There’s the smuggling, dealing, buying and using of drugs, and then there’s a whole other end of it, quite literally.

And Genesee County officials — including from law enforcement, emergency management, health and mental health departments, Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and administration — are looking into a way that measures just what types and the amounts of drugs being consumed in the largest areas here.

To do that, they're going to test wastewater flowing through treatment plants in Le Roy and Batavia.

The cost to test at the two sites is $1,000 per month per site, and Public Health Director Paul Pettit said it's a worthy investment to collect the data on a weekly basis.

“And essentially, this is a little different than the wastewater analysis we're doing in-house. This is for chemicals. So this is looking at fentanyl, methamphetamines, cocaine, nicotine, they're also in the process of adding xylazine into the analysis that they could do. So when you look at the different types of drugs out there, it's kind of an expansive list that they're able to track and monitor on a weekly basis, we'd be able to see the different trends,” Pettit said during the county’s Human Services meeting Monday. “So, you know, again, in the wastewater, if there's an increase, that would show that we'd be able to track and see what's going on within the communities that we're looking at, and be able to use that information within the health department, within different agencies that are addressing these issues in our community.”

The committee had tabled a prior vote on the $1,000 bid from Biobot Analytics Inc. until legislators had more details about the wastewater analysis program and what data it would provide to help decrease drug use. The money would come from opioid settlement funds (See related story) that were awarded to the county. The Human Services and Public Safety committees each delved into ways the funding could be used to evaluate municipal wastewater plants, Pettit said.

Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein asked if there’s a plan to expand this program into other areas.

In a word, yes.

“So we looked at our two larger population centers as the way of that focus and start to see how it goes. This type of approach is new, it's not really been used at all to track these types of things at this point. So the idea was to start with (Batavia and Le Roy) to see what kind of information we're getting out of it, see how valuable it is, and then decide from there about extending it further, and expanding into some of our other municipal wastewater plants,” he said. “What else do we have here, Darien, Elba? We could also do Attica too because it's right on the border. So I think it could be another four potentially.”

Xylazine, typically used as a horse tranquilizer, is the latest drug out there, known to be in Philadelphia, with the threat of moving closer to New York and Genesee County, he said. Drug dealers cut that into drugs as is done with fentanyl, but it reacts differently, “so Narcan doesn’t touch it,” he said.

“So even if you were overdosing and having issues, Narcan would work with the opioid itself, the fentanyl, but it would not touch the xylazine,” he said. “And then maybe we have a fatality; unfortunately, that may result. This is a passive way where we can monitor, obviously through wastewater, because we don't see really the true scope of what's going on when we just look at overdoses per se. Unfortunately, this is the amount of drugs we're seeing in the system at any given time, but then you start seeing spikes, we can use that for public information.”

The $1,000 a month times two sites for up to three years with this first contract is “a lot of resources,” Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said. Especially when it’s “to look for a problem we know is already here.” Her central question has been more focused on students than on wastewater.

“When will we see education back in schools?” she said. “For a while, I think it used to be much more rigorous.”

Pettit agreed and said there should be more education on the topic. Part of the Opioid Task Force’s job has been to have school representation at its meetings, he said.

The Batavian asked Pettit after the meeting if a one-year trial would be long enough to capture trends, given variables such as holidays, weekends, and changing seasons. He agreed that certain factors can play a role in changing data and that the contract is for three years, which should be helpful to collect at least enough data to begin to spot trends and see if it’s a worthwhile effort. However, if the program leaders believe it’s not leading anywhere, they have options.

“We’ve got to start collecting some data, and they start to build what that looks like. And then, once we get enough, we can start seeing the trends. So we'll establish a baseline,” he said. “We can stop at any point within the three-year period.”

If xylazine begins to show up in the county’s wastewater, health department officials can issue public notices to alert people that the drug is here and to be cautious, he said.

The committee agreed to pass the resolution on for the full Legislature’s vote for Biobot Analytics Inc. to provide wastewater analysis for the city of Batavia and the village of Le Roy on a weekly basis at the fee of $1,000 per month.

Photo of Paul Pettit.

When former Genesee County Attorney Kevin Earl spoke about the county’s lawsuit against some powerful pharmaceutical companies, he said it could be several years before the matter was settled.

That was in 2017. A case about the opioid addiction crisis — so expansive in size and scope that it involved several counties throughout New York State as plaintiffs — against defendants McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, Amerisource Bergen, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Allergan.

The county retained Napoli Shkolnik PLLC to obtain compensation for the money that the county had spent combatting the opioid crisis. Opioids have become such an issue that law firms, including Napoli Shkolnik, specialize in the topic.

The county argued that its social services department had borne the brunt of opioid and addiction-related costs. These professionals must “spend a great deal of time and effort on trying to, first of all, rehabilitate parents because of the drug problem and then terminating parental rights when it becomes necessary,” Earl had said at the time. They alleged that opioid manufacturers deceptively marketed their products and created thousands of addicts in the process.

Earl predicted that the case was going to be “a long process,” and he was right. The case was settled five years later. Genesee County received its first payment late last year, County Manager Matt Landers said. The defendants are paying the state, which in turn is forwarding payments to the counties involved in the lawsuit, he said.

How much has the county received, and what do you intend to do with it? Is the money designated for a specific purpose?
“The county has approximately $370,000 in the bank today,” he said. “A portion of the funding is restricted, and a portion is unrestricted. Genesee County intends to use all of the money towards combatting the effects of opioids in the community and education/prevention measures.”

Landers is part of an opioid task force that meets quarterly. The task force involves county law enforcement, the mental and public health departments, GCASA, Emergency Management and administration.

Updates are provided to the county Legislature, which will be voting on a resolution to contract with a lab to analyze wastewater for various types and volumes of drugs in the system. A portion of the opioid settlement money will be used for that purpose — $1,000 a month for each of two sites. (See related story.)

Public Health Director Paul Pettit said that once the Legislature approves the contract, the lab will begin its work. He expects that to happen by May 1, he said.

The analysis is on a yearly basis, and the contract is for up to three years.

“The hope is to continue on for a number of years to measure the impacts that different initiatives are having in the community,” Landers said.”

File Photo of County Manager Matt Landers by Joanne Beck.

Given a chance to explain why she thinks Donald Trump didn't commit any crimes in his alleged payment of hush money to a porn star, Rep. Claudia Tenney passed.

Instead, a spokeswoman for Tenney reiterated the congresswoman's attack on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. 

In a press release on Friday, Tenney called Bragg "Soros-backed" -- a controversial phrase that the Anti-Defamation League has characterized as antisemitic because it casts Soros, who is Jewish, as the leader of a conspiracy and a "puppet master."

Meg Deenen, a spokeswoman for Tenney, defended the use of the term based on a $1 million contribution George Soros made to Color of Change PAC, which backed Bragg in his Democratic primary campaign for District Attorney.

News broke Friday that the former president was indicted by a New York Grand Jury for allegedly paying $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels, a former adult film actress whom Trump was reportedly involved with, though Trump has denied an affair.  If the payment was made and was intended to help his 2016 presidential campaign, it violated campaign finance laws.

Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, has already been convicted and served a prison term on similar charges, and may be a witness against Trump in the case.  Cohen has claimed he was working at Trump's direction in making the alleged payment.  

A Grand Jury was investigating similar charges against Trump when Bragg took office in 2022. Bragg was reportedly dissatisfied with the strength of the case at that time, and two prosecutors in his office resigned over the disagreement. Bragg reopened the investigation after members of the Trump organization were convicted on tax fraud charges.

Trump's attorneys have reportedly confirmed the pending indictment against the former president, but it has not yet been unsealed, and we don't know what specific charges it might contain.

Tenney called the indictment a "witch hunt" and "a political persecution with purely malicious intent" in a press release, but offered no facts or evidence to support her claim.

She also attacked Bragg for allowing "violent criminals to walk the streets, downgrading 52 felony charges to misdemeanors."

Bragg is one of a cadre of District Attorneys in large cities across the nation pushing progressive reforms in criminal prosecutions. Critics of such policies -- including Tenney -- say crime is increasing in these cities.  Progressive policies likely cost Chesa Boudin, the district attorney in San Francisco, one of the most progressive cities in the U.S., his job. He became hugely unpopular, characterized as "soft on crime," and was ousted in a recall election.

Bragg made headlines when he took office with his "Day One" memo in which he said the prosecution of low-level offenders, including low-level felonies, was clogging an already overburdened court system.  He asked prosecutors to concentrate on violent crimes. 

According to at least one poll, Bragg's policies are not going over well with New York City residents. The conservative editorial board of the New York Post has attacked Bragg's policies.

But when asked why Tenney believes Bragg's policies, which she attacked, are related to the potential prosecution of Trump, Tenney did not respond.

The Batavian contacted Tenney's staff after receiving the press release Friday because of the "Soros-backed" phrase in its first sentence.  The tendency in some circles to paint Soros as the source of evil is widely considered to be antisemitic. 

The ADL states:

Even if no antisemitic insinuation is intended, casting a Jewish individual as a puppet master who manipulates national events for malign purposes has the effect of mainstreaming antisemitic tropes and giving support, however unwitting, to bona fide antisemites and extremists who disseminate these ideas knowingly and with malice.

The Batavian asked Tenney's office, "Is it Rep. Tenney's intention to perpetuate an antisemitic stereotype by saying Alvin Bragg is 'Soros-backed'?' and if she thought Bragg was prosecuting Trump in order to do the bidding of Soros?

Deneen responded, "It is ludicrous to suggest that stating who George Soros’s donations have supported and criticizing his pro-crime policies is anti-Semitic. The accusation is completely preposterous and, frankly, wildly inappropriate."

The Batavian asked multiple questions in its email, not just about the "Soros-backed" statement, but for the evidence Tenney believes exists that would exonerate Trump. What evidence does she have in her possession, that gives her confidence the Grand Jury is less than impartial and acting with Bragg to pursue a political prosecution?  We then followed up with similar questions, after receiving the response above, and noted that to whatever degree Soros might be involved with Bragg, it seems irrelevant to the prosecution of Trump unless Tenney has evidence or facts to back up the assertion.

Neither Tenney nor Deneen responded to the additional questions.

The "Soros-backed" trope appears to be a GOP talking point in defense of Trump, and Soros responded to it, stating, "As for Alvin Bragg, as a matter of fact, I did not contribute to his campaign, and I don’t know him."

Writing for the Spectator, Oliver Wiseman said the GOP may be side-stepping the charges against Trump with the phrase "Soros-backed," but it isn't completely without relevance.

"There’s nothing far-fetched or conspiratorial about calling Bragg Soros-backed. Soros gave $1 million to the Color of Change PAC, which backed Bragg’s election. Soros’s son, Jonathan, gave directly to Bragg, as did his wife. And Soros has been a vocal supporter of progressive prosecutors like Bragg around the country. It may be a deflection for Republicans to talk about Bragg’s ties to Soros, but it doesn’t mean they don’t exist."

Here is the full press release from Friday:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today released the following statement in response to the indictment of former President Donald Trump: 

"Soros-backed District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s witch-hunt targeting President Donald Trump is a political persecution with purely malicious intent,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Bragg has repeatedly allowed violent criminals to walk the streets, downgrading 52% of felony charges to misdemeanors. Yet now he has decided to spend precious taxpayer dollars and resources on this outrageous case against Donald Trump, and only after he announced he was running for president. Every American should be concerned about this gross abuse of power and the politicized two-tiered system of justice we now have in America. I once again call on Governor Kathy Hochul to act. Uphold the rule of law and remove Alvin Bragg from office for, among other things, his failure to enforce the law and his blatant politicization of the criminal justice system. ” 

Photo: File photo of Claudia Tenney by Howard Owens.

A pedestrian has been struck by a vehicle in the area of 370 West Main St,, Batavia.

A first responder reports the patient is conscious and alert.

City Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Southbound traffic is blocked at Union and West Avenue. 

Press release:

April 3-9 is National Public Health Week (NPHW). The goal of National Public Health Week is to recognize the contributions of public health, and the workforce and highlight issues that can improve the health and well-being of our communities.

The primary purpose of public health is prevention, protection, and improving the health of the entire population. “Many of the leading causes of death for individuals in our community result from chronic conditions, which are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health challenges,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health).

GO Health supports and implements programming and interventions that address emerging health issues and topics including, but not limited to, chronic diseases, overdose deaths, suicides, communicable diseases, substance use disorders, adverse childhood experiences, trauma, maternal and child health, a safe environment, and social determinants of health.  “At GO Health, we have an enthusiastic staff that aims to protect and improve the health of residents in our community,” stated Pettit. “We thank them for their service and dedication.” 

However, we know that we cannot make a difference without building effective working relationships with partners in healthcare and other sectors. As Chief Health Strategists, GO Health collaborates with partners outside of the health sector, including city planners, transportation officials, educational officials, legislators, and private businesses, because we recognize that other sectors can influence health factors and outcomes. “We would like to take this time during National Public Health Week to thank our partners,” stated Pettit. “We could not make the impact and improve the lives of our residents without the tireless work and effort our partners and volunteers put into our communities.”

This NPHW, GO Health, encourages residents of Genesee and Orleans Counties to help celebrate National Public Health Week by participating in activities to help improve their health and make our community healthier, stronger, and safer. Some suggestions include:

• Eat less processed foods and drinks.
• Quit smoking and vaping. Call the New York State (NYS) Quitline at 1-866-697-8487 for free patches and more.
• Be active. Take a walk or bike ride along the canal, on a trail, or in a village.
• Make sure you are up-to-date on routine screenings for colorectal (colon) cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer.
• Make sure you and your children are up-to-date on routine immunizations.
• Stay away from wildlife, including injured animals and pets that aren’t yours, to reduce your risk of rabies. Love your own, leave the rest alone.
• Keep your pets up-to-date on their rabies vaccination.
• Learn how to administer Naloxone (Narcan).
• Volunteer at a local service organization that contributes to the health and well-being of our community.
• Read to your children, every day.
• The only way to find out if your children have been exposed to lead is through a blood test. Get your children tested for lead at ages 1 and 2.
• Make sure your children see their doctors for routine well-child visits to monitor their growth and developmental milestones.
• Be prepared and make a family emergency plan. Practice your plan with your family/household and make sure your emergency kit is stocked with essential items. For more information, visit ready.gov/plan.
• Practice mindfulness or try yoga to help relieve stress.

For more information on GO Health Programs, visit www.GOHealthNY.org.

Press release:

Each year in April, the Office for Victims of Crime helps lead communities throughout the country in its annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), which will be observed April 23- 29, 2023. This year’s theme is “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.”.

In Genesee County, the annual observance will include an event open to the public on April 24, 2023 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at Genesee Community College. It will feature a morning full of presentations and speakers on various topics, including those surrounding crime victims' rights. It will be held inside the Conable Technology Building (Room T102) at Genesee Community College, 1 College Road, Batavia, NY.

The cost is $10 per person or $5 per student or senior (age 62+). Register by April 14, 2023 by calling Sharon Burns at 585-344-2550 ext 3929 or emailing sharon.burns@co.genesee.ny.us for registration details.

Speakers:

Opening Remarks
- Joseph Graff: Chief Deputy, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office

Keynote Speaker

- Janine Latus: an award-winning journalist, author and advocate, best known for her memoir, If I Am Missing or Dead: a sister’s story of love, murder and liberation, but Latus has had a long career of satisfying curiosity – her own and her readers’. Her work has appeared in O, the Oprah magazine, More, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Parents, All You, American Baby and the inflight magazines for US Air, American Airlines, Continental and TWA.

Elder Abuse 101

- Stephanie Good: Helpline Coordinator for the Elder Abuse Helpline for Concerned Persons, Lifespan of Greater Rochester

- Sue Talsania: Elder Abuse Prevention Program (EAPP), Upstate Elder Abuse Center at Lifespan Bullying in Schools

• -  Officer Miah Stevens: School Resource Officer, City of Batavia Police Department

• -  Deputy Jordan Alejandro: School Resource Officer, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office

• -  Detective Eric Hill: Detective, City of Batavia Police Department

  Closing Remarks

- Robert Zickl: Assistant District Attorney, Genesee County District Attorney’s Office

Thank you to our sponsors: Genesee Community College; Grace Baptist Church; GCC Criminal Justice Club and Student Activities; Batavia City Police Benevolent Association, Inc.; Genesee County Interagency Council; GCASA; Hotel at Batavia Downs; YWCA of Genesee County, Inc.; Cakes by Lili; Genesee County Deputy Sheriff’s Association; Genesee County Sheriff's Employees Association; My-T Acres, Inc.; Our Lady of Batavia Knights of Columbus; Polish Falcons of America Nest 493; Triple-O Mechanical, Inc.

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that it has updated and expanded the Barn Quilt Trail of Le Roy, in cooperation with Le Roy Historian Lynne Belluscio and the Le Roy Historical Society, by launching a new website and new self-guided trail brochure.

The original 2012 Barn Quilt Trail began as a bicentennial project for the Town of Le Roy, with the first being painted in 2011 at the annual Oatka Festival. In the following 10 months, the trail surpassed its goal of 25, with over 70 barn quilts being painted and erected.

Today, the trail features a collection of over 100 hand-painted barn quilts along four driving tours in and around LeR oy. Explore the scenic countryside while spotting each unique barn quilt that’s displayed on an array of barns, garages, homes and other outbuildings. Each quilt pattern has a story to tell, and these stories, along with full size images, can be found on the new LeRoyBarnQuilt.org website.

Barn Quilts are known to drive heritage tourism for rural communities as visitors search out authentic experiences that represent the stories and people, past and present, of the area. For Genesee County, the barn quilts have come to represent the pride shared by the people of LeRoy, a town with a rich agricultural heritage, deep appreciation of its history and immense pride in family heritage.

The Barn Quilt Trail expansion is supported through the Tourism Matching Funds program, administered by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State's Division of Tourism. 

The Chamber invites everyone to explore the trail and discover the beauty and history of the area. The brochure can be requested online at LeRoyBarnQuilt.org or picked up at the Chamber’s Visitor Center at 8276 Park Road in Batavia. This, and other local brochures, can be found in our vestibule, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will also be available in LeRoy this spring at the Town Hall, Village Hall, McDonald’s, The D&R Depot Restaurant, JELL-O Gallery Museum and the Woodward Memorial Library. Watch for special Barn Quilts programming at the Woodward Memorial Library this spring.

Press release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, took part in a committee markup of seven bills, including H.R. 1734, the Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act. This bipartisan piece of legislation, which Rep. Tenney cosponsored, was led by Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO), Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).

This legislation works to combat the spread of synthetic opioids across our country. The bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to expand its research and focus on the science needed to understand and cease the spread of synthetic opioids. The usage of xylazine, also known as “Tranq” or the “Zombie Drug,” has skyrocketed. Nationwide, xylazine-related deaths have increased by 1,000% in some states since 2020. Xylazine’s presence is growing across the state, including in Western and Central New York. This drug, often laced in fentanyl, is immune to standard opioid overdose treatments and has horrifying side effects, including causing large wounds that won’t heal.

The Committee also included an amendment offered by Congresswoman Tenney to require the Director of NIST to report on their implementation of this critical legislation. Further, the amendment allows the Director of NIST to make legislative recommendations to improve NIST’s ability to implement the TRANQ Research Act.

“Since 2020, deaths from the terrible ‘zombie drug’ xylazine have skyrocketed nationwide, including in New York State,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Our communities have been devastated by the opioid crisis, and the emergence of this deadly drug has only worsened the crisis. It is essential that we combat the opioid epidemic. It was my privilege to cosponsor the TRANQ Research Act, which will help us target this dangerous zombie drug and work to save thousands of lives. I am also honored to have my amendment included to make sure Congress can continue to monitor the implementation of this act.”

Additional original cosponsors include Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ), Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC), Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA), Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY), Rep. David Trone (D-MD), Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX), and Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL). 

 

A shed fire with smoke and flames showing is reported at 10950 Bowen Road, Alexander.

Alexander Fire, Darien Fire, and Attica Fire dispatched.

In 2018, Le Roy started phasing out the traditional ranking of top students based on GPA, instituting instead a system that would also take into account challenging coursework.

A senior could no longer skate by on easy electives or study hall to preserve a high GPA.  In the new system, students would need to acquire points in Advance Placement classes, for example, to achieve Summa Cum Laude.

High School Principal David Russell, who was hired after the 2018 revisions, introduced modifications to the Laude System to the Board of Education at its last meeting that would further encourage students to aim for high achievement instead of competing with classmates.

"We want to push students to make sure they're pushing themselves," Russell said.

The proposed revisions would be based on the total number of credits a student takes and a cumulative GPA.  Each course would be valued the same as the number of credits the course is worth on a transcript. Students taking AP courses and CTE courses that have college credit would continue to receive an additional five points added to their average for that course. 

The maximum possible score would be 36 total credits with a 100 GPA. To achieve Summa Cum Laude, a student would need at least 32 credits and a 95 GPA.  Magna Cum Laude would be 30 credits and a 90 GPA.  Cum Laude would be 28 total credits and an 85 GPA.

Cum Laude is Latin for "with distinction."  Magna Cum Laude means "with great distinction," and Summa Cum Laude means "with highest distinction."

The Class of 2023 will be the last class to graduate under the Top 10 system.  The classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026 are under the Laude system but will be eligible to move up to a higher Laude if they qualify for a higher Laude under the proposed revisions. If the revisions are approved, the Class of 2027 would be the first class to graduate under this new Laude system.

The goal of the Laude system is to give every student who makes the effort, regardless of life or career goals -- whether in a STEM field, the arts, or athletics -- to graduate with a Laude distinction.  Every pathway, Russell explained, gives students who work hard to achieve distinction for the effort.

"One of our fundamental pillars as a public school is to create opportunities for whatever pathway students take on, we're helping prepare them for whatever future they want to go into," Russell said.

The Laude system, Superintendent Merritt Holly noted, is the antidote for "senioritis."

"When we look at the class rank, what we're in right now, that one ends at the end of the first semester," Holly said. "So in January, the Top 10 is really set and done at that point. One of the things you'll hear from the committee and our teachers always is 'senioritis' sets in. As Dave mentioned, what I like about this is it can run all the way up to the end of the school year."

The class rank system does require some hand calculation, Holly said, which is why the class rank is set after the first system.  And Russell noted that the class rank is made public, which encourages students to compete against each other.

In the Laude system, only the student, his or her parents, and school counselors will know if a student is headed toward a Laude tier.  There is no competition.

"That (competition) can really be unhealthy at times," Russell said.

The rank system also produces the graduation speakers -- the valedictorian and salutatorian.  In the new system, students can nominate themselves or others to speak at graduation.  School administrators will review those nominations to ensure those truly worthy of speaking will be given the opportunity to be selected as class speakers in a vote of their peers.

The Board of Education will vote at its April 11 meeting on whether or not to accept the proposed revisions.

Photo: Principal David Russell. Photo by Howard Owens.

Haxton Memorial Library, which offers a list of programs that has grown over the years, has also been dealing with a budget that has been shrinking in comparison, library trustees say.

The Oakfield staple established in 1963 is in danger of ceasing operations without an influx of more revenue, Board of Trustees President Carol D’Alba said after a recent public presentation about the situation.

“We really won’t be able to keep our doors open for very much longer,” she said to The Batavian. “The main reason is that minimum wage is going up, and the need for current materials. We have been scraping by. As a school district library, our tax base will be the same, it represents the geographical area of the village and town of Oakfield. The school will be the tax collector.”

The board presented its proposal last week to make Haxton a school district library, which doesn’t change anything other than which entity collects the taxes, D’Alba said. Oakfield-Alabama Central won’t run the library in any way, she said.

Library taxes are expected to go up two cents per $1,000 assessed value, from 55 cents to 57 cents per $1,000, or from $55 to $57 a year for a home assessed at $100,000. The total proposed budget is $158,790, and taxpayers will have an opportunity to vote for that, the proposition to establish a school district library, and the school budget on May 16.

This tax rate has decreased considerably, as residents used to pay 85 cents per $1,000 from 2018 to 2020, she said.

“It’s our independent budget. We do our own reports,” D’Alba said. “A school district library will function the same, and the public will have more control.”

She emphasized that the state has been encouraging library boards to move in this direction to secure their revenue sources, and it has been sorely needed at Haxton library.

"It's important that people know that the New York State Board of Regents continues, for the last decade, urging libraries to try to stabilize funding. And one way to do that is to redistrict, from Municipal Library to School District Public Library," she said. "We had a nearly 30 percent reduction in funding from the town during COVID. And that money was never restored."

Town funding dropped by more than $22,500 from 2020 to 2021, and then by more than $4,600 more from 2021 to 2022, and remains flat for this year. 

"So that's the main reason, is that the funding was never restored. And so we really won't be able to keep our doors open for very much longer. If we don't make this move, we might have a few years under us with our savings account. But we're using, you know, we're tapping that savings now, our reserves," she said. "So, that's the main reason, but the minimum wage is going up, and, obviously, in order for the library to stay current, we need the current materials. We've been really suffering, scraping by for the last few years. And so that's why we need to make this move now."

Oakfield is catching up to others in Genesee County who have already become school district libraries, including Corfu, Pavilion, Le Roy, and Batavia.

“Everyone is looking to do this now,” D’Alba said. “We’re all looking to make this switch.”

Some 50 people attended the presentation last Tuesday evening, and some spoke on behalf of the importance of Haxton and how much their families enjoy the programs there, D’Alba said.  Those programs include story time for preschool, summer reading, baby story time, music, dance and art activities, book club, craft night for adults and children, technology help, special one-time adult, family and youth sessions throughout the year, plus various computer, Internet, material and workspace services.

“There was just so much love in that room,” she said. “People did not know all of the programs the library offers; there’s a lot going on here, and we want to do more outreach that we haven’t been able to do without more funding.”

The board has had to do some belt-tightening, according to 2021 data, spending $7,313 on materials (books, DVDs, periodicals, computer software and upgrades), compared to Corfu’s $13,898, and Byron-Bergen’s $24,793. Program expenses have been another disparity, going from Corfu’s $2,058 to Haxton’s $689.

The presentation led to the board’s final decision that, “after consideration over the past few years, the Board of Trustees passed a resolution to transition from a Municipal Library to a School District Public Library that would be funded solely by a voter-approved budget.”

Again, what is a school district public library?

• The school district collects tax money for the library and turns it over to the library board.
• The school district would have no involvement in the library’s operations.
• Libraries can secure funding through a district-wide public vote on a budget.
• If approved, the library would revise the Charter to be a school district public library, and trustees would be elected.
• The coverage area is the service area that serves the entire school district. This means that the service area would include patrons in the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District.
• This establishes secure and reliable funding for the library building, utilities, materials, personnel, programs and Nioga services.

The proposed budget of $158,790 includes a part-time library manager and two part-time clerks; 10 additional hours of operation, going from 25 to 35 hours as mandated by the state; the ability to purchase more materials and to offer expanded programming, and keep up with new technological programs and equipment (computers and software); and library utilities and maintenance.

For more information about Haxton library, go HERE.

Top Photo (submitted) is the kick-off of a summer reading program at Haxton, and, above, an art exhibit with guest artist Anthony Terrell, by Joanne Beck, as two of the many programs offered at the Oakfield library.

By policy, every student in the Le Roy Central School District has an opportunity to be served a lunch or breakfast every school day that is healthy and meets established nutritional guidelines.

If they can't pay for it, there's no shame.

These two policies sometimes contradict each other. In circumstances where a child isn't eligible for a free or reduced-price meal but doesn't have any money -- even if they haven't paid for previous meals -- they get served if they step into the meal line.  No staff member is allowed to remind a student of past-due bills.  That's the district's "no shaming" policy.

However, the district is now in the red on unpaid meal bills this school year to the tune of $2,751.58, Superintendent Merritt Holly informed the Board of Education at this past week's meeting.

Currently, staff members are contacting families with unpaid bills.  If a family reports back, "geez, we're really going through a rough time right now," the parents are encouraged to apply for the free or reduced-priced meal program.

"Many times, family situations change," Holly said. "Our job is to help families and bring them in through it."

There are families who aren't paying the bill but don't qualify for the program, so they're expected to pay their past bills. 

"Right now, there's no conversation or take anybody in small claims court are doing those type of things," Holly said. "We're trying to generate, 'Hey, are you aware?' Then if we can, we will work out a payment plan for those families. Sometimes, they're not aware that their child has racked up that bill."

If a parent or guardian doesn't want to keep running up the tab, they can inform the school in writing not to serve a meal to their children.

Even for students not getting free or reduced-priced meals, breakfast and lunch in the cafeterias on each campus are inexpensive. 

At the elementary school, breakfast is $1.70.  At the middle/high school, it is $1.75.  Lunch is $2.25 to $2.40.

Holly said the district tries to be as nice as it can be about approaching parents with bills for unpaid meals, but even so, they've had at least one parent indicate she was offended by the debit letter.

The district has been helped at times by community members making donations to pay meal balances for families, Holly said.

The current no-shaming policy was approved by the Board of Education in 2022 and prohibits students from being stigmatized while in line to get a meal, and students can't be required to wear wristbands, hand stamps or other identification to indicate they have an unpaid meal bill. 

Parents are supposed to be notified when a student has reached five unpaid meals and informed they can apply for the free or reduced-price meal program.

Any student from a home receiving government food assistance or aid for needy families automatically qualifies for the free or reduced-price program.  Other families may qualify but must submit an application and be approved by the district.

The district also has a policy that states, "The Le Roy Central School District wishes to establish a school environment that promotes wellness awareness and is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity for all." The policy is aligned with state and federal guidelines.

For the second straight Friday night, Batavian Geoff Harloff found perfection in the County Line Stone Trios League at Mancuso Bowling Center.

The 47-year-old right-hander posted 214-300-235--749 earlier this week after recording 300-230-222--752 the previous week.

The most recent perfect game is his third of the season in the Genesee Region USBC.

Jim Pursel of Batavia took top honors for the evening with 750 series, including a 279 game.

In the Tuesday Night Coed League at Mancuso's, Marshall Merle flirted with his second 300 of the season before finishing with a 296 game for a 744 series.

Elsewhere around the GRUSBC:

• Lefty Brian Cline raised his average to 235 with a 279-222-269--770 series in the Mancuso Real Estate Monday Doubles League. Jason Quilliam was close behind with a 279--769.

• James Townsend substituted in the Thursday Owls League at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen and led the way with a 287 last game and 770 series. Bill Neubert rolled 279--761 and Frank Jarkiewicz posted 257--745.

For a list of high scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.

It was sun, sand and crashing waves in Batavia Downs' Park Place Event Center on Saturday night, where the Beach Party Boys, a tribute band honoring the legacy of the quintessential Southern California surf band, The Beach Boys, put on a rocking show.

 The Beach Party Boys ran through all the Beach Boys' biggest hits for a near-capacity crowd.

Previously: 'Good Vibrations' expected at Batavia Downs on Saturday with Beach Party Boys in concert

Photos by Howard Owens

The Batavian was awarded first place for Best Online Breaking News coverage on Saturday by the New York Press Association for its coverage of Winter Storm Elliott.

The stories of the storm that led to the award were written by Howard Owens and Joanne Beck.

The primary stories considered for the award were: 

• Alabama has its own Christmas story to tell, and stranded travelers aren't 'home alone'
• A community of emergency response assists those in need during storm
• County's smallest department kept travelers fed, warm, and safe during Winter Storm Elliott
• Coverage of Winter Storm Elliott: Friday and Saturday
• Generosity of time, goods and hospitality appreciated, municipal costs to be submitted for federal aid
• Stranded travelers offered a warm home and holiday hospitality by Oakfield couple
• UPDATED: Strong Winds bringing trees down, knocking out power throughout Genesee County 

Second place in the Online Breaking News category went to the Albany Times Union for a deputy-involved shootout, and third place went to the Queens Chronicle for Winter Storm Elliott coverage.

To see all of The Batavian's coverage of Winter Storm Elliott and its aftermath, click here.

The Easter Bunny, an easter egg hunt, and a buffet breakfast -- Easter was celebrated today at Batavia First Presbyterian Church.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena was full of racing fans and the roar of engines on Friday night for Xtreme Ice Racing night, sponsored by the Batavia Muckdogs and CanUSA.

Muckdogs/CanUSA owner Robbie Nichols said as many as 200 more people wanted to attend but tickets were sold out by Friday morning. He said there may be two nights of racing next year so more people can enjoy the event.

Photos by Howard Owens

Oakfield-Alabama held a fundraiser for cancer research at Roswell Cancer Institute in Buffalo with its Bald for Bucks event in the high gym on Friday.

Top photo: Colton Ketchum, talking with Zach Watts from My Cut Barbershop in Batavia, was the first batter up to get his impressive curly red locks shaved off, which he said he did so he and a friend could participate together. 

The My Cut crew focusing on Colton includes Ray Williams, Connor Hyde-Hamilton, and Victor Thomas (in back).

This is the first time Oakfield-Alabama hosted the event since 2018.

Besides the crew from My Cut, barbers from Canzoneri’s and stylists from Jagged Edges participated in the event.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Gavin Snyder raised the most money, $1,050, among all the students who participated.

Jackson Burndett

D.J. Anthony, from Buffalo, kept the crowded lively during the event.

Alaina Williams gets sparkle strands in her hair from a stylist with Jagged Edges.