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When asked if he wanted to be a firefighter since he was a little kid, Stefano “Steve” Napolitano wasted no time in responding.

“One hundred percent correct,” he said. “When I was 6 years old, my uncle John – we lived in Long Island then – took me to the fire station where he worked and when I saw those giant, red fire trucks, I said, ‘Oh, my God.’ Ever since then,

Napolitano’s dream came true at the tender age of 18 when he was accepted as a volunteer firefighter with the Frankfort fire company, and he progressed through the ranks to become the deputy fire chief for the Village of Herkimer.

In less than a month, April 17^th to be exact, he will continue his firefighting journey when he begins his tenure as chief of the City of Batavia Fire Department.

“There is a renaissance that is taking place (in Batavia) and a quality of life improvement, and as far as public safety is concerned we want to enhance that to continue to attract industry and mom-and-pop businesses,” he said.

Napolitano, a Queens native who has lived in the Mohawk Valley for about 45 of his 50 years (he turned 50 on March 13^th), said he appreciated the thorough process that resulted in his hiring by City Manager Jason Molino.

“It has been a long process; we started in September of last year,” he said. “They did an outstanding job of vetting people, and by the grace of God, I was fortunate enough to be chosen. I look forward to working with an outstanding group of individuals in the fire department and those who are part of the executive team.”

Napolitano sees himself as a “boots on the ground-type firefighter” but he also has continually taken steps to educate himself on the finer points of firefighting.

A mechanical engineer by trade, he has used his expertise to design fire trucks, consult on fire equipment and coordinate major projects. He said he has spent hundreds of hours in classroom training en route to becoming a certified code enforcement officer and state fire instructor.

His varied background – he’s been with the Herkimer fire department for 25 years -- also includes a stint as deputy director the Herkimer County Office of Emergency Services from 2008-2015, where he assisted with local disaster and emergency management plans, the county 9-1-1 dispatch communication center and the administration of the county’s mutual aid plan, mutual aid radio system and state fire training.

In 1996, he founded Advanced Technologies, a company that served as a regional fire equipment distributor offering quality products at fair market prices. He recently sold it to Herkimer Industries, a divison of the Herkimer ARC, a nonprofit agency servicing those with disabilities and special needs. Napolitano continues to serve as a consultant to company officials.

Calling his hiring “a promotion in so many ways,” Napolitano said he looks forward to meeting the 40 or so members of the Batavia department and “coming in to enhance the great things they are already doing.”

“Just look at the department’s Facebook page and you can see how much they are involved in community service projects,” he said.

He also credited Dan Herberger, who had been serving as interim chief, for doing an “outstanding job.”

Napolitano leaves behind a chief and co-workers in Herkimer who have nothing but respect for his knowledge, ability and positive outlook.

“Steve is very well regarded, and very knowledgeable in apparatus, as a state fire inspector, an EMT and deputy chief,” said Herkimer Fire Chief John Stanfelner.

“He was one of my go-to people. I’ve always said that I don’t know everything, so I go to the people who do know. If you ask him a question, he will give you the right answer or do what it takes to give you the answer.”

Napolitano said he is working with a couple of real estate agents to find a place to live in Batavia.

He has two children – a daughter, Alyssa, who just took a job at Oswego State College, and a son, Steve, a third-year student at St. Lawrence University in Canton.

And, by the way, he said to the best of his knowledge he is not related to former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano or Fox News TV personality Judge Andrew Napolitano.

Press release:

City Manager Jason Molino announced today that Stefano (Steve) Napolitano has accepted the position of the City’s new fire chief.

Chief Napolitano will be leaving his current position as Deputy Fire Chief for the Village of Herkimer and begin his Batavia post on April 17.

“It has been a long and thorough search to fill this important position with the City’s fire department,” Molino said. “Steve brings with him a great breadth and depth of experience in the fire service and has the proven skills and passion for leadership that we’ve been looking for. I look forward to introducing him to our community.”

In addition to his 25 years with Herkimer’s fire department, Chief Napolitano has served as a New York State Fire Instructor since 2006. He continues to conduct training at the State Academy of Fire Sciences in Montour Falls.

Napolitano also worked as Deputy Director of the Herkimer County Office of Emergency Services from 2008 through 2015 where he assisted in development, revision and implementation of local disaster and emergency management plans, along with assisting in the county 9-1-1 dispatch communication center and the administration of the county’s mutual aid plan, mutual aid radio system and state fire training.

Chief Napolitano, who has two adult children; a daughter, Alyssa and a son, Steven,  will relocate to Batavia.

“I anticipate becoming an integral member of the community and immersing myself in various civic organizations,” Napolitano said. “In addition, the City is experiencing many quality of life enhancements, and along with being able to work with an outstanding group of men and women in providing critical services to the citizens of Batavia, I’m looking forward to taking advantage of all the community has to offer.”

Molino also thanked Interim Chief Dan Herberger who has served in the temporary capacity for a little more than a year, saying “Chief Herberger has proven himself to be an outstanding senior leader and integral member of our management team.”

Molino added that Herberger contributed immensely not only to the fire department but to the entire City through his wisdom, work ethic and incredible sense of commitment.

City Council on Monday night passed numerous resolutions, most notably the 2017-18 city budget, which was approved by an 8-1 vote (with Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian dissenting).

The $24 million budget -- of which $16.5 million comprises the general fund -- calls for a property tax levy of $5.2 million and an increase of less than 1 percent in the tax rate.

Passage of the budget was welcome news for Julie Pacatte, coordinator of the Batavia Development Corporation, who attended the meeting along with BDC President Pier Cipollone.

"It means that the city is supporting us in more good work to do, particularly related to the Brownfield Opportunity Area advancement," Pacatte said. "This budget, specifically, has some additional carve-outs to help us advance our second BOA site – Creek Park – behind the (Falleti) ice arena (on Evans Street)."

Before the budget vote, Christian expressed her disappointment with the fact that city revenues are down by $458,000 and that a sales tax agreement has yet to be reached with Genesee County.

"Also, I've been waiting for sidewalks on Clifton Avenue (in her Ward) for over 12 years and wanted some of the money from the VLT (video lottery terminals at Batavia Downs Gaming) for a pool on the Southside," she said.

This prompted Robert Bialkowski to mention that no one spoke against the budget during last month's public hearing and that City Manager Jason Molino met Council's request to reduce the tax increase to less than 1 percent.

Adoption of the spending plan means that the tax bill for a city resident with a house assessed at $90,000 will now be about $838 for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

Council President Eugene Jankowski noted that the property tax levy of $5.2 million is only about a third of the total general budget, and asked for a breakdown of the revenue stream.

Molino pointed out that, beyond the $5 million from property taxes, about $6 million comes in from sales taxes, another $1.7 million from state aid, and the rest from an assortment of fees, aid, grants, income from services provided and mortgage taxes.

In other action, Council:

-- Passed resolutions establishing slightly higher new water rates and meter fees, a 2.75-percent increase for non-union city employees (including management) and slight wage increases for part-time and seasonal city employees. All three of those resolutions passed by 7-2 votes, with Christian and Paul Viele voting "no" in each instance.

-- Voted unanimously to adopt a local law to amend the Business Improvement District Plan.

Molino said the amendment to the plan was a lowering of the assessment charge on the properties in the Business Improvement District because of the expiration of a large debt service payment.

"The amount levied is going down from about $120,000 to about $57,000," he said. "So what property owners can expect to see in the BID is a decrease in that BID assessment charge."

In an email to The Batavian, Molino said that the BID Plan identifies two sources for funding the activities of the Business Improvement District: the Business Improvement District assessment (BID Assessment) and the City of Batavia. The BID Assessment for each property is calculated by multiplying the assessed valuation of the property by the BID assessment rate.

In accordance with the General Municipal Law 980-k, a BID is limited in the amount of money that can be raised through the assessment. The district assessment charge, excluding debt service, may not exceed 20 percent of the total general municipal taxes levied in a year against the taxable property in the BID.

As of Feb. 1, it is estimated that 20 percent of the total general municipal taxes levied in 2017-18 against the taxable property in the BID is $57,926, based on current taxable assessed values and the existing City property tax rate. The BID assessment rate is estimated to be $1.844 per $1,000 of assessed value. There is currently no debt service to be paid for with district assessment charges.

-- Welcomed new Batavia City Police officers Ryan Shea and Matthew Dispenza, who were officially sworn in by City Clerk Heidi Parker, and recognized Jayme Privitera, of Le Roy, for submitting the first-place logo in the Ellicott Trail Logo Contest, which was reported first on The Batavian last month.

From left, Assistant Chief Todd Crossett, Ryan Shea, Matthew Dispenza, Chief Shawn Heubusch.

City Councilwoman Kathleen Briggs reads a proclamation honoring Jayme Privitera, who created the winning logo in the Ellicott Trail Logo Contest. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

To fully understand the ongoing success of the family owned, environmentally conscious Stein Farms on Gully Road in the Town of Le Roy, one needs to comprehend the meaning of a famous quote by Aristotle: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

While many people – the Stein family members and 21 dedicated employees – use their particular talents and skills in a variety of ways, it’s the collective synergy that has enabled Stein Farms to survive and thrive for more than 60 years.

When taking a closer look at Stein Farms, which has been selected by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce as the Agricultural Business of the Year for 2016, it is clear to see how the Greek philosopher’s axiom applies.

The connection among the workers on the 2,500-acre dairy farm that milks more than 900 cows has produced a total effect even greater than what each one could produce individually.

“Ours is one of a number of multigeneration farm families in our county, and that’s why they are successful,” said Dale Stein, who owns the farm along with his son, Nate, 35; his brother, Ray, and Ray’s children, Jerrod, 31, and Natasha Sutherland, 33.

“We want to make it enjoyable for the kids to have a good life – family life, not just work – and we are dedicated to preserving the environment. We want to be known as people who care.”

In her nomination letter to the Chamber’s selection committee (the awards ceremony is set for March 4 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road), Hiedi Librock, of Darien, pointed out the family’s commitment to environmental stewardship, viable employment practices, compassionate animal care, civic and community involvement, and event sponsorship in the Le Roy area.

She also mentioned Stein Farms’ recent $1 million expansion – the Steins also tend to more than 1,000 young stock – and attributed its progress to a decision made in the early years to adopt a dual cropping system that includes fall-planted triticale (a wheat/hay hybrid) for spring silage.

Stein Farms was founded in 1956 by Louis “Bud” and Jane Stein, who took over a former Curtice-Burns farm located next to Oatka Creek and just a couple miles from the Monroe County line. Louis passed away in 2007; Jane resides in Florida.

“Dale and Ray are the second generation, and Nate, Natasha and I are the third generation, coming back to the farm after trying other things,” said Jerrod, who returned to the fold about 10 years ago. “We went out to see what the world is really like … being the low man on the totem pole and seeing the way people were treated.”

Jerrod’s uncle, Ken, also was a co-owner until his death in August 2015.

Each of the owners has specific responsibilities, but is versatile enough to fill in the gaps when necessary, Jerrod said.

Jerrod’s forte is machinery maintenance, keeping the field operations going and overseeing the crew during planting and harvest seasons.

“We have three or four full-time employees on this side of the road and hire three or four retired guys for chopping,” he said.

Dale’s primary task – and a big one at that – is to feed the cows and keep that part of the farm running, which means being on the job six days a week to make sure the cow-milking machinery is working properly.

He also has been the chairman of the New York State Soil & Water Conservation Committee for more than a decade, leading a group that facilitates grants to help farmers implement programs to preserve the environment.

Ray’s main focus is ensuring a bountiful crop as 1,200 acres are used to grow corn for the cows and another 900 acres for hay seedings.

Rochelle Stein, Ray’s wife, who is well-known for her role as a Genesee County legislator, representing District 5 (Town of Le Roy), and Natasha's husband, Richard, also work with the ownership team.

Natasha’s area of expertise is on the health of the nearly 2,000 cows and young stock in the barns, a time-consuming chore that includes interaction with veterinarians and keeping up with the latest technology.

She is a former co-chair of Young Farmers and Ranchers and liaison to the Dairy Farmers of America.

And last but not least, Nate, a Leadership Genesee graduate, can be found handling the feeding duties on Dale’s days off, cleaning the barns, hauling manure, monitoring the separation system, etc., etc.

“Nate is a jack-of-all-trades,” Jerrod said. “He can do it all.”

The entire family hosted a “Field to Fork Feast” in September 2015, a high-end dinner event to help the Town of Le Roy generate funds as part of the America’s Best Communities revitalization competition.

And they are unwavering in their pursuit of maintaining the water quality of Oatka Creek, which features public trout fishing about 300 yards upstream from the farm.

“We get a lot of fishermen here. It gives us an incentive to make sure we are doing things right,” Dale said.

Jerrod and Dale said they are confident the operation will continue for many years, noting that Natasha’s children, Daniel, 4, and Lockwood, 3; Nate’s child, Lucas, almost 2; and Dale’s daughter Casey’s child, Zoey, 4, already are learning the ins-and-outs of farm living.

“The three boys go like crazy,” Dale said. “When they see a tractor, they have to be on it.”

Top photo: Richard Sutherland, left, Jerrod Stein, Natasha Sutherland, Nathan Stein, and back row, Ray Stein, Dale Stein. (Photos by Howard Owens.)

Looking back at his formative years, lifelong Batavian Steve “Stump” Grice said the time invested by his buddies’ parents left a lasting impression and helped set him on a course of civic and charitable volunteerism.

“For me, I grew up doing sports and events, and was part of the Ellicott Avenue crew,” Grice said. “I noticed that the fathers of the kids that I hung out with were coaching us, and when I was done with college, I started coaching football.

“Then I got pulled in more and more, and it just kind of clicked. (Volunteering) is like paying a tab … honoring those before us.”

Steve’s wife, the former Lisa Grasso, said was introduced to community service as a Girl Scout and “junior fireman” while growing up in Cheektowaga.

“And after that, when we had our boys (Alex, 24, a special education teacher at Oakfield-Alabama Central School, and Casey, 21, a junior at Brockport State College majoring in Therapeutic Recreation for special needs persons), I started getting involved here,” she said.

Fast forward to 2017, and the Grices have made a tremendous impact upon organizations ranging from Batavia Youth Football to the John Kennedy Home School Association to Genesee Cancer Assistance to the Genesee County/City Youth Bureau to the Batavia Rotary Club to the Genesee County Volunteer Service Tuition Program.

For their efforts, Steve and Lisa have been selected as Geneseeans of the Year by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and will be honored at the 45^th annual awards ceremony on March 4 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road.

They were nominated by Chris Suozzi, who serves with Steve on the Board of Directors of Genesee Cancer Assistance.

“I am nominating Steve and Lisa for their combined volunteer efforts to the community for decades. Their tireless efforts go unnoticed and I feel it’s time for us to reward them!”

Both Steve and Lisa, who celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary last Nov. 2, will tell you that the reward is in doing what needs to be done to ensure that a particular organization reaches its goals.

“The satisfaction comes from the end result … knowing that you’ve accomplished something for the community,” Steve said during an interview at their Chase Park home. “Knowing what the dollar amount (raised) means, and that we had goals and hit those goals.

Steve said he was notified of the award on “Friday the 13th” (of January) during a phone call from Mary Blevins, a member of the selection committee.

“At first, I was thinking it was a joke. I was speechless,” Steve said. “When Mary asked me if I wanted to tell my wife or if I wanted her to do it, I said, ‘You better, she won’t believe me.' ”

Lisa said they are humbled by the recognition but admits to being a bit nervous about having to deliver a speech.

“I like to stay behind the scenes,” she said, noting that Steve is the “out-front person” and she handles the duo’s administrative and organizational responsibilities.

Her volunteer resume includes concession stand work for Batavia’s youth baseball leagues, fundraising for the Batavia Basketball Boosters, coordinating the JK Home School Association’s pasta night dinner for seven years through 2007, scheduling and bookkeeping for Batavia Youth Football, serving on the Batavia City Youth Bureau board for four years, assisting the Rotary Club’s Oktoberfest and directing the county volunteer tuition program since 1995.

“I really enjoyed the pasta dinners at JK, especially seeing the dads and moms as waiters and waitresses, and seeing all the kids who wanted to help,” said Lisa, a 28-year Genesee County employee who has served as principal clerk at the highway department for the past four years.

Steve has been involved with Batavia Youth Football for 30 years, has been a Rotarian for 19 years – he is a former Paul Harris Fellow Award winner – and has been with Genesee Cancer Assistance for 15 years -- six of those as a board member. He also coached youth baseball, volunteered for the Michael Napoleone Foundation and rang the bell for the Salvation Army.

A deputy clerk in the Genesee County clerk’s office following a 29-year career in the real estate title insurance/abstract profession, Steve was the Genesee County Adult Volunteer of the Year in 2013 and the City of Batavia Volunteer of the Year in 2014.

He credited his mentor, the late Joe Gerace, with “getting me into a lot of things” and was fortunate to spend time with Gerace.

“We became family,” he said.

Steve said he was glad to see that Gerace, who passed away last November, stayed involved with Genesee Cancer Assistance right to the end.

“Joe was the co-chair of our golf tournament last August, so we had all of our meetings at the VA (Medical Center) every Wednesday so he could continue to be a part of it,” Steve said. “And he made it to the tournament -- ran his putting contest and visited everyone riding on the golf cart.”

Give and it will be given unto you.

“When we took over operations in Thanksgiving of 2015, we had one goal – to give back to the local community,” said Steve Foster who, along with business partner Tim Adams, has successfully tied charitable giving with quality food and service to make the Red Osier® Restaurant in Stafford a premier dining destination of Western New York.

“Genesee County has been forgotten over the years here,” Adams said. “We believe that the more we support local organizations, the more success we will have.”

Foster, an Alexander native, and Adams, who grew up in East Bethany, officially took ownership of the restaurant – known throughout WNY for its prime rib – on April 20 of last year, and have displayed a large measure of generosity to the people of Genesee County through event sponsorships, donations and employee-supported fundraising.

As a result, the Red Osier® Restaurant has been selected as the Special Service Recognition of the Year award from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Foster and Adams, who also own Adams’ Welding & Fabrication in Stafford, will be honored at the 45^th annual Awards Ceremony on March 4 at Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road.

In her nomination letter, Lynette Skelton of Starowitz Farms in Byron praised Foster and Adams for purchasing the restaurant – possibly saving it from closing for good and saving the jobs of around 60 employees.

“The two men decided to take the chance, and the opportunity to save the local landmark and the local jobs in their community,” Skelton wrote.

Foster, a Red Osier® employee since 1998, said he was hesitant about buying the business – “it needed a lot of help,” he said – but finally agreed. Since then, and he and Adams have moved full speed ahead.

The list of the duo’s Genesee County civic contributions over the past 18 months is impressive, to say the least:

-- The Genesee County 4H program. Tim is a former Geneseean of the Year for his service to 4H and Cornell Cooperative Extension, and he is continuing his support by purchasing two pigs (which have been processed for special dishes at the restaurant).

-- GO ART!’s Picnic in the Park. The restaurant was the major sponsor for the July 4^th event last year, coming to the forefront at the last minute to prevent the event from being canceled.

-- Genesee Cancer Assistance. A joint venture between the restaurant and welding shop last Thanksgiving resulted in the presentation of $10,000 to GCA – money derived from proceeds of diners that day and a contribution from the welding shop.

-- Le Roy Food Pantry, Genesee County Animal Shelter, Crossroads House, Michael Napoleone Foundation. The two men contributed to fundraisers supporting these causes.

-- Oatka Festival, American Warrior Event at Frost Ridge, Le Roy Youth Football.  The restaurant signed on as major sponsors for these events, and also has sponsored individuals participating in horse shows, cheerleading contests, and other endeavors.

-- Spirits & Skivvies. An employee-led initiative, more than 600 pairs of socks and underwear were donated to the homeless.

“Our staff is right with us every step of the way,” Foster said. “They are on board with our donation program.”

On the business side, the owners said they have “broken every record” for sales – seeing repeat and new customer and raising the average per capita bill from about $25 to around $45.

“Everything here is made from scratch – the meals, desserts, salad, bread; it’s all fresh,” Foster said.

While prime rib is the main attraction, the menu includes a variety of dishes, and much of the food and some of the spirits and liquors are purchased from local vendors.

The owners also reported that, upon their return from a recent trip to Nashville, they have purchased a custom-built, 24-foot food trailer with a full kitchen “to take our chefs out on the road.”

They said they will be able to cater weddings, parties, graduations and other gatherings, and hope to get that started in May.

“It’s a replica of our kitchen,” Foster said.

The Red Osier® opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, check out its website – www.redosier.com.

Although senators in Albany may not be inclined to consider the idea of New York becoming a “sanctuary state,” City Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian wants to make sure they know where she stands on the matter.

“I want us to draft a resolution and send it to (Assemblyman Steven) Hawley, (Senator Michael) Ranzenhofer, (U.S. Senator Charles) Schumer and (Gov. Andrew) Cuomo, letting them know that the City of Batavia is opposed to this bill,” Christian said toward the end of Monday night’s City Council meeting. “I want no sanctuary city or state.”

Christian spoke out against a bill – known as the New York State Liberty Act -- that was passed by the state Assembly on Feb. 6. The bill is under review in the Senate.

The bill provides certain protections and rights for immigrants, including standards governing law enforcement’s ability to question a person’s immigration status and/or start deportation proceedings.

Council President Eugene Jankowski said that he was under the impression that the Senate was not going to call for a vote on the measure, but Christian wasn’t deterred.

“I still would like to see if my colleagues agree with me,” she said. “It might not do anything but we are willing to try.”

After a brief discussion, Council voted to have City Manager Jason Molino draft a resolution against any measures to create a sanctuary state or city, referencing both the Assembly and Senate bills, and have it ready for an official vote at the board’s next Business meeting on March 13. (It then would be forwarded to the elected representatives, including U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand).

Jankowski added that he was on board with Christian’s motion, but noted that “it might be putting the cart before the horse.”

“I don’t think the Senate wants to oppose the federal government and a new president so early in his tenure,” he said.

It also was noted that Assemblyman Hawley did not support the bill, labeled A3049B.

In other developments, Council:

-- As expected, approved a resolution authorizing Jankowski to sign a settlement between the City and the Batavia City Centre Mall Merchants Association to resolve longstanding litigation over the City Centre Mall.

The vote came after Council went into executive session for about 30 minutes to go over details of the agreement.

All council members voted yes except Robert Bialkowski, who abstained because his wife is an employee of the Mall Merchants Association. The agreement now goes to the merchants, who also must sign it.

Two weeks ago, Molino announced that the City and the Mall Merchants Association crafted an 11-point “settlement framework” that calls for the City to retain ownership of the downtown facility's concourse, pay 100 percent of capital improvements and take care of mall maintenance and operations.

Additionally, the City will spend an estimated $650,000 to fix the roof, silos and skylights. Moving forward, the City would impose a user fee based on each merchant’s property square footage.

Bialkowski said he had his doubts about the deal, citing the history of the mall and the series of lawsuits filed by the City and the Merchants.

“I hope that this resolution works this time but when it was first built, it was a disaster,” he said. “The city tried running it itself, but then tried to unload it. I hope it doesn’t become an anchor around the taxpayers’ neck.”

Bialkowski added that he believes that “business should be best left in the private sector; it’s definitely more efficient.”

-- Held public hearings on the 2017-18 budget; cwater/sewer rates and capital improvement fee; amending the Batavia Business Improvement District plan, and a Community Development Block Grant. No one from the public spoke.

Thus, Council members likely will vote in two weeks on the City's proposed $23.9 million spending plan that calls for a 0.9 percent tax increase.

-- Moved forward to the March 13^th meeting several resolutions, including one that retains Freed Maxick for financial auditing services for another five years, and another that approves a $90,000 increase in the final cost of the Summit Street reconstruction project (which still came in $250,000 under budget).

JAYME PRIVITERA -- FIRST PLACE

RICHARD GROSS -- SECOND PLACE

KRISTEN STEPHANY -- THIRD PLACE

The Ellicott Trail Project has its logo, and it’s the work of an accomplished graphic artist from Le Roy who is no stranger to entering (and winning) competitions that are open to the public.

“I’m really excited about the fact that people will be able to see something that I created,” said Jayme Privitera, a professional graphic designer for the past decade.

Privitera’s captured First Place in the competition that was set up by the Ellicott Trail Project steering committee to find a logo that best represents the proposed 4.6-mile bicycle/pedestrian path that will run from Seven Springs Road to Pearl Street Road (Route 33).

She won $100 for her logo, which will be used in many ways, such as on all-weather exterior signs, way-finding maps, stainless steel sidewalk emblems and, eventually, banners, stickers and fliers.

Richard Gross, of Wyoming, took Second Place, winning $75, while Kristen Stephany, of Warsaw, placed third, good for $25.

Members of the steering committee, led by Tom Lichtenthal, who also is serving as project manager for the Town of Batavia, made their selections on Thursday afternoon.

Lichtenthal said that 26 finalists out of the 176 submissions were considered at yesterday’s meeting. Entries came in from students and adults – from the age of 10 to 58 – from 15 communities in Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Erie, Wyoming, Niagara and Allegany counties.

Privitera said her goal was to keep the logo simple (per contest rules) and “easily recognizable, emphasizing that it was for a trail – something that keeps going.”

Two years ago, she won a statewide contest conducted by adnetworkny.com. Since 2011, she has provided graphic design for Lake Country PennySaver in Albion.

The logo will be officially unveiled at the Batavia City Council meeting on Feb. 27, Lichtenthal said.

Gross, a former ironworker and fabricator, said he does 3D modeling in his home “for fun.” He said he focused on the location of the trail and keeping the logo uncluttered.

Stephany is an adult student in her last semester at Genesee Community College where she is majoring in Graphic Arts. She said her goal was to use text that rendered “a bit of elegance and class” to the logo.

In December, Lichtenthal reported that the $1.7-million joint venture between the city and town was on schedule for completion by Thanksgiving.

The Town of Batavia is acting as lead agency for the project, which is being funded for the most part – 80 percent -- by a New York State Department of Transportation grant. The Town of Batavia and City of Batavia are contributing 10 percent each.

A Municipal Facility Grant of $250,000 will pay for a new bridge on Walnut Street, Lichtenthal said, while a portion of funds from a Genesee County Parks Department capital project will pay for a boardwalk at DeWitt Recreation Area.

The Batavia Town Board took another step in the municipality’s drive to attain Clean Energy Communities status Wednesday night by approving two resolutions -- one to convert the town’s street lights to energy-saving LED lights and the other to apply for a Unified Solar Permit grant through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The board voted to utilize National Grid’s LED outdoor street lighting conversion program that enables communities to switch from high-pressure sodium to LED lighting. LED conversion is one of 10 “high-impact actions” listed on NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities checklist.

Town Engineer Steve Mountain said that the town will be converting 75 street lights via the National Grid plan at a minimal cost -- about a $9 increase per month in the town's electric bill over a 10-year period.

"There is an incentive from NYSERDA built into the program," Mountain said, "which translates to energy savings over time."

Mountain said that the National Grid program is much cheaper than contracting with a private enterprise, which could cost as much as $50,000. He said he expects the LED conversion to be completed by this summer.

The LED conversion is the last of four actions performed by the town as a requirement to apply for one of 14 Clean Energy Communities grants in the Genesee/Finger Lakes Region. NYSERDA is offering four $100,000 grants and 10 $50,000 grants to municipalities of up to 39,999 people.

Previously, the town implemented three other “high-impact actions” – Benchmarking, Unified Solar Permit and Energy Code Enforcement Training, Mountain said. 

The second resolution passed last night paves the way for the town to receive a $2,500 grant from NYSERDA as an incentive for adopting the NYS Unified Solar Permit. The Unified Solar Permit is a mechanism to help communities reduce costs and delays relating to solar installations.

In other action, the board:

-- Approved a resolution to operate and maintain the Edgerton Road Water District in the Town of Elba, which services two residences, at the current rate of $5.10 per 1,000 gallons of water for a regular customer and $3.73 per 1,000 gallons of water for an agricultural customer.

The privately funded water district that was added on to a previous water district in Elba consists of about 4,500 linear feet of 6-inch diameter water main and all related hydrants and other accessories.

-- Passed a resolution to appropriate $2,695 in 2017 to support the Genesee County Senior Center recreation program.

-- Voted to buy a new Toshiba printer for the Town Hall at a cost of $8,330, along with annual maintenance agreements at a cost of $1,458 plus overages. The building’s current copier will be transferred to the highway facility.

-- Announced that there will be a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, to address questions about the Alexander Road/Pearl Street Road sewer extension.

Byron Town Supervisor Peter Yasses said he respects the wishes of the municipality’s residents, who voted down a proposal to build a new highway garage on Wednesday, but he didn’t hold back expressing his disappointment with the decision.

“The people have spoken, and I’m OK with it,” Yasses said in reference to a 250-145 vote that shot down town leadership’s bid to construct a slightly expanded steel structure to replace the current 60-year-old, six-bay block building next to the Town Hall on Route 237.

The $1.895 million project would have been paid by town taxpayers over 30 years, Yasses said, with the increase in the taxes (possibly up to $90 per year on a home assessed at $88,000) dependent upon whether any grants could have been obtained.

Yasses and a committee of town council members and employees had worked with the town engineer and an architect to come up with a plan that they believed was the best solution to replace the garage, which they deemed as “cramped, inadequate and unsafe.”

The supervisor previously stated that the highway department’s four full-time employees and one part-time employee work in a building that isn’t big enough to properly park its three 10-wheelers and one single-axle vehicles and its loader, and is saddled with safety issues.

Specifically, Yasses said the narrow width and low height of the current bays have forced workers to park vehicles sideways and put holes in the walls to make room for the plows. He also reported that the building’s heating and ventilation systems were faulty, and that windows and doors were deteriorating.

Yasses blamed the proposal’s defeat, in part, to “lies and scare tactics” spread by two vocal opponents, John Sackett Jr. and (former highway superintendent) George Heins.  Sackett and Heins were instrumental in getting enough signatures on a petition to force Wednesday's referendum.

The supervisor also said that the two men sent out letters and went door-to-door to persuade residents to vote against it.

“They used scare tactics, stating that it would double the tax (rate) and they were quoting stuff that no one knows yet, things that haven’t been agreed upon,” Yasses said.

Yasses said more than $6,000 was spent to develop the plan – which would increase the current building’s size from 40 by 113 square feet to 63 by 152 square feet with seven bays – and to conduct the public vote.

“The problem won’t go away,” Yasses said. “It has to get solved, but we’re not going to spend any more money on it this year.”

Heins, a 25-year highway department employee and superintendent for 12 of those years, said he understands that another building is needed but not “a $2 million barn with interest.”

“They can put up another one behind the current building – a three-bay barn for the longer 10-wheel trucks,” Heins said. “They can use the $400,000 that is in the reserve account.”

He cited other factors such as the town’s decreasing unexpended fund balance, uncertainty surrounding Genesee County’s sales tax negotiations with other municipalities, and a proposed $22 million bond to renovate Byron-Bergen Central School as ample reasons for residents to be concerned over a tax increase for a new highway garage.

“We’ve been trying to do something about the garage for years, but tearing it down is not the answer,” he said.

While the announcement of a tentative settlement between the City of Batavia and the City Centre Mall Merchants Association dominated Monday night's City Council meeting, the governing body voted on several resolutions, including a 5-4 decision to send a rezoning proposal for properties on East Main Street to the City Planning & Development Committee.

Council members Eugene Jankowski Jr., John Canale, Patti Pacino, Adam Tabelski and Rose Mary Christian voted in favor of letting the planning board make a determination on a zoning amendment pertaining to 661, 665 and 679 E. Main St., a move that could lead to the construction of an 80-unit multifamily and townhouse cluster by DePaul Properties Inc. in the vicinity of the current Batavia Gardens apartments.

Paul Viele, Al McGinnis, Kathleen Briggs and Robert Bialkowski voted against the measure, which calls for rezoning 661 E. Main St. (a house) and 665 E. Main St. (a small glass workshop) from I-1 Industrial to R-3 Residential and rezoning 679 E. Main St. (Batavia Gardens) from R-2 Residential to R-3 Residential. An R-3 designation would allow for the siting of an apartment complex.

Positive action by the Planning & Development Committee and, ultimately, City Council would enable DePaul to develop what would be called DePaul Batavia Square, a $25 million project that would provide housing to people with "various types of incomes ... a cross section of the community," accordilng to City Manager Jason Molino.

DePaul already has a presence in the city in the form of a 41-unit complex at 555 E. Main St., which features subsidized one- and two-bedroom apartments for those with mental health issues and low- to moderate-income.

Council members asked questions pertaining to who would be living there, police calls at the current DePaul site and whether the need for this type of housing exists. City Attorney George Van Nest explained that those topics would be covered down the road during the site plan and project reviews.

"There are three layers to this project, and this rezoning perspective is the initial step," he said. "Rezoning must be granted (before it can move forward)."

Molino said the DePaul project would represent a "significant upgrade to what is there now, and contributes to the growth concept we are trying to promote," and added that DePaul likely will seek tax abatements through the Genesee County Economic Development Center. The proposed complex would be divided into 57 one-bedroom, 20 two-bedroom and three three-bedroom apartments

As a result of the 5-4 vote, Council is expecting to hear back from city planners within 30 days.

In other action, Council:

-- Scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27 on the proposed 2017-18 city budget, a $24.2 million spending plan that calls for a 1.7-percent increase in the tax rate, with a projected tax levy of $5,263,942.

-- Set a public hearing at the same time on a local law to establish new water rates, meter fees and capital improvement fees. Water rates and meter fees would increase by about 3 1/2 percent, and the quarterly capital improvement fees for meters would increase by about 10 percent.

-- Passed a resolution to award the Falleti Ice Arena dehumidification equipment replacement project to the Leo J. Roth Corporation at a cost of $87,560.

-- Passed a resolution to amend the police department budget to reflect the receipt of a $24,681 STOP-DWI grant.

-- Presented a plaque to Brooks Hawley, who served as councilman-at-large for five years (including two as president), for his contributions to city government. Hawley resigned his post in December when he and his family moved to his late grandfather's home in the Town of Batavia.

An agreement between the City of Batavia and the City Centre Mall Merchants Association -- outlined by an 11-point "settlement framework" that calls for the city to retain ownership of the downtown facility's concourse, pay 100 percent of capital improvements and take care of mall maintenance and operations -- will provide the impetus for private investment in one of the city's priority areas, said City Manager Jason Molino at Monday night's City Council meeting.

"The mall is a major part of our downtown, we can't ignore that," Molino said. "This is an opportunity to facilitate and lead cooperative and successful partnerships ... and lead new development and investment in our downtown."

"For long-term investment in the mall and the 17-acre area around it, this is the best-case scenario," Molino said. "We're looking at a project with at least a $5 million value."

The settlement comes after a decade of lawsuits by both sides over responsibility for the City Centre Mall. Per its terms, all previous agreements -- which have been clouded by four rounds of litigation since the late 1970s -- will be terminated and become null and void.

Additionally, the city will:

-- Retain ownership of the concourse;
-- Complete roof, silos and skylight capital improvements (estimated at $650,000) no later than March 31, 2020;
-- Pay 100 percent of capital improvements, with future capital improvements paid by all property owners with revenue from a user fee (which would replace the current mall maintenance fee);
-- Perform mall maintenance and operations (coordinated by the Department of Public Works and Batavia Development Corp., respectively, with the latter focusing on marketing and redevelopment strategies);
-- Establish a user fee by local law based on square footage for property maintenance fee;
-- Continue to maintain budgeting and accounting;
-- Charge single-parcel owners who own more than 11,500 square feet the set user fee at 11,500 square feet;
-- Set the user fee at $2 per square foot for years one, two and three; $2.04 per square foot for year four, and $2.06 per square foot for year five. After year five, the fee will be based on the projected budget.
-- Eliminate all parking restrictions in city parking lots, with the city to restripe in 2017;
-- Turn over the fund balance as of March 31 to the Merchants, with the Merchants returning any fund balance to the city on April 1, 2022.

Molino, who along with City Attorney George Van Nest presented the plan to Council, said terms of execution of the settlement will be presented to City Council and the full membership of the Mall Merchants Association for approval later this month (at the next Council meeting on Feb. 27).

The settlement agreement must be ratified and executed by City Council, the Mall Merchants Association, parcel owners and JCPenney, and in the event that any parcel owner or JCPenney refuses to sign the agreement with 10 days of approval, both parties shall support an application to the court by motion or Order to Show Cause to gain approval of the settlement or have the agreement ordered.

"All must sign off on past agreements and sign the new agreement," Molino said. "Until then, these cases (pending litigation) are still open."

Molino said both parties have been meeting over the past 18 months, with a mediator playing a significant role in forging this settlement agreement and putting an end to suits and countersuits, claims and counter-claims over which party is responsible for maintaining the mall concourse and capital improvements, including the perennially leaky roof.

During negotiations, three other solutions were considered, Molino said. They were (1) having a private developer buy the mall; (2) having the Mall Merchants Association buy the mall concourse at fair market value, and (3) having the city lease the concourse to the merchants for fair market value.

All three were "taken off the table" as restrictions in the current agreements would render those options as not feasible from a financial standpoint, Molino said.

Pier Cipollone, president of the Batavia Development Corp. Board of Directors, said the settlement "opens up future discussions" by removing the prior agreement and its restrictions -- and "paves the way to bring developers in and gain ideas as to what they would want to do with the mall."

He said he would like to see retail, such as boutique stores, T-shirt shops ... anything where somebody could come in and buy something and walk out the door. What we have now is a mix of retail and medical, and the mall was never designed for the medical world. We need foot traffic downtown."

As Batavia Town planners moved a pair of solar farm projects ahead Tuesday night, they debated the ramifications of more of these ventures upon agricultural land in the future.

The planning board approved seeking lead agency status for state environmental quality review for 11-acre solar farms on properties owned by Thomas Lichtenthal at 8169 Bank Street Road and Call Farms at 7755 Oak Orchard Road.

Both landowners are working with ForeFront Power to repurpose a portion of their 93-acre and 83.5-acre parcels, respectively, to connect to the power grid and generate about two megawatts of power each – enough electricity to service about 300 homes.

In typical solar farm agreements, property owners receive “rent” for using their land, which becomes a vehicle to produce electricity from a clean, renewable source -- while the solar company benefits by selling the solar power to the utility company.

The Lichtenthal and Call farms proposals first came to the planning board in December 2015.

Genesee County Planning Director Felipe Oltramari reported that the area to be used on the Call Farms property was not prime land for farming, while the Bank Street Road site is in an archeologically sensitive area and will need additional documentation.

Following their positive lead agency votes, board members and Oltramari discussed the solar farm issue in the context of the loss of prime agricultural land.

As the only town in the county that has zoning for solar farms, Oltramari said the protection of farm land “could become an issue as you get more of these” projects.

Planner Lou Paganello said he could see things getting out of hand.

“I didn’t think we’d be talking about giving up to 100 acres,” he said. “Where do we stop things from getting out of control? What are our options?

“Looking at the long term, we could have 50, 100 or 200 of these coming in. We need to know our legal rights and limits.”

Code Enforcement Officer Daniel Lang reminded board members that they had previously discussed solar farms at length and had decided to allow them as long as they didn’t exceed 20 acres.

“I think we should have done it (consider other restrictions) then, not after we’ve received applications,” he said.

Planner Jeremy Liles agreed with Lang, adding “how can we regulate the way someone uses their land?”

Town Engineer Steve Mountain noted that the local law was enacted to limit solar farms in size and that the special use permit process “gives us more say” concerning the most beneficial use of the land – a point echoed by Lang.

While some said they foresee many more solar farm applications down the road, planner Paul Marchese said he wasn’t so sure of that.

“I don’t think there will be an explosion because of the requirements that they (solar farms) need to be so close to the (power) grid,” he said.

In other developments:

-- Planners approved the construction of a 64-foot by 150-foot open air pavilion that would be attached to the existing building at the Bontrager Auctions site at 8975 Wortendyke Road. Voting came after planners determined that the project would have no impact upon the environment.

Owner Todd Jantzi said he will employ Dave Bennett Construction to build the pavilion, starting in March. He said that the covered structure, which will replace a tent, will enable him to conduct auctions year-round.

-- The board discussed a proposal by Pellegrino Auto Sales to put on a three-bay addition, measuring 1,200 square feet, at the dealership located at 4060 Pearl Street Road.

This proposal needs to go through the variance process, starting with the Genesee County Planning Board to the Town Zoning Board of Appeals and back to the Town Planning Board.

-- Town Engineer Steve Mountain said that the town has completed three of four required “high-impact actions” toward its goal of achieving Clean Energy Communities status and earning one of 14 grants in the Genesee/Finger Lakes Region -- 10 at $50,000 and four at $100,000 -- through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority program.

Mountain said that the town has successfully implemented the Benchmarking, Unified Solar Permit and Energy Code Enforcement Training actions, and expects to finish the LED Street Lights component by this summer. The town has about 70 street lights that need to be converted to energy-efficient LEDs.

On Monday night, City of Batavia officials attended a presentation on the program, which was reported on The Batavian.

Update, 11 a.m., Feb. 8:

Contacted by The Batavian this morning, Robert Chiarmonte, Mall Merchants Association board chairperson, would not comment on Tuesday's meeting.

"I've been advised by counsel (attorney) to not speak about the negotiations," Chairmonte said.

He did say that another meeting is planned and it will be "soon."

City Centre business owners and managers met Tuesday afternoon with Mall Merchants Association leadership and attorneys to learn the details of a proposal to end a 10-year dispute with the City of Batavia over the condition of the structure's roof.

A person close to the negotiations said a mediator had been called in to facilitate an out-of-court settlement over who is responsible for the maintenance of the mall's leaky roof.

City Manager Jason Molino said the two sides "continue to work toward a mutual agreement, with ongoing discussions" focused on settling the issue "outside of court, if possible."

City of Batavia leaders are exploring the possibility of receiving up to $100,000 in grant funding through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Clean Energy Communities Program.

Public Works Director Matt Worth, Maintenance Superintendent Ray Tourt, Waste & Wastewater Superintendent Jim Ficarella and City Council members Adam Tabelski and Rose Mary Christian attended an hour-long presentation Monday night to learn the ins-and-outs of the program, which recognizes and rewards local governments for implementing a clean energy strategy.

The CECP is a $16 million statewide initiative to help municipalities reduce energy consumption and drive clean energy use, said David S. Zorn, executive director of the nine-county Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council and regional program coordinator.

Of that $16 million, $1.7 million in grants has been allocated to communities in the Genesee/Finger Lakes Region that achieve “Clean Energy” status.

Local governments that achieve at least four of 10 “high-impact actions” will earn CEC designation and then be eligible to access the grant funding, Zorn said.

“We will provide the resources and technical assistance to help local governments take action that could result in significant money saved at the municipal level, and also create jobs and improve the environment,” he said. “And we’re not just throwing a manual to you or giving you a link to a website. We actually have people in our office to assist you.”

Zorn outlined the 10 high-impact actions during his presentation at City Centre Council Chambers.

He said that Batavia, as a city, would be able to choose any of the 10 in its effort to obtain a grant for small/medium populations (under 39,999 people). He said that four $100,000 grants and 10 $50,000 grants will be awarded to communities in that population range in the Genesee/Finger Lakes Region -- and no local match would be required.

For large population centers (40,000 and over), NYSERDA will be awarding two grants of $250,000, and two grants of $150,000.

The 10 high-impact actions are as follows:

-- Benchmarking: Using the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) portfolio manager software, the community reports the energy use of municipal buildings to the public on an annual basis.

-- Clean Energy Upgrades: The municipality must achieve a 10-percent reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions from its buildings through upgrades and renewable energy.

-- LED Street Lights: One of the “poster children” of the program, according to Zorn, this action item requires the locality to convert at least half of its cobra head-style street lights to energy-efficient LED technology.

-- Clean Fleets: Communities must install an EV charging station and/or other alternative fuel infrastructure OR deploy alternative fuel vehicles in the municipal fleet. In the case of the LED street lights and clean fleets, the NYS Power Authority offers low-interest financing and assessment assistance, Zorn noted.

-- Solarize: This is a campaign where communities or a third-party facilitator oversee at least 10 residential or small business rooftop solar installations. Zorn said discounts as well as state and federal tax incentives apply to these types of projects.

-- Unified Solar Permit: Municipalities pass legislation to adopt the NYS Unified Solar Permit to reduce costs and delays for solar projects.

-- Energy Code Enforcement Training: A one-on-one training for the community’s code enforcement officer and two other employees, this action results in “best practices” code enforcement by focusing on collaborative plan reviews and joint inspections of local construction projects.

-- Climate Smart Communities Certification: Localities can earn bronze, silver or gold designation by complying with this comprehensive rating system. Zorn said that 11 communities in Genesee/Finger Lakes have made this pledge, with the City of Rochester already achieving certification.

-- Community Choice Aggregation: A type of “bulk buying” program, this action item gives municipalities the opportunity to transition to alternative energy sources by enlisting residents and business owners to purchase energy at lower prices.

-- Energize NY Finance: An option for cities and counties only, this allows commercial or nonprofit property owners to pay back the cost of clean energy upgrades to their buildings through a special charge on their property tax bills.

Zorn said that the CECP has been going since last summer and thus far more than 50 municipalities in this region have been advised of the program.

“But nobody has gotten to four (high-impact actions) yet,” he said.

Tabelski and Christian said they will report on the CECP at the next City Council meeting, which is scheduled for Feb. 13.

“We’re looking at all aspects of the program,” Tabelski said. “We can’t cross any of these things off the list. We need to see how we can apply them to the city.”

Zorn said his agency is promoting a webinar series through next month and will be sponsoring workshops in May. For information about the webinars, click here.

Photo -- David Zorn informs City of Batavia officials about the finer points of the Clean Energy Communities Program on Monday night. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

The @ct Genesee Coalition will host a community panel that will focus on at-risk trends that negatively affect young people.

The "Don't Stay in the Dark This Groundhog Day" forum is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 2) at the Batavia High School library on State Street.

Representatives from the Genesee County Health Department, Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Batavia High School, Batavia City Police Department and United Memorial Medical Center - Emergency Department will speak.

The public is welcome, free of charge.