This Friday begins the 3rd Annual Shared Open Houses for two locally owned small businesses – Norton’s Chizzelwood and JP Designs, Plus.
Their gift shops are full of products for your holiday shopping, offering many handmade and specialty items.
Are you looking for wood-burned American flags, laser-etched and stitched items, shelves, side tables, cupboards, and wooden flower arrangements? How about a special home décor item, outdoor poly furniture set, primitives, Buffalo Bills item? You’ll find all of these and more throughout these two shops.
Located at 4309 Gilhooly Road in Alexander (Norton’s Chizzelwood) and 4096 East Main Street Road, Attica (JP Designs, Plus), these businesses are only 4 miles apart. When you stop in at each location, a slip will be validated to enter you into the grand prize drawing for the “Basket of Joy” valued at approximately $100. Make a purchase, and you’ll be entered twice into the drawing.
Hours for the Shared Open Houses are this Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Why not submit a Wish List for yourself once you shop? The owners will then reach out to family members of your choice and suggest items that YOU might “wish” for. Stop in and enjoy some refreshments, hot cider and special savings!
On behalf of both Fran and Bobbi at Norton’s Chizzelwood and Joe and Judy at JP Designs, Plus – thank you for supporting small businesses throughout the year and have a safe, happy and healthy Holiday Season.
The air is crisp, the trees are bare, and there is an anticipation of the season of thanks, peace, and joy all around. With this change of season, it is once again time for the “Quiet Fund’s” gentle reminder. The Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. is once again reaching out to our community for compassion and financial support as we continue to help children in the Batavia City Schools.
The Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc., was begun during the Great Depression. It was the aspiration of the school physician at the time, Dr. Dexter Pierce, to establish a fund that would help the children of the Batavia City School District when a need arose that was greater than what their parents could manage. The initial problem was that many children needed to have their tonsils removed. The physicians involved graciously waived their fee, but the surgery involved an overnight stay which cost families $7.50 per night. For many, the cost of the overnight stay was too much for their families. Thus, the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. was created. Now, we continue solely for the same purpose as was identified in 1933.
To assist those who “fall between the cracks”; the working poor; and those who just have no other means to provide what their child needs. The Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. assists with medical care, dental care, prescription drugs, mental health care, clothing, coats, shoes, sneakers, eye exams and glasses, counseling, beds, backpacks, requirements for BOCES classes (cosmetology kits and steel toed work boots), fees for AP classes, and fees for GCC courses, and other educational needs and educational toys.
As students’ needs are identified by teachers, their school nurse, school counselors, or school social workers, the concerns are conveyed to Nancy Haitz, R.N., C.P.N.P, Batavia City School District’s Office of the Coordinator of Health Services.
Mrs. Haitz then contacts child’s parents, and if it is determined that they are in need of assistance, the Quiet Fund steps in to help. The parents select what care is to be provided, and by whom, in order to provide a remedy. The Twenty-five Neediest Fund simply pays the bills without red tape or publicity. The fund committee remains unaware of the identity of the child or parent so as to preserve the dignity of the family. For the past ninety years our fund has helped thousands and thousands of students. We feel fortunate that we have never turned away a student who was in need, nor have we ever run out of funds.
The Twenty-five Neediest Fund has been nicknamed the “Quiet Fund” or the “Quiet Charity” as we only make one annual appeal at the Holiday Season. Furthermore, we seek no public acknowledgement or fanfare for the work which is done for the children of the Batavia City School District. Yet we have found that people of this good community, and beyond, must feel as we do. For they remember and contribute to help the students. We are ever grateful for all of you who contribute primarily during the holiday season, but we are also blessed with gifts throughout the year.
A significant feature of the Quiet Fund is that all donations are turned into benefits. We are proud to act as a true charity without any administrative costs! All funds collected by the Quiet Fund are used to assist the children. Every gift is a gift of love and is an affirmation that no child should go without.
Anyone interested in contributing to the Quiet Fund may make their check payable to the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. to be sent to Nann K. Zorn, 12 River Street, Batavia, NY 14020. To assist a child, and their parent, in this way is a wonderful and immeasurable gift. On behalf of the children, and their parents, helped by your generosity and gifts of love, we extend to you a most sincere thank you and warm holiday wishes.
The Twenty-five Neediest Fund Committee, Nancy Arras, Benjamin J. Bonarigo Jr., Esq., Nancy Haitz, Sara Zorn Schroeder, Virginia Tiede, Nann K. Zorn
Tee's Golf Sim, the first and only indoor golf simulator facility in Le Roy, is excited to announce its grand opening at 12 Main St., 2nd Floor, Le Roy. Since its opening on Nov. 15, Tee's Golf Sim has been offering a unique and immersive golfing experience to local enthusiasts, inviting them to enjoy their passion for golf all year round.
At Tee's Golf Sim, golfers of all skill levels have the opportunity to play on world-renowned courses without leaving the comfort of their hometowns. The facility currently boasts one high-end simulator featuring hundreds of courses, with plans to expand and add a second simulator station in the near future. This state-of-the-art technology not only provides an incredibly realistic golfing experience but also offers players the chance to analyze and improve their game regardless of the weather outside.
Understanding the busy schedules of modern golfers, Tee's Golf Sim has made booking sessions as convenient as possible. Tee times can be easily scheduled directly through their website, teesgolfsim.com, ensuring that golf enthusiasts can fit a round into even the most hectic schedules.
Owner Antonio Calabrese, says, “We’re thrilled to bring this unique golfing experience to LeRoy. Our goal is to create a space where golfers can practice, play, and enjoy the game of golf year-round, regardless of the weather.”
Tee's Golf Sim is not just a facility; it's a community hub for golf lovers. Whether you're looking to escape the cold, improve your game, or simply have a fun outing with friends, Tee's Golf Sim offers an unparalleled indoor golfing experience.
For more information or to book your tee time, visit teesgolfsim.com. Stay updated on our latest news and offers by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/teesgolfsim and Instagram at instagram.com/teesgolfsim.
Genesee County Economic Development Center officials have severed their ties with Savarino Companies and asked for more than $1 million of tax benefits back, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Jim Krencik says.
“This action includes cancellation of the lease leaseback agreement, the tax agreement (payment in lieu of taxes) and the sales tax exemption agreement, and have returned the three parcels involved back to the taxable side of the tax rolls,” Krencik said Tuesday.
The EDC officials sent Ellicott Station LLC and Ellicott Station Commercial LLC related legal notices due to their “lack of curing of the default on our local tax agreement,” Krencik said.
He referred The Batavian to an explanation CEO Steve Hyde gave The Batavian in an Aug. 23 article.
“To clarify, the majority of the GCEDC financial agreements for the project are termed over 30 years that start following the completion of the project. These are structured as performance-based. Additionally, the project was notified in July that it is in default of its GCEDC financial agreements and is currently in a cure period to meet the goals of a workforce housing project,” Hyde said in the August article. “In light of the news yesterday, the project being in default to our financial agreements enables the GCEDC to have a greater role in ensuring a positive solution as we work with all parties involved. We continue to work with the City of Batavia towards this goal."
On Tuesday, Krencik said, “Additionally, we have issued a demand letter to Savarino Companies demanding repayment of the sales and mortgage tax benefits enjoyed by the project to this point, and we are attempting to claw back $1.1 million of those benefits.”
One of Savarino’s Ellicott Street properties was also fined for neglected property maintenance, along with a number of others, to the tune of an extra $30,000 for city cleanups of grass, weeds and debris, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said this week.
During Monday's City Council meeting, Tabelski asked council for a budget amendment to increase the expense line for “multiple grass, weed, and debris violations” this year. While 85 percent of the time, residents will take care of the issue once they’re cited, she said, other times, “we do have to go in and either cut the grass ourselves or remove debris.”
Tabelski gave The Batavian a list of citations for Savarino Companies earlier this year that included lack of property maintenance, including overgrown weeds, debris on the premises, and rank vegetation, for Ellicott Station and not securing the partially finished apartment complex on Ellicott Street. Savarino halted work on the project this summer after shutting down his company due to financial issues.
Councilman Bob Bialkowski asked her if the city can recoup the expense of cleaning up these properties, which also included a larger site of the defunct Days Inn at 200 Oak St.
“We bill them at 30 days, we bill them at 60 days, and we bill them at 90 days. And we will bill them again until it's time to put it onto the tax bill. At that time, Heidi's office, the city clerk, will go ahead and levy that amount onto the tax bill,” Tabelski said. “And a lot of times, it'll get paid in conjunction with the late tax bill. So we need to increase the expense line this year by about $30,000. And we are done, with snow on the ground, for grass, weeds and debris. So I don't feel like this will go any higher than where it is this year.”
December 2022 File Photo of Christmas in the City Photo by Howard Owens
Christmas in the City — an annual festive tradition that happens the first weekend in December — will be bringing the usual favorites of Santa Claus, hot cocoa, a parade down Main Street and cheery carolers, along with some new additions of a three-set train display and Serendipity Swing at the new Main St. 56 Theater, Pat Burk says.
Of course, the main event at Batavia City Centre runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and will offer gift-giving shoppers plenty of options with 42 vendors and 64 tables so far throughout the concourse, Burk said. (Vendors may register up to Saturday. For more information, go to bataviaplayers.)
“We have more than last year,” he said. “There will be Christmas decorations, wood designs candles, a lot of handmade stuff and Christmas-themed items. I think people are looking for places to exhibit their things, and I think people are realizing December starts this Friday.”
The Great Lakes and Attica Regional Railroad model train club will be joining the action this year. The club will have three train boards set up with various displays, including a Christmas village and town theme.
At one end of the concourse, near Hawley’s Insurance, there will be a jolly fellow awaiting visits from kids to whisper their Christmas wishes in his ear. Yes, Santa will be there from 1 to 5 p.m.
Two groups of Batavia Players will be singing holiday favorites at downtown shops and along the streets from 1 to 5 p.m. as well, Burk said.
That’s not all that will be happening in Downtown Batavia on Saturday. Beginning at 2 p.m., there are several activities scheduled, including: portraits and ornament crafts at Iburi Photography, cookie decorating at Eden Cafe, a Kids Zone at Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union, face painting at The Spa at Artemis, a live nativity, hot cocoa and doughnuts at EverPresent Church, letters to Santa at The Coffee Press, chili tasting at Adam Miller Toys & Bicycles, T-shirt coloring at T-Shirts Etc., sleigh rides at 6 Center St., adult tastings at The Yngodess Shop, cookies and cocoa at Releve Dancewear Boutique, Grinch at GO Art!, brass band and photo booth at Center Street Smoke House, tree lighting at Crossroads House, a scavenger hunt bingo that begins at Iburi Photography and ends at GO Art!, champagne and kisses at My Cut.
Several of the downtown shops will also have holiday specials from 2 to 6 p.m. when the parade is set to begin.
The Business Improvement District has also borrowed an outdoor ice skating rink from Genesee County for use at the parking lot near Alva Place. Deputy Highway Superintendent Paul Osborn said that a rink can be made with just a couple of inches of water, but the temperature needs to be at least 32 degrees, so here's hoping this wintry weather will stick around for some old-fashioned outside skating.
There will also be plenty to do indoors, which he looks forward to, Burk said.
"For us, it’s a tremendous event, the theater will be open for tours — they’ll have to enter from Main Street for theater tours. We like to see the support, we like to see people come in. I love to have all the kids here, the kids make my day. It’s a nice community event, and we have a tremendous amount of crafters and vendors that participate and help support the theater,” Burk said. “I mean, that’s the big thing. Right now, every single cent we can make is supporting our new facility and improvements we have to make here. We’re fortunate that every single show that we’ve done since we’ve ben in the new theater has been either sold out or close to it. Extremely well received, but what people don’t realize is shows cost money, so everything we can do to make sure we can solidify our season for next year, including the fundraising events and everything that happens over Christmas, is a big plus for Downtown Batavia with our theater.”
He likes the idea of having the Buffalo-based “little big band” Serendipity Swing at the outermost edges of the evening to cap off and “stretch out” a full day of festivities. The show goes on at 7:30 p.m. in Main St. 56 Theater.
Serendipity Swing is an eight-musician dance ensemble plus a female vocalist that reflects “a musical style from an era of famous dance halls, glamorous ballrooms, classy supper clubs, hot jazz joints and the most elegant of private parties,” the group’s website states.
“Our music is from the Golden Age of the American Songbook through more current favorites. Our music library, with over 400 titles, contains selections that explore and mirror the beauty of the music elements: melody, harmony and rhythm,” the site states. “It is music that is artful, fun, graceful, whimsical, listenable, danceable and enjoyable to hear. The melodies are memorable. The harmonies are soothing and rich in texture. The tempos, and rhythms, are danceable and toe-tapping.
On Friday, Dec. 1 the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association Ramparts Mite Division (8U) will host their first annual “Merry Mitemas Tournament at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street, Batavia. The Opening game will begin Friday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m.
Eighteen teams from the Rochester and Buffalo area are participating. Also featured during the Tournament will be a Basket Raffle and 50/50 Drawing on Saturday along with donut sales, and T-shirt sales on Saturday and Sunday (until sold out). The teams participating in this Mite Tournament will be playing half-ice; there will be two games played at the same time. This will be a fun event featuring the youngest players within the Association. Many of these young skaters move up throughout the Association to play on the local high school team.
Volunteers are still needed to run the time clock, keep score and all the other chores that pop up here and there. If you’d like to volunteer please contact Allyson Valyear at Avalyear5@gmail.com.
For those who love murder mysteries and comedies, the Batavia High School Drama Club is staging The Alibis, a collection of eight interconnected 10-minute plays that revolve around the murder of eccentric billionaire J. Leslie Arlington.
There are plenty of suspects in the murder, and all have alibis, which none of them want to admit to because they were all committing other ridiculous crimes at the time. The suspects include disgruntled chefs, teen detectives, and vengeful divas.
Performances are at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday on the stage of the Batavia High School Auditorium, 260 State St., Batavia.
Genesee Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Julia Plato. Photo by Howard Owens
It's that time of year when the Genesee Symphony Orchestra rosins up the bows and gets crackin' on holiday chestnuts such as “Christmas Festival,” “Sleigh Ride” and selections from “The Nutcracker.”
The annual holiday concert is at 4 p.m., Sunday, at Genesee Community College.
GSO's concertmaster, Julia Plato, is looking forward to taking the solo on another holiday favorite, the winter movement from Vivaldi's “Four Seasons.”
She's excited about it, she said, because "I think it's insanely easy to make it sound modern, even though it was written through like 300 years ago. It still has so much excitement and vigor and, yeah, personality that you would never know that it was written in the 1700s."
Plato, who is originally from the Hershey area of Pennsylvania, is in her second year as the first chair of the GSO, under the direction of conductor S. Shade Zajac.
She's been involved in orchestra performance since she was a child, participating in the youth orchestra in her hometown.
"That's kind of where I fell in love with playing music," she said. "I went to school for music education in Ithaca and wound up teaching in Pittsford."
Through a friend, she heard about GSO during the pandemic, when the orchestra was still finding ways to perform, and that piqued her interest.
"I was so excited because I just wanted to have a group to play with, and it just lined up really well with the time that I moved to the area, and I found a good group of people to perform with," she said.
She's found it inspiring to work with Zajac.
"He has got such a great taste and repertoire," she said. "He selects very nice, well-rounded programming from all the modern works that you may not have heard to the classics that everyone hopes to hear."
Genesee Symphony Orchestra Music Director and Conductor S. Shade Zajac Photo by Howard Owens.
The first of two public hearings about Batavia City School District’s proposed $45 million capital project will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the middle school auditorium, 96 Ross St., Batavia.
The proposed project is designed to modernize the district’s instructional spaces, optimize the building grade-level configurations, and address high-priority facility needs throughout the district, school officials say.
A big selling point is that there will be “no additional tax increase” for district property taxpayers as a result of the project, officials say in the presentation.
The vote for the BCSD Reimagined capital improvement project will be on Dec. 14 for residents of the city school district. These public hearings are your opportunity to hear about the project and ask questions.
A second public hearing will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Batavia High School in the auditorium, 260 State St., Batavia.
Voting will take place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 14 at designated sites, depending on where you live.
For residents living north of Route 5 (Main Street), vote at Robert Morris, 80 Union St., in the Multi-Purpose Room.
For residents living south of Route 5, vote at Batavia High School, 260 State St., in the library.
More information about the project is available below:
Pavilion Fire and mutual aid companies are on scene of a barn fire close to a residence reported on Old State Road at Moag Road.
The call came in just before 8 p.m.
The first responder on scene reported a fully involved working barn fire.
The Pavilion chief requested a second alarm. Dispatched: Batavia's FAST team, Bethany, Stafford, Le Roy, with mutual aid was requested from Livingston County and Wyoming County.
This dog took off chasing a deer on Linwood Avenue in Le Roy around 5 p.m. Monday, and has not been seen since, owner Joshua Wallace says. The Batavian was given updated information, and the dog was last seen at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
If anyone spots the pooch, please call 585-297-3663.
A crane lifts the final beam onto the second floor of the new Healthy Living facility in downtown Batavia during a "topping off" ceremony Monday morning. Photo by Howard Owens.
About two dozen people — construction workers, staff, donors and officials — braved bone-chilling winds and huddled in the parking lot of the future Healthy Living campus Monday morning to observe a final "topping off" ceremonial step for the project before a ribbon-cutting next fall.
It was an auspicious, though perhaps quiet and unassuming, moment for those who have poured so much time and effort into planning, fundraising, and promoting the impending merged site for United Memorial Medical Center’s Healthy Living and YMCA at 213 East Main St., Batavia.
“Today is a really important milestone in this project for the healthy living campus and what we're going to be able to do for the community by raising the last beam and taking the next step and getting this project to completion,” said Dan Ireland, president and chief operating officer of the Fingerlakes Rural Hospital for Rochester Regional Health. “Next fall we look forward to cutting the ribbon and really starting to combine services with YMCA.”
Ireland and Rob Walker, CEO of YMCA, spoke briefly about the importance of this event as another marker for a project that will serve the community for years to come. It has taken a lot of fundraising and effort for the facility, and they shared the same excitement for being "poised" to "make a huge difference in the community," they agreed.
“The key thing about today was just lifting up the partnerships, that we’re doing this together. It’s been a long journey through a lot of challenges and COVID, and the cost escalations, but we’ve carried forward,” Walker said.
The pandemic, supply chain issues and delays have pushed the project cost up to nearly $34 million, up from $33.5 million, he said.
But once completed, it’s going to be a beauty to behold, he said, filled with a children’s Adventure Room, indoor playground, intergenerational room filled with interactive games, a large upstairs track, and swimming pool equipped with underwater benches for swim lessons, a splash pad, and wheelchair and walk-in access.
There will also be universal pre-kindergarten, morning daycare and after school classrooms that will serve the needs of day camp in summer, plus supervised childcare with options for parents to drop off their child for a Friday evening dinner or shopping trip, expanded hours and universal standards to bring everything to beyond Americans with Disabilities Act code, he said.
There’s an expectation that the current membership of 3,000 is going to double with all of the increased amenities, which include more convenient parking right behind the new facility.
A larger group of about 100 people stood in a similar spot during a groundbreaking in July 2022. By August of that year, the demolition of Cary Hall, which once housed Healthy Living programs, was a visible cue that another stage of the plan had come to fruition after so much of it had been on paper with grant applications and blueprints and such.
Parking lot grading, building of foundations and then installing the structure all came piece by piece for the 78,000 square-foot facility for the last 15 months, capped off by Monday's traditional beam-signing. That was followed by a crane hoisting the beam up to the second floor and workers putting it into place.
Defined as an integrated medical and wellness facility, the campus is to include state-of-the-art exercise equipment, a teaching kitchen, 22 exam rooms and two medical procedure rooms for primary care, telemedicine appointments, behavioral health and crisis intervention support, cancer prevention, chronic illness, and community education services.
The site will serve as a one-stop-shop for many health concerns and fitness goals, officials have said.
Ireland was reluctant to “put a pin” in the month they would designate for a ribbon-cutting, as construction projects can certainly fall out of line with perfect schedules, he said. But fall of 2024 seems like a safe bet.
In the meantime, work will continue throughout the winter on the facility’s interior after it is fully enclosed, David Ciurzynski of Ciurzynski Consulting, LLC said.
Ireland has been pleased with how the project has been moving along lately, he said.
“They’re really working to get anything closed that they need to, and the weather’s been on our side,” he said. “We’ve actually had some pretty decent fall weather, not withstanding the snowflakes today.”
Photos by Howard Owens
Submitted Photo
Submitted Photo of signed beam for Healthy Living campus
H.E. Turner & Co., Bohm-Calarco-Smith, and Burdett & Sanford Funeral Homes proudly present their 28th Annual Service of Prayer & Remembrance at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Northgate Free Methodist Church, 8160 Bank Street Road in Batavia.
For those who wish to participate from home, we will livestream the service as well.
“We hear from families how the service helps them through their grief, especially during this time of year," said Joshua Smith, of H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home. "For some of these families, it will be their first year participating in the service, which means it is their first Christmas without their loved one, and for others, they come back year after year.”
A candle in memory of your loved one will be lit prior to the start of the service and remain that way throughout.
One candle will be provided per deceased loved one and will be given to participants at the service. If you choose not to attend but would still like a candle to participate from home, please call our office to arrange a pick-up.
Call 585-344-4295 to reserve your candle by Friday, Dec. 1. There is no cost for a candle and all who experienced the pain of loss are welcome to participate regardless of who took care of your loved one and arranged their funeral service.
The ecumenical service will combine music, prayer, scripture reading, reading of the names of loved ones, the tolling of the bell in remembrance, and a message of hope by Reverend Vern Saile.
To register the name or names for your candle, please call H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home at (585) 344-4295 or register online by visiting www.bataviafuneralhomes.com by Dec. 1.
Christmas in the Village returns to Oakfield on Friday and Saturday with a full slate of holiday cheer, ranging from a parade and the arrival of Santa to a Christmas ornament scavenger hunt.
The fire truck parade delivering Santa and Mrs. Claus to Triangle Park is at 5 p.m. on Friday.
There will be food and beverages available for purchase at Memorial Park from the OA Parent Teachers Organization and Santino's, and Sweet Ally's will have special hours, staying open until 6 p.m.
The grand lighting of Winter Wonderland in Memorial Park is after the parade at approximately 5:30 p.m.
The evening will also feature musical performances by the Genesee Country Church children's choir, the Olympians, as well as the O-A Central School chorus and swing choir.
The Caryville Inn will be serving holiday drink specials.
On Saturday, it's Oakfield's own Small Business Saturday with an ornament scavenger hunt that will encourage participants to visit businesses in the village.
The first 50 participants or families receive a wreath, instructions and a stamp card. It starts at 11 a.m. at The Goose Farm Market, 33 South Main St., and runs until 2 p.m.
A festive wagon will provide transportation throughout the village during the hunt.
The winners announced at prizes award at 2 p.m. at The Goose.
Santa Returns on a fire truck to Triangle Park at noon and will hear children's Christmas wishes until 2 p.m. in the gazebo while cocoa and cookies, courties at the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club will be served.
Additional special events.
Genesee Society of Model Engineers – Open House with working model trains on display. Holiday cookies will be served.
Zeliff Farm Market – open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with specials on meat packages available. Samples of Snack Sticks and Meatballs too.
Haxton Memorial Library – games, crafts, and movies
Rusty Rail Bar & Grill / Strikeforce Lanes – opens at noon and will have bowling
Community Action of Orleans Genesee in Batavia has winter coats for Genesee County residents of all ages and sizes. Photo submitted by David Dodge
If you’re a Genesee County resident in need of a winter coat, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee may be able to help.
The nonprofit has winter coats for people of all ages and sizes, Case Manager David Dodge says. They are free for low income families, and only require some simple paperwork to be completed, he said.
People may select their coats through 4 p.m. Monday or from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday this week, he said.
As for donations, “we are always in need of gently used or new clothing and coats,” he said.
Community Action is at 5073 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.
Jerremy Sharick being awarded Eagle Scout at his Court of Honor with his parents Dana and Piper Sharick. Submitted photo.
Jerremy E. Sharick of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 64 in East Pembroke was recently awarded the rank of Eagle Scout.
Jerremy earned 32 merit badges earning him two Palms, also.
Jerremy's Eagle Project was building a new counter and storage table for the Corfu Presbyterian Church Food Pantry, where he has volunteered for nearly five years. The new counter replaces a folding banquet table that the pantry was using that had no storage. He also donated the leftover funds to the food pantry.
Jerremy's Eagle project consisted of 87.5 volunteer hours.
Jerremy with Paula Trapani from The Corfu Food Pantry Submitted Photo
Jerremy E. Sharick received a citation from Assemblyman Steve Hawley on achieving Eagle Scout. Jerremy was also recognized by Rep. Claudia Tenney. Submitted photo.
Work is progressing Monday on the Jackson Street waterline replacement project between Ellicott and Chestnut streets in the City of Batavia. Crews from Blue Heron Construction of Jordan are replacing approximately 2,250 linear feet of 4- and 6-inch water mains with 8-inch mains during the pre-winter project.
Blue Heron was the successful candidate for the job out of several bids. City Council awarded the company its bid of $1,353,000 during the city's Aug. 14 business meeting.
Bethany Town Board member Timothy Embt helps out at the water tanker on Saturday at the town hall parking lot. Photo by Howard Owens
Jerry Kujawski had no trouble with Saturday’s rule of first-come, first-served to fill up his 300-gallon water tote. In fact, he made a return trip to fill it up a second time to help out a neighbor, and he was only the third or fourth person who had been at Bethany Town Hall to do so for the two-hour fill-up period.
When it seemed as though there would have been dozens of people clamoring for a go at the pump connected to a tanker of water to shore up their dried-up wells, the parking lot was empty most of the time.
Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. had put out the notice that anyone with no water could get their totes filled between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday at the town hall, and he and members of the Bethany town board and fire department stood at the tanker ready and waiting.
Kujawski, a resident of Bethany for the last 28 years, had never seen a drought this bad, he said, though it’s been steadily getting drier the last three years or so. He had a 300-gallon tote on a trailer and dumped that into his well to be used for necessities in the household and, through reverse osmosis, drinking water.
He then returned to fill it again for a neighbor who didn’t have the means to transport a tote.
“We've had just a little bit of a drought sometimes in the summertime, and then we wait about a week or two, but other than that, it's just the last three years have been the worst,” he said. “Since the end of July, I’ve been hauling water. I’ve been getting it at Stafford, at the highway department, it’s an 18-mile round trip, sometimes twice a week.”
By comparison, it’s only a couple of miles from his house to Town Hall, where he’ll be able to fill up for the next month while the town has possession of the tanker. New York State Office of Emergency Management drove it from the Albany area filled with 6,700 gallons of water and has loaned it to Bethany for 30 days. Genesee County personnel will transport it for refills, County Manager Matt Landers said Thursday.
“And I appreciate it, I don’t know what I’m gonna do in another month after this leaves, they’ll have to come up with another system, hopefully, for us,” Kujawski said. “This is the worst year that we’ve had, to haul all summer, probably into September or maybe when you get to July and somewhere in there in August … I never had to haul water this long, I’m gonna go towards Christmastime. So it’s kind of crazy.”
Hyde took the low turnout in stride, saying that he was “disappointed, but I’m not disappointed.”
“I have several residents who said they were going to come today and get water, they know we're going to be open 11 to one, they know we're doing this, those that show up and get water, get water and those that don't show up, they’re on their own. The town board is here making an honest effort to do something for the residents of Bethany. If they don't take advantage of it, there's nothing we can do about it,” he said. “We're gonna do it again Tuesday between 5 and 5:30 for two hours, and maybe Thursday or Friday, the same thing, we'll know more as we go. It all depends on how much we take out of the tank. Once we get the tank down to zero or close to it, I have to call the county. They're gracious enough to come and get the tanker, haul it into Batavia, fill it and then bring it back. So it all depends on how many show up. Or how many don’t. So when it's empty, it's empty. There's nothing I can do about it for two or three days.”
He has set two more days for fills: 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
Town Board member Diane Fowler is one of the lucky ones with water, but she understands what so many are going through, she said.
“The situation around us is really horrendous for people that have to live without water. And even the people that have water, it may not be drinkable, you know, or it's just eating up their pipes, their appliances, and different things like that. So, to get public water here, this is the biggest water district that we're trying to put in, District Five, and to get this water in will give the majority of Bethany public water, which will make such a difference to improve their lives,” she said. “And I mean, that's what we want to do. We want to make it healthy for people to live here. And people want to come here, that's the next thing. Some people may like the idea of being in a rural community and love the idea of Bethany, because it's what, seven miles to Batavia, seven miles to Le Roy, seven miles to Warsaw. And it's a great place. But when you hear these stories about not having water, then it keeps people away. “
The town applied for a state Water Infrastructure Improvement Assistance grant once and was denied. Another application has been submitted, and town officials are waiting to hear about that, hopefully by the end of the year, Hyde said. The grant would supplement another grant of $16.5 million already obtained to install District Five, which is geographically central to Bethany.
The other option would be to obtain a low-interest loan for the $5 million needed to complete the project, which would be paid for by district residents.
Meanwhile, town residents have been driving several miles roundtrip to fill totes with water. Firefighter Don Frank thought that perhaps residents hadn’t heard about the tanker and that it would take time for word to get around.
“We’re going to hit every household with a flyer,” he said. “This is just the beginning of what has to happen. This is going to be a big project.”
Another consideration is that not all residents have a 250- or 500-gallon tote handy, the trailer necessary to haul it behind their vehicle, he said, and the means to empty it into a well. Water is 8.34 pounds per gallon, so a filled 250-gallon tote weighs 2,087 pounds.
Jeff Fluker, a board member and chief of Bethany Volunteer Fire Department, said there’s a whole other issue that’s at stake with the ongoing drought situation: the potential for not having enough water to fight fires.
“There's a big, big water shortage. So in order to get water, the ponds have now dried up. The ponds are very low, there's hardly anything in the ponds at all,” Fluker said. “So now we’ve got to drive farther away to a hydrant across town to get water from there. Or if there's a creek, a spot in the creek where we can get something in there, maybe, but other than that, it's gonna be a tough goal.”
Fluker hopes that someone — perhaps Genesee County legislators — will have a plan to help out these areas of highest dehydration. Otherwise, there may come that moment of reality when flames are blazing, and the hose is dry.
“So that’s something that we need to get moving on, yesterday. I don’t know if anybody realizes what it’s like not to have water. I mean, they think they don’t have water for their homes. But what if something happened, a fire comes along, does anybody think about that?” he said. “What’s going to happen there? That’s even worse yet. Now you’re going to be homeless, just because we didn’t have water that probably could have been fixed awhile ago.”
He said that there are discussions happening, but it’s hard to get water with farther drives and “a long, drawn-out process trying to get something done in a short period of time.”
“And it’s, you know, it’s an uphill battle,” he said. “Even in the middle of the winter, you can cut a hole in a pond and get your water out that way. You can’t even do that. You don’t even have water to cut out to get.”
Town Board member Tim Embt feels “very fortunate” that he has water and a water system installed at his home, he said, but also understands that “everybody else here has been fighting this for years and years.”
“I mean, we arguably should have had municipal water here 30 years ago, through the county, but that never happened. So this is where we are today. All we can do in the short term is help people out as best we can and hopefully get the grants from theState to actually go through with the project as planned without having to bump their taxes up to a reasonable level,” he said. “Because that's the only thing that really concerns me is, I know we have a lot of retirees on fixed incomes in the town here, and that's a lot of money on top of what they're already paying. I understand you’ve gotta have water, I certainly understand that. But unfortunately, in this world, nothing is free.”
All of them said that they will most likely be there for water fills a few times a week, including Saturdays, for the next month. Hyde will issue public notices of future times and dates on The Batavian.
Bethany Town Supervisor Carl Hyde Jr. explains a map of the Bethany water districts and how an acquifier runs all the way around the town property but not on it. Photo by Howard Owens
Bethany resident Jerry Kujawski fills up his tote with water Saturday morning at Bethany Town Hall. Photo by Howard Owens
Bethany firefighter Don Frank helps out with the water-filling process Saturday. Photo by Howard Owens
The Town of Batavia was awarded a $730,000 Green Innovation Grant from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation for a water meter replacement project that is underway throughout the Town of Batavia. This project will replace older water meters with new advanced metering infrastructure technology water meters which will increase water-use efficiency, reduce operational costs, and promote sustainable green infrastructure practices.
Residents and businesses with water meters that are required to be replaced received an initial letter detailing what to expect and how to schedule their water meter replacement appointment. A second letter will be sent to those who have not scheduled their appointment yet. The Town of Batavia asks those who do receive a second letter to schedule their appointment as soon as possible. 425 residents or businesses have scheduled their appointments, and 200 water meters have already been replaced. About 1000 residents and businesses still need to schedule their appointments.
The Town of Batavia Water Department has located water curb-stop boxes near the road with blue or white flags at the locations that require a water meter replacement. The Town kindly asks residents to leave the flags in place until the Town removes them. For more information on this project, please visit the Town of Batavia’s website, or contact the Town’s Water Department by calling 585-343-1729, then select option 5.”
