The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors will consider an initial resolution for GE Bergen Owner, LLC’s proposed 196,000-square-foot facility at Apple Tree Acres in the town of Bergen at its board meeting on Thursday, June 6.
The proposed facility would be leased to an end user and proposes to create 60 new full-time equivalent positions.
“This expansion continues the success of the development of the Apple Tree Acres business park similar to the growth we have experienced at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park which also is almost at full capacity,” said GCEDC Senior Vice President Mark Masse. “In just the last few months, we celebrated the expansions of Liberty Pumps and Craft Cannery and the continued success of businesses in the logistics and manufacturing sectors.”
GE Bergen Owner LLC is requesting sales tax exemptions estimated at approximately $1.75 million, a property tax abatement of approximately $2.15 million a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT), and a mortgage tax exemption of $366,000.
The proposed incentives for the project are estimated to generate $38 million in wages/benefits and revenues for local governments generated by the development over 10 years. The project generates a $13 fiscal impact for every $1 of proposed incentives.
The project is pending, subject to receiving Empire State Development incentives.
The June 6 GCEDC board meeting will be held at 4 p.m. at the MedTech Center’s Innovation Zone, 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia. Meeting materials and links to a live stream/on-demand recording of the meeting is available at www.gcedc.com.
Alexander Fire hosted a DWI drill on Thursday at its Rec Hall for Alexander High School seniors.
The fatal accident simulation is designed to remind the students of the dangers of drinking and driving and the impact one poor decision can have on the lives of friends, family, and the community.
Area volunteer fire departments from throughout the county hold DWI drills at this time of year in advance of prom nights.
More than 600 students from across Genesee County attended the 40th annual Kinderfarm event. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Now in its 40th year in Genesee County, Kinderfarmin' may hold a unique spot in New York -- the last event of its kind in the state.
What started as a dairy farm day for first graders evolved into a more comprehensive introduction to farming for kindergartners, according to Natasha Sutherland of Stein Farms in Le Roy and one of a small group of local farmers who organize the annual event.
This year, it was held at Hildene Farms in Pavilion, the same location it has been held at for the past few years.
"We talk about ecosystems, habitat lifecycles, the kids meet farmers, and it takes up the entire day's curriculum so the teachers get a day off," Sutherland said.
The event is supported by donations at the Celebrate Ag Dinner and by support from Dairy Farmers of America, Upstate Niagara, Genesee County Soil and Water, and Farm Credit East.
More than 700 students from Genesee County visited the farm on Wednesday.
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On Wednesday, the Genesee Country Decorative Painters presented more than two dozen hand-painted decorative boxes for staff at the VA Hospital in Batavia to hand out to patients.
Helen Ronin said that every year, the group selects one or two community projects. This year, they decided to give back to the VA for its ongoing support of the group. The VA allows the group to meet regularly in the hospital's auditorium.
"We did this to present to the veterans because e of their service and what they've done for us," Ronin said. "And they let us meet here every time we need it."
The boxes contain a couple of useful items. Veterans might receive them on their birthdays or other special occasions or just because they need a "pick-me-up."
"They just need to know sometimes, if somebody is having a really hard time, that people do care," Ronin said.
The Decorative Painters are hobbyists who paint on objects.
"We paint pictures, wood, furniture, whatever. Whatever is in our way we get rid of it by painting on it," Ronin said with a laugh.
Cindy Baker, volunteer services specialist for the Batavia VA, said the VA is grateful for the donations.
"These are beautiful," she said. "They are gorgeous. I'm happy to be able to hand these to veterans and they will be very, very happy to receive these."
Elba Fire, with assistance from Mercy Flight/EMS, the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Dispatch, Byron Fire, H.E. Turner Funeral Homes, and the Office of Emergency Services, staged the annual pre-prom DWI drill for seniors at Elba High School on Wednesday morning.
The drill stages the scene of a DWI-related fatal accident. The purpose is to give students a realistic view of what happens at a serious injury/fatal accident scene and how it impacts family, friends, and community members.
Andrew David Strollo and Julia Clark were scholarship recipients for the annual award night. Photo by Steve Ognibene
The Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation honored area outstanding students on Tuesday at its 40th Scholarship Awards Dinner.
Honored were:
Andrew David Strollo. Andrew Strollo is a student at Le Roy High School and is the son of Jeff and Jessica Strollo. He will graduate this spring, Summa Cum Laude. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Deca, Knight Media, and the Scholastic Bowl.
Julia Clark. Julia Clark is a graduating Senior at Batavia Senior High School and the daughter of Paul and Patricia Clark. She plans to attend Mercyhurst University and double major in Business and Intelligence studies. Julia will also play softball for Mercyhurst.
Julia Clark received the Vincent Gautieri Memorial Scholarship from members of his family. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Andrew David Strollo received the Paolo Busti scholarship. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Annette La Barbera, co-chair of scholarship awards, presented them to the award recipients Julia Clark and Andrew David Strollo Photo by Steve Ognibene
Victor Gautieri spoke about his father, Vito, in recognition of the founder of the foundation in celebration of 40 years. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Frank Panepento played the national anthem. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Robert W. Burgdorf, an attorney based in Rochester, representing Verizon at Tuesday's Town of Batavia Planning Board meeting. Photo by Howard Owens.
A major telecommunications company's application to erect a new mobile device cell tower is a fairly straightforward approval process for local planners, and on Tuesday evening, Robert W. Burgdorf of Rochester, an attorney representing Verizon, provided several useful nuggets of information.
It was an initial meeting in the regulatory process with the Town of Batavia Planning Board. The application must still undergo an environmental review and a public hearing, but Burgdorf was happy to discuss the process and some of the technical issues involved in installing a cell tower.
Cell towers are extremely location-sensitive because they have to be high enough to reach the neighboring towers but not so high that there is a spillover of signals into the neighboring cells.
"They've got to be placed so that they can hand off to the neighboring cells, again without interfering," Burgdorf said.
They wind up in a honeycomb-like grid, not too close but not too far apart.
Cell towers generally serve a one or two-mile area and can't be too close together or too far apart.
If the tower is under 200 feet tall—this one will be 154 feet tall—the Federal Aviation Administration does not require lighting or striping.
This down will be a matted steel gray.
"We've learned, and we've actually done studies, that this blends in with our skies in Western New York," he said.
An observation a couple of board members quipped was a depressing thought.
Oh, and 5G doesn't cause COVID.
A board member's question prompted the discussion of health concerns about cell towers. Burgdorf said federal law preempts that as a concern for local planners, which he regrets because it also preempts an opportunity to educate the public.
"This is a radio signal, that's all this is," he said. "It is an incredibly weak radio signal. We've had radio signals around since the 20s, the 30s. The only difference between this and a television or radio station is that those operated tens of thousands of watts, sometimes megawatts. So the power levels, from radio and television, just radio signal is much, much stronger than these. These are incredibly weak. They have to be incredibly weak for two reasons. One is they can't interfere with neighboring cells, which are often a mile, two miles away, and we have to be able to get a return path from the user"
He said that if anybody is concerned about cell phone signals, the first thing they should do is seek to do is shut down radio and television signals.
"The issue does come up, but anybody who looks into it, who's being rational, will see that that's not really an issue," Burgdorf said.
The tower will be located at 9300 Wilkinson Road on a 100x100-foot leased parcel. It will be fenced, and a small gravel road will connect it to Wilkinson. There will be minimal traffic to the location—maybe one maintenance worker a month will visit the site.
The board voted to seek lead agency for coordination purposes under the state's SEQR regulations (pronounced seek-ur, it stands for State Environmental Quality Review Act) even though Burgdorf informed lead agency designation for this project is not strictly required.
The board did it as a matter of course, because that is its standard practice, but board members said they will seek their attorney's opinion.
"It's not a fatal error to declare yourself lead agency," Burgdorf said, so he didn't object.
He said a lead agency is only required when there are other "involved" agencies. In this case, other agencies, such as the Genesee County Planning Board, are only "interested" agencies, so there is nothing in the SEQR process to coordinate with other involved agencies.
"Look, the SEQR regs are a pain. They really are," he said. "They're pretty convoluted and they force a lot of municipalities to really become an expert. It is a pretty intense set of regulations, so for what it's worth, if you declare yourself lead agency, that's not the process, but it doesn't make it defective, so whatever you want to do."
Chamber President Brian Cousins presents a display check to Jonell Chudyk, Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary; Marcy Colantonio, Volunteers for Animals; Maryanne Arena, Mary Land Haven for Horses; Pamela Harmon, Cherry Hill Sanctuary. Photo by Howard Owens.
Proceeds from the sale of a children's book developed by the Chamber of Commerce -- “Genny Sees the Eclipse” -- will help feed rescue animals and even enable a couple of sanctuaries to give a couple of horses a safe place to retire.
On Tuesday, Brian Cousins, president of the Chamber, presented $28,653.56 to Jonell Chudyk, Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary; Marcy Colantonio, Volunteers for Animals; Maryanne Arena, Mary Land Haven for Horses; Pamela Harmon, Cherry Hill Sanctuary.
Each organization is receiving $7,163.39.
"This is truly life-changing," said Chudyk. "I know for us from Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary, that amount, that total amount, will pay for the amount of hay that we need through winter. So thank you so much."
Harmon said the $7,000 would help Cherry Hill rescue more horses, and Arena, at Mary Land, said her rescue for retired racehorses would be able to add two horses to its stable.
"It may sound like, 'Oh, two horses,' but that means two lives saved," Arena said.
The book was produced to educate children about the April 8 total eclipse of the sun in Genesee County. The chamber received orders from 28 states -- including Hawaii -- and 165 cities. Forbes named it one of the best five books for people to buy to learn more about the eclipse.
It was written by Colleen Onuffer and illustrated by Andy Reddout.
"We talked to the agriculture community, and we talked with the scientific community to make sure the book was true to life," Cousins said. "Then we thought about how we could commemorate this book to our community, and we thought of you and your selfless devotion to these animals. If you take a look at the book, you will see each one of the animals that you take care of day in and day out are represented in that book."
Jonell Chudyk, Mockingbird Farm Sanctuary, expressing her gratitude for the donation to her organization. Photo by Howard Owens.
Cover of Genny Sees the Eclipse Photo by Howard Owens.
Illustrator Andy Reddout also designed a barn quilt, shown on this model barn, and also on a barn on Route 19 in Le Roy. Photo by Howard Owens.
GLOW OUT! is excited and proud to announce multiple events, with the potential for many more throughout Pride Month across the GLOW region. We welcome the LGBTQ+ community, allies, friends, and loved ones to the 2024 festivities.
This year's theme is "Be Your Passion. Be Your Pride."
On Friday, June 7 all are welcome at Eden Cafe’s First Friday Art Opening featuring Buffalo artist Janna Willoughby-Lohr and an exhibit from LGBTQ+ youth superstars from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Eden Cafe is located at 242 Ellicott St in Batavia.
Also on Friday, June 7 those 21 and over are invited for a Professional Happy Hour at GO ART! from 4 - 6 p.m. Meet your peers, make some friends, and get ready for Pride! GO Art! is located at 201 Main Street, Batavia.
Finally on Saturday June 8, join us for our Pride Parade, Festival, Vendor Fair & Story Hour. The afternoon begins with the Drag Queen Story Hour event for families in Jackson Square at 3 p.m.
Then the Pride Parade will line up at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, with marchers assembling at 4 p.m. and stepping off at 5 p.m.
The route will cross Main Street, turn left onto Washington Avenue, and again onto Bank Street, finishing at Jackson Square for the Pride Festival, featuring family-friendly drag performances from 6 - 10 p.m. While waiting for the parade, enjoy the vendor fair on Jackson Street from 4 to 8 p.m. featuring eclectic artisans, local non-profits, and a variety of food trucks!
The State University of New York Board of Trustees today appointed Dr. Craig Lamb as president of Genesee Community College. Lamb’s appointment is effective August 1, 2024.
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “After an extensive and thorough search for the president of Genesee Community College, we would like to congratulate Dr. Craig Lamb. He is no stranger to SUNY, serving at GCC since 2013. His incredible career championing higher education will serve him well as he leads the institution into a bright future.”
“Community colleges offer so much for the areas they serve, from workforce development and microcredentials for individuals seeking to upskill, to providing students with springboards from associate degrees to our bachelor’s degree programs,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “Having presidents who understand each campus and know what the communities need is crucial in fostering student success and upward mobility. I congratulate Dr. Lamb on his appointment and look forward to collaborating for the benefit of our students, faculty, and staff.”
About Dr. Craig Lamb
Dr. Craig Lamb joined Genesee Community College in 2013 and currently serves as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Having held various leadership and administrative roles, Dr. Lamb is a believer in the transformative power of a high-quality, affordable, and accessible college education, especially for individuals who have been historically underrepresented and underserved. Dr. Lamb’s efforts are driven by his commitment to inclusivity, intellectual and social growth, shared governance, fiscal responsibility, and the development of life-long learners.
Dr. Lamb’s career has been dedicated to the public postsecondary educational sector, including previous positions at SUNY Empire State University, the University of Connecticut, and SUNY Plattsburgh. He has completed several professional development programs specifically focused on executive leadership within an ever-changing educational environment. Along with his professional and administrative roles, Dr. Lamb has taught a variety of college courses in face-to-face, hybrid, and online modalities for more than two decades.
Dr. Lamb earned his Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from the University at Albany, and his Master of Science in College and Agency Counseling from SUNY Plattsburgh.
Chair of the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees Jacalyn Whiting said, “The Genesee Community College trustees are pleased to welcome Dr. Craig Lamb as our next president. Dr. Lamb brings extensive experience and leadership to this role, and we look forward to working closely with him in continuing our commitment to student success above all else.
Dr. Lamb said, “It is a profound privilege to be selected as the next President of Genesee Community College. I am deeply thankful to those who have entrusted me with this role. For the past ten years, I have been honored to be part of the GCC community, and I am excited to lead our campus in our steadfast commitment to student success.”
Lynda Battaglia, director of Mental Health & Community Services. Photo by Howard Owens
When a criminal suspect with mental health issues enters the justice system following an arrest, that defendant has a constitutional right to understand the proceedings, whether the defendant eventually ends up accepting a plea offer or facing trial.
Officials in Genesee County want to see the law changed because it is antiqued, and complying with it is expensive and less effective than more contemporary options for dealing with a defendant's mental health capacity.
To that end, the Genesee County Legislature is preparing to pass a resolution asking the State Legislature to amend Article 730. The Human Services Committee on Monday recommended the resolution be presented to the full Legislature.
"We're in a new era, and things need to change," Lynda Battaglia, director of Mental Health & Community Services, told the committee. "We have more innovative services; we have diversion; we have mental health treatment courts. All of that can be utilized before a person even gets to court. We have mental health treatment courts and drug treatment courts. All of those (options) will assist with lowering the cost of restoration."
With four defendants currently in state mental health hospitals undergoing restoration services, the county is facing a potential expense for 2024 of $1.2 million after budgeting only $300,000 for such services.
County Manager Matt Landers explained that he knew the expense could be higher when he was preparing the budget. The annual expense is impossible to predict because there is no way to guess at how many people arrested will have potential competency issues. If he had included even just another $300,000 in the budget, the property tax rate for the county would have gone up. With the conservative approach, he could avoid raising taxes, he said, and if the unanticipated expense hit, find the money elsewhere in county coffers -- for example, higher than anticipated sales tax revenue or fund reserves.
On Monday, the Human Services Committee also approved a resolution transferring $300,000 from personal services and the medical line item to contracted mental health care. The resolution still needs to be approved by the full Legislature at its next meeting.
The purpose of Article 730 is to ensure a defendant is able to understand the charges against him or her and participate in his or her own defense.
The state operations "forensic" hospitals solely for the purpose of trying to restore a defendant to competency so they can participate in the legal proceedings.
While competency restoration provides medication, the primary purpose is to help the defendant understand the proceedings in the courtroom.
It is not mental health treatment and does nothing to help alleviate or manage the defendant's mental health issues.
Judges, according to the proposed resolution, often do not understand that competency restoration is no substitute for mental health treatment.
Restoration can take from 90 to 150 days at a cost to the county of $1,300 a day.
Some defendants in New York have been in restoration for three, six, or even 10 years, though by legal precedent, the state cannot hold a mentally incompetent person indefinitely.
"They do have a right to restoration," Battaglia said. "They have to understand what's happening, what charges are being brought against them and to understand the trial process. That's their civil liberties."
Landers hopes that the four defendants currently receiving restoration services will be found competent to proceed with legal proceedings well before the county's bill approaches that $1.2 million mark.
He said he met with other county administrators from throughout the state a month ago, and competency restoration costs were a common concern.
All are pushing for changes in Article 730, including ensuring judges understand the 730 process is not mental health treatment and that the professionals conducting competency exams inform judges whether there is a reasonable chance of restoration, allowing judges to explore diversion programs and mental health treatment.
The change would also require counties to invest any savings realized from reform into community-based mental health services.
"It makes too much sense and I guess we're frustrated because from a clinical and from a financial side, we don't understand why there isn't movement on this," Landers said.
County Manager Matt Landers. Photo by Howard Owens
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is sponsoring a proposal in the state Assembly that would eliminate the registration fee for Gold Star mothers’ and Gold Star family members' distinctive license plates.
Hawley believes this initiative is a small way for New York to show its appreciation for the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
“As an Assemblyman and a veteran, one of my top priorities is finding ways to give back to the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Hawley. “Gold Star families have given so much for our country and this is just one small way for our state to show our gratitude for all they have done. I’m proud to sponsor this proposal and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to consider this initiative to show our thanks to our Gold Star families.”
YWCA of Genesee County is growing! Executive Director, Jamie Rada, announces several new board members carefully chosen to meet the needs of the agency.
“Our community has some incredible resources, agencies, and people. Our goal is not to reinvent the wheel but to work with community members to fill in gaps and assure that there is an intersectionality of services and support for the people we help. We have an amazing team of staff and an incredible, dedicated board," says Jamie Rada, Executive Director.
The Executive Board includes:
Board Chair - Georganne Mott-Lang, Community Integration Specialist for Lifetime Assistance, Inc.
Vice President - Emily Marling, Certified Financial Planner for Merrill Lynch
Treasurer - Shannon Ford, Service Director of Communications and Development for Uconnect Care
Board Members include:
Dr. Emily Fraser Branche, Pediatrician and Practice Owner for Three Little Birds Pediatrics
Cassandre DiPiazza, Licensed Clinical Social Worker for Veterans Health Administration
Chris Fix, retired
Laurie Pfaff, Senior Manager of Marketing Support for Liberty Pumps
Lisa Smith, Senior Employment and Training Counselor for Genesee County Job Development Bureau
Lauren Casey, Financial Assistant for the Genesee County Economic Development Center
Ashlee Reigle, Human Resources Manager for Liberty Pumps
Anita Strollo, Coordinator for Genesee County Business Education Alliance
“Each of these women brings an incredible and unique skillset to the table, allowing us to enter into a period of agency and program growth and development in order to expand our reach and support more people”, says Rada.
Photo from 2022 recycling event. Photo by Howard Owens.
Press Release:
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is once again partnering with Sunnking Sustainable Solutions to offer free electronic device collection and recycling for the community. Collection day will be Saturday, June 22 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the parking lot at 5130 E Main Street Rd. in Batavia. Pre-registration is requested of all attendees at the website https://form.jotform.com/Sunnking/eo-batavia---june-2024.
“Recycling is a small but impactful way we can help keep our communities clean and I’m grateful to the good people at Sunnking Sustainable Solutions for partnering with me for another year of work,” Hawley said. “Anything from cell phones to computers to TVs can be recycled, so please, register today and help keep our communities clean!”
Genesee County is pleased to announce the expansion of the Hiring Emergency Limited Placement (HELP) Program, approved by the New York State Department of Civil Service, to address staffing shortages for critical roles.
The HELP Program, initially implemented for the following key positions, has now been extended to include several additional titles.
Previously Approved HELP Program Titles:
Caseworkers
Emergency Services Dispatchers
Mental Health Clinical Therapists
Mental Health Clinical Social Workers
Social Welfare Examiners
Newly Approved Non-Competitive Positions:
Accounting Supervisors
Assistant Social Worker II
Case Manager II
Clerk Typist
Electronic Health Records Program Specialist
Financial Clerk Typist
Housing Coordinator
Intake Clerk
Legal Clerk Typist
Motor Vehicle Service Representative
Effective immediately until December 31, 2024, candidates hired for these positions will not be required to undergo Civil Service testing and will be hired in a non-competitive classification. This extension aims to enhance recruitment efforts, increase the pool of qualified candidates, and alleviate concerns about exam requirements.
The County's Human Resources Department will continue collaborating with various departments to ensure a smooth transition and effective recruitment for these roles.
Candidates must still meet the minimum qualifications for their respective positions. Genesee County remains committed to maintaining high standards and ensuring hired professionals are well-suited for their roles.
For further information or inquiries about the expanded HELP Program, please contact the Genesee County Human Resources Department at 585-815-7805 or civilservice@geneseeny.gov.
The Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden have commissioned five beautiful interpretive panels that are scheduled to be unveiled at the Batavia Peace Garden during a special ceremony on Thursday, June 6 at 1 p.m.
The public is invited to attend. A reception will follow with light refreshments at the Holland Land Office Museum.
The interpretive panels were designed by local graphic artist, Matt Steinberg.
These panels were made possible through the generous support of GoArt! and the NYS Community Regrant Program.
These beautiful panels complete phase one of the Batavia Peace Garden. Phase two is a work in progress located behind the Genesee County Court House.
We invite the public to visit the Batavia Peace Garden and enjoy the ongoing display of beautiful seasonal blooms and artistic displays. We have an amazing story to tell and now that the panels are installed, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about our fascinating history.
The Batavia Peace Garden is made possible and maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers. Volunteers are always needed and welcome to assist in the many activities of maintaining this beautiful community garden.
Please visit our website at Bataviapeacegarden.com for more information.
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