capital projects

Bridge, airport and building projects of nearly $4 million are headed for Genesee County Legislature’s vote next week after county legislators from the Ways & Means Committee agreed Wednesday to design and construction costs for the work.

The committee approved design costs of $240,000 for the Richley Road over Murder Creek bridge in the Town of Darien. This bridge replacement has a balance of $1,508,000, with the largest amount to still be paid by taxpayers but spread out with 80 percent federal, 15 percent state and 5 percent local aid. 

For the Fisher Road over Oak Orchard Creek bridge in the Town of Oakfield, the committee approved an amount of $1,770,200, to be funded with 80 percent federal aid, 15 percent state aid and a 5 percent match from local 1 percent sales tax.

If approved by the Legislature, it will also direct the county treasurer to establish a capital project and $88,510 to come from 1 percent sales tax of the county, along with $1,416,160 of federal aid and $265,530 in state aid for the total expense.

Other projects on the horizon include construction of an airport equipment storage building, which was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic due to sales tax concerns.

County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens had been unsuccessful in obtaining a state aviation grant for the capital project construction at the Saile Drive airport, he said. However, Assemblyman Steve Hawley’s office secured a state Department of Transportation grant for $150,000, Hens said.

He asked that the original design amount of $125,000 from 1 percent sales tax be increased by the additional $150,000 state grant for a total available budget of $275,000 for the project design. 

The committee agreed. It also approved a recommendation to award a bid not to exceed $248,350 to Kircher Construction, Inc. of Mount Morris for replacement of the roof and siding of the county’s Interpretive Center at Genesee County Park & Forest.

All of these measures will be passed on to the Legislature for final vote at 5:30 p.m. July 26 in the Old County Courthouse.

A public hearing on the City of Batavia’s $17.7 million budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at the City Hall Council Board Room.

City Council on Monday night forwarded several resolutions to its Feb. 14 Business Meeting, including the chance for residents to speak about the budget ordinance and water rate changes.

The proposed General Fund spending plan calls for a tax levy of $5,986,000 – up $121,403 from 2021-22. The property tax rate, however, would decrease by 78 cents to $8.94 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Council has scheduled four budget work sessions, with the first one taking place last night. Others are set for tonight, Jan. 31 and Feb. 7 (if needed).

The budget, if adopted as it currently sits, would raise water rates, meter fees and capital improvement fees by 1.5 percent from last year’s rates.

Other items forwarded to the next Business Meeting:

• A long list of capital projects that include several late additions thanks to funding received through the American Rescue Plan Act:

-- Walnut Street mill and fill;
-- Interior improvements to the Batavia Ice Arena;
-- Multiple water plant projects and sewer bypass repairs at the Waste Water Treatment Plant;
-- Maple and Mill Street sanitary sewer project;
-- Sewer lining improvements.

Previously identified projects include the Richmond/Harvester highway improvement program, Bureau of Maintenance/Fire Department facilities, Jackson Square, Austin Park playground, new police station, water treatment plant filters, Jackson Street water project, Waste Water Treatment Plant air system blower and City Centre.

• An increase in the fee charged to accept waste from bulk haulers at the Waste Water Treatment Plant of $5 per 1,000 gallons -- from $35 to $40.

Tabelski is recommending that each time a truck dumps the waste that it be charged for a full tank capacity, a change in policy that could reap another $11,400 in revenue. She indicated that $40 to $45 per 1,000 gallons is the industry standard.

• Rezoning parcels at 145 and 147 Pearl St. from Planned Development (P-1) to Residential (R-2) in response to one of the owners’ desire to erect a shed on his property. No one spoke at a public hearing held last night.

Two resolutions were passed during a Special Business Meeting that took place prior to the Conference Meeting:

• Authorizing a contract for $615,000 with Ashley McGraw Architects of Syracuse to design, engineer and provide construction management services for the city’s new police headquarters, which is expected to be built on the Alva Place parking lot off Bank Street.

• Creation of a temporary human resources director position in light of HR Director Dawn Fairbanks’ intention to retire in the coming months. The non-union job would allow for a smoother transition and handling of the department’s workload, according to the resolution.