Press Release:

This year Mr. Batavia 2024 raised a total of $5,200. Since 2013, the annual event has raised more than $43,000 for local organizations. 

$2,600 went to Mr. Batavia Elijah Abdella, whose chosen charity was Genesee Cancer Assistance.

$1,300 went to runner-up Harry Southall's chosen charity, which was Batavia VA.

$1,300 went to runner-up Brian Calderon's chosen charity, Suicide Prevention of Genesee County.

Submitted photos.

Press Release:

The 24th Annual Batavia Rotary Club High School Baseball Tournament will take place on Saturday, May 4 at Dwyer Stadium.

Oakfield-Alabama and Notre Dame will play in the first game at 11 a.m. followed by Le Roy vs Batavia at 1:30 p.m. The Consolation Game will be at 4 p.m. with the Championship Game at 7 p.m.

An All-Day Admission Pass is $5 for an adult and $3 for a student or senior. Cash, Venmo, or credit card will be accepted for payment. All proceeds from the tournament will help benefit Batavia Rotary Club charities.

New this year:

• We will be having the Batavia High Baseball Team’s “Senior Night” prior to the 1:30 p.m. game.
• Youths age 12 and under will get in free if they wear their baseball or softball uniforms to any of the games and attend with a parent/adult family member.
• Any Challenger Sports athletes and Unified Sports athletes will get in free if they wear their uniform or tee-shirt, and come with a parent/adult family member or adult caregiver.
• Tickets for the Rotary Club’s Fly-In Breakfast on Father’s Day will be available for purchase.

We look forward to seeing the community come out to cheer on our local athletes!

Press Release:

GO ART! is running a 4 week Saturday morning kids Culinary class starting May 4.

This class is tailored to students in grades 1-6. Each week we will be baking, cooking or learning about proper safety in the kitchen. All supplies will be included. 

For more informations go to https://goart.org/programming/exlporeart/exlporeart-children/, call (585) 343-9313, or
email Jodi at jfisher@goart.org.

Press Release:

Genesee County is upgrading essential infrastructure at County Building No. 1 and the Old County Courthouse to address water penetration concerns and ensure the safety of all occupants and visitors.

Project Details:

• May 3 - Protective enclosures will be installed around entrances to County Building No. 1 to ensure safety during roof and exterior masonry work.
• May 6 - Masonry work will commence on the parapet walls, followed by the roof recovery of County Building No. 1 and copper installation at the east entrance of the Old County Courthouse.
• During the project, all entrances will remain accessible.
• A protective enclosure for material storage will temporarily block off the central sidewalk, but access will still be available on both the east and west sides of the courtyard.
• The projects are expected to be completed by the end of June with a 2-week additional window for inclement weather.

Although minimal disruption to daily operations is expected, a safe working zone is of top priority, and the following safety measures have been implemented: 

• Designated areas for materials and equipment storage.
• Parking adjustments, including dumpsters in a street parking zone and coned-off contractor access to the lawn.
• Protective enclosures around entrances to County Building No. 1
• Please see the included staging plan for more details.

We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of all during this construction period.

Arbor House, 350 Bank St., Batavia. We are a community of believers and disciples of Jesus Christ. Arbor House was founded to be a place of safety, refreshment, and renewal for all. Each week we gather to hear the spoken Word, eat from the Lord’s Table, and enjoy fellowship with all who come. If you have been hurt by a church before we want to be the place where you can find healing and hope. All are welcome! Service will be in person on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. and available live stream on Facebook. For more information about Arbor House visit arborhousefmc.com.

Alabama-Basom Methodist Church, 1392 Lewiston Road, Alabama. Join us for worship at 10:30 a.m. This week our sermon title is "Love and Joy", led by Eric Phelps (CLM). 

Ascension Parish - Roman Catholic Church, 135 Swan St., Batavia. We are open for Mass in the Church on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. We hope to see you there! 

Assemblies of God-New Covenant Chapel, 6690 Oak Orchard Rd., Elba.14058. We welcome all seeking a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ through His finished work on The Cross with The Power of The Holy Spirit. John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you want a small, close-knit church family and a place to make a difference, please join us. Worship Service is Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Bible Study Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and Thursday at 7 p.m. Contact us at (585)-757-6651 (585)-969-1528 or visit us on Youtube.

Batavia Assembly of God, 24 North Spruce St, Batavia. Join us for coffee in our café before our Sunday morning service that begins at 10:30 a.m. We offer "Movement Kids" (age 4 - grade 5) at 10:30 a.m. and "MVMT YTH" (grades 6-12) meet on Sunday nights at 7 p.m.

Batavia First Baptist Church, 306 E. Main St., Pastor David Weidman, where "Christ the Center, Love for All" is very evident to all who enter. We invite you to our Full Gospel Sunday services at 10 a.m.; The Thrift Shoppe is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., come and browse in our beautifully renovated space. Donations are accepted during business hours. You can also enjoy a light lunch at Lydia's Kitchen while you shop. Questions? Email: firstbaptist2002@yahoo.com. Call us at (585)343-9002.

Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia, invites you to join us for in-person worship on Sundays at 9 a.m. (Arise-relaxed with band music) or 10:45 a.m. (Sanctuary -liturgical and organ) or on Livestream via Facebook Live for both times at: https://fpcbatavia.org/  or https://www.facebook.com/fpcbatavia/videos/.

Batavia First United Methodist Church, 8221 Lewiston Road, Batavia. Our mission & vision statement:  “To be disciples, we must listen, learn, lead, and love our way to God.” Reverend Wayne Mort leads our worship service every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. in the church sanctuary. Childcare is offered for children birth-3 years old and Sunday school is offered for children ages 4-14 years old. You can also find the service on Facebook. We invite you to learn more about Batavia First UMC by visiting our website at www.BataviaFirstumc.com.

Byron Presbyterian Church, 6293 W. Main St., Byron. Pastor: Rev. Michael Fry. Musical Director: Laurence Tallman. Service and Sunday School at 9:45 A.M. Scripture Reading: Psalm 98 and Acts 10:44-48. Message: “Your Song”. Looking ahead: Mother’s Day, May 12 – Special Anthem – Join us as we honor the women of the church. All are welcome! Don’t forget to check out the Book Nook downstairs in the fellowship hall AND outside by the main driveway entrance.

Calvary Baptist Church of Le Roy, 8703 Lake Street Road, Le Roy.  If you do not already have a church that you attend regularly, we would like to invite you to give Calvary Baptist Church a try.  It would be a pleasure to have you join us for worship and fellowship on a Sunday morning or at one of our other mid-week events. As a multi-generational congregation that enjoys our time together, our Sunday worship service typically includes singing a mix of both traditional and contemporary songs and hymns, a children’s message, and a sermon from the Word of God. Our Sunday worship service begins at 10:15 a.m.

City Church, 210 E. Main St., Batavia, invites you for our Sunday morning services at 8:30 and 10 a.m. with Kids ministry at 10 a.m. and Thursday evenings at 7 p.m.  Everyone is welcome to join us for worship and a message. We believe in doing life together and would love to do life with YOU!  You can also connect with us online at www.thecitychurch.com, through our Facebook page, The City Church, or our YouTube channel.  We do life together.

Corfu United Presbyterian Church 63 Alleghany Road, Corfu. Corfu United Presbyterian Church welcomes all visitors to come to worship with us on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. in person or via our Facebook livestream led by Pastor Evan Wildhack. Our mission at CUPC is to connect with Christ, connect with others, and connect others with Christ. Weekly Bible study is held on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. CUPC's food pantry is open on the third Saturday of the month from 9 - 10 a.m. Contact the church office by phone at (585) 599-6414 or via email at office@corfuchurch.org Office hours are Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cornerstone Church of East Pembroke, part of American Baptist Churches USA, 2583 Main Road, East Pembroke. Our Sunday service is at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Glenn Bloom preaching. Bible Study is every Wednesday at 10 a.m. We are a small church and welcome new members. (585) 762-8721

Darien Disciples Church, 1951 Broadway (Route 20), worship at 9 a.m. on Sundays. Prayer requests to Jerry at: jeromedmorrison@yahoo.com.

Discovery Chapel, 315 West Main Street, Batavia. Pastor Ingrim Green's services are on Sundays at 10 a.m. "Let's Talk Real Talk the Gospel For Real Life." Visit our website letstalkrealtalk.org for more information.

East Bethany Presbyterian Church, 5735 Ellicott Street Road, East Bethany. Our Sunday morning worship service is held at 10:30 a.m. and is led by Rev. Dr. Shiela McCullough. Visitors are always welcome. You can find out more information on our Facebook page or by emailing us at ebpresbyterian@gmail.com.

Elba First Baptist Church, 31 S. Main St., Elba, is open for the main service in person at 10:45 a.m. on Sundays. For more information about our church go to www.fbcelba.net. The pastor is Michael Davis. Email: office@fbcelba.net / Phone (585) 757-2722

Emmanuel Baptist Church, 190 Oak St., Batavia. We would love to have you join us for our regular Sunday worship at 11 a.m. this weekend! We will be trekking through the book of Acts and learning about the reaction to the disciples suddenly speaking every language in the city square. There is also a bible study at 9:45 a.m. with free coffee. Also don't forget that we have free spots available in our community garden. Come learn and grow with us!

EverPresent Church, 4 Batavia City Centre, Batavia(off of Bank Street). We welcome you to come to experience the Holy Spirit in a fresh way. Jesus wants to set you free from your bondages. Wednesday Service at 6 p.m. & Sunday Service at 10:30 a.m., Toddlers dismissed at 10:15 a.m., Children's Church dismissed after 2nd Worship Song. For more info visit www.everpresentchurch.com. 

Grace Baptist Church, 238 Vine St., Batavia. Sunday Morning Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. Grace Kids for ages nursery – 5th grade meets during the 9:30 hour. The service is live-streamed at www.gracebatavia.org. or view it on our Facebook page: Grace Baptist. Kid Zone & Grace Student Ministries meet on Sunday evenings from 6-7:30 p.m. Visit our website or our Facebook page for other events happening throughout the year. 

Indian Falls Methodist Church, 7908 Alleghany Road, Corfu. We have our worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings, led by Rev. Karen L. McCaffery.  This week's message is "How Do You Say Goodbye?". To view our services online please go to our website https://indianfallsgmc.com/ for a link for Live Streaming. We offer Sunday School for all ages after the Worship Service at 11:30 a.m. Our Youth Group meets on the 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month from 6:30 - 8 p.m. We offer a Senior Lunch on Saturday, May 11 at 12 p.m. ($7ea). We will have our Annual Yard Sale on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Le Roy First Presbyterian Church, 7 Clay St., Le Roy. Sunday morning in-person worship at 10 a.m. followed by coffee fellowship. We are an open and accepting church of all people.

Morganville United Church of Christ, 8466 Morganville Rd, Stafford. Enjoy a ride through the country to our "God is still speaking" church, Sunday at 10 a.m. for Reverend James Morasco’s sermon “Find Your Way.” The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be served. Please bring food items for the LeRoy Food Pantry. Our church is located at 8466 Morganville Road.  Friend us on Facebook! or better yet, visit us any Sunday!

North Darien Bible Church, 9768 Simonds Road, Corfu. We are open! Sunday worship service begins at 10 a.m. Children's Church classes are available for children ages birth through sixth grade, including a classroom for children with special needs. For more information, visit our website. You can also watch LIVE on our Facebook or YouTube channel. Join us from 9 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of every month for our free community closet, full of clothing, coats, and shoes for all. (585) 547-9646.

Northgate Free Methodist Church, 8160 Bank Street Road (North Campus), Batavia. Why is it that in a place where we seek peace, love, and community that sometimes we instead find deep and painful wounds within the walls of our churches? Join us for "Burned,” as we explore the uncomfortable truths: why church hurt happens, how we can navigate healthy conflict within our faith communities, and most importantly, how we can find healing and restoration after experiencing church hurt. Don't miss out on this message series as we embark together on a path toward healing and wholeness! Join us Saturday at 6 p.m., and Sunday at 9:30 and 11 a.m. For more information about Northgate Free Methodist Church and to watch our services online go to northgatefmc.com or facebook.com/northgatefmc.

Oakfield-Alabama Baptist Church, 2210 Judge Road., Oakfield. Join us for Sunday School for all ages at 9:45 a.m., followed by our worship service at 11 a.m. every Sunday! Visit our website (www.oabchurch.com) for additional information about our church, our beliefs, upcoming activities, and past messages. Men’s and Ladies’ Bible studies also meet on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. on the church grounds. We look forward to worshiping and fellowshipping with you! Questions? Email Pastor Matt Ervin at mervin@tyndale.edu.

Oakfield Community Bible Church, 82 North Main St. Oakfield. This Weeks May 5 “Oakfield Community Bible Church” Sunday Worship Service is at 11:15 a.m., with Special Praise & Worship Music by Keith Burroughs & Andrew Lacey. The morning message by Pastor, Timothy Young; is entitled: “God's Armor: Part 2”.  With Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-20 (NKJV). Our Adult Sunday School is at 10 a.m., along with “Sunday School through Age-16”.  There will be a Time of “Fellowship Together” following our Worship Service! Bible Study is held on Thursday Mornings at 10 a.m. Come out and Join Us. All are welcome!

Our Lady of Mercy (44 Lake St. LeRoy) & St. Brigid (18 Gibson St. Bergen) parishes; Parish Office - 44 Lake Street, Le Roy. Weekend Masses Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (livestreamed); Sunday at 7:15 a.m., 10:45 a.m. (livestreamed), and 5:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Mercy. Also, Sunday at 9 a.m. at St. Brigid. Daily Masses Monday-Friday at 7:30 a.m. (livestreamed) and Saturday at 9 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy and Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. at St. Brigid. View on YouTube and Facebook. Please visit the parish website (https://www.ourladyofmercyleroy.org/).

Resurrection Parish (St. Mary and St. Joseph churches in Batavia). St. Joseph’s Church masses are on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at noon. Confessions are held at St. Joe's on Saturdays from 3 - 3:30 p.m. St. Mary's Church mass is on Sundays at 7:30 a.m. Vigil & Holy Days to be announced.

St. James Episcopal Church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia. Join us on Sundays at 9 a.m. on zoom, 10 a.m. in the church building, and on Facebook Live. Links and the bulletin can be found on our website: https://www.sjecbataviany.org/

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1 E. Main St., Le Roy, is open for in-person services at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. Communion will be offered to people in their seats and will only include bread. We welcome you to join us -- either in person or online. For more information, visit our website.

St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, 18 W. Main St., Corfu. Weekend Masses are celebrated: Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at the Corfu Church Site; and at 9 a.m. Sunday at the East Pembroke Church site, 8656 Church St., East Pembroke. Weekday Masses are celebrated on: Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in East Pembroke and Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Corfu followed by Adoration. Corfu Masses are also available for viewing on our YouTube channel. All information is on the church website and on Facebook. Email: stmaxkolbe09@gmail.com (585)-599-4833.

St. Padre Pio Parish, St. Cecilia, 56 Maple Ave., Oakfield Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. OR Our Lady of Fatima Church, 65 S. Main St., Elba, Mass is celebrated on Saturdays at 5:45 p.m. and Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 6188 Main Road, Stafford. In-person service, including Holy Communion, is at 9 a.m. Sunday mornings. All  Are Welcome. 

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Batavia, 31 Washington Ave, Batavia. This coming Sunday (May 5) we will celebrate The Sixth Sunday of Easter. The sermon theme: “Unleashed to Love” is based on the scripture from John 15:9-17. Adult Bible Class meets at 8:30am and will continue with their study on Revelations. Our service begins at 10 a.m/ or can be viewed 'live' on Facebook. Our Youth class meets at 9:30 a.m. Sunday School children will attend the service through the children's sermon and will then go to their Sunday school rooms for their studies. Communion is part of the service on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. Our Quilters group meets on Tuesdays from 9 - 11 a.m. God continues to bless us richly as we focus on Him and His plans for our congregation and community.

The Church In Alexander, 10540 Main St., Alexander. Join us for Sunday Worship at 10 a.m. weekly. For more information please visit our website at www.thechurchinalexander.com. We offer a Free Food Pantry for people in our community, please call ahead if you need items from our pantry. For more information on Programs and services please contact us at (585)591-1765 or by email at thechurchinalexander@gmail.com. Church office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:15 - 11:15 a.m.

Trinity United Methodist Church, 75 Main St. in Attica, worships together at 10:45 a.m. on Sundays. All are welcome! Contact Frank White at uncleferter@msn.com for a ZOOM link or for prayer requests.

*******************************************************

"Spiritual Connections" -- The Batavian will post updates to connect people with their places of worship, religious services, fellowship opportunities, and/or spiritual advisors, etc. There is no charge for this service.

If you have information to announce, please email: news@thebatavian.com

Spring into action and mark your calendars for the 2024 Spring Consignment Auction starting May 1st and wrapping up on May 8th.

Get revved up to bid on an array of vehicles, equipment, trailers, farm implements, machinery, lawn & garden tools, power tools, building supplies, and much more! There are over 1000 lots on the auction block.

Don't miss out on the fun - hop online to bontragerauction.com to place your bids.

Swing by for a sneak peek at the auction on Saturday, May 4th, from 10 am to 12 pm. You'll find it at Bontrager's Auction Center, 8975 Wortendyke Rd, Batavia, NY.

Merchandise pick-up is scheduled from Thursday, May 9th through Saturday, May 11th.

You just never know when you’re going to make a difference in someone’s life, Sandy Wojtaszczyk says.

“We don’t always know what difference we make; no matter where you volunteer or what you do in your job, we never know. You never know what impact you have on anybody,” Wojtaszczyk said during this year’s Women of Inspiration Awards lunch at Batavia Downs. 

In her line of work in Social Services, with 15 out of 25 years as supervisor of the Child Protective unit, she had to do some of the hardest jobs by removing kids from their home situations and then wondering if she made a positive difference. 

She began her career at Genesee County Department of Social Services in 1998. In 2009, she became a department supervisor and was charged with training new workers in her unit regarding child abuse and the safety of children in Genesee County. In 2013, Wojtaszczyk received an award for her Outstanding Achievements in Law Enforcement. In 2021, she received the Leadership Genesee Outstanding Alumnus Award. 

During her career, she collaborated with many agencies, including YWCA, CASA, Juvenile Justice, Genesee County Family Courts, Genesee County schools, and law enforcement to ensure the safety of the children she served. 

“And I always hope that removing kids from a situation that's really, really bad. That is what can be done, knowing that I could have saved a child's life somewhere along the line. Will I ever know that? No,” she said. “I worked with teenagers for a period of time prior to being a supervisor. And I still am in contact with some of those girls. They sometimes call me, and they see me on the street … I still have Facebook friends, a lot of Facebook friends out there. 

“But you know, I look at that, and I don't think that I have an impact, but I did have an impact on their lives,” she said. “They were in foster care, and they didn't have good role models. And hopefully, that's what I was for them.”

She also talked about being involved in volunteer activities, from the early days of Jerry Lewis telethons and 4-H walkathons to current Salvation Army food drives to help out families at Christmas. 

It’s that giving spirit that she shares with the other recipients, including Judy Fuller, Susie Ott and Sue Gagne. 

Fuller volunteers many hours coordinating and managing My Sisters Closet for the YWCA of Genesee County. She has taken this on as her own and is always trying to come up with new ideas to help the program grow and reach more people in the community. The Closet supports and provides clothing to women in the nonprofit’s Domestic Violence program.

Fuller said that her primary role has been to help victims of domestic violence access clothing and other items “that they might not have,” she said.

“And anybody who hasn’t worked comes in for a job interview, and they get free clothes, so I help anybody who needs it,” she said. 

Ott is very active in the community, supporting many agencies and projects. She is currently the president of Batavia Rotary, chair of the United Way Day of Caring, treasurer of Batavia Job Development, board member of United Memorial Medical Center, and committee member of the Wings Over Batavia Air Show. 

She has received several awards for her volunteer work and community support, including the 2011 Leadership Genesee Outstanding Alumnus Award, the 2007 and 2022 Rotary Club Paul Harris Award, the 2015 Geneseean of the Year and the 2017 United Way Barber Conable Award.

Ott shared a quote that echoed Wojtaszczyk’s sentiments: Your impact on other people is bigger than you think. 

“Someone still giggles when they think of something funny that you said. Someone still smiles when they think of a compliment you gave them. Someone silently admires you. The advice you give has made a difference for people,” she said. “So I encourage everyone to continue giving back to the community and have fun while doing so. If you’re ever looking for ways to be involved, I have some ideas. And I’ll leave you with a quote by Les Brown: It’s in every day there are 1440 minutes. That means you have 1440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.”

Gagne has been a proactive human service advocate, volunteer and employee for decades. She has an extensive background in mental health, criminal justice and substance use disorders. 

Early in her career, she worked at ARC and as an assistant for the Genesee County Mental Health Association, later becoming a director. She volunteered on the board of directors for NAMI NYS, The GOW Opioid Task Force and the Suicide Prevention Task Force for GOW. She was instrumental in the founding of the GCASA Recovery Station and worked as coordinator of the Recovery Station through COVID.

Gagne is currently the assistant director of Adult Services at Wyoming County Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Coordinator for Genesee County. While working, she completed her degree in nursing at GCC and received the Leadership Award. She is now furthering her education at Brockport State College.

She shared a tip that she has learned from author and speaker John Maxwell about being an inspirational leader. It has to do with performing a daily habit that includes others throughout one’s day.

“He wakes up every morning, looks over his calendar and starts thinking about who he will see that day and how he can add value to them. He’d intentional about it,” Gagne said. “In the Bible, the book of Ephesians tells us that we are God’s handiwork, and if we think about that, you might be the answer to somebody’s prayer. Remember, you have a gift to give this world.

Her final words were to encourage others, especially if anyone struggles with knowing “how special and unique you are.”

“Get around good people,” she said. “My pastor continually tells us the person you will be in five years depends on the books you read and the friends you keep. So get around people who will encourage you, value and help you grow.”

To view or purchase photos, click here.

NOTE: Members of Early Access Pass get first crack (four hours earlier access than non-members) at making Deals of the Day purchases. Join Early Access Pass today to ensure you don't miss any valuable deals.

Reminders of how the Deal of the Day program works:

• To make purchases, you must be registered. Deal of the Day uses a registration system that is not connected to the registration for commenting on The Batavian (the main user login in the upper left of the homepage).
• Once registered you must sign in using the "sign-in" link in this box.
• You click on the orange button, which appears if the item is not sold out, and it takes you to a PayPal button. This allows you to pay either with your PayPal account or with a credit card/debit card. The login for PayPal is completely separate from our accounts.
• The first person to successfully complete the PayPal transaction wins the gift certificate.
• You are eligible to buy the same item only once in a four-month period. We use the registration system to track this for you so you don't have to.
• Only one gift certificate from the same business PER HOUSEHOLD is allowed in each four-month period. We do not have a way to automatically track duplicate purchases within a household; however, if we notice such a purchase, we reserve the right to cancel the purchase and refund the purchase money. Each individual buyer must use his or her own PayPal account for purchases. It's important that participating businesses not be asked to redeem multiple gift certificates from the same person/family at the same time.
• You will receive your physical gift certificate through postal mail. If you have questions about the receipt of your gift certificate before opening a dispute with PayPal, please use the contact email address below.
• Gift certificates should be used within 30 days of receipt.
• Sign-in issues? First, make sure you are registered for Day using the link at the top of this post; Second, if you know you're registered, use the "sign-in" link in this post; do not use the "login" box on the left side of the page.
• Problems, questions, concerns about the Deal of the Day? Email Kara Richenberg:   kara@thebatavian.com

Press Release:

In recognition that May is Mental Health Awareness Month, Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is hosting an Open House in our Reception Area from 9 - 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 16. It will take place at our office at 319 West Main Street in the Crickler Executive Business Center in Batavia.

The public is invited to stop by and learn how the Independent Living Center works with people who are facing mental health challenges.

For additional information, call Catherine DeMare at 585-815-8501, extension 400.

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living, Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Press Release:

At the recent Solar Eclipse event “Total Eclipse of the Park”, the Oakfield Betterment Committee presented the Oakfield Fire Department with a co-branded pop-up event tent.

The volunteers of the Oakfield Fire Department not only sacrifice their time and efforts to protect our town, but they are also integral members of our community. 

Their members volunteer with many of our annual events and maintain a constant, on-site presence throughout our signature Labor Daze music and food festival.

Oakfield is truly a better place because of the dedicated men and women of the OFD and we are glad to bless them with an event tent for their fundraising, training, and to keep them shaded while on standby on Labor Day weekend.

Press Release:

The American Legion Auxiliary Unit #576 in Le Roy is proud to announce Abygale (Aby) Fernaays as our 2024 Poppy Girl. 

Aby is the daughter of Nathan Fernaays and Farrah Nolan, and the granddaughter of Michael and Cheryl Fernaays of Le Roy and Douglas and Marie Nolan of Ocala, FL. 

Aby and her family honor Memorial Day every year by remembering the sacrifice of the men and women who have given their lives for our country. 

We are excited to have Aby and her family participate in this year’s Poppy Program and in the Memorial Day Parade in Le Roy on Monday, May 27.

 The money raised by Aby and the Poppy Program will be used throughout the year to support our veterans in nursing homes and hospitals, along with assisting the color guard at the Veteran’s Cemetery in Pembroke. We appreciate your continued support.

Press Release:

The 3rd quarter High Honor and Honor Rolls have been released for Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School by Principal Paul Hazard. Hazard and the Byron-Bergen Central School District staff offer their congratulations to these students.  

Grade 7: 

High Honor Roll – Charlotte Bloom, Riley Boland, Evelyn Borycki, Madison Carson, Alyssa Chupp, June Dorman, Katherine Erion, Leland Fregoe, Olivia Galdun, Connor Hoopengardner, Isabella Kessler, Delilah Malin, Sophia Matthews, Jack Miller, Trevor O'Brien, Caleb Rassel, Lia Ray, Landon Starkweather, Contessa Vander Wyst, Benjamin Vargas, Kaylanah White, Teagan Williams, Dahlia Wolff 

Honor Roll - Faith Apley, Tristen Davidson, Aaiden Gaiser, Cruz Gilbert, Hunter Jarosinski, Emmarose Michaels, Riley Norman, Aleah Olander, Kelly Parsons, William Scharvogel, Miranda Stanton, Gunner Starowitz, Logan Zaleski

Grade 8:

High Honor Roll - Evan Bannister, Cole Carroll, Eala Coniglio, Samantha Copani, Brooklynn Culmo, Emily Diehl, William Duell, Zachary Gay, Cambria Goodenbery, Lila Graff, Ainsley Kent, Ruth Kuipers, Alexander Kuszlyk, Isabella Lewis, Levi McGrath, Lillian Meier, Liliana Moore, Laney Niedzwiecki, Evan Phillips, Alexandra Pocock, Natalie Randall, Jenna Redick, Audrey Rimmerman, Michael Rogoyski, Genevieve Smith, Madeline Smith, Xavier Vargas, Jillian Weaver, Carson Wells, Paige Winkler 

Honor Roll - Ryanna Armstrong, Mason Farner, Josiah Hiscutt, Taylor Louis, Annabella Madera, Parker Moore, Brook Pagels, Lucy Rea, Cooper Sandow, Miley Stalica

Grade 9: 

High Honor Roll - Zoey Bower, Rylee Burch, Emalyn Canfield, Cody Carlson, Gianna Cicatelli, Lauren Gartz, Isabella Gifford, Wyatt Lewis, Taylor Lundfelt, Ian MacMillen, Logan Marou, Emma Matthews, Hannah Riedmiller, Elliana Tanner, Bradley Tatar, Jack Walker, Rena Wilson 

Honor Roll - Tyler Barberio, Nataly Barrera Zuniga, Audrey Dorman, Brayden Gelsomino, Azaya Maid, Seth Prefontaine, Theodore Schelemanow, Brandon Schuck, Kyle Smith

Grade 10: 

High Honor Roll - Sara Bishop, Liam Boyle, Sarah Campbell, Adam Cardenas, Gianna Clark, Connor Copani, Addison Cummings, Justin Deleo, Gary Donofrio, Gianna Graff, Megan Jarkiewicz, Nial Johnson, Pearl Jolliff, Carter Kuipers, Malacai McGrath, Grace Mundell, Paige O'Brien, Evan Orto, Bradley Pocock, Allison Rimmerman, Katherine Rogoyski, Simone Scharvogel, Rayne Sheard, Solomon Smith, Hayden Starkweather, Elizabeth Starowitz, Aubrey Stein, Emma Wolfe 

Honor Roll - Katelyn Ball, Laura Curts, Logan Czachorowski, Grace DiQuattro, Ava Goff, Mia Gray, Logan LeSage, Maryn Meier, Colin Rea, Andrea White, Evan Williams

Grade 11:

High Honor Roll - Ryan Benstead, Jake Carlson, Deborah Catalino, Kendall Chase, Abigail Cook, Isabella Davidson, Logan Fregoe, Ava Gray, Rachel Hanel, Ella Lewis, Jackson Lundfelt, Anna McLaughlin, Ian Pulcini, Sydney Salmonds, Ashley Schlenker-Stephens, Roman Smith, Lily Stalica, Rose Wilson, Jade Wolff

Honor Roll - Aiden Barberio, Isabelle Best, Zachary Brookhart, Noah Clare, Craig DiQuattro, Lea Donofrio, Annabelle Erion, Chesney Fregoe, Haylee Gartz, Peyton Goodenbery, Samuel Hersom, Eli Kupfer, Martin Mac Connell, Arianne McLaughlin, Connor Moran, Meghan Muscarella, Kasey Pagels, Adam Piper, Trent Sheard, Mikayla Yohon

Grade 12: 

High Honor Roll - Emma Balduf, Carlee Barons, Brody Baubie, Jeffrey Borycki, Tyler Chapman, Chloe Gilbert, Gabrielle Graff, Autumn Hafner, Mackenzie Hagen, Makala Hoopengardner, Kaidance Kimble, Hanna Loewke, Lincoln McGrath, Stephanie Onderdonk, Jillian Peters, Novalee Pocock, Quintin Rich, Victoria Rogoyski, Travis Shallenberger, Riley Sharpe, Malachi Smith, Lukas Volkmar, Lydia Zaffrann

Honor Roll - HannahRae Amador, Braedyn Chambry, James Heick, Colin Martin, Dru Nowatchik, Brendan Pimm, Carter Prinzi, Andrew Smith, Connor Windhauser, Megan Zwerka

Sharon Kubiniec, a downtown property owner and spokesperson for a group of businesses affected by construction staging of the new City of Batavia police facility, said Tuesday that a two-phase plan to alleviate a lack of handicap parking is “a step into the right direction.”

City Manager Rachael Tabelski sent the business owners and media a four-page plan and maps that would eventually bring back a first row of parking as one step toward improving the parking situation. 

“The proposed changes will help restore our trust in city government. Going forward we would hope that communication between city planners and  business owners/tenants would be frequent and ongoing,” Kubiniec said to The Batavian. “For instance, we need a plan for snow removal, salting the sidewalks and plowing the sidewalks in a timely matter. We can only hope that as this ever changing situation continues, we are given a chance to be heard. We need some things in writing and we still have some concerns about the final layout.”

Dr. Adam Gregor, a dentist at 180 Washington Ave., said that Phase II “does offer nearby parking,” but that “it’s hard to say that’s an improvement.”

“But, it is the city doing what they originally said they would. And for that, I’m thankful,” Gregor said. “Phase I still has concerns to me. Phase I should only be temporary and will last until June, when the weather won’t have as much of an effect. But I still won’t have any nearby or handicap parking during that time.

“I would suggest one additional curb cut near my office to try to limit patients being dropped off far away or at a potentially dangerous intersection,” he said. “Likewise, I would suggest that multiple spaces near the new access ramp be reserved for handicap parking or patients with limited mobility — they are the ones that need the access ramp the most.” 

Batavia city management sent out a new parking plan Tuesday for the downtown police station staging area in the parking lot at Alva Place and Bank Street. 

A dozen business owners have been without parking adjacent to their offices on the south side alongside the parking lot for the last three weeks, and some have complained to city management, City Council, local media and through a petition circulating on change.org. Those owners have been losing patients and/or getting cancellations and no-show appointments due to the safety issues and inconvenience of parking, they have said.

"Over the past two weeks, City leadership has held several meetings with the construction team and its project representatives, to find options that will allow for use of a portion of the City owned lot on Alva and Bank streets for customers of the adjacent businesses, while still allowing for the Police Station building project to be completed to the scale and scope originally intended,” City Manager Rachael Tabelski said in a letter to Washington Avenue and State Street businesses. “Providing patients and customers access to local businesses is a key priority for the City. This past week, the City issued an emergency change directive to replace the current and proposed configuration of the safety fencing.

“Please encourage your staff to park in the JC Penney lot across Alva Place. We also encourage you to share this parking plan with your customers,” Tabelski said.  “We will keep you apprised as plans for both phases move forward. Thank you for your patience as the construction project proceeds.”

Click here for our menu or to order online. Follow us on Facebook for daily specials

Press release:

Chapin International would like to announce that Jim Campbell, longtime CEO and President of the company, will be retiring at the end of 2024. Jim has not just guided but rather propelled Chapin through tremendous growth over the last twenty years of management.  

Since assuming the reins as CEO, Chapin has experienced exponential growth of over 400%, broadening its footprint with facilities in four states and two foreign countries, all under his visionary leadership.

Chapin's product portfolio has expanded from a market scope solely focused on sprayers to a multitude of adjacent categories, including lawn and salt spreaders, bird food and accessories, water and irrigation products, and custom blow molding. Chapin continues to develop new product offerings and expand within the market today. 

When asked about retirement, Jim quickly acknowledges that his team and all the folks who work in Batavia and the outside businesses have been critical to Chapin's continued success. 

“All good things happen because people pull together and make things happen,” said Campbell. “I am really proud to have worked with the men and women at Chapin. It is hard to leave as these are some of the best friends I have in the world. As I prepare to retire and join all my friends who have gone before me, I feel good about leaving the company in a very strong financial position, much larger, more resilient, and more diverse than when I started many years ago.”

Jim has been named to the Buffalo Business First List of the Power 250, recognizing the most influential people in Western New York's business community, for the last three years running.

Jim will continue to assist at Chapin from “time to time” in between fishing and working on his orchard.

We wish Jim a long and enjoyable retirement, which he has certainly earned. We are deeply grateful for his leadership and the indelible mark he has left on Chapin International.

At only 61, Steve Hyde isn't planning a second career after his final days with the Genesee County Economic Development Center; he's planning to try out an actual retirement -- for awhile, at least.

"My kind of core values in retirement, I think are, I want to spend more time with my family, do a little traveling," Hyde said in an exclusive interview with The Batavian on Monday. "I'll try to be around to help out, but it's time to step away from the limelight and the leadership role a little bit."

Hyde has led the EDC for 21 years, overseeing the construction of eight shovel-ready industrial parks, including WNY STAMP, the Genesee Valley Agribusiness Park, Apple Tree Acres, Buffalo East Tech Park, and Gateway I & II corporate parks, among them. During that time, GCEDC has assisted with more than 500 projects, from building expansions to whole new factories, worth a combined $2 billion-plus of investments leading to the creation of thousands of new jobs and increased tax revenue for municipalities and school districts.

"I just think it's a good time for me (to retire)," Hyde said. "I mean, I hit critical milestones for our retirement plan. Things are in good shape at EDC. There's lots of progress and more to do. But, you know, my hope was to get things up and running and on plane, and with Edwards breaking ground and the Ag Park almost full, the great work going on with O-AT-KA and Upstate and HP Hood. The other parks are filling up. The next generation is ready to move, and it just seemed like a good time to do it."

Hyde graduated from Batavia High School. He earned a bachelor of science in marketing, finance, and agricultural economics from Cornell University and an MBA in finance in sales and marketing from RIT. 

After earning his MBA, Hyde became manager of strategic finance/mergers and acquisitions for Xerox, followed by taking a shot in the start-up world with a software company before landing a VP of business and technology development at ResMed in Rochester.

Jim Vincent was chairman of the GCEDC board in 2002 when the agency began its search for a new president and CEO. There were several qualified candidates, Vincent said in a recorded message shared at the GCEDC annual meeting on Friday.

"Steve Hyde was our selection," Vincent said. "He is a gifted individual with experience from the big corporate world of Xerox. We were not sure if he was a good fit for a small town and small county economic development. We were won over by his commitment to home and family and his desire to raise his family here in Genesee County."

That was the start of a four-minute video in which community leaders praised Hyde's efforts to help Genesee County improve its business climate.

"There was no project or client that was too big or imposing," said Charlie Cook, chairman of the board for Liberty Pumps in Bergen. "He was determined that Genesee County be recognized statewide, even nationwide, as a great place to locate.

"Steve's approach to economic development was comprehensive and creative," Cook added. "Beyond the projects themselves, he was focused on the supporting peripherals, such as park development, infrastructure, workforce supply, workforce development, and even housing."

Hyde was quick to point out during his interview with The Batavian that "it takes a village" to succeed in economic development and that not only has he been blessed with a great team while leading the industrial development agency, the agency has also had great partners at the state and regional level.

"It wasn't just me," Hyde said. "I was just a part of the partnership that was really focused. I think about the number of organizations that really locked arms together to advance our shovel-ready sites, workforce development, and downtown revitalization strategies. I've been just really pleased to see that."

Hyde believes those efforts have been successful for Genesee County.

"The industrial parks have really helped really bring manufacturing back," Hyde said. "That's really been our focus for the past 20 years. I think we've had some good progress there, and they'll continue growing. I think we're seeing things grow, though not everything's perfect. Our downtown areas are seeing tons of redevelopment, making it a better place to live, work and play, but not everything's perfect in economic development, as you know."

In 2022, the most recent data available, Hyde was paid a salary of $249,752.

While leading the GCEDC, Hyde also served on the board of education for Batavia City Schools from 2007 to 2011. He is a past chairman of the New York State Economic Development Council and a member of the board of directors of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council. Those are all voluntary positions. 

Hyde's 21 years at the helm of the agency haven't been without choppy waters and controversy.

In 2011, the agency was criticized for $344,000 in bonuses paid to GCEDC employees from 2005 to 2009. The bonus plan was eventually eliminated. 

In 2013, The Batavian scrutinized tax abatements awarded to COR Development to help the owner of Batavia Towne Center on Veterans Memorial Drive attract Dick's Sporting Goods and Kohl's Department Store to the former Lowe's Home Improvement location, raising the level of corporate competition for local retailers.

In 2015, the sudden closure of the Muller Quaker yogurt plant in the Genesee Valley Agribusiness Park looked at first glance like a crushing blow to the cause of economic development. Pepsi Co. and the Muller Group from Germany invested more than $200 million in the plant only to shutter operations less than three years after its opening. The companies had been promised more than $11 million in tax abatements to build the plant, and people who misunderstood how tax abatements work thought the company was walking away with a windfall.  However, both companies lost any pending tax breaks (a big portion of that $11 million), and Pepsi, a publicly traded company, reported a $60 million loss on the project. It's unknown how much Muller lost as a result of the business failure.

In 2015, Dairy Farmers of America acquired the plant for $60 million, and after paying a full-load property tax bill of more than $600,000 in 2016 on the property, sold the plant in 2017 to H.P. Hood for $54,216,000.  Since then, the plant has undergone multiple expansions, employing hundreds of people beyond initial projections and turning it into one of GCEDC's biggest success stories.

Another yogurt plant, built by Alpina in the Ag Park, has undergone a similar transformation, from a failed business venture by the South America-based dairy company to a success for Upstate Niagara.

WNY STAMP has also seen its share of starts and stops.  The most notorious was the highly-touted plans to build innovative solar panels on property in the tech park in the town of Alabama. After 1366, Technologies was unable to secure backing from the Department of Energy (largely, it seems, because then Sen. Chris Collins failed to endorse the project). The company decided to build its plant in Malaysia.  It's unclear if that plant was ever built. It later merged with a solar company and became CubicPV, which, earlier this year, scrapped plans to build a new manufacturing plant in the United States.

No new development plans were announced for STAMP until 2021, when another green energy company, Plug Power, which converts water into hydrogen fuel, announced plans to build a $264 million plant there.  At this point, a good deal of the plant's development has been completed, but the company doesn't expect the plant to start producing fuel until 2025.  Plug Power is itself a controversial company, with the stock currently trading at $2.60. Investors have become increasingly weary of a company that has never made a profit in more than 20 years of its existence. Plug Power is awaiting word on a $1.5 billion low-interest loan from the Department of Energy that will help it complete its hydrogen fuel plants. Once fully operational, those plants are expected to lift company revenue sufficiently to close the profitability gap. Meanwhile, the company is facing a shareholder lawsuit.

WNY STAMP has also faced some opposition from environmental groups, and the Department of Environmental Conservation is being sued by the Tonawanda Senecas over its permitting of aspects of the project.  The GCEDC has already defeated a lawsuit filed by Orleans County, but the DEC did recently require modifications to the sewer pipeline that was going to carry some waste from STAMP, so the agency has reached agreements with the town of Alabama and the town of Oakfield for an alternative sewer line.

Hyde's retirement announcement, however, coincided with good news for the IDA.  Edwards Vacuum, planning a $319 million factory at STAMP, broke ground on Friday.

Hyde always takes all of these ups and downs in stride, saying, as he does often, that "economic development is a marathon, not a sprint."  The business world is full of challenges, and few things go as expected.

When a business deal falls apart, Hyde understands.  Those things are going to happen. 

What has been harder to deal with -- and it's largely a more recent phenomenon -- is the amount of reporting from some media outlets, especially in Buffalo, that either employ reporters who don't understand business and economics, leave out critical information, or get information wrong.

"I think the biggest challenge for the job, especially so in the last few years, is the amount of misinformation that gets out into the public because facts are made up or manipulated rather than properly stated," Hyde said. "You know, I thank you because you've been one of the media outlets that has always worked hard to bring the facts to the table, but other outlets across the region have really created a smokescreen of misinformation. So misinformation, I think, is one of the biggest challenges." 

Some of these outlets' inaccurate reporting has helped fuel social media attacks on Hyde. Asked if this has led him to seek an early exit, he said it hasn't.

"I'm a human being," Hyde said. "I have feelings, just like we all do. I've done nothing while in this role but to try and do everything I can to create more and better jobs for our residents and kids, you know, but being shot at by certain media outlets that don't have the facts portrayed correctly, it certainly is impactful and not helpful. I can't say that that drove me out of the job. No, but it can be heavy at times."

Hyde informed the GCEDC board months ago that he planned to retire in July. A committee has been busy seeking candidates, and Hyde suggested that his replacement could be announced soon.  Hiring his replacement is entirely up to the GCEDC board, though the input of the Genesee County Legislature and Empire State Development is possible.

"It's truly a local decision," Hyde said. "The County Legislature, of course, gets to provide some input, but they don't get deeply involved, either. They've been wonderful that way, great partners, through the years, but they empower the board to let it be a local decision based on the people who know how these agencies are run."

In retirement, he looks forward to relaxing with his wife JoAnn at their home at Conesus Lake, which will become their full-time residence.

Hyde has expertise in negotiating business development deals that might continue to be in demand, and he's also gone down the entrepreneurial start-up route once. Might he be lured back into one of these roles again?  Hyde has no such plans, he said. He said that going the start-up route once was enough, and while he's available to offer advice to his former colleagues, he thinks they're more than capable and will do fine just by keeping on doing what they're doing.

"At this juncture, I'm gonna take some time off and spend it with the family and friends, and probably for several months, if not longer, just to try to, you know, figure out what retirement looks like. Maybe something down the road, but I made a commitment to my wife JoAnn that we would do that. We've got to. We've got a second grandson coming in a couple of weeks, so I want to help out there. It'll be fun."

John and Debbie Konieczny have been frequent fliers in the downtown medical community for the last twenty years, getting their dental, podiatry and chiropractic needs met there. 

With physical challenges — he has ulcers on the bottom of his 68-year-old feet, and she has had two knee replacements, and both use canes to walk — they are now biding their time that adjacent handicapped parking will be restored next to their doctors’ offices.

“You can’t find parking on Washington, or if you do, you have to climb up the curb to get in, and it’s not safe when the grass is wet. We don’t know what the next step is, if he’s gonna have to be put in a wheelchair, if that’s the case, we won’t be coming,” Mrs. Konieczny, 72, said Monday while waiting for her appointment at Dr. Thomas Mazurkiewicz’s office at 184 Washington Ave. “I’m not making any decision because I know we both need his service, and my dentist is right next door. So there’s got to be something that can be done. They haven’t even broke ground yet, and they’ve got it all fenced off.”

She suggested that the city should have just taken the JC Penney building for a new police facility. However, that site was purchased quite awhile ago by a West Coast developer. According to consultant studies, the current police station at 10 W. Main St. has already been deemed too costly and awkward to retrofit for a police station that would work for all of the city’s needs. 

She said Mr. Konieczny cannot get to Canzoneri’s office, though, given his issues, he cannot afford to stop seeking medical care.

To be clear, it was fairly easy to walk to Canzoneri’s office on Monday. But there is to be a fence installed right up to the sidewalk, and a portion of the walkway removed as construction progresses, staff said. At that point, no one will have a path for getting into the office as there is no second entrance, and the sidewalk from State Street has uneven blocks of the walk and a hill from the street up toward a more level portion, which will make it difficult for people with canes, crutches and wheelchairs, staff said.

Canzoneri posted a notice on his building door and sent out a press release Monday that stated his business, Advanced Podiatry Associates, is making every effort to accommodate patients during the construction of the city police station. The doctor is currently attempting to secure a new temporary location for his practice with plenty of handicap accessibility and ample parking for the next two years.

Meanwhile, a staff member said there have been several cancellations—about 15 a day—since construction and a lack of nearby parking began three weeks ago. 

Mazurkiewicz’s office staff said his practice lost 10 to 15 patients in that same period, in addition to having more “no-shows.”

Next door is dentist Dr. Adam Gregor, who has been in the space since February 2022. He has a solid clientele of 3,000 people who have remained with him, though frustrated and late for appointments at times, he said. 

“I think to a certain extent, I don't think I've dealt with the same hardships as some other businesses here. I haven't had patients that have had to cancel their appointments that I'm aware of. I think for the most part, some patients are coming in late, understandably so. But for the most part, the patients I have scheduled, I still am able to see them. It's just sometimes they're late. Oftentimes, they're frustrated. But we're getting through it.

I think most of us, as business owners, are on the same page. We're not trying to hang up this project, or delay this project, or stop the project, it's just a matter of, what was presented to us originally, is different than the current situation. If we had been aware of what the true situation would have been, I think we would have been able to give some input or try to prevent some of these problems from developing. So, mainly, it's just a patient safety issue. It's one thing for a healthy patient to make a little extended walk, but for these patients that need handicapped parking or have difficulty with mobility, those are the people we're trying to look out for the most.”

Business owners have met with city management and council members, and Gregor said he thinks “they are aware of our concerns.” He said that the owners have been vocal and issued a petition to garner support from patients and the public, which has at least 300 signatures. But now it seems to be a matter of timing.

“I think they understand how serious of a concern it can be, I think they are listening. It’s just a matter of these measures: how fast can we implement them? Like, we needed them yesterday,” he said. “So that’s the thing: we don’t know how long or what kind of timetable we’re looking at.”

The Batavian reached out to City Manager Rachael Tabelski for an update on the situation and to respond to a business owner’s contention that more parking spots were being removed in the Alva and Bank lot Monday morning. 

“The fence has not moved today,” Tabelski said. “Updates in the next few days with parking accommodations.”

A patch of grass was being dug up alongside a sidewalk on the south side of the Washington Avenue buildings. Marc Johnson of Millennium Computer had previously offered use of his grassy property for a parking area, and Tabelski seemed to favor the idea. However, nothing official has been announced about that idea.

The bottom line for Gregor and Mazurkiewicz was to restore the first row of parking alongside the parking lot side of Washington Avenue businesses for handicapped parking. Other solutions that still put patients on Washington Avenue aren’t free from issues, such as what Kate, a paraplegic who didn’t want her last name used, deals with on a regular basis.

Kate goes to Mazurkiewicz in her modified truck with a door that opens up like a Lamborghini. 

“And I usually require a handicap spot with the crosshatch lines. Well, of course, the Jerome Center doesn't have those handicapped ones; they only just have handicapped spots. That's it. So how the hell am I supposed to get out of my truck?" she said. "So now I’ve got to drive around trying to find an end spot to get out of my truck, then I have to take my button, go all the way around to my appointment, not to mention right in the middle of trying to get on the sidewalk. There's huge, ginormous stones. So I had to go over those, and one almost got in my tire and stuck in it."

Parking on the street would mean opening that big door onto the street side, she said. And she’s apprehensive about the way people drive while she’d attempt getting in and out of her vehicle if parked on Washington.

“Not on this street. Absolutely not. I wouldn't trust it in a heartbeat,” she said. “People are not paying attention like some of them run through (the stop sign) or just texting and driving or yelling at a kid or something. They're not paying attention.”

She is used to some inconveniences, such as ignorance about giving her vehicle adequate space and respecting handicap rules, and isn’t sure how this whole thing will shake out over the next 18 months.

“That's another thing I hate about people with those stickers because they're taken away from us. Like, it's just not fair. And then I have a thing on my door that says, I have a modified vehicle, you know, park at least 15 feet away. Nobody reads it. And just ignorance. So, like I said, I don't think there's a solution to this,” she said. “And I don't know how long it's gonna take, but I mean, it's definitely like I had to come, I don't know, 25 minutes earlier to this appointment. Usually, I'm in and out in five minutes.”

Beyond the city’s support, another group — the downtown Business Improvement District — has been oddly quiet, some city business owners, including former BID President Paul Marchese said. 

All of the businesses involved in this issue pay BID property taxes and are members of the nonprofit group. Marchese emailed 33 BID members, encouraging them to unite and send a message to the city that what’s happening to those dozen businesses is not right and should be resolved.

A member of the Batavia Town Planning Board, Marchese is familiar with how state environmental quality reviews (SEQR) happen, and believes that perhaps this project didn’t merit a negative declaration, which means there would be no negative impact on the surrounding area and entities due to the project. 

The city filed a negative SEQR. “This is as far from that as possible. We would like SEQRA reopened, and the declaration changed to a positive one. We also request the fencing be removed and replaced with the one shown originally to all affected that provided them with parking in the lot of their respective businesses,” he said.

He also wanted to make clear that “we also resolve we are in full support of the police and all other emergency workers” as opposed to statements made by city leaders implying otherwise. He implored BID members to take a stand and have a voice instead of remaining silent in the face of the ongoing battle between those 12 businesses and city management.

Marchese was not certain who the current BID president was. The Batavian contacted BID Executive Director Shannon Maute for a current list of board members and president and asked if BID was going to respond to the parking issue. She did not return the phone call or email a response as requested.