Tammy Hathaway presented the Geneseean of the Year Award to fellow Geneseean Jay Lazarony, recipient of the 2021 honor. Hathaway was one of several people touting Lazarony’s worthiness during the awards event Saturday at Batavia Downs Gaming.

After accepting a tiara from Chamber President Eric Fix, because she is “the queen,” Hathaway began a tribute to the GLOW Work Force Development Board executive director for his 25 years of working with thousands of youngsters in various roles throughout Genesee County.

“Jay is a pretty amazing human being,” Hathaway said. 

Karyn Winters, director of Genesee County's Business Education Alliance, nominated him for being an "exemplary professional and volunteer," and embodying what's great about Genesee County," she said. He founded GLOW With Your Hands in 2019 and has been a "selfless, kind, motivating and fearless leader," she said.

"While his career alone warrants recognition, what truly makes Jay an admirable Geneseean is his infectious enthusiasm to mentor local youth," Winters said in her nomination.

Colleagues, staff, and program participants continued the trail of accolades via pre-recorded videos played on several screens throughout the banquet room. Jocelyn Sikorski has known Lazarony through the county’s Youth Bureau for more than 20 years, she said, and has witnessed his focus on “looking out for the best interests of youth and our families.”

“He’s a very caring and outgoing man,” she said. “I want to honor Jay and say great job, you are so deserving.”

When Lazarony applied for the executive director position seven years ago, the board made “a unanimous decision” to hire him, board member Norb Fuest said. 

“He just exceeded our expectations, to say the least,” Fuest said. “Our training numbers have been some of the best in the state, a lot of that because of Jay.”

Entrepreneur Jessica Pratt, co-owner of several businesses in Genesee County, including Whole Life Fitness in Batavia, knows first-hand about Lazarony’s impact, she said. He has helped her become “the person I am today,” she said.

Lazarony thanked and acknowledged his family, wife Donna and children Christina, Scott, and Nick and his grandchildren, several colleagues within Genesee County, and his staff from the GLOW regions of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. 

He noted a group of counselors that, during the pandemic’s social distancing requirements, turned "traditional services into a virtual system and continued to provide unemployment opportunities during a very, very difficult time,” he said.

“What I was most impressed with was the time and understanding they gave to each and every customer case with massive layoffs,” he said.

He also took a few minutes to urge the audience of at least 200 people to “give youth a chance.” He shared a story of a young man named Justin, a program participant who wasn’t sure of his abilities to pursue a job in nursing. Lazarony made him a promise that if he did all of the work, Lazarony would find the funding to help him succeed on a career path. Justin became a nurse practitioner and worked at a facility where Lazarony’s father spent his last days until he died on December 28.

Justin called the family to notify them, and his demeanor was proof that he had absorbed his lessons well, Lazarony said.

“He provided the information with dignity and respect,” Lazarony said. "Take a chance on them."

Other award recipients included:

Valle Jewelers for Business of the Year, presented by Guy Pellegríno, who grew up next door to the Valle family, he said. 

“What a wonderful family,” he said. “I’m so proud to introduce you, you so earned this. I looked up to Mary and Dominic; I was so in awe.” 

Owners Stephen Valle and Carrie Lawrence, along with former owner and mom Mary Valle, accepted the award. In a pre-recorded video, Mary recounted the story of the store’s humble beginnings 70 years ago. It was founded by Grandpa Dominic, who arrived in New York City with $16 in his pocket. The physical location moved from Carey Mansion to Genesee Country Mall to its current spot at 21 Jackson St., all in Batavia. 

Her son Stephen added that over the years the jewelry business has changed, but “customer service has not.” He thanked the chamber, the store’s “fantastic staff” and one person who has been integral to the business’ success, his late father Dom.

“We’re missing one man,” Stephen said, taking an emotional breath. “But we know he’s smiling down on us.”

Theresa DeMars nominated Valle Jewelers for its customer service, engagement with and support of the community, steadfast participation in downtown events, and being a “fixture in our community for three generations,” DeMars said.

“Valle Jewelers is a community staple, a true family-run business, and one of our best-kept secrets,” she said in her nomination. 

Alleghany Farm Services for Agricultural Business of the Year, presented by last year’s recipient L&M Specialty Fabrication.

Their business protocols pushed the company into its sixth state and garnered the attention of Jeanna Clark of M&T Bank and Farm Credit East. Clark’s nomination cited several reasons, including how the company has:

• Increased their fleet of tile plows from two to four, including a prohibitively expensive mini tile plow that fits the space constraints of vineyards and orchards 
• Expanded company size and employees by 25 percent over the last two years
• Thanked and gave back to customers with a yearly Field Day 
• Focused on drainage education by working with local soil and water districts

Farm Credit East also cited the company’s impressive expansion statistics and lauded it for its remaining loyalty to Genesee County with headquarters in Basom.

Company partners Drew and his son Chad Klotzbach accepted the award. The business began in the 1980s with a landscaping focus, followed by Alleghany Farm Services, which was founded by Drew and his wife Dianne in 2001. 

The process is about much more than sticking a pipe in the ground to drain water from a field, Drew said. And Alleghany Farm Services has mastered that process to become one of the leaders of drainage issues in the Northeast. 

Business Operations Manager Christina Fetzer acknowledged those who helped make the company a success.

“We wouldn't be where we are today if it wasn't for the support of the ag community and our loyal customers. Every project that we do is unique and we take pride in being able to customize a solution that will benefit each farm,” she said. “Our goal is to build long-lasting relationships with each customer to provide ongoing education, maintenance, and guidance. A large portion of our growth has been through word of mouth from our existing customer base. And for that, we are very thankful.”

Drew thanked the Chamber, the company’s employees, and the ag community.

Batavia Muckdogs for Entrepreneurial Business of the Year. Dan Ireland, representing Rochester Regional Health, commended owners Robbie and Nellie Nichols and General Manager Marc Witt for their efforts to bring “baseball back to Batavia in 2021.”

“They didn’t just bring baseball back,” Ireland said. “You revitalized it. We want to say thank you for what you did.”

Their first year at Dwyer Stadium couldn’t have gone any better, Witt said.

“The community embraced everything we threw at them,” he said. “We’re already off to a great start. We can’t wait for the first pitch in June. We found zero challenges and accomplished all our goals. Thank you to the community.”

There was a dance competition, an Alzheimer’s Walk, a Dogs Trick or Treat Halloween event, and other public happenings at the Bank Street facility, plus participation in off-site activities including the Memorial Day parade, he said. Batavia Muckdogs drew the community support, he said, including from City Manager Rachael Tabelski who “was true to her word,” and the very first team sponsor, Bill Hayes of Turnbull Heating & Cooling. 

In his nomination of the Batavia Muckdogs for the award, lifelong Batavian Tom Turnbull said the city and county have been enriched because of Robbie and Nellie Nichols’ hard work and community spirit.

“While the Batavia Muckdogs may not seem like a new business due to the continuation of the name (from the former New York-Penn League), the new Batavia Muckdogs … are not only an incredible local business success story but have enhanced the quality of life for the residents of Genesee County,” Turnbull wrote.

Photos by Howard Owens. Top photo: Jay Lazarony reacts to words of tribute for him as 2021 Geneseean of the Year during Saturday's 50th Genesee County Chamber Awards dinner at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Tammy Hathaway, the 2020 Geneseean of the Year, received a tiara from Chamber President Eric Fix.

Lazarony acknowledged his GLOW Workforce Development Board staff during his acceptance speech. 

Carrie Lawrence, Stephen Valle, and Mary Valle say a few words of thanks and remembrance for Valle Jewelers' Business of the Year Award. 

Drew and Chad Klotzbach of Alleghany Farm Services accept their Agricultural Business of the Year Award.

Batavia Muckdogs General Manager Marc Witt and owner Robbie Nichols accept and say thank you for the Entrepreneurial Business of the Year Award.

The crowd watches speakers at the podium and on screens placed throughout the gold-adorned room at Batavia Downs. 

Press release:

Mike Rose Jr. of Rochester on Saturday once again showed why he’s one of the best tournament bowlers in the nation, rolling three strikes in the 10^th frame to win the T.F. Brown’s Scratch Eliminator Tournament at Mancuso Bowling Center.

Needing the first strike in the final frame to secure the victory, Rose came through to post a 207 game, edging Rochester’s Phil Kaiser, who posted 194, to win the $1,200 first prize.

Rose qualified second off the Saturday 2 p.m. squad with 883 for four games.

Kaiser earned $800 for placing second while Kevin Alajko of Buffalo took home $700 for finishing third, posting 148 in the three-bowler title match.

Four Genesee Region USBC bowlers cashed in the event, which was bowled on a challenging oil pattern.

Adam Philp of Le Roy advanced to the semifinals where he rolled a 198 game, just short of reaching the finals as Alajko rolled 199. Philp won $190.

Mike Pettinella of Batavia, the tournament’s high qualifier with 893 for four games, made it to the second round, but missed by 10 pins from advancing to the semifinals. Pettinella earned $160.

Rich Wagner of Batavia and Marty Lindner of Scottsville were eliminated in the first round. Both won $130.

The tournament drew 60 bowlers.

In Genesee Region USBC league action last week, Brian Green of Batavia fired a 300 game and 770 series in the Mancuso Real Estate Doubles League at Mancuso Bowling Center.

Other high series for the week:

-- Hayden Allis, 794, to end the season with a 237 average; Eric Kraus, 298—756; Alex Allis, 746, Sunday Rolloffs, Medina Lanes;

-- James Townsend’s 764, Toyota of Batavia 5-Man, Mancuso’s;

-- Curtis Foss’ 761, in the Sneezy’s Monday Night League at Oak Orchard Bowl, Albion;

-- Mike Pettinella, 744, Turnbull Heating Triples League, Mancuso’s;

-- Josh Elliott, 741, and Frank Jarkiewicz, 740, Wednesday Men’s Handicap League, Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen.

For a list of high scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.

Submitted photo: Mark Brown, tournament director, left, congratulates Mike Rose Jr., Phil Kaiser and Kevin Alajko -- finalists in T.F. Brown's Eliminator on Saturday.

I remember how I felt when I left home to go to college. I was nervous and excited at the same time. I knew I was going to miss my hometown. I was a little homesick and looked forward to coming home for a visit.

How could two words cause so much damage to our Main Street? So I went to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary for a definition. It was defined as The process where an urban neighborhood or area is improved and rehabilitated. 

The renewal process can include demolishing old or run-down buildings, constructing new, up-to-date housing, or adding features like a theater or stadium. 

In looking for a better definition, I came across Bill Kauffman's words on Urban Renewal from his book Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette. His words I could identify.

In 1991 he wrote, "The city fathers rushed headlong into urban renewal, whereby the federal government paid Batavia to knock down its past: the mansions of the founders, the sandstone churches, the brick shops, all of it Batavia tore out—literally—its five-block heart and filled the cavity with a ghastly mall, a dull gray sprawling oasis in a desert of parking spaces. The mall was a colossal failure, but it succeeded in destroying the last vestiges of our home-run economy. JC Penney and Wendy's were in; the Dipson Theater and the Dagwood Restaurant were out."

Yes, some of the buildings needed repair, and some were the home for rodents, but people lived in those upper apartments; it was their home.  

Urban Renewal demolished our history and our memories.

Today, we see the value in preserving our history. Almost simultaneously with the destruction of Urban Renewal, the Landmark Society was created. The mission of the Landmark Society of Genesee County was the preservation, protection, improvement, restoration, or reproduction of places and objects of historic or civic interest and natural or architectural beauty. Catherine Roth was very instrumental with this new group as one of the charter members.    

Today local artists and authors preserved postcards, paintings, and drawings. For example, the late Pat Burr took the north and south side of Main Street and painted every store standing in the 1950s. Her artwork is priceless. Don Carmichael, another incredible artist, sketched many of the early buildings of Batavia. 

Many or most can agree that Urban Renewal did not make our city better, it did not provide homes to the people living above the businesses downtown, and it certainly did not enhance our downtown.    If you want to learn more about Genesee County's History, please visit the Holland Land Office Museum under the directorship of Ryan Duffy on 131 West Main Street. In addition, they have the Joseph Ellicott Book Store with shelves of books on local history.

Our county historian, Dr. Michael Eula, can be found at the Genesee County History Department at County Building 2, 3837 West Main Street Road is another excellent resource on our county history.

Every time I drive down Main Street, I remember what we had and lost due to someone's idea that Urban Renewal would enhance our city.  

Anne Marie Starowitz is a writer and teacher living in Batavia.

Story by Mike Wertman/OrleansHub
Photos by Debra Reilly/The Batavian

Completing the sweep, the Genesee Region League boys likewise outlasted the Niagara-Orleans League 86-82 in overtime in the Exceptional Senior game this evening at Albion.

The N-O sent the contest into overtime on late baskets by Jarin Rhim (Medina) and Jahmeek Riley (Albion), the latter coming with just four seconds to go knotting the score at 72-72.

The G-R though claimed the win by outscoring the N-O 14-10 in the extra period as Zach Marscelli (Elba) had a two and a three, Gaige Armbrewster (Oakfield-Alabama) a pair of baskets, Kam Cusmano (Oakfield-Alabama) a bucket, and CJ Gottler (Elba) his fifth three of the evening.

Aiden Petrie (Roy-Hart) and Connor Gunby (Newfane) both had a pair of baskets for the N-O in the overtime.

The N-O held a slender 21-19 lead at the end of the first period but the G-R rallied into leads of 40-33 at the half and 57-51 at the three-quarter mark.

Gottler scored 11, including three threes, in the first half and Marsceill had a pair of threes in the third period for the G-R.

Vinny Buscarino (Roy-Hart) hit two threes in the opening period for the N-O as Tyler Gibson (Albion) and Brady Harrington Newfane had two baskets each. Harrington also scored 6 in the third and Riley 6 in the fourth.

Gottler finished with a game-high 17, Marsceill 14, Armbrewster 11, Kam Cusmano and Aaron Lund (Wheatland-Chili) 9 each, and Colin McCulley (Notre Dame) and Cody Henry (Notre Dame) 7 each to set the pace for the G-R.

Buscarino finished with 14, Harrington 12, Gunby 11, Petrie 10, Riley 10, Paul Smith (Wilson) 8, Gibson 7, and Rhim 7 to lead the N-O.

The N-O now holds a 12-9 lead in the series.

The Batavia Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in locating Lewis Hyde. Hyde is described as being 5’10”, 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a tan coat, jeans and black boots. Hyde was last seen on March 11th, 2022 at approximately 2:00 a.m. on West Main Street in Batavia. Anyone with any information is asked to please contact the Batavia Police Department at (585) 345-6350.

Two men from outside Genesee County are in custody and charged with murder in the second degree in the double homicide in Alexander on Friday night.

The suspects are Raul Cruz, 18, of Warsaw, and Prince N.K. Wilson, 23, of Albion.

The men are accused of stabbing and killing two men in a bunkhouse at a dairy farm at 10216 Alexander Road, Alexander.

The names of the victims have not been released pending notification of next-of-kin.

Both Cruz and Wilson are being held without bail.

Wilson was located in Batavia a short time after the incident and taken into custody.

Cruz was the subject of a manhunt in Warsaw on Saturday and located in the afternoon in the Warsaw area.

The incident began at 9:59 p.m., Friday, when dispatchers received a report of a disturbance in the bunkhouse at the dairy farm.  A short time later, after deputies responded, smoke was seen coming from the bunkhouse and Alexander Fire was dispatched. The fire was quickly extinguished.  The Sheriff's Office release states the fire was set but doesn't clarify whether it was set for heat/cooking or another reason.

The Sheriff's Office reports that the two victims were found dead inside the dwelling upon arrival of patrols. 

Investigators believe this was an isolated incident and there was no threat to public safety. 

This is an ongoing investigation. Assisting are State Police, Warsaw PD, the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office, Albion PD, the Orleans County Sheriff's Office, and DEC. Assisting at the scene were Emergency Management and Alexander Fire.

In a hard-fought girls basketball game in which neither team ever managed more than a four-point lead until the closing seconds, Notre Dame fell to Sherman in the Far West Regional Championship for Class D. 

The final score: 35-29.

Judah Macdonald scored nine points, Avelin Tomidy, eight, and Emma Sisson, five. Maylee Green scored three points and had eight rebounds.

For Sherman, sophomore Paige Grotto led the way, scoring 24 points and being a strong defensive presence.

For more photos, click here.

Notre Dame hosted a 5K race along with a run and walk for families this morning with proceeds raised going to the school's athletic programs and GLOW Arc.

Press release:

The deadlines for paid entries for the 15^th annual Genesee Region USBC Association Tournament at Mancuso Bowling Center this month have been extended.

GRUSBC directors agreed to move the deadlines as follows:

-- Tuesday, March 15, for competition on the weekend of March 18-20;

-- Tuesday, March 22, for competition on the weekend of March 25-27.

All of the handicap tournament’s events – Four-Person Team, Doubles, Singles and All-Events – will take place at Mancuso’s, the 24-lane center on East Main Street.

Reservations will be taken by contacting Mike Pettinella, GRUSBC association manager, at 585-861-0404 or sending an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.

Entries must be paid in full and received by the GRUSBC office at 55 Edgewood Drive, Batavia, NY, 14020, by the dates above.

First prize in the Open Team event is $1,000 guaranteed. Prizes in all categories in both the Open and Women’s Divisions will be paid on a 1:5 ratio.

Openings exist on all squads but some are close to being full.

The entry fee is $30 per person per event. The All-Events fee (Team, Doubles and Singles scores combined) is $10.

To download an entry form, go to www.bowlgr.com.

BARDOL, LANDERS TRIUMPH

Chris Bardol and Caycee Landers captured their second King & Queen bowling tournament title last weekend, defeating Brad Weber and Kelsey Ayers in the finals at Mancuso Bowling Center. The victory was worth $500.

The duo also won the event in 2019.

Fifty-seven couples competed this year, with Rochester’s Roger Thaine and Chey Landers earning the top qualifying spot with 1,420. Bardol and Landers qualified in seventh with 1,351.

The top 16 teams advanced to the finals.

Genesee County cashers were Jim Pursel/Kathy Allen, Mike and Heather Johnson, Rich Mortellaro/Cherie Bender, Scott Culp/Kim Starken, and Nate Cordes/Mary Meyer.

SCRATCH TOURNAMENT TODAY

Mancuso’s is hosting the T.F. Brown’s Scratch Eliminator today, with squads at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The finals will follow.

Bowlers will roll four games with one in five per squad advancing to the eliminator finals.

First prize is $1,200.

Sheriff's investigators are in the early stages of a homicide investigation at 10216 Alexander Road, Alexander, according to Chief Deputy Joseph Graff.

Late tonight, deputies responded to the Blumer Dairy Farm for a report of a disturbance. At about 10:20 p.m., Alexander Fire was dispatched for smoke coming from an employee bunkhouse and dispatchers informed responding units that the fire could be related to the disturbance. They were also informed that a person may have been stabbed at that location.

Graff declined to discuss the incident further while at the scene and said there will be a press release at some point with more information.

The bunkhouse is at the back of the farm property.

UPDATE: This is a double homicide, according to a statement from the Sheriff's Office.  The statement says this was an isolated incident and there is no threat to public safety. There was no further information released.

Press release:

The Bureau of Inspection will be closed Monday, March 14th through Wednesday, March 16th. Documents may be dropped off at the Department of Public Works.  The Bureau of Inspection will reopen on Thursday, March 17th at 8:30 a.m.

There may be a fire in an employee bunkhouse at the rear of a farm on Alexander Road in Alexander.

There is smoke coming from the structure.

It may be related to an ongoing law enforcement incident at that location where a person may have a knife injury.

Alexander Fire and Town of Batavia's ladder truck dispatched along with Mercy EMS.

UPDATE 10:24 p.m.: A chief on scene reports "smoke showing."

UPDATE 10:25 p.m.: Town of Batavia's response is canceled. 

A senior corrections officer at the Genesee County Jail has been arrested and terminated after being accused of stealing more than $50,000 from the Sheriff's Employee Association.

Kevin D. Wolff, 51, of Stafford, is charged with grand larceny 2nd, a Class C felony.

Wolff worked for the Sheriff's Office for more than 20 years.

The association membership consists of corrections officers, emergency dispatchers, dog control officers, and jail cooks.

Wolff was arraigned in City Court today and released on his own recognizance.

The investigation into the alleged theft is being conducted by the Sheriff's criminal investigation division and is ongoing.

Looking to cut out a bureaucratic level, streamline the zoning code process and save money, the Genesee County Planning Board has come up with a list of “local only” referral items that would be exempt from its review.

“What we have done is take a look at the smaller projects that would just get our standard approval with no comments from us,” County Planning Director Felipe Oltramari said today. “If you consider our meeting last night, two of the referrals would have been eliminated from the agenda – one that came in from a homeowner for a shed variance and one for a downtown (Batavia) design review.”

The planning department has drafted a template that includes 14 exemptions that would have to be adopted by town or village boards or the Batavia City Council.

Oltramari said the agreement is based on General Municipal Law, Article 12-B, Section 239-m.3. (c) which allows for the planning board to enter into an agreement with a city, town or village planning board, zoning board of appeals or municipal board to eliminate the referral requirement of certain land use actions deemed to be of local, rather than intercommunity or countywide concern.

“A referral for those actions would be optional, but no longer mandatory,” he said, adding that the county attorney has reviewed the proposal, which would be the same for all municipalities. “We have taken care to include all of the routine referrals types that usually do not result in any comments from the county planning board and where approval is almost always a recommendation.”

He said that he has already received a signed agreement from the Town of Pavilion.

Oltramari said code enforcement officers at the municipal level will determine whether an item needs to be referred to the planning board – using the list as their guide.

“This could save a significant amount of time in the process of getting a project through,” he said. “I think it's a benefit to both the communities and their constituents because they may not have to travel to the planning board meeting. It will save time and money.”

He also said all applications to the county planning board become permanent paper records that have to be stored, meaning more time and expense.

The 14 planning and zoning actions that have been determined to be typically of a local rather than intercommunity or countywide concern that are exempt from review by the Genesee County Planning Board are as follows:

• Area variances to rear or side-yard setback requirements for single and two-family residential uses.
• Area variances to yard setback requirements (rear, side or front) for accessory structures, as defined by the municipality, provided the variance does not propose the structure be closer to a State or County highway or municipal boundary than the existing principal structure.
• Area variances for accessory structures, as defined by the municipality, for being in front of the principal building, provided the accessory structure would meet the front-yard setback required of a principal building.
• Area variances and/or permits for freestanding signs or fences except when proposed along a State or County highway.
• Area variances for parking or driveways not accessing a State or County highway.
• Special use permits or site plan reviews for home occupations/businesses not accessing a State or County highway and that meet all applicable local municipal code requirements.
• Special use permits or site plan reviews for the co-location of telecommunications equipment on an existing telecommunications tower/facility.
• Special use permits or site plan reviews for new ponds or pond expansions that meet all applicable local municipal code requirements, provided that the construction will not disturb more than an acre of land and as per the SEQRA review, will not impact archaeological resources, threatened or endangered species, or State or Federal regulated wetlands.
• Site Plan Review or Design Review for the interior or exterior remodeling of a new use allowed in that zoning district including building-mounted signage that meets all applicable local municipal code requirements, and does not cause changes to other aspects of the site.
• Subdivisions or re-subdivisions for minor lot-line adjustments on existing lots where no additional lots are created and there is no change to access points and no new access points are proposed on State or County highways.
• Subdivision of land into two lots that meet all applicable local municipal code requirements provided such subdivision occur within a Genesee County Smart Growth Development Area.
• Land use moratoria not exceeding 12-months, except that a notice shall be sent to the Genesee County Planning Department for informational purposes.
• Administrative and fee amendments to the zoning code (i.e., general provisions, permit procedures, powers and duties of local boards and officers, penalties for offenses, public hearing requirements, organization, and amendment procedures).
• Interpretations of the municipal zoning code.

As a baseball player for the Batavia High Blue Devils, Batavia Muckdogs and Erie Community College Kats, Vincent Grazioplene anticipates that he’ll be spending a lot of time behind home plate over the next several months.

The 5-foot-8, 165-pound 12^th-grader has signed a letter of intent to attend Erie Community College in the fall and play baseball for the Division III Kats, a perennial National Junior College Athletic Association Region 3 powerhouse under longtime Coach Joe Bauth.

Erie CC plays in the competitive Western New York Athletic Conference that also includes Genesee Community College.

Grazioplene, who has played baseball – from T-ball to varsity -- for 12 of his 17 years, also has been recruited by the Batavia Muckdogs to play in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League this summer before the hometown fans at Dwyer Stadium.

After that, it’s on to Erie CC for a short fall league and then a 50-game collegiate schedule in the spring of 2023.

Making it to this point is quite an accomplishment as just 7 percent of high school athletes go on to play sports in college.

“We are very excited for Vincent. This is something that he’s wanted for a very long time and has worked very hard for,” said his mom, Erica, who took part in the photo session this afternoon at Batavia High.

Vincent’s father, Phil, was unable to attend due to work commitments.

Grazioplene, an honor student, says he plans to major in Business Administration at the two-year junior college.

Batavia High Coach James Patric said Grazioplene was the team’s defensive MVP last season.

“Vincent came off a tough football season – was banged up a bit and it took a little time to get back in the swing of things,” Patric said. “But once he was fully healthy, he was the rock behind the plate.”

Patric said Grazioplene had to catch an inexperienced pitching staff, with two pitchers moving up from Modified A ball to varsity and standout Alex Hale being unable to pitch.

“So, he had to create a chemistry with all the pitchers that were new – who spent a lot of time in the dirt. Graz saved us probably two to three runs a game; he really kept us in a lot of games that could have gotten away from us.”

As a hitter, Grazioplene batted .261 in 46 at-bats with seven runs scored and seven runs batted in. He drove in the team’s only run in a 2-1 sectional tournament loss to Hornell.

For his part, Grazioplene said his goal is to work hard and improve each and every time out.

“I hope to do great … get better and try my best,” he said, noting he has been taking part in “open gym” workouts. “I can’t wait to play.”

Batavia’s first official practice is on Monday and its first scheduled game is April 1 at Pittsford Mendon.

Photo: Batavia High Coach James Patric, Vincent Grazioplene and Erica Grazioplene at today's announcement that Vincent will attend Erie CC in the fall and play baseball for the Buffalo junior college. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

While acknowledging that the solar project proposed by BW Solar on behalf of a Batavia Stafford Townline Road couple was well-thought-out, the Genesee County Planning Board on Thursday night voted to recommend disapproval due to concerns over setback variance requests.

The board’s action, taken during its monthly meeting via Zoom videoconferencing, sends the referral back to the Stafford Town Board for final determination.

Robert and Michelle Wood of 8244 Batavia Stafford Townline Rd. are hoping to place two 5-megawatt, ground-mounted solar systems on their farmland. One will cover 31.08 acres and the other will cover 28.32 acres.

The couple, along with Dan Huntington, project developer for BW Solar, were on the Zoom call last night.

They came into the meeting knowing that the Genesee County Planning Department staff had issued a recommendation of disapproval due to the setback variances being requested “grossly exceed the requirements of the Town of Stafford’s Zoning Law.”

Stafford’s solar zoning regulations are much more restrictive in terms of the distance from neighboring properties than most others in the county, said Planning Director Felipe Oltramari, adding that a request for a variance from the Real Property Value Protection clause of the law may not be permissible.

A SOLID CASE FOR APPROVAL

Still, Huntington presented a solid case for approval of the site plan, special use permit and area variances for the project – earning praise on the layout from planners and convincing one member, John Deleo, to make a motion for approval (which died from a lack of a second).

BW Solar’s proposal calls for setbacks of 75 feet from residential property lines, where a minimum required per the Stafford law is 1,000 feet, and it also asks for reduction of setbacks along nonresidential property lines from 200 feet to 100 feet, 50 feet and zero feet depending upon the location on the map.

The area is zoned as an Industrial Park (IP) District, which is appropriate for such a project.

Huntington emphasized that the Town of Stafford has some “unique solar laws in place that far exceed what you’re typically seeing throughout the county.”

He said he has been involved in previous projects in the county – one in Elba and one in Pavilion – that were approved by county planners.

“And the two projects we have here are two separate 5-megawatt projects because that's what NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research & Development Authority) guidelines require us to do for community distributed generation projects,” he said. “We do kind of talk about them as one project, but they are two separate LLCs and two separate projects. They are co-located on two parcels of land that Bob and Michelle Wood own.”

SETBACK DISTANCES QUESTIONED

Stating that he understood the challenges posed by the Stafford solar ordinance and the Real Property Value Protection clause, Huntington pointed out that the 1,000-foot setback “is a stipulation that is not required for any other portion of industry throughout Stafford solar zoning laws and the 2,500-foot setback is also very unique to solar specific and would actually stretch over the highway into a large portion of Batavia as well.”

“So, those are two larger elements that we are looking at for a variance. We applied for those variances based on the guidance of our attorneys at Harris Beach, and also with communication with the town attorney. That was direction that he gave us as to first steps -- to apply for a variance for those two pieces.”

Huntington went on to say that he believed Stafford officials didn’t want solar farms encroaching upon neighboring homes, but that the Woods’ proposal is different in that it is shielded by farmland on one side and railroad tracks on another.

Sharing a visual of the layout as he spoke, Huntington said he, working with engineers at LaBella Associates, strived to make efficient use of the space – in one instance asking for a property setback to be at zero to utilize space for a shared fence for the two solar systems.

“If we were to follow the solar law and have a 200-foot setback on either side of this property line, it would create a 400-foot dead zone that not only we couldn't use, but it would be extremely inefficient for Bob and Michelle to continue their farming operation,” he said.

Huntington said the preference is to share a road entrance “so we're not building additional roads to each 5-megawatt array because they are legally required to be individually fenced.”

“By reducing the setback, we could put the gravel road right down the middle, share a fence and again reduce the amount of impact we have to the farmable land.”

SEEKING TO HONOR INTENT OF LAW

In summary, he said that while the variance difference “may be a little bit higher than what the board is comfortable with in the past, we are just trying to find a way to accommodate this project and still honor the intent of the law when it comes to some of the setbacks.”

“So, my request of the board would be to look at the project as a whole within the county and potentially vote to support the project and allow the zoning board and the town board to make the decision as to whether or not these variances are acceptable to them in their town,” he said. “Because a negative vote could potentially cause additional stresses for them in terms of whether or not they're going to approve or deny something.”

The Woods noted that the solar farms will sit back in their field – protected by a lot of trees.

“You won’t be able to really see it from (Route) 33,” Michelle said. “It’s set way up back. If we can get those variances in place, then we can continue to farm all around the front of it, which would be protected by corn because we grow a lot of corn.”

Planner Tom Schubmehl advised everyone that the planning board’s role “is to gauge intercommunity impacts and to make sure that towns are following their law.”

“That's our role -- not to decide what the towns want or should have or whether it's applicable to the rest of the county,” he said. “Our job is to make sure they're following their law, and that there's no intercommunity impacts. So, from that perspective … it's a nicely designed solar project compared to some of the other ones we have seen. But that's not our role to decided what Stafford wants.”

Planning Board Chair Laraine Caton said she agreed.

“Right. And ultimately, they have the final say, anyway,” she said.

A vote was taken on both projects separately. The outcome was 5-1 each time for disapproval with Deleo -- who thought the 2,500-foot setback was “a little extreme" -- in opposition of that action.

Drawing of BW Solar proposal showing College Road (notch in green section at left) coming into Batavia Stafford Townline Road. Solar panels are in gray; setbacks are in green. Courtesy of Genesee County Planning Department.

Previously: Genesee County Planning Department finds fault with Stafford solar project proposal

From Chad, 33, to Harriett, 92, the Klotzbach clan knows the meaning of running a family business. 

They each do their part to push Alleghany Farm Services into higher levels of success, from Chad’s role as managing partner with his dad Drew to his grandmother’s promotional skills.

“We send out mailers, and she sent out 6,000 of them. She puts labels and stamps on them, it keeps her busy,” her grandson said during an interview with The Batavian. “She calls to ask if we heard from anyone about the mailer. It’s a total family business.”

It’s that close-knit personal touch that has earned Alleghany Farm Services a nod of approval with the 2021 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Business of the Year Award. The company was founded in 1983 by Drew Klotzbach, Chad’s father, and a company partner, and is comprised of multiple companies led by Alleghany Farm Services and Alleghany Construction as the two largest ones.

Although Chad has been literally out in the field since he was about 8 years old, he later wondered — “like every kid” — whether the local business world was for him.

“You leave and go off to college, and I wondered ‘do I want to stay with the family business? I always thought it as more of a challenge to stay than to leave,” he said. 

A native of Basom, he graduated from Oakfield-Alabama High School and went to Clarkson University for civil engineering, followed by obtaining a Master’s in Business Administration at Canisius College. He joined the family business in 2010 and has worked his way up to managing partner with an eye toward serving the community. He also has a seat on Genesee County Legislature.

His age has belied his experience at times, Chad said, and prompted some prospective customers to question his expertise.

“You know, I'm 33 years old. So a lot of times, I'll have customers see me pull up on-site, and they're like, oh, boy, who is this kid?” he said. “It's like, you know, I've been out here since you know, 8 or 10 years old doing this. So I may be young, but that's kind of what I grew up doing.”

Listening to him explain the complexity of field drainage and soil type, how much the industry has become data-driven, and how it’s a multi-year investment rather than a quick payoff, it seems clear he knows what he’s talking about. Still, it has made for “a tough elevator pitch,” he said.

Alleghany Farm Services has 30 employees and millions of dollars in specialized and computerized equipment. The company has installed 20 million feet of pipe over the past 10 years — up to four million feet a year now — and has more than doubled its size in the past five years.

Chad said it is the largest business of its kind in the Northeast and was the first to incorporate Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology in drainage design and installation in the same region. Primarily three machines are used for field drainage work — a tile plow, excavator, and a challenger tractor — and used together can install pipe in the ground using GPS to design it out ahead of time. It’s all about water management and configuring the pipe system to ensure maximum crop production, Chad said.

”You know, I think one of the things I said before is, it's way more complex than just putting pipe in the ground. You have to know the soil types, you have to know the correct pipe, the grades, the spacing, how the water flows through the soil,” he said. “I went to school for civil engineering. And even with that background, there's stuff that we see pretty much in every project that's unique. When you install subsurface drainage in a grid pattern, you’re controlling pretty much the water table, You’re dealing with surface saturation so you can get on the crops earlier in the spring and same thing in the fall.”

The process begins with the company’s sales team, he said, followed by data collection and extensive research “in order to create the proper design.” An average of 15,000 feet a day per machine can be installed, and “we stand by our work and remain in contact after projects are completed to make sure everything is performing correctly.”

Their business protocols have not only pushed the company into its sixth state but have garnered the attention of Jeanna Clark of M&T Bank and Farm Credit East. Clark’s nomination cited several reasons, including how the company has:

• Increased their fleet of tile plows from two to four, including a prohibitively expensive mini tile plow that fits the space constraints of vineyards and orchards 
• Expanded company size and employees by 25 percent over the last two years
• Thanked customers with a yearly Field Day 
• Focused on drainage education by working with local soil and water districts

Farm Credit East also cited the company’s impressive expansion statistics and lauded it for its remaining loyalty to Genesee County with headquarters in Basom.

With all of that pipe laid down, what lies ahead for Alleghany Farm Services? They have no plans to slow down now, Chad said.

“We’re right down the road from the STAMP project, and, you know, just seeing the community grow, we have new opportunities with that. We just want to continue with employing local people, keeping people interested in agriculture,” he said. "And we love supporting (initiatives such as) Cooperative Extension doing Ag in the Classroom stuff that’s coming up. It's all about that education. I do a lot of education, and I think that's the biggest thing that we want to try to bring to the community.”

Top photo: Chad Klotzbach, left, and father/partner Drew have no plans to slow down their ever-growing success with Alleghany Farm Services in Basom. The company earned a 2021 Agricultural Business of the Year Award, which is to be presented with other chamber awards this Saturday at Batavia Downs Gaming. Photo by Howard Owens.

This is the fourth of four articles highlighting the 50th Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards. The annual dinner is Saturday at Batavia Downs, with hor d’oeuvres at 5 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. For more information about the dinner, call the Genesee County Chamber at (585) 343-7440.