easily gain trust at every level within an organization while also being able to quickly understand and strategically assess the operations in multiple industries.”
She has provided periodic consulting to the City of Batavia over the past four years and was instrumental in helping to develop, expand and evaluate the City’s strategic plan that was recently awarded the Strategic leadership & Governance Program Excellence Award from the International City/County Management Association.
“As a resident and business owner, Gretchen has built very successful relationships with many businesses and organizations not only in Batavia and Genesee County, but throughout Western and Upstate New York,” Molino said. “When Gretchen’s leadership skills and experience were combined with her great sense of passion and enthusiasm to serve this community, she quickly became the obvious choice to join our management team. I am looking forward to working with her in achieving the City’s vision.”
Gretchen lives with her husband, David, a sargeant in the Rochester Police Department, and they have five children: Lauren (21), stationed with the Air Force at Nellis AFB in Nevada; John (20), a student at Genesee Community College; Nina (17), a graduating senior at Batavia High School; Elena (13) and Ava (9) who are in seventh and third grade at Batavia Middle School and John Kennedy, respectively.
They are members of Northgate Free Methodist Church in Batavia where Gretchen periodically volunteers time to conduct job search and interviewing workshops for newly graduated college students and adults seeking employment.
DiFante holds a BA in Communications from Auburn University and a MS in Management from Keuka College.
She will begin transitioning to the position in early July and will be full time by the first week of September at an annual salary of $75,950.
City Manager Jason Molino encourages all Batavia residents to celebrate this appointment and welcome DiFante to her new position.
Statement from Senator Micheal Ranzenhofer:
Copyright © 2008-2022 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
