Stories from

There were no mask requirements during this year’s Genesee County Chamber Awards dinner, however, one aspect of last year’s event was brought to the podium: those 2020 award recipients who had to be recognized virtually due to COVID a year ago.

Tammy Hathaway presented the Geneseean of the Year Award to fellow Geneseean Jay Lazarony, recipient of the 2021 honor. Hathaway was one of several people touting Lazarony’s worthiness during the awards event Saturday at Batavia Downs Gaming.

After accepting a tiara from Chamber President Eric Fix, because she is “the queen,” Hathaway began a tribute to the GLOW Work Force Development Board executive director for his 25 years of working with thousands of youngsters in various roles throughout Genesee County.

“Jay is a pretty amazing human being,” Hathaway said. 

Karyn Winters, director of Genesee County's Business Education Alliance, nominated him for being an "exemplary professional and volunteer," and embodying what's great about Genesee County," she said. He founded GLOW With Your Hands in 2019 and has been a "selfless, kind, motivating and fearless leader," she said.

"While his career alone warrants recognition, what truly makes Jay an admirable Geneseean is his infectious enthusiasm to mentor local youth," Winters said in her nomination.

Colleagues, staff, and program participants continued the trail of accolades via pre-recorded videos played on several screens throughout the banquet room. Jocelyn Sikorski has known Lazarony through the county’s Youth Bureau for more than 20 years, she said, and has witnessed his focus on “looking out for the best interests of youth and our families.”

“He’s a very caring and outgoing man,” she said. “I want to honor Jay and say great job, you are so deserving.”

When Lazarony applied for the executive director position seven years ago, the board made “a unanimous decision” to hire him, board member Norb Fuest said. 

“He just exceeded our expectations, to say the least,” Fuest said. “Our training numbers have been some of the best in the state, a lot of that because of Jay.”

Entrepreneur Jessica Pratt, co-owner of several businesses in Genesee County, including Whole Life Fitness in Batavia, knows first-hand about Lazarony’s impact, she said. He has helped her become “the person I am today,” she said.

Lazarony thanked and acknowledged his family, wife Donna and children Christina, Scott, and Nick and his grandchildren, several colleagues within Genesee County, and his staff from the GLOW regions of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. 

He noted a group of counselors that, during the pandemic’s social distancing requirements, turned "traditional services into a virtual system and continued to provide unemployment opportunities during a very, very difficult time,” he said.

“What I was most impressed with was the time and understanding they gave to each and every customer case with massive layoffs,” he said.

He also took a few minutes to urge the audience of at least 200 people to “give youth a chance.” He shared a story of a young man named Justin, a program participant who wasn’t sure of his abilities to pursue a job in nursing. Lazarony made him a promise that if he did all of the work, Lazarony would find the funding to help him succeed on a career path. Justin became a nurse practitioner and worked at a facility where Lazarony’s father spent his last days until he died on December 28.

Justin called the family to notify them, and his demeanor was proof that he had absorbed his lessons well, Lazarony said.

“He provided the information with dignity and respect,” Lazarony said. "Take a chance on them."

Other award recipients included:

Valle Jewelers for Business of the Year, presented by Guy Pellegríno, who grew up next door to the Valle family, he said. 

“What a wonderful family,” he said. “I’m so proud to introduce you, you so earned this. I looked up to Mary and Dominic; I was so in awe.” 

Owners Stephen Valle and Carrie Lawrence, along with former owner and mom Mary Valle, accepted the award. In a pre-recorded video, Mary recounted the story of the store’s humble beginnings 70 years ago. It was founded by Grandpa Dominic, who arrived in New York City with $16 in his pocket. The physical location moved from Carey Mansion to Genesee Country Mall to its current spot at 21 Jackson St., all in Batavia. 

Her son Stephen added that over the years the jewelry business has changed, but “customer service has not.” He thanked the chamber, the store’s “fantastic staff” and one person who has been integral to the business’ success, his late father Dom.

“We’re missing one man,” Stephen said, taking an emotional breath. “But we know he’s smiling down on us.”

Theresa DeMars nominated Valle Jewelers for its customer service, engagement with and support of the community, steadfast participation in downtown events, and being a “fixture in our community for three generations,” DeMars said.

“Valle Jewelers is a community staple, a true family-run business, and one of our best-kept secrets,” she said in her nomination. 

Alleghany Farm Services for Agricultural Business of the Year, presented by last year’s recipient L&M Specialty Fabrication.

Their business protocols pushed the company into its sixth state and garnered the attention of Jeanna Clark of M&T Bank and Farm Credit East. Clark’s nomination cited several reasons, including how the company has:

• Increased their fleet of tile plows from two to four, including a prohibitively expensive mini tile plow that fits the space constraints of vineyards and orchards 
• Expanded company size and employees by 25 percent over the last two years
• Thanked and gave back to customers with a yearly Field Day 
• Focused on drainage education by working with local soil and water districts

Farm Credit East also cited the company’s impressive expansion statistics and lauded it for its remaining loyalty to Genesee County with headquarters in Basom.

Company partners Drew and his son Chad Klotzbach accepted the award. The business began in the 1980s with a landscaping focus, followed by Alleghany Farm Services, which was founded by Drew and his wife Dianne in 2001. 

The process is about much more than sticking a pipe in the ground to drain water from a field, Drew said. And Alleghany Farm Services has mastered that process to become one of the leaders of drainage issues in the Northeast. 

Business Operations Manager Christina Fetzer acknowledged those who helped make the company a success.

“We wouldn't be where we are today if it wasn't for the support of the ag community and our loyal customers. Every project that we do is unique and we take pride in being able to customize a solution that will benefit each farm,” she said. “Our goal is to build long-lasting relationships with each customer to provide ongoing education, maintenance, and guidance. A large portion of our growth has been through word of mouth from our existing customer base. And for that, we are very thankful.”

Drew thanked the Chamber, the company’s employees, and the ag community.

Batavia Muckdogs for Entrepreneurial Business of the Year. Dan Ireland, representing Rochester Regional Health, commended owners Robbie and Nellie Nichols and General Manager Marc Witt for their efforts to bring “baseball back to Batavia in 2021.”

“They didn’t just bring baseball back,” Ireland said. “You revitalized it. We want to say thank you for what you did.”

Their first year at Dwyer Stadium couldn’t have gone any better, Witt said.

“The community embraced everything we threw at them,” he said. “We’re already off to a great start. We can’t wait for the first pitch in June. We found zero challenges and accomplished all our goals. Thank you to the community.”

There was a dance competition, an Alzheimer’s Walk, a Dogs Trick or Treat Halloween event, and other public happenings at the Bank Street facility, plus participation in off-site activities including the Memorial Day parade, he said. Batavia Muckdogs drew the community support, he said, including from City Manager Rachael Tabelski who “was true to her word,” and the very first team sponsor, Bill Hayes of Turnbull Heating & Cooling. 

In his nomination of the Batavia Muckdogs for the award, lifelong Batavian Tom Turnbull said the city and county have been enriched because of Robbie and Nellie Nichols’ hard work and community spirit.

“While the Batavia Muckdogs may not seem like a new business due to the continuation of the name (from the former New York-Penn League), the new Batavia Muckdogs … are not only an incredible local business success story but have enhanced the quality of life for the residents of Genesee County,” Turnbull wrote.

Photos by Howard Owens. Top photo: Jay Lazarony reacts to words of tribute for him as 2021 Geneseean of the Year during Saturday's 50th Genesee County Chamber Awards dinner at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Tammy Hathaway, the 2020 Geneseean of the Year, received a tiara from Chamber President Eric Fix.

Lazarony acknowledged his GLOW Workforce Development Board staff during his acceptance speech. 

Carrie Lawrence, Stephen Valle, and Mary Valle say a few words of thanks and remembrance for Valle Jewelers' Business of the Year Award. 

Drew and Chad Klotzbach of Alleghany Farm Services accept their Agricultural Business of the Year Award.

Batavia Muckdogs General Manager Marc Witt and owner Robbie Nichols accept and say thank you for the Entrepreneurial Business of the Year Award.

The crowd watches speakers at the podium and on screens placed throughout the gold-adorned room at Batavia Downs. 

From Chad, 33, to Harriett, 92, the Klotzbach clan knows the meaning of running a family business. 

They each do their part to push Alleghany Farm Services into higher levels of success, from Chad’s role as managing partner with his dad Drew to his grandmother’s promotional skills.

“We send out mailers, and she sent out 6,000 of them. She puts labels and stamps on them, it keeps her busy,” her grandson said during an interview with The Batavian. “She calls to ask if we heard from anyone about the mailer. It’s a total family business.”

It’s that close-knit personal touch that has earned Alleghany Farm Services a nod of approval with the 2021 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Business of the Year Award. The company was founded in 1983 by Drew Klotzbach, Chad’s father, and a company partner, and is comprised of multiple companies led by Alleghany Farm Services and Alleghany Construction as the two largest ones.

Although Chad has been literally out in the field since he was about 8 years old, he later wondered — “like every kid” — whether the local business world was for him.

“You leave and go off to college, and I wondered ‘do I want to stay with the family business? I always thought it as more of a challenge to stay than to leave,” he said. 

A native of Basom, he graduated from Oakfield-Alabama High School and went to Clarkson University for civil engineering, followed by obtaining a Master’s in Business Administration at Canisius College. He joined the family business in 2010 and has worked his way up to managing partner with an eye toward serving the community. He also has a seat on Genesee County Legislature.

His age has belied his experience at times, Chad said, and prompted some prospective customers to question his expertise.

“You know, I'm 33 years old. So a lot of times, I'll have customers see me pull up on-site, and they're like, oh, boy, who is this kid?” he said. “It's like, you know, I've been out here since you know, 8 or 10 years old doing this. So I may be young, but that's kind of what I grew up doing.”

Listening to him explain the complexity of field drainage and soil type, how much the industry has become data-driven, and how it’s a multi-year investment rather than a quick payoff, it seems clear he knows what he’s talking about. Still, it has made for “a tough elevator pitch,” he said.

Alleghany Farm Services has 30 employees and millions of dollars in specialized and computerized equipment. The company has installed 20 million feet of pipe over the past 10 years — up to four million feet a year now — and has more than doubled its size in the past five years.

Chad said it is the largest business of its kind in the Northeast and was the first to incorporate Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology in drainage design and installation in the same region. Primarily three machines are used for field drainage work — a tile plow, excavator, and a challenger tractor — and used together can install pipe in the ground using GPS to design it out ahead of time. It’s all about water management and configuring the pipe system to ensure maximum crop production, Chad said.

”You know, I think one of the things I said before is, it's way more complex than just putting pipe in the ground. You have to know the soil types, you have to know the correct pipe, the grades, the spacing, how the water flows through the soil,” he said. “I went to school for civil engineering. And even with that background, there's stuff that we see pretty much in every project that's unique. When you install subsurface drainage in a grid pattern, you’re controlling pretty much the water table, You’re dealing with surface saturation so you can get on the crops earlier in the spring and same thing in the fall.”

The process begins with the company’s sales team, he said, followed by data collection and extensive research “in order to create the proper design.” An average of 15,000 feet a day per machine can be installed, and “we stand by our work and remain in contact after projects are completed to make sure everything is performing correctly.”

Their business protocols have not only pushed the company into its sixth state but have garnered the attention of Jeanna Clark of M&T Bank and Farm Credit East. Clark’s nomination cited several reasons, including how the company has:

• Increased their fleet of tile plows from two to four, including a prohibitively expensive mini tile plow that fits the space constraints of vineyards and orchards 
• Expanded company size and employees by 25 percent over the last two years
• Thanked customers with a yearly Field Day 
• Focused on drainage education by working with local soil and water districts

Farm Credit East also cited the company’s impressive expansion statistics and lauded it for its remaining loyalty to Genesee County with headquarters in Basom.

With all of that pipe laid down, what lies ahead for Alleghany Farm Services? They have no plans to slow down now, Chad said.

“We’re right down the road from the STAMP project, and, you know, just seeing the community grow, we have new opportunities with that. We just want to continue with employing local people, keeping people interested in agriculture,” he said. "And we love supporting (initiatives such as) Cooperative Extension doing Ag in the Classroom stuff that’s coming up. It's all about that education. I do a lot of education, and I think that's the biggest thing that we want to try to bring to the community.”

Top photo: Chad Klotzbach, left, and father/partner Drew have no plans to slow down their ever-growing success with Alleghany Farm Services in Basom. The company earned a 2021 Agricultural Business of the Year Award, which is to be presented with other chamber awards this Saturday at Batavia Downs Gaming. Photo by Howard Owens.

This is the fourth of four articles highlighting the 50th Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards. The annual dinner is Saturday at Batavia Downs, with hor d’oeuvres at 5 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. For more information about the dinner, call the Genesee County Chamber at (585) 343-7440.

For siblings Stephen Valle and Carrie Lawrence, they may have their differences, but both agree on one central point: The history of Valle Jewelers is every bit as important as its future.

“We owe the success of our family business to our grandparents and our parents, for paving the way for us,” Lawrence said during an interview with The Batavian. “We are a conservative partnership, and we made really strict, responsible decisions,” she said, as her brother tacked on “to keep the business in a successful position.”

They have not only maintained that goal, but also reaped some well-earned recognition as the 2021 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award recipient. Theresa DeMars nominated Valle Jewelers for its customer service, engagement with and support of the community, steadfast participation in downtown events, and being a “fixture in our community for three generations,” DeMars said.

“Valle Jewelers is a community staple, a true family-run business, and one of our best kept secrets,” she said in her nomination. 

Valle and Lawrence discussed some of that history, how the siblings manage to work well together, how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their jewelry business and how to take it into the future. 

Where it all began …
Grandpa Dominic Valle first opened the doors of Valle Jewelers on May 3, 1951, in what was once the Carey Mansion, which has since been torn down and sat on East Main Street across from the current City Church. Dom and Mary Valle continued the business and saw it through the Urban Renewal era when the jewelry store was housed in Genesee Country Mall for 24 years. When Mary retired from her nursing career, she became “a huge part of our move to Jackson Street,” Lawrence said. 

And it’s there, at 21 Jackson St., where Valle’s found its home, complete with the iconic street clock at the curb. Grandpa Valle died in 2005 and Dom died five years ago. Mary decided to step away from the business as Stephen and Carrie stepped up to carry the tradition forward. That wasn’t her first intention when filling in a gap on the sales floor 13 years ago, Lawrence said. 

“I never had any plans of coming in here,” she said. “They had a need and I thought it was going to be temporary. I never left.”

Stephen’s entry into the business was more purposeful. After attending a couple of years of college, he attended the New Approach School for Jewelers in Virginia Beach. With humble beginnings of helping out for a few summers, his focus grew toward the repair end of things, and now he’s been fully immersed in operations as a 20-year jewelry veteran. The Chamber award has given him pause to reflect on being part of the family’s legacy.

“I’m super proud to be a a part of it; it made me realize how special this award is,” he said.

Has working side by side with his sister been a smooth journey? He and Lawrence agreed that, sure, they may not agree on every little thing,  but they do agree on the big stuff.

“There are some brother and sister dynamics that are dealt with day in and day out. At the end of the day, we always agree on the things that matter. Our customers and our staff are most important,” Lawrence said. “And we have always given as much as we can to our community that has been so good to us. It is just as important to us to support our community as it was for our grandparents and our parents.”

Social media's healing power ...
They have a grateful spirit, not only for the solid foundation left to them but also for shakier times when a pandemic hit the business world hard. For a luxury business, Valle and Lawrence were initially concerned about how it would fare, he said.

“We were nervous about the direction we were going to go,” Valle said. “It created much more of a focus on how to reach our customers.”

Armed with six years of college studying business marketing, Lawrence is the chief marketer for the business. She is adept at taking and promoting photos on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media venues, and has realized, she said, that “all of that technology has allowed us to reach our customers.” In fact, digital technology has been "a game-changer,” she said, as a way to safely promote and deliver products for people to see.

“In a digital age, we haven’t lost focus with our connection with our customers. Our focus is to bring customers through the door. That’s what we love about the business, the face to face interaction," she said. "We were busier than ever through COVID. Really, social media certainly assisted that for us to keep moving; it gave us that ability. Certainly, we were busier through COVID because people weren't traveling and weren't going out as much. And it's such a beautiful, feel-good product that made people happy. So we flourished through COVID, because it gave people a little ray of sunshine, you know?"

Even though they were able to maintain — and even increase — business during the whole COVID shutdown, both partners realized the importance of relationships that stemmed from as far back as their grandfather Dominic, Valle said. It was that combination — a personal connection and digital platforms — that stabilized their success, he said.

The store was only closed for 12 weeks during the two-year pandemic, Lawrence said.

“Other than that, we battled through for a year and a half," she said. "Yes, it was more difficult, we had to work a lot harder, but it was still successful. We're super blessed.”

They maintain a website that features select products, however, the main goal is to get customers through the door “so we can develop relationships with our community, like my grandpa did 70 years ago,” Lawrence said. “We've still been able to maintain that, and that’s actually what we love about this business, that it's so face to face, and so many things these days are not.”

Moving onward ...
From the 1950s through Urban renewal and now getting beyond a pandemic, what does the future hold for Valle Jewelers? Joining the Retail Jewelers Organization and attending yearly shows have provided the pair with keen insights into what’s trending and hot in the industry, Lawrence said.

Sterling silver and 14-carat gold, despite — or maybe because of — its increasing cost are popular choices, she said. And updated technology has boosted custom-designed engagement and wedding rings, and made them “easier than ever” to craft tailor-made items for customers, she and Valle said. As for trends, some popular fashion styles are returning, Lawrence said, including “layering chains and stacking jewelry."

This is the third of four articles highlighting the 50th Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards. The annual dinner is Saturday at Batavia Downs, with hor d’oeuvres at 5 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. For more information about the dinner, call the Genesee County Chamber at (585) 343-7440.

Top photo: Siblings Stephen Valle, 40, and Carrie Lawrence, 38, are proud to be the recipients of the 2021 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award for their longtime family business, Valle Jewelers. Stephen Valle works on repairs at his niche inside the Jackson Street shop. Valle's is full of jewelry choices, and the signature street clock earmarks the store at 21 Jackson St., Batavia. Photos by Howard Owens.

 Jay Lazarony may not know every child he’s encountered by name, but he sure knows their struggles and accomplishments over his last two-plus decades in Genesee County.

Lazarony has worked with thousands of kids to introduce them to vocational opportunities and lessons about required job skills, from time management to good work ethics. He’s had a passion for offering those opportunities since beginning his career journey at Arc of Genesee County and then embracing his roles at Genesee County Job Development Bureau, Adolescent Vocational Exploration Program, Genesee County Youth Bureau, and more recently, at GLOW Workforce Development Board.

”Really, who I'm proud of are the youth that I've worked with and assisted over the years, and helping them to reach a certain level of success. Because they're an open book. They come in and you give them an opportunity. You can fill that book up with enthusiasm, with knowledge about careers and how to go after careers rather than, you know, this is what I'm always going to be,” the GLOW Work Force Development Board executive director said to The Batavian. “And you can give them all the career possibilities and all the opportunities. It’s nice to know you had some effect on them. There have been some great success stories.”

There was the shy 15-year-old who ended up becoming a nurse practitioner and the student who didn’t even think he was going to make it through the program and went on to obtain an education at Rochester Institute of Technology. 

Those 25 years plus his own hands-on job development working in the family business has not only equipped Lazarony with notable skills but now also with recognition as a 2021 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Geneseean of the Year Award. 

Karyn Winters, director of Genesee County's Business Education Alliance, nominated him for being an "exemplary professional and volunteer," and embodying what's great about Genesee County," she said. He founded GLOW With Your Hands in 2019 and has been a "selfless, kind, motivating and fearless leader," she said.

"While his career alone warrants recognition, what truly makes Jay an admirable Geneseean is his infectious enthusiasm to mentor local youth," Winters said in her nomination.

Do a quick rewind to 1975, when Lazarony graduated from Batavia High School. A few years later his family bought a failing but well-known restaurant franchise — KFC — in 1978, and he worked there until 1990. Lazarony watched his father Horace put in long hours and weekends to make it a success.

“When we took over, it was really rundown, one of the worst in the nation. I watched my dad open and close every day, I watched his enthusiasm for what he did,” Lazarony said, noting one big lesson he learned from that. 

“Now, I didn't love the restaurant business, and many people know that. But what I learned from him is that … find the thing that you love the most and make it your career. And that's what I got from him. And you know, it's funny, because in 2005 or 2004, he was a 73-year-old man at that time, and he was working probably 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, only about five or six hours on Saturday or five or six hours on Sunday. And he did that for 28 years that way. And we watched that,” Lazarony said. “Whether you like that business or not, you know that in order to be successful, sometimes you put in the hard work. So I think I learned that from being in that family business.”

He also imparts other nuggets from those restaurant days: be kind to your employees and co-workers, understand that they’ve got busy schedules with other activities, so cut them some slack when needed, and believe that kids can learn good work ethics with a mix of patience and tough love. 

A huge music fan, Lazarony said only two things kept him from a singing career: he couldn’t carry a tune or play guitar. He has enjoyed going to concerts and music events, including one at which Neil Young played “beautiful music for hours and hours.” 

Jenn, one of Lazarony’s program participants who saw him as a father figure, asked him to walk her down the aisle for her wedding. He proudly accepted. The experience was “one of the thrills of my lifetime,” he said. She thanked him with a hand-drawn sketch of Young on an old magazine cover. It’s framed and hanging on Lazarony’s office wall.

“It will be here until I retire,” he said. 

As for retirement, he will face that “when I get tired,” he said, which certainly isn’t any time soon. He’s having “way too much fun” right now and focused on getting a skilled workforce in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. 

“And to inspire people to work. We have a gap, and that’s why we have GLOW Work With Your Hands, to provide a skilled worker, and a job for every job-seeker,” he said.  “COVID really hurt us. We’re recovering … we’re in pretty good shape.”

His professional bucket list is to continue that mission and to use grant funding judiciously to assist those people who want to work with related “wrap around” services, such as paying for night nurse or welding certification costs, durable boots for the newly hired manufacturing worker, a five-hour safety course fee for a truck driver or mileage money to get to and from a job. 

“There’s plenty of need,” he said. 

He remembers his lack of enthusiasm when his family moved from Liverpool to Batavia in his senior year of high school. He wanted nothing to do with it, he said. Funny how time changes things.

“I've fallen in love with Genesee County, especially the city of Batavia; I think it's a great place to raise a family,” the 63-year-old said. “I think it's a wonderful place to just live, shop, and work. And I don't ever want to leave now.”

He and wife Donna will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary this summer and he is an unapologetic doting grandpa to his seven grandchildren. 
The best part of a weekend is when a grandchild wants to come over for the day, he said. That, supporting the Buffalo Bills, reading, gardening and Netflix rounds out his leisure activities.

As for the award, “I was shocked,” he said.

“And then extremely excited,” he said, mentioning his GLOW staff of 45. “I’m not here without any of them.”

Top photo: Jay Lazarony shows one of his favorite pieces of art, a handmade sketch by Jenn, a former program participant. Photo by Howard Owens.

This is the second of four articles highlighting the 50th Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards. The annual dinner is Saturday at Batavia Downs, with hor d’oeuvres at 5 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. For more information about the dinner, call the Genesee County Chamber at (585) 343-7440.

Rehearsals for Batavia High School’s production of Mamma Mia has not been without its mishaps, senior Samantha Balbi says.

The Abba tune “Money, Money, Money” features actors in lines that move across the stage for a big dance number. Except there was no stage for the last few months, and actors had to adjust during busy scenes, she said.

“I’m weaving through everybody, and it was very difficult, very cramped,” 18-year-old Balbi said during an interview with The Batavian. ”I bumped into people accidentally. It’s a good sized cast; we had to work out spacing.”

As if scheduling and rehearsing with busy student actors — during a time requiring masks and sanitizing no less — wasn’t enough for Musical Director Caryn Wood and her cast. But then “the other shoe dropped,” she said: She and her cast were left without an auditorium for rehearsals. A massive windstorm boasting 75 mph gusts on Dec. 11 last year left portions of Batavia High School’s roof severely damaged. That in turn rendered the auditorium below inoperable. Up to that point, her production of Mamma Mia was well on track for an early March debut, Wood said.

“In very early December we did auditions. We had just finished Sherlock Holmes,” she said. “All was fine, we’re just rolling onto the next show. We were starting our rehearsal process, and the windstorm happened.”

All of the air exchanges on the roof were damaged, leaving no way for air circulation in the auditorium, she said. No one was allowed to use the space until the exchanges were fixed. She and students initially and enthusiastically marched on. They learned their lines and music while seated in smaller areas, including the band and chorus rooms, and then added in hallways and sections of the gym for choreographed pieces.

Their plans for a show during the first weekend in March were eventually dashed, Wood said.

“We found out there was no way that was going to happen,” she said.

The group’s biggest space needed for choreography and blocking wasn’t going to be an option. For the next several weeks, they sought out whatever space was available for rehearsals, moved all of the chairs out of the room, and did what they could, she said.

“I’d say, ‘ok, we’re going to go on a field trip now,’ and we were going to find some space,” Wood said.

She met with Superintendent Jason Smith and Business Administrator Scott Rozanski, who were working with buildings and grounds staff about the necessary repairs. They were all “trying to move on a timeline,” she said.

In the meantime, a two- to three-week delay wasn’t just about rehearsal space, she said. Wood had to get an extension from Music Theater International for the show rights and usage of scripts and to extend costume and backdrop rental (which was shipped from Kansas) and materials from the art and hardware store.

“All of that had to be readdressed and readjusted,” she said. “It felt surreal, I didn’t know how it was all going to play out.”

The same could be said about Mamma Mia, a musical comedy about a young bride-to-be who invites three men to her upcoming wedding, with the possibility that any of them could be her father.

Wood had to make hard decisions, such as deliberately putting off the bigger choreography numbers until there was more room to move. It’s not the first time the director faced this type of dilemma, she said. Her cast had to work around a capital project for Shrek three years ago. Only she at least had a more definitive timeline, unlike the unknowns this time around.

“We were nomadic. We were going where we could go," she said. "I feel like young people handle change better than adults. All were on board, and they wanted to make a good show; they were up for the challenge. They are without a doubt super excited and thankful to come back into the auditorium.”

Rehearsals moved into the auditorium this past Monday for the first time all year. It was a “breath of relief,” said Balbi, who plays the character Donna.

Fellow actor Michael Bartz, a junior, has participated in theatrical shows since fifth grade. He is happy to be part of "a super upbeat show," and took the regular field trips with stride, he said.

“I’ve never had to move between rooms before; that was just fun, I enjoyed it,” he said, adding the downside “The space we had was not accurate to the stage. At the end for a megamix of three songs back to back, there are fun dance numbers and moving lines going back and forth. It was harder to transfer that to the stage.”

Wood explained that, after having to shrink down the dance moves to fit a hallway, there was then a challenge to expand all of that to fit across the school’s comparatively gigantic stage. She is grateful for the district administrators' assistance to get back into the auditorium, especially since the roof has not yet been completely repaired.

“We’re very fortunate, the show is only two weeks later,” she said. “There were some weeks when I was waiting with bated breath.”

The show has been postponed to run March 18-20.

Top photo: Members of Batavia High School's drama club rehearse a scene in the hallway of the State Street school. Other venues are tapped in an effort to find available space in lieu of using the auditorium due to roof damage. Photos by Howard Owens.

Batavia City School District's Board of Education met early this morning to take a vote on making face masks optional per New York State Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to rescind the mask mandate earlier this week.

In just under three minutes, a resolution citing that "The Governor of the State of New York and the Commissioner of Health declared that face coverings are no longer mandated to be universally worn in school buildings in New York State effective March 2, 2022" was approved. The vote received a unanimous yes by board members John Reigle, Barbara Bowman, Jennifer Lendvay, Chezeray Rolle and John Marucci.

The only item of business conducted during the meeting was the vote "regarding modification of COVID-19 measures." 

The meeting is available on YouTube at:  

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8JI99xyBJt1sGdRzmCW2Kg

 

It looked like the Batavia Players cast had quite a party as show Director Anthony Baldwin-Giambrone dropped empty beer bottles into a cooler near the stage Monday evening.

There was a party, he said, however, only as part of the 2022 Shakespeare in Springtime series. Beer-drinking during a yearly Shakespearean staple? Only when the setting has been switched up from the typical 16th Century scenario of kings, queens, and jesters, to a modern-day educational setting.

“We took the entire show and set it at a college, with a fraternity house and a sorority house,” Baldwin-Giambrone said during rehearsals at the new venue inside City Centre. “We had this play ready to go in March 2020 … we have two-thirds of the original cast back. We had to recast eight people, and we bumped up an actor from a small role to a lead role.”\

The show didn’t go on then, as all things COVID-19 shut it down. Fast forward two years and construction of the new theater is still in progress as new and returning cast members rehearse in The Backstage space that accommodates 84 patrons. Known as “black box theater,” this space offers a close-up view of the action. It was a welcome sight for 34-year-old Justin Chortie, he said.

“It’s nice and intimate,” the North Tonawanda actor said. “I haven’t done black box since college.”

He plays Ferdinand the King, aka president of the fraternity. Thought to be sort of snobby, his character convinces his friends to give up girls for a while. Of course, this wouldn’t be a comical love story if the king actually followed his own advice, as Chortie said, and the king’s own words get him into hot water.

Chortie believes the two-hour round trip for rehearsals is worth it. He had but one word for why: passion.

“To hear the audience laugh, it’s adrenaline almost, it’s like a drug,” he said. “I mean, it's wild. You gotta go. You’ve got kings and princesses, but they're not really kings and princesses; they're fraternities and sororities. There's all kinds of fun.”

The show is Love’s Labour’s Lost, and it’s set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m Sunday at The Backstage at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia. For those unfamiliar with this new space at Batavia City Centre, the entrance is a purple door next to Batavia Family Dental.

Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance before Queen Elizabeth I. The King of Navarre and his three companions attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. They break their oath through a subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies. The play closes with the death of the Princess's father, and all weddings are delayed for a year.

Although Baldwin-Giambrone is no stranger to the Players troop or the Shakespeare series, this is his first time directing this particular show. A resident of Kenmore, he is one of a big handful of actors and staff driving to and from rehearsals after a more typical day job. 

For this director, he goes from being a special education high school math teacher by day to working with a cast of 18 people at night. Think Shakespeare is dull, dry, and a ho-hum display of antiquated dialect? Think again, he and his cast members said. This is a show they described as “fun and funny.”

What hasn’t been so funny is how that unyielding pandemic wiped out this show two years ago.

“We were two weeks away from opening. And then we were shut down before we opened. And then with COVID, we had to make sure we were wearing masks at all rehearsals,” he said. “And then I know my assistant director, Jane (Burk), she actually, after every single rehearsal, stayed after and wiped down all the surfaces and sprayed and cleaned everything.”

Pushing COVID repercussions aside, Baldwin-Giambrone ran with the comical theme of Love’s Labour’s Lost. He replaced the more regal characters of kings and queens with frat boys and sorority sisters and paired them by personality — over the top and very clear cut  — such as the dumb blonds and the studious ones. 

“And they’re funny because this is a comedy. So it’s very funny seeing them do their very stereotypical distinct personalities,” he said. “The biggest challenge, I would say, was rehearsing in a shorter time period … just being able to get in here and start working with people to begin scheduling and everything. It just was a lot more tight.”

Dorothy Gerhart of Alabama had to drop her former role of Holofernes for the sorority mom, Boyet. It wasn’t really a bigger role, she said, because she counted the lines, and they were about equal. However, the mom role provided opportunity for more fun, she said. Her outfits are wild and colorful, with leopard, tie-dye, and purple pok-a-dot patterns. 

“I think she graduated from college but never really left,” Gerhart said. “She sees herself as one of the girls. She’s kind of the comedy relief, with a lot of funny lines.”

Aaron Klafehn is another newcomer to the Players, though not at all new to acting, he said. Working in quality control for HP Hood in Batavia, the 34-year-old discovered Batavia Players through his partner, the show's assistant costumer Marshall McCall. Klafehn has been interested in theater since elementary school. He plays the role of Costard, who he describes as a “chaos-causing math teacher.”

“He purposely does things incorrectly, to try and get a rise out of someone else,” Klafehn said, adding that he had a hiatus from theater during the last couple of years. “I fell right back into it, and am making new connections. It’s much different than the day-to-day aspects of what I do. It’s fun to bring someone’s creation to life. I try and make sure that it's as organic to the character that I'm creating as possible, rather than trying to imitate or copy someone else's. I'm excited to be back performing again, and very excited to see the new performing space when it's finished.”

Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, go to: showtix4u.com

Top photo: Shaun Coburn, Justin Chortie and James Barcomb run through a rehearsal Tuesday night of Batavia Players' upcoming Love's Labour's Lost, which is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at The Backstage at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia City Centre. The actors are joined by Sam Bowman, shown in the fourth photo from the top, during mandatory masked rehearsals for the Shakespeare in Springtime Series comedy by Batavia Players. Photos by Howard Owens. Editor's Note: Due to scheduling conflicts, this rehearsal was not in costume. 

As Genesee County school officials responded to New York State's decision to remove mask mandates in schools, they kept civility central to their messages. Governor Kathy Hochul made the announcement on Sunday that masks would be optional for districts in New York State starting Wednesday. 

Batavia City School District 
City schools Superintendent Jason Smith sent a letter out to district families confirming that Hochul’s weekend announcement means that “every county in New York State will now have control over masking guidelines,” with the qualifier that districts may still require masks if the county’s COVID-19 data supports it. 

“We support this mask optional decision and look forward to a full return to normalcy, and we will continue to advocate local control,” Smith said to The Batavian on Monday. Part of that control includes how students and families react to the actions of others. 

“On Wednesday, March 2, families may still choose to send their children to school in masks and we fully stand behind the governor’s sentiments that masking is a personal choice, and no bullying of any sort will be tolerated,” Smith’s letter stated. “We will continue to provide information in the coming days leading up to Wednesday, March 2 on how the lifted mandate will specifically affect the Batavia City School District.”

Pembroke Central School
Likewise, Pembroke Central School District families also received a letter with an outline of what and will not be acceptable behavior once the mask mandate is gone. Masks will be optional for everyone, and harassment based on wearing or not wearing a mask “will not be tolerated,” Superintendent Matthew Calderon’s letter stated.

“All individuals, whether choosing to wear masks or not wear masks, will be respectful of every individual's right to choose,” Calderon said.

Pavilion Central School
Pavilion Central School families were reminded to follow district expectations to “respect everyone and their choice, be kind and continue to follow other safety protocols to keep our school community healthy,” Superintendent Kate Hoffman said. 

Although an announcement from Hochul was anticipated, it came earlier than expected, Hoffman said in the letter she sent out to district members. The district will also shift to mask-optional starting Wednesday, she said, with the exception of school buses “until we hear differently.”

The district will monitor COVID-19 data and the district will continue its work with Genesee County Department of Health and the school’s medical director, “as has been our practice,” Hoffman said.

She suggested that parents talk to their children about this upcoming change, and understand that many people look forward to going mask-free while others may still want to wear one. Testing will be available with parent consent or request, she said. 

Byron-Bergen Central School
For Byron-Bergen Central School, Superintendent Patrick McGee reiterated why Hochul chose to lift the mandate: strong COVID-19 vaccination rates, falling positivity rates, declining hospitalization rates, and new guidance from the CDC as criteria for this decision.

“We understand that this news will bring relief to some and cause apprehension for others. Our goal during this transition is to create safe spaces for all students and staff members,” McGee said in his district letter. “Thank you in advance for being understanding of the feelings and concerns of others and their personal choice about masking. Whatever choice a student and family makes, our staff will continue to create a welcoming and affirming environment for all.”

Oakfield-Alabama Central School
Oakfield-Alabama’s board had already approved a mask-optional policy during an emergency meeting on Feb. 9. The vote was a precursor to when/if the governor decided to eliminate the mask mandate in schools. Superintendent John Fisgus sent out a letter to the O-A school community Sunday after Hochul’s announcement, and also plans to follow up with staff.

“I am meeting with our District staff over the next 48 hours to provide direction on how to proceed given the absence of this mandate,” Fisgus said.

His letter, sent out on Sunday, asked that “everyone respect the decisions of each individual within our school community.” He also recognized the difficulty of the past two years, given the “ever-changing guidance and restrictions.”

“This time is long overdue,” he said. “Please know that I will be meeting with our faculty and staff over the next two days given this announcement and to ensure our clarity with the new stated mandates.”

Le Roy Central School
Merritt Holly, superintendent of Le Roy Central School, said the district has already spread the word to students, parents, teachers, and staff about masks being optional come Wednesday. A robocall and emails were sent out on Sunday, with expectations that Monday and Tuesday of this week will provide time for parents and teachers to “discuss what is best for their child/student on Wednesday,” Holly said. 

“We will continue to offer daily testing for those that are interested,” he said. “Overall, we are supporting students, teachers, and staff in having a choice in wearing or not wearing a mask now that the mandate has been lifted.”

Elba Central School
In her letter to Elba’s “Lancer family,” Superintendent Gretchen Rosales shared the news of optional masks and urged families “to consult with your family physician to determine what your child’s best health needs may be.”

Elba Central School has a “plentiful supply of masks” for those wanting to continue wearing them, and an “abundance of rapid COVID test” on hand for any family that would like some. Regardless of an individual’s preference, “we will continue to respect the opinions of each other,” Rosales said.

“Our district’s vision of a respectful, safe, and engaging environment will always be paramount,” she said. “Above all, I want to thank all of you for partnering with us as a school district over the past two years. While not every family is at the same level of comfort, nor does each person agree with lifting a mask mandate, our willingness to work together and remain understanding has been a cornerstone of our community.”

Alexander Central School Superintendent Jared Taft did not respond to requests for comment. 

File photo: New Superintendent Jason Smith is shown with Student Co-Mayor Mackenzie Harmon and Batavia High School Principal Paul Kesler during a prior Monday morning announcement at the high school. Masks will now become optional for students and staff as of Wednesday. Photo by Howard Owens.

There’s a well-known tenet of business that you have to spend money to make money.

However, when a pandemic hits and stalls theater renovations and the ability to make money with shows, only half that rule is visible, says Pat Burk of Batavia Players.

“We already paid for a number of shows for this year’s season. When you buy the rights and royalties to a show, you’re never going to get that money back,” Burk said during an interview with The Batavian. “COVID slowed down the demolition. We were supposed to be in there; COVID stalled that for 20 months. We had to start spending money and create a season for 2022, without a home to do it in.”

Not to worry, he said. The theater group is gradually getting back on track with its new Main Street 56 Theater space at City Centre. Well-equipped with grants of $400,000 and just shy of $700,000 for construction, Batavia Players encountered that tired old COVID script of encountering supply chain issues — material shortages — coupled with the need to haul out several containers of equipment, medical records, conduit, and electrical supplies from a defunct medical office.

“They just walked out and left it all there,” he said. “We did nothing else but two weeks of electrical demolition.”

Some actors have left during the lull, and new ones have joined the theater, he said. Those purchases of show rights have left a dent in the theater’s piggy bank, and therefore Burk is appealing to the community for help. He sent out an email asking that individuals, groups, and businesses consider buying a program ad.

“Recent events have led us to have to raise $17,000 to $20,000 in order for us to continue our season in 2022, and to make our goals for our construction of the Main St. 56 Theater,” he said. “By placing a sponsorship ad in our program all year, you will be a huge help in making sure that the Batavia Players’ 90th year of performing continues.”

He is happy to announce a seven-show season that kicks off with Love’s Labour’s Lost March 4, 5, and 6 for a perennial Shakespeare in Springtime series. Six new actors have joined the cast, and “our actors, technicians, and Board of Directors are working hard” for a successful year of classics to full stage musicals, he said. 

Other shows from April to December include The Springtime Music Spectacular, Back on the Boards Again: The Best of Broadway, The Importance of Being Earnest, Peter Pan (Summer Youth Theater), Godspell, Uncle Vanya and Miracle on 34th Street, the Musical.

Deadline for program ads is March 1. For more information, go to: www.bataviaplayers.org

Top photo: Main St. 56 Theater's shop has been ready for patrons with lots of theater trinkets and memorabilia at the new City Centre location. Batavia Players is set to begin its 2022 season with Love's Labour's Lost the first weekend in March. Photo by Howard Owens.

A special use permit request to change a piece of property from agricultural to utility solar use prompted many questions from Pavilion Town Planning Board during this month’s meeting.

Applicant NY CDG Genesee 4 LLC requested the permit for a 4.275-megawatt utility solar farm at 6464 Shepard Road, Pavilion. Code Enforcement Officer Matthew Mahaney said the project met solar law guidelines with the proposed size of just over 19 acres. The law caps it at 20 acres, he said during the meeting at Pavilion Town Hall.

Due to the enormous file size of documents sent online to board members, most of them weren’t able to open or review the project. Board Chairman Bill Fuest said he has plenty of questions, such as the height of the panels, how they are tilted, how the property will be maintained and the proximity of the solar farm to neighbors.

Those details weren’t covered in the initial plan anyway, Mahaney said. The request would require a public hearing, and he suggested that questions could be discussed at the next meeting in March, followed by a hearing. 

“I would prefer to have a session in March with the application team, and use April for a public forum,” Fuest said. 

Town Attorney Mark Boylan and the applicants are to be present at future meetings, and a public hearing will most likely be scheduled for April, board members agreed.

The Shepard Road property is owned by Suzanee and Douglas Waite, and Bogdan Dinu of BW Solar is also part of the application.

To view the site plan, click here (pdf).

Pembroke Central School Board approved more than $2 million in bids for its 2021 capital improvement project during a special meeting conducted this past Thursday.

Superintendent Matthew Calderon said the meeting was called so that the bids and project could move forward “sooner than later.”

A total of $2,139,223.25 was approved for the following individual bids:

• $496,775.79 to Edward Holme, Inc. for site work$756,000 to Willett Builders, Inc. for general trades work
• $107,000 to Parise Mechanical, Inc. for mechanical work
• $445,000 to DV Brown & Associates for plumbing
• $293,913.73 to Astroturf Corp. for track resurfacing
• $40,533.73 to Johnson Controls, Inc. for energy-efficient temperature controls

The project, approved by district voters in 2021, covers renovations and upgrades that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and per the district’s Building Conditions survey. Work includes:

Pembroke High School - Install auditorium ADA stage lift, ADA upgrades in restrooms throughout the building, install discus cage fencing (a safety issue), resurface the track, which has been deemed to be "at the end of its life."

Pembroke Intermediate School - Install auditorium ADA stage lift, ADA upgrades to the first and second floor main restrooms, retrofit the existing auditorium house lights, replacement of flooring in corridors, cafeteria, and select rooms.

Pembroke Primary School - Install auditorium ADA stage lift, asphalt reconstruction of parking lot and driveway around the building.

District officials have said the project will not affect taxpayers since a majority of the cost — 73 percent — is to be paid from state aid, and $1.1 million from the Capital Reserve Fund.

Below, a video of the project presentation via Pembroke Central School:

A proposed campground in Pavilion not only meant a lot of questions, research, legwork, time and expense, but it also proved to be a major learning event for applicant Jesse Coots and the town planning board.

During this week's planning board meeting, Pavilion Town Supervisor Rob LaPoint thanked the board for performing due diligence on a project that contained “the greatest emotional hits of everything that was confusing and frustrating to come before a board.”

“You’ve been through it all at this point,” LaPoint said. “Anything else from here … will be much less intimidating.”

He assured the board he planned to do a forensic review of the entire process so that all involved can become more structurally and procedurally informed the next time around. 

“To be better as a town and functioning in a more efficient way,” he said. 

The project included a 110-acre parcel divided up into 27 acres for the Lokee-Hikee Campground on Perry Road. Coots had requested a special use permit for the project, which prompted many questions along the way, from locations of the main entrance and main driveway and whether there was an adequate water supply to expected traffic patterns and potential environmental impacts. He had expected a decision after a scheduled public hearing last year, but the planning board rendered that hearing null and void and asked that Coots complete another application. 

Navigating through the process has been trying for both Coots and planning board members. Planning Board Chairman Bill Fuest thanked the members of his planning board for seeing this project through to a final approval, and for the ample “input from all parties” involved. 

After the year-long process of nailing down necessary details and code requirements, applicant Coots was thankful to receive a thumbs up Wednesday. 

“This has been a long and expensive road and, sadly, a contested road that cost us our life savings. It’s gone now, but we’re moving forward. We are so excited to know our future. Our girls are happy and our future is now,” Coots said Thursday morning. “We look forward to all of the process from here out. We understand it will be hard work and long hours but we oddly look forward to doing it all together with ourselves and our community. It’s a really exciting movement forward for us and our small community.”

Coots’ efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed in his community. During a public hearing in January, a large portion of a packed town hall was a group of his supporters. Once word of the approval went online, his phone “blew up with phone calls and messages,” he said. He was overwhelmed with the 38 voicemail and 107 text messages sent to him with congratulations of a hard-won battle with neighbors contesting the project and to meet planning board requirements. 

“We’ve spent the last year of our lives trying to bring a nice thing to our community and, unfortunately, have been greeted with heartache,” Coots said. “Therefore, we had to fall back on law. We give huge props to the “county zoning” for making sure code is followed by town boards.”

He also handed out “props” for the community and its ongoing support, the town board and planning board members who “walked the line of what’s right.” He and his family are excited to move forward with the physical and financial work of the campground, while leaving the “subjective and opinionated work” behind them, he said. 

“This is the best I’ve felt in 12 months,” he said. “Really excited to move forward and do good things.”

With some $6,000 less money raised due to pandemic challenges, the 2022 senior class had to take their dream trips down a notch.

After slightly more lavish possibilities of visiting Boston or Cleveland, the class has put forth two options that better meet budget constraints, Batavia High School special education teacher Lorraine Gammack says.

“We don’t have a lot of money because of COVID,” Gammack said during this week’s school board meeting. “In a class budget, a senior class typically has $10,000 at this point. We’re just $50 shy of $4,000; that’s a big deficit.”

Class President Mackenzie Lavrey reviewed the two choices made by class vote after floating the suggested ideas for a trip to Boston ($700 a person) or Cleveland (just over $600 each). Both of those trips were deemed too expensive, Gammack said. She in turn thought that a three-day visit to Allegany State Park was a great one, given that she has taken students there before. 

Due to the vast expanse of property, Gammack wanted to have a bus that could take some kids to destination spots, such as Quaker Lake, once they were at the park, but that wasn’t feasible with the current budget, she said. 

Despite the shortage of funds — or perhaps because of them — a Connect Kids to Parks grant program could potentially pay for nearly everything, she said. The grant would cover everything from a Dumpster service to laser tag activity. The trip is tentatively slated for June 15, 16, and 17 at a park facility with two dormitory complexes, a classroom, picnic pavilion, and activities of swimming, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and laser tag. 

The trip cost is “super affordable,” she said, at “$100 per student.”  The grant is in progress, she said. There would be one chaperone for every eight students and meals will be on a creative budget, such as the beach party dinner one evening with district personnel doing some of the cooking. 

One caveat so far is that the facilities have a limit of 34 boys and 33 girls for the class of 164 students, with 38 girls and 10 boys being signed up so far, she said.

Dormitories are large and could accommodate both boys and girls in one building if necessary. 

“The dorms have an east and a west end,” she said. “We could make it work.”

The board gave preliminary approval for the trip, and a second one-day excursion to Conesus Lake, tentatively set for June 6. 

Other approvals included:

• A 2020 capital project to expand outdoor amenities at Jackson Primary School by knocking down 245 Liberty St., a former bakery donated to the district in 2017. The plan is to create additional parking and green spaces, and a pedestrian walkway adjacent to Jackson Primary School.
• A resolution that supports the state Senate bill S7600 regarding cyberbullying. This amended bill establishes that “any person who knowingly engages in a repeated course of cyberbullying of a minor is guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by a period of imprisonment not to exceed one year, or both.” (See related article, "City schools trustees back proposed cyberbullying law.")
• The purchase of portable two-way radios as part of public safety communications in school buildings. The price to buy the radios from Saia Communications Inc. is $41,277.22.
• A proposed baseball trip to Florida. (See related article, "Spring baseball trip a go for Batavia City Schools’ athletes.")
• A revised emergency roof repair plan from Campus Construction Management and the proposed bid from Spring Sheet Metal and Roofing, LLC for Batavia High School.

Top photo: From Allegany State Park website

Housing shortages, homeschooling, COVID-19 and private institutions all play a part in enrollment projections for Batavia City School District, Paul Seversky says. 

An overall decline of nearly 5 percent from 2016 to now isn’t all bad, the SES Study Team consultant said during Thursday’s school board meeting.

“There’s some good news for how that 4.9 percent comes about,” he said. “Grades seven to 12 has had a minor decrease compared to K to six. That’s not good news because they’ll become your seven to 12 kids. Your real good news is your K to one enrollment. Your youngest students increased over the past four years.”

After analyzing school enrollment and grade size, number of births, local demographics, real estate trends and potential growth factors such as new business, Seversky reviewed the ups and downs of future projections. 

Batavia’s district had 75 children being homeschooled in 2020, up nearly 30 students from 2019. He found the silver lining in that with a drop to 52 kids in 2021. 

“What does that say? It says well, COVID was the factor why you had that jump likely in 2020. More households had their children attending school in 2021,” he said. 

A conclusion wasn’t so clear with the increase of students leaving the district for a private school, he said. In 2020 there were 137 departures to private school in grades nine through 12, versus 174 in 2021.

“That’s something you may want to look at,” he said. “You may want to have a communication strategy with current non-public families.”

One out of 10 students, or 10 percent, leave the district within the school year, he said, which is a challenge for teachers and district teams. The district is responsible for every student — those that move into and out of the district — and each one’s education, he said. 

“How can we mitigate that kind of change?” he said. “Those early years are critical for children. You may want to look at why they move during the school year.”

All totaled, the data “tells a bitter tale,” he said. He referred to a New York Times article stating that between 2019 and 2020, there was a “7.5 percent decrease” of births nationally, though Genesee County’s numbers have remained stable, he said. 

“What’s happened in the past six years, you’ve had small, small, but still growth, in live births,” he said. “Taking Genesee County in whole, this is outstanding news. Families are having kids in Batavia.”

What that potentially means is more future students entering the city school district, he said. After talking to real estate agent Lynn Bezon he realized that the local housing market has been steady, leaving few — a total of eight — homes up for sale in Batavia. If “empty nesters” were to downsize, their larger homes could be put on the market for growing families, he said. 

Offering conservative to optimistic predictions, he said it was possible to gain some 20 students in grades kindergarten through one over the next five years. Given the overall decline in the state, “that’s actually pretty good,” he said, despite a small class in each of grades nine through 12 during the next 10 years. 

“My goal is to help you use this as a tool to help your planning,” he said.

The SES Study Team focuses its work on “customized studies that deal with identifying opportunities to provide quality educational programs more effectively and in a cost-effective manner,” according to the company website. Seversky’s contract with Batavia is through June. 
 

Top photo: Paul Seversky of SES Study Team. 

After nearly a year of revised plans, land surveys, drilling wells, environmental impact reviews, engineers and planning board meetings, Pavilion resident Jesse Coots finally heard the long-awaited words he had hoped for Wednesday evening at Pavilion Town Hall.

Pavilion Town Planning Board unanimously approved his request for a special use permit to build Lokee-Hikee Campground at 10156 Perry Road. 

“Now, therefore, be it resolved, the Planning Board hereby authorizes the zoning enforcement officer to use a special use permit,” Planning Board Chairman Bill Fuest said, adding a comment during his time to vote. “Yes. I believe everything is in alignment with the Pavilion zoning codes so I vote yes.”

The nod of approval came after a few revisions were made to the request, and with several conditions that must be met by Coots as the applicant, Fuest said. A propane tank has been repositioned from the south end to the north side of the main entrance, with Bollard posts to protect it, he said. The town zoning code only allows for one use on the premises, so the applicant’s request for a massage therapy business “has been dropped,” Fuest said. 

A laundry list of items include that the applicant would have to be and remain in compliance with local, county and state laws and codes, the zoning ordinance and local fire department’s directives about dry fire hydrants and Mercy Flight landing space; be subject to a property inspection by the town code enforcement officer before operations begin; and comply with the permit not being transferable. The special use permit will expire if not used within one year of approval. 

A public hearing on Jan. 26 brought out several people to speak either for or against the proposed campground. That piece of Perry Road land is 110 acres — and an estimated $250,000 investment so far — that has required a special use permit, engineering, topographical surveys, drilling for wells, securing town board approval and doing everything they can to ensure the site will be environmentally sound and neighbor-friendly, Coots had said. 

The proposed site is 26.4 acres to be carved out of the total 110-acre property with woods, wetlands and rolling topography. The campground is to be seasonally operated, neatly landscaped and maintained, and geared toward families, retirees, and seasonal occupancies, he said. Amenities are to include a registration building and camp store, food service, a swimming pool, public restrooms and shower facilities, and a recreational fishing pond. 

The application is for approval of 145 total campsites that would be developed in multiple phases and compliant with the town’s zoning ordinance. In addition to the town  Planning Board’s approval, the project has also been reviewed by Genesee County and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  

During a prior Planning Board meeting, Coots needed to address the use of an existing driveway at 10162 Perry Rd., the campground’s main entrance, plans for the whole 110 acres (half to be for farming and half for campsites), water, septic, buffering, dark sky technology and the recreational area, according to meeting minutes from an initial meeting in May 2021.

Due to the controversial aspect of the project — some neighbor and area resident complaints — the board opted to keep the public hearing open until this next meeting on Feb. 16 for additional comments. Four more people submitted letters citing various reasons for being against the project, such as an estimated lowered property assessment for neighboring homes, campfire fumes, and noisy, dusty vehicle traffic.

Carol Ann Wolfe, as a licensed real estate appraiser, Mike Fisher, Ronald Zarbo and Mary Schillinger-Cooke of Keller Williams Realty of Greater Rochester sent those opposition letters. John Tinelli’s letter added another position in favor of the campground. As a fellow recreational park owner, Tinelli listed ways the project could enhance the town and general area.

There was little discussion by the board before the final vote to approve the special use permit. Members Patrick Boyd, Tim Welch, Liz Conway, Don Brooks, Gary Kingsley, Lisa Schiske, and Fuest voted yes. 

Top photo: Pavilion resident and business owner Jesse Coots, shown with wife Jolene and their daughters, Souly, Trilly, and Cricket, received the special use permit necessary to proceed with plans for Lokee-Hikee Campground in Pavilion. File photo by Howard Owens.

This is an updated site plan for the campground. To view it in more detail, click here to view the PDF.

A 2020 capital project to expand outdoor amenities at Jackson Primary School is returning to the table for a vote during this week’s Batavia City School’s board meeting.

The project involves a building at 245 Liberty St., Batavia, which was donated to the city school district in December 2017. Board of Education members are expected to vote on its demolition after a survey, based on the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), has declared a negative impact from the work.

The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Batavia High School’s library, 260 State St.

Demolition of the site — the former Country Pride Bakery Mart — is part of a plan to create additional parking and green spaces, and a pedestrian walkway adjacent to Jackson Primary School. The SEQRA is a stipulation enacted by the state of New York that all local and state government agencies must uniformly reflect the environmental impacts when considering taking social and/or economic factors into action.

School board members are also to vote on a resolution that supports the state Senate bill S7600 regarding cyber bullying. This amended bill establishes that “any person who knowingly engages in a repeated course of cyberbullying of a minor is guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by a period of imprisonment not to exceed one year, or both.”

Other votes include:

• The purchase of portable two-way radios as part of public safety communications in school buildings. The price to buy the radios from Saia Communications Inc. is $41,277.22.
• An energy performance contract with Energia and Johnson Controls, Inc.
• A proposed baseball trip to Florida.
• Several district personnel appointments and retirements.
• A revised emergency roof repair plan from Campus Construction Management and the proposed bid from Spring Sheet Metal and Roofing, LLC for Batavia High School.
• A Memorandum of Agreement between the Batavia City School District and Batavia Clerical Association.

Time is allotted for public comments at the beginning of the session. This meeting will be live-streamed via YouTube at:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8JI99xyBJt1sGdRzmCW2Kg?view_as=subscriber

 

Pembroke Central School’s regular board meeting on Feb. 22 has been canceled, however, an impromptu meeting has been scheduled for this week, Superintendent Matthew Calderon says.

The original meeting was scheduled during the board’s reorganizational session this past July. It was more recently deemed unnecessary due to no “pressing business," Calderon said to The Batavian on Monday.

An Unexpected “more pressing issue" arose, he said Tuesday, prompting a special board meeting to be set for 7 p.m. Thursday at the district office, corner of routes 5 and 77. 

“Basically, we recently had a bid opening for our ADA/BCS capital project, and the board needs to award the bids sooner than later in order to start the project on time,” Calderon said. “That is the main reason for the meeting, and we will also approve a few other items.”

The capital project stems from Americans with Disabilities Act and Building Conditions Survey (ADA/BCS) issues. A meeting agenda is to be posted on the district’s website by Wednesday, he said.

For more information, go to: https://www.pembrokecsd.org/page/board-of-education-home-page
 

Of the myriad weight loss apps, programs, diets and routines out there, many people still fail to achieve long-lasting success, and Nancy Fallon, certified coach and manager of the Ideal Me Weight Loss Clinic in Batavia, believes there can be another outcome, she says.

“The Ideal Me protocol is a science-based program designed to help you lose weight by resetting your body to lose fat,” Fallon said during an interview with The Batavian. “It’s a three-phase approach to losing weight, and, most importantly, learning how to  keep it off. We’re excited about it. When you lose those initial pounds, it gives you the motivation to keep going.”

Ideal Me Weight Loss is part of Guler Cardiology and Wellness at 34 Swan St., Batavia. It’s a branch of the Ideal Protein of America company, which focuses on fat-burning through an initially low-carb, higher protein food program.

Unlike many of those other programs, Fallon said this one provides one-on-one counseling and the education necessary to keep clients on track with a life-changing transformation. The three phases start with the actual weight loss; that is achieved by getting the body into ketosis with a quality protein meal plan of three “Ideal Me Protein” products, plus vegetables and proteins such as chicken, beef, or fish. That initial phase includes a review of the client’s health history, weight loss goals, and food preferences. For example, there are gluten-free and vegetarian options for those clients who need them. 

Phase II is to stabilize that weight loss by re-introducing carbs — low glycemic carbs — to the meal plan and drop to two Ideal Me Protein foods per day; and the third phase is to sustain the weight loss by making healthier food choices, writing in a food journal and maintaining a weekly check-in with a certified coach, she said. 

The program is overseen by a medical physician, Dr. Ahmet Guler. There is “a huge epidemic” of people being overweight and obese throughout this country, he said, and that leads to many different illnesses.

“Heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation, and the list goes on,” Guler said. “So with all that in mind, what our goal here, or our vision here, is, basically, how can we get our communities healthy.”

The answer was discovered with the Ideal Protein of America program as a way to improve the local population’s diet and ultimately reach a healthier weight, he said. The program decreases highly saturated fats and carbohydrates and increases proteins and low-carb fruits and vegetables, supplemented with protein-based snacks and desserts. In turn, by doing that, those symptoms of hypertension, diabetes and/or high cholesterol might also improve, Dr. Guler said.

His philosophy is that people who are overweight also often move less as a result, which leads to other problems. So by attacking the cause — the weight — the issues of painful hips and knees, heart disease, and other ills have a better chance of improving, he said.

“So if we could help you lose that weight in a healthy way, in a scientifically proven way, then basically, you may have a chance, a second chance, at life in terms of motivating yourself to start moving,” he said. “And as you move, it might motivate you to do more exercise. And if you do more exercise or cardio exercise, then your overall health just may improve. So that's basically the gist of it.”

The Ideal Me program is a one-year package deal that includes a variety of 70 Ideal Protein foods of salty, savory, chewy, crispy, and/or sweet tastes; plus vitamin and mineral supplements, and one-on-one sessions with the coach. Does it mean never eating fast food again? Not necessarily. However, the coach and program material will teach you how to make healthier choices for overall better health, he said. 

Fallon experienced first-hand how the program worked, and has gone from client to cheerleader and coach for its effectiveness.

“I did the program four years ago, and I lost 35 pounds. My bloodwork was better than it ever has been in years,” adding what made the difference for her. “I could still have those little treats I liked, the chocolate products I was able to have.”

She also believes that the program strays from others by offering individualized plans, accountability and motivation depending on clients’ needs. Seminars on the program are being offered every two weeks at the wellness center. Prospective clients will be able to sample products and hear more about the program, she said.

For more information or to sign up for a seminar, call (585) 250-4567 or email gulercardiology@gmail.com.

Top photo: Dr. Ahmet Guler and Nancy Fallon celebrate the addition of the Ideal Me Weight Loss Clinic at Guler Cardiology and Wellness at 34 Swan St., Batavia. The clinic (and one in Warsaw) is the "only one in this area" between Buffalo and Rochester, Guler said. Photo by Howard Owens.  

Genesee Symphony Orchestra’s concert this weekend will pay homage to a Batavian who served as the group’s historian and board member in the early 1990s and again in 2000 when she chaired the group’s 60th-anniversary dinner, member Roxie Choate says.

The orchestra program will include a note to honor Leona Pastore, who died Sunday, Feb. 6, after an active life of 94 years. Choate surmised what it would say.

“We honor the memory of Leona Pastore, a longtime supporter in every way for the GSO. She wanted the GSO to succeed in every manner,” Choate said to The Batavian Wednesday. “She worked hard for the musicians, and was always very dedicated.”

The concert is set for 4 p.m. Sunday at Genesee Community College, 1 College Drive, Batavia, with a pre-concert chat at 3:20 p.m.

An article in the GSO history notebooks includes a concert review written by Maurice Nicholson in 1953. Nicholson raved about guest soloists Paul Ruhland, a baritone, and “Mrs. Leona Azzi Pastore's" coloratura soprano. “Her lovely voice wafted through the air like a zephyr,” Nicholson wrote.

“And, judging from the applause, won the complete approval of the audience,” he said. “Her coloratura work in the Herbert number was well near perfect as was her interpretation of the Romberg melody.”

One of Pastore’s favorite quotes was that life is a song and love is music. She shared that love as a guest soloist for GSO, produced and performed on WBTA radio with her own show, was the soloist for the Genesee Chorale and Ars Nova Singers.  She also became an organist for St. Anthony’s Church and appeared in many Rotary Club Broadway local productions, including Brigadoon, Mame, Camelot, and Sound of Music.

She was recognized as an outstanding Italian American by the Paolo Busti Foundation for her accomplishments in music and was associated with the late author John Gardner’s Memorial Society. Society members often met at the Pok-A-Dot in Batavia, which was founded by Pastore and her late husband Philip. After his death in 2018, Leona carried on the Ellicott Street tradition of beef-on-weck and another popular fare in a low-key, friendly environment. 

Pastore’s passion for music began at the age of seven in a performance of The Little Drummer Boy and at 11, she joined the St. Anthony’s Senior Choir, becoming a soloist performing at all church functions. In her senior year, she became the soloist with The Choristers of Rochester Civic Orchestra, where she sang for multiple organizations, churches, and functions throughout the state.

After graduation from High School, she went on to study at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. where she majored in voice. Upon finishing college, she married her husband Philip and began raising her family, all while remaining active in her church and St. Anthony’s School, where she became President of the PTA.

Pastore was also known as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend.

For the full obituary, go to: 
https://www.thebatavian.com/obituaries

Top photo depicts soloists Paul Ruhland and Leona Pastore in a 1953 program. Courtesy of Genesee Symphony Orchestra.

File Photo: Paulette Pastore, Leona Pastore, and Phyllis Pastore-Beers outside the Pok-A-Dot in July, 2021

Newton’s third law states that for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction, and a downtown business owner has reacted to the ugliness of a pandemic with the beauty of local art displayed for all to see.

Enter Brian Kemp, owner of T-Shirts, Etc., and his employee Melissa Flint. By way of a brainstorming session last year, the pair created the TableTop Art Show in response to so many art galleries being closed due to COVID-19 protocols. It’s an event meant to highlight area artists and connect them to the community via in-person and online shows, business sponsorships and restaurants-turned-galleries.  

The tabletop idea is perhaps a bit of genius: invite artists to submit their works for a show, award prizes for the top three works, and about 15 of them get chosen for a wall display and placemat to be used at area restaurants. Patrons can view those top contenders in person while eating a meal, and then visit the online site to see all of the submitted pieces. 

“It’s really putting this artwork in front of people who wouldn’t get to see it,” Kemp said during an interview with The Batavian. “I want to make it a show of the year, and I  hope the interest increases. Some of the pieces will be available to buy. I just really want to feature artists.”

Kemp and Flint developed and implemented the idea a year ago. Batavia Society of Artists hosted the show in 2021 and provided the contributing artists. This year the show is open to all regional artists, and at no charge. Money raised from sponsorships goes toward prizes of $200, $100, and $50 for first, second, and third place, respectively. 

The Tabletop Art Show, now in its second year, came about as a solution to the lack of venues available for art displays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Creators Kemp and Flint kicked around some ideas and landed on the tabletop concept. It has grown since last year, Kemp said, and has pulled along an increasing list of participants.
There are 23 restaurants signed up this year to display the placemats at their establishments. Eli Fish Brewing Company will serve as host to selected artwork during March, and other businesses will support the event as sponsors. 

For anyone who has visited Kemp’s business, T-Shirts Etc. on Center Street, Batavia, it seems rather clear that he values local art. There are original pieces on his walls, and displays of last year’s TableTop artwork. 

This year’s show debuts and runs through March, chosen as the tabletop signature month for the yearly event. This is a way to display artist works — “bring art to the people” — and grace several restaurant tables with some local talent, Kemp said. 

Artists may submit up to three pieces each by Feb. 13, and all of those will be featured in a virtual portion of the show. Spectators will have more than a passive role of viewing; they will get to vote for a People’s Choice Award from March 1 to 31. Just 15 of all submitted works will be selected by the TableTop Art Show crew and shown off on placemats and the walls of Eli Fish Brewing Company at 109 Main St., Batavia.  

Anyone interested in sponsoring this show or participating as a tabletop restaurant may still have an opportunity to do so. For more information or for an artwork submission form, go to: https://tabletopartshow.secure-decoration.com/

Top photo: Business owner Brian Kemp shows off last year's placemat artworks that debuted at local restaurants for the inaugural TableTop Art Show. He's hoping that this year reaps even more artist pieces, community support and interest. Deadline for submissions is Feb 13. Photo by Howard Owens.