COVID-19

Press release:

New Cases – As of 2 p.m. 

• Genesee County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
  • The new positive case resides in Batavia.
  • The individual is in their 30s.
  • The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Twenty-three new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized. 
     
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
  • The new positive case resides in Shelby.
  • The individual is in their 60s.
  • The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Twelve new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.
     

Press release:

After decades of service, Rainbow Preschool, operated by Arc of Genesee Orleans, will permanently close on Aug. 14.

Rainbow Preschool, located in Batavia at 80 Union St., and in Albion, serves children from 2½ - 5 years old with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

After careful consideration by Arc of Genesee Orleans’ Board of Directors, this difficult decision was made due to the current environment of the coronavirus pandemic, uncertain funding and declining enrollment.

While no return to class date was set due to NY State COVID-19 restrictions, enrollment to date included 26 children.

The preschool provided special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, assistive technology, counseling, parent training, music therapy, and speech/language therapy to help students achieve kindergarten readiness. Preschool staff are New York state certified teachers, with teacher assistants and aides in the classroom. 

“This decision was made with heavy hearts,” said Donna Saskowski, executive director. “For any children who are enrolled with Rainbow for the 2020-21 school year, we will work directly with parents and with school district representatives to secure appropriate placements and ensure continuity of services.”

Rainbow Preschool provided critical services to generations of children with and without disabilities and they have a proud history of service for children with special needs.

Press release:

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The 2020 racing season got underway at Batavia downs on Wednesday (July 29) with owners only on hand to watch the action. But absent a crowd and the usual fanfare, the horses showed up and took full advantage of a lightning-fast track.

A pair of $10,000 Open events headlined the card and the winner of each took a new seasonal mark for their efforts.

In the Open I trot, Il Mago (Jim Morrill Jr.) proved he was the best on the grounds this week after making every step from gate to wire a winning one.

Morrill shot Il Mago off the gate and to the front and the race could have been called at that point. Trotting like a loose horse on the point, Il Mago went quarters of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:26 flat, while extending his lead at each station. With only Chuckabuck (Drew Monti) remotely close, Il Mago was up by 3-1/2 at the top of the stretch and rolled home in front by 4-1/4 in 1:56.3.

It was the third win in the last four starts at three different tracks for the classy Il Mago ($2.80) who now has 49 career wins and $869,373 in earnings. The son of Kadabra-Northern Style is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Gerry Sarama.

The fillies and mare Open I was also contested Wednesday and Julio’s Girl (Dave McNeight III) upset the apple cart for the second straight week.

HP Sissy ( Jim Morrill Jr.) left best and Lady London (Ray Fisher Jr.) followed while the rest of the field followed in post position order. After HP Sissy got to the half in :56.3, McNeight pulled Julio’s Girl first over entering the third turn and started the outside grind toward the leader. After a quarter-mile in the breeze, Julio’s Girl got even with HP Sissy at the top of the stretch and then paced clear down the lane to win by a length in 1:54.2, holding off a late rush from Protect Blue Chip (Billy Davis Jr.) and Gia’s Surreal (John Cummings Jr.) in the process.

After returning $33.60 in victory last week, Julio’s Girl blew up the tote board again in her seventh win of the year and rewarded her backers with $35.20 this week at Batavia. Julio’s Girl is owned by William Emmons and is trained by Jim Clouser Jr.

Jim Morrill Jr. had the hot hand in the bike on opening night, scoring a grand slam during the evening. Besides the already mentioned Il Mago, Morrill also won with Lyra (1:55.2, $4.90), Leaderofthepack (1:59.4, $4) and Edom Up Blue Boy (1:58.4, $2.30).

Dave McNeight III and Billy Davis Jr. also had productive nights, getting three wins each on the card.

Trainers Gerry Sarama and Jim Clouser Jr. led all conditioners with two wins apiece.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (July 31) with post time at 5 p.m.

From the YMCA of Genesee & Orleans Counties:

Jeff Townsend, executive director of the YMCA of Genesee & Orleans Counties, is calling for public support in asking Governor Andrew Cuomo to let nonprofit organizations, like the YMCA, resume using their facilities to support the health and well-being of the communities they serve.

He wants you to sign this petition to let Governor Cuomo know that communities need their YMCAs to open fully to support the health and well-being of New Yorkers.

"For hundreds of communities across New York, the Y is so much more than gym," Townsend's missive says. "The Y works with vulnerable populations to improve health outcomes, build immunity and reduce the impact of underlying conditions that make individuals more susceptible to COVID-19.

The programs Ys are not able to offer while our facilities are closed include:

• Arthritis Management Programs
• Blood Pressure Self-Management Programs
• Brain Health Programs to Prevent Cognitive Decline
• Cancer Wellness and Treatment Recovery
• Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs
• Diabetes Prevention and Management
• Family Wellness
• Obesity or Weight-loss Intervention
• Inclusive Programming for People with Different Abilities
• Programs for People an Caretakers of Those with Parkinson's Disease

Townsend continues by saying Governor Cuomo's decision to prohibit YMCAs from reopening their membership facilities in Phase 4 jeopardizes the economic viability of one of New York State's largest nonprofit organizations and employers: "While our communities generously support the Y through donations and grants, the Y's membership operations are the primary source of funding for its community work."

To date, New York's YMCAs have lost more than $117 million in membership and program revenue due to the government's mandated closures and capacity restrictions.

Unfortunately, these growing losses hinder the Y's ability to positively impact the health and well-being of more than 1.5 million children, families, and seniors who rely on the Y for everything from childcare and meals, to housing and human interaction, according to Townsend.

Ready to Reopen

YMCAs across the state have worked together to ensure that they are reopening in a safe and responsible manner.

Since closing membership operations in March, YMCAs have renovated their facilities, enhanced cleaning protocols, and physically redesigned spaces in order to create an environment that exceeds the health and safety guidelines from the CDC and State Department of Health. During all these changes, the Y continued to serve the needs of communities across New York State.

Open for Good

While our membership operations have been closed, the Y has continued to safely serve communities throughout the State of New York:

• 2,500 children of essential personnel served each day at childcare centers during the pandemic;
• 3,000 children served at YMCA Summer Programs;
• 30,400 calls and visits to vulnerable populations to check on their health and deliver food or goods;
• 128,302 meals provided through a variety of food programs and distribution centers.

Safe Today, Safe Tomorrow

The Y has served thousands, safely, during the pandemic. It is clear that YMCAs can run safely and responsibly. Communities needs the Y, and it needs your help to make sure the Y can continue to serve our community today, tomorrow, and for years to come.

Press release:

New Cases – As of 2 p.m.

• Genesee County received two new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Batavia and Le Roy.
  • One of the individuals is in their 40s and one of the individuals is in their 50s.
  • Neither of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Three new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized. 
     
  • Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
    • The new positive case resides in Gaines
    • The individual is in their 40s
    • The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
    • One new individual is on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
    • One of the individuals is hospitalized.

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $3,351,732.05 in federal funding to fire departments across New York State to enhance departments’ response capabilities and to help them more effectively protect the health and safety of the public.

The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).

The City of Batavia is set to get $68,880.95.

“From the peak of the pandemic to normal times, our brave firefighters are always on the front lines, risking their lives to protect their communities,” Senator Schumer said. “These courageous firefighters deserve all the federal support possible to help them do their jobs.

"I’ve fought my whole career to bring more federal resources to support our brave firefighters, and I’m proud to deliver this funding so New York’s fire departments have the resources and equipment to do their jobs and make it through the ensuing economic crisis.”

Senator Gillibrand said “Every day, first responders face dangerous conditions to protect our communities, and we must provide them with the resources needed to stay safe on the job during this health crisis. I am proud to have fought for this critical funding in support of New York’s local fire departments.

"These federal dollars will help offset costs from the COVID-19 emergency and modernize equipment that will protect our firefighters’ health and safety as they do their jobs. I will always fight in the Senate for the resources that our firefighters need to save lives.”

The senators explained that the funding comes as localities face budget shortages and consider staff cuts, including in fire departments. Schumer and Gillibrand said the funding announced today will go directly to fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations, and state fire training academies.

A chart with the AFG breakdown appears below:

Organization Name

City

Funding Amount

Middleburgh, Village of

Middleburgh

$163,000.00

Troy, City of

Troy

$399,457.64

Watervliet, City of

Watervliet

$458,093.29

Greenville Fire District

Scarsdale

$82,599.31

Southwood Volunteer Fire Department Inc.

Jamesville

$40,735.24

New Rochelle, City of

New Rochelle

$159,090.91

Hornell, City of

Hornell

$174,384.76

Coopers Plains-Longacres Volunteer Fire Company Inc.

Coopers Plains

$120,000.00

Poughkeepsie, City of

Poughkeepsie

$33,181.82

Syracuse, City of

Syracuse

$488,195.45

Dundee Village

Dundee

$154,285.71

Fulton, City of

Fulton

$26,505.71

Dewitt Fire District

Syracuse

$64,065.45

East Worcester Hose Co. 1

East Worcester

$24,376.19

Watertown, City of

Watertown

$80,138.18

Lancaster, Village of

Lancaster

$255,171.43

Otter Lake Fire Company Inc.

Forestport

$92,406.67

Oswego, City of

Oswego

$176,206.67

Fulton, City of

Fulton

$86,468.18

Worcester Hose Company Inc.

Worcester

$76,190.48

Tully Joint Fire District

Tully

$89,516.19

Batavia, City of

Batavia

$68,880.95

Auburn, City of

Auburn

$38,781.82

Press release:

• Genesee County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 253 positive cases.
  • Seventeen new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19, maintaining a total of 274 positive cases.
  • Eleven new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.

Press release:

• Genesee County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • One of the previous community positive cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Four new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Seven new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.

From Rochester Regional Health today (July 28) regarding the latest information on the coronavirus pandemic, reopening, and travel restrictions in New York:

Travel Restrictions

As positive coronavirus cases spike around the country, travelers arriving to New York State from designated states will be met with restrictions, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s updated Executive Order. Gov. Cuomo added 10 more states to the list of states that will require travelers to quarantine for 14 days upon entering New York. 31 states in total are on the list as of July 21.

The new states added are: Alaska, Indiana, Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Virginia and Washington.

The quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day rolling average or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average. Essential workers are excluded, as well as anyone returning to New York from a designated state in which the visit was for less than 24 hours.

"The last 137 days have been hell for New York as we were the epicenter of this pandemic,” Gov. Cuomo said. “However, New Yorkers stood as one, acted responsibly and—as many other states in this nation are now grappling with new spikes of this insidious virus—the beast, for now, has been brought to bay in this state.”

Newest Rules for Bars & Restaurants

All restaurants and bars in New York State can now only serve alcohol to people who are ordering and eating food, according to a new statewide requirement announced by Gov. Cuomo July 16. All service at bar tops must only be for seated patrons who are socially distanced by six feet or separated by physical barriers, and customers are prohibited from ordering directly from the bar.

To comply with the requirement, the New York State Liquor Authority say that bars and restaurants must sell sandwiches, soups or other foods, whether fresh, processed, precooked or frozen, to customers in order to sell them alcohol. Other foods can be salads, wings, or hotdogs. However, a bag of chips, bowl of nuts, or candy are not enough to satisfy the requirement.

Cases Spike in Florida, Arizona, Texas, California

Almost half of all states are spiking at a faster rate than they had been in the spring, according to a new USA TODAY study. Florida broke the single day record for positive cases with 15,300 new cases on July 11 and reported a record-high of new single-day COVID-19 deaths with 132. Arizona has seen nearly 40 percent of its total yearly cases occur in July alone with more than 50,000 positive cases since July 1. Texas reported 110 deaths and 10,791 new positive cases on July 15, its second straight day of record-high cases in the state and the sixth straight day of more than 10,000 active COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to The Hill. 

The full list of states on the New York State travel advisory is below:

• Alaska
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Missouri
• Mississippi
• Montana
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Nebraska
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin

New York State Slows Spread

Hospitalizations in New York State have dropped below 700 for the first time since March, and the state recently reported its lowest three-day average death toll since March.  

A new study by “The Truth About Insurance” named New York the most responsible state in fighting COVID-19. “We've used data and science to drive this fight and fuel our reopening strategy, but make no mistake, this distinction is shared by every single New Yorker who did the right thing these last months, ignored the politics, socially distanced and wore a mask,” Gov. Cuomo said.

“But we can't stop now. We must remain disciplined and we must remain New York Tough. We've come too far to go back to where we were."

What Rochester Regional Health is Doing

Rochester Regional Health has implemented diligent processes in place to help team members comply with this new requirement. Employees who are currently traveling or plan to travel to any of the designated states are permitted to work upon their return, provided they follow a strict set of guidelines and processes.

Reopening Schools

Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently released guidance for reopening schools in New York State. The guidance allows for regions in Phase 4 to reopen if the infection rate remains below 5 percent using a 14-day average. Schools will close if the regional infection rate rises above 9 percent, using a seven-day average. A summary of the full guiding principles created by the New York State Department of Health and can be read here.

Phase 4

Phase 4 has begun for the greater Rochester area and the Finger Lakes Region. Phase 4 allows businesses to reopen in the industries of art, education, recreation, and entertainment. Malls are also reopening, however, not all stores in malls are reopening immediately. Gyms, casinos, movie theaters, and amusement parks remain closed. Museums and aquariums are opening with proper safety protocols in place.

"Phase 4 presents the greatest risk because the amount of variation of facilities that are on the slate to reopen in Phase 4 is more than variable than in Phase 1 through 3," said Dr. Michael Mendoza, Monroe County public health commissioner. "So doing so in a measured, coordinated way will allow the health department to follow the data very close and make course corrections as needed because the last thing we want to do is set ourselves all the way back."

Indoor restaurants in all regions have opened with safety precautions, as well as nail salons, tattoo parlors and spas. Outdoor seating is allowed with outdoor tables spaced six feet apart, all staff must wear face coverings and customers must also wear face coverings when not seated.

Press release:

• Genesee County received four new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 253 positive cases.
  • The positive individuals reside in Batavia and Le Roy.
  • Two of the positive individuals are in their 30s, one is in their 40s, and one is in their 80s.
  • The positive individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Five of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Six new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19, for a total of 274 positive cases.
  • The positive individual resides in Ridgeway.
  • The positive individual is in their 20s.
  • The positive individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Two of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Sixteen new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.

From Genesee Community College:

An outdoor ceremony for graduates of the Antoinette Marchese Clancy School of Nursing at Genesee Community College was held Friday afternoon.

As the next line of first responders, the nurses were honored with a tribute from others on the front line. A Mercy Flight helicopter flew above the campus, tipping its wings at the newly minted nurses. Town of Batavia firefighters on Ladder Truck #22 were there, with lights flashing, siren and horn blaring.

Ingenuity, kindness, tradition and hard work converged to nudge aside the COVID-19 pandemic for just an hour so for the annual Recognition Ceremony, organized this year as a drive-in event in keeping with New York State's social distancing guidelines.

Graduates and their families parked their cars facing the lectern that was set up outside on the berm by the Student Success Center, and all guests could listen to the program on WGCC 90.7FM from their car radios, or watch it remotely through the livestream access.

"It certainly was an evening to remember," said Laurel Sanger, director of the Antoinette Marchese Clancy School of Nursing. "With the help and support of numerous people and departments across GCC's campus and our wonderful community, I think we gave the Class of 2020 a memorable event. It really is a testament to how proud we are of these graduates."

This class of nurses were not officially "pinned," however. Rather they were handed the emblem and certificate representing their accomplishments, and all were wearing masks and standing safe distances apart.

Pinning ceremonies are a time-honored nursing school tradition that signifies official initiation into the brotherhood and sisterhood of nurses. In a typical year, this event happens the same day or weekend of GCC's annual Commencement. But the nursing staff and College administrators decided to plan something special and a little different this year.

Approximately 18 graduates from a total class of 54 were able to attend Friday's event. Another 49 watched the program via livestream.

"For the easiest access of parking lots, late Friday afternoons in the summer are best for the campus community," Sanger said. "Yet we were worried that families would not be able to hear the ceremony from their cars. That's when WGCC stepped in, and then Media Services provided the remote live streaming access.

"And of course, it was wonderful that our Campus Safety team was able to network with local authorities for the parade. We are grateful to all for a special twenty-first century plan of action during a pandemic for this centuries-old tradition."

Pinning ceremonies are rich with symbolism and history and date all the way back to the Crusades of the 12th century. During this time, the Knights of the Order of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist tended to the injured and infirmed Crusaders with new monks vowing to serve sick soldiers in a ceremony where each monk was given a Maltese cross, the first badges given to those who nurse.

In more modern dates, Florence Nightingale was awarded the Red Cross of St. George in recognition for her tireless service to the injured during the Crimean War in the 1850s. To share the honor, she in turn presented a medal of excellence to her brightest graduates. By World War I, the practice of pinning new graduates and also awarding them caps, became a standard practice throughout the United States.

Genesee Community College continues its own tradition of teaching the next class of nurses and welcomes potential new students to sign up for one of the upcoming online Nursing Information Sessions scheduled at the following times:

Non-LPNs Only:

Monday, Aug.10, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 17, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Advanced Placement (LPN-RN) Only:

Tuesday, Aug. 18, 9 - 11 a.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 4 - 6 p.m.

To register online go to: https://www.genesee.edu/academics/programs/health/nursing/

Photos courtesy of Genesee Community College.

From the Town of Alexander Board:

Genesee County has shared sales tax revenue for many years with its towns and villages. Due to increased capital needs to fund building a new jail and the repair and or replacement of large culverts and bridges throughout the County, a new revenue sharing agreement was proposed where the level of funding for towns and villages would be capped at the amount shared in 2018.

The County would use any increase in sales tax to Fund Capital Projects and if there was a decrease in sales tax the decrease would be shared equally by all parties. The County passed a resolution in 2018 and another in 2019 committing the legislature to sharing sales tax revenue at the 2018 level for years 2020 and 2021 so that the towns and villages could incorporate those revenues when creating their budgets.

Once the COVID-19 pandemic started there were projections of decreased sales tax revenue and the County legislature passed a resolution to rescind the previous resolutions, which committed them to sharing sales tax revenue with the towns and villages for years 2020 and 2021. They had already made the first quarter payment for 2020.

At the same time New York State was short on cash so they decided to not fund CHIPS. CHIPS is money that the state and federal governments provide to reimburse municipalities for road repair and building. We do the road work and then submit the bills for reimbursement; 80 percent is funded by the federal government and 20 percent has been in the past been funded by New York State.

What does this mean for the Town of Alexander 2020 budget?

We have a budget of $1,770,000 for 2020. Of that, $519,000 comes from your taxes; $582,000 from sales tax revenue;, $126,000 from CHIPS; $190,000 from services to other governments, which is plowing and mowing state and county roads in our town; $172,000 from other services and $181,000 from Fund Balance.

We anticipate that the CHIPS reimbursement will be down 20 percent (-$25,200). The sales tax revenue will be down $309,000 if no more money is shared by the County. Also other state aid may be reduced.

We had a highway truck ordered to be delivered in 2020 and on advice from our highway superintendent we cancelled the order, which reduced our expenditures by $221,500, but it also reduced our potential revenue by $15,000 as we no longer have a used truck to sell.

We are looking at ways to reduce expenditures to bridge our current budget gap and if necessary will use more Fund Balance to get us through this year.

As you can see the Water District #5 in the southwest corner of the Town is progressing. The funding for this project is through a federal loan and grant which are guaranteed once we commit to the project and are not part of our Town budget.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is calling out his state Assembly colleagues for allowing atrocious bills to be passed in the state Legislature late last night.

Among them is automatic voter registration, which automatically registers New Yorkers to vote whenever they interact with what are determined as "qualified" government agencies like the DMV or Department of Health.

A Step Too Far

“I’m all for ensuring we participate in our democratic society to the fullest; that’s the only way democratic societies can work,” Hawley said. “But what was done last night is simply a step too far.

"Superseding the state constitution and writing far-reaching bills, with few checks and balances to ensure they cannot be taken advantage of leads me to believe this will cripple the voting system more than uplift it. Well intended or otherwise, the Downstate legislators need to realize they’ve just opened up a can of worms that will not yield good results.”

In addition to that, the state Legislature passed a redistricting bill that would amend the state constitution and allow for further redistricting in the state. The move comes in a suspected effort on the part of the majority to draw new districts that would be politically advantageous to them.

Disgraceful Politics

“It’s a gross misstep in the use of authority and Majority power, and will almost certainly mean that many voices are at risk of being unheard in the future,” Hawley said. “There really is nothing more disgraceful in politics than trying to uphold your own power and keep the people in the dark.”

Furthermore, the Assembly Majority continues its grip on its monopoly of power by refusing to remove the governor’s emergency powers that he claimed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York. With these powers, he’s continued to hamper businesses like bars and prevent them from reopening and supporting the economy.

The Beef About Chicken Wings

He insists that people order food while ordering alcohol but claims that chicken wings are not substantial food for bars. He added that sandwiches were the "lowest level" of substantive food. 

“Chicken wings are a Western New York food, so this feels incredibly personal to me and my constituents,” Hawley said. “We all know the governor’s ‘Big Brother’ method of governance and one-size-fits-all solutions are his modus operandi, but at a time where people are trying to responsibly reopen and follow health codes as they have been instructed, the governor and his administration continue to curtail the attempts of honest workers getting back to a normal routine. It’s despicable.”

Press release:

• Genesee County received three new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The positive individuals reside in Batavia, Le Roy and Pembroke.
  • One of the positive individuals is less than 20 and two individuals are in their 50s
  • One of the positive individuals was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Zero of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Six new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • No individuals are hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
  • The positive individual resides in Albion.
  • The positive individual is in their 50s.
  • The positive individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Zero of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Eight new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • No individuals are hospitalized.

Press release:

• Genesee County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
  • The positive individual resides in Batavia.
  • The positive individual is in their 20s.
  • The positive individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Three of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Seventeen new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • No individuals are hospitalized.
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Zero of the previous community positive cases has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Eleven new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • Two of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.    

As L. Matthew “Matt” Landers contemplates taking over as Genesee County manager in about three weeks, he figures that if he displays half the vim and vigor as his predecessor, he’ll do just fine in his new role.

“The energy level that Jay exudes – it’s infectious, it’s important. There’s a lot to be said in having that energy and that great personality and that great style,” Landers said following tonight’s Genesee County Legislature meeting at the Old County Courthouse. “I hope that I can come anywhere close to Jay’s ability to command an audience and liven a room …”

Landers was speaking about the high-octane Jay Gsell, who – when he retires on Aug. 14 – will have served the county in an effective and passionate manner for 27 years.

Legislators, prior to voting unanimously on the resolution to promote Landers from assistant county manager, honored Gsell with a proclamation recognizing his numerous accomplishments and extensive community involvement.

An Elba resident, the 43-year-old Landers said he admires Gsell’s ability to meet people, listen to them and quickly count them as friends.

“Jay’s ability to know everyone’s name – inside and out, third uncle, second twice removed – his ability to communicate in that manner is important,” he said. “To have that connection. He’ll see somebody out in the community and he’ll notice who they are, their name, their connections, their life story – how they’re connected to him. That’s impressive for somebody not from the area originally.”

Landers said he feels confident in his ability to communicate, acknowledging that his style “is a little more direct and to the point.”

“I can probably … say the same thing in a lot less words,” he said, before going on about Gsell’s energy and personality.

As far as the job itself, Landers said he is excited and prepared, having worked with Gsell the past six years.

“While it’s exciting, it’s also a challenge,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of work … The most things I do, I’m pretty even-keeled and levelheaded. I’m not going to overthink this. I’ve got a job ahead of me and I’m ready … to jump right in.”

He said that COVID-19 is “creating a lot of challenges for us at the county that weren’t there a year ago when I was looking forward to taking this opportunity.”

“Obviously, the COVID is going to put a big financial constraint on our budget and our resources, and we’re meeting with department heads already, preplanning for our budget, and preparing for different strategies that we can utilize to get through this difficult financial time.”

Landers mentioned that providing enough water to county residents “at an affordable rate” and navigating through the pandemic and financial concerns to eventually build a state-mandated new jail are priorities.

Holder of a master's degree in Public Administration from Brockport State College, Landers spent 10 years as the county’s deputy treasurer before becoming the assistant county manager. He talked about the plan that legislators and management drafted for him to eventually replace Gsell.

“The plan, in general … I thought the logic at the time – if everything worked out – that this would be a potentially a good fit for me to take over someday for Jay,” he said. “I was in the treasurer’s office for 10 years, enjoyed working over there with Scott (German), but when the opportunity over here came up, it was something that I kicked the tires, and spoke with Jay and some of the legislators then.”

German thanked legislators for “seeing what I saw (in Landers) when I hired him in 2004, and then quipped that Landers was “one of the top five deputies that I ever had working for me,” even though he only had three.

Legislators Marianne Clattenburg, John Deleo and Rochelle Stein congratulated Landers, expressing their pride in being able to promote homegrown talent.

“Matt, I could not be happier for the success that you have ahead of you,” said Stein, the legislature chair. “It will be another quarter of a century before this (transition) plan has to be put in place again.”

Landers said he couldn’t have had a better mentor than Jay Gsell.

“I have been able to learn a lot more about the county outside of the treasurer’s office, and have been put in a good position to succeed in the manager’s office because of the six years working under Jay,” he said.

Landers is active in the Kiwanis Club (he is a former president) and coaches and helps run a girls’ softball program. He and his wife, Melissa, reside in Batavia with their two children, Kaitlyn, 14, and Benjamin, 10.

Landers’ appointment takes effect on Aug. 15, and he will earn a base salary of $121,000.

Photo: Matt Landers, left; his mother and stepfather, Manetta and Paul Potter; and Jay Gsell following tonight’s Genesee County Legislature meeting. Photo by Mike Pettinella.