corfu

Submitted photo of John and Charlene Drogi with their little grandson, Mason Gowenlock.

Press release:

The PCD Kiwanis 11^th Annual Car Cruise and Fall Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 16^th, at the Pembroke Town Park, rain or shine. It is located at 8799 Alleghany Road (Route 77 next to the high school).

At 9 o'clock that morning, the 2018 Unique Dash Plaque will be revealed; cruise registration also begins at 9.

There is something for all ages: more than 40 vendors, food trucks, food booths, music, kids games and activities as well as a bounce house/slide for the kids.

This year a train will provide rides for all ages.

Usually, 200 cars register for the show and each year it continues to grow. If you would like to preregister your car, please download the application from www.pcdkiwanis.com for the discounted registration fee. Preregistration fee is $10; day-of-event fee is $15 per vehicle. (Includes free ticket for a hot dog and pop.)

Vendors…there are only a few days to complete the registration form and sell your goods at this awesome event. The vendor form is also available on the website.

Many people come to see the HUGE Basket Raffle that Crossroads House has at this event. There are more than 50 baskets. This year Kiwanis is going to raffle a party package that consists of a 10’x10’ pop-up tent, two XL quad chairs, a stainless steel tabletop grill, cooler filled with many goodies, and a $50 gift certificate from M&M Meats and Archery. There's also a unique Wine Raffle this year.

Trophies will be awarded for vehicles at 2:45 p.m.

Please mark your calendar, and if you need to register your vehicle, do so right away!

Any questions, please contact John Drogi at (716) 937-9918, or email:  drogicd@gmail.com

NOTICE -- Town of Pembroke Board 

Due to the Primary Election, the Pembroke Town Board meeting on Thursday, Sept. 13^th, will be held at the Pembroke Community Center/Court Facility at 116 E. Main St., Corfu.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Pembroke Town Board

Colin R. Wickings is indicted for first-degree sexual abuse, a Class D violent felony. It is alleged in count one that in late June or early July, 2016, in the Town of Bergen, that Wickings subjected a 9-year-old female to sexual contact. In count two, he is accused of the same crime for allegedly subjecting the girl to sexual contact by forcible compulsion. In count three, he is accused of endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A misdemeanor, for acting in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 17. In count four, he is accused of first-degree sexual abuse for allegedly subjecting a 6-year-old male to sexual contact on Sept. 16 in the Town of Stafford. In count five, Wickings is accused of endangering the welfare of a child for acting in a manner likely to be injurious to the 6-year-old male.

Walter B. Hale Jr. is indicted for the crime of driving while intoxicated, as a Class D felony. It is alleged that on May 15 in the City of Batavia that Hale rode a 1984 Kawasaki on various public highways while intoxicated. In count two, he is accused of aggravated driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony, for allegedly doing so while a child age 15 or less was a passenger. In count three, the defendant is accused of the crime of circumvention of an interlock device, a Class A misdemeanor, for operating a motorcycle not equipped with an ignition interlock device, which he was court-ordered to have. In count four, he is accused of reckless driving, as a misdemeanor. It is alleged in count four that he rode the Kawasaki in a manner that unreasonably interfered with the free and proper use of a public highway -- while intoxicated, traveling at a high rate of speed, failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, failing to stop at a number of stop signs, all while a child age 15 or less was a passenger. In count five, he is accused of endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly knowingly acting in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 17. In count six, Hale is indicted for the crime of aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, a Class E felony, for riding the motorcycle when he knew or should have known that his driver's license was suspended, revoke or otherwise withdrawn by authorities. In count seven, Hale is accused of the offense of speeding, for riding on Washington Avenue in the City of Batavia May 15 in excess of the maximum speed of 30 mph. In count eight, the defendant is accused of failing to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Washington Avenue and State Street. In count nine, he is accused of failing to stop at the stop sign at Washington Avenue and Summit Street. In count 10, he is accused of failing to stop at the stop sign at Summit Street and North Street. In count 11, he is accused of failing to stop at the stop sign at Ross Street and North Street. In count 12, he is accused of failing to stop at the stop sign at North Street and Vine Street. In count 13, Hale is accused of failing to stop at the stop sign at Vine Street and East Avenue. In count 14, he is accused of failure to stop for an emergency vehicle. It is alleged in count 14, that while operating the 1984 Kawasaki on May 15, that Hale failure to yield the right of way to a City of Batavia police vehicle blaring its siren. In Special Information filed by the District Attorney, Hale is accused of having been convicted of the crime of aggravated DWI, as a Class E felony, on Nov. 28, 2012 in Genesee County Court; and DWI, as a Class E felony, on Sept. 18, 2008, and those convictions were within 10 years of the crimes alleged in the current indictment.

Jacob J. Szumigala is indicted for the crime of aggravated vehicular assault, a Class C felony. It is alleged that on April 18 on West Main Street in the Village of Corfu that Szumigala committed reckless driving by operating a 2008 Hyundai Sonata with North Carolina plates in a reckless manner. In so doing, he allegedly caused serious physical injury to another person. It is further alleged that he was intoxicated and had a BAC of .18 or more at the time. In count two, he is accused of first-degree vehicular assault, a Class D felony. It is alleged in count two that Szumigala caused serious physical injury to a person on West Main Street while having a BAC of .18 percent or more at the time. In count three, he is accused of second-degree assault, a Class D felony, for recklessly causing serious physical injury to a person by means of a dangerous instrument -- a motor vehicle. In count four, he is accused of aggravated DWI, per se, as a misdemeanor for allegedly driving the Sonata while having a BAC of .18 percent or more. In count five, he is accused of misdemeanor DWI, for allegedly driving while intoxicated on April 18. In count six, the defendant is accused of first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a Class E felony. It is alleged in count six that Szumigala drove while his driver's license was suspended, revoked or otherwise withdrawn by authorities, and he did so while under the influence of alcohol. In Special Information filed by the District Attorney, the defendant is accused of having been charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, per se, as a misdemeanor, in Oakfield Town Court. The suspension referred to in count six was mandatory pending prosecution April 9, 2018, for the violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law in Oakfield and was still in effect when he drove without a license on April 18 in Corfu.

Domingo Gomez-Gomez is indicted for the crime of first-degree rape, a Class B violent felony. It is alleged that in the Town of Alexander on April 28 that Gomez-Gomez engaged in sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion. In count two, he is accused of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged in count two that on May 4 in the Town of Alexander that he possessed a forged Social Security card with intent to defraud, deceive or injure another.

Jennifer A. Roskey is indicted for the crime of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged that on July 14 in the Town of Oakfield that Roskey possessed a dangerus knife or instrument -- a kitchen knife with an eight-inch blade, with intent to use it against another person. In count two, she is accused of second-degree menacing, a Class A misdemeanor, for allegedly intentionally placing a person in reasonable fear of physical injury, serious physical injury or death by displaying a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. In count three, she is accused of endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A misdemeanor, for knowingly acting in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 17 years old. In count five, Roskey is accused of second-degree reckless endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor. It is alleged in count four that on July 5 while in a private vehicle on the Thruway in Erie County, that she engaged in conduct which created a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person. In counts five, six and seven, respectively, the defendant is accused of three more counts of endangering the welfare of a child, for acting in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of three children less than 17 while traveling on the Thruway July 5 from Genesee County to Erie County in a private vehicle. In Special Information filed by the District Attorney, Roskey is accused of having been convicted of aggravated DWI with a child passenger, a Class E felony, on Sept. 23, 2015 in Erie County Supreme Court, and this conviction forms the basis for count one in the current indictment.

Raymond J. Radley is indicted for the crime of first-degree criminal contempt, a Class E felony. It is alleged on in the first week of March in the City of Batavia that Radley violated a duly served Order of Protection by intentionally being in the presence of the protected party. In counts two through 10, he is accused of second-degree criminal contempt, a Class A misdemeanor. It is alleged in counts two through 10, respectively, that he contacted the protected party in violation of the court's Order of Protection, all in the Town of Le Roy: April 16 by telephone; April 16 by phone; May 8 by phone; May 9 by phone; May 14 by phone; May 16 by phone; May 7 via the website Plenty of Fish --- www. pof.com; first week of March, via Facebook Messenger/Video Chat; and last week of March, via Facebook Messenger/Video Chat. In Special Infomation filed by the District Attorney, Radley is accused of having been convicted of criminal contempt in the first degree, a Class E felony, on July 26, 2016, in Livingston County Court, and that conviction was for a violation of a stay away family offense order of protection and it was within five year previous to commission of the crime alleged in the current indictment,

Antonio M. McKinney is indicted for the crime of driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony. It is alleged that on April 7 in the City of Batavia that McKinney drove a 2002 Mercedes-Benz in the Speedway parking lot at the intersection of routes 5 and 98 while intoxicated. In count two, he is accused of aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, also a Class E felony, for driving while his license was suspended, revoked or otherwise withdrawn by authorities. In Special Information filed by the District Attorney, McKinney is accused of having been convicted of DWI, as a misdemeanor, on Oct. 12, 2016 in the Buffalo City Court, Erie County, and the conviction was within 10 years of the crimes alleged in the current indictment.

Melanie M. Matesz is indicted for the crime of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged in counts one and two that on April 19 in the area of the Batavia City Court offices, located in the Genesee County Courts Facility, that she possessed a forged, fraudulent Order of Protection.

Jonathan E. Seiger is indicted for the crime of second-degree bail jumping, a Class E felony. It is alleged that Seiger was released from custody or allowed to remain at liberty, upon the condition that he would subsequently appear personally in Genesee County Court connection with a felony charge against him and that he failed to appear in court on Oct. 12 or voluntarily within 30 days thereafter.

It appears the Village of Corfu and Genesee County could soon be embroiled in a legal battle.

Relations between the two governmental bodies began heating up when the village received notice the county wanted to double the rates for water use.

Corfu currently has 22 years left on a 40-year contract it signed with the county, in which Corfu is paying 60 cents per 1,000 gallons of water.

The county says it needs the extra money because it miscalculated how much it would cost to provide water to the entire county, specifically the East Bethany area.

At a special meeting Tuesday night, attended by the village board and legislator Gordon Dibble, Corfu attorney David Saleh read a letter from county attorney Kevin Earl, in which Saleh said the word “negotiate” was glaringly admitted. Earl wrote that the deadline of Aug. 27 is fast approaching for design, bid specs, bond counsel and financing for debt commitments and cannot be delayed any longer by lack of a signed Corfu document.

He said 13 of the municipalities in the county have already signed the agreement.

If Corfu does not agree to the increase, the county has threatened to reduce the village’s sales tax allocation by the amount the increase would bring in.

For instance, in 2017, the actual voluntary sales tax allocation was $180,410 and the 2017 total Village of Corfu water consumption was 12,812,000 gallons.

The difference in the surcharge rate between $0.60/1,000 gallons and $1.20/1,000 gallons is $7,687.20, meaning Corfu’s sales tax allocation would be reduced by that amount – to $172,723.27.

This is money which would have to be made up by increasing taxes, said Mayor Joe Johnson.

Johnson is concerned over wording he found in the county’s contract, which he interprets as allowing the county to triple the rate.

“There’s no cap,” said village Trustee Tom Sargent. “It’s $1.20 today and in two years, what’s to stop them from increasing it again?”

One resident who attended Tuesday night’s meeting was Matt Steinberg, who called himself “one angry Corfu taxpayer.”

“If the county is going to put us over a barrel like this, they are going to earn it,” he said. “We have zero interest in funding someone’s water system way out yonder, and I for one am in favor of the village spending the money it needs for litigation.”

Steinberg said he would encourage every resident in Corfu to stop shopping or doing business in Genesee County if the county withholds money from their sales tax allocation.

Trustee Al Graham displayed a map of the county showing proposed improvements in red. He said there is no red in Corfu.

“We have paid for our system,” he said.

“When the county says it wants to renegotiate things in the contract that isn’t beneficial to them, that’s not fair to us,” Saleh said.

Corfu previously had its own water system, and when they signed the agreement with the county in 2002, the village was pumping 75,000 gallons of water per day. Now that the county is using Corfu’s system, they are putting 185,000 gallons through the village system a day.

Currently, neither Genesee County or the Monroe County Water Authority are paying anything for using Corfu’s lines. Graham said when the agreement was signed 18 years ago, the county was supposed to shut Corfu’s water plant down, but they are still using it.

Johnson said what the county is doing is extortion.

“They are taking a contract we signed which is good for our residents and forcing one on us which is bad,” Johnson said.

Graham alluded to the letter from the county which he says gives Corfu two options – sign the new contract or have your sales tax taken away.

“There is a third option,” Graham said. “Keep the signed contract we have. We do not want to fight with the county, but I don’t see how they think they can do this. We are elected to serve the people, and at our second public hearing, 100 percent of the residents there said, ‘Don’t sign.’ We’d be derelict if we didn’t listen to them.”

Graham said Corfu is being bullied by the county, and it is very frustrating.

“We are trying to be reasonable, but they are ignoring our requests to negotiate,” he said.

Corfu will schedule one more public hearing before proceeding with its lawsuit.

CORRECTION: A statement by Mayor Joe Johnson was misreported. In his actual statement, encouraged Corfu residents to stop shopping in Genesee County, not Corfu, if the County withholds sales tax residents. The correction was made in the story. Our apologies to Mayor Johnson.

Antonio Diego Dames, 42, of Knowlesville Road, Oakfield, is charged with: DWI; driving with a BAC of .18 or greater; aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st; driving without an interlock device; and moving from lane unsafely. Dames was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Travis DeMuth into a one-car accident reported at 4:28 p.m. Thursday on Lewiston Road in Alabama.

Yahaira Ann-Marie Brown-Diaz, 19, of Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, unlawful possession of marijuana, and speeding. Brown-Diaz was stopped at 8:28 a.m. Friday on Maple Avenue, Bergen, by Deputy Ryan DeLong. Brown-Diaz was transported to the Sheriff's Office where she was evaluated by a Drug Recognition Expert.

Genna Lynn Miller, 33, of Center Street, East Aurora, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to comply with traffic control officer, and failure to keep right. Miller was stopped at 12:16 a.m. Saturday on Alleghany Road, Darien, by Deputy Patrick Reeves after her vehicle's mirror allegedly struck a traffic control officer in the arm.

Matthew Paul Sunseri, 33, of Harlem Road, Rochester, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Sunseri was charged following an investigation by Deputy Mathew Clor into a disturbance reported at 10:50 p.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Darien Lake Theme Park.

A 17-year-old resident of Buffalo is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The youth was allegedly found in possession of marijuana by State Police in the Village of Corfu at 11:05 a.m. on Aug. 5.

Walter B. Hale, 65, of Oakfield, is charged with: felony DWI; felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater; failure to keep right; and moving from lane unsafely. Hale was stopped by State Police at 1:40 a.m. Sunday on Route 98 in Elba.

Casandra E. Holloway, 25, of Newfane, is charged with: DWI; driving with a BAC of .08 or greater; no headlights; failure to keep right; moving from lane unsafely and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. Holloway was stopped by State Police at 11:01 p.m. Friday on Colby Road, Darien.

Scott P. Rammacher, 42, of Lockport, is charged with DWI and impeding traffic. Rammacher was stopped by State Police at 6:35 p.m. Thursday on Route 77, Darien, for allegedly driving too slow.

Christian A. Dangelo, 28, of Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Dangelo was stopped by State Police at 9:44 p.m. Thursday on Route 33, Bergen.

Kyle J. Howard, 29, of Basom, is charged with criminal trespass. Howard was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident reported at 1:30 p.m., Aug. 6.  No further details released.

Alejandro Chaparro, 53, of Braley Road, Ransomville, is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of second-degree harassment. At 9:29 p.m. on Aug. 4, following an investigation into a harassment complaint, Chaparro was arrested on Main Street Road in Batavia. He allegedly pushed and followed an 11-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and is due back there on Aug. 27. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Brabon, assisted by Deputy Andrew Mullen.

Paul R. Hogle, 53, of Vallence Road, Le Roy, was arrested on Aug. 2 by Le Roy Police Department and charged with one count of stalking in the fourth degree, a Class B misdemeanor, and one count of forcible touching, a Class A misdemeanor. Hogle was arrested after a complaint was received by the Le Roy Police Department that he had allegedly placed a GPS locating device on the victim’s vehicle and used it to find them at a later time. It is also alleged that Hogle had unwanted contact with the victim. Hogle was arraigned in the Town of Stafford Court and was turned over to the Genesee County Jail in lieu of $500 bail. Hogle was subsequently arrested on Aug. 3 for criminal contempt in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. On Aug. 3, Hogle allagedly violated a court order, ordering him to stay away from the protected party. It is alleged that on that date, knowing said order was in place, that Hogle made contact with the protected party. Hogle was arraigned again arraigned in the Town of Stafford Court and jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail. Hogle is to return to the Le Roy Town Court on Aug. 13 to answer all charges.

Jennifer Nichole Wenner, 31, of Wood Street, Batavia, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; aggravated DWI -- operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .18 percent or more; consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle; obstructed view; disorderly conduct -- urinating in a public place. Wenner was arrested at 1:58 a.m. on West Main Street in Batavia after an investigation into a disturbance at a gas station. The case was investigated by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Vincent M. Eschenlauer, 27, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with: driving while ability impaired -- combined influence of drugs or alcohol/drugs; leaving the scene of a property damage accident; moving from lane unsafely; driving a motor vehicle on or across a sidewalk; operating a motor vehicle on a public highway while using a mobile phone. The defendant was arrested after he allegedly fled the scene of a one-car collision on Route 63 at Jackson Street in the city at 7:09 p.m. on July 30. He is due in City Court on Aug. 15. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Michael John Reeves, 39, of Military Road, Tonawanda, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree; two counts of DWI; operating a motor vehicle with headlights; and uninspected motor vehicle. Reeves was stopped at 12:28 a.m. on Aug. 4 on Route 77 in Pembroke for allegedly operating a motor vehicle without headlights. Reeves was issued appearance tickets to answer the charges and is due in Pembroke Town Court on Aug. 28. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Young, assisted by Deputy Eric Meyer.

Patrick D. Powell, 32, of Manor Park, Rochester, is charged with: unlawful possession of marijuana; aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree; inadequate exhaust; drinking alcohol in motor vehicle on a highway. At 1 p.m. on Aug. 3, following a traffic stop on Richmond Avenue in the City of Batavia, Powell was arrested on the charges. He was issued an appearance ticket for Aug. 21 in City Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Brabon.

Sharon Yvonne Sharman, 47, of Seven Springs Road, Batavia, is charged with driving while intoxicated and DWI -- operating a motor vehicle with a BAC of .08 percent or higher. Sharman was arrested following an investigation into a domestic incident on Seven Springs Road at 3:12 a.m. on Aug. 4. She was issued an appearance ticket for Sept. 20 in Town of Batavia Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Matthew Clor, assisted by Deputy James Stack.

Aerielle Susan Davis, 29, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI -- first offense, and operating a motor vehicle with a BAC of .08 pr more. She was arrested at 1:47 a.m. on Aug. 4 on West Main Street in Corfu following an investigation of a woman asleep at the wheel of a running vehicle in the village. She was issued an appearance ticket for Village of Corfu Court and is due there Aug. 20. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Meyer, assisted by Deputy Erik Andre.

Dalton C. Kelly, 20, of Chase Park, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree harassment. Kelly was arrested at 5:40 p.m. on July 30 in Batavia after a report of a male out of control who damaged property. He was scheduled to appear in court July 31. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Kevin DeFelice.

Nasir C. Nathan, 22, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested 7:45 p.m. on July 24 on Watson Street in the City of Batavia after he allegedly made threats toward a person protected by a stay-away court order against Nathan. He is due in City Court on Aug. 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jamie Givens.

Ahdeosun R. Aiken, 20, of Ellicott Avenue, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested at 10:19 p.m. on Aug. 3 on Walnut Street in Batavia after allegedly violating an order of protection during a domestic incident. He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance. He was due back in City Court today (Aug. 6). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Jamie Givens.

Barbra Ann Nehl, 75, of West Main Street, Corfu, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested at 4:52 p.m. on Aug. 5 at a retail store on Route 77 in the Town of Pembroke. She allegedly stole $37.70 worth of merchandise without paying and by passing all points of purchase. She was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Town of Pembroke Court on Aug. 23. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien.

Michael L. Jackson Jr., of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested at 4:13 p.m. on July 27 on West Main Street in Batavia after he allegedly stole items from a grocery store. He is due in City Court on July 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay, assisted by Officer Christopher Camp.

Dustin Wayne Bogue, 36, no permanent address, is charged with petit larceny. Bogue was arrested at 1:41 a.m. on West Main Street in Batavia after it was alleged that he entered a convenience store and stole property. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kyle Krtanik, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Taylor L. Finnin, 25, of 131 S. Swan St., Batavia, is charged with trespass. The defendant was arrested at 5:30 p.m. on July 29 on South Main Street in Batavia after he allegedly trespassed at a residence after being told he was not allowed there. He is due in City Court tomorrow (Aug. 7). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Catherine Mucha, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Shane Eugene Dann, 41, of Swan Street, Batavia, was arrested Aug. 1 on a bench warrant issued by Batavia City Court. The warrant was issued after Dann failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance in regard to an incident that occurred on Feb. 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Lindsay Christopher, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins.

A 16-year-old female who lives on Astor Ridge Road in Amherst is charged with DWI-drugs and unsafe backing. She was arrested at 11:21 a.m. on Aug. 5 on Alleghany Road in Corfu after an investigation into a property damage accident at Crosby's convenience store. She was issued an appearance ticker for Corfu Village Court and is due there on Oct. 1. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Lonnie Nati.

A 17-year-old female who lives on West Utica Street, Buffalo, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. She was arrested at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 5 on Alleghany Road in Corfu. She was allegedly found in possession of a small amount of marijuana during a DWI -- drug arrest. She was issued an appearance ticket for Corfu Village Court on Sept. 10. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Lonnie Nati.

Local library directors are asking Genesee County to provide $48,000 in funding in its 2019 budget, which would restore the county's share of funding to 2011 levels.

Without committing, either way, several members of county's Human Services Committee on Monday questioned why towns in the county that don't have libraries aren't doing more to assist funding libraries since their residents certainly use libraries, whether it's the Richmond, Haxton, Corfu, Woodward, or Hollwedel libraries.

"You need to make a presentation to GAM (Genesee Association of Municipalities) because there are still significant portions of the county that are not contributing to the libraries," said Robert Bausch, chairman of the County Legislature. "I hate to say that certain people in certain towns are dumber than other people so, therefore, they don’t need libraries. I don’t think that’s true but the bottom line is, this has gone on now since approximately 1986, so this has gone on for 30 years and these other towns have not stepped up."

Suzanne Schauf, director of the Hollwedel Memorial Library in Pavilion, suggested that because of towns without libraries -- such as Bethany, Alabama, Alexander, and Elba -- aren't legally obligated to pay for libraries, any funding that comes from the towns could be precarious and subject to political whim.

Bethany, she said, used to make a contribution to the Pavilion library, but then somebody said the wrong thing to somebody, somebody else got mad, she said, and the funding was cut.

To secure more funding from these towns, libraries would need to recharter to incorporate these towns either in a library district or as part of an appropriate school budget.

That can be a lengthy process, though the Corfu Free Library rechartered as a school district library and became the Corfu Public Library in 2016.

Bausch was actually part of the committee 30 years ago that came up with the formula for the county to provide financial support to all of the libraries. The original plan was for the county share to be $60,000, or $1 per resident.

Over time, that share was reduced and is now less than $48,000, though the county's population is 58,000.

More than half the money goes to the Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia and though that is the largest piece of the funding pie, said Director Robert Conrad, it is the smallest portion of the library's revenue stream.

The county share is generally used for the purchase and upkeep of technology and purchasing new books.

The Legislature is asking that the topic be placed on the next GAM agenda.

Press release:

The Alzheimer’s Association® Western New York Chapter is offering a number of programs and services across Genesee County in August. These programs are free and open to the public.

Haxton Memorial Library at 3 North Pearl Street in Oakfield will host "Know the Ten Warning Signs: Early Detection Matters" at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 29.

This program will focus on recognizing potential warning signs of memory problems because early diagnosis is critical to ensure that families can plan for the future together, take advantage of available resources and take part in social engagement programs where they can interact and connect with others facing similar challenges.

Additionally, the Chapter trains facilitators to lead several monthly caregiver support groups across the county, which allow caregivers to connect with others facing similar challenges and hear advice for overcoming them:

Batavia:

• 3^rd  Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. – Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St.
• 3^rd Thursday at 1 p.m. – Genesee County Office for the Aging, 12 Bank St.

Le Roy:

• 2^nd Monday at 2 p.m. – The Greens of Le Roy, 1 West Ave.

Telephone Support Group:

• 2^nd Wednesday from 12:10-12:55 p.m. – For more information, call the Genesee County Office for the Aging at (585) 343-1611

A community social program, or respite, is also available every month in Corfu. This program provides relief to those who care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia and offers them some time to refresh and recharge, while their loved one is engaged in social activities in a safe environment.

Indian Falls United Methodist Church at 7908 Allegany Road offers a respite service on the 3^rd Wednesday of every month. For more information, call Celinda McQuiston at (585) 762-9105.

To learn more about other Alzheimer’s Association programs and services, contact the WNY Chapter office at 1.800.272.3900.

A two-vehicle accident -- possibly between a semi-truck and car -- is reported at 2033 Main Road in Corfu. Unknown injuries. Mercy Flight is put on standby. The location is between Cleveland and Indian Falls roads.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding, along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 12:15 a.m. (By Howard): The patient, the driver of the sedan, was transported to ECMC by Mercy Flight for treatment of injuries, including a broken leg, and evaluation of possible internal injuries. The Sheriff's Office Crash Management Team is conducting an investigation into the accident. There is little that is known about it so far. The Perry's truck was westbound and the sedan was eastbound. A gouge in the roadway indicates the collision occurred in the eastbound lane. The truck driver, who was not injured, told deputies he swerved left to try and avoid the sedan. 

UPDATE 2:04 a.m.: Route 5 is open. All responding fire units back in service.

Samantha L. Wroblewski, 29, of Medina, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs, DWI, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and moving from lane unsafely. Troopers were dispatched to a report of a property-damage accident on Route 33 in Stafford and Wroblewski was allegedly found asleep at the wheel with a hypodermic needle in her arm. Wroblewski allegedly admitted to possession of heroin and additional needles. She was arrested after failing to pass multiple field sobriety tests and she submitted to a chemical test.

Tyler Austin Stoddard, 23, of Meiser Road, Corfu, is charged with bail jumping, 3rd. Stoddard was located in Indian Falls and taken into custody. He allegedly failed to appear in Integrated Domestic Violence Court on Nov. 18. He was ordered held in jail.

Amanda K. Shufelt, 31, of Locust Street, Lockport, is charged with petit larceny. Shufelt allegedly stole merchandise from a gift shop at Darien Lake Theme Park.

Brandon L. Kenney-Westfall, 25, of Bergen, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Kenney-Westfall was stopped by State Police at 8:18 p.m. Saturday in Bergen.

Genesee County Manager Jay Gsell and Legislator Gordon Dibble have responded to the public hearing held July 9 by the Village of Corfu to address the county’s proposal to double the charge for municipal water.

Corfu officials had hoped someone from the county would attend the hearing to address residents’ concerns about the proposed increase.

However, no county representative was present at the meeting because they were not notified until the day before, Gsell said in an e-mail to The Batavian.

Apparently, Corfu Trustee Al Graham contacted Dibble about 1 p.m. Sunday to inquire if he had received any notice of Monday’s hearing. Dibble replied that he had not.

“It was too late at that point because we want to get all the people there who have the right answers,” Dibble said in a phone call today.

Gsell said they last met with the Village of Corfu officials in June and agreed to come to another village meeting with appropriate notice.

Currently, the county and village of Corfu are trying to agree on a date when all parties can attend.

Gsell has also shared a letter sent to Genesee County’s attorney by Corfu attorneys David Saleh and John Whiting with the Whiting Law Firm after the June meeting. The letter, dated July 5, which was also forwarded to MCWA, says claims were made by Corfu that the county and MCWA were ignoring the village in regard to municipal water, although Corfu has been a retail customer of the MCWA since 2001.

The MCWA told Corfu Mayor Joe Johnson the letter had been forwarded to them and it contained statements that the Village of Corfu had concerns with the services provided by MCWA’s operation and maintenance of the water system.

Several statements made by Corfu in the letter indicate the existing water system that provides water to thousands of county residents, including the residents of the village, is facing many challenges, including a crisis in maintenance of the existing water lines and other facilities.

The village wrote that the water lines running through the village are nearly 100 years old and needed attention even when these agreements were signed nearly 22 years ago.

“It was expected that efforts would be made to replace existing lines that have been subject to compromising breaks on a regular basis. In that near 20-year period, the existing lines haven’t been properly addressed and the problem is only worse,” the letter said.

Finally, the village wrote, “The Water Authority is struggling with maintenance, and the county needs to get involved to help find a solution.”

The MCWA’s Executive Director Nicholas Noce responded that this secondhand notice was the first they had heard about the Village of Corfu’s concerns.

Noce said the Village of Corfu water system was functional at the time the Water Authority and the village entered into an agreement.

He also said MCWA disagrees with the statements about struggling with maintenance and not properly addressing the system.

“This should be recognized by the nearly $2 million invested in the portion of the county’s water system in the Village of Corfu,” Noce said.

He said while there have been water main breaks in the village, those mains do not rank high enough for replacement at this time.

“Typically, age is not a criteria for water main replacement,” Noce said. “Water mains can break for several reasons, such as shifting of the ground during freeze-thaw cycles, pressure changes, casting flaws with material, or from corrosion.”

Noce said the Water Authority has a long-standing main rehabilitation program that has proven to be very effective. When compared to other water utilities across the nation through the benchmarking studies prepared by the American Water Works Association, the MCWA ranks in the national top quartile for the least number of water main breaks per 100 miles of water main.

Noce also said his organization would gladly come out to Corfu or have further discussions with the village to answer any questions about their programs. He said they have no record of receiving any direct contacts from Corfu with the above concerns.

He also reiterated the fact that since the Water Authority and the Village of Corfu entered into the retail lease agreement, the Water Authority has invested $1.95 million into the portion of the Water Authority’s system which is within the village. That investment, Noce said, paid to replace or clean and cement mortar line on approximately 48 percent of the water mains in the village; replace 70 percent of the hydrants; it rehabilitated the water storage tank; and replaced the roof on the water treatment plant (to name a few).

“If the village stayed in the water business, the village water system would have had to fund the $1.95 million of improvement and spread that cost over just 285 water customers in the village,” Noce said.

Submitted photos and press release:

A 2018 Tri-County BEFO program, sponsored by Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans counties concluded on Friday, July 13. Eighteen students completed the 79-hour program from 13 departments across the region.

The Basic Exterior Firefighter Operations (BEFO) program is an entry-level program for the volunteer fire service designed to prepare students to respond to emergencies as exterior firefighters.

Students are instructed in fire extinguishers, building construction, forcible entry, ladder deployment, incident command, drafting operations and hazardous materials operations level. In addition, students are trained in ropes and knots, and first aid/CPR.

A Basic Exterior Firefighter Operations (BEFO) program, sponsored by Genesee County, is scheduled to begin in August. Anyone interested is encouraged to contact your community volunteer fire department or the Genesee County Fire Training Center (585-344-0078).

Participants last Friday included: 

Alabama

• Rebekah J. Allen

Alexander

• Daniel Harris

Attica

• Kaylee Sumeriski

Town of Batavia

• Bryan Moscicki  
• Ian Sanfratello
• Tyler Stewart

Bennington

• Jordon McKinsey
• Grace Schmidt

Bergen

• Tina M. Carson          
• Harrison T. Dodson

Byron

• Paige E. Johnston

Carlton

• Matthew Edick

Castle

• Zachary Dake

Corfu

• Justin Rodland

East Avon

• Jefferson Moon

North Java

• Taylor Guizzotti
• Tyler Shaver

Strykerville

• Matthew Solly

The Village of Corfu is digging in its heels when it comes to the county’s demand that it sign a new contract allowing the county to increase rates charged for water.

“We want to make sure as a board we let everyone know what we’re dealing with,” said Mayor Joseph Biggs Johnson at Monday night's village board meeting.

Trustee Al Graham explained to the more than 40 residents who attended that the village has a 40-year contract with the county, with 22 more years to go, guaranteeing a rate of 60 cents per 1,000 gallons of water used.

“Now they want us to do away with that contract and sign another allowing them to charge any amounts the county decides are necessary,” Graham said. “The money collected will be used to provide water to other Genesee County residents, and as we already have a water system in place, we won’t get any benefit from this increase.”

Genesee County said the increase is necessary because they underestimated the demand for water throughout Genesee County and the rate needs to be raised substantially to generate the money to pay for more water.

The Corfu Village Board is further upset by what it considers a threat from the county attorney to take away sales tax from the village, even refusing to maintain water lines if Corfu fails to sign the new contract.

One resident remarked the village was essentially being held hostage.

“We don’t like the words ‘blackmail’ or ‘extortion’ but we’ve been told we can sign or we can lose a big portion of our sales tax, which we use to run our village,” the mayor said.

He said then they would be forced to raise taxes.

Trustee Tom Sargent said other towns had already signed, except Corfu, Darien, Pembroke and the City of Batavia.

Johnson said another thing which upset them was the fact the county couldn’t tell them if the charge would increase past 60 cents, and no plans or improvements were ever discussed with the village before the decisions were made.

Graham said the village board has to investigate legal action.

“But we have to expect if we come in with a lawyer, the county will have 20,” Johnson said.

He said the county justifies the increase by rationalizing in this way: When the entire county has water, it will attract more business and more residents, which will result in more sales tax.

“But will it be enough to offset the extra cost?” Johnson asked.

A lady in the audience said there was no guarantee new businesses would be coming in, when businesses are moving out of New York State and people are leaving.

Another resident asked why areas which still need water couldn’t be charged enough to pay the cost, but the mayor explained the county wanted to be fair and charge the entire county.

When someone asked what the board’s stance was, the reply was, “We won’t sign.”

That was met with rousing applause from the crowd.

“If we would benefit by better water, it would be acceptable to pay more,” Graham said, “but we aren’t going to.”

The board said it has been getting pressure from the county for several months to sign.

Village Attorney David Saleh said taking money from one source as a penalty for another may be legal, but it also may be a breach of Corfu’s existing contract, something he is looking into.

The board urged residents to contact their state and county lawmakers and express their concerns.

The county was invited to send a representative to the meeting, but no one attended.

It was decided to schedule another public hearing on a date which is convenient for someone from the county to attend.

Jacob John Sponaugle, 19, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with menacing, 2nd, and criminal possession of a weapon,4th. Sponaugle allegedly pointed a shotgun at another person during a road rage incident reported at 2:52 p.m. Friday at Main and Bank streets in Downtown Batavia.

Jeremiah Lamar Gregory Burt, 23, of Victoria Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Burt was stopped at 6:45 p.m. Saturday on Main Road, Pembroke, by Deputy Andrew Mullen.

Jacob Lee Jasinski, 20, of Akron Road, Corfu, is charged with DWI, moving from lane unsafely, and unsafe tires. Jasinski was reportedly involved in a one-car accident at 3:55 a.m. Sunday on Main Road, Pembroke. A utility pole was broken in the accident. The accident was investigated by Deputy Ryan Young.

Stephen Michael Milroy, 23, of Junction Road, Pavilion, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Milroy was arrested on a warrant and jailed on $500 bail or $2,000 bond.

Matthew Richard Jackson, 27, of Vernon Avenue, of Batavia, is charged with: DWI; driving with a BAC of .08 or greater; leaving the scene of a property damage accident; driving left of pavement markings; and moving from lane unsafely. Jackson was stopped at 3:14 p.m. Sunday on Main Road, Pembroke, by Deputy Mathew Clor.

John Kelly, 27, of Parkway, Rochester, is charged with criminal trespass, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, and harassment, 2nd. Kelly was charged following an investigation into an incident reported at 10 p.m. June 17 at a residence on Bethany Le Roy Road, Stafford, by Deputy Rachel Diehl.

Cherie M. Oddo, 57, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Oddo is accused of stealing $7.69 worth of merchandise from Tops Friendly Market.

Joseph Thomas Burr, 24, of North Lyon Street, Batavia, is charged with robbery, 3rd, two counts of grand larceny, 4th, and endangering the welfare of a child. Burr is accused of stealing another person's wallet during an argument reported at 3:30 p.m., Friday.

Danny D. Williams, 29, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal mischief, 4th. Williams was allegedly involved in an incident on Central Avenue reported at 8:45 p.m. June 11. Williams was also charged with petit larceny for allegedly shoplifting at Tops Friendly Market on June 17. He was also arrested on a warrant out of City Court.

John A. Snook, 30, of Oak Orchard Road, Albion, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to comply with a court-ordered program. 

Joseph W. Freeman, 34, of Platten Road, Lyndonville, was arrested on a warrant and ordered held on $1,000 bail. No further details about the charges released.

Christine Marie Wagner, 37, of East Main Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wagner was charged following an investigation into possible employee theft at a local business. Also charged with petit larceny, Irisa M. Hill, 22, of Wood Street, Batavia. 

John D. Radley, 57, of Route 20A, Warsaw, is charged with DWI and driving while impaired by alcohol. At 4:37 p.m. on June 22, police were alerted to a person reportedly drinking alcohol in a running motor vehicle in the parking lot of Tops Friendly Market. Upon arrival, police allegedly found Radley slumped over the wheel, asleep.

A 16-year-old resident of Batavia is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and criminal possession of stolen property. 

Joshua P. Fields, 21, of Batavia Bethany Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, and unsafe backing. Fields was arrested on a warrant. He posted bail and was released.

Thomas Andrew Woldford, 42, of Ringquist Street, Las Vegas, is charged with DWI and failure to dim headlights. Woldford was stopped at 1:19 a.m. Monday on Route 33, Stafford, by Deputy Jeremy McClellan after Woldford allegedly failed to dim his headlights for oncoming traffic.

Brittany A. Young, 23, of Buffalo, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, unlawful possession of marijuana, unlicensed operation, 3rd, and speeding. Young was stopped by State Police on Route 77 in Darien at 3:45 p.m. on June 25. While interviewing the driver, troopers detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Young was allegedly found to be driving on a suspended license and was also found to be in possession of marijuana and a controlled substance. Young posted $500 bail and was released from jail pending her next court appearance in Darien Town Court.

Vikki L. Sullivan, 32, of Norfolk, Va., is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and unlawful possession of marijuana. State Police came into contact with Sullivan at 2:39 a.m. Sunday at an undisclosed location in the Town of Darien.

Shawn R. Bowick, 32, of Leicester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and a license plate violation. Bowick was stopped by State Police at 6:15 p.m. Friday on Route 63, Batavia.

Rahiim J. Collazo, 40, of Rochester, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, speeding, obstructed vision, license plate violation, and no license. Tiffany M. Santos, 35, of Rochester, is charged with permitting unlicensed operation and facilitating aggravated unlicensed operation. Callazo was stopped by State Police at 7:40 p.m. Friday on Batavia Elba Townline Road, Batavia.

A 17-year-old resident of Attica was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana by State Police during a traffic stop on Route 98 in Alexander at 1:54 a.m. on Sunday.

Donald W. Stahl Jr., 37, of North Street, Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 3rd, grand larceny, 4th, petit larceny and three counts of conspiracy. Stahl was arrested by the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office and is being held in the Wyoming County Jail on $5,000 bail. Stahl is accused of participating with others to steal electronic and computer items from the Walmart in Warsaw. The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are pending. The investigation was conducted by Sgt. Colin Reagan, Deputy Aaron Chase and with the cooperation of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, including Investigator Chris Parker, Deputy Erik Andre, and Sgt. Jason Saile, along with Walmart Asset Protection employees.

William G. Schultz Sr., 44, of Ross Street, Batavia, is charged with criminally using drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of marijuana. Schultz was spotted by members of the Local Drug Task Force on Jackson Street on Wednesday evening. He was wanted on a family court warrant. While being taken into custody, he was allegedly found in possession of drug paraphernalia and marijuana. He was ordered held in jail on $1,000 bail.

Malik Austin Hambrick, 21, of Aswego Avenue, Fort Drum, is charged with criminal trespass. Hambrick allegedly entered the Darien Lake Theme Park at 12:20 a.m. Monday following previously being removed from the property by Darien Lake security.

Jeffrey P. Klyczek, 49, of Amherst, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Klyczek was stopped by State Police in the Village of Corfu at 11:39 p.m. Tuesday.

Joseph F. Chiodo, 35, of North Tonawanda, is charged with DWAI (combined drugs and alcohol), DWI with a child in the car, and endangering the welfare of a child. Chiodo was stopped by State Police on Route 33, Town of Pembroke, at 12:23 p.m. Wednesday.

The Genesee County Human Resources Department announces an open competitive examination for Police Officer, O.C. #65-746.

SALARY

City of Batavia -- $49,654 to $63,057, annually (2018)

Village of Le Roy -- $22.80 per hour full-time, $21 per hour part-time (2018)

Village of Corfu -- $16 per hour (2018)

VACANCY

This examination is being held to establish an eligible list to fill future vacancies as they occur. An eligible applicant may receive only one permanent appointment from this list. Once appointed, there will be a probationary period of 8 to 78 weeks based on performance of duties. During this probationary period the department head has the ability to terminate employment without cause.

Residency Requirements to Participate in the Examination

Candidates must be legal residents of Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans or Wyoming county at the time of the examination and for at least two months prior to the date of the examination.

Preference in Certification for Residents for Apppointment -- Section 23(4-a) of the Civil Service Law

When preference in certification is given to residents of a municiplaity pursuant to subdivision 4-1 of Section 23 of the Civil Service Law, an eligible applicant must have been at least two months prior to the date of the certification, a resident of the City of Batavia, the Village of Le Roy or the Village of Corfu in order to be included in a certification as a resident of such municipality.

Last Filing Date --- July 18, 2018

Examination Date --- Sept. 15, 2018

To find out about the minimum qualifications, filing fees and other requirements, see the full Police Officer listing here.

NOTE: ANY CHANGE TO A SCHEDULED EXAM, WHETHER A CANCELLATION RELATED TO A WEATHER EMERGENCY OR OTHER CONDITION, WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON RADIO STATION WBTA AM 1490 THE MORNING OF THE EXAM.  PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE.