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As a driver for his hometown Domino's Pizza, Batavian Gary MacDonald has made plenty of on-time, accurate deliveries.

He also is doing the same as a league bowler at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia and Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen as indicated by his big scores last week.

MacDonald, a 36-year-old right-hander, recorded his first United States Bowling Congress-certified 800 series in the Wednesday Night Misfits League at Mancuso's, posting games of 299-229-279, and followed that up the next evening with a 699 series in the Thursday Owls League at Rose Garden Bowl.

Using a Roto-Grip Haywire ball he bought three years ago from pro shop owner Brian Green, MacDonald strung 11 strikes in the opener before leaving a solid 10-pin, came back with eight strikes in the 229 and added 11 more in the third game -- striking out in the 10th for the 807. A 9-pin on a high hit in the third frame was his only errant shot in the last game.

"I wasn't nervous at all and I wasn't keeping an eye on the score," said MacDonald, who rolled his only certified 300 game in December 2015 in Bergen. "I'm just having fun bowling in the two leagues."

The big series raised his average to 206 at Mancuso's.

For more high scores during an abbreviated Christmas week of league bowling, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

Happy New Year!

Clutch long-range shooting by guards Ryann Stefaniak and Bryn Wormley and an inspired effort on both ends of the floor by forward Emma Krolczyk sparked the Batavia High Lady Devils to a 60-58 victory over visiting Honeoye Falls-Lima tonight in Monroe County Division 4 girls basketball action.

Batavia held a 23-9 led midway through the second quarter and looked like it might run away from the Cougars, now 3-6 overall. But HF-L, taking advantage of three fouls on Stefaniak and forward Jenae Colkey, finished the half on a 15-4 run to close within four.

HF-L's freshman center Teagan Kamm found the range from inside in the third quarter, scoring 12 of her game-high 25 points to offset eight points by Stefaniak, who sank a pair of three-point field goals.

Another three-pointer by Stefaniak gave Batavia a 44-41 lead early in the fourth quarter, and the Lady Devils stayed in front although HF-L closed within 53-52 with 2:30 to play.

At that point, Wormley drained a three-pointer and, following another basket by Kamm, Krolczyk hit a side jumper at the 1:02 mark to give the Lady Devils a 58-54 edge. Brown responded with another layup to make it 58-56 and, after a BHS miss, HF-L had a chance to tie it.

Krolczyk rebounded an errant shot, however, to give the ball back to Batavia and then Wormley sank a pair of free throws with 8 seconds left to make it 60-56. Brown’s layup at the buzzer closed the scoring.

Stefaniak, who played the entire fourth quarter with four fouls, led Batavia with 21 points – 16 in the second half -- while Wormley tallied seven of her 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Krolczyk scored 14 points and was active on the defensive and offensive boards, getting second-chance opportunities.

Senior forward Kara Oatman had 12 points and sophomore guard Hannah Selke eight for HF-L.

Both teams struggled at the foul line, with Batavia going 5-for-15 and HF-L making eight of 21.

Batavia’s next game is Jan. 2 against Caledonia-Mumford in the Rotary Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

The high scores keep rolling in at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

In the Sneezy's Monday Night League last week, proprietor Randy Hanks recorded his second 300 game in four weeks -- 300-259-228--787, and in the Friday Night Mixers League, Curtis Foss posted 278-248-275--801.

At Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen, Chris Bardol registered a 299 game en route to a 780 series in the Tuesday G&W Vending League.

For a list of high scores from the Genesee Region, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

Mike Pettinella's next Pin Points column is scheduled for this Thursday.

Merry Christmas to all!

Sophomore guard Bryn Wormley scored 17 points, including two key three-point baskets midway through the third quarter, to spark the Batavia High Lady Devils girls basketball team to a 47-38 victory tonight over host Greece Odyssey in Monroe County Division 4 action.

Batavia, 4-1 overall, led 26-12 on a layup by Wormley to start the third quarter before Odyssey, 3-4, scored six straight to cut the lead to eight.

That’s when Wormley found the range from three-point distance twice to put Batavia up 32-20.

The Lady Devils finished the quarter strong on a short jumper by senior forward Jenae Colkey and three-point shot and driving layup by sophomore guard Mackenzie Reigle to take a 39-22 advantage into the final period.

Odyssey outscored Batavia 16-8 in the fourth quarter, with junior forward Treanna Blenman tallying six of her 17 points.

For Batavia, senior guard Ryann Stefaniak added 12 points (all in the first half) and Reigle also had 12 (nine in the second half). Senior center Meghan Houseknecht rounded out the scoring with four.

Reigle had three steals, Stefaniak blocked three shots and junior forward Emma Krolczyk grabbed six rebounds.

Batavia returns home to face Honeoye Falls-Lima on Dec. 27.

The Batavia Town Planning Board on Tuesday night advanced a pair of projects – one industrial and the other residential – to the public hearing stage next month.

Planners lined up in favor of a 4,000-square-foot boiler room expansion at HP Hood LLC, 5140 Ag Park Drive West, an endeavor that will give the food processing facility greater capacity as business increases.

Kevin Moyer, the company’s project engineer manager, and Scott Blair, construction project manager for Design Group out of Concord, N.H., addressed the board during the site plan review.

Moyer said the addition will be adjacent to the existing boiler room with a roll-up door at the front.

Construction specifications are consistent with the rest of the building, Blair added.

 “(The project) is redundancy more than anything else,” Moyer said, noting that putting in a third boiler gives the facility a spare during times of inspection and the expansion provides room for a fourth in the future.

The request, which the board said does not pose any significant adverse environmental impact, will go to the Town Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 14 for a public hearing and back to the Town Planning Board the next night.

Planners also set a public hearing for Jan. 15 to consider a special use permit to allow Maren and Matt Holman of 45 Edgewood Drive to operate an appointment-only hair salon as a Home Occupation 1 in a Residential District.

Maren, a licensed cosmetologist for 14 years, and her husband have set up a 200-square-foot room behind the garage of their ranch home for the business.

Planners inquired about the Genesee County Planning Board’s recommendation that a turn-around on the driveway should be included to prevent customers from having to back their vehicles into the street.

Matt Holman said that is their plan but, for the time being, there is a 15-foot wide driveway of asphalt fillings that would act as a turn-around.

Now that she's reached a personal goal, senior guard Ryann Stefaniak has her sights set on leading the Batavia High Lady Devils to a legitimate run at a sectional title.

Stefaniak eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her varsity career tonight, scoring 22 points in Batavia's 67-28 win over Eastridge. The bucket that put her right at 1,000 came with 5:17 left in the second quarter -- a three-point shot from the left side that gave her 19 points at the time and pushed the Lady Devils' lead to 31-5.

It followed a trio of three-point attempts that missed the mark, and had Stefaniak wondering when it was going to happen.

"I was like c'mon," she said, "but it finally went. It was my time."

The 5-foot-9-inch sharpshooter said reaching the milestone became a goal of hers after watching a couple star teammates score over 1,000 points in their time at BHS.

"After seeing Tiara (Filbert) do it in her junior year (2015) and Maddie McCulley in her senior year (2016), I felt I could do it," she said.

Now, she said she's committed to doing all that she can to help Batavia soar to lofty heights.

"I think we have a great chance to go undefeated the rest of the season and make a long run in the sectionals," she said.

Batavia Coach Marty Hein, who presented a plaque to Stefaniak during a timeout after the defining three-point, said the achievement couldn't happen to a better person.

"Ryann has been on the varsity since eighth grade and to see her grow up to become a nice young lady and the way she has matured as a basketball player makes me very proud," Hein said. "I'm just so glad for her."

Mackenzie Reigle chipped in with 15 points for Batavia, 3-1, while Bryn Wormley and Emma Krolczyk each had eight and Meghan Houseknecht seven.

Batavia High girls basketball standout Ryann Stefaniak, receiving a plaque from Coach Marty Hein and celebrating afterward with teammates, from left, Emma Krolczyk, Mackenzie Reigle, Bryn Wormley and Jenae Colkey, scored the 1,000th point of her varsity career tonight in the Lady Devils' 67-28 victory over visiting Eastridge. In photo at top, the crowd goes wild after Stefaniak's three-point basket at the 5:17 mark of the second quarter.

As we get closer to Christmas, it seems that even the pins have caught on to that “spirit of giving.”

Led by a pair of Mancuso Bowling Center kegler, league high scores around the Genesee Region for the week ending Dec. 16 included three 300 games, an 800 series, a 299 game, two other 11-in-a-row games and a pair of women’s 700 series.

At Mancuso’s in Batavia, Matt Balduf of South Byron notched his seventh USBC-certified 300 game and fourth USBC-certified 800 series with 247-289-300—836 in the Toyota of Batavia Thursday 5-Man League.

The 50-year-old right-hander had eight strikes in the opener, the front 11 in game two before leaving the 6-pin and all 12 in the finale.

Balduf said a couple of errant shots at the end of the first game cost him a chance at the GRUSBC-association record of 858.

“I screwed up in the 9^th and 10^th frames … I broke for seven in the ninth and seven in the 10^th,” said Balduf, a longtime employee of Mitchell Machine in Rochester. “I could have gone out for 280.”

Still, he took over the league high series with the consistent effort on lanes 19-20, which raised his average to 218.

He said he used a Roto-Grip Idol – a ball he just got from a bowling buddy, Ron Brown.

“We talked Ron into buying it but he was having trouble with it, so last Thursday I tried it in the last game and threw 268,” Balduf said. “So Ron said, ‘I can’t seem to throw it, so why don’t you take it, and he gave it to me.”

Two nights earlier, Ron Sprague Jr. of East Bethany had a “career night” with 245-300-202—747 in the Antique World Coed League – his first 300 game and his first 700 series.

“My goal for the night was 600 because I had a bad night the week before,” said Sprague, a righty and once-a-week bowler who entered the session with a 173 average.

He said he finished strong in the opening game and “the strikes just kept rolling in.” But going into the 10^th frame of the second game, nerves set in.

“My legs were shaking,” he said, noting that the last two strikes were of the Brooklyn variety. “Both of them crossed over but the pins went down. Someone was helping me there.”

Sprague, 26, an employee of Lor-Rob Dairy, bowls on the Rolling Thunder team that includes his father, Ron Sr.

Other high rollers for the week:

-- Diane Hurlburt and Michele Larson, who posted 715 and 712 series in the Monday Nite 5 League at Perry Bowling Center and the Synergistic Online Solutions League at Mancuso’s, respectively.

-- Curtis Foss of Medina, with a 300 game and 783 series in the Friday Night Mixers League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

-- Mike Johnson of Batavia, with a 299 game and 734 series in the Toyota of Batavia League (he is Balduf’s teammate).

-- Brian Weber and John Huntz, who each had 11 in a row in the Monday Night 5 League at Perry Bowling Center. Weber, coming back from an injury, had 279—692 and Huntz posted 295—688.

For a list of scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

Three players scored in double figures tonight as the Batavia High Lady Devils defeated host Greece Athena, 66-42, in a Monroe County girls basketball interdivisional game.

Senior guard Ryan Stefaniak led the way with 20 points -- nine of them in the first quarter, which ended with Batavia up 16-13. 

Sophomore guard Bryn Wormley had six of her 14 in the second quarter as the Devils expanded the margin to 34-21. They stayed comfortably in front the rest of the way, with junior forward Emma Krolczyk scoring eight of her 15 points after intermission.

Mackenzie Reigle (six), Kennedy Kolb and Jenae Colkey (four each) and Meghan Houseknecht (three) rounded out the scoring for Batavia, 2-0. Stefaniak also grabbed nine rebounds and came up with three steals while Reigle dished out four assists.

For Athena, 1-3, senior guard My'Ana Davis and junior forward Kelechi Dimgba tallied 14 and 13, respectively.

Batavia plays at Class AA powerhouse Bishop Kearney on Friday night and opens the home portion of its season next Tuesday against Eastridge.

Stephen Quider, left, is the newest officer on the Batavia City police force. He was introduced to City Council tonight by Chief Shawn Heubusch, who said Quider has completed his 16 weeks of field training. The West Henrietta resident is in the process of relocating to the City.

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Now that the rezoning of several parcels owned by City Church’s St. Anthony’s campus on Liberty Street is finally official, leaders of the Teen City project are rolling up their sleeves to expedite the transition of the Batavia Youth Bureau from its current MacArthur Drive location.

“We’re looking at the first quarter of the year (2019) to open Teen City, collaborating with the YMCA,” said Jocelyn Sikorski, Batavia Youth Bureau executive director, at tonight’s City Council meeting at City Hall. “We have put together an aggressive timeline.”

After a few months of discussion and planning board meetings, Council voted unanimously to change the zoning of five tracts on Liberty Street and one on Central Avenue from R-3 Residential to C-3 Central Commercial in order for City Church to offer business activities to the public and, as a result, pave the way for the youth bureau’s relocation.

Teen City is the name for the after-school program that will be operated by the Batavia Youth Bureau and YMCA, with assistance from City Church.

Sikorski, in a memo to City Council dated Dec. 5, wrote that a lease/operating agreement with City Church has been drafted and reviewed by City Attorney George Van Nest.

“This (anticipated approval of the lease by City Council) will enable us to move into the next steps regarding modifications to the facility, including renovations to the cafeteria as well as IT and security needs,” Sikorski wrote.

She added that bids for the work will go out over the next few weeks, and that a memorandum of understanding between the Batavia Youth Bureau and YMCA for shared staffing and oversight of the after-school program is being developed.

Sikorski’s committee has prioritized the necessary documents along with an intermunicipal agreement with the Batavia City School District for the current youth center site and transportation, along with a Teen City logo design contest. If all goes according to plan, a “kickoff event” will take place on Feb. 22.

Responding to a query from Council Member John Canale, Sikorski said the school district intends to take over the existing youth bureau building – occupying it and paying all expenses.

“This would not be a lease,” Sikorski said, adding that the Community Garden there would not be affected.

In a related move, Council voted to accept a $10,000 grant from the New York State Education Department to help fund the after-school program and another $1,000 from the County Youth Bureau for equipment, supplies and materials.

In other action, Council:

-- Passed a local law making Thorpe Street a one-way street for southbound traffic between Watson and Maple streets.

Thorpe becomes the seventh street in the City designated as one-way, joining Hewitt Place, Lewis Place, McKinley Avenue, North Spruce Street, School Street and Wiard Street.

-- Extended for a year -- three pacts with Genesee County relating to water supply, operation and maintenance of the water treatment plant and lease of the water treatment facility. This was done to allow the City and County to forge a long-term contract in tandem with a sales tax agreement.

In a memo dated Dec. 4, DPW Director Matt Worth noted two new changes to the water supply agreement:

1. Leaving the index allowing for a maximum change in the cost of wholesale water purchased by the City to remain as the Consumer Price Index, which is consistent with the existing contract, and
2. Making Genesee County a co-applicant or endorsing entity of any funding applications prepared by the City for services related to the removal of lead within the system.

Worth stressed that the City has no issues with lead, but included that provision to deal with any necessary improvements down the road.

-- Voted in a favor of a new three-year lease and sublease (through April 1, 2022) with the New York-Penn League for use of Dwyer Stadium for the league-owned Batavia Muckdogs.

The proposed lease is consistent with the most recent lease – “it has the same language as the current lease and sublease except for the term,” Van Nest said -- and calls for a $25,000 capital investment by the City into the facility annually.

-- Heard a brief report from City Manager Martin Moore regarding a pair of Downtown Revitalization Projects that are “moving along.”

Moore said he met with representatives of Empire State Development Corporation last week and was informed that funding for the Ellicott Place project is “on its way” and for the Healthy Living Campus project is due by the end of the week.

He also said that the Batavia Development Corporation’s “kickoff meeting” for mini-grants is set for next week.

Council then authorized Moore and Council President Eugene Jankowski to sign paperwork to receive an ESDC reimbursement grant in the amount of $25,000 to assist the Genesee Area YMCA in preparing a feasibility study for the Healthy Living Campus.

-- Appointed Bob Gray and Leslie Moma to the Community Garden Committee through Dec. 31, 2022, and Sharon Burkel to the Historic Preservation Commission through Dec. 31, 2021.

During a Conference Meeting following the Business Meeting, Council agreed to take up at its next meeting (Jan. 14) two resolutions dealing with a Community Development Block Grant for 900 linear feet of water main on Brooklyn Avenue in the amount of $333,000.

Worth said the project, along with drainage work at Williams Park and along the Tonawanda Creek bank, calls for an environmental impact review and a resolution stating who the certifying officer would be (in this case, Jankowski).

The project is slated to go to bid in March, Worth said.

A pair of 299 games and a bunch of lofty 700 series highlighted Genesee Region league bowling action for the week ending Dec. 9.

On Monday at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, Robbie Hanks came within a pin of his fifth USBC-certified 300 game with a 299--743 effort in the Sneezy's Monday Night League. He left the 2-pin on his last ball.

Robbie's father, Randy, posted a 300 game in the league on Nov. 19.

On Wednesday at Scopano's Lanes in Oakfield, substitute Charlie Pangrazio posted a 299 middle game en route to a 749 series in the County Line Stone League. Pangrazio's 12th ball came high on the headpin, leaving the 3-6. The 6 then fell and rolled into the 3, but didn't knock it down.

Series-wise, at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen, Jason Heimlich registered 267-259-266 for a 790 series in the Wednesday Men's Handicap League while Kevin Wezelis fired a 289 game and 783 series in the Every-Other-Saturday League.

Also, in the Sneezy's league, Curtis Foss led all shooters with a 771 series.

For a list of scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page. Mike Pettinella's next Pin Points column is scheduled to be posted this Thursday.

Ryann Stefaniak driving in for a layup.

The Batavia High Varsity Girls Basketball Team shook off some early jitters on the offensive end of the court by turning to an effective full-court press on the defensive end en route to a season-opening 55-37 victory over host Irondequoit in a Monroe County inter-divisional game Tuesday night.

Senior guard Ryann Stefaniak led the way for Batavia with 20 points and 10 rebounds while sophomore guards Mackenzie Reigle and Bryn Wormley added 10 apiece.

Senior forward Jenae Colkey chipped in with seven while senior center Meghan Houseknecht scored six.

Coach Marty Hein’s squad looked tight at the outset, missing several layups and turning the ball over a half-dozen times in the opening period, which ended in a 14-14 tie.

After Irondequoit took a 15-14 lead early in the second quarter, Batavia went to the press and that sparked an 8-2 run with Reigle, Colkey and Emma Krolczyk scoring on the break and Houseknecht hitting from inside.

Houseknecht scored again in the final minute of the half to give Batavia a 27-22 lead.

Batavia, staying with the press that resulted in many Irondequoit turnovers, put the game away in the third quarter with an 11-2 run. Stefaniak had eight of those points on a three-pointer, two driving layups on assists from Colkey and a free throw, while Colkey had the other three.

The Lady Devils’ advantage was 44-27 after the third quarter and they coasted from there.

Irondequoit was led by junior guard Alahna Paige’s eight points. Paige, a 19-points-per-game scorer last season, was hampered by foul trouble throughout.

Both teams shot poorly from the foul line. Batavia was 7-for-17 while Irondequoit went 11-for-25.

The Lady Devils’ next game is scheduled for Dec. 11 at Greece Athena.

To view or purchase photos click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Mackenzie Reigle pushes the ball up court as Jenae Colkey advances.

Meghan Houseknecht looks to rebound.

Kennedy Kolb battles for the ball as Emma Krolczyk looks on.

Krolczyk goes in uncontested.

Colkey knocks the ball away from Irondequoit's Rebeca McGwin.

The Toyota of Batavia team in the league of the same name at Mancuso Bowling Center set a Genesee Region USBC record for high team game on Thursday night (Nov. 29).

Bowling on lanes 17-18, the team of Nate Cordes (297), Josh Elliott (265), Matt Buckley (214), Jason Gallo (216) and Wagner 279) registered a 1,271 game to cap off a big night, that also featured a 300 game and 824 series by Batavia's Wagner.

The 1,271 eclipses the 1,220 rolled by the Terry Hills Restaurant team of Fred Gravanda, Jerry Martino, Don Buckley, Joe Trigilio and John Gravante at Mancuso Lanes in February 1986.

Wagner rolled 245-300-279-824 -- his 37th perfect game and fourth 800 series. As the season nears the midway point, the 35-year-old lefty is averaging 245, which also would be a GRUSBC record.

Gallo finished with 717 -- he's averaging 235 -- while Cordes shot 715, closing with a 297 game. Elliott had 657 and Buckley, filling in for regular Leon Hurd, added 556 for a 3,469 total -- short of the Terry Hills' team record by 103 pins.

In other recent league action around the Genesee Region:

-- Curtis Foss of Medina finished with a 299 game on Sunday to place first in the weekly Sunday Rolloff at Medina Lanes. He left a solid 8-pin on the 12th ball. Earlier in the week, he had a 773 series in the Sneezy's Monday Night League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

-- Chris Bardol spun a 769 series in the G&W Vending League at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen.

For more high scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

The Genesee County Legislature on Wednesday tabled a proposed local law designed to closely regulate secondhand dealers, but as far as one longtime Batavia businessman is concerned, the board should scrap it completely.

(Download PDF of the proposed local law.)

“I can’t sleep over this; I’m livid,” said Michael Barrett, owner of Batavia Marine & Sporting Supplies on West Main Street. “To put the onus on the business in the county is terrible.”

Barrett said he doesn’t like the proposed $150 licensing fee and what he perceives as extra layers of government intervention. Businesses not complying with the law would be subject to being charged with a Class B misdemeanor.

“I don’t need to be checked out by the sheriff’s (department), I don’t need to have to log everything in a book and I don’t need to have to download it to the sheriff’s (department),” he said. “That is their area of expertise, not mine.”

Legislature Chairman Robert Bausch said county lawmakers have “gotten comments about it – pro and con,” which has led them to ask for clarification of some the language of the law.

He said that District Attorney Lawrence Friedman, in conjunction with police agencies and the county attorney’s office, will be revising portions of the law.

“We’re going to get something out there eventually, but it is going back to the Public Service Committee and they don’t meet until January 14^th," Bausch said.

Wednesday’s tabling action means that a public hearing scheduled for Dec. 12 on the matter will be cancelled.

Bausch said that the primary focus of the law is to pinpoint the source of items being sold to pawn shops and similar businesses and to curtail criminal activity -- “not to interfere with their business activity."

“We’ve heard that Pawn King (the county’s lone pawn shop, located on Veterans Memorial Drive) is doing the right thing in other counties (with a LeadsOnline tracking program),” he said. “Our concern is that there (be) no collateral damage to other businesses.”

He also noted that when a similar law was proposed five or six years ago, no one objected except for scrap dealers. The law did not take effect due to lack of support from legislators. This time around, scrap dealers are exempt from the proposed ordinance.

Commenting on concerns from business owners who offer gift cards, Bausch said that is not part of the equation.

“I don’t even worry about the gift cards as part of normal business activity, unless people are selling gift cards to the pawn shop,” he said.

Legislator Andrew Young, who has come out as being opposed to the law, acknowledged that the intent is "admirable," but feels that it is too restrictive.

"We've gone way too far ... it's nine pages of limitations and regulations," he said. "And it is ambiguous as to who it really covers."

Young said he hopes some of the points he made during recent committee meetings will take hold and that he is looking forward to discussing the revised document at a Ways & Means Committee meeting next month.

Public comments on The Batavian and other sites have been mostly against the law.

Barrett, who takes in used gun parts such as empty cartridge brass, scopes and reloading equipment, said there already are many layers of regulations and is “overburdened as it is.”

“Business is bad in the county … so many empty buildings in our town,” he said. “I’ve talked to one business owner and he said if this goes through, he’s taking his business out of the county.”

Barrett said he’s read the proposed law very closely and believes that other than “used cars, clothing, books and scrap, everything else is open.”

He said he plans to be there when the public hearing does take place and hopes that he is joined by other business owners.

“Wild horses couldn’t drag me away,” he said.

City Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian says the City needs to get tough with landlords and homeowners when disturbances that put employees in jeopardy arise, but just how to proceed can be complicated.

That was the gist of a discussion among council members, a city attorney and the police chief at Monday night’s Conference Meeting at City Hall.

“I’m tired of policeman getting hurt and firemen being threatened,” Christian said, referring to several incidences in recent months where police have had to be called.

She also called for harsher local ordinances that deal with grass mowing, trash, home maintenance and vehicle storage – even outlining a plan that would start with a warning, escalate to a $500 fine and court appearance, and ultimately putting the matter into a judge’s hands.

“We need to hurt them in their pocket; we just don’t do enough,” she said. “If we start hurting them in their pocket, we’ll get somewhere.”

It isn’t as simple as that, however, said Council President Eugene Jankowski.

“I think we tried this before (holding the landlord responsible),” Jankowski said. “But evicting is a 30- to 60-day process, and then the renter goes ballistic and trashes the place. We have to arrest the resident.”

Attorney David Fitch, filling in for George Van Nest, said he felt the discussion “was conflating some different things” since code violations are handled differently than criminal violations.

“With code enforcement violation, as the city attorney we would prosecute, but can’t hold the landlord responsible,” he said. “The goal … is to get compliance – paint their houses, cut the lawns, take care of the trash.”

Fitch said if residents don’t respond, “judges in City Court have no problem issuing a hefty fine, up to $250 per day.”

Chief Shawn Heubusch mentioned a program where landlords can check into the backgrounds of potential tenants and also get a description of what took place at the property.

“At our last community meeting, we talked about landlord licensing,” he said. “People in dangerous situations won’t call police if they think they will get fined.”

Heubusch said he “understands where you’re coming from,” in response to Christian, “as our guys live it every single day.”

Jankowski noted the many delays in processing violations, but Christian said it goes beyond that.

“If there are drugs (involved), we can take possession of property. If the landlord is aware of possession of drugs or dealing, they can bring the landlord to court,” she said.

“We need something that has an effect on our community. I would hate to go through another summer like we had this year.”

Jankowski said that landlords can evict tenants when a crime is committed in their house, while Heubusch said cooperation from neighbors is a key component in cleaning up illegal activity.

Council referred several draft resolutions to its Business Meeting on Dec. 10, including:

-- Lead agency status in the State Environmental Quality Review determination and subsequent zoning change ordinance for parcels comprising the St. Anthony’s Church campus on Liberty Street and Central Avenue.

The zoning designation, stemming from a request from City Church (owners of the property), will be changed from R-3 Residential to C-3 Commercial to allow for business activities, including a proposal to move the Batavia Youth Bureau there.

“These are the final steps of the zoning change,” said Matt Worth, director of public works, who oversaw the issue while serving as interim city manager.

-- A local law to amend the City’s municipal code to make Thorpe Street a one-way street for southbound traffic only between Watson and Maple streets.

During a brief public hearing last night, Watson Street resident Ken Wolter said he hoped that the change works and asked Council to consider making Watson Street off of Evans Street one-way as well.

-- The extension of one-year – through Dec. 31, 2019 – three agreements with Genesee County concerning water supply, operation and maintenance, and facilities lease while leaders work on a longer-term contract in conjunction with a long-term sales tax agreement.

Worth said the extensions contain “minimal changes,” most notably the county charging the city an additional 60 cents per 1,000 gallons – up from the current 60 cents per 1,000-gallon surcharge – to help fund capital projects to increase the water supply.

Also, as far as the lease of the city’s water plant to the county is concerned, the new agreement would transfer it to the county once the plant is no longer being used.

“By doing this, it would not be a liability to the city in the future,” Worth said.

He also said he plans to talk to county officials about including a lead services clause in the water supply agreement.

-- Acceptance of a New York State Education Department grant for $10,000 and a State Aid Recreation Program grant for $1,000 to assist with the start-up of the Teen City project, a joint venture of the United Way of Genesee County, Genesee County YMCA, City of Batavia and City Church.

-- The transfer of $585,000 in unallocated funds to several restricted funds per recommendation of the City Audit Committee.

“Funding reserves now for future liabilities, equipment, infrastructure and facility improvements has been, and will continue to be, critical in avoiding larger tax burdens in future years,” Lisa Neary, deputy director of Finance, wrote in a memo dated Nov. 21.

The resolution calls for reserve funds to be increased as follows: $150,000 to DPW; $25,000 to Sidewalk; $75,000 to Administrative Equipment; $5,000 to Police Equipment; $40,000 to Fire Equipment; $10,000 to Dwyer Stadium; $50,000 to Facility; $80,000 to Compensated Absence; $50,000 to Workers Compensation; $75,000 to Retirement; and $25,000 to Parking Lot.

-- A new three-year lease (through April 1, 2022) with the New York-Penn League for the use of Dwyer Stadium for the league-owned Batavia Muckdogs.

The proposed lease is consistent with the most recent lease and calls for a $25,000 capital investment by the City into the facility annually, said Worth, who noted that league officials have yet to respond to the City’s draft of the lease.

Worth said the league paid for field and clubhouse improvements last season and continues to pay all utilities. He said that $80,000 is in the current Dwyer Stadium reserve fund.

Oak Orchard Bowl proprietor Randy Hanks carves out a little time for himself each week as a member of the Sneezy's Monday Night League at the Albion establishment.

During competition last week, the 52-year-old right-hander etched his name in the record book for the fourth time as he recorded a 300 game en route to a personal-best 792 series on lanes 9-10.

"I just happened to get hot," said Hanks, who posted 23 out of the last 24 strikes in a 225-300-267 effort. Only a 10-pin in the third frame of the last game -- which he unfortunately missed -- kept him from a chance at his first 800 series.

He now has four USBC-certified perfect games -- two at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes in Rochester and two at Oak Orchard Bowl.

Elsewhere around the Genesee Region, Chris Bardol of Brockport rolled his second 300 of the season in the G&W Vending League at Rose Garden Bowl last Tuesday night.

For a list of high scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

Mike Pettinella's next Pin Points column is scheduled for this Thursday.

The owner of the Pawn King store at 4150 Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia says he would support a proposed county law designed to limit criminal activity as long as it doesn’t handcuff his efforts to maximize sales.

“As far as a local law is concerned, I really don’t have a problem with a licensing fee – which I believe is a money grab for towns – but the thing that I find to be constitutionally inappropriate is that a township can dictate the number of specific items we could buy (from one person) in a calendar year,” said Christopher Fernandez of Syracuse.

Fernandez and his wife own 10 Pawn King shops – five in the Syracuse area, and one each in Evans Mills (north of Watertown), Utica, Auburn, Buffalo and Batavia.

He spoke by telephone today as a follow-up to news that the Genesee County Legislature’s Public Service and Ways and Means committees are backing a proposed law drafted by District Attorney Lawrence Friedman at the request of the Sheriff’s Office.

Local law enforcement contends that the law is necessary to assist police in finding and recovering stolen property, and apprehend those who steal other people’s property – and, in many cases, head to the pawn shop.

While the proposed law does include a provision for licensing (at a cost of $150 annually), it does not set limits on products bought and sold as referred to by Fernandez, who repeatedly said his company policy is to work with police agencies to catch criminals.

“While there are (currently) no requirements in Batavia for licensing, our purchase procedure is to collect 22 points of identification, and we will provide full disclosure (to police),” Fernandez said. “Anything they request, we can get. If they need to know who, when, an address, driver’s license, we have it.”

Fernandez said he invests around $25,000 per year for the Bravo computerized tracking system, or database, where “every single thing is reported.”

He said that he has data on 67,000 customers.

“The way to defeat crime is data collection, not limiting my efforts to make money,” he said. “If you limit me, you’ll just have others selling stuff from their trunks and have no data to track what is being sold.”

He mentioned LeadsOnline, a private company that is used by law enforcement to track the acquisition of used merchandise by dealers. He said he has LeadsOnline in all of his stores, except Batavia, but is willing to set it up if Batavia or Genesee County law enforcement wishes to purchase a subscription.

Fernandez also said his company’s policy requires sellers to sign a document dealing with the origin of the product(s).

“They’re breaking the law if they lie about it – it’s a misdemeanor – but because they’re signing my document, it goes from a misdemeanor to a felony change for falsifying records,” he said.

Among the businesses listed under the proposed local law’s definitions are secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers, tags that describe Fernandez’s shops.

“In Buffalo and Evans Mills, I have to have pawnbroker’s licenses, which includes bonding at an extra $1,000 per year,” he said, “but we do no pledged loans whatsoever … no loaning of money period. When I take something in, I buy it. But the previous owner has the first right to buy it back. There’s no contract, just a handshake agreement. We’ve established good relationships with our customers.”

Fernandez said the secondhand dealer designation fits his business model.

“In the other stores we have secondhand dealers’ licenses because we take used and sometimes new merchandise and move it on to the consumer – hopefully for a profit.”

When it was brought up by this reporter that the Batavia Pawn King has been accused of providing a list of goods it is interested in receiving from the Walmart across the street, Fernandez said that was “ridiculous.”

“That violates every single fiber of my company handbook,” he said. “We started this 15 year ago with a hole in the wall, a plastic table and copy machine, and we have built it by doing things the right way.”

A public hearing on the proposed local law is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Old County Courthouse. If it ultimately passes, it would take effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

Exemptions from the proposed law include garage sales, yard sales, estate sales and moving sales (with some stipulations), sales by nonprofit or charitable organizations, licensed auctions, jewelry and coin dealers (with stipulations), motor vehicles and legitimate antique/trade shows.

A link to a PDF draft of the law was included in a story posted on Nov. 20 by Howard Owens, reporting from the county legislature committee meeting. To access it, click here.