Deer management, disc golf, Otis Street.
Those three subjects became brief topics of discussion at Tuesday night’s Batavia City Council Business Meeting at the City Centre Council Board Room.
Batavia resident John Roach, who regularly seeks to follow up on previous matters concerning the city, asked about the status of the deer management plan that is being coordinated by Assistant Police Chief Christopher Camp and of a fellow citizen’s proposal to have a disc golf course in the city – an idea that prompted fierce opposition when Centennial Park was mentioned as a possible location for the layout.
CITY PROPERTY THE PLACE TO START?
On the deer management plan, City Manager Rachel Tabelski said the city was able to obtain extra deer management permits but “weren’t able to enlist any landowners, especially in the First Ward, to be part of the process with us at this time.”
She said there are city-owned properties that are eligible for hunting as well as candidates who wish to take advantage of the culling program.
“Unfortunately, where most of the complaints that we have in the First, Second and Third Ward – especially about shrubbery and bushes – we don’t have anyone at this point willing to allow the hunting program on their land,” she added.
City Council President suggested starting the program on city property … “and show that it can be done and other landowners might join in.”
The city’s deer management program process began in 2019 with the formation of a citizen committee. The committee met numerous times with then City Manager Martin Moore, but abruptly disbanded at the outset of a meeting on Aug. 13, 2020 – objecting to changes to the plan’s original framework.
Previously: BREAKING: City's deer committee resigns in 33 second meeting this morning
As far as disc golf is concerned, Tabelski said that she hasn’t heard back from Phillip Boyd, the 27-year-old Hart Street resident who approached City Council in the summer about a disc golf course.
The latest news on that matter came in July when Boyd met with city Department of Public Works personnel (photo at right) to discuss placing a nine-hole course at Williams Park on Pearl Street.
The Batavian reached out to Boyd via phone call and text message this morning.
Previously: Disc golf promoter puts Centennial Park in rear view mirror, now has his sights set on Williams Park
OTIS STREET RESIDENT SAYS THANKS
On Sept. 13, Yantz informed Council members of unruly and disruptive behavior by people living in a house across the street from him on Otis Street.
He returned to City Hall last night to let them know that things have calmed down and thanked city officials for getting involved.
“The efforts of the Council and the police department seem to be making a difference on Otis Street,” he said. “It’s been quiet the last few weeks and months. I’d just like to say keep up the good work and I hope things will stay the way they are.”
Yantz said he believed that some of those neighbors were going to be at the meeting as well, but that turned out not to be the case.
Previously: City of Batavia leaders, police taking steps to help Otis Street couple deal with disruptive neighbors
