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As he prepares for a second public informational meeting early next month, Byron Town Supervisor Peter Yasses says he is optimistic that residents will vote in favor of the construction of a new highway garage on Route 237, a proposed $1.895 million project that he believes is long overdue.

“We’ve kicked the can down the road for much too long,” Yasses said on Friday as he pointed out what he sees as the “cramped, inadequate and unsafe conditions” at the current six-bay, block building that was built in 1957. “This was first talked about in 1974, and here we are over 40 years later.”

Yasses said the town’s four full-time employees and one part-time employee in the Highway Department are working in a building that isn’t big enough to properly park its three 10-wheelers, one single-axle vehicle and its loader and, more importantly, is riddled with safety issues.

Part of a committee of six people who have researched the situation, Yasses said architects and engineers advised that the only route to go is to demolish about 80 percent of the structure – converting the loader bay into office and break room space – and erecting a slightly larger steel building.

The current building’s dimensions are about 40- by 113-feet; the new building would measure 63- by 152-feet and have seven bays – four for trucks, one for the loader, a spare bay and one for maintenance and repairs.

The purchase of a small crane for lifting and assisting in equipment repair also is part of the project, which will have tax implications – the specific amount undetermined due to grant applications that are pending, Yasses said.

He did estimate that the taxpayer would be looking at an increase of $5 to $6 per month based on a house assessed between $88,000 and $100,000.

“The Town Board understands that the project is costly, however, interest rates are at an all-time low – costs are increasing yearly – and the town cannot afford to wait,” Yasses said.

The supervisor outlined a lengthy list of reasons to take action at this time, including the narrow width and low height of the current bays (which have forced workers to park vehicles sideways and put holes in the walls to make room for the plows), inadequate heating and ventilation, deteriorating windows and doors, and building code violations.

“It’s energy inefficient. The warmest it gets in there is 55 degrees and it’s not compliant with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), but the number one reason is the safety of our employees,” Yasses said. “The building is unsafe.”

The new building would have heated floors -- which will help the plow trucks dry out in the winter -- and radiant heat in the ceiling.

Yasses said the committee has been working with Town Engineer Paul Chatfield’s firm and Wolfe Architecture of Honeoye Falls.

A public PowerPoint presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9 at the Town Hall, 7028 Route 237 – next door to the highway garage. A permissive referendum vote is scheduled from noon to 8 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the Town Hall. All town residents age 18 and over are eligible to vote, Yasses said, as long as they show proof of residency.

Other committee members are David Starowitz, a retired town employee; Jack Reddick, a past Town Board member; Brian Forsyth, highway superintendent; Bill Kennett, current town employee; and Town Councilman Jeff Thompson.

Yasses said if the project passes, he expects the building to be taken down this spring and completed by mid-November at the latest.

Photos -- Top, inside of Town of Byron highway garage on Route 237; Middle, Byron Town Supervisor and employee Todd Cargill pointing to scrapes on the bay opening caused by vehicles getting in and out of the building; Bottom, hole in back wall of garage needed to make room for plow blade. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

Press release:

BATAVIA – The Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Foundation will award two $1,000 scholarships, one to a Genesee County resident and one to an Orleans County resident. 

GCASA Foundation supports the work of GCASA and other nonprofit organizations in Genesee and Orleans counties. Several organizations have received mini-grants to help sustain the crucial work they do in our community. Now, individuals pursuing a degree in Health Sciences or Human Services can apply for scholarship money that will help them pay for college.

The Board of Directors of both GCASA and GCASA Foundation are committed to providing quality services. Educated, skilled employees and board members are the necessary ingredients for effective service delivery.

GCASA Foundation Board Vice President Jim Morey stated, “Because GCASA exists to help people avoid or recover from addictions, GCASA Foundation believes in honoring area students who seek careers in which they too will help other people.”

GCASA Foundation has been pleased to honor some exceptional students in the past.

“The only joy greater than reading the personal essays written by all the bright, gifted young people who submit applications is seeing the looks on the winners' faces as they receive the scholarships for which they competed,” Morey said. 

Individuals whose primary residence is in Orleans or Genesee County and who have been accepted at an accredited college in an eligible program such as Social Work, Nursing, Health Science or Human Services are encouraged to apply. Scholarship criteria and applications are available in high school counseling offices throughout both counties and online by visiting www.gcasa.net.

The City of Batavia and the Village of Perry are among the beneficiaries of the latest round of Restore New York Communities Initiative money designed to reinvigorate downtowns and generate economic opportunity in communities throughout the state.

According to a press release issued by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, funds in the amount of $500,000 each have been allocated to Batavia for demolition, remediation and rehabilitation of the former Ellicott Station to create a mixed-use facility, and to Perry for the Restore Downtown Perry Project.

City Manager Jason Molino said the award reinforces the strides Batavia has made in the area of redevelopment in recent months.

“This affirms the state’s commitment to the City of Batavia and belief in what we’re trying to do here,” Molino said. “This makes a total of $2.4 million that the state has invested into the city.”

In December, the state awarded a $1.9 million Consolidated Funding Application grant by the Finger Lakes Regional Development Council for the Ellicott Station project -- a $17 million renovation and redevelopment of the former Santy’s Tire Shop and Soccio & Della Penna Construction site on Ellicott Street into a retail/commercial/residential complex.

Molino said that remediation work is “already in motion” between the Batavia Development Corp. and Buffalo developer Samuel Savarino, and he expects construction to begin this year.

As far as the Restore New York Communities Initiative is concerned, nearly $40 million was awarded to 75 municipalities through Round 4 of the program, which was enacted in the 2016 fiscal year budget and designated to Empire State Development for implementation.

For Round 4, cities, towns and villages were all eligible to apply for support for projects that include demolition, deconstruction, rehabilitation or reconstruction of vacant, abandoned, condemned and surplus properties.

For a full list of projects, go to <https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/RestoreNYFundingList.pdf>.

Malware, ransomware, hackers, scams, viruses.

The sound of the words themselves is scary. Just think of the horror that arrives when these “diseases” actually infect a person’s computer.

Safeguarding one’s computer from uninvited software and/or criminal activity should not be taken lightly, according to two longtime Batavia businessmen who specialize in computer sales, repair and data protection.

Paul Marchese (top photo) of Marchese Computer Products on Ellicott Street and Marc Johnson (bottom photo) of Millennium Computers on Washington Avenue gave almost identical responses when it comes to protecting computer files.

“Backup, backup, backup,” Marchese said, “and always back to more than one place, such as separate external hard drives or recovery systems. And never, and I repeat never, use DVD or flash drives as primary backups. Both of these devices fail on a regular basis.”

Johnson agreed.

Frank Falleti, owner of Falleti Motors on Ellicott Street Road and father of two boys who play in the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, said he and his family want the Falleti Ice Arena to be a recreational facility the city can be proud of but the management side of the operation is out of his hands.

“We own the naming rights only, but have nothing to do with the operation,” Falleti said today in response to an article in The Batavian posted following Monday night’s City Council meeting. “The rink is managed by an out-of-state management company (Firland Management).”

At last night’s meeting, Councilman Paul Viele pointed out deteriorating conditions of the Evans Street rink’s locker rooms, backing his claims with photos that accompanied the article.

“The locker rooms are disgusting … as a city we should be ashamed of ourselves to let it go this much,” Viele said at the meeting. “We need to help the rink management to get them where they need to be.”

Since then, Falleti said he has received more than three dozen calls from people who are pointing the finger at him.

“People think it’s me. It’s not me,” he said. “But I will help where I can. When the Zamboni broke down, I helped get it fixed.”

Furthermore, Falleti said that he would be interested in purchasing and managing the ice arena should it become available – preferably if the adjacent City of Batavia fire headquarters moved to a new location.

“If they (the city) put all the amenities in one place – fire and police – and if we came to an agreement with the city, I think we could go in there and do a good job managing it,” he said, adding that he envisions a pro shop, separate locker rooms for males and females and a restaurant.

Falleti said he had a brief discussion with City Manager Jason Molino about buying the rink, but nothing concrete.

Molino, when asked if selling the ice rink was an option, said that could be a possibility, especially in light of the city’s multimillion dollar plan to redevelop that entire area to include another recreation facility (see architect’s rendering above).

“The city has been open to this option as long as it is part of our BOA (Brownfield Opportunity Area) redevelopment plans,” Molino said. “That plan outlines that area as the Creek Park redevelopment which is one of the most underutilized assets in the city.”

The city manager said the Creek Park area takes advantage of the incoming Ellicott Trail (bicycle/walking path) to be constructed this year and connects with the ice arena, an additional recreational amenity (such as another ice rink or indoor soccer field) and new housing while reorganizing wasted space into new green space.

“The proposed budget includes funding for the BDC to specifically work on preparing this site for redevelopment as it is one of our five strategic priority sites,” he said.

As far as the current state of affairs at the ice rink, Molino said there is $183,000 in the facility’s reserve account – money from lease, debt service and operational payments from Firland – which could be tapped into to correct some of the deficiencies.

“This facility is important to the community and we want it to remain a quality asset,” he said. “It brings a lot of visitors into the community.”

Molino said he will be setting up a meeting of the parties involved.

“Some of the problems stem from maintenance and operations, and that is Firland’s responsibility, and if capital improvements are needed, that is on our end, and we should discuss that as well.”

Architect’s rendering – The proposed Creek Park redevelopment shows a new recreational facility (front left) and a housing complex (left, rear) in addition to the current buildings along Evans Street. The Genesee County Courthouse Facility can be seen at right.

City Council unanimously approved short-term contracts with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union and the Batavia Police Benevolent Association Monday night -- one- and two-year pacts, respectively, that provide minimal increases in pay.

The collective bargaining agreements with the unions were set to expire on March 31.

City Manager Jason Molino said he was pleased that negotiators of both unions settled for limited year contracts due to the fact that county and city leaders continue to work on a Sales Tax Allocation Agreement to replace the current one that expires in February 2018.

The terms of the contracts are as follows:

-- The AFSCME’s 36 Department of Public Works employees will receive a 1 percent raise effective April 1, 2017, and $500 stipends during the first pay period following City Council’s approval. This payment will not be included as part of each member’s base annual salary.

The total impact on the 2016-17 budget is $22,300, and the one-year term of contract wages, retirement and Social Security adds up to $20,520.

-- The PBA’s 30 officers will not receive a salary increase until April 1, 2018, when a 1.5 percent hike kicks in, with that raises contingent upon the extension, renewal or amendment of the sales tax agreement. They also will receive $500 stipends during the first pay period following City Council approval.

Additionally, effective immediately all PBA members will transfer from a 384-d to a 384-e retirement plan, and the starting salary for a police officer will increase to $48,920.

Police Chief Shawn Heubusch explained that 21 of the PBA officers were under the 384-d plan which gives police and fire department employees a pension of half-pay after 20 years. Under the 384-e plan, those employees would be able to accrue 1/60^th of their base salary up to 32 years of full service, when they would “max out.”

At the end of that time, the pension would be about 75 percent of their salary, he said.

The total impact of the PBA contract on the 2016-17 budget is $18,610; a one-time payment estimate for offering 384-e retirement benefits is $106,202 (to be funded from the retirement contribution reserve account), and the two-year term of contract wages, retirement and social security (if the second year is implemented) adds up to $43,650.

In order to fund these changes as they affect the 2016-17 budget, Council approved a transfer of $40,910 from these contingency budget accounts: city facilities, street maintenance, snow removal, street lights, parks, celebrations, storm sewer, street cleaning, garage, pump station, water distribution, sanitary sewer, waste water treatment and police. A major portion ($18,500) will come from the police budget.

In other action, Council:

-- Unanimously passed a resolution establishing a local law to amend the city sign code and related provisions, with a primary focus on electronic digital signs utilized by businesses.

The law, among other things, reduces the amount of time that the message on an electronic digital sign could be changed from once every hour to once every 10 seconds. It also eliminates an annual $25 fee that would have been imposed upon a business owner to operate a digital sign, and "grandfather's" in digital signs that currently are located in zoning districts (such as residential and/or industrial) not authorized to have electronic message boards.

Molino said the law will take effect within a couple weeks, after paperwork is filed with the Department of State and letters -- along with copies of the new code -- are sent to business owners.

-- Approved a couple of summertime events at Austin Park – the Great Tabernacle Campaign/EFF Church Music Festival on Aug. 24-26, and Care-A-Van Ministries picnics on Thursdays from June 1 through Aug. 31.

The Great Tabernacle Campaign/EFF Church Music Festival is a collaboration of about 30 churches and ministries “to unite and bless the community with music, speaking, food and games,” said the Rev. Jason Norton, pastor of EFF Church in Batavia.

City Council members piggybacked on a request by Public Works Director Matt Worth to replace the dehumidification unit at Falleti Ice Arena to express their disdain for the conditions of the locker rooms and other aspects of the facility during their meeting Monday night at City Centre Council Chambers.

“The locker rooms are disgusting … as a city we should be ashamed of ourselves to let it go this much,” Councilman Paul Viele said. “We need to help the rink management to get them where they need to be.”

Viele (armed with photos -- see above) and Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. pointed out that the locker rooms exhibit mold in the carpeting, peeling paint, hanging cable lines and falling ceiling tiles, prompting Worth to say that previous inspections revealed that “general housekeeping was not up to par.”

Councilman John Canale mentioned the size and condition of the locker room for the women and girls who play in organized leagues at the Evans Street rink.

“The female locker room is very small,” Canale said.

Viele agreed, stating that plans need to be made to create a separate, adequate area for females.

“We need to get a women’s locker room so some of the women and girls aren’t sharing a locker room with the guys. We need to spruce it up to be competitive with other rinks like Lakeshore and Bill Gray’s and Scottsville as other teams want to come and enjoy our rink.”

Viele also said he didn’t like it when the heaters weren’t turned on for spectators at youth league games.

“It seems like they’re only on when the high school plays,” he said. “What about when all of these people come to watch their kids – hundreds of visitors who spend money at our restaurants?”

He noted that the Zamboni machine that resurfaces the ice broke down over the weekend, and that a replacement had to be found.

City Manager Jason Molino, who plays in the Batavia Men’s League at Falleti Ice Arena, said he hadn’t heard of any complaints, but welcomes public input.

“If there are complaints we’d like to hear them so we can move sooner rather than later,” Molino said. “Then we will sit down with the operator (Firland Management).”

Per the city’s contract with Firland, the management group is responsible for maintenance and upkeep.

At the close of the discussion, Council instructed Worth to talk to Firland personnel about their concerns.

Update: 9 a.m. 1/20/17

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley said that Gov. Cuomo has proposed in his budget to provide $2.25 million from existing state gaming aid payments for Madison County in connection with the opening of the Oneida Nation casino in Chittenango, and also that the governor wants to cut VTL funding outside of Yonkers by $698,000 -- decreasing the statewide amount of VLT funding to $28.6 million.

"We must remember that this is merely a budget proposal by the governor, and now the legislature will get to work on it and I will be keeping a close eye on this," Hawley said.

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Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. officials are troubled about a bill in New York State’s proposed budget that would redistribute available state aid associated with hosting a gaming facility to a county that hosts a tribal casino, but does not receive a percent of the state share of revenue from that casino.

If passed into law, the measure could decrease the amount of state aid distributions to local municipalities that benefit from gaming activities at Batavia Downs, according to WROTB President Henry Wojtaszek.

“If the bill as written should pass, this would not be good for Genesee County," Wojtaszek said following Thursday’s WROTB Board of Directors meeting.

Wojtaszek said that the bill focuses on the situation in Chittenango in Madison County, home of the Native American-owned Yellow Brick Road Casino. Madison County is the only county that receives no state share of the revenue from the casino located within its borders, he noted.

Proponents of the bill believe its passage would provide an equitable distribution of state gaming aid. It would take effect on April 1 and expire on March 31, 2020 to allow for a re-evaluation of the gaming industry in the state.

A summary of the bill’s four sections is as follows:

-- Section 1 would amend the State Finance Law to reduce funds available for distribution to non-host counties in regions hosting a commercial gaming facility by $1.4 million in fiscal year 2018 and $1.55 million in fiscal years 2019 and 2020.

-- Section 2 would amend the State Finance Law to provide a county that hosts a tribal casino but does not receive a percent of the state share of revenue from that casino with an annual distribution of $2.25 million.

-- Section 3 would amend the State Finance Law to reduce funds available for distribution to non-host counties in regions hosting a tribal casino by $600,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $500,000 in fiscal years 2019 and 2020.

-- Section 4 would amend the State Finance Law to reduce the state aid payment to eligible municipalities hosting a VLT (video lottery terminal) facility by $250,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $200,000 in fiscal years 2019 and 2020.

Provisions of Section 4 could negatively impact Genesee County, the City of Batavia and the Town of Batavia -- municipalities that receive VLT funds from the state due to their roles as casino "hosts."

County Manager Jay Gsell said he believes that the dollar amounts in Section 4 of the bill are "global" figures, meaning that the VLT funds distributed to the 18 "host" municipalities across the state would be reduced proportionately.

When contacted about this proposed bill, State Assemblyman Stephen Hawley said he is in the process of reviewing Gov. Cuomo’s proposed budget, and would call back with comments.

On a related topic, Wojtaszek also said that a bill that would have increased the percentage of net proceeds that Batavia Downs Gaming would be able to keep was vetoed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Dec. 31.

“It was vetoed by the governor but we plan to introduce the request to the State Legislature again this year,” he said, noting that the corporation is seeking a jump from 35 percent to 41 percent.

“The primary benefit is that this money would go back to the member communities to help offset taxes and give their residents a reasonable tax rate.”

Wojtaszek said that other gaming facilities have had similar bills passed, and that it is a matter of fairness.

Board Vice-Chairman Thomas Wamp (Livingston County) said the “vendor bill” is crucial to the continued success of Batavia Downs Gaming.

“We’re definitely concerned in light of the new casinos coming, especially del Lago (Resort & Casino in Seneca County), and since Finger Lakes is impacted by this, they will promote more to the west and take some of our customers,” Wamp said.

Wamp and Chairman Richard Bianchi (Monroe County) were unanimously re-elected for another year. They have presided in the top two positions for the past seven years.

In other developments, the board:

-- Reported that $99,187 in surcharges were generated in November for distribution to the municipalities served by the corporation, and that the casino’s EZ-Bet revenue reached the $700,000 mark in December, increasing the total for 2016 to $10 million.

The $10 million mark represents a 12-percent rise from 2015.

-- Announced that a sports autograph show is set for Feb. 18-19. Among the former pro athletes scheduled to attend is Scott Norwood, placekicker during the Buffalo Bills’ Super Bowl era. Also, officials are making plans for two outdoor concerts in June, with Lone Star and Eddie Money as the headliners.

-- Reported that construction of the new paddock will begin in mid-April and, after a break, will continue with an eye toward completion before the 2018 racing season. The project carries a price tag of $1 million.

-- Authorized a one-year contract with Park Strategies LLC of New York City, a lobbying firm founded by former U.S. Senator Alphonse M. D’Amato at a cost of $5,000 per month.

-- Reported that 38 more games are being added to the casino floor, upping the total to 835.

It has been years in the making but the push to provide public water for about 40 families living in the southwest area of the Town of Batavia is about to become a reality.

On Wednesday night, the Town Board unanimously voted in favor of a final order establishing the Batavia Southwest Water District for residents of Brown, Halstead, Wilkinson, Lear, Upton and Rose roads, and Windflower Drive.

According to Supervisor Gregory Post, recent approval from the state Comptroller’s Office sets the stage for design, construction and inspection to begin – and possibly finish – in 2017.

“We’ve been working at this for eight years,” Post said. “Actually, we found petitions (from residents) dating back to the late 1970s, but they weren’t officially filed.”

Last spring (after accepting petitions from the residents involved), the board held a public hearing on the project, which calls for the installation of 20,400 linear feet of 12- and eight-inch water main as well as all related right-of-way costs, site work and other ancillary work.

The $1.2 million project would be financed through a grant/loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development agency in the amount of $500,000 and the issuance of serial bonds not to exceed $710,000, offset by any state and federal funds or grants received.

The annual cost to the typical property for public water – based on the debt service and consumption – was previously set at $1,091, but could vary slightly depending upon the final, actual cost of the project.

On another front, Post said he was pleased to learn that an out-of-town developer wishes to construct two 8,000- to 10,000-square-foot buildings just east of Home Depot on Veterans Memorial Drive and place up to six retail and restaurant ventures there.

On Tuesday night, Ray Trotta, program/design manager/COO of The HollandTrotta Project of Rochester, told Batavia Town planners that site work would begin in about three months with construction to start shortly afterward.

The plan is to put three businesses in each of the two structures. Currently, the land is owned by Home Depot but the firm reportedly is willing to sell it for development purposes.

In other action, the board:

-- Accepted a $250,000 grant from the State and Municipal Facility Program (SAM) to offset expenses related to the planning and development of the Ellicott Trail Project, a 4.6-mile, east-west pedestrian and bicycle path known as the Ellicott Trail that will traverse through roads, parks, wetlands and abandoned railway beds in the Town and City of Batavia.

-- Authorized the purchase of two new 2017 Ford F150 4x4 extended cab pickup trucks from Van Bortel Ford at a price of $26,915.70 each for the Building Department and the sale of a 2014 Ford 150 pickup truck and a 2014 Jeep Cherokee at auction.

-- Authorized the purchase of a 2017 Ford F250 4x4 extended cab pickup truck from Van Bortel Ford at a price of $29,390.88 for the Highway Department, and the sale of a 2105 Ford F250 pickup truck at auction.

-- Agreed to utilize a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority standardized permit for solar installation to qualify for a $2,500 grant and for designation as a Clean Energy Community. The new Unified Solar Permit will be an attachment to the town’s building permit for projects involving the installation of solar energy systems.

Darien Town Supervisor David Hagelberger said a proposal to create a new water district in the municipality will be a hot topic once again as soon as work on an accurate map of the area in question is finished.

"I'm sure the water (district) will heat up in terms of news when we get the map completed," Hagelberger said Wednesday afternoon. "We have been busy detailing the map as far as which properties will be in it and identifying the property boundaries."

Town residents initially heard about the proposed $24.8 million project to supply public water to two-thirds of the population in late September and, following a couple of public presentations by engineer Steve Mountain, were asked to fill out survey cards indicating their preference.

Hagelberger said that 869 cards were mailed to property owners in the proposed Water District No. 6.

Through Dec. 3, the survey results are as follows:

-- 195 in favor, or 22.4 percent;
-- 309 against, or 35.6 percent;
-- 5 undecided, or .6 percent;
-- 360 yet to be returned, or 41.4 percent.

"As you can see, the biggest group are the non-responders," Hagelberger said. "We're hoping to get more cards back since we really don't know what they are thinking yet."

He said that town and Genesee County officials hope to have the map done by the end of the month and, if that is the case, the issue could come up at the Town Board's next meeting on Feb. 1.

Estimates show that the project would cost property owners, at the outset, about $1,275 annually in debt service and water usage costs.

Back in September, Hagelberger said that this opportunity to provide public water to the 2,095 town residents who have well water was a "go or no go" situation.

The project also comes with grant funding from USDA Rural Development in the amount of $6.8 million -- funds that lower the cost to an affordable level, the supervisor added.

Press release:

The Genesee County Department of Planning will present and gather comments on the latest draft revisions to the Smart Growth Plan as part of its 2016 triennial review.

The meeting will take place ar 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, in the Oakfield Community and Government Center, 3219 Drake Street Road, Oakfield.

The meeting will focus on the modifications being recommended to the County Legislature by the Planning Department, County Planning Board, County Agricultural & Farmland Protection Board, and County Water Resources Agency for the Development Area Boundaries in the towns of Alabama and Oakfield.

For individuals with disabilities, requests for reasonable accommodations should be made with at least five days notice. Call the Genesee County Planning Department at (585) 815-7901 or email at Felipe.Oltramari@co.genesee.ny.us.

City of Batavia management on Monday night unveiled an ambitious plan – utilizing social media and marketing techniques – which they hope will result in $100 million of private and public investment in the city by 2022.

City Manager Jason Molino and Assistant City Manager Gretchen DiFante presented their “$100 Million, I’m All In” plan to City Council, both speaking confidently that the city is at the point where “growth and investment should be our core focus.”

The presentation was broadcast on Facebook Live, but it was discovered that the transmission did not work properly.

A Facebook page has been set up specifically for this initiative and both Molino and DiFante have started Twitter accounts in an effort to open dialogue with business owners and residents.

Molino prefaced his “$100 Million …” budget outline by telling council members that his initial proposed 2017 budget calls for a property tax increase of 1.7 percent – which is under the state tax cap and equals about $1 per month to city taxpayers.

He also said the budget has a “flat sales tax projection” and is “on target” for anticipated water and sewer revenue.”

The primary focus, however, was on “return on investment,” with Molino stating that the campaign is designed for residents to receive a quarter back in investment in the city for every nickel of taxes that they pay.

Molino and DiFante took turns speaking about the plan’s four priorities: Focus on Growth, Operational Excellence, Neighborhood Investment and BIG Collaborative Projects.

Focus on Growth

Molino said that current projects will generate more than $5 million in road, sidewalk, and water and sewer investment in 2017, and major projects such as Ellicott Station, Batavia Brewing Company and freshLAB will increase that by another $20 million or so in 2018.

The budget also supports the Batavia Development Corporation’s effort to revitalize other segments of the Brownfield Opportunity Area, including the downtown mall.

Operational Excellence

DiFante spoke of creating an environment where business owners feel welcome – “we want every business owner operating in Batavia to be unable to imagine doing business anyplace else,” she said, noting that the recent sign code revisions are part of that strategy.

She also mentioned that the city is taking a hard look at its software system and is embarking on a three-year review and purchase of an “enterprise resource planning” system to increase efficiency.

Neighborhood Investment

This priority continues the city’s work toward eliminating vacant properties (“zombie homes”) and strengthening its relationship with Habitat for Humanity to redeveloped foreclosed homes for new families.

DiFante said that the city’s acceptance into the FEMA Community Rating System offers flood insurance discounts to residents who own homes in flood zones.

BIG Collaborative Projects

Molino said that these are projects that include multiple agencies and organizations that affect each one of these organizations to some degree.

“The (City Centre) mall resolution is the first step towards reinvestment in the largest contiguous area – 17 acres – of the city’s downtown and is a 'must' for growing our city,” he said.

He also said that forging a favorable sales tax agreement for the city as well as all Genesee County towns and villages, and determining a “safe and affordable future for our water supply” are the “most vital and critical elements” of the plan.

DiFante closed the presentation by encouraging council members and the public to “get excited” and to join in on the process.

“Having council members in front of the people who are investing in the community is important,” she said. “That personal touch means so much.”

She then handed out "$100 Million I'm All In!" stickers to all those in attendance.

Council is expected to conduct budget workshops beginning Jan. 23.

Before the Business meeting, Council held a public hearing on the local law amending the city sign code in connection with recent action focusing, among other things, on electronic digital signage. No one from the public spoke on the issue.

The revised code reduces the amount of time that the message on an electronic digital sign could be changed -- from once every hour to once every 10 seconds. It also eliminates an annual $25 fee that would have been imposed upon a business owner to operate a digital sign, and "grandfather's" in digital signs that currently are located in zoning districts (such as residential and/or industrial) not authorized to have electronic message boards.

In other developments, Council:

Former Batavia City Councilman Robert Bialkowski was sworn in Monday night to fill a vacant Councilman-at-Large seat created by the resignation of Brooks Hawley, who moved his family into his late grandfather's house in the Town of Batavia.

All eight Council members voted in favor of Bialkowski, owner of Great Lakes Aviation, but the "yes" vote cast by Patti Pacino came after a few moments of hesitation.

When asked about that following the Council's Business meeting at City Centre Council Chambers, Pacino said she would have liked more time to learn more about Bialkowski's viewpoints, especially in light of the strides the city has made in turning its finances around.

"When he was with us nine years ago, we had no money, but now we're up to A-plus," she said. "He must know that but he didn't tell me that. I want him to say, 'Okay, now I'm ready. This is working guys.'

"We've tried so hard, we've worked so hard, we've come so far, and I just want to be sure that he knows that and that he will say that. Eventually, I'll make him say it."

Pacino said she would have hoped to "have seen more discussion -- more time, that's all."

"I worked with Bob before. I did the Memorial Day parade with Bob every year. I have nothing negative to say about Bob. I just think it would have been nice to know everything he had in mind and how he felt about it because he was always real close to the city manager -- and I want him to be."

Bialkowski said he sought the endorsement of the City Republican Committee because he wants to tackle "some real challenges ahead ... and I like it and enjoy representing the people and doing the people's work."

He said it is important that Council is open to change and is able to "adapt rapidly."

"One of the things I spoke about (at last week's City Republican Committee meeting) was code zoning, like the sign ordinance. It has been a year, and it will get passed at the next meeting, but it took too long."

He also supports the Uber transportation business.

"Uber is right around the corner. When Uber gets licensed in New York, a lot of people in the community will probably get rid of their cars or their second car. It will be a big change," he said.

"Batavia is kind of on the outside of the major areas but anyone who has used Uber in a big city, it's terrific. Push a button on your phone, a car shows up, you go, get out, 'thank you for the ride, see ya.' And the bicycle ... it's an old device and it's making a comeback."

As far as the selection process is concerned, he said he thought the City Republican Committee did a thorough job in interviewing the candidates and following the rules.

"Chairman Dave (Saleh) did an excellent job. He stuck with the process and used the bylaws and there were no deviations. I think he did an excellent job and if I didn't get it (the endorsement), I would have said the same thing."

Bialkowski got the nod over former City Councilman William Cox and Notre Dame High School Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Michael Rapone.

Bialkowski is is a retired Army helicopter pilot and continues to serve as a Coast Guard auxiliary pilot. He has also served for many years on the City Republican Committee.

Photo -- City Clerk Heidi Parker officiates as Robert Bialkowski is sworn in as Batavia City Councilman-at-Large. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

City of Batavia officials, in preparation for tonight's budget presentation during the City Council meeting at the City Centre Council Chambers, have created a Facebook page and both the City Manager and Assistant Manager have Twitter accounts through which they are teasing this year’s budget mantra, “$100 Million, I’m All In!”

The goal, according to Assistant Manager Gretchen DiFante, is to engage in a great deal of conversation around the 2017/18 budget.

"In addition, we will broadcast the budget presentation through Facebook Live during the meeting," she said.

The links are listed here:

Facebook

Twitter link for City Manager Jason Molino:  @BATCityManager

Twitter link for Assistant City Manager DiFante: @BATassistantCM

Press release:

The City of Batavia Republican Committee on Thursday endorsed former City Councilman Robert Bialkowski to fill the City Councilperson-at-Large vacancy created by the recent resignation of Brooks Hawley when he moved into the Town of Batavia.

“We had three excellent candidates,” Chairman David Saleh said. “After they each presented their positions and qualifications to the Committee and after a lively debate, and several ballots, Bob was selected based on his experience and prior service.

The Committee is excited to recommend Bob to City Council and wishes to thank all three candidates for their willingness to serve the residents of our community.”

The other two candidates were former City Councilman William Cox and Notre Dame High School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Michael Rapone.

Bialkowski is the owner of Great Lakes Aviation, is a retired Army helicopter pilot and continues to serve as a Coast Guard auxiliary pilot.

He has also served for many years on the City Republican Committee.

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at City Centre Council Chambers.

The near completion of a revised Comprehensive Plan, the imminent placement of a state-of-the-art solar wafer manufacturing plant at the WNY Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park in the Town of Alabama, and a steady stream of proposed housing and building projects have Supervisor Gregory Post believing that 2017 will be a banner year for the Town of Batavia.

“While you notice that little has changed from last year in terms of protocols, policies and procedures, I think next year will be more exciting … you’ll see some significant changes,” Post said Wednesday night after the Batavia Town Board organizational and special meeting at Town Hall on West Main Street.

Post said that he expects 2017 to be a “very big and very exciting year” for the municipality and he bases his expectations on several factors, including:

-- The progress the town has made on its revised Comprehensive Plan, which is expected to be finalized by the spring;

-- Action by the Genesee County Economic Development Center to bring1366 Technologies, a Massachusetts solar wafer manufacturing firm, into the STAMP site;

-- Developments such as the Southwest Water District project and the termination of several PILOTS (payments in lieu of taxes) that will increase the town’s revenue in the form of taxes paid by companies doing business in the town.

“I think we’re at a breakpoint … we’re relatively stable and ready to hit that next bump (in economic activity),” he said.

Post said the plan that the board has put into place is designed to keep the tax rate at the current level for the next few years -- $2.64 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for 2017 – as long as revenues go up as expected. He did admit, however, that the negotiations between Genesee County and the City of Batavia on their sales tax allocation agreement as it pertains to water usage could negatively affect the town.

“We’re basing things on the current agreement,” Post said. “(Changes) could have a dramatic impact upon the town’s revenue.”

As far as the Comprehensive Plan is concerned, Post said the town is in prime position for growth “because we’ve been working the hardest for the longest period of time on the plan and its overlays.”

The town’s Comprehensive Plan governs decisions on zoning, capital improvements and budgeting, addressing key issues such as land use, natural resources, agriculture and farmland, parks and recreation, housing, economic development, transportation and government services. It last was updated about seven years ago.

Post also indicated that the board is considering a proposal by David Ficarella of Lovers Lane Road to build a three-story, 110-unit senior apartment complex off Route 33 near Donahue Road, west of the city.

Ficarella, working with Calamar Enterprises of Wheatfield, asked the town to provide breaks in property assessment over a 10-year period in return for the opportunity to generate more than $1 million in county and school tax revenue while also getting a sewer system that it could tap into in the future.

“There is always a way as long as there is an equitable benefit,” Post said in response to a question whether the town would entertain such a request. “We’re in the initial stages; we haven’t said no to anything.”

The project also would involve the extension of Edgewood Drive to Pearl Street and beyond, something that Post said town officials would be talking about in the near future.

In addition to this project, Post said the town is fielding dozens of building and zoning requests from business owners and residents. 

In action during the special meeting, the board:

-- Renewed an agreement with Arcadis of New York Inc., of Fairport to provide annual operation and maintenance engineering services at the Town of Batavia Landfill Superfund Site near Galloway and Kelsey roads at a cost of $17,022, slightly more than the $16,982 that was agreed to for 2016.

Seventy-five percent of the cost will be paid by the City of Batavia and the other 25 percent will be covered by the Town. The work involves project coordination and reporting along with groundwater sampling and monitoring.

-- Contracted with WorkFit Medical, of Rochester, to provide drug- and alcohol-testing services for employees at a cost of $100 per employee plus other service fees, such as physicals, immunizations and blood work per a predetermined schedule.

-- Contracted with Royal Employer Services, a program of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, for counseling services at a cost of $320 for 2017.

-- Authorized Joseph Neth, assistant engineer, to participate in the 2017 Leadership Genesee program at a cost of $2,100.

During its organizational meeting, the board:

-- Made the following appointments -- Linda Eick, Wayne Townsend and Marcy Crandall to the Town Board of Ethics; Louis Paganello to the Planning Board for a six-year term; Andrew Young to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a four-year term, and Donna Morrill as an alternate member of the ZBA for a two-year term.

-- Approved salaries of elected officials as follows – Supervisor, $30,000; Deputy Supervisor, $15,000; Council members, $10,000; Town Clerk/Tax Collector, $66,229; Highway Superintendent, $18,035; Town Justice (2), $25,235.

A 300 game by Medina's Scott Allis and three big series by members of the Luce family at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen highlighted last week's league bowling action around the Genesee Region.

Click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page to see all the high scores, and watch for another Pin Points bowling column by Mike Pettinella on Thursday of this week.

A herd of deer makes its way from one side of Edgewood Drive to the other -- a common sight on that Town of Batavia street -- around 5 this afternoon. Photo by Mike Pettinella.