When Shelley Stein heard about Senate Bill 9509 to eliminate the Farm Laborers Wage Board, she had to jump on it immediately, she says.

The 2019 Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act contained a provision to create a Wage Board to evaluate lowering the overtime threshold for farm laborers below 60 hours a week. In January 2022, the Wage Board recommended lowering the threshold to 40 hours over 10 years starting in 2024.

Not only was the Wage Board’s creation and the ensuing recommendation ill-conceived, but the provision also went against the majority of public hearing testimony that opposed the board in the first place, Stein said Wednesday.

“(Testimonies) indicated that nobody wanted any change to the overtime threshold of 60 hours of the work week, that was from farmers, farm workers and industry stakeholders. However, the wage board did vote to reduce the number of hours and to continue to reduce it until it got down to 40 hours of work,” she said during the Ways and Means meeting. “The Commissioner of Labor has been given the responsibility to make the final determination and what this Senate bill does is, it recognizes that there is only one person who is familiar with agriculture on the three-member board. Their actions do not mirror what the major request was during this process. And so, it’s time to throw out the wage board.”

Legislator Christian Yunker, also from a farming family, agreed, adding that the wage board had flaws from the start.

“The idea of the wage board was a set-up from the beginning,” he said. “And it is timely because we're late on the way here … and so any noise we can make throughout the state is fantastic.”

The Genesee County Legislature chairwoman and part of the family-run Stein Farms in Le Roy knows that of which she speaks. An average farm work week is 60 to 65 hours, she said, and the first proposed cut shaves up to nine hours off of that with a total of 56 hours a week. The state is supposed to make up for those hours worked between the maximum and 60, which would mean paying out time and a half for each worker (four hours a week) on each farm in the state. The reduction of hours goes down from there, for an eventual maximum of 40/week, which means the state is to pick up even more hours in the future.

Though she has concern about whether the state is really financially equipped to pay out the difference, it isn’t Stein’s primary reason for opposing the Wage Board conception. It will damage Genesee County’s economy for years to come, she said, and the “good work that farms are doing for climate change will be lost forever.”

The committee agreed to support the bill that was just established on July 25, and it will be forwarded on to the whole Legislature for vote during its meeting on Aug. 24. An adopted resolution will then go to an inter-county consortium of 13 Western New York counties, and to stakeholder agricultural groups for further support and endorsement, Stein said during an interview with The Batavian after the meeting.

“And then, as the result indicates, we will be sending this on to the governor and to the Senate majority leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and also our assembly speaker, Mr. (Carl Heastie), along with our local representatives who we know feel the same way that we do, and and we are assured of their continued support.,” Stein said. “The wage board not taking into consideration 70 percent of the testimony, and doing exactly the opposite, makes no sense to how our democracy is supposed to work. And here in New York State, of course, the area where we are known for making and producing food to feed the rest of our state, it makes us shake our head because this puts food at risk.”

She is hopeful that such resolutions to eliminate the Wage Board will sway the governor and downstate elected leaders, since (they) do not want to put their constituents at risk "any more than we do" with food.

“Part of what really will hurt them is the fact that farmers are the largest donation source for food pantries and New York State feeding programs, especially Nourish New York. What this overtime threshold reduction of ours does is it puts at risk those programs that New York State touts and is so proud of, but they don't happen without the produce coming from the farms,” she said. “So this is a balancing point. And we recognize that in agriculture, but we also recognize that our workers want to work. And that is the American Dream for them that they are reaching to, and they are aspiring to, and for the New York State government to be determining when you can work and how long you can work in a field that has seasons. It does have the plant that determines the season, or the animal that  determines the season.”

Does this create competition with other states, since migrant workers may want to work elsewhere without a weekly limit?
“That is an issue, and a lot of the articles that you'll see being released in the media currently is that those who follow a crop are avoiding New York State because their wages are being held down by foreign producers who are price takers of their product, and cannot keep up with the overtime hours required after 60 hours in a week. So those states like Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and Massachusetts, and Vermont, are really benefiting from the great skill sets that we had developed here in New York State,” Stein said. “And those workers are off to Michigan, and they're off to Ohio and Wisconsin. And some of them even into Canada, which of course makes that international competition. And it's a disadvantage that our state is actually putting the farmers under at this point.”

A Commissioner of Labor is appointed, and a union leader is elected by union members, but Stein takes issue with the “one sole agricultural involved person” who represents agricultural interests.

“Our Commissioner of Agriculture certainly should have had a position on this wage board so that there could be an actual balance at the start,” she said. “New York State already imposes a higher minimum wage than any of the states around us. So we start off already being disadvantaged and on a back foot, because the farm gate prices do not allow us to set our prices for our foodstuffs that we are so proud to make here in New York.”

Even if the new farm bill is successful, the weekly working cap could remain, yes?
“The cap could remain. However, I would think and I would hope and have faith that then that would actually be repealed,” she said. “We have learned to live at the 60-hour threshold; it is not easy. We are limiting the hours of our staff, and we are paying overtime to staff at a much higher minimum wage rate than most other states around us. And anecdotally, when our staff go to file their taxes — and this is staff that works year-round — they're told that they actually earn too much to be afforded any help through any programs that might have been available to any other citizen of a community of New York State. So the reality check needs to happen as to the income levels of our farm workers, and to recognize that they are well paid for the work that they come here to do so that they can provide for their families back home.”

“And if they intend to work just six months a year and have six months of the year off, they are willing to do the work in that vein, and that is their preference. It is hard for me to understand how the state can say that they're ready to pay the difference between the 60 hours and the first reduction to 56 hours. I don't know of any other private industry that the state is willing to pay payroll for that aren't state workers,” she said. “So all of this is very messy. And it need not be if the government would just step out of the food production hours of labor, we would all be better off here in New York State. And we could continue to provide that high-quality local food on the precious ground that we have here, especially in the Finger Lakes area, because we are making the highest and best use out of our natural resources, our land and our water here.”

Stein is grateful for her fellow legislators’ support, and that of state Assembly leaders on the Agricultural Committee and Senator George Borrello (R, C, I, LIBT), who is promoted as “an unwavering advocate for rural New Yorkers and a champion of agriculture” and is behind the farm bill, she said.

“There are a lot of moving parts in this. And it could just be simpler by the removal of that decision of the wage board, and also the wage board itself,” she said. “That's our issue today. And that's our request.”

The resolution will move onto the Legislature next week. It reads, in part:

“Whereas, Genesee County is urging state legislature to provide the farmers and farm workers relief from the already onerous burden the Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act and other existing government mandates which have placed our farms at a competitive disadvantage with neighboring states and Canada. Now, therefore, be it resolved Genesee County emphatically opposes any decrease to the 60-hour farm worker overtime threshold proposed by the Farm Laborers Wage Board.

Be it further resolved, Genesee County urges Governor Hochul to strongly consider Senator Borrello’s request of repealing the act, section 674-a of the labor law, relating to establishing the Farm Laborers Wage Board and eliminating the three-member Farm Laborers Wage Board.

Furthermore, be it resolved, Genesee County Legislature directs the Clerk of the Legislature to submit a copy of the adopted resolution to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, NYS Assembly Speaker Heastie, Assemblyman Hawley, Senator Borrello, Senator Rath, NYS Labor Commissioner, NYS Agriculture and Markets Commissioner, NYS Farm Bureau, Genesee County Farm Bureau, NYSAC and Inter-County Association of Western New York.”

File Photo of Genesee County Legislature members, with Chairwoman Shelley Stein, front, who is urging county and state leaders to support a farm bill that would repeal the current Farm Laborers Wage Board. 

Next week’s employee recognition festivities have been a long time coming, county leaders say, and the list of recipients has grown to an impressive size.

Genesee County Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein gave major kudos to the Human Resources staff charged with event planning Wednesday.

“It’s been 10 long years in the making, and you guys are knocking it out of the park,” Stein said during the Ways & Means Committee meeting. “People are super excited about it … over 200 of our employees are going to receive a milestone recognition. And that just speaks volumes about the employer that the county is, and all of our manager and department heads make that possible.”

That announcement may seem like a glorified promo for the county; however, maintaining more than 200 employees at the municipality for 10 years or more flies in the face of today’s job-hopping mentality. Stein believes it is a testament to worker satisfaction. And perseverance on the part of staff wanting to ensure a recognition event finally happens.

For 10 years, Genesee County ceased such celebrations because of its financial situation, she said.

“We had shared more of our revenue than perhaps we should have at that point, and we had the stress of a nursing home still. We had more of a Medicaid/Medicare responsibility … at that point, we stopped all employee appreciation or recognition,” she said. “And so now with the ability to address a thank you, and to recognize our staff that has chosen to work with the county for the years that they have, this is just an absolutely phenomenal opportunity for us to say, thank you.”

The county’s newsletter issued a written thanks from County Manager Matt Landers and Stein. One of his first goals after being hired as manager was to reinstate the annual recognition event, Landers said.

“Unfortunately, COVID had a different set of plans in mind,” he said. “However, after a couple of years on the job, we are bringing back this event to recognize longevity milestones of the dedicated Genesee County employees who have given so much to our county and residents.”

He referred to the Legislature for allocating funds “to bring Human Resources’ vision to fruition,” he said. Employees are being highlighted for work records of 10 to 60 years. They will be treated to a lunch from Red Osier, an ice cream truck visit and other goodies next week.

After the decade-old pause, summer is the time to bring out the party hats and express “our appreciation and accolades,” Stein said.

“It’s never too late to start anew. During the pause, the county has experienced fiscal stress, the sale of the county nursing home, water restrictions (which continues), and the latest hurdle — a pandemic that truly turned all of our lives on end. During our lives, we have never encountered a true-life pandemic like 2020 through today. We were scared for our health, families, and shutdowns. We banded together, took steps to continue providing services, and were bold in our approach to serving each other and our community members,” she said. “Our frontline public safety and health department members took the brunt of daily information whiplash. Through the constant requests for tools to empower us to respond, we banded together giving courage to each other.

"The fear and fright faded aside as services could be provided. The ability to fight for good health provided strength to us all. Partnerships all across our county were formed and engaged us all. Our confidence was recovered," she said.

Press release:

Standing in front of a Faithful America mobile billboard calling on Christian nationalist speakers at an event headlined by disgraced General Michael Flynn to “stop twisting our faith to attack democracy,” a group of local faith leaders and national clergy will speak at a press event and answer questions at 11:30 a.m. ET on Friday, August 12. 

The faith leaders will gather at First Baptist Church (306 E. Main Street, Batavia, New York) as a part of their ongoing effort to warn their communities and congregations of the dangers posed by the anti-democracy Christian nationalism, potential political violence, and disinformation on display at the upcoming stop of the ReAwaken America Tour (RAT) hosted by Flynn, Eric Trump, Clay Clark, and other notable far-right figures who helped to inspire the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The tour, which features stops across the country, arrives Friday at Cornerstone Church in Batavia for a two-day event. Flynn is expected to speak Friday morning following a worship time led by Sean Feucht, who has used members of the Proud Boys for his personal security.

Religious leaders speaking at Centennial Park in opposition to RAT will include both local and national leaders: 

• The Rev. Dr. Roula Alkhouri, Presbyterian Church (USA)
• The Rev. Dr. Shiela Campbell McCullough, chaplain, Batavia resident and representative of the New York State Council of Churches
• The Rev. Dr. William Wilkinson, teaching elder and pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Medina
• Sareer Fazili, president of Pittsford Youth Services, past president of the Islamic Center of Rochester, and member of the Barakah Muslim Charity Board of Trustees
• The Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director, Faithful America
• Pastor Doug Pagitt, executive director and co-chair, Vote Common Good
• The Rev. Jennifer Butler, founder in residence, Faith in Public Life

The tour stop in Batavia comes after organizers of the anti-democracy tour had to scramble to find a new venue following the cancelation of its originally planned stop in Rochester.

"Many might be unaware of the type of negative stereotypes and radicalization that are being brewed by the ReAwaken America Tour. In a time already full of division, this has the potential for a significant negative impact on our community’s ability to talk with one another,” said the Rev. Laurel Nelson, speaking on behalf of the Racial Justice Working Group of the Presbytery of Genesee Valley. “In fact, those who have spoken out against the tour have already been subject to vitriol and threats. Although few of the tour’s speakers expose themselves to prosecution by explicitly calling for violence, they allow their audience to connect the dots by downplaying past political violence committed in God's name, associating themselves with extremist groups, demonizing their political opponents, and urging supporters to win the battle for God against their fellow Americans. This kind of division builds hate, hurts communities and makes our democracy vulnerable to more violence.”

“We reject General Flynn and his allies’ hijacking of the Gospel for political purposes. This tour is a dangerous and immoral political event in Jesus’ name that promotes misinformation, lies, and even out-right violence, and has no place in the church of God,” added the Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director of Faithful America, which sponsored the mobile billboard and has been working closely with clergy in Rochester and Batavia to oppose the tour.  

Nationally, more than 21,000 Christians have signed petitions from Faithful America, rejecting the ReAwaken America Tour and asking churches not to associate with the event. Another 25,000 Christians -- including the presiding bishops of the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America -- also signed a previous statement from the Christians Against Christian Nationalism initiative denouncing the ideology that now underlies the tour.

Press release:

The Genesee County Branch of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is organizing an antifascist teach-in on Saturday, August 13, from 1 to 4 p.m., at Austin Park to stand against the local stop of the “ReAwaken America Tour” (RAT).

The tour is “an opportunity for fascists to spread hate and recruit,” said Gina Schelemanow, a member of the ROC DSA Genesee County Branch Organizing Committee. “It is important to understand why they are doing this and actively stand against it.”

The August 12 and 13 stop was originally planned for the Main Street Armory in Rochester. A grassroots effort led by Rochester DSA (ROC DSA) [https://rocdsa.org/] and the Rochester Mutual Aid Network (RMAN) [https://rocmutualaid.com/] successfully pressured the owner of the venue to cancel the stop. The stop was then moved to the Cornerstone Church in Batavia.

During the teach-in speakers will argue that “demagogues like the RAT speakers take people’s justified anxiety and anger about the state of the country and the world and blame the weak for the decisions of powerful elites,” said Logan Wyatt Cole, a member of the ROC DSA Genesee County Branch Organizing Committee. “These people are desperate to stop working people from banding together to make the government work for us. They spread hate to turn us violently against each other—while they laugh all the way to the bank,” Cole added.

Schelemanow put the teach-in in context: “This is also a moment to come together as a larger Western New York community that has resisted the RAT for months and reflect on victories, as well as how to fight fascism locally in the future.”

The teach-in organizers have worked closely with organizers from the ROC DSA and RMAN. Several other organizations have urged supporters to attend the teach-in, including, locally, GLOW Women Rise.

Gina Schelemanow of Genesee County DSA urged opponents of fascism, opponents of Christian nationalism, and opponents of white supremacy to attend the teach-in. “While we will be three miles away from the hatefest, people who attend far-right events do have a history of aggressive behavior.” Schelemanow, therefore, suggested that parents exercise caution when deciding whether to bring children along. 

Press release:

The GLOW Region Solid Waste Management Committee is currently accepting appointments for the 2022 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event but spots are going fast. The collection will be held on Saturday, September 17 in Batavia, Genesee County. Pharmaceuticals, will NOT be accepted.  In order to participate in the Household Hazardous Waste Collection, residents must make an appointment. Appointments can be made online by going to GLOW’s website, www.glowsolidwaste.org and clicking on the link for the collection they want to attend. Those without internet access can call the GLOW office. Four hundred eighty (480) spots are available. The appointment process has worked extremely well at past collections. GLOW’s revised online system is making the process fast and convenient.

A separate Electronics Collection will be held one (1) week later, September 24, also in Batavia, also by appointment and also online (as noted above). Because of cost there will be a limit of four (4) CRT TVs and/or monitors. Both collections are open to residents in Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming Counties. With the exception of tires, materials are accepted at NO CHARGE.

Acceptable materials include at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection:

• LATEX  and Oil base paint, varnishes and shellac
• Household chemicals and cleaning products
• Household pesticides and insecticides
• Aerosol cans (partial or full)
• Vehicle fluids, oil filters, vehicle batteries EXCEPT for MOTOR OIL
• 20 lb. propane tanks and 1 lb. canisters
• Pool chemicals
• Driveway sealer
• Tires ($5.00 each)

Unacceptable materials include:

• Empty containers, latex paint, farm pesticides, asbestos and radioactive waste and explosives

Press release:

Paul Pettit, MSL, CPH, Health Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments in New York, has been newly elected to the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Board of Directors for a three-year term as a Director for Region 2, representing local health departments in NJ, NY, PR, and the USVI. NACCHO is the voice of the country’s nearly 3,000 local health departments. Mr. Pettit’s term began on July 1, 2022.      

“Being elected to serve on the NACCHO board is a very humbling and exciting opportunity. I’ve had the privilege to serve as a local public health director for over 14 years in the communities where I live,” said Paul Pettit. “Local public health is where we see the true impact of our work and have the direct interaction with our residents.  Serving on the board will allow me to represent my colleagues in Region 2 and work collaboratively with my fellow board members and the staff of NACCHO to continue the advocacy work for funding and services that will directly impact and improve the lives of those in our communities.” 

“I am very pleased that Paul Pettit’s colleagues around the country have voted to have him join our board,” said NACCHO Chief Executive Officer Lori Tremmel Freeman. “He is a past president of the New York State Association of County Health Officials and is especially active in public health policy and advocacy. We greatly appreciate the experience and insight he will bring to our organization’s leadership.”

About Mr. Pettit
Mr. Pettit has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester in Environmental Health, a Master of Science degree in Strategic Leadership from Roberts Wesleyan College and a certificate in Public Health from the University at Albany. 

Mr. Pettit has worked in public health for over 23 years, starting as an environmental health technician and advancing to the public health director role for Orleans County in January 2008. In 2012, he also became the public health director for Genesee County through a collaborative cross-jurisdictional sharing (CJS) arrangement between the two counties. This unique CJS partnership was supported and developed with assistance from the Center for Sharing Public Health Services. 

In addition to serving on many local, regional and state Board of Directors, Mr. Pettit is a Past President of the New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO), he was recently appointed to the New York State Rural Health Council, and he is very active in statewide public health and policy advocacy. Mr. Pettit is also an adjunct professor, teaching various public health classes at both SUNY Brockport and the University at Buffalo.

Press release:

In light of the disruptions that may occur from the “ReAwaken America” Tour in Batavia, Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) will be providing programs and services remotely this Friday, August 12th.

ILGR will not allow the event to interfere with its continued advocacy and service for all members of our community. Out of an abundance of caution, though, staff will conduct business as usual on Friday by telephone, E-mail, and video and web conferencing.

Last week, the governing board of the Independent Living of the Genesee Region released an anti-hate and racism statement in reaction to recent violent events in Western New York and across the country.

Director Rae Frank said “The Governing Council of ILGR felt that it was time to stand up and make it known that the people with disabilities will stand by our friends and neighbors who find themselves marginalized in our society, regardless of their religion, color, sexual identity, and other characteristics.  They have, and always will have, a friend and a partner at ILGR.” 

As a member of the Western New York Independent Living, Inc. Family of Agencies, Independent Living of the Genesee Region offers an expanding array of programs and services to help individuals with disabilities take and keep control of their own lives.

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its next edition of our Java with Joe E morning coffee presentation on Thursday, August 25 at 9 am. This month’s presenter is Ryan Duffy who will be presenting on Henry Glowacki. Glowacki was a Polish immigrant to Batavia in the 1830s. He became a prominent Batavia citizen and went on to become a lawyer, a clerk for the Holland Land Office, was a recruiter for the Civil War, Village Trustee, and school board member amongst many other things. The event is free to the public and coffee and donuts will be available. If you wish to attend, please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Photo by Lisa Ace.

Young golfers got a well-rounded experience at the annual Batavia Country Club Junior Golf Camp, according to Pro Tom Tucker.

The camp for kids 7-10 was July 25 through July 29 and the camp for kids 11-15 to was Aug. 1 through Aug. 5.

Instructors included Tucker, a Top-100 golf teacher, Roxanne Noeth, 14-time Batavia Country Club Women's Club Champion,
and Dominic NiCastro

Tucker said that during the week, golfers competed in various contests as well as team competitions along with their instruction and practice sessions.

"All in all, the kids had great weather, made new friends, and had a great time," Tucker said.

For more photos and information, click here. 

Submitted photos.

Top photo: Back row, left to right: Ashton Mapes, Aiden Flaherty, Mike Richenberg, Patrick Casey, Dan Mudrzynski, Hunter Sprague, Nolan Rogers, Joe Wujiec, Joe Mudrzynski, Garrett Morris, Front row, left to right: Dakota Ford, Melina Moscicki, Lena Meyer, Crimson Hurd Alex Tomidy, Luke Mills, Gavin Philp, Jacob Knowlton, Levi Fisher, Absent from photo: Maisse and Delia Yunker

Boys Champion - Brayden Jachimowicz shot a 33 to squeak by Sawyer George and Cody Carlson by one stroke each. Girls Champion - Jada Fite shot a 33 and edged out Brooklyn Jachimowicz (Brayden's sister) by a single stroke in two very exciting finishes.

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that WBBZ’s popular show, Polka Buzz, will tape several shows inside the Park Place Room on Thursday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.  Local Polka Band, “The Buffalo Touch”, will perform that evening.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on the Batavia Downs official tickets website, BataviaConcerts.com now.   Tickets can also be purchased at the Lucky Treasures Gift Shop. Tickets can be redeemed for $10 in Free Play on the day of the show.

Those wishing to spend the night can take advantage of a $69 Hotel Special, which includes $40 in Free Play ($20 per person, based on double occupancy) and includes 2 tickets to the show!  Check out the Batavia Downs Facebook Page for info on booking a hotel room to receive these perks.

“Polka Buzz” celebrates Polka music as a recorded dance party program, featuring the top Polka Bands in the country.  Local Media Personality Ron Dombrowski hosts the show and brings his knowledge of Polka music to the television screen. Dombrowski has been broadcasting polka programs since 1979 on both radio and television.

“We are excited to once again bring Polka Buzz on the road for the summer,” said Dombrowski.  “We hope to see lots of our fellow Polka fans from Batavia, Buffalo, Rochester and the surrounding areas at our Batavia Downs Show!”

The Homestretch Grill, located adjacent to the Park Place Room, will feature food and drink for those attending the event.  Several specials including Polish Beer, Vodka and Food will be available.

“Hosting the Polka Buzz on site is something we’ve been looking to do for a long time, “said Scott Kiedrowski, Vice President of Operations.  “Hosting these unique, fun and affordable events is what sets Batavia Downs apart from other entertainment venues.”

Photo via TheBuffaloTouch.com

Press release:

The City of Batavia Water Department will be shutting down water mains in the area of Oak Street and Richmond Ave, on August 11, 2022, due to the Richmond Ave Water Line Project.  The streets with possible water interruptions will be from, North of Richmond Ave on Oak Street, Richmond Ave from Oak Street to State Street, Verona Ave from Richmond Ave to Hillcrest Street, all of Buxton Ave, Genesee Street, and New York Place.  Additionally, new water main valves will be installed on Prospect Ave and State St.  During valve installations; water will be shut down on Prospect Ave from Richmond Ave to Oak Street and on the West side of Oak Street from Prospect Ave to Ellicott Ave and Main Street intersection, along with an area on State Street from the Richmond Ave intersection to just South of Park Ave.

The length of time the water will be off is unknown.

As always, when the water is restored, it may be discolored.  Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.

Just ask the leaders of the various agencies in Genesee County that continue to benefit as a result of the generosity of the late Roxanne Marshall, a school librarian and daughter of Batavia businessman Arthur H. Marshall Jr., who established the fund just prior to her death in 1997 in honor of her mother, Muriel.

Earlier this week, three members of the fund’s planning team – Bonnie Wallace, Jay Gsell and Pam Whitmore – along with Jennifer Leonard, chief executive officer of the Rochester Area Community Foundation, made a presentation to the Genesee County Legislature’s Human Services Committee at the Old County Courthouse.

The RACF oversees the fund that started with an initial gift of $7.9 million and now has a current value of $10.9 million. Considering that more than $9 million has been distributed in grants during that time, the fund is doing remarkably well, Gsell said.

“The fund is now distributing $500,000 per year for unduplicated services for seniors (over the age of 60) in Genesee County,” the former county manager reported.

Services provided to older adults by the fund include transportation through the Genesee County Office for the Aging and Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, Inc., financial management through Lifespan of Greater Rochester, handyman through PathStone Corp., home visitation through Catholic Charities, volunteerism through RSVP of Genesee County and library visits through Richmond Memorial Library.

Wallace, a former RACF employee and current Marshall Fund team chair, said all adults 60 and over are eligible to receive these services regardless of their income. She said the Office for the Aging acts as the administrative hub -- coordinating referrals, case management, volunteer support and special programs.

In January 2020, the planning team initiated the Ask Marshall campaign (www.askmarshall.net) that connects Geneseeans to the activities and resources in the area.

“The money is the least of what’s happening in Genesee County … we need to get people into the programs,” Wallace said, adding that continued enhancement of the website is the foundation’s “next big push.”

Whitmore, who served as OFA director for 18 years, said all of the services add up to putting “new meaning to life” for the recipients.

“A little kindness goes a long way,” she said. “The Marshall Fund is a very special gift to Genesee County. It provides an extra layer of service that brings that quality of life.”

Emphasizing that nothing compares to the fund across New York State, Whitmore said that "it’s just as important for caregivers to know about this as it is for the older adults.”

Leonard said Roxanne Marshall’s gift was the largest single gift to the RACF at that time and it is thriving 25 years later.

When added to money already allocated by the county and other sources, the fund’s contributions make “a wonderful partnership,” she said.

Goals of the planning team are to identify non-medical needs and opportunities for older adults in Genesee County, determine funding priorities and possibilities that are responsive to local needs, shape grantmaking strategies that meet the criteria of the fund, and provide for appropriate community input and reporting.

Other members of the Marshall Fund planning team are Ray Chaya, Richard Iannello, Peggy Lamb, Mary Ann Silvernail, Ruth Spink, Lynda Taylor, Diana Fox and Patricia Campbell.

For more information, call (585) 815-7979 or send an email to askmarshall@co.genesee.ny.us.

Photo: Bonnie Wallace, Marshall Fund planning team chair, speaks at Monday's Human Services Committee meeting. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Press Release

BUFFALO, N.Y. (August 10, 2022) — The Western New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will hold two free events at the Genesee County Office for the Aging in Batavia for people caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.

On Tuesday, August 23, there will be a free educational program, “Managing Money: A Caregiver’s Guide to Finances,” held from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Genesee County Office for the Aging at 2 Bank Street in Batavia. The program will feature tips for managing someone else’s finances, how to prepare for future care costs and the benefits of early planning. Participants are asked to register at tinyurl.com/BataviaMM.

On Thursday, August 25, there will be a Caregiver Resource Fair, also at the Office of the Aging, from 2 to 4 p.m. The Caregiver Resource Fair will offer information about the free community resources available to people living with dementia and their caregivers, such as support groups, educational programs and care consultations. Residents may attend anytime between 2 and 4 p.m.; free on-site respite for loved ones will be available. Registration is not required but recommended at bit.ly/CAREGIVERFAIR.

These free programs are supported in part by grants from the U.S. Administration for Community Living - Department of Health and Human Services and the New York State Department of Health, respectively.  

To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, call the 24/7 Alzheimer’s Association Helpline at 800.272.3900 or visit alz.org.

 

Pastor Ryan Macdonald from City Church, St. Anthony's site, says it’s been a pleasure to be part of a community social gathering that brings everyone together to share in food, fun and activities. 

"The weather played in our favor tonight with lower humidity and being cloudy and cooler than the heat wave we have endured throughout this summer," Macdonald said during Tuesday's Community Night Out event. "This year I would say brought in 1,000 people over the course of the event.  We had over 50-plus vendors and more additional sponsors. We are so thankful to get behind the police department with the K-9 unit, and they are just a blessing to the community, and we are glad to be a part of it."

Photos by Steve Ognibene

For the past year and a half, the Municipal Resources Inc. team has been taking a deep dive into Genesee County’s varied fire and emergency response operations in an effort to eliminate what County EMS Coordinator Tim Yaeger calls “the peaks and valleys.”

The report drafted by the consultants from the Plymouth, N.H.-based firm -- which includes around 90 recommendations for consideration – is on the verge of being released to the public, Yaeger said.

Speaking at Monday’s Public Service Committee meeting of the Genesee County Legislature, Yaeger said the local emergency services task force will be meeting at 6 o’clock tonight at the Fire Training Center on State Street Road to sift through the recommendations.

He said the initial goals are to develop “a plan of implementation and for a strategy of working groups, and how we’re going to work on those things – and then following that up with a meeting with the press so it can be read officially and released to the media (because) the public is waiting and wanting to know what that report said.”

Yaeger said the findings of MRI, which is fulfilling a $94,000 contract with the county, set the stage “for the real work to begin; to figure out where we’re going to be going to right the ship with our service.”

Following the task force meeting, the media has been invited to ask questions of the group at 7 p.m.

While it’s uncertain what measures will be implemented, Yaeger told the PSC by that no means is Genesee County government going to take over fire and emergency response in the county.

“I think my biggest hurdle, and our biggest hurdle collectively, is for the fire service (personnel) to understand the county is not taking over the fire service in Genesee County,” he said. “We're here to give them a path to get better -- to stabilize their system and move forward for many years to come.

“But I still hear some rumblings underneath that it's a county takeover and that’s all that it is because the county’s name is in the report and in their (MRI consultants) writing. So, they’re (community volunteers) very protective because they're very proud of what they do.”

Yaeger said the MRI supports community-based organizations.

“We're here to help them survive for the next 50 years (but) change is coming. They have to realize that they can't just continue to do the same things that we've been doing. We've got to act regionally. We've got to work regionally. We just need to formalize those things,” he said.

Mercy Flight EMS of Buffalo, which provides helicopter and ambulance service to the county, is on board with the changes, Yaeger said, relaying key points of a recent conversation he had with Margie Ferrentino, the company’s vice president and chief financial officer.

“I think she’s understanding that we need to stabilize the EMS system in this county,” he said. “We’re getting too many peaks and valleys. So, we had long conversation and I think she gets where we're coming from -- that those peaks and valleys need to go away.”

He said the location of where the ambulances are stationed is crucial to response time, and that MRI has addressed that situation in its report.

In a related development, Yaeger said county EMS has forged an agreement with the City of Batavia to bring about a dozen city firefighters into the county’s Special Operations Team.

“It’s very similar to the ERT team that law enforcement uses,” he noted. “That’s one of the changes that we felt was in the best interest of the public -- the city of Batavia residents and the county residents -- because we've got to be able to guarantee our response.”

Yaeger said he doesn’t fault town and village volunteers for the gaps in fire and emergency response.

“The message with the volunteer service, the dedicated folks out there, is that they’re ready, willing and able but they’ve got life and they’ve got everything else in front of them,” he said. “Some of them are getting pretty frustrated and aged to the point that they’ve been doing this 35 years, 40 years.

“And they’re wondering where the fresh troops are coming from. So, I think we've got to find out where those fresh troops are going to be coming from and find a new way to deliver that service.”

File photo of Timothy Yaeger. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

While it may seem like innocent fun to throw something odd or interesting online for all to see, it’s not so funny to people in charge of the public’s welfare.

A reader recently emailed The Batavian asking if the city water supply was safe, as he had read on social media about a claim that it was contaminated with some type of larvae.

Not true, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.

“The City of Batavia Water Treatment Plant is operating normally, and our ongoing analysis indicates that there are no deficiencies in the water supply,” she said to The Batavian Tuesday.

More to the point, Tabelski said that the city takes its water supply “very seriously,” and any presence of something that could affect residents’ health would be publicized as soon as possible with a message to boil one's consumable water.

Furthermore, anyone who posts false information about a municipal operation can face repercussions, Tabelski said. Along the lines of yelling fire in a crowded theater and causing mass hysteria, a rumor about a public necessity such as water can create undue concern or panic.

Tabelski referred Batavia city water users to the annual Water Quality Report, which is available on the city’s website. Here are a few water facts, according to Tabelski and the water report:

The City of Batavia has been processing its own water at the Water Filtration Plant, 480 Lehigh Ave. plant since 1917. Much of the original structure is still standing, although modifications have been made through the years, she said. Between 1968 and 1971 renovations were completed to raise the planned capacity from three million gallons per day (M.G.D.) to six M.G.D. Six new filters were added along with another precipitator unit.

A total of three million gallons of finished drinking water, which is one day’s average consumption, can be held in the city’s two elevated storage tanks, she said. One tank is located on East Main Street Road behind the New York State Department of Transportation building and the other is beside the V.A. Hospital. These towers maintain a steady water pressure of between 60 to 80 pounds throughout the City and Town.

Where Does Your Water Come From?
Batavia uses two sources of water. Two wells located at Cedar Street provide for most of our water needs. This water is from the Tonawanda Valley Water Shed, one of the largest underground bodies of water in the state.

"Our well water is exceptionally clear with an average turbidity of less than 0.05 N.T.U. Our tests have detected no bacteria or chemical contamination in our untreated (raw) well water," Tabelski said. "However, these wells produce a hard water containing dissolved minerals and requires softening to bring it to the condition most residents find acceptable. Two supplementary wells have been developed in the well field; these await pump systems to begin operation."

Tonawanda Creek is the other source of water. While the creek has provided the treatment plant with an adequate quantity and quality of water for over 80 years, it is a surface water source and is therefore susceptible to rapid changes in quality. Levels of turbidity from runoff may quickly increase, making the creek water less cost-effective to process. Creek water is used to supplement our wells and as a backup water supply, she said.

The City processed a total of 1.1 billion gallons of water in 1999. We serve a city population of 16,310 and supply water to about 5,800 city customers. We sold a total of one billion gallons of water in 1999. A total of 873 million gallons of water in the city and 137 million gallons were sold to the town. A total of 114 million gallons of water (or 10 percent) were not metered. This was from water hydrants, water used for city maintenance, used in parks, or water lost in leaks and breaks, she said.

How Do We Treat Your Water?
The Water Report states that Batavia's well water "is very clear and requires little treatment other than softening." Raw or untreated water from an intake pipe in the Tonawanda Creek enters the water plant through mechanical screens. These screens prevent creek debris from getting into the plant. Activated carbon can be added here if there is a taste or odor problem. From the screens, creek water is mixed with well water in the Flash Mixers where water treatment chemicals are added.

Chemicals used in the water plant are ferric sulfate, calcium oxide, chlorine, polyphosphate, fluoride, and occasionally activated carbon. Ferric sulfate is added as a coagulant. This chemical neutralizes the charges on particles suspended in the water and thus allows them to clump together and drop out. Calcium oxide, also called lime, is added to raw water to soften it. Batavia is one of the few water plants in the state that lime softens its water the report states.

Adding lime causes calcium, magnesium and other compounds to begin to precipitate or prop out of the water. Soft water cleans better and uses less soap to wash effectively. This type of water softening will not add sodium to the water as can some other types of water treatment. Tabelski and Water and Wastewater staff believe -- and verify with the report -- that this extra process is one reason Batavia can produce exceptionally clear water.

Click here to read the city's Water Quality Report.

Top Photo: 2022 File Photo of a sunset looking over Tonawanda Creek, one of two sources of water for the City of Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.

By L. Kent Wolgamott/Last Word Features

“Jukebox Charley” isn’t really Charley Crockett’s moniker. It’s the title of his newly released 11th album. But it’s a fair description of the man, who performs a jukebox full of songs, like the Johnny Paycheck-penned title cut, that brings classic country back to vivid life.

The fourth album in his “Lil’ G.L. Presents:” series is intentionally packed with Crockett’s versions of honky-tonk tunes that even the biggest vintage country fans won’t know.

“Folks nowadays don’t know any of the classic stuff at all,” Crockett said. “We really wanted to do some stuff those guys might not know. Not just to stump them. That’s the real thing. So why not put stuff people haven’t heard before?”

There’s a very personal reason why Crockett unearths obscure gems like Jerry Reed’s “Feel for You,” Willie Nelson’s “Home Motel,” George Jones’ “Out of Control” and Tom T. Hall’s “Lonely in Person” and “I Hope It Rains at My Funeral.”

“I’ve written a lot of songs," he said. “Sometimes I write good ones, sometimes I don’t. If I’ve got any chance of writing a good song, it’s because I’m learning these (classic) songs.”

Crocket brings his honky tonk sound to the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Sunday as part of the Outlaw Country Festival.

Another key influence, he said, is Bob Dylan.

“If you’re not looking at Dylan, you’re not thinking about songwriting,” Crockett said. “I know there’s a Grand Canyon for some folks between Bob Dylan and Tom T. Hall. I love Tom T. Hall. I recorded a couple of his songs on this (“Jukebox Charley”) album. The reality is if you took Tom T. Hall out of me, I’d still be good. But take Dylan out and I probably wouldn’t be doing it at all.”

Crockett, 38, began his music career at age 17, developing what he calls his “Gulf and Western” country sound as he hit the road with his pawn shop guitar, playing at first on the streets, then clubs and other venues while independently releasing 10 previous albums and overcoming open heart surgery in 2019 to correct a congenital defect.

Too independent, too country, and too distinctive for Nashville and country radio, Crockett won Emerging Act of the Year at the 2021 Americana Honors & Awards.

“For me, coming out of complete obscurity, digging a hole through the floor, if not for Americana, I don’t know where I’d be,” Crockett said.

Photo by Bobby Cochran.

Things are looking up for the Holland Land Office Museum at 131 West Main St., the Genesee County-supported facility dedicated to highlighting the events and people that have contributed to the region’s rich history.

Membership in the museum, which is managed by the board of directors of the Holland Purchase Historical Society, is nearing 250 and attendance since last July has surpassed the 3,000 mark.

Those benchmarks alone, says Executive Director Ryan Duffy, indicate that the museum definitely has bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duffy and Don Burkel, HLOM board president, presented their yearly report on Monday at the Genesee County Legislature’s Human Services Committee meeting.

“Our membership topped 200 for 2021 for the first time in quite a few years and we’re 90 percent to that number this year,” Duffy said. “Our goal (for 2022) is 250 and we’re 75 percent to that.”

He said the museum is attracting more international visitors – especially from The Netherlands (due to this area being a Dutch settlement) – while the recording of its guest speaker series is getting hundreds of views on YouTube.

Duffy also mentioned the restarting of the History Heroes program this summer, which brought around 27 young people to the museum, and that the Wonderland of Trees was the museum’s biggest yet in terms of visitors and sponsors.

Volunteer support is crucial to the museum’s success, he noted, and was glad to report that 17 people donate their time on a regular basis.

“Volunteers, docents and interns completed more than 1,500 hours of community service up to this date,” he reported, adding that attendance and gift shop sales have returned to pre-2020 levels.

Going forward, Duffy said directors are in the early stages of obtaining a design for a new entrance off the West Wing of the building “to create a more welcoming and efficient entry” that would be Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant. Additionally, this space would be utilized for the relocation of the gift shop and a larger space for the research library.

“This will be a better spot for the gift shop, hopefully generating double the annual revenue, and we would gain exhibit space (by utilizing the area currently occupied by the gift shop),” he advised.

The museum also has initiated the Garth Swanson Memorial Scholarship, which will be available to students in 2023, Duffy said.

The scholarship will benefit current high school students planning to attend Genesee Community College or students attending GCC currently with a passion for history. It is in honor of Garth Swanson, a longtime board member and patron of the museum who passed away in early 2022.

The Holland Land Office Museum is currently operating under normal, yearlong hours. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. For more information, call 585-343-4727.

Photo: Don Burkel, left, and Ryan Duffy, representing the Holland Land Office Museum, talked about the museum's activities over the past year at Monday's County Legislature Human Services Committee meeting. Photo by Mike Pettinella.