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Press release:

Following a record-setting year of projects, Site Selection Magazine has ranked Batavia and Genesee County as the fifth most active micropolitan in the United States for business growth. Batavia and Genesee County continue to be recognized for financial investment and job commitments and economic impact at the region’s various shovel-ready sites.

Site Selection Magazine noted that the GCEDC assisted many businesses who made significant financial investments at its shovel ready sites across the county in 2021, including the Gateway II Corporate Park, Apple Tree Acres Business Park, Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, Buffalo East Tech Park, and Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP).

Among the projects cited by Site Selection Magazine were Plug Power’s $232 million financial investment at STAMP. Plug Power has commenced construction at the 1,250-acre mega site on North America’s largest green hydrogen project. The project is targeting to create 68 new jobs and will generate the largest contributions toward local municipalities and infrastructure of any commercial-industrial project in Genesee County.

"The Site Selection Governor's Cup Rankings once again confirm that Genesee County continues to build a strong and diverse economy,” said GCEDC Board Chairman Pete Zeliff. “I am proud of the work of our board and hard-working staff at the GCEDC to be once again recognized by Site Selection Magazine."

“Genesee County continues to demonstrate that our community is a great place to work, live and recreate through the significant financial investments being made by the private sector,” said Genesee County Chair Shelley Stein.

Projects assisted by the GCEDC in 2021 resulted in $343.5 million in financial investment and 171 new jobs being pledged. These projects are estimated to result in an economic impact of $645 million in Genesee County.

“Site selection professionals are increasingly seeing the Buffalo-Rochester Tech Corridor's talent, low-cost 100% renewable electricity, and sites like STAMP as a competitive combination of assets,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde.  “The efforts by Governor Hochul and the New York State Senate and Assembly to commit funding to making sites like STAMP even more shovel-ready will make us even more competitive both nationally and internationally.”

This is the seventeenth consecutive year that Batavia and Genesee County have been recognized as the top micropolitan for business growth in the northeast U.S., and as a top 5 micropolitan in the U.S for the 11th time since 2005.

Press release from Automobile Association of America:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $4.07, up 46 cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.77. The New York State average is 4.26, up 46 cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.83. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $4.23 (up 48 cents from last week)
• Buffalo - $4.21 (up 46 cents from last week)
• Ithaca - $4.22 (up 41 cents from last week)
• Rochester - $4.24 (up 45 cents from last week)
• Rome - $4.22 (up 44 cents from last week)
• Syracuse - $4.24 (up 49 cents from last week)
• Watertown - $4.25 (up 46 cents from last week)

According to oilprice.com, the United States has confirmed that it is in talks with European allies to potentially sanction Russian crude oil in response to Moscow's ongoing aggression in Ukraine – that sent oil prices over $130. This morning, oil prices are more than $124 per barrel – in August, oil prices were $30 per barrel. At one point during the pandemic they were below zero, in negative territory.

From Gas Buddy:

“There are few words to describe the unprecedented rise in gasoline prices over the last week, with massive spikes coast to coast in both gasoline and diesel prices, as oil prices jump to their highest since 2008. Forget the $4 per gallon mark, the nation will soon set new all-time record highs and we could push closer to a national average of $4.50/gal. California could be heading for $5.50 per gallon with more stations charging $6 and beyond," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "We've never been in this situation before, with this level of uncertainty. As we lose a major global producer under the weight of deserving bipartisan sanctions for invading a sovereign country, the cost is high. Americans will be feeling the pain of the rise in prices for quite some time, with little good news foreseen."

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) joined two Kindergarten classes from Elba Elementary School and a first grade class from Holley Elementary School to celebrate Read Across America Week by reading Dr Seuss' "I Am Not Going To Get Up Today!” virtually to students on Zoom. Hawley has made it a point to celebrate Read Across America Day annually with local students to emphasize the importance of reading and how books can both engross them in fictional worlds of fantasy and teach them more about their own world.

 

“Beyond its practical applications in day-to-day life, the early development of a love for reading puts children on a path to lead richer lives, armed with perspectives about our world and human experiences they wouldn’t otherwise develop in their day-to-day lives,” said Hawley. “More than that, reading is a productive and affordable pastime that provides us all a means of immersing ourselves in any setting imaginable, whether fantastical or historical, sparking feelings of joy and wonder like few other activities can.”

Sunnking, the electronics recycling company based in Brockport, is returning to Batavia for another large recycling event at Genesee County Department of Social Services, 5130 E. Main St., Batavia on June 25.

More details will be released closer to the event but registration will open in March.

In the meantime, the company is asking WNY residents to name its electronics shredder.  The winner of the naming contest will win either tickets to Darien Lake Theme Park or Rochester Americans game.

Here's the full press release:

Sunnking is excited to announce its first-ever "Name the Shredder Contest." The Sunnking Name the Shredder Contest allows residents and businesses across New York to submit their best and most creative names for its electronics shredder, which destroys over 10 million lbs of recycled devices each year.

Participants have until March 18th, Global Recycling Day, to submit their most creative shredder name using the submission form on our website: sunnking.com/contest.

Winners will have their shredder name featured on Sunnking's website and live streaming shredder feed. The winner will also receive a Sunnking swag bag and their choice of EITHER four (4) tickets to Six Flags Darien Lake OR four (4) tickets to a Rochester Americans game and four (4) tickets to a Rochester Knighthawks game of their choice.

Since its launch in mid-August, Sunnking's Live Shredder Camera feed has been viewed for more than 500 hours by people all over the world.

"We've seen people name boats, snowplows, zoo animals, so why not give them a chance to enjoy naming the machine that recycles their unused devices," said Robert Burns, Sunnking's Marketing Director. "The Name the Shredder Contest is a fun way to connect with our community and promote the impact of responsibly recycling their electronics and the data security process behind it."

All names must be submitted by Friday, March 18th, 2022.

Five (5) finalists will be announced on March 28th through a website poll on sunnking.com/contest where the public can vote on their favorite.

Winners will be announced on Thursday, April 14th, 2022.

Everyone must submit original and creative shredder names on our contest website: sunnking.com/contest.

Press release:

Pay It Forward is a unique initiative at Bell Bank, putting dollars into the hands of our Bell team members every year so they can give where they see the most need. This tradition has empowered millions of dollars in grassroots giving and impacted tens of thousands of lives. The Bell Bank PAY IT Forward program has existed for 12 years with 12,000 stories and $17 million in giving. Bell Bank is proud to Pay IT Forward with this donation to Crossroads House in memory of activist Jeremy Tjhung.

Dash Hamblin, a mortgage loan officer with Bell Bank Mortgage requested this donation. He is a former resident of Horseshoe Lake in Batavia.
Jeremy’s sister Vinnie (pictured) was Mr. Hamblin’s special education teacher to his adopted son Matthew. He now resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Fargo North Dakota. Bell Bank is the largest privately-owned local bank in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Bell Bank has 2000 employees at its 16 locations, with assets totaling over $12 billion. While many companies focus solely on net profits, Bell

Bank and Bell Bank Mortgage’s “bottom line” statement is unusually simple: “Happy Employees! Happy Customers!”

We believe that if we create a great environment for our employees, who in turn give outstanding service to our customers, we will build stronger communities.

Press release:

Six Flags Darien Lake, The Thrill Capital of New York, will rebrand its Splashtown waterpark to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, and launch a massive, new slide for the 2022 season. Towering a staggering 60 feet tall, Wahoo Wave will rank as one of the tallest water rides in the waterpark and its one-of-a-kind “water wave wall” will boost the park’s already robust roster of heat-beating attractions.

“Six Flags is committed to making the park bigger, better and now wetter than ever with the addition of this world-class waterpark attraction, Wahoo Wave,” said Park President Chris Thorpe. “With non-stop, soaking thrills for the entire family, Hurricane Harbor will be the perfect summertime escape.”

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor additions include the following features:

• Expanded seating and additional lounge chairs;
• Improved shaded areas;
• Selfie photo spot featuring a 20-foot shark prop; and
• New, tropically-themed wave pool mural.

Following a six-story climb to the top of the tower, Wahoo Wave riders will twist through a hairpin turn, followed by a corkscrew. Without warning, riders in four-person tubes will plunge down an unforgettable, three-story drop. This adrenaline-packed adventure will send riders into near-vertical motions to experience extended hang times and zero g-forces.

Wahoo Wave slide complex features:

• Near vertical motions on a four-person tube;
• Thirty-foot vertical plunge;
• Whirlpool bowl;
• Huge water wave wall, where guests will feel zero-gravity bliss; and
• Refreshing catch pool.

Construction on Wahoo Wave has begun and is expected to be complete when the waterpark opens this May.

Six Flags Darien Lake will operate weekends and select weekdays May 27 until June 24, and daily through Labor Day. The park will not operate on Tuesdays.

Press release:

Nominations are currently being accepted for this year’s induction class of the Oakfield-Alabama Alumni Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding OACS alumni who have achieved distinction in their lives and chosen field after high school through significant contributions to their career, community, or personal achievements.

If you know a person who meets the following criteria, please consider nominating him/her for this prestigious honor:

1. Nominees must be graduates of OACS or one of its predecessors or have been active in school classes and activities during their senior year. (Nominees who left school while in good standing to perform military service are also eligible. Deceased alumni are not eligible for induction until the fifth anniversary of the year of their death.)
2. Nominees must have graduated prior to 2007.
3. Selection is based on achievement after leaving OACS which includes a worthy record in more than one, and exemplary achievement in at least one of the following categories:
   • Job-related achievements
   • Professional honors and awards, professional affiliations, publications
   • Civic or community involvement
   • Personal achievements/accomplishments
   • Positive impact on the communities in the Oakfield-Alabama school district

Anyone may submit a nomination for any person meeting the criteria stated above. Nominations must be made during the nomination period only (March 1 – May 15) by using the Online Nomination Form or the PDF Nomination Form (see link below). Electronically submitted nominations are strongly preferred over mailed-in, hardcopy nominations.

Access the Online Nomination Form here.

Press release:

Genesee Amateur Hockey Association hosted 34 children at the Batavia Ice Rink (aka The David McCarthy Memorial Ice Area) on Evans Street on Saturday, March 5th for a Try Hockey For Free clinic as part of  USA Hockey  Week  Across  America.  Starting at 111:50 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. local youth, ages 4 to 9, were welcomed at the Rink to experience getting on the ice, learning how to “skate”, get up after falling, basic skills with a hockey stick, and shooting punks into a hockey net (all by being guided by the head coach and on-ice helpers).

“We look forward to welcoming families to Batavia Ice Rink to try our great sport of ice hockey,” said Sharon Gray, Coordinator of the “Try Hockey for Free” event.  “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces.”

The head coach for today’s event is Erik Triftshauser along with Fred Hamilton – both with more than 20 years plus starting out as GAHA players, high school players and GAHA coaches over the years.  Their on-ice helpers are mostly from this year’s United high school teams along with the sons.

The event is hosted by the Try Hockey for Free Coordinators – Sharon and Bob Gray and the GAHA Beginner Player Coordinator – Marcia Barnes.  It is the team’s goal to provide the hockey experience to area youngsters free of charge and encourage them to come October become a player in the GAHA Beginner Program which starts the first week of October.  The Beginner Program consists of two sessions (October to December and January to March) with a total of 15 on-ice hours per session.

The skates used by the youngsters are being provided “free of charge” by the Firland Rink Management Group.

USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge. 

Photos by Erin Staley.

Press release:

The GAHA organization is saluting the Batavia Ramparts PeeWee Empire team as they finished their 2021-2022 hockey season as undefeated league CHAMPIONS!.

Their record for the season was 19-0-1.

This hardworking team of 13 talented and team-focused athletes was led by Head Coach Ian D’Alba, along with coaching staff including Dylan D’Alba, Mark McNeil, Roger Barnes, Joe Pellegrino, and Manager Libby Webster.

Team comradery, focus, dedication, hustle, and drive were all part of the success of this PeeWee Empire team and all that they accomplished together to make this season an unforgettable one. Each team member brought not only skill to the ice but passion for the game as well. The strengths and improvements made throughout the season were the foundation for a phenomenal team and season which allowed them to skate away as league champions. Way to go Ramparts on your success and all the memories created.

Thank you to all of the amazing supporters of the Batavia Ramparts PeeWee Empire team in helping make it a truly unforgettable season.

Players:

• #44  Aidyn Smith - Forward
• # 2  Chase Banser - Forward
• #77 Colleen McNeil - Defense
• #  3 Cullam Finn -  Goalie
• #29 Cyrus D'Alba - Defense
• #13 Drew Beachel - Defense
• #82 James Rachow - Forward
• # 5  Joseph Pellegrino - Center
• #28 Lilyana Rodriguez - Defense
• # 7 Mason Pappalardo - Forward
• # 8 Reid Webster - Forward
• #18 Tobias Rockcastle - Center
• # 80 Xander Morton - Forward

Press release:

The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Karen Crittenden on Tuesday at Go-Art/Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St, Batavia at 7 p.m.

She will be doing a Drum Fun hands-on demo with African Drums. Also doing a transfer of a Mandela onto a drum.  Non-Members are welcome for a $5 fee.

Press release:

Sheridan Benefits, LLC will host a series of ‘Medicare 101 Table  Chats’ at three GLOW YMCA branches the week of March 7, 2022. Biggs Johnson with Sheridan  Benefits will be available to present information to those approaching Medicare age to learn about the program and to answer questions from current Medicare beneficiaries.

Orleans County YMCA
306 Pearl Street, Medina
Monday, March 7 from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Genesee County YMCA
209 East Main Street, Batavia
Wednesday, March 9 from 9 – 11 a.m.

Wyoming County YMCA
115 Linwood Ave, Warsaw
Thursday, March 10 from 9 – 11 a.m.

These events are an opportunity to obtain important information Medicare eligible individuals will need in order to learn how Medicare works, discover changes within the program, review  different coverage types and see which plans are the best for you and your current needs.

Medicare 101 Table Chats are open to the public. 

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is traveling to the southern border today to meet with members of Border Patrol and local law enforcement, tour detention facilities, and observe ports of entry and technology being deployed at the border.

“As a member of Congress, I believe it is imperative to see challenges facing our nation firsthand and to hear directly from the people facing them in order to be a more effective representative,” Jacobs said. “Since President Biden took office and undid the successful policies of President Trump that discouraged illegal immigration, we have seen a growing national security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border. Most recently, we have seen record amounts of fentanyl crossing into our country.”

This is Jacobs' third trip to the southern border since being elected to Congress. In June of 2021, Jacobs traveled to the southern border with President Trump to meet with Border Patrol agents and observe the impacts of President Biden’s decision to cancel the construction of the border wall.

“The Biden administration has created a crisis at our southern border – one that impacts the safety and well-being of every American. Once criminals and illicit drugs cross our southern border, they move throughout the nation,” Jacobs said. “Fentanyl trafficked across our southern border continues to fuel the opioid epidemic in communities across our country and right here at home. Securing our southern border and providing our brave Border Patrol agents with every resource they need has never been more important to the health, safety, and security of our nation.”

Press release:

Six successful leaders will provide an active discussion on "Climate Change and Sustainability" at the 2022 Wolcott J. Humphrey III Symposium on Leadership and Community Life on April 21, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. at the Richard C. Call Arena on the Genesee Community College's Batavia Campus.

The opening presentation by keynote, Peter Boyd, CEO & Founder of Time4Good and Resident Fellow at Yale Center for Business and Development, will be followed by a panel moderated by Dr. Benjamin Houlton, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. A luncheon will be provided with the opportunity for groups to network afterward.

Speakers are distinguished in their areas of expertise and innovation to the challenges of climate change.

Dr. Benjamin Z. Houlton is the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a Cornell University professor in the Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and of Global Development. An accomplished international scientist, his research interests include global ecosystem processes, climate change solutions, and agricultural sustainability. As founding co-chair of the California Collaborative for Climate Change solutions, Ben works with researchers from key research institutions to accelerate the translation of research findings into practical climate solutions. He also directs more than 100 acres of farmland carbon sequestration projects to improve crop yields and create new financial markets for farmers and ranchers. Ben has published his research in leading scientific journals including Nature, Science and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As part of his mission to connect scientific discovery with the public, he is also a frequent guest on regional and national news programs.

Andrew J. Marsh joined Plug Power as president and CEO in April 2008. Under his leadership, Plug Power has been a leading innovator in the alternative energy field, helping create an entirely new hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) market in the material handling space as the world moves towards electrification in mobility applications. This new market has proven to be one of the first successful endeavors to commercialize HFC technology. Today, the firm's fuel cell solutions, including its GenKey suite and ProGen engine line, are leveraged by global marketplace leaders such as Amazon, Walmart and Carrefour to power industrial electric vehicles.

William D. Carleton is general manager, Solar Operations and Maintenance at Clearway Energy Group based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Will is responsible for overseeing the safe and reliable operations of 15 utility-, 275 commercial-, and industrial-scale solar assets across the United States totaling over 1500 megawatts of generation capacity. Under his leadership, Clearway has rapidly become one of the top solar owners/operators in the country. This has been accomplished through a dedication to the people who work for him and ensuring that not only are they able to handle all technical issues that arise but are also good stewards of the communities in which they operate.

Suzanne Hunt is co-owner of Hunt Country Vineyards, her family's seventh-generation farm and 40-year-old winery in the Finger Lakes. She is also policy director for Generate Capital which finances, builds, owns, and operates sustainable infrastructure projects in North America, South America, and Europe. From 2007 to 2021 Suzanne was a cleantech and climate policy consultant solving problems in energy, agriculture, and transportation. Her firm Hunt Green LLC's clients included a wide variety of private equity firms, government agencies, startups, Fortune 500 companies, and nonprofits. At the winery, Suzanne has spearheaded a multitude of sustainability and climate resilience efforts - including energy efficiency, geothermal heating/cooling, solar PV, micro-wind, soil health, carbon sequestration, sustainable building materials, waste reduction, wildlife habitat, and advocacy. In 2021 Suzanne and her parents were recognized by Wine Business Monthly as some of the top leaders who shape the way the wine industry operates.

Curt A. Gooch is a Dairy Environmental System Solutions Expert at Land O'Lakes and a Cornell Senior Extension Associate Emeritus. Curt found his passion for animal agriculture early in life and has been fortunate to work professionally for over 30 years serving the US dairy industry. His unique combination of on-farm experience, professional preparation, technical experience, and industry leadership on environmental sustainability has resulted in positive impacts at the farm, milk shed, state, regional and national levels. He works extensively across the US and abroad, contributing towards dairy environmental, economic, and social sustainability with the goal of having dairy products on sustainable food plates. Curt is a technical and practical expert in the cradle to farm gate dairy environmental systems encompassing dairy facilities and management, cow comfort and well-being, manure handling, advanced manure treatment for energy recovery (anaerobic digestion) and nutrient recovery, environmental impact reduction and assessment, farmstead greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions quantification, mitigation, and off-farm offsets. He serves on the Innovation Center for US Dairy Environmental Stewardship Committee and the National Milk Producers Environmental Issues Committee. Curt earned a Master of Science degree in biological resources engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural engineering, both from the University of Maryland College Park, and became a licensed professional engineer in 1996. Curt utilizes his farm upbringing to approach work from a systems solution's perspective based on identified end goals. He thrives when working with others committed to common outcomes and targeted impacts.

Peter Boyd teaches and coaches a wide variety of students, executives, and teams on 'Connected Leadership' and the opportunities arising from leading the transition to sustainability. In addition to his lecturer positions at Yale and consulting work with Time4Good; he serves on the Expert Peer Review Group for the UN's 'Race To Zero' campaign and is on the Senior Advisory Council for the Integrity Council for Voluntary Carbon Markets. Locally, he is Chair of Sustainable Westport in his hometown. He has worked on, led, and advised, high-growth organizations on leadership, strategy, time maximization, team alignment, and entrepreneurial opportunity. His private-sector experience started with McKinsey & Co then spanned over ten jobs in twelve years at the Virgin Group, including CEO of Virgin Mobile South Africa. In non-profit and government, he was Launch Director and COO of Sir Richard Branson's Carbon War Room; served as Chair of The Energy Efficiency Deployment Office for the UK Department of Energy & Climate Change; and led The B Team's 'Net-Zero by 2050' initiative focused on business encouragement for an ambitious Paris Agreement at COP21.

The Wolcott J. Humphrey III Symposium on Leadership and Community Life is named in honor of Mr. Humphrey who died unexpectedly in 2001. As president of the former Pavilion State Bank and an active member of numerous civic organizations, Mr. Humphrey frequently spoke about the need for a forum where community and business leaders could hear and learn the world's best ideas about leadership. The first symposium was held in 2003 and featured Syracuse University Basketball Coach Jim Boeheim who spoke about leadership and perseverance.

Registration is available online at https://gccfoundationinc.org/humphrey. Lunch is included along with the opportunity to network with others.

Press Release:

To stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, Notre Dame held a special "dress in yellow and blue" day and raised over $800.00.  All money raised will go toward the World Central Kitchen www.wck.org which is a well-known organization working on the front lines in Ukraine and on the borders to make sure all are fed!

Pictured are students from ND's junior and senior classes.

Press release:

Today we congratulate Ray Tourt, Superintendent of Maintenance, for his leadership and dedication to the City of Batavia, the Department of Public Works, and the Bureau of Maintenance.  Ray has served the City of Batavia since 1999, and last week announced his retirement. 

Tourt served as the resident engineer and project administrator for the $28M reconstruction of NY Route 5 Main Street Project, multiple road and sidewalk construction projects, snow plowing and operations, parks as well as the City’s automotive repair facility.

“It was a pleasure to work with Ray, and I wish him all the best in his retirement.  He will be passing on his wealth of knowledge to Scott Allen the new Superintendent.  Scott Allen has been appointed and will start in his new role on Thursday, March 31, 2022,” said Rachael J. Tabelski, City Manager.

Allen has served the City for 23 years in various capacities, working in the sewer department to repair and rebuild manholes, as well as cleaning City streets and sidewalks.  He advanced quickly to the position of full-time Mechanic and later, Mechanic Supervisor where he is responsible for scheduling the repair and maintenance of the City’s entire fleet of vehicles, scheduling crews, procuring parts/supplies, and supervising snow operations, and emergencies.  

The Superintendent of the Bureau of Maintenance is responsible for:

1. Street Maintenance and Cleaning- responsible for the safe and productive repair and maintenance of all City streets, and parking lots.  The City maintains 50 miles of City roads, 7 miles of State Roads, pavement markings, traffic signs, 12 municipal parking lots and contracting out sidewalk repair.
2. Public Works Garage- responsible for maintenance and repair of the entire fleet of city vehicles, heavy and small equipment.
3. Snow Removal- Snow and ice removal from all City streets and parking lots.  A priority snow removal plan is employed to ensure that all City streets and parking lots are easily passable and safe for all vehicular traffic. 
4. Parks, Refuse and Recycling- maintain 95 acres of City parklands, athletic fields, tennis courts, Spray Park, City Hall grounds, downtown, and other City-owned green spans.  Parks also provide funding for tree trimming and removal of trees on City properties and efforts to beautify the City. Operates the Yard Waste Station.
5. Storm Sewers- responsible for the repair of City-owned storm sewer lines and catch basins.  The Bureau of Maintenance also provides storm sewer maintenance and inspection programs that include flushing, cleaning, and televising storm sewer lines. 

Allen has completed formal schooling from Ohio Diesel Technology and has years of direct construction and maintenance experience within the Bureau of Maintenance.  He has trained personnel on the proper and safe operations of equipment and is passionate about safety in the workplace.   Allen lives in Batavia with his family.

The City of Batavia encourages all citizens to congratulate Tourt on his well-deserved retirement and welcome Allen in the position of Superintendent of Maintenance.

Press release:

The City of Batavia announces the appointment of Brett J. Frank, to the position of Director of Public Works for the City of Batavia by Manager Rachael J. Tabelski.  Frank was selected following an extensive search for candidates and will start on Monday, March 28.

A lifelong resident of Genesee County, Frank holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from SUNY Buffalo State. Frank has served in local government for the last seven years, including as the Deputy Director of Real Property for Genesee County and the Director of Economic Development for the Batavia Development Corporation, a position he currently holds.

Frank has an extensive background in government management, budgeting, land and parcel maps, easements, building construction, bidding, economic development, project oversite, as well as policy and program development.  

“I am excited that Brett will take over the Department of Public Works and continue the tradition of operational excellence in the department.  He will start right away leading multiple projects into construction including Jackson Square, Richmond Harvester Streets Project, City Center $1M DRI, and the new Police Facility.   He is a hard worker, and in the short time he has been with the BDC he assisted six projects go out to bid and complete construction,” said Rachael Tabelski, City Manager, City of Batavia. 

As Director of Public Works, Frank will oversee the Bureau of Water and Wastewater, the Bureau of Maintenance, the Inspection Bureau, and the Engineering Bureau of the City. 

The Mission of the Public Works Department is to:

1. Provide adequate, safe, and environmentally sound water supply, water distribution, wastewater collection, and wastewater treatment processes.
2. Provide for a safe and efficient vehicular and pedestrian transportation of streets and sidewalks.
3. Provide sufficient, safe parks and facilities for all citizens and visitors to the community.
4. Provide basic building maintenance services to all City-owned facilities.
5. Provide for the administration of the New York State Building Code, Zoning Laws, Building Permits, Planning, Zoning, Historic Preservation, and Property Maintenance Ordinances. 

“I’m looking forward to my new role with the City of Batavia and cannot wait to get started. I’m humbled by and grateful for this opportunity that the City of Batavia has presented me with and I’m very excited to be given this opportunity to serve my community,” said Brett Frank.

Frank currently lives in the City of Batavia and volunteers for the United Way, Leadership Genesee, and the Batavia Downtown Improvement District.                     

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) was appointed to the House Education and Labor Committee.

“American students and businesses face unprecedented challenges in today’s world, and I am honored to join a committee focused on finding solutions to these challenges,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs joins the House Education and Labor Committee after Rep. Greg Murphy (NC-03) was appointed to the House Ways and Means Committee in January. Jacobs has long been an advocate for education – his first elected office was a seat on the Buffalo School Board. Additionally, Jacobs started a private voucher program to help students in Western New York attend private or religious schools if their parents chose to send them.

“Giving our students access the highest quality education has long been a priority of mine. Additionally, Western New York, and many other regions in our nation, face a growing shortage of labor in advanced manufacturing and skilled trades. I will be using my position to advocate for policies that put our students first and support strong workforce development initiatives to address our nation’s skilled labor shortage,” Jacobs said. “Finally, together with my work on the House Agriculture Committee I will work to ensure rural students and economies thrive.”\

Jacobs has been a frequent advocate for education policy that puts students and parents first. He cosponsored the Parents Bill of Rights to codify parents’ rights in their children’s education. Recently Jacobs cosponsored the Unmask our Kids Act and introduced the Kids in Classes Act to promote school choice and in-person learning. He also introduced the School Resource Officer Act to provide additional resources to law enforcement officers protecting schools. This fall, Jacobs received the Adult Education Champion Award presented by the Coalition on Adult Basic Education for his work to support adult education in Western New York. Finally, Jacobs and Republican Leader Foxx successfully led the charge to have the CDC update COVID guidance to allow for Test-to-Stay options for students.

“As a small business owner and former school board member, Congressman Chris Jacobs is uniquely qualified to sit on the Education and Labor Committee. We welcome Rep. Jacobs’ insights on building a thriving workforce and making K-12 and postsecondary education as effective as possible. I look forward to working with Rep. Jacobs; I know this Committee will benefit from his leadership, experience, and wisdom,” Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said.

“I am thrilled to welcome Congressman Jacobs to the House Committee on Education and Labor. I look forward to working with him more to advocate for our New York students, support our workforce, and stand up for parental engagement in our state,” Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Senior member of the House Committee on Education and Labor.

“I have had the pleasure of fighting alongside Republican Leader Foxx and Congresswoman Stefanik to promote continued access to in-person learning for our students and parents’ rights,” Jacobs said. “I look forward to continuing that work together on the Education and Labor Committee to put American students first and set them up for future success.”

Press release:

The Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming (GOW) County Health Departments and Hospitals are currently working with community partners to gather information from residents and those who work in these counties to help with public health planning for the next three years. The information will help inform and guide documents called the Community Health Assessment (CHA), Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), and Community Services Plan (CSP). This initiative is part of the New York State Prevention Agenda, the state’s health improvement plan, which is a blueprint for state and local action to improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers.

The 2019-2024 NYS Prevention Agenda Priority Areas are to Prevent Chronic Diseases; Promote a Healthy and Safe Environment; Promote Healthy Women, Infants and Children; Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders; and Prevent Communicable Disease. In the 2019-2022 GOW Community Health Improvement Plan, the community survey and community conversations helped inform some of the public health initiatives that the local health departments and hospitals focused on, which were:

• Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders
  • Prevent opioid overdose deaths
• Prevent Chronic Disease
  • Promote tobacco use cessation
  • Increase cancer screening rates
  • In the community setting, improve self-management skills for individuals with chronic diseases, including asthma, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, prediabetes and obesity.

Now, we are looking for community input to help inform the next Community Health Improvement Plan and to fully assess the health status of our communities. We are asking the public to participate by taking a survey and sharing their viewpoints during community conversations. An online survey is available and paper copies will be available at various locations throughout each county. You can access the survey by visiting the following link:

• English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2022English
• Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2022Spanish

The survey is anonymous, only takes about 15 minutes to complete and focuses on the health of the person taking it. If you are under the age of 18 years old, be sure to receive permission to take the survey from your parent(s) or guardian(s).

“As chief health strategists, the health departments are working toward identifying major community health challenges, gaps in services, and other factors that may contribute to a less than optimal health status for our community residents,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “The input from our residents will help identify community health needs, which will ultimately help us to develop our Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) for the next few years.”

The health departments are also seeking to schedule Community Conversations with willing groups to learn what they feel are the greatest health concerns or issues in their community and thoughts on how they can be improved.

“This process offers an opportunity for our community members to have a voice about the barriers and issues they face when trying to be healthy,” stated Laura Paolucci Wyoming County Health Department Public Health Administrator. “The more members of the community who participate, the more inclusive and stronger these plans will be.”

To participate in a community conversation, obtain hardcopies of the survey, obtain flyers that promote completing the survey online, or have any questions, please contact your local health department:

• Genesee County Health Department at: 585-344-2580 ext.5555, visit their website at www.GOHealthNY.Org or visit Facebook at: Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments.
• Orleans County Health Department at: 585-589-3278, visit their website at www.GOHealthNY.Org or visit Facebook at: Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments.
• Wyoming County Health Department at: 585-786-8890, visit their website at https://www.wyomingco.net/203/Health-Department, or visit Facebook at: Wyoming County Health Department.