James Di Lullo is a facts man, which may answer why he did so well in Scholastic Bowl before graduating from Batavia High School in 2007.

As for his more recent ventures with film-making and acting, facts have also come into play. With some experience, schooling, research and tenacity, plus assistance from family members and his girlfriend, the 33-year-old Western New York native cobbled together a production to be premiered in Buffalo this weekend.

“Goldenrod” is a short film conceived and produced at DiLullo’s family farm in Cattaraugus County. As the name implies, scenery is lush with mustard-colored goldenrod and foliage, with a glass-like lake nearby the circa 1852 homestead.

“So I was sitting on the deck of a big beautiful, plantation-style, almost farmhouse, looking out over the lake in September, and beautiful fields, and determined that this was the perfect place for me to write about, for me to create a story that could be completely produced and shot on that location,” he said during an interview Wednesday with The Batavian. “And involve local history and entertainment to combine all the three things you need for a great film, which was story, place and time.”

He had the place. And with research and garnering those facts about the geography, DiLullo wrote a story about a modest farming family and how it was affected during the Civil War. His original draft was twice as long and larger, which was cut down to just over 18 minutes and seven characters.

Given the era of the film, fashions are simple — think “Little House on the Prairie” — which features 7-year-old lead character Clara Payne in a simple white dressing gown and bare feet that seem to enjoy running through long blades of grass. The image fits her on-screen personality, that of a kid who isn’t interested in the seriousness of life when there are flowers to pick and water for dipping her toes in.

Clara eventually discovers the answer to the movie’s question “how do you love?” after suffering a family loss and filling in the void with mature compassion. Trust is also a key component in the message, DiLullo said.

“It teaches how we can learn to trust each other, who do you trust and why?” he said. “What I learned the most was how I could trust other people, that was a big step.”

Backing up to high school, the versatile DiLullo took a hiatus to play professional soccer in Finland for one day shy of a year before eventually graduating, he said. He went to Brockport State College for international business and economics, with an intent to pursue the supply chain field. He landed at Microsoft in the marketing department and “I really saw the power of marketing,” he said, in connection with product endorsements on movie sets. Think that can of Coca-Cola is there by mistake? Of course not, he said.

After repeatedly being asked if he was an actor, he got an offer and accepted to try it out. He especially appreciates the movie business and how a set contains every skill, from the creativity of writers and actors to the administrative skill of accountants, and other needs for plumbers, electricians, daycare, and even psychology fields, he said.

He portrayed a character on a website production and took a 20-week writer's boot camp course to hone his skills before “Goldenrod” flashed into his mind in September 2018. Knowing the questions to ask himself, DiLullo pondered the compelling aspects of rural New York. That took him to the Underground Railroad, which pulls the story, place and time together.

Family members Cecelia “Chee” Lullo was the wardrobe designer; Michal K. Lullo served as production assistant, and Joseph Lullo was transportation supervisor.

James was born a Lullo but took the family name DiLullo that was used in the family until 1952, he said.

Others involved with the production include Dr. Mary Reid Gaudio, producer and music producer, composer and performer;  Richard Jacobs, producer.

DiLullo reached out to his hometown roots for assistance and inspiration. “Goldenrod” is in memoriam of former Genesee Community College music professor and composer Ann Reid, and was also influenced by retired teacher, historian, and author Anne Marie Starowitz of Batavia, DiLullo said. Select costumes were provided by Main Street 56 Theater and T-Shirts Etc. was involved as a vendor.

Directed by Marjorie DeHey, the film features a cast and crew from across the nation and New York State, he said. It is “considered a favorite for awards and recognition, and will focus on being official selections at NYS-based film festivals including Buffalo, Syracuse, and Cortland.

Top photo by Howard Owens.

James DiLullo and the cast and crew of Goldenrod. Submitted photo.

Production photo from Goldenrod. Submitted photo.

 

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Solid and cozy little country ranch located on 1.4 acre peaceful lot. The home has been updated throughout the years including a roof done in 2010 and new septic in approximately 2004. There is central air and a full house generator should bad weather happen. There are three large bedrooms and a nice and large first floor laundry room that is super convenient! The basement is large and could be converted to great workspace area! Current owner has utilized some alternative heat uses so there is that option as well! Also for the shop enthusiast there is a large 3 bay garage/shop-definitely a place to get things done and storage galore!! Yard is private and quiet with a peaceful little creek running along the back edge-definitely a great little piece of country living and only minutes from thruway and shopping! Call Reliant Real Estate today - call 585-344-HOME (4663)

Press Release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board has accepted an initial resolution for a proposed $12 million investment by 8250 Park Road, LLC for extensive renovations to the Quality Inn & Suites and Palm Island Indoor Water Park in the town of Batavia at its board meeting on Thursday, October 6, 2022.

8250 Park Road, LLC will renovate the four-season tourism and hospitality facility’s hotel rooms, lobby, event spaces, water park, and restaurant.  The re-development proposes to create 38 new full-time jobs. The project is estimated to generate $32 of economic activity for every $1 of local public benefits.

“This investment will have a major impact on our tourism and hospitality sectors. These types of facilities will attract residents throughout the Western New York Region,” said Steve Hyde, Genesee County Economic Development Center president and CEO. “The facility is in a premier location in Genesee County centrally located to attractions such as Darien Lake, and the facility’s water park is a four-season attraction as well.”

8250 Park Road, LLC is requesting sales tax exemptions estimated at $458,400, a property tax abatement of approximately $659,521, and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $80,000.

A public hearing for the initial application will be scheduled in the town of Batavia.

Press release:

The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting their last FREE drive-thru anti-rabies immunization clinic of 2022. The clinic will be held on Thursday, Oct. 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia).

“Rabies is a fatal, but preventable viral disease that can spread to people from pets if they are bitten and scratched by an infected animal with rabies,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “We encourage residents to take advantage of our last anti-rabies immunization clinic of 2022 and ensure their pets are protected against rabies.”

Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets, but voluntary donations are accepted. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit 4 pets per car maximum.

To save you time, please click here to fill out your registration form in advance. Be sure to print out two copies for each pet to be vaccinated and bring them with you to the clinic.

For more information on Health Department services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call 585-344-2580 ext.5555.

Press release:

The dedicated staff members in the United Memorial Medical Center Intensive Care Unit have always provided the highest quality care to patients who are often the sickest, most vulnerable and most in need at UMMC.  Many staff members are local, taking care of their neighbors and friends.  And they’re giving patients that committed care right where they want it- in their own communities, close to loved ones.  Now, it’s our time to say thank you and give back.

“Our motto is having care close to home. We want to continue to provide the top notch quality care here- which there's no doubt that we have the physicians and the nurses that provide that. Now we need the new state-of-the-art equipment to do that,” said Jessica Patnode, UMMC Director of Nursing.

The Batavia Rotary Club is donating $150,000 to help UMMC create an expanded, state-of-the-art ICU.  It’s challenging the community to match that so that the hospital will received $300,000 towards its new plans.  Those who donate $250 or more will see their names added to a donor wall.

“We have many projects that come to us throughout the year,” said Marlin Salmon, Batavia Rotary Past President.  “The requests are brought to our board and the board reviews them, discusses the merits and we act upon them.  We felt that this was a very, very worthwhile project.”

The ICU renovation will include:

• Expanded ICU will more than triple in size from current space
• Ten private patient rooms with bathrooms    
• One bed dedicated to pediatric patients
• Central nurses station, with work stations outside each room
• Cutting edge technology in each room including integrated telemedicine and enhanced monitoring capabilities, and additional lift and transfer equipment in the rooms  
• New ICU waiting room

We hope to begin construction on the new ICU in early 2024, and be done with the renovations by the end of the year.

To donate you can go here: Support United Memorial Medical Center | Rochester Regional Health Foundations (rrhgive.org) 

Click here to purchase tickets!

The Batavian newsroom will be out of town today through Wednesday for personal time.

We will travel with laptops, of course, and post the news we can remotely.  There will naturally be things we can't cover in person during that time but will strive to get assistance on those stories where we can.

Press Release

Oxbo is celebrating MFG Day! As a global manufacturer of specialty harvesting and controlled application equipment, Oxbo has three manufacturing facilities in the United States: Byron, NY; Clear Lake, WI; and Lynden, WA. Oxbo also manufactures equipment Roosendaal, Netherlands, Fakenham, United Kingdom and Bournezeau, France. Oxbo products are used in more than 40 countries globally.

Oxbo provides diverse manufacturing career opportunities and employs welders, fabricators, machinists, material handlers, and assemblers. Oxbo provides on-the-job training and the unique opportunity to serve several essential agricultural businesses.

“We are proud to manufacture agricultural equipment in our US factories and to provide career opportunities in our local communities,” said Joe Perzia, Oxbo’s Chief Operating Officer. “We support the goals of MFG Day and are excited to showcase what modern manufacturing looks like at our facilities.”

As part of MFG Day, Oxbo is hosting facility tours in Byron, New York and Lynden, Washington on October 7, 2022, between 9am and noon. Students, career applicants, and community members are invited to see the full process in two of Oxbo’s US factories to better understand the role manufacturing plays in agriculture and the local community. Schedule a tour by visiting the MFG Day website or get a feel for Oxbo’s business by watching our segment on the show "Manufacturing Marvels."

Press release:

The City of Batavia announces the appointment of Joshua Graham to the position of Fire Chief for the City of Batavia.  Graham was selected following an extensive search for candidates and active recruitment campaign.  The new Chief will assume his role on Monday, October 31^st, 2022.

A Western New York native, Graham holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire and Emergency Management from Purdue Global University, an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science, and an Associate’s Degree in Strategic Operation Management from the Community College of the Air Force. He has completed numerous trainings and certifications related to fire safety, management, and leadership.  He is currently serving as Captain in the Fire Department with the Department of Defense at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.

Graham has worked as a professional paid fire fighter and volunteer fire fighter throughout his career.  Graham has served on Active-Duty Air Force, New York Air National Guard and he recently retired from the United State Air Force Reserves as a Senior Master Sergeant, where he filled the role of Deputy Fire Chief. He has volunteer experience with the Darien Fire Department and the Arcade Fire Department.  He also serves as a New York State Fire Instructor with the Office of Fire Prevention and Control. 

“I am excited for Josh to take on the leadership role of Chief of the Fire Department.  His record, dedication, and leadership ability made him the right fit for this position in the City.  Josh highlighted his preference to work in a team atmosphere and that made him the best candidate for this position,” said Rachael Tabelski, City Manager. 

“I am very excited to start in the position of Fire Chief for the City of Batavia. The Fire Department has done a fantastic job of upholding a high level of standard and professionalism for the community they serve, and I look forward to continuing that level of service for many years to come”, said Josh.

Josh, a graduate of Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, lives with his wife Carrie and son Jaxon in Arcade. He will be relocating for the position.

Daniel Goodell

Daniel Lee Goodell, 41, of South Volutia Street, Wichita, Kan., is charged with sex abuse 1st. Goodell was arrested by the Sherriff's Office on a warrant in Kansas and returned to New York. He is accused of sexually abusing children less than 11 years old in 2009 and 2010 in Alexander.  He was arraigned in Town of Alexander Court and ordered held without bail. Goodell was also arrested by State Police and charged with 12 counts of Sexual Abuse 1st, 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of sexual conduct with a child. The State Police alleged that between 2019 and 2021, Goodell abused children less than 14 years old on multiple occasions. Goodell moved from New York before the criminal investigation was opened, according to State Police. Goodell was extradited from Kansas on Sept. 30.  On the State Police charges, he was arraigned in Town of Alexander Court and ordered held on $30,000 bail or $60,000 bond.

Delonta R. Curry, 21, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds and criminal possession of a weapon. Curry is accused of possessing a weapon on school grounds on Feb. 13 at 8:26 p.m. on Washington Avenue. He was arrested on a warrant on Sept. 24, arraigned in City Court, and ordered held on bail.

Shawn R. Wisniewski, 33, of Medina, is charged with petit larceny. Wisniewski is accused of stealing from a business on Jackson Street on Sept. 20 at 10:36 a.m. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Chazmar T. Walters, 29, of Le Roy, was arrested on a warrant on Aug. 15. The nature of the warrant was not released. Walters was released and ordered to appear in City Court at a later date.

Daniel T. Henning, 42, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property 5th. Henning is accused of possessing stolen property while on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, on March 28 at 2:55 p.m. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance.

Jolene Y. Stevens, 33, no permanent address, is charged with failure to appear. Stevens was arrested on multiple warrants. She was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $500 bail, $1,000 bond, or $5,000 partially secured bond.

Phillip P. Heale, 44, of Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd. Heale is accused of being on property he was previously banned from being on. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Evan F. Maynard, 21, of Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd. Maynard is accused of being involved in a disturbance on Sept. 24 at 8:24 p.m. at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Justin T. Calmes, 44, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Calmes is accused of violating an order of protection on Aug. 29 at midnight. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Jennifer L. Cudney, 41, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and operating a vehicle with a suspended registration. Cudney was stopped on Sept. 18 at 7:31 p.m. on Bank Street by a Batavia patrol officer. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Jason H. Freeman, 41, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Freeman is accused of stealing beer from a business on Jackson Street on Sept. 18 at 9 a.m. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jeffrey A. Hewitt, 43 of Le Roy, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, failure to properly signal, driver's view obstructed, unlicensed driver, and aggravated unlicensed operation 1st. Hewitt was stopped by a Batavia patrol office on Sept. 25 at 10:37 a.m. on Summit Street. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Laura B. Beatty, 44, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child 1st. Beatty is accused of providing alcohol to a juvenile at her residence on Oak Street on Sept. 24 at 10:05 p.m. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian M. Raphael, 34, of Batavia, and Michelle L. Misiak, 57, of Batavia are charged with petit larceny. Raphael and Misiak are accused of stealing groceries on Sept. 27 from a store on East Main Street, Batavia. Both were issued appearance tickets.

Karrie A. Morrow, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on two bench warrants. The nature of the warrants was not released. She was released under supervision. Morrow was also arrested by State Police on a petit larceny charge. Morrow is accused of stealing merchandise valued at $17.98 from 48 Express Deli on Park Road on Sept. 29. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Renee Lynn Coughlin, 32, of Park Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with falsely reporting an incident 3rd.  Coughlin is accused of falling reporting an incident to police on Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. on Park Avenue in Oakfield. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Jamie Lee Broadbent, 39, of Federal Drive, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Broadbent is accused of entering an unsecured storage room and a vacant room at a hotel at 4371 Federal Drive, Batavia, and stealing items belonging to the hotel. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Hunter Joseph Stetz, 19, of Zimmerman Road, Hamburg, is charged with possession of a forged instrument. Stetz is accused of being in possession of a forged NYS driver's license on Aug. 25 at 8:15 p.m. while at Darien Lake. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Dale W. Gress, 54, of Elba, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Gress was stopped by State Police on Oct. 5 at 12:13 a.m. in the Town of Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

A best-case scenario for the resurrected Wings Over Batavia air show is that a profit would be made, but Tim Hens will settle for a bit less.

“I would like it to be a break even,” the county highway superintendent and air show committee liaison said to county legislators Wednesday.

As promised last month, Hens returned to the hot seat and reported an estimated county expense for the event.

“Our best guess is around $12,705,” he said.

That total would be for county Sheriff’s Office deputies and Emergency Management Services staff to provide security, traffic and crowd control. The breakdown was estimated to be $5,400 for offsite traffic control; $2,055 for EMS presence; and $5,250 for pre-show preparations by highway and facilities maintenance staff.

Aside from whatever the show itself may take in from the admission price, Hens and the committee are hopeful that all of that traffic will eventually leave the airport on Saile Drive and go shopping, eating and/or taking in some local entertainment.

The county will also see increased sales tax because of the air show and related Wing Ding event held within the City of Batavia,” Hens said.

An estimated increase in sales tax proceeds during the three-day event would be from $20,000 to $40,000, he said.

“There actually would be no increased costs on our insurance policy, which was surprising to me,” he said. “We asked them to look at the airshow, there was a skydiving event as part of the history. And pyrotechnic fireworks are part of the event. There was no actual added costs, which was good news to hear.”

Ways & Means legislative members generally agreed to move forward with the event request, however, the approval of legislators Gary Maha and Chairwoman Shelley Stein included a caveat.

"So I would move this for approval in a second," Stein said. "At the same time, I don't want this to cost the county over that $40,000, you know, I would very much like it to break even with our sales tax because I think it's going to be a great opportunity to bring this back to Batavia.

“But I think, as Gary said, we just don't want to sign a blank check," she said. "I absolutely want to be supportive of this.”

Legislators emphasized that the county was not sponsoring this event, but lending its support via a resolution and the potential costs of labor mentioned above. Wings Over Batavia LLC is forming a non-profit entity and will be the group responsible for the air show.

The request will move on to the whole Genesee County Legislature for a vote later this month.

If given final approval, the air show is tentatively scheduled for mid-September 2023. 

To view a prior Wings Over Batavia air show, check out this Youtube.com video made in 1997 by EFP Network. This was one year before the last air show took place.

Top Photo of Tim Hens from social media. 2022 File Photo of Genesee County Legislature Chairwoman Shelley Stein. Photo by Joanne Beck.

Press release:

The Museum Quilt Guild of Batavia will present their biennial show, “Stitches in Time”, on Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be more than 150 quilts displayed at the Alexander Fireman’s Recreation Hall, 10708 Alexander Road (Rt 98), Alexander.

In addition, there will be vendors, demonstrations, a silent auction, a boutique and a basket raffle.

Admission is $5; children under 10 are free.

For more information, contact Elaine (585) 880-0456 or visit our website at www.themuseumquiltguild.com

Photo: Submitted photo. Best of show quilt from 2018

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jacob A. Kipler recently graduated from the 78th Basic Course for Police Officers at the Niagara County Law Enforcement Training Academy held at Niagara County Community College. 

Deputy Kipler is a 2013 graduate of Maryvale High School, Cheektowaga, NY.  Following high school, Deputy Kipler enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from 2013 to 2018 and was awarded several medals, badges and citations.  He was an aviation mechanic and achieved the rank of Sergeant.  After the Marines, Deputy Kipler pursued a college education at the Community College of Vermont and Erie Community College where he earned an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a 3.6 GPA.   

Sheriff Sheron stated, “Deputy Kipler was hired on March 7, 2022, and is currently participating in our 14-week field training program.  He is performing well, and we look forward to his addition to our road patrol.”

Jack Pickard Lauren Reimer Nathan Canale

Press release:

Three Batavia City School District students have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country to stand out during the admissions process. Only 62,000 students across the country have received this recognition.

• Jack Pickard, Senior: National Rural and Small Town Award
• Lauren Reimer, Senior: National Rural and Small Town Award
• Nathan Canale, Senior: National Rural and Small Town Award

“We couldn’t be more proud of Jack, Lauren, and Nathan for receiving this tremendous honor,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. “Their hard work throughout their time at BCSD has certainly paid off. I know this recognition will help bolster their college applications and make them truly stand out.”

“Bravo to these three exceptional BHS students,” said to Batavia High School Principal Paul Kesler. “Jack, Lauren, and Nathan exemplify the values and work ethic that we strive for at BHS, and we congratulate them on this wonderful achievement.” 

Eligible students have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams. Award categories include: National African American Recognition Program, National Hispanic Recognition Program, National Indigenous Recognition Program, and National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program.

Students are invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year and, after determining eligibility, will be awarded at the beginning of the next school year. Students will receive their awards in time to include them on their college and scholarship applications. 

Batavia High School honored some of its outstanding Blue Devils of athletic seasons past at the Athletic Department's annual Hall of Fame induction dinner, held this year at Batavia Downs.

Inducted were:

• Benjamin Martino (1959): Football, Wrestling
• Paul Blossom (1968): Football, Swimming, Track & Field
• Richard Saunders (1971):Athlete: Swimming, Football, Baseball, Bowling; Coach: Swimming, Wrestling, Baseball
• Sandy (Samiec) Reeg (1979): Tennis
• Kristie (DuRei) DeFreze (2005): Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Track & Field
• Michael Chmielowiec (2005): Basketball
• Boys Basketball Team (2005): State Semi-Finalist
• Jermaine Henderson (2006): Football, Track & Field

Photos by Howard Owens.  Top photo: Sandy (Semiec) Reeg, Rick Saunders, back, Michael Chmielowiec, front Benny Martino, Kritstie (DeRei) DeFreze, Jermaine Henderson, Paul Blossom.

The 2005 Boys basketball team: Dan Kines, Justin Williams, Adam Brasky, Michael Chmielowiec, Kevin Saunders, Ballard Maye, Jon Tretter, Buddy Brasky.

Management of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp., in an effort to provide transparency in the wake of challenges to its policies and procedures, presided over a three-hour session with chief financial officers from seven of its 17 member municipalities this afternoon at the Park Road facility’s board room.

The public benefit company has been hounded in recent months by an audit from the New York State Comptroller’s Office, by charges of fiscal irresponsibility by a disgraced former state senator and, most recently, by a series of letters sent by Erie County Comptroller Kevin Hardwick seeking answers to questions concerning the following issues:

• The sale of the Hotel at Batavia Downs (dated July 15);
• Benefits (specifically ‘gold-plated’ health insurance) received by board members (July 18);
• The use of external legal counsel (Aug. 1);
• The retention of outside lobbyists (Aug. 8);
• The possible misuse of promotional and marketing materials (Aug. 24).

WROTB President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek, speaking by telephone this evening, said he “appreciated that Hardwick was trying to get information” and added that the meeting ultimately will strengthen the corporation’s relationship with the municipalities.

“Overall, I think the meeting went extremely well and was productive for all involved,” Wojtaszek said. “Our goal is to be transparent, so we were happy to provide them with good, positive economic news that is resulting in record revenues to various counties this year.”

Corporation officials who made presentations at the session, along with Wojtaszek, were Chief Financial Officer Jacquelyne Leach, Compliance Consultant Paul Moskal, Marketing Director Ryan Hasenauer and David Hart of Hart Hotels, which operates the hotel.

Genesee County Treasurer Scott German said he attended the meeting to learn more about WROTB’s methods.

“They started off by essentially going over the financials – the financials of horse racing and then the casino,” German said. “Then they gave each individual county that showed up our own sheet based on our financial information (such as revenues and surcharge issued to the municipalities).”

German said WROTB officials addressed the health insurance for directors, use of promotional tickets and use of company vehicles – “stuff that has been rehashed on TV for a couple of years now.”

“From what I heard, and this is coming from the side of OTB, their explanations were adequate, I guess. They made sense,” he said. “They explained how and why they give out tickets. For example, when they gave away tickets to see Garth Brooks in concert, they said they saw a dramatic increase in bets and profitability on those two particular days. It brought people in.”

German said that most of the questions came from Hardwick and Erie County Deputy Comptroller Timothy Callan with a few posed by Oswego County Treasurer Kevin Gardner.

Wojtaszek said Hart explained that the $7.5 million paid by WROTB to purchase the hotel from its original investors (ADK Hospitality) was warranted. 

“David showed them that the price paid was fair based on the appraisal that was done and the numbers that we have been able to sustain at the hotel,” Wojtaszek said. “And revenues continue to increase.”

On the health insurance subject, Wojtaszek said the board of directors will be addressing that issue in the coming weeks with the goal of establishing “a comprehensive way to provide coverage for all of our employees.”

He also said that Moskal conducted an audit on the corporation's practices, made suggestions "and we are following those suggestions."

Wojtaszek noted that he will be continuing the dialogue with Hardwick’s office and will provide additional documents that Hardwick requested. He said that all 15 member counties plus the cities of Rochester and Buffalo were invited to today's meeting.

The letters sent by Hardwick to WROTB can be viewed by going to the Erie County Comptroller’s Office website – www4.erie.gov/comptroller/.

Voting in Genesee County — two primaries this summer, plus future races for governor and president — has become more of a problem for the Board of Elections, Dick Siebert says.

Not only have workers been more scarce, but voters don’t seem to be filling the extra voting days required by the state.

“We've had two primaries, which we didn't anticipate. We had the June primary. And then we had the August primary. The turnout was extremely bad. And what we've talked about before, that's always concerning to us,” Siebert, the Republican Party representative as Board of Elections commissioner, said during Wednesday’s Ways & Means meeting. “And it disturbs both of us that there's always talk about extending early voting. Like Lorie and I have always said in other counties … we don't need more than nine days, it's more than sufficient. When you're running, you know, 10 voters a day for how many hours? It's disturbing because there's an expense to it. But we have no control over it. It is what it is. It is what we have to live with.”

The June Primary had a Democratic turnout of 12 percent, or 1,072 votes, with the Republican turnout at 17 percent, or 2,892 votes, he said. August's Primary tallied 2,358 votes for 14 percent of the eligible Republican voters. That pales to the 17,000 registered Republicans and 9,000 registered Democrats that could cast a vote. 

With the upcoming local, state and national elections, it is destined “to be a busy year for us,” he said. And given that “workers are walking away from us,” it has been an ongoing challenge to shore up staffing gaps.

Board of Elections staff has been discussing ways to entice workers — breaking up a day into shifts to avoid the long hours of 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and promoting the job as a way to earn extra holiday money, he and the Democratic Board of Elections Commissioner Lorie Longhany said.

“We recruited eight people from those efforts,” she said. “It seems like a post-COVID phenomenon; we have people commit, and then they call and uncommit, or they don’t show up, which is a real hardship on us.”

Both major parties have been working to get the word out, they said, about the need for elections staff. Legislators asked questions about the criteria for employment. Anyone 17 and older who is a Genesee County resident and pre-registered for one of the two parties of Republican or Democrat may be qualified for the job. They just need to keep focused on the task at hand, Longhany said.

“We can’t have people disrupting a poll site. It’s not politics; it’s about a fair election,” she said, as Seibert added that “everyone that wants to vote gets a vote.”

How does the county update its list of voters? Staff monitors the list and removes those who notify the board office that they have moved, and they also review a “move list,” Longhany said. Much of that is dependent on the voter, who has responsibility for notifying the board office and registering in the new county of residence, she said. As for people who have died, “every single morning, staff go through the obituaries,” she said.

“People in this county are very fortunate; it’s very well run,” Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said.

Seibert recommended that Longhany, who lives in Le Roy, be appointed as commissioner again next year. Her term, if approved by the whole Legislature, will run from Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2026.

Committee members voted to forward the proposal.

Photo: Dick Siebert, Republican representative as Board of Elections commissioner, gives county legislators a department review, and recommends Lorie Longhany, Democratic representative as board commissioner, for the next three-year term.  Photo by Joanne Beck.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) led Congressmembers Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Joe Sempolinski (NY-23), Lee Zeldin (NY-01), and Claudia Tenney (NY-22) in calling for New York State Department of Education Commissioner Betty Rosa to release 2021-2022 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics assessment data. Traditionally, the state has released this data in August before the start of the next school year. However, this data for the previous school year have yet to be made public.

“Around the country assessments are showing us COVID-19 caused detrimental learning loss in our students. School closures, quarantines, and remote learning left many students behind and widened the achievement gap – especially for students from traditionally disadvantaged populations,” Jacobs said. “A portion of American Rescue Plan Funding has been allocated to New York school districts to address learning loss, yet in true NYS government fashion, we have yet to get transparent answers on the state of our students’ assessments. As we work to begin our long road to academic recovery, we need a full and accurate picture of the loss that occurred in NYS students – the Commissioner must release this data immediately so academic plans can be formed and implemented effectively and expeditiously.”

"It is way past time that parents have the answers they deserve and demand. What lasting effects did our extended COVID lockdowns have on our children, and why has the NYS Department of Education not been more forthcoming with their data? We need to have all of the information so that we can do what is best for our students and their education,” Congressman Sempolinksi said.

"Albany needs to immediately release the standardized test scores for the entire state. There is no good excuse to delay this a day longer, and the further the state stalls, the more suspicious New Yorkers will understandably become that the state is trying to hide the data from the public," Congressman Zeldin said.

“Assessment data for mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) are made available for New Yorkers to review every August. However, with an election approaching, Governor Hochul withheld the data this year, in what appears to be a clear attempt to cover up the damage done by New York’s unscientific COVID mandates, which undoubtedly had a significant impact on learning. New York should make its data public now, just as it has in past years. Our children must always come first,” Congresswoman Tenney said.