Apparent smoke from the wildfires in Canada created a haze over the Tonawanda Creek on Friday morning. Photo by Howard Owens.
So this is what life has come to for much of upstate New York: checking the air quality reports every couple of days and having a good scientific expert on speed dial.
At least that’s how it is for The Batavian, with air levels reaching up past 150 for Western New York the last few days, signaling a red zone of “unhealthy.”
While it is tempting to set aside these readings and the scale of pretty colors, from green (good) up to a deep burgundy (hazardous), don’t do it, says Derek Mallia, assistant professor of atmospheric science at the University of Utah.
“Like the last event, the smoke event we are seeing is pretty significant, so it totally matters,” he said in response to The Batavian’s questions Thursday. “The best thing to do here is to limit outdoor exposure, especially if you are part of a sensitive group. If that is not possible, then wearing an N95 mask is your next best bet. Like the last event, it looks like fires from Canada are contributing to the really bad air quality you are observing. These fires are burning fast, and there is a lot of fire activity across most portions of Canada right now. Unfortunately, your winds are more out of the north as of late, which is bringing smoke from fires to the north, down across New York.”
It's really tough to forecast out beyond this week, he said, since the smoke forecast models only go out for two days.
“My guess is you could see intermittent smoke in the area over the next week or two since I do see days beyond June where there are northerly winds that can transport smoke southward from Canada to upstate New York,” he said.
As for what to do until those fires die down, experts advise you to keep an eye on the forecasts for yourself, be aware of when those numbers of fine particles rise above 100 into the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, consider wearing a mask outdoors, and use air conditioning indoors as measures against any potential cumulative physical harm from the air pollutants.
To check the air quality, go to the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Air Quality Index site.
Ileana Draper and Mayor Tom Sargent with one of the new Village of Corfu entryway signs that she and her classmates at Pembroke High School created for the village. Photo by Howard Owens.
The welcome mat, in the form of entry signs into the village, will be a little brighter in Corfu beginning this summer.
After 15 years, the entry signs along the main thoroughfares into Corfu have become a bit faded, so the village board invited art students at Pembroke High School to design and paint new signs.
They wanted color, flowers, especially tulips, and a welcoming message.
That's what they got, and students involved in the project said they got to work on an exciting, meaningful project.
"It was a cool experience because we could kind of shape how things in our community look," said Kayla Reynolds, who just finished her senior year and is heading off in the fall to Roberts Wesleyan. "It was a fun project. We could be creative and try to represent our town in the best way possible."
Junior Sophie Crandall is thinking about making a career in art so the project was especially fascinating to her, she said.
"I just think it was really interesting getting to do such a big project with very little restriction," she said. "We kind of got to do whatever we wanted with those designs."
Fifteen years ago, a group of Pembroke students designed the outgoing signs, and when the village's maintenance supervisor Norm Waff noticed the signs were showing their age, he approached the village board about designing and painting a new set of signs.
Waff said he thinks the students are really talented and did a wonderful job.
"I think that it really gives the students an opportunity to get involved in activities of the village around Pembroke," Waff said.
Deputy Mayor Michael Doktor said the students were given only a little direction -- incorporate village history, which means flowers.
"Other than that, it was just really leaving it up to the kids' imagination and their creativity," Doktor said.
About tulips: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were five greenhouses in Corfu. The florists mainly grew tulips and the tiny village was one of the largest exporters of tulips in the nation. Changing tastes and the Great Depression led to the eventual demise of the tulip, but a couple of the greenhouses survived until just the past decade or so (both were heavily damaged by the 2009 tornado that blew through town) by growing mums.
Mayor Tom Sargent said the project both helps beautify the community as well as builds community spirit.
"This is something that keeps the kids involved in our community," Sargent said. "It's a way for them to give back. Now every time that they come into the village, even 10 years from now, the signs will still be here. They can say, 'I did that sign.'"
The fact that the students knew everybody entering the village over the next 10 or 15 years would see the signs really motivated them to do their best work, Reynolds said.
"We really wanted it to be the best quality possible because people are gonna see it for -- we don't really know how many years -- and everyone that drives into Corfu is going to see these signs. We wanted them to be as finished and as professional looking as possible."
Kayla Reynolds with the sign she was most involved with creating. Photo by Howard Owens.
Sophie Crandall with the sign she was most involved with creating. Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens
Jonah Martin and Lily Martin with Mayor Tom Sargent.
Batavia Concert Band opens its 99th season Wednesday in Centennial Park. The free seven-week series is at 7 p.m. Wednesdays through the summer. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Centennial Park came alive again Wednesday with the sounds of Batavia Concert Band's music in its 99th season, and the evening included a recognition of GO ART!'s support, and a tribute to former music teachers Neil and Nancy Hartwick, who left indelible notes on the hearts of many former music students from the city school district.
Batavia Concert Band presented GO ART! with the Friend of the Band Award for giving a grant of $5,000 that will be used for equipment, licensing music, chairs, sound, and percussion instruments, band leader Jason Smith said.
Neil Hartwick was a prominent presence at the Batavia City School District, and Nancy taught mostly at Attica and at times in Batavia, while both were adored and respected for their talent roles as musical leaders in the community, band member and tuba player Peter Mark said.
“They were both wonderful people. She was a flutist, and Neil was clarinet and saxophone. Back in high school, I had him during my years in 1970 and ’71. I was out by then, but he had an excellent jazz band and he and the Sertoma Club, along about the early 70s, somewhere in there, were the ones that formed the Batavia Pageant of Bands.
"So if you're familiar with that era, you may remember the Memorial Day weekend with all of these bands from all over the area coming down and marching through the streets and having a great time,” Mark said. “Neil and Nancy were both really close to their students. And most of us that came through a program with Neil or Nancy just remember they were wonderful friends. They were more than just teachers, more than just the average teacher. They were friends with all of their students. We had a great time with them.”
When Neil died in 2017, Nancy asked that a Memorial Fund be established to benefit Batavia Concert Band, and memorials have gone to the fund ever since. Earlier this year, Nancy died in January, and the fund was renamed the Neil and Nancy Hartwick Memorial Fund, and their wish was to support the concert band via memorial contributions, Mark said.
“We've named the fund the Neil and Nancy Hartwick fund in honor of both of them," Mark said. "And former students contribute to that fund that we pay, we have other people as well, of course, and to keeping their legacy going.”
The concert band will play a seven-week free series at Centennial Park at 7 p.m. every Wednesday through the summer.
To donate, please make your check payable to: The Batavia Concert Band, and Mail to: Batavia Concert Band, PO Box 1705, Batavia, NY, 14021-1705. On the bottom of your check, please indicate the name Nancy Hartwick. Or those with a Venmo account, send to @bataviaconcertband.
It was another grey, smoky day in Genesee County on Thursday, including along Route 20 in Bethany, as weather patterns again pushed smoke from wildfires in Canada into New York.
An air quality advisory is in place and is expected to remain in effect until midnight on Friday.
The projected air quality index could reach 151 for fine particulates.
The National Weather Service states, "The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern. When pollution levels are elevated, the New York State Department of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease."
Photo by Alison Lang, on Goodman Road, Alexander, who noticed the juxtaposition of dense smoke hanging over Genesee County from Canadian wildfires and beef cattle in a field.
One of the oldest wood structures in Batavia, built in 1809, stands at 4 Mix Place, and owner Ed Smart wants to restore the residence to its "glory" and operate his architectural firm out of it as well. Photo by Howard Owens.
When Ed Smart initially saw his prospective new abode at 4 Mix Place, there was an obvious misgiving about the place.
“The first time I walked through it, it was raining inside the building,” he said during an interview with The Batavian Wednesday. “We appreciate beautiful buildings, so I'd love to see this thing restored to its glory and then some. It's just a beautiful piece of property. And, you know, over the time that I have owned it, I've invested in it, even without being able to use it, until I know I can use it for the use I want.”
And what he wants, which he has officially requested as smartDESIGN Architecture with a letter to the city, is to move his architectural company into the premises that are zoned residential 1A and obtain a zoning code update to amend that to residential 3 to allow for professional offices in that section of the city.
Smart is requesting to amend a section in the zoning code to read “offices for attorneys, physicians, dentists, another similar professional, not exceeding four offices in a single structure.” The current code does not include “and other similar professionals” in that section.
City Manager Rachael Tabelski recommended to City Council this week that if the group opted to grant the request, it may also want to consider including 1 Mix, a single-family residence, and 3 Mix, a two-building, eight-unit apartment building, to bring them into the R-3 district for zoning compliance.
Smart wants to bring his staff of about 11 people plus himself — give or take, depending on business needs at any given moment — and set up shop at the Mix Place site.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Formerly a residence with ample grounds and gardens, trees and smaller buildings, the site was built in 1809 by Ebenezer Mix, and has been a single-family residence and fixture for decades, until the last several years, when left unoccupied it has been vandalized, heavily damaged, and then discovered by Smart. It failed to sell at an auction before he made an offer and purchased it about two years ago, he said.
“I fixed quite a few things that needed attention. There were thieves and vandals that got in there and stole the copper, and they left a big hole in the roof where they ripped the vent stack out of the roof water had just been dumped in there, and it completely destroyed two rooms, and it partially destroyed a couple of others.
"So I fixed the roof, it was all hot water heat before, which of course, was covered, so I got some heat in there and then also ran dehumidifiers around the clock for months, actually. So then dried it out. And so it's been warm and dry,” he said. “And, then also, we've done some maintenance around the property. So, again, just trying to be a good neighbor, before we can get in there, we took out a whole lot of dead trees, where limbs were falling and things like that, but maintaining the attractive trees that are in there, with no intention of clear-cutting like that it’s too beautiful of a yard. We recently put a roof on the shed … and are working on a roof now for the little gazebo in the back, which is a beautiful little building, so I keep trying to keep things neat over there.”
He sent out a letter to the surrounding neighborhoods earlier this month to introduce himself and his intentions and to invite residents the opportunity to call or email him with questions, comments and concerns. To date, he has only heard positive feedback, he said.
SmartDESIGN does not get a lot of in-person visitors, he said, and oftentimes staff is off-site to tend to customer needs, so he does not expect there to be an issue with traffic. One employee works in Arizona, two others in Central New York that commute one day per week, and remote work is encouraged, he said. The company has been located on Harvester Avenue in Batavia for 19 years.
His firm “delivers architectural and design services throughout the United States,” he said in his application. “On an average day, there will be five to seven people in the office. With a full office, parking for 10 vehicles would be necessary and can be accommodated at the property.
His intent is to maintain the historic character of the building, he said, including “all roofs, windows, doors, siding and shutters” that will be repaired, and “the entire building will be painted with a “historically-appropriate color palette.”
Despite that first glimpse of a raining interior, why here? “So when I made the decision that I was going to start looking, (4 Mix Place) popped up on our radar, and we went and took a look … nobody else really had the will to take this project on. There's certainly people that have the finances, but those people didn't have the will. So this is something where I really, really liked this building, I really liked that spot in the city. I think our use is a good fit for the community, and I think we can bring that building back to its past glory,” Smart said. “I would like to have a community opening next year to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We would love to celebrate it in that building.
“One of the things I’d like to emphasize is that anything that we do in that space isn’t anything that couldn’t be undone in the future. This house has been there for 200 years, and it’s going to have a life after me, but it will be my final home and will be here for the life of my business.”
Smart encourages neighborhood residents to contact him with comments at (585) 345-4067, Ext. 112 or by email at esmart@smartdesignarchitecture.com.
City Council is expected to vote on his request, which may include being forwarded to the city’s Planning & Development Committee, during its next meeting on July 10.
Hollwedel Memorial Library is hosting a professional summer reading magic show, open to the community, on Monday, July 10 at 6 p.m., at the Hollwedel Memorial Library, located at 5 Woodrow Drive, Pavilion.
The show, titled “Yes I Can” is being used as part of the library’s efforts to encourage children to read more during the summer. Admission is free, seating availability permitting.
The magic show, presented by professional magician Cris Johnson, will feature music, age-appropriate humor, fun magic, audience participation, and more. The show is intended for children ages 4-12 and any fun-loving adults.
“This particular magic show is something different – it was designed to promote our summer reading program theme of "All Together Now’,” Library Director Josselyn Borowiec explains. “Cris Johnson comes dressed in a fun costume, and the show will feature magic themed around different aspects of togetherness, a strong pro-reading, a fun FREE magic trick for every child who attends, an amazing effect where several kids help with a magic jigsaw puzzle, and more!”
Why did magician Cris Johnson go to the trouble of creating an entire show around the 2023 Summer Reading Program theme? “I’ve been creating and presenting themed shows to libraries and schools across North America for nearly 20 years and it’s a passion of mine,” Cris explains. “With budget cuts increasing all the time, we as a community really need to support our local libraries, encourage children to read more, watch less TV, and protect our children’s future.”
Pictured: Lilly Liles (left) and Tammy Wells (right)
Press Release:
When Tammy Wells, Vice President of Byron Ladies Auxiliary heard about a local girl needing some help, she shared Lilly Liles’ story at the May meeting. It was decided at that meeting that Lilly and her family would be the recipient of the Memorial Day’s 50/50 drawing. In addition, a jar was also set out to collect any additional donations to Lilly and her family that day.
Lilly Liles, is the daughter of Nicole Kulzer and Bradley Liles. Lilly has been slowly losing her hearing since she was a young girl. Lilly, age 21, now has profound hearing loss bilaterally (both ears). With such severe hearing loss, Lilly is not able to hear a phone ring, someone calling her name, or a smoke alarm.
Her parents needed to find a way to keep her safe, especially when she is alone. Luckily the family learned of an organization that provides service dogs to folks like their daughter, Canine Companions.
Lilly and her family received a lengthy application with many questions that serve to see how and if a service dog and Lilly will be a good fit. The family completed the required documentation and on March 30 Lilly was accepted into their program.
With the initial first steps completed Lilly and her family learned that for Lilly to receive a service dog, she must travel with her family to Orlando, FL, and remain there for two weeks of intense team training.
Once there she will train with multiple hearing dogs. At training, Lilly will learn the skills to handle and control her service dog, correct his/her behavior, and how to provide quality care to her dog.
Although Lilly will not have to pay for her dog, she and her family will be responsible for covering the cost of transportation to and from Orlando, food for the 2-week period, and field trip costs. Fortunately, the organization has complimentary housing for the family.
When Lilly finally receives her service dog she and her family will also have many new expenses such as food, vet care, recertifications, inspections, and follow-up visits with Canine Companions. However, Lilly’s service dog will be able to assist her not only at home but also at school and work and she can finally be safe being alone, which will give her much more independence.
The New York State Department of Health recommends that with the reduced air quality, everyone should limit his or her outdoor activities to reduce exposure. Masks will be available to the public at the following locations in Genesee and Orleans Counties during normal business hours while supplies last.
Genesee County- Business Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Emergency Management Office, 7690 State Street Road, Batavia
County Building 2, 3837 West Main Street Road, Batavia
Old Courthouse, 7 Main Street, Batavia
Office for the Aging, 2 Bank Street, Batavia
Orleans County- Business Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Orleans County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 West, Albion
The New York State Department of Health provides the following tips to stay safe:
Limit time outdoors
Keep windows and doors closed
Avoid strenuous activities outdoors, especially for those with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory health issues
Avoid prolonged exposure outdoors, especially for those with health vulnerabilities, such as cardiovascular disease or lung disease, and those who are pregnant
For those that must be outside for a prolonged period of time, wear a tight fitting mask
Exposure to reduced air quality can pose negative health risks, including:
Irritation to eyes, nose, or throat
Coughing
Sneezing
Runny nose
Shortness of breath
Individuals with symptoms or related health concerns should contact their healthcare provider.
Join the Richmond Memorial Library for summer reading programs for all ages with the theme of “All Together Now”! Visit batavialibrary.org/calendar to see all of the upcoming events for the summer. Summer Reading Programs are sponsored by the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.
Children’s Summer Reading Program (June 26 - August 4, ages birth - 12)
This year’s children’s program includes:
The Read & Bead reading challenge.
Family Fun Fridays at 2 p.m. (beginning June 30).
Monday Story Time at 10 a.m. for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Music and Movement on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. for ages 0 - 4 (please register in advance).
Summer Play Café on Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
Lunch Bunch on Thursdays at 12 p.m. for ages 6 and up who enjoy a longer story.
NEW! Agriculture Wednesdays at 3 p.m., Celina Bartz from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will be here to teach us something about agriculture.
Teen Summer Reading program (June 26 - August 19, ages 13 - 17)
Summer reading programming for teens aged 13-17 at the library includes:
Classes by Mandy Humphrey of Art of Mandy
Tween Walk & Talk
Resin Summer Camp
Craft Classes
And more!
Sign up online or in the Teen Corner for Teen Summer Reading BINGO – complete 25 challenges like “Watch a documentary” or “Read a funny book” for a chance to win weekly prizes and a grand prize!
Adult Summer Reading Program (June 26 - August 19, ages 18 and up)
Adults are invited to participate in RML’s Adult Summer Reading BINGO Challenge! Complete library and reading challenges for a chance to win weekly and grand prizes. Participants in the adult summer reading challenge must have a valid library card in the NIOGA system to play for prizes. Register at the reference desk or at batavialibrary.org beginning June 26. Complete rules and information will be provided with registration and a sample BINGO board will be on display at the library.
The three grand prizes are:
A book lover’s basket stuffed with bookish goodies valued over $100
A Kindle Paperwhite eReader
A $50 gift certificate to Lift Bridge Books in Brockport.
Weekly prizes include gift certificates from local businesses!
Challenges range from “read a book about friendship” to “watch a film adapted from a book or play” to “attend a library program.” Programs planned for this summer include book discussions, the Richmond Reads title reveal, craft classes, bookish trivia, concerts, film screenings, an author visit and more! Visit the library or batavialibrary.org/calendar for more information about programs.
For information about library programs, visit batavialibrary.org, call 585-343-9550, or stop by the library at 19 Ross St, Batavia. The library is open Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Summer Reading is sponsored by the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.
Center Street Smokehouse is in line for some grant funding to help with exterior brick work and revamp the outdoor deck that faces Jackson Square in downtown Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.
A downtown building is in line for $20,000 worth of improvements to its brick exterior and upper back deck if City Council approves the grant request from building owner Cregg Paul.
The money will be in the form of a grant made available through an amended Revolving Loan Fund agreement that was revised in 2019. The revised policy seeks to have private building owners make lasting public and/or facade improvements within the city.
So back in 2019, City Council approved a policy to allow funding from the revolving loan fund to be split out and used for grant funds, specifically for building improvements only. So these grant funds are not for businesses. They're specific to buildings and infrastructure,” City Manager Rachael Tabelski said during City Council’s conference meeting Monday at City Hall. Off the top of my head, I believe there have been eight or nine grant funds awarded, the first one being Guy Clark at Cedar Street (Rentals), who built that new building to house some of his equipment, and I know other recipients have been, Casey Law Firm, I believe Matt Gray, (Gregory Hallock at) GO ART! has as well.
“And they've all been very successful in completing projects here in the city. The latest application is from the Center Street Smokehouse. They have deteriorating brick on their building that they need to repoint; they've needed that for awhile. They have some roof repairs that need to be completed. And they want to redo their second-floor patio facing into Jackson Square to freshen that up and make it look as nice as Matt’s patio. So I'm bringing that for you for your consideration.”
Building owners may request funds for building improvements that have a visual impact and facade work for rehabilitation or new builds, she said in a previous memo to City Council. “The grant of 40 percent of the total cost of the project will be considered, and the amount will be capped at $20,000,” she said.
The request has been approved by the Batavia Development Corp., and the funding will be matched with private funds from Center Street Smokehouse Inc. to renovate the exterior bar and restaurant abutting Jackson Square and to make necessary improvements to the facade and roof of the building.
An investment total for this phase is $50,000. BDC has recommended the grant with a score of 73.2 out of 100, based on “economic development and strategic goal alignment.” Tabelski therefore has recommended that council approve the request of $20,000 for the Center Street establishment.
A resolution will be up for vote during council’s business meeting on July 10.
Beverly's Floral & Gifts will "hopefully" move into its new home at 228 West Main St., Batavia later this summer after extensive rehabilitation of the former Roxy's Music store, owner Russ Fitzgibbon says. He pointed out the irony that his move will land him next door to the current Burger King that is seeking to move to his current location at the corner of West Main and South Lyon streets. Photo by Howard Owens.
While news of a potentially larger, relocated Burger King created some online responses from supporters of the businesses the fast-food restaurant would replace, one of those sites has been quietly working on its own new establishment.
Beverly’s Floral & Gifts will be moving into the former Roxy’s Music store at 228 West Main St., Batavia, hopefully, before the end of summer, owner Russ Fitzgibbon says.
“I bought it a year ago and have been rehabbing the place,” Fitzgibbon told The Batavian on Tuesday. “I have to put in about another month of work, and will be go-ready.”
He hasn’t been pleased with some of the online comments regarding Burger King’s plans to purchase and demolish the current Beverly’s building and adjacent one housing Batavia Restaurant Supply, plus two more along South Lyon Street. It has been well known for some time now, he said, that BRS owner Mike Charvella has been trying to sell the site at 301-305 West Main St.
“But nobody wanted to pay what he wanted to get for it,” Fitzgibbon said. “It’s not a surprise to anyone here. To say that a business is getting forced out … I like him, he’s always been straightforward with me. He’s been very clear.
“There’s zero surprise in any of this. Once he turned 70 or 75, he offered to sell to me or (to store managers). He can do whatever he wants to do with his business.”
Fitzgibbon has already completed some "massive construction" on his new place, he said. He couldn’t help but point out the bit of irony in his move: he will be next door to the current Burger King that is requesting a special use permit by relocating to his current stomping ground at the corner of West Main and South Lyon streets.
UPDATED 6/26/23: Stacey Schrader, who owns Batavia Restaurant Supply with partner Nate Charvella, wants to make it clear that, although the building at 301-305 West Main St. has been sold, the business will remain.
"We're staying in business," she said Wednesday. "We are in the process of finding a new location."
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) raised serious concerns following the release of a congressional letter calling for snapback sanctions on Iran only after the rogue regime enriches uranium beyond 90 percent, which would be at least 24 times the limit allowed under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In her statement, Tenney argues this would be too little, too late, and that snapback should be triggered immediately in response to Iran’s persistent non-compliance with its commitments.
“Signaling to the Islamic Republic of Iran that it should only face consequences for its reckless nuclear extortion if it reaches the dangerous threshold of 90 percent weapons-grade nuclear enrichment is deeply concerning,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Iran is already enriching uranium at 24 times the limit allowed by the JCPOA – the time for action is now, not after Iran blows past the critical benchmark of achieving weapons-grade enriched uranium. Threatening snapback only after Iran reaches the 90 percent threshold also creates a new and dangerous standard that Iranian enrichment up to 89.9 percent is somehow acceptable. Let me be clear: it is absolutely not acceptable. We need to stop moving the goalposts and start increasing the pressure. The time for snapback is now.”
Tenney recently led a bipartisan letter with Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) encouraging the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3) to initiate snapback sanctions on Iran under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2231. Tenney also published an op-ed in The Jerusalem Post condemning any attempts to wait until Iran enriches to 90 percent to initiate snapback sanctions.
The Pavilion Central School District Board of Education listens to members of the public express their unhappiness on Monday night at the removal of Deputy Jeremy McClellan as school resource officer. Photo by Howard Owens.
After hearing from nine speakers over 27 minutes express passionate -- and sometimes angry -- views on a planned change to the School Resource Officer position, no member of the Pavilion Central School District had anything of substance to say to the public.
There was no comment from the board after the public spoke, and no board member would respond to questions from reporters who followed them out of the auditorium and into the parking lot after the meeting.
Board President Marirose Ethington did thank the public for its attendance at the meeting and to the speakers who gave the board "something to think about" but offered no comment on the substance of what the speakers discussed.
The issue that brought hundreds of Pavilion residents to Monday's board meeting is a likely change in the SRO position.
Deputy Jeremy McClellan occupied the position for more than three years, and Superintendent Mary Kate Hoffman confirmed with The Batavian on Monday that he won't be the SRO at Pavilion in the Fall. The district will, however, maintains its contract with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office to provide a school resource officer to Pavilion.
School officials have not publicly stated why McClelaln will not return to Pavilion in the Fall but most of the speakers at Monday's meeting indicated it had something to do with him being open about his Christian faith.
"The school district theme for the 2022-23 school year was about accepting and embracing the differences in all the people around us," said Jamie Schwartz. "But was it only for the students and not the board and administration to uphold? Officer McClellan was terminated from his position at the school because his beliefs didn't blend with someone else's. By terminating him, the administration has just shown the entire school body that they did not actually mean anything they said this year about accepting and embracing others' differences. Do we all need to accept the differences that we are told to accept? Or are we to accept everyone? What kind of example are you setting for our children, telling them to accept everyone, regardless of race, religion, gender, or political views, and then turn it around by firing a valued staff member because their ideology does not match with yours?"
Bryleigh Burns, a student at Pavilion, made a similar point.
"The fact that Deputy McClellan went above and beyond just raises the question as to why he is being let go," Burns said. "If some of it's due to disagreements with other staff, we must look at the fact that it has been drilled in our brain since we were kids that you must get along with people even if you don't like them. If you are adults, can you not do that as we do as students? I know some people said he made religious comments. Are you going to punish someone who is just simply expressing their religious beliefs or simple opinions? I'd like to point out that there are many teachers throughout our school that push their opinions on students and put posters in their rooms, which is perfectly fine. That's fine. But ... "
At which point she was interrupted by loud applause and cheering.
She continued, "If you want us to accept their beliefs, we can absolutely do that. You have to accept it's not a one-sided thing."
McClellan was praised for the way he interacted with students and how he's come to know the name of every student in the school, but more than that, he was praised repeatedly for specific actions he's taken to assist students and families.
According to various speakers, he's apparently helped more than one student dealing with depression and with social isolation. He's often seen at school events, even after hours. He's delivered meals and Chromebooks to students who were homesick. He's given students haircuts when apparently they couldn't afford a haircut. He participated in a walkability student and helped secure a speed trailer to help slow traffic in front of the school. He addressed an apparent drug issue at the school. He's attended funerals. He's helped in the cafeteria when there was a staff shortage. And when a family went through a house fire, he loaned them a trailer to live in in the immediate aftermath.
"He's willing to commit his personal time, money and resources to assist in any way possible and has shown nothing but love in the process," said Alex Mead.
As an example of McClellan's excellence, Rich Klancer said the deputy carries a special responsibility in the Sheriff's Office.
"Deputy McClellan is the team lead for the school resource officer program for all of Genesee County," Klancer said. "He's a teacher to his peers. He's responsible for continuous improvement of the program. To be qualified to teach means he's mastered skills as a school resource officer and can serve as an example for other officers to become a member of the special patrol."
Sheriff William Sheron hasn't responded to emails from The Batavian about the situation, and we have another one in to him to try and confirm McClellan's status as an SRO in the department.
Kirsten Galliford recalled the first time she came across the SRO at the school.
"My first impression of Deputy McClellan was hearing his mantra," Galliford said. "He was leaving the school as I was going in, and someone asked him how he was. He responded, 'dedicated and motivated.' It made me pause. While his response had a ring to it, what really struck me was his sincerity."
She said McClellan has shown he is dedicated professionally and motivated personally, which is a good example for Pavilion students.
The statement by Cynthia M. Baltz was short and to the point.
"This man is kind, he's honest," she said. "He's caring. He knows every single parent. He knows every single kid. How dare you? How dare you do this change. We're mad. We're angry. Okay. And I hope to never see any of you again on this board in our school district because shame on you."
One speaker said Deputy McClellan's pictures were removed from the Gopher Pride page on Facebook. The Batavian scrolled through the page and did not see any pictures of McClellan, but we cannot confirm that there were pictures on the page previously.
After the meeting, when The Batavian approached board president Ethington for an interview, she said, "I really don't have any response at this point. We have things to think about and to discuss as a board together."
When asked if the topic would be on a future agenda, she said, "I can't discuss that right now."
Board Vice President Jeff Finch declined to comment, as did board member Margaret Gaston. Other board members walking with them did not say anything.
The Batavian has additional questions via email out to board members and the superintendent and will either update this story or provide a follow-up story as appropriate. We're also attempting to clarify the district policy on the expression by staff and faculty of political and personal beliefs.
Danielle Bannister "Over the past four years, Jeremy has become a part of the Pavilion community by investing his time, reading, and interacting with students, supporting our athletes at sporting events, and many other extra-extracurricular activities. He played a big part in delivering meals and Chromebooks to students who were home, to name a few things he did during COVID. He has gone above and beyond his responsibilities to get to know the students personally and offer them hope and encouragement." Photo by Howard Owens.
Alex Mead at the mic. Photo by Howard Owens.
Courtney Mead Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Kirsten Galliford Photo by Howard Owens
Cynthia M. Baltz Photo by Howard Owens.
Jamie Schwartz Photo by Howard Owens.
A couple of speakers got the crowd on their feet, including Jamie Schwartz at the end. Photo by Howard Owens.
Batavia City Manager Rachael Tabelski and Matt Gray, owner/operator of the McCarthy ice arena, make a presentation to City Council Monday in Council Chambers at City Hall. Behind Gray are his folks, Bob and Sharon, members of Friends of the RInk. Photo by Joanne Beck.
As summer has just officially thunderstormed its way into the area, it may seem as though there’s plenty of time to put a major equipment decision on ice at the McCarthy arena on Evans Street. Especially when it could cost upwards of $4 million if the city doesn’t get any grant funding.
But from the appeals and official presentations heard during City Council’s conference session Monday evening, time is of the essence. A rapidly failing ice chiller isn’t likely to survive another full season, and without a working chiller, of course, there is no ice, no hockey program, and no evolving 12-month facility that just celebrated “a great first year,” according to arena operator Matt Gray.
That success hasn’t been without a fair share of struggles for Gray and his staff to keep the 20-plus-year-old chiller operational, he said.
“Our staff is doing everything they can to keep it running. It's a great expense with the R 22 (refrigerant). We do have leaks. It's costing, you know, our capital budget through the city is thousands of dollars a year. And that's one of the reasons why it has to be done because we're losing money,” Gray said. “Our staff during the winter, seven times, 10 times a week, are going up onto the roof, and they're thawing out a broken evaporator up on the roof, it freezes solid, it's 20 degrees out, 10 degrees when the wind’s blowing. It can't wait an hour … We know we have a challenge for this coming year. We've already sat down with all the staff, and they're up for it.
"We need to make it through this coming season," Gray said. "And we need to stick to the timetable hopefully for 2024 because of the 25 season so that we can open up in September of that season.”
His plea was supplemented by speaker Bob Gray, his dad and one of the founders of Friends of the Rink, who read a list of the many activities, fundraisers, events and related supporters that rally around the ice rink’s purpose.
From a free hockey try-out day for kids and wrestling to an 80s roller skating party and mega garage sale, in addition to the regular youth and adult hockey leagues, the rink has become an incrementally improved facility that council members should check out for themselves, the elder Gray said.
"The spirit behind the Batavia Ramparts right now, the vibe, the buzz, the people have come back, it is amazing, and I would recommend anybody come down and take a look at just what’s going on there," Tim Sprague said on behalf of Batavia Ramparts during Monday's City Council meeting. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Tim Sprague spoke on behalf of the Batavia Ramparts youth hockey league, endorsing the rink not just for those players but for others outside of the city that use the facility. The Ramparts has become 200 members strong, and his own participation as a kid got Sprague through a tough time in his life when his mom died, he said.
“Growing up on Harvester Avenue, it was really helpful to have a place where I could go with my friends where they were like family, and I was able to be a part of that hockey community,” he said. “So it's not just the local area people that are using it, it's driving from all around, and it's pulling people into our community. And you're getting to see things that are happening at the rink. I honestly, the dirt bike thing I thought was a wild idea. I couldn't believe how successful that was to see that happen on the ice, and the amount of support that received was just really cool.
“So that's just all I really wanted to say, is just the support that Batavia Ramparts has for that rink and what it means to us. So thank you, we appreciate it,” he said.
John Roach of Batavia came to the meeting to comment on another topic, but while at the podium, he added that investing in a new chiller was “a no-brainer.” A couple of council members seemed to agree.
Councilman-at-large Bob Bialkowski appreciated the fact that the arena was being handled by someone local, and that has made a difference, he said. Council President Eugene Jankowski believes that the arena is “only getting better every day” and “hopefully we can get this chiller thing resolved.” Councilman John Canale has a lot of drum students that use the rink and believes that “we’re onto something, let’s keep it going.”
Paul Viele thanked the Grays for what they do to support the rink and asked, “What can we do to expedite this grant for them?”
The Climate Smart Communities grant, in the amount of $1,235,000, wouldn’t be available until December, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said. In the meantime, the council can consider applying for a bond to afford the $2.5 million capital project and purchase the chiller. Council would then approve a resolution to apply for the grant, which would be announced in December. The project would be put out for bid and award, to be installed between April and September 2024, before the new hockey season begins.
Tabelski presented two options if the council agrees to go forward with purchasing a new chiller. One is the cost of a debt service payment plan based on 25 years with interest, and the city doesn't get the grant. That tab amounts to $4 million, versus a total offset by the $1.23 million grant and decreased interest payments.
Her recommendation is based on a feasibility study conducted by the New York Power Authority, which concluded that the chiller should be replaced as a matter of financial practicality.
“You've heard me say it many, many, many times over the past two years. We operate on the R-22 refrigerant, which has been phased out of production. We spent over $90,000 in 21 and 22. You remember the emergency purchases for either refrigerant or oil during that time period. So we built reserves. However, those reserves are being flushed down into buying this refrigerant,” she said. “They absolutely recommend replacing the chiller, the evaporative cooler.
“Specifically, the grant has timeline parameters. So I'm gonna go through it in the presentation, but we have a choice to make tonight to approve a $2.5 million project and have council look at the two different scenarios of bonding and investment. One with a grant and one without,” she said. “My ask tonight is actually to approve it, not knowing whether we get the grant or not, by letting you know we do have sufficient funds in the general fund to make those bond payments. So again, we wouldn't know about the grant until December if Council chooses to 1. approve the capital project and 2. to apply for this grant. So it's kind of like we need to get started now to hit the April timeline of when the ice comes up to move forward with the chiller replacement.”
Council moved several resolutions to the next business meeting on July 10 so that the group could vote on:
Approving the $2.5 capital project to purchase a new chiller and evaporator system for the ice rink.
Using a new county program that provides a one-time use of $5,000 for grant-writing services to pursue a Climate Smart Communities grant to offset the cost of the new chiller.
Agreeing to apply for the Climate Smart Communities grant of $1,235,000.
County Legislature Chair Shelley Stein. Photo by Howard Owens.
An announcement today by Sen. Charles Schumer, while in Pavilion to talk about dairy farms and the pending 2023 Farm Bill, that he has secured $670 million for New York to expand broadband access is good news for Genesee County, said Shelley Stein.
A dairy farmer, Stein is also chair of the Genesee County Legislature.
She said the county is committed to spending $7.2 million to run wire to 1,578 addresses (of about 31,000 address points) in the county that do not currently have access to high-speed internet. The county already secured a $3 million grant to cover part of the cost of the project, and the Legislature was concerned it would need to take on debt to fund the rest of the project.
"For us, it means, perhaps, we will not have to bond the rest of that, which is great news today," Stein said.
It's the furthest reaches of rural Genesee County that don't have broadband, and a big part of New York's share of the broadband funding will go to rural areas, Schumer said.
"This is the largest single investment in broadband history in New York," Schumer said. "It's game-changing. For too long, residents across New York State, from Buffalo to Rochester to Albany to rural areas in particular, like here where we're standing in Genesee County, have lacked sufficient access to fast, reliable, affordable high-speed internet."
Ensuring everyone has fast, reliable internet is as essential to communities today as electricity was more than a century ago, Schumer said.
"Broadband is for the 21st century," said the Senate's majority leader. "You need it everywhere. Your kids need it to go to school, our local hospitals need it to do telemedicine, individuals need it for their small businesses, and farmers need it so they can keep up with the latest weather and other reports that they so desperately need. We have had too many people who either don't have broadband or when they do, it becomes too expensive, so they can't afford broadband."
The state will need to present a plan to the federal government on how the $670 million will be allocated throughout the state and the Commerce Department will need to approve the plan, Schumer said.
"I fought very hard to make sure that broadband was in the bipartisan (infrastructure) bill," Schumer said. "It started out as the old-time bill with stuff for roads, bridges, highways, rail. That's needed, and it's in the bill, but I said, we also need broadband because that's part of the 21st-century way of commerce."
Outgoing School Resource Officer Jeremy McClellan with students at Pavilion Central School in an undated photo from social media.
In his three years as the school resource officer in Pavilion, Deputy Jeremy McClellan has apparently made quite an impression on parents and students.
Parents and students have learned that the Pavilion Central School District doesn't plan to have McClellan back as SRO, and they've started an online petition drive to support his return and in online postings and in emails to The Batavian many said they plan to attend tonight's (Monday) school board meeting to protest his removal from the position.
More than 640 people have signed the petition on Change.org, and a few have stated their reason for supporting the petition.
After recounting how McClellan has impressed her children, and even talking one through some difficult times, Renee Gurbacki wrote, "Officer McClellan is so genuinely kind-hearted, and genuinely cares for the well-being and safety for each and every kid, in our district or out of district. Everything he did or does is to only make this place a better place. He is the perfect role model for each and every one of us."
Several parents have posted online about their appreciation of McClellan.
There has also been some misunderstanding expressed that Pavilion is eliminating the SRO program. That's not the case, said Superintendent Mary Kate Hoffman. The district still has a contract with the Sheriff's Office to employ a deputy as an SRO.
Asked if McClellan was "fired," as many parents have phrased it, and whether he was told he wasn't a "good fit," as some parents have claimed, Hoffman did not directly address those comments. She provided The Batavian with the following statement:
The Pavilion CSD, in consultation with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, announces the reassignment of School Resource Officer Jeremy McClellan. We express our gratitude for Deputy McClellan's valuable contributions to the Pavilion Central School District and to the community of Pavilion. Our collaboration with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office and the SRO program will persist, and we are thankful for their assistance during this period of change. As this concerns a personnel matter, the district will refrain from providing any additional comments.
