City Youth Board

With the Genesee Area Family YMCA now in charge of the City of Batavia youth program, City Council member Al McGinnis believes it is time to consider the future of the City Youth Board, a citizen-led group that traditionally has played a strong role in how the community’s young people are served.

“As the functionality of the organization changes, we have to change with it,” said McGinnis, Council’s liaison to the Youth Board, at Monday night’s Conference Meeting at the City Centre Council Board Room.

McGinnis took a few minutes to ask Council and city management to consider the changes that have taken place since the city entered into an agreement with the YMCA to run the program – both at the Liberty Center for Youth on Liberty Street (the St. Anthony’s campus of City Church) and summer recreation.

“With the advent of the Y taking over and the Liberty Center, they pretty much have done a splendid job and a far better job than we as the city can do,” McGinnis said. “As the Y becomes more predominant and Liberty Center, the strength of the Youth Board – membership has dwindled. Right now, besides myself, there are only two active members and we have no students in it.”

Since the city is no longer a provider of youth services – and the YMCA is, McGinnis thinks the Youth Board should not have to meet every month (per its bylaws) and should become “advisory” in nature and meet maybe three or four times per year.

He also suggested that those who have served on the Youth Board could maybe fill slots on other citizen boards that support the city.

“We don’t dictate policy to the Y, we don’t dictate policy to the Liberty Center, and we could serve the public better by having the people on those boards take slots in other city government positions (advisory boards) that we have,” he said. “We always need volunteers.”

McGinnis acknowledged the work of those who have participated on the Youth Board and asked Council to send them letters of appreciation.

At that point, City Manager Rachael Tabelski brought up “a great opportunity for the board to work on projects,” specifically the inclusive playground at Austin Park that was approved by Council last November, with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act revenue.

“I hope Council would allow us to invite the Youth Board members to be part of that steering committee for the process moving forward for the inclusive playground at Austin Park,” she said.

Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. said he didn’t not want to disband the Youth Board, suggesting that it could advise the YMCA and recommend other programming as need.

“… something they could input into that so that we as a member can direct the Y to change some things as to how they serve us as the customer,” he said, agreeing with Tabelski that the Austin Park project is a good fit.

Council member Robert Bialkowski said the Youth Board should remain, with members deciding to meet as necessary.

McGinnis said the Youth Board bylaws call for monthly meetings and also include term limits.

“People on the board have worked well past their tenure because we haven’t found anyone to replace them,” he said.

As far as the number of required meetings, City Attorney George Van Nest said if the Youth Board wants to change the bylaws, it just needs to make its intentions known to Council.

Council member Kathleen Briggs asked McGinnis if YMCA officials requested a change in the Youth Board’s function. He said that was not the case.

“The Y has been very good to work with as has the Liberty Center,” McGinnis said. “Everything they’ve done, let’s face it, they’re in the business of children, we aren’t. We’re in the business of government. We do government very well. We don’t do children very well. That’s not our job; that’s the Ys job.

It was decided that McGinnis would talk to the other Youth Board members – President David Twichell and Vice President Paula Fischer -- at their next meeting and report back to Council.

The Batavian reached out by email to Twichell and Fischer for comment this morning.

A statement from the City Youth Board on the prospect of having the Genesee Area Family YMCA operate the municipality’s youth program:

“The City Youth Board worked with the interim city manager through the RFP (Request For Proposal) process and interviewed one agency for the city contract to run youth services. Although, there are always reservations as to whether or not this is the right decision, we were all in agreement that the city should enter into a contract with the YMCA.

“Mr. (Jeff) Townsend answered all our questions satisfactorily and the YMCA is prepared to resume operations of the Liberty Center on April 1st if awarded the contract.

“We were all in agreement that this would be the best option for resuming youth services in a timely fashion since the city laid off all of the part-time staff during the pandemic, and the executive director and the program coordinator both left for other positions. These circumstances left no one with experience to resume the programming leaving contracting the services out as our only viable option.

“The Youth Board works in an advisory capacity and at the end of the day the board is eager to see youth programming resume at the Liberty Center for Youth and through the summer recreational program.

“It would have been nice if we had received more feedback from the community but we understand this has happened pretty quickly and we do feel the COVID-19 protocols have limited community involvement. We are all sympathetic to the city’s budget concerns. However, we feel this is also a quality of life issue and a service that makes our community vibrant and safer. We are investing in our city’s future, our children.”

David Twichell, president

Paula Fischer

Lydia Schauf

Update: 9:15 p.m.

The Genesee County Legislature's Ways & Means Committee this afternoon tabled the resolution to terminate the county's youth bureau operating agreement with the City of Batavia.

When asked the reasoning behind the action, both Legislator Gary Maha and Legislator Chair Rochelle Stein declined to comment.

Contacted tonight, Interim City Manager Rachael Tabelski said that City Council plans to address a similar resolution at its Nov. 23 Conference Meeting, but speculated that the situation may come up at next Monday's Business Meeting.

"At this point, City Council and I are considering cost-saving measures in all departments while still trying to maintain the level of services that our residents, including our youth, deserve," Tabelski said.

Previously, Tabelski reported that the city would save $20,000 in salary expenses (for Youth Bureau Executive Director Jocelyn Sikorski) by ending the youth bureau agreement with the county.

While unable to confirm, it is believed the following letter also was obtained by Ways & Means Committee members prior to their decision to table the resolution.

Posted by Mike Pettinella.

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An Open Letter to City Council on Behalf of the City of Batavia Youth Board

The City of Batavia Youth Board serves in an advisory capacity regarding youth services for the City of Batavia. At the Oct. 27 board meeting the Interim City Manager (Rachael Tabelski) was present to inform the board of the changes occurring to youth services in the City of Batavia.

Currently, the resignation of the program coordinator, the layoffs of Liberty Center staff, and the request from the current Director Jocelyn Sikorski* to end her contracted services with the City of Batavia would result in zero staff for City of Batavia Youth services.

The Youth Board is not in favor of the dissolution of the intermunicipal contract with Genesee County regarding the Youth Director position. This would be detrimental to youth services for the City of Batavia.

Although the board understands the financial concerns of the City of Batavia, the youth services budget amounts to roughly 1 percent of the City of Batavia budget. The board would have appreciated an opportunity to discuss alternative options with the Interim City Manager, but was not afforded that opportunity prior to her decision.

Due to the hiring freeze which has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and budget shortfalls, the Youth Board feels it is in the best interest of the City Youth programs to retain Ms. Sikorski until the end of the contract to rebuild the youth programming once it is safe to reopen the Liberty Center for Youth and resume the Summer Recreation Program provided by the City of Batavia.

The board does not feel the same level of services can be achieved by outsourcing these programs, which was suggested by the Interim City Manager or charging for these services.

The Youth Board feels an obligation to inform the community of the changes that are being proposed for youth services. Youth programming in the future, including the Summer Recreation Program, will look much different. Please consider contacting your council member regarding these changes.

Sincerely,

City of Batavia Youth Board Members,

Dave Twichell, President

Paula Fischer

Nick Russo

Kathryn Fitzpatrick

Kristen Gloskowski

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*Jocelyn Sikorski currently serves as executive director of the Genesee/Orleans County Youth Bureau and City of Batavia Youth Bureau.

Previously: County's termination of youth bureau agreement to save the City of Batavia $20K next year