Cayden Pfalzer became Pembroke’s all-time leading scorer in Boys Basketball and Tyson Totten scored his 1,000th point on Friday as the Dragons went on to beat Alexander 81-55 in their sectional playoff game.

Pfalzer needed 24 points to reach 1,128 and pass J.P. Coles and Pfalzer finished with exactly 24 points on the night.

Totten entered the game with 999 career points so hit the milestone with his first bucket of the night. 

Pfalzer, who has played varsity since his freshman year, has averaged 21.6 points per game this season.

Totten averaged 10.8 points per game his freshman season and was the leading scorer in the league his sophomore year, averaging 20.8 points, and came back his junior year to again lead the league in scoring with 20.3 points per game.

“We knew from a young age that Tyson had a chance to be a great player,” coach Matt Shay said. “He and Cayden are some of the hardest workers I have ever been around. He has committed to time in the gym, time in the weight room, and camps in the summer and it is paying off. I'm also really proud of him because he has improved his all-around game. I've challenged him to be a better passer and defender, and he's made considerable strides in both areas."

On Friday, Avery Ferreira scored 12 points for Pembroke. Chase Guzdek scored 10 and had 10 rebounds and Jon Sure had five assists.

Alexander’s Dylan Pohl scored 22 points and Kingston Woods scored nine.

“I wasn't really pleased with how we played defensively, giving up 31 in the first half,” Shay said. “Credit to coach Hanley and his squad on how they executed their game plan, we're really having a tough time with it. We played much better in the second half.”

Photos by Alison Lang.

Tyson Totten with his parents, Jamie Totten and Jamie Totten.

Cayden Pfalzer (Submitted photo).

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is joining many New Yorkers calling on the governor to reconsider her position on banning gas stoves from future new housing and construction developments in New York. What has been touted as a means to combat climate change and entice people to come to the state is now being seen as a measure to control businesses on a more granular level in New York, and Hawley doesn’t like the concept. 

“Albany progressives claim the measure is a simple implementation of new policy, but I don’t see it that way,” Hawley said. “For one, the measure neglects the fact that people upstate rely on natural gas to a greater degree than downstate homeowners, who may, in fact, benefit more from electric devices. But of course, when implementing statewide policy, we’re used to the fact that downstate progressives in charge of our government favor the one-size-fits-all approach.”

“But more than that, it’s another example of Albany focusing on an issue that seems like a big deal but will do very little in the long run. The average person cutting out natural gas in their daily life will not change the climate dramatically, so why punish the average person or business with more restrictions on how they can live their lives or operate? Why not focus the unilateral power the Assembly majority holds on bigger issues like inflation? They shouldn’t be allowed to pat themselves on the back, because they are once again infringing on the choices of New Yorkers,” Hawley concluded.

 

A total operating budget of $33.5 million and tax cap override are not necessarily a done deal, City Councilman-at-large Bob Bialkowski says

Both of those issues are on the agenda for public hearings at the council’s next conference meeting. It’s set for 7 p.m. Monday, in the Council Board Room at City Hall.

Council had two budget workshops earlier this month to review the proposed 2023-24 budget, ask questions and make potential suggestions or amendments. No amendments were made to the spending plan, however, a final vote has not yet been cast, Bialkowski said.

“I’ve had a lot of constituents complain about it,” he said to The Batavian.

He hopes that citizens attend the hearing to make their feelings known for the record.

In her memo to council, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said that a general fund of $19.4 million balances revenues and expenses and includes considerations for increased costs of 8 percent inflation, double diesel fuel, $400,000 in employee wages, $300,000 in retirements, $475,000 in health care and 15 to 40 percent hikes in utilities and materials, including salt, gas and electric.

Employee expenses include nonunion raises effective April 1 for 15 positions ranging from secretary to the city administrator to city manager.

City Council conducted its usual annual performance appraisal for the city manager, Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said, per conditions of the manager’s contract. He would not provide any additional comments about the manager’s performance. Her raise is set to go from an initial $112,000 to an adjusted 117,600 and then to $121,128 for the 2023-24 budget year, based on “highest union” numbers.

Positions of human resources director, assistant manager, police chief, and fire chief, and public works director are slated for an $8,000 increase from the initial 2022-23 figure to 2023-24 budget year, for salaries of $111,687 for the first three positions, respectively; $106,453 for fire chief; and $96,194 for DPW director.

City Council recently approved increases for police personnel that would incrementally boost salaries by 3 percent in the first year and 2.5 percent in the second and third years as part of union negotiations. Council members, including Jankowski, Tammy Schmidt, and Kathy Briggs, had agreed that the increases were warranted as ways to attract and retain quality employees and remain competitive with other similarly sized cities.

If the council approves the budget, which requires a larger tax levy than allowable by state mandate, the tax cap override would also have to go to vote and be approved by at least a 60 percent yes vote of council. The proposed tax levy is $6.6 million, however, Tabelski is recommending a stable tax rate of $8.94, which is the current rate. She has said there are to be no new assessment increases this year — unless substantial improvements have been made to one’s property — which may be of little consolation for those still adjusting to the last two years of hikes. Bottom line is that a flat tax rate has meant a bigger property tax bill due to a higher assessment.

There is a third public hearing regarding new water rates, meter fees, and a capital improvement fee. The proposed water rate increase is 30 cents more per $1,000 gallons of water. This measure is to cost a typical family of four $60 more per year, Tabelski said.

There is time allotted for public comments during the meeting. Sign up with the city clerk before it begins.

To view the agenda and related documents, go HERE.

File Photo of City Manager Rachael Tabelski by Howard Owens.

Members of Batavia's Indoor Track and Field teams were able to advance on Thursday in the State Qualifier Meet at Nazareth College.

Cole Grazioplene won the 600m with a time of 1:23.96.  This time broke his own school record and was in one of the best races of the day. 

Nate Canale qualified for the State Championship meet in the 1000m by finishing 3rd in 2:38.78. 

Sheldon Siverling and Parker Kleinbach are going to represent Bataivia in the Shot Put and the Weight Throw respectively. Sheldon threw 50'-3" in the Shot Put for his first career throw over 50' and Parker threw 58'-9.75 to finish 2nd in the Weight Throw.  Batavia has had an athlete qualify for States in the Throws in every season since 2008, a 15-plus year run of success. 

The boys 4x400 Relay qualified for States by winning in a blistering fast time of 3:30.23.  The team members who ran the relay are Fabian Vazquez, Parris Price, Ryan Dillon, and Cole Grazioplene.  

The boys 4x800 relay finished 3rd with a time of 8:20.63, which is the second fastest time in team history. Relay members included Cody Harloff, Donavin Solis, Noah Pickard, and Nate Canale.

Ava Wierda finished 5th in the Weight Throw with a distance of 39'-10.25". 

Mallory Boyce earned a 7th-place finish in the 1500m with a time of 5:18.34.

"Batavia has had an athlete compete at the New York State Indoor Track Championships every year for over 30 years," Coach Nicholas Burk said. "This is an incredible streak of success and a testament to the quality of athletes we've been blessed to coach as part of our program during that span.  We will have nine boys attending the state meet next week and look to have multiple athletes return with state medals."

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Parker Kleinbach taking 2nd place in weight throw

Cole Grazioplene winning the boys 600m

Press Release: 

More than 2,700 undergraduate students at Coastal Carolina University were named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2022 semester, including Brady Fix, from Le Roy. Students who make the Dean's List have achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or higher (3.25 for freshmen) for the semester.

Coastal Carolina University is a dynamic, public comprehensive liberal arts institution located in Conway, located just minutes from the resort area of Myrtle Beach, S.C.

CCU offers baccalaureate degrees in 104 major fields of study. Among the University's graduate-level programs are 27 master's degrees, one educational specialist degree, and the doctorates in education and in marine science: coastal and marine systems science. CCU boasts a growing array of internship, research, and international opportunities for students, as well as numerous online programs through Coastal Online.

More than 10,300 students from across the country and around the world interact with a world-class faculty, and enjoy a nationally competitive NCAA I athletic program, an inspiring cultural calendar, and a tradition of community interaction that is fueled by more than 180 student clubs and organizations.

There are still some tickets remaining for the 2023 Febrewary beer walk Saturday in downtown Batavia, so grab your coat and gloves and head out for a cold one. 

General admission tickets are $30 and include a collectible snifter glass, snacks along the way, raffles and giveaways, and tastings from 5 to 8 p.m. VIP tickets are $40 and include all of the regular features plus an extra hour, from 4 to 8 p.m., an exclusive tasting and a food station.

Designated drivers will be able to partake of the specials, raffles, snacks and non-alcoholic tastings for $10.

Tickets may be purchased at Event Brite, and there will be a limited number of paper tickets available at Adam Miller Toy & Bicycle shop on Center Street and Yngodess on Main Street, Batavia. They will also be available for purchase on Saturday. For more information, go to BID Febrewary. 

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced the lineup for events taking place onsite alongside the 3 Triple Crown Races Dates this spring.

The Derby Gala returns on the first Saturday in May on the 6^th.  Cost is $129 per person and includes Buffet Dinner, Open Bar, a $10 Wager on the Derby, Derby Glass, Derby T-shirt, $60 in Free Play and bourbon sampling from Woodford Reserve, the official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. 

A limited number of hotel specials are available on that day – The special is $399 and includes 2 entries to the party and a hotel room that evening.

On that same day, the Park Place Room will be host to the Superfecta Special – which includes a $25 Free Play, $5 Wager on the Derby, Derby Program and a ¼ Chicken Meal from the Center Street Smokehouse.  Cost is $30 per person and attendees can pay at the door.

On Preakness Stakes Day - Saturday, May 20^th, the 2^nd Annual Tacos and Tequila event, presented by Teremana Tequila, takes place inside the Park Place Room.  Cost is $40 and includes Tequila Sampling from multiple vendors, Taco Bar, $20 in Free Play, a $5 wager on the Preakness Stakes and a Taco Chip and Salsa Bowl to take home.

The hotel special for this event is $229 and includes 2 entries to the event and a hotel room that evening.

The final jewel of the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 10^th.  That same day inside Park Place is the Bourbon and Whiskey Fest, sponsored by Jack Daniels and Old Forester.  Cost is $40 and includes Bourbon and Whiskey Sampling, Grazing Stations, $20 in Free Play and a $5 wager on the Belmont Stakes.

The hotel special for this event is $229 and includes 2 entries to the event and a hotel room that evening.

Tickets to Derby Gala, Tacos & Tequila and Bourbon and Whiskey Fest can all be purchased beginning on Friday at 10am at BataviaConcerts.com.

Those wishing to book the hotel specials can find direct links to do so on the hotel deals page on the Batavia Downs website at https://www.bataviadownsgaming.com/hotel-deals/ beginning on Friday morning.

“The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing is such a fun time of year,” said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO for Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel. “By putting on these events in conjunction with these major races, we bring a lot of tremendous joy to our guests.”

Tickets are also on sale on BataviaConcerts.com for already announced events:  KISS This!, Music of the Stars, Beach Boys Tribute Show and the entire Pepsi Rockin’ The Downs Summer Concert Series.  Tickets for the upcoming Fur Ball Gala event may be purchased by calling Sara at Batavia Downs at (585) 344-6155.

In their opening round Section V playoff game, Elba had no trouble with Hinsdale on Thursday, winning 79-24.

Sydney Reilly scored 24 points, along with seven rebounds and seven steals. Lydia Ross scored 13 and had six steals. Halie Scouten scored eight points.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here

Press release:

On Feb. 15th, Senior Libby Piper and Sophomore Jade Wolff participated in the 2023 Poetry Out Loud Semifinal Competition held at Buffalo State University. The event was co-hosted by the Western New York Writing Project. Piper and Wolff had previously advanced to this round after winning the Byron-Bergen School-Level competition. During the event, they competed against students from around the Western New York area including schools such as Brighton High School, the Westfield Academy, and Jamestown High School.

During the first two rounds of the competition, the students were required to recite two poems: one poem needed to be 25 lines or fewer and the other must have been written before the 20th Century. Piper recited William E. Stafford's Traveling Through the Dark and Ella Wheeler Wilcox's Friendship After Love while Wolff recited Carl Sandburg's I am the People, the Mob and Edgar Allen Poe's To Helen. The students were evaluated on categories such as physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, and accuracy.

After the first two rounds, three students were selected to advance to the third round and recite a final poetry selection. Piper was selected and recited Jeffrey Skinner’s The Bookshelf of the God of Infinite Space. After the final scores were tabulated, Piper was named the Western New York champion.

With this award, Piper has earned the right to move on as one of only 20 students from the state of New York and compete in the Poetry Out Loud New York State Finals held at the Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, NY on March 11, 2023. The winner of this competition will advance to the 2023 Poetry Out Loud National Finals to be held May 8-10th in Washington, DC. 

Superintendent Jason Smith issued the following statement to the city school district Friday morning in response to a potential threat made to John Kennedy Intermediate School. The threat was found not to be credible, per Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch after an investigation by local law enforcement.

To Our BCSD Community, 

This morning, the Batavia Police Department received a call from an unknown person who was making threats against John Kennedy Intermediate. The Batavia Police Department, New York State Police, and Genesee County Sheriff immediately responded to John Kennedy to investigate, and they found no evidence of a credible threat. 

As an additional precaution, patrol units were sent to all BCSD schools to do a safety check.

BCSD is currently on February recess, and only a small number of staff members were present during the on-site investigation. No students were in the building at the time of the incident. 

While no credible threat has been found, the Batavia Police Department is continuing its investigation.

All sports practices, events, and club activities will continue as planned throughout the weekend, and BCSD will have increased police presence as a safety precaution. 

We will keep you informed as additional information becomes available. We thank the Batavia Police Department, State Police, and Genesee County Sheriff’s Department for their swift response as well as our John Kennedy staff for their ongoing assistance and cooperation.

Jason Smith, Superintendent 

Press release:

The Batavia Ramparts played a strong weekend of hockey earning two championships and a 2nd place finish in the Gateway to the Adirondacks Tournament. Mite Team Sprague was the first team to get in on the winning, taking 2nd place to a strong West Hartford Wolves team in what was many players’ first-ever hockey tournament. Carley Grice picked up a shutout award and Duke Defreeze added a Hat Trick award puck on their way to the 2nd finish.

Pee Wee III earned their way into the championship game with a tough come-from-behind win against league foe, West Seneca, in an early Sunday morning matchup. Later that afternoon, with all of their Ramparts family cheering them on, they faced off against Lysander who beat them 7-1 earlier in the tournament. Lysander got out to a quick lead but the Ramparts never gave up and battled back to a 6-4 victory and a tournament championship. This was a total team effort led by Aaron Kujawski in goal, with big games coming from Joey Pellegrino, Gunner Hale, and Arlo Hoisington.

Up next was the Squirt III team with their chance to add another championship. They played to a tie in an early morning game to secure a spot in the finals against Navy Elite, who they also lost to early in the tournament 3-1. In this revenge match-up, Batavia started out with a quick 2-0 lead in the first period with goals from Dylan Reidmiller and Cole Woodward and never looked back. They took that lead into the third period until Hunter Sprague added a third goal.  Jack McCarthy put it away with an empty netter making it a 4-0 final score. Sammy Calletto was awarded two shutout pucks for the tournament and Hunter Sprague picked up a playmaker puck with three assists in the championship game.

Press release:

“At approximately 7:39 a.m. on Friday, February 24th, officers from the Batavia City Police Department and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department responded to a phone call in which a threat was made against John Kennedy Intermediate School on Vine Street in the City of Batavia.

“Even though Batavia schools are on break for the week, officers from both departments and the New York State Police immediately responded on scene as any type of threat of this nature is taken very seriously.

“As a precaution, officers checked all the schools in the city school district and schools across Genesee County to ensure the safety of students and staff," Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said.

“It is still early in our investigation, but we have determined the threat to John Kennedy Elementary School not to be credible. It has been reported that similar threats have been at other school districts across New York and nationally.

“We appreciate the cooperation and assistance of the Batavia City School District on this matter as we continue our investigation with our law enforcement partners at the local, state, and federal levels on our investigation.

“People making these types of threats should know they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Welcome home to 3263 Broadway, located within the Alexander school district! This glorious modern colonial has 4 bdrm, 2.5 bathroom, and a 2.5 car garage. Tucked back on 3.58 acres of partially wooded grounds, this house is the perfect, private oasis. You will love the spacious bedrooms and generous storage closets, especially the master bedroom’s vaulted ceiling and ensuite bathroom. Overlooking the beautiful family room, which is complete with an inviting fireplace, you'll find a cozy, lofted nook: your own hidden haven! The finished basement includes poured concrete walls and a private entrance. Best of all these amazing features is the heart of the house: the kitchen. You will love the brand new candlelight cabinetry features, including soft-close drawers and cabinets, and the beautiful Quartz countertops. Come see the stunning, brand-new red oak flooring throughout the first floor, the stunning Trex deck outside, and last but not least, the convenient first floor laundry. With this house, it will be love at first sight, so come see it for yourself today!

A five-year grant of just under a half million dollars per year will fulfill the city school district’s ambitions to hire more social workers for each school building, focus on family engagement and work to increase student mental and behavioral support, district leaders said Thursday.

The grant was announced by Senator Charles Schumer as part of $3.6 million of Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grants distributed by the U.S. Department of Education. Batavia City Schools was the only district in Genesee County to receive this funding.

“We’re incredibly proud to have been recognized and selected by the U.S. Department of Education for this generous Community Schools grant,” Superintendent Jason Smith said. “Our Community Schools program is an essential part of our school district and is a touchstone for many of our at–risk students, families, and community members. With this funding, we’ll be able to decrease the educational gaps we’re experiencing and set our students up for success well beyond their time here in our school district.” 

The grant of $488,761 is for the first year, with an expected total of  $2,499,777 during the course of the five-year grant period.

Other areas of the overall student mental and behavioral support goals will be to “increase readiness for school, increase student attendance and achievement and increase student community connectedness,” Community Schools Coordinator Julia Rogers said.

“These goals also include encouragement of family engagement in each student’s education,” she said. “We will be using the funds to hire additional social workers at each of our school buildings. These positions will allow us to expand the reach of our Community Schools program with the goal of breaking down barriers for students and families to help ensure student success.

“We will continue to focus on family engagement activities that are culturally responsive, empowering, and provide support to families,” she said.

Buildings include Robert Morris, Jackson Primary, John Kennedy Intermediate, Batavia Middle and High schools, and district leaders “hope to sustain this plan after the grant period,” Rogers said.  

Long-term goals for the grant funding include:

• Increase the educational case management for students who are academically at-risk or chronically absent.  
• Increase student access to mental and behavioral health support.
• Increase student readiness for school and student academic achievement.  
• Ensure that graduating seniors are college and career ready.   
• Work to reduce the academic achievement gap between demographic groups and increase student-family-community connections

Community Partners include:

• GLOW YMCA
• GCASA
• ARC GLOW
• BCSD Foundation
• Genesee Community College
• Genesee County Business Education Alliance
• Genesee County Departments of Health and Mental Health
• Richmond Memorial Library
• United Way
• Partners in Restorative Initiatives
• Children's Institute
• GLOW Workforce Investment Board
• Cornell Cooperative Extension 
• Along with our 90+ informal partners  

The grants will provide funding for New York’s community schools to hire more social workers, expand mental health services, offer high-quality tutoring for students who need extra support, and foster trust and support within the community through family programming, Schumer said in a press release issued Thursday. New York State was awarded four grants, which will go towards improving the quality of education in Batavia City School District, Belleville Henderson Central School District, Sodus Central School District, and Booker T. Washington Community Center of Auburn.

“I am proud to deliver this funding to New York’s students, families, and communities, and I will always fight hard to ensure that the next generation has the tools they need to build prosperous and fulfilling lives,” Schumer said.

Dr. Molly Corey, executive director of Curriculum and Instruction, believes this grant provides an opportunity “to strengthen the core foundation” of Batavia City Schools.

 

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is deeply disappointed by Department of Labor (DOL) Commissioner Roberta Reardon’s decision to move forward with the previously-proposed reduction in the farm worker overtime threshold. The measure, which has been hotly debated for a number of years, was finally approved by the DOL this Wednesday. Hawley is concerned about what this will mean for the future of New York farmers.

“For the past three years, my colleagues and I have advocated for the family farmers of New York who have told us time and again that any changes to the overtime threshold would severely impact their economic security. I’m deeply disappointed that the DOL and Commissioner Reardon have ignored those pleas,” Hawley said.

“Agriculture is the largest industry in New York, and its workers are the best in the nation. But for these smaller farms trying to get by, the costs just skyrocketed, and the burden of this mandate will unfortunately cause many farmers to fall by the wayside. With this reality in mind, I can’t help but wonder who the DOL thinks it is helping,” Hawley concluded.

Press Release:

The key to success in any good event is its volunteers, and GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare needs you! Join us for GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare on March 24 at Genesee Community College for the inaugural, day-long, hands-on career exploration event.

Approximately 600 students from 28 schools will connect with various healthcare businesses and organizations to learn about the multitude of rewarding jobs in healthcare and science-related fields throughout the GLOW region.

Volunteers are essential to support the day-long event.  Those opportunities begin early in March with student bag assembly, continue with event set-up on March 23, and culminate on March 24 with activities that include lunch duty, "tour guides," station supervision, and cleanup.

“Volunteers play a vital role in GLOW With Your Hands career exploration events. The growth of GLOW With Your Hands Manufacturing has been due, in large part to the dedication of local members of the community wanting to make an impact on our youth,” said Karyn Winters, director of the Genesee County Business Education Alliance Director and Co-Chair of GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare. “Volunteers create a fun, educational environment and contribute to the overall experience.”

Various healthcare sectors will be in attendance, including hospitals and health systems featuring jobs in nursing, mental health, social services and first aid. Students will also connect with local colleges, universities, and secondary and post-secondary training programs to learn about career pathways that will provide a sound return on their investment.

“Volunteer tour guides encourage student engagement at vendor stations, students benefit from both support and positive reinforcement to boost confidence when asking questions and performing vendor activities,” said Angela Grouse, Education to Employment Director at the Livingston County Area Chamber and Co-Chair of GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare. “Since 2019 at our inaugural manufacturing event, the GLOW region continues to invest in the next generation of workforce candidates. It is special to see how the community rallies together to support our youth.”

Volunteers must be at least 18 years or older. Additional information and volunteer applications are available here.

Additionally, GLOW With Your Hands leaders encourage community members to consider joining one of the many committees for either the Healthcare or Manufacturing event.

If and when iGaming comes to New York State, Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. officials say they want a piece of the action.

Speaking about the corporation’s lobbying efforts in Albany, President and Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek said that he is keeping abreast of a bill that would allow iGaming in New York.

“Six states actually have it already and they’re reporting record levels (of revenue),” he said during this morning’s board of directors meeting at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road.

An internet search of iGaming reveals that it’s an increasingly popular form of mobile betting or gambling that includes Casino games, real money slot games, sports betting and horse race betting. Per Transparency Market Research, the iGaming sector is set to generate $100 billion by 2024.

“iGaming is something that’s being proposed by State Senator (Joseph) Abbaddo (Jr.), who’s the chair of the Senate Gaming Committee,” Wojtaszek said. “He’s submitted it as a bill and it allows for mobile or remote gaming on your computer or on your phone.”

Wojtaszek said Batavia Downs Gaming would be asking to be included in this opportunity, along with Finger Lakes and Buffalo Raceway.

“We would be looking to establish an online platform, as well as other casinos across the state, so that we can be competitive within the industry,” he said, noting that WROTB’s Batavia Bets interactive online platform covers harness race betting only.

Currently, the other six states that permit iGaming are New Jersey, West Virginia, Michigan, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, he said.

Abbaddo, a Democrat who represents the 15^th District (Queens), recently spoke about the bill, which moved forward into the State Assembly on Feb. 3.

He cited projections that iGaming would surpass mobile sports betting (which already is legal in New York State) and urged his colleagues to pass the bill into law.

“Every year we don’t do iGaming in New York, if you do the math, there’s roughly $4 billion lost – if you think of it that way; revenue lost – and lost to another state and to the illegal market,” he was quoted as saying.

Abbaddo said his goal was to get the bill passed by the end of this year’s legislative session.

In other developments:

• WROTB directors approved the promotion of Danielle Fleming to the Director of Human Resources position, a move up from her current role as payroll supervisor.

“We had three excellent candidates from within who applied and Danielle is the one who has been recommended for hire,” Wojtaszek said, adding that she started in the marketing department before moving to payroll. “She is very smart and very talented and we’re glad to have her here.”

• Batavia Downs harness racing’s handle in January and February 2023 represented a 35 percent increase from the handle at Buffalo Raceway for those two months in 2022. There had been no January-February racing at Batavia Downs previous to this year, when WROTB officials reached an agreement with the Western New York Harness Horsemen’s Association to conduct a slate two or three days a week during those months.

Wojtaszek called the limited meet a “great success” and will be exploring continuing it in 2024 depending on the WNYHHA’s position.

• Directors voted to enter into a contract with PPR Energy to provide the infrastructure needed to prepare for the installation of 16 electric vehicle charging stations at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Wojtaszek said the stations would be built in two locations – 12 of them in the general parking lot and four in the valet parking area. Right now, there are two EV charging stations in the valet parking lot.

• WNY Tile and Stone Corp. of North Tonawanda has been hired to install new floor and wall tile on the second floor in the restroom area at Batavia Downs Gaming and the same in the Park Place banquet room and boardroom on the first floor at a total cost of $160,000.

It was reported that the expense would be covered by insurance, stemming from flooding at the facility several months ago.

Additionally, directors approved a $69,900 contract with Painters Plus Home Decorating of North Tonawanda as the lowest bidder to paint the 67 rooms at the Hotel at Batavia Downs.

• Directors voted to purchase a block of eight tickets with parking from Live Nation for the 2023 concert series at Darien Lake at an amount not to exceed $30,000.

Pending verification by the public benefit company’s outside auditing firm, Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. generated a record $8.4 million in earnings and surcharge for its 17 member municipalities in 2022.

WROTB Chief Financial Officer Jacquelyne Leach, reporting at this morning’s board of directors meeting at the Park Road facility, put the total earnings and surcharge distribution number for last year at $8,454,261 – an increase of $2,661,077 from 2021.

“Since the corporation’s inception – we started in May of 1974 – this is the highest earnings’ distribution ever paid out to our municipalities,” Leach said.

When asked to explain the 46 percent jump from the previous year, Leach mentioned branch consolidation, the Hotel at Batavia Downs and the company’s ongoing marketing campaigns.

“On the branch side, we minimized our losses through closures and consolidations, so that helped, and then on the Batavia Downs Gaming side, one of the best additions is the hotel – because it’s such a great marketing tool,” she said. “We can get our patrons in and then let them enjoy their experience, including the free play (vouchers) and the food coupons, so it’s a win-win for everyone.

“Plus, all of our events here help contribute and, as always, we value our employees the most and we’re providing good customer service. And (Marketing Director) Ryan’s (Hasenauer) marketing efforts are a big part of it as well.”

Genesee County’s share for 2022 is at $178,732, about $50,000 more than Orleans and Wyoming counties’ amount. In 2021, Genesee received $123,409.

December 2022 numbers show $642 in surcharge while fourth-quarter earnings indicate that $26,701 will go into Genesee County coffers.

The corporation distributes earnings and surcharge to 15 Western New York counties plus the cities of Buffalo and Rochester.

WROTB President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek said the historic dollar amounts represent “a lot of hard work, great marketing strategies, great events and the strength of the hotel.”

“It’s really become a destination,” he said. “We provide, we believe, the best customer service in the industry. We hear it constantly on the floor, so it is no surprise that we had such a banner year … and we’re very happy to share that with our municipalities and give that money back.”