An Open Letter to Town of Batavia Residents:
As you probably know, there is a primary for a position on the Batavia Town Board on Thursday and the polls are open from noon-9 p.m. This position was left open when my opponent, John Gerace, resigned after a now infamous incident that occurred at the Town of Batavia Fireman’s Installation Dinner. I was not at this event and have heard several accounts of what happened but will take Mr. Gerace at his word that the incident has been blown out of proportion and was actually a “hiccup” and not characteristic behavior.
I certainly appreciate John’s service, he and I served together beginning in 2003 and he had spent a few years on the planning board prior to his election. I am, however, disappointed with his efforts to exploit my failing business for his political gain. I was forced to close Grammy’s Laundromat in July and the subsequent auction raised far less than I expected. I am currently working to resolve the issues that have stemmed from the closing. Like most of you, I have been knocked down from time to time but have consistently stood back up and dusted myself off and I will continue to do so.
The people of the Town of Batavia deserve better than muckraking politics. This type of campaign hurts the system and discourages good people from running for public office. I have attempted to run a clean campaign and not engage in dirty politics. I do, however, feel I need to set the record straight on some level.
I take issue with several statements made by Mr. Gerace. In a recent interview, he stated that the consolidation charter effort, which he supported every step of the way, wasted $100,000 of tax-payer money to produce a document that he says has never seen. This is simply not the case. A $54,000 state grant was awarded to the City of Batavia for the study and the work only came to a halt when the Town Board failed to act on a home rule legislation request that simply would have allowed the process to continue. In addition, the document is easily available online and for someone who claims to “do his homework,” it strikes me as peculiar that my opponent has not bothered to read that document. My sense is that he realizes consolidation is an unpopular issue in the town and he hopes to connect me to that effort regardless of the fact that he has supported it at several junctures.
Upon my appointment, Mr Gerace went to great lengths to have the appointment nullified claiming that the process used was invalid. That claim was quickly dismissed by the town’s attorney as unfounded. I also take issue with a political postcard Mr. Gerace has issued. He claims a “Zero Tax” rate for in town as one of his top accomplishments but the town has enjoyed a zero tax rate for decades. He has asked voters to “Re-elect” him and also labeled himself “Councilman John Gerace” in his postcard. That statement is inaccurate and misleading.
I have always felt that I was the best candidate for this position. I am a dedicated professional that has three years of economic development experience and I have had a direct hand it the town’s growth. I worked diligently to resolve issues related to Gateway II while serving on the board, paving the way for Ashely Furniture to open its doors and provide nearly 80 jobs. I wrote the grant that led to the design of the Med-Tech Center Building and negotiated an easement that brought much needed sewer capacity to the Ag Park. I have generously volunteered my time to Chamber of Commerce, an Advisory Committee for GCC’s BEST Center, the GLOW Region’s Workforce Investment Board and numerous career days and community events. I currently work for Paragon Advertising in Buffalo and also serve as the Director of Advancement for St. Joseph School of Batavia.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those that have supported me every step of the way, including my wife Jennifer. My one regret is that the issues brought forward in this election have caused her undue stress and frustration.
I encourage you to head to the polls from noon-9 p.m. on Thursday and hope you will give me your support when you do. Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or comments at chadzambito@gmail.com. Thank you.
