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Joshua Lee Baltz, 44, of Sparks Road, Pavilion, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, a felony; driving while under the influence of drugs; and speeding -- going 76 in a 55-mph zone. Baltz was stopped for speeding on Alexander Road in Alexander at 11:51 p.m. on May 23 and allegedly found to be impaired by drugs. He was issued appearance tickets for Town of Alexander Court on July 21. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello, assisted by Deputy Ryan Young.

Warren David Post, 52, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; DWI -- operating while having a BAC of .08 percent or higher; aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree; and failure to keep right. On May 24, Post was arrested at 4:44 p.m. on Pearl Street Road in Batavia following a traffic stop. He was released on traffic tickets returnable to Batavia Town Court on July 16. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Deputy David Moore.

Brianna S. Green, 23, of Batavia (no address provided), was arrested and charged with petit larceny following a shoplifting complaint at Walmart in the Town of Warsaw (Wyoming County). On March 29, it is alleged that she stole $65.82 in merchandise. Green was arrested on May 23 on the charge. She is due in Town of Warsaw Court on July 13. The case was handled by Wyoming County Sheriff's Sgt. Colin Reagan.

The City of Batavia has tapped into a New York State program designed to help municipalities “get the lead out.”

Batavia City Council members, at their Conference Meeting via Zoom tonight, are expected to hear from Public Works Director Matt Worth about a $554,112 grant the City has received from the NYS Department of Health’s Lead Service Line Replacement Plan.

Worth said he and his staff have developed a work plan that is designed to replace 75 lead service lines on Swan, Hutchins and Otis streets on the City’s Southside.

“We suspect that 20 to 30 percent of our residential services may still be lead -- from the water main to the curb shut-off,” Worth said. “We have never observed it from the curb shut-off into the house.”

He said that City crews will be conducting vacuum excavations this summer in anticipation of construction starting as early as this fall and no later than next spring. The City awarded the engineering contract to GHD of Buffalo.

Worth said about $500,000 will be available after subtracting engineering costs.

“We’ll try to preserve as much as we can because every dollar we save on that side is maybe one more service we can do,” Worth said. “The vacuum excavation on the front end is being done all out of City costs – we’re not trying to use the grant money – so we can preserve as much of that grant money as possible to do as many services as we can.”

Lead was commonly used in the 1940s and ‘50s, Worth said, before giving way to galvanized pipe, copper, plastic and lead-free brass.

“Nothing that we use now contains any lead in it in the water industry,” he advised.

Worth said lead isn’t a significant health issue in water systems because the “water system creates a coating on the inside of the lead service, so the water does not come into contact with the lead. So, we don’t typically see concentrations of lead in people’s water when we test it.”

He said the City’s treated water is a little higher on the pH scale, and that tends to make it less corrosive.

“If you have water that is on the lower side of the pH scale, it can be more acidic and corrosive, and that’s where you will have a bigger issue with lead coming into people’s homes through the water,” he explained.

The NYS Lead Service Line Replacement Plan identifies grant recipients based on criteria included in the state’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017.

According to the DOH website, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that drinking water contaminated with lead can contribute to 20 percent or more of a person’s total exposure to lead, and infants who consume mostly mixed formula can receive 40 percent to 60 percent of their total exposure to lead from drinking water.

Funds from the grant can cover engineering fees (planning, design and construction), legal fees, municipal administration fees, construction (materials, equipment, workforce) and site/property restoration.

Press release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have received three more COVID-19 cases. Orleans has two new cases (bringing the total to 202) and Genesee has one (bringing the total to 180).

Contact tracing has been initiated and all who have had direct contact with the individuals will be notified by Health Department staff. Two of the Orleans County individuals are community residents. Genesee County’s one individual who tested positive is a community member.

We have also received word of the death of two individuals who had tested positive for COVID-19 and residents of The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center (now for a total of 26 deaths related to COVID-19 for The Villages and a total of 29 deaths for Orleans County). Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of this individual during this very sad and difficult time.

There is currently no further information to release on ages and locations. Mapping to include the positive cases from the weekend will be updated on Tuesday afternoon due to the Memorial Day holiday.

We hope everyone had a peaceful and safe Memorial Day. We appreciate the sacrifice of those who served in the armed forces and gave their all.

We ask residents to continue social distancing, mask-wearing, and proper hygiene even in the company whom we trust the most -- like family, friends, and coworkers. We can all show people that we care and respect them by continuing these practices to keep everyone safe.

Anthony J. "Science" Welch, 39, of Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, after allegedly being found in possession of crack cocaine following a traffic stop by the Local Drug Task Force.

The charge is premised on the allegation that the amount of the narcotic in Welch's possession indicates he intended to sell it.

Welch was a passenger in a car driven by Steven R. Colombo, 33, of Batavia, who was allegedly driving while his privilege was suspended.

Another passenger, Amy L. Coulson, 33, of Batavia, was also arrested and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and criminally using drug paraphernalia, 2nd.

Following the traffic stop, Welch and Coulson were taken to the Genesee County Jail and based on a search warrant they were searched. Welch was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine that he tried to hide during the traffic stop. 

Welch was also charged with tampering with physical evidence, promoting prison contraband, and criminally using drug paraphernalia.  

Colombo was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd.

Following arraignment, Welch was released under supervision of Genesee Justice and Coulson and Colombo were released on appearance tickets. 

The Task Force was assisted by Batavia PD, Corrections Officers, and the District Attorney's Office.

The director of the Genesee County Job Development Bureau is banking on the internet and World Wide Web to make it easier for out-of-work residents to find a job.

“My number one priority is figuring out how to do virtual job fairs,” Teresa Van Son said earlier this week during a Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee meeting via Zoom. “I think there’s definitely a need. We’ve looked at it quite a bit and I’m hoping within the next month or two, I will figure out some way to do it.”

Committee Chair Marianne Clattenburg said she was on board with that considering the current employment situation.

“Sometimes people are hesitant to walk through a door but if they just have to click on a website and do it virtually – the younger folks especially who are so used to that – it might be a great way to reach out,” Clattenburg reasoned.

Van Son said that although the building (located in the Eastown Plaza behind Aldi) is closed, Job Development Bureau and Department of Labor staff are working from home and offering services remotely and over the phone.

“There are a few things we can’t provide right now – hands-on assessment services, job fairs” and two programs with the Department of Social Services that have been temporarily suspended, she said.

Van Son said she is focusing on the Summer Youth Employment Program, with a goal of serving 50 young people.

“We’re looking to do it differently. We’re looking at where can we find outdoor spaces. So, maybe working with local towns with their cemeteries and helping them do some beautification, or something potentially with the parks," she said, adding that forming a sanitation crew is another possibility.

“We’re trying to be pretty creative and come up with outdoor things so that social distancing might be a little easier.”

Van Son said a team approach is another idea being considered.

“Maybe groups of five kids work together with a team leader and they determine what project they want to do,” she said. “They design it from the ground up and they make all the arrangements, and they execute that project. That would be their summer youth employment experience and they can put that into a portfolio.”

Operationally, Van Son said one longtime employee, Veronica Frost, is retiring while another, Mary Spaulding, is putting off her retirement for at least another year. Both have been with the bureau for more than 35 years.

She also said that renegotiation of the agency’s lease that expires on Jan. 31, 2021 has begun. She mentioned the benefits of the current location include longevity, a favorable monthly rate, being on the bus line and plenty of space to accommodate social distancing.

In a related development, the committee authorized Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein to sign a Job Development Bureau contractor’s agreement with Livingston County to facilitate the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act program.

The resolution states that the grant is a one-year agreement that may be extended based on performance for two additional one-year periods with a budget of $243,800.

Van Son said the WIOA federal grant, which is passed through the state for funding, provides over 65 percent of the bureau’s revenue. She said an additional $23,000 has been approved this year due to increased costs related to out-of-school youth services.

Genesee County does not allocate funding for the bureau but provides other types of support.

 “No county dollars directly fund the job development program but we’re very appreciative of the amount of in-kind service and assistance that we receive through the county to be able to provide these job-seeking services to folks in the community,” Van Son said.

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The Genesee County Job Development Bureau is located at 587 E. Main St., Suite 100, in the Eastown Plaza. For information about programs provided and employment/unemployment matters, call (585) 344-2042. The bureau’s website is here.

As the Batavia City School District’s Board of Education worked to reach its goal of a 2020-21 budget with no property tax rate increase, tough decisions had to be made -- most notably the need to cut a significant number of jobs.

At its April 28^th meeting, the board announced an across-the-board reduction of at least 30 positions, including administrators, teachers, aides and clerical staff.

Earlier this week, the board passed a $51.4 million spending plan and, according to Business Administrator Scott Rozanski, the impact of those cuts, when converting them to “full-time equivalents,” isn’t as severe as originally believed.

Rozanski today said that 10 of the 33 FTE positions removed from the budget are reductions to existing staff, with seven teachers and one clerical employee losing their jobs. The other two of those 10 FTEs are vacant positions in administration that won’t be filled, he said.

“So, technically, eight permanent employees are affected at this point in time,” Rozanski said.

The remainder of the reductions is as follows:

-- Five FTE via retirements;
-- Seven and a half FTE via resignations;
-- Ten FTE via long-term substitute assignments ending June 30;
-- One half FTE via reductions to the budget (contracted new position).

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for the board’s next meeting at 6 p.m. June 2, and voting will take place by paper ballot on June 9. Ballots were mailed to all eligible voters and must be returned (in a provided postage-paid envelope) by 5 p.m. June 9^th to be considered.

The public also will vote on a $619,151 capital project to construct an age-appropriate playground at Jackson Primary School, he said.

In a related development, the Batavia Teachers’ Association will vote next Thursday (May 28) on a proposal to change the school day schedule. 

BTA President Mark Warren said today that voting by employees who work at the four district schools will take place by an online balloting system, and results will be available that evening.

“Each of the four buildings will have separate votes and if they all vote in favor of it, then it will pass,” Warren said.

If approved, it reportedly would save the district about $200,000 in transportation costs.

The proposed schedule change is as follows:

 -- Putting Batavia High and Batavia Middle on a 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. schedule. Currently, the schedule at those two schools is 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

-- Putting John Kennedy and Jackson on a 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. schedule. Currently, the schedule at those two schools is 8:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The pastor of the Batavia First Presbyterian Church said that while she understands the president’s call for the immediate reopening of places of worship, she said it is best that “we decide for ourselves” on how to move forward in the face of COVID-19.

President Trump earlier today issued a strong statement on the status of religious services, practically ordering governors to “do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now – for this weekend.”

In a 2 minute, 20 second address, after which he took no questions from the media, Trump said that churches, synagogues and mosques are “essential places that provide essential services,” and if state governors do not permit reopening, he will “override” them.

Rev. Roula Alkhouri, Ph.D., said that the congregation at First Presbyterian should be able to “decide for ourselves, making sure that it is safe for our neighbors and following the guidelines (set forth by New York State and the local health department).”

While believing that government does not have any authority over the church, Alkhouri said her church is under the authority of the Presbytery and adheres to a “collective wisdom” approach.

She also said she believes strongly in the separation of church and state, but she hasn’t felt oppressed by any of the rules stemming from the coronavirus outbreak.

“The guidelines are there to protect us,” she said. “If we chose to meet, we probably could, but is it ethical, does it show the love of Christ toward others? I don’t think so.”

Alkhouri said COVID-19 has hit close to home as a cousin died due to the virus and a sister, who lives in Dubai, just recovered after a 25-day battle.

“(Reopening the building) is not a simple decision; it’s very complex,” she said. “Yes, it is essential that we gather together to worship, but it also is essential that we don’t endanger anyone either.”

Rev. Martin Macdonald, pastor of City Church in Batavia, said he applauds the president’s assertion, but also supports the local officials who are monitoring the situation here.

“I appreciate and respect the president, but we still have to lend our ear to what’s happening in our own community,” he said, referring to the county and city managers, police chiefs and sheriff and health department director. “The president is giving the green light – saying you can reopen – but is it the right time yet? I’ll wait to hear what local authorities have to say.”

He said that he doesn’t think anyone is intentionally trying to keep churches closed, adding that “no one can stop the Gospel from being spread throughout the world.”

“Everyone knows how much I believe in the local church and love people to come together to worship … but I’ve found that our reach is greater than ever before through Facebook and social media outlets,” he said.

Macdonald said he looks to Scripture as his guide.

“The Bible says all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial,” he said, paraphrasing I Cor. 10:23.

In New York, just yesterday Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that religious gatherings will be permitted under strict social guidelines, including no more than 10 people at a time with all participants having to wear masks.

Drive-in and parking lot services also will be allowed.

The governor also said he is forming an interfaith advisory council to formulate guidelines to open up services to a greater degree.

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President Trump’s complete statement:

“At my direction, the CDC is issuing guidance for communities of faith … today I’m identifying houses of worship – churches, synagogues and mosques – as essential places that provide essential services. Some governors have deemed the liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential, but have left out churches and other houses of worship. It’s not right.

"So, I’m correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential. I call upon governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now. If there’s any question, they’re going to have to call me, but they’re not going to be successful in that call. These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united. The people are demanding to go to church, their synagogue and go to their mosque.

"Many millions of Americans embrace worship as an essential part of life. The ministers, pastors, rabbis, imams and other faith leaders will make sure that their congregations are safe as they gather and pray. I know them well. They love their congregations, they love their people, they don’t want anything bad to happen to them or anyone else.

"The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now – for this weekend. If they don’t do it, I will override the governors. In America, we need more prayer, not less."

D'Andre J. Cramer, 21, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with third-degree coercion and third-degree assault. Cramer was arrested at 10:46 p.m. on May 7 after a domestic incident on Dellinger Avenue. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and is due in Batavia City Court on June 5th. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice.

Michael R. Ostrander, 55, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment and third-degree menacing. Ostrander was arrested following an incident in the 400 block of East Main Street, Batavia, at 10 p.m. on May 18. It is alleged that he touched a person and threatened another. He is due in Batavia City Court on June 16. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Adam Tucker, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Jamar T. Shipp, 31, of Niagara Street, Niagara Falls, is charged with aggravated harassment. Shipp was arrested on May 19 after an investigation and arraigned at 4:07 p.m. in Batavia City Court. It is alleged that at 5:21 p.m. on May 9 during a phone call that Shipp threatened to physically harm a female. He was released on his own recognizance and is due to return to city court on July 1. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Alex Roberts.

Matthew W. Barber, 52, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with unauthorized use of a computer. Barber was arrested at 9:26 a.m. on May 21 after an investigation into an incident that occurred at 12:15 a.m. on May 19 in the 700 block of Ellicott Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on June 9. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Joshua Girvin.

Christopher Parker, 31, of Morse Place, Batavia, and Joshua Williams, 30, of Portland Avenue, Rochester, are charged with: unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree, a violation; criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, also a violation; and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a misdemeanor. The duo was arrested by City of Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissinger and the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force after a traffic stop (location and time not provided) on May 21. They were issued appearance tickets and are due in City of Batavia Court on June 16.

While it's not unusual for recently constructed sidewalks to buckle in the heat, the number of faults in the sidewalk along Cedar Street since it was installed in 2013 is unusual, said City of Batavia Public Works Director Matt Worth.

It's also unexplainable. 

Worth -- wasn't appointed public works director until after the project was completed  -- indicated a combination of factors could cause the buckling, including the spacing of the joints, the nature of the subsurface, and the chemistry of the cement.  

The buckling is caused by the cement expanding in the heat of the sun beating down on the pavement.

It's been an issue ever since the project was completed, Worth said. While there are as many as six buckle points along the path now, eventually, the issue will resolve itself as repairs are made and pressure is relieved on the cement.

There's nothing to suggest, Worth said, that the contractor who installed the sidewalks, shares any liability.

City crews will repair the broken sections, he said, at a fraction of the cost of hiring a contractor to do the work.

The middle of an economic lockdown may not seem like the ideal time to open a new restaurant but when it's something you were planning and dreaming about before a global pandemic was announced, that's what you do as soon as you can.

Gilliana's Diner, on Jackson Street, in the former location of Sylvania's, opened yesterday.

"We're super excited," said Jill Antinore, who owns the new eatery with her husband Mark.

Jill said they purchased the restaurant Feb. 1 then the global health emergency hit and the County Health Department wasn't issuing health permits. They had to wait until the Health Department was able to give them the OK to open.

Opened for breakfast and lunch -- except on Friday when they offer a dinner menu -- Jill described the diner as "a breakfast place with Italian specialties."

Available for takeout now are typical breakfast items, such as bacon and eggs, and items such as "The Godfather," which is egg, provolone, Italian sausage, sweet or hot peppers; and "Italian eggs in Purgatory," which is two eggs poached in homemade tomato sauce, with cannellini beans, peppers and onions.

The lunch menu includes tripe, homemade meatballs, agrodolce, and parmesan chicken wings.

Hours are Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Friday 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. The diner is closed on Wednesdays.

The phone number is (585) 201-7772.

As the weather warms, several local restaurant owners, who have been operating under coronavirus lockdown conditions for two months, are looking to outdoor -- al fresco -- dining as a way to attract more customers while maintaining social distancing.

City Manager Martin Moore said he's interested in exploring the idea further. Currently, restaurants won't be able to reopen under the governor's plan for the post-lockdown economy until Phase Three. Moore said he would like to explore giving restaurants a way to serve more diners, besides curbside and delivery.

Several restaurants in Batavia -- Roman's, T.F. Brown's, Islands Hawaiian Grill, O'Lacy's Irish Pub, Center Street Smoke House, for example -- have patios. Settler's has a patio-like space in front of the restaurant and owner John Spyropoulous would like to put it to use. Main St. Pizza Co. has in the past offered seats and tables on the sidewalk and that might be an option for other locations, but with social distancing requirements, restaurants might be looking for more space.

That could mean adjoining or nearby city-owned parking lots or Jackson Square.

Moore said he would have to check with code enforcement about using city property for restaurant use.

Derek Geib, owner of Roman's, Bourbon and Burger Co., and The Coffee Press, is eager to offer outdoor dining. Roman's has an open patio and a patio with retractable windows. While Bourbon and Burger and The Coffee Press don't have patios -- though they can offer sidewalk dining -- both have easy access to Jackson Square. So do Eli Fish, Center Street and the newly opened Gilliana's, but Geib thinks all restaurants that want to participate should have access to diners in Jackson Square.

Matt Gray, the owner of Eli Fish, is also eager to see Jackson Square opened up to diners, with tables spaced at least six feet apart, of course. Gray also owns Alex's Place and he said if there was customer interest, he would explore creating a dining area in the restaurant's parking lot.

The rub for most restaurant owners, however, is the ability to serve alcohol, especially on city property. The would require both the state and the city to make allowances for alcohol service but the state did recognize the importance of alcohol sales to restaurants at the start of the lockdown. Restaurants are allowed to sell alcohol during the lockdown during curbside pickup and delivery.

Moore said if the state would allow it and there is no local law that prohibits it, he is open alcohol sales in Jackson Square or in a designated space in a city-owned parking lot.

“If they give us some kind of ability for our restaurants to have more customers, we’re definitely going to explore every angle to try and make that reality," Moore said.

On a statewide basis, the New York Restaurant Association is supporting outdoor dining and today issued this statement:

“As parts of the state have begun the reopening process and other regions are progressing towards that goal, the New York State Restaurant Association is urging the state to allow restaurants to reopen for outdoor dining during phase two. Just this week, outdoor dining was included in phase one in Connecticut’s reopening.

Additionally, we are formally asking for expanded outdoor dining capabilities, an emphasis on social distancing requirements over capacity limits, and allowing continued sales of alcohol to-go. Just about every restaurant in the state is teetering on the edge of financial hardship, and we need to do everything possible to keep them afloat.

“To do our part, NYSRA, our members, and all restaurants in the state will continue to follow stringent sanitation practices to ensure the safety of our patrons and staff. That’s the promise that we’re making to our guests, who we can’t wait to serve again.”

Press release:

New Cases

• As of 2 p.m.
  • Genesee County received one new positive case of COVID-19, for a total of 178 positive cases.
    • The positive case resides in LeRoy.
    • The individual is in their 40s.
    • The newly positive individual was on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
    • One of the previous positive cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
    • Two of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.
  • Orleans County received 0 new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 171 positive cases.
    • One of the previous positive community cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
    • Seventeen of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.       

Click here to view the Genesee and Orleans counties' online map of confirmed cases.
 

An incident several weeks ago involving two non-compliant persons infected by the coronavirus has resulted in the Genesee County attorney seeking a budget transfer of $2,838 to pay the fees charged by another lawyer called into the case.

County Attorney Kevin Earl on Wednesday presented a resolution to the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee to cover, per the decree, the “unexpected legal expenses due to violations of Health Department quarantine orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The resolution goes on to state that available funds from the county attorney’s personal services line would be moved to the COVID-19 expense line, with the full amount expected to be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Earl said that the money is there due to the county’s furlough of his secretary.

In recounting the circumstances leading up to his request, Earl said two individuals broke their quarantine, which prompted the enlistment of County Judge Charles Zambito to get emergency orders that permitted police to arrest them and take them into custody.

“We arranged that we would take them to a facility that Monroe County had established if we had to do this,” he said. “We did get the orders, and the judge, basically, ordered (attorney) Fred Rarick to represent both of these individuals so that there would be no claims that we were taking them into custody or violating their rights without representation.”

Earl said he “clearly believes” that expenses will be reimbursable “because there was no other reason for this other than the COVID response.”

Committee Chair Marianne Clattenburg asked if the two individuals would be taken to a hotel in Monroe County per a previous agreement between the Genesee & Orleans and Monroe county health departments to provide temporary living quarters for those who had no other housing.

Earl said that this was a different situation, one where a violation of the law came into play.

“We didn’t want to take them to our jail if they had been exposed or tested positive, so the Monroe County sheriff had opened up a facility -- he retrofitted an old jail,” he said. “Obviously, once we have them in custody, we have to take care of them. So, they had a facility where they could provide medical treatment if necessary.”

Clattenburg said that the two people “were going out into the community at the height of the community spread” and that county sheriff’s deputies and city police had to be called in.

“I just want people to realize that we did take the situation very seriously, and those people were a danger to others in the community and were being monitored for quarantine,” she said. “When we found not to be complying, we did take some action here and this is the result of the expense that we had.”

Legislator Gary Maha asked if the duo was taken into custody and transported to Monroe County.

“As we had hoped, the actual having of the order, personally serving upon them, and knowing that if we saw them one foot off the property, they would be immediately taken into custody was enough,” Earl responded. “So, fortunately we didn’t have to go to that step … and I think there’s also a deterrent effect … We did not have to have them arrested but we were ready if we did (with a warrant).”

The committee then approved the resolution, which will move to the full legislature for voting.

In another development, the committee supported a request by County Treasurer Scott German to help the Town of Stafford with its 2021 town/county tax collection.

German said Stafford Town Supervisor asked him if the county would once again collect taxes for the town this year, and German said yes, but the fee would be doubled to $5,000.

“He (Clement) and the (Stafford Town) board were fine with that,” German said.

The treasurer said the reasoning behind the fee increase is that the process took more time than expected and that it lines up with the price charged by Wyoming County for the same service.

“Wyoming County charges about $3.50 per parcel and that is what this will essentially do,” he said, noting that Stafford has about 1,400 taxable parcels. “This will put us on the same playing field as Wyoming County.”

Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein asked if there was a measurement that would justify the new fee.

German said that if another town was to ask the county for tax collection help, he would use the $3.50 per taxable parcel rate going forward.

Legislator Andrew Young, who called for the increase, said, “It’s really not something we want to get in the business of doing; it’s just a matter that one of our partners needs some assistance and we’re going to assist them.”

German agreed and said he will forward a contact signed by both entities to the legislature for consideration in the form of a resolution.

Shawn Philip Stevens, 42, of Hundredmark Road, Elba, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. On May 20, Genesee County Sheriff's deputies J. Dimmig and D. Moore arrested Stevens in relation to a domestic incident that occurred on South Main Street in the Village of Elba at 9:45 p.m. on May 16. Stevens was arrrested and charged with the crime for allegedly violating an order of protection.

Shannon Maria Armstead, 27, of Bloomingdale Road, Alabama, is charged with second-degree menacing and second-degree harassment. At 7:36 p.m. on May 19, Armstead was arrested after a complaint about a physical altercation in the Town Alabama. Armstead was issued appearance tickets and is due in Town of Alabama Court on June 10. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Brabon, assisted by Deputy David Moore.

Genesee County Clerk Michael Cianfrini said he is expecting a major traffic jam when the Department of Motor Vehicles office on the lower floor of County Building I opens its doors once again for walk-in service.

“I do anticipate that when we reopen, we’re going to be inundated,” Cianfrini said on Wednesday as he provided an update on DMV/clerk’s office operations to the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee.

While a specific date for a full reopening has yet to be determined, Cianfrini said he believes it could happen early next month.

“The last I’m hearing is that we should be part of Phase Two (of the four-phase New York State reopening plan) and the date I hear kicked around, but it’s by no means set in stone, is June 8^th,” he said.

Cianfrini said that throughout the COVID-19-induced person-to-person lockout, the DMV office in Batavia has kept busy with reduced staffing that also includes Deputy Clerk Leslie D. Krajewski and two or three customer service representatives.

He said that processing transactions for auto dealers has been steady and that citizens have been utilizing drop boxes in Le Roy and Batavia to a greater degree after his office publicized that option.

“Dealers are actually selling a lot of cars right now … and we have been able to maintain a pretty good dealer work flow,” Cianfrini said. “My goal is to try to get caught up on all the dealer work by the time we reopen. We’re close and the dealer work continues to come in.”

He said his office has been processing vehicle registration renewals, registration transfers, driver’s license renewals (if people submit valid eye test results), vehicle plate surrenders and, more recently, issuing license plates for new purchases.

“Originally, we were told we were forbidden from doing that (issuing plates), but the more I was hearing other DMVs were doing it, we started also issuing license plates to Genesee County residents only,” he said. “We have a limited supply of plates and we have not gotten resupplied on that, so we don’t want to run out.”

Financially, revenue is not far off of 2019 levels, he said, with $300,000 coming into the county for the first four months of this year, compared to $353,000 for the same time period in 2019.

Cianfrini said that the office is “ready to go” as far as social distancing and other safety protocols are concerned, but did admit that answering the phone may be placed on the back burner at the outset.

“We may have to temporarily turn the phones off when we first reopen … and we may try to change our message to include all the information that we typically get asked when people call -- to just include that in the message -- but on a temporary basis to focus on the people who come in,” he advised.

He pointed out that there will be a lot of 16-year-olds who haven’t been able to get their permits, as well as many, many others seeking service. He also mentioned that employees will continue to encourage people to use the drop boxes.

“If we have the 500 people in line that I anticipate once we reopen … we can’t do the phones and answer the customers that are waiting in line,” he said, noting that the office has received hundreds of calls per day – nonstop from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – mostly from out-of-county residents unable to get through to their DMV offices.

Cianfrini also reported on activity at the County Clerk’s office upstairs, citing the effectiveness of e-recording (land documents) and e-filing (civil filings) software that was implemented last year.

“We’ve been fairly busy … attorneys have made the transition to e-recording very smoothly,” he said.

He said the office receives a couple dozen calls a day about pistol permits, a service that he hasn’t been able to provide.

“But when we do reopen, that’s going to be the thing that really drives us,” he said.

Cianfrini also said he is not worried about a permanent loss of revenue.

“I don’t anticipate a big drop-off beyond the national economic downtown … (as) pretty much anything that would have been recorded is going to be recorded and anything that would have been filed is going to be filed – and anybody that planned on doing a passport or pistol permit transaction will probably still come in anyway once we reopen.”

With colleges and high schools cut short due to the current public health crisis, it seems reasonable to believe that a large number of young adults may be looking for gainful employment.

Genesee County Board of Election Commissioners Lorie Longhany and Richard Siebert have issued a call for citizens – 18 years of age and up – to serve their communities and earn some spending money at the same time by applying for poll worker positions for the June 23^rd Primary and Special Election.

“Dick and I have found that we’re going to have a need for more poll workers … we are down, right now, 42 poll workers out of approximately 200,” Longhany said at Wednesday afternoon’s Genesee County Legislature Ways & Means Committee meeting via Zoom videoconferencing.

Longhany said workers are needed for eight-hour shifts during the week and for five-hour shifts on the weekend during early voting, and then for a 15- to 16-hour stint on Election Day.

Pay for the Election Day work is set at $215 and other pay rates vary depending upon shift length and duties.

She also said those who apply will be paid $35 for two hours of training, and would be eligible to stay on to work during the November election.

“We’ve had some luck getting some young people to step forward, but not in the numbers that we are going to need. And that’s our dilemma,” Longhany said. “We have an election … on the 23^rd and we need staff to put it on.”

Longhany said that the COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting the election office’s operation.

“We are seeing that poll workers just aren’t comfortable going out and sitting during the climate that we’re in with COVID-19,” she said.

Committee Chair Marianne Clattenburg said that was understandable.

“A lot of our poll workers are older citizens and considered vulnerable, and we appreciate the service they have given us all these years, but we totally understand their perspective now,” she said.

Longhany said the plan is to “facilitate the movement of the voters to get to the table to sign in by keeping the six-foot social distancing – passing out the little bottle of sanitizer that our emergency management team is so wonderfully providing for us, and just kind of keep a semblance of order during a time that’s different,” she explained. “We want our poll workers to be safe and we want our voters to be safe.”

The election commissioners asked legislators to allow them to hire more poll workers to keep things running smoothly and ensure that required safety measures are followed, adding that they are reaching out to school teachers, social workers at schools and others to get the word out.

Siebert noted that election expenses are the responsibility of the municipalities that are being served by the county election office.

“We were directed many years ago that all expenses to the towns that we run the election – these poll workers – no matter what our expenses – are charged back, which comes back two years later,” he said. “So, if we have to hire another $4,000 or $5,000 for what the cost would be … that would be a charge back to the City of Batavia and all the 13 towns.”

People interested in applying to be a poll worker or who want more information are asked to call the election office at (585) 815-7804.

Longhany said that 5,339 absentee ballots have been processed thus far, more than twice the normal amount processed during presidential election years.

Polls will be open for early voting at County Building 2 on West Main Street Road in Batavia from: noon to 5 p.m. on June 13-14; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 15; noon to 8 p.m. on June 16-17;9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 18-19; and noon to 5 p.m. on June 20-21.

On June 23, Election Day voting will take place at 23 different polling sites from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the county.

Assistant County Manager Matt Landers provided a snapshot of the current financial status of Genesee County government tonight and, although the complete picture has yet to develop, it does present a clear view that steps being taken in light of the COVID-19 pandemic are resulting in significant cost savings.

Speaking at the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means videoconference meeting, Landers projected that the county will be $1.4 million on the plus side before any potential state aid and sales tax losses are considered.

“When you take into consideration about $800,000 on the departmental level and an additional $600,000 through various measures and means, we’re looking at possibly about $1.4 million to the good,” Landers said. “These are all pre-state cuts and pre-sales tax implications as well, and doesn’t have mortgage tax figured in – and that could be another $100,000 or so.”

Landers reported information received from department heads and County Treasurer Scott German as the basis for his forecast.

“In general, what got reported back to us … in essence, the savings on a departmental level are about $800,000 on their budgets through the course of the year and going forward, projecting out,” he said.

He said departmental revenues would decline by $1.5 to $1.6 million for the year, but expenses will be down about $2.4 million for the year – resulting in the $800,000 savings.

“A large chunk of that is the jail, which has significant savings,” he offered. “They’re looking at roughly a net savings of $370,000, primarily from not boarding out, medical savings, food savings. They budgeted boarding out males and females and, obviously, they’re not boarding anybody out.”

Beyond that, Landers said the county health department’s preschool (ages) 3-5 program will see a savings of $308,000 as schools have been closed. This program primarily consists of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and other programming.

Moreover, the county’s hiring freeze and furlough strategies are on track to produce savings of $236,000 and $160,000, respectively, he said.

Landers said that additional revenue is expected in tax foreclosure properties ($131,000), contingency costs not utilized ($35,000), forfeited bail ($25,000) and delaying of projects ($100,000), which more than offset losses in interest earnings ($100,000) and Western Regional Off-Track Betting revenue ($35,000).

“At this point in time, I’m happy to see that we’re a million-four to the good versus a million-four to the bad … but we’re really at a wait-and-see situation right now until we can really see what is going to happen with the state reimbursement on state aid, the sales tax money and (federal) stimulus four,” he said.

Landers also said that a fourth federal stimulus package to help states and local governments would make paint a much brighter picture for the county.

“If we receive a windfall of money to help offset our sales tax losses, the ripple effect is huge because that would also mean that the state is receiving something else,” he said. “And it would not need to give a pass-down, devastating state aid cut that could be from a couple million to seven or eight million dollars they could hit us with.”

County Manager Jay Gsell advised the committee that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has three state budget “measurement periods” at his disposal.

The first (the month of April) has already passed but an announcement is “imminent,” Gsell said, and the others are May 1 through June 30, and July 1 through the end of the year.

He said that negotiations are taking place at the federal level in regard to another stimulus package, expressing the opinion that the bill recently passed by the House of Representatives will not pass as presented.

“That does not look like that (HEROES Act) is going anywhere,” he said. “Our NYSAC (New York State Association of Counties) people last night were telling us that looks like it is strictly a negotiating standpoint, and not a viable piece of federal legislation.”

Gsell said if a bill that is acceptable to both the House and Senate does materialize it likely won’t happen until June.

In a related financial development, the committee forwarded a resolution authorizing County Treasurer Scott German to distribute mortgage tax money to the City of Batavia, towns and villages – an amount totaling $388,967.72 – as follows:

-- City of Batavia, $103,929.86;
-- Town of Alabama, $7,911.34;
-- Town of Alexander, $15,902.45;
-- Town of Batavia, $46,467.74;
-- Town of Bergen, $14,956.42;
-- Town of Bethany, $7,929.85;
-- Town of Byron, $18,118.73;
-- Town of Darien, $31,923.49;
-- Town of Elba, $9,388.03;
-- Town of Le Roy, $33,675.72;
-- Town of Oakfield, $13,118.74;
-- Town of Pavilion, $16,232.73;
-- Town of Pembroke, $31,468.05;
-- Town of Stafford, $18,986.41;
-- Village of Alexander, $1,649.66;
-- Village of Attica, $565.80;
-- Village of Bergen, $1,998.11;
-- Village of Elba, $1,154.38;
-- Village of Le Roy, $9,670.41;
-- Village of Oakfield, $2,021.87;
-- Village of Corfu, $1,897.

The total is more than $126,000 that was distributed as the first payment of 2019 and the most for the same time period in the last eight years.

Press release:

New Cases

• As of 2 p.m.
  • Genesee County received 4 new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 177 positive cases.
    • The positive cases reside in Batavia and Le Roy.
    • One individual is in their 30s, one individual is in their 40s, one individual is in their 50s, and one individual is in their 80s.
    • Two of the newly positive individuals were on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
    • Two of the previous positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
    • Two of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.
  • Orleans County received two new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 171 positive cases.
    • One positive case resides in Ridgeway and one positive case resides in Gaines.
    • One individual is in their 30s and one individual is in their 40s.
    • Neither of the newly positive individuals were on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
    • Four of the previous positive community cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
    • Seventeen of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.

As Genesee County school districts gear up for 2020-21 budget voting and school board elections, The Batavian is providing the following capsule summaries to keep residents informed about key dates, propositions and candidates.

Per Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s order, all school districts in New York State will hold annual budget voting and board elections on June 9 through absentee balloting.

Absentee ballots will be mailed to eligible voters and must be returned to the district offices by 5 p.m. on June 9 or they will not be considered or counted – no exceptions.

It is essential to remember that additional state aid cuts could be coming and would affect districts’ budgets going forward.

Details about the schools’ budgets and candidates as well as contact information can be found on their respective websites.

ALEXANDER CENTRAL

Budget by the numbers -- The proposed budget is $18,540,258, an increase of $315,497 from the 2019-20 plan, with no increase in the tax levy. The budget (virtual) hearing is set for 7 p.m. on May 26 via Zoom using the log-in details posted on the district website, and will be available for viewing on the website’s BOE link starting on May 27.

School board election – One position is up for election for a term of five years commencing July 1, 2020 and expiring on June 30, 2025 to succeed Richard Guarino, whose term expires on June 30, 2020. Candidates are Christopher Mullen and Diane Steel.

Website – www.alexandercsd.org

BATAVIA CITY SCHOOLS

Budget by the numbers – The board approved a $51,470,725 spending plan with cuts in staffing and other items but no property tax increase. The public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on June 2.

Additional propositions – Richmond Memorial Library trustee voting, with Kristi Evans the only candidate at this time for a five-year term starting on July 1, 2020. As two seats are open, the other will be filled via the write-in candidate process. Jackson Primary playground, a $618,000 capital project to construct an age-appropriate playground at Jackson Primary School.

School board election – Incumbents Barbara Bowman and Tanni Bromley along with recent appointee Alice Ann Benedict are running for three board seats. The candidates receiving the most votes will serve from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023, while the third-place candidate’s term will be June 9, 2020 through June 30, 2021.

Website – www.bataviacsd.org

BYRON-BERGEN CENTRAL

Budget by the numbers – The board adopted a proposed budget of $24,599,800, including a tax levy of $9,024,961 – an increase in the property tax rate of 1.99 percent. The public hearing on the budget is set for 5 p.m. on May 28, and will be recorded and placed on the district website.

Additional propositions – Bus purchase, proposal is for two 70-passenger school buses at a maximum cost of $246,000, with 90 percent covered by state aid. The tax income is estimated at $2 per year on a house assessed at $100,000, according to Superintendent Mickey Edwards.

School board election – Three people are running for two open trustee positions – incumbents Tammy Menzie and Amy Phillips and challenger Lynn Smith. The terms are for three years, beginning on July 1.

Website – www.bbschools.org

ELBA CENTRAL

Budget by the numbers – The board is meeting tonight via Zoom to consider the $10,269,322 spending plan that calls for a slight tax increase that equates to an increase of $39 for the entire year based on a house assessed at $150,000. The public hearing is set for 6:30 p.m. on May 27, also via Zoom.

Additional proposition – Re-establish a vehicle and transportation reserve and school bus purchase. Superintendent Ned Dale reporting that the district wishes use existing reserve funds to purchase a 65-passenger bus and a 24-passenger bus with a handicap lift.

School board election – Incumbent Michael Riner is the only slated candidate for his seat, which expires this year.

Website – www.elbacsd.org

LE ROY CENTRAL

Budget by the numbers – The board approved a $26,334,488 budget that includes a 1.99 percent property tax increase (which is below the district’s tax cap of 2.8 percent) and does not add new positions or programs. The budget hearing presentation will be posted on the district's website at www.leroycsd.org on June 2.

School board election – Incumbents Richard Lawrence and Jacalyn Whiting are running for the two three-year terms.

Website – www.leroycsd.org

OAKFIELD-ALABAMA CENTRAL

Budget by the numbers – The board approved a $21,123,746 budget, up 1.4 percent from last year, with a zero percent property tax increase. Superintendent John Fisgus reported that the budget preserves all educational programs and extracurricular activities, adding that tiered plans are in place if the state makes additional cuts in aid. The public hearing on the budget is set for 10 a.m. on June 1 and will be considered “adjourned” as it will be conducted remotely.

Additional propositions – Capital improvement project, $15.3 million, with no impact upon taxpayers. Major goals of the project include safety/security measures, code and handicap accessible updates, building repairs, infrastructure upgrades and landscaping. School bus purchase, $135,000, to be financed.

School board election – Five candidates are running for three open positions – Jackie Yunker Davis, Daniel N. Groth, Douglas Russo, Shanda Spink and Pete Zeliff. The candidate receiving the most votes will begin serving on June 10 with the term ending on June 30, 2023. The terms of the two candidates with the second and third most votes will be July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.

Website – www.oahornets.org

PAVILION CENTRAL

Budget by the numbers – The board adopted a $17,684,182 budget with no change in the tax levy and no major changes beyond contractual increases and expected costs related to the coronavirus. The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 26 via Zoom. Links will be provided in the district newsletter and on our web page once they are created. 

Additional propositions – Change of board of education term, with the proposal calling for making all seven seats five-year terms – an increase of two years from the current term.

School board election -- Incumbents Margaret Gaston and Callin Ayers-Tillotson are running for re-election.

Website – www.pavilioncsd.org

PEMBROKE CENTRAL

Budget by the numbers – The board adopted a $23,679,522 budget with a zero percent tax levy increase and no property tax increase. The budget hearing will be held remotely on May 26, and the adjourned budget hearing will be available to view on the district website BoardDocs link beginning on May 27. The district's Dragon Tales publication will be mailed next week with all the details.

Additional propositions – Purchase of buses, with no impact upon taxes.

School board election – Dan Lang is running for a one-year unexpired term and Heather Wood is running for a new five-year term. Additionally, an election to fill three seats on the Corfu Public Library is scheduled. Kristie Miller, Julie Hengenius and Tony Kutter are up for election for three-year terms.

Website – www.pembrokecsd.org

The Batavia City School District Board of Education tonight unanimously passed its 2020-21 budget, a $51.4 million spending plan that does not raise property taxes but comes with personnel reductions that were made to close what previously was a $1.6 million shortfall.

Voting took place at the board’s videoconference meeting on its YouTube channel and all seven members cast a “yes” vote.

The board also voted on the district’s yearly capital outlay project, choosing to fund the replacement of exterior doors and landscaping at the Batavia Middle School on Ross Street. The other options were a new restroom at the Jackson Primary School gym and a new stage floor and new clocks at the Batavia High School auditorium.

Board members cited safety of the students as the main factor in selecting the middle school project.

The capital outlay project will cost the district only $10,000, with the other $90,000 covered by an aid appropriation.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for the board’s next meeting at 6 :30 p.m. June 2, and voting will take place by paper ballot on June 9.

Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said that ballots will be mailed to all eligible voters by the end of this week, and must be returned (in a provided postage-paid envelope).

The public also will vote on a $618,000 capital project to construct an age-appropriate playground at Jackson Primary School, he said.

Concerning the budget, the board was forced to make numerous spending cuts over the past few weeks due to a significant decrease in state aid and having to meet a “negative” tax cap figure.

It slashed about 30 positions – some full-time, some part-time, and some long-term substitutes – and followed that up by scaling back three BOCES programs.

Other cost-cutting measures included delaying equipment and supply purchases, putting a moratorium on conference attendance and holding off on the hiring of a second School Resource Officer.

At tonight’s meeting, Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. reported that only about a dozen individuals will be losing their jobs due to shifting positions around, retirements and vacancies that won’t be filled.

Rozanski said not much has changed since the board’s last meeting two weeks ago.

“If the state reduces state aid – and there has been no notification as of today -- then the district will need to decide on further reductions or using more reserves,” he said.

Pertinent financial information can be found on the BOE’s website at www.bataviacsd.org, and then scroll over the District Information tab before clicking on the Board of Education tab.

The district's Property Tax Report Card will be posted on the website homepage's "Spotlight" section sometime on Wednesday.

Rozanski also said that a vote of the Batavia Teachers’ Association on changing the school day schedule has yet to take place, but “will not impact this budget, although it might assist moving forward if there are more state aid reductions.”

Soler has proposed altering the schedules at the four schools, a move that would save $200,000 in transportation costs by having to use fewer buses.

BTA President Mark Warren told The Batavian that a vote of employees who work at each of the schools will take place sometime next week and definitely by June 1. It is believed that each school would have to vote in favor of the schedule change for the measure to pass.

The proposed schedule change is as follows:

-- Putting Batavia High and Batavia Middle on a 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. schedule. Currently, the schedule at those two schools is 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

-- Putting John Kennedy and Jackson on a 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. schedule. Currently, the schedule at those two schools is 8:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Board President Patrick Burk answered several questions he received via email from the public and invited people to submit questions to be addressed at the next meeting as well. To submit a question, send an email to:   bawitkop@bataviacsd.org and include your name, address and contact information.

In another development that hopefully will bring some joy to the seniors who have seen their school year cut short, Soler announced that the BHS Commencement is tentatively scheduled (contingent upon the COVID-19 situation) for 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 27 at Van Detta Stadium at Richmond Avenue and Union Street.

The superintendent also advised that the last day of remote learning will be June 17, thus fulfilling state and union contract requirements.