Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that nearly $90 million has been awarded for six locations under the Focused Attraction of Shovel-Ready Tracts New York grant program. First announced in February 2022, the program is designed to prepare and develop sites across the state to jumpstart New York’s shovel-readiness and increase its attractiveness to large employers and high-tech manufacturing companies. The program, administered by Empire State Development, will help diversify New York State’s economy while propelling new investments for businesses, communities, and job creation.
“Through the FAST NY grant program, New York is continuing its commitment to investing in and expanding economic growth and opportunity across the state,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will prepare shovel-ready sites that key industries like semiconductors and renewable energy are looking for and will create good jobs and grow local economies for generations to come.”
There are seven projects mentioned in the press release. Here is the section on WNY STAMP:
Genesee County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), Genesee County – $56 million: The Western New York Science Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) is a 1250-acre mega site, with access to significant power, water and completed pre-development. STAMP is the largest remaining site in New York State, which has already committed over $50 million to the site and where Plug Power’s green hydrogen project is currently under construction and Edwards Vacuum will be starting construction on their dry pump factory next spring. STAMP is integral to the recent EDA Regional Tech Hub designation for the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse corridor and the state’s strategic goal of creating a “semiconductor superhighway” across Upstate. This phase of the project focuses on building the remaining infrastructure to support advanced manufacturing projects including a wastewater treatment facility and pump station, force-main components, natural gas transmission main tap and extension within the site, road construction improvements and a water transmission main. Total project cost: $62.37 million
“The FAST NY award announced by Governor Hochul today demonstrates her steadfast commitment to next-generation site development that will bring emerging business sectors in semiconductor and advanced manufacturing to our region.
“This award creates significant momentum in our efforts to design, engineer, and secure permits for infrastructure at STAMP, including current projects that have been announced to date that are anticipated to generate $1 billion of private sector investment and the creation of over 600 family-sustaining jobs.
“The FAST NY award also follows Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s recent announcement of the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse regions being designated as a federal Tech Hub, which will only enhance continued interest at STAMP by companies in these business sectors.”
It's that time of the year when people start thinking about the holidays -- planning parties, family gatherings, gift-giving, and maybe how we might take care of ourselves and the people we love a little better.
It makes it a good time to show a little love to our community and support the local business owners who do so much to make our community a better place to live. They create jobs, serve volunteer organizations, make donations to various groups and charities, and give a local community its vibrancy.
When planning your holiday season, don't forget to support local businesses. Counties with strong local business communities thrive.
Local news is also important to the health of a local community.
Here is a list of the businesses that support The Batavian's mission to bring you lots of local news. Please remember to support them not only during the holiday season but throughout the year.
Genesee County Legislators Gary Maha and Shelley Stein participate on the Ways & Means Committee Wednesday as County Manager Matt Landers, far right, reviews a new ambulance contract with Mercy Flight. Photo by Joanne Beck
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.
Judge Andrea Clattenburg sits at the bench Wednesday n Batavia City Court for the first time after taking the oath of office as part-time City Court Justice. Photo by Howard Owens
Andrea Clattenburg, whose legal career has taken her from a prosecutor's position in the County Attorney's Office to a defense attorney position in the Public Defender's Office, is now a part-time City Court judge.
Clattenburg took the oath of office Wednesday in Batavia City Court in a courtroom packed with family, friends, fellow attorneys, elected officials, and assorted dignitaries.
City Council appointed Clattenburg to the position in August following the resignation of Thomas Burns. City Court judges, state-mandated positions, are elected to six-year terms. Clattenburg will be on an election ballot in November 2026, prior to the expiration of the term Burns vacated. That term expires on Dec. 31, 2026.
Full-time City Court Judge Durin Rogers administered the oath.
"City courts were once described to me as the emergency room or the emergency department," Rogers said. "Many times you don't know what you're gonna have. In City Court, you'd have a traditional vehicle and traffic matter. And for all my former colleagues and for the attorneys, and obviously the judges, you know, that you could have a very serious criminal matter brought into court during vehicle and traffic or during housing, and you have to be able to switch hats. And so you need a keen sense of triage. You need a keen sense of knowledge. And, most importantly, I think judicial temperament, and I'm very excited that we have somebody of Judge Clattenburg's caliber to join us on this team."
Clattenburg thanked her colleagues and family for their support over the years, particularly her father James Clattenburg and her husband Michael Szymczak.
"I grew up in Batavia," Clattenburg said. "I've lived here my entire life. I've worked in Genesee County, in Batavia, my entire life, and I am so thrilled to be able to serve the city of Batavia in this capacity."
During introductions by Rogers, the two newest members of the court staff were also introduced. Kelly Randle is the new chief clerk and Amy VanSplunder is the new deputy clerk.
City Court Judge Durin Rogers administers the Oath of Office to Andrea Clattenburg, the city's new part-time judge. Holding the Bible is her husband, Michael Szymczak, and to her right are her parents James and Marianne Clattenburg. Photo by Howard Owens
Marianne Clattenburg, a member of the Genesee County Legislature, sits in the front row of the City Court gallery with other members of the Clattenburg family. Photo by Howard Owens.
Judge Durin Rogers. Photo by Howard Owens
8th District Administrative Judge Kevin Carter, center. Photo by Howard Owens
Rogers puts her judge's robe on Clattenburg for the first time. Photo by Howard Owens
Judge Durin Rogers, Judge Kevin Carter, 8th District Administrative Judge, Judge Andrea Clattenburg, JaHarr S. Pridgen, City Courts' supervising judge, Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini, County Court, and Judge Tom Williams, Family Court. Photo by Howard Owens.
This file photo illustrates traditional street lights, left, versus what the new LED versions will look like once the city of Batavia's LED Street Light Conversion program is completed throughout the city. City management is to close on the purchase of National Grid lights Nov. 16.
There has been some ongoing discussion, debate and confusion online about lights in the city of Batavia: who is responsible for repairing them, replacing burned out bulbs, and whatever happened to that deal where the city was going to replace all of the lights with energy-efficient LEDs?
Some confusion may be justified, as both the city and National Grid have jurisdiction over parts of city street lights, though National Grid seems to have responsibility for the larger section — which it just this week was spotted out and about fulfilling by replacing several burned out bulbs in time for the annual trick-or-treat night.
Hopefully that will not be as much of an issue in the near future, after the city completes what it began in June 2022, to contract for the purchase and replacement of all National Grid street lights and convert them to LED versions.
“We close on the purchase with National Grid on Nov. 16,” City Manager Rachael Tabelski said Wednesday. “It has been a yearlong process to get to this closing date, that has included multiple administrative steps and approval by the Public Service Commission.
“Once the sale is complete, Power and Construction Group (P&CG) will begin the light replacement process across the City,” she said. “The LED street lights that we are installing have many benefits and include a 10-year replacement warranty.”
The city worked last year with the New York Power Authority and its engineering consultant, Wendel Engineers, for the replacement project. The nearly $1.7 million plan (Phase I) has an estimated savings of more than $161,000 annually.
City Council approved the purchase of 948 street lights at a cost of $226,038, and future replacement of all National Grid street lights in the city.
The Batavian also reached out to National Grid spokesman David Bertola in an attempt to initially find out about the recommended procedure for burned-out street lights and how many lights were out in the city, and he said it was “difficult to know, as some lights are owned by the city of Batavia, whereas others are owned by National Grid.”
He referred folks to complete an online form to report any street lights with nonworking lights.
“Damaged street lights can be dangerous” he said, and he also encouraged people to call 1-800-642-4272 to directly report those.
“Typically, once National Grid is alerted about a non-working street light, a crew will investigate within 24 hours,” he said. “Repairs are frequently made shortly thereafter.”
Fall 2022 File Photo of indoor market at Batavia City Centre by Howard Owens.
If you’re a believer in locally sourced products, made-in-the-USA goods or supporting small business, the Batavia Indoor Market is here to provide that opportunity, organizers say.
“Everything’s all homemade, it’s quality; it’s not coming out of China,” said Adam Garner of Garner Farms in Le Roy. “And there’s an online market of local vendors. You can order online and pick it up on Saturday just like you would at the grocery store. It’s a one-stop shop. There’s milk and eggs, produce, veggies and fruit, meat, mushrooms and cheeses.”
The market runs from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 4 and 18, Dec. 16, Jan. 6 and 20, Feb. 3 and 17, and March 2, 16 and 30. It is inside Batavia City Centre, downtown Batavia.
In the market for some amaranth microgreens? Or maybe some honey nut squash, large blue doll pumpkins, Honeycrisp apples, maple syrup that’s chocolate infused, dinosaur kale or broccoli microgreens, perhaps? Or how about lion’s mane mushrooms to shake up that stir fry?
The online market lists 176 items, and orders will be open from 8 a.m. Mondays through 8 p.m. Thursdays the week of each market. Available items will change based on the season.
The items are listed on the site, where orders are placed and purchased. Current online vendors listed are Flint’s Maple, Botanical Ben, Garner Farms and Creekside Designs and Blanks.
City Centre regulars are to include Relevé Dancewear, Everybody Eats, Batavia Stagecoach Florist, Sandman Wood Designs and Magick Smoque Shoppe, with visiting vendors at each market. This week’s market includes:
Porter Farms - fresh vegetables, ground beef and lamb
Garner Farms - pasture-raised pork and chicken with fresh eggs (when available), homemade lard soap
Ladybugs Creations - custom gifts, including 3D prints
Meadow Moon Designs - jewelry and accessories
For the Love of Madeline Candles - handmade candles
As for his own products, Garner is proud to tell people about the heritage pork and chicken products that come from his Le Roy-based farm.
“Our pork and chicken is pasture-raised," he said. "They’re naturally raised, with no hormones or antibiotics."
Travis Scroger of Rochester, a first-time author, plans to talk about his first novel, "Torrent Breach," Nov. 9 at Haxton Memorial Library in Oakfield. Submitted Photo
Travis Scroger’s entry into writing was a bit unconventional: After graduating in 2020 from Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pa., Scroger entered one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States.
As a social media manager Scroger, of Rochester, regularly oversaw posting across all social media platforms. Yet, amid the hustle and bustle that comes with managing the online world, he was deeply unhappy.
“I worked a lot of desk jobs and I kind of fell into a depressive state and went through some pretty severe anxiety episodes,” he said during an interview with The Batavian. “I didn’t go to college or anything with the plan of writing. I just kind of fell into it.”
The up-and-coming author and writer of his first novel, the dystopian spy thriller “Torrent Breach,” will be at Haxton Memorial Library for a meet-and-greet at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9. Attendees will have an opportunity to hear about his entry into becoming a novelist and insights into his book.
After his entry into the social media profession, and outside of a few press releases, Scroger had never published anything before. He did, however, find solace in writing.
Since he was young, Scroger recalled having linear dreams. Dreams that would carry overone night into the next. Rather than discard them, he got into the habit of writing those dreams down, although he never shared them with anyone. His novel, “Torrent Breach,” is a product of one of his dreams.
“I had never shared them (his dreams) with anybody but I didn’t have much to lose any more, so I really allowed myself to try and become openly vulnerable,” he said. “Thankfully it worked out.”
Scroger hopes that local residents come out to learn more about his book, and can glean something from his life story.
“I hope that they find it inspiring. Deep down I just want to prove that you can do whatever you really want to do,” he said. “There was a lot of times I was hesitant to pull the trigger with publishing. It is possible to do it with the right people around you."
The library is at 3 North Pearl St., Oakfield.For more information, call 585-948-9900.
The trick-or-treaters were out all over Genesee County. We stopped at the haunted house on Bank Street, Lincoln Avenue, Ellicott Avenue, and Redfield Parkway in the City.
Photos by Howard Owens.
This is Diggs. I made the mistake of asking Diggs, "Have you been getting lots of treats?" He immediately sat and said, "OK, where's my treat?" Photo by Howard Owens.
Students at Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate schools went for a trick-or-treat in costume on Tuesday morning, getting treats from police officers, firefighters, bus drivers, and city public works personnel.
The kids at Robert Morris visited a petting zoo, picked out a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch, and enjoyed a snack of doughnut holes and apple cider.
File Photo from 2015 of a Try Hockey For Free program at the David McCarthy Ice Arena in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens
It’s not too late to register for a free kids’ hockey trial program this weekend, organizers say.
The Try Hockey For Free program, sponsored by Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, is for boys and girls aged four to nine, and runs from 10:40 a.m. to noon Saturday at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street, Batavia.
Organizers encourage participants to bring equipment if you have it. If you don’t have any equipment, do bring loose-fitting sweat or snow pants, a pair of hockey, mittens or winter gloves, a helmet (hockey or bike) and a smile.
Rental skates will be provided for free, courtesy of the ice arena. Hockey sticks will be given out for use, and must be returned upon the end of the session. A USA hockey jersey will be given to each participant.
The on-ice experience will include plenty of coaches on hand to give your child a great youth hockey experience, organizers say. “They will get an opportunity to learn the basic skills of youth hockey,” organizer Bob Gray said.
Registration is now open. Go to: tryhockeyforfree.com (zip code 14020).
Two members of a National Grid crew complete a street light replacement on Tuesday morning at Maple Street and Ganson Avenue in the City of Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens
Recently, there have been complaints on social media about residential street lights being out. This morning, The Batavian came across a National Grid crew replacing a light at Maple Street and Ganson Avenue in the City of Batavia.
A crew member said they are replacing all burned-out lights in the city in time for trick-or-treat. At least all they know about -- in this case, today, that's 11.
They only know about a light that needs replacing, he said, if a resident calls in a burned-out light. There are no crews driving around at night looking for burned-out lights, and there is no computer system to inform National Grid of burned-out lights.
He said last week, he was working on a reported 32 lights out in the city. At one stop, a resident asked him if he was going to replace the light "around the corner." He told the resident it wasn't on the list. "Did you call it in?" The resident thought National Grid should already know about it. Again, National Grid only knows if a resident calls it in.
The number to call is the company number on your National Grid bill.
He also said he recently replaced a light on Jackson Street that he knew he had replaced a couple of weeks before. They found a BB-shot hole in the light.
National Grid is responsible for any street lights on a utility pole. If it's not on a utility pole, and it's within the City of Batavia, it is probably the responsibility of the city.
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Annual will be hosting its Annual Membership Meeting on Nov. 16 at Terry Hills Golf Course & Banquet Facility, 5122 Clinton Street, Batavia. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., Buffet Lunch begins promptly at Noon and costs $25 per person.
The Agenda for the Meeting will be a review of 2023, a look ahead into 2024 & Election of 2024 Chamber Board Members. To register directly online visit the Chamber’s Website www.geneseeny.com or call Kelly B. at 585-343-7440, ext. 1026. The deadline for registration is Nov. 10.
The highly anticipated Employment Fair for People with Disabilities will take place from 1 - 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at the Genesee County Office For The Aging, 2 Bank Street in Batavia.
The event presents an opportunity for job seekers to connect with leading companies, organizations, and not-for-profits to explore a wide range of career options. Don’t miss out on this fantastic chance to kick-start your professional journey!
Take the first steps towards a fulfilling career! It's best if you prepare your resume ahead of time, dress professionally, and bring your true self to impress potential employers.
This event is proudly supported by members of the Genesee Region Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities including the Genesee County Office for The Aging, Ace Employment, Genesee County Career Center, Genesee County Mental Health, and Independent Living of the Genesee Region.
Inclusivity and accessibility are our top priorities. Coverage for childcare costs and transportation may be available. We are here to assist with any accommodations you may need.
Please Pre-Register with Ashley Dunham from Independent Living of the Genesee Region in advance at 585-815-8501, ext. 414 or adunham@wnyil.org.
Schedule:
1 - 2:15 p.m. - Learning Time: Instructions in civil service testing, practice interviews, job searching, and instruction in reasonable accommodations.
2:15 - 2:30 p.m. - Break Time
2:30 - 4 p.m. - Meet the Employers: This is your opportunity to meet with employers who are hiring!
Holland Land Office Museum Director Ryan Duffy, front, provides an update, including his new full-time curator Tyler Angora, left, and reviews his annual report during a county Human Services meeting Monday. Photo by Joanne Beck
There’s an awful lot of new happening at the Holland Land Office Museum, a site meant to capture moments of historical weightiness.
A full-time curator; exhibits about the last complete solar eclipse in Genesee County, a vintage wedding dress collection and the 100-year anniversary of Batavia Concert Band; a monthly walk-up tour of the West Main Street site’s second-floor collections; a revised membership; and planning for a three-phase capital project are just some of the new items glossing up the old status quo, Museum Director Ryan Duffy says.
He brought new hire Tyler Angora to Monday’s Human Services meeting to introduce him as part of the novel happenings at Holland Land Office.
“Some time ago, there was a curator position. But that was before the museum. That was a completely different museum basically at that time, but Tyler is the first in a very long time … because we really wanted to take advantage of our wonderful collection. And we needed somebody with expertise in that particular field and who had some creative ideas in order to bring it out to the public,” Duffy said. “More so than anything I could do or volunteers, so we felt it was a major need. And it's already paid off dividends in terms of bringing our nearly 20,000-piece collection more to light.”
Angora, who lives in Brockport, is pursuing his master’s in history at Brockport State College. He began his role as curator in June, though he wears many hats, he said, as curator, collections manager, tour giver, and for jobs that entail “a bunch of different things.”
“But I'm solely in charge of the collection, I manage it, I take care of it, I present it to the public, I have to interpret it in a way for everyone to see it and enjoy it as much as we do. Since I've been there in June, I've really taken hold of that collections management. I have reorganized and redesigned the collection storage upstairs with Ryan to make it more accessible, to not only us to display but also accessible to the public,” Angora said. “That coincides with doing grander exhibits, like next year, we're reimagining the entire original structure of the building to really display the land office artifacts that we hold in our museum, but also the artifacts for our temporary exhibits like ’98 Years Since the Sun Went Out,’ which is the eclipse exhibit. So it'll be really exciting to break down pieces that haven't been on display for decades.
“I really focused on the fashion collection that we hold at the museum, which has been kept upstairs in a room by itself for a very long time. So we're really excited to start bringing that down and showing that off to the public because it's a really fantastic collection that spans over 300 years of clothing and physical history,” he said. “That is amazing. And we're hoping to do kind of behind-the-scenes stories next year to bring people upstairs into the collection. So it's been a big part of trying to make it accessible to the public. Because that's our goal.”
Going upstairs, that’s interesting. When will that begin? “So next year, about February is when the public will finally officially be able to go up into the collection on special tours with Ryan and I. On the first Friday of every month, they'll get a special tour upstairs and a special presentation from one of us,” Angora said. “And it's going to be really exciting to finally show off pieces that probably won't ever really be on display due to their fragility or their important significance to us. So that would be fun to show off to the public, especially next year when we reopen the museum in February and kind of redesign a lot of the spaces.”
What’s behind your passion in pursuing a master’s in history? He began at Brockport College as a business major in 2020 and didn’t really know what he wanted to do. He then met some key people in the History Department who got him involved with the Morgan House — “which I consider my home; it’s a museum that really holds a good place in my heart,” he said.
“And that's where it started, my love for museums, preservation objects, artifacts, all of that. And it transcended into me pursuing this kind of career path in museums. And I continued that into the GCM at the Genesee Country Village Museum with Brandon Brooks, the curator, where I worked with him with the Susan Green costume collection and really helped do stuff there. And I really got involved with preservation doing my own research,” Angora said. “So having this job and having Ryan as a co-worker is a lot of fun because he lets me just do whatever I want and kind of helps assist the collection in surviving for another over 100 years. So it'll be a lot of fun.”
Some recent history More than 5,000 people visited the museum since July 2022, and 65 percent of them were from outside of Genesee County. Visitors have come from more than 30 states and several foreign countries, including Canada, Indonesia, China and the Netherlands, Duffy said in his annual report to the county.
The museum hosted its 21st annual Wonderland of Trees in 2022 and 400 visitors during the season, plus a Genesee Symphony Orchestra opening night concert and three more for 50-plus attendees. The site served to educate and entertain with a guest speaker series on topics that varied from The Life of Joseph Ellicott and The Prison Guard’s Daughter to WNY in the Gilded Age to How Buffalo Got Its Name.
Volunteers, docents and interns completed more than 1,700 hours of community service, with a steadfast core of 25 volunteers.
The Museum’s board signed a lease with Genesee County to show occupancy and allow the pursuit of further grants. Duffy and Angora have each been writing grants, Duffy said.
“And between Tyler and I we can also apply for more grants on our own, as we each got two since this year, as well as the support from our grant writer Sara Pasti, who is looking at larger grants for the capital project,” he said. “And we're looking at smaller program and collections-based grants. But those, we can get a couple of those every year. They add up and allow us to do greater things.”
A first-phase capital project has begun with the development of plans for a new proposed West Wing addition adjacent to the parking lot. Included with that was the creation of fundraising and grant opportunities — to be written by Duffy, Angora and a county-hired grant writer —to assist in covering the large cost. That is to be a three- to five-year project, Duffy said.
The county had contracted with grant writer Sara Pasti to gain access to grants relating to the capital project of the West Wing entrance, as well as for other improvements to the museum outside the capabilities of museum staff.
Legislative Chair Shelley Stein asked Duffy if the “grant-writing support provided by the county” has been used to write the intended grant yet, and “we’re working on several grants, actually, towards this,” he said.
Overall, what can the public look forward to in the coming months? This go-round of a speaker series is to feature Civil War Letters of Rollin Truesdell, Grant’s Last Battle and Journeys to Authors’ Graves in Upstate New York, to name a few, plus history trivia and a membership that isn’t reliant on calendar year renewal. And that’s not even reviewing the collections, which Duffy and Angora are confident the public will enjoy.
“It won’t be the same old way, and it won’t be the same old museum. So if you haven’t been there in some time, you won’t recognize the place,” Duffy said.
“Even in the four months I've been there, it’s changed drastically,” Angora agreed. “We've redesigned exhibits that have been up for several years. Redone, permanent exhibits. We've added new items for the public to see. So just expect more indoor exhibits, new programs and more fundraising. We're really going to be everywhere next year, so we will be kind of a force to be reckoned with.”
Paul Pettit’s decided to get the lead out. Of his next grant opportunity, that is.
The director of Genesee Orleans Health Department reviewed a $1.5 million grant with the county’s Human Services Committee on Monday that will stray from his last one that focused strictly on lead-based products.
“So there's a HUD grant that came through about two weeks ago. This one's a little unique compared to our current HUD grant that we have, which is focused on lead. This one's a little broader,” Pettit said. “So it's any type of healthy homes issue, similar to the grant we have right now in the City of Batavia and the Town of Batavia, that helps us, you know, provide different assistance for healthy homes. This one's a little broader for the entire county. We'd be putting it as a global application.”
Funding would help income-eligible applicants within the county qualify for grants of $10,000 to $15,000 to work on health-related safety issues around their homes, such as mold, radon, lead, pests, and weatherization needs, he said.
“I’m not sure we'll get it or not. But we believe we have a very successful model with the HUD lead grant. That's actually doing a lot of good work in the GLOW region,” he said.
In January 2019, the Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) received a $1.3 million federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address lead-based paint hazards in residential buildings within the counties of Genesee and Orleans.
Of this total funding, $1 million was to be used specifically for lead-based paint hazard reduction activities and $300,000 was directed to other health-related home repairs, maintenance, and upgrades. The funds were initially earmarked strictly for use in the City of Batavia and the Village of Albion, and HUD later approved an expansion of the program in December 2020.
That lead program has a coordinator and online details and applications for applicants and contractors involved in addressing the issues.
“So this would mirror that we already had systems in place. It obviously would probably involve hiring another environmental health specialist who would oversee that program for the region, with the funding to cover all that,” he said. “We’ll let you know: hopefully, we'll be accepting a grant soon.”
The committee approved the resolution, which will go on to Ways & Means and then to the county Legislature for final approval.
The resolution states that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a notice of funding opportunity titled Healthy Homes Production Grant Program, and WHEREAS, the grant will address housing-related diseases and injuries from housing health and safety hazards in underserved and low-income communities and will mitigate health and safety issues such as radon, pests, mold, lead, weatherization and other housing hazards, and WHEREAS, the Environmental Health Unit of the Health Department is desirous of submitting a complete application inclusive of required assurances, certifications and disclosures, and WHEREAS, the Human Services Committee did review this request and does recommend approval at this time.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) sent a letter to Cornell University President Martha Pollack demanding Professor Russell Rickford immediately resign for his anti-Semitic and pro-Hamas comments.
In the wake of the terrorist invasion of Israel that has killed over 1,300 Israelis so far, Mr. Rickford referred to the slaughter of Israeli civilians by Hamas as “energizing” and "exhilarating," while speaking at a pro-Palestine protest on Cornell's campus. Tenney’s letter detailed the severity of this rhetoric and called for Professor Rickford to either immediately resign from his position as an educator at Cornell or be fired.
In the letter, Tenney wrote, “Anti-Semitism should not be tolerated in academia or any other part of a civilized society. Professor Rickford holds a position within the university that allows him to mold and influence young minds. This position demands a higher standard of behavior, one that is free from anti-Semitic rhetoric and the vocal support of terrorism. By perpetuating these abhorrent views, Professor Rickford has not only violated his ethical responsibility as an educator but has also jeopardized the safety of the Jewish community and tarnished Cornell University's reputation. I sincerely hope that, as the President of Cornell, you will take this matter seriously and understand the severity of these faculty statements."
Please be advised that Blue Heron Construction will be mobilizing equipment in preparation for construction on the Jackson Street Water project within the City of Batavia.
Construction on this project is scheduled to begin the week of Oct. 30 and will include the installation of approximately 2,250 linear feet of new 8-inch water mains and appurtenances to replace existing 4-inch and 6-inch water mains on Jackson Street from Chestnut Street to Ellicott Street.
Traffic delays are to be expected; however, no street closures are anticipated at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank the public for their patience and cooperation as we work to improve our community.
Come and experience the 22nd annual Wonderland of Trees! The opening gala will occur on Friday, Nov. 17 from 6 - 8:30 p.m. at the Holland Land Office Museum. This year’s theme is “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Visit the museum to see all the wonderfully decorated trees and displays by local businesses and organizations.
This year’s opening gala will feature many great gift baskets to win, including an extra special grand basket. The night will also feature holiday music by the Genesee Symphony Orchestra. After dinner hors d’oeuvers will be provided by D&R Depot Restaurant. Tickets are $20, $15 for museum members, and $5 for children 12 and under.
The Wonderland of Trees will run through the end of December. The basket raffle winners will be drawn on Friday, Dec. 15. Further holiday events will also be held throughout the season. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 to get your tickets.
If your organization or business would like to participate in the Wonderland of Trees, there are many options. Options include decorated trees, gift baskets, or donations and sponsorships. Registration forms can be found at the museum’s website www.hollandlandoffice.com.
Submitted photo of Genesee County 4-H members Justin Deleo and Bing Zuber attended the NYS 4-H ABC Trip and met up with fellow 4-H member and SUNY Cobleskill student Ian Keberle. (Left to Right: Justin Deleo, Bing Zuber, Ian Keberle)
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
