city

Press release:

The Bureau of Inspections will be closed on Thursday, July 29th between the hours of 1:00pm and 4:30pm on Friday, July 30th for mandatory training. Documents may be dropped off at the Clerk’s Office.  The Bureau of Inspections will reopen on Monday, August 2nd at 8:30am.

Living room is oversized with great built-ins for collectibles and decorating! All bedrooms are good sized with closets and hardwood floors throughout that with a little refinishing will be great! Basement is huge, and would be great space for all the rest of your storage needs or hobbies or great space to convert into more living area if needed! Two-car attached garage and a pretty yard with a fully fenced in back yard!

Great home and with your decorating skills and upgrades its a keeper! Call Lynn at Reliant Real Estate today, call (585) 344-HOME (4663) or Click here for more information.

40 North Lyons St., Batavia: How cute is this home? There is such great use of space in this home many nooks that have been used so creatively! This home has way more space than you could imagine from the road -- definitely worth the look!

Three bedrooms, three full baths! Large Livingroom formal dining room and super cute newly refinished kitchen with peekaboo pass through to dining room! Off kitchen is cute morning room that has slider to large deck for morning coffee or there is a pantry/wine/bar nook your choice;) Basement has been partially finished with large play space for adult or child, full bath, and once upon a time there was a small kitchenette for those that like the extra cooking and canning space. There is also utility/laundry area as well.

Back yard has been fully fenced and super private -- extra large deck with a self made play/entertaining area with pergola -- can easily be turned back to full drive with one-car detached garage. This one is well worth the look! Click here for more information on this listing.

Mechanically home is in great shape not a lot to do interior besides your own decorating. Rooms were just painted. Gas bill is $81 on a budget plan and electric average is $65. Home sits on awesome partially fenced in back yard with plenty of room to play. Large double wide driveway for you and your guests -- an affordable city home!

19 Wood St., Batavia. Super affordable city home! Featuring: Three bedrooms, one and a half baths, and 1,704 square feet. These owners did all the big things for you – now it's just a matter of you making it your own! Roof, all windows, furnace, hot water tank, and upgraded 150 amp electrical panel, what else is there?

Rooms are spacious, there was a half bath added on first floor, new laminate flooring just done in kitchen, and brand-new back steps leading inside to a back mudroom. All appliances are staying.

The front porch is cute and the yard both front and back is super cute and loaded with flowers. Back yard is fully fenced and is selling with the hot tub! There is a detached garage but currently used as the place to hang out – both summer and winter because there is wood stove as well!

These owners do not pay flood insurance. A lot of space for the money, definitely worth checking out! Call Lynn Bezon today or click here for more infomation our listings.

Rooms are spacious, there was a 1/2 bath added on first floor, new laminate flooring just done in kitchen, and brand-new back steps leading inside to a back mudroom. All appliances are staying.

The front porch is cute and the yard both front and back is super cute and loaded with flowers. Back yard is fully fenced and is selling with the hot tub! There is a detached garage but currently used as the place to hang out – both summer and winter because there is wood stove as well!

These owners do not pay flood insurance. A lot of space for the money, definitely worth checking out! Call Lynn Bezon today or click here for more infomation on this listing.

There are 3 bedrooms, 2 beautifully redone, full baths, a super bright and cheery downstairs, that has a very open and spacious layout with an updated kitchen and breakfast bar. Basement is fully usable, clean and dry, with epoxy floor great laundry area and workout space or small rec area. Mechanically all updated with brand new c/a unit -- roof approximately 12 years old, 200 amp electrical service and inexpensive utilities!

Outside though is one that draws everyone's attention, superbly maintained -- professionally landscaped yard with an Invisible Fence for the animals and pretty brick patio area. Detached garage and if you can call a driveway beautiful than this is it -- double wide concrete with stamped concrete pad as well -- ready to welcome you home!

Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today 585-344-HOME (4663) today to see this great property.

City fire is called to 7 Trumbull Parkway for a fence on fire behind a residence. It is 20 feet from a garage with flammables inside.

UPDATE 12:33 p.m.: The fence fire is actually on Elm.

Downstairs is open and great for entertaining but very homey. Some hardwood floors and gorgeous unpainted woodwork really give this home charm. Upstairs bedrooms are all large with closets and attic is already partially finished and with a little paint could be amazing extra living/play space!

Mechanically sound with nothing urgent to tackle but what you want to do! Enjoy the front porch that has the Trex decking to enjoy the neighborhood. Or have your morning coffee on the back deck to enjoy the peacefulness of the cute backyard, either way come check out a really nice home!

Click here for more information on this listing or call Lynn Bezon today!

Downstairs is open and great for entertaining but very homey. Some hardwood floors and gorgeous unpainted woodwork really give this home charm. Upstairs bedrooms are all large with closets and attic is already partially finished and with a little paint could be amazing extra living/play space!

Mechanically sound with nothing urgent to tackle but what you want to do! Enjoy the front porch that has the Trex decking to enjoy the neighborhood. Or have your morning coffee on the back deck to enjoy the peacefulness of the cute backyard, either way come check out a really nice home!

Click here for more information on this listing or call Lynn Bezon today!

From Jim Ficarella, city superintendent of water and wastewater:

The City of Batavia Water Department will be repairing the fire hydrant on the corner of Tracy Avenue and North Street on Wednesday, July 20.

The water will be turned off on Tracy Avenue From Washington Avenue to North Street around 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning. And the water should be back on around 3 p.m.

Homes in the Tracy Avenue area may have discolored water from the repair. The Water Department will make every effort to have the water back on as soon as possible.

Press release:

The City Of Batavia Water Department will be making a repair on a broken water service line on Vernon Avenue Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock.

Water service should not be interrupted to make this repair. Vernon Avenue will be closed from Main Street to Richmond Avenue so repairs can be made.

The collapse of a proposed merger of Time Warner Cable and Comcast will have little impact on the city's efforts to negotiate new cable franchise agreements with cable providers, said City Manager Jason Molino.

The proposed merger spurred the city this summer to revive efforts to update a long-expired franchise agreement with Time Warner and form a cable advisory board to help with the process. 

In July, Molino told council members, "Time Warner is noncompliant with some franchise benefits. We haven't had negotiations since 1993. There are a number of improvements that need to be made."

This morning, Molino said the city is still negotiating with Time Warner, not with Comcast, so the fact that Comcast won't be taking over local service has no bearing on those negotiations, Molino said.

"It (the collapse of the deal) doesn't affect those negotiations and it doesn't affect the residents," Molino said.

At the same time, the city has been negotiating a franchise agreement with a new player in town, Empire Access.

Empire has already started delivery of a 100-megabit broadband service to local residents and businesses, but so far can't offer its TV package due to the lack of a franchise agreement with the city.

Asked how those negotiations were going, Molino simply replied, "We're in ongoing negotiations."

Asked now negotiations are going with Time Warner, Molino said, "We've been in negotiations the past few months. We are still trying to resolve some issues."

The old franchise agreement with Time Warner generates about $200,000 a year in revenue for the city.

Franchise agreements are non-exclusive, but are required for cable providers to deliver services to local residents.

"With both providers we're looking to capture the best franchise agreement that will provide the best service to the city and most success for residents," Molino said.

A fence is reportedly on fire behind Batavia's Original Pizzeria, located at 500 E. Main St.

City fire is en route.

UPDATE 6:06 p.m.: Fire is out. City fire returning to service.

A possible shed fire is reported on Porter Avenue. City fire is responding.

UPDATE 7:15 p.m.: A firefighter on scene reports it's "a charcoal grill just getting started." The city is back in service.

A car has crashed into a house at 26 S. Main St. in the City of Batavia. The driver has fled, according to a witness on scene. Police officers and the fire department are on scene. There is a natural gas leak at the damaged house and National Fuel is being notified. The location is in the area of the roundabout.

UPDATE 5:27 a.m.: The natural gas meter has been destroyed and National Fuel is notified to expedite a crew to the location.

UPDATE 5:33 a.m.: A bottle of an alcoholic beverage was found outside of a house on the South Pearl Street Extension. Police now have the vehicle's driver and are taking the person to police headquarters for "field testing," (sobriety check) according to an officer at the scene.

UPDATE 5:41 a.m.: National Grid has a 15-minute ETA.

UPDATE 5:44 a.m.: The Department of Public Works is being notified that a light post was knocked down and there are exposed electrical wires at its base.

UPDATE 5:55 a.m.: According to eyewitness(es), the car came into the roundabout at a high rate of speed, maybe 60 miles an hour. It struck a snow bank and a light pole, sending it airborne in a southeasterly direction whereupon it crashed into the house at 26 S. Main St. The car was dragging the light pole behind it -- one of the newer black ones. A neighbor said the noise was so loud "it sounded like Santa landed on the roof."

UPDATE 5:58 a.m.: National Fuel reps are on scene. A city code enforcement officer is called in.

UPDATE 6:11 a.m.: National Grid is called in. No ETA given. The bottle of alcohol which was recovered by the house on the South Pearl Street Extension was allegedly thrown from the vehicle by the driver, according to a witness. The driver is now in custody and is being charged with driving while intoxicated and faces numerous other charges, a police officer said.

UPDATE 6:21 a.m.: No injuries are reported. The occupants of the damaged house and their neighbors have been evacuated.

UPDATE 7:33 a.m.: City fire back in service.

UPDATE 8 a.m. (by Howard): The driver is identified as 22-year-old Cory D. Goff, of 457 Mt. Read Blvd., Rochester. Goff was arraigned in Batavia City Court this morning but the full list of charges against him has not yet been released. 

According to Officer Darryle Streeter, Goff was allegedly driving his vehicle eastbound on Route 33/Pearl Street when he entered the roundabout at a high rate of speed. His vehicle struck a curb, went airborne, hit a lamp post, several signs and plowed through a snowbank. It then slid on its side across South Main Street, uprighted itself, hit another snow bank, sending it airborne again before it struck the house at 26 South Main.

Witnesses allegedly saw Goff exit the vehicle and run across the street and dispose of a bottle. The bottle was recovered by police. Goff then reportedly went back to the house and notified the residents that there was a gas leak. Goff was still on scene when police arrived. He was taken to Batavia PD headquarters for questioning and a field sobriety test and subsequently arrested on a DWI charge and other charges.

Rob Ogeen, a neighbor and one of the witnesses, said the crash was so loud it sounded like "Santa landing on the roof."

Nobody was injured in the accident. An upstairs resident of 26 S. Main slept through the entire event and only came out after being awoken by the landlord.

The location is next door to a vacant lot that contained a house until March 2010, when another driver came through the roundabout at a high rate of speed, lost control and knocked the house off its foundation. In this accident, the residence does not appear to be as seriously damaged.

UPDATE: Goff was charged with DWI, refusal to take a breath test, speed not reasonable and prudent, unreasonable speed/special hazards (roundabout), reckless driving, and two counts of failure to keep right.

A tree is reportedly smoking at 120 State St., Batavia.

City fire is responding non-emergency.

Law enforcement is on scene.

UPDATE 6:48 p.m.: Officer there is unable to determine the cause of the smoldering. It's inside a hollow part of the tree. It does not appear to be related to electrical wire.

UPDATE 6:55 p.m.: Fire crews on scene report that some kids put some leaves and paper in the tree and set it afire. A little water, and the fire will be out.

UPDATE 7:26 p.m.: Tree is extinguished. City firefighters picking up.

For those of you who missed it, Daily News reporter Joanne Beck turned out an excellent piece Saturday on the proposed pay raises for city officials. When Beck questioned city leaders about the raises slated for department heads, despite the down economy, and about the significant increase in pay for the assistant city manager—$24,000 more than past assistants—she was accused of being sexist.

From that article:

Council President Charlie Mallow believes it's a ''sexist'' form of badgering for no good reason.

"It seems we have chosen to disrespect and take for granted those who have come in to clean up the mess others have left us with," Mallow said Thursday. "I also believe there is sexism in this whole line of questioning. There are at least four other men that make more money than (Assistant Manager Sally Kuzon) and I don't see repeated questions about them."

Mallow and City Manager Jason Molino felt the same way, they said: The assistant's salary is justified and the topic is not really news. But it wasn't Kuzon, who has worn many hats to oversee public works, community development and code enforcement, being questioned. Her salary of about $84,000 was. Past assistants have made about $60,000.

The issue of salary increases has been raised on a few occasions. When The Batavian asked about the raises for department heads last month, we were told that it was only fair because all the other city employees were guaranteed raises as a result of union contracts.

Mallow told us in an e-mail at the time:

There is a sense of right and wrong here. I do not believe non-union employees should be punished for not being part of a collective barging unit. Keep in mind that our administrative people have worked hand in hand with council to eliminate close to a $3 million dollar spending deficit in the last two years. The hard work of these administrative people reduced the size of city government. Some people out of sheer ignorance would like to single these people out; I think the rest of the community understands how far we have come and who helped us along the way.

Since then we have been trying to break out the budget info that pertains specifically to employee salaries. Last week, in what ought to be the ultimate effort, we filed a Freedom of Information Law request with the city clerk's office. In it, we requested the salaries for all city employees for the current fiscal year, the proposed salaries for the coming year, and those of the previous year.

On February 13, five days after we filed the request, we were informed that it would require 45 days for the city to compile the information. From Heidi Parker, city clerk: "With regards to the request for salary information, gathering that data could take a significant amount of time and therefore will be available within 45 days. I will forward you the information sooner, if I get it before the 45 days."

If you do the math, that would make the information available on March 30. City Council has until March 31 to approve the budget. Right now, they plan to vote well before that date, likely early in March at the next business meeting, we were told.

The question is simple: How can the city justify pay raises when the economy is so obviously in a funk? In downtown Batavia alone, five business have closed their doors since November, and more are rumored to follow suit. More than just a loss to the business community and downtown shoppers and diners, these closures signify a loss of tax revenue.

It turns out we weren't the only ones who had trouble procuring such information. A councilman and the Daily News also ran into road blocks. Fortunately for the Daily, their FOIL request was approved in time.

Councilman Bob Bialkowski has asked to add salaries to the agenda for council's conference meeting Feb. 23. He wants to discuss the topic of salaries versus personnel, he said.

That won't happen during public session, Mallow said. He feels it is about personnel, which is personal, and it won't be a free-for-all in open session, he said.

Bialkowski had asked to get administrative salary information but was rebuffed by council, he said. He was not aware what the top salaries were until they were published in The Daily News recently, he said. That information, which was obtained by a Freedom of Information Act request, listed the assistant manager's salary at the top with $83,959, followed by the city manager's salary at $83,487. Those salaries are contingent on a proposed 2.85 percent raise in the 2009-10 budget. City Council has until March 31 to adopt a final budget.

Yesterday, we reported that the Batavia City Council voted to go ahead and spend $425,000 on design work for some six downtown infrastructure improvement projects, including some sewer and water line upgrades. Those designs will then be sent to the state in the hopes of landing $4.5 million in economic stimulus money to fund the projects. Council members who approve of the gamble—although they oppose labeling it as a gamble—say that it's an opportunity to create jobs in Batavia and better the city's infrastructure. What do you think?

City and town of Batavia officials announced today that a Web site will be launched by the end of the week devoted to the consolidation plan right now being put together for the municipalities. We've included most of the text from that press release below. We also received a "Consolidation Plan Process Flow Chart" that details the process for approving the potential consolidation.

Noting that the "topic of consolidation has generated tremendous interest in Batavia in recent weeks," Town Supervisor Greg Post and City Council President Charlie Mallow today issued a joint statement endorsing the work of the joint consolidation planning committee. They also announced that by the end of the week the City and Town websites will have links to a special "Batavia Consolidation Plan" website so that area residents can stay informed about the planning process.

Mallow and Post pointed out that the actual work of developing the plan is the responsibility of the seven-member City/Town Consolidation Study Committee that is working with the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), a nonprofit consulting group based in Rochester. "We were both please with its decision — one recently endorsed by our respective boards — to move from a 'study' to a 'plan,'" they said.

Post added, "I'm a believer in smaller government and I'm action-oriented. This community does not need a study that sits on a shelf. It needs a plan so that Town voters have the choice of saying yes or no."

Mallow said, "I'm a firm believer in consolidating the City and Town, because there are so many benefits for our community going forward. Consolidation will positively impact every generation that comes after us."

They pointed out that the Committee will develop a report of model options for the combined community by June 1. The Committee will then hold community forums for the public to provide input in June and July. Based on the input, the Committee will develop a draft plan to present to the City Council and Town Board in early August. Assuming City Council and Town Board approve, a consolidation plan will be presented to City and Town voters at the November 3 election.

Please click here to download the full press release.

It started actually Saturday as temperatures were rising in the upper 30's climbing to low 50's overnight.  We had received about 2+ feet of snow just in the last week and now it was melting very rapidly.  Today's high was in the upper 50's and the tonawanda creek was above flood stage of 9 feet and peaked around 11.4 feet according to the weather channel this morning.  It's now at a little over 12 feet and hopefully cresting soon.  Also during this time we had very high winds which were approx 35-45mph most of the day.  This morning there were gusts passing through around 50+ mph for about an hour.  As the day went on the city crews were on scene along with tree and power companies to help battle the flooding and tree damage due to high winds.  On every street I saw tree limbs, debris and even uprooting in some areas that had left much damage through the city.

Here are some pictures to share of areas around the city:

A tree fell hitting a house on east avenue and pulled utility wires.

Tree was uprooted on Lincoln Ave. damaging houses and a red SUV due to the 50+ mph winds.

Many side streets had flooding on the south side.  Ganson Ave, Elmwood and pictured here is Jackson Avenue.

Kibbie park or should I say Kibbie lake?  The winds were very high in the afternoon during this time.

The tonawanda creek filled up rapidly due to the fast melting of snow.  Here is a picture showing the River Street bridge with a vehicle coming across.

Look familiar?  Corner of Walnut and Law streets had major flooding.  A trucker was able to pass through heading south on Rt 98.

Let's hope the worst is over and we can recover a bit before heading into the New Year.