A "possible impending roof collapse" is reported at 7020 Macomber Road, just south of Judge Road. Alabama fire is responding. The caller reports the roof is leaking and creaking.
UPDATE 12:04 p.m.: A code enforcement officer will be notified and asked to go to the location.
UPDATE 12:08 p.m.: A responder on scene, checking from inside the house, says there is a minor leak in the ceiling.
In a winter of unrelenting cold and regular, periodic snowstorms, the snow keeps piling higher and the frustration of Downtown merchants has been mounting.
While merchants might be expected to shovel their own walks, there's nothing they can do, realistically, about the mounds of snow that gets piled up between parking spaces and sidewalks. It takes the city's heavy equipment to move that much snow.
At Monday's City Council meeting, Director of Public Works Sally Kuzon addressed the issue.
"We certainly understand (the complaints)," Kuzon said. "We would love to have a 24-hour operation, but we just can't do it."
This season so far, 90 inches of snow has fallen, including 52 inches in the past 13 days.
That has kept public works staff busy plowing and salting, often in 10-hour, overnight shifts.
That leaves at most two public works employees on the clock during the day.
"That's a little scary if something happens," Kuzon said.
Crews that are plowing and salting aren't available for the tedious, time-consuming, manpower-intensive task of snow removal.
Snow removal needs to be done at night when there is less traffic, fewer parked cars and no pedestrians to interfere with the operation. The project takes from 10 to 12 public works employees at a time.
And it ties up all of the city's loaders and trucks.
It so happened that crews started working on snow removal for the first time this winter last night.
The project was scheduled to start at 10 p.m., but before the workers could hit the streets, the plows and salters from the trucks needed to be removed. It also turned out two trucks had flat tires.
The work started just before midnight.
Crews cleared the south side of Main Street, Court Street and the parking lot near Jackson Street (where we caught up with them for photos at 5:30 a.m.).
Tonight, they will work on the north side of Main Street.
Weather permitting, they will work on Ellicott Street the night after that.
Wires are reportedly burning inside the wall of a house at 182 Main Road, Pembroke. The city's fast team, Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are to respond along with East Pembroke.
UPDATE 10:37 a.m.: Fire police are to shut down traffic at Route 5 and Main Road.
UPDATE 11:45 a.m.: Fire is out. Remaining units are preparing to clear the scene. Road is reopened. National Grid is notified as well as the tenants, who were not home.
Press release:
National Grid has awarded grants of up to $350,000 to support improvements in Yancey’s Fancy current manufacturing operations, and the construction of a new, 112,000-square-foot cheese manufacturing, packaging, warehousing and distribution facility. The new site will be built on 12 acres in the Buffalo East Technology Park in Pembroke.
The new facility has a capital investment of $20.6 million, will create approximately 50 new jobs, and retain 100 existing jobs. It is expected to officially open next month. National Grid will provide up to $250,000 toward electric infrastructure costs.
A second grant of up to $100,000 is available to assist with the design of advanced technology to manage the whey by-product that is generated through the cheese-making process. That will be part of a 3,500-square-foot expansion of its current operations at 857 Main Road in Corfu. The new system will allow for more efficient processing of the whey, which is used as a common food additive and for animal feed production. The project requires an upgrade of the current electric service to meet new demand. The $2.64 million project will create 17 new jobs and retain 30 jobs.
“Yancey’s Fancy is a thriving local company that is creating jobs and a strong brand here in Western New York and across the country,” said Dennis Elsenbeck, regional executive for National Grid in Western New York. “Genesee County continues to be a model for economic development through its collaborative approach to creating a positive climate for businesses to grow and expand, like Yancey’s Fancy.”
“National Grid has been a great partner through the years in our economic development efforts,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC). “In this instance, National Grid is providing critically important grants to sustain and grow the operations of one the largest employers in our region. It’s another example of the public and private sector collaboration that is resulting in the creation of new jobs and investment.”
The grants to Yancey’s Fancy are from National Grid’s Electric Capital Investment Incentive Program, which assists growing customers with costs of upgrading utility infrastructure to accommodate a business expansion or new construction that creates and retains jobs.
Information about National Grid’s suite of economic programs is available at www.shovelready.com.
Press release:
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) announced today that grant money will be distributed by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund directly to localities in Genesee County for agriculture and farm protection. Hawley said he is proud to announce that this funding is being delivered directly to his district and that agriculture remains one of his top priorities due to its prevalence and economic strength in Western New York.
“I am proud to announce that $25,000 awards will be given to the towns of Alabama and Oakfield in Genesee County as well as a $50,000 award for the county as a whole,” Hawley said. “The funding will be used for farmland protection plans and I am confident that our region will continue to lead the way in farming and agricultural development.
"I have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle during my time in office to advocate on behalf of our farms here in Western New York, many of which are family owned, and it continues to be one of my top priorities as we progress through this year’s legislative session.”
Towns are required to fund at least 25 percent of the cost to develop an agriculture protection plan and county funding will be used to either update the plans or create new ones. Local government and farm collaboration is necessary to ensure that each plan promotes the local agriculture industry. Municipalities that have agriculture and farmland protection boards are eligible for these funds and applications can be accessed at http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html.
After a successful "Shooting for a Cure" fundraiser at Pembroke High School on Thursday, members of the Lady Dragons presented a $9,019 check to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute on Friday.
Photo submitted by Christina Abt.
Article and photos submitted by Mary Margaret Ripley.
The tradition of Scout Sunday, a Sunday that has been set aside to celebrate the close connection between the ideals of the church and the goals of Boy Scouting, goes back to the fourth anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1914.
Each year since, Boy Scouts from around the country have gathered on the second Sunday in February to worship God together. This year, Troop #6021 and its charter organization, the First Baptist Church of LeRoy, joined together to mark the 101st anniversary of Scout Sunday with a special worship service and reception held on February 8, 2015.
Pastor John Partise, himself an Eagle Scout, led a worship service entitled “Fly Like an Eagle” that focused on the virtue of reverence as the most important of the 12 points of the Scout Law. Together with being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, and clean, the Scout Law establishes the high ideals that every scout must do their best to aspire to.
“I find it interesting that those same 12 ideals are also what every follower of Christ should aspire to be,” said Pastor John in his sermon.
During the service, both the 2015 Charter and a surprise award for Highest Percent Attendance at Camp Dittmer, the Boy Scout Resident Camp, were presented to Scoutmaster Bryan Colton and Committee Chair Carol Colton by Pastor John and a delegation from the First Baptist Church.
Following the service, the church hosted a reception for the boys and their family members that included a hand-assembled display of 50 years’ worth of Boy Scout memorabilia.
“We really appreciate our charter organization. I believe First Baptist Church is a great fit for our troop,” said Carol Colton during the reception.
Photos and information submitted by Marsha Geiger.
Noah Burke, Luke Geiger, and Nicholas Grover were honored by Pack 112 of Batavia on Sunday for receiving both the Arrow of Light Award and the Super Achiever Award. The Arrow of Light is the highest award in Cub Scouting. To earn the Super Achiever Award, the boys had to complete all 20 Webelos achievements.
A proposed new cancer center at UMMC will help the hospital treat more patients in Genesee County and provide those patients with a comprehensive, one-stop location, according to spokeswoman Colleen Flynn.
New new $6.5 million addition to the hospital will be fitted in the triangle area on the west side of the hospital known as the Summit Street entrance.
The wing will handle chemotherapy, radiology, infusion and include a linear accelerator. The staff will include a board-certified oncologist and a radiation oncologist.
"This has been in planning for a long time," Flynn said. "It will help save some patients that 45-minute drive each way to Rochester. One of our goals was to keep care in Genesee County for those who are our most vulnerable."
The proposed expansion will be reviewed this week by the Genesee County Planning Board and the City of Batavia Planning Board.
The new building will be 9,850 square feet and while it is currently planned as a one-story addition, the construction engineering will allow for a second floor to be added if needed, Flynn said.
UMMC, already expanded to 800 employees since the affiliation with Rochester General, will add more employees as a result of the addition, Flynn said.
Plans for the cancer center were started many months ago, before the affiliation with Rochester General was finalized, but the affiliation is helping the process along.
A license is required for a linear accelerator and Rochester General happened to have obtained a license it had no immediate plans to use. The NYS Department of Health has approved the transfer of the license to the UMMC location.
Among the issues planners will consider with the addition is the loss of parking outside the Summit Street entrance.
There are currently 15 spaces. The expansion will require 20 spaces, creating a deficit of 35 spaces.
Officials plan to draw on the 71 spaces in the existing parking lot on the west side of Summit Street, which is shared with 207 Summit St. and 215 Summit St.
Employees will park at St. Jerome's on Bank Street, which currently has 50 to 60 extra spaces available and is already served by a shuttle for hospital employees.
The shared parking lot will have signs and markings to ensure the spaces closest to the cancer center are reserved for cancer center patients.
Officials hope to break ground on the new facility in the Spring with completion and opening for patient treatment in January.
The County Planning Board meets at 7:30 p.m., Thursday.
Also on the agenda is a plan by Darien Lake Theme Park to add a new ride called the Turbo Twister. The slide, which covers an area that is 191 feet by 76 feet, features an 80-degree drop angle to start, an inclosed tube, and it propels people at an average speed of 35 feet per second.
Plus, the agenda includes plans by East Pembroke Fire District for a new, voter-approved fire hall.
A one-car accident, unknown injuries, is reported at mile marker 0.2 on eastbound Route 490. It is not blocking traffic. Le Roy fire and ambulance, Bergen fire, and Mercy medics are responding.
UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: No injuries reported.
The Allens food processing plant in Oakfield is being evacuated because of a strong odor of natural gas coming from behind the building. The plant manager tells dispatch there's a main gas pipeline behind the facility, located at 40 Stevens St. in the village. Oakfield fire is responding, along with mutual aid from Alabama. Winds are north/northeast at 15 mph.
UPDATE 2:15 p.m.: National Fuel has been notified. No ETA given.
UPDATE 2:33 p.m.: The fuel line has been shut off.
A municipal budget is more than the tally of ledger entries. It is a policy statement. It is the tool elected officials use to set the agenda for what kind of community a city is or might become.
As the Batavia City Council nears its deadline for setting the 2015-16 budget, the spending decisions it makes could impact the quality of life for residents and the potential for economic growth and job creation for years to come.
The big decisions facing the council are whether to fund Vibrant Batavia for one more year, whether to retain the assistant city manager position, and whether to continue to invest in economic development.
There are those in the community who advocate for cuts in all these areas and some on council seem inclined to follow those suggestions.
In his latest budget memo, which is on the agenda for tonight's City Council meeting, City Manager Jason Molino doesn't respond to the call for cuts to these initiatives, which he sees as key to Batavia continuing on the strategic plan path it started in 2010.
He does offer proposed spending cuts that would halve the proposed tax increase.
"The budget is about understanding the different issues at hand, and the different liabilities the city faces and recognizing you have different projects and balancing your priorities," Molino said. "It comes down to how committed are you to the strategic plan, to community empowerment and economic growth. These are all policy questions."
When the council convenes at 7 p.m., they'll hold a memo that calls for:
This brings the property tax rate down to $9.21 per thousand, a cut of 9 cents off the original proposal. The average assessed home would see an annual tax increase of $6.30 cents.
In an interview Sunday, Molino discussed the need for funding Vibrant Batavia to help improve local neighborhoods, sticking by the strategic plan for economic growth; and the benefits of the assistant city manager position.
The policy issues involving Vibrant Batavia go beyond just the policy commitment the City Council made two years ago to neighborhood revitalization. It also touches on sound budgeting practices and not falling into the poor habits that dug Batavia into a deep financial hole nearly a decade ago.
Stripping out the recommended $45,000 to fund Vibrant Batavia wouldn't necessarily lead to a reduction in taxes, not unless the council wanted to finance the tax cut with reserve funds.
The $45,000 earmarked for Vibrant Batavia doesn't come out of the 2015-16 budget. It is money left over from the 2014-15 contingency fund.
The contingency fund is set aside for unexpected expenses and emergencies. Since there were no big draws on the fund in 2014-15, there is money available to help finance the city pursuing its strategic initiatives.
"If you go back eight years, the city used its fund balance each year to the point that it actually had a negative fund balance," Molino said. "That was the downfall of the city's financial position. It got to where they didn't have a fund balance to balance the budget. The fund balance is not something you can rely on to balance your budget."
Contingency funds, fund balance, reserve funds, are all intended for one-time or short-term expenses, just like a family saving for a vacation or a new car, not for operational expenses, Molino said.
So the first policy question the council needs to answer this budget session is whether it wants to use uncommitted funds to finance a reduction in the proposed tax rate, essentially using one-time funds to finance operational expenses.
If it doesn't, the next policy question to answer is whether the council wants to stick to its own strategic plan.
The strategic priorities of the plan:
"I view it as investing in the community, taking $45,000 a year and putting it toward a project that is intended to increase civic engagement in your community, and civic engagement is what makes your neighborhood a neighborhood," Molino said.
An example of such a neighborhood locally is Redfield Parkway, Molino said. Redfield, with its flags and Christmas trees and its own events and obvious neighborhood pride, might serve as an inspiration for other neighborhoods
"That's not the model that needs to happen on every street in Batavia, but what it does is allow residents to talk with each other on an individual level. That's sounds soft and fluffy, but that's what makes safer streets and it's what makes neighborhoods."
Molino said he understands some of the negative feedback generated by Vibrant Batavia, but it's important to grasp the larger vision.
"It's not like building a street or building a building," Molino said. "It's not tangible in that sense, but there is value to it and it needs to develop over time. It took decades and decades for Batavia to become a vital community. That didn't happen over one or two years. You can't expect to reverse decades of downward spiral in just a year or two."
Molino agrees with Council President Brooks Hawley, who fears all of the money and effort that has gone into getting Vibrant Batavia to only its second year of existence will be wasted if the council fails to fund it in 2015-16.
"If the decision comes to completely discontinue Vibrant Batavia, then we're out all that energy and effort," Molino said. "We haven't given it enough time to blossom and succeed. Ironically, all of the negative attention around Vibrant Batavia is that same negative culture it was intended to address.
"If we could harness all of that negative energy and turn it into positive energy, we would reach our goal twice as fast," Molino added.
The same policy and strategic planning questions apply to economic development (which we didn't discuss specifically) and the assistant city manager position.
The council agreed to create the position a year ago and in June Gretchen DiFante beat out a field of 60 applicants to win the job.
She's been a great choice so far, Molino said, and the work she's done in less than eights on the job has already more than paid for her $75,950 annual salary.
"She's accomplished a lot of work," Molino said. "What Gretchen has done on just one item, flood insurance, is something that has never been done in this city before. We're talking about moving more properties out of the floodplain in six months than had happened in Batavia all the years before."
So far, 12 properties are no longer considered part of the floodplain, Molino said.
"Combine that with the possible accelerated program on flood insurance so that residents can see real reductions in their flood insurance in the next year, that's impacting thousands of property owners predominately on the Southside," Molino said.
A reduction in flood insurance costs will have a real, tangible, economic impact on the city, Molino said.
"We have a great team of people working on that and a great leader working on that, and that's just one item," Molino said.
DiFante has also played a critical role, Molino said, in addressing the police and fire radio communication issue -- which DiFante had said was the biggest liability issue facing the city at one point.
Her overall responsibilities, besides flood insurance, include overseeing administrative services, including finance, the clerk-treasure, personnel, information technology, the youth bureau and assessment, with additional projects such as how to handle a burgeoning population of feral cats, the Redfield gateway and strategic planning.
An assistant city manager also frees up Molino to work on other projects. Not only would he never have had time to handle the flood insurance issue himself, even the attempt would take him away from other projects.
With DiFante on staff, Molino is free, with the help of staff, to pursue another complex, difficult problem facing the city: Abandoned and vacant properties, something he hopes to focus on this year.
"We need to climb some serious mountains and drive some serious growth, not just in the city but in the community as well," Molino said. "Of course, there's a limited amount of resources. If you keep cutting resources, you can't expect the same output."
Jessica Lynn McGowan, 29, of Attridge Road, Churchville, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument, aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, and unlicensed operator. McGowan was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Bradley Mazur into a situation on Route 19, Le Roy, at 9:44 a.m. Sunday. She was jailed on $500 bail.
Dana M. Faiello, 32, of East Avenue, Hemlock, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on an overnight parking ticket. Faiello was taken into custody by State Police in Geneseo and turned over to Batavia PD. She paid $100 bail and was released.
James A. Chase, 35, no residence, Batavia, is charged with violation of sex offender registry. Chase was the subject of a warrant and following pubication of his status as a wanted person Friday, Chase turned himself in at Batavia PD headquarters. He was jailed without bail.
Stephen S. Bogle, 28, of Ross Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bogle was arrested after police responded to the parking lot of the Richmond Memorial Library to check on a reported suspicious vehicle.
Kevin Charles Greene, 60, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Greene allegedly stole $37.42 in merchandise from Walmart.
Pierre A. McMullen, 32, of Buffalo, Christopher A. McCullen, 43, of Buffalo, and Craig A. Elston, 30, of Buffalo, are all charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 4th. The three were arrested in an ongoing investigation into an incident reported at 11:55 a.m., Jan. 25. The investigation is being conducted by State Police. All three were held on cash bail. No further details released.
Robert P. Nowak, 57, of Pembroke, is charged with menacing, 2nd, criminal possession of a weapon, 4th, and making a terrorist threat. The alleged incident was reported at 3:30 a.m., Saturday. The case is being handled by State Police. No further information released.
Dave Twichell shared this photo he took this morning of the spiky ice on a tree on Tracy Avenue, Batavia.
The formation is known as "rime ice," which is formed by the rapid freezing of cold water droplets of fog onto a cold surface.
With the snow piling up and more coming, Joe Bradt sends in this photo and a timely reminder: Keep your furnace vents clear of snow.
A plugged intake or vent can lead to furnace malfunction and carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Rome Sentinel has a related story.
A motor-vehicle accident, unknown injuries, is reported on the westbound Route 490 by the Bergen exit, in the median. Bergen fire and Mercy medics responding.
UPDATE (1:14 p.m.): It's a van and it's in a snow bank.
UPDATE (1:19 p.m.): No injuries, according to medics on scene.
Among the highlights of Friday's installation dinner for the Darien Volunteer Fire Department was the recognition of William Brunea for his 60 years of dedicated service to the department. Joining Brunea was his wife of 65 years, Irene.
Jeffrey Luker was named Firefighter of the Year.
Becca Neeland received the department's annual scholarship, which was presented by Cheryl Furlong.
The line officers sworn in Friday were Joseph "China" Marino Jr., chief; Jeffrey Luker, 1st assistant chief, David McGreevy, 2nd assistant chief, Mark Starczewski, 3rd assistant chief, Kenneth Fisher, fire captain, Paul Redden, fire lieutenant, William Brunea, fire police captain, and McGreevy, mechanic.
The department responded to 308 calls in 2014.
It currently has 39 active members, three probationary active members, 14 associate members, two active life members and 19 retired life members, for 77 total membership.
A former Marchias resident has been identified as the Attican Motel resident who told authorities he was armed Friday night, leading to a four-hour standoff that ended after the use of teargas. He's been charged with a felony.
Michael A. Balla, 39, was arrested by Attica PD, Chief Dean Hendershott announced this evening, and he is being held in the Genesee County Jail on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond.
Balla is charged with falsely reporting an incident, 2nd.
Authorities say Balla called 9-1-1 and reported that he had a loaded gun, that he did not want anyone coming there because there would be an explosion when they walked in the door.
Hendershott was dispatched to the scene and he requested backup from deputies in both counties along with State Police.
A State Police negotiator tried to talk Balla out of the Attican's Room 101 and the State Police robot was used at one point to check the room and as a communications device to try and convince Balla to surrender.
When he didn't teargas was fired into room.
After being taken into custody, Balla was transported to Wyoming County Community Hospital for treatment of an apparent overdose and a mental health evaluation.
He was arrested on the charge when he was released from care at 3:30 p.m.
Balla is schedule for a felony hearing at 4 p.m. Feb. 10 in Alexander Town Court.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending.
In a field of nine Class B Section V schools the Batavia High School cheerleaders placed third today in the sectional championship event.
Information and photos submitted by Justine Bonarigo.
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