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Though votes were reported as unofficial this evening, it’s apparent that Batavia City Schools’ $54.8 million budget and a related 1 percent tax levy increase passed with a vote of 301 to 108.

It was one of eight districts to report a passed 2022-23 budget. 

The other proposition on Batavia’s ballot was the election of board members for three vacant seats. Chezeray Rolle came out on top with 368 votes, followed by John Marucci and Korinne Anderson, each with 346 votes.

Alexander Central’s budget and related tax levy passed 83 to 44. Prop 2 of two bus purchases passed 92 to 35; Prop 3 to spend $56,958 from the equipment capital reserve fund passed 97 to 31; Prop 4 to establish a capital reserve fund passed 86 to 38;  Prop 5 to establish a school bus reserve fund also passed 85 to 39.

Molly Grimes received 94 votes to fill the five-year board member term, and there were several write-in suggestions for the position.

Byron-Bergen Central School’s budget passed with a vote of 244 to 98. Proposition 2 of a bus purchase was also approved 252 to 89; Prop 3 of a school vehicle reserve passed 245 to 95 and school board candidates Kimberly Carlson received 292 votes, Heidi Ball 284 and Jeffrey Cook 287.

Elba Central’s budget passed by a vote of 100 to 17. Superintendent Gretchen Rosales shared her gratitude for the positive outcome.

“I am thankful for our supportive community,” she said.  “These results demonstrate the trust the Elba community has in the district, not only to educate the students, but also to be good financial stewards of their resources.”  

Elba’s Prop 2 to purchase a school bus passed 102 to 15; Prop 3 to expend up to $100,000 on a capital outlay project through a reserve fund passed 104 to 12, and board members Travis Torrey and Mercy Caparco won a five-year term on the school board with votes of 100 and 106, respectively.

Le Roy Central's general budget passed 474 to 137 and the library budget by 509 to 103. Candidates Peter Loftus and Rachael Greene each won a three-year term on the school board with votes of 458 and 464, respectively. Jason Karcher, with 382 votes, will fill a two-year term.

Oakfield-Alabama Central’s $23.5 million budget passed 187 to 35. The district also approved the addition of a student ex-officio board member 180 to 40. Matt Lamb, with 205 votes, and Justin Staebell with 209 were each elected to three-year terms on the school board.

Pavilion Central’s budget passed 106 to 23, as did a reserve resolution by 107 to 20. Marirose Ethington received 116 votes to fill a five-year school board term.

Pembroke Central’s budget passed 272 to 98, while a school bus proposition passed 276 to 93. Ed Levinstein garnered 332 votes for a five-year school board seat and Amber Winters received 312 for a four-year board seat.

Corfu Public Library election results gave Jessica Doctor the most votes of 336 and John Conti two write-in votes, each for a three-year trustee seat; Matt Steinberg received 334 votes for a two-year trustee seat.

Aside from the brick-and-mortar details of constructing a new, 184-bed Genesee County jail facility, Senior Project Superintendent Randy Babbitt offered a reminder Monday about what’s most important.

“My top priority is safety. Safety, safety, safety is paramount with me. I want everyone returning home the same way they show up every day. And we all have families, kids, grandkids. So that's one of the biggest things I stress to the guys: safety first,” Babbitt said during the first update given to the Public Services Committee. “And then I go into quality and a lot of other things, but my main concern for my walk is to be safe every day. So please be assured that's gonna be on the top.”

Most of the contractors have provided their own site-specific safety plan, reviewed and approved by Pike company's corporate safety director, Bollin said. It's also been reviewed and approved by Senior Project Manager Carl York.

“They did submit one to us, and we kicked it back because they didn't address a few things that we want to address,” Bollin said. “They are complying with their safety plan that they have submitted, and everything is off to a good start.”

York outlined work that has been completed and future ongoing collaboration.

“We're collecting everybody's detailed schedules that will go in … we’re gonna start having our project manager meetings every week, starting next week, and our coordination meetings with the contractors coordinating all of the MEPs for all the buildings are also starting next week. And both of those will go on every week until their coordination tasks are completed,” York said. "Randy's on-site superintendent meetings will probably start in about another two, three weeks or so when there's a few more subs working on site. Everybody's very eager to get as much done before the snow flies. We're all very excited to be here. And I'm very eager. You're going to see it's smooth (moving) forward.”

Work has begun at the site of the new larger jail on West Main Street Road next to County Building 2. Equipment at the site will be a mainstay for several months, with a final completion date to be in March 2024, Bollin said. 

He reviewed what’s already been approved — six prior packages with contractors Bayside Paving for site work, LeChase Construction Services as general contractor, Joseph Flihan Company for food services equipment work, Thurston Dudek for plumbing and fire protection, Bell Mechanical Contractor for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, Kaplan-Schmidt for electrical and security electronics work and a seventh contract with CME Associates, which is to provide special inspections and testing.

Bayside paving began “mobilization” earlier this month, with temporary fencing, soil erosion control, clearing and grubbing construction entrances that were completed on May 13. Stripping topsoil began that same day, Bollin said.

The notice to proceed was issued to all contractors on Monday, he said.

“It was dated today. Based on the timeframe that we gave the contractors to complete the project, a substantive date for substantial completion will be Jan. 14, 2024. The date for final completion is March 15, 2024,” he said.

Given this has been a project in the making for at least five years, it was a drum-roll moment as he announced an official groundbreaking ceremony date has been set. Genesee County officials will celebrate the jail’s formal inception at 10 a.m. on May 26.

All private contracts have been fully executed and both Genesee County and the contractors have signed them, he said. The latest agreement with CME Associates is being drafted, he said. All forms, payment bonds and insurance have been provided by all of the contractors and have been “carefully reviewed by Genesee County’s insurance agent and Pike's risk management department,” he said.

He said the contracts are signed for a total project cost of $57,272,800. 

Top photo: 2022 File photo by Howard Owens

Something you may not know about Jason Smith is that he didn’t aspire to be a school district superintendent.

In fact, his current role as head of Batavia City Schools just sort of happened with a suggestion that he should consider the next position, he says.

“The thing is there's nothing I've ever aspired to, it's kind of come to me, it's been a calling," Smith said during an interview with The Batavian. "When I was a teacher I never had any aspiration to be a superintendent. I was happy as a teacher. I was happy as an assistant principal. I was happy as a principal. I was happy as a superintendent in Lyndonville. I'm happy to be here."

His response was to one of several questions asked by The Batavian for an update on how his current role as Batavia City Schools superintendent has been going since he began Jan. 1 of this year. Smith has been a multi-district educator, going from Albion to Elba to Lyndonville, and now to Batavia.

Jack of all trades ...
He feels that he can connect with most anyone given his myriad of interests. The 50-year-old city resident plays the trombone, studies and snaps photos of birds, likes to run and participate in 5Ks, enjoys watching sports — he's a big Buffalo Bills fan — majored in history at college, and is a huge Bruce Springsteen and movie fan, especially Oscar winners.

It’s that kind of versatility that helps him to go from talking baseball and a budget to plumbing and roofing problems, he said. He has tried to finesse the art of knowing at least a little about a lot of various subjects, he said.

Jason Smith goes back to school ...
A 1990 Batavia High School graduate, Smith shared how he reminisced while walking down those Blue Devil hallways once again. He received a quick tour on his first official Monday, Jan. 3, and then did some reminiscing on a snow day later that week. He remembered classes, teachers — Mr. Trosey from English class and Mr. Hay from band -- and old friendships -- checked out the Athletic Hall of Fame and came upon fond memories.

"I walked through the hallways by myself and I tried to realign myself to the classes that I had. And as I was doing it, I was texting a couple of my friends I'm still friends with from high school, about the different spots I found. I found my old locker. I wanted to get reacclimatized to the school as a new student would,” he said. “That really wasn't my first memory because it was the first three days or so I was touring all the schools and meeting all the students and staff. And then I thought I had some time Thursday to kind of walk through very peacefully. And I just found it special for me to be back here in this capacity. I had time to kind of pause, you know, that the process of getting the job itself was very exciting. But then I had time to pause."

Smith picked up a glass crystal apple from the corner of his desk. Mr. Trosey had sent it to him following one of Smith’s opening day speeches that included credits to teachers, including Trosey, who had impacted his school career. It’s by far not alone in his collection of memorabilia. One tall bookshelf is full of notes from students and other school tidbits, plus, of course, his trombone, and there's a row of school programs that he has saved. "I'm very proud of those," he said.

Several minutes into the interview and the gloves came off: did you ever get into trouble at school Mr. Smith?

His initial answer was no, however, upon further reflection, Smith recalled when band teacher Mr. Hay “had to have a talk with me.”

“When I was a sophomore, I got my driver's license. And I was like the band treasurer or something. I was only 16 as a sophomore. So I had a car, and I was having fun driving students back and forth to home," he said. "And Mr. Hay had to pull me aside and have a talk with me: ‘Jason, I made you the treasurer for a reason. You've been unfocused.’ I'm sure that no, I didn't get in trouble. But I did have a couple of talks ensue from Mr. Hay.”

Smith often eats lunch with students and said that his old favorite was taco pizza and chocolate milk. “It still is,” he said, adding that chicken poppers and a frosted cookie for his sweet tooth also make the list. One thing you wouldn’t have found on his tray back then was broccoli, he admitted.

A little personal with professional ...
Smith has previously mentioned that he takes care of himself by getting “all of the proper components,” such as running four to five times a week, trying to watch what he eats, playing his trombone, enjoying movies, his family, the two dogs, and birds that frequent his back yard bird feeders. Family includes his wife Lori, daughter Megan, a 2020 BHS graduate, son Matthew, a BHS senior, and eighth-grade daughter Madeline. Megan may be following in dad’s footsteps by pursuing teaching at Niagara University, while Matthew wasn’t quite as excited to have his father at school as dad was, Smith said.

“I think it's fun. You know, he's enjoying his senior year. So I try to be respectful of that, but … the first day or so he wasn't so crazy about it," Smith said. "So as I said, ‘just embrace it. You know I'm here. Just in person.’”

Cooper, the family’s boxer lab mix, got a companion when the Smiths adopted Carol, a foxhound, in January. She was born in a litter named after The Brady Bunch sitcom characters, however, she was renamed from Marsha to Carol, because “we liked Carol better.”

“I enjoy walking and playing with them and try to have balance,” Smith said.

Part of his “entry process” as superintendent meant visiting with many people throughout the school district for a few months. He asked them to describe the school district in one word and found some of the answers a pleasant surprise. Words such as diversity, resilient, pride and supportive popped up.

Actually, there wasn’t really anything that surprised him as much as they “kind of also reaffirmed what I've already thought walking into the district.”

“They said things like pride, inclusive. I was proud to hear those words,” he said.

What's been the most challenging task since he started here? Being accessible to the 450 staff members and more than 2,000 students districtwide, he said.

“So a challenge I've had, and I’ve tried to overcome this by making myself accessible at games and concerts, was getting to know as many people as possible," he said. "And at smaller districts that were just as important to do. So I build time into going to as many things as I can.”

Does that ever get tiresome, having to attend so many public outings?

“It’s all I've known. It's just how I do business, you know? It's one of the pieces that people have in common as the board watches … they want to see visible superintendents in town. So it's not hard for me I don't find it challenging. I accepted it, and it's just part of my lifestyle now,” he said. “And I enjoy it. I'm going to the baseball game this afternoon. I tried to have a policy like this, as to what's going on, from pre-K all the way up to a senior baseball game.”

The public may not have connected a series of bird photos published on The Batavian as being from Jason Smith, superintendent of BCSD. His love of birds began with two parakeets he had as a kid. When he left as principal of Elba in 2011, Smith was given a bird feeder as a present because he had talked about birds. Smith now has some five bird feeders stationed at his southside home, he said. His grandfather loved birds and Smith has followed suit, to the point where he takes and submits photos consistently, compares notes about the feathered creatures with a neighbor, and generally enjoys watching them.

“It’s that moment of peace, I think,” he said.

Time to discuss the 2022-23 budget for a minute. The $54.8 million proposed budget includes an increase of $2.7 million in spending and a related 1 percent increase in the tax levy. Some social media posts have depicted voters as angry about the tax levy increase and have advocated a no vote on May 17. How do you reply to that?

“I want to say that this is not new territory for me. I recognize the challenges of building a school budget. I stand by my teeter-totter analogy and we want to have that piece there. So I would respond to that, we are conscientious of that, our board is very conscientious of that. But our board is also very conscientious of having to address the needs of our students, and ensuring we have staff and programs in place to support their needs. As I said at the board meeting last week, try to imagine a school without the (nonmandated programs). We don't have to have marching band, we don't have to have football. We want those things; those things are important.”

“So we have to balance those pieces out; it certainly ties into the social-emotional learning needs. So I would say it's a balancing act. And it's a partnership, and we recognize that. There's a task that was put in place for a reason. We recognize that, we respect that. We recognize the challenges that go into that. But we also have an obligation.”

I have neighbors that recognize the balance. And as a matter of fact, I had a conversation with one of my neighbors ... and she wanted to make sure we're still going to have good things for kids. So there's that side of it too. That's the teeter-totter," he said. "That's what I wrote in my newsletter. It's a balancing act and a partnership."

Looking ahead ...
What are your goals moving into 2023?

"We're going to announce a strategic plan in July. So Dr. Cory has been facilitating that process, we recommit the team, we're going to announce goals in June," he said. Each school is going to have its own goals that are aligned to pieces ... with respect to academic learning loss, social-emotional learning, and stronger professional collaboration with our teachers. We're forming shared decision-making teams at the building level ... So that's ongoing, I'm really excited about that, and really excited to have the opportunity to finish up this year. And then we're going to have some intense goal planning sessions this summer."

While Smith has always been proud of the district’s graduation rates — currently at 92 percent — he said there’s something equally important to leaving school with a diploma. He wants to know that students are going to look outside of themselves, be analytical thinkers and discerning readers that go beyond Facebook posts and article headlines before deciding on an issue.

"Two things that I want them to be able to do," he said. "Think critically and be good citizens."

Top photo: Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith shows some of the items he has collected and keeps in his office. Photo by Joanne Beck. Photo above was taken by Smith in his backyard.

Agenda items including a renewal of five additional seasonal sheriff’s deputies, a budget amendment for additional law enforcement patrols in the village of Bergen and revising language for a prisoner housing contract with Wyoming County are on tap for this afternoon’s Genesee County Public Services Committee meeting.

The meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. in the Legislative Conference Room of the Old Court House at 7 Main St., Batavia.

Other agenda items include reviews of a bid award for highway/tractor equipment, grant acceptance of a countywide water/intermunicipal grant, a 2022 budget amendment for highway construction and the reappointment of Highway Superintendent Timothy Hens.

Genesee County dispatch has reported an accident on Lewiston Road in Oakfield.

A 55-year-old male has reportedly fallen 15 feet down an Oatka Creek embankment behind the post office in Le Roy. Genesee County dispatch has requested emergency response.

UPDATE 10:21 p.m.: The patient is conscious and alert. Rope rescue is not needed.

Genesee County Dispatch reports a tractor trailer and motorcycle accident at Route 77 and Main Road in Pembroke.

Pembroke Fire and Indian Falls fire responding. Corfu is providing traffic control at Cohocton Road. 

UPDATE 7:44 p.m.: Mercy Flight is en route to the scene.

UPDATE: 8:03 p.m.: Mercy Flight is on the ground.

Batavia City Schools leaders have a “robust” summer school plan, they say.

Summer session will open July 12 and run for a month, to August 11. It’s a countermeasure for the ill effects of pandemic shutdowns. Instead of in the past, when students went to central designated sites, they will go to their own schools this year. Lessons will be taught from 9 a.m. to noon three days a week, and breakfast, lunch and transportation will be provided, said Molly Corey, executive director of curriculum and instruction.

“We’re being deliberate, the kids will stay at their own school. So Jackson is hosting their own summer school program, and John Kennedy and the middle school are as well. And we added extra staff for those locations, and we're combining transportation, that's a big variable as well.” she said during an interview Wednesday with The Batavian. “We want to ensure that we get kids there. And right now our numbers are looking really good. At Jackson, it’s 150, where normally we would have 50 students.”

Those grades — Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade — are the “critical grades” to reach in July, she said. They will be taught basic literacy skills so that, by third grade, students are expected to “be reading to learn” and to enjoy learning to read.

“So we hired more teachers and we have a longer day than we traditionally have had. Last summer it was a two-hour program; this summer it's a three-hour program just so we have adequate time,” Superintendent Jason Smith said.

Strategies also include pairing students with trusted adults and an element of compassion for what the students have already gone through, Corey said.  The district is targeting 500 students for the summer school program in all three schools while extended days have already been implemented at the high school.

There will also be more teachers, albeit with a more summertime feel, at the middle school. Unlike a stiff remediation vibe, the Ross Street school will offer math and literacy camps with “high engagement” for middle school students and veteran teachers serving as coaches, Corey said.   

“It’s really just hooking them into the learning,” she said. “Giving them more purposeful practice while they do so.”

Smith believes it’s essential to not only bolster students but teachers also.

“Teachers have had very, very busy days, they make thousands of decisions every single day. So we want to give them support, so they can best support our students,” he said. “And one way to do that, one effective way to do it, is to appoint math coaches. We have literacy coaches currently in place through COVID funds as well. At the high school, we’re using the extended day to help kids recover credit from where they didn't meet the expectations during credit from the previous year.”

The district applied for federal COVID funds made available to New York State in 2020. Batavia was awarded $9 million over a three-year period to afford measures such as additional personnel, programs, extended school days and transportation and meals during summer school. 

Smith feels the district must be doing something right, given its recent ranking in U.S. News as being in the top 40 percent of schools in the country.

“So we're doing well,” he said. “We're on track.”

Enrollment is still open for summer school. For more information, call the district at (585) 343-2480.

While teaching a third-grade class at John Kennedy Intermediate, Molly Corey noticed one particular little girl who said Batavia was not her first school district and most likely wasn’t going to be her last.

The third-grader was chronically absent — about one day each week — and didn’t seem terribly invested in her lessons.

“We were her fourth school, and she said she will be moving again. So her buy-in to wanting to do well really depended on the relationship. I had lunch with the girl, but teachers can’t do that every day. She thought it was special that I was working with her. Whenever she would see me she would light up,” Corey said during an interview with The Batavian. “You know what, it was that relationship that really just helped to keep hooking her; I know our classroom teachers are trying hard with that.”

Finding meaning in 'Learning Loss' ...
Two phrases that have become the “buzz words” in many school districts are “learning loss” and “social, emotional learning.” But what do they really mean? How did hybrid and remote learning affect kids, and more importantly, what are the remedies being purchased with COVID funds?

Each issue has greatly impacted students across all grades, and perhaps most crucial for children just starting to learn foundational lessons, Corey said.

“So if we start with the littlest ones at Jackson Primary, the incoming kids are really the ones most ready to thrive. It really was merely if anything changed with loss, it was because of quarantines or them being out being sick with a positive (test). So, we really tried hard to keep them on track,” she said. “If you were the first-grader or the second-grader, kids who had gaps in learning from not being here full-time last year, and from the first year of closure, some of the foundation skills that you would expect them to receive, where they're learning to read, and they're learning about basic number zones, we didn't have the same amount of time.”

The focus for teachers has been to catch up those foundational skills that students need to get into their normal curriculum and grade level, she said. Foundational skills include knowing the letters in sounds and understanding how they blend together, she said, then putting them all together in sentences. Those skills are the basics of learning to read and write, she said.

There's a sequence of skills students have to have — the building blocks — needed in order to master those skills and “build upon one another,” Corey said. “And it's a purposeful practice that really helps them to become fluent readers.”

Superintendent Jason Smith said the evidence has been evident through observing students and having conversations with teachers and principals: there are gaps in all grades due to remote learning and losing the consistency of routine.

No matter at what age, even with a solid one-to-one teaching model, it’s a difficult task, Corey said. Just imagine youngsters, especially, sitting at home staring at the computer. Working with one person. All-day long. “You can’t,” she said.

High school students, meanwhile, are struggling with earning enough credits, passing exams and meeting specific criteria for graduating at the end. Although the state Education Department gave out “some free passes” in terms of easing up on requirements for Regents exams, students still needed to acquire certain levels of knowledge," she said.

“But the reality is, we need them to pass the class, and being in person is an important factor to really give them time to show us what they know, with regard to subject,” she said. “So we have benchmark assessments that have told us some of the assignments that they're missing when there's brokenness with their schooling. We were focusing in on our seniors, obviously, we want to help them, but we have a plan in place for what we can do with the other grade levels as well.

“So we're pairing teachers with students, by content, and we're using a credit recovery system called Apex; it guides kids through the course. Because the ultimate goal is to learn and be successful, but the practical outcome is to have X number of credits to get the diploma. It's that balance to give them the compassion that they need, and the motivation to keep them going,” she said.

For Jackson Primary, John Kennedy Intermediate and the middle school, there will be an offering of summer school, taught three days a week. (See related article, “Batavia City Schools on track for robust summer.”)

“But we have these funds available, due in large part, whose goal in large part, is to help us address those gaps or the loss,” Smith said.

The social-emotional learning piece is tied to the kids’ ability to recognize and better regulate their emotions and have ability to interact well with others. Smith learned first-hand just how out of balance some students’ emotions are. He found himself getting involved with a student whose difficulties were escalating, and a report was sent to the superintendent. He helped to connect the student with a social worker and wondered what might have happened if the distraught kid missed out on that needed counseling.

Then there was the fourth-grader who began to cry, and then sobbed uncontrollably. These instances are happening, he and Corey said, and there need to be remedies to help students adjust to more than educational losses; many have mental health needs as well. Some 100 of those students not only had a pandemic to deal with, but they were also part of an ongoing trend of transplants. Throughout the school year, a portion of those 100 kids moves into the district while another portion moves out. Those fluctuations add another layer of need to help acclimate them to a new school, Corey said.

That’s where social-emotional learning comes in. The pandemic didn’t necessarily cause mental health issues as much as it put a spotlight on that piece, Smith and Corey said. In addition to hiring four new teachers to help with the academic shortfalls, another social worker will assist with the mental and emotional issues.

Federal COVID-19 funds were distributed for school districts to play catch-up with gaps due to pandemic shutdowns. Districts in New York State had to apply for the funds, explain the loss, the solutions being put in place and how they would assess outcomes. Smith said that Batavia City Schools was allocated about $9 million for three years.

After nine years at the city school district, Corey is experiencing new territory.

“It's some of the extremes ... Things we've never ever seen before,” she said.

Top Photo: 2019 File Photo of a Moving Up ceremony at John Kennedy Intermediate. Batavia City Schools officials are stepping up lessons, personnel and amount of time available to students to ensure continued progress toward graduation. Photo by Howard Owens.

Inset photo: Molly Corey, executive director of curriculum and instruction at Batavia City Schools. Photo submitted by BCSD

 If you have always wanted to operate an ice rink, you have until May 20 to submit your intent to file a request for proposal to City Manager Rachael Tabelski, she says.

Tabelski announced the move Wednesday night to secure a new agreement for leasing the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena. Former management company Firland Management, which took over the ice arena in 2006, has opted to cease operations of the Evans Street site as of May 31.

“Over the last year, the City has hosted Ice Rink Meetings with a group of community leaders representing the aforementioned hockey programs, Friends of the Rink, and the current operators.  These meetings have been helpful in creating the vision and strategy that the City seeks for the rink moving forward,” Tabelski said in a press release. “City Council has committed funds sponsoring a capital project to address the locker rooms and City staff is pursuing grants (to) make needed infrastructure investments.  The City looks forward to partnering with a professional operator to bring recreation opportunities to the City, and thanks (to) Firland and all of their employees for their work over the years.”

The city would like RFPs to be for no less than five years, and further details for proposals are below.

Opened in 1978, the Batavia Ice Rink consists of a single sheet of ice (200’ x 85’) with a capacity for 480 fans to attend games.  The ice rink has a warming room, locker rooms, and a refreshment stand.

The rink is located just outside of the downtown district and in the Creek Park redevelopment area.  The Ice Arena is a prime spot for fall and winter recreation in the City of Batavia, Tabelski said. “The arena is home to the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association (GAHA), Batavia Men's Hockey League (BMHL), and Batavia/Notre Dame High School hockey program.

The City of Batavia anticipates that the prospective operator will be able to be profitable while running the rink and will enter into an operation and lease agreement, she said.

RFP Responses shall be no more than 20 pages in length and contain the following:

1.      Corporate Structure/Respondent Information- Organization name, description, address, and form of entity (C Corp, S Corp, Partnership, LLC., LLP., Sole Proprietorship, Not for Profit). 

2.      Respondent Resumes- Organization employees and biographies describing the structure you envision to carry out operations at the rink (manager, scheduling, maintenance, promotions, concessions, etc.).  Include an organizational chart.

3.      Primary Contact- provide contact information (address, phone and email) for the primary contact for this proposal.

4.      Executive Summary- provide an executive summary to explain how you will operate the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, what your organization will do to enhance the level of participation, and focus on revenue streams.

5.      Value Statement- describe how your organization will enhance the rink and bring value to the City of Batavia and City residents.

6.      Experience- provide details regarding experience/resume of staff/potential staff with ice rink operations and/or a general statement of experience running recreational, retail, or commercial operations.

7.      Proof of Insurance- respondents shall provide proof of insurance at the time of agreement execution.

8.      Proof of Financing- respondents shall provide a written description of how they will finance the operations of the rink examples include private capital, secured loan, bridge loan, and line of credit.  A proforma financial statement shall be provided with the response. 

9.      Budget- create a five-year budget plan and incorporate your projected operating expenses, projected revenue, projected net income, and lease rate (suggested lease rate to the City of Batavia and planned capital investment fund expenses are listed). 

Capital Investment Fund expenses are $5,000 suggested lease for Year 2022-23 with $0 suggested capital contribution; $10,000 for Year 2023-24 with a $10,000 suggested contribution; $20,000 for 2024-25 and $15,000 contribution; $25,000 for 2025-26 snf $18,000 contribution; and $25,000 lease for 2026-27 with $20,000 capital contribution.

Prospective operators should heed the important dates below, Tabelski said:

1.  May 20 – Interested respondents are encouraged to indicate your intent to respond to this RFP to Rachael J. Tabelski, City Manager, and City of Batavia by May 20. 
2. May 23 to May 27 – Interested respondents will be scheduled for Zoom or in-person meetings to review the prior financials, prior usage by major tenants, as well as tours of the rink as requested. 
3. May 31- Addendum, if any, will be issued to all respondents who have signed up with the City Manager.
4. June 10 - RFP’s are due on Tuesday, June 10 at 4:30 p.m. Four written copies of the proposal must be received at the City Manager’s Office by the deadline, and one emailed copy must be provided. 
5. July 11 - Final Selection will be made on or around  July 11. 

Several years after initial planning, saving and getting documentation in place for a new Genesee County Jail, the first shovels are in the ground for the $70 million, 184-bed facility on West Main Street Road, adjacent to County Building #2.

Officials have said the project has been said it won't be a financial burden to property owners. The county has been saving money in reserves and holding a greater portion of local sales tax to help cover debt service payments. A four-member corrections officer transition team was put in place to write policies and procedures to cover operations of the new jail that will accommodate expansion needs.

Photo by Howard Owens.

There’s so much happening in downtown Batavia, Shannon Maute says, that she needs to start her own podcast to discuss it all.

Maute, the Business Improvement District’s executive director, is eager to share ideas she and the BID Promotions Committee have been kicking around lately. She wants to provide a venue for them to mull suggestions and figure some things out for downtown’s ongoing success.

“We hope to have it ready to go by mid-June. We are open to anyone coming on. We want to hear from everyone who has an idea, or a thought, and I’ll even take suggestions,” she said to The Batavian. “We will discuss our events, our plans for downtown and promote businesses as well as individuals. We want to have fun with it and get Batavia involved. If we can solve some issues along the way that would be fantastic.”

She teased that the group has some ideas “ready to go,” but you will have to “listen to find out what they are.” Maute plans to promote the podcast in the near future.

Extra nights of music ...
One idea will be implemented beginning in July. Since concerts on Friday nights have had such a positive result, BID members have decided to bring on some Thursday nights as well.  Concerts on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. are scheduled for June 30, July 28 and August 25 at Jackson Square. Musical groups are yet to be announced for those.

The Downtown Batavia Friday Night Concert Series is to kick off with Old Hippies on July 1, Skycats on July 8, Don Newcomb Band on July 15, Ohmes Band July 22, Creek Bend July 29, Ghost Riders on Aug. 5, The Bluesway Band on August 12 and capped off with Mitty and The Followers on Aug. 26. These concerts are all free and are set for 7 to 9 p.m.

An inaugural Italian Fest has been scheduled for August 6, complete with a strolling accordion player, pasta, cannoli and other Italian treats, decorations and a Mediterranean vibe, Maute said.

New faces on BID board ...
She is excited about a resurgence in community gatherings and about some new faces on the BID Board. Derek Geib has been elected president of the board, with fellow businessman John Roche as vice president; and Carrie Lawrence and Shelly Wolanske are new board members.

Maute recently shared how the intrusion of COVID-19 changed her priorities.

“Two years to reflect is a long time, but I learned what is important, and what is important to me is my family, friends and my community,” she said during the annual BID breakfast. “I am so proud to live in this cute little city with a very big heart.”

Awards were given to “the amazing” Gavin Townsend for Volunteer of the Year, and Business of the Year went to “the outstanding Islands Hawaiian Grill.”

“They earned those awards with all their hard work, commitment, and positive attitude, as well as their great love for our community,” Maute said.

Special awards were given to Beth Kemp and Leanna DiRisio for Volunteer of the Decade.

With incoming president Derek Geib, former president Don Brown was acknowledged for his sage and consistent advice and for being a great help to Maute, she said.

“I am pretty lucky to work with such a great board. Each and every one of them brings something great to the table,” she said.

Top photos: Shannon Maute, executive director of Batavia Business Improvement District; and new BID President Derek Geib, left, and Vice President John Roche.

Photos by Howard Owens. 

Award recipients Gavin Townsend for Volunteer of the Year

Kourtney Kunichika, owner of Islands Hawaiian Grill for Business of the Year.

Pribek, a retired Batavia City Schools teacher, is a volunteer at Genesee County’s Office For the Aging. For the past 10 months or so he’s been picking up groceries for a senior citizen who can’t quite get out as easily anymore.

“I really look forward to it,” Pribek said during an interview with The Batavian. “It fills a need for both of us. I need to feel productive and he has trouble getting around.”

The “Got Groceries?” program evolved out of a pilot to try out the concept during the pandemic, OFA Director Diana Fox said. While some people had physical issues that limited their ability to shop, many others didn’t feel safe to go out during a virus running rampant or didn’t even have a computer to do online shopping, she said.

“It created a barrier for some people. And so if there was somebody that, maybe they didn't have a caregiver in the area, and they needed some help with getting their things,” Fox said. “We started this with just a couple of people that needed it, then added in one of our staff … And so they connected up.”

The service is not a free grocery program, she said, and clients need to be able to pay for the goods themselves. Volunteers take a gift card issued from the agency, purchase the groceries, provide a receipt to the agency and client, and OFA then bills the client for the items.

Got Groceries? has worked so well that OFA was invited to apply for additional funding to continue and expand it, Fox said. She has applied for three grants, including $88,000 for centralized intake, $16,225 for marketing coordination and $14,464 for the Got Groceries? program.

They are through the Rochester Area Community Foundation’s Muriel H. Marshall Fund for the Aging and are up for approval at Wednesday’s Genesee County Legislature meeting. The request has already been given the nod by both the Human Services and Ways and Means committees.

“There’s no cost to the county,” Fox said. “I don’t anticipate any issue with that.”

There are eight clients currently, each with a different volunteer, for the pilot program. Fox would like to increase that to 20 participants. Volunteers aren’t on the hook for any money, as gift cards are used for the purchases, and the helpers often tack the errand onto when they do their own personal shopping, she said. If anyone is interested in volunteering for this program, contact the OFA at (585) 343-1611.

Pribek’s time so far has been rewarding, he said.

“I ended up being friends with the client; we chat,” Pribek said. “I use a gift card, and I like the way it works out; it seems to run very smooth. And the people at the Office For the Aging are very nice to work with; it seems very well organized.”

Top photo: Got Groceries? connects people having issues with their shopping and volunteers to do it for them. Photo by Howard Owens 

Motorists are expected to have a smoother drive on Richmond and Harvester avenues now that City Council has agreed to move a $3.6 million project for final approval later this month.

The project is considered “preventive maintenance” and T.Y. Lin International had already been selected as project engineer during a request for proposals process. The company will assist the city in bidding the project and oversee construction. On Richmond, it will run from Oak to State streets and from routes 5 and 33 to Route 63 on Harvester.

Council is expected to award a contract during its next meeting, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said.

If all goes as expected, completion of both avenues should be done by Nov. 30, she said.

From asphalt to topsoil, council also approved a transfer of Batavia Community Garden from the city to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County.

Cornell Cooperative will take care of the property and administer related funds for a yearly fee of $2,500, plus an initial $1,000 for the current 2022-23 fiscal year.

Cornell staff is to also assist the Community Garden Committee with operations, technical and administrative support and educational programming to all garden participants.

City Council President Eugene Jankowski said that Cornell Cooperative Executive Director Jocelyn Sikorski was happy about the arrangement and that “I think we’re in good hands,” he said.

Sikorski said that agency staff has been involved in the garden since its inception in 2011, and there is a core of volunteers to help out.

“It fits in our wheelhouse,” she said. “The city asked if this is something our association was interested in, and it’s a perfect fit.”

Since it began, the Community Garden has grown from four raised beds to 42 raised beds in 2020 over the course of nine years.

A memorandum of agreement is for a five-year term.

Assistant City Manager Jill Wiedrick, who recently announced she would be leaving her position, had previously presented the garden idea to council. Tabelski thanked Wiedrick for her work this past year and wished her the best as she moves on to another job in Fairport. Friday will be Wiedrick’s last day.

Photos by Howard Owens

It began as an ax-throwing event at Eli Fish Brewery on Main Street and morphed into an indoor and outdoor carnival with live music, magical entertainment and assorted carnival-type food, Sydney Carli says.

And the first-ever Eli Fish Brewery Carnival was born.

The City Council approved the event Monday. It is set for 4 to 10 p.m. on June 11 at the brewery and in Jackson Square.

“I’m really excited; it should be a really fun day,” Carli, the event manager, said Sunday to The Batavian. “We’re trying to get pop-up tents for people to sell their crafts and art. It would be awesome to get as many as we can; it’s for anyone who wants to sell their stuff.”

Ax-throwing made the cut, so to speak, in the line-up of activities, and that will be available at the brewery, 109 Main St., Batavia. Craft vendors, a dunk tank and fortune-teller, corn dogs, Italian sausage, Sage Farms maple cotton candy and “delicious frozen maple drinks,” a return of Matty’s Pizza, plus a fun magician book-ended by live bands, including Jim E. Leggs Trio Noah Gokey. The trio, named after a popular phrase coined by Kramer in the TV comedy Seinfeld -- "Jimmy legs" --  is described as "somewhat of a hybrid band ranging from a Latin-infused take on Nat King Cole's Nature Boy to updated arrangements of The Beatles, Steely Dan and Sting. The musicians offer an upbeat, fun and varied mix of Jazz, R&B and Pop that will lift your spirits, their website states. Noah Gokey is an eclectic indie rock band billed as a diverse blend of sounds from folk, blues, country, and jazz to reggae and heavy metal. 

“It’s a really cool opportunity to have a carnival, go and have some drinks, listen to music and see magic acts,” Carli said. “It’s an awesome day where people can come and eat, drink and have fun.”

Craft beers and Eli Fish food, plus the maple treats, will be available for purchase. GLOW Out is also having an event that day, and she is hoping that people will head over to the square to finish their Saturday at the carnival.

(GLOW OUT! plans to host a parade and festival from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 11, beginning on Alva Place and ending in the Batavia City Centre parking lot. For more information, call GO Art! at (585) 343-9313.) 

Tickets for the carnival will go on sale soon at EventBrite.com, Carli said. For vendors interested in reserving a spot, email syd@elifishbrewing.com

Hailed as a hero and confidante of General Ulysses Grant, Ely Parker is mostly known by local historians and history buffs, even though the Native American celebrity of sorts was a Genesee County native and now graces the tail of a $1 Native American coin minted this year.

Don’t know about Ely Samuel Parker? The 2022 Native American $1 Coin honors him as a U.S. Army officer, engineer, and tribal diplomat who served as military secretary to Ulysses S. Grant during the U.S. Civil War. When Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia, on the morning of April 9, 1865, Parker rendered the formal surrender documents in his own hand. On the coin Parker is depicted in his Army uniform while a quill pen, book and what’s been called “his graceful signature” are included as symbols of his experience as a successful communicator. His tribe of Tonawanda Seneca and HA-SA-NO-AN-DA are inscribed to recognize his tribe and given birth name. The coin’s head design is of Sacagawea carrying her infant son, Jean Baptiste.

Terry Abrams, administrative coordinator of Tonawanda Reservation Historical Society, believes this coin is another piece of recognition for Parker.

“I think it's just one one more step in sort of recognizing, you know, the contributions that somebody like Ely Parker specifically had, not just locally but nationally,” Abrams said during an interview with The Batavian. “He was somebody who was a national figure during the Civil War and the Grant administration. So, that's something to note and something to acknowledge.”

He also noted that Parker was “really a sort of complicated figure,” as captured in one of Parker's biographies, Warrior in Two Camps. As intelligent, savvy, effective and versatile as Parker was, he was not always so highly regarded. As a Native American, Parker was not considered to be a United States citizen, he could not take the Bar exam to officially become a lawyer, and his application to join the Union Army as an engineer was denied, all due to his Native American status.

Who he was ...
There’s an exhibit about Parker at Holland Land Office Museum, and Genesee County Michael Eula has given talks about him during the Museum’s History Heroes youth program. Eula recapped Parker’s life, from being born into a large family in 1828 in Indian Falls as a Seneca Native American (part of the Tonawanda Reservation at the time) to studying law for three years and gravitating toward civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It was when a shortage of engineers opened the door for him to join the Army, eventually serving as an assistant to General Ulysses S. Grant. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was present when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox in April 1865, Eula said.

Parker became an esteemed brigadier general and, shortly after the Civil War, named Commissioner of Indian Affairs, serving from 1869 to 1871, Eula said. “He worked hard o improve the lives of Native Americans,” he said.

“He was raised … in a somewhat traditional environment. He learned to speak English, he studied law, he studied engineering. But at the same time, he grew up during the period where, you know, they were trying to move Native people out of New York State, out west. It was only a couple of years after he was born, that the Indian Removal Act was passed in 1830. There was a constant struggle to remain here,” Abrams said. He was one of the people involved in that, trying for the Tonawanda Seneca to stay in their homes and stay where they were.”

The word hero is derived from the Greek word heros, Eula said, to mean a protector or a defender. Not only did Parker do that as a soldier in war, but also during a tumultuous time in civilian life, when Native Americans were not wanted to remain on their own home turf.

During his time in the Army, he exhibited a willingness to risk injury and even death. His readiness to put himself in harm’s way sets him apart from other Americans, which is why we still remember him today,” Eula said. He was a clear role model – especially for young people, Native American and otherwise. He never allowed unjust setbacks to long discourage him. He picked himself back up after disappointment and found new ways to move his life ahead.”

Misnomers and stereotypes ...
Unfortunately, when it comes to notions about Native Americans, society still often thinks in terms of stereotypes, Abrams said. There are either the poor, downtrodden alcoholics or everyone is rich from casino money and tax-free gas and cigarettes, he said. Neither of those extremes are true, he said.

For example, where he lives, on the Tonawanda Reservation, residents don’t participate in any of the casino revenues because those are separate operations of Seneca Nation of Indians. “They’re a completely separate nation,” he said.

“Tonawanda has always been very strongly traditional from the beginning. And they’re still there, they're quite proud of that,” he said. But at the same time, they're certainly very forward-thinking. That Tonawanda community still maintains its traditional tribal government of chiefs and clan mothers. But at the same time, they were the first reservation community, and the second reservation community in the country to integrate in the public school system back in the 30s. So, you have that sort of dichotomy, I guess.”

Full disclosure: although Abrams grew up and remains a resident of Tonawanda Reservation, he is not an enrolled tribal member of the Tonawanda Seneca, he said. However, with that being said, he is a well-versed source for Native American history with deeply steeped ties to personal and professional Native American backgrounds.

Native American Coin Program ...
In 2009 the U.S. Mint began minting and issuing $1 coins as part of the Native American $1 Coin Program. The coins feature designs celebrating the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the history and development of the United States. The program builds on the Sacagawea Golden Dollar, released from 2000 to 2008. It featured a portrait of Sacagawea carrying her infant son, Jean-Baptiste on the obverse (heads side) and an eagle on the reverse (tails side). It was authorized under Public Law 105-124, also known as the United States $1 Coin Act of 1997 (Section 4 of the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act). Native American $1 coins are circulating quality produced as collectibles, not for everyday transactions. However, they may be still used as legal tender.

Ely Parker was one of 17 finalists for the latest edition of the U.S. Mint's Native American series. The inscriptions “TONAWANDA SENECA” and “HA-SA-NO-AN-DA” recognize his tribe and the name given to him at birth.

The newly minted dollar coin has gotten some publicity, but not as much as it could have, Abrams said. He has spotted “a little bit here and there,” but not a whole lot. As curator and collections manager for Niagara County Historical Society, Abrams has access to the coin as the Society acquired a roll for its collections. Abrams said that Parker’s reputation has wavered over time.

“His reputation has sort of gone back and forth. He was seen as sort of, an exemplar of native people. Because he managed to succeed in the larger world. And then that was seen as not necessarily a good thing that he sort of left behind that … there was some feeling that he had left behind his traditional culture, his own people because he moved away from the reservation, and, he never returned.”

Parker has bounced back into favor, Abrams said, for being “instrumental in maintaining” the Tonawanda to nation territory. Despite that “back and forth” of Parker’s contributions, Abrams feels that he deserves acknowledgment for his good deeds. Are there some people that see a coin as a literal token commemorative for Native Americans? Perhaps, Abrams said.

“I think any sort of acknowledgment should be recognized. You know, I think for Native people to see themselves, to see one of their own somewhere in something that potentially can travel all over the place, and is, you know, accessible to anyone almost, because too often native people are sort of hidden or forgotten about or ignored or overlooked. So, you know, having a reminder that we're still here, you know, that's not a bad thing.”

Top photo: The newly minted 2022 $1 coin honoring Ely Parker. Bottom photo: Terry Abrams of Tonawanda Indian Reservation checks out the Ely Parker exhibit at Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia; and above,  Photos by Howard Owens.

Money — or the talk of it — flowed during Wednesday’s Ways and Means Committee meeting as members reviewed everything from a grant for $14,464 to a $2.9 million bridge construction contract and $414,000 related consultant fee.

These items and several others will now move onto Genesee County Legislature for final approval. The group is to meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Legislature Chamber in the Old Court House, 7 Main St., Batavia.

Legislature members are expected to vote on the elimination of a financial clerk-typist position and creation of a program manager for the Sheriff’s Office; bids and consultant agreement for South Lyon Street bridge construction; additional insurance cost to cover elements of the Genesee County Jail construction; a contract award for the jail and capital project construction; apply and accept grant funds as a budget amendment for the county’s Office for the Aging, and a related contract with Arc GLOW’s meal preparation services.

During the committee’s meeting Wednesday at Genesee Community College, Sheriff William Sheron explained that a review of the staff positions indicated that the clerk-typist role “wasn’t aligning with that title,” and he felt that a program manager better suited the duties involved.

A reclassification review conducted by the county’s Human Resources department resulted in a reclassification of the clerk-typist position to that of a program coordinator-sheriff position.

“We do have the money in our budget,” he said.

The monetary difference would be $5,616, which is covered by multiple vacancies that list in the department and have already been accounted for, the resolution states.

Jail construction costs won’t just mean the actual labor and materials, as the county’s insurance broker, Lawley Insurance, sought quotes to add a builder’s risk insurance for the construction project, a Lawley representative said during Wednesday’s meeting. The estimated tab will be up to $73,031.

“Don’t contractors have a policy to cover this type of thing?” Legislator Gary Maha said.

It’s always better for the county to have its own policy to “protect your assets,” the rep said. The extra policy would cover gaps for certain damages due to theft, for example, she said.

Add another $195,000 for special inspections and testing services during the jail building project. These services test things like the soil and asphalt, County Manager Matt Landers said. County officials will receive an inspection report within 24 to 48 hours, he said, and these services are performed for all construction projects.

Additional agenda items up for vote from the Human Services Committee include acceptance of a grant for a public health drinking water enhancement program; a Tobacco Enforcement Program; a contract with Mercy Flight/Air Medical Transfer Service; and a contract with Genesee County Agricultural Society for funding toward this year’s Genesee County Fair.

A Committee of the Whole (Genesee County Legislature) meeting is to follow at 6 p.m. to discuss Conservation Easements Opportunities in Genesee County and approve March 30 minutes.

It’s a small nuance, but a public meeting is different than a meeting in public.

And as such, each has a different protocol for those wishing to speak during the session.

Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith explained the difference during this week’s board meeting.

Board member Barbara Bowman had previously requested a discussion about the district’s policy to require people to sign up a week ahead of a meeting at which they would like to speak. A few people had hoped to speak during a recent meeting and were told it wasn’t allowable per district policy.

There’s a reason for that, Smith said. District officials may need some extra time to research the requested topic before the person addresses the board. That policy is for a meeting in public. A public hearing at the beginning of a meeting is conducted on a particular topic, and it allows for people to comment and/or ask questions during the hearing portion. Those speakers do not need to sign up a week ahead of time.

For a board meeting that is held in public, “there is no obligation to answer speakers,” Smith said, and he advised board members to not feel they should provide an answer on the spot, as the answer may not be fully known at that time, he said.

Bowman was more concerned about people who took the time to attend a meeting in order to speak.

“I think we should consistently acknowledge everyone who comes to speak,” she said.

Board member Jennifer Lendvay asked about speakers who do ask questions of the board. What happens if there is no immediate answer, she said.

“I think my track record is pretty good with (following up and) giving them an answer,” Smith said.

District Clerk Brittany Witkop confirmed that “our office gets a lot of calls” and also returns those calls with answers to residents' queries.

“I think acknowledgement is the most important piece,” Bowman said.

As for revising the current policy to sign up the week ahead of a regular Thursday meeting, Board President Alice Benedict didn’t think it should be done.

“I do know the attorney would advise us not to change our policy,” Benedict said.

Oftentimes you’ve got to pay to play, or in Batavia City Schools’ case, pay a little more.

Batavia’s Board of Education approved a contract Thursday for four guards to provide some extra security for home football games. The fee is $29 an hour per guard at about five hours each, Superintendent Jason Smith said. That’s about $580 per game, or $2,900 for five games.

You can blame it on Batavia Blue Devils’ track record, he said. 

“That’s for special events, home football games. We’re drawing 1,000 people or more at those games,” he said to The Batavian Friday. “With a successful team you draw more people.”

The extra personnel will be retained for four or five home games, he said. Those guards won’t be overlapping the district’s school resource officer and retired law enforcement personnel currently distributed throughout the four different school sites, he said.

The agreement is for services from April 1 to December 31 of this year, and is with Armor Security and Protection Inc. of Rochester. The company is to provide state certified security guards “to provide security and safety services for property located at 120 Richmond Ave., Batavia,” the contract states. Work includes monitoring venues for inappropriate, illegal behavior or actions, reporting of safety concerns within the venue and assisting with safe entry and exits. The guards are to notify law enforcement or other emergency service providers as deemed necessary. Documentation is to be provided to the school district about any incidents deemed a reportable event or at the request of the district, according to the contract.

Guards will be wearing an Armor Security uniform of black pants and shoes, and an Armor uniform shirt, layered with an Armor jacket during colder months.   

Batavia City School officials want to make something clear about this year’s proposed $54.8 million budget.

Although the levy is to increase by 1 percent to just under $20 million, the actual tax rate may go down due to the volume of raised assessments, Superintendent Jason Smith and Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said. In fact, if assessments remain the same as they were on April 14, the projected tax rate could be $1.77 less than it is now, Rozanski said during an interview Friday with The Batavian.

School officials — including board members — haven’t been touting that lower tax rate because nothing is definite yet, Rozanski said. There’s about a month left for property owners to file grievances and argue their assessment increases, he said. Instead, Smith mentioned the “concept” of a potentially lower tax rate without talking about actual numbers during Thursday's budget presentation, he said.

"It's hard to get the tax rate right now. The assessments are still being challenged, right?" Rozanski said.  "If everything stays the same as of April 14, indirectly, we didn't say 17.46, we said it is $1.77 less, as of April 14, than the current rate."

The Batavian confirmed the process — complicated as it may be — about calculating tax levies, assessments and correlating tax rates with Kevin Andrews, deputy treasurer for Genesee County. A prior city schools board meeting included the rough figures of a 19-cent property tax increase based on the proposed 1 percent tax levy increase.

That did not, however, include the 11 percent hike in property assessments throughout the city school district entities of schools, the city, Richmond Memorial Library and Genesee County. If assessments are raised more than the proposed tax levy increase, then the tax rate itself is likely to go down, Andrews said. In perhaps oversimplified terms, if you are dealing with 10 properties, and their values go up, the distribution of tax levy would be divided by that larger total assessment for a lower tax rate. If you divided the same levy amount by lower assessed properties for those same 10 properties, the tax rate would reflect that by going up to pay the levy.

“So it could very well be that their levy is going to go up by one percent, but the tax rate is actually going to go down, because of the amount that the assessments have gone up,” Andrews said Friday. The basic calculation or way it works is that whatever the tax levy is, that is adopted by the school in this case … that levy is then distributed and spread out amongst all of the property owners within the municipality based on their assessment. So if you think about it, you know, if you look at each piece by itself, if just the levy goes up, and assessments do the same, then the tax rates are gonna go up, right? Because you're levying more tax. And on the reverse side, if the levy stays the same, and the assessments go up, then in that case, the tax rate would go down, because we're distributing that same levy amongst (the same number of property owners).”

The actual formula, Andrews said, is to take the proposed levy ($19.6 million) and multiply that by the total assessments ($1.1 billion) and multiply that number by 1,000 (assessed value).

Again, since the total assessment, before considering any readjusted assessments, is at an 11 percent increase versus a 1 percent tax levy increase, so a projected tax rate right now is $17.46, Rozanski said. That number will not be certain until after grievances are handled and assessments are potentially adjusted, he said. School tax bills are to go out in October with a final tax rate. If it is $17.46 per $1,000 assessed value, then the difference in a $100,000 property now assessed at $125,000 would be: 100 X $19.23, the current rate, = $1,923 and 125 X the estimated rate of $17.46 = $2,182.50, for an increased property tax payment of $259.50.

To view Thursday’s budget presentation, go to: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8JI99xyBJt1sGdRzmCW2Kg