batavia

Elimination of the ambulance service in 2009 means the city will be spending less money overall in 2010/11, according to City Manager Jason Molino's annual budget message.

The overall expense -- all budget lines -- for the city will be down $1.2 million, or 5.48 percent.

However, the General Fund expense will increase $183,116. The city must also continue to build its fund balance in order to be able to handle unanticipated events and put the city on a sound financial footing.

So a property tax increase of 3.07 percent is necessary, Molino wrote. It would raise the rate to $10.50 per $1,000. That works out to about $25 per year more for a home owner with an average valued house of $80,000.

Increased expenses for the city include:

• New York State Retirement Costs: Up $200,000 because the state's pension fund losses have exceeded more than $44 billion. All municipalities in the state are being forced to make up the difference.
• Police: The police department budget is up $74,000 following this summer's arbitration settlement.
• Fire: The fire budget is up $412,000 following the severance/settlement agreement related to elimination of the ambulance service. Overtime is down $35,000, but a big part of the increase is making up for increased state retirement costs.
• Contingency: Up $100,000 to plan for an unknown settlement with three of the city's unions currently in negotiations on new contracts.
• Health Insurance Reserve: The city is self-funded for now, but there is no reserve for an unexpected critical expense. Add, $60,000.

There are also some notable cost reductions for the city:

• DPW's budget is down $240,000, but there is still apparently money for required equipment replacements. The average age of DPW equipment is 24 years.
• The city is no longer paying back prior years' deficits at a rate of $250,000.
• The 2009/10 fiscal year was the first time in three years that the city wasn't engaged in temporary borrowing to pay bills. That means the city won't be making $33,000 in interest payments for a prior year's loans.

The proposed budget includes a 1.5-percent raise for 10 management employees.

Molino's budget notes that, "Over the course of the past three years the City has faced a lingering $2.2 million general fund deficit, significant cash flow deficiencies and deficits in all other operating funds."

This led the city to layoff 23 staff members and not fill 15 other staff positions. During those three years: there were no wage increases for union members or management; temporary borrowing was necessary to pay bills; and the ambulance service was eliminated, dispatch was consolidated and maintenance deferred.

"City staff has sharpened their pencils, adapted to crisis management and tapped into their creative and innovative minds to maintain service levels at reasonable costs," Molino writes. "As a result, the City of Batavia over the past three years has, by a slim margin, eliminated its prior fund balance deficits and begun to plan for what improvements and investments will be needed in order to maintain a sustainable community for our citizens."

If the City of Batavia is going to maintain its aging water infrastructure, there  will need to be a series of rate increases over at least the next five years, the City Council was told tonight.

The city needs to make about a $4 million investment in the coming years, said Stephen C. Waldvogel, a consultant from Consestoga-Rovers & Associates out of Buffalo.

"Running a water and sewer utility in today's economic climate is growing increasingly difficult," Waldvogel said. "There are numerous challenges associated with running a water and/or with a sewer utility, particularly in the northeast. One of the prevalent problems throughout the northeast, which the city is facing right now, is aging infrastructure. Your water plant was constructed about 100 years ago. Your wastewater plant was about 30 years ago, and most of the pipes in the ground are 50 to 100 years old."

Failures are inevitable and residents face potential service outages without improvements.

Waldvogel suggested the city institute a five-year plan of rate increases -- the average rate would go up less than $1 per month each year (2.5 percent per year), plus institute a $1-per-quarter fee to pay for infrastructure improvements ($3 per quarter by the fifth year).

"This fee would be dedicated solely to making those improvements so that you can demonstrate more clearly to your residents, or your constituents, that you're getting value for this investment," Waldvogel said. "We're not going to take this money and move it somewhere else. You're going to pay this fee and we're going to put it right back into your infrastructure. You can talk to them about the projects that this fee is paying for."

If the council were to move forward on Waldvogel's suggestions, there would be a public hearing as part of the upcoming budget process. 

The city cannot enact a five-year fee increase plan, but it can start with a scheduled two-year increase in 2010, which then could be renewed every two years as needed.

Waldvogel stressed that over the course of five years, the need for the fee could change.

City Council President Marianne Clattenburg said after the meeting that a plan such as Waldvogel presented is probably necessary.

"This is exactly what I was talking about when I said we are going to have to start setting priorities and moving forward with future plans," Clattenburg said. "The city is in need of reconstruction in certain parts of our water and sewer system, so I think this was a very comprehensive, well-thought-out, reasonable study as to how we're going to go where we need to go in the future."

Waldvogel listed six challenges facing the city and its water service:

• Aging infrastructure
• Potential declining service levels
• Escalating operations and maintenance costs
• Declining consumption
• Reduced funding options
• Previous large rate increases

Part of Waldvogel's gradual rate increase plan is to avoid the sticker shock on consumers of a spike in rates, such as the 2008 rate increase. Prior to 2007, the city hadn't increased rates in four years.

As for declining consumption -- that's largely a result of people buying more efficient washers, toilets and other water devices. The city saw an 8-percent decrease in water usage last year and an 13-percent decrease over the past four years. Waldvogel's study didn't go back further, but he said he's confident that's a long-term trend.

Declining consumption means less in water fees collected.

At the current rate of rising costs and decreased revenue, he expects operational deficits beginning this year to reach $600,000 a year by 2014, unless something is done.

As for sewer, Waldvogel said that system is in better shape financially and he sees no reason for sewer-rate increases over the next five years.

Some of the charts from tonight's presentation after the jump:

The Batavia City Council meets at 7 tonight.

There will be a regular business meeting followed by a budget workshop.

City Manager Jason Molino's proposed budget calls for a 3-percent tax increase.

Tonight's budget session will focus on sewer and water, and address some of the challenges associated with aging infrastructure.

On the business meeting agenda, there is a resolution to increase spending on legal fees by $35,000, to help pay for ongoing litigation.

A City of Batavia sidewalk plow has rolled over on Walnut Street near Law.

A car is reportedly on its side in the area of 5860 Clinton St. Road, Batavia.

There are reportedly injuries.

UPDATE 10:40 p.m.: Stafford Fire is responding.  One older woman is trapped in the car. It's unknown if she's injured.

UPDATE 11:05 p.m.: "Victim extricated." Previously, Mercy Flight was dispatched and then cancelled.

UPDATE 11:21 p.m.: The driver is being transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy EMS. 

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A car has hit a pole and wires are down in the area of 7797 Oak Orchard Road (Route 98).

Minor injuries are reported.

Mercy EMS and Town of Batavia Fire have been dispatched.

Last night, the Lady Irish took the Batavia Rotary Club Basketball Tournament Championship over Pavilion, 48-29.

Notre Dame is now 7-1.

MVP Nichole Hart scored 19 points. Liz Geandreau scored 8 and Hannah Scott-McGrail netted 11.

For Pavilion, Amie Brooks, 8 and Erin Cleveland scored 6.

The All Tournament team: Geandreau, Scott-McGrail, Brooks, Chelsea Turcer from Alexander and Hart.

More pictures after the jump:

During the half time of last nights finals in the Batavia Rotary Girls Basketball Tournament, 6th graders from St. Joseph School and Pavilion matched up in a game of their own.

More pictures after the jump:

An Erie County man has been accused of selling narcotics to a Genesee County undercover agent.

John L. Tillman, 34, of 87 Phyllis Ave., Buffalo, was picked up by the Erie County Warrants Office and turned over to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office today.

Tillman is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance 3rd and criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd.

The Genesee County Local Drug Enforcement Task Force received a sealed indictment against Tillman after he allegedly sold crack cocaine in the City of Batavia to an undercover agent.

Tillman was arraigned in Genesee County Court and jailed without bail.

A two-vehicle accident with injuries is snarling rush-hour traffic on Main Street. The accident occurred in front of Denny's on West Main and one of the vehicles is said to have heavy front-end damage.

No word yet on injuries. Medics and tow trucks have been called to the scene.

A 20-year-old Stafford man has been arrested following an investigation into the theft of more than $7,000 worth of construction tools in 2008.

John R. Testa, of 6005 Bartof Road, was arrested Wednesday by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office and charged with one count of criminal possession of stolen property in the 3rd degree, a class D felony.

He is accused of allegedly taking about $7,331 in tools reported stolen from trailers at the Lowe's construction site on Veteran's Memorial Drive in Batavia. The goods were believed to have been taken during the night hours June 25 - 26, 2008.

The tools were allegedly found in Testa's possession on July 1, 2008 at a location in the Town of Stafford. They were recovered by the Sheriff's Office, with the exception of two saw-alls and a cordless drill, which are still missing.

Testa was arraigned before Stafford Town Justice Call and released under the supervision of Genesee Justice. His next court date is set for 1 p.m. on Feb. 2.

Investigator Timothy Weis handled the case, with assistance from Deputy Daniel Vanvalkenburg and Deputy Ronald Meides.

Batavia-based Graham Corporation is bouncing back from the economic downturn, CEO James R. Lines told the Buffalo News.

The company has recently booked $37 million in orders and that revenue should start hitting the books by the fall.

“We believe that sales over the next few quarters will continue to reflect the sporadic nature of order receipt that began over a year ago,” Lines said. “We also believe this should be the bottom of the cycle for us.”

Graham still expects its sales during the fiscal year that ends in March to be between $60 million and $65 million, down from its record sales of $101 million the year before.

Wanted by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office: Gene S. Schmidt. The Sheriff's Office has two warrants for Schmidt: Alleged violation of probation and alleged harassment 2nd. Any information on his whereabouts can be provided to the Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000.

Jeffery Owen Coats, 45, of 10553 Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with stalking 4th. Coats is accused to sending text messages to his ex-wife after State Police ordered him to stop texting her.

A 16-year-old from Batavia has been charged with menacing 2nd. The boy is accused of brandishing a large kitchen knife during a domestic dispute.

Pavilion beat Batavia 52-25 in game two of the Batavia Rotary Girls Basketball Tournament last night at GCC.  Pavilion moves to 6-0.

For Pavilion, Amie Brooks scored 21 points. Danielle Tallo added 9.

For Batavia, Michelle Jordan scored 6 points and Lashonna Mims added 5.

More pictures after the jump:

Notre Dame (7-1) beat Alexander 56-43 in game one of the Batavia Rotary Girls Basketball Tournament.

Liz Geandreau scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds for Notre Dame. Trish Pike had 12 points, five rebounds and three steals.

For Alexander, Anna Dominick scored 17 points and Chelsea Turcer added 11.

This was the first appearance for Alexander in the annual tournament.

More pictures after the jump:

It's a big question that figures into any conversation people have about business in Downtown Batavia -- what's the future of Latina's Market?

The empty hulk on Jackson and Ellicott sits like a concrete elephant that obscures any notion of increasing Downtown's business vibrancy.

And conventional wisdom around town is that a trio of lawyers in Buffalo owns it and has no intention of doing anything with it -- they're happy to just let it sit.

"That's (bunk)," said co-owner Vito Gautieri during an interview today. 

Local business man Gautieri is a co-owner and broker of the building that has served as a location for Montgomery Ward, Super Duper and Jubilee as well as Latina's over the past 20 years.

Gautieri said he's trying to lease or sell the 40,000 square foot building (which also has 11,000 square feet of office space above the retail floor).

"We've been spending tons of money trying to find a buyer," Gautieri said. "We've showed it 10 or 12 times in the past year. "

Gautieri's partners are indeed a group of lawyers in Buffalo, but he said they are just as anxious as anybody else to see the building sold or leased.

Don Burkle, director of the Batavia Improvement District, said it's good news if the owners are indeed trying to sell the building, but he's been unaware of any effort to sell or lease the building and that there's never been any response from the current ownership whenever the BID has referred potential buyers.

The BID is very interested in seeing a grocery store go into the location, or maybe it could serve as a retail business incubator, or perhaps a hotel and convention center could be built on the location -- anything that would help downtown would interest the BID, Burkle said.

"(The building) has a lot of potential and any grocery store in that location would certainly enhance downtown," Burkle said.

Gauiteri said the asking price on the location is $1.8 million.

In 2008, the property was assessed at $700,000.

One obvious potential buyer is Ken Mistler, who just opened a new gym and a coffee shop at the corner of Main and Jackson and has a history of buying downtown buildings -- he owns 10 now -- and renovating them.

Both Gauiteri and Mistler confirmed they've talked about the building, but it doesn't sound like there are any ongoing negotiations.

Mistler said he's both concerned about the vacant building and, now that his gym is open, wonders what will happen to parking if anything is opened in that location.

"That's a big vacancy and any possible business that might want to come Downtown looks at that big vacant building and starts asking why?" Mislter said in between signing up new gym memberships this afternoon. "We know it has a negative impact on Downtown when it's such a massive location and it's empty. But I also think, what if it is filled? What is the city going to do about parking? Did you see the parking lot last night -- people were parking down by South Beach and we (the gym) opened only four days ago."