After years of trying to work with and around the city of Batavia’s residency requirements, City Council is considering a change beyond granting waivers as it has done for many past employees.
Assistant City Manager Erik Fix proposed revising the code for most departments during council’s conference meeting Monday evening.
“We formed a small committee of department heads, and we went back and forth many, many times. We spoke to multiple staff people in regards to this, and really, at the end of the day, it comes down to two simple things,” Fix said. “Number one, as the local law reads, the residency requirement requires you to reside in an adjacent town to the county of Genesee. So if your town touches Genesee, you can live there. The proposal changes that we're looking to make it any adjacent county. So there's seven adjacent counties to Genesee County, and it would allow us to recruit out of any of those counties, to bring folks here, hopefully at some point here, and do all that great stuff, but at least help fill out our own police force, DPW and other places.”
The second “change” is not actually a change at all, he said, after a review by the fire department Chief Josh Graham and his captains. They determined that recalling firefighters from outside the county for emergencies and after hours would be “extremely difficult,” so that department’s requirement will remain to be for any town within Genesee County, Fix said.
The positions of city manager and city clerk will continue to require city of Batavia residency, he said. The proposal is to go to the next business meeting for council to set a public hearing before an official vote on the revised code. The public hearing will be at 7 p.m. April 28 at City Hall.
City resident and regular meeting attendee John Roach said a few preemptive words during the public comments portion of Monday’s meeting. He encouraged council members to vote for the change of residency requirement.
“It’s obvious that the city has a problem attracting real, good candidates. They’re out there, but they don’t want to move,” Roach said. “I think the idea of changing it for everybody … it’s a great idea to expand the area. Times have changed.”
Section 22 of the city code for residency requirements would be revised for Local Law Number 3 of the year 2019 to include any “county” adjacent to the city of Batavia for every city department except fire, city manager and city clerk.
After Donald Trump made diversity, equity and inclusion dirty words via an executive order as far as business and government are concerned, Victoria’s Secret, Pepsi, Goldman Sachs, Paramount, Bank of America, Citigroup, Disney, Chipotle, Google, and many other companies and organizations have pared down or changed their language to correspond to the new directive.
Add Genesee County to the list. The federal administration cast a very wide net, apparently, in a search for those words, County Manager Matt Landers says.
"We had one program in particular at Office for the Aging that there was a request for us to change the wording on the program description narrative," Landers said to The Batavian Monday. "This is a program that was already near the end of its three-year cycle of funding, and we were requested to change the wording, and we made the change in the wording because we did not want to lose the funding.
"It didn't change, in our opinion, the content of the program whatsoever. But there was a request made to change the narrative, and it was basically -- we had the option of giving the money back or changing the narrative -- so we changed the narrative," he said. "The program, I believe, was an annual allocation of about $50,000."
The program was in the final year of a three-year agreement, ending March 31. County officials didn’t consider it “a big deal” since the funding had already been received; however, it was a renewable RSVP AmeriCorps senior program on a three-year grant cycle, and they intended to request a renewal, he said.
“We do have upwards of $6 or $7 million, I believe, in federal funding. So that is the only instance that we've been made aware of where they dove deep enough to try to see where there was anything that was DEI-related,” he said. “So I'm glad that's all that they've found — the federal government — but it definitely is eye-opening, and that's something that we'll keep an eye on going forward, and there is real proof, a real example, that they are looking at wording.”
Again, he wanted to emphasize that the wording changes “in no way changed how we run the RSVP program.”
Pamela LaGrou, the county’s compliance officer, provided some of the language that was changed, as per below:
Specific and targeted language pertaining to diversity, equity and inclusion was changed to broader descriptive phrases or simply removed, she said.
For example, “…we recruit members with a wide range of skills and experiences including geography (urban/rural), economic (upper/lower income) and work experience (factory worker/teacher, secretary),” rather than “…we recruit members to ensure diversity of geography (urban/rural), economic (upper/lower income) and work experience (factory worker/teacher), secretary, etc. while also seeking to represent diversity in race, ethnicity, sex and veteran status."
Reference to specific groups was removed: “RSVP has connected with the Pride Center of Buffalo, an LGTBQ advocacy center.” Also, the following was removed “Genesee RSVP in inclusive of older adults, or all races, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, political and religious affiliations and we ensure the same of our stations via conversations at the time the MOU is signed.”
All language changes were made to ensure compliance with the President’s Executive Order, LaGrou said.
Although the air outside may be getting gradually warmer, a plan to provide that warmth all year long is still in the works, and musician Bart Dentino has been lined up to get toes tapping for the first Warming Center Benefit Concert this week.
So everybody Come Together, Let It Be and Help while enjoying a set of songs from the Beatles, James Taylor, Garth Brooks, Gordon Lightfoot, and some of Dentino’s original pieces.
“It’s a very important cause that can slip a person’s mind on those frigid nights when you’re sitting comfortably in a warm home with dinner and snacks available to you. As you well know, that’s not the case for everyone," Dentino said. "Pastor Roula Alkhouri has a very tender heart coupled with a drive to get important things done. She brought the need for a warming center to my attention. I offered my musical services in hopes that we could raise awareness and funds to help create that warming center, which would offer services to those people and families in need at those critical times."
The concert is set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. This event is free and open to the public as an evening of music and of coming together to raise awareness and funds for a Genesee County Warming Center during the cold winter nights, organizers say. Donations will be welcomed.
Through the work that he’s done over the years, Dentino has come to realize that the homeless population of individuals and families with children right here in Genesee County “is much greater than one might think,” he said.
“Families that live in a motel room with children going to school each morning hungry, suffering from poor sleep habits, and having an uphill fight to function in the school and classroom,” he said. “Anything that can be done to help them not only survive their situation but thrive in their ability to overcome it is worth doing.”
This initiative began by members of Oak Orchard Health and Batavia First Presbyterian Church in November 2024 with a meeting to gauge the interest and hear ideas and issues about a potential need for this center.
There was a “heartening display of community spirit” at that time, said Alkhouri, one of the organizers, and concerned citizens and stakeholders gathered together out of concern for those in need and to participate in a solution.
A dedicated steering committee was formed to focus on five key areas, including funding, finding suitable space, staffing, community resources, and marketing.
“We are excited to begin this effort with the invaluable experience and planning resources of Oak Orchard Health,” Alkhouri had said. “However, we are still looking for more community partners to join this initiative."
If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please call the church office at 585-343-0505.
“Together, we can make a significant impact and provide a warm, safe space for those in need during the cold months,” she said. “Your support and involvement are crucial to the success of this project.”
About 50 people from several organizations and nonprofits attended, including Community Action of Orleans Genesee, Genesee County Mental Health, Department of Social Services and Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police, Genesee ACE, St. James Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Community Services Board, and Crossroads House.
What is a warming center? This center is to be set up as an evening and overnight safe space for people in need of shelter from the cold on days when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. Organizers also want to provide an opportunity for this space to be a place of connection with helpful resources.
2024 File Photo during a tour of the new Genesee County Jail. County legislators are appealing to Gov. Kathy Hochul to drop her executive order prohibiting the hiring of state corrections officers involved in the recent prison strike. Photo by Howard Owens
An executive order drafted by Gov. Kathy Hochul banning the hiring of Department of Corrections employees, in tandem with the difficulties Genesee County has already experienced in filling corrections officer vacancies for the new, larger county jail, has made the going anything but smooth, Legislator Gary Maha says.
“This executive order that she issued back on March 10 certainly creates a bump in the road, so to speak,” Maha said during Monday’s Public Service meeting. “The executive order does, right now, expire April 9, but she could extend that. I think she can make that permanent, too, if she desires … so I think we should go ahead and establish this resolution. There are a number of counties jumping on board with this issue and expressing concern with the governor as to the executive order.
What we feel is it’s a violation of our home rule telling us what we can do, what we can’t do, and in addition to that, it creates issues with us hiring county CO’s when we need them.”
Hochul’s order was in response to the recent three-week, unsanctioned strike by New York State corrections officers to protest conditions they claimed were harmful to their safety. The state fired some 2,000 of the officers, and the governor issued an order blocking them from obtaining jobs at other state agencies.
During Monday’s meeting, Maha — who drafted a resolution with Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein — introduced the statement for consideration and vote by the full Legislature at its next meeting on March 26. Stein said that, in talking to state Assemblyman Steve Hawley, he suggested that a speedier measure would be to also send a similarly worded letter now and follow up with the official resolution next week.
Public Service Committee members agreed. The resolution states that Hochul’s order “suspends various laws, preventing local authorities from hiring or promoting correctional officers involved in the strike, despite local discretion in such matters” and has raised concerns about state overreach, undermining local control.
There has been “significant opposition from local officials, including members of the Genesee County Legislature, who believe it unfairly penalizes officers and their families without proper consideration of individual cases,” the resolution states.
The goal is to urge Hochul to “reconsider the impact of this order on local control and fairness in employment decisions.”
“I think it’s well done, and her overreaching power is terrible,” Legislator John Deleo said. “And to your point, there’s a lot of good people there, and they’re already well-trained; they know how to deescalate problems, and I think we could use these people, and to handcuff us so that we can’t, it’s just appalling.”
Legislator Christian Yunker agreed, emphasizing that “this is absolutely an overreach.”
“It's vindictive. We have a lot of residents here in this county, there are corrections officers that are state corrections officers that are hurting, and it's twofold for us, because we're also trying to hire corrections officers,” Yunker said. “So we absolutely need to support this opposition. Thank you for the work.”
Chad Klotzbach added that they, as legislators, are “supposed to keep the heat on” to let Hochul know what their position is and not let up.
Hochul needs to know “we don’t appreciate this type of interference,” Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said.
After the meeting, Maha said the resolution was reviewed and approved by County Attorney Mark Boylan. While it’s speculated to be potentially unlawful, county officials certainly believe it’s “an overreach on her part,” Maha said.
“She has no authority to supersede home rule. We don't know what's going to happen on April 9, but several counties are threatening a lawsuit because they feel it's illegal … if we get to that point, and hopefully, maybe it'll be a class action suit if all counties will get involved with it,” he said. “We don't know yet. It's just in the infancy stages, but right now, we want to start with a letter and a resolution of objecting to her executive order, that part of it dealing with, you know, preventing counties and hiring these fired COs.”
He spoke with the jail superintendent, who said that a couple of state COs had applied for jobs, but Maha isn’t sure what happened with them. The need is there — with at least 10 additional positions added with the new jail opening in late 2024 and a continuous “fluid” status of vacancies, County Manager Matt Landers said.
“I feel like they’re interviewing every day over there for positions now, between the road patrol and the COs, and then there’s usually always an opening over in the dispatch center as well. It fluctuates daily,” Landers said. “Corrections officer is a high-stress job, plus when we’re in the midst of, we had 10 new positions that were created in the 2025 budget, you throw that on top of it, it’s definitely a lot of interviewing going on right now.”
Pictured left to right are Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club Meat Raffle Committee members Christine Cofta, Bobbi Norton, Sara Balbi, and Joy Hume preparing for their annual fundraiser on March 29 at Batavia Notre Dame High School. Photo by Steve Ognibene
The Batavia Business and Professional Women’s Club is a not-for-profit organization in Batavia and invites you for their annual Meat Raffle on Saturday March 29th at Notre Dame High School Gym, 73 Union St. Batavia.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., first spin is at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are available until sold out at $15 each or $100 for a table of eight. Includes beer, wine, pop and water.
Bring your own snacks, cooler and dollar bills.Must be 21 or older to attend and no outside alcohol.
There will be many side raffles, including meat packages, gift cards, a 50/50 and a chest freezer for the grand prize.
All proceeds are to benefit Genesee County high school scholarships and service organizations in May.
Since 1959, the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District has honored a deserving agricultural producer with the Conservation Farm of the Year Award. This award is given to a producer that has displayed a long-term commitment to sustainable conservation, leads by example, and implements farm conservation best management practices. This year’s recipient is Edmund Acres, LLC of Le Roy.
Edmund Acres, LLC is owned and operated by Nate Edmund. Edmund Acres, LLC is a grain crop farm that grows corn, soybeans, and wheat on over 1,000 acres in Genesee, Monroe, and Orleans County. The farm has worked with Genesee County Soil and Water since 2013 to plan and implement best management practices.
Soil health is at the foundation of the farm’s crop production practices, with a focus on reducing tillage through strip-till and no-till practices and improving soil organic matter with cover cropping. Edmund Acres, LLC also follows an integrated pest management plan and a nutrient management plan.
Edmund Acres, LLC has been an active participant with Genesee County Soil and Water and the Natural Resources Conservation Service over the past 12 years. To recognize the work that has been done, the farm will be presented the 2024 Conservation Farm of the Year Award at the Celebrate Agriculture Dinner on March 15, at the Alexander Fire Hall.
Genesee County is pleased to announce the continued expansion of the NY HELPS program, an initiative created to assist New York State agencies in filling vacancies across the state by streamlining the hiring process. The program has proven to be a successful tool for local agencies to fill vacancies, and its extension through June 30, 2026, ensures ongoing support for essential services.
Anita Cleveland, Genesee County Human Resources Director, emphasized the program’s local impact, "The NY HELPS Program – Local has been an invaluable tool for Genesee County and its municipalities. Genesee County has filled over 130 positions with qualified candidates through this initiative. With the program’s extension and expansion, Genesee County Human Resources continues to evaluate additional titles for inclusion."
Effective immediately through June 30, 2026, candidates hired for the identified positions will not be required to undergo Civil Service testing. Instead, they will be classified as non-competitive hires, significantly streamlining the hiring process and expanding opportunities for job seekers.
Genesee County encourages interested applicants to explore these opportunities and take advantage of the simplified hiring process under NY HELPS.
For more information on available positions and application procedures, visit www.geneseeny.gov/jobs or contact the Genesee County Human Resources Department at 585-815-7805.
The soon-to-be Genesee County Commissioner of Public Works Laura Wadhams, approved to fill the position to be vacated by Tim Hens in June. Photo by Howard Owens
Similar to many women in the workplace, Laura Wadhams keeps different pairs of shoes in her office, but not because she may need a wardrobe change throughout the day or for an evening out.
She never knows when she might need a pair of steel-toed work boots to check out a project.
Wadhams will be the newly promoted commissioner of Genesee County’s Public Works Department to fill the vacancy left by retiring Commissioner Tim Hens in June.
"I’m very much a Type A, technical person. I loved math and science, so I always kind of knew that engineering or healthcare was in my future. My mom (Jean Lichtenthal) was a healthcare professional, but when I got a little deeper into healthcare, I was like, nope, this is not my calling. So engineering it was, and I love civil engineering,” Wadhams said during an interview at the county highway department on Cedar Street. “I definitely was drawn to civil engineering because I just love being outside … I’m definitely drawn to civil engineering because of that, just building things and being outside and all of that, which not all engineering disciplines get to do.”
This is the first in a series for Women's History Month, which recognizes and honors "the societal, cultural, and historical influences women have made (and continue to make) in the United States," especially in our own backyard.
Wadhams has worked as a civil, staff, and transportation engineer and transportation construction inspector for the New York State Department of Transportation. She was working in the private sector for LaBella Associates when she got a call from Commissioner Tim Hens who was looking to fill the assistant county engineer job in late 2018.
A native of Batavia who graduated from Batavia High School in 2008 and watched her dad, Tom Lichtenthal, work his way to town highway superintendent, Wadhams had a nostalgic tug to her hometown: “If I'm gonna go back to the public sector, I'd rather be at home, and bring all these talents back here to Genesee County and do this work here in Genesee County,” she said.
And Hens was ready to take her.
“She was a perfect candidate to replace me,” said Hens, who is planning his retirement this June after 27 years. “She has done an amazing job in so many different areas, from award-winning bridge projects to airport work, facilities projects and managing the construction of the new county jail. She is an excellent communicator and has the demeanor to work with different agencies, contractors, community leaders, and people.”
A younger Wadhams remembers playing with Matchbox cars on her dad’s Interchange plans to spread out at home, giving her an early head start on her future career. She went on to Clarkson University for a bachelor’s in civil engineering, surrounded by about 80% of the men in the class.
Once out in the consulting world, that split between men and women was more around 60-40, she said, and in Genesee County, there have been “a handful of women” doing this type of work. People ask her about it all the time, and it’s all part of the job, she said.
“That’s not something that phases me anymore. I think, especially civil engineering, it seems like the women in civil engineering can’t be afraid to take up space or own their seat at the table because you've got civil engineers that work with architects on architecture projects, but then civil engineers sometimes are the project manager standalone. So you have to be able to hold your own in that sense. And I learned to do that definitely early on, I did internships at the DOT, I was out by myself on sign crews and striping crews and setting up work zones, dealing with the public who didn’t want the work zone set up on Route 104 during the day."
As Hens mentioned, she’s taken on big projects, with the $70 million new county jail being her largest one so far. Wadhams was on site working alongside contractors and a team of corrections officers learning the inner and outer details of how a jail operates.
“Paul (Osborn) and I spent hours and hours and hours out there; that was a big project for the county, and it was a very public project for the county,” she said. “We wanted to make sure that the county’s interests were protected, as well as getting the things done and moved along in order to get inmates in there, because at the end of the day, that's what the end goal was,” she said.
What did you learn that you maybe didn’t expect of the experience? “I’ve done a lot of schools and lots of other higher education projects and bridge projects and things like that, but the security aspect and the jail perspective of that was way more than I ever thought it was going to be. But we were super lucky to have a jail transition team that we worked with every single day to be able to get through those things,” she said. “There were four corrections officers out there full time. So we got to learn a lot from each other, we were teaching them how to read plans, and they were teaching me how to do keys for jail. So we learned a lot from each other. It was a really great team.”
The jail process took her throughout her whole time with the county, beginning in her first two months of hire in 2018 with the design phase, a break during the Covid pandemic period in 2021, and construction for two years, with completion in 2024.
Her other biggest project was the South Lyon Street bridge, which earned an award and was a collaboration with the city of Batavia, where the bridge is located.
“I was a project manager for that one; that was a lot of time out in the field. We're lucky to be able to work with great consultants and engineers and contractors,” she said. “So for us, it's more making sure the county's goals are achieved. It was a big one, definitely the biggest bridge project the county had ever done.”
What did you do? “So my role as a project manager was basically to oversee the contractors and consultants and make sure we're keeping things on time and on schedule and on budget, for sure. So, if they had issues out in the field, I'd go out in the field and be like, ‘okay, how do we come up with a plan to solve them?’” she said. “Or, let's figure out a solution to this situation that we're running into, or there's a power line that needs to get moved. Let's coordinate with National Grid, things like that, day to day.”
She understands that her role, especially as commissioner, evolves into “some level of a diplomat” because this position serves as a go-between for the highly technical folks drafting plans and county legislators giving approvals. Many times throughout both projects, either Hens or Wadhams presented updates during legislator committee meetings and answered questions.
“You have to be a decent people person at the end of the day and have conversations,” she said.
She and her husband Andy are parents to “amazing” 4-year-old Emma, born in the thick of Covid in May 2020, and Wadhams loves spending time with her family. This totally unbiased mom said that her daughter is “super fun” and apparently a chip off the block — enjoying building tasks already with Magnetiles and Legos — and will be entering kindergarten this fall.
Her family also includes her sister Jennifer, an emergency room physician’s assistant in Pennsylvania, and her brother Andrew, an aeronautical engineer in Colorado.
When not changing her heels for heavy-duty boots, Wadhams spends her free time reading, using her mad engineering skills on DIY home projects, and spending time at a family member’s Conesus Lake cottage during warmer weather.
That doesn’t mean she’ll have all downtime during the summer, as the Engine House is about 60% complete and is on the chores list, with three bridges, roads and culverts. Up next will be the county’s Animal Shelter and Holland Land Office Museum for summer 2026.
She has spoken at career days and will ask kids what they think an engineer looks like, surmising they probably imagine a man with white hair and a pocket protector, she said.
“But my daughter sees me, so to me, that says a lot right there, you know? And if I go to St Joe's and do the Career Day or things like that, I think it's just kind of showing people that it's not one size fits all,” she said. “And that's important to me for people to see, because everyone has different interests, little girls and little boys all play with Legos and … (they might think) I don't know if I could do that for a career. Yeah, you can. You totally can.”
The commissioner’s role oversees seven divisions, 57 full-time and 11 seasonal or part-time employees within the department, including highways and bridges; fleet management; engineering; facility management; parks and forestry; Genesee County Airport; countywide water; and environmental health, which means engineering reviews for water, septic, campgrounds and pools. Her predecessor has built a “great group” here, and Wadhams is excited for this next step, she said.
“He’s the last 27 years. The stuff that he's done and provided for the county has been amazing. I think we did the math once, and 30 to 40% of the structures, the culverts and bridges, have been replaced since he's been here. Like that alone is huge,” she said. “Even the work that he's done for the public water supply and environmental health and things like that, I mean, it's been amazing, so just getting to continue that on is going to be exciting. And then whatever challenges come our way for the next 20 years, we'll take them in stride. I'm excited to do that and kind of leave my mark on our community too, just like he has the last 20 years.”
After 27 years with Genesee County — for most of those years as highway superintendent — first managing the roads, bridges, and fleet, and later adding on water, parks, airport, environmental health review and facilities duties, Tim Hens will be retiring later this year with the more all-encompassing title of Public Works commissioner and a need for a change of venue, he says.
As Hens is confident about who he leaves behind — county legislators have appointed his assistant engineer to fill the role — he also looks forward to being able to step away from challenging and stressful projects. He plans to retire May 30.
“It's weird to walk away after so many years. I have always been a big believer in being where your feet are, doing your best to leave the community in a better place, and handing things off to someone else when you know it's the time. Well, it's time,” he said to The Batavian Wednesday. “I have put an amazing DPW staff together that does so many good things, and we have such good relationships with all of the town highway superintendents, but the job is stressful, and you're always in the public eye. The regulatory environment, especially within New York State, isn't getting any easier--this is certainly one of my biggest reasons to leave.
“I’m in a good place with my decision. A change in scenery/perspective will be good for me, and new leadership will be great for the County. In terms of champion projects, it’s a duel between the rebuild/success of the County Airport versus Countywide Water, but I think Countywide Water will have a longer/more significant impact on our community than any other project the County has ever accomplished,” he said. “It certainly hasn’t been the easiest or smoothest process (nor is it done yet), but getting reliable, safe drinking water for Genesee County makes a difference to the economy but, more importantly, for people's health and well-being.”
2024 File Photo of Laura Wadhams, assistant engineer for Genesee County's Public Works Department, showing progress at the new county jail during a county meeting. Photo by Joanne Beck
He has recommended the department’s assistant engineer, Laura Wadhams, who has become an increasingly visible staff member for major projects, such as the $70 million county jail that opened in late 2024.
“Laura is being considered by the Legislature as my replacement. I hired Laura in 2018 and knew right away that she was a perfect candidate to replace me in the future,” Hens said. “She has done an amazing job in so many different areas, from award-winning bridge projects to airport work, facilities projects and managing the construction of the new county jail. She is an excellent communicator and has the demeanor to work with all different types of agencies, contractors, community leaders, and people.”
Wadhams has worked as a civil, staff, and transportation engineer and transportation construction inspector for the New York State Department of Transportation. The new county jail was her largest county project since being hired as assistant engineer in September 2018, she said during a March 2024 meeting about the jail’s near completion.
The commissioner’s role oversees seven divisions, 57 full-time and 11 seasonal or part-time employees within the department, including highways and bridges; fleet management; engineering; facility management; parks and forestry; Genesee County Airport; countywide water; and environmental health, which means engineering reviews for water, septic, campgrounds and pools.
The Genesee County Legislature has interviewed and selected a candidate to fill this future vacancy, and based upon qualifications and the recommendation of County Manager Matt Landers, the Ways and Means Committee recommended Wadhams for the position during its meeting Wednesday.
Wadhams has shadowed the Commissioner of Public Works and “has demonstrated commitment to safe, reliable, professional and cost-effective planning and maintenance of county resources, facilities and infrastructure,” a related county resolution states. The group appointed Wadhams as commissioner of Public Works at a Grade of 124, Step 15 on the Management Salary Schedule, for a four-year term, effective June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2029. The full Legislature is expected to vote on the resolution during a future meeting.
Genesee County residents who wish to change their party enrollment to be eligible to vote in June 24, party primary must submit a completed application to the Genesee County Board of Elections by February 14.
For more information, visit the Genesee County Board of Elections website or call 585-815-7804.
Four $1,000 scholarships will be awarded through the annual UConnectCare Foundation Scholarship program in 2025.
The program, initiated several years ago, provides financial support to individuals pursuing their education at an institution of higher learning in the fields of human services or social services for the purpose of contributing to improving community health.
Scholarships will be given to one Genesee County high school student, one Orleans County high school student, one adult student pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and one technical/trade school student.
Applications are available on the UConnectCare website – www.uconnectcare.org – or can be obtained by contacting Diane Klos at Diane Klos at 585-815-1883 or dklos@unconnectcare.org. Completed applications must be received via email or postmarked by March 7.
The scholarships will be awarded at the agency’s annual membership meeting in May.
“We take great pleasure in being able to continue this important program,” said John Bennett, UConnectCare chief executive officer. “More than ever, substance use and alcohol use treatment and prevention agencies are seeking qualified, educated and dedicated employees.”
Students enrolled in a Genesee or Orleans County school can apply for the scholarship even if their primary residence is in another county.
Other pertinent scholarship information is as follows:
Applicant must be accepted at an accredited college or university and enrolled in or matriculated in an eligible program/major.
Eligible programs or majors include Social Work, Nursing, Health Science, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, or Human Services.
Current UConnectCare employees, board members and UConnectCare Foundation board members are NOT eligible.
Relatives of UConnectCare employees, board members and UConnectCare Foundation board members ARE eligible.
Applicant must provide academic history such as high school and/or college transcripts.
Applicant must provide two letters of recommendation from someone who knows the applicant’s work/volunteer/academic history. Letters from relatives will not be accepted.
Applicant must provide a resume or personal biography including work history, volunteer experiences, and extra-curricular activities.
Applicant must provide an essay that addresses educational and employment objectives as they relate to the mission of UConnectCare. Financial need, volunteerism, employment history and civic involvement will be given careful consideration.
The scholarship monies will be awarded upon completion of the fall semester. The award recipient must provide a copy of their transcript demonstrating at least a 2.0 GPA.
Applicant may be invited for an interview before final awards are made.
Retired County Treasurer Scott German with a gag gift from current Treasurer Kevin Andrews, an old sock to symbolize an opposition write-in vote from one of German's runs for re-election. Photo by Howard Owens.
There were plenty of jokes at Scott German's retirement party at Batavia Downs on Saturday night along with kudos for a job well done during his 21 years as county treasurer.
German retired four months shy of being Genesee County's longest serving treasurer, the culmination of 31 years total working in the treasurer's office.
But the goodbye was also a hello because German has taken the part-time job of Republican Election Commissioner at the Board of Elections.
"I'm happy that he's staying with county government," said County Manager Matt Landers, who started working for the county 21 years ago as German's deputy treasurer. "He's gonna help us out on the election side. So it's interesting. It's a retirement bash and going away, and I'll give him a big hug at the end of the night and say, 'I'll see you on Monday.'"
Kevin Andrews, the new county treasurer, got in a few zingers while roasting his former boss.
German only faced an election opponent once over his five terms, in the first year, he stood for election (after being appointed mid-term by then Gov. George Pataki). That doesn't mean, however, that there weren't write-in votes.
"I honestly can't remember which year this happened, but Scott shared with me that one year when he ran for office, one of the write-in votes against him for county treasurer was an old sock," Andrews said.
So, Andrews wrapped up one of his old socks and gave it to him as a present. Just so he would have a moment of that write-in vote (top photo).
Andrews also praised his mentor.
"Sincerely, though, you've always been supportive of me, especially when I have been overly self-critical," Andrews said. "I appreciate the many conversations that we've had over the years where you've offered advice or encouragement when I've needed it personally; Scott, I want to say that it has been a pleasure and honor working with you."
Legislature Chairwoman Shelley Stein praised German for the millions of taxpayer dollars his diligent work has saved the county and the millions he earned for the county through wise investments.
"You've been passionate and you have been aggressive in your approach to county government," Stein said.
Garrett Macdonald, a consultant with Three+1 based in Rochester (Macdonald is also a Genesee County resident and a second cousin of German's, though they never met until they started working together), helped provide German with the strategy to invest the county's cash reserves.
"There's very few treasurers where you walk into their office, and they look at you dead in the eyes, and they say, 'I want to do everything I possibly can to earn and save and help my taxpayers,' and that has been a stamp on Scott's legacy for Genesee County, doing whatever he possibly can to take care of his constituents and taxpayers," Macdonald said.
When German closed out the evening, he put some hard numbers on those accomplishments. He said the county, by investing reserves, has earned $21 million for the general fund and more than $28 million overall.
"In 2004, the county's fund balance was $5.4 million, and at the end of 2023 the fund balance is $22.2 million," German said. "The total fund equity in 2004 was $11.8 million, but at the end of 2023, fund equity was over $84 million. Personally, I am very proud of those numbers, and I have turned over to Kevin accounting that is in a very strong financial state. So Kevin, don't screw it up."
Hawley took note of all the praise for German's handling of the county's finances and mused that it would be nice if state government could do as well.
"We've heard about the fact that you saved taxpayers millions and millions of dollars," Hawley said. "You've also earned the county millions and millions of dollars. And we wish that some of your philosophy of governing and finances would translate to the state of New York, I'll give Kathy Hochul your best and tell her to read your upcoming book on how to make money and not have to spend money just because it's there."
Photo by Howard Owens.
County Manager Matt Landers, who served as deputy treasurer for German's first 10 years in office. Photo by Howard Owens.
County Legislature Chairwoman Shelley Stein Photo by Howard Owens.
County Treasurer Kevin Andrews. Photo by Howard Owens
Bethany Fire Department held it's annual installation of officers banquet saturday evening. Photo by Steve Ognibene
On Saturday evening, Fire Chief Jeff Fluker of Bethany Fire Department led as the master of ceremonies at Bethany’s annual awards and installation of officer’s banquet.
More than 80 people attended, including VIP guests from other area fire departments, including Alexander, Attica, Elba, Pavilion, Stafford, and Wyoming.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley and County Legislator Gregg Torrey were also among the guests.
Steve Breckenridge and Emergency Coordinator Tim Yaeger gave opening remarks on the evening.
Jeff Fluker presented the installation of officers for 2025.
Steve Breckenridge presented the President's Award to Bethany Fire Department Treasurer Debbie Donnelly.
Jeff Fluker and John Szymkowiak announced the Firefighter of the Year award to EMS Captain, Gail Smith.
Jeff Fluker and John Szymkowiak presented the Chiefs award for the year to second assistant and training officer, Will Thurley.
Gregg Torrey presented the years of service awards to the members present.
The memorial service, led by Pastor Walter Wenhold, honored Robert Alwardt, (Divider NY) Don Frank, who passed away in 2024 and all deceased members of the department.
The department responded to 146 total calls in 2024.
The top responders were:
Will Thurley, 82 calls
Brian Bitton, 75 calls
Gail Smith, 62 calls
Glenn Adams, 55 calls
Peggy Johnson, 42 calls
Jeff Wolak, 40 calls
Carl Hyde Jr., 37 calls
Jeff Fluker, 35 calls
John Szymkowiak, 35 calls
Vicki Wolak, 34 calls
If anyone is interested in joining or learning more, contact Chief Jeff Fluker at 585-300-8153 or come to the fire hall any Monday at 7 p.m.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
Treasurer Debbie Donnelly, received the presidents award. Photo by Steve Ognibene
EMS Captain, Gail Smith, received the firefighter of the year award. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Second assistant and training officer, Will Thurley, received the chiefs award. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Members of Bethany fire department who were in the top 10 of attendning calls during the year. Photo by Steve Ognibene
A couple members in attendance recieved years of service awards. Photo by Steve Ognibene
A moment of silence for two members in 2024 and past members of the Bethany fire department who have passed away. Photo by Steve Ognibene
The Zonta Club of Batavia-Genesee County has continued their mission to tackle Period Poverty in our community. In January, the club donated $1000 worth of period products to Community Action and The Heart of Kindness Center.
According to a 2023 YouGov survey, 37% of all menstruating American females say they or their family have struggled to afford menstrual products and almost half (47%) agree that the current economic climate causes them stress about their ability to afford period products.
These donations are a continuation of the Zonta Club’s initiative to combat period poverty from last year when $1000 in products were donated to the Richmond Memorial Library Comfort Boxes and Community Action. For more information, please reach out to the Zonta Club at Zontabatavia@gmail.com.
Uncertainty seems to be the sentiment of the moment — from local school and county officials to state senators — about recent presidential executive orders and an attempted funding freeze that was halted by a court order this week.
Two orders, titled Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling and Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families, are posted on the U.S. government’s website and have not seemed to draw much public attention as of yet.
They involve the Education Department: divvying out funding for families to choose from a wider pool of public, private, faith-based, and military school options; and another order that pertains to less focus on diversity, equity and inclusion and bringing back “patriotic education” to the classroom.
The Batavian reached out to all eight of Genesee County’s public school superintendents and other county officials for responses to these and related orders, and the funding freeze, which Senators Chuck Schumer and Patty Murray not only publicly criticized this week but warned that the administration "will come back again and again and again” to try and implement some type of funding freeze, Schumer said.
Pembroke Superintendent Matt Calderón said, “certainly, I am always concerned about funding.”
“Because, as a small rural school with limited resources, we are already lean in regard to the programs we are able to offer, and we cannot afford to lose any of our current funding,” he said. “At the same time, I am not overly concerned about losing Pembroke students if educational options for families are expanded. I suspect we would lose some students and gain some students.
“As for the second order about restricting certain educational content, I don't believe this will have much impact on how we approach education in Pembroke due to the fact that we have never engaged in indoctrinating our students to subscribe to any specific ideology that may be politically motivated by either side of the aisle,” he said. “As educators, our responsibility is, in age-appropriate ways and in partnership with parents, to teach students about all the issues and perspectives that exist, to engage them in thinking and talking and reading and writing about those issues, with input from one another, from their parents, from community members, from experts and from an array of individuals who see things differently from one another.”
In addition to academics, he said that his district wants “to create a safe and supportive learning environment for all students regardless of who they are or what they believe.”
“We want to help students recognize and experience that they can co-exist, love and respect people who are different than they are and who may not view things the way they do,” he said. “We don't need the federal government or the state to dictate that we do this or how we do it because, ultimately, each school district is most accountable to its own local community.”
As for any future funding freeze that should come back into play, he and Le Roy School Superintendent Merritt Holly said that they do not have enough information or explanation about such a freeze from the federal level to make a statement about how it would affect their respective districts.
Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith agrees that “without details, the impact is hard to assess” for some of these measures, including the executive order pertaining to expanded school choice.
“This is yet to be determined how this would impact public school funding. Given our state aid is derived from student population and student need, this diversion of resources could potentially lead to greater inequality for public education,” Smith said. “Families do have choices now, and it is always difficult to make predictions when details are sparse.”
As for the order to end racial indoctrination, Smith was more definitive. Batavia City School District “is committed to protecting and serving all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or gender,” he said, adding his comments about reinstating patriotic education. “Local history is taught in fourth grade, and all seniors take a Participation in Government class, which is a NYS graduation requirement. In addition, United States History and Government is taught in Grades seven, eight, and 11, which follow the New York State Learning Standards for Social Studies.”
Since the funding freeze was “very broad, had few specifics, and was brief,” it is unclear at this time what the impact would have been, he said.
How would the district compensate for the loss if such a freeze is enacted down the road? “The District would fund as much as possible through the general fund, but because these programs are funded through federal grants, the District's general fund could not sustain many of these programs, and there would need to be adjustments to the services provided to our students,” he said. “If the freeze is reinstated, the District would need to evaluate the programs funded through these federal grants and determine to the extent that they can be added to the general fund.”
Will you plan for such impromptu measures in this year's budget process? While our budgets are built conservatively, and while we plan for worse-case scenarios, this would be an especially challenging situation,” he said. “So yes, to the extent possible, we will be planning for such measures.”
As with everyone else, County Manager Matt Landers didn’t know what the “true exposure is of a freeze” because he doesn’t yet have a good understanding of which areas would be selected for this measure, he said.
“I don’t want to speculate without more details. For example, the county receives federal monies for airport and bridge infrastructure projects, but I have not seen anything that indicates this funding could be in jeopardy, nor do I think those pots of money are under any particular scrutiny.
If, as Senator Schumer has predicted, the current presidential administration attempts again for a funding freeze, how would that affect Genesee County? In the short term, the funding freeze could potentially impact cash flow for Genesee County government, but fortunately, we have a fund balance and cash reserves that should get us through this period,” Landers said. “I can’t speculate on how a permanent freeze would impact the County because we have numerous federal funding streams that affect different operations. Predicting which programs could be more than temporarily impacted would be just guessing at this point. Nonprofits in the community face a more difficult challenge if their federal funds get frozen because many of them operate on a shoestring budget where a delay in reimbursement could be devastating.”
How would you deal with it and recoup the loss? How much loss in funding could it mean? “If the County were to lose federal funding, we would look to see if we could end the program that the funding supported,” he said. “Unless the program is mandated, in which case this would be another example of an unfunded mandate.”
Do you think that the DEI protocols/restrictions will be implemented on a local basis, and tied to funding? Your thoughts about that? “Even if the federal government removes DEI language from their funding, NYS has equally or more stringent DEI policies in place, so I don’t anticipate much changing for county government,” he said.
Peggy Marone has been selected to receive the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s Wolcott “Jay” Humphrey III Excellence in Community Leadership Award. The Chamber’s Board of Directors gives this award, no public nominations are solicited. It is not an annual award and is only given when the Board feels there is a qualified candidate.
The Award is named after Mr. Wolcott “Jay” Humphrey III who was President of the Wyoming County Bank (Pavilion State Bank/Five Star Bank). He was extremely involved in the community as a volunteer and encouraged his employees to develop a commitment to volunteerism and community. He was a visionary that could see the big picture and made real improvements to his passionate beliefs.
Peggy has served as Leadership Genesee’s program director for the past 23 years. During this time, Peggy has shaped the leadership within our community with more than 600 alumni participating under her tutelage. Peggy challenges each graduating class to contribute and make an impact on Genesee County.
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating its 53rd Annual Awards Ceremony on Saturday, March 1 at Batavia Downs, Park Road, Batavia. This is the County’s premier event that honors businesses and individuals for their achievements in business, community service and volunteerism.
Tickets are $65.00 per person or a table of 10 for $480.00.
The evening begins at 5 p.m. with Hors D’oevures, Entrée Tables & Cash Bar (no formal sit-down dinner is to be served). The Award Program starts at 7 p.m. where dessert and coffee will be served.
This year’s honorees are:
Wolcott “Jay” Humphrey III Excellence in Community Leadership Award: Peggy Marone
Business of the Year: H.E. Turner & Co.
Small Business of the Year: Southside Deli
Agricultural Business of the Year: Alexander Equipment
Entrepreneurial Business of the Year: Meraki Beauty, LLC
Special Recognition of the Year: Genesee County 4-H Critter Crew
Geneseean of the Year: Mickey Charters
Call Kelly J. Bermingham, at 343-7440, ext. 1026 or email kbermingham@genseeny.com to make your reservations or with any questions you may have.
If you are someone who is civic-minded, independent, ambitious, enjoys exploring creative solutions to problems, and wants to make an impact in your community, we want to talk to you about running for local office.
If you are interested in getting involved politically in any capacity, please reach out to us at geneseenydemocrats@gmail.com or www.geneseenydemocrats.org
The following local elected offices will be voted on in November 2025.
County Legislature District 7: City of Batavia Wards 1 & 6
County Legislature District 9: City of Batavia Wards 4 & 5
The NYS LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program (NYSLTAP-CLRP) congratulates the Genesee County Department of Public Works as one of the winners in the 2024-25 Work Zone Equipment Package Grant - funded by a grant from the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee. We know that many agencies with small budgets have difficulty getting new work zone equipment, especially when it’s stolen or damaged due to circumstances beyond their control.
The equipment includes cones, safety vests, work zone signs, and stop-slow paddles for setting up a proper work zone. These materials help keep our highway and DPW crews safe when working out on the road.
“We know that many agencies have difficulty getting work zone equipment, especially when it’s stolen or damaged due to circumstances beyond their control. Good work zone signs protect the workers, improve communication with the public, and make the work more efficient by allowing it to be done faster.” said NYS LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program Director, David Orr, PE.
The NYSLTAP-CLRP Work Zone Equipment Package Grant is for NYS highway and public works departments that have lost, damaged, or are in need of work zone equipment. This year’s grant, from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, allows the NYSLTAP–CLRP to purchase 30 work zone packages, each work zone package comes to just over $1,900.
The NYS LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program provides technical assistance and training to highway and public works departments across New York State. Additional information can be found www.nysltap.org by contacting NYSLTAP-CLRP at 607-255-8033 or clrp@cornell.edu.
