Steven Falitico of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and Jim Krencik, marketing director for the Genesee County Economic Development Center, provided this photo from the WNY STAMP site that captures the progress of Plug Power's green hydrogen manufacturing project in the Town of Alabama.
As the Chamber of Commerce rolls into its golden anniversary year, the staff and leadership remain focused on the goals of promoting, supporting, and connecting its membership, said Eric Fix, chamber president, at the organization's annual meeting today at Terry Hills.
"We've always been here and we'll always be here to do what we do best as a chamber," Fix said.
It's been a busy year with the chamber promoting the local business community through social media, events, and publications.
It's also been a big year for ribbon cuttings, Fix said.
"The most famous item at the Chamber of Commerce is a 36-inch pair of scissors," he said. "The scissors came out in full force this summer. Genesee County is back in business."
The chamber added 54 new members in the past year.
He also announced that the annual home show returns on April 8, 9, and 10.
The 2021 Board of Directors:
The chamber will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with events throughout the coming year.
The Chamber of Commerce joined Jenny Wall, also the owner of J Dubs Pizzas & Subs, for the grand opening of her newest venture in Alexander: Liberty Liquor.
Photo and information provided by the Chamber of Commerce.
“In today’s society, people want it now and if you don’t have it, they may go someplace else.”
With that statement, Guy Clark, owner of Cedar Street Sales & Rentals, articulated a retail principle that motivated him and his sons, Connor and Adam, to construct a 6,000-square foot warehouse across the street from the business that has been a fixture in Batavia for the past 28 years.
The Clarks hosted a Genesee County Chamber of Commerce “Business After Hours” event on Thursday evening, attracting about 50 people to the 60- by 100-foot building that can house a couple hundred Cub Cadet lawn mowers and snowblowers.
Clark provided a quick recap of the thought process behind the company’s expansion.
“This lot came with the property across the street but it was just an empty, vacant lot that was overgrown for years,” he said. “Every year, we’d get crates and crates of lawn mowers and we’d had nothing to do with them – no place to put them. We put them together as you sold them – keeping them out back (at 111 Cedar St.) and it became a crowded mess.”
He said he got together with Connor and Adam, both college graduates with business degrees, and they sketched out a design on paper and came up with a plan.
“And now we have this building with beautiful loading dock where we can unload tractor-trailers on a regular basis,” Clark said.
Recently, the national sales manager for Cub Cadet visited the warehouse and was impressed, Clark noted.
“He said this is the future … and he took a lot of pictures,” he said. “Around March 1st, we’ll have 150 mowers completely ready to go in this building.”
Photo at top: Guy Clark, Chamber of Commerce President Erik Fix, Adam Clark and Connor Clark; photo at bottom: Inside view of the Cedar Street Sales & Rentals warehouse. Photos by Mike Pettinella.
As one of only about three dozen Level 3 arboretums as classified by the industry’s leading accreditation organization, Draves Arboretum – featuring 800 different species over 27 acres on Sharrick Road in Darien – has a significant role in the protection, education and appreciation of trees.
About 30 people who took part in the 31st annual Decision-Maker’s Agriculture Forum sponsored by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce found that out this morning as they heard a presentation from and were led on a walking tour by Tom Draves, facility president and curator.
Draves, who also has a tree and landscaping business, said he and his family have carefully and meticulously built the arboretum over the past four decades to its status as one of the best in the world.
After forming a board of directors and establishing itself as a not-for-profit corporation, Draves Arboretum earned the Level 3 endorsement in 2019 through The Morton Arboretum’s ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program.
“There are hundreds and hundreds of arboretums that they have accredited and there’s only about 35 in the world that are Level 3; it’s a giant hurdle,” Draves said. “With Level 3, you have to do a tremendous amount of education, you have to collaboration with other arboretums … and you have to have documented improvement and scientific research in the betterment of trees and shrubs.”
A member of several New York tree associations -- he’s even patented some species of trees, Draves said he embraces the chance to teach college students, mentioning that Niagara County Community College, Finger Lakes Community College and Alfred State College provides degree and certificate programs that require tree identification courses.
“We have had to introduce new trees to accommodate for the classes,” he said.
Draves said the property had just 40 trees at the beginning.
“We have a piece of property, approximately 27 acres, and where we are standing right now (in the Richards Complex conference center) was a cornfield,” he said. “Every single tree that you see here was planted; the right tree in the right spot.”
He said he was encouraged by colleagues to expand the arboretum, telling him that “there was no collection like this in Western New York and that he needed to take steps to move forward to preserve it …”
Over the years, new components have been added, he said, including a pond patio, The Fairway (shaped like a golf fairway with a bridge), The Sanctuary (along the entrance road), a gazebo, The Pinetum (featuring fir and spruce) and, most recently, the dwarf conifer garden.
Conifers are trees that bear cones and needle-like or scale-like leaves that are typically evergreen.
Just this year, the American Conifer Society designated that section, which has 30 to 40 conifers, as a “reference garden,” Draves said.
About 20 years ago, irrigation was installed throughout the facility – “Every tree can be reached with a 75-foot hose,” Draves said
The arboretum also has accreditation by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York, he said, giving it the same credentials as a school or college as an education facility.
“There are very few in New York State that are privately owned – most are an extension of a college or arboretum,” he advised.
He said expansion plans include a granite stone for the front entrance, an iron gate at the front, and a new bathroom facility.
Just prior to leading the tour, Draves reviewed the NYS Inherent Risk Law, warning participants to be aware of a dozen or so hazards on the land – things such as poison ivy, deep ponds, bridges with no handrails and depressions in the ground caused by the animals that also called the arboretum home.
Photo at top: Participants in today's Agriculture Forum sponsored by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce learn about the spruce tree on a tour conducted by Tom Draves of Draves Arboretum.
Tom Draves taking a close look at a 'Shiloh Splash' river birch.
A single-needle fir.
Cherry blossom.
Bristlecone pine.
Sassafras.
Crossing the bridge.
A black oak.
Golden larch.
Draves explaining the finer points of the honey locust.
In front of the 'Slender Silhouette' sweetgum tree.
Photos by Mike Pettinella.
Rob Credi did something unusual last summer -- he opened a physical location for his business -- Pub Coffee Hub, which up to that time had been purely mobile -- in the middle of a pandemic.
It hasn't hurt business at all. In fact, Credi said yesterday the business is doing well.
But it did mean there was no ribbon-cutting with the Chamber of Commerce.
That item on the business-opening checkbox was ticked off yesterday.
Previously: Moon Java to become new location for Pub Coffee Hub under ownership of Rob Credi
Photo courtesy the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
On the first hole of Davis Countryside Meadows, Danielle Rotondo, Chris Deday, Eric Holliday, and Casey Brown get ready to tee-off today in the 2021, post-pandemic return of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament and Bocce Ball Tournament.
Genesee County is required to extend Local Law Introductory No. 1, Year 2019 – the statute that governs how the municipality applies its hotel/motel room occupancy tax – by Sept. 30, and it will do so either with or without a revision to include online booking platforms, such as Airbnb.
County legislators, Manager Matt Landers and Attorney Kevin Earl continued an ongoing discussion of the topic during Wednesday’s Ways & Means Committee meeting at the Old County Courthouse, and this time included Erik Fix and Kelly Rapone, president/chief executive officer and tourism director, respectively, for the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
Fix and Rapone emphasized a changing landscape when it comes to travelers’ lodging, citing a 47-percent increase in Airbnb business since 2018.
“It’s safe to say that the law that was established in 1995 (the original year of the Local Law), doesn’t necessarily hold true today,” Fix said. “The landscape for how folks utilize our community from a visitor’s standpoint has changed … So, what we put in place 25 years ago, doesn’t really apply to those people today.”
Fix added that the goal is to come up with a formula to change the bed tax law to include booking sites where folks can book rooms (people’s homes, apartments, cottages, cabins, etc.) for a night or a week – “however we see fit, based on the changes that have taken place.”
Rapone said that homeowners and some businesses are reaping economic benefit of making rooms available on a short-term basis. Currently, these people are not subject to the 3-percent occupancy or bed tax, as it is called, that applies to hotel and motel guests.
She said she found 17 local listings on the Airbnb website (actually 23 as of today).
“And it’s not just private homes that you’ll find there,” she said. “Some businesses, hunting preserve and Farmer’s Creekside Inn, which has five guest rooms. Rates range from $40 per night to $500 per night for a really nice property on Horseshoe Lake, and weekly rates are offered.”
She reported that she contacted two Batavia-area hoteliers and both are in favor of the legislation being changed.
“They feel that these other lodging options out there have an unfair advantage (compared) to some of the costs of operating that they have, particularly insurance, franchise fees, sales tax and, of course, the bed tax,” she said.
Rapone also noted that Airbnb and similar lodging options were seeing 80- to 90-percent occupancy while hotels see 65 to 75 percent in their peak months.
“So, from the hoteliers' perspective – two of them representing three properties – they’re very much in favor of this. Not that they’re in favor of more tax and more laws, but for them this is an advantage for other people,” she said.
She said that Airbnb has agreements with about 30 other New York counties and, it was later noted, that the company previously reached out to Genesee County leaders about forging a contract here.
The sticking point as far as a revision of the Local Law is the number of rental units and the length of stay.
Back in March, Earl proposed changing the law so that it would apply to less than six units, but only under circumstances when they are rented for more than 10 nights during an entire calendar year.
“It has to be less than six units and likely just one since houses are being rented out – so anything would be eligible,” Earl said. “I wouldn’t think we’d want to include somebody that rents the house out for a weekend to a cousin. We’re thinking a minimum of 10 or 14 (nights) per calendar year; a money-making proposition.”
Rapone said her research reveals that Airbnb’s arrangements with other counties generally focused on 29 nights being considered as a nonresident, but found some that go up to 90 days at seasonal summer destinations.
The bed tax that is imposed is a levy on top of the 8 percent sales tax. Rapone said the bed tax is charged only to visitors, not county residents. She said that 60 percent or more of the bed tax revenue goes to the Chamber for marketing and advertising the county’s assets, with up to 40 percent earmarked for administration.
Fix noted that Airbnb is one of multiple booking websites (Vrbo is another), and that any change in the law would affect all of them.
Landers said the county can’t contract with Airbnb because most of their rentals are one, two and three unit rentals, which currently aren’t covered by the local law.
“So, if we want to have an agreement with Airbnb, we have to change the Local Law,” he said. “It expires at the end of September … I think the time is right.”
He compared it to imposing sales tax on internet retailers, which was done after lobbying from the brick-and-mortar stores. He also said that lawmakers are taking their time on this issue in an attempt to prevent "any unintended consequences," such as the repercussions that arose over proposed stricter regulation of secondhand dealers.
When asked for the length of stay, Fix said it would require more research, but offered that 30 days right now seems like the standard length.
While no decision was made, the county has to renew the Local Law before the end of September, likely extending it for three more years. It can add language to include Airbnb and similar companies to coincide with the renewal or it can wait until any time after Sept. 30.
Previously: County discussion focuses on local law pertaining to 'bed tax' status of Airbnb-type rental units
Livestream courtesy of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
This is the first in a series this week of interviews with this year's winners of awards from the Chamber of Commerce, starting with UMMC, winner of the Service Award for 2020. We'll be talking with President Dan Ireland.
Erik Fix believes that the numerous relationships he has forged through his prior professional experience will enable him to successfully navigate the day-to-day tasks as the next president of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
“Absolutely,” Fix said, when contacted this morning after the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors announced that he will succeed Tom Turnbull, who is retiring after seven years at the helm. “(My former positions) have given me the experience that I have needed -- being involved with the ins and outs of a nonprofit as well as being community based, and I expect to utilize my connections in the community with the Chamber of Commerce.
“I get an opportunity to do that at M&T in some regard, but as far as being involved in the entire county and having a role, there is something I’m looking forward to.”
Currently, Fix is the manager of M&T Bank’s Oakfield branch. He previously served about seven years as the regional executive director of the United Way of Genesee County.
Prior to that, he held several positions with the Genesee Family YMCA, including serving as Genesee YMCA branch manager and director of camping services at Camp Hough in Perry. He began his employment with the YMCA after graduating from Roberts Wesleyan College with a bachelor of science degree in organization management.
A member of the Leadership Genesee Class of 2009, Fix is involved in several community organizations, including the United Memorial Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors, the YMCA New Branch Development Committee, Genesee County Youth Bureau Board of Directors and the City of Batavia Police Advisory Committee.
He also serves as a volunteer coach for the Byron-Bergen-Le Roy high schools swim team. Fix lives in Le Roy with his wife, Susan, and sons Brady, Jackson and Carter.
Fix said he holds the Chamber of Commerce “in high esteem” and seeks to “continue what Tom had done and his legacy, and move it forward.”
“By starting on the 22nd, this will give Tom and I a week of overlap,” he said. “Tom’s already putting together an orientation packet and things like that to ensure a smooth transition. This is a difficult time, so we want to make sure that we’re moving forward.”
In a press release, Board Chair Danielle Rotondo said the Chamber board is “excited to work with Erik.”
“He brings a wealth of knowledge to this position and a history of commitment to our community. We would like to extended our deepest gratitude to Tom for serving our community for the past seven years,” she said.
Photo: File photo of Erik Fix from 2017.
Press release:
The Chamber’s Annual Awards Committee is accepting nominations for the 2020 Annual Awards Ceremony. Unfortunately, our original date for the event of Feb. 27 will have to be adjusted due to the COVID-19 pandemic that does not allow gathering of more than 50 people.
The Chamber does plan on hosting this event however, the date is to be determined and the look will most likely be very different this year. It is very important to the Chamber to continue to honor Businesses & Geneseeans especially during this most trying time.
The Awards Ceremony is the County’s premier event that honors businesses and individuals for their achievements in business, community service and volunteerism.
Please note that a brief write-up will qualify your nominee for consideration.
Nominations are now being accepted for:
Business Nominees must be a Chamber Member (If unsure of your nominee, call the Chamber to verify).
Nomination forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 8276 Park Road, Batavia, and can also be downloaded from the Chamber website.
Nominations MUST BE RECEIVED BY Dec. 30 to be eligible for consideration.
If you would like more information, feel free to call or email Kelly J. Bermingham, director of Member Relations & Special Events, at the Chamber office, 343-7440, ext. 1026; or email: kbermingham@geneseeny.com
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the availability of a new Ellicott Trail Brochure Map.
“The Chamber has received numerous requests this year for a printed map of the new trail, so our office worked with Town of Batavia officials to make it available, in print and online, said Kelly Rapone of the Chamber.
The 10-foot wide crushed stone multiuse recreational trail officially opened in July and has been created on 4.9 miles of old railroad beds, city streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and bridges.
The trail was a joint project involving the City of Batavia, the Town of Batavia and the New York State Department of Transportation and connects recreational, historical and residential areas and crosses the Tonawanda Creek.
“We are very happy with the public support that the trail has received,” said Town Councilman Chad Zambito. “I’ve heard many positive comments and our residents have really gotten out to take advantage of it.
"I’d like to personally thank all of those involved in its creation and thank the Chamber for promoting this community asset in a number of ways, including the website and new map.”
The brochure was designed by Matt Steinberg of Corfu’s Quackenstein Design and funded by area business sponsors, including Batavia Footcare Center, Bob Marchese, DDS, Licata Chiropractic & Wellness Center, Mancuso Commercial Realty and Tahoe Pines Wellness Center.
Those interested in a printed brochure can pick up their free copy at the Chamber’s Visitor Center at 8276 Park Road, Batavia. The Visitor Center’s vestibule is open 24 hours for access to this and other area brochures.
It will also be available at the Town of Batavia office at 3833 W. Main Street Road, Batavia once it is reopened to the public.
The brochure information is also available online at EllicottTrail.com.
Don’t go grouping Genesee County with five other rural counties outside of the heavy-populated hubs of Erie and Niagara when it comes to private-sector job losses over the past five years.
That’s one of the themes emanating from a Nov. 4 story in Buffalo Business First that reveals the findings of a federal report, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, pertaining to the Western New York business climate prior to the economic shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the BBF article, Genesee County “is an exception to the generally gloomy news about the six outlying counties” – the others being Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Orleans and Wyoming.
Genesee County, per the QCEW, created an additional 718 private-sector jobs between 2015 and March 2020, a period that culminated before the adverse effects of COVID-19 took hold. That represents a 4.4-percent increase.
Citing the BBF story, “The six outlying counties (including Genesee) collectively lost 4.1 percent of their jobs during the 2015-20 span, a period in which the national economy was prospering. A total of 4,303 private-sector positions vanished” from the six counties.
The number jumps to a 5.7-percent decline in employment for those other five counties when removing Genesee’s performance.
Steve Hyde, president and chief executive officer of the Genesee County Economic Development Center, contacted today said he’s not surprised by the report’s favorable news.
“In Genesee County, the continued collaboration among the various levels of government with our strong private sector is resulting in economic growth through capital investment and jobs,” he said. “The results shared since 2015 are visible at Genesee County’s eight shovel-ready business parks and the sustained growth of many Genesee County companies.”
Hyde contributed the growth to investments made by the county’s major employers as well as smaller businesses that have expanded their operations.
Some of those major employers include HP Hood, O-At-Ka Milk Products, Liberty Pumps, Wright Beverage and Tompkins Bank/Insurance.
Genesee County Manager Matt Landers said the QCEW report validates that Genesee County “is indeed a great place to work and live.”
“We are fortunate to have excellent companies in our backyard that are growing and investing right here in Genesee County,” Landers said today. “The combined efforts of the GCEDC, Batavia Development Corporation, Batavia Downtown Business Improvement District, and Chamber of Commerce have helped to attract and retain many of these private-sector jobs, and have us positioned for continued growth for years to come.”
The BBF story called Genesee County “the one exception” to a downturn in job growth in the rural counties when compared to increases in the number of private-sector businesses in Erie and Niagara counties, per the QCEW study.
“A total of 4,303 private-sector positions vanished from Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties … while at the same time Erie and Niagara counties were adding 11,845 private-sector jobs, representing an increase of 2.7 percent,” according to the BBF article.
The story also pointed out that Orleans and Wyoming counties "essentially broke even" during the five-year span.
Press release:
The Chamber’s Annual Awards Committee announces that the 2020 Annual Award Ceremony will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27 at The Quality Inn & Suites, Park Road, Batavia.
This is the County’s premier event that honors businesses and individuals for their achievements in business, community service and volunteerism.
Please note that a brief write-up will qualify your nominee for consideration.
Nominations are now being accepted for: Business of the Year; Entrepreneurial Business of the Year; Agricultural Business of the Year; Innovative Enterprise of the Year; Special Service Recognition; and Geneseeans of the Year.
Business Nominees must be a Chamber Member (If unsure of your nominee, call the Chamber to verify).
Nomination forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 8276 Park Road, Batavia and can also be down loaded from the Chamber Website at www.geneseeny.com.
Nominations MUST BE RECEIVED BY Dec. 30 to be eligible for consideration.
If you would like more information, feel free to call or email Kelly J. Bermingham, director of Member Relations & Special Events at the Chamber office, 343-7440, ext. 1026, kbermingham@geneseeny.com.
Press release:
Warsaw -- Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties are excited to launch a new regional tourism program – “Fresh Air Adventures – New York’s Falls to the Finger Lakes.”
This is a refresh of the successful long-running Country Byways of Greater Niagara and the Finger Lakes program, which has existed for more than 25 years and has given the GLOW counties collaborative capabilities to leverage our unique rural towns and villages, collective attractions and prime location between Niagara Falls and the Finger Lakes.
The goals of Fresh Air Adventures are to encourage travel to our world-class attractions, discover our quaint towns and villages, and experience all that our great region has to offer.
The initiative includes a new comprehensive website (www.FreshAirAdventuresNY.com) designed by Corporate Communications based out of Rochester, as well as Facebook and Instagram (@FreshAirAdventuresNY) platforms.
Each of these digital tools will provide tourists a wealth of valuable information, including outdoor recreation experiences, culinary and craft beverage fare, overnight accommodations, events, adventure ideas/itineraries, interactive maps and trip-planning capabilities.
Fresh Air Adventures, as part of New York Empire State Development’s I LOVE NY program, will continue Country Byways work of marketing approximately 1,000 GLOW tourism businesses.
As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, our marketing will shift to NYS travelers and once the pandemic is over, we will resume marketing to national and international leisure and group tour travelers and those passing along major routes traveling to Buffalo, Niagara Falls USA/Canada and the Finger Lakes from places like New York City, Toronto, Canada and elsewhere within a six-hour drive.
This visitation is critical to our area economy and the sustainability of our small business community. Tourists spend more than $238 million in the GLOW region each year, which translates to $28 million in sales tax dollars, over $15 million of which remains local so the GLOW counties can improve the quality of life for residents.
Along with the Fresh Air Adventures moniker, includes a new logo that features earth-tone colors, adventurous fonts, the profile of New York State to give visitors a sense of location/place, and clever touches like a bird in flight and a waypoint marker dotting the “i” in AIR – adding to the explorative nature of the brand.
The tagline, “New York’s Falls to Finger Lakes” adds to the intrigue, playing on internationally renowned outdoor landmarks like Niagara Falls, the major waterfalls in Letchworth State Park and the Finger Lakes.
“Fresh Air Adventures tells tourists exactly what they can expect when they visit our region,” said Eric Szucs, Wyoming County Tourism director. “We have a spacious, safe, and beautiful natural setting, so the GLOW Counties collaborated to build this incredible program supported by a comprehensive website and social media platforms.
"In doing so, we can share the outdoor experiences and uniqueness of our rural villages and the small businesses that make up our communities. It’s an incredible way to connect so many outdoor landmarks like Lake Ontario, Letchworth State Park and the Finger Lakes.”
“In 2020 people were forced to rethink their travel plans,” said Dawn L. Borchert, Orleans County Tourism director. “Many had to forfeit air travel to exotic locations and be creative with road trips.
"Fresh Air Adventures is a great tool to plot out a stimulating excursion off the ‘beaten path’, especially while driving from the metropolitan area of New York City to Niagara Falls. They will be pleasantly surprised as to the family friendly towns and villages along the route, as well as the wide open spaces that Letchworth State Park, the Erie Canal and Lake Ontario have to offer.”
“The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to continue the long-standing collaboration between our tourism offices in promoting our great region." said Kelly Rapone, Genesee County Tourism Marketing director.
"Each county has a unique set of offerings that once packaged together offer visitors a wide range of activities to experience all within a one-hour radius. Working together, we are also able to enhance our individual marketing reach.”
“A regional collaboration connecting ‘Falls to the Finger Lakes’ stands to benefit the hundreds of small businesses through the region that cater to and delight tourists year-round,” said Laura Lane, president & CEO of the Livingston County Chamber of Commerce.
“Travelers looking for Fresh Air Adventures will surely delight as they make their way throughout the GLOW region counties and enjoy the multitude of experiences coupled with an array of complementary shopping, dining and indoor explorations. Livingston County appreciates working with our neighboring counties to truly connect New York’s Falls to Finger Lakes -- creating a memorable vacation experience.”
Fresh Air Adventures is a regional tourism program between Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties official tourism promotion agencies, dedicated to promoting our rich tourism assets, while working collaboratively to create an environment that leads to the success and economic prosperity of the GLOW Region through visitor spending.
For more information, please call (800) 622-2686 or visit the website at: www.FreshAirAdventuresNY.com
Word out of the Finger Lakes Region “control room” is that Phase Four will begin on Friday for some, but not all, of the businesses waiting to resume operations that have been shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the most recent update, businesses given the green light to reopen include low-risk outdoor and indoor museums, art galleries, historical venues and zoos.
Additionally, media production will be allowed to restart – activities such as motion picture, television, streaming and music productions on set, on location or at any production or recording site.
Several businesses will have to wait a while longer, however.
Classified as high-risk activities, those businesses not allowed to reopen yet include: amusement parks, water parks, arcades, bowling centers, casinos, concerts, movie theaters, performing arts or other theatrical productions.
Furthermore, concerts, shows or carnivals that would exceed a limit of 25 people also remain on hold.
Contacted this morning, Genesee County Manager Jay Gsell, who is part of the region’s “control room" of about 30 people, said that although Phase Four is the last of the state's reopening phases, it could go on for an extended period of time.
“There’s going to be the potential for – not a Phase Five – but Phase Four will just take longer, and we’ll continue to see more and more specified guidances for the parts of the economy that are presumed to be part of Phase Four,” he said.
Gsell mentioned that CDC protocols and the science would indicate that “the potential for community spread of new infections would very likely increase significantly if there is not a gradual … rollout in the Phase Four grouping.”
He also reported that the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce will host a Phase Four reopening Zoom webinar for the business community from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday.
For more information, go to www.geneseeny.com.
Press release:
The Genesee County Economic Development Center, Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, the Batavia Development Corporation and the Batavia Downtown Business Improvement District appreciate the response of small businesses to a recently conducted online survey.
With the anticipated resumption of manufacturing and construction services in the Finger Lakes Region on May 15, the business organizations are looking to collaborate in developing a plan to assist small businesses on Main Streets in city, towns and villages across Genesee County to help them ready for their reopening.
"Governor Cuomo's NY Forward plan provides a path for Genesee County and the Finger Lakes Region to reopen intelligently and safely," said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. "The input of our small business community, manufacturers and local leaders shows that re-opening safely is a shared priority, and our economic development team supports that mission."
Conducted the week of May 4th, more than 100 businesses in various sectors, including dining/hospitality, entertainment, fitness, medical services, nonprofit, professional services and retail completed the on-line survey. Among the highlights:
Challenges to Reopening: Businesses see getting customers back into their doors (63 percent highest or next highest), access to PPE (46 perceny highest or next highest) and developing a safe reopening plan (41 percent highest or next highest) as their biggest challenges to reopening.
Financial Assistance: 63 percent of businesses applied for either the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) or Payroll Protection Program (PPP) programs. Of those that applied, 50 percent had received EIDL assistance, and 82 percent had received PPP assistance.
Interest in Business Supported Programming: Respondents support a coordinated Genesee County Shop Local campaign (87 percent) expressed interest in safety plan development and training (45 percent).
Along these lines, the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce will host a Zoom Webinar on Thursday from 1 to 2 p.m. featuring Paul Pettit, Public Health director for Genesee County.
The topics to be covered during the webinar include the status of the County’s reopening; formulating a reopening plan for your business; sanitation and social distancing tips at your workplace; and, reopening guidance from the Genesee County and Orleans County Health Departments.
The webinar will be accessible at the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82534812321?pwd=d1FBUmhQUGxuaWNUY2xqZzlQdkFZdz09
Meeting ID: 825 3481 2321
Password: 295833
Or dial by your location: +1 929 436 2866
At about noon, we'll be talking with Tom Turnbull, president of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
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