Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the return of its History Heroes Summer Program will be running Saturdays from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The dates are: July 24, Aug. 14, Aug. 21, Aug. 28 and Sept. 4.

The theme is "Fun in the Roaring '20s" -- learning about different aspects of life 100 years ago. Join us to learn about the 1920s! Dance, sing, read, play, create, explore, and learn some history.

The program will explore many facets of the era through many creative and interactive activities, and includes daily local walking field trips around Batavia.

The program is open to children 7-12 and is limited to 16 participants each day. Registration is available for each individual day or for all five.

Admission is $10 per child with discounts for multiple children and museum members. The program includes a field trip on Sept. 4th to the Arcade & Attica Railroad, which has a $20 admission.

Registration forms can be found at the museum's website, Facebook page, or by contacting the museum at (585) 343-4727.

Masks and social distancing requirements are required. Lunches are available for participants.

This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!

Learning that Batavia lawmakers apparently have squashed his vision of placing a disc golf course at Centennial Park is not sitting well with 27-year-old Phillip Boyd, the Hart Street resident who pitched the idea at a City Council meeting in late May.

This past Monday, Council members – responding to complaints from homeowners living near the tree-dominated park in the northwest quadrant of the community – agreed that Centennial Park is “off the table” as a potential location for a nine-hole layout for a sport that has gained in popularity in recent years.

SIDEBAR: Western New York: A Hotbed for Disc Golf

Boyd is an avid disc golfer who competes in a league at courses in the Buffalo/Niagara region and has played at courses closer to home, including one at Hartland Park in Bergen. He said he’s not giving up on his push to have a disc golf course in Batavia and sees the 14-acre parcel across from the New York State School for the Blind as the perfect place.

“I’m definitely going to still try to get it there,” he said on Friday. “The main thing that I’m disappointed in is that the argument that they have is ‘keep it a green park’ when it has never truly been a green park. And, also the idea of the traffic being around there.It’s a park. It’s not busy now and parks are typically busy.”

Boyd said numerous people have told him that Centennial Park is rarely used.

“That’s the thing that should be changed -- to actually use a giant open space, and actually use it in Batavia. We have no activities around here. There’s nothing to do; everyone has to go to Buffalo and Rochester,” he said.

“These smaller towns like Bergen, Pembroke; they can do these, but Batavia can’t. That’s why we’re so far behind and why Batavia is a declining city. We aren’t the true hub of Genesee County. Everyone’s leaving Batavia because there is nothing to do here.”

JANKOWSKI: FOLLOW THE PROCESS

City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said he and his colleagues do support events and activities, regularly approving requests from community organizations that are submitted to city management and staff.

“There’s a procedure and a process for these types of things and putting in a disc golf course at a city park is no exception,” Jankowski said. “Mr. Boyd was requested by Council to hand over his plans and documents to the city manager (Rachael Tabelski) for review and to get that process started, but he has yet to do so.”

Jankowski said Boyd appeared at two Council meetings, stating his case for disc golf during the public comments session.

“He was asked twice to submit the paperwork to the city manager, but instead he showed up at two City Council meetings and has yet to submit his written plans,” he said.

When this was mentioned to Boyd, he said he intends to hand in the information (sketches and a detailed course layout at Centennial Park) on Monday – July 19^th, the deadline that he says he was given by Tabelski.

The Council president said his main issues with Centennial Park are that it has no facilities -- specifically bathrooms and amenities that are available at other city parks -- and that the only parking is along city streets.

“We’re willing to work with Mr. Boyd to find a better place, including working with our partners at neighboring towns and with Genesee County to try to make this happen,” Jankowski offered. “We’re not against disc golf, and are willing to look at other alternatives.”

BOYD: ‘SOME AREN’T OPEN TO CHANGE’

Boyd said he has walked the other parks in the city and finds that none of them, except maybe Williams Park (depending upon how much land the city owns at that location), would be acceptable.

“The Council president said that Centennial is off the table,” Boyd said. “If he is going to do that for 150 signatures and 12 people who showed up at the (July 12) meeting, that’s a problem. If I come with as much support as I have – a lot more than 150 signatures -- and he is still going to stand with that, then you’re not really being open to the idea of change in Batavia.”

“If Batavia is the hub of Genesee County, the lone city, we should be the one to lead the way for all the towns. Why do so many towns in our area have more activities than the city? There’s no reason for that.”

Boyd said he “feels comfortable with the amount of support he has and it’s building,” noting that he has reached hundreds of people through various social media platforms.

Jankowski questioned Boyd’s petition, which he said is on change.org.

“That’s open to anyone in the country,” he said. “How would that have anything to do with people who live here?”

DIFFERENCES OF OPINION

Residents of Ellicott Avenue and Park Place, two of the streets that border Centennial Park, came to last Monday’s meeting and urged Council to keep the park as it is – without any permanent structures other than trees – now and into the future.

Some brought up the “negatives” associated with disc park, but most were there to profess their affection for the park in its current state.

Before they had a chance to voice their opinions, however, Jankowski said that he had received information that Boyd had backed off on having the course at Centennial Park due to the neighbors’ concerns and was open to other locations.

When that was conveyed to Boyd yesterday, he said that he never agreed “with just dropping this.”

“I said if there was a good enough reason why they didn’t want it here other than it is a green natural park, which technically it is not, (then I would listen),” he said. “But it hasn’t been that at all.

"They say traffic. If you put anything in any public space, that public space will be used more. Therefore, there will be more traffic. If they have a better opposition except just those small things, I’ll leave it alone.”

He then said that a nine-hole pitch and putt golf course used to be at Centennial Park in the 1960s.

“No one wants to bring up that golf balls do way more damage than a disc could ever do,” he said. “The park used to have a fountain and a pond before things got changed over. Then, in time it was stopped and taken care of by New York State and then they gave it over to the city.”

CITY IS WAITING FOR INFORMATION

Tabelski said that an email from Maintenance Supervisor Ray Tourt indicated that he spoke with Boyd, who said he was willing to look at Kibbe and Williams parks if Centennial wasn’t available.

“The confusion stems from the fact that Phil has yet to submit the information that the Council president and staff has requested,” she said. “Even taking Centennial Park out of the mix, if you look to work with the city, there is a process to follow.”

She said that process includes review of any requests by the city manager, department heads and city attorney, considering financial and insurance implications. Once the review is complete, it then is brought forward to City Council for discussion and potentially to a vote.

“We’ve engaged with him and we’re waiting for his plans and documents,” she said, reiterating Council’s decision. “City Council will not consider Centennial due to its historic use and importance to the community.

“It was clear that it was the strong sense of Council that it is inappropriate. Phil has not reached out to myself or the Parks Department to further discuss an alternative location.”

DISC GOLFERS: A RESPONSIBLE GROUP

Boyd defended the disc golf community, one that he says is “very big on being as respectful as possible” and provided examples where disc golfers have won over those who initially were against them. He said disc golfers police each other and prioritize keeping the courses in top shape and free of debris.

“If somebody notices that someone does something not typical of our community, they’ll speak up to them and say, ‘Hey, that’s not what we do. Don’t make us look bad. Please refrain from doing that, and do it this way,’ ” he said.

He said disc golfers carry out the trash they carry in where no garbage cans are provided, and some disc golfers walk the courses to pick up trash left behind by other park goers.

“There’s plenty of room at Centennial Park,” said Boyd, comparing it to Pine Woods Park in North Tonawanda. “When they first started to put a course at Pine Woods, the residents in the neighborhood were so against it. They had picket signs in their front lawns that read, ‘No to disc golf.’”

“But eventually they got the course approved and they put in a nine-hole course. Two years after that, even after they had continued pushback from the neighborhood, the city approved an increase to an 18-hole course because the city realized how many people were coming to play. It was huge; the park was actually being used again.”

He said he mirrored his course layout after Pine Woods because it is similar to Centennial Park.

“The way I’ve set it up is that there will be room for other activities and still have disc golf,” he said, adding that it would take up about two-thirds of the park, stopping short of the hill used for winter sledding.

He said that he told Tourt that he walked all of the other parks and “there’s no other true park in Batavia other than Centennial that will give you a disc golf course that will bring anyone to it.”

CENTENNIAL? PAR FOR THE COURSE

Boyd said his nine-hole course works so well at Centennial Park because of the abundance of trees.

“You can set trees up in a fairway to make it more difficult hole. You can make holes so much shorter as long as the trees make it more difficult,” he explained, showing a printed Google map of the proposed course. “A few friends and I have placed portable baskets at the park and played the course a few times, and it works out great.”

He said the first hole starts at the corner of Park and Ellicott and is angled inward toward the park to avoid the road – a par 3, 300-foot shot. He said he tried keep everything away from the roads to avoid any possible danger.

“It works down Park Avenue for two of the holes and the third hole comes back toward the center of the park. The fourth hole goes about 50 feet short of the walkway and hole five brings you back down to the middle of the park,” he said.

“Six and seven are in the middle of the park, eight brings you to the outside and hole nine is up at the corner of Richmond and Ellicott and brings you down to where you first started.”

He said the average hole length is about 225 feet.

Hartland Park in Bergen has a nine-hole course that is similar to the one Boyd has drawn up. There, he said, disc golfers coexist with those walking their dogs and using the park for other purposes.

“There was opposition at first from people saying they didn’t want discs thrown in their backyards,” he offered. “That’s not the case anymore because people realize that the disc golf community is a good community, and there’s really no true harm in it. And people still walk their dogs there; I see them while I’m playing.”

COUNCILPERSON-AT-LARGE WEIGHS IN

Councilperson-at-Large Robert Bialkowski said he has been trying to educate himself about disc golf, talking to managers and officials at Darien State Park, Beaver Island State Park on Grand Island, and Lincoln Park in Buffalo – places that offer the activity.

He said the consensus is to have these courses away from the general public.

“The manager at Darien Lakes State Park said they have it on trails that aren’t used much,” Bialkowski said. “And the discs aren’t Frisbees; they’re special discs for different uses – short range, long range. If you get hit by one, it’s going to sting.”

He also said courses should be equipped with trash cans and some need additional landscaping to make them work.

“The manager at Lincoln Park said they have an 18-hole course that used 16 to 20 acres and it works out pretty well, except for one part that is near a picnic area,” he said.

Bialkowski explained that Batavia’s smaller neighborhood parks may be able to support a disc golf course, but noted that baseball and other athletic fields have taken space that previously was used for walking and hiking.

GCC COULD BE A POSSIBLE SITE

As far as Centennial Park is concerned, he said citizens have spoken, they enjoy the park as it is and Council has rendered its decision.

“Being an at-large councilman, I represent all of the citizens of the city,” he said. “We have to do our homework. I’m disappointed that Mr. Boyd isn’t satisfied with our process, but that’s the way it is.”

Jankowski said that he heard there was movement toward putting a disc golf course at Genesee Community College and encouraged Boyd to look into that as well as other possibilities.

“There might be better options out there and I find it interesting that he is so focused on one area and not any other opportunities that might be even better,” he said. “Let’s look into it.”

Boyd, in response, said he is aware of a course proposed for GCC and is assisting those who are spearheading that effort as well.

"They were having problems with finding funding and I’m now working with them to get the funding and quotes for the baskets, tee pads and signs with the people I have connections with," Boyd said, adding that it opens up the prospect of having disc golf courses in both the town and city. 

Previously: Residents speak out against disc golf at Centennial Park

Photo at top: Phillip Boyd, wearing his disc golf jersey, displays his plans for a course that he hopes will find its way to the City of Batavia. Photo at bottom: The course that he designed for his preferred destination -- Centennial Park, which has been removed from consideration by City Council. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

The president of the Western New York Disc Golf Club LLC said the sport -- in the same manner as bowling, walking, bicycling and swimming – is an activity for people of all ages and skill levels.

“The great thing about disc golf is that anybody can go out and play it. You don’t have to be the college athlete; you can do it for exercise, to have some fun with your friends or you can get into the competitive side of it. It has different functions for different people,” said Jeremy Hoeltke, of Grand Island.

A tree is down and blocking half the roadway in the vicinity of Dublin and Buckman roads in Bethany. There's a phone wire down, too.

Bethany Fire Department is responding and they are in contact with the town highway department. Fire police are also responding with cones and traffic control.

Paulette Pastore, Leona Pastore, and Phyllis Pastore-Beers, admire the front of the Pok-A-Dot after the former handpainted dots had been replaced by new brigher vinyl dots.

Mike Hodgins, of John's Studio (pictured below), installed the new dots.

Whereas the old dots were all done in pastels, the new dots are in primary colors and should last longer. It's been at least 25 years since the dots were replaced on the legendary diner.

Leona and Phyllis are co-owners of the Pok-A-Dot.

The Pok-A-Dot, serving Batavia and its fans from throughout the world for 68 years, has undergone several improvements and upgrades over the past two years.

From Melzie Case:

Due to the weather forecast for tomorrow, July 17, the Genesee Symphony Orchestra’s 75th Season Reveal Event has been moved to the Batavia City Centre.

The FREE concert will be at 4 p.m. Saturday and GSO patrons can enter through the entrance by the former Sunny’s restaurant.

From Roxie Choate:

GSO .... "along with advice from the Batavia Parks Manager made the decision to have the REVEAL Event move from Austin Park to the Batavia City Centre Concourse. Our rainy weather prediction has caused our problem.

"Austin Park is going to be one mushy, soggy grass situation after the all night rain and rain into Saturday till afternoon also.

"We are playing it safe. Our food trucks can still park on the JCPenney wall in the back entrance to the mall. Use the back entrance next to where Sunny's Restaurant used to be.

"Remember to bring your own chair. We will set the orchestra up on the stage area.

"We cannot enter the mall until 3 p.m. We are hiring a city custodian to be our entrance and lock up person for the mall. We will be carrying 60 chairs for the orchestra into the mall at 3 p.m. if anyone would like to help. COME ON DOWN..."

On STOP-DWI night at Dwyer Stadium on Thursday, Batavia fans were treated to an entertaining game that ended on a walk-off single by Charlie Szykowny.

Szykowny, primarily a shortstop with a strong arm who is hitting .292 on the season, was also the winning pitcher after giving up four runs in his single frame of work.

The University of Wisconsin-Stout senior had three hits and drove in two runs to lead the Muckdogs' offense to a 7-6 win over Jamestown.

Riding a three-game winning streak, the Muckdogs are over .500 for the first time this season, sitting at 17-16 in third place in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League's Western Division.  

Batavia native Jerry Reinhart, a senior at University of Akron, had one hit and scored twice. 

Abner Benitez tripled as a pinch hitter, driving in two runs and raising his season average to .292.

Starter Julian Pichardo, who came into the game with a 4-1 record, didn't figure in the decision after six innings of work in which he gave up two runs, four hits, and fanned six.

The next home game is Saturday at 7 p.m. vs. Newark.

Photos by Philip Casper.

Dr. Ross Fanara fires in a strike for the first pitch, on his birthday.

Julian Pichardo

Jerry Reinhart

Jerry Reinhart

Jerry Reinhart scores game's first run.

Deputy Andrew Mullen and K-9 "Frankie."

Charlie Szykowny

Peyton is a light orange tabby cat -- you know those really friendly, affectionate ones who know no enemies -- and he's been missing about two weeks now.

This ginger has a noticeably notched split on his right ear and no collar.

"He is very loved and missed," laments Jacquie Valder-Phillips about her charge.

Peyton has a miserable mini "Peyton Place" story that Valder-Phillips wants readers to know about.

See, this tomcat had a best bud once, a man who worked at Genesee Valley Farm on South Main Street Road in Batavia for nearly 20 years. Before he died in old age, Peyton trusted him and valued their bro time.

Maybe when the man died a bit of poor Peyton did, too, because he shuffled off and hasn't been seen since. Peyton is prolly pining for his peer who happened to be human.

Makes Valder-Phillips feels guilty because in the time before the farm employee's death, "People kept saying 'Take care of Peyton. ... Be sure to take care of Peyton.' And I'm like 'Of course, I'll take care of Peyton.' And now he's nowhere around."

Here's the kind of feline he is, says Valder-Phillips: once a couple years back a horse trailer pulled over at the farm to load up three horses. When it drove away, they said "Uh oh, where's Peyton?"

Sure enough he had jumped inside the trailer ready for new adventures with the horse trailer driver -- until his stowaway scheme was discovered then back to the farm he went.

If you can help or have seen Peyton, please call or text Valder-Phillips at: (585) 343-5878. Or email:   info@geneseevalleyfarm.com

COVID-19 Update for Genesee County with Public Health Director Paul Pettit.

We will be discussing:

• The current numbers and trends for local infections;
• The delta variant;
• Prospects for a return of mask requirements and other restrictions to slow the spread;
• The local status of vaccinations;
• The Surgeon General's statement on vaccine misinformation.

David James Leroy, 28, of Gabbey Road, Pembroke, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt and trespass. He was arrested July 15 for allegedly violating a stay away order of protection and arraigned in Pembroke Town Court. It is alleged that at 7:42 a.m. on July 10 on Gabbey Road that Leroy violated the order of protection by speaking to his neighbor and trespassing on his property. He was released after arraignment under supervision of Genesee Justice and is due back in Pembroke Town Court on Aug. 11. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack.

Tracy Marie Pocobello, 48, of Akron Road, Pembroke, is charged with third-degree criminal mischief. At 11:45 p.m. on July 15, she was arrested. It is alleged that at 8:05 p.m. on June 29, she intentionally damaged property belonging to another person. Pocobello was released with an appearance ticket for Pembroke Town Court on Aug. 5. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy David Moore, assisted by Deputy Kyle Krzemien.

Amanda Marie Bowles, 35, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny. On July 14 at 4:56 a.m. Bowles was arrested in connection with an incident that occurred at 1 p.m. on July 11 on West Main Street Road in Batavia. She was issued appearance tickets and is due in Batavia Town Court on July 27. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Gauthier, assisted by Deputy Jonathan Dimmig.

From BPD:

The City of Batavia Police Department will host the annual Community Night Out from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at City Church's St. Anthony's campus, located at 114 Liberty St. in Batavia.

Expect free food, a bounce house, games, horses (horses, of course), vendors, "& more!"

If you want more information about how to become a sponsor or have a booth at the event, contact Detective Wojtaszczyk at:  mwojtaszczyk@batavianewyork.com

Press release:

Tops Friendly Markets is pleased to now offer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligible customers the ease of shopping online with Instacart.

SNAP shoppers can now pay for their same-day pickup or delivery orders with their EBT card while shopping online at Tops that partner with Instacart in New York State.

Tops offers Instacart services at 126 convenient New York locations.

“Tops Friendly Marketsis excited to pilot these services in our largest market of Instacart stores,” said Jill Sirica, manager, digital marketing for Tops.

“At the core of Tops mission is combating food insecurity and this will help bridge that gap of helping families gain accessibility to healthy and affordable food, something we have strived for since we began our partnership with Instacart. We are truly excited to see it come to fruition.” 

David Healy, who is in charge of retail partnerships at Instacart, said “Providing people access to the food they love is at the core of Instacart’s mission. We’re proud to partner with Tops Friendly Markets to provide more families with a convenient and accessible way to get their fresh food and pantry staples.

"Expanding EBT SNAP to reach same-day online grocery delivery and pickup is important to help people access the food they need, and we look forward to expanding this payment integration to even more retailers ...”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that provides assistance for low- and no-income U.S. residents to purchase food. SNAP benefits are processed through the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) debit card system.

By associating your EBT card to your Instacart account (either website or mobile app), you confirm that your card information is current and valid. To successfully use your EBT card at a Tops location online, a credit or debit card must be linked to your Instacart account to cover non-food fees, such as bottle deposits in some states, taxes, delivery tips, and any other non-EBT SNAP-eligible items that you may want to purchaseper federal SNAP guidelines.

Customers can then enter their zip code to determine if they are near a participating Tops, and begin shopping and selecting items from Tops’ EBT-eligible products. Once items are added to their cart, customers will be able to select how much of their benefits they would like to allocate to the order. Orders for delivery and pickup can be placed by customers for receipt in as fast as an hour or scheduled several days in advance. 

To help subsidize costs for EBT SNAP participants, Instacart will waive delivery or pickup fees through Sept. 16 on up to the first three EBT SNAP orders for each customer with a valid EBT card associated with their Instacart account. For more information about EBT SNAP on Instacart, visit www.instacart.com/ebt-snap.

Photo: Genesee County and Town of Batavia crews are working to replace culverts along South Main Street Road and Wortendyke Road – a project that is expected to take about six weeks.

During that time, the South Main Street Road will be closed to motorists heading west about three-quarters of a mile from the Wortendyke Road intersection and at the intersection for those traveling on Wortendyke Road.

Photo by Mike Pettinella.

On July 7, 2020, 35-year-old Timothy Barber, of Le Roy, collapsed at the end of his shift after working on the Genesee River Bridge Project in Geneseo. Treated for heat stress and heat exhaustion, he died from hyperthermia on his second day on the job.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Barber’s parents, Le Roy residents Jim and Kathy Barber, are recognizing his death today in order to raise awareness of occupational heat hazards and safeguards among employers, workers and the public in Genesee County and Western New York. They hope to prevent additional work-related heat illness and deaths.

​Recognizing the anniversary of Barber’s death, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration reminds Western New York employers and workers that when temperatures soar, so does the degree of danger associated with work in high temperatures. OSHA also urges all to take proper actions to work safely in hot weather.

An OSHA investigation into Barber’s death found he had been performing light-duty work -- sorting bolts in 90-plus degree temperatures. Working alone without shade, he was without water and not acclimated to the heat.

OSHA also determined that his employer, Pavilion Drainage Supply Company Inc., of Pavilion, failed to train him and implement other safeguards to protect him and other employees against extreme heat hazards.

“Timothy Barber should not have died," said OSHA Area Director Michael Scime in Buffalo. "We call attention to this worker’s death so that other workers do not suffer from or succumb to heat-related death and illnesses. They are preventable. Employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety hazards. This includes protecting workers from extreme heat.”

“We hope something positive comes out of the tragic death of our son, Tim,” said James and Kathy Barber, his parents. “We join OSHA in wanting to bring awareness to the dangers of heat stroke to businesses for the safety of their employees. No family should have to suffer a loss that is completely preventable.”

Symptoms of excessive heat exposure include heat stroke, heat stress, cramps, headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, heavy sweating and confusion. Occupational factors that may contribute to heat illness include: high temperature and humidity; low fluid consumption; direct sun exposure; no shade; limited air movement; physical exertion; or use of bulky protective clothing and equipment.

Employers with workers exposed to high temperatures should establish and implement a heat-illness prevention program and communicate it to supervisors and workers. This includes:

• Providing workers with water, rest and shade;
• Allowing new or returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they acclimatize to, or build a tolerance for, working in the heat;
• Planning for emergencies and training workers on heat hazards and appropriate first aid measures;
• Monitoring workers for signs of illness and taking prompt action if symptoms occur.

“Don’t wait until a worker is sickened to address heat stress – take action,” Scime said. “Employers in Western New York and other areas must take action to keep workers from becoming ill.

"Effective preparation and knowledge of the hazards of heat can save lives today, and in the future. Three simple words: water, rest, shade can make a huge difference when implemented in the workplace.”

OSHA’s Occupational Exposure to Heat page explains what employers can do to keep workers safe and what workers need to know, including factors for heat illness, adapting to working in indoor and outdoor heat, protecting workers, recognizing symptoms and first aid training. The page also includes resources for specific industries and OSHA workplace standards.

OSHA has numerous other heat safety tools and information available free for employers and workers including a heat safety app for Android and iPhone devices at www.osha.gov/heat.  

Learn more about OSHA.

Town of Batavia zoning officials are putting Borrego Solar System LLC on notice to replace the dead trees and come up with an approved planting/seeding plan in the wake of insufficient screening around solar farms on West Main Street Road and Batavia-Elba Townline Road.

Daniel Lang, building inspector and zoning officer, today said his department is conducting walk-throughs at a pair of side-by-side solar arrays at 3104 and 3232 W. Main Street Road and another at 5230 Batavia-Elba Townline Road.

“We’ve got a lot of trees at those sites that are browned out and dead that the developer (Borrego Solar) needs to replace prior to issuing any certificate of compliance,” Lang said.

“Plus, they still have to get all of their planting and seeding plans approved by (Genesee County) Soil & Water (Conservation District). We need to make sure the seeding mixture will take and grow underneath all of the panels.”

The solar panels are on the property of Fred Bowman and Mary Anne Forgie (West Main Street Road) and Daniel Underhill (Batavia-Elba Townline Road).

Lang said he has talked to developers of all solar farms in the town about the need to have proper screening.

“We’re going to keep moving forward with this,” he added.

Photo: View of solar panels on West Main Street Road (Route 5), west of the Wortendyke Road intersection. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Although the date is a bit late in the construction season, Buffalo developer Sam Savarino nonetheless is relieved that the New York State Office of Homes and Community Renewal finally has scheduled the financial closing for the Ellicott Station project.

Ellicott Station, part of the City of Batavia's $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative program, is the name given for the redevelopment of the former Soccio & Della Penna and Santy’s Tire Sales properties on Ellicott Street.

“On Thursday, the HCR board met and approved the closing date for October 15^th,” Savarino said this morning.

When asked if he was hoping for a summer date, he said yes, but quickly pivoted to a “here’s what comes next” mode.

“We’re making our plans to get going, so the day we close, we’re out there working,” he said. “I’m hoping that we get our remediation done in the fall, which is a big step for us. We’re planning to do that right now.”

The closing with HCR involves filing of the documents pertaining to the low-income housing tax credits and additional subsidies awarded to the project.

Savarino said the state agency is providing $1.2 million per year for 10 years in low-income housing tax credits – incentives that are tied to the developer securing an investor or investors to back the project.

As previously reported, the apartments are geared toward a mixed-use workforce with a $30,000 to $40,000 salary range for tenants.

HCR also has granted subsidies of around $5 million.

“We make what’s called a unified funding application with the state. The state assesses your request and they grant it,” he said. “You’re asking for the low-income housing tax credit (based on a formula) and you’re asking for additional subsidies that the state has to approve to aid those projects because the low-income housing tax credits are not enough. When you get the award, you get both of those.”

Savarino said he would like to get on the site prior to the closing date to start some of the abatement in anticipation of the demolition work, but that is subject to HCR approval.

He also confirmed a July 21^st closing date with the Genesee County Economic Development Center to finalize the tax exemption and Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreements.

The GCEDC Board of Directors approved nearly $3.7 million in benefits for the $22.4 million DRI project, which calls for renovation and construction of more than 72,000 square feet on 3.3 acres in the Brownfield Opportunity Area.

Plans include the development of 55 apartments as well as office, retail and entertainment space, leading to the creation of an estimated 30 full-time equivalent jobs.

Incentives from the industrial development agency include $850,000 in sales tax exemptions, $200,000 in mortgage tax exemptions, and $2,105,952 in property tax exemptions.

Additionally, the project will be receiving an estimated $529,492 in Batavia Pathway to Prosperity PILOT increment financing related to cleanup and site work investments on the targeted brownfield site.

GCEDC Marketing Director Jim Krencik said that the project will generate $6.10 for every $1 of public investment, including DRI funding.

Contacted this morning, Batavia City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said, "Understanding the delays with COVID and various other funding delays, I'm glad to see that it's finally going to move forward. I think everybody in the community is glad to see that it finally is going to move forward."

Batavia Development Corp. President Lori Aratari could not be reached for comment.

On Thursday, Batavia Downs hosted the Genesee County Fair harness races.

Every year, the state gives money to the counties with harness racing to host a purse-only (no wagering) card of races. Since the fairgrounds are not suitable for harness racing, Batavia Downs hosts the races.

"It’s a good opportunity for our local horsemen and people from outside this area to come here, make some money," said General Manager of Live Racing Todd Haight. "They’re all New York-bred horses so it’s good for the New York-bred program, it’s good for or local horsemen. It’s good for everybody."

The 2021 racing season starts this coming Wednesday. The first post time is 6 p.m.

Video: For one race, I was able to ride in the cab of the starter truck. The horses in the race were 2-year-old colts so you'll see some of them hang back from the starter's gate, unlike a race with more experienced horses.

Starter Terry Mays, who was kind enough to let me share the very cramped space of the gate truck.

On Thursday, the Genesee County Ag Society and Empire Tractor hosted an open house to introduce the community to the planned Agri-Culture Center on East Main Street Road, Batavia.

It's the former location -- many years ago -- of CountryMax and next to the Genesee County Fairgrounds.

Tim Call, president of Empire Tractor, said the center is a longtime dream of his father, Robert Call, who will be contributing museum-piece farm equipment and a collection of farm-related toys for the museum portion of the center.

But the center will be more than just a museum. It will also provide educational space for students of agriculture as well as conference space.

Due to construction, officials with the Post Office in Batavia, are asking patrons to park behind the building, in the lot next to Austin Park, and then walk around the building on the west side -- between the building and the police station -- to avoid walking in traffic on Main Street.

The sidewalk and steps of the post office are being reconstructed.

The brick building was erected in 1916 but it's unclear when the current concrete steps and sidewalk were installed.