genesee county

Discussion of a new Mercy Flight contract for basic and advanced life support services was no big surprise, perhaps, on Wednesday, but was a big step forward nonetheless as the process continued past the Ways & Means Committee, Matt Landers said.

The county manager presented the $452,000 contract to the committee on its last leg of a journey to the full Legislature for approval. 

While neighboring communities take on ambulance services themselves — and the high costs of labor, salaries, benefits, retirement, vehicles and maintenance that goes with it — Landers was pleased that Genesee County will have contracts with two providers (one has already been approved for Le Roy Ambulance Service), and looks forward to working with Mercy Flight, he said. 

“I think that this is a very good step for this Legislature to enter this contract with the county. It's a good step to avoid us having to buy ambulances and hire EMTs and things that our other neighboring counties have had to do because they didn't have a centralized strong entity like we have here in Genesee County,” he said. “And so let's support the private sector solution that's already here. And let them do the job that they're best at doing versus us entering into another business. 

“So I think it's a good contract; it’s something that we'll monitor closely. And I'm sure, once we start, this is something that we’ll be relying on for years, it will be going on for years and years and years, and we'll be discussing increases in future contracts,” he said. “But it's nice to know we've got a fixed amount for three years for strengthening our ambulance service.”

A study was conducted prior to this contract, and it was determined that in order to improve response times, an ambulance would stationed at each the east and west end of the county. 

So one will be placed in Stafford and in East Pembroke, plus Batavia will also have a base, and the new configuration will be monitored over time to see if that helps or if further adjustments need to be made, Landers said.

He pointed to Emergency Management Services Coordinator Tim Yaeger as the one integrally involved in the study and strategy for this plan. Yaeger was not at Wednesday’s meeting, and The Batavian plans to catch up with him in the future to further discuss the county’s contract.

“We were exploring different ways to potentially require certain response times from Mercy Flight. The more we examined it, it was looking to be a challenge because there's always explanations for why a response time might not have been met for a certain case. So overall, we thought that if we just had a deployment coming from Stafford and a deployment coming from East Pembroke, have enough pushing it out further from just being around the time of Batavia, that naturally, the response time should improve,” Landers said. “And it's something that we can monitor every year, per the contract. And if the response times truly are improving, then we made the right decision. If this is not having a material impact on response times in the outer parts of the county, then we will just have to reexamine a different way to have those response times improved.”

So nothing would change for three years?
“Well, I wouldn’t say nothing. But there is a three-year contract. So it's something that we know we can monitor because we have a relationship with Mercy Flight directly now. So it's something that we're going to have a close eye on because we want to make sure that we're investing taxpayer money into this venture, we want to make sure we're getting some improved response times from it,” he said. “I suppose that if there was a mutually agreeable alternative aid contract, we could engage in that certainly, but right now, we're hoping that over the next three years, we'll see a better response time from having these deployments from outside the town of Batavia. 

"Well, I want to emphasize they're still ambulances in Batavia. So, we are not looking to improve response times to the town at the expense of people here in Batavia,” he said.

Of the total $452,000, $375,000 will go for personnel salaries and benefits, and the remaining $77,000 is for training and education, Landers said. 

“That amount is for education. So one of the things that was expressed to us was that sometimes when people are going through a lengthy training process for EMT, they're going through training, and they're not getting paid,” he said. “And that's difficult for people and with families, and to make ends meet. So this would allow them to get paid while getting trained.”

The contract begins Jan. 1, 2024, and it is competitive within this region, he said.

“So I ran into a Mercy Flight person who said, ‘Yeah, I hear that when I’m working in Genesee County, I get a bigger rate.’ So the word’s out there because if that’s the stipulation, we don’t want Mercy Flight to be paying people in another county with these monies. So what they’re paying their people here is gonna be higher based on this contract,” he said. “It holds their feet to the fire a little bit more than we’ve ever had that ability to pass because they operated here without the contract between us and them. So this puts into place some expectations.”

The new setup is to “improve response time without hurting response time,” he said. 

A legislator wanted to know what would happen if there was a request for an ambulance and there wasn’t enough staff on duty to ensure the minimum staffing level. 

Mercy EMS won’t be able to take a voluntary transport if it jeopardizes that minimum staffing expectation of the county, per this new contract, Landers said. “It may be a longer delay."

The contract will go from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2026, for $452,460 per year.

Press Release:

Genesee County 4-H members Bing Zuber, Justin Deleo, and Kylie Paddock attended the New York State 4-H Agri-Business Career Conference (ABC Trip) last week. Forty youths from across NYS met in Cobleskill on Oct. 19 & 20 for the 46th annual 4-H ABC Trip. This trip for 4-H teens is in collaboration with SUNY Cobleskill and gives youth an up-close look at different agri-businesses as well as an opportunity to tour the college and meet with professors to learn what a college experience in their desired program area would look like.

Youth were able to choose which agri-businesses they toured on Thursday. Participating businesses included: Schoharie Valley Farms, Sweet Tree Farm, Hessian Hill Farm, Jack Miller’s Tractor and Truck, Fairbanks Stable, and Black Willow Pond Farm. On the SUNY Cobleskill campus, tour options included Speaking with A Veterinarian, The Dairy Processing Center, the Meat Processing Lab, and the Milk Quality Lab. Following their tours, teens worked together to create presentations to share with the rest of the group following a dinner on campus.

Friday was spent on campus starting with breakfast in the dining hall followed by campus tours led by SUNY Cobleskill Ambassadors. Following the tours, teens visited their academic area of interest which allowed them to meet with professors in that field and learn about the program area. Areas to choose from included Ag Business, Floriculture/Nursery Management, Equine Studies, Biotechnology, Ag Engineering, Livestock, Canine, Dairy, Fisheries & Wildlife, Histotechnology, and Ag Communications. 

The event culminated with lunch in the dining hall giving participants another opportunity to experience the food on campus. The ABC Trip is offered each fall to NYS 4-H members 14 years of age and older. For more information on this trip and other 4-H offerings, contact the Genesee County 4-H Program at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040 ext. 101. The Genesee County 4-H Program is a youth development program for youth ages 5-18.  New 4-H youth members, adult volunteers, and clubs are always welcome to join. Enrollment information is also available on our website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu

With a $150 million future phase III water system and $70 million new county jail facility in progress, coupled with addressing a $3.4 million deficit that “emerged” after receiving budget requests from all department heads, it was no wonder why county Manager Matt Landers needed extra time to put his annual budget message together this year.

What was originally expected for release a week ago had to be delayed until Friday of this week, with Landers explaining along the way that he was working to make edits and needed more time with his words than he did with the budget numbers.

"The next few budgets will have a uniform theme and consistent message from the Manager’s Office, which centers on the new County jail and the constant race to keep water supply ahead of demand. The county is embarking on two of the largest capital infrastructure projects in its history, with a new County jail carrying a price tag of approximately $70 million and phase three of the countywide water system with a current projected price tag of $150 million,” he said in this year’s message. “These two projects are going to weigh heavily on decisions made by the Manager’s Office and County Legislature for the foreseeable future, and is evident in the 2024 recommended County budget.”

Despite all of the upcoming expenses for infrastructure and jail to house men and women out on Route 5, the thrust of the message is not nearly as dire as one might expect. This next year’s all-funds budget of $182,790,077 is $20 million more than the 2023 adopted budget and includes a tax rate that is 37 cents less than the current tax rate, or an expected $8.08 per $1,000 assessed value. For a home assessed at 100,000, if nothing has changed with its assessment this past year, the annual tax bill will decrease by $37. 

The total budget also includes:

• Approximately $5 million in Phase 2 construction costs in the County Water Fund.
• Seven new hires related to the new County Jail.
• Additional operational cost increases at the Jail in preparation for the facility opening in 2024, both of which amount to approximately $1.9 million.
• Increased Medicaid costs to the County for approximately $1 million as a result of NYS eliminating the Federal subsidy known as eFMAP.
• Two new contracts with local ambulance service providers totaling over $600,000 annually.
• NYS retirement cost increases for approximately $1.2 million: These costs have risen significantly, with an average increase in all tiers exceeding 18 percent.
• Necessary collective bargaining contract increases for “a highly dedicated and underpaid workforce,” which amounts to approximately $3 million.
• Inflationary cost increases that are causing significant budgetary increases in a variety of commodities the County purchases every year. 
• Mandates: Approximately 92 percent of the 2024 recommended property tax levy is made up of state-mandated expenditures to fund departments and programs, such as Medicaid, Probation, the new jail, Public Defender’s Office, assigned counsel, Social Service programs, Mental Health Department, Early Intervention, 3-5 Preschool Services, and various others.

“This budget funds County government in an efficient and responsible manner while making key investments that will help deliver better service to the residents of Genesee County. The recommended budget stays under the NYS tax cap while covering a lengthy number of expensive State mandates of which we have little to no control,” Landers said. “Crafting a balanced 2024 recommended budget presented considerable challenges, particularly in addressing a $3.4 million deficit that emerged after receiving budget requests from all department heads. To meet the challenge of keeping the net County support impact in line with the 2023 budget, County departments were encouraged to think innovatively and find cost-effective solutions.

“This was a challenge, considering New York State Retirement rates were once again increasing while higher than normal inflation and supply chain issues are causing vendor contracts to increase,” he said. “Despite these increases, I was pleased to see the majority of departments hold the line on spending, which helped greatly in delivering a budget that stays under the tax cap.”

The recommended budget includes $1.5 million of unappropriated fund balance, a decrease of $500,000 from the 2023 adopted County budget, he said. He is proposing a property tax levy of $32,722,377, an increase of $641,615, or 2 percent, which falls within the allowable tax cap. That would drop the current tax rate from $8.45 per $1,000 to $8.08 per $1,000 assessed value for a 4.37 percent decrease. 

While he worked with department staff to control spending where possible, Landers also kept an eye on a “continued commitment in increased funding for our roads and bridges infrastructure,” he said, by putting an extra $1 million to play catch-up on work that's been put aside for too long.

“The cracks are showing,” he said. “This continued commitment of an extra $1 million is a big step in addressing the deferred maintenance of the county road and bridge infrastructure. 

“The County continues to make strategic investments in its workforce, which will result in better service delivery to Genesee County residents. A large share of the investments in the 2024 recommended budget are being made in public safety,” he said. “Newly created positions are necessary to run an effective 21st Century correctional facility and include creating six new correction officer positions and a new custodial position to help maintain the significantly larger county jail.”

Another key piece of infrastructure is the multi-phase Genesee County Water System, which is nearing completion of the $25+ million phase 2 while Phase 3, a $150 million project, is being quickly designed, Landers said. 

“Phase 3 includes bringing in enough water from Monroe County to close the City of Batavia water plant, which draws from a threatened source and has long outlived its useful life,” he said. “However, before the plant comes off-line, millions more have to be invested to ensure water supply keeps up with demand until Phase 3 is complete.”

As he had announced earlier this year, Landers had struck a deal with Mercy Flight and Le Roy Ambulance Service for dedicated ambulance response within the county. That is reflected in the 2024 budget with two new contracts for more than $600,000 annually “to help stabilize emergency response resources in Genesee County.” This action was listed as one of the recommendations from a recent County-funded study that examined fire and ambulance service in Genesee County, he said. 

“These new contracts will strengthen the capabilities of local providers, improve emergency response times for County residents and allow the County to avoid directly purchasing ambulances and hiring staff,” he said.

Overall, Landers, with assistance from the assistant county manager and executive assistant, took a “deeper dive” into more specific budget lines, resulting in “significant budgetary savings,” he said, and more sharing of resources between departments. 

How is he reducing the tax rate with all of those expenses on the county’s plate?
There’s a $1.5 million fund balance, $1 million from reserves, an increase in sales tax revenue of $6.7 million — due to the price of goods increasing as the result of inflation, larger online purchasing by Genesee County residents and the retail growth happening in the Town of Batavia, plus a large percentage of sales tax from gasoline sales — and recent interest rate increases have earned the county an extra $1.45 million of interest earnings, all going toward the 2024 budget, Landers said.

The public will have the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed budget during a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Courthouse Chambers, second floor of the Old County Courthouse, 7 Main St., Batavia. The county Legislature is expected to vote on a final budget on Nov. 20. 

Michael Burns is one of those guys who is often behind the scenes, making sure that all systems are working smoothly and nothing dastardly or mischievous gets into foul things up for Genesee County.

He takes his job seriously — so much, in fact, that he sends tester emails to colleagues to see if they will open them up. Every now and then, a county employee will comment that he or she was tempted to open an odd email but thought better of it, also thinking that maybe it was sent from Burns.

Of course, by now, everyone should know not to open up a strange, random or otherwise questionable email.

And Burns, who was hired as director of Information Technology in May 2021, has been beating that drum, along with sharing other important cybersecurity reminders, ever since he took the job. 

After all, “we are more wired than ever before,” he has said. 

On Wednesday, the county Legislature acknowledged the vital role of those like Burns and proclaimed the month of October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. 

Legislator Chad Klotzbach represented the group as information technology liaison for the state Association of Counties Information Technology Task Force. The proclamation states:

WHEREAS, in today’s world we are more interconnected that ever before yet for all of its

advantages, increased connectivity brings increased risk of theft, fraud and abuse, and

WHEREAS, as Genesee County and its citizens become more reliant on modern

technology we also become more vulnerable to cyberattacks such as security breaches,

spear phishing and social media fraud, and

WHEREAS, Genesee County Information Technology Department is responsible for

delivering secure, accurate, timely information and services to County departments, municipalities, residents and visitors effectively and efficiently, and

WHEREAS, Genesee County IT employees, consultants and vendors institute best practices and utilize available resources, and

WHEREAS, cybersecurity month provides an opportunity to increase public awareness and understanding of cyber threats while empowering employees and citizens to be safer and more secure online. Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, the Genesee County Legislature does hereby proclaim the Month of October as Cybersecurity Month and encourages all citizens to recognize that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility in which we all have a role to play.

In addition to monitoring the county’s overall cybersecurity and other technology systems, Burns has also been involved in a project to install fiber cable from County Building 2 on Route 5 to Emergency Management Services on State Street Road and from County Building 2 to Genesee County Airport at 4701 East Saile Drive. 

The Information Technology website has several resources, from affordable Internet service providers to tips for password security, multi-factor authentication, dealing with ransomware, phishing awareness, how to keep kids safe online, and other topics. 

There’s even a Kids Safe Online poster contest.

Press Release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) have identified a concerning trend of elevated cocaine use locally that is causing fatal fentanyl overdoses. Fortunately, these deaths are preventable, and resources are available locally to help. 

Since 2021, there have been 29 fatal fentanyl overdoses confirmed in Genesee County, and at least 72% of these deaths have also involved cocaine.

In some instances, bystanders reported that the person who died of a fentanyl overdose thought they were taking only powder cocaine or crack cocaine. In Orleans County, there were 10 fatal fentanyl overdoses during this same time period, of which 40% involved cocaine.

GO Health has also identified through wastewater analysis that cocaine consumption is very high in Batavia and Le Roy compared to other areas nationally. GO Health regularly analyzes wastewater samples from wastewater treatment plants throughout Genesee and Orleans Counties for high-risk substances to better understand local patterns in drug consumption and these trends are compared to upwards of 160 sites nationally by the wastewater epidemiology company Biobot Analytics. 

In August, the estimated cocaine consumption in Batavia was higher than 94% of other tested sites in the United States, and in Le Roy it was higher than 95% of other tested sites. Substance use is estimated in each sewershed by taking the amount of the metabolite found in the wastewater and dividing by the size of the population served by the wastewater treatment plant.

“For the last several years, Genesee County’s opioid overdose death rates have surpassed the state’s average, and been higher than neighboring counties too,” stated Paul Pettit, the Public Health Director for GO Health. “Unfortunately, what we are seeing here are indications of a relatively high amount of cocaine use locally, and when that cocaine is contaminated with fentanyl, it is causing preventable overdoses and deaths,” Pettit explained.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that can be prescribed by physicians to treat patients’ severe pain that is not responsive to other medications, such as in cases of advanced-stage cancer.

Because it is 50 times stronger than heroin, illegally-made fentanyl has largely replaced heroin and other opioids in the U.S. drug supply, and is commonly mixed with other drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Many people who use street drugs like cocaine or counterfeit pills are unaware that what they are taking may contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Individuals who are aware of the risks of fentanyl overdose when using cocaine are empowered to make safer choices that could save their life or the life of a loved one, and a number of resources are available:

• Narcan (naloxone) nasal spray can be used to reverse an opioid overdose, and should be administered to anyone who is showing signs of having difficulty breathing or who is not breathing at all, regardless of whether the person is known to have taken an opioid. Narcan is available for free from the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force simply by texting “KIT” to 1-877-535-2461.
• Fentanyl test strips, which can be used to check for fentanyl in drugs, are available for free from the MATTERS Network at mattersnetwork.org/individual-request. 
• People who use cocaine or other drugs can reduce their risk by never using alone, taking turns when using drugs with others, or calling the Never Use Alone Hotline at 1-800-484-3731.
• Treatment for substance use disorders is available locally from Hope Haven at 585-922-9900, from Horizon Health Services at 585-815-0247, and from UConnectCare (formerly GCASA) at 585-343-1124 (Genesee County) or 585-589-0055 (Orleans County).
• Entry points to treatment are also available in person 24 hours a day at the City of Batavia Fire Department, the City of Batavia Police Department, the Genesee County Sheriff, and the Le Roy Police Department through the Public Safety Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI).

For information on Health Department programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:

• Genesee County Health Department: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555
• Orleans County Health Department: 585-589-3278

Follow GO Health on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at GOHealthNY.

It’s not a very exciting election year in Genesee County, as the two largest jurisdictions — the City of Batavia and Genesee County — are marked by uncontested races for every seat up for a vote on both City Council and County Legislature.

However, there is a new City Council candidate and three propositions on November's ballot.

The City Council election features incumbents Paul Viele for Ward 1, Alfred McGinnis for Ward 4, Kathy Briggs for Ward 5 and Tammy Schmidt for Ward 6, all who are running unopposed for re-election. 

David Twichell, who filled the seat of Patti Pacino for Ward 2 earlier this year, is running for his first full term unopposed. 

Newcomer Derek Geib is running to fill the seat vacated by John Canale, who opted not to run again for Ward 3. 

Geib, a city business owner, president of the downtown Business Improvement District and member of the city’s Planning and Development Committee, is also running unopposed. 

Unfortunately, voters won’t have an opportunity to learn why he’s running for a seat on council or why he would like to represent his section of the city, because Geib declined an interview with The Batavian.

“I don’t have interest in doing interviews ever for anything honestly,” he said.

These are the uncontested races for Genesee County positions:

• Genesee County Clerk  - Michael Cianfrini
• Genesee County Coroner - Wade Schwab
• Genesee County Coroner (unexpired term) - Donald Newton Jr.
• Genesee County Legislator, District 2 Towns of Bergen, Byron, and Elba - Christian Yunker
• Genesee County Legislator, District 4 Towns of Batavia, and Stafford - Brooks Hawley
• Genesee County Legislator, District 6 Towns of Alexander, Bethany, and Pavilion - Gregg Torrey
• Genesee County Legislator District 8 City of Batavia, Wards 2 & 3 - Marianne Clattenburg

Three propositions are on the ballot this year:

Proposal One: Removal of Small City School District from Special Constitutional Debt Limitation.

The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 4 of the Constitution removes the special constitutional debt limitation now placed on small city school districts, so they will be treated the same as all other school districts. Shall the proposed amendment be approved? Yes or No.

Batavia City Schools administrators are in favor of this amendment, because it would allow the district to borrow more money for projects in the future. As is, the limit means Batavia can only borrow up to five percent of its debt limit, versus other school districts that can borrow up to 10 percent.

This measure does not include the current $45 million capital project that’s on the table, Superintendent Jason Smith said, as it would take effect after that project vote. 

Proposal Two is to extend sewage project debt exclusion from the debt limit. The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 5 of the Constitution extends for 10 years the authority of counties, cities, towns, and villages to remove from their constitutional debt limits debt for the construction of sewage facilities. Shall the proposed amendment be approved? Yes or No. 

Proposal Three is for voters in the towns of Byron and Bergen only: Shall the Town of Bergen  (Town of Byron) establish an annual tax in the amount of $0.55/$1,000 (fifty-five cents per one thousand dollars) of assessed value in order to support the operation of the Byron-Bergen Public Library, commencing in the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2024. Yes or No.

Library board President Sally Capurso recently explained why she and board trustees are asking town voters to approve this measure. 

Amanda Lee received a bit of spotlight Monday as she sat in the hot seat for the first time as the newly hired GLOW regional solid waste management-recycling administrator.

Lee replaced Peggy Grayson, who retired from the full-time position June 30 after nearly two dozen years. As a search was conducted, Grayson had agreed to remain on in a part-time capacity to show her successor the ropes, training which the newcomer said she was grateful for.

“I’m really glad I had that month,” Lee said during the county’s Public Service meeting.

The job deals with all things recycling and solid waste management, from used paint cans and electronics to cooking oil, vaping cartridges, and K-cups, related collections events, and composting.

Lee had already gotten her feet wet with a couple of recycling collections, she said. She had also begun to ease some social media into the job so that people could communicate with her online, she said.

So what prompted Lee, who is from Hamburg, to pursue this profession in Genesee County? Timing is everything.

She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and animal behavior, ecology and conservation, and specializes in conservation issues. 

“Waste management is a really big part of that. So I just had graduated during COVID, in the pandemic, and so the opportunities to get into the environmental world were very slim as it is,” she said after the meeting. “So I saw this opportunity and I jumped on it as soon as I could, as a way to really grow my career and start my career really. 

“I want to have a positive environmental impact on the world. And I think starting in local government is a really, really good place,” she said. “And offering people that don’t always have access to disposal of things that opportunity to get rid of them in an environmentally friendly way.”

Lee's first official duty was to introduce an intermunicipal contract renewal to the committee, which it approved and passed along to Ways & Means.

The Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming Counties (GLOW) Region Solid Waste Management Program Intermunicipal Cooperation contract is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2023, and the GLOW Region Solid Waste Management Committee recommends the continuation of the contract. 

The budget impact of $26,151.52 is the projected annual Genesee County contribution for 2024 and 2025. The contribution is an increase of 4.4 percent from the previous year as adjusted per the latest Census numbers.

It is expected that Ways & Means will approve the contract, and it will then move on to the whole county Legislature for vote.

Of all the events and groundbreakings and celebrations that Genesee County Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein has attended to represent the county, there has been one event that has been a sober reminder of just how precious life really is.

That was when she received a proclamation recently for Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a survivor of the disease. Since her diagnosis and treatment in 2015, Stein has not only learned about local offerings but also about the importance of advocating for preventative care.

“One of the realities of life is that we don't get to choose what happens to our health all the time. But since having breast cancer, I have found that there is an incredible support system built into here in Genesee County,” she said to The Batavian. “I started with the Breast Cancer Coalition in Rochester. And at that time, our Senator Ranzenhofer had provided funds for there to be a support group in all of the counties that he represented. So then the Breast Cancer Coalition teamed up with our Genesee Cancer Assistance group. 

“And that opened a different door for me because I didn't know anything about it at all,” she said. “But once you walk through the door of Genesee Cancer Assistance, you find this incredible support group that has doctors, it has researchers, it has the kind and caring neighbors that you need.”

Stein lives in Le Roy, what she considers to be on the edge of Monroe County, and therefore “that's the direction she headed" for all of her doctor and hospital needs, she said. 

“But certainly, you know, I had my eyes opened to all of the services that are now available here in Genesee County because the providers are coming here,” she said. “And whether they have an office that is open full-time or they come in for services two or three times a week,” those professionals and providers, including Genesee Cancer Assistance, a nonprofit based in Batavia, are available.

Stein said that Genesee County is “really, really lucky to have the support services in place” right here, without having to travel farther away.

“And one of the biggest messages, of course, is to make sure to have your screenings,” Stein said. “And we all know how our body's baseline is. One of the things that we talked about in COVID was, you know, really, really become familiar with how your body feels.

“Same thing can be said about any other disease. You know your body best, and when something changes, don't hesitate. Get your screenings done right away.  Really, the services, the research, and the screenings are available more locally now than they've ever been,” she said. “So there's no reason for anyone to get caught off guard by having breast cancer, I’m really hoping for an end to the disease.”

The proclamation states:

WHEREAS, every year the month of October aims to promote screening and prevention of breast cancer, and
WHEREAS, each year we review our knowledge of this disease, shine a spotlight on its risks and symptoms, and raise awareness of how we can help fight it, and
WHEREAS, research efforts have yielded great progress in how we diagnose and treat breast cancer, and has shown that when breast cancer is detected early there is a higher rate of cure and better chance of successful treatment and survival. The “Gold Standard” screening test for breast cancer is a mammogram – it can detect the disease before symptoms appear, and
WHEREAS, individuals and communities still benefit from a reminder that breast cancer is not a solved problem – it’s not gone, nor cured or a condition to ignore, and
WHEREAS, as we display pink ribbons and wear pink clothing to raise awareness, we also support those courageously fighting breast cancer and honor the lives lost to the disease, and
WHEREAS, the Old Courthouse of Genesee County will have a light display of the color pink from Monday, October 9th through Sunday, October 15th to show awareness for Breast Cancer month, and
WHEREAS, the fight does not end on October 31st, and
WHEREAS, taking the right steps to combat this disease includes screening tests for early detection and prevention, standing by survivors and their families, and supporting worthy organizations that provide quality treatment and care or who are working tirelessly to find a cure. Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, the Genesee County Legislature does hereby proclaim October 2023 as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” and encourage all residents to think pink, think prevention and think early detection.

If local officials were to play on that old game show where the announcer would whisper the special word of the moment, it would most undoubtedly be “housing.”

And the clues given would be low income, market rate, owner occupied, rental, and, according to County Planner Felipe Oltramari, unmatched.

It is that current necessity that has prompted a Genesee County housing needs assessment and market analysis.

“We may have enough low-income housing, but we may not have enough for young professionals or we may not have enough rental units versus owner-occupied units, so there’s different sectors in the housing market, where you basically have to match that to the population you’re either trying to attract through economic development projects like STAMP or that are currently here,” he said after Monday’s Public Services meeting. “One of the examples we hear all the time from municipalities is there aren't enough senior patio homes so that people can downsize in their community. So there may be some in Rochester, Buffalo, or in Batavia, but there may not be any in Elba, or in Oakfield. And people want to stay in their community so they can still go to their same church and do all those things.”

Another example he gave was of senior citizens not wanting to maintain their four- or five-bedroom homes, but how those larger properties might then better serve young families that are looking to own a house.  

“So those kinds of different sectors all need to be matched up. And basically what the study does is identify all those things, and makes it available to potential developers that could go and say, oh, you know, all that research is done for us, it's a lot easier to come in and invest,” he said. “So that's why it's a powerful tool because you basically do a lot of work for those developers that are looking to build those types of things that we might need. And then those projects can happen.”

The last such housing needs assessment and market analysis was done in 2018, but due to COVID, the data used was from 2015, and since then, “our market has really changed,” Oltramari said. Property owners know what he’s saying is true: “A lot has changed. Anybody who’s been out there and looking at their assessments has noticed, home prices have really changed in our county.”

“So we want to make sure we’re up to date,” he said. “Developers might come in and say, ‘yeah, that’s nice (that you did one in 2018), you have one but it’s not up to date. So we need to know what’s going on right now.”

The Public Service Committee agreed. It voted to move the request on to Ways & Means and then to the county Legislature for a final vote that Genesee County acknowledges that an update to the Housing Needs Assessment and Market Analysis is needed due to the rapidly changing nature of the market. 

Genesee County solicited proposals from vendors to undertake the study through a Request for Proposals issued in July, and a vendor selection committee made up of representatives from the County Manager’s Office, Planning Department, Genesee County Economic Development Center, and the Genesee Region Housing Initiatives Committee, reviewed four separate proposals. 

The group recommended Urban Partners of Philadelphia, Penn., at a cost not to exceed $50,000, for the job. The company had good reviews, and the City of Batavia and Batavia Development Corporation also gave input about the selected vendor, Oltramari said. 

Batavia city officials recently issued their own appeal for housing initiatives in the form of grant funding from $10,000 to $50,000 for individuals or groups interested in building or rehabbing a rental or owner-occupied development of some type in their quest to obtain more market-rate housing. 

A snippet from Urban Partners' website states, “We prepare detailed analyses of housing markets that include supply and demand analysis, forecasting of future housing needs, incentive programs to provide unmet demand, and affordable housing needs analysis. 

“Our work usually involves the engagement of community stakeholders in formulating housing priorities,” the site states. “We also assist specific housing developments in identifying target markets and planning production strategies.”

If approved by the Legislature, the study is to begin in November and take approximately nine months to complete.

The $50,000 contract is to be funded by sales tax proceeds. A $50,000 grant funding request was made to Senator George Borrello’s office, and if any grant funds are awarded and received, those funds will be used to cover the cost of this contract instead, according to the resolution.

City of Batavia and Genesee County fire department and management leaders have been on site with fire trucks, issuing reminders and presenting a proclamation, all in an effort to recognize and promote the importance of Fire Prevention Week, which ends on Saturday.

Although the week officially runs from Oct. 8 to 14, Batavia Fire Department Lieutenant Bob Tedford wants citizens to remember that cooking safety begins with you, no matter when that is. Cooking is the leading cause of home fire injuries, according to the National Fire Protection Association, with nearly half of all home fires involving cooking equipment, according to a press release sent from Tedford on behalf of the NFPA.

The City of Batavia Fire Department, therefore, wanted to share the following cooking safety messages to support this year’s cooking safety theme, he said. 

• Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. For foods with longer cook times, such as those simmering or baking, set a timer to help monitor them carefully.

• Clear the cooking area of combustible items and keep anything that can burn, such as dish towels, oven mitts, food packaging, and paper towels away from the cooking area.

• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.

• Create a “kid and pet-free zone” of at least three feet around the cooking area and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

As the biggest annual campaign at NFPA, Fire Prevention Week works to educate people about the leading risks to home fires and ways they can better protect themselves and their loved ones. Local fire departments play a key role in bringing Fire Prevention Week to life in their communities each year and spreading basic but critical fire safety messages.

To learn more about Fire Prevention Week, its 100th anniversary, and this year’s theme,  go to www.nfpa.org/fpw.

County legislators also recognized the week during the Legislature’s Wednesday meeting with a proclamation, which was presented to Emergency Management Services and Fire Coordinator Timothy Yaeger and Assistant Coordinator Gary Patnode on behalf of the 17 volunteer and one career fire department in Genesee County.

The proclamation states:

WHEREAS, the week of October 8 th through the 14 th , 2023 is Fire Prevention Week where the goal is to raise fire safety awareness and help ensure your home and family is protected, and

WHEREAS, fire is a serious public safety concern both locally and nationally, with homes being the location where people are at the greatest risk from fire, and

WHEREAS, cooking is the leading cause of house fires, with nearly half of all house fires involves cooking equipment and the other involves unattended cooking, and

WHEREAS, residents should stay in the kitchen when frying food on the stovetop, keep a three-foot kid-free zone around cooking areas and keep anything that can catch fire away from stove tops, and

WHEREAS, residents who have planned and practiced a home fire escape plan are more prepared and will therefore be more likely to survive a fire, and

WHEREAS, in reported house fires, working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in half, and

WHEREAS, first responders are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries through prevention and protection. Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Genesee County Legislature does hereby proclaim October 8th through the 14th, 2023 as Fire Prevention Week and we urge all residents to participate by checking their smoke alarms and kitchens for fire hazards and use safe cooking practices during Fire Prevention Week.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce officially launched an online store selling commemorative merchandise in celebration of the 2024 total solar eclipse that will dip the county into deep twilight for 3 minutes and 42 seconds. 

The items – ranging from the County’s commemorative poster to apparel to an original children’s book – feature the county’s eclipse mascot, Genny the Cow. 

Earlier this year, the Chamber revealed its GeneSEE the Eclipse commemorative poster and ISO Certified-Safe Solar Glasses. Now, residents and visitors alike will have the opportunity to purchase their own through the Chamber’s online store. In addition, there are youth and adult t-shirts, crewneck sweatshirts, and hooded sweatshirts in a variety of GeneSEE the Eclipse branding designs.

Genesee County businesses that would like to order a bulk supply of the commemorative glasses for their planned eclipse events/customers and or employees can order now through this link. These will be available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Another exciting addition to the store is the Chamber’s original children’s storybook, “Genny Sees the Eclipse.” The informative and fun story takes place at the fictional Genesee Farm on April 8, 2024, when Genny the Cow and her farm animal friends experience the solar eclipse. 

The book was written by Colleen Onuffer and illustrated by Andy Reddout, who also designed the County’s commemorative poster. All proceeds of this limited-edition book will be donated to animal shelters within Genesee County.

GeneSEE the Eclipse merchandise is available for purchase at https://shop.geneseetheeclipse.com and will ship directly to purchasers’ homes. In addition, locals can purchase and pick up solar glasses, posters, and the commemorative book directly at the Genesee County Visitor Center at 8276 Park Road Batavia.

The book will be available later this month but pre-orders are being accepted. Please note that the Visitor Center office will be closed on October 9, but the vestibule is open 24/7 for those stopping by for area brochures.

In less than a minute Wednesday, four Genesee County legislators did something that is rarely done during a committee meeting, likely ending the current plans of UConnectCare to purchase property on the outskirts of the county and convert it to transitional housing.

The legislators, led by Gary Maha, voted no to support UConnectCare CEO John Bennett’s request for $100,000 to purchase The Attican motel on Route 98.

Bennett’s agency was prepared to offer $800,000 for the property.

“I'm concerned with regards to this resolution. One is the assessment -- (the assistant county treasurer) checked on that for real property tax purposes. His property is assessed at $293,000. And yet the purchase price was three times as much as the assessment. Even with the adjustments, it's going to be assessed around $300,000. I have a concern with that,” Maha said during the Ways & Means session at the old County Courthouse. “And I know several residents in the area are concerned about the clientele presiding in that hotel, there’s children living in that area that back up the motel, and there’s an elementary school not too far down the road from that location, so I’m going to vote no to this resolution.”

Bennett had made the pitch during Monday’s Human Services meeting, and that committee passed along the resolution to Wednesday’s Ways & Means Committee for further consideration after Legislator Marianne Clattenburg spoke against the idea.

Among her concerns were the purchase offer of $800,000 for a property that was said on Monday to be assessed for $297,000, and would become nonprofit real estate to be taken off the tax rolls. She also questioned the value of the project and plan to turn yet another building into housing for people struggling with addiction, she said. 

UConnectCare, formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, has other residential sites, and the agency doesn't seem to be gaining any ground with long-term successes, she said. 

While the majority of these resolutions typically get a yes from every legislator sitting on a committee before it goes to the full county Legislature for a final vote, this one was stopped in its tracks. 

Fellow committee members, legislators Gregg Torrey, John Deleo and Committee Chairwoman Clattenburg also voted no to the resolution for the same reasons as those stated by Maha, they said. That halts it from going any further. 

On Monday, Bennett said that if he did not receive the $100,000, that he would not pursue the plan to buy the building. He has $700,000 in funding now but wanted to get the county’s support, he said. 

Earlier Wednesday, Attica Village Mayor Nathan Montford said that he had felt a bit “blindsided” by the prospective motel purchase since he learned of it via social media and not directly from GCASA officials, he said.

“I wish I had found out from them first,” he said to The Batavian. 

 The Attican “gets utilized for a multitude of events,”  he said.  “I’d like to see it kept the way it is.” 

He didn’t want to comment too much before discussing the matter with Bennett, who apparently reached out to Montford after the initial meeting with county officials went public. Montford believed that they would be talking on Thursday afternoon. 

“There was some backlash,” Montford said, from both residents and businesses bringing forth more questions about the venture. “I have more questions. It’s worrisome when something like this gets brought to  us.”

One concern he has is that “I don’t believe our village has the resources” for the proposed planned use of the motel, he said.

Of course, with the resolution defeated, it all may be moot now. The Batavian reached out to Bennett after the meeting for response to Wednesday’s vote and asked about his plans for transitional housing and/or other types of programs and services. 

A request for $100,000 in funding for the purchase of a motel for transitional housing by John Bennett of UConnect Care, was fairly quickly moved onto Wednesday’s Ways & Means meeting after Genesee County Legislator Marianne Clattenburg voiced concerns about what she deemed questionable use of taxpayer funds Monday.

Bennett, chief executive officer of the longtime-named agency Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and recently renamed UConnect Care, laid out his case for using grant funds that are earmarked for opioid-related purposes to purchase The Attican, a 29-unit motel in Genesee County. 

Perched at the top of a hill at 11180 Alexander Road, the motel would serve the needs of the agency by housing singles and single parents with small children in need of safe housing while they are transitioning from rehab for anywhere from a few days for up to three months, Bennett said during Monday’s Human Services meeting.

Bennett said that he’s got funding of $600,000 from grants, $100,000 from GCASA, or UConnect, and is requesting $100,000 from Genesee County to top it off for the total $800,000. His proposal will move to the Ways and Means meeting at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, which is chaired by Clattenburg.

The facility would probably operate with a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) and paid for with a five-year grant from UConnect, other resources and Genesee County, he said. 

“We plan to have a maintenance person living there. We’ve done our due diligence,” he said. “We maintain our properties. It’s a new adventure for me; it’s a little bit of a stretch, but it’s the right thing to do.”

His agency had a grant with some beds prior to COVID and the pandemic, and now no longer operates those, which were for crisis housing situations for folks to stay up to seven days, he said. 

There are people using The Attican for temporary housing now, which can get expensive, but it accommodates their current lifestyle, he said.

Legislator Gary Maha asked if Bennett would be returning at some point down the road to ask for more money. Bennett didn’t think that was the case, as most of the funding is in place for the purchase offer, and “we have the means for programming,” he said. 

He painted scenarios of a single mom with kids who may be struggling with other issues as well as drugs; individuals couch surfing without a stable home of their own; or other issues that make for an unsteady way of life.

Maha agreed that “you don’t see people sleeping under a bridge or under a park bench here; it’s different,” versus in larger cities where homelessness is literally on the streets. It’s more about unstable housing, Bennett said. 

“These guys will catch me in the parking lot and thank me. Having some crisis housing for people, it’s huge,” he said. “We have a lot of people that have been using our system for a long time … they put some sobriety together, struggle, and relapse. We’re that safe place for them to be.”

County Mental Health Director Lynda Battaglia offered her support for the idea, emphasizing that housing is an issue for lots of people, not just for those with addictions, but with mental health issues, coming out of the hospital, were homeless and now need a place to stay.

“They can go there. And we struggle with housing. We have a couple of respite beds that it's usually like a 30-day minimum stay. And those are full all the time, and we have a waitlist. So that individual is going out of the hospital, we have to work with DSS, we have to try to find something,” she said. “The thing about somebody that needs housing, and they're trying to recover, and they have mental health issues and all of these other issues just working against them somehow. It just sets the foundation for them to then take some additional steps forward to live a productive life, a healthy life.”

She asked Clattenburg how she thinks she would be able to begin all over again without anything. What would you do? Battaglia said.

Clattenburg pivoted to the housing ratio in the city of Batavia: 51 percent is rental versus 49 percent owner-occupied homes. 

“So if the grand plan is to change more housing, into supportive housing, and take a property off the tax rolls, and change the whole nature of this community, then you're not going to have my support. There has to be some give and take here,” Clattenburg said. "And now we're not going to have any women in Batavia, and it’s going to be all men. So I don't know what that does to the dynamic of the public safety atmosphere. Do you have a pilot in the city of Batavia for any of the other properties that you have, but you’re going to have a pilot for this one? That’s a whole other question.

“I mean, I understand that years ago, you know, you’d get this kind of crisis we’ve all had in a family, but this used to be part of the family’s thing. But now the government has replaced the family. So, I don't know how we ever get ahead of all of this. I just don't know,” Clattenburg said. “And I just don't know if throwing programs and programs and programs, that we're ever going to get there at some point. Myself, as a representative of this community, has to say no, we need to be thinking of our people too.”

Bennett and colleague Luke Granger said their purchase offer would be $800,000 for the motel. Clattenburg asked about its assessed value, which Granger said he thought was $297,000. 

The online assessment records actually state that it’s assessed at $292,000. Built-in 1984, the two-story property was last sold in 2006 for a net sale price of $300,000, and its taxable value is $292,000. 

Regardless of that discrepancy, Clattenburg seemed incredulous that they wanted to spend $900,000 (she was later corrected that the purchase offer was going to be $800,000) for property assessed at $297,000.

“I don’t think that’s a good use of taxpayer money,” she said. “I’m not anti-this organization, because I do think you do some good things. But I do think that there's some problems that I just can’t look the other way. I just want us to be aware of that. And to know that it's an issue in the city of Batavia.  And it's just so frustrating to have this be an issue in your organization for so long, and to go from one building to two to three, that, you know, all these services, and just, I’m sure it's heartbreaking to you too, that we just don't seem to be getting ahead of this, it just seems to be getting worse. And that’s the frustration.”

Bennett said that he has been doing this for “a very long time” and that it would be easier for him not to take on such a project at this point than to get involved. But he believes in the agency and its mission.

“People have feelings about us, and they either love us or hate us. We're pretty polarized. And the truth of it is we provide a very good service. And our organization has done very good work. We take good care of our properties in this community, we employ a ton of people, we have close to 200 employees that do the work, right, and now we're going to be in a motel unit,” he said. “But think about if you had the motel here and you had case management, so we're gonna teach management and people there to help people and to guide them and to also make sure that people aren't causing trouble. So I mean, it is more than just housing, too. It is other support services that these folks don't have right now. And so we’re it for them sometimes. And I know that, believe me, I know that there's a huge need out there for lots of people right now. So we're just trying to help our little piece of the world.”

After the meeting, Clattenburg said that she purposely attended this meeting to get more information about the plan for this purchase. “I just had a lot more questions,“ she said.

“And it wasn’t really answered the way I thought. So I’m just, I’m kind of stunned with the difference in the assessment and the price,” she said. You know, these are taxpayer funds, and we did go through a lawsuit to get funding to help with this crisis. I realized that these are the professionals who are giving us recommendations, but I think it’s our job to question things. And I’d like to know where we’re headed with this.”

The property is listed as for sale on LoopNet. That listing does not include an asking price. Realtor.com gives the estimated market value of the property as $970,343.

During the meeting, she raised the issue of the city of Batavia’s disparity of owner-occupied homes versus renters, at 49 percent to 51 percent, respectively, and fewer properties on the tax rolls. Taking The Attican off of Genesee County’s tax roll by converting it to a nonprofit housing entity is not something she wants to see.  The Batavian asked if she’s concerned about where we are with housing in the city.

“Absolutely,” she said. "I come from the perspective of being on council and being the council president, and seeing those issues come up. You know, it just seems like we are, with the Savarino property devolving into what it was, people want to live and work here and raise their families, and it feels like they're just getting pushed out of that. So I have to be here to advocate for everybody.”

Bennett said that the plan would not move forward without the county’s support. He would work with county Manager Matt Landers and wait to hear the outcome of the Ways & Means Committee meeting. 

If the committee agrees to the request, it will vote on a resolution that will go to the county Legislature for final approval. That will be to award the Genesee Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Inc. (GCASA) $100,000 “to respond to the homeless housing crisis in the County with a focus on people with opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders,” according to the resolution, for the purchase of the motel known as The Attican.

Bennett said Monday that he had not yet spoken to the motel owner about an offer and purchase, as he had wanted to obtain approval for the county funding before doing so. The owner is listed as Aum Shree LLC. 

A pilot program that allows 12- and 13-olds to hunt with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun or muzzleloading firearm is about to expire at the end of this year unless the Genesee County Legislature votes to extend the local law next month.

The public is invited for comments during a public hearing on the issue at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Legislative Chambers in the Old Courthouse, 7 Main St., Batavia.

New York State enacted legislation in 2021 that created a new section of Environmental Conservation Law (11-0935) authorizing a license holder who is 12 or 13 years of age to hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloading firearm under the supervision of an experienced adult hunter in eligible areas. This program ran through 2023 and required counties to adopt a local law authorizing participation and to notify the DEC of their participation. Prior to that, the state’s legal age to hunt was 14.

Genesee County was one of the 52 counties in the state to register, leaving just two counties to opt out of the program. Currently, all other states allow youths 12 years old or younger to hunt big game with a firearm.

During a prior discussion about voting on a resolution to extend the law to a permissible Dec. 31, 2025, county legislators seemed in favor of doing so, including Legislator Christian Yunker, who said there has been "a lot of positive response" to the program.

He pointed to a report that was put out by the DEC to the state Senate and Assembly with feedback from participating counties in the pilot program.

There were 9,859 participating hunters in 2021-22 and 9,416 the following year of the program, with the highest percentage — 85 percent — using firearms during deer season, the report stated. The fewest amount of hunters used crossbows, at 18 percent for the first year and 22 percent during 2022-23.

Those who participated in bowhunting season were at 31 percent and 25 percent, respectively, and 26 percent and 18 percent for late muzzleloader season. The next largest group was youth big game hunting over Columbus Day weekend at 62 percent and 70 percent for each of the two years. 

“No hunting-related shooting incidents, violations or license revocations involving 12- or 13-year-old hunters were reported/occurred during the first two years of the pilot program,” the report stated.

A satisfaction survey scored 82 percent for the youth hunter and 87 percent for adult mentors with a “moderately or greatly satisfied” rating, and 4 percent and 2 percent, respectively, with “moderately or greatly dissatisfied.”

Legislators voted this week to set the hearing and allow for local feedback about the program before taking a vote to extend the law. Anyone interested in speaking or obtaining more information is encouraged to attend the hearing.

According to the resolution, the intent of this local law is to authorize the county to permit 12- and 13-year-old individuals to participate in the new and safe hunting opportunities in accordance with Environment Conservation Law ECL 11-0935. 

The enacted 2023-2024 New York State Budget includes a pilot program allowing the opportunity for youth hunters, ages 12 and 13, to hunt deer with certain firearms and crossbow through Dec. 31, 2025, if a County authorizes such action within their municipality. 

The County is amending this local law because “hunting is a valued tradition for many families, and this new opportunity allows experienced adult hunters to introduce the value of hunting to the next generation. Furthermore, teaching young people safe, responsible, and ethical hunting practices will ensure a rewarding experience for the youth while providing quality food to families and contributing to important deer management population control practices,” the resolution states.

Definitions for the purposes of this Local Law:

a. “physical control” shall mean that the physical proximity of such minor to the parent, guardian or person is such that the parent, guardian or person is reasonably able to issue verbal directions and instructions, maintain constant visual contact, and otherwise provide guidance and supervision to the minor.

b. “eligible area” shall mean within the boundaries of the County.

State Requirements include:

A hunting license holder who is twelve or thirteen years of age may hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzle-loading firearm as provided in this title in an eligible area provided that;

a. Such minor is accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, or by a person designated in writing by such parent or legal guardian on a form prescribed by the Environmental Conservation Department who is 21 years of age or older; and

b. Such parent, guardian or person has had at least three years’ experience in hunting deer; and

c. Such parent, guardian or person holds a hunting license; and

d. Such parent, guardian or person maintains physical control over the minor at all times while hunting; and

e. Such parent, guardian or person and the minor remain at ground level at all times while hunting; and

f. Such parent, guardian or person and the minor shall each display either a minimum total of 250 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or pink or patterned fluorescent orange or pink consisting of no less than 50 percent fluorescent orange or pink material worn above the waist and visible from all directions, or a hat or cap with no less than 50 percent of the exterior consisting of solid fluorescent orange or pink material and visible from all directions.

Press release:

Last night, the Orleans County Legislature voted unanimously for a resolution to preserve the Oak Orchard River and local tributaries in Orleans County.  The Legislature continues to push back against Genesee County’s Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park’s (STAMP) plan to discharge to six million gallons of wastewater a day from STAMP into Oak Orchard River by way of the Town of Shelby.  

“Tonight’s resolution and the lawsuit we filed last week to prevent this wastewater discharge are not actions we take lightly, as we have a long record of partnering with our friends in Genesee County,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.  “But partnerships are built upon being able to have conversations on difficult topics like wastewater and then cooperating on a solution that works for everyone.   

“Yet, throughout this process, Genesee County and their economic development agency have not engaged with Orleans County leadership, developed a plan in the backroom to dump wastewater in Orleans County without our input and then, when questioned, just decided to attempt to steamroll us, rather than work together.  I cannot express enough the level of disappointment we feel in their actions.”  

Johnson said the resolution clearly states the concerns Orleans County has regarding the wastewater discharge, including impacts on tourism, sport fishing, flooding, property damage, declining real estate values and more.  Johnson believes there are other avenues Genesee should be exploring for managing wastewater.  

“I have said all along and want to repeat it again, that our legislators are in support of STAMP and the economic development projects that will lead to investment and jobs for our entire region,” said Johnson.  “But that economic growth cannot come at the expense of Orleans County’s natural resources.   

Johnson also acknowledged the efforts of New York State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, who represents both counties in the State Legislature and has been attempting to mediate a solution.  

“We appreciate that Assemblyman Hawley is taking an active role in bringing all parties together,” said Johnson.  “We must work together on an alternative.” 

While a few prospective tenants of the stalled Ellicott Station strategize their next move, folks at Genesee County Economic Development Center apparently believe they are making headway.

A few of the tenants chosen for the Southside apartment complex are considering possible legal action against Savarino Companies for pulling out of the project that has left them dangling with hope that they might still have a new home come 2024. As one tenant said, it’s about “what Savarino did to all of us, ‘cause it’s not fair to us.”

Meanwhile, Steve Hyde, CEO of the county’s economic center, gave a brief yet vaguely optimistic statement this week that his agency has been working with Sam Savarino and the state Office of Housing and Community Renewal to get Ellicott Station back on track.

Hyde and his lead staff reviewed this past year’s activity during the county’s Ways and Means meeting. As noted in prior articles on The Batavian, City Manager Rachael Tabelski has said that developers have expressed interest in Ellicott Station, and Hyde provided further confirmation that talks are progressing.

“And, of course, our favorite project sits here, nearby. And you know, what I could say about Ellicott Station is I've been in the middle of discussions with the developer, general partner, the investors, and state housing. That's all in the sorting-out phase. But what I can say to you is it's likely we'll see a different general partner coming in at some point,” he said. “And I think what we'll end up with is a project that will be better than what we currently had or what was previously designed. 

"I think there's some additional willingness by the housing HCR to work with us and be a little more flexible. It may not be perfect, but we'll end up with a better situation than we had," he said. "I can’t say any more than that right now. But at least it's in the sorting out phase, and there's quite a bit of interest.”

As for GCEDC’s remaining portfolio, there were 75 projects that “committed $937 million of capital investment” versus the prior 76 projects at a $162 million investment, demonstrating what Mark Masse said was “just a much larger scale.”

After celebrating her 10th year on the Legislature, along with Marianne Clattenburg as EDC liaison, it’s been amazing to watch “the incredible investment that helps our local taxpayers,” Chair Shelley Stein said.

“By having these opportunities for the creation of these businesses, the careers, it enhances our entire foundation of our economy here and careers. Our schools benefit from it. Our communities benefit from the investment,” she said. “So some days are hard, some days are, you know, celebratory days. But this work is important to us here in Genesee County. Thank you.”

Some of those hard days have been dealing with and enduring the lag of that Ellicott Station project, which stopped in mid-August when Savarino announced the closing of his company due to a financial snag with a project at Alfred State College and a loss of more than $3 million. 

Since then, city and county, along with HCR officials, have said they are working on moving forward, potentially with a new developer and financial agreements and construction schedule.

Tenants that were chosen in May for the 55 apartments received word earlier this month that they might want to search out alternative housing options since there’s no guarantee about when Ellicott Station will be ready for occupancy.

They huffed and they puffed, but eventually, New York City opted to blow Batavia off of its list of defendants to sue for banning undocumented immigrants from seeking shelter in Genesee County.

County Manager Matt Landers had first issued a State of Emergency in May after receiving word that busloads of immigrants were potentially being sent to upstate New York, including Genesee County. Landers followed the move made by Orleans County, and, in dominoes fashion, counties began to react to their neighbors and filed one by one so as not to be the only county left with no protection if and when those immigrants arrived.

County Attorney Jim Wujcik informed legislators Wednesday that the plaintiffs had a change of heart.

“New York City filed for a discontinuance; they’re no longer suing Genesee County,” he said.

The official letter from Assistant Corporation Counsel Doris Bernhardt provided no explanation other than the plaintiff was discontinuing its lawsuit against the county and Landers “without prejudice and without costs to any party.”

Landers filed three executive orders, as he continued to extend the initial one two more times. New York City filed its lawsuit in June against 30 municipalities and was seeking to invalidate those executive orders, claiming that they were unconstitutional and impeded the rights of people who are legally within the borders of the United States as asylum seekers to travel and use public accommodations.

After taking several months to evaluate Genesee County’s issues and needs in regard to ambulance services for residents, county Manager Matt Landers delivered a solution this week that he believes will do the job.

Landers worked with Emergency Management Services Coordinator Tim Yaeger and county Attorney James Wujcik to establish a formal contract with Le Roy Ambulance Services and Mercy Flight, Landers told legislators during the Ways and Means meeting Wednesday.

“We’ve spent about a year reviewing this issue of shoring up and strengthening our local ambulance providers between Mercy Flight and Le Roy Ambulance. We think we have all the bases covered. And this allows us to provide additional funding to those two professional ambulance providers, paid professional ambulance providers  … The one here with Le Roy takes effect Oct. 1. The one for Mercy Flight that we're negotiating with would take effect Jan. 1,” Landers said after the meeting. 

“So it provides additional funds to stabilize, it holds them, it makes them more accountable. They have to meet minimum standards for response times, or they have to meet minimum standards for number of ambulances to keep on staff. So there's minimum requirements that they must comply with in order to keep the funding throughout the county.”

Back in February, Landers confirmed that he and others had been asked by legislators to work on this issue and also clarified that, contrary to popular belief, the county did not have any formal contract for ambulance services. 

The issue of ambulance services and response times had come up during budget talks by City Council members, and The Batavian asked Landers for his input at the time. His concern was primarily on response times in the rural areas of the county, which provides “a minimum contract of $12,500 on an annual basis to go towards their Mercy Flight air,” and nothing official or directly for ambulance service.

The county Legislature is set to give the final vote next week on the resolution to pay Le Roy Ambulance Service $77,220 for ambulance and emergency advanced life support/paramedic service needs, $5,000 for related financial documents, and $187,705 for equipment and related maintenance for a three-year term beginning Oct. 1. 

The contract stipulates that Le Roy will provide pre-hospital emergency medical services within its Certificate of Need operating authority or when mutual aid has been requested by a municipality located within the county.

The total cost of $212,005 is to be offset by county sales tax proceeds.

“So Le Roy would be within the boundaries of Le Roy, and Mercy Flight will be throughout the whole county,” Landers said. “And that one we’re still finalizing, but they should come before this Legislature in October. 

“So I have many counterparts in the state that have actually had to invest in buying ambulances and having a county-run ambulance system with county EMTs,” he said. “We already have paid professional providers in our community that are doing an excellent job. This ensures their longer-term viability, their longer-term success and ensures the county doesn't have to enter into the business itself.”

With numbers tallied, it looks like a fair amount of overtime for Genesee County highway and airport employees due to the Wings Over Batavia Air Show: approximately $6,308.

But county Highway Superintendent Tim Hens had another number to counter that during his annual department report Monday: the 5,513.50 gallons of aviation fuel sold at the airport during the two-day show more than made up for the overtime cost, he said. Fuel sales totaled $6,599. 

Despite that boon in sales, fuel sales remained flat overall this past year, he said, trying to recover from an operating loss of $23,000 after Mercy Flight suffered the loss of a helicopter in 2022, coupled with rising fuel prices. 

Quiet was an interesting word for Hens to use about the airport, given this year’s two-day air show extravaganza. He was referring to construction at the Saile Drive facility, and for that, “it has been a quiet year at the airport,” he said. 

“It’s one of the first seasons in many years where there hasn’t been major construction in progress on the airfield,” he said during a report rundown to legislators on the Public Service Committee.

“It was one of the first years that I can remember in a long time where we haven't had a project going out there that's disrupted the runway or the fencing or the lighting or an apron. It was kind of nice to have that,” Hens said.

That won’t be for long, as a future project for 2024 includes the replacement of many incandescent runway and taxiway lights to LED versions that will generate future savings on electrical use, he said.

In other ways, the airport has been quite busy in planning for and implementing Wings Over Batavia Air Show, he said. Drawing nearly 9,000 people during Labor Day weekend, the event seems destined to be a repeater, as organizers have said they’re discussing plans for bringing it back again next year.

“We had our air show … I think the feedback that I'm seeing in the community is overwhelmingly positive. A lot of great comments. People enjoyed it. They're all asking if it's going to happen again next year,” Hens said. “I can tell you from internal, of the things that I was worried about, traffic was not an issue. Parking was not an issue. Safety-wise, we only had two very minor medical issues all weekend; it was both scraped knees where kids were running around chasing each other and fell on the asphalt with scuffed knees; that was the biggest thing we had.

“We sold 5,500 gallons of aviation fuel over the weekend to the show that covered our overtime, more than covered the overtime, tied to the weekend relative to the sweeping of the runway and the overtime for the airport guys and the facility guys to open up the fence and things like that,” he said. “So I think from a county perspective, I'm happy with how it went down and went smoothly. Again, great community feedback and a great community event.

"And there's obviously things I think we can do better in the future and have even less county involvement than we had this year. But being a first-year show, there were some things we had to get squared away," he said. "So I know there's already a move afoot to have another event next year. And again, hopefully, it goes smoother than we had this year.”

Public Service Committee members passed along a grant of $7,000 for final approval Monday for the purchase of additional kayaks and accessories for the Youth Bureau’s kayaking program at DeWitt Recreation Area in Batavia.

Genesee County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens reviewed the program and grant during the committee’s meeting and said that although it’s an Interpretive Center/Youth Bureau grant award, it also “supports kayaking at the park.”

Kayaking is an activity that has been steady at DeWitt Lake, made even more popular with lessons offered twice a year by Conservation Education Program Coordinator Shannon Lyaski. 

Hens shared that his department will be seeking a replacement for Lyaski, whose last full-time day will be Oct. 14. The committee approved Hens’ request for a part-time, temporary position to allow her to remain until the vacancy is filled. 

It will be a loss for sure, Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said. 

“She grew so much in that job and really changed it,” Clattenburg said.

The request was to create one temporary, less than full-time (19 1/2 hours per week) Conservation Education Program Coordinator position to allow the current employee to assist with the transition.

Salary for Conservation Education Program Coordinator, Management, Grade 112, Step 7, would be at the rate of $29.48, effective October 7, 2023, through December 31, for a total cost of $8,308.69. 

Another reason for the increase in kayaking is a kiosk rental that took a bit longer than expected to arrive since first reported in The Batavian in May but is finally at DeWitt. 

The set-up provides everything for someone to get a kayak, life jacket and paddle and get out on the water for some fun.  

“The feedback from the community has been positive,” Hens said.

The agreement between the county and the rental company is for a period of five years, at a total cost of $16,000, for the installation and activation of smart lockers, fully equipped with kayaks/lifejackets and locker signage. Kayak users would then pay a rental fee through the use of the kiosk that would go back to the county.

This park amenity expense will come out of the Capital Project DeWitt Improvements Phase IV, with $6,000 of this cost offset by a donation from the Association for the Conservation of Recreational and Natural Spaces (ACORNS), for a total cost of $10,000 to the county.

This latest grant that Hens reviewed on Monday is from the Youth Sports Education Funding, and once officially approved by the county Legislature, will increase the County Park Program Expense in the amount of $7,000 to be offset by an increase in Revenue in a like amount.