Press release:

On Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at 11:51 am, the City of Batavia Fire Department responded to a reported house fire at 22 Porter Ave. in the City of Batavia. Initial fire units arrived at 11:54 am to find a large volume of smoke emanating from a two-and-a-half-story, single-family home. Fire crews entered the home to find a fire in the attic space that was quickly extinguished. Two occupants were home at the time of the fire and escaped unharmed prior to the fire department's arrival. Residents are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

No civilian injuries were reported. There was one minor firefighter injury reported.

The cause of the fire was determined to be unintentional by City of Batavia Fire Department fire investigators.

The City of Batavia Fire Department was assisted by the City of Batavia Police, Bureau of Maintenance, Water and Codes Department, Town of Batavia FD, Alexander FD, Elba FD, Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center and Emergency Management Office, Red Cross, National Grid and National Fuel 

The Oakfield-Alabama Hornets are 10-0 on the season after beating Elba on Tuesday 64-53.

For the Hornets:

• Kam Cusmano, 22 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks
• Kyle Porter, 16 points, 6 rebounds
• Gaige Armbrewster, 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
• Kaden Cusmano, 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks

For Elba:

• Zach Marsceill, 21 points
• Angelo Penna, 17 points

Also in boys basketball on Tuesday:

• Notre Dame beat Pembroke, 74-66
• Holley beat Byron-Bergen, 61-51

In girls basketball:

• Pavilion beat Mt. Morris 67-12. Lauren Kinglsey scored 16 points, along with eight rebounds, five assists, and seven blocked shots.  Shea Amberger notched a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Karley Zinkievich, 14 points, and Paige Landers, 10 points.
• Attica beat Pembroke, 52-42. For Pembroke, Elle Peterson and Allie Schwerthoffer each scored 10 points, with Schwerthoffer snagging 12 rebounds.
• Spencerport beat Batavia 60-26.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Rettig yesterday calling for the IRS to address the backlog in amended tax returns and asking specific questions on operations.

“For months, my constituents have waited for their amended tax returns from IRS and have received no answers. My constituents, and Americans around the nation, are anxiously awaiting their returns and are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of action from the IRS. This is unacceptable and represents a massive dereliction of duty from the agency,” Jacobs said. 

In a letter from November, the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) reported the IRS had a backlog of over 2.7 million unprocessed amended returns. TAS also recently stopped accepting congressional inquiries from offices due to the high backlog. Currently, some NY-27 constituents are reporting delays of up to 30 weeks to receive their amended tax returns from the IRS.

“2021 tax season is rapidly approaching. This problem must be resolved by then, or millions of Americans face massive backlogs for their returns,” Jacobs said. “The IRS has been using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to deny timely service to millions of Americans. It is far past time to drop that excuse and get back to work safely and efficiently as many other government agencies have been able to do – Americans are relying upon it.”

 

Read Jacobs' full letter here.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) joined members of the Senate and Assembly Minority Conferences, law enforcement, and public safety advocates on Tuesday to call for the passing of anti-crime measures, following a rise in violence throughout New York state during the past two years. 

The legislative conferences advocated for the restoration of judicial discretion to locally-elected judges, among several other proposals. Since the passage of bail reform in 2019, the ability of judges to hold lawbreakers they know to be dangerous to the community on bail has been heavily restricted. The state has seen a 46.7% increase in murders throughout the state from 2019 to 2020. Criminals released under the bail reform law have gone on to frequently re-offend, at times retaliating against victims mere hours after their pretrial release.

“If we want New York to be a place people want to live, start families and spend their money, it must first and foremost be a safe place,” said Hawley. “During our governor’s State of the State address, there was a glaring absence of any discussion of the marked rise in violence we’ve seen in our communities all across New York. So putting public safety back on the agenda for the upcoming legislative session is a priority for me and our conference as a whole.”

In an intersectional battle between teams with similar records, Batavia Notre Dame United and the visiting Williamsville East Flames played to a 3-3 overtime draw Tuesday night at the Batavia Ice Arena.

Brady Johnson’s goal with 7:01 remaining in the third period lifted United to the tie in a game that saw the home team outshoot their Section VI opponent by a 41-26 margin.

BND, now 6-4-2 in Section V, has a week off before facing Geneseo/Avon/Livonia at 6 p.m. Jan. 18 at Wilson Ice Arena on the Geneseo State College campus.

The game-tying play developed when Johnson gathered the puck at the blue line and moved it to Jameson Motyka who raced down the left side of the rink. Motyka then made a nifty backhand pass to Johnson, who beat Williamsville East goaltender Luke Fryling. Andrew Kasmarek earned an assist.

Both teams scored a goal in each of the three periods.

Johnson opened the scoring just 1:57 into the game when he rebounded a shot by Vin DiRisio. Gavin Schrader also picked up an assist on the play.

Three minutes later, Peter Nostrant scored the first of his two goals for the Flames, 5-4-2, by slapping the puck past United goalie Courtney Schum after being left alone in front of the net.

The visitors took a 2-1 lead 13 seconds into the second period as Caden Cavalieri scored on a rebound of his initial shot, but Motyka tied it up at the 13:01 mark by converting a rebound off a shot by teammate Ronin Hofmaster. Johnson also picked up an assist on the play.

Nostrand’s goal 4:17 into the third period came after teammate Ryan Ljiljanich won a faceoff to give the Flames a 3-2 edge.

United applied a lot of pressure on the Flames’ defense at the end of the third period and into overtime but was unable to put the puck past Fryling, who withstood four United power plays throughout the contest.

Without any discussion, Batavia’s Board of Education unanimously approved a slew of consent items Tuesday evening, including spending more than $400,000 to purchase disinfection devices as one way to combat COVID-19.

The bid of $416,250 from Enviro-mist was a recommendation from the city school’s Building and Grounds Committee, Board President Alice Benedict said. 

“They are the ones who did the investigating, and asked the questions,” she said to The Batavian after the meeting at Batavia High School. “We decided it was something the school district needed.”

After district members conducted research about how to deal with increasing cases of COVID-19, Building and Grounds committee members were given the green light to pursue some type of disinfection equipment, she said. 

The funding for these devices will come from the federal American Relief Act, which was doled out to school districts for various virus-related solutions. The board agreed that Enviro-mist came in with the best bid for air purification and disinfection devices, at $1,665 each for 250 disinfection units, or $416,250. The units purify the air at one unit per 900 square feet, Benedict said. 

The company website touts specialized consultation services that include: 

• Effective and Safe Re-Opening and Return to Work Plans.
• Preventive and/or Corrective Disinfecting.
• Portable or In-Duct Air Purification Systems with knowledge of how best to work with air flow.
• Micro-Barriers for extended protection of high-touch surfaces.
• Air Quality Scans, Testing and Monitoring.
• Industry’s best Air Purifying Equipment Rental for events or gatherings.
• Post Covid Protocols that prepare for the next superbug, flu, allergy or outbreak.

Other consent items included seven resignations of music, special education and English as a Second Language teachers, teacher aides and a financial records clerk; many appointments of assorted positions, from probationary social worker to clerk typists; and Memorandums of Agreements with Batavia Teachers’ Association, TRIO Upward Bound College Prep Program, Attica Central School District for 6:1:1 services, and with the business administrator, executive director of staff development and operations, and executive director of curriculum and instruction. ( The Batavian will update details as they become available.)

It's that time of year when school boards begin to think about expenses and revenues. In lieu of the past Budget Ambassador program fulfilled by volunteer district residents, board members have signed on to meet for at least three public budget sessions, Benedict said. A lack of interested volunteers rendered the former ambassador group defunct, she said. Board members will conduct Zoom budget meetings so that anyone may attend and ask questions. 

The budget meetings are set for 6 p.m. on March 1, 8 and 15 in the Superintendent’s Conference Room 49 of the district office, 260 State St. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 17 in the BHS library 260 State St.
 

Click here – 7516 South Pearl Street Road, Oakfield.
Click here – 4 Lewis Avenue, Batavia.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) Board of Directors will consider a final resolution for a proposed $8.5 million financial investment by Mega Properties Inc. for the purchase of a vacant 147,000 sq. ft. building in the town of Batavia at its board meeting on Thursday, January 13, 2022.

Mega Properties Inc. plans to develop the Federal Drive building into a warehouse distribution facility.  The proposed $8.5 million financial investment would retain nine full-time employees and create up to 11 new jobs. The project has requested approximately $600,000 in sales, mortgage, and property tax exemptions.

A public hearing on the proposed project assistance was held Dec. 21 in the town of Batavia.

The GCEDC Board also will consider a final resolution for Gateway GS LLC’s (Gallina Development) proposal to invest $2.9 million as part of an expanded project in the Gateway II Corporate Park. The financial investment supports the construction of a 33,600 sq. ft. facility.

Gateway GS LLC is requesting $478,418 in sales, mortgage, and property tax incentives. The expansion will generate an estimated $28 in economic activity for every $1 of public investment.

An initial resolution will be considered by the board for two 8-unit market-rate apartment buildings located south of Buffalo East Tech Park in the town of Pembroke by Franklin Real Estate and Development. 

GCEDC Pre-Board Meeting Release
The multi-unit buildings will include one 1-bedroom apartments and seven 2-bedroom apartments. Franklin Real Estate and Development is requesting $243,402 in sales, mortgage, and property tax incentives. 

Finally, the board will consider accepting an initial resolution from Apple Tree Acres, LLC which is proposing to invest $3.1 million to build a 50,000 sq. ft. facility on its property at Apple Tree Acres in the town of Bergen. 

The facility would create three full-time jobs with an average annual salary ranging from $30,000-$35,000. The project is estimated to create a $10-to-$1 return on investment for Genesee County. 

The January 13, 2022, GCEDC Board meeting will be held remotely at 4 p.m. A livestream and on-demand recording of the meeting also will be available at www.gcedc.com.

Press Release:

The Batavia High School Scholastic Winter Guard will host an alumni concert on Sunday, January 23, at 2:00 pm in the BHS Gymnasium to raise funds for the winter guard to compete in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Winterguard Regionals and the WGI National Championships respectively. 

Led by BHS Band Director and Music Department Chair Jane Haggett, numerous Batavia City School District alumni, including new superintendent Jason Smith (Class of ‘90) on trombone, will join the BHS Alumni Jazz Ensemble. The St. Joseph’s Alumni Drum Corp will also appear at the concert. 

Members of the BCSD staff will play alongside Superintendent Smith including, BHS Principal Paul Kesler, on trumpet, and music teachers Sean Williams, Collin Murtaugh, and Stuart Mclean in the ensemble. Additional BHS alumni, including Paul Spiotta, Brandon Luce, Jackie McLean, Matt Holota, Harold McJury, Frank Panepento, Joshua Pacino, Quentin Branciforte, Mark Hoerbelt, Ross Chua, Mary Murphy, Jason Mapes, and Bob Pastecki, will also perform in the ensemble. 

Tickets for the concert are $10 for adults and $5 for students and can be purchased at the door. Money raised from this event will defray the cost of winter guard trips in March and April. This will be the Scholastic Winter Guard’s first appearance at the WGI National Championships. 

The owners of Livingston Lanes & Pub in Geneseo, a 16-lane establishment that is part of the Genesee Region USBC association, are in the process of installing string pinsetters – an investment approaching $250,000 they say is being made to keep the bowling center open for the foreseeable future.

The timing of the change, however, is resulting in the disruption of several leagues at Livingston Lanes that are certified by the United States Bowling Congress.

Since string pinsetters – yes, the bowling pins are attached to strings connected to a mechanical device that interfaces with the computerized scoring – have yet to be recognized by the USBC, averages of the bowlers in the affected leagues will be “final” as of the last time they bowl on the standard AMF pinsetters.

Dana Carson, one of four men who own the business, said they had hoped to wait until after the traditional league season, which ends in April, but were subject to the installers’ (QubicaAMF) work schedule.

“Unfortunately, with the timing of everything, it is midseason, but we weren't able to choose our time,” he said. “So, with COVID and getting employees to work and the subcontractors involved, there's a lot of different variables going on. So, again, unfortunately for the league bowlers, we had to do it now.”

COST SAVINGS A CRITICAL FACTOR

Carson said he and his partners have been concerned about the costs involved in keeping the current pinsetters running efficiently and have discussed removing the lanes and going in a different direction with that space. Previously, they spent a couple hundred thousand dollars in renovating the concourse, restaurant and bar area.

“They tell us that because of the mechanic and the parts issues that there is a long-term savings,” Carson said. “But with the initial investment, we figure it is the best fit for our open bowlers and our league bowlers right now … a way to speed up the pace of play.”

Bill Little, district sales manager for QubicaAMF, said string pinsetters require very little maintenance, eliminate the need for a mechanic and save considerably on electricity costs.

Little, whose office is in Philadelphia, spoke with The Batavian last week while overseeing the installation, which is expected to be completed sometime next week.

He said that Livingston Lanes is the seventh bowling center in his region to switch from conventional to string pinsetters.

“These machines, on average, will run about 7,000 frames per stop, where your traditional free fall machine may run for around 1,000 frames per stop,” he said. “So, you're not going to have as many mechanical breakdowns. Anybody that works in the bowling center on the staff can be trained on how to do all the maintenance that is involved -- how to repair them and how to work on them."

AN APP TO ASSIST WITH MAINTENANCE

He said the system includes an app on cell phones where a person can download something called Tech Wizard, which will notify via a text message when there’s a problem with a lane.

“It will say, ‘Hey, lane seven has this problem.’ They’ll acknowledge it on their phone and then they’ll have the ability to look at what to do on the phone as they’re walking back to the machine,” he said. “It will show them a video, give them the ability to write notes and the ability to see what tools they need – and there are only six tools required to work on these machines.”

Little said the process calls for completely removing the old pinsetter and installing QubicaAMF’s Edge string pinsetter, which have very few moving parts. He said the equipment is a redesign of an old German machine that has been in existence for about 40 years.

While the initial cost is comparable to a free fall pinsetter, the maintenance costs are much less, he said.

“They cost only $12 per year per machine in electricity and the two 24-volt DC motors only run when there’s a call to action for the motor to run … not continuously like they do on these machines now,” he said. “And the parts’ cost savings is tremendous. You don’t need to spend $500 per machine per year on parts.”

The Edge string pinsetters are designed for competition, Little said.

LITTLE: NOT AN ARCADE GAME

“This is not an arcade game. It’s a very authentic experience to free fall. The back and the kickbacks are all black so you don’t really see the strings that much,” he said. “And the pinfall is very similar in some of the tournaments that we had and some of the tests that we've had with people bowling on them -- especially PBA (Professional Bowlers Association), male and female. That pin difference is like 1.3 pins (per game).”

Little noted that the pin itself is the same pin as used in conventional pinsetters “except it has three holes drilled at the top to put the string on it.”

“Other than that, it’s the same bowling pin – weighing 3 pounds, 6 ounces to 3 pounds, 8 ounces.”

The USBC Equipment & Specifications Team has been conducting tests on string pinsetters and is not at a point where it is ready to certify them for competition. Talk out of USBC headquarters in Arlington is that when they are certified, it would likely be a separate division along the lines of Standard, Challenge and Sport condition levels that exist today based on how the lanes are oiled.

After its most recent study in September 2021, the USBC identified several factors affecting pinfall, including string length, pin curtain, ball stop cushion and kickback thickness.

Adjustments were made to the string length, pin curtain location and ball stop cushion until results approached those of free-fall machines, and a design of experiment was conducted to identify the best combination of these properties to reduce the rate of splits being converted due to interference from the strings.

Videos on YouTube show a bowler converting the 2-8-10 split, for example, by hitting the 10 pin and seeing that pin bounce out of the pit to hit the 8 into the 2. That’s something that would never happen on conventional pinsetters.

HOPING BOWLERS WILL HANG IN THERE

It’s practically a certainty that the USBC will certify string pinsetters – likely before next fall – to avoid the possibility of losing out on membership revenue.

For bowlers seeing string pinsetters coming into their “houses,” especially in midseason as is the case in Geneseo, decisions on whether to bowl on the new apparatus or to quit have to be made.

Carson, a retired Geneseo Police Department officer, said he hopes that his bowlers will understand the situation at Livingston Lanes and keep bowling.

“We’re looking forward. People get second and third chances out here, but we’re looking for people to give us just one chance,” he said. “We’ve done a lot already. When COVID first shut us down, we decided to do a major renovation for the bar and restaurant. That’s two major projects that we're able to do as a small business during COVID. So, I think people and I think our league bowlers will appreciate that.”

Click HERE to watch the video summary of USBC's second research report on string pinsetters from September 2021.

Photo above: Bill Little, district sales manager for QubicaAMF, displays a string pin and mechanism that controls it, while at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo last week.

Little points to a box containing a string pinsetter that will replace the conventional AMF pinsetters at the Geneseo bowling center.

The remodeled concourse at Livingston Lanes. The bar/restaurant is located behind the windows in the background. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

The City of Batavia Police Department is committed to implementing “action items” derived from its participation in the Batavia Police Advisory Collaboration Stakeholder Group, especially in the area of diversity in recruitment, BPD Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said on Monday night.

Speaking at City Council’s Business Meeting at the City Hall Council Board Room, Heubusch (photo at left) said his department embarked on a “heavy” recruiting campaign in an attempt to attract more minority candidates to take the police officer exam.

He said that data compiled through a questionnaire that was filled out by 90 of the 100 or so people that took the Civil Service exam on Sept. 18, 2021 showed that “a more diverse population came out to take our exam.”

While 84.4 percent of the participants identified themselves as White, 3.3 percent were Hispanic or Latino, 2.2 percent Black or African American, 1.1 percent Asian and 1.1 percent Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.

Heubusch said that the data collected will be used to establish a baseline for future exams.

The department also conducted a physical agility test last week at Genesee Community College, Heubusch said, where “we definitely saw a more diverse group of people come out for that.”

The Batavia Police Advisory Collaboration Stakeholder Group, consisting of citizens from various public and private sectors, was formed in compliance with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order 203 that called for community policing reform throughout New York.

It met several times during the fall and winter of 2020 and 2021, resulting in the creation of a list of action items that was submitted to Albany. Batavia’s plan is focused on training, community engagement/policing, community liaison, communication, officer wellness and diversity – including Civil Service reform.

“This (Civil Service reform) was a big nugget that everybody talked about across the state,” said Heubusch, who noted that he discussed that subject on a webinar yesterday with the New York State Police Chiefs Association. “(We) continue to advocate for Civil Service reform with elected officials and through professional organizations.”

Other highlights of Heubusch’s presentation to City Council:

• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance has decreased by 54 percent on average over the past five years. Crimes such as larceny and simple assault also declined in 2020 compared to 2019. However, Heubusch said, preliminary reports for 2021 indicate a slight increase in those numbers.

• The BPD will continue community dialogue through neighborhood meetings and National Night Out. Heubusch said the department’s CrimeWatch page has resulted in enhanced communication with the public and includes a link to Division of Criminal Justice Services statistics.

• The department’s community liaison program is multi-faceted, including regularly scheduling outings at senior citizen complexes and civic groups, continued engagement with minority groups, placement of a school resource officer at Batavia City School District (Officer Miah Stevens) and establishment of a Citizens Academy Program for interested adults. Heubusch also said plans include enrolling Stevens in the next DARE training class.

• Community engagement/policing efforts include more foot and bicycle patrols, bicycle safety classes, enhanced training through an agreement with Genesee County Mental Health, crisis intervention training, ongoing implicit bias training, and certification of a de-escalation trainer and defensive tactics instructor.

• Emphasis on physical, mental and spiritual wellness of police officers, with monthly briefings with the police chaplain, participation in wellness program training, debriefing efforts after critical incidents and regular meetings with supervisors to discuss any potential issues.

Shannon Lee Marvin, 30, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with grand larceny. Marvin is accused of stealing a credit card from a person in Bergen in November and making several purchases with the card. Marvin was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released on an appearance ticket.

Abigail M. Russell, 19, of Hamburg, is charged with petit larceny. Russell is accused of shoplifting a bag full of groceries from a local store at 12:01 p.m., Jan. 4. After receiving a report of the larceny, Russell was located by a Batavia patrol officer, identified as the suspect, and arrested.  She was released on an appearance ticket.

Walter M. Rhynes, 30, of Rochester, is charged with harassment 2nd. Rhynes is accused of trying to strike an employee of a local hotel at 1:29 p.m., Jan. 1. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Brittany N. Leach, 28, of Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal mischief 4th. Leach is accused of damaging a door and a vehicle on State Street at 11:10 p.m., Jan. 4. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Marcus T. Hill, 29, of East Rochester, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. The warrant stems from an incident reported at 9:45 p.m., April 25 (no details released) and was issued July 28 after Hill allegedly failed to appear in court as ordered. He was released under the supervision of Genesee Justice.

Hailee N. Callicutt, 21, of Batavia, is charged with obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest, driving without insurance, driving on a suspended registration, and driving a vehicle with an obstructed view. Callicutt was stopped by Officer Peter Post at 10:02 p.m., Jan. 1, on Liberty Street.  She was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian Graziaplena, 70, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and moving from lane unsafely. Graziaplena reportedly drove his car into a tree at 4:23 p.m., Jan. 1, on North Lyon Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket and released to a sober third party.

Dean C. Siminski, 32, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Siminski allegedly sent a letter to a person covered by an order of protection. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Eric Tyler McGrain, 29, of Donlin Drive, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI, speeding, refusal to take breath test, failure to keep right, and moving from lane unsafely. McGrain was stopped at 1:21 p.m., Jan. 8, on College Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Mathew Clor.

Trisha R. Santora, 39, of Batavia, is charged with eight counts of petit larceny and eight counts of falsifying business records 1st. Santora was arrested by State Police for an alleged crime reported in November. She was issued an appearance ticket. No further details were released.

Kyle A. Hillyard, 29, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hillyard was stopped at 1:35 a.m., Jan. 9, by State Police in the Town of Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian P. Demko, 44, of Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment 2nd. Demko was arrested by State Police following an investigation in an incident reported at 7:42 p.m., Dec. 26, in the Town of Batavia. He allegedly made a threat toward another person. He was released on his own recognizance. No further details released.

Press release:

The City Water Department is making repairs to a water line on the corner of Liberty and Ellicott Street today.

Expect the water to be turned off from on Liberty from Main to Ellicott Streets. Due to the uncertainty of the repair water may also be turned off or experience low pressure in adjacent areas.

Traffic will not be allowed through the southern side of the intersection of Ellicott and Liberty, while repairs are being made.

We do not have a time frame for this work at this time.

We appreciate the public's patience during this repair.

Barring any changes made during the budget workshop process, the City of Batavia’s property tax rate for the 2022-23 fiscal year will be $8.94 per $1,000 of assessed value – a decrease of 78 cents from last year’s rate.

City Manager Rachael Tabelski shared details of the municipality’s $17.7 million budget at Monday night’s City Council Business Meeting at City Hall Council Board Room.

Putting the tax rate into perspective, Tabelski said that 5,700 properties in the city support the city’s General Fund operating budget.

"The property taxes they pay make up 34 percent of our total budget revenue," she said. "And the typical tax bill for a resident that owns a house assessed at $100,000 will be $894 under this proposed manager’s budget. The county tax for that same home is $916 and the school tax (is) $2,057."

The proposed General Fund lists a tax levy increase of $121,403, Tabelski said, noting that plans call for reinstatement of service, personnel and equipment purchase. Additionally, the water and sewer funds are stable, and improvements in infrastructure are on the table.

Tabelski highlighted the amount invested into the city in recent years, stating that $132 million in public and private investments are changing the landscape of Batavia.

“Batavia is going to continue to fly back from its rust belt city status, embrace its vibrant roots, double down on the investment and continue to focus on economic growth and neighborhood revitalization,” she said, referring to the impact of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award the city received and other large-scale corporate projects.

Her presentation indicated that $96 million already has been invested, $36 million more is in the works and another $42 million is planned.

Last year presented a “dismal revenue picture,” Tabelski said, but things “look much better” for 2022-23.

She said that 41 percent of the budget revenue is from sales tax (budgeting for $6.8 million in sales tax), while property taxes will bring in around $6 million. State aid is pegged at $1.75 million.

“Real property tax is the most stable revenue supporting the General Fund budget,” she noted.

The city manager also mentioned increases in assessed value, stating that the city’s assessed value of property has grown by about 26 percent over the past eight years compared to a 49 percent increase in assessed value in the Town of Batavia.

“A major way of creating additional revenue is to improve the overall value of our commercial and residential properties,” she said. “That’s through investment and new builds, and for continuing the strategy with the Brownfield Opportunity Area and the DRI.”

Tabelski said that about a quarter of the city’s property is not taxable – and that amounts to around $220 million.

The General Fund budget also will be supported by $275,000 in appropriated fund balance, $275,000 in water fund transfer and $130,000 in (one-time) retirement reserves, she said.

“(The year) 2021 has been another unprecedented year,” she said. “However, the city saw revenues rebound with full payments on state aid that helped us avoid layoffs and unfreeze positions throughout the year.

“The difficulty we still face is prices of commodities, hiring and retaining great workers, as this continues to be difficult,” she said. “Overall, the budget you have before you provides more resources to the departments, adds in services that were previously cut or underfunded and strives to meet the needs of the residents of the city of Batavia.”

If you have been confused or concerned by the flurry of shifting, revised, questioned and debated pieces of information out there for dealing with COVID-19, one solution is pointing straight at you.

Do your research, talk to your own healthcare provider and self-report when diagnosed with the virus, says Paul Pettit, director of Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. 

“Any time you have conflicting messages out there it does create confusion … who should they be listening to and why. We want people to be informed. It’s ok for people to question things, we want them to get the most factual information and make a decision based on that. Ultimately, everybody’s individual health care should be discussed with their doctor,” Pettit said during a livestream interview Monday with The Batavian.

Pettit suggests that people check out the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and their own state and county health departments to make informed decisions. He’s not forcing any one answer on people, but asking that they acquire factual knowledge before making decisions about how to deal with COVID-19. 

Omicron, the latest — and apparently greatest variant in terms of infectious ability — may account for 85 to 90 percent of all positive cases in rural areas, Pettit said. There have been some 500 cases diagnosed locally just this past weekend alone, he said. Due to the quickly climbing numbers, the health department is changing the way it has handled contact tracing; it will be more of an individual responsibility for those 19 to 64 years of age, he said.

“It has to do with the extreme spread across the state. We just cannot keep up with the isolation and quarantine,” he said. “We’re trying to triage a response. We can’t get to all these contacts, we’re trying to use our resources the best we can.”

As of Monday, the system will depend on people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or have had close contact with someone who already tested positive, to self-report online. Go to www.GOHealthNY.org and choose the red COVID-19 Isolation & Quarantine Information button to be directed to the isolation and quarantine documents. For those who have tested positive for COVID-19, you will be contacted by NYS via email or text. Once you are notified of your positive results by the lab or NYS, immediately self-isolate and notify your close contacts of their potential exposure. For those that test positive in the 19-64 age group, follow the general directions that NYS provides for isolation and quarantine and contact your healthcare provider for medical advice.

For those in schools or congregate settings who are under the age of 18 and over the age of 64, contact tracing will continue as capacity allows, he said. 

Although the omicron variant is highly infectious and has caused breakthrough cases for a lot of vaccinated people, there is an upside, Pettit said. 
“The good news is that it’s not as severe,” he said. 

More cases and less severe does not mean ignoring a diagnosis. People should still heed the five-day isolation rule when their lab result is positive, he said. He has heard from many people that they have symptoms resembling a cold or mild flu, and are also known to the omicron variant: coughing, fatigue, a scratchy throat. He tells them all the same thing.

“The only way to verify (that it’s COVID-19) is to have a test,” he said. “Don’t go to work that day, don’t send your kids to school.”

Genesee County is just under 60 percent for those fully vaccinated, which is “pretty close to our counterparts in the rural region,” he said. The health department is fully stocked with vaccines and booster shots, and people just have to call and make the appointment. A much lower rate of Genesee County residents — 28 percent — have gotten their boosters, which have been shown to be “very effective” at preventing illness and slowing down the potential severity of the virus, he said. 

Interviewer Howard Owens, publisher of The Batavian, shared his own experience after receiving the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine and, a six months afterward, the booster. He had direct exposure to someone who later that day was symptomatic and then diagnosed with COVID-19. Owens quarantined for five days and tested negative with no symptoms. He believes that’s a testament to the protection of the vaccines, he said. 

It’s that kind of personal responsibility that the health department is urging.

“We’re going with more of an honor system. We want people to be responsible, make those decisions and do their part to eliminate Covid within their communities,” Pettit said. “Our data is clearly showing that it prevents severity. With spread so high, we can all do our part. If out in public, put the mask on … more of the well-fitting masks. We’re encouraging people to go out and get their booster shots. Stay home, especially if you’re symptomatic. Hopefully, we’re going to start to see those numbers come down.”

To reiterate Pettit's press release issued last week, if you test positive for COVID-19:

• Isolate for 5 days, where day 0 is the day of symptom onset or (if asymptomatic) the day of collection of the first positive specimen.
• If asymptomatic at the end of 5 days or if symptoms are resolving, isolation ends and the individual should wear a well-fitting mask while around others for an additional 5 days.
• Individuals who are moderately-severely immunocompromised should continue to follow standard (i.e., not shortened) Isolation Guidance.
• Individuals who are unable to wear a well-fitting mask for 5 days after a 5-day isolation should also follow standard isolation guidance (i.e., 10 days, not shortened)
• Quarantine (for those who have had close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19)
• Quarantine as follows, where day 0 is the last date of exposure:
• If not fully vaccinated or fully vaccinated and eligible for a booster but not yet boosted, quarantine for 5 days and wear a well-fitting mask while around others for an additional 5 days.
• If fully vaccinated and boosted (with the booster at least 2 weeks before the first date of exposure) or not yet eligible for a booster, no quarantine is required but these individuals should wear a well-fitting mask while around others for 10 days after the last date of exposure.
• If possible, test at day 5 with either a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT, e.g., PCR) or antigen test.
• If symptoms appear, quarantine and seek testing. In this situation, quarantine would end when the test is negative. If testing is not done, isolate according to the guidance above.
• Quarantine orders and releases are also included on the GOHealthNY.org website for you to complete and provide to your employer/school.

For COVID-19 data please visit the NYS site: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-data-new-york.





 

When Brian Schollard, a deputy coordinator with Genesee County Emergency Services and a former Corfu fire chief, arrives this afternoon at 13 East Main St., Corfu, he found heavy smoke coming from an attic window and a man hanging from the window trying to escape from the smoke.

Since no fire crews were on scene yet, he checked with a business across the street and the business did in fact have a tall ladder available.

Schollard and a Corfu patrol officer worked together to get the ladder in place and Schollard climbed to the attic window and helped the man, who has not been identified, down.

The victim had cuts on his feet and possible minor smoke inhalation, Schollard said.  He was taken to an area hospital for treatment and evaluation.

The cause of the fire is under investigation for Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger said it appeared to have started on the first floor.

(Initial Report)

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! You have the right to a safe workplace. Federal laws state that your employer must provide a work area with no known health or safety hazards. You also have the right to: 

 

Batavian Devon Leach’s gutsy move toward the end of the title match of Sunday’s 68^th Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial Tournament paid off in the best possible way as the 28-year-old right-hander defeated LeRoyan Tom Rohl for the $700 first prize.

Down by 13 pins after seven frames – and just coming off a split – Leach went into his bag for a different ball and proceeded to roll three consecutive strikes en route a 203-174 victory at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.

“I had been using the (Global 900) Honey Badger Extreme until then but figured it was time to switch to the (Storm) UFO Alert,” said Leach, who captured his first scratch singles tournament by running the table in the five-bowler stepladder finals.

Entering as the No. 4 seed after posting 822 in the four-game semifinals on the difficult Autobahn “Sport” condition, Leach turned back Mike Malone of Dansville, 236-176; Adam Philp of Batavia, 198-195, and Brett Van Duser of Perry, 192-154, before facing Rohl.

Rohl dominated the 15-bowlers semifinals, recording games of 198, 254, 241 and 231 for a 924 series – 93 pins better than Van Duser’s 831. The lefty’s chances for victory against Leach were thwarted, however, by splits in the final two frames.

Still, the two-time GRUSBC Masters champion, earned $360 for his efforts.

Leach, who bowls in four leagues, made headlines earlier this season with an 802 series in league play at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia. He is part of the large Leach and Bacon bowling family, but took up the sport in earnest only about eight years ago.

He is employed at Oldcastle Bonsal American concrete factory in Batavia.

Van Duser, proprietor of Perry Bowling Center, finished in third place, earning $280, while Philp took home $240 and Malone won $220.

Philp, who led the 12:30 p.m. Saturday four-game qualifying squad with 837, needed a double in the 10^th to defeat Leach, but left the 2-pin after getting the first strike.

Shawn Hurlburt of Freedom, who led the 10 a.m. Sunday qualifying squad with 839, placed sixth, good for $150, and defending champion Jake Rosenbeck, who was second on the Sunday qualifying squad with 823, finished seventh, earning $140.

Other cashers were Mickey Hyde of Le Roy, $135; Brian Weber of Perry, $130; Scott Culp of Honeoye Falls, $125; Brady Weber of Perry, $120; Anthony Drum of Dansville, $115; Mike Pettinella of Batavia, $110; Austin Hawker of Geneseo, $105, and Mel Helms of Nunda, $100.

Helms led the 4 p.m. Saturday qualifying squad with 843 and earned a $25 bonus as the overall high qualifier.

The tournament drew 66 entries. Five bowlers advanced to the semis from the first squad, four from the second squad and six from the third squad.

The GRUSBC will be running a handicap doubles no-tap tournament on Feb. 19 at Mount Morris Lanes. An entry form can be downloaded from www.bowlgr.com.

Submitted photo above: Mike Pettinella, GRUSBC association manager, presents the first place check to Devon Leach as runner-up Tom Rohl looks on following Sunday's Scratch Memorial Tournament at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.

Scratch Memorial finalists, (from left) Tom Rohl, Brett Van Duser, Adam Philp, Devon Leach and Mike Malone.

Press Release:

The Genesee County & City of Batavia Youth Boards are looking for nominations for their annual Youth Recognition Banquet.  There are three awards presented at the Youth Recognition Banquet:

• Youth Recognition Award—This award recognizes young people who have performed exceptional service to the community and/or have assumed extraordinary roles in their families.  Typically, the best candidates for this award are high school students, but we also know there are 12, 13, 14 year olds who exemplify distinctive qualities of service.  Several youth will be recognized; however the Youth Boards reserve the right to limit the number of recipients.
• Adult Volunteer—This award recognizes an adult who provides service as a volunteer to youth in Genesee County.
• Adult Youth Worker—This award recognizes a youth service professional whose work surpasses normal expectations.

Recipients will be honored at the Youth Recognition Banquet on March 31, 2022.  Nominations are due by Friday, February 11th.  For more information or to receive nomination forms, please call the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960 or youthbureau@co.genesee.ny.us.  The forms are also on the Youth Bureau page of the Genesee County website, www.co.genesee.ny.us.