batavia

City officials will consider a tax exemption for seniors over the age of 65, similar to what Genesee County passed in late February.

The county’s exemption of Section 467 of the Real Property Tax Law grants a reduction in the amount of taxes paid by senior citizens based on a sliding scale of income amounts from less than $23,800 for a 50% exemption up to $32,200 for 5%.

Deputy County Treasurer Kevin Andrews proposed the move earlier this year for the county and also emailed the city about this municipality considering doing a similar exemption, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said this week. 

“And it's something. If you'd like, we can have staff look into it and get back to you with a recommendation at a future meeting,” she said during Monday’s City Council meeting. “We do know that it would affect the taxable status of properties to the tune of about $2.6 million, but as a whole, in terms of how much our entire assessment value is, this is a very, very small percentage. So, like I said, we can come back to this if you'd like us to email the information so you can take a look at it and get a little better analysis of what that would look like if we were to implement it.”

City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said that “it's definitely worth looking into” the exemption as an option for seniors to save some money.

“Anything we can do to help people keep their homes and sustain their homes,” he said. “If they’re qualified for the exemption, then they definitely should be getting it.” 

When the county approved the measure that took effect on March 1, The Batavian asked Andrews for a tangible example of how much savings that could mean for an eligible senior. At the maximum end of the scale, if the income qualifies and they were to receive 50 percent exemption on their taxes with a home assessed at $100,000, that would equal roughly a $400 savings for county tax purposes, he said. County taxes for 2024 are $5.80 per $1,000 assessed value versus city at $8.96 per $1,000.

The full table for the county is below to show how the sliding scale works:

• Less than $23,800 - 50%
• Equal or more than $23,800 but less than $24,800 - 45%
• $24,800 but less than $25,800 - 40%
• $25,800 but less than $26,800 - 35%
• $26,800 but less than $27,700 - 30%
• $27,700 but less than $28,600 - 25%
• $28,600 but less than $29,500 - 20%
• $29,500 but less than $30,400 - 15%
• $30,400 but less than $31,300 - 10%
• $31,300 but less than $32,200 - 5%

Michael J. Stack, 47, of Batavia, is charged with attempted robbery 3rd, attempted criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, 2nd, menacing, 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment 2nd. Stack is accused of striking another person and threatening that person with a box cutter. When police attempted to arrest him on Sept. 3, Stack allegedly fought with officers and attempted to take an officer's gun from the officer's holster. Stack was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.

Anthony Earl Parks, 19, of West 150th Street, New York City, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 3rd and criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds. Parks, a Genesee Community College student, is accused of possessing an unregistered loaded pistol with a high-capacity magazine while at College Village at 11:50 p.m. on Sept. 22.  Campus security was made aware that Parks may possess a weapon through a social media post.  There is no information uncovered by investigators alleging any threats by Parks related to the handgun. Parks was arraigned and jailed on $25,000 bail or $5,000 bond. The incident was investigated by Deputy Rachael Diehl and Investigator Erik Andre. They were assisted by campus security.

Patrick O. Spikes, 43, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession fo a weapon 3rd and menacing 2nd. Spikes is accused of threatening another person with a knife during a fight on Sept. 17 at an undisclosed location. Spikes was arraigned in City Court and held without bail.

Nicholas C. Kingdollar, 28, of Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, criminal contempt 2nd, and aggravated family offense. Kingdollar was allegedly found on Sept. 6 inside a residence at an undisclosed location in violation of a stay-away order of protection. He was arraigned in City Court and was ordered held on $5,000 bail, $10,000 bond, or $20,000 partially secured bond.

Penny S. Hofert, 58, of Batavia, is charged with criminal of a controlled substance 3rdf and criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd. Hofert was arrested on Aug. 22 following an investigation into an alleged drug sale on Aug. 5. Batavia PD reports that members of the Neighborhood Enforcement Team witnessed a suspect conduct a drug sale on Bank Street. Hofert was arraigned and released.

Adam J. Arsenault, 38 of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 4th. Arsenault is accused of possessing a muzzleloader. He was arrested on Aug. 27. Police state that Arsenault is a convicted felon and is not permitted to possess any guns. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kyle J. Leenhouts, 36, of Rochester, is charged with DWI. On Aug. 24, Batavia patrol officers were dispatched to McDonald's on East Main Street where a person was reportedly causing a disturbance in the drive-thru. Leenhouts was arrested following an investigation. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Keith M. Lewandowski, 33, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. He was arrested on Aug. 26 on a warrant based on an incident on Dec. 3. Officers stopped Lewandowski on his bicycle for an alleged traffic violation. He was allegedly found in possession of narcotics. He was arraigned and released.

Mason D. Dumbleton, 33, of Alexander, is charged with DWI. Dumbleton was stopped on Aug. 23 on Ellicott Street, Batavia, by a Batavia patrol officer. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Lindsay Q. Brooks, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Brooks is accused of damaging the door of a residence on Ellicott Place, Batavia, during a fight. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Trevor N. Christman, 34, of Batavia, is charged with exposure of a person. Christman is accused of exposing himself and uritnating on a building on Ellicott Street, Batavia, on Aug. 15. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Dominic D. Czerniak, 25, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Czerniak was arrested on Aug. 12. He allegedly kicked another person in a fight on West Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Suzanne C. Stein, 62, of Byron, was arrested on Aug. 24 on a warrant. Stein was initially issued a traffic ticket for a misdemeanor traffic violation. The warrant was issued after she allegedly failed to appear in court. Stein was arraigned and released.

Michael C. Smith, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on four warrants on Aug. 19. The warrants are related to several different incidents where Smith was charged with petit larceny and trespass. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and remanded to the Genesee County Jail. 

Alicia M. Lyons, 44, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Lyons is accused of striking another person during a fight on Mill Street, Batavia, on Sept. 2. She was arrested again on Sept. 4 and charged with two counts of harassment 2nd. She is accused of striking another person at two separate times. She was arraigned in City Court and released.

Joseph M. Call, 24, of Batavia, turned himself in on a warrant on Aug. 28. Call was issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket, on June 10. A warrant was issued, after he allegedly failed to appear in court. Call was arraigned and released.

Brandon A. Honore, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 29 on a warrant. Honore allegedly failed to appear in court on a misdemeanor traffic ticket. He was arraigned in City Court and released. 

Bill A. Thomas, 64, of Batavia, is charged with open alcohol container in public. Thomas was allegedly found in possession on Aug. 31 of an open container of alcohol in Austin Park. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jeremy C. Goodell, 50, of Batavia, is charged with open alcohol container in public. Goodall is accused of possessing an open container in Austin Park on Aug. 31. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jamie A. Dutton, 32, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 30 on a warrant and other charges. The warrant charges Dutton with petit larceny. He is accused of stealing merchandise from Aldi on June 20. He was additionally charged with criminal impersonation 2nd, for allegedly lying about his name in order to avoid arrest, as well as resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental Administration 2nd, for allegedly running from police who were attempting to arrest him. He was arraigned in  City Court and turned over to the Genesee County Jail, on a Parole warrant.

Francis A. Coombs, 57, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Coombs is accused of kicking a hole in a wall at a residence on State Street on Aug. 25. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Deandre C. Lee, 30, of Rochester, and Myrin D. Lumpkin, 46, of Batavia, are both charged with disorderly conduct. Lee and Lumpkin are accused of fighting with each other on Aug. 25 in the street at the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Avenue. Lee was also charged with criminal contempt 2nd. He is accused of violating an order of protection in relation to an occupant of a vehicle Lee and Lumpkin had been in. Lee was arraigned in City Court. Lumpkin was issued an appearance ticket.

Lyndsay T. Young, 41, of Batavia, is charged with trespass. Young is accused of living in the woods of private property on South Jackson Street, Batavia. She was arrested on Aug. 26. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Jennifer N. Wilson, 37, of Olean, was arrested on a warrant on Aug. 27. Wilson was initially arrested on Feb 26 on charges of criminal trespass 2nd, obstructing governmental administration 2nd and resisting arrest. Wilson allegedly failed to appear in court on the charges. Wilson was arraigned in City Court and released. 

Lamar I. Randall, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Aug. 8 on a warrant. Randall allegedly failed to appear on a traffic ticket. He was arraigned and released.

Thomas J. Preedom, 36, of Clarence, is charged with failure to register. Preedom is reportedly a registered sex offender and allegedly failed to report a change of address within 10 days. He was arraigned in City Court and released under supervision.

Raymond L. Keffer, Jr., 47, of Brockport, is charged with failure to register. Keffer is reportedly a registered sex offender and allegedly failed to report a change of address within 10 days. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Mark W. McWethy, 56, of Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 11 on a warrant. McWethy was initially charged on Aug. 6 with criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. He allegedly failed to appear in court to answer to the charges. He was arraigned and released.

Anthony R. Dunmore, 44, of Rochester, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing. Dunmore is accused of placing his hands around another person's neck during a fight on State Street on Sept. 7., 2023. The suspect fled the scene. Dunmore was arrested on a warrant on Sept. 6. He was arraigned and released.

Michael A. Sweet, 38, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Sweet is accused of grabbing another person and dragging that person during a fight on Raymond Avenue on Sept. 16. He was also arrested on a warrant charging harassment 2nd in connection with an incident involving the same victim. He was arraigned in City Court and ordered held in the Genesee County Jail.

Jerry Smith, Jr., 49, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Smith is accused of shoving another person during a dispute on South Swan Street. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Kristen L. Kocent, 36, of Batavia, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs. Kocent was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer on Oct. 13. She was arrested on Sept. 16, accused of driving while under the influence of narcotics. She was arraigned in City Court and released on her own recognizance.

Rachel A. Baer, 37, of Le Roy, was arrested on Sept. 17 on a warrant. Baer was initially arrested in May on a charge of petit larceny. She allegedly failed to appear in court. She was arraigned and released. 

Timothy J. Niccloy, 39, of Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 15 on a warrant. Niccloy was issued a misdemeanor traffic ticket on June 4. He allegedly failed to appear in court. Niccloy was arraigned and released.

Daniel P. Frey, 42, of Batavia, is charged with theft of service. Fey is accused of not paying for his meal at Tully's. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Joseph Anthony Saccomanno, 67, Highland Drive, Williamsville, is charged with harassment 2nd. Saccomanno is accused of hitting another person inside of the concert venue at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center at 8:11 p.m. on Sept. 17. He was issued an appearance ticket. 

Tiaan Geldenhuys, 26, of Watson Road, Elba, is charged with assault 3rd. Geldenhuys is accused of attacking a co-worker at a location on Transit Road in Byron at 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 17, causing physical injury. 

Casey Thomas Vaughn, 35, of Prestige Xing, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Vaughn is accused of violating an order of protection at 10:09 p.m. on Sept. 19. He was held pending arraignment.

Nathaniel Austin Moultrup, 24, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement, moving from lane unsafely, drinking alcohol or using cannabis in a motor vehicle. Moultrup was stopped at 1:55 a.m. on Sept. 21 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler.

Maura Carina Diaz-Garcia, 41, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, is charged with assault 2nd. Diaz-Garcia is accused of hitting another person multiple times and hit the person in the head with a coat hangar. The victim sustained multiple physical injuries, including bruising along the the left side of his or her body and a cut on the forehead. Diaz-Garcia was held pending arraignment.

Dean Michael Boldt, 57, of Wende Road. Alden, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 of alcohol and motor vehicle lights not meeting standards. Boldt was stopped at 1:28 a.m. on Sept. 22 on West Main Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Jacob Kipler.

There are events and projects that happened in Batavia years ago that folks talk about, question, and criticize to this day. Urban Renewal and the destruction of downtown’s grand buildings in lieu of more modern structures such as Genesee Country Mall has been a big one.

Ellicott Station, the four-floor apartment complex that has been stalled now since summer of 2023, is another of those projects begging questions of how it came to be a visual doorstop in the middle of downtown Batavia. 

And The Batavian has attempted to conduct forensic research and interviews to look back at all that took place leading up to the standstill, not to belabor the point but to establish and document the transactions as matters of historical importance, just as records about the mall-turned-Batavia City Centre are important to understand for anyone wanting to move forward.

The Batavian first assembled a timeline based on public documents of involved agencies -- the city of Batavia, Genesee Economic Development Center, and NYS Housing and Community Renewal. In addition to contracts and reports, The Batavian received hundreds of emails from key stakeholders such as City Manager Rachael Tabelski, GCEDC CEO Mark Masse and former CED Steve Hyde, HCR officials, and Ellicott Station property owner Sam Savarino. After the publication of those findings, The Batavian requested interviews with Tabelski, Masse and Savarino about the project, and Tabelski and Masse declined to discuss the issue further.

“Thank you for your inquiry. I have no further comments on the timeline.  Right now, the City is doing its job to address code violations on the property and doing all we can to see this parcel redeveloped,” Tabelski said. “Along with the BDC, we continue to try to connect interested developers, not only with the stalled apartment building but also the DellaPenna building, which is a separate parcel.”

Masse appreciated The Batavian reaching out and our interest in this story, he said.

“The GCEDC is no longer involved in this project, and I have no comment on the story,” he said.

Savarino did answer a few questions and provided a document with additional details regarding a prior communication with GCEDC that he believes further validates his claim that the agency cost him and the community the project’s timely completion. 

So where are we now is that Ellicott Station is swinging in the wind, so to speak? City officials have said a couple of developers have expressed interest, and The Batavian is aware of an unofficial list of prospective developers.

Are you or have you been working with any developers about potentially taking over the project?
"Yes,” Savarino said. “Ellicott Station LLC has communicated and continues to communicate with potential successor sponsors for the residential portion of the project.”

What do you think went wrong with this deal? And who do you believe bears the responsibility for that complex sitting idle? 
“As your recent reporting indicates, the actions of the GCEDC disabled the project. The Ellicott Station project – both the commercial and residential components – are not feasible without the GCEDC benefits,” Savarino said. “The sponsor and funders would not have proceeded with the project without the GCEDC inducement. The GCEDC’s breach of its agreement preceded and precipitated any alleged non-performance of the sponsor.”

Do you have hindsight about what you could have done differently for another outcome? 
“No.” 

 Do you think GCEDC could have done something different? 
“Yes – not disable the project,” he said. 

Was it a matter of a misunderstanding or something deeper? If so, what? 
“The documents and correspondence between the parties speak for themselves,” he said.

Do you agree that the misusage of low income, workforce and affordable may have played a part in all of this for a misunderstanding between you and GCEDC/Batavia?
“There ought not to have been any misunderstanding,” Savarino said. “The documents and correspondence between the parties and the GCEDC’s own documents make clear the nature and details of the project (in particular the residential component) approved by GCEDC — whatever brand or description someone may attach to it.”

Where are you currently with the project, and are you working with HCR, other agencies/municipalities and developers to get Ellicott Station moving again? 
“Yes; however, the actions of the GCEDC have presented significant hurdles, disabled and impeded the project and added significant cost,” he said.

Savarino has stood by his sign-off to GCEDC then-President Steve Hyde in March 2023 in that “we are committed to making this project a success by every measure,” and contends that the only reason that has not happened to date is because EDC pulled back its offer, hamstringing Savarino’s financial abilities and overall efforts to move forward. 

He provided The Batavian with his own copies of documents received by The Batavian in its Freedom of Information Law requests as proof that he complied with every request from the industrial development agency, such as demographics about the 102 applicants — 82 were from Genesee County, eight from Orleans County, three from Erie, two from Wyoming, one from Bronx, two from Queens, and one each from Livingston, Monroe and out of state counties — to the number of 20 people receiving disability benefits, 31 people being 55 or older and 19 being 62 or older. 

There were details about how actual tenancy would work, including orientation and that it would cover an explanation of the terms and conditions of the lease agreement, rules and regulations, a demonstration of how appliances and equipment operate, information about community services, medical facilities, shopping areas, public transportation and such, explanation about energy conservation measures and about resident participation/cooperation in operational programs with trash and recycling, fire safety drills, snow removal, etc.

There were also topics for employees about how to handle grievances on site, termination of leases and evictions, security, insurance, locks and keys, utilities, payment of rent, criminal activity and smoking, routine inspections, and pets.

One letter from consultant Divitta Alexander to both Hyde and Savarino, dated Nov. 22, 2019, cited income ranges of $9 to $15.55 per hour for a one-bedroom apartment and $10.26 to $17.64 per hour for two-bedroom units. These hourly rates “would qualify for the project at the rents that both HCR and the market analyst expressed comfort with,” Alexander said.

“I think the project is properly characterized as mixed-use workforce housing,” Alexander said.

In an example used by The Batavian for a prior article published after the income levels were publicized by Ellicott Station LLC, two people each earning minimum wage, $14.20 an hour, were 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).

So, the numbers seem off in 2019. At $9 per hour, that could arguably be reasoned as lower income, with a $17,550 gross income per year, given the 37.5 hours per week, according to Alexander. Savarino has maintained that his understanding of the project’s target audience had not changed since the beginning, even though he used the term workforce with a reporter at least once.

As Savarino and Hyde continued to communicate about the project, Hyde expressed concern about the following issues:

1. Will the updated brochure-ware better emphasize “Workforce Housing” and de-emphasize “Vouchers Accepted” in future communications all while remaining compliant with Fair Housing Laws?
2. What does the on-site property management staff’s work schedule look like given domestic disturbance problems tend to occur in the evening after normal working hours?
3. Is there any night coverage or ability to have a property manager live at Ellicott Station?
4. It appears from the Tenant Selection Plan (attached) that fairly rigorous requirements will be effectuated that will confirm applicant incomes (hence, being employed) but discussion of preferences toward Genesee County residents weren’t addressed.  Can you please clarify if that is a possibility?
5. Will Savarino Companies commit to providing the Batavia City Manager and GCEDC President and CEO a copy of its annual report each year that includes housing achievements and occupancy statistics?

“I can confirm for you that there will be an office on-site that will be staffed for the day-to-day management of the facility, including timely responses to tenant needs for any maintenance as well as quality of living issues. During non-business hours when staff is not on site, there will be a direct, toll-free phone number and email for tenants to contact management with any off-hour issues or concerns,” Savarino said. “A safety plan will be developed that will meet all regulatory requirements and city codes in order to secure a certificate of occupancy for the building. Emergency exit signs, fire extinguishers and no smoking signs will be just some of the safety and health measures that will be installed and easily accessible and visible throughout the building. We will have interior and exterior video surveillance security cameras on the property at locations yet to be determined. The management office will have monitors to observe surveillance video in real time as well as record video for use if ever necessary. In addition, a state-of-the-art access system for tenants only will allow management to closely monitor who is entering the building.

“Savarino Companies will do all we can to make sure that Ellicott Station provides a safe and welcoming environment for residents and visitors, especially as we complete the construction of the retail structure and continue our efforts to secure a retail tenant or partner(s) to help make Ellicott Station a destination that is vibrant and has a positive economic impact on the City and region,” he said. “As you know, we are now advertising and accepting applications from individuals interested in tenancy. All applicants will be screened and will go through a rigorous vetting process within the bounds of New York State and federal law and regulation. Information on third party tenant screening systems that will be utilized for Ellicott Station were recently provided to GCEDC. As you may be aware we have conferred with the Genesee County Job Development Bureau and G.L.O.W. Workforce Development to actively reach out to prospective entry level workforce tenants who can take advantage of the quality, safe and proximate housing offered by Ellicott Station. Efforts will include revamped informational literature and participation in regional job fairs. We are also planning outreach to the senior community as Ellicott Station has much to offer independent seniors. We will share with you evidence of such outreach. (There was a color brochure with photos of workers and information about Ellicott Station distributed.)”

“You have requested specific information related to Savarino projects that are directly comparable to the Ellicott Station project. While Savarino has developed and constructed many mixed-use and residential projects including affordable housing projects and some providing affordable housing to senior, elderly, and special needs tenants we do not have a project that would directly to the Ellicott Station project,” he said. “We are happy to provide you what information we can on projects currently under Savarino management to the extent we can obtain sufficient formal assurance of confidentiality for any information provided and subject to approval of our counsel.”

There are several other documents, many of them quoted in the prior story, and Savarino believes that they put the blame squarely on the shoulders of GCEDC. 

Through all the strife and turmoil of his life, Joseph (Genesis, chapters 37-50) didn't lose faith.

He was hated by his brothers, sold into bondage in Egypt by his brothers, and wrongly imprisoned.

His faithfulness and ultimate role in saving countless lives, including those of his entire family and their descendants, which would have included Jesus Christ, is one of the themes of a conference on Oct. 12 at EverPresent Church in Batavia called "Armor Up, Hold the Line." 

The speakers are Pastor Matt Sassano of Fresh Start Church in Hornell and Phil Cappuccio, a former pastor and now an itinerate Christian teacher.

Pastor Jason Norton, EverPresent, said the conference is about Christians standing their ground and holding the line in difficult times.

"We want to encourage people to stay strong," Norton said. "There's just a lot of craziness going on in the world, and sometimes, in times like these, people with faith and conviction just need to show forth their faith by holding true to it rather than faltering and being weary or discouraged or fearful."

Sassano is taking his theme from the story of Joseph. 

Joseph was hated by his brothers first because he was favored by his father, but he also had a dream of his own future greatness, which he immodestly told his brothers, and his brothers hated him even more.

After his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, Joseph went through many trials, but his ability to interpret dreams eventually impressed the pharaoh. Because he correctly predicted a seven-year famine and provided the strategy for Egypt to survive it, the pharaoh gave Joseph a high office in charge of famine relief.

The long famine engulfed the entire Middle East. Without Joseph and his plan, much of the area's population would have been wiped out.

In his lofty and powerful role, Joseph eventually saved his entire family, including the brothers who had betrayed him.

The story of Joseph illustrates, Sassano told The Batavian, that God always has a plan.  It may not be apparent to you at the time. It may take years before the plan is revealed -- if it ever is -- but God is always in control. There are no coincidences.

"No matter how difficult things get, particularly as Christians -- this is how I operate, and in the realm I'm in --  no matter how difficult or bleak things look, there's always hope, there's always a future. There's always something that God has in store."

It's easy to get discouraged, Sassano suggested, because what God does, he doesn't necessarily do in our timeframe. 

"God doesn't see time like we do. We live by it, and he doesn't live in it, Sassano said. "There's a Bible verse that says 1,000 years is like a day, and a day is like 1,000 years to God (2 Peter 3:8). We understand it to mean God doesn't live in time. You're waiting five years or something, and it's a blip on the screen, you know? So, (my talk is) about not giving up on your dreams because Joseph did not give up; he eventually saw his dreams come to pass."

The theme of Cappuccio's talk is putting on the armor of Christ to deal with spiritual conflict. He's calling his talk, "Welcome to the War." 

The first key passage of scripture, he said, is  2 Timothy 2:3-4: "Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs but rather tries to please his commanding officer."

"I'm going to identify the reality of the Christian life in the New Testament, just identifying how there is a war," Cappuccio said. "I'm going to deal with three aspects of conflict. I will deal with the spiritual war, and that's identified in Ephesians 6:10-13.  I'm going to identify personal war that we can face as believers. 1 Peter 2:11 talks about the fleshy lusts that war against the soul. And I'm going to address the cultural war we presently find ourselves, which I call it, the war against truth. Just to give a scriptural reference, Isaiah 59:14-16.  It talks about judgment or judication being turned away, backward, meaning that it's reversed. Justice is far off because truth is falling in the street, and as a result, equity cannot enter in when there's not an absolute truth, the truth that God has set for all humanity."

Cappuccio said he wants those who attend the conference to better identify the times we're living in and to recognize that conflict is a normal part of Christian life. 

"I want them to be equipped," Cappuccio said, "to be equipped personally against spiritual warfare and to be victorious in the time we're living in."

Everpresent Church is located at 4 Batavia City Centre, Batavia. The Conference is on Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Pastor Jason Norton said the event is designed to feed adults. The cost is $21.50 or two people can attend together for $33.

The East Pembroke Grange celebrated its 90th anniversary on Saturday with a quarter carnival.

Previously: Bring your quarters to the 90th celebration of East Pembroke Junior Grange.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

The Batavia boys varsity soccer team beat Pal-Mac 6-2 on Saturday afternoon in a dominant showing, highlighted by two goals by Gavynn Trippany (#3), both assisted by Trevor Tryon (#8), two goals by Jaziah Ayala (#1), one assisted by Aiden Reimer (#14) and the other unassisted, one goal by Rylan Bohn (#24), assisted by Gavynn Trippany (#3), and one goal by Troy Hawley (#5), also assisted by Gavynn Trippany (#3). 

Batavia put together an impressive air and ground game for its home opener on Friday, beating Rochester Prep 46-6.

Zailen Griffing ran for 105 yards and two TDs on 11 attempts. Isaac Varland threw for 106 yards and a TD, going 3-6, while Bronx Bucholz was 2-3 passing for 50 yards and a TD.

Carter Mullin had two receptions for 50 yards and a TD. Grayson Fix had two receptions for 96 yards. Maggio Buchholz had a rushing TD.

On defense, Lakoda Mruczek had seven tackles, and Da'Von Gallo-Williams had four tackles. Maggio Buchholz had six tackles and a tackle. Will Stevens had an interception. Jameson Motyka had two tackles and a sack.

Also in football on Friday, 

Alexander beat York/Pavilion 55-0. The Trojans compiled 400 total yards. QB Brody Heckman was 4-4 for 70 yards passing with 3 TDs.  RB Ryder Reichert carried 11 times for 167 yards and 2 TDs.  WR Kaden Torres had 2 TD Catches for a total of 39 yards.  TE/FB Damien Hale added 2 TDs on a run and on a reception. RB Kingston Woods and JR RB Duke Snyder each scored TDs.  Defensively Free Safety Duke Snyder had two interceptions for the Trojans, who have defensively posted back-to-back shutouts.  Melissa Sawyer added the PATs in the kicking game. Seven different Trojan defenders recorded a QB sack or tackles for loss.    The Trojans are 3-0 and will face undefeated Avon on Friday.

Football: Oakfield-Alabama/Elba falls to Avon

Le Roy/Cal-Mum lost to Bishop Timon 35-22

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Press release:

The Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football and Cheerleading Program is proud to announce a Batavia Community Day on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Vandetta Stadium. This community-focused event takes place during the teams' home games and combines the excitement of youth football and cheer with an opportunity to give back to local families in need.

As part of the event, the Bulldawgs will hold a food drive, “Tackle Hunger,” to benefit the United Way’s Backpack Program through the Batavia City School District. We encourage fans to bring an “admission fee”  non-perishable food items and/or hygiene products. These donations will directly support the Backpack Program, which provides essential food supplies to students in need over weekends and school breaks.

In addition to the food drive, the Bulldawgs will donate all proceeds from their 50/50 raffles throughout the day to the Backpack Program. By participating in the raffle, attendees can win cash prizes while also supporting a meaningful cause.

The Batavia High School Senior Class of 2025 will also contribute to the day’s festivities by running the concession stand to raise funds for their senior activities. Purchases made at the stand will help the Class of 2025 achieve their goals for a memorable senior year.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 21
• Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Location: Vandetta Stadium, Batavia
• Food Drive: Bring non-perishable food and/or hygiene products to support the United Way’s Backpack Program
• 50/50 Raffle: Proceeds will be donated to the Backpack Program
• Concession Stand: Operated by Batavia High School Class of 2025 to raise funds for senior activities

Come out, enjoy an exciting day of youth football & cheer, and join us in positively impacting our community. Together, we can tackle hunger and support local students and families.

Tempers flared Thursday at a southside fellowship hall during an emotional and lengthy meeting about the impending closure of Ascension Parish.

Father Scottston Brentwood, aka Father Scott, fielded questions and assertions from a room full of about 150 unhappy congregants, including parish member Ed Kosiorek, who said he had gone through this before. He joined Ascension after St. Mary’s closed.

“Why are we not a part of this?” Kosiorek said. “There's a cover-up. We're not getting the information, okay? We just went through a major cover-up with the sexual abuse situation, and we didn't get the information we needed. Now we're going through the parish. I think nobody's being transparent. No one is putting the facts out there. Everyone in this room is a thinking adult, and if they are given the facts, they'll comprehend it, and they will sort it.”

Like it or not, he got the facts eventually during a slide presentation of financial and statistical considerations that put Ascension in the red, at about a 10% operating deficit, with decreasing numbers of youth and sacrament participation. UPDATED: The parish apparently does have $1.5 million of savings. Distance to the various church locations was also a factor, with the end result sounding like a simple math equation.

“You get two parishes, four worship sites and three priests, that is it,” Father Scott said. 

After taking it on the chin for two and a half hours, he empathized and said that “no priest wants to close any churches, and I’m closing five.” 

“It is not easy to say to people that a place that matters so much to them, you have to be the name that's attached to that final act. As I said in the very beginning, it's not something I would have wanted any priest to go through. It wasn't something that I have even chosen,” he said. “It’s one of those where we have to remember that this process has been up and down and all these other things. And even, I mean, I'm trying to be as honest as I can, I have been frustrated with the Diocese in the way that they've done things. I myself have said openly in the churches, in meetings and everything else, that I think things should have been done in a different way. But I did not have the decision in any of that, how they did it, how they rolled it out, how they expressed it.”

A few congregants stepped forward to commend him for his willingness to represent the powers that be.

“You truly had nothing to do with this decision to close our parish, and you're taking a lot of the brunt of the heat for it. So I just want to say thank you for at least hearing our concerns and letting us come to you when we're upset. I think what I can speak on behalf of all of us for is, at no point did Bishop, or anyone who was front facing at the Diocese say, we're prayerfully considering all counter proposals. If your parish wasn't on the initial list, be prepared, because that might happen,” Christina Bucciferro said. “And I think when we weren't on the initial list, we as a parish family were not prepared for us to close. And then on a random Tuesday, while I'm at work, all of a sudden see that my livelihood, my family's livelihood, in generation, it's just gone. 

"And then I have to, like, snap out of it and be at the bank and be okay. And that's not okay. There was no communication from the Diocese that we were going to close, and that's not fair.”

Bucciferro likely represented many people there: she was baptized at Ascension, was a cantor, and sang in the choir for 20 years. It isn’t just a church, but part of her life and soul. In a letter she penned to the Diocese, she says that angry, disappointed and heartbroken don’t even sum up how she’s feeling.

While no one liked the idea of closing, they were most disgruntled about how it all happened, she and others said.  

Fran Mruczek, a lifelong member who was baptized at Ascension, said that things seemed to work out fairly well for Father Scott, who she thought was to be in rotation yet she hasn’t seen much of him except for one Christmas Eve service. 

“However, you you were able to stay just in Le Roy and in Bergen, and I understand that it worked out good because, you know, you get to know your parishioners better,” she said. “But how did that get by the sidelines?

“And as far as priests, I know there’s a shortage of priests. I know you’re overworked and everything … there are a lot of retired priests who would be happy to help out, and I know that’s the bishop, the Diocese; they just don’t want you to have anybody to make things easier for all the parishes, not just this parish, for all the parishes.”

She gave an example of a retired priest who has returned to work in Oakfield. Father Scott said not everyone who retires is physically able to return. 

Another member suggested that if priests were allowed to marry, there wouldn’t be a shortage because there would be more priests taking the job. And there wouldn’t be sex scandals. The closures are so that money can be used to pay off pedophile priests, another said.

Father Scott wanted to address those points, he said.

If that was the case, then why are there shortages in Anglian churches? he asked. Why are there shortages of priests who are married and openly gay? 

Why do Anglians have a shortage? The Methodists have women ministers and married ministers, and they have a shortage, he said, listing other denominations with similar issues. Why do they all have a shortage if the fix is to get married? 

“These are Bandaids that aren’t going to work. It isn’t about being married or unmarried. It isn’t about women or men or all the other things. The answer comes down to commitment, because you don’t see people committing to marry Jesus,” he said. They’re living together and having kids together, but they won’t say yes. You have people interested in religion, interested in God, but they don’t say yes. You have to convince people that we need people who are committed to the gospel, and those are the ones who are going to be the good priests.”

Important points emphasized during the presentation were that every parish had an opportunity to present counter-proposals at the gatherings of the family leadership, and everyone had an opportunity to present as many proposals as they desired. St. Brigid presented two, not one proposals, whereas Ascension presented only one, he said.

Consideration was given to Max. Kolbe in East Pembroke primarily because of the distance to other parishes and faith formation. Finances were and are not the primary focus of the Diocese on the “Road to Renewal,” but the continuation of the faith for the future is, he said.

As for any kind of timeline of what may happen when, Father Scott had no definitive answer about that. 

“When it comes to timelines, at the moment, we do not know. When we do know more that will be communicated immediately to everybody when we have an idea of what's going on, because when it comes to the next steps, the bishop has to issue a decree that actually closes a parish. Once that decree happens, there's a difference between when a parish is being merged and when a parish is closing canonically, which is different than the civil organization, which is the parish according to the state and others,” he said. “When we are merging a canonical parish into another, all of the assets are frozen from the parish, meaning they are not to be used for anything that do not directly relate to this parish. For example, if it merged today, you've still got to pay for electricity, you've still have to pay for water, you still have to heat the building at least minimally to keep the pipes from freezing, all of that stuff so the money that is frozen would only be used for paying the bills ... it would not be used to pay anything outside of this parish complex. When the merge happens, all records go to the parish that you are merged into. And we take very good care that that happens very safely, and we do it in a way in which nothing will be lost."

All records, including baptisms, confirmation, marriage, will be preserved in fireproof and waterproof bound books, he said, and may be obtained upon request. 

And what if parishioners don’t want to close? They can fight it, he said. Parishioners can appeal the Vatican, but they need to know two important factors: it’s a costly endeavor, to the tune of potentially $10,000, according to another similar case; and there’s no guarantee that they will win. 

One parishioner who did not want to disclose his name said that he is ready to pony up his share to save the parish. It would be worth the $10,000, he said. There was already a plan in place to gather signatures for an appeal. 

“We do have a core group working to save the parish,” Pat Becker said, directing attendees to go into the parking lot after the meeting to sign a petition if they wanted to participate. “This group is willing to do whatever it takes to save our church, but we can’t do it without all of you.”

“So after this meeting, if everybody would head that way, we have a mandate that gives that core group the power to make necessary decisions, to do whatever they need to do, to fight, to save Ascension Parish. So we are asking you to please do that,” she said.

After all was said and done, Father Scott shared a somber thought about the deeper effects that the mergings and closings could have on people.

“The thing that bothers me the most is the number of people that will use this as an excuse not to go anywhere. I'm not saying that they're going to go to another church, or they're going to go to the Protestants, or they're going to go here. The ones that will use this as an excuse not to go anywhere.  I don't think you guys know the charism of my particular community. It's the redemption of those captives in danger of losing their faith. Well, how many people are going to be losing their faith as a result of this process? And it's the charism of us to try to help them and save them and all that other stuff,” he said. “And I have in the back of my own mind all of these people that are going to, for whatever reason, be choosing to abandon their faith. And I have to try to, in my own conscience, understand how that works. And that is something I said from the beginning, is how many people are going to use this as the excuse not to continue on. And that bothers me a lot. 

“And I can say, as hard as this may be to believe, that bishop Fisher is the same way, I know that you may not believe me, but I've had many conversations with him. And as I said before, I've known a lot of bishops in my time, believe it or not, and I don't like a lot of them. I do like him. He genuinely has the concern for what's going on, and he's trying to do what he can with whatever information is available, and all these other things, and it's hard to make those big decisions, and I know it bothers him to do that,” he said. “It's one of those where a decision has to be made, and he happens to be the person who has to do it. Ultimately, it's hard, and I know that it's hard for you guys. I know that it is. I'm there with you. I don't want anything to happen either, but I can't change that.”  

Press release:

UConnectCare is expanding its support services to those struggling with substance use disorder by placing Harm Reduction Vending Machines at agency sites in Batavia and Albion.

One machine is located in the entrance of space leased by the agency in the front right corner of the building at 5130 East Main St. Rd., Suite 5, Batavia, and the other can be found at the agency’s Albion clinic at 249 East Ave.

“New York State’s Office of Addiction Supports & Services identifies Harm Reduction practices as part of the treatment continuum and a way to reduce overdose deaths – and we at UConnectCare are on board with that school of thought,” said UConnectCare Chief Executive Officer John Bennett.

“Harm Reduction is an important tool to keeping people alive so that we can provide brief interventions that move them towards treatment. It’s a patient-centered approach allowing people to make informed decisions about their treatment needs, just like other medical issues.”

Erin Phelps, the agency’s Harm Reduction project director, said the free vending machines remove the cost barriers to those seeking safer use supplies.

“If anyone needs these items, they can come to these offices and dispense them with no questions asked,” she said.

Phelps said those accessing the supplies will have the opportunity to meet with a member of the Harm Reduction staff but are under no obligation to do so or to accept literature focusing on treatment and/or recovery.

The machines will be stocked with harm reduction kits, naloxone (Narcan), fentanyl and xylazine test strips, drug disposal bags, hygiene kits and other items – all at no charge.

In Batavia, they will be accessible from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and during open access hours. In Albion, items from the machine can be utilized from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays.

Previously, the agency (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) announced a Harm Reduction Mobile Outreach unit that visits several locations in the two counties five days per week.

Phelps emphasized the overarching goal of harm reduction is “to keep people alive and being ready to help them if and when they’re ready to seek help.”

Walk-ins are welcome to utilize Open Access. The program’s hours of service are 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays at 5130 East Main St. Rd.

For more information about harm reduction services, opioid overdose prevention training and to see the mobile unit schedule, go to www.uconnectcare.org, the UConnectCare or The Recovery Station Facebook pages or send an email to harmreduction@uconnectcare.org.

Press Release:

On Saturday, October 5, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., the Friends of the Rink organization will host their Third Annual Scrap Metal Drive Fundraiser in the rear parking lot of the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena located at 22 Evans Street, Batavia.

All proceeds will be used to fund needed ice rink improvement projects.

Acceptable Items: 

• old appliances
• gas grills
• bikes
• hot water tanks
• anything metal 

Unacceptable Items:

• refrigerators
• propane tanks
• vehicle wheel rims with tires attached
• items containing mercury
• items with fluids inside or out (gas, oil, hydraulic oil, tar, etc.)

This event is held in cooperation with Ed Arnold Scrap Processors of Corfu. For more information: contact Bob Gray at 585-344-2248 or sqftbob1@rochester.rr.com.

Press Release:

On Tuesday, September 10 FEMA held a meeting at City Hall to review proposed flood zone updates, and present draft maps to City officials.

From the data FEMA collected, new flood zone maps were created for the City of Batavia. The draft maps include 147 structures (they include sheds as well as homes and businesses) and removes 282 structures from the current flood zone. In total, the City will have 1,052 structures in the new draft flood zone.

City officials have been asked to provide comments on the draft maps. The City will be conducting a detailed review of the proposed changes on behalf of City residents and businesses, but want to hear resident feedback.

Below is a link to view the updated flood zone map from FEMA. We are asking residents and business owners to review the map and contact us with comments you may have. 

Genesee County Planning is creating a list of affected properties so the City can help property owners identify if the new maps will affect them. 

Properties added should carefully review their elevations and future issues of flooding. Properties that will be removed from the flood plain will need to work with FEMA to certify removal and reduce their insurance.

The link below will allow you to view the updated flood zone maps. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3c7886e0e2bc43d9a7a9bbb1cda9bd81

If you have any questions or have comments on specific areas, please contact the City’s Flood Plain Manager, Zach Alwardt, at 585-345-6326.

Press Release:

The Richmond Memorial Library Tween & Teen Services department is sponsoring a Book Drive for Children's/Young Adult books during the month of September. The book drive started September 6 and runs through October 1. 

The books can be for children/teens of all ages, must be in new or good condition, and can be dropped off and put in the bins in the foyer anytime the library is open. Age appropriate DVDs in good condition are also accepted.

The Library G.I.F.T. Program (Generate Imagination in Families Today) is dedicated to making new or gently used books available to children and their families in our area, and to raising awareness of the lifelong benefits of early childhood literacy. Bright boxes and shelves of G.I.F.T. 

Books are located at agencies and businesses in Batavia. Children can take a book from the shelf to bring home, read, and keep! Having as few as 20 books in the home has a significant impact on propelling a child to higher lifelong education levels and earnings, potentially breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty - and the more books you add, the greater the benefit.

“Batavia is known for being a welcoming community and the donations will truly enhance the G.I.F.T program,” said Teen Services Library Assistant Ellen Caton. “This program extends out into the community and helps the kids have access to books at specific agencies and businesses in Batavia. Our shelves that house these books are getting very empty and we are looking forward to filling them up again with this book drive!”

For information on the book drive and other library programs, visit the library website at www.batavialibrary.org, or check out our Facebook and Instagram pages!  

The Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross Street in the City of Batavia. The library is open 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday - Thursday and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

As an active member of First Presbyterian Church while also singing in the choir and serving on the Personnel Committee, David Van Scoy was a “dear friend in Christ” to the Rev. Roula Alkhouri for nearly 17 years, she says. 

She shared about his deep faith and love for God, often reflected in community service through many local organizations, mirrored the way of Jesus — “which is all about unconditional love,” Alkhouri said.

“He was always grateful for the gift of life as he had a brush with death many years ago. He had a sense of joy about him that sparkled with God's light,” she said. “Whether he was playing the ukulele or having a serious meeting, Dave always knew how to put love first. Even when there was a conflict that needed to be addressed, Dave was gracious because he saw everyone as a child of God who deserved to be treated with dignity and care.”

Van Scoy died Sept. 10, 2024 at the age of 82 after many years of a distinguished career in education and dedication to serving the needs of others, including at the church. His insights were always deep and wise, Alkhouri said.

“Yet, he was also humble about it and always used his gifts to serve others and to love his community. Dave had incredible wisdom, which he blessed so many of us with,” she said. “He was a very generous man in spirit and in giving. He embodied the teachings of Christ about loving our neighbors as ourselves. Dave also left us an amazing example of loving his family and loving God's creation. I am so grateful to have known Dave as a friend. He has enriched my life and helped me become a better person.”

He also helped her professionally to become a better leader, she said, through his encouragement and guidance “whenever I needed it.” 

“I knew that I could count on Dave's honesty and integrity. I remember coming back one time from a leadership development workshop when I met with the Personnel Committee to ask them to help me figure out my workload; Dave simply said, ‘Trust yourself, and do the work as you see God is calling you to do it, and we will support you,’” she said. “These words have stayed with me and have guided me through many challenges.

“I am very sad for losing Dave, yet in faith, I know that our bond is eternal and that Dave will continue cheering us on through the Spirit of God's love,” she said. “One day we will meet again.”

Van Scoy had been a math teacher, assistant principal, principal and superintendent at other school districts before settling into the superintendent position at Batavia City Schools from the early 1980s to 1998. At the Batavia district, he crossed paths with three people in three different capacities, all of whom remember him fondly.

Alice Benedict was elected to the Board of Education in 1995 and learned that the district’s leader was “a gentle and positive person,” she said.

“He showed genuine kindness and caring to the students of the district. He expressed to the Board the importance of giving the students the best education the district could afford. He was very supportive of the teaching staff,” Benedict said.  “Dr Van Scoy led the school district with strong authority but in a non-aggressive manner. He had a positive support attitude and respected the Board’s opinions. He had a strong working relationship with administrators and he fostered a collaborative culture throughout the district.”

It wasn’t just colleagues who admired him, though, as Jason Smith, now a superintendent himself but a student in the 1980s, has nice memories of Van Scoy, who was always present at concerts, he said.

“My mother would often remark to me how she enjoyed seeing him at concerts playing his ukulele,” Smith said. “I can recall him working at the Pageant of Bands with the Band Boosters, as his son Shawn (who is also a superintendent of schools) was in the band as well.”

Smith shared a story that many people from back then remember, he said, about Van Scoy's methods for calling snow days well before the days of the Internet. He would  simply go outside, take a look, put a ruler in the ground, and make the call!

“I saw Dr. Van Scoy recently at Ken Hay's funeral, where we had a nice ‘superintendent to superintendent’ chat with his trademark witty humor,” Smith said. “It is a personal and professional honor to serve in the same role once held by Dr. Van Scoy, a legendary Batavia City School District Superintendent of Schools, who served us so well for 19 years.”  

Van Scoy hired Julia Rogers as a Spanish teacher in 1993, and although he was an obvious dedicated leader in Batavia, she also recognized his many other attributes, she said. He was “visible and approachable and was passionate about learning,” while also giving people a supportive nudge to pursue their strengths.

“He supported learning opportunities for his students and encouraged continuous learning and growth for his staff, even granting sabbaticals to people looking to go into administration (like my Dad),” she said.  “When he saw good things occurring, he offered genuine praise to the person.”

And as with First Presbyterian Church, Van Scoy also helped out at the Lions Club, selling hotdogs at Batavia High and Notre Dame High School football games and at the BHS Class of 1988 Project Graduation event, Rogers said. He was always there, she said, but not always as an administrator. He was a father, too.

“His son Shawn was in my class, and at the Project Graduation event, Dr. Van Scoy made it known to us he was there as Shawn's dad. A couple of us teased him, and instead of saying Dr., said ‘Ok, Mr. Van Scoy,’ and he laughed,” she said. “He was at Batavia Clippers' games on various occasions, but especially at the annual Lions Club night raffling off bikes to Batavia children.”

Still helping his Batavia community, he served on the Salvation Army Advisory Board as well.  They spoke recently at a Salvation Army board meeting, and “he told me how proud he was of me and was glad he hired me and wished me well in my venture at Notre Dame,” she said.

“He was very involved in our community since day one, but to his family, he was so much more,” she said. “My deepest sympathies go out to Mrs. Van Scoy, his sons, Shawn and Mark, and their families.”

Pastor Marty Macdonald, founder of City Church in Batavia, is unequivocally denying allegations stemming from events 40 years ago that he sexually abused a teenage girl.

Melissa Hobson, formerly of Batavia, made the allegations public this past week, and her charges were repeated in a video interview with another local pastor.

Macdonald, through his son Ryan Macdonald (also asked to be part of the interview) declined an interview request from The Batavian and referred questions to his attorney, Anjan Ganguly, who issued the following official statement that was also sent to members of City Church: 

“These allegations simply repeat decades-old accusations from a woman who alleges she was sexually abused by Pastor Marty approximately 40 years ago, when she was a minor. Pastor Marty absolutely denies sexually abusing this person. He absolutely denies ever having sexually abused anyone, especially a child,” the letter states. “It must be stressed that these are accusations, not proven facts. There has been ample opportunity for these accusations to be brought in a court of law, where Pastor Marty would have the opportunity to vindicate himself. Instead, the accusations are being made on the internet and, even worse, from the pulpit. It should also be stressed that the alleged misconduct is not connected to The City Church or any of its related ministries. The alleged misconduct allegedly occurred at a different church, long before The City Church was founded.”

The City Church web page for “Meet the Pastor”  is currently a broken link. Macdonald is also not currently listed on the site's staff page. His son, Ryan Macdonald, is listed as "lead pastor."

The Batavian called Ganguly Wednesday and left a message to comment on Marty Macdonald’s current status at City Church. Ganguly has not responded to this specific question.

City Church has been a member of the Association of Related Churches, but City Church is not listed on the website’s church directory.  A representative of ARC has not responded to a request for comment.

Hobson, who disclosed the accusations to a reporter in Batavia more than two decades ago but then declined to cooperate with a story, confirmed on Tuesday night that she did go on the record with Dee Parsons, editor of the Wartburg Watch, an online publication that covers allegations of sexual misconduct in churches.

Ganguly said he wondered why Hobson was coming out publicly with this now after all these years.

According to a post published on the site on Sept. 11, Hobson came forward and offered her story to Wartburg Watch at the prompting of Cindy Clemishire, a woman whose own story of abuse at a church made national news because it involved Pastor Robert Morris, of Texas, who has been an evangelical adviser to former President Donald Trump. NPR reported the story, and Morris resigned from his church, admitting to “inappropriate sexual behavior.”

Clemishire's story is similar to Hobson's. In the 1980s, she was 12 years old when she first came in contact with Morris. Wartburg Watch first reported the story. Morris was never charged with a crime.

Hobson’s version of events began in 1983 when the 12-year-old moved to Batavia with her family from Olathe, Kan., and her father became pastor at New Hope Ministries.

New Hope was located at 8020 Bank Street Road, now Cornerstone Church's location.  

Marty Macdonald was then an assistant pastor at New Hope.

The family soon became friends with Marty Macdonald and his family. Macdonald was a farmer who served in a volunteer leadership position in the church. Macdonald was eventually installed as the assistant pastor at New Hope Ministries.

According to the report in Wartburg Watch, which Hobson confirmed accurately portrays what she told the website’s editor, things started to become uncomfortable early on.

In 1983, Melissa she started babysitting Macdonald’s two boys, she said.

“I remember the first time I noticed something was off,” she said.

She was making lunch for the children, she claims. Macdonald, covered in dust,  came home from working on the farm. He entered the door and stood in the open foyer, in plain view of Melissa in the kitchen. He said that he needed to remove his coveralls and proceeded to strip them off in front of her. He has on his white T-shirt and underpants. She said he then went to shower and emerged with a towel wrapped around his bottom.

As time progressed, she said, he went out of his way to be “so kind” to her. He would often hug her while affirming her, which boosted her self-esteem.

During this time, the Smith and Macdonald families became close. Once hired full-time at the church, MacDonald spent much time interacting with the church’s child care center staff, where Melissa also worked. 

The families began to vacation together as well. Melissa lived next door to the church, where Macdonald worked full-time, so there was close contact between Melissa and the young pastor. When she babysat, he would always be the one to take her home. He began calling her his ‘little sister” and would frequently hug her, she said.

As time progressed, she alleges, he would often " come out of the shower with a towel” whenever the wife was not home. He arranged to be with her more frequently while assisting with the remodel of her family’s home. He would offer to pick her up at school, where things would accelerate.

She said that by age 14, she felt she had a romantic relationship with him.

According to the Wartburg article, Hobson’s sister remarked on Macdonald’s charismatic personality while making an important observation.

"I remember staying with the Macdonalds when my parents were out of town preaching," Hobson's sister said, according to the article. "Melissa and I were sleeping together. I woke up to find Macdonald kneeling next to my sister in the bed. He told me that Melissa was sick and that she would be staying home from school. I recall being irritated because she stayed home sick a lot. Sometimes I even felt jealous of all the attention Macdonald paid to her."

Hobson said Macdonald was physically with her on those drives home from babysitting. He would put his hand on her thigh," Hobson alleges. Then, he began to pull off the road, and they would go “parking.” Hobson said she got so much validation from him that she wanted to spend time alone. This parking involved making out, petting, and him putting his hands in her pants and, she alleges, digitally penetrating her.

As she fell in love with him, he would warn her not to say anything about what they were doing. He said it would “destroy her parents’ ministry.”

After she turned 18 in 1989, she said she began to feel shame about the relationship and took a children’s pastor position at her father’s church. She stopped all intimacy with Macdonald and met and married her husband in 1992.

Hobson said she talked to her parents in 2000, and her dad asked for advice from his overseers, who said there was no legal recourse by then and that he should forgive Macdonald. Two other local overseers were brought in, and Hobson said that Macdonald allegedly confessed to an affair to them and his staff but did not disclose her age.

Paul Doyle, pastor of Cornerstone Church, has been outspoken about the issue recently, calling on Macdonald to repent. He said that he was present when Pastor Robert Smith, Hobson's father, confronted Macdonald in 2000 about the allegations.  The Batavian spoke to Doyle on Wednesday for clarification about the conversation.

The meeting included Smith, Doyle, and Macdonald, who brought his wife, Patti, Doyle said. They met at Austin Park in Batavia. Smith said, according to Doyle, "I'm here to tell you I know you molested my daughter, and I'm here to forgive you and release you as my spiritual son."

There were a lot of head nods, as if he was taking his punishment, Doyle said of Macdonald. 

"He had guilt all over him. There was no doubt in my mind he was guilty," Doyle said, adding that at no time did Macdonald ever deny the accusation or say that he never did anything like that. "He was sucking it up and taking his punishment. The cover-up was blatant. Nobody cared because it was Marty."

Doyle said that he has a forgiving heart but that this was never dealt with, and a family was destroyed in the process. 

"I saw the devastation it did to a girl and her family," he said. "You're talking about a sexual predator that's preaching from the pulpit. I have no doubt this happened."

After providing The Batavian with Macdonald’s statement denying the allegations, Ganguly agreed to answer a few limited questions from The Batavian.

Did Macdonald know Hobson?
Yes, they were familiar with one another through the ministry at New Hope, he said.

Why would she either make this up or hang onto this accusation from decades ago if it was not true?
“So you know, I've had this conversation with my clients, and look, I've done a lot of Child Victims Act defense work on behalf of churches and ministers and whatever. And I always ask, where's this coming from? Yeah, sometimes it's coming from the fact that it happened, right? And no bones about it, right? And sometimes it's coming from somebody who needs a sense of closure, of justice, and I understand that. I will say what I'm a little confused by, and I mean this not derisively. I mean, it in a very legitimate way, why didn't she bring a Child Victims Act lawsuit during the two or three-year window when the statute was open in New York?” he said. “Again, I am scratching my head, and my clients are scratching their heads as to why this is coming up right now. I've had dozens of child victims act defense side cases against churches from allegations 20, 30, 40, and 50, my oldest one 60 years ago. Why didn't she bring a lawsuit she could have not only could have had her claims hypothetically vindicated, she could have received damages and, conversely, my client could have had his defense, you know, he should have had himself vindicated. Why is it coming up now? I don't know. Again, I'm perplexed by that.”

Does Marty agree with the part of the story where two overseers—Pastor Ron Domina and Tommy Reid—were involved with him and Melissa?
“So, in a very informal way, Reverend Domina and I know less about Reverend Tommy Reid, but I understand they had, let's say, some spiritual guidance role over pastor Marty, and so in their let's call it internal conflict resolution process the complainant reaches out to these people and says, I want this addressed. But my understanding is the allegations were levied, and there were discussions, and whatever resolution was to be had … I understand the complainant doesn't feel that way. I think the complainant alleges that these ministers swept it under the rug,” he said. “They didn't have any legal authority over Pastor Marty or anybody; they were, and they had some kind of spiritual advisory type.”

Was there a confession or agreement during these talks?
“In these talks, they reached a resolution where there was a confession or any agreement that something happened? I will say that I don't know,” he said. “But as to confession, I'll just rely on my client's statement that he categorically denies the allegations of sexual misconduct.”

Hobson, 52, said she isn’t seeking anything from Macdonald.  She said shared her story now because she wanted to encourage victims of abuse to come forward just as Clemishire did.

“I want other victims to have a voice, you know, I want them to feel supported, brave enough to speak out. Cindy shared her story for me to know and understand that it's not okay, and it's not their fault, and I hope that I can empower others to have a voice by having a voice. I was silenced,” Hobson said .“I want to help others be brave and say, ‘You know what? This is not okay. ‘You can have a voice, you can speak, you can speak up, and you can come forward because that's where healing comes from, is being able to speak and being able to tell your story.”

Rumors had circulated about the abuse several years ago, but they didn’t go anywhere. Hobson and her husband Harlan said she wasn’t emotionally ready to go through any legal process. She claims that she was groomed — a type of conditioning to gain the trust of one’s victim before the abuse evolves — and abused, she alleges, from age 12 to 18. 

She was made to feel as though she was to blame, she said, and she was left feeling discredited in the process. She also alleges that Ryan Macdonald accused her of seducing his father. She moved away from Batavia in 2011 after trying to share her story in the face of disbelief, shaming and name-calling, she said. 

 “At that time in my life, I had been groomed; I was convinced this was my fault. I carried an enormous amount of guilt and shame. It was a long time before I ever told anybody,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of therapy and a lot of spiritual support. God has truly sustained me.”

Her husband, Harlan, was on the phone with Hobson and The Batavian during the interview.

Harlan said he shared this difficult journey of recovery with his wife since they were married.

“I’ve walked through this with my wife for decades, and I know her heart and her desire to have other people find hope and for victims to find their voice. So, like she said, I want to echo that this is not okay, and the fact that it is so prevalent in our country, it's not okay. And when she was talking about doing her story, that's what that was. She said I want my voice to matter,” he said. “And anybody that's ever been around victims and been through therapy or trauma therapy, or anything like that, understands that the silencing of a victim's voice can actually be more traumatizing than the actual abuse that took place. I've watched that. I've seen that and the power within my wife when she can speak out.

“And the fact that she has still kept her faith in God and that she has still been an incredible mother and grandmother and through all the things that we’ve been through, amazes me every day, and that is the sincere focus of her heart,” he said. “This is very little about Macdonald and more about Melissa and her finally having the courage to speak up, to have a voice and really want to help others.”

The accusations didn't receive a public airing until June, when -- without mentioning Macdonald by name -- evangelist Mario Murillo held what was scheduled as a two-day tent revival meeting at Cornerstone. However, on the second day of the meetings, he cut them short, citing unrepentant sin in the Batavia area as the reason.

He said he came to Western New York because he believed God led him here to light a revival that would spread to the nation.

He said, “I laid before God, and I cried out to God, and I said to God send revival to Batavia. And the Lord said, ‘No.’ And I said, ‘What? I’ve never heard you say, no.’ But the Holy Spirit said, ‘No.’ He told me that he was grieved. The spirit of God said, ‘I’m grieved.’ I said, ‘You’re grieved?’ Every word I’m about to tell you I’m speaking out of mercy, broken heart.  I went to chapter five of First Corinthians, and there was sexual immorality in the Corinthians. Paul said that you are puffed up because the individual who is guilty of this particular sin is being celebrated among you.

He went on to say that something happened years ago, and it is grieving the Holy Spirit.  A young girl was assaulted, he said, by a minister, and it was somewhat covered up because of the popularity of the man.

He said the individual responsible was never fully required to repent.

“The Lord has told me to warn that man of God, ‘Get right because the media is going to come after you.”

In a separate interview with Renee Ricco, a woman who calls herself a “citizen journalist,” Doyle claims he knows Hobson very well and that they are very close. He reveals he knew the details of the allegations against Macdonald long before Murillo’s tent revivals.

He said he has always been close to Hobson and was close to her father, who was also his minister at New Hope. Doyle said he was present when Melissa’s father confronted Macdonald about the allegations.

As the allegations reached more members of the New Hope congregation, it became a controversy.

“When we discovered it had happened, Pastor Marty was long gone when we learned about it, so nobody in our church could hold him accountable,” Doyle said. “He had already had his own ministry. He has his own overseers. He was already well established in the Western New York church community but we didn't see the outrage there, and I personally never saw it. And it's like they just wanted this to go away.”

Doyle said many people at the time, including church leadership, said the issue should be forgotten.

“Not only was he not dealt with, but it was also almost covered up,” Doyle said. “There was a proverbial sweeping under the rug of the issue. And as the outrage continued within our church, it began to turn back on us that we weren't forgiving, that we needed to let bygones be bygones. They would talk about my pastor, that he had a forgiveness problem. And this came from higher-ups in the Western New York, I guess, church oversight levels and so we we basically felt like we had to tuck tail it and run.”

Doyle said after the issue became known in the church, New Hope membership dropped from 350 to about a dozen (he did not specify the period of time). He hopes the issue being brought to light publicly will help bring more healing to Hobson and her family.

“This is an issue in her own words that she’s never been able to talk about,” Doyle said. “She’s gone through a tremendous amount of healing in herself. It’s amazing how God has helped her. But the issue is still there.”

Ganguly steadfastly maintains that Macdonald didn’t harm Hobson and he blames “third parties” (not Hobson) for raising the allegations.  He wants the false allegations removed from the web.

“So, if they have people saying this church (City Church)  is harboring a child molester, how does a congregation trust church leadership?” he said. “They (City Church) do need the false statements to be taken down. The burden is on the plaintiff to prove a case. One, it didn’t happen, and two, you had ample opportunity to go to court with evidence. We don’t even know if Melissa is behind this. We have third parties making these allegations.”

The official statement going out to the church also includes the following disclaimer:

Furthermore, The City Church’s leadership has never received any allegation of sexual abuse of a child in connection to any Church ministry or activity or by any Church staff member or volunteer. If you become aware of any such misconduct, please immediately report it to a church staff member. We will take swift and appropriate action, including referring the matter to law enforcement as necessary.

Howard Owens contributed to this story.

Press Release:

Officials at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel are asking for entrants into their Annual Dachshund Races, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 13.

Up to 80 dachshunds will be racing for the crown of fastest wiener dog in Western New York. Each “heat” winner will receive free play and the top 3 finishers in the championship race will receive free play, food vouchers and a free hotel stay.

Family related activities will also take place including; on site entertainers including face painting, balloon artists and magicians as well as a kettle corn stand, pumpkin decorating, carriage rides, pony rides.  Those events will take place from Noon to 2 p.m. 

The wiener dog races will commence at 2 p.m. With the Buffalo Football team not playing until Monday Night, patrons won’t have to worry about missing their favorite football team play on Sunday.

If you have a pure-bred dachshund and would like to enter your dog to participate, please call or email Arna Tygart at 585-343-3750 ex 6437 or email at atygart@bataviagaming.com.

Admission and Parking is free.

“Our Annual Family Fun Day and Wiener Dog Races are a staple of the fall here at Batavia Downs,” said President and CEO, Henry Wojtaszek. “We look forward to welcoming families and the community back to our facility for all the activities we have planned.”