Press Release:
It was a faith-filled Second Sunday of Advent Sunday morning at Ascension Church at Resurrection and Ascension’s combined Faith Formation programs, with:
- Card making for nursing home residents
- Food and conversation
- Discussion about Church and family Advent & Christmas traditions
- Creating and blessing homemade Advent wreaths
As we all prepared for the birth of Jesus!
Submitted photo from Sunday's Faith Formation.
Winter Storm Elliott, a COVID pandemic, and some burnt turkey were some of the hurdles thrown in the way for Rick Mancuso and his crew to continue with their free Christmas dinners for the last 30-plus years.
But those things never dampened the spirits of Mancuso, fellow organizer Joseph Teresi Jr. and their family members to prepare and serve up some turkey, mashed potatoes and fixings to hundreds of community members year after year, Mancuso said. And actually, the pandemic forced them to streamline the operation, which ended up serving even more people.
“We used to do a sit-down when it was at Mancuso’s Restaurant. Then, with the pandemic, we did a drive-through at T.F. Brown’s. For the last four years, we have done it that way and served 350 meals,” Mancuso said. “Giving back is something I enjoy doing. Joe was involved from the beginning with everything. He and I have been friends since we were kids. My brother Ben was most instrumental when it began at Mancuso’s. Then, he ended up moving to Rochester.
“It’s great. I mean, I’m really happy and pleased that we have the opportunity to do it. And we’re thankful to the community that supports it. Christmas has a lot of meaning, to everyone,” he said. “It’s a wonderful time for us to be able to be grateful and thankful, and to try and help others that are interested in having a meal or a little cheer themselves on a day that maybe might not be as promising for them, happy for them.”
Community service has been a tenet of the Mancuso family, and the kids all watched and followed their role models, parents Benjamin — a larger-than-life staple of Rotary shows and member of the children’s foundation, Lion’s Club and other local organizations — and Mercedes, by also getting involved. Rick, his wife Julie, their children and now their grandchildren have all evolved into the tradition of either prepping, cooking, packaging, handing out and/or cleaning up the Christmas meal every Dec. 25.
“They all set aside their Christmas Day, knowing that we do this first, and then we get together as a family, with our dinnertime at four o'clock or so,” he said.
Teresi, his wife Mary Beth, and his family have also all been integrally involved in the process. It was at Teresi’s nudging that Mancuso talked about the 30-plus anniversary, though Mancuso couldn’t help but joke that his good friend was out of town and unavailable to share in the interview.
Another component is T.F.’s staff, which helps out to prepare the meal in the days leading up to the dinner, Mancuso said. It’s definitely a team effort, he said.
“A large part of it is, they do a magnificent job of prepping it all,” he said. “I may come in the morning and get it all ready, but they spend up to Christmas Eve prepping it all.”
How much are we talking about? More than 100 pounds of turkey breast, 150 pounds of mashed potatoes and stuffing each and about the same of cranberry sauce. While that traditional crimson holiday sauce has been debated about whether it comes from a can or is made fresh, Mancuso isn’t ambivalent: “Ocean Spray makes a great cranberry sauce,” he said.
Some vendors donate products while T.F.’s covers the remainder of the cost. The event is “open to anyone and everyone,” he said and predominantly attracts families with some couples as well.
When asked if it seems as though it’s been 30 years, he initially said, “It doesn’t seem long.”
“But when you think about it, it is long,” he said. “When you see the kids growing up, that’s when you notice the time. I hope that I’m passing on the legacy my mom and dad passed on to us, in terms of being involved in your community, helping others, lifting others, I think that’s important. And when I’m gone, hopefully, they continue to do the same in their community. It doesn’t have to be this, whatever it may be.”
Another sign of the times is the prices — of food, deliveries, gas — “things have certainly changed through the years,” he said. But that hasn’t been the focus of these dinners. No way he could tally the vast amounts of volunteers who have pitched in to help — hundreds, he said — that included the Lions Club early on.
Snafus? There’ve been a few.
“One year, I burned the turkey, mom was with me,” he said. “ We pulled a rabbit out of our hat. It’s a great day, and you overcome.”
They have also overcome terrible weather — the blizzard of 2022 when most all roads were shut down — and the coronavirus that caused even more severe shutdowns for restaurants and schools and government buildings. That’s when Mancuso shifted to outdoor food service, along with other restaurants, and it ended up being a mixed blessing that catered to more of the community.
“We would have had to be here from morning to night to serve that many people,” he said.
They went from sit-down dinners of around 80 at a time to two shifts of about 200 packaged meals at a time delivered to one’s vehicle outside the East Main Street site. Mancuso also has a raffle of a couple of bicycles for kids for an extra fun bonus.
Letters go out to the local schools to let people know about the dinner, and pre-registration is required so that organizers can be prepared with enough food. Register by Tuesday with Tammy at 585-345-1000 or email tammy@mancusorealestate.net. Select either noon to 1 p.m. or 1 to 2 p.m. pick-up time, and include last name, phone number and number of adults and children.
T.F. Brown’s is also hosting its annual Ugly Sweater Contest from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at 214 E. Main St., Batavia. Bring a new unwrapped toy to benefit Don Carroll’s Toys for Kids, and you will receive a free beverage. Entertainment will be provided by the DSP Jazz Trio.
There have been signs of life at Ellicott Station, if for no other reason than to button up the property just before it officially becomes winter.
Construction vehicles have been parked on the premises, and Public Works Director Brett Frank confirmed that staff has observed a few subcontractors who were “closing up the building and moving materials in preparation for winter weather” the past week or two.
The Batavian has been regularly checking in with City Manager Rachael Tabelski for any updates about the property, and she was told by investors that "the building would be winterized," she said.
"HCR, the bank, and the investors continue to work on a takeover/transition plan with other interested housing developers/operators," Tabelski said.
HCR is the state Department of Housing and Community Renewal.
The Ellicott Street property has been fairly dormant since late August when former developer Sam Savarino announced that he was closing his Savarino Companies. There apparently won't be any further construction on the apartment complex until a new developer is in place, and tenants that were chosen for the 55 rental units have been advised a while ago by Savarino's management company to find alternative housing.
The Batavian had also asked Tabelski for a response to how Ellicott Station seems to be representative of what some communities are fearful may happen to them -- the town of Pembroke as one example -- and is named as some type of icon of doom that other developers don't wish to be compared to.
"Respectfully, I think the characterization of Ellicott Station as the 'icon of doom' is overdramatic," Tabelski said. "I understand there is disappointment with the project, but our strong hope is another developer will see this as an opportunity to invest in our city. The final verdict on the success of this project is still out.
"The city is focused on moving forward, working on creating housing that adds tax base and gives middle and higher earners the products they demand, as well as active seniors, who want to move to apartments/condos with less maintenance," she said. "The (Batavia Development Corp.), with participation from the GCEDC and city, hosted a very successful developers tour on (in late November). There remains a lot of interest in developing projects in our city."
The Genesee Community College Foundation hosted its 31st season of Encore on Friday in the Stuart Steiner Forum.
The gala, sponsored by Tompkins Financial, helps the foundation raise money to support student scholarships.
This year's co-chairs were Jeremy and Sandra Liles. The theme of the event took its inspiration from the 1954 classic holiday film, "White Christmas."
Genesee Symphony Orchestra performed a selection of holiday favorites.
Jeremy Liles is a native of Genesee County, the owner of Oliver's Candies and Sweet Life Group, its parent organization, and has managed Oliver's Candies for over 20 years. Jeremy is actively involved in his local community and currently serves on the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and has served on the Batavia Town Planning Board. Sandra is a New Hampshire native who moved to Genesee County in 2005.
Sandra opened Sweet Life Country Store in Elba and has managed the operation for the past five years. She says she enjoys working with many different local product vendors and artisans to make their wares available to the public at this store, as well as partnering with other local businesses to benefit the community. Jeremy and Sandra reside in Batavia with Tahlia, the youngest of their three children.
These photos capture the cocktail hour and dinner service. The Batavian anticipates further coverage on Monday.
Genny the cow, in a field near her barn, looked up at the sun over Genesee Farm. While the pig rolled in the mud and the horse pranced nearby, Genny just stood there, transfixed by the sky. What are you wearing? The dog asked with a bark. “I need these safe glasses until it gets dark.”
If you have already purchased your copy of “Genny Sees The Eclipse,” this charming introduction will be familiar, as it leads the way, along with a bunch of whimsical animals, to learn more about a total eclipse that’s nearing our world right on April 8, 2024, right here in Genesee County.
As for the cow, horse, pig, dog, and many other creatures that will also need some help to understand why it has suddenly gone dark in the middle of the day, at least four local rescues — all of which will benefit from the sales of this book — will be there for their occupants’ once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Volunteers For Animals is a longtime nonprofit staple based in the Genesee County Animal Shelter at 3841 W. Main Street Road in Batavia. Vice President Shanna Shaw, who says that her more prominent role of late is as kitten coordinator due to so many pregnant cats in the community, acknowledged the heavy and constant need for both cats and dogs, but with a special emphasis on felines at the moment.
“There are about 40 cats and kittens in the foster care system,” she said. “Resources are always needed, people coming to help clean is a need. So it's just a matter of cleaning, feeding, caring for the animals, and doing the daily operations that you need just to get started for the day. We need people to come and help with cleaning and feeding the animals, scooping litter pans, and exercising the dogs, that in the morning seems to be we're having challenges with keeping up with that,” she said. “And then just like the typical supplies like bleach and laundry soap for a high energy machine. We probably do seven or nine loads of laundry a day. So we go through a lot of that. Clay cat litter is always welcome, as well as canned dog food. So those are some of the things usually on our wish list. But you know, having more people willing to come in and clean is one of our more immediate needs.”
Actually, human hands to help out is a need at each one of these shelters. And as for the book fundraiser, monetary proceeds will go toward the animals’ medical needs and/or a spay and neuter program to help reduce the animal population and even more unwanted four-leggeds.
Shaw talked about Loki, a cat who came to the shelter pregnant with six babies. One of them did not survive, and another has been adopted. Four of her kittens are now up for adoption and just waiting to be taken into a warm, snuggly home.
If you are interested in volunteering, call 585-343-6410, Ext. 7, and ask to speak with Animal Control Officer Catherine Seward or Sarah Fountain. For more information about the animals or shelter, go to vol4animals.org.
On the other side of the county with four-leggeds just a little bit bigger and taller — well, a whole lot bigger, heavier and taller — is Maryland, a Haven For Horses, at 8132 W. Bergen Road in Le Roy.
The nonprofit is Founder Maryanne Arena’s dream come true, and it “promises horses a safe and dignified retirement after racing,” she said.
“What makes MaryLand different is that we do not rehome,” she said. “Once a horse is accepted here, it will live out its natural life on the farm. We had 10 horses, but we were able to reunite an original owner with two of her former racehorses. We have two slots open and had hoped to fill two stalls for Christmas, but we need help.
“Our horses are stabled and it costs a great deal of money to stable horses during the winter months. We are constantly fundraising,” she said. “The money will definitely go to the care and maintenance of the horses, and fencing repair, and the goal is to fill the two stalls.”
The money raised from book sales will go toward giving two Standardbred horses “a safe home for life.” For more information, go to marylandhorsehaven.org.
Just to the northwest of that is Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary at 5978 Upper Holley Road In Byron.
Jonell Chudyk co-founded the nonprofit with Jon Tedd to provide, as the name implies, a sanctuary for creatures of all various types, with a compassionate heart and loving touch for their ultimate comfort through the remainder of their lives.
From Ferris and Forest to Barnaby, Anne and Gilbert, the goats, miniature donkeys, pigs, chickens, cows, geese and others that have a comfy niche carved out on the Upper Holley Road property, they have what Chudyk believes is a mutually beneficial and responsive relationship with their human caretakers in this corner of a world of kindness.
None of it happens without cost, both time and money, it takes $6,000 a month to care for the animals, with vast amounts of hours of cleaning, feeding and caring for the sanctuary animals, Chudyk has said.
The farm has two holiday wish lists at Chewy and Amazon and has an ongoing goal this year to raise $15,000 to buy hay for the winter season. Volunteers are always a need for the daily care — scrubbing and filling bowls and buckets with food and water, cleaning their beds, providing for medical needs, and other such tasks, while also enjoying the critters’ individual personalities, of course.
“Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary embodies true peace and sanctuary for the living beings in our company,” the co-founders say.
For more information, go to mockingbirdfarmny.com.
Cherry Hill Farm Sanctuary, at 2514 Genesee St., Corfu, began as a refuge for senior horses that were discarded after years of work.
“Over the years, we have grown. We now take in a multitude of farm animals, including goats and fowl, but our focus is senior workhorses, founder Pam Harmon said.
“Currently, the farm is working to add a goat barn that will move our goat herd from the horse barns to their own space. As we have grown, taking in animals other than the horses has been challenging. We are hoping to divide up our indoor space so that it is easier to turn out horses and not need to move our entire goat herd to do so,” Harmon said. “Along with that challenge, winter is always a challenge with senior animals. The horses are moved off the big pastures and turned in at night. Several have special dietary requirements due to lack of teeth, and the cold makes it harder to do our everyday chores.”
The money raised from the book will be used to help update some of the farm’s fencing for the blind horse herd, which includes Jerrit, an elderly Belgian who has no eyes. Blindness is not a rarity on the farm, as there are several blind draft horses there — “it is one of our soft spots,” she said.
“We currently have three draft horses that are fully blind. Jerrit an elderly Belgian, had his remaining eye removed due to cancer. He was our first draft horse that we took on that had a missing eye,” she said. “We quickly learned that even though he was missing an eye, it did not hinder him from doing everything a horse should be able to do.”
For years, Jerrit was the leader of the sanctuary’s large herd, but a few years ago, Jerrit started showing signs of cancer in his remaining eye. It quickly progressed, and he had to have his remaining eye removed. “This was not an easy decision for us, we wanted to make sure Jerrit could still have a good quality of life without his eyes,” she said. “We decided that we would take the chance, and if Jerrit did not acclimate to his new life, then we would have him humanely euthanized.
“He has proved to us that a horse without any eyes can still enjoy their life. We have modified a pasture for his needs, and up until this year, he lived with Bess, who never left his side. Bess passed this Fall, and we have been working towards finding another companion from the herds for Jerrit,” she said. “Fletcher and Jake suffered from accidents while in work that left them blind; they came to CHFS this Fall. We also have NaLady and Callie, who have had one eye removed due to cancer.”
For more information, go to cherryhillsanctuary.org.
On nights in the stalls when the grand calves won’t sleep, to help them drift off, Genny doesn’t count sheep. She tells them again of the glorious sight: the eclipse, when the moon turned the day into night.
To get your copies of this limited edition children’s book — perhaps for a Christmas, holiday or simply as a commemorative gift while also helping out these rescue organizations — go to the Chamber office at 8276 Park Road in Batavia or online at https://shop.geneseetheeclipse.com. You can save on shipping costs by picking it up at the Chamber Visitor Center.
Press Release:
GO ART! is asking the community to submit stories for our antique photos in our new Bethany Arts & Antiques Gallery.
Our executive director has painstakingly procured many antique black and white and reverse colored photographs in antique oval frames, numbered them and put them on display in our newest gallery. We are asking the community members to stop in to GO ART! check out the photographs and if you are so moved submit a story about one or more of the photos.
After GO ART! staff reviews each story we will publish one for each of the photographs to our website. These stories can be created in your imagination or a memory about a relative. Either way, visit our website at https://goart.org/baagallery/ or come in and scan the QR code in the gallery to submit your story.
Notre Dame picked upa 61-19 win over Wheatland-Chili in Girls Basketball on Thursday.
The Irish are now 2-1 on the season.
Sofia Falleti led the scoring with a game-high 21 points and eight rebounds.
Luci Zambito scored 12 points, while Emma Sisson and Lucia Fiorentino contributed nine each.
“Tonight was a complete team effort as everyone contributed and got a balanced amount of play time for the win,” Coach Vinny Falleti said. “They executed well tonight and played like a team.”
Submitted photos.
Batavia picked up its fourth win of the season with a 51-19 victory over Franklin/Northeast on Thursday.
Stats for the game:
"We were able to jump out to an early lead by changing up our presses and controlling the tempo," said coach John McCulley. "This team has learned from every game so far. We learned we need to hit the glass better, and they did that tonight."
To view or purchase photos, click here.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
The water construction project that began in mid-November along a portion of downtown Bank Street is expected to be completed by the end of December, except for pavement restoration, “which would need to take place in the spring of 2024,” Public Works Director Brett Frank says.
The project included the installation of 932 linear feet of new 8-inch water main to replace existing 4- and 6-inch water mains on Bank Street from East Main Street to Washington Avenue.
This updated infrastructure will service the future police station to be built at the corner of Bank Street and Alva Place, Frank said, but is also “a needed infrastructure upgrade of roughly 950 linear feet of water main.”
The top-ranking official of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. says many factors will be taken into consideration in the coming weeks to determine the future of the public benefit company’s OTB branches.
Meanwhile, the representative of the employees’ union is reiterating her insistence that the workers at those eight locations are included in the process.
With only two of the branches projected to show a profit for 2024, management and the board of directors will be taking a deep dive into that segment of WROTB’s organization soon after the first of the year, President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek said on Friday.
“It’s definitely a concern, and it’s something that the board has asked us to address,” he said. “We will address it with our employees, we will look at it and we will make decisions that are in the best interests of the company as to what the mix might be between branches and EZ Bet locations.”
As she did after a WROTB board meeting in August, Antonella Rotilio, labor relations rep for United Public Service Employees Union Local 1222, contends that no decisions should be made without the input of the branch employees.
"Right now, we're in the dark,” she said, also on Friday. “There have been no conversations about saving the branches. We know that Henry’s goal is to close the branches. All we’re looking for is some transparency and to be part of the conversation before they take action and go to the board to approve what they’ve done.”
Rotilio (photo at left) said she believes that management nor the board respects the union.
“We have employees who have been with the corporation for 30 years and they should not be reading anything in print about possibly losing their jobs. It should be a discussion at the very least with the union,” she said.
When asked about respect for the employees, Wojtaszek replied that he has “great respect for our employees; they do a great job. We've tried to reward them for the great year that they've had (with a 4 ½ percent raise for 2024). We love the way they treat our customers. We love our employees.”
When asked about respect for the union, he said, “We love our employees.”
Over the years, WROTB, headquartered at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road, has whittled down the number of branches to the current eight while increasing its EZ Bet location presence to 28. EZ Bets are employee-less sites at existing businesses where customers can wager on horse racing.
Rotilio said the branches employ about 40 people, many who have been on the job for quite some time, in Auburn, Jamestown, Rochester, Monroe County (two), Erie County (two), Niagara County and at Batavia Downs Gaming.
The corporation’s operating plan for next year lists only the Clinton branch in Erie County and the Lyell branch in Rochester as profitable. All told, the projected net loss for the branches is close to $300,000. The total handle for all the branches is projected to exceed $22 million.
Rotilio said the branches provide a vital service to the customers and host communities and believes that more effort should be put into promoting them.
“They (management) don’t come to us and say, ‘Hey, this branch has been underperforming for this amount of time or this many years, we need to work on a plan. It’s just they show up one day and say, ‘We're closing the branch.’ So, it's coming out of nowhere,” she said.
In October, the board voted in favor of the sale of OTB branches in Phoenix, Oswego County, and West Ridge Road, Monroe County.
Branch employees’ lives are in limbo, fearing that their jobs could be terminated at a moment’s notice, Rotilio added.
“I have said to board members that before you vote on a decision based on (financial) numbers that you’re seeing, you need to meet with us, talk to the members (union employees) because it affects the communities as well,” she said. “We hear from the customers, telling us that this has been part of their lives for a long time.”
Wojtaszek said the plan is to communicate with the employees and share their concerns with the board.
“In the end, the board will do what is best for the company,” he said, emphasizing that no one in the corporation has brought up eliminating all of the branches.
He noted that he would like to see legislation at the state level that would allow sports betting to take place at OTB branches.
“We've always talked about that. If sports betting was allowed in these OTB branches, that certainly will make a difference,” he said. “Part of the problem is they made it available so that some of these sports betting companies can take horse bets but not the reverse. FanDuel now has horse race betting on their website, but we can’t offer sports betting.”
Press Release:
Want to try out a new routine? Always wanted to try comedy? Read a poem? Come in for the 4th Friday Open Mic Night at GO ART! Sign ups start at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.
Open Mic is followed by a comedy performance hosted by Dave Mollahan with headliner Alex Mallory. Tickets are only $10 at the door (free if you participated in the open mic) per person for an evening full of laughs. Grab your friends, grab a drink and get ready for a fun night.
Pavilion Central School District is in the early phase of planning its next significant building and renovation project.
It's seeking bids from architectural/engineering firms to help it map out updates and upgrades at its two main school buildings, D.B. Bunce Elementary School and Pavilion Junior-Senior High School, which totals 275,800 square feet of education space.
The estimated budget for the project is between $20 million and $24 million.
The project is expected to include at least:
The selected firm will perform design and construction-related services, including architectural, and engineering for all elements of construction.
The district expects to hire the firm with the winning bid in January with board review and voter approval requested in the fall. Planning documents will begin the regulatory planning process in the summer of 2025. If all that goes as planned, construction will begin in the summer of 2025, with completion in the winter of 2026.
Bids are due by 3 p.m. on Jan. 10.
The Request for Proposal, which is a document for companies being asked to bid on a project, does not contain financial data beyond the broad cost estimate. The financial plan for paying for the project will be developed by district staff and approved by the board before a public vote on the proposal. Typically, these projects are paid for primarily through state aid.
To read the complete RFP, click here.
GO ART!'s annual member and staff art show opened on Thursday evening.
The show runs through Feb. 3.
Artists with work on display are:
Press Release:
Senator George Borrello and 14 of his Republican colleagues in the Senate have sent a letter to Governor Hochul requesting that she rescind the electric bus mandate for public schools or commit to fully funding the conversion.
The electric bus mandates were passed in the 2022-23 state budget to help the state meet the lower emissions targets of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). The requirements are that new school bus purchases be zero emission by 2027 and all school buses in operation be zero emission by 2035.
“School officials in my district are all sounding the alarm about the state’s unfunded electric bus mandate and the crushing financial costs it will mean for districts. With the first deadline in just three short years, school officials are deeply concerned about their ability to afford the electric buses and infrastructure upgrades that will be necessary,” said Sen. Borrello.
A new, full-size electric bus costs $400,000 - $450,000 - triple the price of a conventional bus which is approximately $130,000. With 45,000 school buses in the state, full conversion by 2035 will cost approximately $20 billion. The cost over and above what school districts already pay for replacement buses is projected to cost between $8 billion and $15 billion statewide.
“While $100 million in grant funding for electric buses was just announced, that amount will cover 250 buses. With over 800 school districts in the state, that isn’t even one bus per district. Even the remaining $400 million that will be allocated in future rounds won’t make a dent in the costs of converting school bus fleets statewide,” Sen. Borrello added.
“Local property taxpayers must not be hit with the bill for this politically driven mandate. New York’s property taxes are already among the highest in the nation and are a key factor in our outmigration of residents. If the governor and legislative leaders won’t take the common-sense step of eliminating the mandate, they must commit to fully funding this transition,” said Sen. Borrello.
He explained that school officials are also raising concerns over logistical considerations that aren’t accounted for in the electric bus requirement.
“It is well known that frigid temperatures have a significant impact on traveling range, which could affect school transportation in the coldest parts of the state. There is no flexibility for rural schools in this situation. Similarly, there are bridges in rural communities which are not rated to handle the increased weight of electric buses,” said Senator Borrello.
“Just like the state’s entire climate agenda, the electric bus initiative has been long on virtue signaling but short on crucial details, none more glaring than how schools are expected to pay for this exorbitantly expensive transition.”
“Governing by edict, without gathering input from those on the ground who must implement these plans, is a recipe for disaster,” Sen. Borrello added. “It is time to course correct by either lifting the mandates or committing the funding. The ‘magical thinking’ that has characterized this entire climate agenda is going to bankrupt our state unless state leaders face reality and adjust their unworkable policies.”
Press Release:
Still looking for the perfect Christmas gift? The Batavia Rotary Club is now selling its annual Chevrolet Corvette Raffle tickets.
“We are pleased to bring back our popular Corvette Raffle,” said Susie Ott, this year’s Batavia Rotary Club president. “Every dollar raised stays in our community and supports Rotary’s many charitable causes including high school scholarships, major contributions to local non-profits including our hospital, the YMCA and YWCA, and many more worthy local charities.”
Tickets are $50 each or 3 for $100 with donations fully tax-deductible. The first prize is a new 2024 Chevrolet Corvette or $50,000 cash with ten additional prizes of $500 also being awarded. Only 4,500 tickets will be sold. The drawing will be held on January 19, 2024.
Tickets can be purchased from any Batavia Rotarian or online at www.bataviarotaryraffle.com.
“The Corvette Raffle allows the Batavia Rotary Club to do what we do best – support our community,” Ott said.
After two public hearings with only a few Batavia City School District residents in attendance, the majority made their opinions known Thursday by a vote of 315 to 97 in favor of the $45 million capital project, district officials said.
The vote means that the capital project will proceed in 2024 to install two synthetic turf fields for the high school, a baseball and softball field each, and upgrades for every school building within the city school district.
District officials applauded the support, including school board Vice President John Reigle, who said that he was “very pleased and proud” about the results of the district’s Reimagined capital project vote.
“Our leadership team did a great job promoting the project and explaining the many benefits of the project to our community,” Reigle said to The Batavian Thursday night. “This is a great step towards ensuring our district keeps the high standards that our district students and community expect and deserve. I’d like to thank the community for their support in voting to approve this capital project for our district.”
Likewise, board member Alice Ann Benedict was also pleased with the results and thanked the community for its demonstration of support for the project.
“I am thrilled with the overwhelming support of the BCSD Capital Project. The project was well-advertised and explained to the community over the last number of weeks. We’ve had a lot of feedback, mostly positive, from the community,” Benedict said to The Batavian. “I am always pleased when the voting community supports the recommendations of the Superintendent and administrators. Keeping our buildings safe and up-to-date is the most important part of this project because our students and staff are the most important users of these buildings. There are numerous safety improvements included for all of the schools.
“With most of the questions coming because of the artificial turf cost on two fields, our athletes can be out on the fields a lot earlier because this project will improve the drainage issues our district fields suffer with,” she said. “We have also heard positive feedback about the moving of the grades, especially fifth grade back to John Kennedy.”
The BCSD Reimagined Project's next phase will include engaging in the contractor bid process over the next 12 months, and the district expects the first phase of construction to begin in the spring of 2025. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2027 calendar year. BCSD will provide additional updates and project details to the Batavia community as they become available, officials said in a press release issued Thursday night.
“Thank you to the Batavia community for your steadfast support in passing our BCSD Reimagined Capital Improvement Project,” Superintendent Jason Smith said in the release. “With this initiative, we will address essential infrastructure needs across all of our buildings. These funds will also help us convert Robert Morris into a modern early childhood education center and enhance our athletic fields for year-round use. Your vote reflects a deep commitment to our students and schools' ongoing improvement and future success.”
Board President John Marucci added, “We are profoundly grateful to the Batavia community for their support, to our Batavia City School District leadership for their visionary guidance in spearheading this important project, and to our collaborative construction partners and Buildings and Grounds Committee, who played an integral role in its conception.”
“It's a remarkable achievement to bring this project to fruition with a zero percent tax increase, reflecting our shared commitment to fiscal responsibility and educational excellence,” Marucci said. “This collective support and collaboration are invaluable in shaping a brighter future for the Batavia City School District students.”
While finding no malfeasance or misuse of public funds, a NYS Comptroller's Audit is critical of the Board of Directors of the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department for its handling of financial planning.
The comptroller's key findings include inadequate revenue estimates for 2021, 2022, and 2023, a lack of realistic budgets, and no written multiyear financial or capital plan to help guide budget development.
The lack of proper revenue estimates meant the district had extra revenue that could have been better allocated to capital projects, particularly fire truck replacements, the report states.
In the three audit years, the board failed to include in its revenue estimates funds from farmland leasing, interest income, fire insurance tax proceeds, donations, and fire hall rental. In 2022, that amounted to $36,577 in revenue that wasn't included in financial planning.
"We compared the budget with actual expenses for 2021 and 2022. The operating budget was underestimated by $29,667 (10 percent) in 2021 and $33,298 (11 percent) in 202," the report states.
In response to the audit, Board President James Call said the district treasurer did share more than once the district's truck replacement plan, the comptroller's auditors determined the report was outdated.
The budget for 2023 also did not include a line item for buildings and ground maintenance, which in prior years exceeded $50,000.
"The Treasurer told us," the report states, "these were errors in the budget and that she corrected them after we brought the omissions to her attention. The Treasurer also provided us with a corrected copy of the 2023 budget. The corrected budget increased the amount budgeted for building and grounds maintenance to $40,000 and decreased the amount budgeted for insurance to $40,000, and further decreased the firematic budgeted amount by $20,000."
Auditors determined that board members were not adequately involved in the budgeting process and oversight of monthly expenses.
The auditors issued these recommendations, which Call, in his letter, said the board will implement.
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