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USDA declares Genesee County drought disaster area, opens door for emergency aid

By Joanne Beck

In a move that would surely come as no surprise to many folks in Genesee County, the United States Department of Agriculture has declared the county as a drought disaster area, qualifying farm operations for emergency loans to recover from any drought-related losses. 

The natural disaster designation allows the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to extend “much-needed emergency credit” to agricultural producers. Loans can be used to meet various needs, including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of the farming operation or refinancing certain debts, a USDA press release stated late Thursday.

Farmers have until Sept. 9 to apply for a loan. Eligible counties also include Wyoming, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara and Orleans.

Residents in pockets of Genesee County have been hit hardest by drought and resulting dry wells since summer 2023, including in Pembroke, Pavilion, and especially in the town of Bethany -- which has declared a State of Emergency -- with at least 100 households, and several businesses and a handful of farms with little to no water on their properties.

As Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. has said, it’s hard enough to have no access to water, but then to have to spend the time and money to drive — for some farms on a daily basis — several miles roundtrip to fill containers with up to 60,000 gallons of water and haul it back, it takes a big toll financially. 

“That’s not sustainable for a farm,” Hyde has said in a prior interview with The Batavian. “And if they were to sell off the dairy herd, they’ve got 100 employees. What are you gonna do, kick them to the curb? And it’s not just like one dairy farm.”

Bethany has about five of them, all battling the elements of no rain and dry wells, he said. 

The town is in progress with paperwork for Water District 5 and a public hearing since the project had to be budgeted for increased costs, which will be covered with grants for $16.5 million and an infrastructure improvement grant for $5 million, which was just awarded at the end of 2023. 

Hyde will be formally announcing that public hearing, which has been set for 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at Bethany Town Hall. Water District 5 runs north to Route 20 and includes 440 residential properties. Two-thirds of town residents will have public water by the time the district is completed, and then the town will pursue District 6 next, he said.

The Town of Le Roy also received a $5 million water infrastructure grant for its Water District 12, and Genesee County was given a $30 million bond for its Phase 3 water project to ensure a strong water system throughout the county. 

As for Pembroke’s water shortage, Town Supervisor Tom Schneider said that there were a dozen residents having issues with dry wells that the town was aware of in mid-December. The town offered them an option to fill water totes at the town hall.

“We have been (getting) one or two people every other day coming to fill water totes,” Schneider said. “We always will seek funding for any new water districts. Grants and low-interest loans are the only way to make water districts work in low-density areas.”

Water District 4, which covers most of the roads north of the Thruway, has been approved by the state Comptroller, and the town is in progress with putting it out for bid. Water District 5, covering Pratt, Kilian and Slusser roads south of the Thruway, is awaiting the Comptroller’s approval “due to the proposed debt service being a few dollars higher than the Comptroller’s automatic approval threshold,” he said.

“We have very preliminarily looked at the cost of water districts to the parts of the town, but do not have any concrete plans for any new districts,” he said. “We’re hearing some residents have drilled their existing wells deeper with success.”

Registration open for Genesee 4-H youth tractor safety program

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Genesee County 4-H Program is now accepting registrations for its 2024 4-H Youth Tractor Safety Program. The program is open to youth aged 14 and over and covers farm safety, tractor safety, tractor operation, and other related topics.

This program is a part of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program, which is a certification program that allows youth ages 14 and 15 to be certified to legally operate farm equipment for hire. After completing the training course, youth will need to pass a written knowledge test and driving test to receive the certification.

The program is scheduled to run Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., January through April at farm machinery dealerships throughout Genesee County. The fee for the program is $25 and youth must also be currently enrolled 4-H members. Registrations are due Jan. 27. 

To register for the program or receive more information, please contact the Genesee County 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040 ext. 101.  Registration forms are also available online at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/4htractorsafety

Christmas Lights around City and Town of Batavia

By Steve Ognibene
Union Street, Batavia.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
North Street and Naramore Drive, Batavia.
Photo by Steve Ognibene

This is part two of a Christmas lights photo series.  This one features Batavia residents' houses.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Rollin Circle, Batavia.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Rollin Circle, Batavia.
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Union Street, Batavia  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Union Street, Batavia
Photo by Steve Ognibene
South Main Street, Batavia  Photo by Steve Ognibene
South Main Street, Batavia
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Edgewood Drive, Batavia   Photo by Steve Ognibene
Edgewood Drive, Batavia.
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Woodland Drive, Batavia   Photo by Steve Ognibene
Woodland Drive, Batavia
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Redfield Parkway, Batavia   Photo by Steve Ognibene
Redfield Parkway, Batavia
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Redfield Parkway, Batavia   Photo by Steve Ognibene
Redfield Parkway, Batavia
Photo by Steve Ognibene

Christmas Lights around Genesee County

By Steve Ognibene
Red Oiser Restaurant, Stafford, NY  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Red Oiser Restaurant, Stafford.   Photo by Steve Ognibene

This is part one of a two part series featuring Christmas lights around Genesee County.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Behind the Red Oiser Restaurant, Stafford, NY  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Behind the Red Osier Restaurant, Stafford.   Photo by Steve Ognibene
Fargo Rd. Stafford, NY  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Fargo Road, Stafford.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Memorial Park, Oakfield  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Memorial Park, Oakfield.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Lights by the Oakfield behind the Caryville Inn.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Lights by the Oakfield Park behind the Caryville Inn.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Oakfield resident lights  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Oakfield resident lights .Photo by Steve Ognibene
Darien Center lights.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Darien Center lights.  Photo by Steve Ognibene

Genesee County strikes three-year deal with Deputy Sheriffs' union for raises of 3 to 7.5 percent

By Joanne Beck

In what Genesee County Manager Matt Landers labeled a “spirited but good process,” the county settled a three-year deal with the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association that lands at just under a half million dollars for the first year.

The agreement between the Deputy Sheriff’s Association and the county includes raises of 7.5 percent for 2024 that will have a budget impact of $480,546 for items such as overtime salaries, hourly on-call, holiday and special pay, social security and Medicare taxes, and retirement expenses.

“I think at the end of the day, both sides are getting everything they want with the signing of the contract. So I'm pleased that we can get this done,” Landers said during Wednesday’s Ways & Means meeting. “I think the vote was very favorable, It was better than the CSEA contract. I think there was one no."

The union contract also includes raises of 5 percent for 2025 and 3 percent in 2026. 

The agreement was negotiated with the county Legislature, Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. The Ways & Means Committee agreed to pass it onto the full Legislature for a final vote next week. That meeting will be at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.  

Committee Chairwoman Marianne Clattenburg said that the contract serves two purposes: not only to “show our appreciation to the workforce and to retain, but also to recruit,” she said. 

If approved, the total total budget expense would be broken down as follows:

  • $ 257,567 to Sheriff, personal services
  • $ 25,925 to Sheriff, overtime salaries
  • $ 1,020 to Sheriff, overtime drug
  • $ 3,522 to Sheriff, overtime Darien Lake
  • $ 1,275 to Sheriff, overtime court
  • $ 34,000 to Sheriff, additional police
  • $ 6,227 to Sheriff, hourly on-call
  • $ 12,070 to Sheriff, special pay holiday
  • $ 2,295 to Sheriff, special pay training
  • $ 7,395 to Sheriff, briefing
  • $ 24,572 to Sheriff, social security tax
  • $ 5,747 to Sheriff, Medicare tax
  • $ 98,931 to Sheriff, retirement

“It’s a three-year deal, just like with the CSEA. And the logic now is, any kind of adjustments you could do in year one and then we go through and smooth it out. We've learned from prior ones not to go into a five-year deal, and I'm pleased with it,” Landers said. “It was a spirited process, but based on how the vote went, our team and internal management team was happy. It was a good process.”

Genesee County considers use of AI to analyze bridge reports with $30K subscription

By Joanne Beck

Think what you will about the use of artificial intelligence for making up silly random songs and possibly helping to write that late-night term paper, but there are certainly more cutting edge, time-saving uses for the technology.

Just ask Genesee County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens. He recommended that the county purchase a $30,000 subscription to an AI service that will analyze state Department of Transportation bridge and culvert reports, identify problem areas and help county personnel potentially whittle a job from 12 months down to two or three weeks.

Tim Hens

"So after the first of the year, we're going to upload all of our bridge inspection reports to the company. And they're going to use the AI software to just quickly analyze all the pictures and the data. And there's, I mean, each bridge probably has a 15- to 20-page report that comes with it, they're gonna go through each report, look at all the pictures that AI literally scans the photos,” Hens said after Monday’s Public Service meeting. “And I don't know how exactly it works. Yes, the software can detect things. I mean, you know, a human could detect it as well if we were going through it, but it's literally 1000s and 1000s of pages. And we only have two or three people. And we have other stuff like a jail and a water project that are being built. So you just nip away at it. And you might get through two or three a week. But we've got 374 bridges and culverts that have got to be inspected. And then someone's got to go through those reports. So this is kind of a quick way. 

“Again, using AI software, which is brand new to the industry, to review all of those pictures and photos and then just spit out a report saying okay, you've got 20 bridges that have concrete abutments that need repairs, you've got 10 bridges that have bad bearings, you've got two bridges that should be painted, and here's the costs, and here's the locations,” he said. “It's got to be fixed. And it's pretty impressive. It literally will do in two to three weeks what it would take two to three humans to do all year long.”

He’s got faith in the company, Dynamic Infrastructure, which is just breaking into New York State, with Genesee County being one of the first counties to use this technology. He knows that some are using it in Iowa and Minnesota, with some counties here investigating it, “but I think we’re one of the fist ones in New York State” to be using it. 

“I’ve seen a demo multiple times. I’ve been through an hour-long presentation on it. It’s very impressive,” he said. “It’s gonna be, I think, a good tool for us, hopefully moving forward.”

It is about prioritizing, he said, and will also involve some strategy once he can see what kinds of repairs are needed and where.

“Because if you have similar repairs on bridges, but they're spread out in seven or eight different locations, you might just issue one contract. You know that the contractor might go from bridge to bridge to bridge fixing the exact same thing in six different locations, which is a heck of a lot cheaper than putting out six different contracts and then having six different contractors, piecemeal, yeah, so it's going to allow us to kind of, you know, kill two birds with one stone, and probably get a little bit of bang for our buck too, because you're gonna be hiring a contractor to do 10 locations as opposed to one at a time,” he said. “So I think it's gonna be a really powerful tool.”

The Public Service Committee agreed with his recommendation and moved the resolution on to Ways & Means, and then it will go to the full Legislature for a final vote that Hens recommends further analyzing county bridge and culvert inspection reports with artificial intelligence software to quantify and estimate repairs identified in the reports.

Hens has evaluated a proposal for this work and has recommended the purchase of an annual subscription to this service from Dynamic Infrastructure of New York, NY, at a cost not to exceed $30,000 for the period from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024.

He doesn't believe that it will be necessary to have a yearly subscription, so once the brunt of the work is done and details obtained, it can be canceled until the county needs updated information, he said. 

The contract will be funded by the Large Span Culverts Capital Project, which has an available balance of $2,739,357.

Registration now open for Genesee County 4-H youth tractor safety program

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Genesee County 4-H Program is now accepting registrations for its 2024 4-H Youth Tractor Safety Program. The program is open to youth aged 14 and over and covers farm safety, tractor safety, tractor operation, and other related topics.

This program is a part of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program, which is a certification program that allows youth ages 14 and 15 to be certified to legally operate farm equipment for hire. After completing the training course, youth will need to pass a written knowledge test and driving test to receive the certification.

The program is scheduled to run Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., January through April at farm machinery dealerships throughout Genesee County. The fee for the program is $25 and youth must also be currently enrolled 4-H members. Registrations are due Jan. 27. To register for the program or receive more information, please contact the Genesee County 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040 ext. 101.  Registration forms are also available online at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/4htractorsafety.

GO Health warns of increase in RSV in Genesee and Orleans Counties

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) are alerting residents that cases of respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, are rising throughout Genesee and Orleans Counties. GO Health has also seen an increase in the presence of RSV in wastewater throughout both counties.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that can be mild for most people, but can be very harmful and serious for very young children, older adults, people with medical conditions, those born premature, or with underlying lung conditions.

Symptoms of RSV include fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing, and runny nose. These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.

Severe illness can result in bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. Hospitalization due to RSV is needed when a person is experiencing difficulty breathing or is dehydrated.

A vaccine is available to prevent and protect against RSV for adults aged 60 and older, infants and young children, as well as pregnant people to protect their unborn child. If you are interested in the vaccine, you are encouraged to talk with your healthcare provider and for the best protection, you should get the vaccine as soon as possible.

To protect against all respiratory viruses including RSV, COVID-19, and the flu, practice the following precautions:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing/sneezing. This may prevent those around you from getting sick. Use your elbow or shoulder to limit the spray when coughing/sneezing.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. It is especially important to wash your hands after you have coughed or sneezed into your hands or blown your nose. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Frequently disinfect shared items, like doorknobs, handrails, phones, pens, remotes, etc. 

Practice these other health habits for general health:

  • Clean and disinfect touched surfaces at home, work, and school.
  • Get plenty of sleep.
  • Engage in 30 minutes of physical activity 3-4 days a week.
  • Manage your stress. Read a book, chat with a friend, take a walk, etc.
  • Drink plenty of non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Eat nutritious foods.

For more information about RSV, visit the New York State Department website. For the Genesee and Orleans Counties Wastewater Dashboard that tracks RSV, COVID-19, and flu in local sewer sheds, visit the GO Health Wastewater Dashboard.

For more information on GO Health programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:

  • Genesee County: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 
  • Orleans County: 585-589-3278

Follow GO Health on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at GOHealthNY.

CCE of Genesee County Board of Directors has next meeting Nov. 28

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County Board of Directors meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 28. The meeting will be held at the Association at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia and is open to the public.

For more information, please contact Yvonne Peck at ydp3@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040 x123.

Genesee County likely to waive Civil Service exam fees two more years at cost of $24K

By Joanne Beck

It looks like 25 bucks may have been standing in the way of Genesee County getting more job applicants, and county legislators and the Human Resources department have no desire to return there.

After a trial run of suspending the $25 fee for Civil Service exams since June 2022, HR Director Anita Cleveland reported a 31 percent increase in job candidates.

The experiment was due to a lackluster showing of candidates after a longtime belief that having no application fee lessened applicants’ resolve to show up and follow through on the process, county officials had said more than a year ago.

A $25 fee for all exams for police, sheriff, fire, probation and dispatch and $20 for all other competitive exams had been established in 2011 for that reason. During that prior discussion, Cleveland said that when people don’t pay for exams, “they don’t show up for exams either.” 

But on the other hand, candidates at one point just stopped showing up anyway. At that time, she then proposed to temporarily waive the fees — something that several other counties had also been considering — to ramp up candidate interest and get more viable prospective job applicants.

The county has struggled to attract candidates for several departments over the last couple of years, including the sheriff’s office, which is growing with a new, larger jail facility in progress, and the mental health department.

The trial period was to run from June 1, to Dec. 31, 2022, and is current through all of 2023. The Ways & Means Committee agreed on Wednesday to push it onward through 2024 and 2025. 

If the county Legislature adopts the measure during its Monday meeting, the county will lose an estimated $24,000 in revenue. 

On call slate of assistant DAs fills need of 'Night Court' in Genesee County

By Joanne Beck
Kevin Finnell at PS meeting
Genesee County Manager Matt Landers, left, and District Attorney Kevin Finnell, right, discuss a plan for on-call assistant DA's to manage night court hours as part of a CAP Court system. 
Photo by Joanne Beck

It was an old show that made for quirky and funny scenarios, but Night Court is a newly organized and costly theme being played out in Genesee County. 

District Attorney Kevin Finnell shared with cou

nty legislators Monday how his slate of assistant district attorneys will answer the call and provide due justice for the county, no matter the time of day or evening. 

“It’s a CAP Court arraignment, so, during the call, they'll do any arraignment for any jurisdiction. And then our system is set up so that they will fill out a memorandum and hand it to the responsible attorney the next day together with a copy from the file,” Finnell said, answering a question about how long CAP Court lasts. “It’s supposed to be from 7:30 to 9-9:30, but I'm told, I've talked to some of the judges that they are sometimes there well past that, including up to 11 o'clock. It depends on how arraignments are scheduled and depends on the judge because some are able to process faster than others, until the work is done.”

Judges used to handle arraignments in their own municipalities until New York State more recently put CAP — Centralized Arraignment Part — Court into play, which means that judges and attorneys rotate shifts during after-hours and meet at one primary court, in this case, often at the new Courts Facility in Batavia. 

Finnell’s staff is scheduled to provide the public with representation during arraignment even when it happens past the end of the typical work day. His staff will be on a rotating, on-call schedule to take those arraignments and represent the people for cases throughout the county, but at a centralized location, and also at the new arraignment room being built as part of the new county jail facility.

A legislator asked about charges that happened during Darien Lake concerts. 

“My understanding is a lot of the Darien Lake charges are a violation of local councils, which wouldn't even make it to CAP Court, but it would certainly, if there's arrests made anywhere in the county, including Darien Lake after business hours, they're going to be part of the CAP agreement,” Finnell said. “If they’re misdemeanors, they're likely going to be appearance tickets, if they're a nonviolent felony, same thing, appearance tickets.

“We’ve tried to do it remotely. We've encouraged law enforcement to call us during the night so we can convey our recommendations,” he said. “But they're not getting to the judges in the proper way, I’ll say, in the way we like them heard, and so I think this is going to help us tremendously.”

County Manager Matt Landers proposed a salary schedule amendment to create a stipend for six of the attorneys in the DA’s office for the purpose of “arriving, showing up and participating in nighttime CAP Court and going to the new arraignment room at the new county jail. 

The funds have been budgeted for the 2024 budget for this allocation, Landers said. 

“And this was something that was requested by local law enforcement. And something that I think is overdue,” he said. “And we worked through Kevin to make sure that it was a fair, compensation to be in line with what the assistant public defenders do by writing at the same court.”

Finnell’s staff is mostly from this area, with only two exceptions, one person lives in Livingston County and the other in Greece, so they may take longer to get to court during their on-call shifts. 

“That’s why I asked how long it’s going to take them, but he said only two lived out of town, and really, it’s about a half hour away, so that’s not too bad,” Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said. “But then if somebody gets arrested in the middle of the night, they’re arraigned in the morning at the City Court, under the CAP Court. So it’s a new kind of way that the courts are really working. And it’s a new dynamic of having public defenders at arraignments at all times, and we need that balance.”

“Everything has changed so much over the last, even five years,” she said.

CAP Court stemmed from the Hurrell-Harring Court of Appeals decision of 2010-11 that granted access to defense counsel at arraignment as a fundamental right. To fulfill this legal requirement, New York Executive Law 832(4)(a) required the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services to “develop and implement a written plan to ensure that each criminal defendant who is eligible for publicly funded legal representation is represented by counsel in person at his or her arraignment.” The eventual plan was unveiled in 2017 and was to be first implemented by April 2023. 

On Monday, the Public Service Committee approved the county’s plan of additional compensation of $15,000 each annually for night appearances of the six assistant district attorneys at $576.92 per pay period effective Nov. 20, to be prorated at $11,180 for each of the six in 2023.

The committee also approved a 3 percent increase in prosecutorial services effective Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2026, taking the rate from $68,917 in 2024 to $70,985 in 2025 and $73,115 in 2026.

Both measures will go to the county Legislature for a final vote. 

Veterans Day Photos 2023

By Joanne Beck
Gun salute at GC Park Vets Day
A traditional 21-gun salute at Genesee County Park during Veterans Day on Saturday.
Photo by Nick Serrata
No matter what political differences may divide us, there are some values that pull folks together, including Saturday's ceremonies to honor and remember the military service men and women who have given of themselves so that people here in the United States can experience the freedoms spoken of so often in the Constitution. 
 
Veterans Day drew community members to the various spots throughout Genesee County to hear speakers talk about the importance of honoring veterans, observing the sacred tradition of a 21-gun salute, listening to the "National Anthem" and paying respect to the nature of the day.
 
Organizations that participated included Veterans of Foreign Wars of Genesee County, Genesee County American Legion posts, Vietnam Veterans of America - Chapter #193.
Laying of wreath at park Vets Day
A community member lays a flower wreath during a ceremony at Genesee County Park as part of Veterans Day events that took place throughout the county Saturday. 
Photo by Nick Serrata
Hal Mitchell at GC Park on Vets Day
Military veterans Hal Mitchell and Daniel Burling present to the community during a Veterans Day ceremony at Genesee County Park Saturday in East Bethany. 
Photo by Nick Serrata
Upton Monument on Vets Day
Downtown Batavia was temporarily shut down Saturday so that the Veterans Day ceremony, with a uniformed color guard presenting flags, could complete its mission as part of the yearly tradition to honor and remember veterans at the Upton Monument at the intersection of Main and Ellicott streets. 
Photo by Nick Serrata
NYS Vets home on Vets Day
Residents and community members listen to speakers during a Veterans Day event Saturday at the state Veterans Nursing Home in Batavia.
Photo by Nick Serrata
Dan Ireland at Jerome Center on Vets Day
Finger Lakes Rochester Regional President Dan Ireland speaks during a Veterans Day ceremony Saturday at the Jerome Center Monument on Bank Street in Batavia as part of several events to honor veterans throughout the county.
Photo by Nick Serrata
Jerome Center ceremony on Vets Day
Community members attend a Veterans Day ceremony at the Jerome Center monument Saturday in Batavia. 
Photo by Nick Serrata

More votes come in for B-B library, support is strong for new tax, city school district

By Joanne Beck

Overall, citizens throughout Genesee County supported measures to keep incumbents in place, add a tax to ensure services at Byron-Bergen library, and include Batavia and all small city schools in removal from special constitutional debt limits.

The totals for Byron-Bergen Public Library’s proposition vote have changed, though citizens of the towns of Byron and Bergen are still leaning toward approval of a new tax, with votes of 689 yes to 618 no.

Results from the general election were not complete in the Town of Byron as of Tuesday night, according to the Board of Elections. 

The library vote for Proposition 3 to establish an annual 55-cent per $1,000 assessed valuation was supported at the time by a vote of 545 yes to 467 no. As of Wednesday afternoon, those numbers shifted to 689 yes to 618 no from the towns of Byron and Bergen.

Library board President Sally Capurso has not responded to requests for comment about what that will mean for the library as of Wednesday afternoon.

Genesee County Republican Committee Chairman Scott German stepped into the role for his first general election, filling the seat of resigning chair Dick Siebert.

Several Republican incumbents retained their seats, and German was “obviously, very pleased” with Tuesday’s results, he said.

“First, I’d like to thank our previous county Republican chairman Richard Siebert for providing us with excellent candidates. Then once in office, our Republican candidates do a great job, starting with our chair of the legislature Shelley Stein, who provides great leadership to our county government,” German said Wednesday. “Our legislators have led our county through some tough times while keeping our county taxes under the tax cap for several years. I think the voters of Genesee County appreciate what a great job Republicans do for the taxpayers of this great county.” 

Likewise, Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith was happy with the news that voters, not only locally but across New York State, approved Proposition 1, which will have a direct impact on small city schools.

The Batavian asked Smith a few questions about the vote and related new law.

Jason Smith

Are you surprised at the outcome? What does this mean for Batavia City Schools?
“Given the positive advocacy and support that occurred for this proposition, I am not surprised at today’s outcome. We at BCSD are grateful for the support of the voters of New York for supporting this important proposition,” Smith said. “The passage of this ballot will essentially place small schools on equal footing as our other district counterparts, where we are now allowed to borrow an additional 5 percent of our assessed value for future capital projects. However, this will not impact the current capital improvement project we recently proposed.” 

Why do you think voters went this way, given that it means small city districts can incur more debt to take on more/bigger capital projects?
“It is an antiquated law that needed to be updated, and again, we at BCSD are grateful that voters recognized that,” Smith said. “Small city school districts should have the same limits as others, and our students and programs will only stand to benefit.” 

What realistic impact will this have on future tax rates if school districts are acquiring more debt to do more projects?
“As with the project that we have currently proposed, which if passed will result in no tax increase, our Board and I recognize the need to be conservative in planning for budgets and capital projects,” Smith said. “That being said, had this law been in effect for this current project, we would have been able to borrow additional funds to support more improvements and upgrades while keeping our commitment to no additional taxes.” 

Do you already have ideas for what BCSD needs in terms of future capital projects? When could Batavia put this new debt limit change into effect, given you have a capital project on the books and up for vote right now?
“There are several items on our recently completed building condition survey that did not make it into the  BCSD Reimagined Project (our current proposal), and we will undoubtedly revisit those items again,” he said. “However, essential and critical safety items were included in this project. I would suspect it would be at least three to five years before we consider another capital project, assuming we have a positive vote on Thursday, December 14.”

Unofficial voting across the state showed that nearly 57 percent of residents supported the measure of Proposition 1 to allow for the removal of small city school districts from special constitution debt limits, with 1,381,911 voting yes and 31.4 percent, or 766,036 voting no.

Locally in Genesee County, district residents also approved, with 3,153 yes votes and 2,460 voting no. 

November 2023 election results

By Joanne Beck

The Democratic Party won a few seats in Tuesday’s election, all three local propositions on the ballot got a thumbs up from voters, Republicans held onto a number of incumbent seats, and a City Council newcomer received his first 158 votes for office during Tuesday’s general election in Genesee County.

Candidates Michelle Krzemien came out on top with a combined total of 334 votes for Darien town justice against  Republican candidate Jennifer Nunnery, with 258 votes, and, at the time of this article being published, Candace Hensel, running on the Democratic and Republican tickets, was winning with a total 168 to incumbent Peter Yasses’ 97 for Byron town supervisor. Byron's results were not completely in by the time this was published, according to the county's Board of Elections website. 

Genesee County Democratic Committee Chairman Michael Plitt said the committee spoke to several people about also running for City Council, but “it was just not the right time to devote themselves to running in an election,” he said.

“However, the next election starts now, and the Genesee County Democrats would love to talk with anyone who might consider running next time,” he said after unofficial results were posted Tuesday night. “Regardless if you want to run, we encourage people to attend local government meetings.”

Batavia resident Derek Geib received 158 total votes for Ward 3 on City Council, and he will take his seat on council on Jan. 1 to fill the spot to be vacated by incumbent John Canale, who opted not to run. All positions on the council were unopposed, as were all Genesee County legislator positions.

Other races:

Voters kept Thomas Sanfratello, with 234, and Gerald Krupa Jr., with 216, in Alexander Town Council seat, while Sarah Kohl had 132 votes.

Voters gave Joel Pocock the Bergen highway superintendent seat with 547 votes versus 198 for Chad Roggow, and Teresa Robinson 461 votes for town clerk versus 278 for Marcy Vanderstow. 

Republican candidates Alfred Klycek and Nathan Knickerbocker garnered votes of 179 and 167, respectively, for Byron town council, and Sarah Stockwell had 108.

Michael Grant came out on top with 432 votes for Darien town council, with Timothy Benton in second with 399 and Benjamin Kohlhagen in third with 191 votes. 

Pembroke Town Council candidate Kathleen Manne received 451 votes, Thomas Dix 350, Helen Trowbridge Haines received 239, and there were write-in votes of 118.

There were three candidates for Stafford Town Council, and Terry Young, with 253, and Robert Pacer, with 201, took the two seats, with Cathy Worthington receiving 150 votes.

Plitt thanked the poll workers and “folks who stepped up to run this year to give voters a choice.” The Batavian asked what he thought about this year’s voter turnout, which by early voting, seemed to be on the low side.

“Voter turnout is always lower in local election years, although an individual vote could change the results in the local election,” he said. 

Voters approved all three propositions on the ballot, which were: Prop. 1 to allow for the removal of small city school districts from special constitutional debt limits, 3,153 yes to 2,460 no; Prop. 2 to extend sewage project debt exclusions from the debt limit, 3,265 yes to 2,337 no; and Prop. 3 to establish an annual tax in the amount of $0.55/$1,000 (fifty-five cents per one thousand dollars) of assessed value in order to support the operation of the Byron-Bergen Public Library, to begin Jan. 1, 2024, 545 yes to 467 no.

Election results are unofficial.

Genesee County Republican Committee Chairman Scott German was not available for comment Tuesday night. 

Tuesday's general election has contested races, three propositions -- updated

By Joanne Beck

Tuesday is the general election, and here are the updated contested seats, two universal propositions and one specific proposition to the towns of Byron and Bergen. A prior article did not include all of the contested races.

The contested races are:

Town of Alexander Sarah Kohl is running for one of two seats on the Town Council on the Democratic ticket against Thomas Sanfratello, Republican, and Gerald Krupa Jr., on the Republican and Alexander People lines.

Town Supervisor incumbent David Miller apparently has a challenger with an unofficial call for write-in candidate Brian Farnsworth. The Batavian was contacted by a town council candidate and provided with the incorrect information about the town supervisor race. Brian Farnsworth is running for town highway superintendent.

Town of Bergen has a town clerk position with Teresa Robinson of the Republican Party versus Marcy Vanderstow of the Marcy for Town Clerk ticket; and Joel Pocock, Republican and Working 4 You party lines, is running for town highway superintendent against Chad Roggow, of the Conservative Party.

Town of Byron Supervisor position is pitting Democratic candidate Candace Hensel, who is also on the Republican ticket, is running against Peter Yasses of the Conservative ticket.

Sara Stockwell is running for Town Council as a Democratic candidate for one of two seats against Republican candidates Alfred Klycek and Nathan Knickerbocker.

Town of Darien Justice seat also has two candidates: Michelle Krzemien on the Democratic and Conservative, Common Ground party lines versus Jennifer Nunnery on the Republican ticket.

Benjamin Kohlhagen is running on the Democratic and Common Ground lines for one of two seats against Michael Grant, a Republican, and Timothy Benton, also a Republican candidate.

Town of Pembroke has three candidates for two seats on Town Council, with Helen Trowbridge Haines, a Democratic candidate, and two Republican candidates of Kathleen Manne and Thomas Dix, while Deborah Conti, Republican, is running unopposed for an unexpired term.  

Propositions are:

Proposal One: Removal of Small City School District from Special Constitutional Debt Limitation.

The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 4 of the Constitution removes the special constitutional debt limitation now placed on small city school districts, so they will be treated the same as all other school districts. Shall the proposed amendment be approved? Yes or No.

Proposal Two is to extend sewage project debt exclusion from the debt limit. The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 5 of the Constitution extends for 10 years the authority of counties, cities, towns, and villages to remove from their constitutional debt limits debt for the construction of sewage facilities. Shall the proposed amendment be approved? Yes or No. 

Proposal Three is for voters in the towns of Byron and Bergen only: Shall the Town of Bergen  (Town of Byron) establish an annual tax in the amount of $0.55/$1,000 (fifty-five cents per one thousand dollars) of assessed value in order to support the operation of the Byron-Bergen Public Library, commencing in the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2024. Yes or No.

To view the entire Gensee County ballot and obtain voting information, go to Board of Elections.

Genesee County's move for dedicated ambulance service with Mercy Flight 'a big step'

By Joanne Beck
Gary Maha, Shelley Stein, Matt Landers
Genesee County Legislators Gary Maha and Shelley Stein participate on the Ways & Means Committee Wednesday as County Manager Matt Landers, far right, reviews a new ambulance contract with Mercy Flight. 
Photo by Joanne Beck

Discussion of a new Mercy Flight contract for basic and advanced life support services was no big surprise, perhaps, on Wednesday, but was a big step forward nonetheless as the process continued past the Ways & Means Committee, Matt Landers said.

The county manager presented the $452,000 contract to the committee on its last leg of a journey to the full Legislature for approval. 

While neighboring communities take on ambulance services themselves — and the high costs of labor, salaries, benefits, retirement, vehicles and maintenance that goes with it — Landers was pleased that Genesee County will have contracts with two providers (one has already been approved for Le Roy Ambulance Service), and looks forward to working with Mercy Flight, he said. 

“I think that this is a very good step for this Legislature to enter this contract with the county. It's a good step to avoid us having to buy ambulances and hire EMTs and things that our other neighboring counties have had to do because they didn't have a centralized strong entity like we have here in Genesee County,” he said. “And so let's support the private sector solution that's already here. And let them do the job that they're best at doing versus us entering into another business. 

“So I think it's a good contract; it’s something that we'll monitor closely. And I'm sure, once we start, this is something that we’ll be relying on for years, it will be going on for years and years and years, and we'll be discussing increases in future contracts,” he said. “But it's nice to know we've got a fixed amount for three years for strengthening our ambulance service.”

A study was conducted prior to this contract, and it was determined that in order to improve response times, an ambulance would stationed at each the east and west end of the county. 

So one will be placed in Stafford and in East Pembroke, plus Batavia will also have a base, and the new configuration will be monitored over time to see if that helps or if further adjustments need to be made, Landers said.

He pointed to Emergency Management Services Coordinator Tim Yaeger as the one integrally involved in the study and strategy for this plan. Yaeger was not at Wednesday’s meeting, and The Batavian plans to catch up with him in the future to further discuss the county’s contract.

“We were exploring different ways to potentially require certain response times from Mercy Flight. The more we examined it, it was looking to be a challenge because there's always explanations for why a response time might not have been met for a certain case. So overall, we thought that if we just had a deployment coming from Stafford and a deployment coming from East Pembroke, have enough pushing it out further from just being around the time of Batavia, that naturally, the response time should improve,” Landers said. “And it's something that we can monitor every year, per the contract. And if the response times truly are improving, then we made the right decision. If this is not having a material impact on response times in the outer parts of the county, then we will just have to reexamine a different way to have those response times improved.”

So nothing would change for three years?
“Well, I wouldn’t say nothing. But there is a three-year contract. So it's something that we know we can monitor because we have a relationship with Mercy Flight directly now. So it's something that we're going to have a close eye on because we want to make sure that we're investing taxpayer money into this venture, we want to make sure we're getting some improved response times from it,” he said. “I suppose that if there was a mutually agreeable alternative aid contract, we could engage in that certainly, but right now, we're hoping that over the next three years, we'll see a better response time from having these deployments from outside the town of Batavia. 

"Well, I want to emphasize they're still ambulances in Batavia. So, we are not looking to improve response times to the town at the expense of people here in Batavia,” he said.

Of the total $452,000, $375,000 will go for personnel salaries and benefits, and the remaining $77,000 is for training and education, Landers said. 

“That amount is for education. So one of the things that was expressed to us was that sometimes when people are going through a lengthy training process for EMT, they're going through training, and they're not getting paid,” he said. “And that's difficult for people and with families, and to make ends meet. So this would allow them to get paid while getting trained.”

The contract begins Jan. 1, 2024, and it is competitive within this region, he said.

“So I ran into a Mercy Flight person who said, ‘Yeah, I hear that when I’m working in Genesee County, I get a bigger rate.’ So the word’s out there because if that’s the stipulation, we don’t want Mercy Flight to be paying people in another county with these monies. So what they’re paying their people here is gonna be higher based on this contract,” he said. “It holds their feet to the fire a little bit more than we’ve ever had that ability to pass because they operated here without the contract between us and them. So this puts into place some expectations.”

The new setup is to “improve response time without hurting response time,” he said. 

A legislator wanted to know what would happen if there was a request for an ambulance and there wasn’t enough staff on duty to ensure the minimum staffing level. 

Mercy EMS won’t be able to take a voluntary transport if it jeopardizes that minimum staffing expectation of the county, per this new contract, Landers said. “It may be a longer delay."

The contract will go from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2026, for $452,460 per year.

Genesee County 4-H members attend 4-H ABC trip

By Press Release
abc-trip.jpg
Submitted photo of Genesee County 4-H members Justin Deleo and Bing Zuber attended the NYS 4-H ABC Trip and met up with fellow 4-H member and SUNY Cobleskill student Ian Keberle. (Left to Right: Justin Deleo, Bing Zuber, Ian Keberle)

Press Release:

Genesee County 4-H members Bing Zuber, Justin Deleo, and Kylie Paddock attended the New York State 4-H Agri-Business Career Conference (ABC Trip) last week. Forty youths from across NYS met in Cobleskill on Oct. 19 & 20 for the 46th annual 4-H ABC Trip. This trip for 4-H teens is in collaboration with SUNY Cobleskill and gives youth an up-close look at different agri-businesses as well as an opportunity to tour the college and meet with professors to learn what a college experience in their desired program area would look like.

Youth were able to choose which agri-businesses they toured on Thursday. Participating businesses included: Schoharie Valley Farms, Sweet Tree Farm, Hessian Hill Farm, Jack Miller’s Tractor and Truck, Fairbanks Stable, and Black Willow Pond Farm. On the SUNY Cobleskill campus, tour options included Speaking with A Veterinarian, The Dairy Processing Center, the Meat Processing Lab, and the Milk Quality Lab. Following their tours, teens worked together to create presentations to share with the rest of the group following a dinner on campus.

Friday was spent on campus starting with breakfast in the dining hall followed by campus tours led by SUNY Cobleskill Ambassadors. Following the tours, teens visited their academic area of interest which allowed them to meet with professors in that field and learn about the program area. Areas to choose from included Ag Business, Floriculture/Nursery Management, Equine Studies, Biotechnology, Ag Engineering, Livestock, Canine, Dairy, Fisheries & Wildlife, Histotechnology, and Ag Communications. 

The event culminated with lunch in the dining hall giving participants another opportunity to experience the food on campus. The ABC Trip is offered each fall to NYS 4-H members 14 years of age and older. For more information on this trip and other 4-H offerings, contact the Genesee County 4-H Program at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040 ext. 101. The Genesee County 4-H Program is a youth development program for youth ages 5-18.  New 4-H youth members, adult volunteers, and clubs are always welcome to join. Enrollment information is also available on our website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu

Millions in the making, proposed county budget has surprise tax rate decrease

By Joanne Beck
Entrance to new jail 7/2022
2023 File Photo of the entrance to the new Genesee County Jail during a beam-signing event at the site on Route 5 next to County Building 2. The new $70 million facility will not only affect the 2024 budget but future budgets as well since there will be debt service and additional personnel -- and the salaries and benefits that go with them -- required for the new site.
Photo by Howard Owens

With a $150 million future phase III water system and $70 million new county jail facility in progress, coupled with addressing a $3.4 million deficit that “emerged” after receiving budget requests from all department heads, it was no wonder why county Manager Matt Landers needed extra time to put his annual budget message together this year.

What was originally expected for release a week ago had to be delayed until Friday of this week, with Landers explaining along the way that he was working to make edits and needed more time with his words than he did with the budget numbers.

"The next few budgets will have a uniform theme and consistent message from the Manager’s Office, which centers on the new County jail and the constant race to keep water supply ahead of demand. The county is embarking on two of the largest capital infrastructure projects in its history, with a new County jail carrying a price tag of approximately $70 million and phase three of the countywide water system with a current projected price tag of $150 million,” he said in this year’s message. “These two projects are going to weigh heavily on decisions made by the Manager’s Office and County Legislature for the foreseeable future, and is evident in the 2024 recommended County budget.”

Despite all of the upcoming expenses for infrastructure and jail to house men and women out on Route 5, the thrust of the message is not nearly as dire as one might expect. This next year’s all-funds budget of $182,790,077 is $20 million more than the 2023 adopted budget and includes a tax rate that is 37 cents less than the current tax rate, or an expected $8.08 per $1,000 assessed value. For a home assessed at 100,000, if nothing has changed with its assessment this past year, the annual tax bill will decrease by $37. 

The total budget also includes:

  • Approximately $5 million in Phase 2 construction costs in the County Water Fund.
  • Seven new hires related to the new County Jail.
  • Additional operational cost increases at the Jail in preparation for the facility opening in 2024, both of which amount to approximately $1.9 million.
  • Increased Medicaid costs to the County for approximately $1 million as a result of NYS eliminating the Federal subsidy known as eFMAP.
  • Two new contracts with local ambulance service providers totaling over $600,000 annually.
  • NYS retirement cost increases for approximately $1.2 million: These costs have risen significantly, with an average increase in all tiers exceeding 18 percent.
  • Necessary collective bargaining contract increases for “a highly dedicated and underpaid workforce,” which amounts to approximately $3 million.
  • Inflationary cost increases that are causing significant budgetary increases in a variety of commodities the County purchases every year. 
  • Mandates: Approximately 92 percent of the 2024 recommended property tax levy is made up of state-mandated expenditures to fund departments and programs, such as Medicaid, Probation, the new jail, Public Defender’s Office, assigned counsel, Social Service programs, Mental Health Department, Early Intervention, 3-5 Preschool Services, and various others.

“This budget funds County government in an efficient and responsible manner while making key investments that will help deliver better service to the residents of Genesee County. The recommended budget stays under the NYS tax cap while covering a lengthy number of expensive State mandates of which we have little to no control,” Landers said. “Crafting a balanced 2024 recommended budget presented considerable challenges, particularly in addressing a $3.4 million deficit that emerged after receiving budget requests from all department heads. To meet the challenge of keeping the net County support impact in line with the 2023 budget, County departments were encouraged to think innovatively and find cost-effective solutions.

“This was a challenge, considering New York State Retirement rates were once again increasing while higher than normal inflation and supply chain issues are causing vendor contracts to increase,” he said. “Despite these increases, I was pleased to see the majority of departments hold the line on spending, which helped greatly in delivering a budget that stays under the tax cap.”

The recommended budget includes $1.5 million of unappropriated fund balance, a decrease of $500,000 from the 2023 adopted County budget, he said. He is proposing a property tax levy of $32,722,377, an increase of $641,615, or 2 percent, which falls within the allowable tax cap. That would drop the current tax rate from $8.45 per $1,000 to $8.08 per $1,000 assessed value for a 4.37 percent decrease. 

While he worked with department staff to control spending where possible, Landers also kept an eye on a “continued commitment in increased funding for our roads and bridges infrastructure,” he said, by putting an extra $1 million to play catch-up on work that's been put aside for too long.

“The cracks are showing,” he said. “This continued commitment of an extra $1 million is a big step in addressing the deferred maintenance of the county road and bridge infrastructure. 

“The County continues to make strategic investments in its workforce, which will result in better service delivery to Genesee County residents. A large share of the investments in the 2024 recommended budget are being made in public safety,” he said. “Newly created positions are necessary to run an effective 21st Century correctional facility and include creating six new correction officer positions and a new custodial position to help maintain the significantly larger county jail.”

Another key piece of infrastructure is the multi-phase Genesee County Water System, which is nearing completion of the $25+ million phase 2 while Phase 3, a $150 million project, is being quickly designed, Landers said. 

“Phase 3 includes bringing in enough water from Monroe County to close the City of Batavia water plant, which draws from a threatened source and has long outlived its useful life,” he said. “However, before the plant comes off-line, millions more have to be invested to ensure water supply keeps up with demand until Phase 3 is complete.”

As he had announced earlier this year, Landers had struck a deal with Mercy Flight and Le Roy Ambulance Service for dedicated ambulance response within the county. That is reflected in the 2024 budget with two new contracts for more than $600,000 annually “to help stabilize emergency response resources in Genesee County.” This action was listed as one of the recommendations from a recent County-funded study that examined fire and ambulance service in Genesee County, he said. 

“These new contracts will strengthen the capabilities of local providers, improve emergency response times for County residents and allow the County to avoid directly purchasing ambulances and hiring staff,” he said.

Overall, Landers, with assistance from the assistant county manager and executive assistant, took a “deeper dive” into more specific budget lines, resulting in “significant budgetary savings,” he said, and more sharing of resources between departments. 

How is he reducing the tax rate with all of those expenses on the county’s plate?
There’s a $1.5 million fund balance, $1 million from reserves, an increase in sales tax revenue of $6.7 million — due to the price of goods increasing as the result of inflation, larger online purchasing by Genesee County residents and the retail growth happening in the Town of Batavia, plus a large percentage of sales tax from gasoline sales — and recent interest rate increases have earned the county an extra $1.45 million of interest earnings, all going toward the 2024 budget, Landers said.

The public will have the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed budget during a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Courthouse Chambers, second floor of the Old County Courthouse, 7 Main St., Batavia. The county Legislature is expected to vote on a final budget on Nov. 20. 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month a good reminder that more connectivity equals more risk

By Joanne Beck
2022 File photo of Chat Klotzbach and Michael Burns
2022 File Photo of Genesee County Legislator Chad Klotzbach presenting the Cybersecurity proclamation to Information Technology Director Michael Burns.
Photo by Joanne Beck

Michael Burns is one of those guys who is often behind the scenes, making sure that all systems are working smoothly and nothing dastardly or mischievous gets into foul things up for Genesee County.

He takes his job seriously — so much, in fact, that he sends tester emails to colleagues to see if they will open them up. Every now and then, a county employee will comment that he or she was tempted to open an odd email but thought better of it, also thinking that maybe it was sent from Burns.

Of course, by now, everyone should know not to open up a strange, random or otherwise questionable email.

And Burns, who was hired as director of Information Technology in May 2021, has been beating that drum, along with sharing other important cybersecurity reminders, ever since he took the job. 

After all, “we are more wired than ever before,” he has said. 

On Wednesday, the county Legislature acknowledged the vital role of those like Burns and proclaimed the month of October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. 

Legislator Chad Klotzbach represented the group as information technology liaison for the state Association of Counties Information Technology Task Force. The proclamation states:

WHEREAS, in today’s world we are more interconnected that ever before yet for all of its

advantages, increased connectivity brings increased risk of theft, fraud and abuse, and

WHEREAS, as Genesee County and its citizens become more reliant on modern

technology we also become more vulnerable to cyberattacks such as security breaches,

spear phishing and social media fraud, and

WHEREAS, Genesee County Information Technology Department is responsible for

delivering secure, accurate, timely information and services to County departments, municipalities, residents and visitors effectively and efficiently, and

WHEREAS, Genesee County IT employees, consultants and vendors institute best practices and utilize available resources, and

WHEREAS, cybersecurity month provides an opportunity to increase public awareness and understanding of cyber threats while empowering employees and citizens to be safer and more secure online. Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, the Genesee County Legislature does hereby proclaim the Month of October as Cybersecurity Month and encourages all citizens to recognize that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility in which we all have a role to play.

In addition to monitoring the county’s overall cybersecurity and other technology systems, Burns has also been involved in a project to install fiber cable from County Building 2 on Route 5 to Emergency Management Services on State Street Road and from County Building 2 to Genesee County Airport at 4701 East Saile Drive. 

The Information Technology website has several resources, from affordable Internet service providers to tips for password security, multi-factor authentication, dealing with ransomware, phishing awareness, how to keep kids safe online, and other topics. 

There’s even a Kids Safe Online poster contest.

Cocaine use locally contributing to fatal fentanyl overdoses

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) have identified a concerning trend of elevated cocaine use locally that is causing fatal fentanyl overdoses. Fortunately, these deaths are preventable, and resources are available locally to help. 

Since 2021, there have been 29 fatal fentanyl overdoses confirmed in Genesee County, and at least 72% of these deaths have also involved cocaine.

In some instances, bystanders reported that the person who died of a fentanyl overdose thought they were taking only powder cocaine or crack cocaine. In Orleans County, there were 10 fatal fentanyl overdoses during this same time period, of which 40% involved cocaine.

GO Health has also identified through wastewater analysis that cocaine consumption is very high in Batavia and Le Roy compared to other areas nationally. GO Health regularly analyzes wastewater samples from wastewater treatment plants throughout Genesee and Orleans Counties for high-risk substances to better understand local patterns in drug consumption and these trends are compared to upwards of 160 sites nationally by the wastewater epidemiology company Biobot Analytics. 

In August, the estimated cocaine consumption in Batavia was higher than 94% of other tested sites in the United States, and in Le Roy it was higher than 95% of other tested sites. Substance use is estimated in each sewershed by taking the amount of the metabolite found in the wastewater and dividing by the size of the population served by the wastewater treatment plant.

“For the last several years, Genesee County’s opioid overdose death rates have surpassed the state’s average, and been higher than neighboring counties too,” stated Paul Pettit, the Public Health Director for GO Health. “Unfortunately, what we are seeing here are indications of a relatively high amount of cocaine use locally, and when that cocaine is contaminated with fentanyl, it is causing preventable overdoses and deaths,” Pettit explained.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that can be prescribed by physicians to treat patients’ severe pain that is not responsive to other medications, such as in cases of advanced-stage cancer.

Because it is 50 times stronger than heroin, illegally-made fentanyl has largely replaced heroin and other opioids in the U.S. drug supply, and is commonly mixed with other drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Many people who use street drugs like cocaine or counterfeit pills are unaware that what they are taking may contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Individuals who are aware of the risks of fentanyl overdose when using cocaine are empowered to make safer choices that could save their life or the life of a loved one, and a number of resources are available:

  • Narcan (naloxone) nasal spray can be used to reverse an opioid overdose, and should be administered to anyone who is showing signs of having difficulty breathing or who is not breathing at all, regardless of whether the person is known to have taken an opioid. Narcan is available for free from the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force simply by texting “KIT” to 1-877-535-2461.
  • Fentanyl test strips, which can be used to check for fentanyl in drugs, are available for free from the MATTERS Network at mattersnetwork.org/individual-request. 
  • People who use cocaine or other drugs can reduce their risk by never using alone, taking turns when using drugs with others, or calling the Never Use Alone Hotline at 1-800-484-3731.
  • Treatment for substance use disorders is available locally from Hope Haven at 585-922-9900, from Horizon Health Services at 585-815-0247, and from UConnectCare (formerly GCASA) at 585-343-1124 (Genesee County) or 585-589-0055 (Orleans County).
  • Entry points to treatment are also available in person 24 hours a day at the City of Batavia Fire Department, the City of Batavia Police Department, the Genesee County Sheriff, and the Le Roy Police Department through the Public Safety Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI).

For information on Health Department programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:

  • Genesee County Health Department: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555
  • Orleans County Health Department: 585-589-3278

Follow GO Health on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at GOHealthNY.

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