Press release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District hosted its fourth annual Scarecrow Contest for Downtown Batavia. As a creative way to add some more fall flavor to downtown decorating, the BID invited any business, organization or family to enter the contest. For $20 each business was provided basic supplies of straw, a post, and zip ties along with their pole assignment. Each business could then get creative in creating its scarecrow. All voting for favorite scarecrow ended Sunday, October 31st.

The First Place Winner for 2021 is Veterans Services! Shout out to Verna and everyone over at Veterans Services for the amazing job. They will be donating their winnings to WNY Heroes. (top photo)

Second Place Winner is Charles Mens Shop. They would like to thank the Notre Dame Art Club, Maia Zerillo and Jasmine Wessel for their assistance with the scarecrow this year. (second photo)

Third Place Winner is Eli Fish Brewing Co. (third photo)

First place winner receives $100 cash prize, second place $75, and third place $50. The BID would like to thank Home Depot for sponsoring the scarecrows and to our City of Batavia Fire Department for assembling the posts.

Press release:

In advance of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, Genesee County announced that the Old County Courthouse at 7 Main St. would be illuminated green from Nov. 7-13 as part of Operation Green Light.

This is a new collaborative initiative to support veterans of all military conflicts, with a special emphasis on the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, and to raise awareness about the challenges faced by many veterans and the resources that are available at the county, state, and federal level to assist veterans and their families. 

The collaborative was developed by the NYS Association of Counties and the NYS County Veteran Service Officers’ Association. 

“While the ending of the war in Afghanistan has refocused Americans’ attention on the immense sacrifice of America’s service men and women, it has also brought significant stress to many of the veterans who served in that conflict,” said Legislature Chair Rochelle M. Stein.  “We wanted to do something special this year to reach out to our veterans and let them know, that their service mattered and that we are grateful.”

In addition to lighting county buildings, residents are encouraged to participate by simply changing one light bulb in their house to a green bulb. This can be an exterior light that neighbors and passersby see, or an interior light that sparks a conversation with friends.

By shining a green light, we let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated, and supported. While this event is focused around the week of Veterans Day (November 7th-13th), participants are encouraged to continue shining the light year-round. 

Residents can share their participation on social media using the hashtag #OperationGreenLight.

“Operation Green Light is an opportunity to support our veterans and raise awareness about the challenges they face and say that if you’re a vet and your struggling, please reach out for assistance,” said NYSAC President Martha (Marte) Sauebrey. “We encourage everyone to join with us in displaying a green light for our veterans and to also to reach out the vets in your life to check in and let them know that you’re with them and that you have their back.”

Information and Resources available for Veterans please contact:

Veterans Service Agency, Genesee County Building #2, 3837 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020. Phone: 585-815-7905. Fax: 585-345-3085

Email: veterans@co.genesee.ny.us. Website: https://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/veterans/index.php

Press release:

Due to COVID-19 cases within the Genesee County Jail, Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. is suspending all visitations effective at midnight tonight until Nov. 22, tentatively.

This is a precautionary measure to prevent the risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus to incarcerated individuals’ families and employees.  

It’s full speed ahead for the dispensation of COVID-19 booster shots at the Genesee & Orleans Health Departments.

Public Health Director Paul Pettit, speaking at the Genesee County Legislature’s Human Services Committee meeting this afternoon, said GO Health will be conducting its first booster clinic on Wednesday of this week – offering Modern, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer doses.

For Genesee County residents, that means traveling to the health department offices at County Building 2, 3837 West Main St. Rd.

“Booster shots are open for everybody now … and we have about 120 people signed up for the morning (on Wednesday) already – and that’s all Moderna,” Pettit said. “So, that’s obviously leading to some additional demand. But most of our pharmacies are vaccinating, so people are able to go there, usually 9 (a.m.) to 9 (p.m.).”

Specifics of the three booster vaccinations, all at no charge, are as follows:

• Moderna – 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Registration deadline, Nov. 3; appointments are limited). Open to those 18 and older with booster eligibility, including previous full vaccination with Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J. This Moderna booster shot registration must be at least six months after receiving the second dose of Moderna or Pfizer, or at least two months after receiving a single dose of J&J.  You also must meet other eligibility requirements associated with age, work, or underlying health conditions as seen at: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/booster-doses.

• Pfizer – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Registration deadline: Nov. 3; appointments are limited). Open to those 18 and older with booster eligibility, including previous full vaccination with Pfizer, Moderna or J&J. This Pfizer booster shot registration must be at least six months after receiving the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or at least two months after receiving a single dose of J&J.  You also must meet other eligibility requirements associated with age, work, or underlying health conditions as seen at: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/booster-doses.

• Johnson & Johnson – 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Registration deadline: Nov. 3; appointments are limited). Open to those 18 and older with booster eligibility, including previous full vaccination with J&J, Pfizer, or Moderna. This J&J booster shot registration must be at least two months after receiving a single dose of J&J, or at least six months after receiving the second dose of Moderna or Pfizer.  You also must meet other eligibility requirements associated with age, work, or underlying health conditions as seen at: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/booster-doses.

In all cases, proof of identity and original vaccination card (or other proof of your original full vaccination) will be required at the time of your appointment.

Pettit also said he expects to hear soon, possibly tomorrow, that the childhood vaccine for 5-11-year-olds has been approved.

“We’re ramping up and preparing to do some childhood vaccines, probably starting next week, if we get the vaccine in later this week,” he said. “We're going to be running those clinics kind of late afternoon/early evening to afford parents the opportunity to get home from work and come to the clinic if they want.

“Again, the primary focus with that age group, though, is not really to come to us. We'd rather have them go to their pediatrician, where there's a little more comfort and familiarity. Obviously, for those that have gotten child vaccines at that age, sometimes (it's) a little more tricky, especially in a mass setting …"

When asked about people “mixing and matching” the booster shots, Pettit said, “It’s really the ‘Wild Wild West’ on that.”

“I guess if you want to change it up and try something different,” he said. “I'm going to stick with what I got the first time because well, frankly, Moderna is holding up the best of all three.”

Pettit suggested that people speak with their doctors about whether they should switch from what they received the first time. He acknowledged that many people have switched from J&J because that vaccine “has held up probably the least over time now against the Delta variant.”

He said that most of the breakthrough cases (people getting COVID after being vaccinated) are with the J&J vaccine.

“They (J&J) probably should have just done two shots to start with,” he said. “Their two shots basically are the same efficacy as two shots of Moderna or Pfizer. But I think they wanted to offer a simpler path.”

On related topics, Pettit offered the following:

• Hospital bed capacity.

“As we get in the cold or flu season, you're going to get more and more people come in. I mean, obviously, what they'll (hospitals) start doing is backing off on elective surgeries and things to try to free up more bed capacity. You know, unfortunately, we're heading into the time when we get more access needs to the emergency room and bed capacities.”

• Current COVID cases.

“Cases are holding fairly steady – we had a little bit of an uptick, I think, over the weekend, compared to where we were last few weekends. But overall, we're averaging around 25 to 30 new cases a day, and on average around 200 or more as far as active cases of folks on isolation.

“Regionally, most people saw a pretty significant increase over the weekend with active cases. So, I mean, it could be attributed to people coming indoors; things closing up – getting a little colder out. You may recall last year, actually, Halloween-ish kicked off a lot of the activity; we had low numbers pretty much through most of October. And then once we got to Halloween, gatherings and parties and things  started happening, and we started seeing an increase in numbers.”

• Nattural immunity.

“The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) does not recognize natural antibodies for the purposes of avoiding vaccination or for avoiding quarantines, you know, unfortunately. And I think the reason for that is typically we develop antibodies for certain strains. If you have the alpha variant, it may be less effective versus new strains but still affords protection similar to the vaccines, especially in preventing severity of illness.  

“There's a lot of debate over natural immunity versus the vaccines … it's kind of a controversial thing, because, you know, I think it's debatable, one way or the other … I think they've shown -- that the data shows -- that the vaccines provide better protection than natural immunity in this case with COVID, just due to the new variant, especially so. But if you had the Delta variant, I mean, you have immunity from it."

• New vaccine technology.

“I think this is really when you look at the way they were able to produce this vaccine so quickly. I mean, it's really due to the technology. And I mean, there's a lot of talk now to start using the mRNA approach for flu vaccines and other things. You know, if you think about the window, when they make a flu vaccine, you're looking at what was circulating over in Asia and China -- like coming off in January, February. I mean, they can wait now until April or May, and get the mutations in there, and they can produce a vaccine in a month or a couple months, You're going to get a better efficacy out of that vaccine.”

Right-leaning party members have been quiet long enough, prompting Bergen resident Gary Fink to speak out, he says.

“The silent majority has been silent for two long,” he said to The Batavian Monday. “The Left is getting more and more insane; they’re destroying the economy and destroying the family.”

Fink opted to put his words to paper and send out the no-holds-barred letter to every resident in Bergen at the end of October. It begins with citing the country as being “in crisis” and encourages votes to oust Democrats from office. He said that although the Bergen Republican Committee members thought it was “a little harsh,” they helped the effort by addressing envelopes, Fink said. 

“I spent $1,000,” he said. “It’s to let them know we’re coming for them in 2022.”

Fink has received mostly positive feedback, he said, for the letter specifically endorsing Town Council candidates Jim Starowitz and Theresa Whalin. Democrat Town Council candidate Anne Sapienza has known Fink for more than 30 years. 

“I obviously was shocked,” she said. “I knew we had our difference of opinions … I’m sad and disappointed. This country is so divided. We will never ever get back to decency with letters like that.”

Genesee County Republican Committee Chairman Dick Siebert did not know anything of the letter and explained that by Fink’s official affiliation. Three years ago he registered with the Conservative Party. The letter was written on behalf of Conservatives, Republicans, and anyone else with right-leaning proclivities, Fink said.

At any rate, the letter wouldn’t have been endorsed by his committee, Siebert said.

“The Republican Party has nothing to do with him; he does not speak for the Republican Party or anyone I am aware of,” Siebert said. “I don’t believe in hate mail.”

Michael Plitt, chairman of Genesee County’s Democrat Committee, echoed Sapienza’s disappointment, especially because Fink is also Bergen Planning Board’s chairman and is therefore a town official, he said.

“The Bergen Republican Committee has denied responsibility, so whoever paid for it has not made any filings with the State of Board of Elections as required by law that I have seen,” Plitt said. “Anne has run a clean race making the case to voters on her experiences and track record as a Bergen Town Councilperson.  All of the 2021 Genesee County Democratic candidates have run clean campaigns that we can be proud of.”

Fink said that his official status was not part of the letter and that he wrote, sent, and paid for it as a private citizen. Plitt has been asked why more people don’t run for elected office, and he now has the answer in black and white, he said

“The letter is an exhibit A as to why people do not run for office,” he said. 

Phone calls to Starowitz and Bergen Republican Committee Chairman Bob Bausch were not immediately returned. The Batavian could not reach Whalin due to a disconnected number. 

Updated 11/1/21 at 5:21 p.m.

Bergen Republican Committee Chairman Bob Bausch said that the letter has nothing to do with the party, and that Fink wrote on his own behalf. Bausch picked up a list of registered Bergen voters when in Batavia, and gave them to Fink per his request, and committee members that assisted with the mailing process did so individually, Bausch said.

"He's got his opinions," Bausch said. "The Party did nothing to support or deny it." 

Updated 11/1/21 at 10:30 p.m.

Conservative Committee Chairwoman Julie Ann Bolas Carasone said that the Conservative Party did not endorse or support Fink's letter, and, in fact, endorsed Democrat Anne Sapienza for the Bergen Town Council race.

“Mr. Fink and every voter can and should vote for the person that they feel will do the job, regardless of whomever their party endorses,” Carasone said. “But sending out a letter and making it look like it was something that the Conservative Party supported was not right. We do not work that way, and we at the Genesee Conservative Party want to make sure that we are able to work together for the betterment and the future of the communities that we live in, and if that means working across party lines, we will do that.”

Below is a copy of the letter:

Press release from Genesee County Manager Matt Landers:

As Genesee County Manager, I am pleased to present the 2022 recommended budget for the Genesee County Legislature to consider.  This budget funds County government in an efficient and responsible manner, while making key investments which will help deliver better service to the residents of Genesee County.  The recommended budget stays under the NYS tax cap, while covering a lengthy number of expensive State mandates of which we have little to no control.  Assembling a budget for the second year in a row dealing with a global pandemic and all of its uncertainties has certainly been a challenge, but the staff from the Manager’s Office, Treasurer’s Office, Legislative Office and Human Resources Department all came together to help me deliver my second recommended budget as County Manager.  These core central departments were instrumental in me being able to deliver a budget that stays under the tax cap while meeting the needs of the residents of Genesee County.

There is going to be a uniform theme over the next several County budgets with a consistent message coming from the Manager’s Office, which centers on the new County jail and the County’s constant race to keep water supply ahead of demand.  The County is embarking on two of the largest capital infrastructure projects in its history with a new County jail carrying a price tag of approximately $70 million and phase three of the County wide water system and its current projected price tag of $85 million.  These two projects are going to weigh heavily on the decisions made by the Manager’s Office and County Legislature for the foreseeable future, which is even evident in the 2022 proposed County budget.

County departments were instructed to once again do more with less, be creative and think outside the box in trying to keep their net County support impact to the same level as the 2021 budget.  This was a challenge considering health insurance premiums were once again increasing while spiking inflation and supply chain issues are causing vendor contracts to increase.  Despite these increases, I was pleased to see the majority of departments hold the line on spending, which helped greatly in delivering a budget that stays under the tax cap.

Budget Highlights  

The 2022 recommended All Funds budget for Genesee County totals $158,502,898, which is $15,298,219 more than the 2021 adopted All Funds budget.   The 2022 recommended General Fund (operating) budget is $119,394,176, which is $9,118,039 more than the 2021 adopted General Fund budget.  The majority of the increase in the All Funds budget is from Phase 2 water infrastructure expenditures, new hires in the Public Defender’s Office, Jail and Highway departments, strategic Information Technology department investments, increases in the Public Health budget for combatting COVID-19, and a reserve set aside to go towards the construction of the Genesee County jail that has a spring 2022 planned ground breaking.

I am proposing a property tax levy of $32,130,246, which is an increase of $678,519 or 2.16%.  For the median residential household in Genesee County with an assessed value of $122,935 this amounts to $24.33 of property taxes.  The average County property tax rate in Genesee County would go down from $9.80 to $9.37 or 4.39% in the recommended budget.  For the median residential household in Genesee County assessed at $122,935, that did not have an assessment change from 2021, this will result in a net tax decrease of $52.86.

The recommended budget includes usage of $1,396,675 of unappropriated fund balance, a decrease of $1,011,092 from the 2021 adopted County budget.  The budgeted fund balance utilization is in line with past budgets.

The 2022 recommended budget includes a continued commitment in increased funding for our roads and bridges infrastructure annually by $1 million.  Deferred maintenance on the County’s infrastructure is getting to a critical point and the cracks are showing, literally, as evidenced by recent bridge closures. This continued commitment of an extra $1 million is a big step in addressing the deferred maintenance of the County road and bridge infrastructure.

As we come out of the worst days of the pandemic the economy is showing positive signs of recovery, which is allowing the County to make long overdue improvements which will, in turn result in better service delivery to residents.  Some of these new positions are mandated, such as the four new corrections officers as part of the required transition team for the new County jail. Some of the positions are fully grant funded, such as the assistant public defenders and social worker in the Public Defender’s Office.  While the remaining are long overdue investments that a 21st century County government should make.  We are investing in new positions in Information Technology, Administration and the Highway Department.  In addition to these new positions, the budget reflects a full year cost of new positions created in the 2021 budget, but were only budgeted for a half year in 2021.  These new positions were established in the Human Resources Department, County Manager’s Office and the Veteran’s Department.        

Budget Challenges

While there were familiar challenges faced in this budget such as rising wages and healthcare costs along with the usual costly state mandates, two large issues looming for not only the 2022 budget but future budgets as well is the new Genesee County jail and the challenge for Genesee County to keep water supply ahead of demand through the construction of phase three of the County wide water system:

Health Insurance Cost Increases – Rising health care costs have caused a necessary 4.5% increase in plan premiums. 85% or more of that premium increase is absorbed in the various County departmental operating budgets, resulting in an overall healthcare cost increase in the 2021 recommended County budget. 

Wage Increases – Rising wages in every sector has made recruiting and retaining qualified and capable County employees more challenging.

Mandates – Approximately 81% of the 2022 recommended property tax levy is made up of State mandated expenditures to fund departments/programs such as Medicaid, Probation, the Jail, Public Defender’s Office, Assigned Counsel, Social Service programs, Mental Health, Early Intervention, 3-5 Preschool services, and various others.

New Genesee County Jail – Ground breaking for the long overdue new Genesee County Jail is planned for spring of 2022, and with it brings one of the largest capital projects in County history. With a projected all in price tag of approximately $70 million, the debt service estimates are approximately $3.5 million annually.  In addition to the debt service, projected increased operating costs are over $1 million annually.  While the majority of these fixed and operational increases will hit in the 2023 budget, the hiring of four new corrections officers, a new full time nurse at the jail and a new position in Facilities Maintenance are all being done in the 2022 budget and all of these positions are part of the projected operating cost increases for the jail.

Genesee County Water System, Phase 2, 3 & 4 – Genesee County is nearing completion of the $23+ million phase 2 of the County-wide water system, and is quickly designing the $85+ million phase 3 which should hopefully break ground in the next few years. Phase 3 includes bringing in enough water from Monroe County to close the City of Batavia water plant, which draws from a threatened source and has long outlived its useful life.  However, before the plant comes off-line, millions more have to be invested to ensure water supply keeps up with demand until phase 3 is complete.

County Responses to Budget Challenges

With the New York State tax cap in place, which penalizes Counties for enacting an override, options to meet the budget challenges are somewhat limited.  Genesee County has a long history of doing more with less, sharing wherever possible, privatizing operations, deferring needed capital improvements, modestly compensating employees, and providing virtually no post-employment benefits to staff.  After years of cutting to the bone the following actions were available to close the gap for the 2022 recommended budget:

• Fund Balance Utilization – The 2022 recommended budget utilizes $1,396,675 of fund balance.

• Raising the Tax Levy – The 2022 recommended budget raises the levy 2.16% in 2022, which continues Genesee County’s continued adherence to the New York State property tax cap.

Freezing Sales Tax with Towns & Villages – This decision was deliberated by the Legislature in great length. Taking into consideration the substantial capital projects facing the County, the burden of maintaining all of the bridges and culverts in the County, and the track record of making short sighted decisions because of budgetary constraints, the Legislature decided on a figure of $10,000,000 of sales tax to share with Towns and Villages for the remainder of the forty years sales tax sharing agreement with the City of Batavia.  While this amount is less than desirable for Towns and Villages, the County is still able to provide a solid baseline of funding over the next few decades that municipalities can safely budget from. 

Line by Line Review with New Perspective – With new eyes involved in the budget process the last two years there have been new ideas and solutions brought to the table that resulted in savings in various County departments. For the second year in a row I was accompanied by the Assistant County Manager and Executive Assistant in every budget meeting, a process that helps ensure no rock is left unturned. A closer dive into the individual budget lines resulted in significant budgetary savings when aggregated.  We were also able to utilize greater sharing of resources between departments to capture more state aid and reduce the net county share in several cases.

 In Closing

While I am pleased to present a budget that stays within the confines of the New York State Tax Cap and effectively lowers the property tax rate by $.43/1,000, I am not blind to the significant impact the proposed tax levy has on the citizens and businesses of Genesee County.  My time as County Manager has just recently begun and I pledge to work with local governments, community not-for-profits, the business community and local citizens on ways to spend these precious resources as efficiently as possible.

I want to give a special thanks to Vicky Muckle, Tammi Ferringer and Scott German in helping me to prepare this year’s budget.  While all three provided many hours of counsel and debate on how the budget should be structured, Vicky had the pleasure of making countless revisions to the budget and as the seasoned veteran in the office, ensured I stayed on task in delivering this balanced budget.  I also want to thank the Legislature and Chairwoman Stein for their guidance and feedback during this budget season.

I now turn the budget over to the Legislature for their consideration and eventual adoption.  I look forward to further discussion with both Legislators and the community at large, to ensure that the budget meets the needs of this community.

Mark Newton, 53, of Hamburg, is charged with petit larceny. Newton was arrested on a warrant issue in 2014. Newton allegedly accepted a sum of money to complete contracting work and then failed to complete the work and never returned the money.  He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Ray Spencer Lindquist Saile, 19, of Judge Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Saile is accused of being in the residence of a protected party at 1:38 a.m., Oct. 28.  He was released on an appearance ticket.

Thomas Tacito, 61, of Batavia, is charged with failure to appear.  He was arrested on six warrants for failure to appear on multiple charges including criminal contempt, harassment, disorderly conduct, and criminal mischief. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Samantha L. Hoy, 30, of Niagara Falls, is charged with DWI.  Hoy was arrested on Oct. 26 after allegedly driving off the road in teh area of 205 Oak St., Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

George J. Budzinack, 41, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Budzinack is accused of damaging the door of an apartment on Mill Street following a fight. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Cody L. Pahura, 30, of Darien, is charged with Driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Pahura was stopped by Batavia PD at 1:21 p.m., Oct. 21, on West Main Street, Batavia.  He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Philip Escobar, 32, of Kirvin, Texas, is charged with DWI and failure to submit to a chemical test. Escobar was arrested following a complaint of a man sleeping in a truck that was in the drive-through line at McDonald's at 2:30 a.m., Oct. 24.  He was released on an appearance ticket.

Phoenix Garcia-Sobczak, 30, of Elba, is charged with grand larceny. At 2:12 p.m., Oct. 14, Garcia-Sobczak allegedly took a vehicle from another person without permission. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Antonia Goodson, 31, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny.  Good was arrested on warrants out of City Court.  He was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Jason Shaffer, 41, of Perry, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, uninspected motor vehicle, and insufficient turn signal. Shaffer was stopped at 1:05 a.m., Aug. 23, in the City of Batavia.  He was charged following an investigation, arraigned inn City Court, and released on an appearance ticket.

Jillian Antinore, 44, of Batavia, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, refusal to take breath test, aggravated unlicensed operation, and following too closely.  Antinore was charged following an investigation into a motor vehicle accident at 4:15 p.m., Oct. 12, on Ellicott Street.  She was issued traffic tickets and released.

Heather Davis, 44, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd.  Davis is accused of violating an order of protection by having contact with the protected person. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Cody A. Bush, 35, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd, criminal possession of a controled substance 7th, burglary 2nd, and resisting arrest. At 3:08 a.m., Oct. 11, Bush was allegedly found in the residence of person he was ordered by a court not to contact. He was arraigned and ordered held without bail.

Jeremy Olsen, 48, of Bergen, is charged with criminal mischief 4th.  Olsen is accused of cutting a tree in a City park on Oct. 16.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jesse Lord, 21, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Lord allegedly fled from a bar fight at 10:28 p.m., Oct. 16, in a vehicle and police observed him leaving the scene and stopped his vehicle. He allegedly failed a field sobriety test.  He was processed at the jail and released on traffic tickets. 

Shelby Fryer, 26, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, unlicensed operation, and no or inoperable headlights. Fryer was stopped at 2:27 a.m., Oct. 17, by Batavia PD and released on appearance tickets.

Press release:

Press Release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.40, up one cent from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.13. The New York State average is $3.55 – up two cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.23. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.46 (up one cent from last week)
• Buffalo - $3.47 (up two cents from last week)
• Ithaca - $3.51 (up one cent from last week)
• Rochester - $3.52 (up two cents from last week)
• Rome - $3.54 (up three cents from last week)
• Syracuse - $3.50 (up two cents from last week)
• Watertown - $3.55 (up three cents since last week)

Pump prices continue to rise, but at a slower pace than in recent weeks. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total domestic gasoline stocks are down, while gasoline demand also decreased. The drop in demand has helped slow price increases, but elevated crude prices continue to put upward market pressure on pump prices. Gas prices will likely keep rising as long as oil prices are above $80 per barrel. This morning, oil prices are $82 to $83 per barrel, which is a tad lower than one week ago.

From Gas Buddy:

"The jump in gas prices that started nearly a month ago is finally running out of steam for the time being, as oil prices have stabilized. Yet, some areas of California are still at or near all-time record highs for prices," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "While California's high prices will not become a nationwide norm, prices there will likely remain elevated due to refinery issues amidst the surge of rain and other refinery kinks. For most motorists, gas prices are likely to greatly slow their recent ascent, and we could even see some small declines in the week ahead. OPEC is planning to meet next week, and while it doesn't seem likely there will be any boost in oil output, its meeting and comments could easily drive the market up or down. The odds remain high that gas prices will remain near today's elevated levels going into the holidays, barring additional OPEC supply."

The “new normal” has become a reality for the Park Road Reconstruction Project.

Tom Lichtenthal, assistant engineer for the Town of Batavia, this morning said the start of the $4.077 million renovation of Park Road between Route 63 (Lewiston Road) and Route 98 (Oak Street) has been pushed back until next spring due to supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is the result of COVID, just like we’ve seen for the last year and a half to two years in trying to get materials,” Lichtenthal said. “It’s the new normal, if you will, and it was not unexpected.”

During a pre-construction meeting last week with representatives of general contractor Catco (Concrete Applied Technologies Corp.) Construction of Alden, Lichtenthal learned that the pipe for the watermain won’t be delivered for another 12 weeks.

“That pushes the start out to mid-January, which is not a good time for this type of work,” he said. “Installation of the pipe is still the first order of business, but it’s likely delayed until the spring of 2022.”

Lichtenthal said the late start is not expected to extend the timeline for the project’s completion, which has been set for December 2022.

The scope of the work includes installation of new pavement, curbs and curbing from Lewiston Road to Richmond Avenue with sidewalks on both sides of Park Road; overlaying of pavement and installation of sidewalks on one side of the road from Richmond Avenue to Route 98, and installation of new water lines and street lights on Park Road between Route 63 and Richmond Avenue.

Previously: WROTB, Town of Batavia agree on Park Road items

Previously: Town board OKs measures to support Park Road project

A now-former employee of United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia has attracted national attention in recent weeks as a self-proclaimed “whistleblower” around what she describes as a “cover-up” of potential dangers of the COVID-19 vaccine.

A GoFundMe campaign that appears to have been created by Deborah Conrad states that the hospitalist physician assistant “recently lost her job due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.” A spokesperson for the Rochester Regional Health system confirmed to The Batavian on Oct. 13 that Conrad was no longer employed at the hospital.

But in a description for the GoFundMe campaign, which had attracted more than $74,000 from roughly 1,500 donors as of Sunday morning, Conrad suggested that she intends to remain in the public eye. Conrad has spoken to multiple media outlets in recent months, at times making controversial statements about the COVID-19 vaccine that other medical professionals say misrepresent the risks of immunization.

“As I move into this new chapter in my life, no longer able to do the job I have loved for the last 15 years, I want to make my sacrifices count,” the GoFundMe description reads. “As I gain more and more exposure to media outlets, I need to travel to speak at these events, and also support my family at the same time. I need the community around me to lift me up as I march this path of truth.”

Conrad declined through a third party to be interviewed by The Batavian.

STATEMENTS TRIGGER CONTROVERSY

While employed at UMMC, Conrad spoke to multiple media outlets in September, including the New York Times, about her hesitancy around the COVID-19 vaccine. She has also spoken locally on the matter.

Speaking to a crowd at EverPresent Church in Batavia at an event hosted by the church on Sept. 30, Conrad said that her public statements should not be interpreted as an attempt to discourage people from getting the COVID vaccine.

“I support you no matter what decision you make,” Conrad said. “I just want to make sure you have an informed choice.”

But a number of the insinuations and speculations that Conrad has made publicly, particularly those regarding UMMC patients whose conditions she has suggested may have been caused by the vaccine, have been characterized by other medical professionals as highly unlikely and not in line with the most up-to-date scientific research.

In an hour-long video interview published in September by The HighWire, a website run by the Texas-based anti-vaccine group Informed Consent Action Network, Conrad stated that her hospital had seen a noticeable increase in patients coming in with conditions including heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, gastrointestinal bleeds, sepsis, pneumonia, appendicitis, pancreatitis and “recurrent cancers” following the initial public rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines in early 2021.

A spokesperson for Rochester Regional Health told The Batavian that hospital administration was not aware of any such increase.

“To our knowledge, no clinician, epidemiologist, hospital leader, or principal investigator running a clinical trial has commented, remarked or expressed similar experience or concern,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to The Batavian. “The only noticeable difference in admissions after the vaccines became available was that COVID-19 admissions significantly and dramatically decreased until the Delta variant became more prevalent in our area.”

If the hospital did see such an increase, that uptick could have been due to other factors including side effects of the COVID-19 virus itself, Dr. John Crane, a physician and professor at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biological Sciences, notes—"or to delays in needed care due to fear of catching COVID-19 in the hospital or in the emergency room, as has been seen many times in our country.”

Conrad went on to cite as examples several specific cases that she believed may have been linked to the vaccine, including a patient “whose cancer came back from remission and rapidly killed the individual” after they were vaccinated. She told the interviewer that she had also witnessed “new cancer [cases] come out of nowhere,” implying that any or all of these cases may have been caused by vaccination — a suggestion that Crane describes as “bogus.”

“There are millions of Americans receiving care for cancer at any given time in our country,” Crane wrote in an email to The Batavian. “Many of them achieve a prolonged remission or even achieve a cure. But there are thousands of others who relapse every week, regardless of whether they received a COVID-19 vaccination or not.”

While there is no medical evidence linking COVID vaccination with an increased likelihood of developing cancer, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others are currently monitoring to learn whether COVID-19 infection itself carries a higher risk of developing subsequent cancers, Crane noted.

VACCINE DATABASE IS A TOPIC OF CONCERN

One of Conrad’s primary concerns, as she has stated in multiple speaking engagements and on her GoFundMe page, is public awareness of the federally-run Vaccine Averse Event Reporting (VAERS) database. The database, which has existed since 1990 and is co-managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “accepts and analyzes” voluntarily-submitted reports of “adverse events,” or possible side effects, after a person has received a vaccination, according to a description on the official VAERS website.

“Most people don’t even know what VAERS is,” Conrad said at the EverPresent event in late September. “I didn’t know what VAERS was and I’m a health care worker.”

In the HighWire video interview, Conrad said that she had submitted the names and information of more than 120 UMMC patients to the database since the COVID-19 vaccine was rolled out, including an estimated 50 patients in the span of one particular month — accounting for the bulk of all the VAERS reports submitted by the hospital in that time, according to Conrad.

At one point, Conrad said, she approached hospital administration to ask for support in her work reporting patients to the VAERS database, as it had become a “full-time job.” That request was “met with resistance,” Conrad told the HighWire interviewer.

A spokesperson for Rochester Regional Health confirmed to The Batavian that such a conversation occurred, but disputed Conrad’s characterization of the hospital’s response as that of “resistance.”

“The administration has always confirmed that it is important to follow VAERS reporting requirements,” the spokesperson said.

In an undated phone call with UMMC President Dan Ireland recorded by Conrad, a clip of which was played in the video produced by The HighWire, Ireland clarified that the hospital system’s policy was that each health care provider “has the responsibility to report on their own patient” when it comes to submitting adverse events to the VAERS database.

The number of reports submitted by Conrad should not be interpreted as evidence that the same number of patients in fact experienced side effects from the vaccine, medical experts say. While health care workers are required by law to report certain adverse events—in other words, certain injuries, illnesses, or deaths—that occur within a specific time period after vaccination, not all events reported to VAERS are caused by vaccinations and VAERS reports “generally cannot be used to determine if a vaccine caused or contributed to an adverse event or illness,” according to the FDA website.

One example, according to Crane: If a newly-vaccinated patient becomes involved in a severe car crash on their way home from the vaccine clinic, their injuries from the crash could be reported as an adverse event—even if the crash was caused by their car’s malfunctioning autopilot feature and not by the vaccine.

For some patients and their families, a lack of broad public awareness of the database have lead to confusion around why certain cases are reported to VAERS and what these reports indicate.

Howard Owens of Batavia told The Batavian that he was contacted in August by a UMMC nurse, who informed him that his hospitalized wife, Billie, had been added to the VAERS database. (Note: Owens is the publisher of The Batavian. Billie Owens, who passed away on Oct. 15, was editor of The Batavian.) The call left Owens feeling perplexed. He had a clear understanding of his wife's health issues, some of which pre-dated her vaccination. He consulted with Billie's doctors who definitively agreed that her condition had not been caused by the COVID vaccine. 

“We knew why Billie had become ill,” Owens said. “It had nothing to do with COVID or the vaccine.”

The parameters of VAERS reporting -- and what his wife's inclusion in the database meant -- were not made clear to him during the call, Owens said. He said he was told during that call that Billie's inclusion in the database meant that she was confirmed to have had an adverse reaction. (When contacted by The Batavian, the nurse confirmed that she had provided Owens with a VAERS identification number but did not provide any other details about their exchange.)

When Owens watched Conrad’s interview with The HighWire — in which she suggested that a number of UMMC patients with serious conditions may have been hospitalized due to side effects from the vaccine — his confusion turned to frustration and anger, he said, largely on behalf of other families who may have found themselves in similar situations, leaving them susceptible to misinformation about the vaccine. 

"Making false claims about adverse reactions to patient families doesn't strike me as caring about patients,” Owens told The Batavian. “It seems like the exact opposite: Causing unnecessary drama in the lives of people already facing enough trauma at a critical time in their loved one's care.”

CONRAD: GOAL IS 'OPEN-MINDED HEALTHCARE'

Speaking at EverPresent Church, Conrad said she was invited to participate in the interview with The HighWire after she learned that ICAN had, unprompted, paid her legal fees for hiring a New York City-based attorney while she was employed at UMMC.

“Of course I was scared to death and I knew my job would be on the line as a result,” Conrad said, in reference to the interview. “I knew I would be exposed… I don’t want to hurt anybody, but I just can’t stand to see the injustice going on.”

In the description for her GoFundMe campaign, Conrad says that she is interested in opening her own local clinic “offering unbiased, open-minded healthcare” in the future. In the meantime, she wrote, she hopes that her public statements will prompt discussion of “how to help those possibly injured and give them a voice.”

“I didn’t want this job, but I just kept hearing [God] call me,” Conrad told the crowd at EverPresent Church. “I just keep hearing him tell me, ‘Don’t be afraid. Keep going. Keep doing what you’re doing.’”

Gretel Kauffman, a former resident of Elba, is a special corresponded for The Batavian.

Photo: Screen capture from video interview with Conrad on The HighWire

Images from around central Batavia on Halloween October 31st.

Tell us something about yourself (where you grew up, your current general residence, family, interests, work history):
A: My name is Tom Feeley and I was born and raised in Le Roy and I am married with two children.  I just retired with 25 years in law enforcement this past July. 

As a newcomer, how will you get up to speed on the duties of town justice?
A: As a Field Officer Director with DHS, our authorities are very similar to Judges under 8 USC.  I have signed Warrants of Arrest, examined evidence, set bond, made custody determinations, taken and heard sworn statements and testimony, and granted relief under the law. I have also testified in Federal Court as a Subject Matter Expert in different areas. New York State provides mandatory training, and I will have no issues transitioning over into this role.

What do you feel are the most important tenets of serving in this role?
A: Impartiality, compassion, and fairness. 

What makes you qualified to be a town justice?
A: As I said above, as a Field Officer Director with DHS, our authorities are very similar to Judges under 8 USC.  I have signed Warrants of Arrest, examined evidence, set bond, made custody determinations, taken and heard sworn statements and testimony, and granted relief under the law.  At ICE’s National Academy, I taught Immigration Law, Nationality Law, 4th Amendment, and Criminal Law. I was one of only three Instructors certified by DHS to teach law.

Do you consider yourself unbiased in all aspects of ruling on cases?
A: Yes.

Would there be any situation that you would recuse yourself due to a conflict of interest?
A: As a Judge, it is my duty to disclose any potential conflict of interest in a case. If this does occur, there is a process to handle these instances. 

What is your personal mantra for life?
A: No matter what you are doing, try to be the best at it.

Does your professional mantra differ, and if so, how?
A: Throughout my career, I have tried to do the best I can in every position I have held.

What does having ethics mean to you?
A: Believing in honesty, integrity, respect, loyalty, and responsibility. In its simplest form, knowing the difference between right and wrong.

How would you apply this as town justice?
A: A judge should not allow family, political, social, or other relationships to influence their decisions. I, as Judge, will not allow this to happen. 

What does the community need to know about you before casting a vote?
A: I’ve been in public service my entire adult life.  From the Marine Corps to volunteering in different areas of the communities I have lived in, to the highest levels of the Federal Government. This isn’t a decision I made on a whim or without serious consideration. 

Why do you want to serve as Le Roy town justice?
A: I wanted to move back to this area after living all over the country to apply all the experience gained in 30 years of service to the town I grew up in. I want to give something back. Allowing me the opportunity to serve in this capacity, as Town Justice, will be an honor and I look forward to continuing to serve.  

There are two candidates running for Le Roy town justice: the Democratic Committee endorsed Carol DiFrancisco, and Tom Feeley is contesting the race by running as a write-in candidate. The Batavian contacted both of them with questions.

Tell us something about yourself (where you grew up, your current general residence, family, interests, work history):
A: I am proud to say I am a lifelong LeRoyan.  I retired in July of 2020 after 35 years of teaching at Le Roy High School.  I always say that teaching there was not a job, it was a privilege.  I actually spent my first year of retirement right back in the classroom as a substitute teacher.  Many people thought I was crazy but I guess I was just not ready to walk away from the classroom yet. My son Alex and his wife Lisa reside in Clarence with my two grandsons, Gino and Sam, who are the greatest blessings in my life.  Alex and Lisa are both in the healthcare field so it has been a crazy time for them as you can imagine since the pandemic started.

As a newcomer, how will you get up to speed on the duties of town justice?
A: New York State does not require any kind of criminal justice, law enforcement, or law degree in order to be a Town Justice.  What they do require is that any newly elected judge be fully trained before taking the bench. There is an intensive seven-week training course (two weeks in Albany) provided by lawyers and judges through the Office of Justice Court Support. No one is allowed to take the bench without passing a comprehensive test at the end of this training. No one is allowed to take the bench unless fully competent and capable of doing so.

What do you feel are the most important tenets of serving in this role?
A: As Town Justice, you have to set aside your own personal views and follow the law to decide cases fairly, impartially, and free of political party or intimidation. No judicial candidate should make promises that they say they will keep if elected. No judicial candidate should announce their position on an issue during a campaign. The law has to be followed as it is written, not as you wish it was written. The law is the only opinion that matters.

 What makes you qualified to be a town justice?
A: I believe I have the skills needed to fill the role of Town Justice. I am an effective communicator with the passion, commitment, diligence, and professionalism needed. But most important of all, I am able to set aside my own personal views and follow the law to decide cases fairly, impartially, free of a political party, ideology, or intimidation.

Do you consider yourself unbiased in all aspects of ruling on cases?
A: Canon #2 of the Code of Conduct for US judges addresses that question of outside influence. “A judge should not allow family, social, political, financial, or other relationships to influence judicial conduct or judgment.” Never will I use this office to advance my own interests or allow others to give the impression that they are in any way in some kind of special relationship that allows them to influence me.  And anyone who says otherwise clearly knows nothing about me or what I stand for.

Would there be any situation that you would recuse yourself due to a conflict of interest?
A: Any judge in a small town is going to have times when recusal is necessary. A judge should disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned. Since this is a basic tenet of being a judge then I would of course recuse myself should a conflict of interest arise.

What is your personal mantra for life?
A: Show some respect. The world needs more of that.

Does your professional mantra differ, and if so, how?
A: I taught my students that you learn your worth from the way you are treated. I treated them the way they deserved to be treated. I talked to them the way they deserved to be talked to. Too many adults demand respect from kids without showing any respect in return. Doesn’t work. My respect was earned, not given.

 What does having ethics mean to you?
A: Ethics to me has a very simple definition.  It is the difference between right and wrong and the standard by which people ought to choose how to act. It embodies all the ideals I believe in: concern for the well-being of others, respect for others, trustworthiness and honesty.

How would you apply this as town justice?
A: Ethics is the very foundation of the criminal justice system. They are what helped us as a society develop the moral reasoning we use to define criminal activity and what is an acceptable punishment for such activity.  Professional ethics for a judge are essential in order to maintain public confidence in his office.

What does the community need to know about you before casting a vote?
A: I am totally committed to this position, to this community, and to always doing what is right, not easy.

Why do you want to serve as Le Roy town justice?
A: I was honored when approached by the Democratic Committee to run for Town Justice. Like everyone else, I have always wanted to give back to my community in some way but, also like everyone else, family, work, and other commitments got in the way of being able to do so.  Now that I was retired I had the time but did I have a good reason to run?  I asked myself two simple questions. Am I passionate about it? Do I know I can do the job required? My answer to both questions was a resounding yes.

Erica O’Donnell is a newcomer to the race, but not to having particular goals for the city, she says. She has a vision for Batavia and how City Council can improve upon some of the many things she believes are going well right now. She is the lone Democrat seeking a council-at-large seat on the Republican-heavy council and thinks that her presence would add some fresh thinking to the nine-member group.

Erica and her husband Patrick purchased their home on Batavia’s southside in 2012, and soon after welcomed a dog named Gatsby, followed a few years later by a daughter Lila, 7, and a son Connor, 4.  Both children attend City Schools. She has been involved with the local Democratic Committee, helped out with her grandfather’s campaigns for Alabama Town Board and clerk, and Genesee County Legislature, and has since volunteered for and organized campaigns for races at every level of government. She served as secretary of the Genesee County Democratic Committee in 2016 and Second Vice Chair in 2017 and was elected Chair of the City of Batavia Democratic Committee in late 2017. 

Q: What do you feel is your responsibility as a council person-at-large?
A: In my mind, the biggest job, and definitely the main responsibility as a city council member, is to represent the city of Batavia You’re at large, so you represent the entire city, so it’s my responsibility to take the concerns, questions, desires, hopes, and dreams, all of that, of the residents of the city of Batavia to council and to city officials and try and execute that to the best of my ability.

Q: What’s going right in Batavia?
A: We’re definitely seeing great growth downtown, with new restaurants and businesses opening, it’s super exciting, just different activities for families and kids. I’m raising my two kids here, I think it’s a wonderful place to raise a family. We get a bad rap sometimes … that’s not been my experience at all. And we’re not perfect, certainly, there are challenges in the city, but the best way to remedy those is to get involved in and around your community. So I’ve seen great things growing for kids, for families to do something. Usually, when I wanted to do something with my kids you have to go to Buffalo or you have to go to Rochester, and now there are places to go and things to do almost every week in Batavia, and I think that’s awesome.

Q: What could use some improvement?

A: We can definitely do better with those things as well. I grew up in Alabama, and my husband grew up in Oakfield and works in Rochester, and we could have shortened his commute by quite a bit by living in Monroe County, but to be perfectly honest it was way more affordable to live in Batavia. The home that we bought on the south side would be triple what we paid for in Henrietta, Brighton, Penfield … it gives us a lot of freedom to be able to stay home with my kids. During COVID I was able to stay home with them. When you talk to people my age, they maybe don’t think of Batavia as a great place to purchase a home and raise a family, and I think just promoting what a great place this is, and geared toward families to come in. And restaurants and bars are great, but you can only do that so many times. I love going to Eli Fish and O’Lacy’s, but it’s probably not the best place for my 5- and 7-year-old.

Q: What would be your top priority for 2022 if elected?
A: I have a couple of pet projects and an overarching vision. My overarching vision is to bring a fresh perspective and new thinking to the council. I’ve been told many times ‘this is the way it’s always been done,’ and I think there are ways we can come to compromises, and things can be difficult and still be achievable. You might not get 100 percent of what you want all the time, but you can make progress, and you can try your very best, and get there little by little. A couple of my little pet things, parking in city lots and city streets overnight. Right now, if I were to go to one of our establishments downtown, have a couple of drinks, and decide, you know what? I need to take Uber home, I need to catch a ride with a friend, I need to walk and do the responsible thing and leave my car overnight with a parking ticket. Yeah, and that's one of those things that I think there could be a compromise.

Obviously, we need to remove snow. Well, is it possible that snow removal can happen on a Tuesday or Wednesday and then Thursday through Sunday it's ok to leave your cars overnight in certain lots? I think there's a solution there. I think there's something that can be done. Same thing for parking overnight … if you're having family functions and if you're doing work on your house. I know at one point our neighbors were siding their house and it was right on our driveway. Well, it took a couple of days. I didn't want to get a nail in my tire, so we parked on the street and had to make a special arrangement with the city so we didn't get a ticket. I still think it shouldn’t be that big of a deal, you know, and that can be fixed easily. It's something that doesn't cost much. And you know, we can find a solution.

The other thing is the city website. That's something that we could walk in, and in a week, fairly cheaply have it fixed. I was looking for someone for the city manager and they'd ask for the city manager's email address and they couldn't find it. It's got to be on the website. And I found Jason Molino's address. And this list, you know, was earlier on in the summer. It can be hard to find the information that you need to either get a hold of someone in the city or just to, you know, maybe you just have a quick question and it should be easier to find on the city website. I just think that that's something that would be an easy fix.

Q: How will you contribute to city operations?
A: I think that I have a different perspective than most City Council members right now. I call myself an older millennial … I just think I'll bring a fresh perspective. I think I would come at things from a different angle than other City Council members. I would also, if elected, be the only Democrat on City Council. And that might not make a huge difference in day-to-day operations. I don't think that matters much too, you know, average citizens when it comes to, you know, they want the streets plowed down, the leaves picked up, the whole spectrum. But I do think it makes a difference to have people who are cut from a different cloth to at least have a different side of things.

I'm not a stranger to City Council. I don't have a problem reaching out. I mean, for as long, really, for as long as I've lived in Batavia, if there's something bothering me, I'll call my City Councilperson. And 99.9 percent of the time, I'm treated with the utmost respect and I get a response.  I don't think it would be a hindrance at all being a Democrat in Genesee County, we're in the minority and I wouldn't get real far if I wasn't willing to work with people who are from the other political parties.

Q: Why should you get a resident’s vote for this position?
A:  Well, I mean, everything that we've discussed already. I think I'd bring a fresh perspective to the city. I think that I'm a hard worker and a creative thinker. I also believe in doing things proactively. I think we've got a bad habit of kicking the can down the road and, even just the police station. That's something that's been going on and been discussed and drawn out for ages, and we still haven’t broken ground. So I think we need to deal with things head-on, and before it becomes a bigger issue.

Just to bring new ideas, creative ideas, thinking outside the box. I'm involved in a lot of different community organizations. I volunteer all the time and I think just by talking to people and just listening to what people have to say, I'm putting it into action. Being involved and hearing from different groups, I think, is something that's needed.

Q: Does there need to be more housing in Batavia?
A: I think there needs to be more affordable housing. I think that. We own our home. But the two houses to either side of us, which are almost identical in square footage, happen to be single-family rentals. And I know the rent of both homes is double my mortgage. OK, so not everyone is able to get a mortgage. Not everyone is in a position to buy a home and maybe doesn't want to buy a home. Maybe they know they need to be mobile for their job, or they're only here temporarily. But they shouldn't be punished with such a huge burden for their rent, so I don't know what the answer to that is. But I do think there needs to be more affordable housing and affordable rentals in the city.

Q: Do you think there should be more downtown businesses, and if so, what types?
A: Absolutely. I think there should be more downtown businesses. And I hope that in the near future, there will be more of a variety of downtown businesses. I mean, restaurants are great. Barbershops are great. You know, I would love to see more retail on the street.

Q: City Council already voted for a new police station. How do you feel about a new police station and its location?
A: I think it’s absolutely necessary for everyone involved. The location they chose wasn't my favorite location, but we spent a long time researching. They put together the task force and this was what they chose. So I think that, you know, you don't ask people's opinions and ignore them if that's what they think is best. And that's, you know, where it should be done.

Q: Do you think the police department needs more, less, or the same funding for what it needs to do?
A: I think things are going well with our police department. Personally, I haven't heard a lot of complaints. I know all of my interactions with the police, and I know I'm saying that a huge amount of privilege as a white woman, has been positive. That being said, I mean, nobody gets a blank check, right? So you need to be responsible for the funding of all of our departments and the police department. No exception.

Q: Do you feel that city taxes are fair for the amenities that taxpayers receive?
A:  I do. Maybe this is going to be an unpopular answer for some people. No, I mean, nobody likes to pay taxes, let's be honest. Yeah, but that's the price we pay to be a part of society. I know that we have a bad snowstorm. I've got to dig out my driveway, but my street's going to get clear. I've got a big pile of leaves out front that my husband dragged out there, that the city can come to pick up. It's my responsibility to pay my fair share. It's the price we pay to be a part of society.

Q: Have you said everything you wanted to about running for council-at-large?
A: Yes.

Elba native Jeremy Karas and his wife Andrea have two boys, Timothy, 14, and 12-year-old Steven. Karas was appointed to serve out the remaining year term when Adam Tabelski resigned from the position, and then Karas served another two-year term. The demands of his service manager position for Temp-Press prevents Karas from participating in a lot of civic organizations, he says, but, aside from giving quality time to his family, he would like to devote himself to serving again on City Council.

Q: What do you feel is your responsibility as a councilman-at-at large?
A: I mean, obviously, we can be responsible for all of the wards throughout the city, not just one single one. So many voters, any constituents within the city of Batavia, can come to us with any concerns or if they have anything that they'd like to see changed with the city. Or, you know, once in a great while we get to hear what we're doing well. But yeah, usually, for the most part, it's something wrong. But, you know, occasionally we get some pats on the back here or there, which is nice. But yeah, I mean, we're just here to listen to anybody and everybody that's willing to talk to us. And I've got some friends and family throughout the city that, you know what? We have some things coming up or, you know, I'll just I'll reach out to them or just when I'm walking my dog in the neighborhood, just say, Hey, you know, what do you think about, you know this or that, that they've been talking about? Or what direction would you like to see us go? And basically, I view their role as just, we have to kind of use your best judgment based on the input you get from the people around you and Batavia. And, you know, help advise city management in a direction to go based on that, then just stay as objective as possible and reach out to as many people as you can.

Q: What's going right with Batavia?
A: I believe a lot of things are OK.  I definitely got in on an interesting time, with the pandemic hitting, and yeah, seeing a lot of the financial restraints that we have and question marks and even uncertainties with, you know, some of the downtown revitalization. I mean, a lot of developers and everybody, everyone just kind of hunkered down and nobody really knew what was going to go on. And it really is nice to see. I mean, Savarino definitely looks like they're finally moving forward on the station there. You know, I mean, it's really great to see some of these projects taking form and moving forward. And we were able to keep baseball on the table as well.

You know, we're looking at options for the ice rink long-term too. I really think the city's got a lot going for it. They just said that, just on the outside of the city, HP Hood is putting up their new facility, upstate Niagara building on the old Alpina plant, Graham is still doing well, Chapins is still here. O-At-Ka is still here. I mean, we have the jobs here to give and support the community as well. You know, it's not just where people have to go to Buffalo and Rochester … we have the jobs, we've got the downtown that's growing and there really is a lot this area has going for it.

Q: What could use some improvement in Batavia?
A: Oh, as far as improvement? Oh, that's a tough one. I mean, nothing is perfect, right? I would like to see more of a focus start heading down towards like the Ellicott Street area for the revitalization, and not just downtown. I think it's great that Main Street is doing what they're doing, but I think that's another area that, you know, once these get taking off, that needs to be another area of focus. I haven't been on long enough to see in the past, but I would like to see some of the facilities being kept up better, more being replaced. And like I said, I just know there's some aging equipment that the fire department has that need to be repaired or replaced, the police department as well. I mean, the fact that they've been in that building, as long as they have, is shameful as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, it really is. I mean, I'd really like to see us stay ahead of stuff a lot more rather than getting to the point where everything's crumbling down around you and you have to move on it, you know? Yeah. And I mean, that's something I like to do, you know, with my job or to help customers with that. We're trying to stay ahead with staying on a replacement plan and keeping things running smoothly. So, yeah, I mean, I would like to see that as far as something I think that could be improved upon. It's just trying to get better, better replacements in line and possibly or even just better purchasing.

Q: What is your top priority for 2022 if you are re-elected?
A: Should I be fortunate enough to get re-elected, I would like to just continue with what we're doing, honestly, like I said, with moving forward with some of the projects downtown. This year's budget should be much easier for management to do. As I said, I know last year we had to make some really hard choices on some cuts and things that we had to push off reserves that didn't get nearly as much as they probably should have. And, I mean, some of the tax revenues and what we've been looking at so far, for all intents and purposes, it looks like the same for this year’s coming budget. Next year, we should be getting back on track where you could start building towards those things and putting a little bit more away. That's really the big thing that I would like to see coming through next year.

Q: How would you personally contribute to city operations?
A: I think all of us on the council, we all come from a little bit different walk of life and we've all got definitely different professional backgrounds that we come from. And I think there have been some instances where I've been able to lend some of my background and expertise with some of the businesses that I deal with where, you know, some of them may have not been exposed to some of that stuff, unfortunately. But yeah, there definitely have been a few issues here. And there were things that were right up my alley.

Q: Why should you get a resident’s vote in this election?
A: I've proven to be a good member of the council. I've had, you know, a handful of residents who have contacted me for some things throughout the time I've been on council, and have helped them to find resolutions to their issues. You know, I know I'm not the loudest one there. I don't jump up and scream and shout out a lot of things. But you know, I'm always willing to listen. Always willing to help out anyone that stops and talks to me or calls me. I always try to make myself available as much as I can, and I really do enjoy the time I spend on council and trying to help make the city a better place.

Q: Do you feel that the city of Batavia needs more housing?
A: I believe it does. I mean, I like to look at, like, a couple of the Realtors’ websites every once in a while just to see. And it seems to me, just from what I've heard from people around my age group, and that it is fairly difficult to find something. And once you know, like if the average family size home does go on the market, it seems like they don't last long. I've seen some in my neighborhood over on Union Street. I mean, they'll only be there a week or two weeks and it's already gone. Sometimes they don't even make it to market. And I know, like when we purchased our house back 15 years ago, it had been on the market for, I think, six or eight months somewhere in there and it was just sitting there. Nobody seemed like anybody was buying that. But yeah, I mean, just from how quickly I see some of them selling now. I believe, yes, the city could benefit from more housing or either maybe some sort of incentive to repair some of the older properties that are here.

Q: Do you feel that downtown needs more businesses, and if so, why types?
A: Oh, absolutely. There's still plenty of empty storefronts there. You know, places for, you know, expansion and places to be repaired and fixed up. I'd definitely love to see more business downtown. As to what they are, that's yet to be seen, but I would absolutely love to see more downtown. I mean, we've already got some very nice restaurants downtown. I don't know if more shops would be feasible. I know some of them to seem to struggle this day and age with the coming out of Amazon and all the online sales. I know it's very tough for those types of businesses. Yeah, it is. I would love to see more of those types of stores. I just I don't know realistically, you know, at this day and age, it's tough to open those kinds of places. It is. I get it. I'm realistic about that. As much as I would love to see more of them down

Q: How do you feel about a new police station and where it’s to be located?
A: It's very shameful that they've been stuck in that building as long as they have. That was when I first came on council. I was able to tour all the departments in that and I did. I spent about half a day with (Chief) Shawn (Heubusch) and he took me through the whole station and showed me everything, and I just I couldn't believe the condition of it. I couldn't. I felt very bad that they are there. I, without a doubt, believe that we need to build them a new station.

As far as the location, I do like talking to Rachel and talking to other members of council and previous studies that they have. They have another one going through, apparently, because of course, those ones were years ago when it was on the plate then and for whatever reasons, that didn't move forward. Yeah. You know it does look like the best location. The utilities are already there. It's city-owned property, which reduces our costs. We don't have to buy property. It's got a lot of checkmarks and positives for it.

The only concern that I mentioned, you know, when we were looking at that and they had some rough sketches, is I just I don't want it to hamper the businesses that are already in that area by taking up too much of that parking lot. The way they had it drawn out, you know, that was the one concern they did raise. I just want to make sure all those buildings along Washington, you know, whether or not you get the movie theater up and going again, depending on what happens with the old Penneys in there, even though they've kind of got their own parking, you know, I think we need to look long term as well once we start to finalize plans for that and just make sure everyone's going to have enough breathing room if they're able to function. And especially when it snows.

Q: Do you feel that the police department could use more, less, or the same funding for what it needs to do?
A:  I believe, you know, that the status quo is ok. As far as the feedback we have received from the chief they are, they're finally up to the full staff, which I know when I first came on council, I believe they were maybe four or five officers short. And that, of course, was causing additional overtime. But yeah, they definitely need the station. But I think once you get them in there, get out of the old building and that, yeah, they seem to have a fairly good replacement plan for the vehicles. I believe they're pretty well set from what we’ve been told.

Q: Do you believe that city taxes are fair for the city amenities that taxpayers receive?
A: Yes, I do believe they are. I mean, they’re only around, I think it's $9.25 per thousand of assessments. I believe that is pretty fair for I mean, considering public safety when you're talking about paying for the fire department and police department and then your DPW as well as all the roads and sidewalks, parks, and that's a lot that's taken care of for that little bit of money.

Q: Why should residents give you a vote?
A: I guess I'm not somebody to jump up and down and scream and shout and I don't like, you know, I'm not one of those people that's going to go up to, you know, to start patting myself on the back, telling you all the great things that I did. But no, I mean, not always open to anybody coming to talk to me, and I'm going to try to stay as objective as possible with anything and everything. We all come from different walks of life. And, you know, I think we can all find a good path forward for the city. You know, if we're all just willing to work together at it, keep a level head.

Q: Have you said everything you wanted to say about running for council-at-large?
A: Yes, I think so.

Eugene Jankowski has served two terms as councilman-at-large and president of Batavia City Council. A firm believer in fiscal responsibility, Jankowski wants to serve as a guardian of the taxpayer’s money to ensure the city gets the best bang for its buck. A former officer and K-9 officer with Batavia City Police Department, Jankowski earned the 2013 Kiwanis Club Criminal Justice Award, is an active member of National Tactical Officers Association, New York Tactical Officers Association, FBI National Academy Association, International Defensive Pistol Association, US Practical Shooting Association, 3 Gun Nation (semi-pro), and a NRA Endowment member. He lives with his wife Leanne.

Q: What do you feel is your responsibility as a councilman-at-large?
A: It is the council at large. I can tell you, what I have done is I've made myself available to assist other ward council members when they need help with a project or are concerned about their neighborhood. I'm available citywide to any person who lives here or has a problem and needs help with something. I'm available, so I'm not limited to one ward where, if they contacted me and I said, I'm sorry, that's not my ward, you have to contact such and such. I can, you know, I jump in and assist wherever I can. And in my role, it’s also as council president. I run the meetings and I take care of the paperwork and some of the other council business so that, you know, I'm available during the day to sign paperwork and get that stuff done and set the agenda. So that's an additional responsibility that's only given to a council member-at-large. Council-at-large is one of three people that can be elected council president by the City Council. That's what I believe my role is, to assist, where necessary, pay attention to the larger picture and, you know, assist any constituent that needs it and also be involved at the meeting and be informed and help to make decisions and help to vote properly so that everyone's represented.

Q: What do you think is going right in Batavia?
A: What's going right is we have a good city manager in place and projects are starting to move forward. The DRI was delayed … A lot of our small businesses took a hit during COVID and everybody and City government and City Hall have worked really hard to get that back on track, and that seems to be working well.

Our income is improving, our tax income is improving, our revenue sources are improving and the city employees and the government departments are working together to provide the services that people expect, and our police department is actively involved in public safety. Our DPW is keeping the roads repaired within reason within our budget because we have to keep our budget low because of COVID. So we're still cautiously optimistic. And roads are getting repaired and grants are getting approved, and hopefully, the Savarino properties will be constructed soon and the City View apartments, that went off good.

So I would say the investment in our downtown and our community. Our economic development is coming back. Our economy is coming back. Still more work to do to keep small businesses involved and make it easy for them to do business in our community. So I think there's a lot, there's so much going on. I could spend the whole hour just talking about all the good things that are going on in youth services that have been improved. Parks program has been improved, although the time is cut back a little bit due to COVID, we've improved. Using the Y has definitely made an improvement in the services to our youth. The mall is getting cleaned up and we got a roof on it, and we're working on the next phase of that project. So there's a lot of, I think there's a lot of good things going on in the community.

Q: What could use some improvement in Batavia?
A: Well, whenever you put a lot of focus on one section, then you know, something else might suffer a little bit due to the budget and COVID, and all the requirements that are involved with city employees, the health department, and so on. That's sucked a lot of energy out of our other projects and the other day-to-day activities that we normally need to pay attention to, like code enforcement and things like that. The court system, which wasn't even handling cases for the longest time unless there were very serious cases. And all that had weight, whether we like it or not. So all that, I think, needs to get restarted back up.

I want to see more attention in the neighborhoods. And help the Elliott Street businesses, Main Street has gotten all the attention. I think it's time to start directing some attention towards our streets, and it's not going wrong, I’m just saying it's been delayed because of circumstances beyond our control. And I'd like to get that accelerated.

Q: What's your what's your top priority for 2022 should you get re-elected?
A: Our biggest priority is to make sure we're going to be doing our first budget like we should have done. So we did a budget and we had a COVID budget that had to get totally mangled, and now we'll be into our normal tight budget. So we don't, nobody has any idea what that's going to look like. They're still trying to put that together. So that's going to be our biggest challenge, is to keep taxes low and spending low and live within our means as a city, and provide the services we can provide within our means and keep the taxes as low as possible. So that's going to be all done during the next budget process. It's going to be very important and it's going to take a lot of effort on all our parts to make sure that we make sure we cover all the bases and make sure we leave no stone unturned to make sure that we're giving the best services to our community for the lowest cost.

Q: Why should you get a resident’s vote?
A:  Because I don't know, that's a good question. I don't know. I'm not really a narcissistic person that would think about why I would need the vote. I just would look at getting supported by the people that I serve. So in my mind, I'd like the opportunity to serve another term. I've done it for 33 years as a police officer, and the city was very good to me, helped me, you know, live in a nice home and feed my family all those years. And now it's time for me to give something back and I'd like to keep serving and to help improve my community wherever I can.

Q: How will you contribute to city operations if you get re-elected?
A: I would do my due diligence by paying attention to city operations and making sure that the budget is done properly and efficiently, and that any citizen problems or concerns are addressed by city staff. They shouldn't have to go to a council member to file a complaint. They should be able to go right to the city staff, and there's a mechanism in place for them to handle those complaints, just like a police officer answering a complaint if there's a sewer problem or a sidewalk problem, city staff is well trained and well able to resolve those situations. So as a council member, it's my job to pay attention to make sure that is being done and keep their due diligence. Make sure that everyone is on the same page, communicating among themselves and … getting things done for the people that live here.

Q: Do you feel that Batavia needs more housing? 
A: Yes Batavia needs more houses and apartments. There is presently more demand than housing available.

Q: Does Batavia need more downtown businesses? And if so, what types would you like to see?
A: Yes, the downtown revitalization projects are underway and I think it’s important to maintain opportunities for all businesses to be successful.

Q: I know a decision has already been made about a new police station, but how do you feel about it and the location?
A: The police station has been under serious discussion for many years. The site has been chosen and plans are in place to construct a new building, as well as preserve the old building with private investment.

Q: Regarding the police department itself, do you feel that the police could use more, less, or status quo as far as funding for what they need to do?
A: The same. They are fully funded and staffed. And there’s a system in place for the department to ask for more money.

Q: Do you think city taxes are fair for the amenities that city residents receive?
A: Yes. We can always do better, but for the services they provide: the pandemic emergency, police, fire, DPW, city staff, yes they’re fair.

Q: Do you feel that you said what you wanted to say as far as running for council? 
A: I've served the community for two terms now. I think my past behavior would be indicative of what my future behavior would be. And so I ask the tough questions. I make sure that we constantly are paying attention to what's going on so that, you know, nothing gets out of whack and everything stays going forward. Progress moving forward. Getting these projects done. Keeping the city in proper repair. You know, keeping the citizens in the right services that they expect and treating them with respect. So, you know, that's all-important, to stay attentive to what's going on. Stay involved.

I’ve learned, you know, long ago is if you want to get good at public speaking, become the expert in what you're talking about, right? So that way, you never have to worry about being up there at a loss for words. So that's important for me if I'm going to do this job. I take it seriously and I represent the people of the city and I want to do my best and put my best foot forward and do my absolute best job because 15,000 people are counting on it. It's important to them. It's important to me. So oftentimes we really pay attention and try to really make sure I know what's going on so that nothing gets by us. So we don't make a major mistake with a lot of money, that would be catastrophic. So, not on my watch.

Newcomer Erica O’Donnell is vying to be the only Democrat in the group come 2022, as she and Republican incumbents Bob Bialkowski, Eugene Jankowski Jr. and Jeremy Karas run for three open seats.

Organized alphabetically, Bob Bialkowski’s interview with the Batavian is first up to cover everything from city businesses and police funding to taxes and why he deserves a vote. Bialkowski is running for his second term and believes he knows how to be successful as a member of the City Council: Represent all of the people in the city of Batavia.

F. Robert “Bob” Bialkowski has served nine years on City Council, with stints from 2008 to 2011, was appointed to fill a vacancy for a year in 2017 and 2018 to present. A Batavia native, Bialkowski has served in the New York Army National Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary, which he presently serves as an aircraft commander. His business ventures include as the founder of Inland Aero Service, Inc. and Great Lakes Aviation, Inc. He has served on the Solid Waste and Recycling Committee, Neighborhood Improvement Committee, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Bob and Madeline, his wife of 53 years, have one son, Robert.

Q: What do you feel is your responsibility as a councilman-at-large?
A: We represent all the citizens. It's sort of a check and balance function because you have council members that represent their communities; council-at-large represents the entire city.

Q: What is going right with Batavia?
A: Oh, I think it's going well. I mean, there's, you know, the bottom line, and we have an administration that's working pretty hard. The administration has been pretty streamlined because we've had retirements and everything else. People aren't jumping out of the woodwork to apply for jobs right now. But I think our administration is really, really going the extra mile, and I think it's all working as is demonstrated. We just got through the pandemic and we didn't bankrupt the city, and thanks to the city that we didn’t come to a grinding halt. We got through it pretty well when we had our council meetings, so we actually had a couple of meetings, but we had, basically, meetings continued on. So I think we have a pretty, pretty good government, pretty functional government, that's for sure. And you know, we don't always agree on everything and we don't always disagree on everything. But we hammered it out, got through it.

Q: What could use some improvement in the city?
A: Well, a lot of things could use improvement, but this starts out with earnings, like saying what could use some improvement on your home and office? We all need improvements. And you know, there’s our core staff for finances to infrastructure, where you have a lot of infrastructure issues, but a lot of them were on top of it, you know …  we spent a lot of money on sidewalks every year and on-street repairs.

We're doing a lot of upgrading right now. I mean, we have a lot of things in the works for next year to be upgraded. And so those are all going on now, and a new police station’s in the works and that'll be happening long overdue by about 50 years. And you know, it's too bad that existing buildings are in such disrepair. But it is what it is, it’s something we can't go back in history. You can only learn from history. You can't go back and change it.

Q:  What would be your top priority for 2022 if you're re-elected?
A: My top priorities are the same priorities I've had for the last nine years of being on councils: to represent the people, be a voice for the people. And one of the things that I've been quoted on, I've done it many, many times. Some people call, they have concerns, but that's a bigger concern. I ask them to please come and speak to our council, take five minutes out of your life. I respect the council and to make all this work make us aware of your feelings, your thoughts. And also the media will be there. The media will pick up on it and you will get action if you come and speak to the council. That's the best way to get action. I mean, as far as just calling your individual councilperson, they will resolve it. But the only reason I'm in this is to represent the members of the committee, and I have no personal gain by doing any of this.



Q: How do you feel that you personally will contribute to city operations? 
A: I tell you, I'm quite outspoken as you know. So, you know, I get the message out there. I represent the people that are out there. I do my homework. I always research everything. I'm not afraid to make phone calls. I call state agencies. We recently had an issue come up here earlier in the year, and those people came and spoke at the council meeting and they expressed their concerns. It was about disc golf at Centennial Park. And after they spoke, I contacted the state Parks Commission and spoke to the state park managers for Western New York. I contacted each one individually … about the cost, hazards, everything else, and I did contact and could speak with the western New York Regional Parks Commissioner about the issue. And you know, for sure, for all our neighbors had concerns and we should know this isn't for Centennial Park. And I think it's kind of, we haven't heard it back since it was handed off to them to see what kind of potential there is to do it in another park. But this is typical, just the way I operate. I guess I just do the work involved.

Q: Why should you get a resident’s vote?
A: Why should I get a vote? They want somebody that's going to work hard for them. I don't care about party affiliation, political views or whatever. I work for the residents. It's that simple. If you want somebody that's going to work for you, I'm curious. I'm not in there for my own personal agenda. I'm not in there to promote walking on the Moon or anything like that. I'm just standing there to represent the community, the citizens of the city, I’m trying to improve our community. And I feel people really need representation.

Q: Do you feel that Batavia needs more housing? 
A: You know, I'm going to answer that with one of the questions that I always return with. I've heard about homeless veterans. My question is where are they living now? I don't see homeless people walking the streets of Batavia, living under trees, or living in the parks. When we say well, you need more housing for the homeless, who do we need housing for? I mean, if I saw a whole bunch of people living in the city that don't have housing, or are there people that want better housing at a lower price? Are there people from other counties that want to move here or are being asked to move here? So I don't know. I mean, do we need more housing? I think housing is a commodity like anything else. I mean, I remember when I first got married, apartments were very scarce. I don't think there were like 10 apartments available in the community. Well, Madeline and I went out and looked at several apartments and found an apartment. But I hear this. We need more housing or we need housing for homeless people. I think that's not a simple yes or no answer.

Q: Does Batavia need more downtown businesses? And if so, what types would you like to see?
A: Well, I think the best thing government can do is stay out of the private sector. First of all, just because you're in a position as an official, that does not make you an expert in business or an expert on anything. You should just be there to represent the people. I think the one thing downtown businesses need is more of a streamlined process to remodel buildings. You know, they're stressed and have so many regulations and laws and zoning and code and building permits. It can take a year of planning. I think we need to do some streamlining there. But you know, I would like to see more retail and all that. But the reality is one small retail store downtown would only be one aisle in a big box store. Yeah. So there's a competition, and we knew that years ago and there is nothing we can do about this. American people have opportunities.

Q: I know a decision has already been made about a new police station, but how do you feel about it and the location?
A: Well, we put out a request for proposals for engineering contracts. A couple of things we have to look at. We didn't want to build in a flood zone because that would jump the cost substantially by a 25 to 35 percent increase in costs. So do we want to do that to the taxpayers? Absolutely not. Absolutely not. We don't want to spend any more taxpayers’ money than we have to. If we don't do something soon, we're going to have to move the police out of there. And I don't know where that would be, put them in a big tent or something? The building is no longer usable because it needs to be redone. And you know, if we start construction right now, it will be two years before they can move in any way. So there's the timeframe. We're looking at the location, it's a great downtown location. It's downtown, it's right up from the Main Street central Area. I mean, it has everything going for it. It's in a parking lot that the city already owns, so we don't have to procure land and there's a lot of flexibility involved with that. So yeah, I just think it's a win for the taxpayers, a win-win for everybody. As far as financially, we can afford it and we were able to say OK. 



Q: Regarding the police department itself, do you feel that the police could use more, less, or status quo as far as funding for what they need to do?
A: Well, we are not defunding the police. I don't know of any single person who wants our police department defunded. Yeah. We're not going to play that game. We're not going to go down that road. At least I'm not. I don't think most of the council does. It's like any of our services. Sure, fire, police, DPW, they can always use more funding. But you know, we're getting by. We have strict limits on overtime. We have limits on the number of policemen. So yeah, they can always use more funding, but more funding means raising the taxes. So people want more police or more of DPW or more sidewalks or whatever. OK. How much do you want your taxes to go up? Oh, it'll be a different story. So we're doing the best we can.

Q: Do you think city taxes are fair for the amenities that city residents receive?
A: Oh, yes, absolutely. I mean, the city has more park area per population than almost all the cities where you have plenty of parks. We have a pretty darn decent infrastructure. We're putting in new water lines, we're putting in handicapped, accessible sidewalks, which is very important to me, and it's up to sustainability and walkability where our streets are. Most of our streets are in excellent shape. There are sidewalks that are on the schedule to be built or making it to some streets. But it's expensive infrastructure, very expensive today, as I’ve pointed this out to many people, to replace. One block costs $350 and that's for one sidewalk block. Like, that's why we don't replace individual blocks anymore. We do it all by contract. We just put out a contract to replace 2000 feet of sidewalks at a time or whatever it takes. We have some aging trees. We have trees that should have never been planted in the city that happened. So that means now we have trees that are dead and they have to be cut down. So to cut one tree down in front of a home cost about $3,700. So, big money. Everything is big money and there's no way around it. So, you know, our DPW and our administration are doing the best they can to keep everything in check and keep costs down.

Q: Do you feel that you said what you wanted to say as far as running for council?
A:  You know, I just want to add that one of the things I think I'd like to see is for the citizens to communicate more freely, to talk to their neighbors … nobody talks to each other. Yeah, the first person people call is the police. That guy who walked across my front lawn, and they say ‘I don't want to do it.’ Sometimes you just have to be able to communicate. People are reluctant to do it, to me, because, you know, we still have some communication problems.

And another one is a consideration. Don't park your car over the sidewalk so we’re walking down the street.  You should go out into the street. Number one, it's against the law. Number two, you are liable when you do that. And number three, it’s just darn rude to do to your neighbors, your friends. That's part of living in the city. Part of living in the city is getting along.

You know, take care of your property to make sure your home is maintained the best you can. So I think it's very important.

And you know, there are those people out there that are campaigning and promising to do everything in the world, so people need to remember it’s City Council; there's nine of us. Yeah, any individual is only one person on council. A lot of people don't even understand how local government works. You have to get it on an agenda, bring it to a conference meeting and hammer it out in public. Oh, we don't discourage anyone from speaking at a council meeting. Sign up to speak, and a lot of times it really does get results. I always encourage people to come to a meeting and speak and give some examples. And then, after all that, for the vetting process, you know, it goes to our business meeting, and then it gets voted out. No single person can really do anything. Government has a very good reason to move very slowly because God help us if an individual can just make a request, that can be dangerous and reckless.

Ireland, speaking at the GOW Opioid Task Force meeting via Zoom earlier this month, said access to a specially-built foyer in front of the fire headquarters on Evans Street for those struggling with substance use has made a big difference – not only for those individuals who are seeking help but also for the fire department personnel assigned to support them.

The Task Force, in conjunction with the Greater Rochester Health Foundation and Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, hosted a public event at the fire station this summer to welcome the City of Batavia FD into the fold – joining the City of Batavia and Village of Le Roy police departments and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

The City of Batavia FD is the first fire department in the state to be a part of the PAARI network.

Ireland (photo at right) said that by educating them about substance use and addiction, firefighters learned to understand what some people are going through.

“There were some in our department who said they didn’t want those people in our building; that they didn’t want to deal with addicts,” he said. “Through education, that was a very easy hurdle to change. Educating our firefighters and employees to the opioid crisis.”

PERCEPTIONS HAVE CHANGED

He also said a key factor in the education process was when a GCASA peer advocate came to the fire department and met with every one of the firefighters.

“That really bridged that gap. They were able to see that these are real people who have real struggles and eventually can be successful,” he said.

Ireland, in thanking the GRHF for a grant that made it possible, pointed to the secure area for PAARI intake at the building’s front door as overcoming another hurdle.

“We were able to build a double-door foyer for intake now, and that’s where the process starts,” he said. “But a firefighter is assigned to stay with that person from the minute they walk in until the peer counselor from GCASA arrives.”

Ireland took on the role as coordinator of the PAARI program for the department after learning the success the Chatham Police Department had in starting several years ago. The initial thought of Chatham organizers was to reduce petty crime by taking those with substance use disorder off the street by getting them help.

“Think about these folks who have that substance use disorder, and they’ll basically take from anything to feed their habit,” he said. “So, what they found is that by eliminating the people with substance use disorder in his community, they reduced the petty crime – theft and things of that nature because people weren’t stealing to buy drugs. That was the whole goal of this program. It reduces crime and there’s some scientific evidence to prove that.”

Ireland said medics use special business cards – printed with “Addiction is not a crime, it’s a disease” and “Help is available 24/7” – when responding to calls involving drug use.

“We will leave the cards on the kitchen table as we leave,” he said. “Our hope is someday maybe they will pick that up, see it and maybe it’s the right time for them to accept the help.”

NON-ARREST PATHWAYS TO TREATMENT

PAARI’s mission is to provide training, guidance, support, and resources to help law enforcement agencies nationwide create non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery.

It was founded by the Gloucester (Mass.) Police Department along with the Angel Program in June 2015 – creating a simple, stigma-free entry point to treatment and reframing addiction as a disease.

Under this program, those struggling with substance use can go to the law enforcement agency 24/7 and receive help, stigma-free, GOW Opioid Task Force Coordinator Christen Ferraro said.

“What that means is that an officer will meet them at the door and they will help them to get the help that they need,” she said. “If they have drugs on them, police or fire officials will dispose of those drugs for them, they will connect them with the resources for treatment and recovery, and kind of be that first entry point to getting help.”

One of those resources is the support of a GCASA peer support advocate – a team player, often in recovery, who steps into the role of providing a bridge between providers and clients that facilitates the medical and psychosocial care of the client.

Rob Shields, who spoke during the meeting, is one of those people.

MAKING CONNECTIONS IS THE KEY

“As someone in recovery, I wish that I knew about a program like this due to the fact that I might have not gone through the struggles that I went through,” Shields said before explaining his responsibilities.

He said that those struggling with substance use need someone they can connect with – someone who can relate to their situation.

“A peer advocate or peer support advocate emphasizes their support for the peer they're working with,” he said. “They connect with the peer and fight for what they need. Peer advocates can be found next to peers in court. They help them come up with coping skills and ways to monitor their own progress.”

Shields (photo at right) emphasized that substance dependency can be “a scary place.”

“You get to the point where you don’t know where to turn, and you don’t know who to talk to. You’re in so deep, that nothing else matters in your life,” he explained. “You think that people won’t give you the time of day, but with the PAARI program you have people that are there to support you and connect you to the resources to help you on your road to recovery.”

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Along with the options of going to the agencies mentioned above, other avenues for those seeking help with substance use disorder are the 24/7 telephone hotline -- CARE + CRISIS / WYO CO CRISIS 585-283-5200 / PEER PHONE LINE 585-815-1800 -- and GCASA’s The Recovery Station at 5256 Clinton Street Rd., Batavia.

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.