Wearing o' the green, kilts, and bagpipes in downtown Batavia can mean only one thing: a St. Paddy's Day parade. And members of the Buffalo City Guard -  Gordon Highlanders paraded around the block of School Street Friday afternoon in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

The parade befittingly started at O'Lacy's Irish Pub, where many local festivities will continue into the night, as well as across the county, and also throughout the weekend. 

An Irish blessing for all: "May your troubles be less. And your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door."

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Press release:

"Tomorrow's Birding Walk and Spring is Here Hike at the Genesee County Park & Forest have both been POSTPONED due to high winds and will take place on Saturday March 25th.  The Birding Walk is FREE and will take place from 7 am to 10 am and meet at the pavilion A parking lot.  The Spring is Here Hike will take place from 10 am to 12 pm and meet at the Interpretive Nature Center, $5/person, $10/family.  Call 585-344-1122 to register!"

While acknowledging the difference between private enterprises and not-for-profit businesses, the chairman of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board of directors on Thursday defended the awarding of $30,000 in bonuses to the public benefit company’s senior management team.

At its January meeting, the board unanimously (by a 13-0 vote) passed a resolution to award “a discretionary bonus” to President/Chief Executive Officer HenryWojtaszek (photo at left) in the amount of $12,000 and to Chief Financial Officer Jacquelyne Leach (photo at right), Vice President/Operations Scott Kiedrowski and Vice President/Administration William White in the amount of $6,000 each.

Board Chairman Richard Bianchi said the bonuses were justified in light of leadership’s role in guiding the corporation to record revenues and earnings distributions to its 17 member municipalities in 2022.

According to figures supplied by WROTB, credits played (on the gaming floor) topped 1 billion for the first time ever, with net win (revenue) hitting a record $75 million. From that, nearly $8.5 million was earmarked for distribution to the municipalities – up more than $2.5 million from 2021.

“Determining executive compensation in a public benefit corporation can be challenging as you need to balance paying for performance against the fact that we must be mindful of public dollars,” Bianchi said. “But, we are also in a very competitive gaming industry. We have to compete for executive talent.”

Bianchi revealed that the board hired an outside compensation firm, Burke Group of Rochester, to review the pay scale and make recommendations.

“They found, based on revenue, responsibility and successful performance, that our team was below the median in pay in the industry,” he said. “Burke made suggestions that we are following, which we think are both fair and reasonable.”

He noted that the WROTB senior management team “is one that would be prized by any privately held company and would be proud to have.”

“In the private sector, these people all would be $250,000 to $500,000 per year executives,” he offered. “Though they earn a fraction of that, our bonus plan is a way to acknowledge their incredible contribution to our success and do so cost-effectively.”

Salaries for the four, as approved by the board, for 2023 are as follows:

• Wojtaszek, who started with the company in 2010 as general counsel before taking over as CEO in 2016, $264,898.

• Leach, who was hired in May 1989 as a staff accountant and worked her way up to CFO, becoming the first female officer at WROTB, $221,582.

• White, who became VP/Administration in 2012 following nine years as a director and a year as VP/Human Resources, $155,168.

• Kiedrowski, who became VP/Operations in 2016 after serving on the board for seven years, $155,168.

Wojtaszek’s salary has increased by 38 percent over the past two years but is not among the top 25 WNY CEO salaries, despite WROTB generating revenues greater than most of the other businesses, which are primarily in the healthcare sector.

Wojtaszek said that all 392 WROTB employees, plus the 20 who work for Hart Hotels but are paid by WROTB, have benefited financially as a result of the corporation’s successful year.

He disclosed that he approved merit raises to 20 employees and bonuses to two Hotel at Batavia Downs employees. In negotiations, union employees received a 4 percent raise – “our highest yet,” he noted.

“We’ve established a brand name that is synonymous to quality and great customer service,” Wojtaszek said. “And it’s all because of the hard work of our employees.”

Batavia Downs Gaming, Hotel at Batavia Downs and harness track is the hub of the organization, which also has off-track betting locations throughout Western New York. Most recently, Wojtaszek oversaw the Park Road Reconstruction Project, which features numerous enhancements on the property, and the purchase and refinancing of the hotel.

INVESTIGATIONS INTO OPERATIONS CONTINUE
On another front, inquiries into certain practices at WROTB continue, Wojtaszek said, adding that management and the board are cooperating fully with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Comptroller’s Office.

“We’ve given them any and all documents requested and, beyond that, have made policy and procedural changes per their recommendations,” he said, referring to the state Comptroller’s probe into gold-plated health insurance for directors, suites at Buffalo Bills and Sabres games and reimbursement for using company vehicles. “We brought in a regulatory compliance firm – consultants who recommended how to improve our operation, and we have followed that advice.”

In December, the board approved a $20,000 contract with Personius Melber LLP of Buffalo to represent employees who have been questioned by investigators.

Reached by telephone yesterday, Rodney Personius said the employees in question “are not targets or subjects of any investigation but those who the organization (WROTB) wanted to be available for interviews.”

“OTB thought it would be appropriate for them to have a lawyer,” he added.

Personius said he did not wish to comment on what was discussed in the interviews, noting that between five and 10 employees were interviewed.

A lawsuit filed by an attorney representing Michael Nolan, a former WROTB chief operating officer, was dismissed due to time restraints last year but reportedly will be refiled.

Nolan is claiming that his federal First Amendment rights were violated when he alleged that he was retaliated against by WROTB leadership for speaking to federal agencies about alleged improper practices at the Batavia-based corporation.

The attorney representing WROTB issued a statement today supporting Wojtaszek’s contention that the corporation has cooperated with authorities.

“Since 2018, my firm instruction from the WROTB board of directors has been to cooperate with all agency requests for information and document subpoenas,” said Terrence Connors, partner, Connors LLP of Buffalo. “We have accomplished that goal, and no state or federal agency has ever advised that WROTB or any of the officers or directors is the target of any investigation for wrongdoing.

“In addition, WROTB has voluntarily engaged a prestigious compliance company staffed by compliance experts and a former FBI agent to review practices and policies and implement any necessary changes.  While there have been rumors and speculation, WROTB continues to return record profits to the 15 counties and the cities of Rochester and Buffalo.”

When Notre Dame musical director Kate Edwards was looking for this year’s show, she wanted something for her outgoing seniors while also tickling the community with a thoughtful comedy that’s not yet been performed in this region.

Enter “Mean Girls,” a coming-of-age musical based on the 2004 film written by longtime “Saturday Night Live” actor/writer Tina Fey.

“I chose it because I have some very strong seniors who were going to graduate, and I wanted a show to highlight them. I thought this was perfect; it had five female leads and two strong males. It kind of fit all our pieces. Tina Fey wrote it, and her husband wrote the lyrics. And it really just deals with a lot of real-life high school issues, but in a satirical way,” Edwards said during an interview with The Batavian. “So it's very funny. She has been quoted in the past that she was really hoping to show how all the bullying and the cliques, and, you know, trying to be body beautiful, and trying to be the best athlete in the world or being the prettiest girl and how that is just inundated on our kids nowadays, especially with the advent of social media.

“And so we just really thought it would be a good option to kind of show what real life is like in high school and deal with it in a funny way that can maybe spur conversations with parents.”

Anyone who has ever gone through high school knows the drill: it’s a jungle out there of competition to be the best, weigh a certain weight, score the highest, wear the coolest clothes, survive being a band geek, a science nerd, a wannabe, and not get eaten alive by those who judge or bully you before graduation.

The action takes to the stage at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Notre Dame High School, 73 Union St., Batavia.

Despite the premise of all that high school drama, it’s an upbeat, energetic show with a lot of “hip-hoppish,” professionally choreographed dancing numbers, Edwards said. Tuan Malinowski, a friend from Orchard Park, now living in New York City, helped out by putting together several dance scenes.

“He’s a professional from NYC. He has a very unique style,” Edwards said. “He choreographs for a lot of colleges and professional shows.”

They used FaceTime and videos that Malinowski sent to collaborate and integrate the dance routines into the two-hour show, which includes an additional 20-minute intermission. The music style is pop rock, and, per one of the songs, “I’d Rather Be Me,” it’s about “accepting everybody,” Edwards said.

The premise is based on Cady and her parents moving from Kenya to a Chicago suburb, where Cady soon realizes that her high school classmates don’t readily accept others who are different from them. Cady accepts the challenge and attempts to find her niche social group as she encounters Regina George, the Queen Bee and member of the “Plastics,” dreamy Aaron Samuels, and the myriad other classmate characters.

Along the way, there’s love, betrayal, heartbreak, pranks, unwelcome weight gain, ridicule, and shaming. One of Edwards’ favorite scenes is around the song “Sexy,” which she admits may sound uncharacteristically risqué for a high school production. It’s actually about Halloween. The character of Karen explains to Cady that in high school, this holiday revolves around looking sexy and having a hot costume.

“You can't just be like, you know, a ghoulish witch or something, you know what I mean? And that is a very real issue in today's world. And so that one I like, and that's a really fun number. It's really, really fun. The dance is fantastic. And the kids have a blast with it. And they're all in costume,” Edwards said. “But then I think the song I liked the most is probably Janice's song towards the end of the act, where she sings about you've got to be yourself don't always try to feel like you should fit in with other people. And that's called 'I’d Rather Be Me.' And that's probably my favorite song of the entire show.”

With a cast of 15, and another 10 backstage, and everything being done by the students — sets being made and moved around, spotlights, soundboards, light boards, staging, acting — a main challenge has been coordinating schedules around their busy lives, she said, from mock trial and classes to basketball and other extracurriculars.

Oh, and having to figure out how to transition scenes without any fancy technology or electronics.

“So, typically, like on Broadway, of course, when they've got their million dollar stages, right, they have these set changes, where they just slide onto the stage and then slide off, and then the stage can rotate, and then things can come forward and go back. And, of course, we can't do any of that,” she said. “The kids kind of figured out how they could make that transition as smooth as possible. And that was really fun to see the kids thinking in more of a technical, backstage way.”

Taking time to be more thoughtful — demonstrated in a comedic, down-to-earth way —  also includes a message about texting, Edwards said. The song “Stop” is about when you’re about to text or post something on social media. Just stop and think before you do it, “because there’s consequences,” she said.

“I really hope kids come out and see it, and I’m really hoping it’s good for some conversations,” she said. “The moral is just accept everybody for who they are and what they do … Accept everyone and be kind. That’s really the biggest issue.”

Does Cady finally discover that true acceptance? Tickets are $10 at the door to find out.  

Bill and Michelle Snyder, owners of Windy Brew in Strykersville, are one step closer to opening a tavern and bar at 56 Harvester Center in Batavia.

City Council gave the business owners a nod of approval for a liquor license during this week’s conference session. Batavia Police had no objections, according to the city clerk-treasurer.

That being said, their plans are still on hold due to the permit process, and they are waiting to hear back from the city, Michelle said Wednesday.

Plans are to include live music and a tasting room for brews, including Windy Brew, made in Strykersville.

Batavia's Police Benevolent Association President Matt Wojtaszczyk, above, shared some good news with City Council this week. The PBA served up some pancakes for a fundraiser this past summer to generate donations for special technical needs at the police department.

"So over the past year, the PBA members specifically representing emergency response teams have been working on fundraising to assist the department with updating the Emergency Response Team," Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said during the council's conference session at City Hall. "We appreciate them for recognizing the need to do this and stepping up and doing so, and they donated some pretty big items."

Thanks to the generosity of host Grace Baptist Church in Batavia, PBA members, and, apparently, hungry residents, the PBA was able to raise approximately $3,600, Wojtaszczyk said.

“At that event, we just want to say a big thank you to Grace Baptist, who helped us with the fundraiser and using their facility, and they provided staff to assist us as well, as the PBA managed the funds and facilitated the fundraiser,” Wojtaszczyk said.

"And using those funds, we purchased the following equipment. We purchased four cameras and a monitor display for a rescue vehicle, specialty breaching equipment to Red Dot optics, an unmanned aerial vehicle otherwise known as a drone, and upgraded batteries, storage bins and miscellaneous team equipment. And we plan on purchasing a new optic for our sniper team," he said. "So we were able to get quite a few items. Those items, once they're purchased, are donated to the city for city use. We appreciate everyone that supported us.”

Photo of PBA President Matt Wojtaszczyk during a City Council meeting at City Hall, by Howard Owens.

Press release:

Calling all green thumbs and community builders! Emmanuel Baptist Church is seeking volunteers to help build and farm our brand-new community garden in the field behind the church at 190 Oak Street in Batavia.

Our garden will feature 20 spacious 4x3 plots, which, once constructed and fenced, will be transformed into thriving vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens. We may add larger plots if there is a desire for them. But we can't do it alone - we need your help to build garden beds, plant seeds, tend to plants, and harvest the fruits of your labor. (Each person who signs up for a plot gets to plant, maintain and harvest from their own plot!) If you help build the garden, you get to farm a plot for free for a season. Otherwise they will be 20 dollars a plot.

Being a gardener at our community garden is more than just a chance to get your hands dirty. It's an opportunity to connect with fellow garden enthusiasts, learn new skills, and contribute to a project that will benefit the entire community.

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a complete beginner, you can grow veggies or flowers and grow yourself as well! Our team will provide all the necessary tools and seeds. There will be water barrels with watering cans available as well. So if you're looking for a place to get your garden growing while enjoying the great outdoors, come join us at Emmanuel Baptist Church's Community Garden. Together, we can create something truly special.

There will be an informational meeting held Wednesday, March 29th at Emmanuel Baptist Church at 6 p.m. for those interested in helping or renting a plot. For more information or to volunteer, please call 585 343 4905 or email ebcbatavia@gmail.com. 

Submitted by Coach Nick Burk:

The Batavia Indoor Track Team competed at the Nike Nationals meet this past weekend in New York City at the Armory Track and Field and had many outstanding performances!

The Blue Devils' throwers were well represented at the national meet, with five athletes competing. 

Parker Kleinbach earned a second-place finish in the Weight Throw with a distance of 57' - 6.25" while Sheldon Siverling placed 16th (51' - 3.75") and Mathew Mcwethy placed 25th (48' - 4").  Sheldon also competed in the Shot Put and earned a ninth place finish as well with a distance of 50' - 1.25". Sheldon has thrown the Shot Put over 50' multiple times in the last four weeks, which is very impressive considering he is only a sophomore.

The Blue Devils had two girls qualify in the Weight Throw as well, with Ava Wierda medaling with a 4th place finish and a distance of 41' - 10" and Drew Stevens placing 22nd with a throw of 35' - 11.5".  Both of these ladies had over two foot personal best throws in this meet and definitely were excited about their performances.  

Once again, the Blue Devils have demonstrated that we are one of the premier teams for throwers in the State and have continued an impressive streak of fifteen years with State and National caliber throwers.  Coach Geiger does an amazing job in developing these athletes and has built a training structure that is second to none in our area for throws competitors.

Our Boys sprinters had a phenomenal showing at the Nike Nationals meet as well, with both our 4x200 and 4x400 Relays qualifying to compete.  The 4x200 with Fabian Vazquez, Aidan Anderson, Parris Price, and Cole Grazioplene finished in 13th place with a time of 1:34.20.   This was the second fastest time in program history and a very competitive race for these athletes.   Our 4x400 Relay, which was our last race, finished in fifth place, earning a medal with a time of 3:29.40.  This performance is a new school record, the first time we've had a team run under 3:30 in program history, and the fastest time of any team in Section V this season.  Relay members included Fabian Vazquez, Parris Price, Ryan Dillon, and Cole Grazioplene.  Finally, Fabian Vazquez was able to compete in the 60m Hurdles and add to his very impressive hurdle resume with a time of 8.84 and a 29th-place finish.

Our Girls were able to compete in multiple relays as well, with the Sprint Medley Relay (200m - 200m - 400m - 800m) earning a nineth place finish with a time of 4:25.07.  Relay members included Kylee Brenna (200m), Ava Anderson (200m), Abby Moore (400m), and Campbell Riley (800m).  This was a very competitive performance by these young ladies, three of whom return next season.  Our girls 4x800 had an incredible race running the 2nd fastest time in program history and only missing the school record by 1 second.  Nicole Doeringer, Jadyn Boyce, Izzy Scott, and Campbell Riley finished in 9th place with a time of 9:59.05.  All four of these young ladies ran very tough and were a great example of our Blue Devil pride during this meet!  

Not to be outdone, the Boys 4x800 Relay was able to have a similar bittersweet outcome with a phenomenal race as well.  Relay members included Cody Harloff, Donavin Solis, Noah Pickard, and Nate Canale.  These athletes earned a 17th-place finish in the boy's race in a time of 8:21.62 which is also only one second off the school record (from 1986) in this event.   The Blue Devils distance program led by Coaches Rich Boyce and William Buckenmeyer continues to have impressive results season after season.  Our distance athletes, time and again, display toughness and competitiveness, particularly in these big meets!

Mallory Boyce, our youngest team member competing at Nationals, was able to qualify in multiple events and had a fine showing as well.   She competed in the middle school Mile and 400m.  In the 400m she ran a new personal best time of 1:06.9 and placed 33rd.  In the Mile run, she had a time of 5:30.33 and placed 44th.  As an 8th grader, this was an outstanding opportunity to compete in a big showcase meet and gain valuable experience for the future.

Our biggest performance came from the mixed 4x400 Relay consisting of Ryan Dillon, Nicole Doeringer, Jadyn Boyce, and Nate Canale.  They ran a terrific race and competed in the top-seeded race finishing in 5th place with a time of 3:54.96.  This time established a new school record for this event but also earned these four athletes High School All-American Status for Track and Field. We are so proud to have had the opportunity to run in this race, and these athletes rose to the occasion.

Altogether, Batavia had 22 athletes compete at the Nike Nationals this season in a three-day competition with thousands of athletes from across the country.  This was a tremendous finish to our indoor season, which included two Sectional Championships, multiple qualifiers for the State Championships, and culminating with an unbelievable experience at Nationals in New York.  Congrats to all of the Blue Devils that participated during this incredible season!

Submitted photos.

Douglas M. Ashworth, 48, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with menacing. Ashworth is accused of pointing a rifle at two youths on Oct. 9 on Vine Street in Batavia and placing the individuals in reasonable fear of injury or death. He was arrested on Feb. 28 and issued an appearance ticket.

John J. Saddler, 35, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, aggravated criminal contempt, grand larceny 4th, and petit larceny. Saddler is accused of entering the home of a person projected by a court order and stealing property, including an NYS benefits card and then using the card at a local business. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed until his next court appearance.

Sarah A. Malone, 40, of Graham Street, Batavia, is charged with theft of services and criminal impersonation 2nd. Malone is accused of dining at a restaurant in the City of Batavia on Feb. 21 and leaving without paying for her meal. Once located, Malone allegedly provided officers with a fake name and date of birth. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Ariel N. Pontillo, 32, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWAI drugs and failure to keep right. Pontillo was stopped by Officer Joseph Weglarski at Main and Court streets in the City of Batavia on Feb. 25.

Michael E. Wilson, 29, of East Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI and insufficient tail lamps. Wilson was stopped at 2:32 a.m. on Feb. 26 on East Main Street in Batavia by Officer Joseph Wglarski. Wilson was issued an appearance ticket.

Rebecca R. Fugate, 22, of Woodrow Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Fugate is accused of striking another resident of a residential care home in Batavia on Feb. 24. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Heather L. Armstrong, 46, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Armstrong was arrested on Feb. 28 following a report of a disturbance at a business in Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Brittany L. Hollaert, 26, of St Paul Street, Rochester, is charged with failure to appear. Hollaert is accused of failing to appear in court as ordered on charges of grand larceny 3rd, petit larceny, and criminal trespass charges. She was released on her own recognizance and admitted into a drug treatment facility. Her case will be transferred to SAFE Court.

Grant J. Fremstad, 22, of Ekern Street, Westby, Wis., is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, improper lane usage, and open container. Fremstad was stopped at 2:23 a.m. on March 5 on East Main Street by Officer Joseph Weglarski. Fremstad was released on an appearance ticket.

Demerio J Watts, 38, of Eggert Road, Buffalo, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, and failure to signal. Watts was stopped at 1:18 a.m. on Ellicott Street in Batavia by Officer John Gombos. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Phillip D. Byford, 32, of Brockport Spencerport Road, Sweden, was arrested on City Court bench warrants. The first warrant for an alleged petit larceny on Jan. 24, 2020. He was issued an appearance ticket and allegedly failed to appear in court. The second warrant was for an alleged petit larceny also reported on Jan. 24, 2020. He is accused of failure to appear on an appearance ticket. The third warrant is for a charge of criminal trespass 2nd at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket and allegedly failed to appear.  He was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear at a later date.

Myia N. Sobus, 19, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, and Timothy J Alis, 18, of Park Road, Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Sobus and Alis are accused of filling a shopping cart at an undisclosed store (UPDATE: Through court records, The Batavian confirmed the location was Tops) in Batavia with $897 in merchandise and leaving the store without paying for the items. They were released on appearance tickets.

Shawn M. Sloan, 38) of Porter Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and criminal trespass 2nd. Sloan is accused of entering an apartment on Bank Street, Batavia, on March 3, and stealing a kitchen utensil. Sloan was released on an appearance ticket.

Shannon B. Harder, 38, of Bowen Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, unsafe turn, speed in zone, and failure to keep right. Harder was stopped on Center Street, Batavia, on March 8, by Officer Sam Freeman. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Brian Eric Dagar, 37, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with petit larceny. Dager is accused of shoplifting at Walmart in Batavia on Feb. 26. Dagar was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released.

Evan Francis Maynard, 22, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Maynard is accused of shoplifting from Target in Batavia on March 2. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Jeanna Marie Hattaway, 36, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Hattaway was allegedly found in possession of multiple controlled substances during a traffic stop conducted by Sgt. Kyle Krzemien at 3:38 a.m. on March 3 on Lewiston Road, Batavia. She was released on an appearance ticket.

LeeAnna Krull, 53, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with promoting prison contraband 1st and promoting prison contraband 2nd. Krull was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance while inside the Genesee County Jail on March 1 at 4:07 p.m. She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and ordered held.

Beglervoic Denis Ikonic, 20, of East Ridge Road, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny. Ikonic is accused of shoplifting from DIck's Sporting Goods on March 5 at 4:30 p.m.  He was released.

Marie Tiffany Walter, 31, of Putnam Road, Bethany, is charged with petit larceny. Walter is accused of shoplifting from Walmart. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Zachary Austin Laird, 26, of Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, and criminal mischief. Laird is accused of damaging property at a location on Bethany Center Road at 8:15 p.m. on March 1. He allegedly left the scene and drove back while intoxicated. He was arrested by Deputy Nicholas Chmoun and Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush and was held in the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment.

Jeffrey M. Schneider, 44, of Alexander, is charged with DWI. Schneider was stopped by State Police at 7:50 p.m. on March 11 in the Town of Alexander. He was released to a third party.  No further information released.

In an effort to rally young people’s interest in the election process and voting and build a future base of voters, Genesee County Board of Elections is sprinkling a little fun into what can otherwise be a dry topic.

The “I Voted” sticker contest is being promoted to students in grades five through 12 in art or in government classes throughout county school districts and home schools. They are being encouraged to create original artwork used with the words “I Voted” to celebrate that American privilege, and a grand winner, plus prizes for first, second and third will be awarded to the top selected entries.

Democratic Election Commissioner Lorie Longhany became a lead organizer of the project after a staff member brought the idea forward in December, she said. Other counties have begun similar contests, and Longhany looks forward to the end results locally after the April 21 deadline.

“We are beginning to set up demonstrations in the schools so that young people will feel comfortable with the process. We also hope to bring in some young people as poll workers. We had several train and help us during and after the pandemic,” Longhany said. “Our bi-partisan staff will be the judges for the contest. We plan on having a staff meeting after all designs have been submitted and spreading all the submissions out on our conference room table.

“As a former art teacher, this is very exciting for me. I had my students participate in the STOP DWI campaign and was a huge fan of the 4th grade Landmark Society contest, as well as the GCASA poster contests,” she said.

The grand prize winner’s design will be made into stickers for voters during the Primary and General elections, including Early Voting, Longhany said. First, second and third place entries will be used in social media content and for other voting-related outreaches, she said.

“We will also send out a press release after the submissions are judged,” she said. "We usually order several thousand stickers each year. Voters look forward to receiving their stickers after they sign in to vote. We want this to be a yearly project and are hoping it will grow in popularity.”

For a list of the rules and more information, go to I VOTED.

Folks at Batavia First Presbyterian Church are counting on spring's arrival for the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch with the Easter bunny again this year.

The event will be here before you know it — at 11 a.m. April 1 (no fooling) at the church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. For more information, go to fpcbatavia.org/events, email fpcbatavia@fpcbatavia.org or call 585-343-0505.

2022 File Photo by Howard Owens.

All eight City Council members signed a letter Monday night requesting that state Homes and Community Renewal officials work with the city to bump up a portion of the current Area Median Income levels at Ellicott Station.

“The city of Batavia is requesting that HCR work with us to present a better mix of incomes on the property with apartments that rent for 80 percent and 120 percent AMI,” the letter states. “We feel that this will encapsulate the workforce housing that we were promised, better align with the city’s vision of the DRI strategy, and still provide affordable housing for residents.”

Earlier Monday, during council’s business meeting, City Manager Rachael Tabelski referred to a letter that she had provided for council members to review. Apparently, they reviewed and revised the letter after the meeting. The Batavian has asked for additional details about that process and will update this article once responses are received.

Since the first application went in for Ellicott Station, local folks were excited about the prospects of longtime vacant and toxic property along the south side street getting cleaned up, renovated and repurposed. But since its inception in 2016, as City Manager Rachael Tabelski has described it, the project became fairly fluid.

“Ellicott Station has been a moving target over the last several years as the developer made various and multiple overtures to funding entities with regards to making the project financially viable. In 2019, the City supported the project’s housing component as being mixed-income that would provide housing for residents that were employed in local manufacturing in an application submitted to New York State Homes and Community Renewal from the developer,” Tabelski had said. “Furthermore, in 2020, it was confirmed that people living at Ellicott Station must be employed and not receiving government assistance."

City leaders had expressed disappointment about the apartment project’s income levels after The Batavian’s exclusive coverage published on Feb. 18. Application materials made available at Ellicott Station’s website outlined the qualifications for one- and two-bedroom units, many of which had maximum annual salaries at or below minimum wage and seemingly requiring Section 8 assistance.

One example is that two people each earning minimum wage, $14.20 an hour, are not eligible for a two-bedroom apartment at Ellicott Station because they would be earning too much (the maximum household income for two people in a two-bedroom apartment is $34,600, and two people working full-time at $14.20 would gross $59,072).

Developer Sam Savarino has said, in a follow-up interview with The Batavian, that he expects the housing complex to be filled with gainfully employed people, though he had no thorough rationale for the low maximum income levels. He said that the numbers were set a couple of years ago and can be reset once everything is up and operational at Ellicott Station if current salaries have increased.

Here in Batavia, “we would like to be known for innovative housing that has a mix of incomes to preserve our most vulnerable neighborhoods, help citizens, and provide for housing for entry-level manufacturing, service workers, and students,” the city’s letter states. “The City of Batavia, New York State, Brownfield Opportunity Area, and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) strategy both define the need for downtown housing, including infill construction, upper floor apartments, and a demand for higher income housing, including market-rate housing.”

“When Ellicott Station Project was proposed by Savarino Companies, it was originally a market-rate housing project, however, through several financing iterations, Savarino Companies worked with HCR to finance the project. The city discovered that at the time of application, Savarino Companies applied to HCR for a mixed-income housing model but was directed by local HCR representatives to only allow residents with 50 percent to 60 percent AMI,” the letter states. “While workforce housing is the goal for the Ellicott StationSavarino Development, that is not the type of tenants that this housing will attract.”

The letter further lays out the compounding issues of the capped 50 to 60 percent Area Median Income and  inflationary wage increases that will not allow working citizens to qualify to live at Ellicott Station, and “only vouchered Section 8 residents will now be able to access this property.”

“This is a fundamental change from the goals for the Ellicott Station project and does not match the BOA or DRI strategies for development of our downtown,” it states.

As a result of this fundamental change, city leaders said they are concerned that:

• Drastically increased wages for entry-level manufacturing and service jobs pay more than what would qualify for this housing complex;
• The project no longer aligns with the City’s DRI and BOA strategies, and it won’t fulfill the City’s need for market rate and workforce housing as determined from various studies;
• Low and very low-income housing — versus mixed-income housing — could set the project up for potential issues contrary to community objectives, including drug, gang, and criminal activity, per proven studies;
• Other DRI communities across the state have received HCR tax credits and rents were allowed to be 80 to 120 percent AMI in some cases — so why not here?

Photo of Ellicott Station in progress at 50 Ellicott St., Batavia, by Howard Owens. 

Press release:

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of LeRoy Police Department will be participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI efforts start Thursday, March 16, 2023 and will continue thru Sunday, March 19, 2023.  St. Patrick’s Day weekend is a notoriously deadly period for impaired driving due to the number of celebrations and drivers on the road.  New York State Police, County Sheriffs and municipal law enforcement agencies will be out in force during this across-the-board effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths.

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.

“Have a Plan” to get a safe ride because impaired driving is completely preventable – all it takes is a little planning.  Visit www.stopdwi.org for more information, and may the luck of the Irish be with you. 

Press release:

Work for the South Lyon Street Bridge over the Tonawanda Creek project will resume Friday, March 17, 2023, as the work on the bridge had been paused due to seasonal weather conditions. A small portion of South Main Street in Batavia will be closed to traffic over the upcoming months. The area of closure and detour options for vehicular and pedestrian traffic are identified in the included graphic. Please adhere to pedestrian signage and stay outside of temporary safety barriers.

The bridge replacement project began last September and consists of two 11-foot lanes with 2-foot shoulders and a 5-foot sidewalk on the east side of the truss. The alignment of South Lyon Street will be modified to improve the intersection with South Main Street and approach work includes a seamless transition to the relocated intersection, existing roadway, and sidewalks. 

Press release:

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is partnering with M&T Bankís Financial Education Center to offer a free financial wellness workshop. Visitors will have access to information on a variety of topics, such as budgeting, credit management, building wealth, retirement, and more.

The class will be held at 5073 Clinton St. Rd, Batavia, on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 11 am. Pre-registration is required. To sign up, contact David Dodge at (585) 343-7798 ext. 114 or email ddodge@caoginc.org.

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and has served low-income and disadvantaged families since 1965. Community Action programs are designed to empower as well as provide opportunities to those who are not yet self-sufficient