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City, Genesee County races uncontested but one newcomer and three propositions

By Joanne Beck
Derek Geib
File photo of Derek Geib in 2019, when he first opened The Coffee Press on Jackson Street in Batavia.
Photo by Howard Owens.

It’s not a very exciting election year in Genesee County, as the two largest jurisdictions — the City of Batavia and Genesee County — are marked by uncontested races for every seat up for a vote on both City Council and County Legislature.

However, there is a new City Council candidate and three propositions on November's ballot.

The City Council election features incumbents Paul Viele for Ward 1, Alfred McGinnis for Ward 4, Kathy Briggs for Ward 5 and Tammy Schmidt for Ward 6, all who are running unopposed for re-election. 

David Twichell, who filled the seat of Patti Pacino for Ward 2 earlier this year, is running for his first full term unopposed. 

Newcomer Derek Geib is running to fill the seat vacated by John Canale, who opted not to run again for Ward 3. 

Geib, a city business owner, president of the downtown Business Improvement District and member of the city’s Planning and Development Committee, is also running unopposed. 

Unfortunately, voters won’t have an opportunity to learn why he’s running for a seat on council or why he would like to represent his section of the city, because Geib declined an interview with The Batavian.

“I don’t have interest in doing interviews ever for anything honestly,” he said.

These are the uncontested races for Genesee County positions:

  • Genesee County Clerk  - Michael Cianfrini
  • Genesee County Coroner - Wade Schwab
  • Genesee County Coroner (unexpired term) - Donald Newton Jr.
  • Genesee County Legislator, District 2 Towns of Bergen, Byron, and Elba - Christian Yunker
  • Genesee County Legislator, District 4 Towns of Batavia, and Stafford - Brooks Hawley
  • Genesee County Legislator, District 6 Towns of Alexander, Bethany, and Pavilion - Gregg Torrey
  • Genesee County Legislator District 8 City of Batavia, Wards 2 & 3 - Marianne Clattenburg

Three propositions are on the ballot this year:

Proposal One: Removal of Small City School District from Special Constitutional Debt Limitation.

The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 4 of the Constitution removes the special constitutional debt limitation now placed on small city school districts, so they will be treated the same as all other school districts. Shall the proposed amendment be approved? Yes or No.

Batavia City Schools administrators are in favor of this amendment, because it would allow the district to borrow more money for projects in the future. As is, the limit means Batavia can only borrow up to five percent of its debt limit, versus other school districts that can borrow up to 10 percent.

This measure does not include the current $45 million capital project that’s on the table, Superintendent Jason Smith said, as it would take effect after that project vote. 

Proposal Two is to extend sewage project debt exclusion from the debt limit. The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 5 of the Constitution extends for 10 years the authority of counties, cities, towns, and villages to remove from their constitutional debt limits debt for the construction of sewage facilities. Shall the proposed amendment be approved? Yes or No. 

Proposal Three is for voters in the towns of Byron and Bergen only: Shall the Town of Bergen  (Town of Byron) establish an annual tax in the amount of $0.55/$1,000 (fifty-five cents per one thousand dollars) of assessed value in order to support the operation of the Byron-Bergen Public Library, commencing in the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2024. Yes or No.

Library board President Sally Capurso recently explained why she and board trustees are asking town voters to approve this measure. 

Picking up the reins as GLOW solid waste management-recycling administrator

By Joanne Beck
Amanda Lee
Amanda Lee
Photo by Joanne Beck

Amanda Lee received a bit of spotlight Monday as she sat in the hot seat for the first time as the newly hired GLOW regional solid waste management-recycling administrator.

Lee replaced Peggy Grayson, who retired from the full-time position June 30 after nearly two dozen years. As a search was conducted, Grayson had agreed to remain on in a part-time capacity to show her successor the ropes, training which the newcomer said she was grateful for.

“I’m really glad I had that month,” Lee said during the county’s Public Service meeting.

The job deals with all things recycling and solid waste management, from used paint cans and electronics to cooking oil, vaping cartridges, and K-cups, related collections events, and composting.

Lee had already gotten her feet wet with a couple of recycling collections, she said. She had also begun to ease some social media into the job so that people could communicate with her online, she said.

So what prompted Lee, who is from Hamburg, to pursue this profession in Genesee County? Timing is everything.

She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and animal behavior, ecology and conservation, and specializes in conservation issues. 

“Waste management is a really big part of that. So I just had graduated during COVID, in the pandemic, and so the opportunities to get into the environmental world were very slim as it is,” she said after the meeting. “So I saw this opportunity and I jumped on it as soon as I could, as a way to really grow my career and start my career really. 

“I want to have a positive environmental impact on the world. And I think starting in local government is a really, really good place,” she said. “And offering people that don’t always have access to disposal of things that opportunity to get rid of them in an environmentally friendly way.”

Lee's first official duty was to introduce an intermunicipal contract renewal to the committee, which it approved and passed along to Ways & Means.

The Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming Counties (GLOW) Region Solid Waste Management Program Intermunicipal Cooperation contract is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2023, and the GLOW Region Solid Waste Management Committee recommends the continuation of the contract. 

The budget impact of $26,151.52 is the projected annual Genesee County contribution for 2024 and 2025. The contribution is an increase of 4.4 percent from the previous year as adjusted per the latest Census numbers.

It is expected that Ways & Means will approve the contract, and it will then move on to the whole county Legislature for vote.

Take advantage of local services, screenings to prevent breast cancer

By Joanne Beck
Marianne Clattenburg and Shelley Stein
Genesee County Legislator Marianne Clattenburg, left, presents a proclamation to fellow Legislator, and Legislative Chair Shelley Stein, who accepted on behalf of cancer survivors in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month during October. 
Photo by Steven Falitico

Of all the events and groundbreakings and celebrations that Genesee County Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein has attended to represent the county, there has been one event that has been a sober reminder of just how precious life really is.

That was when she received a proclamation recently for Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a survivor of the disease. Since her diagnosis and treatment in 2015, Stein has not only learned about local offerings but also about the importance of advocating for preventative care.

“One of the realities of life is that we don't get to choose what happens to our health all the time. But since having breast cancer, I have found that there is an incredible support system built into here in Genesee County,” she said to The Batavian. “I started with the Breast Cancer Coalition in Rochester. And at that time, our Senator Ranzenhofer had provided funds for there to be a support group in all of the counties that he represented. So then the Breast Cancer Coalition teamed up with our Genesee Cancer Assistance group. 

“And that opened a different door for me because I didn't know anything about it at all,” she said. “But once you walk through the door of Genesee Cancer Assistance, you find this incredible support group that has doctors, it has researchers, it has the kind and caring neighbors that you need.”

Stein lives in Le Roy, what she considers to be on the edge of Monroe County, and therefore “that's the direction she headed" for all of her doctor and hospital needs, she said. 

“But certainly, you know, I had my eyes opened to all of the services that are now available here in Genesee County because the providers are coming here,” she said. “And whether they have an office that is open full-time or they come in for services two or three times a week,” those professionals and providers, including Genesee Cancer Assistance, a nonprofit based in Batavia, are available.

Stein said that Genesee County is “really, really lucky to have the support services in place” right here, without having to travel farther away.

“And one of the biggest messages, of course, is to make sure to have your screenings,” Stein said. “And we all know how our body's baseline is. One of the things that we talked about in COVID was, you know, really, really become familiar with how your body feels.

“Same thing can be said about any other disease. You know your body best, and when something changes, don't hesitate. Get your screenings done right away.  Really, the services, the research, and the screenings are available more locally now than they've ever been,” she said. “So there's no reason for anyone to get caught off guard by having breast cancer, I’m really hoping for an end to the disease.”

The proclamation states:

WHEREAS, every year the month of October aims to promote screening and prevention of breast cancer, and
WHEREAS, each year we review our knowledge of this disease, shine a spotlight on its risks and symptoms, and raise awareness of how we can help fight it, and
WHEREAS, research efforts have yielded great progress in how we diagnose and treat breast cancer, and has shown that when breast cancer is detected early there is a higher rate of cure and better chance of successful treatment and survival. The “Gold Standard” screening test for breast cancer is a mammogram – it can detect the disease before symptoms appear, and
WHEREAS, individuals and communities still benefit from a reminder that breast cancer is not a solved problem – it’s not gone, nor cured or a condition to ignore, and
WHEREAS, as we display pink ribbons and wear pink clothing to raise awareness, we also support those courageously fighting breast cancer and honor the lives lost to the disease, and
WHEREAS, the Old Courthouse of Genesee County will have a light display of the color pink from Monday, October 9th through Sunday, October 15th to show awareness for Breast Cancer month, and
WHEREAS, the fight does not end on October 31st, and
WHEREAS, taking the right steps to combat this disease includes screening tests for early detection and prevention, standing by survivors and their families, and supporting worthy organizations that provide quality treatment and care or who are working tirelessly to find a cure. Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, the Genesee County Legislature does hereby proclaim October 2023 as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” and encourage all residents to think pink, think prevention and think early detection.

Updated housing needs study on the horizon to better inform developers

By Joanne Beck
Felipe Oltramari
Genesee County Planning Director Felipe Oltramari makes a request to contract with Urban Partners to conduct a housing needs assessment and market analysis for no more than $50,000 during the Public Service Committee meeting Monday.
Photo by Joanne Beck

If local officials were to play on that old game show where the announcer would whisper the special word of the moment, it would most undoubtedly be “housing.”

And the clues given would be low income, market rate, owner occupied, rental, and, according to County Planner Felipe Oltramari, unmatched.

It is that current necessity that has prompted a Genesee County housing needs assessment and market analysis.

“We may have enough low-income housing, but we may not have enough for young professionals or we may not have enough rental units versus owner-occupied units, so there’s different sectors in the housing market, where you basically have to match that to the population you’re either trying to attract through economic development projects like STAMP or that are currently here,” he said after Monday’s Public Services meeting. “One of the examples we hear all the time from municipalities is there aren't enough senior patio homes so that people can downsize in their community. So there may be some in Rochester, Buffalo, or in Batavia, but there may not be any in Elba, or in Oakfield. And people want to stay in their community so they can still go to their same church and do all those things.”

Another example he gave was of senior citizens not wanting to maintain their four- or five-bedroom homes, but how those larger properties might then better serve young families that are looking to own a house.  

“So those kinds of different sectors all need to be matched up. And basically what the study does is identify all those things, and makes it available to potential developers that could go and say, oh, you know, all that research is done for us, it's a lot easier to come in and invest,” he said. “So that's why it's a powerful tool because you basically do a lot of work for those developers that are looking to build those types of things that we might need. And then those projects can happen.”

The last such housing needs assessment and market analysis was done in 2018, but due to COVID, the data used was from 2015, and since then, “our market has really changed,” Oltramari said. Property owners know what he’s saying is true: “A lot has changed. Anybody who’s been out there and looking at their assessments has noticed, home prices have really changed in our county.”

“So we want to make sure we’re up to date,” he said. “Developers might come in and say, ‘yeah, that’s nice (that you did one in 2018), you have one but it’s not up to date. So we need to know what’s going on right now.”

The Public Service Committee agreed. It voted to move the request on to Ways & Means and then to the county Legislature for a final vote that Genesee County acknowledges that an update to the Housing Needs Assessment and Market Analysis is needed due to the rapidly changing nature of the market. 

Genesee County solicited proposals from vendors to undertake the study through a Request for Proposals issued in July, and a vendor selection committee made up of representatives from the County Manager’s Office, Planning Department, Genesee County Economic Development Center, and the Genesee Region Housing Initiatives Committee, reviewed four separate proposals. 

The group recommended Urban Partners of Philadelphia, Penn., at a cost not to exceed $50,000, for the job. The company had good reviews, and the City of Batavia and Batavia Development Corporation also gave input about the selected vendor, Oltramari said. 

Batavia city officials recently issued their own appeal for housing initiatives in the form of grant funding from $10,000 to $50,000 for individuals or groups interested in building or rehabbing a rental or owner-occupied development of some type in their quest to obtain more market-rate housing. 

A snippet from Urban Partners' website states, “We prepare detailed analyses of housing markets that include supply and demand analysis, forecasting of future housing needs, incentive programs to provide unmet demand, and affordable housing needs analysis. 

“Our work usually involves the engagement of community stakeholders in formulating housing priorities,” the site states. “We also assist specific housing developments in identifying target markets and planning production strategies.”

If approved by the Legislature, the study is to begin in November and take approximately nine months to complete.

The $50,000 contract is to be funded by sales tax proceeds. A $50,000 grant funding request was made to Senator George Borrello’s office, and if any grant funds are awarded and received, those funds will be used to cover the cost of this contract instead, according to the resolution.

Fire Prevention Week reminds all to be careful in the kitchen

By Joanne Beck
Tim Yaeger, Gary Patnode, Gary Maha
Recognizing Fire Prevention Week: Genesee County Legislator Gary Maha, right, presents a proclamation to  Genesee County Emergency Management Services/Fire Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator Tim Yaeger, left, and Gary Patnode, on behalf of the 17 volunteer fire departments and one career fire department in Genesee County during the county Legislature meeting Wednesday.
Photo by Steven Falitico

City of Batavia and Genesee County fire department and management leaders have been on site with fire trucks, issuing reminders and presenting a proclamation, all in an effort to recognize and promote the importance of Fire Prevention Week, which ends on Saturday.

Although the week officially runs from Oct. 8 to 14, Batavia Fire Department Lieutenant Bob Tedford wants citizens to remember that cooking safety begins with you, no matter when that is. Cooking is the leading cause of home fire injuries, according to the National Fire Protection Association, with nearly half of all home fires involving cooking equipment, according to a press release sent from Tedford on behalf of the NFPA.

The City of Batavia Fire Department, therefore, wanted to share the following cooking safety messages to support this year’s cooking safety theme, he said. 

• Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. For foods with longer cook times, such as those simmering or baking, set a timer to help monitor them carefully.

• Clear the cooking area of combustible items and keep anything that can burn, such as dish towels, oven mitts, food packaging, and paper towels away from the cooking area.

• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.

• Create a “kid and pet-free zone” of at least three feet around the cooking area and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

As the biggest annual campaign at NFPA, Fire Prevention Week works to educate people about the leading risks to home fires and ways they can better protect themselves and their loved ones. Local fire departments play a key role in bringing Fire Prevention Week to life in their communities each year and spreading basic but critical fire safety messages.

To learn more about Fire Prevention Week, its 100th anniversary, and this year’s theme,  go to www.nfpa.org/fpw.

County legislators also recognized the week during the Legislature’s Wednesday meeting with a proclamation, which was presented to Emergency Management Services and Fire Coordinator Timothy Yaeger and Assistant Coordinator Gary Patnode on behalf of the 17 volunteer and one career fire department in Genesee County.

The proclamation states:

WHEREAS, the week of October 8 th through the 14 th , 2023 is Fire Prevention Week where the goal is to raise fire safety awareness and help ensure your home and family is protected, and

WHEREAS, fire is a serious public safety concern both locally and nationally, with homes being the location where people are at the greatest risk from fire, and

WHEREAS, cooking is the leading cause of house fires, with nearly half of all house fires involves cooking equipment and the other involves unattended cooking, and

WHEREAS, residents should stay in the kitchen when frying food on the stovetop, keep a three-foot kid-free zone around cooking areas and keep anything that can catch fire away from stove tops, and

WHEREAS, residents who have planned and practiced a home fire escape plan are more prepared and will therefore be more likely to survive a fire, and

WHEREAS, in reported house fires, working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in half, and

WHEREAS, first responders are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries through prevention and protection. Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Genesee County Legislature does hereby proclaim October 8th through the 14th, 2023 as Fire Prevention Week and we urge all residents to participate by checking their smoke alarms and kitchens for fire hazards and use safe cooking practices during Fire Prevention Week.

Chamber of Commerce launches online store for solar eclipse merchandise

By Press Release
GC Chamber of Commerce with solar glasses
2023 File Photo of the GeneSEE Eclipse team wearing special commemorative solar eclipse glasses. 
Photo by Joanne Beck

Press Release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce officially launched an online store selling commemorative merchandise in celebration of the 2024 total solar eclipse that will dip the county into deep twilight for 3 minutes and 42 seconds. 

The items – ranging from the County’s commemorative poster to apparel to an original children’s book – feature the county’s eclipse mascot, Genny the Cow. 

Earlier this year, the Chamber revealed its GeneSEE the Eclipse commemorative poster and ISO Certified-Safe Solar Glasses. Now, residents and visitors alike will have the opportunity to purchase their own through the Chamber’s online store. In addition, there are youth and adult t-shirts, crewneck sweatshirts, and hooded sweatshirts in a variety of GeneSEE the Eclipse branding designs.

Genesee County businesses that would like to order a bulk supply of the commemorative glasses for their planned eclipse events/customers and or employees can order now through this link. These will be available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Another exciting addition to the store is the Chamber’s original children’s storybook, “Genny Sees the Eclipse.” The informative and fun story takes place at the fictional Genesee Farm on April 8, 2024, when Genny the Cow and her farm animal friends experience the solar eclipse. 

The book was written by Colleen Onuffer and illustrated by Andy Reddout, who also designed the County’s commemorative poster. All proceeds of this limited-edition book will be donated to animal shelters within Genesee County.

GeneSEE the Eclipse merchandise is available for purchase at https://shop.geneseetheeclipse.com and will ship directly to purchasers’ homes. In addition, locals can purchase and pick up solar glasses, posters, and the commemorative book directly at the Genesee County Visitor Center at 8276 Park Road Batavia.

The book will be available later this month but pre-orders are being accepted. Please note that the Visitor Center office will be closed on October 9, but the vestibule is open 24/7 for those stopping by for area brochures.

In rare move, county legislators vote no to $100K request for motel purchase

By Joanne Beck

In less than a minute Wednesday, four Genesee County legislators did something that is rarely done during a committee meeting, likely ending the current plans of UConnectCare to purchase property on the outskirts of the county and convert it to transitional housing.

The legislators, led by Gary Maha, voted no to support UConnectCare CEO John Bennett’s request for $100,000 to purchase The Attican motel on Route 98.

Bennett’s agency was prepared to offer $800,000 for the property.

Gary Maha
Genesee County Legislator Gary Maha
Photo from county website

“I'm concerned with regards to this resolution. One is the assessment -- (the assistant county treasurer) checked on that for real property tax purposes. His property is assessed at $293,000. And yet the purchase price was three times as much as the assessment. Even with the adjustments, it's going to be assessed around $300,000. I have a concern with that,” Maha said during the Ways & Means session at the old County Courthouse. “And I know several residents in the area are concerned about the clientele presiding in that hotel, there’s children living in that area that back up the motel, and there’s an elementary school not too far down the road from that location, so I’m going to vote no to this resolution.”

Bennett had made the pitch during Monday’s Human Services meeting, and that committee passed along the resolution to Wednesday’s Ways & Means Committee for further consideration after Legislator Marianne Clattenburg spoke against the idea.

Among her concerns were the purchase offer of $800,000 for a property that was said on Monday to be assessed for $297,000, and would become nonprofit real estate to be taken off the tax rolls. She also questioned the value of the project and plan to turn yet another building into housing for people struggling with addiction, she said. 

UConnectCare, formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, has other residential sites, and the agency doesn't seem to be gaining any ground with long-term successes, she said. 

While the majority of these resolutions typically get a yes from every legislator sitting on a committee before it goes to the full county Legislature for a final vote, this one was stopped in its tracks. 

Fellow committee members, legislators Gregg Torrey, John Deleo and Committee Chairwoman Clattenburg also voted no to the resolution for the same reasons as those stated by Maha, they said. That halts it from going any further. 

On Monday, Bennett said that if he did not receive the $100,000, that he would not pursue the plan to buy the building. He has $700,000 in funding now but wanted to get the county’s support, he said. 

Earlier Wednesday, Attica Village Mayor Nathan Montford said that he had felt a bit “blindsided” by the prospective motel purchase since he learned of it via social media and not directly from GCASA officials, he said.

“I wish I had found out from them first,” he said to The Batavian. 

 The Attican “gets utilized for a multitude of events,”  he said.  “I’d like to see it kept the way it is.” 

He didn’t want to comment too much before discussing the matter with Bennett, who apparently reached out to Montford after the initial meeting with county officials went public. Montford believed that they would be talking on Thursday afternoon. 

“There was some backlash,” Montford said, from both residents and businesses bringing forth more questions about the venture. “I have more questions. It’s worrisome when something like this gets brought to  us.”

One concern he has is that “I don’t believe our village has the resources” for the proposed planned use of the motel, he said.

Of course, with the resolution defeated, it all may be moot now. The Batavian reached out to Bennett after the meeting for response to Wednesday’s vote and asked about his plans for transitional housing and/or other types of programs and services. 

UConnect still needs to connect the dots before funding approval for motel purchase

By Joanne Beck
Gordon Dibble, Tammy Ferringer, John Bennett
John Bennett, CEO of the newly renamed UConnect, makes a request for Genesee County to pitch in $100,000 toward the purchase of a motel to serve as transitional housing for clients that have gone through rehab. Legislator Gordon Dibble and Assistant County Manager Tammi Ferringer listen to his appeal during Monday's Human Services meeting.
Photo by Joanne Beck

A request for $100,000 in funding for the purchase of a motel for transitional housing by John Bennett of UConnect Care, was fairly quickly moved onto Wednesday’s Ways & Means meeting after Genesee County Legislator Marianne Clattenburg voiced concerns about what she deemed questionable use of taxpayer funds Monday.

Bennett, chief executive officer of the longtime-named agency Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and recently renamed UConnect Care, laid out his case for using grant funds that are earmarked for opioid-related purposes to purchase The Attican, a 29-unit motel in Genesee County. 

Perched at the top of a hill at 11180 Alexander Road, the motel would serve the needs of the agency by housing singles and single parents with small children in need of safe housing while they are transitioning from rehab for anywhere from a few days for up to three months, Bennett said during Monday’s Human Services meeting.

Bennett said that he’s got funding of $600,000 from grants, $100,000 from GCASA, or UConnect, and is requesting $100,000 from Genesee County to top it off for the total $800,000. His proposal will move to the Ways and Means meeting at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, which is chaired by Clattenburg.

The facility would probably operate with a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) and paid for with a five-year grant from UConnect, other resources and Genesee County, he said. 

“We plan to have a maintenance person living there. We’ve done our due diligence,” he said. “We maintain our properties. It’s a new adventure for me; it’s a little bit of a stretch, but it’s the right thing to do.”

His agency had a grant with some beds prior to COVID and the pandemic, and now no longer operates those, which were for crisis housing situations for folks to stay up to seven days, he said. 

There are people using The Attican for temporary housing now, which can get expensive, but it accommodates their current lifestyle, he said.

Legislator Gary Maha asked if Bennett would be returning at some point down the road to ask for more money. Bennett didn’t think that was the case, as most of the funding is in place for the purchase offer, and “we have the means for programming,” he said. 

He painted scenarios of a single mom with kids who may be struggling with other issues as well as drugs; individuals couch surfing without a stable home of their own; or other issues that make for an unsteady way of life.

Maha agreed that “you don’t see people sleeping under a bridge or under a park bench here; it’s different,” versus in larger cities where homelessness is literally on the streets. It’s more about unstable housing, Bennett said. 

“These guys will catch me in the parking lot and thank me. Having some crisis housing for people, it’s huge,” he said. “We have a lot of people that have been using our system for a long time … they put some sobriety together, struggle, and relapse. We’re that safe place for them to be.”

County Mental Health Director Lynda Battaglia offered her support for the idea, emphasizing that housing is an issue for lots of people, not just for those with addictions, but with mental health issues, coming out of the hospital, were homeless and now need a place to stay.

“They can go there. And we struggle with housing. We have a couple of respite beds that it's usually like a 30-day minimum stay. And those are full all the time, and we have a waitlist. So that individual is going out of the hospital, we have to work with DSS, we have to try to find something,” she said. “The thing about somebody that needs housing, and they're trying to recover, and they have mental health issues and all of these other issues just working against them somehow. It just sets the foundation for them to then take some additional steps forward to live a productive life, a healthy life.”

She asked Clattenburg how she thinks she would be able to begin all over again without anything. What would you do? Battaglia said.

Clattenburg pivoted to the housing ratio in the city of Batavia: 51 percent is rental versus 49 percent owner-occupied homes. 

“So if the grand plan is to change more housing, into supportive housing, and take a property off the tax rolls, and change the whole nature of this community, then you're not going to have my support. There has to be some give and take here,” Clattenburg said. "And now we're not going to have any women in Batavia, and it’s going to be all men. So I don't know what that does to the dynamic of the public safety atmosphere. Do you have a pilot in the city of Batavia for any of the other properties that you have, but you’re going to have a pilot for this one? That’s a whole other question.

“I mean, I understand that years ago, you know, you’d get this kind of crisis we’ve all had in a family, but this used to be part of the family’s thing. But now the government has replaced the family. So, I don't know how we ever get ahead of all of this. I just don't know,” Clattenburg said. “And I just don't know if throwing programs and programs and programs, that we're ever going to get there at some point. Myself, as a representative of this community, has to say no, we need to be thinking of our people too.”

Bennett and colleague Luke Granger said their purchase offer would be $800,000 for the motel. Clattenburg asked about its assessed value, which Granger said he thought was $297,000. 

The online assessment records actually state that it’s assessed at $292,000. Built-in 1984, the two-story property was last sold in 2006 for a net sale price of $300,000, and its taxable value is $292,000. 

Regardless of that discrepancy, Clattenburg seemed incredulous that they wanted to spend $900,000 (she was later corrected that the purchase offer was going to be $800,000) for property assessed at $297,000.

“I don’t think that’s a good use of taxpayer money,” she said. “I’m not anti-this organization, because I do think you do some good things. But I do think that there's some problems that I just can’t look the other way. I just want us to be aware of that. And to know that it's an issue in the city of Batavia.  And it's just so frustrating to have this be an issue in your organization for so long, and to go from one building to two to three, that, you know, all these services, and just, I’m sure it's heartbreaking to you too, that we just don't seem to be getting ahead of this, it just seems to be getting worse. And that’s the frustration.”

Bennett said that he has been doing this for “a very long time” and that it would be easier for him not to take on such a project at this point than to get involved. But he believes in the agency and its mission.

“People have feelings about us, and they either love us or hate us. We're pretty polarized. And the truth of it is we provide a very good service. And our organization has done very good work. We take good care of our properties in this community, we employ a ton of people, we have close to 200 employees that do the work, right, and now we're going to be in a motel unit,” he said. “But think about if you had the motel here and you had case management, so we're gonna teach management and people there to help people and to guide them and to also make sure that people aren't causing trouble. So I mean, it is more than just housing, too. It is other support services that these folks don't have right now. And so we’re it for them sometimes. And I know that, believe me, I know that there's a huge need out there for lots of people right now. So we're just trying to help our little piece of the world.”

After the meeting, Clattenburg said that she purposely attended this meeting to get more information about the plan for this purchase. “I just had a lot more questions,“ she said.

“And it wasn’t really answered the way I thought. So I’m just, I’m kind of stunned with the difference in the assessment and the price,” she said. You know, these are taxpayer funds, and we did go through a lawsuit to get funding to help with this crisis. I realized that these are the professionals who are giving us recommendations, but I think it’s our job to question things. And I’d like to know where we’re headed with this.”

The property is listed as for sale on LoopNet. That listing does not include an asking price. Realtor.com gives the estimated market value of the property as $970,343.

During the meeting, she raised the issue of the city of Batavia’s disparity of owner-occupied homes versus renters, at 49 percent to 51 percent, respectively, and fewer properties on the tax rolls. Taking The Attican off of Genesee County’s tax roll by converting it to a nonprofit housing entity is not something she wants to see.  The Batavian asked if she’s concerned about where we are with housing in the city.

“Absolutely,” she said. "I come from the perspective of being on council and being the council president, and seeing those issues come up. You know, it just seems like we are, with the Savarino property devolving into what it was, people want to live and work here and raise their families, and it feels like they're just getting pushed out of that. So I have to be here to advocate for everybody.”

Bennett said that the plan would not move forward without the county’s support. He would work with county Manager Matt Landers and wait to hear the outcome of the Ways & Means Committee meeting. 

If the committee agrees to the request, it will vote on a resolution that will go to the county Legislature for final approval. That will be to award the Genesee Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Inc. (GCASA) $100,000 “to respond to the homeless housing crisis in the County with a focus on people with opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders,” according to the resolution, for the purchase of the motel known as The Attican.

Bennett said Monday that he had not yet spoken to the motel owner about an offer and purchase, as he had wanted to obtain approval for the county funding before doing so. The owner is listed as Aum Shree LLC. 

attican motel
The Attican on Alexander Road
Photo by Howard Owens
attican motel
John Bennett, CEO of UConnectCare, formerly GCASA, would like to purchase The Attican for use as transitional housing for rehab clients seeking safe, stable housing on their way to recovery. 
Photo by Howard Owens

County legislators to consider extending youth hunting program, hearing set for Oct. 11

By Joanne Beck

A pilot program that allows 12- and 13-olds to hunt with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun or muzzleloading firearm is about to expire at the end of this year unless the Genesee County Legislature votes to extend the local law next month.

The public is invited for comments during a public hearing on the issue at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Legislative Chambers in the Old Courthouse, 7 Main St., Batavia.

New York State enacted legislation in 2021 that created a new section of Environmental Conservation Law (11-0935) authorizing a license holder who is 12 or 13 years of age to hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloading firearm under the supervision of an experienced adult hunter in eligible areas. This program ran through 2023 and required counties to adopt a local law authorizing participation and to notify the DEC of their participation. Prior to that, the state’s legal age to hunt was 14.

Genesee County was one of the 52 counties in the state to register, leaving just two counties to opt out of the program. Currently, all other states allow youths 12 years old or younger to hunt big game with a firearm.

During a prior discussion about voting on a resolution to extend the law to a permissible Dec. 31, 2025, county legislators seemed in favor of doing so, including Legislator Christian Yunker, who said there has been "a lot of positive response" to the program.

He pointed to a report that was put out by the DEC to the state Senate and Assembly with feedback from participating counties in the pilot program.

There were 9,859 participating hunters in 2021-22 and 9,416 the following year of the program, with the highest percentage — 85 percent — using firearms during deer season, the report stated. The fewest amount of hunters used crossbows, at 18 percent for the first year and 22 percent during 2022-23.

Those who participated in bowhunting season were at 31 percent and 25 percent, respectively, and 26 percent and 18 percent for late muzzleloader season. The next largest group was youth big game hunting over Columbus Day weekend at 62 percent and 70 percent for each of the two years. 

“No hunting-related shooting incidents, violations or license revocations involving 12- or 13-year-old hunters were reported/occurred during the first two years of the pilot program,” the report stated.

A satisfaction survey scored 82 percent for the youth hunter and 87 percent for adult mentors with a “moderately or greatly satisfied” rating, and 4 percent and 2 percent, respectively, with “moderately or greatly dissatisfied.”

Legislators voted this week to set the hearing and allow for local feedback about the program before taking a vote to extend the law. Anyone interested in speaking or obtaining more information is encouraged to attend the hearing.

According to the resolution, the intent of this local law is to authorize the county to permit 12- and 13-year-old individuals to participate in the new and safe hunting opportunities in accordance with Environment Conservation Law ECL 11-0935. 

The enacted 2023-2024 New York State Budget includes a pilot program allowing the opportunity for youth hunters, ages 12 and 13, to hunt deer with certain firearms and crossbow through Dec. 31, 2025, if a County authorizes such action within their municipality. 

The County is amending this local law because “hunting is a valued tradition for many families, and this new opportunity allows experienced adult hunters to introduce the value of hunting to the next generation. Furthermore, teaching young people safe, responsible, and ethical hunting practices will ensure a rewarding experience for the youth while providing quality food to families and contributing to important deer management population control practices,” the resolution states.

Definitions for the purposes of this Local Law:

a. “physical control” shall mean that the physical proximity of such minor to the parent, guardian or person is such that the parent, guardian or person is reasonably able to issue verbal directions and instructions, maintain constant visual contact, and otherwise provide guidance and supervision to the minor.

b. “eligible area” shall mean within the boundaries of the County.

State Requirements include:

A hunting license holder who is twelve or thirteen years of age may hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzle-loading firearm as provided in this title in an eligible area provided that;

a. Such minor is accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, or by a person designated in writing by such parent or legal guardian on a form prescribed by the Environmental Conservation Department who is 21 years of age or older; and

b. Such parent, guardian or person has had at least three years’ experience in hunting deer; and

c. Such parent, guardian or person holds a hunting license; and

d. Such parent, guardian or person maintains physical control over the minor at all times while hunting; and

e. Such parent, guardian or person and the minor remain at ground level at all times while hunting; and

f. Such parent, guardian or person and the minor shall each display either a minimum total of 250 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or pink or patterned fluorescent orange or pink consisting of no less than 50 percent fluorescent orange or pink material worn above the waist and visible from all directions, or a hat or cap with no less than 50 percent of the exterior consisting of solid fluorescent orange or pink material and visible from all directions.

Orleans County accuses Genesee County of not cooperating on STAMP wastewater plans

By Press Release

Press release:

Last night, the Orleans County Legislature voted unanimously for a resolution to preserve the Oak Orchard River and local tributaries in Orleans County.  The Legislature continues to push back against Genesee County’s Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park’s (STAMP) plan to discharge to six million gallons of wastewater a day from STAMP into Oak Orchard River by way of the Town of Shelby.  

“Tonight’s resolution and the lawsuit we filed last week to prevent this wastewater discharge are not actions we take lightly, as we have a long record of partnering with our friends in Genesee County,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.  “But partnerships are built upon being able to have conversations on difficult topics like wastewater and then cooperating on a solution that works for everyone.   

“Yet, throughout this process, Genesee County and their economic development agency have not engaged with Orleans County leadership, developed a plan in the backroom to dump wastewater in Orleans County without our input and then, when questioned, just decided to attempt to steamroll us, rather than work together.  I cannot express enough the level of disappointment we feel in their actions.”  

Johnson said the resolution clearly states the concerns Orleans County has regarding the wastewater discharge, including impacts on tourism, sport fishing, flooding, property damage, declining real estate values and more.  Johnson believes there are other avenues Genesee should be exploring for managing wastewater.  

“I have said all along and want to repeat it again, that our legislators are in support of STAMP and the economic development projects that will lead to investment and jobs for our entire region,” said Johnson.  “But that economic growth cannot come at the expense of Orleans County’s natural resources.   

Johnson also acknowledged the efforts of New York State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, who represents both counties in the State Legislature and has been attempting to mediate a solution.  

“We appreciate that Assemblyman Hawley is taking an active role in bringing all parties together,” said Johnson.  “We must work together on an alternative.” 

County officials optimistic about Ellicott Station while prospective tenants mull legal action

By Joanne Beck
ellicott station ground breaking may 2022
File photo of Ellicott Station groundbreaking with city, county and company officials in Batavia.
Photo by Howard Owens

While a few prospective tenants of the stalled Ellicott Station strategize their next move, folks at Genesee County Economic Development Center apparently believe they are making headway.

A few of the tenants chosen for the Southside apartment complex are considering possible legal action against Savarino Companies for pulling out of the project that has left them dangling with hope that they might still have a new home come 2024. As one tenant said, it’s about “what Savarino did to all of us, ‘cause it’s not fair to us.”

Meanwhile, Steve Hyde, CEO of the county’s economic center, gave a brief yet vaguely optimistic statement this week that his agency has been working with Sam Savarino and the state Office of Housing and Community Renewal to get Ellicott Station back on track.

Hyde and his lead staff reviewed this past year’s activity during the county’s Ways and Means meeting. As noted in prior articles on The Batavian, City Manager Rachael Tabelski has said that developers have expressed interest in Ellicott Station, and Hyde provided further confirmation that talks are progressing.

“And, of course, our favorite project sits here, nearby. And you know, what I could say about Ellicott Station is I've been in the middle of discussions with the developer, general partner, the investors, and state housing. That's all in the sorting-out phase. But what I can say to you is it's likely we'll see a different general partner coming in at some point,” he said. “And I think what we'll end up with is a project that will be better than what we currently had or what was previously designed. 

"I think there's some additional willingness by the housing HCR to work with us and be a little more flexible. It may not be perfect, but we'll end up with a better situation than we had," he said. "I can’t say any more than that right now. But at least it's in the sorting out phase, and there's quite a bit of interest.”

As for GCEDC’s remaining portfolio, there were 75 projects that “committed $937 million of capital investment” versus the prior 76 projects at a $162 million investment, demonstrating what Mark Masse said was “just a much larger scale.”

After celebrating her 10th year on the Legislature, along with Marianne Clattenburg as EDC liaison, it’s been amazing to watch “the incredible investment that helps our local taxpayers,” Chair Shelley Stein said.

“By having these opportunities for the creation of these businesses, the careers, it enhances our entire foundation of our economy here and careers. Our schools benefit from it. Our communities benefit from the investment,” she said. “So some days are hard, some days are, you know, celebratory days. But this work is important to us here in Genesee County. Thank you.”

Some of those hard days have been dealing with and enduring the lag of that Ellicott Station project, which stopped in mid-August when Savarino announced the closing of his company due to a financial snag with a project at Alfred State College and a loss of more than $3 million. 

Since then, city and county, along with HCR officials, have said they are working on moving forward, potentially with a new developer and financial agreements and construction schedule.

Tenants that were chosen in May for the 55 apartments received word earlier this month that they might want to search out alternative housing options since there’s no guarantee about when Ellicott Station will be ready for occupancy.

NYC has change of heart, drops lawsuit against Genesee County

By Joanne Beck

They huffed and they puffed, but eventually, New York City opted to blow Batavia off of its list of defendants to sue for banning undocumented immigrants from seeking shelter in Genesee County.

County Manager Matt Landers had first issued a State of Emergency in May after receiving word that busloads of immigrants were potentially being sent to upstate New York, including Genesee County. Landers followed the move made by Orleans County, and, in dominoes fashion, counties began to react to their neighbors and filed one by one so as not to be the only county left with no protection if and when those immigrants arrived.

County Attorney Jim Wujcik informed legislators Wednesday that the plaintiffs had a change of heart.

“New York City filed for a discontinuance; they’re no longer suing Genesee County,” he said.

The official letter from Assistant Corporation Counsel Doris Bernhardt provided no explanation other than the plaintiff was discontinuing its lawsuit against the county and Landers “without prejudice and without costs to any party.”

Landers filed three executive orders, as he continued to extend the initial one two more times. New York City filed its lawsuit in June against 30 municipalities and was seeking to invalidate those executive orders, claiming that they were unconstitutional and impeded the rights of people who are legally within the borders of the United States as asylum seekers to travel and use public accommodations.

Genesee County strikes deal with two ambulance providers to cover all bases

By Joanne Beck
mercy ems ambulance 2015
File photo of a then-new Mercy EMS ambulance in 2015. Parent company Mercy Flight will be contracting with Genesee County in a county effort to provide more "accountable" ambulance services moving forward. 
Photo by Howard Owens.

After taking several months to evaluate Genesee County’s issues and needs in regard to ambulance services for residents, county Manager Matt Landers delivered a solution this week that he believes will do the job.

Landers worked with Emergency Management Services Coordinator Tim Yaeger and county Attorney James Wujcik to establish a formal contract with Le Roy Ambulance Services and Mercy Flight, Landers told legislators during the Ways and Means meeting Wednesday.

“We’ve spent about a year reviewing this issue of shoring up and strengthening our local ambulance providers between Mercy Flight and Le Roy Ambulance. We think we have all the bases covered. And this allows us to provide additional funding to those two professional ambulance providers, paid professional ambulance providers  … The one here with Le Roy takes effect Oct. 1. The one for Mercy Flight that we're negotiating with would take effect Jan. 1,” Landers said after the meeting. 

“So it provides additional funds to stabilize, it holds them, it makes them more accountable. They have to meet minimum standards for response times, or they have to meet minimum standards for number of ambulances to keep on staff. So there's minimum requirements that they must comply with in order to keep the funding throughout the county.”

Back in February, Landers confirmed that he and others had been asked by legislators to work on this issue and also clarified that, contrary to popular belief, the county did not have any formal contract for ambulance services. 

The issue of ambulance services and response times had come up during budget talks by City Council members, and The Batavian asked Landers for his input at the time. His concern was primarily on response times in the rural areas of the county, which provides “a minimum contract of $12,500 on an annual basis to go towards their Mercy Flight air,” and nothing official or directly for ambulance service.

The county Legislature is set to give the final vote next week on the resolution to pay Le Roy Ambulance Service $77,220 for ambulance and emergency advanced life support/paramedic service needs, $5,000 for related financial documents, and $187,705 for equipment and related maintenance for a three-year term beginning Oct. 1. 

The contract stipulates that Le Roy will provide pre-hospital emergency medical services within its Certificate of Need operating authority or when mutual aid has been requested by a municipality located within the county.

The total cost of $212,005 is to be offset by county sales tax proceeds.

“So Le Roy would be within the boundaries of Le Roy, and Mercy Flight will be throughout the whole county,” Landers said. “And that one we’re still finalizing, but they should come before this Legislature in October. 

“So I have many counterparts in the state that have actually had to invest in buying ambulances and having a county-run ambulance system with county EMTs,” he said. “We already have paid professional providers in our community that are doing an excellent job. This ensures their longer-term viability, their longer-term success and ensures the county doesn't have to enter into the business itself.”

Air show by the numbers: scrapes, overtime, attendance and fuel sales

By Joanne Beck
wings over batavia
2023 File Photo of the Wings Over Batavia Air Show
by Philip Casper

With numbers tallied, it looks like a fair amount of overtime for Genesee County highway and airport employees due to the Wings Over Batavia Air Show: approximately $6,308.

But county Highway Superintendent Tim Hens had another number to counter that during his annual department report Monday: the 5,513.50 gallons of aviation fuel sold at the airport during the two-day show more than made up for the overtime cost, he said. Fuel sales totaled $6,599. 

Despite that boon in sales, fuel sales remained flat overall this past year, he said, trying to recover from an operating loss of $23,000 after Mercy Flight suffered the loss of a helicopter in 2022, coupled with rising fuel prices. 

Quiet was an interesting word for Hens to use about the airport, given this year’s two-day air show extravaganza. He was referring to construction at the Saile Drive facility, and for that, “it has been a quiet year at the airport,” he said. 

“It’s one of the first seasons in many years where there hasn’t been major construction in progress on the airfield,” he said during a report rundown to legislators on the Public Service Committee.

“It was one of the first years that I can remember in a long time where we haven't had a project going out there that's disrupted the runway or the fencing or the lighting or an apron. It was kind of nice to have that,” Hens said.

That won’t be for long, as a future project for 2024 includes the replacement of many incandescent runway and taxiway lights to LED versions that will generate future savings on electrical use, he said.

In other ways, the airport has been quite busy in planning for and implementing Wings Over Batavia Air Show, he said. Drawing nearly 9,000 people during Labor Day weekend, the event seems destined to be a repeater, as organizers have said they’re discussing plans for bringing it back again next year.

“We had our air show … I think the feedback that I'm seeing in the community is overwhelmingly positive. A lot of great comments. People enjoyed it. They're all asking if it's going to happen again next year,” Hens said. “I can tell you from internal, of the things that I was worried about, traffic was not an issue. Parking was not an issue. Safety-wise, we only had two very minor medical issues all weekend; it was both scraped knees where kids were running around chasing each other and fell on the asphalt with scuffed knees; that was the biggest thing we had.

“We sold 5,500 gallons of aviation fuel over the weekend to the show that covered our overtime, more than covered the overtime, tied to the weekend relative to the sweeping of the runway and the overtime for the airport guys and the facility guys to open up the fence and things like that,” he said. “So I think from a county perspective, I'm happy with how it went down and went smoothly. Again, great community feedback and a great community event.

"And there's obviously things I think we can do better in the future and have even less county involvement than we had this year. But being a first-year show, there were some things we had to get squared away," he said. "So I know there's already a move afoot to have another event next year. And again, hopefully, it goes smoother than we had this year.”

Kayak program keeps flowing at DeWitt Recreation Area

By Joanne Beck
kayak rental kiosk
A kayak rental kiosk still has some time left at DeWitt Recreation Area on Cedar Street in Batavia before the season closes. The kiosk provides everything for someone looking for a little fun on the water. 
Photo by Joanne Beck

Public Service Committee members passed along a grant of $7,000 for final approval Monday for the purchase of additional kayaks and accessories for the Youth Bureau’s kayaking program at DeWitt Recreation Area in Batavia.

Genesee County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens reviewed the program and grant during the committee’s meeting and said that although it’s an Interpretive Center/Youth Bureau grant award, it also “supports kayaking at the park.”

Kayaking is an activity that has been steady at DeWitt Lake, made even more popular with lessons offered twice a year by Conservation Education Program Coordinator Shannon Lyaski. 

Hens shared that his department will be seeking a replacement for Lyaski, whose last full-time day will be Oct. 14. The committee approved Hens’ request for a part-time, temporary position to allow her to remain until the vacancy is filled. 

It will be a loss for sure, Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said. 

“She grew so much in that job and really changed it,” Clattenburg said.

The request was to create one temporary, less than full-time (19 1/2 hours per week) Conservation Education Program Coordinator position to allow the current employee to assist with the transition.

Salary for Conservation Education Program Coordinator, Management, Grade 112, Step 7, would be at the rate of $29.48, effective October 7, 2023, through December 31, for a total cost of $8,308.69. 

Another reason for the increase in kayaking is a kiosk rental that took a bit longer than expected to arrive since first reported in The Batavian in May but is finally at DeWitt. 

kayak rental sign
Rules are clearly listed on the kiosk, along with how to use it and access a brightly colored kayak and life jacket.
Photo by Joanne Beck

The set-up provides everything for someone to get a kayak, life jacket and paddle and get out on the water for some fun.  

“The feedback from the community has been positive,” Hens said.

The agreement between the county and the rental company is for a period of five years, at a total cost of $16,000, for the installation and activation of smart lockers, fully equipped with kayaks/lifejackets and locker signage. Kayak users would then pay a rental fee through the use of the kiosk that would go back to the county.

This park amenity expense will come out of the Capital Project DeWitt Improvements Phase IV, with $6,000 of this cost offset by a donation from the Association for the Conservation of Recreational and Natural Spaces (ACORNS), for a total cost of $10,000 to the county.

This latest grant that Hens reviewed on Monday is from the Youth Sports Education Funding, and once officially approved by the county Legislature, will increase the County Park Program Expense in the amount of $7,000 to be offset by an increase in Revenue in a like amount.

kayaks rental at DeWitt
Photo by Joanne Beck

Recovery Month a time to recognize 'real help, real solutions'

By Joanne Beck
lynda battaglia
Lynda Battaglia of Genesee County Mental Health Department. 
Photo by Joanne Beck.

Recovery can mean so many things to people, whether it’s rebounding from a physical injury or from other less telltale wounds that come with addiction, and those people locally who help with the latter were recognized Tuesday during Recovery Month.

The Genesee County Legislature presented a proclamation to acknowledge the importance of the topic and those agencies that are involved, including the county Mental Health Department, the Genesee Orleans Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Genesee Orleans Health Department, and the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Genesee County.

“Recovery takes a team of people to get it done. We hit it from a lot of different areas,” said Luke Granger of GCASA. “And folks that are in recovery need a lot of help, and in different ways, very practical ways. A lot of times we have, for example, we have case managers that work with some of our population on issues and problems that they’re going through that need real help, real solutions.”

Those solutions can involve everything from medical insurance and housing to Social Services, mental health, and GCASA treatment programs. 

“And we realized that it takes a community to get it done. And we have to work together, and the more that we work together, and the better we work together, it just works. We have people in prevention that go into the schools, and we hope to reach some of the kids before we have to have them in recovery, and work with them and addiction. We have peer counselors who are people who have been through recovery and can identify with these folks. And they work together with them,” Granger said. We've got programs that work with the folks that are that are housing unstable around the community, and we try to get them into permanent solutions for housing. We have other folks that work in the jails, they do counseling in jails and make referrals. And then we have a program called a reentry program that we work with folks that are coming out of the jail system. We try to get them back into the community and working through jobs.

“So it's multifaceted. It takes a whole team of people to get it done. It's hard work. But it's the most gratifying work because we don't think people are disposable,” he said. “We want to help people, we want to make them become better members of society, and we're doing so. But it's an everyday get up and do it again process.”

Recovery is a topic that Mental Health Director Lynda Battaglia can certainly talk about, she said. Then she began to think about it: What is recovery? What do others think that recovery is? It can mean rebounding from surgery or a broken bone, following doctors’ orders and guidelines not to push yourself, taking it easy, and following the “one day at a time” mantra, right?

“To allow yourself time to heal and to process what’s happened,” she said. “And I thought, recovery from addiction recovery, from mental illness, or suicidality, that’s what recovery is, and we need to practice those guidelines and recognize that recovery from addiction or mental illness or suicidality is a process,” she said. “It’s not something that happens overnight. It’s not something that you can do alone. If you have surgery, you need to go to rehab, you might have physical therapy, and recovery from addiction or anything else takes time.”

And perhaps most importantly, it takes support, she said. And giving yourself time to heal, to process what’s happened, and to recognize that you might have setbacks. 

“And that’s ok because nobody is perfect. Nobody is superhuman,” she said. “But to just keep moving forward and know that recovery is possible, and to have hope.”

Legislator John Deleo read and presented the proclamation to the group, which is below:

Whereas, national recovery month is observed every year in September where millions of people around the world join their voices to share a message of hope and healing, and 

Whereas, recovery and wellness encompass the whole individual, including mind, body and spirit, and 

Whereas, during Recovery Month, individuals can focus on recovery practices and the need for a strong recovery community, and service providers who help people undergoing recovery, and 

Whereas, every day residents of Genesee County seek treatment at behavioral health services and with community support begin the road to wellness and recovery, and 

Whereas, Genesee County residents have access to Horizon Health Services and the Recovery Station, a a program of  GCASA, for support, rehabilitation, and treatment services that lead to recovery and a healthy lifestyle, and 

Whereas, the permanent Recovery Month tagline “Every Person, Every Family, Every Community” emphasizes that recovery is possible for everyone, and 

Whereas, treatment and recovery make it possible for individuals, families, and communities to heal and thrive. Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, that Genesee County Legislature proclaims the month of September 2023 to be Recovery Month and acknowledges both the everyday successes and challenges of those in recovery. 

Be it further resolved that Genesee County Legislature praises the dedication for all of the hard-working members and volunteers who work endlessly in the recovery process.

luke granger
Luke Granger of GCASA. 
Photo by Joanne Beck.
recovery month
Genesee County Legislator John Deleo, Peter Mittiga and Lynda Battaglia of Genesee County Mental Health, Paul Pettit of GO Health, Sue Gagne and Diana Fox of the Suicide Prevention Coalition, Christen Foley, Matt Martin, Luke Granger, and JoAnn Ryan, of GCASA, Cheryl Netter of the Suicide Prevention Coalition, and Daisy. 
Photo by Joanne Beck
 

Make suicide prevention a way of life, educator says

By Joanne Beck
julia rogers
Julia Rogers, coordinator of Community Schools at Batavia City School District, talks during a Genesee County proclamation presentation for Suicide Prevention Week.
Photo by Joanne Beck

Although the topic of suicide is not pretty or often readily embraced, it is being eagerly addressed as an issue that cannot be ignored at Batavia City Schools and beyond, and, as Coordinator of Community Schools Julia Rogers said during a Suicide Prevention event this week, “we want mental health awareness and suicide prevention to be more than just events in our local community.”

“We want it to be a way of life,” she said during the Genesee County Legislature’s proclamation presentation Tuesday for Suicide Prevention Week. 

“As we face the issue of suicide prevention, we are acutely aware of the discrimination, prejudices and stigma those suffering with mental illness have to deal with on a daily basis," Rogers said. "Our entire staff’s focus has expanded to include looking out for all students. That means our disengaged and disinterested students, our middle-of-the-road students, and our very engaged and overly involved students, and those students who may also be living with a family member or friend who is suffering.”

This all-encompassing approach has led the role of educators to expand in an effort to help support and teach students, families, colleagues and community members about mental illness, she said, “with the hope to overcome its stigma.” 

It is a huge challenge, and one that cannot be accomplished overnight, Rogers said. But the school community now has a raised awareness level.

“We know suicide impacts people of all backgrounds, and we are constantly looking for warning signs,” she said. 

The high school has a Sources of Strength group that helps support students in grades kindergarten through 12 in various activities and serves as a main prevention program. Its mission is to “increase help-seeking behaviors and promote connections between peers and adults.” 

Community Schools collaborated with the county’s Suicide Prevention Coalition last year and was awarded a grant through the American Academy of Pediatrics. A first-ever Youth Suicide Prevention Community Grants Program gave the district an opportunity to do many things throughout the district, including to create posters with safe messaging that were hung in various locations throughout Batavia during this month and in May during Mental Health Awareness month, she said.

“This grant opportunity led us as a coalition to think outside the box and develop Creative Communities. Starting with a Health Fest last spring, in conjunction with Community Schools, many other organizations and agencies, such as the Department of Health, Madeline Bartz Missions, Rochester Regional and the Lions Club, to name a few, our coalition plans to hold quarterly activities to expand our reach and our message,” she said.

Cheryl Netter
Cheryl Netter shares her hope for others during a county proclamation event Tuesday for Suicide Prevention Week.
Photo by Joanne Beck

Cheryl Netter, a member of the coalition who has spoken publicly about her personal story of addiction, depression and being a suicide attempt survivor, wanted to share some words for others who may be struggling.

The coalition has been a passion of hers, Netter said, while it has also given a platform for her to impact others by sharing her story and allowing — with compassion — others to do the same.

“There is definitely power and strength found when you can identify in a safe, nonjudgemental and empathetic way with someone whose life has been impacted by suicide, mental health challenges or addiction,” she said. “The Suicide Prevention Coalition has been a priority for me as well as those who are part of, and can help support, and who helped support, the coalition in offering education, resources, support and most of all, hope for those within our communities.”

Legislator Gregg Torrey read and presented the proclamation to the coalition, which is below:

Whereas, the week of September 10 to 16, 2023 is National Suicide Prevention Week, an annual campaign observed in the United States to educate and inform the general public about suicide prevention and to warn about rising suicide rates, and

Whereas, this week aids to reduce the stigma around it and raise awareness so that more and more people can reach out for help, and

Whereas, these observances are united in raising awareness that prevention is possible and treatment is effective, and people do recover, and

Whereas, the benefits of preventing and overcoming mental health challenges, suicide attempts and loss are significant and valuable to individuals, families, and our community, and

Whereas, it is essential that we educate residents about suicide, mental health and substance abuse and the ways they affect all people in the community, and

Whereas, we encourage relatives, friends, co-workers, and providers to recognize the signs of a problem, and guide those in need to appropriate services and supports, and

Whereas, the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Genesee County is dedicated to providing suicide awareness, training, prevention and postvention strategies for individuals, families, schools and organizations in Genesee County. Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that Genesee County Legislature proclaims the week of September 10 to 16, 2023 as Suicide Prevention Week and shows great compassion for coming together as a community to educate and support each other.

Suicide Prevention group
Genesee County Legislator Gregg Torrey, left, presents a proclamation to Julia Rogers as Sue Gagne, Peter Mittiga, Lynda Battaglia, Paul Pettit, Cheryl Netter, Rae Frank and Diana Fox, with Daisy, all represent the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Genesee County.
Photo by Joanne Beck

Trends for Genesee County: homelessness on the rise

By Joanne Beck
carla mindler
Carla Mindler
Photo by Howard Owens

Annual departmental reviews can sometimes be rather mundane, as they list various numbers, staffing activities and government programs.

However, trends also emerge from the statistics, such as a “very significant increase in homelessness” since the COVID-era eviction moratorium ended in 2022, Social Services Commissioner Carla Mindler says.

Mindler reviewed the reasons for Genesee County’s apparent rise in people losing their rentals or otherwise not having housing during this week’s Human Services meeting. 

Landlords who could not evict their tenants during the pandemic because they accepted Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds have this year been able to evict them and are “actively doing so,” she said.

“We have had a huge increase in homelessness. The eviction moratorium ended in 2022. But not all of the landlords could immediately evict because if they took advantage of ERAP, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, they had to sign something saying I will not evict this individual for 12 months due to nonpayment of rent. So now, some of those cases that sat for a while, the landlords are now taking them in and evicting them,” she said. “So we're having homeless individuals, and because of that, there is a shortage of the very low-income housing, and those are the individuals that were getting in. Some people are fleeing the other counties, you know, (due to) the crime rates in Rochester, sometimes in Buffalo, they're coming here and saying we just want to start new.”

New York State ERAP applications stopped being accepted after Jan. 20, 2023, at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Individuals will not be able to submit applications or complete applications that have been started but not submitted after this time.

According to an article by the Associated Press in June 2023, “Upstate New York evictions are rising after a moratorium lifted last year.”

“Forty of the state's 62 counties had higher eviction filings in 2022 than before the pandemic,” the article states, “including two where eviction filings more than doubled compared to 2019.”

So Genesee County isn’t alone, and officials are doing what they can, Mindler said.

“We, of course, encourage people to move here. However, as you know, homeless are where they’re found, so if they truly do not have a home to go back to in those counties, then they become ours. And people are also coming here sometimes for a temporary purpose and end up staying,” she said. “So if they are open in another county, they have to keep them open for a couple of months, but then they do want to stay here.”

There is an active bill in the state Senate called the "winter moratorium on evictions act of 2023,” which states that evictions are linked to all-cause mortality and lead to an array of negative mental and physical health outcomes, including higher rates of emergency room utilization, mental health hospitalizations, suicide, children's hospitalization, and depression and directly result in job loss and disruption to a child's education.

Evictions are a significant cause of homelessness, both directly and indirectly, it states, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development identified at least 91,271 homeless individuals throughout New York State as of January 2020, including 77,943 individuals in New York City and 13,328 individuals throughout the rest of the State. 

The bill is in committee at this point and yet to be passed onto the Senate floor in an effort to pass a moratorium on evictions during winter months.

Recovery tied to solid housing and transportation access, mental health official says

By Joanne Beck

It’s hard enough battling mental health issues and opioid addiction, let alone trying to do so without a solid and safe place to live or a way to get around for wellness appointments and necessary travel, Lynda Battaglia says.

The Genesee County Mental Health director talked about those obstacles as she made some related requests for funding to the county’s Human Services Committee Tuesday.

The number of deaths from opioid overdoses has risen from 15.6 per 100,000 in 2021 to 27.8 per 100,000 in Genesee County, she said.

Lynda Battaglia

“We’re just seeing this increased pattern,” she said during Tuesday’s committee meeting. “And they’re highly addictive. You have the pharmaceutical ones that are prescribed and approved by the FDA, like oxycontin, and then you have the ones that are created on the streets and are illegal, and the overdose rate is just increasing across the state. Housing is one of those areas that if you can have stable housing, that is a social determinant of health.

“So when you think about ‘what do I need in order to just have a healthy life,’ housing is a top priority because when you can establish some housing, other things start to fall in place. When you don’t have housing, then you are in dire straits; you’re roaming the streets, you’re couch-surfing, you are going from friend to friend, if you have friends, or you’re going to areas or environments that have high usage. And the temptation is always there.”

And if you’re also trying to recover, that’s a setup to fail, she said. Genesee Orleans Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse has requested $100,000 for housing to help people with that needed step, plus funding for harm reduction, prevention services and public awareness. 

“I do believe it is extremely needed for Genesee County,” Battaglia said. 

The Mental Health Department brought a request to the county committee members with allocated state Office of Addiction Services and Supports grant funding available. Human Services approved the request of $130,000 and will pass that on to the Ways and Means Committee before it goes for a final vote by the county Legislature. 

There will be no budget impact for the county because the state OASAS funding will cover the amount. 

Battaglia also requested $95,907 on behalf of Horizon Health Services for treatment ($75,000), public awareness ($6,332), and transportation ($2,500) costs to assist Genesee County residents with their mental health needs.

“This is specific for Genesee County as well, for the residents of Genesee County at their satellite office, located just outside of town here. This was reviewed by the community services board. They are a duly licensed clinic,” she said. “So they provide mental health services and support services. So they don't typically receive state aid through my office. But this was a good opportunity for them to just get above and beyond what they need in order to provide services to the community.”

She was asked if the requested funding for transportation was enough to meet program users’ needs.

“It's hard to say. Transportation is just another barrier, I think, for individuals to access services across the board. It's not just support. And it's not just mental health, it's medical care as well. So is $2,500 enough? Probably not. But we'll see what happens with the 2,500 when we look at next year's funding because this is going to be the same process from year to year. Everybody's going to have to resubmit,” Battaglia said. “And if the need for transportation increases, then the funding could increase as well. I guess we'll just have to see. I also didn't want to allocate too much to it.”

The committee also approved this request and passed it on to Ways & Means and the county Legislature for a final vote.

Genesee County's summer hours to end Tuesday

By Press Release

Press Release:

Effective Tuesday, September 5, Genesee County offices and departments will return to their general business hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., concluding the summer hours of operation, which are currently 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The adjustment in business hours will not affect the total number of hours that County offices are open to the public.

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