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Jeffrey D. Hall, 38, of Batavia, is charged with sex abuse 1st (contact by forcible compulsion). Hall is accused of grabbing a Door Dash employee, forcing her to touch his intimate parts, at 11:48 p.m., May 24, at a location on Ross Street, Batavia.  Hall was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Tarrell Jerry Carter, 37, of Raines Park, Rochester, is charged with strangulation 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and assault 3rd. Carter is accused of punching and choking a victim during an argument at 11:15 p.m., July 3, at a location on West Main Street, Le Roy. He was arrested by Officer Curtis Miller, arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court, and ordered held at the Genesee County Jail without bail.

Brandon Dodd, 35, of Highland Drive, Batavia, is charged wit falsifying business records 1st, criminal possession of stolen property 5th, and petit larceny. Dodd is accused of stealing merchandise from Kohl's Department Store and then selling the merchandise to Pawn King, falsifying a bill of sale attesting to ownership of the property. Dodd was issued an appearance ticket. The case was investigated by Investigator Erik Andre and Deputy Nicholas Chamoun.

Tonja Marie Stephens, 54, of Prole Road, Stafford, is charged with violation of a court order. Stephens is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection at 9 a.m., June 29, at a location on Prole Road, Stafford. She was arraigned in Town of Stafford Court and released on her own recognizance.

Joseph Michael Morelli, 53, Orchard Street, Oakfield, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child.  Morelli is accused of striking a child in the face at 7:43 p.m., June 26, at a location on Orchard Street, Oakfield. He was ordered to appear in court on July 22.

Dennis James Jenks, 23, of West Albion Street, Holley, is charged with obstructing governmental administration 2nd. Jenks is accused of physically and verbally impeding an investigation into a DWI at 11:34 p.m., June 30, on Byron Holly Road, Byron. He was arrested by Deputy David Moore and released on an appearance ticket.

Elizabeth Emily Ahl, 28, of Park Meadow Road, West Seneca, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding not reasonable and prudent, moving from lane unsafely. Ahl was arrested by Deputy David Moore following an investigation into a motor vehicle accident reported at 3:42 a.m., July 2, at mile marker 3.4 on the I-490 in Bergen. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Cordero Leon Royes, 35, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Royes is suspected of driving at speeds in excess of 120 mph on Route 33 through the Village of Corfu and Town of Pembroke at 9:58 p.m., July 5. She was arrested by Deputy Nicholas Chmoun and Sgt. Kyle Krzemien and released on an appearance ticket.

Adam N. Hume, 38, of Pavilion, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Hume was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer at 12:15 a.m., June 24, on West Main Street, Batavia.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Latoya D. Jackson, 36, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd.  Jackson is accused of violating an order of protection at 8:58 p.m., June 29, at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Andrew J. Draper, 43, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Draper was allegedly with a person covered by an order of protection at 10 a.m., June 25, when Batavia PD made contact with him at a location on East Main Street on an unrelated matter.  He was issued an appearance ticket. 

Andrew J. Draper, 43, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Draper is accused of stealing two rings from another person and selling them without permission on June 23. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Tammy M. Ace, 47, of Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Ace is accused of dumping bleach on another person's belongings at 11:26 a.m., June 15, at a location on Holland Avenue, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Michael W. Williams, 63, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater.  Williams was stopped by a Batavia patrol officer at 8:19 p.m., June 17, at a location on East Main Street, after a complaint from a local business that Williams might be driving drunk. Williams was issued an appearance ticket.

Brian J. Ferguson, 35, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, failure to signal lane change, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle, inadequate headlights, and insufficient tail lamps. Ferguson was stopped by Officer Freeman at 12:13 a.m., June 11, on East Main Street.  Ferguson was released on an appearance ticket.

Oraid M. Blackshear-Edwards, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass 2nd. Blackshear-Edwards was allegedly found sleeping inside a residence in South Main Street at 7:58 a.m., June 19, that was not his own. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Matthew D. Derrick, 37, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Derrick is accused of violating an order of protection by contacting another person on social media. at 4:28 p.m., June 17. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Julie L. Dutton, 27, of Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Dutton is accused of stealing two alcoholic beverages from a local grocery store on Ellicott Street, Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Christine M. Caplis, 41, of Batavia, is accused of failure to appear on a bench warrant. Caplis was arrested on a warrant stemming from an incident on Nov. 4.

Jarrod K. Fotiathis, 27, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal mischief 3rd. Fotiathis is accused of kicking in a door, and damaging the door and frame, at 4:34 a.m., June 27, at a location on Lake Street, Le Roy. He was arraigned in Town of Le Roy Court, issued an order of protection, and released until his next court appearance on July 21.

Ronald J. Maxwell, 53, of Le Roy, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Maxwell was stopped by State Police in the Town of Le Roy at 4:12 p.m., July 3. He was issued an appearance ticket.

State Police have identified the man killed in yesterday's motorcycle crash in Bethany as Nicholas Keiffer, 26, of Medina.

Troopers have released no further information about the crash.

According to statements by officials at the scene yesterday at Route 63 and Fargo Road, the motorcycle driver was on a "crotch rocket" and was observed speeding by a Genesee County deputy sheriff on Route 5, heading west. 

The officer attempted a traffic stop, Chief Deputy Joseph Graff said, but the rider failed to yield to an emergency vehicle. The pursuit continued to southbound Route 63, where the deputy lost sight of the bike and broke off his pursuit. 

The deputy continued southbound and within minutes spotted evidence of a crash and found the motorcycle behind a hedge row in a farm field off the east side of Fargo Road.

At the scene, tire ruts were clearly visible in the grass where the motorcycle left the roadway of Route 63 on the south shoulder and according to a statement by one of the investigators, likely went airborne when the bike hit the asphalt of Fargo Road.

According to scanner traffic during the incident, a deputy attempted CPR at the scene.  Keiffer was pronounced dead at the crash site.

Because the incident involved a deputy, the crash investigation was turned over to State Police.

Previously: Fatal motorcycle accident reported on Route 63 at Fargo Road

City and Town of Batavia and Genesee County officials have joined forces to oppose a request for water that could potentially affect the flow for area residents.

The three municipalities called upon environmental analyst Guillermo Saar of the state Department of Conservation to consider the burden a request --  to draw 715,600 gallons a day — would put on Batavia and Genesee County if granted. Seneca Power Partners, a company at 163 Cedar St., Batavia, with an unpaid debt of more than $1.5 million in back taxes, made the request through a permit application to DEC’s Division of Environmental Permits.

“The major users of the Well Field (Genesee County, Town of Batavia, and City of Batavia) oppose this application and seek to help Seneca Power Partners find an alternative means to access untreated water for their operations. The aquifer directly feeds the Batavia Water Treatment Plant (owned by Genesee County, and operated by the City of Batavia) as a major source of drinking water,” the letter stated. “While the Tonawanda Creek also contributes as a source of drinking water, the quality and turbidity of the Creek make it a much less desirable source. Any excess extraction of water from the aquifer will force the Batavia Water Treatment Plant to rely more heavily on the Creek, and that will, in turn, increase the cost of municipal water treatment and decrease sustainability.”

City Manager Rachael Tabelski was not given any advance warning about the request from Seneca Power Partners, she said.

“This application to tap into the aquifer was a surprise, and there was no previous conversation with the City about utilizing Well D,” she said to The Batavian Wednesday evening. “As the letter, you received stated, the aquifer is a protected natural resource that provides water to many residents and businesses and needs to be scrutinized at the highest levels for the best outcome for all parties.”

According to a letter sent by the three municipalities, the amount requested, 715,600 gallons per day is 75 times more water usage than the current average of 9,513 GPD. This will “burden the aquifer's ability to supply the Batavia Water Treatment Plant,” the letter states.

“The aquifer has seen historic low levels of source water in the last decade, a pattern that has not reversed itself,” it states.

Other supporting reasons for opposition is that Genesee County has issued water conservation notices to residents two years in a row, in June 2021 and again in July of this year. The notices warned that “the water level in the aquifer that feeds the City of Batavia Water Treatment Plant is approaching historic lows,” and “the deeper the water is below ground level the more inefficient the well pumps are..” It was the third consecutive year the county asked residents for a voluntary water restriction.

The City of Batavia Water Treatment Plant provides nearly 50 percent of the county's water needs. . Without an adequate source to supply the residential, agriculture, commercial and industrial users, they face the potential for water shortages, inadequate flows for fire suppression, and a risk of hydrological issues, the letter states. 

“In an emergency, if the county were to bring in water from other outside sources there would be an unknown hydrologic mix that could severely impact residents that have lead and galvanized pipes,” it states. “This could lead to a serious social injustice for the most economically disadvantaged citizens.” 

In the letter, it states that while the applicant claims that “they are operating in a socially responsible manner, their past activities indicate otherwise.” The company faced termination notices for water service in 2020 and 2021 for failure to pay its water bills, and is currently on the path to foreclosure of its plant and pipeline for failure to pay real property taxes since 2017. As of June 15 of this year, that tab is now at $1,528,402.32.

“How can we trust a company who blatantly ignores its water and tax bills with the responsibility to draw water from a protected aquifer?” the municipality leaders asked.

A final consideration is that Seneca Power Partners “has failed to consider other sources of water that would be more resilient and responsible." For example, O-AT-KA Milk Products, less than 100 yards away from the property line, discharges 1.0 mm gallons/day of non-contact water through its permit discharge and is “willing to entertain a discussion about rerouting a portion of this water to Seneca Power Partners.” As this is non-contact cooling water, it might be a suitable and more sustainable option to pursue, the letter stated.

“Therefore, and in light of the objections outlined above, we oppose the permit application to the DEC and ask that the DEC act in a manner to protect the aquifer and Batavia Water Treatment Plant,” it stated. 

The letter, signed by Tabelski, Genesee County Manager Matt Landers and Batavia Town Supervisor Gregory Post, was complemented by another letter sent by Genesee County Legislature and signed by Chairwoman Rochelle Stein.

Genesee County leaders are opposing the request due to a troubling trend of a declining water table; the misrepresentation by SPP of how the request would actually affect the city, town and county residents; and a request that is significantly higher than the historic daily average water use by SPP.

“Due to these three reasons listed above, Genesee County is strongly opposed to Seneca Power Partners’ direct well water withdrawal permit application,” Stein said. “We hope NYSDEC staff understands our position and puts the needs of an entire county above the interests of a private company.”

Press releases about this matter were sent out by the city and county around 4:15 p.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday, respectively. Questions emailed to Landers and Stein were not answered Wednesday evening. Tabelski said that she would discuss some of the questions with the city attorney and also referred the matter to DEC. Emailed questions to DEC Regional 8 Director Tim Walsh were not answered as of Wednesday night.

See related article about the permit process for DEC.

A motorcycle accident with injuries is reported at Route 63 and Fargo Road, Bethany.

The accident seems to have occurred moments after a deputy reported losing sight of a "crotch-rocket" that he had been pursuing. The deputy reported backing off the pursuit before the accident was discovered.

UPDATE 7:03 p.m.: Bethany Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.  Mercy Flight is on ground standby.

UPDATE 8:40 p.m.: Chief Deputy Joseph Graff confirmed that the motorcycle rider died at the scene. A deputy had spotted a motorcycle speeding westbound on Route 5, and attempted a traffic stop. The motorcyclist failed to yield to emergency lights. The deputy continued to follow the speeding bike southbound on Route 63 and lost sight of it shortly after. He discontinued the pursuit. A short time later, while continuing southbound, he came upon the accident scene.

Based on observations at the scene, the motorcycle left the roadway of Route 63 at Fargo Road, digging ruts in the grass before hitting the asphalt of Fargo Road, and becoming airborne. The motorcycle came to rest behind a hedge row in a field on the east side of Fargo Road. According to scanner reports, CPR was attempted. The accident scene investigation is being turned over to State Police.

Photo by Howard Owens.

Batavia City Schools residents are invited to not one, but two public hearings about the district's conduct code and the addition of another school resource officer at about $100,000 a year.

The hearings are part of combined reorganizational and regular meetings of the board this week. The session is to begin at 6:15 p.m. Thursday in the Superintendent’s Conference Room at Batavia High School, 260 State St., Batavia.

Public hearings are scheduled after what is usually a boilerplate type of meeting to plug in various district details, including swearing-in of board members, electing the president and vice president, and appointing people to a yearly list of roles. The list is fairly long and varied, from a school pesticide representative, tax collector, and purchasing agent to a faculty auditor, data protection officer and an extracurricular activities account treasurer.

Other board action includes votes to approve miscellaneous items, including the mileage reimbursement rate, existing bylaws and policies, and staff attendance at conferences and similar training.

Hearings are to follow for the review and public input of a District Code of Conduct and then of a School Resource Officer Contract to hire a second officer for the district. A prior hearing about the Code of Conduct brought out no one for comment. The school resource officer is obtained through the city of Batavia and its police department, with the school district picking up the tab. Each officer costs -- in salary and benefits -- approximately $100,000 each, Police Chief Shawn Heubusch confirmed with The Batavian.

Superintendent Jason Smith is to provide the review of each topic, and district residents are invited to sign up prior to or during the review to voice comments or questions. Speakers are given a three-minute time limit each per topic. 

Smith and Business Administrator Scott Rozanski had previously discussed that payment would be possible with leftover federal grant money (American Rescue Plan Act) paid out for COVID-related initiatives and responses. There is about $200,000 from that ARPA money available for another resource officer, Rozanski said.

After the public hearings are closed, a regular meeting is to commence with district “Good news to share,” a superintendent’s report, board votes for various appointments, contracts, a district strategic plan, Code of Conduct, and school resource officer services.

These meetings may be viewed on YouTube. 

For more information, go to bataviacsd.org

It’s fair to say that Stephen Kowalcyk is intense about what he does.

He has a passion for all things music — from playing the drums to working on the production elements of shows big and small. He might be doing the sound and lighting for a small town bar one night and then for a James Taylor concert the next. It has been his life now for the last two decades.

“I was a drummer since I was a little kid and that's what got me into this. I originally started playing in bands in Jackson Square and bought some lights for my band that I was in, and then when that band broke up, people kept calling me to bring the lights to shows, and next thing I know, I realize I can make money at it. And 20 years later, I'm doing some of the biggest names in the country,” Kowalcyk said to The Batavian during the annual Ramble. “I’ve been in 40 states, toured as a lighting designer, I've been a drummer in some regional bands. I do sound and I'm a union stagehand for some of the biggest concerts at Darien Lake and the Sabres arena, the Blue Cross Arena. I've done in the past month everything from cover bands to Kenny Chesney. So that's what I do for a living.”

A Batavia resident and volunteer fireman with the Town of Batavia, he is a partner with Genesee Production Group, which is “basically a bunch of sole proprietors that all work together,” he said.

As Batavia Ramble hit its 15th year this past weekend, Kowalcyk wants to see the venue of Jackson Square get better and better. He and co-organizer Paul Draper, with help from Jordann Luce, had nothing but praise for how this last Ramble went. Record attendance, beautiful weather, a great line-up of talent and but a few “hiccups,” as Kowalcyk described them. The two-year pandemic break made for a small learning curve to get back up and running smoothly,  he said.

This year featured input from GO ART!, which pleased the Ramble organizers, they said. A variety of cultures, performances, food and art lined Jackson Street for a good part of the day, with Ramble musicians finishing out the late evening in the Square. A basket raffle housed inside Eli Fish was to raise money for kids’ music lessons. That was a plan before Roxy’s owner Rose Caccamise died, and now Kowalcyk and Ramble co-organizer Paul Draper are looking for another nearby music store and teachers to help with the effort.

“We have a larger kids section this year than we've ever had, thanks to GO ART! And that has been extremely helpful. I've seen a lot more kids here than we have in the past,” he said. “So having kids here is something that we wanted to do before. But Paul and myself were never really good at that. We didn't know how to advertise for that and how to do that.”

All of the positives aside, Kowalcyk is perhaps a bit "protective," he said, about the space at Jackson Square and an impending redesign. The city has been awarded a Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant of $750,000 for a project to “transform public space in a public plaza.” Grant specs state that an upgraded plaza is to become a “lively hub and common space for community interaction” while also providing connections to multiple businesses throughout the alleyway.

Who's involved ...
Architectural Resources is the city's firm in charge of the redesign. The city hosted two public meetings in 2021 to gather input from community members regarding the space. The initial plan was to begin construction in the fall of 2021 for a revamped Square by the spring of this year. Bids for the work have been rejected twice due to not fitting the financial cap for the project. City Council more recently rescinded acceptance of a contractor after the company raised the initial bid.

Kowalcyk and Draper want very much to be part of the redesign process and feel that they have been left out in these final stages.

“I have my own opinion on how this area should be taken care of, as I played my first gig here 20 years ago. So it's kind of, it's very sensitive to me, this area's worries,” Kowalcyk said. “One of my first gigs ever was here in 2002-2003. I’ve been playing with bands since then. And it's actually been really huge to the music scene here. A lot of people my age can say that they played some of their first shows in Jackson Square. So it's very sentimental to people our age because in the early 2000s, that was one of the very few places that people that weren't 21 could play shows. So we don't want to see it turn into something that it's not … it's not an amphitheater, we know that. But we also know that being a free and open venue that the city allows us to use, it's a great asset to the city and to our music scene.”

Wanting to be more involved ...
Based on the last plans he was aware of, Kowalcyk heard that the roof would be made of glass, the stage wouldn’t be very high and a handicap-accessible ramp was targeted for the front of it. He appreciates that City Manager Rachael Tabelski “was very good to me once she realized how much it meant to us,” he said. But after those initial conversations with the design team, “there’s been no communications with us.”

“And obviously, I will straight up say, this is the largest event that happens in Jackson Square. We should be a part of the conversation on what happens with the design team. And I feel like we weren't a part of that initially until I kind of stuck my foot in the door and said, ‘Hey, we really need to be, you should listen to what we have to say. Because we have a lot of people that have a strong opinion on what happens back here.’”

The Batavian emailed questions to Tabelski, who said that her response is the same as it was when Kowalcyk and Draper spoke out in 2021. Input from citizens has been “heard and considered, and incorporated into the design,” she said, including those affiliated with the Ramble, which happens once a year.

“For the design side and bidding, we have to use a professionally licensed architect and engineer to complete the project for safety and liability reasons. The City will continue to look at the project and get the best outcome for the public gathering space and fulfill the DRI funding commitment,” Tabelski said.  “Just like with many public works projects, after citizen input is solicited and incorporated, the design/engineering/construction process is managed by professional city staff.  In this case, the project should already have been completed and I will be re-evaluating the architectural bid specs and seeking modifications so we can achieve an on-budget construction project that enhances Jackson Square.”

No throwing of stones, just suggestions ...
Well, if by chance the architects are listening, Kowalcyk wants to pitch his thoughts: no ramp right in front of performers and a solid roof for the stage “would prove beneficial.” Glass is a nice design element, he said, but given the open space with little shade, glass could make it unbearable for performers on a hot sunny day.

“We need shade at this time of year and almost every year when we do this. It's nearly the longest day of the year, and it's almost one of the hottest days of the year. Yeah, so we're looking for shade. That is the biggest thing,” he said. “Everyone knows that I'm a liaison between this event and the city, okay, so they've been coming to me, and I've been getting emails and phone calls and text messages saying you cannot let them go with a glass roof.”

Another complaint he’s been hearing is that a large portion of that $750,000 was going to replace the concrete and brick in Jackson Square. It wasn’t that long ago since it was last repaired, he said, and “really not that bad.”

“I hate to see the majority of our budget go to that aspect, where I don't think it's going to make that much of an improvement. The average person's not gonna come in there and see that much,” he said.

No disrespect to the design team, he said, but other missing elements (as far as he’s aware) include permanent lighting for night show options and a screen that could be pulled down for movies and other uses.

“With the right design of a stage, we could have built a little small AV corner to do that. And we're only talking hundreds of dollars, not thousands of dollars. It would have been easy to do the power button,” he said.

After speaking with a member of the City Council last year, Kowalcyk said he was told that the DRI grant was on a timeline and that money had to be spent and work completed to fulfill the requirements as a “use it or lose it” situation.  The member had indicated that it would be better to “get it done and then fix it later.”

“And I’m like no, that is not how you do that. That is a PR nightmare; you do not fix it after the fact,” he said. “I would like to do it right the first time and not come back and try to fix it because, why spend the extra money?”

To be clear, this was one person’s remark to Kowalcyk and apparently not an official comment about the design team’s approach.

Other team players ...
Kowalcyk has a sincere interest in promoting and utilizing the Square for a full plate of events beyond the Ramble, he said. He hopes to work with the Batavia Business Improvement District for future Rambles and other ideas, as the Square is right in BID’s backyard. BID has hosted the Jackson Square Friday night music series for several years, plus some Thursday nights this summer.

The Batavia BID board is updated monthly on the project, and has provided feedback to the City through the process, Tabelski said. BID Executive Director Shannon Maute said Tuesday that she is “open to anything” that would benefit the downtown area. She didn’t know why Ramble and BID organizers ever stopped collaborating on the effort, but she would be willing to do so, Maute said.

As for the Jackson Square redesign, aside from cleaning up the area, leave well enough alone, she said. An old relic of the past, it's a nostalgic space that she appreciates.

“As for me personally, I want it the way it is … it’s one of the very few things unchanged in downtown. The stage has worked,” she said. “If the city wants to revamp it, I’m fine with that as well.”

Kowalcyk likewise wants to work with the BID, he said. His vision of the Ramble is to perhaps make it a two-day event. As for the venue, he’d like to include affairs beyond the current line-up, such as themed DJ, 80s, hip-hop nights and other genres. 

“In the future, I see us actually being involved together, I fully plan on working with them. It just didn't happen this year, because we got far behind on where we wanted to be. GO ART! actually approached us to work together on this event. We've talked to them in the past and said that this would be a great event to work together on, and it didn't come to fruition. So this year it actually benefited both of us at the same time. It's been great working together; it’s fun.”

As co-organizer Paul Draper said, they believe Jackson Square is “a great space, a wonderful space, and it should be utilized to the maximum amount.”

“And we’ve just got to make sure that what they're planning is going to be able to benefit that, I guess,” Draper said. “I don't ever want to leave the square, I think this is a beautiful spot. It's just, you know, it's kitchy coo. For visibility, … I think we did a really, really good job. GO ART! is doing a fantastic job on the other end of it. So I'm happy with what we've been able to do so far. So going forward, just kind of what we've been doing is, changing, building up, seeing what works, what doesn't work, and kind of go from there. But I like what we have to offer this year.”

He and Kowalcyk agreed that one of the Square’s best-kept secrets — and not always fully recognized — is that it allows musicians that typically are in their own venues to get together, see one another and enjoy that rare time together.

“It's an interesting thing because a lot of us are in bands. We don't necessarily get to go out and see our friends that are in bands because we're in bands playing,” Draper said, as Kowalcyk admitted he had never thought of it that way.

“This is like the only time where we can actually see all our friends play in the same place,” Kowalcyk said. “That's actually really cool.”

Photo: Batavia Ramble organizers Stephen Kowalcyk, Jordann Luce, and Paul Draper take a moment on July 2 to pause during this year's music and arts festival at Jackson Square. Photo by Howard Owens.

After evaluating the possibility of providing more free meals during the summer, Batavia City Schools officials have been able to extend the Keep Kids Fed program for Batavia students up to 18 years old.

Meals will be provided at two sites per day for these students beginning this Wednesday, Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said Tuesday afternoon. This extended program will run to August 26.

Or families may get a free breakfast and lunch bundle from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays through Fridays at the Jackson Primary School, 411 South Jackson St.

Batavia’s district already has summer extended programs at Batavia High School-BOCES for breakfast, and at Batavia Middle School, Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate for breakfast and lunch, Rozanski had said in a previous article.

Beginning June 27, these meals will be provided to YMCA’s youth program Monday through Friday, and also Monday through Friday for the city’s Parks and Recreation program from Tuesday, July 5 through Aug. 12.

Once it was announced late last week that the Keep Kids Fed program was being funded to extend the service, city schools officials needed to "determine if we have sufficient personnel to staff either of these two options and, if not, what adjustments can we make to our current summer programs to be able to accommodate this program,” he said during a prior discusion with The Batavian about the program. “We are also waiting for the approval from NYS Child Nutrition (CN).”

Click here for prior article about this program, or go to bataviacsd.org for more information.

Chuck and Kathy Walters just happened to be driving down Main Street, Batavia Saturday when they noticed some commotion on Jackson Street.

The entrance was closed, but the rhythmic beat of drums and tents along the street enticed them to stop for a visit.

“We didn’t know this was happening,” Mrs. Walters said during the annual Batavia Ramble Explore Art and Music Fest. “We watched the African drummers and dancing … it’s the first time I’ve seen African music that’s not on TV.”

Womba, a group of authentic African performers, was a new element to the music festival. Organized by GO ART!, a series of culturally rich musicians and dancers, artists, crafters and puppeteers filled the street with activities throughout the day.

The Walters found a spot at a picnic table to nosh on grilled hotdogs from a nearby food stand. Troupe Nisaa members, dressed in sparkly, colorful outfits, performed a traditional bellydance at one end while a singer belted out tunes at the Jackson Street stage on the other end near Ellicott Street.

“They should have more of these,” Mrs. Walters said, adding that they would “definitely” come again next year.

The Bergen couple agreed that it was nice to visit Batavia, especially since “they’ve got so much more than Bergen.”

When asked if they would like to see anything else at the event, Mr. Walters suggested a large sign with a schedule for visitors to know what’s happening, when and where. They had never attended a Ramble and had not been to Jackson Square before.

Mrs. Walters likes country western music, she said, and would like to see that featured.

Overall, though, she was ready for more.

“I would like a two-day event,” she said.

As the Walters finished and walked away, Jay and Christine Elmore and a friend, all of Le Roy, sat down to enjoy some Red Osier fare. Mrs. Elmore’s sandwich was filled with prime rib, coleslaw and barbecue sauce, capped by a roll with salty crystals promising a sweet and savory bite.

“This is so good,” she said.

She and her friend had gone to a concert at Batavia Downs Friday, and decided to return Saturday to use their freeplay money. They then stopped downtown, first at O’Lacy’s and then the Ramble just around the corner.

Foot traffic had thinned out some, and most art vendors had left by that time in the early evening. Mrs. Elmore suggested that a corn hole tournament would be a fun addition to draw people and provide more interaction.

“My husband is a huge cornhole (fan), that would be a big draw,” she said. “It would bring a lot of out-of-towners.”

Her husband Jay agreed that he’s really into the game, but not exactly sure why. His wife suggested that it’s about the competition and camaraderie of people getting together.

It may be something for Ramble organizers, including lighting and sound man Stephen Kowalcyk to consider for next year. During a talk with The Batavian, he had mentioned wanting to expand the offerings at Jackson Square, including themed music nights.

“This is an awesome asset to this music scene. Typically, I would like to see some new stuff in here. I've talked to the owners in here (Eli Fish), we have some ideas of doing some DJ nights out there, or doing an 80s night, one night, maybe a hip hop night or something just to change things up,” he said. “And I think that benefits all the restaurants around here. So it'd be a fun thing to do.”

See also:

• Ramble mixes art, dance, music, food and people for winning recipe Saturday
• Photos: Batavia Ramble Art and Music Festival 2022

Top photo: Chuck and Kathy Walters of Bergen stop for a bite during Batavia Ramble Explore Art and Music Fest Saturday downtown. Photo by Joanne Beck.

Womba entertains spectators at the GO ART! tent, a crowd enjoying the art vendors, food, and cultural performances on Jackson Street Saturday. Photo by Howard Owens.

Raymond Doward had a couple of tables full of his acrylics and watercolors during Saturday’s Batavia Ramble Explore Art and Music Fest.

Paintings focused largely on people — often in silhouette form — plus animals, landscapes, sports and a bit of politics, he said. There was a watercolor eagle with a U.S. flag in red, white and blue, and a portrait of former President Obama. Other works featured dogs, mostly of their faces, looking endearingly at the observer, and some abstracts that he's been including more recently, he said.

A Batavia native, Doward has a studio at Harvester Center and sells online through eBay. The soulful earthiness of his work seems to lend well to his role as a “minister of the Gospel.” Or maybe it’s the other way around.

A soft-spoken Doward feels as though he has a God-given talent that he’s not about to squander.

“I’ve always enjoyed art. I could be looking at the sky and think, oh, that'd be a beautiful painting, and it in and of itself inspires me,” said the 1978 Batavia High School grad. “I like painting families; the importance of family. Also, I love to see the work of other artists. And then I can kind of gain some insight.”

His biggest accomplishments so far have been to have a work published in International Artists contemporary magazine, he said, and to have another piece — in grays and turquoise-hued blues — licensed by NBC Universal Studios as a backdrop for the Megyn Kelly Today show.

“I do I feel like He gave me the gift and the talents and so I don't want to waste it,” Doward said. “I’m also trying to show my grandchildren that they can do the same thing if they are motivated and stay focused.”

His young granddaughter Aniya helped her grandfather at the vendor booth. It’s an understatement to say she appreciates his art.

“There's so many emotions about it. Yeah. Every piece is different and tells its own story,” she said. “When I get older, like when I get my own house, I already know no other painting will be in my house.”

For more information, check out Raymond Doward 

Meanwhile, down the alley between Jackson and Center streets, a main stage was rocking with continuous bands into the evening.

Spectators in lawn chairs were lined up in rows in front of the stage. Many people opted to duck inside adjacent Center Street Smokehouse or Eli Fish Brewing Company for a drink, food or to get some relief from the hot but gorgeous weather outside.

One spectator apparently fainted from the heat and had to be escorted out by stretcher for medical follow-up. That was a brief bump in the day, as all involved continued on with their tasks at hand.

Restaurant manager Sydney Carli said the day had been busy at Eli Fish. The restaurant had obtained a permit so that drinks could be taken outside, she said.

“It’s been great, the bar’s been hopping,” she said. “It seems like it’s been going really well.”

Organizers Stephen Kowalcyk and Paul Draper agreed that it was one of -- if not the -- best Rambles in its 15-year history. Kowalcyk estimated some 2,000 to 2,500 people in attendance throughout the day and early evening. Still, the event had a bittersweet taste to it, Draper said. Prior Rambles had up to three stages on nearby streets with 30 or more bands playing. This year featured 26 bands.

"I say bittersweet because the bands are back in business. And I love that, you know, everyone's working out for the holidays,  the bands are getting back out there getting gigs. It's a truly wonderful thing," Draper said. "So even though it's a little bit smaller on the band side this year, we had more things to offer on the art side. So I'm really, really pleased about that. And yeah, everyone that we had here this year, tremendous talents. I mean, everyone brought their A game, so I couldn't be happier."

See also:

• Time for some music, pedestrian-friendly fare and a visit during Batavia Ramble
• Photos: Batavia Ramble Art and Music Festival 2022

Top photo: Raymond Doward of Batavia shows one of his larger works on display at Batavia Ramble Art and Music Fest Saturday on Jackson Street, Batavia. Musician and longtime Ramble participant Michael Murray plays with Beethoven's Dream in Jackson Square, as spectators relax in their chairs during the all-day event. Photos by Howard Owens.

City Council took a final step this week toward getting some new sidewalks on five city streets.

During its business meeting, the group approved a contract with Master’s Edge, Inc. to replace approximately 6,400 linear feet of sidewalks and handicap accessible ramps on portions of Chase and Fisher parks and Seneca, Miller and Columbia avenues.

Work has already begun to repair sections of those streets, and the sidewalks are part of a “complete streets” program to pair adjacent walkway replacement with milling and paving of streets.

The contract is with Master’s Edge, Inc. of Cheektowaga as the lowest responsible bidder of $493,500 for the project. As part of the vote, Council also agreed to budget increases of $94,500 to each the revenue and expense accounts. State-funded Consolidated Highway Improvement Program money is to help with the remaining expense.

Meanwhile, over on Richmond Avenue, between Oak and State streets, motorists can expect delays as street resurfacing is to begin July 6.

From concrete to fluid ...
Another city initiative is to update water meters. Forget going door-to-door for readings, Water and Wastewater Superintendent Michael Ficarella says, installing radio heads will allow the readings to be done remotely and more efficiently from outside the home.

Some one-third of city meters have already been changed out for the higher-tech radio heads, and the remaining meters need to be done eventually, Ficarella said during the meeting.

He estimated that it would take up to six months for completion, as appointments will have to be made with homeowners to get inside access to their water meters. Council President Eugene Jankowski suggested that evening appointments be considered as an option to make it more convenient for those that work during the day.

Having such technology will mean “real-time” readings, City Manager Rachael Tabelski said. Jankowski added that it should also help alleviate undetected and ongoing water leaks. A message could be sent to the homeowner “ a lot quicker and sooner,” he said, improving the whole process.

Think that little drip, drip, drip won't cost much extra? A 1/32 inch drip adds up to 18,500 gallons per quarter, the city's website states. For more information about water leaks, how to prevent them and how much they can increase your total bill, go to the city's Water Leak page.

City Council voted to submit a consolidated funding application for the Green Innovation Grant Program for water meter upgrades.

The total cost is expected to be $1.97 million, and the city needs to commit a 25 percent local match as part of the grant application. That local match of $492,100 would be paid with Water Fund reserves, Tabelski said.

In other action, Council approved the appointments of Nicholas Harris, Marc Staley, and Paul Battaglia as citizen members, and Bob Bialkowski and Tammy Schmidt as council representatives of the city’s Audit Advisory Board.

File photo of a city street being paved. Photo by Howard Owens.

Press Release

Work on the federally funded project identified as Richmond Avenue (Oak Street to State Street) and Harvester Avenue Preventive Maintenance Project is expected to begin on July 6, 2022.

Construction will begin with the replacement of damaged sections of sidewalk on the north side of Richmond Avenue from Oak Street to New York Place then full replacement to State Street, followed by replacement of damaged sections of sidewalks on the south side of Richmond Avenue from Oak Street to Ellicott Avenue.

Sidewalk replacement on Richmond Avenue will be done simultaneously with the milling and paving of Richmond from Oak Street to State Street.

Construction on Harvester Avenue is expected to begin at the end of July.

Traffic delays should be expected; however, no street closures are anticipated at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank the public for their patience.

Batavia wants to buy back some lights from National Grid.

No small order, the purchase totals more than $226,000. The move will allow city public works crews to perform their own, more immediate, maintenance and repair of all lights throughout the city, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.

“We do have a great working relationship (with National Grid). I think their ability to service the lights as quickly as they go out, sometimes it's difficult. They do their best to keep the lights up to date and to replace them, but there's definitely advantages to moving to the LED lights; we will have less outages,” Tabelski said during an interview with The Batavian. “And when we do have an outage, we'll be able to take care of them in house right in the city.”

Phase I to replace all regular lights with LEDs has begun, with a goal to have all LED lights in the city within the next six months, she said. This plan is to save on energy consumption, maintenance and expense while improving the overall quality of light that’s emitted.

According to the city’s presentation materials, LED (light-emitting diode) type lights are directional, which reduces light “trespass” onto adjacent properties and dark spots between street lights. They are also said to have a “higher color rendering index,” which allows the human eye to detect colors better, improving drivers’ ability to see pedestrians or other potential hazards.

City Council President Eugene Jankowski liked the idea when presented earlier this week at a council meeting.

“So they’ll be brighter, less costly, and we’ll have more control over them,” he said.

Council is expected to vote on the purchase of 948 lights for $226,038 at its July 11 meeting. A letter will also be sent to National Grid requesting the buyback, followed by a purchase and sales agreement to be approved by the Public Service Commission, Tabelski said.

Once the PSC approves, National Grid and the city of Batavia will close on the streetlight sale. At that point, the city will own and maintain its own lights, and will continue to pay National Grid for electric and delivery, but not for operations and maintenance costs.

The entire LED conversion program is to cost an estimated $1.7 million, to be paid for through long-term financing and the yearly cost savings of more energy efficient LEDs, Tabelski said.

Photo: Traditional streetlights, on the left, cast an orange glow, versus the whiter LED lights on the right. Photo part of the City of Batavia LED Street Light Conversion program.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Department is investigating a one-vehicle accident that occurred about 9:20 a.m. in the area of 3919 Lockport road in Elba. 

According to Deputy Robert Henning, the truck, from Buffalo Auto Auction, was heading west on Lockport road with a camping trailer in tow, when the driver says he swerved to avoid an animal in the roadway. The truck then went off the south shoulder of the road and struck a tree. The accident caused the camper to break apart and debris covered a wide area behind the truck. 

The male driver of the vehicle had to be extricated from the vehicle as there was entrapment and heavy damage to the front end of the truck after the collision with a tree. The driver was conscious and alert and suffered a serious injury to his lower body and legs. He was transported by Mercy Flight to ECMC with non-life-threatening injuries.

The roadway will remain closed for some time as the wreckage from the camper is cleared away and the truck is towed from the scene. 

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service

Now that graduation is officially over, Batavia City School District is assessing its current summer meals program to potentially provide children with remote meals in July and August, Business Administrator Scott Rozanski says.

The review stems from an announcement this week about the Keep Kids Fed Act that funds free meals for children throughout the summer. That bill was signed into law and extends child nutrition waivers for schools, daycares, nonprofits and other meal providers, according to a press release from Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer.

“No child should ever go hungry, and now schools will have the funding and flexibility needed to ensure kids stay healthy and fed this summer ... this bill gives our schools the support they need to continue to provide free nutritious meals and the flexibility they need to operate amidst the ongoing supply chain challenges,” Schumer said. “Summer is often the time of year when food insecurity is highest for children and this support comes just in the nick of time.”

Batavia’s district already has summer extended programs at Batavia High School-BOCES for breakfast, and at Batavia Middle School, Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate for breakfast and lunch, Rozanski said in response to questions from The Batavian.

Beginning this week (Monday, July 27) through Sept. 1, breakfast and lunch is also being provided to YMCA’s youth program Monday through Friday, and also Monday through Friday for the city’s Parks and Recreation program from July 5 through Aug. 12.

“Given the late announcement, we are in the process of determining how we can offer this important program for those children that are not involved in the programs previously listed,” Rozanski said. “Tentatively, we are looking at offering one to two options for remote meals from July 5 through Aug. 31, 2022.

“We first need to determine if we have sufficient personnel to staff either of these two options and, if not, what adjustments can we make to our current summer programs to be able to accommodate this program,” he said. “We are also waiting for the approval from NYS Child Nutrition (CN).”

District officials are hoping to receive definite word by Friday, he said. If the district receives approval for the additional option(s), it plans to publicly announce that to district residents, he said.

During the pandemic, Congress authorized the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to waive various school meal program requirements for school districts and increase reimbursement rates so that schools and meal program operators could continue to feed children. This allowed school districts across New York to make sure that students got meals all year long, including during the summer. 

These child nutrition waivers were set to expire Thursday, June 30. A recent  USDA survey showed that 90 percent of school districts food programs are depending on these waivers to offer free meals, with 92 percent experiencing supply chain issues and a quarter experiencing staffing challenges for their nutrition programs, according to the press release.

The fully paid-for Keep Kids Fed Act has been signed into law by President Biden.

For the full release, go HERE

Photo of a family celebrating during this past Saturday's BHS graduation ceremony at Van Detta Stadium in Batavia. Photo by Stephen Ognibene.

The Colorado Avalanche captured the esteemed Stanley Cup on Sunday night, defeating the two-time defending National Hockey League champion Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1, to take the best-of-seven series, four games to two.

Residents of the Centennial State will be celebrating their Avs’ first NHL title since 2001 with a parade and rally in downtown Denver on Thursday morning – and among the participants will be a Batavia native who holds the title of the franchise’s Director of Video Scouting.

Mike Battaglia, a standout goaltender for the Batavia High Ice Devils from 2004-2007 who went on to play at the collegiate and professional levels, has worked for the Avalanche for the past six years.

Speaking by telephone today from his apartment in Denver, Battaglia said he has had the opportunity to scout some of the young men who led the Avalanche to the NHL crown – players such as left winger J.T. Compher, right winger Logan O’Connor, center Nico Sturm and defensemen Cale Makar and Bo Byram.

“I did quite a bit of scouting, but I must clarify that none of these players fall directly on me,” he said. “We are a team and it was a group effort. I am just a small piece to the puzzle of a Stanley Cup winning team.”

An essential piece, at that, as Battaglia has put in countless hours traveling throughout the United States and Canada evaluating potential prospects for the team and working with the analytics’ department to compile pertinent data and statistical information for management.

ALL-STAR GOALIE IN HIGH SCHOOL

An All-Greater Rochester first team goaltender and New York State Second Team All-Star in high school, Battaglia went on to play club hockey at Niagara University – earning most valuable player honors – before moving on to Division III hockey at Geneseo State College.

After graduating in 2011, he took a summer internship with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets in the marketing department and also ventured into video scouting and even was used as a practice goalie on several occasions. Battaglia tried out for the Cincinnati Cyclones and signed a pro contract with that team, staying there for a short time.

While at Columbus, Battaglia actually signed an NHL contract – for one day – when star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky became ill before a game and was unable to play.

“We needed an extra goalie at that point and there was no emergency goalie then. Because I used to practice with the team every now and then – and because I was a goalie – they called me in the office in the press box and said that I needed to put my pads on,” Battaglia recalled. “And if the other guy gets hurt, you’re going in.

“So, I had my pads on, I was sitting in the locker room and I had to sign a contract. They even had a jersey all made up for me. It was definitely an interesting experience.”

When asked if he got in the game, he replied, “No. Thank God.”

'ON THE ROAD AGAIN'

In 2016, Battaglia began his full-time tenure at Colorado – finding himself on the road on the weekends scouting players and in the office during the week working with General Manager Joe Sakic and Assistant GM Chris McFarland. He said he is very close to McFarland, a Bronx native and fellow New York Yankees’ fan.

“I’m traveling to college games every weekend and do a lot of college free agency right now,” he said, adding that he attended more than 200 games this season. “Because when we're chasing the Stanley Cup, we're trading a lot of draft picks.”

Battaglia contributes to the evaluation process by communicating his thoughts on player skills and by matching the video he shoots with the “numbers” generated by the analytics staff.

“We do something called Identity Files where we're trying to capture all the players that we have interest in -- in the draft – and what they are, and what they're all about. And then when it comes to draft time, I'm the one who actually types the players’ names in a system that selects the players. It can be a little stressful.”

Colorado has one farm team, the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League – the same league that includes the Rochester Americans, who are affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres.

“We have the one farm team and many prospects that we’ve drafted who are playing college hockey or are in Europe or junior hockey in Canada,” Battaglia said. “I’m fortunate enough to touch a lot of pieces in our organization and see a lot of things. I work pretty much throughout all departments of the organization, and I am very grateful for that.”

NUPTIALS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST

Battaglia is youngest son of Paul and Mary Battaglia of Batavia. His brothers are Paul Jr., Mark and Tim.

He said he and his fiancé, Stephanie Dupuis, will be getting married in August at a ceremony at Stephanie’s hometown of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

“We met through work. I was scouting and she was working for a junior team in Windsor,” Battaglia said.

When talking about family, Battaglia said he owes much to what he learned from his mentors during his time as part of the Batavia High ice hockey “family.”

“I always will appreciate the coaches at Batavia,” he said, naming them all. “Paul Pedersen, Nate Korzelius, John Kirkwood, Mark Dahl, Peter Guppenberger, Jack Porter and John Zola. Those guys are really important in making it more than just hockey for me – showing how to do the little things and being a good person.”

Battaglia said there’s a chance that he will be able to transport the actual Stanley Cup to Batavia when he visits this summer.

“I haven’t heard if I get a day with the Cup yet but if I do I will bring it to Batavia if I’m allowed to,” he said. “I will keep you updated if that happens.”

Batavian native Mike Battaglia is on cloud nine as he has his moment with the NHL's Stanley Cup following the Colorado Avalanche's victory over Tampa Bay. Submitted photos.

A motor vehicle accident with injuries, and is blocking, is reported at 390 West Main St., Batavia, in front of Tops.

There are multiple calls.  Some are reporting one vehicle, some reporting multiple accidents at that location. 

City Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 11:22 a.m.: There is entrapment.  Town of Batavia is requested to Station #1 to set up a landing zone for Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 11:27 a.m.: Le Roy Ambulance Service also requested to the scene.

UPDATE 11:37 a.m.: It appears that a Ford sedan was westbound on West Main Street and crossed over the center line at Lewiston at a potentially high rate of speed, and struck a white Jeep ahead of it at Lewiston and West Main streets. Heavy damage to both vehicles.

UPDATE 12:20 p.m.: State Police are investigating the accident and do not have enough information yet to say exactly what happened, Zone Sergeant Ben Fasano said. There were two people in each vehicle, all with serious injuries. Three people were transported by ground ambulance to Erie County Medical Center and one person by Mercy Flight to ECMC. One person had life-threatening injuries, and Fasano was uncertain which way -- by ground or Mercy Flight -- that person was transported.  Lewiston between West Main and Park Road is closed until further notice.

UPDATE 4:57 p.m.: Further information provided by Sgt. Fasano:

A preliminary investigation indicates the white vehicle was on SR-63 southbound, stopped at the light in the far left lane.  The black vehicle was eastbound on SR-5, crossed the center line, went across both westbound lanes of travel and struck the white vehicle.

None of the involved parties are considered to have life-threatening injuries.

Chris Suozzi’s word of the moment is "align."

As someone who is heavily involved in workforce development initiatives, especially with youth, Suozzi likes to bring that effort full circle -- into alignment -- for kids to see the why of what they’re doing.

Add in the fact that his father, Joseph, grew up in an era when kids were hands-on with projects, and he won a 1951 soap box championship with his own self-built miniature car. Who’d have thought that a modern-era miniature car derby would work so well into that mix? 

It all aligns perfectly with downtown officials' and Suozzi's goals.

“My dad grew up in the 50s … everybody is working with their hands, they're mechanically inclined, and then all of a sudden, we went away from that, and we went all towards a college thing. And then all of a sudden, now we're looking at, hey, we need technicians, we need skilled trades again, and plumbers and electricians and carpenters and builders,” he said during an interview with The Batavian. “So, it's trying to change the mindset, again, of parents, and guidance counselors … that you're successful if you're a mechanic or a technician, just like you would be as a doctor, or a lawyer, or whatever the case may be. Working with your hands is just as important as working in a textbook, so we’ve just got to level that out right now.”

Take Suozzi’s passion to get kids excited and more knowledgable about skilled trades and available local jobs, his father’s prior involvement and enthusiasm for building his own racing vessel, and add Batavia Business Improvement District’s interest in hosting a fun, family-friendly event, and the BID Boxcar Derby was born.

The race is set for August 27 down Ellicott Avenue in Batavia. Kids from two categories, ages 7 to 10 and 11 to 13, will make and decorate their own cars, use hands-on basic science, technology, math, and engineering skills in the process, and have fun discovering how such skills can be used in real life.

“That’s what excites me about doing these events,” Suozzi said.

BID Executive Director Shannon Maute liked the idea as a community activity, she said. Plus, she promised her former Eli Fish boss, Matt Gray, that she would bring a derby here in her new BID role.

"Matty used to hear the races going off from his house, and he used to run down to watch; it was one of his favorite childhood memories. So when I talked about doing more activities for kids, he asked that I bring back the 'soapbox derby.' Everyone I mentioned the derby to all had such great reactions and memories, that there was no way I wasn’t going to bring it back," Maute said. "This is a community-based event that we would like to grow bigger every year, and next year we may even have adults racing." 

She wants everyone’s children and grandchildren to also gain those same memories for when they’re older, she said.

Slots for the derby are nearly filled, with just a few left in each category.  Thanks to sponsorships from Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation, GLOW With Your Hands and Genesee Lumber, registration for participants is $10, which includes the car materials, entry and a post-race picnic, Maute said. Volunteers are needed to help build the cars and on race day, from the start and finish lines to the check-in point.

Spectators are encouraged to line up along Ellicott Avenue, starting from Richmond Avenue and down the hill toward Washington Avenue. There will be 28 participants vying for a top winner spot through elimination rounds. A black and white checkered sign, ramps, hay bales and — hopefully, Maute said — lots of cheering and clapping for the racers.

There will be first, second and third place winners in each of the two categories, and a grand winner will receive a memorial plaque in honor of Suozzi’s father Joseph, brother Patrick and sister Teresa Wormley, all of who died much too young, Suozzi said.

Participants will be able to pick up their materials at 10 a.m. July 23 in Jackson Square. They can stay and build their cars right there, or take them home and do it.

After Joseph Suozzi won his 1951 local championship, he went on to a race in Rochester, where he lost to another competitor who ended up racing in the nationals in Akron, Ohio. The trademarked term of Soap Box Derby was founded in Ohio, with the first race reportedly in 1933. Cars were not powered by gasoline or any other type of fuel; they simply rolled down the hill with a child inside.

According to Ohiohistory.org, Myron Scott, a Dayton reporter, covered one of these races and decided that children across the United States could enjoy this activity, so he began to promote it across the country. In 1934, Dayton held the first "All-American Race," where soap box racers from across the country brought their creations to race. The following year, the race moved to Akron, Ohio due to its hillier terrain. Since 1935, the All-American Soap Box Derby has taken place in Akron.

In 1936, Akron city officials decided to build a permanent facility for the race. With the assistance of the Works Progress Administration, one of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal programs, the city completed Derby Downs, a soap box racetrack, the website states.

Thousands of children from across the United States and from other nations -- including Joe Suozzi's competitor -- have come to race their creations at Derby Downs every year since the track's completion. The only exception to this was during World War II, when many activities, including soap box derbies, came to a halt so that people could concentrate on the war effort. 

Kids would use various materials, including wooden boxes and crates for soap or apples, random lumber, and wheels from roller skates, or bicycles. Suozzi remembers that his father kept the wheels from his derby car in the garage, and would talk about the thrill of the race.

BID is providing car kits, including the wood and wheels, valued at more than $200, Maute said.

“Not everyone can afford that. We want everyone to be able to do this,” she said. “It’s just something fun for the community.”

Gray was not available for comment.

For more information or to donate or volunteer, email director@downtownbataviany.com

Submitted photos of Joseph Suozzi, top, Patrick Suozzi, and Teresa Wormley. Above, a slight but long incline from Richmond Avenue down Ellicott Avenue alongside Centennial Park will serve as the venue on derby race day. Photo by Howard Owens.

Press Release

The City of Batavia announces the appointment of Erik Fix to the position of Assistant City Manager for the City of Batavia.  Fix was selected following an extensive search for candidates and active recruitment campaign.  Erik will assume his new role on Monday July 25th, 2022.

A Batavia native and life-long Genesee County resident, Fix holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Roberts Wesleyan College in Organizational Management.  He is currently serving as the President of the Chamber of Commerce for Genesee County.

Fix has served the City during the Police Reform Stakeholder meetings as a moderator guiding the City management, police department and residents through a comprehensive review of the departments current policies, training and procedures. He currently serves as a board member of the Genesee County Youth Bureau, the United Memorial Medical Centre Foundation, Genesee County Business Education Alliance, a member of the Batavia Rotary Club, and GLOW YMCA G-Force New Facility Planning Group. 

He also served as a member of the Local Planning Committee for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and continues to support tourism and economic development in the City of Batavia. 

“Erik and I have known each other on a professional level for over a decade and I am thrilled that he wants to work for the City of Batavia and focus on housing and neighborhood issues in his new role as Assistant City Manager.  He will be responsible for creating and implementing a new Neighborhood and Housing Transformation Initiative, community development, assisting with flood plain management, risk management, cultivating organizational values, public relations and information technology,” said Rachael J. Tabelski, City of Batavia City Manager.

Fix is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Genesee where the class choose him and Tabelski to be the designated speaker at the graduation ceremony. 

Erik’s current position with the Chamber of Commerce has given him knowledge in the principals and practices of local municipalities.  He has the ability to lead teams, execute on high-impact projects, and recognize the global impact of decisions on the community and region as a whole. 

Erik, a graduate of Alexander High School, is currently the Assistant Swimming and Diving Coach of the Byron-Bergen Central School and lives with his family in the Village of LeRoy.  He lives with his wife, Susan and his three sons Brady, Jackson, and Carter.

Photo: File photo from 2017

A deeper dive may be needed for a Jackson Square project that's already gone out two times for bids, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.

She had recommended Monday that City Council vote to rescind a bid from Mark Cerrone Inc. due to the company’s last-minute revision of its original low bid of $654,000. After all, bids were received and council agreed to award Cerrone with a contract, the Niagara Falls-based company hiked its bid up to $847,950.

That move didn’t exactly seem kosher to Council President Eugene Jankowski.

“Is that even legal,” he said, addressing City Attorney George Van Nest. “We certainly have a lot of concerns with the communication that took place … there was some back and forth between the architects and the city, and contractor. At this point, we have a new contract. I’m just trying to get educated here for the future. It almost appeared that once they brought out their bids, then they mysteriously appear to be just under the next bid. Once someone bids, that’s it.”

Van Nest agreed.

“In general, I’d say that’s accurate,” he said. “There are some other nuances with this. Just to be clear, you’re not rejecting Mark Cerrone Inc’s bid; you’re rescinding that bid and rejecting the other two bids.”

Council agreed to move the item to the business meeting that would follow. The council later unanimously voted to rescind Mark Cerrone Inc’s bid due to "failing to honor" the original bid of $654,000 and reject the other two from Scott Lawn Yard, with a bid of $870,000, and Whitney East with a $1,002,800 bid.

An architect had originally recommended that council approve a contract award to Mark Cerrone Inc. for construction enhancement of Jackson Square. That bid would have included an alternative plan that would add about $31,000 for a total bid of $685,500.

However, once the city agreed, the contractor “refused to proceed with the project as bid, claiming significant mistakes and the need to adjust the contract price,” according to Director of Public Works Brett Frank.

The Batavian reached out to Senior Project Manager Jeff Salvatore of Mark Cerrone, Inc. earlier Monday for comment about the revised bid and council’s impending decision to rescind it. Salvatore offered “no comment.”

The project is to be primarily funded with a $750,000 Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant, plus $225,000 from National Grid, Tabelski said.

“When we go out for bid, they look at the scope of work, and they put a price to that with the materials and the labor … so it necessarily doesn't always line up with the budget we have,” she said to The Batavian. “So we will be re-examining our bid specifications to make sure we think that pricing can come in within that.”

She was hopeful that a contractor with an acceptable bid can be approved within the “next few months.” That leaves the door still open for a construction start date this fall or winter, she said.

“But we do want to take a deeper dive at the design of it. Because this is the second time it's been bid out,” she said. “So yeah, we have some review work to do internally. Construction projects can certainly start in the fall. But again, we'll have to analyze when; it could technically happen in 2022.”

Illustration: File photo. One of the architectural renderings for the proposed redesign of Jackson Square.

A new management company for the city’s ice arena is expected to come before City Council for vote at its meeting next month.

A number of submissions had been received during the city’s request for proposals process, and it’s likely that one company will be selected, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.

“We received responses back. And we have worked on scoring them and we're looking to get under contract with one management company by the July 11 meeting,” she said during an interview Monday evening with The Batavian. “That would be a full lease agreement with a new management company for the rink.”

She couldn’t name the company due to being in progress with finalizing a contract, Tabelski said. The new prospective company, if approved by council next month, will take over management operations of the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street. Former company Firland Management did not renew its contract, which is to expire on June 30.

2022 File Photo of a dedication ceremony of the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.