election

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins tonight released the following statement announcing his successful reelection as New York’s 27th District Congressional Representative.

“I am honored and humbled to again be elected by the hardworking people of New York’s 27th District,” Congressman Collins said.

“Voters across America made a clear choice today about the direction in which they want our country to move. Here in the 27th District of New York, like many places across our country, people have chosen to be represented by individuals who believe that job creation and economic growth should be spurred by the private sector, that big government is not good government, and that elected leaders should stand behind the principles they campaign on.

“I look forward to building on this nationwide momentum. My focus will remain on the issues that my constituents care about such as ensuring our veterans have the resources they deserve, fighting to reduce burdensome government regulations that negatively impact our farmers and small business owners, protecting Medicare benefits for our seniors, and reducing taxes to keep more money in individual’s pockets.

“I want to thank our hundreds of volunteers, our donors and most of all the voters. I would not be here without their strong support. Additionally, I want to thank my opponent, Jim O’Donnell for his service to our community and wish him the best going forward.”

With only 21 votes separating the two candidates for the District 9 seat on the County Legislature and 100 absentee ballots yet to be counted, neither incumbent Ed Dejanerio nor challenger Bob Bialkowski were interested in predicting the outcome of the race.

"I'm in the minority and who knows," Dejanerio said, acknowledging his role as the sole Democrat on the Legislature as well as the slight registration advantage for the GOP in District 9. "I do my best and that's all I can do."

Both candidates worked hard, they said of each other, and presented a stiff challenge throughout the campaign.

The unofficial tally has Dejanerio up 362 to 341.

Dejanerio is simply hard to beat, Bialkowski said.

"There's a lot of Democrats in the district," Bialkowski said. "Ed's been there a long time. Ed's a likable sort of guy. People like Ed. I'm pleased I've done as well as I have. Other people have tried running against Ed but have never done so well."

City GOP Chairman Matt Landers agreed.

"It's hard to beat an incumbent," Landers said. "Ed's been there a long time. He's beaten Republicans in the past. Bob worked really hard and we'll see how it breaks."

Things broke better for the GOP in the other three contested Legislature races.

Shelly Stein beat Earl Funderburk 1087 to 427 in District 5. Gregg Torrey beat incumbant Esther Leadley, a Republic who didn't get her party's nomination, 706 to 373, and the race was apparently made closer by the presence of a Libertarian on the ballot. Marianne Clattenburg beat Bill Fava 385 to 271 with Bob Brown picking up 82 votes.

"Bob did hurt us," Landers said. "We were worried that he would peel off Republican votes and it was relatively close between Marianne and the Democrat."

None of the big issues facing the County Legislature seemed to play a role in voters' decisions, based on the feedback candidates were getting while walking precincts. Voters rarely mentioned the nursing home, the Genesee County Economic Development Center, mandates, or hiring more jail guards.

People were concerned about taxes, but in the District 9 race, there isn't much difference on the issue between Dejanerio and Bialkowski.

"People are against any kind of property tax increase," Bialkowski said. "People in the city are hard pressed right now and when they hear that they're going to have a public hearing on going over the tax cap, that doesn't sit well with people. It doesn't sit well with me."

Top photo: Ed Dejanerio, city council candidate Diana Kastenbaum with Pat Burke at O'Lacy's while awaiting election results.

Matt Landers congratulates Gregg Torrey on his District 6 victory.

The Batavia City School District Board of Education will have its budget vote and member election on Tuesday, May 15. The candidates for election/reelection have shared their views in a series of interviews with The Batavian. Click the names of the candidates below to read the interviews.

There are five candidates running, including three incumbents -- Phil Ricci, Gary Stich and Gail Stevens -- and two newcomers -- Gretchen DiFante and Dennis Warner.

Warner declined our request for an interview.

Phil Ricci interview

Gary Stich interview

Gretchen DiFante interview

Gail Stevens interview

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. at Batavia's John Kennedy Elementary School, at 166 Vine St., for school district residents who live north of Route 5, and Batavia High School, at 260 State St., for those who live south of Route 5.

For more information on the budget, see the May 1 article, Batavia district pitches budget with a nearly 2-percent increase in the tax levy.

For some specifics on the background of each candidate, see their short biographies on the district Web site.

The first candidate interviewed was Phil Ricci, who has been on the school board since November. Ricci is a military veteran who currently works as a branch manager of two Bank of America locations, and he has years of experience in business/management, process improvement, financial management and consulting, as well as in working with youth.

Ricci is also a member of the Batavia City Youth Board and a budget ambassador for the school district's Audit Committee. He lives in Batavia with his wife and three children.

Could you talk about the experience you bring to the school board -- especially in terms of business and working with youth?

On the business side, I've worked for both the private and public sector. I've managed millions of dollars in funds, as well as teams ranging from five people to five hundred people. That said, school districts are a whole other beast of burden. They're not like how normal businesses work. The hard thing about experience is that, yeah, I have it, but in order to learn how a school district works, you have to learn how the state thinks and try to apply your business experience to that. Anyone who knows about New York State will tell you that if the state was a business, it would have been bankrupt 10 times over at this point. People on the school board learn real quickly that business experience doesn't go a whole long way with the way New York State does things.

As far as working with youth, when I was in Germany (in the military) I built a program from the ground up. It's called "Skies Unlimited," of which I then became the regional director of instruction for all of Europe. I got to work with every different type of population, and I learned the real message of advocacy. There are so many people out there who do not view youth programs as essential, and I challenge that every time I hear it. If you don't have solid youth programs, solid education, and solid support structures for youth, you end up having higher crime rates. You end up having a less educated workforce.

I think the biggest thing I've learned over the years -- working with kids in the military and being on the Youth Board here -- is that advocacy is huge. Even being on the school board, I can see that the way the state distributes money is inequitable. There are a lot of downstate districts that are not being affected to the same extent that our kids up here are being affected. And if you don't think that fighting for that is important because you don't like the way the system is, I'm not going to disagree with you that the system is broken; but those kids are suffering in the meanwhile. So I think the big thing for me with all the work I've done is learning how to be a solid advocate.

What made you want to run for the school board in the first place?

When Andy (Pedro) left, I was asked to come in and help out, so I threw my hat in the ring. There was a need, because (the school district is in) a really tough situation. The reason I'm asking to stay is that I know how bad it is, and I've seen what still needs to be done. We've got a lot of work to do, and it's far from being over. I know what it's going to take, and I just want the opportunity to help get us there. My big thing is and will continue to be to protect programs and to be equitable for all kids -- haves and have-nots. I'm not going to take away something from one youth that I wouldn't take away from another. But my main object is to not take anything away, and to do the things that need to be done to try to protect as many programs as we can.

I've been involved in the district for about seven years. I haven't always been on the board, but I've been involved. So I know what goes into (making a difference in the school district) and I know I can make a maximum impact.

Is there anything you would you like to change or see changed if you are reelected?

There's lots of things I'd like to continue to change. I think the biggest thing we need to work on right now in the district is our communication. I just think that we have to get better at expressing what we know and why we know it to everybody out there. That's an opportunity we've missed the ball on a lot. Some principles can't be explained simplistically, but it is our job to try and do that.

So one thing I would be pushing for from day one is more transparency, a clearer message, and just putting out there as much as we can.

How would you respond to people who express outrage that all other businesses and organizations are having to cut back and do more with less while the school district continues to propose tax increases? The implication is that the district thinks itself exempt from doing more with less.

I understand why they say things like that, and this goes back to the district not explaining things clearly enough. It's completely false. The district is doing a lot more with less. We're cutting programs. We're cutting positions. We've cut costs. We just closed a school. I think what's not being explained well enough is that these costs that keep pushing things up are not all controllable. Most of them out of our control -- they're coming down from the state. And at the state level, what they're doing is having their costs keep going up, and then they're pulling millions of dollars out of funding each year.

Imagine you have a job and a house budget. And every year, your costs are going to keep going up for whatever reason -- because of inflation or whatever it is. Then your employer comes in and says, "We're going to take eight-percent of your salary away each year for the next five years." So each year your costs are still going up, but you're losing an additional 8-percent of your income. If you're not making cuts, if you're not using your reserves, will you still be able to live in your house? Probably not.

My point is, of course we're cutting. Of course we're doing more with less. Because if we didn't, we wouldn't have a district. But we don't have control over all of our costs and expenditures. There is only so much you can cut, and there is only so much you have in reserve, before you start getting into these situations.

Just to be clear, before last year the board wasn't really raising the tax levy at all. It stayed pretty consistent. In the past couple of years, things have gotten really bad. You have a governor and a state legislature that has cut nearly 20 percent of your income over the past three years. So I would challenge anyone to show me how you can manage to not raise taxes in that situation -- as you're cutting positions and all this other stuff -- when 20 percent of your income goes away.

What are your thoughts on the proposed budget?

It's ugly -- I'm not in love with it, but because of the position we're in...I mean, I also didn't want to close Robert Morris School. My kids go there, and as a parent it was a hard thing to look my kids in the eyes and tell them I was closing their school. But it was a necessity. It was not a decision anybody wanted to make.

Do I think we could have lowered the taxes a little bit more? Yes, and I've already said that publicly. But overall, am I displeased with what we did to keep things going? No. It's not what I would want, and I don't think anyone on the school board wants it. I think everyone would love to deliver a zero-percent tax increase and still keep all the programs and all the schools open. But that's not the reality we live in right now.

What will happen if the budget gets voted down?

What happens is this: If it gets voted down two times, under the new tax cap law our ability to raise drops down to zero. So what that will mean, to put it plainly, is that all the programs we reinstated (with the consolidation) will go away -- for example, the ACE program, different music programs, and I'm sure more on top of that. Non-mandated programs will get looked at. These will get cut, because we're going to have to come up with an additional $500-$600. And plus we have other costs, too. So the people who vote "no" will get their zero-percent tax increase and kids will lose out on programs. It's that simple.

Can you comment on the house administrator position that is being created at Batavia Middle School?

This is another thing I don't think we're explaining well enough. The house administrator position is a re-purposed position. It's a new position as far as title goes, but it isn't a new hire kind of position.

What we did was take a model that is being used all across the country in larger schools. We're going to be adding a ton of kids to the middle school, so to make this really work we've re-purposed an assistant principal position, and we're making that person an in-house administrator; that means that this person is going to be in charge of the fifth and sixth grades. This person will be a direct point person for all parents, oversee all of the teachers, and stuff like that. Sandy Griffin is still in charge of the middle school, but because she is going to have over 800 kids in that school, we wanted to give her some additional support.

We understand that parents are nervous about the fifth-grade integration. We recognize that. And we wanted to make sure that next year and years into the future, that program is strong and the kids can go into the seventh grade with no problems. So all we did was utilize the resources we already had and the resources that we were going to have, and we're using them in a smarter way so that we can have a strong integration program with the fifth-graders coming into the middle school.

Do you have any closing comments?

I'll just say this: I understand the frustration that's out there. I'm not blind to it. Every time I make a decision, I'm doing it with four voices in my head. I hear a retired grandmother who is on a fixed income, for whom a 2-percent increase is not just a simple thing. I hear a working, single mom who is struggling to pay her bills -- or even unemployed. I hear the parents -- and the parent that I am -- about protecting programs for their kids so that they have a good future. And then I hear the kids' voices. How many kids have shown up crying at meetings because we're taking away things that change their lives?

These are the voices you hear (when you're on a school board). These aren't easy decisions. Any person who has the courage to go onto a comment board and tell people to vote something down, but not the courage to hear all of those voices and know what goes into making these decisions is someone who doesn't understand fully what it takes to do this job. I do, I'm grateful for the opportunity, and I wish to continue to do it. I've been called crazy for this, but I know I have the right demeanor and the right approach to this...and I care. And I think you need all that in order to be successful.

Photo courtesty of the Batavia City School District.

Gary Stich has been on the Batavia City School District Board of Education since 2005. He is the president and CEO of OXBO International Corporation in Byron. He and his wife, Beth, have two sons, one of whom is still a student in the Batavia schools.

What do you believe it takes to serve as a valuable member of the school board?

The situation for school board members is pretty complex, because we have to deal with a whole host of regulations -- coming mostly from New York State, and to a lesser extent from the federal government. And here locally, we have the complexities of dealing with various unions as well within the environment we operate in. So it's a pretty complex situation, and I think it takes a fair amount of effort and time to learn the lay of the land in order to be effective.

We have a good group of board members, and I think it's important to note that we work together collegially. We work well with the administration, but we ask tough questions and bring in our perspectives as individual board members from our professional and community backgrounds as well.

You've been on the school board for years. Why are you seeking reelection?

I'm seeking reelection because I don't think the job is finished. We're going through a very difficult period here, and there are a lot of difficult decisions to be made. And they're not over. The situation is not going to improve in the short term due to cut-backs from the state, unfunded mandates and so forth. (These things) make the situation for everyone in education -- including students, taxpayers and all the professionals in the district -- more difficult year by year.

Is there anything you would you like to change or see changed if you are reelected?

Sure. What I'd like to see changed is the attitude in Albany of jamming things down the local communities' throats in terms of unfunded mandates and regulations.

How would you respond to angry citizens who say that the school board is out of touch with the taxpayers?

I think we are trying to do more with less, and I'm not very happy either. I think you can consider me one of the angry taxpayers. But I think where the anger needs to be directed is to Albany. The problems in Albany are very deep. Everybody up here in Western New York and communities such as Batavia are paying the price for all the problems in Albany, and many of them are really issues from downstate. We have a state government that's dysfunctional, and we pay the price all the time.

What are your thoughts on the proposed budget?

Well, I think the school board and the administration have tried to present a budget that recognizes the need to control expenses tightly at the local level and not increase the burden more than we absolutely have to. I'd like to see the burden decrease for the local taxpayers, but in this environment, with cutbacks from Albany, it's difficult. But I think in the long run, we've got to continue to tighten our belts. It's an ongoing project, and the belt-tightening isn't over.

Can you comment on the house administrator position that is being created at Batavia Middle School?

Well, we're going to have a very full building at the middle school. We're adding another grade level there, and from our perspective it's important to provide support for the teachers and the students to make sure that the environment is very positive and conducive to learning. So I think it's the right move.

Photo courtesy of the Batavia City School District.

Gail Stevens has been on the Batavia City School District Board of Education for six years. If reelected, she will be serving her third term.

Stevens has a daughter, Michelle, who graduated from Batavia High School and a son, Eric, who will be graduating from BHS this year.

She works as a secretary to the Supervisor of Fleet Management at the New York State Police Troop A and is active in many community volunteer activities (see her short biography on the school district website for more details).

What experience do you have that makes you a valuable member of the school board?

I served on the Pavilion Board of Education before I moved to Batavia 14 years ago, and I have been active at all the parent/teacher groups in the Batavia school district -- first at Robert Morris, then at the middle school and right now at the high school. We now have a district-wide parent/teacher group meeting twice a year, and I was instrumental in developing that, communicating with all the groups, pulling names together and setting the agenda.

I'm also on the Genesee Valley School Boards Institute's board -- they're the ones who develop training programs for different school districts in this area. In addition to that I'm a second vice president for the Genesee Valley School Boards Association, and then I'm currently on the legislative committee for Genesee Valley Educational Partnership Board (GVEP) -- formerly BOCES.

Serving on the GVEP board has been a very enriching and wonderful experience, because it takes you one step above the local school district. BOCES oversees 22 component schools, including Batavia. It really helps you to see the big picture. I've had wonderful opportunities to go to Washington and network with other school districts across New York State.

Also, over the past six years I've attended many school board training sessions, be they conventions, conferences or just all-day workshops. The school district is a whole different entity than what people see it as. It has its own laws -- laws that pertain to education and the State Education Department -- and different guidelines that have to be followed, and it's completely different in how it runs, how it can be run, and what you can and cannot do. So it's been a gradual process, and it's been a fun journey along the way learning and developing myself in that way. That's why I do this. I don't want to sit back and complain or make statements that aren't fact-based. I'm not that kind of person. If anyone comes to me and asks me a question, if I don't know the answer, I'll get it for them. And I'll make sure my answer is not based on hearsay or emotions. That's not my style. I'm a very fact-based person.

Why are you seeking reelection?

I've been part of the consolidation process for a long time, and contrary to what people think, this is not something that has just been thought about or mulled over during the past year. I remember us talking about it years ago, because -- also contrary to what people think -- we (the school district) do plan for the future.

Another thing I want to point out is that people say we don't communicate enough. But the more information you put out there, sometimes I think the more people get confused. Also, some of the information is evolving over time, like with anything else. It's kind of like when you have a job interview; you don't go out and tell the world that you got the job, because anything could happen.

We've had some really tough times and really tough decisions (to make) with this consolidation process -- and contrary to the popular opinion that the board always agrees, we don't always agree. So because of the consolidation process, which I was present for in the starting phases, I would like stay. I want to continue to help with the transition to consolidation.

Of the things you have seen during your tenure as a board member, what do you think the board has been doing well (that you would like to see continue), and what do you think needs to change?

We are very good at communicating with each other when we're at the table working. There's no screaming, no yelling...I've heard of other districts where board members walk out of meetings, and to me that's just a huge waste of time. (At Batavia school board meetings) everyone sits, everyone listens, everyone speaks their peace, and if they don't agree they will say, "I don't agree, but I will support this for the sake of the district," or "for the sake of the students," or "for the sake of the taxpayers," or what have you. Everyone thinks we're all "yes" people, but we really aren't all "yes" people. It's a very diverse section of people, and I think that's what makes it so good. We don't all have the same professional background, some of us have younger kids, some of us have older kids, etc. I think it's a good cross section of the community.

At this point, I don't believe anyone on the board has a personal agenda. I know I never have, and I still don't. I've seen other districts go through some very controversial times because of one or two board members. You can't be out in the community condemning your colleagues or other board members. If you're going to do that, you shouldn't be on the board.

As for the second part of your question, there is going to be a lot of change. The Batavia school district, as we know it now, is going to look totally different in the fall. Right now, I think that's enough change. I think that if you bite off more than you can chew and make too many changes at once, that upsets the equilibrium of the district. You have to take baby steps. You have to stop, see what you're doing, see where the problems are, and go forward. At this point, I think the biggest change will be the consolidation and any bumps that come out of that. That's enough for the district to handle at this point.

What are your thoughts on the proposed budget?

Obviously, I support it. If I didn't, I would not have voted in favor of it. Like I said before, sitting on the BOCES board, I obtain a lot of knowledge of what's going on in other districts. I think Batavia was very proactive and out ahead of everyone else, but the flip side of that was that we took a lot of heat from everybody. I had someone sit next to me at a meeting when I talked about the financial situation and the consolidation, and that person asked me, "Why are the districts around us not doing any of this?" Since we were upfront and making people aware of the consolidation, and the districts surrounding us -- not neighboring districts in this area, but other districts in New York State -- hadn't really come out publicly about their financial situations, we came across as acting too fast. But that's how it is. You've got to be proactive. Some districts don't have buildings to close, and they're in serious trouble.

Some people are opposed to the budget because they feel that school district employees are demanding excessive pay and benefits. How controllable are these things at the local level?

They're not. And it's not just the schoolteachers, it's any unionized group -- be it state workers, county workers, etc. If you have a contract, that's a binding agreement. Some people have said, "Make them take a pay freeze." Well, we can't. We would then have to spend even more taxpayer dollars fighting a lawsuit.

And you've got to work with them. That's one thing I can say about our administrators -- they work very well with the staff. We have a committee looking into cheaper medical insurance costs, and there are administrators and union people on that committee. So we're working on it. And that's one of the reasons I work on the legislative committee for BOCES. When we go to Albany every year, we draft a position paper, take it with us, sit down with the senators and the assemblymen, and we talk about (the various laws that pertain to this issue). There's a whole slew of laws in New York State that we would love to see changed, but New York State is a huge ship. You can't turn it suddenly.

So the salaries/benefits that people object to will remain in place even if the budget doesn't pass?

Absolutely. The only things that will be taken out are programs for the students. When you vote down the budget, the only people you're really hurting are the students. If you have an ax to ground with the teacher's association or the union, voting "no" isn't going to help. It's going to be nothing other than self-serving -- so that you can say "I'm happy because I voted 'no.' "

What these people should do is come to board meetings, listen, and educate themselves. (One of these people should) start as a budget ambassador -- that's how I started out. I was budget ambassador two or three years in a row before I half understood what was going on. My biggest pet peeve in life is complaining about something without being willing to do something to change it. If you're not going to work to change it, then don't complain.

What was the rationale behind the in-house administrator position at Batavia Middle School?

We've listened to the parents and their concerns. One of the biggest concerns was the fifth grade moving to the middle school. When all was said and done, parents' biggest concern was with the lack of supervision, the program there, what will be going on...there are going to be a lot of changes. We want the transition to the middle school to be a positive thing for the students, for the parents, and for the staff. As a parent myself, I would have been thrilled if my kids could have gone to the middle school for fifth grade and had the enrichment opportunities these kids will be getting, the exposure to technology, and everything that goes along with it. We want to make sure we don't short ourselves with personnel in that area, because we want this to succeed.

We don't want to set up any of our buildings for failure at all. That's one thing I have to say again about the administration: Contrary to what people think, they are very intelligent people, and a lot of the decisions they make are really well thought out.

Also, everyone keeps saying that we haven't cut administrators. The fact is, we have cut one administrator per year for the last four years. It's right on paper, and I've mapped it out for many people.

Do you have any closing comments?

I just encourage people to go out and vote. Vote however you want to vote, but please vote. It's sad to see the apathy that goes on sometimes. We typically don't see public participation as important until something bad happens, and then everybody's there. Well, we'd like to have everybody there at every meeting, listening, learning, obtaining information and sharing it with others.

Photo courtesy of the Batavia City School District.

Gretchen DiFante, a newcomer to the school board, has four children who are currently in the Batavia City School District and a daughter -- Lauren, age 19 -- in the Air Force. Her son John, 17, and daughter Nina, 15, both go to Batavia High School. Her two younger daughters -- Elena, 10, and Eva, 7 -- go to John Kennedy Elementary School.

Her children have attended all schools in the district except for the middle school (her three oldest children attended Robert Morris, and one of them switched to that school from Jackson Elementary School; all three attended St. Joseph School for grades six through eight); her daughter Elena will be attending the middle school next year.

DiFante is currently the executive director of a Penfield-based nonprofit called Agape Counseling Associates, which just opened up an office in Batavia. Before that, she was the executive vice president of P.W. Minor shoe company and the director of efficient customer support for Rich Products.

She has won awards for her work in marketing and communications. During Operation Desert Storm, she was part of an award-winning public affairs unit for the Air Force Reserves' 914th Tactical Airlift Group in Niagara Falls. Her wide range of experience includes customer relations, communication and conflict/stress management.

What experience do you have that makes you a valuable member of the school board, and how will your degree in Communications help?

My concentration was in Public Relations, but Communications is a pretty open field. It has given me the opportunity to work in advertising, marketing and public relations -- being a general degree, it has opened up a lot of doors and allowed me to use a lot of different skills. My experience with customer service allows me to be more savvy at looking at budgets and managing departments, processes and flows, and how they come together.

As far as the school board goes, I think that when your community has a need, and there is a piece of it that you believe is missing -- something that you can supplement with your particular set of skills -- then that's an opportunity for you to step forward. And I believe that the particular skill set that encourages open communication, knows how to communicate during a crisis, and knows how to manage change is absent on the board right now.

The board and administration do recognize (that they struggle with communication), and I appreciate that. I work with clients who work in places where people are in a crisis mode at work; it's normal for communication to shut down when you're in conflict, because you don't know what to say and you're trying to protect yourself. Not everybody needs to be crafting that communication. Sometimes if you speak without having the right knowledge or experience, it can bite you back. When GCC was putting together a leadership certificate program for our public employees and they asked if I'd do the PR part of it -- how to train people on what to say to the media and so forth -- I found that sometimes the biggest part of the job is getting people to know when not to say things to the media, because sometimes people just don't think. It takes practice, skill, and a certain type of knowledge.

I believe that my background in change management and crisis communication goes into the places that need to be fixed and that nobody really wants to take over. When I was working at Rich Products, they made me an interim department head because they were looking for a new vice president. That seems to be how things happen for me, and I enjoy that. I enjoy the challenge of going into places where there is a lot of change, people are stressed, and the customer communication is failing because people forget about how to do that during times of change and stress. I think my particular background and experience is only going to enhance what is needed right now.

People say business experience doesn't go a long way on school boards because school districts and New York State are so different from businesses in how they operate. How do you plan to translate your business experience into this completely different environment?

I have a very unusual business background. I got into working with different organizations when I was at Rich Products, because I was an "executive on loan." Mr. Rich would basically lend me out. He lent me out to one of the public schools, the Erie County Clerk's Office, the Saddle & Bridle Club...just whenever people needed help doing a strategic plan, a marketing plan, or communication (both within the company and between the company and the public).

I don't think translating my business experience to a school board is going to be a problem. Right now I'm the executive director of a small nonprofit, and that's a whole different ball game from being an executive vice president at P.W. Minor or running a $2 billion department at Rich Products. So I'm very flexible, and I have experience that's varied. I love learning, and I love trying to figure out what (a given) group needs at a particular place and time, and how I can help meet that need. Right now, the school board needs vision, strategy, structure, communication, and public relations, and I've brought those skills to every job I've had. Don't get me wrong, it's a big learning curve (being on the school board). But believe me, in the military you deal with a lot of federal mandates. Right now I'm running a nonprofit that has to do with medical work, and I deal with HIPAA laws and insurance companies. I'm used to complications.

What made you want to run for the school board in the first place?

(What made me want to run was) looking around and seeing the trust break down between the schools, teachers, parents and the community. It was painful to go to those public forums and to see all the (bad communication) on the Internet, at Tops, while jogging at the track...it's the most critical dilemma facing Batavia right now. I do strategic planning with the city, and to start that off I interviewed council members one-on-one. Even their constituents want to talk about what's going on with the schools. I looked at that and at what's missing (on the school board and in the district), and I knew I had the skills to fill in those missing links. And that's what being a good citizen is about.

Part of your platform is the fostering of creative community partnerships. Could you talk a bit more about that? What exactly do you have in mind?

I'm in a unique place, because I work with leaders in our community at a strategic level. I also do that with Genesee Community College, and they are a recipient of the "products" that we graduate from our schools. There definitely has to be a lot of collaboration between the SUNY schools and our high schools and middle schools. A lot of the problems GCC sees start way before high school or middle school. I've also been on the steering committee that formed Leadership Genesee. So my exposure to leadership is very high. And everybody complains about the same thing. They'll say, "If only this group of people or this organization would partner with us..." They are struggling to figure out the answer to their problems themselves, but I know there are other groups that are trying to figure out the same thing. So why can't we all just get together? Everyone generally agrees that we all need to come together, but who is taking the lead?

The school board is going to keep losing money. I don't think there's a plethora of surplus money that's going to come down from New York State or the federal government. We have to be realistic and plan for the future. We have to ask how, for example, we can supplement our ACE program with programs that GCC could offer, that Leadership Genesee could offer, etc. I would love to see our district have a mentorship program. We have a lot of dynamic, intelligent people in this community, and yet we don't have active mentorship programs that I'm aware of. On my website, I mentioned a grant for creativity training that GCC got, which is for students going into middle school. We could work with them and seek out grants that will supplement needs in the schools instead of just stumbling upon them. So I'm talking about a much different level of collaboration. I think there is so much opportunity and that we need to start sitting down and getting to know each other, finding out what's available, and figuring out how to create opportunities for our students. We cannot allow their education to suffer just because we're not getting what we need in order to fund the school district.

What are your thoughts on the proposed budget?

I do believe the budget needs to pass, because we have a lot of key programs that we had lost reinstated. If the budget doesn't pass and the contingency budget is adopted, the ACE program and the music programs that have been reinstated will go away. That's where the $300,000 savings will come from. I think it's important that the voters understand that.

I believe the proposed budget meets the needs of the consolidation. Obviously there are some things that are being taken away. And the consolidation is hard for me -- it's hard for everybody. My three oldest kids were students at Robert Morris Elementary School, and I have very fond memories. We're emotional about our schools. We have ties to them, but we have to let those go. We need to move toward whatever's next.

The problem is that we don't have "whatever's next" defined. We've got to do a better job of defining what the future looks like for us. I don't want to sit around and lament what we've lost, I want us to make sure we have the best district in the state of New York. I want people to benchmark it because we are doing such a great job providing this great, enriched, well-rounded education for our students and because they're going places...To me it's not so important what the school district looks like. What's important are the results.

Getting back to the budget, I think it's also important for people to understand that we are depleting our fund balance. At a couple of the public forums I attended, people said: "You know, you've got $1 million, why don't you just wait another year and let us figure this thing out?" But what people need to understand is that it's not "money-out, money-in," it's just money-out. So they've got to have a strategy now for what they're going to do when there is no more fund balance. I would hate to see us take a step back and not pass the budget. I would hate to see us automatically lose another $300,000 just because we don't pass our budget. That's one of the alternatives, and I don't want to take that chance.

You've talked about the possibility of having a third-party mediator at the district's public forums. Could you talk a bit more about that?

Well, first of all, I have certification in conflict mediation from the Litigation Center of Rochester, which I got when I started working in consulting. The reality is that healthy organizations allow themselves to face conflict using measures and smart processes to get through the conflicts and come out on the better end. People disagree because they have different ways of looking at the same situation. When you are trying to bring two sides of a conflict together, you never use anyone who represents either party to be the mediator. What I have seen at the public forums for the school district is that mediators who represented the board of education got defensive, which is natural. It's good to have an objective third party so that you can listen. The board needs to be listening, not getting involved in the conversation. And that was not what happened in those forums.

Somebody who understands communication and its dynamics needs to help. And believe me, I know 100 percent that I could find someone who would facilitate these forums for us and would not charge us. There are people who want to serve. We just need to recognize what we need, and then go out and ask.

Do you have any closing comments?

I want us to be proud of Batavia. I want us to be proud to send our kids to school here and of the opportunities available. Batavia is the 13th city I have lived in, and it's the city in which I've chosen to raise my family. We're here for the long haul, and we want to see it become the best school district in the state. Whatever it looks like, that's my vision. We can do this -- we have a lot of resources, a lot of potential. I'm amazed at the talent we have in our area. We just need to get talking to each other, to have a vision that people can rally around and move forward.

For more information on DiFante and her background and platform, visit difante4schoolboard.com.

Photo courtesy of David DiFante.

Republican Party members are at South Beach Restaurant tonight celebrating what they believe is a "clean sweep" of key Genesee County elections.

Based on polling data gathered by volunteers at each polling station, the GOP believes Frank Ferrando and Shelley Stein both won seats on the county legislature.

Their unofficial internal numbers also show Kris Doeringer, John Canale and Bob Bialkowski winning city council races.

According to the GOP numbers, Ferrando beats John Deleo 420 to 330.

GOP County Committee Treasurer Matt Landers said while they don't have the exact numbers, the information the GOP gathered at South Beach regarding Le Roy is that Stein has defeated Jackie Whiting and William Hogan.

In Batavia, Doeringer unofficially has 267 votes to 210 for Bill Cox. Canale has 173 votes compared to 134 for Katie Balbick Bellamy and 15 for Dan Jones. Bialkowski has 202 to 200 for Pierluigi Cipollone.

UPDATE 10:39 p.m.: The county has posted its election tally.

UPDATE 10:42 p.m.: The tally released by the county is confirming the GOP's numbers. In Le Roy, Stein won with 964 votes to 601 for Whiting and 218 for Hogan.

UPDATE 10:44 p.m.: WBTA is in the process of updating its table of election results, which is easier to read than the county's spreadsheet. Click here for total from races throughout the county.

UPDATE 11:43 p.m.: Photos added. Top four photos at South Beach while Republicans were still gathering data. Bottom pictures at Larry's Steakhouse, where the Democrats gathered before results were in.

We've asked each of the candidates in the city council and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

Here is the response from Jackie Whiting, candidate for county legislature, District 5.

As the legislator from Le Roy, one of the issues I'd like to focus on is the I-90/490 interchange. This is one of only two Thruway exits in the state of New York that doesn't have any business development. This has been a point of concern for Le Royans since the Genesee Economic Development Corp. purchased the property years ago.

For all these years, promises have been made to my friends and neighbors in Le Roy about bringing business to that land, but nothing has been done. The main stumbling block to getting that property developed is the lack of essential utility services and I am ready and willing to work with anyone who can prepare that property for business development. I'd like to be a part of helping the GCEDC make this a successful project.

I would also like to serve on the legislature's Human Services Committee, which oversees the county departments that deal with our seniors. I have a long history of senior advocacy having served as program coordinator at both the Genesee County Office for the Aging and The Greens of Le Roy. The continued viability of the Genesee County Nursing Home, one of our most important safety nets and assets, is an issue that lies close to my heart. Our seniors have spent a lifetime paying the taxes that created and supported our nursing home and it is the responsibility of the legislature to do what they can to ensure its continued existence.

I would ask the residents of Le Roy to vote for me because I am a person who gets things done. They know I understand and care for the people of Le Roy and they know I am going to work extremely hard for them. I've spent my entire adult life working to make the great community of Le Roy even better. I serve on the school board, I was president of Le Roy Youth Football and Le Roy Knights, Inc. I am a member of the Le Roy Business Council so I understand the challenges small businesses face. I spend my days and nights promoting our kids, our businesses and our community.

I want to take that experience and dedication to the Genesee County Legislature where I can continue to advocate for our senior citizens, our youth and our business community. I feel I am prepared to do that and I am the only candidate who has been attending legislation subcommittee meetings for the past several months. I will bring knowledge and insight of current county issues right from the start, so I ask for the support of Le Roy residents with their vote on November 8th.

Sincerely, Jackie Whiting

We've asked each of the candidates in the city council and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

I am running for election to the Genesee County Legislature for District 8, which includes Wards 2 and 3 in the City of Batavia. I am asking the citizens of Batavia to support my candidacy because I am committed to being a strong advocate for the city at the county level. My experience on city council, and especially my time as council president, has given me insight into the issues that affect the people of Batavia.  

During my time on council, I have advocated for conservative budgeting and an increase in government efficiency. We have planned for the future by establishing reserve funds as well as focusing on infrastructure improvements. I will continue to advocate for those priorities at the county level. I will also work with the members of the legislature to lobby for fair policies that do not place undue burdens on municipalities. We must fight for mandate relief.

A key issue that I will address is that of economic development. I was appointed this year to the governor’s Economic Development Council for the Finger Lakes Region. The city council was also successful in establishing a partnership with the EDC to secure an economic development coordinator for the City of Batavia. I support a cooperative effort to bring the resources of the GCEDC together with that of the city economic development coordinator to develop projects which broaden the county’s tax base and create jobs inside the City of Batavia.

I am excited to have the opportunity to serve on the Genesee County Legislature. I promise to continue to work hard and to thoughtfully consider each decision with the people of Batavia in mind. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. Your vote is important. Please vote on Election Day!

We've asked each of the candidates in the city council and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

Here is the response from Bob Bialkowski, candidate for city council, 4th Ward.

The primary reason why I should receive your vote is:

I have worked very hard during my first term on city council to represent the citizens of the 4th Ward. My track record is a 100-percent attendance rate at council meetings. I have demonstrated how I respond to all my constituent concerns and have made myself totally available to all the residents of the ward.

My voting record is very conservative with taxpayer’s interest always in mind.

In response to your request of what key issue would be priority and how it would “be tackled."

This is a bit more difficult as city council has numerous priority-one issues to deal with.

The key major issues that are of concern to me are:

• Economic and business development and retention to include employment
• Downtown improvement
• Infrastructure
• Neighborhood improvement
• Crime prevention

We on city council have addressed these issues by:

• Hiring an economic development director
• Forming a strategic plan for the city
• Initiating an infrastructure plan
• Expanding and staffing our code department

I intend to follow these plans closely and ensure that we adhere to our goals.
With the present economy, we are tasked with some great economic challenges in the near future.

I am strongly against the typical government attitude of trying to fix problems by throwing the taxpayers' hard earned money at them. 

Most importantly, I strongly oppose tax increases that are unjustified.

In conclusion, I am a strong advocate for my constituents and for the citizens of the City of Batavia. I am honored to serve this wonderful city and look forward to Batavia’s best days to come.

Please vote for me on Election Day so that I may continue to represent you for the next four years.

Thank you for allowing me to comment on this forum.

We've asked each of the candidates in the city council and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

Below is the response from Katie Balbick Bellamy, candidate for Ward 3, Batavia City Council:

Q. What is the primary reason you should get our vote?

I was born and raised in Batavia and have lived here for most of my life. I believe in this city and want to help to proactively solve problems, create new business opportunities and good-paying jobs and overall make Batavia a safe and excellent place to live and raise a family.

I am concerned, willing to work, positive, open-minded and a team player who works together toward a common goal. My education and college degree is in the business area where I have worked since graduation and I know my background will help me on council.

Most of all, I love Batavia and the surrounding area and have a stake in this community. My family and I chose Batavia as the place where we wanted to live. That choice alone is the best reason to demonstrate my resolve and commitment to fulfill the promises I have made to this community if I am elected to serve on city council.

Q. What is the key issue you wish to tackle during your term in office, and how will you go about it?

My top priority for 2012 would be to ensure Batavia remains a great community and place to live. I would fight to keep taxes low and work hard for sidewalks on all city streets, fixing of deteriorated potholes, alcohol and tobacco free parks, promote business opportunities, create good-paying jobs and make sure there are opportunities and incentives for our young people to stay in this community.

I would like to ask you to support me in the upcoming election on November 8th. As a mother with a young family, I believe in our city and want to help make Batavia a better place to live. I would like to make sure the dollars we pay in taxes are spent in a worthwhile and careful manner by city council. I want to live in a safe city and encourage job development. I want to be a part of the process of exploring how the city and town can share resources and consolidate areas where possible to the benefit of both.

If I am elected, I will do my utmost to serve the residents of the 3rd Ward as your city council representative.

We've asked each of the candidates in the city council and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

Here's the response from John Deleo, candidate for county legislature, District 7.

I am running for District 7 Genesee County Legislator because I want to give back to the community.  I was born and raised in both the 1st and 6th wards, and have lived here my whole life. I love this city and Genesee County. I worked with my father in the family business, Deleo's, a tavern that was located first on Ellicott Street, then moved to Main Street. When the business closed because of family illness, I began working for the NYS Department of Correctional Services. I just retired this year. My children still live in the area and I want them to stay, yet I see how hard it is to do that with the economy.

I was an employee assistance program coordinator, working with people and helping them find the resources to address their personal problems. I really enjoy interacting with people and helping them.

Having served on the last City Charter Commission, I worked to streamline our city government and make it more efficient. I currently serve on the Batavia City Planning Board, helping both people and businesses.

I don't owe anybody anything except the voters.

I believe that you don't lay people off as proposed by the county and not share the pain. That's why I will fight for a 10-percent cut in the pay legislators receive and end other perks. Again, you have to take cuts yourself if you lay off dedicated county staff.

Genesee County is a wonderful place to live, but it is facing hard financial times. The economic recession, a limited tax base, a state tax cap and increasing state mandates have put a squeeze on our budget. As a result, Genesee County might lay off more than 20 people. I want to make sure that if there are layoffs, public safety is not endangered.

I want to end the practice of giving kids our tax money that they use to "learn how to budget" by shopping in Monroe County. That is outrageous.

I will fight to see the NYS auditors recommendations on reforming the Genesee County Economic Development Committee (GCEDC) put in place. No more bonuses and perks. I want all job creation claims verified and want the public to know if the jobs are really new or just relocated around the area.

I feel the proposed Genesee County tax on our cars is wrong. Working families cannot afford another new tax and I will fight it.

I will work hard and do my best for you, if through the grace of God and voters, I am fortunate enough to be allowed to serve you in the legislature. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

We've asked each of the candidates in the city council and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

Here's the response from Kris Doeringer, 1st Ward, Batavia City Council:

The key issue for Batavia is to make our city a place where people will want to live and work. This means keeping our city safe and secure, provide the services that people want, and to bring jobs and services into the city. While this is a big task, you can only get there by taking one step at a time.

The first step we need to take is to control spending and keeping our taxes down. From speaking with people in the 1st Ward, people do not mind paying taxes as long as they are getting their money's worth for those taxes.

We need to keep those services that are essential to keep the city safe and secure. Because who wants to live somewhere that is not safe?

We need to make Batavia a place where people want to open businesses and provide jobs. Creating economic development is essential to getting our city to move forward. We have resources in place, now we must make sure that they are doing the job.

In order to achieve these goals, I will work to keep pressure on the people that are responsible for making it happen. I will bring suggestions not only from myself but from the people of Batavia. People I have spoken with have had great ideas that need to be brought before the city. I would like to continue hearing from everyone about any ideas they make have.

I own my own home, business, and I am raising my family here in Batavia. I have everything to gain for myself and my children by making Batavia a better place. By voting for me, I promise to work hard to fulfill my promises to you and to my family for making Batavia the best it can be.

We've asked each of the candidates in the city and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

Here's the response from Frank Ferrando, candidate for District 7, Genesee County Legislature:

The past 10 years on Batavia’s City Council taught me how to contribute and participate in the challenges facing the citizens of our community.  Working as a team was not always the process followed by council. The late 1990s and the early years of the new century were, most would agree, very dysfunctional. The years I’ve been involved have seen the council become much more focused and willing to work as a team. It was great to be a part of that transformation. I understand the commitment and dedication necessary to create a positive and constructive environment so problems can be solved and initiatives achieved. I’m well prepared to work as a county legislator.

I believe the key issue facing the legislature at this time (and there are several major challenges) is mandate relief. Working with my colleagues, if elected, to relieve our citizens from the burden of these state expenses, will be a priority. New York State is the only state in our union that transfers 25 percent of the cost for Medicaid to the county. In other states, 50 percent of these costs are covered by the federal government and the remaining 50 percent by the state.

Something has to be done to relieve Genesee County of this burden, so that local needs can be achieved while holding taxes to a reasonable level. At this time a significant percentage of the county’s budget is mandated, leaving few options for local needs and expectations.  Chairperson Mary Pat Hancock presented an excellent breakdown of this issue in her latest State of the County address.

We've asked each of the candidates in the city and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

First to respond, John Canale, candidate for the 3rd Ward, city council.

The primary reason I am running for city council is in response to the advice of my late father "Lou," who himself was a former city councilman and county legislator. He often reminded me that if I am to live, work, raise a family, and run a business in one community, there will come a time that I must give something back to that community that so generously supported me.  After living my entire 51 years in this great city, now is the time, and I can think of no better way to serve my community than as a city councilman.

I would like to offer the residents of the 3rd Ward an equal voice on city council, allowing their views and concerns to be heard, considered, and represented without bias regarding all city matters. The primary reason voters should support me is because I have the business "know how" it takes to run the city. As a local small business owner of Canale's Drum Studio, and having been involved in the local business community for the past 28 years in this great city, I feel the business background and knowledge that I bring to council is extremely advantageous to running a municipality.

One of the key issues I would like to focus on during my term is concentrating on the existing process of increasing revenues as we continue to look for ways to consolidate duplicate services in order to cut costs. These two facets are crucial to maintaining current services without impacting dramatic tax increases that the taxpayers can no longer shoulder.

I look forward to working with Julie Pacatte, our new economic development coordinator, to find ways to encourage more small business development and expansion in the city. Small business development will be crucial to building new revenue sources through expanding the tax base and increasing traffic and activity within the city.

Dan Jones, a regular contributor to The Batavian, announced Wednesday he will mount a primary challenge against a council candidate already endorsed by city Democrats.

While accusing unnamed Democrats, who are apparently opposed to his candidacy, of already fighting dirty, Jones promised an issue-oriented campaign.

"I believe in order for the city to move forward, council must support policies that are progressive, fiscally restrained and totally transparent," Jones said.

While Jones is endorsed by the Conservative Party, he is taking on Kathryn Balbick Bellamy, endorsed by the Democrats, in a Third Ward primary.

Jones was joined in front of Batavia City Hall on Wednesday by Assemblyman Mark J.F. Schroeder and Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian.

"Dan Jones loves this business," said Schroeder, whom Jones worked for as an intern in Albany. "He loves the business of governance. He loves to help constituents. He loves politics."

A recent graduate of Canisius College, where he majored in political science, Jones was born and raised in Batavia and professes a love for the community and concern about its future.

Besides joining in the conversation on The Batavian -- something he promises to continue doing, even after elected -- Jones has been seen at many city council meetings over the past three years and has spoken out on issues from the ambulance service to consolidation.

Jones, 23, says he is self-employed.

Christian, also a Democrat, said she is supporting Jones because he is involved and outspoken.

"He's not afraid to speak out," Christian said. "Even some of my colleagues are fence sitters who won't take a stand unless somebody tells them where to go. That's not me and that's not this young man."

Jones said he is seeking office with high ideals and an ambition to do what he believes is best for Batavia.

"I seek this office not so it becomes another notch on my resume," Jones said, "I seek this office not because I believe I have a popular last name or because I feel I am entitled to it. I seek this office not for revenge. I seek this office because I believe that Batavia needs to be a leader in our region, and indeed the entire state, in having good government that's responsive to the needs of all of its citizens."

Below, video of the event produced by The Batavian's news partner, WBTA:

Batavia City School Board Member Patrick Burk was in a Catch-22 Tuesday evening.

Burk is a Genesee County elections official, and also the president of Batavia City Democrats. So naturally he was at the polling place at 9 p.m., when police walked in and attempted to confiscate the voting machines. It seems Jane Corwin’s campaign had obtained a court order to block any immediate counting of the votes.

“Corwin ‘allegedly’ had a court impound the machines, but I heard it was overturned,” says Burk.

While talking with police, Burk received a call on his cell phone from fellow board member Steve Hyde, which he ignored.

Then Hyde called again. Burk picked up – and suddenly found himself at the center of a debate over the Batavia City School District budget. Fellow board members had split 3-to-3, and Burk’s seventh vote would decide between a contingency budget, and a budget proposal improvised by Hyde.

“Give me about 35 minutes,” Burk said.

Forty minutes later, Burk walked into the board of education meeting on Washington Avenue, visibly out of breath.

Shortly after calling the meeting back into session, Board President Andy Pedro asked if there was any further discussion on the proposal to adopt a contingency plan.

“Well,” Burk deadpanned, “I’d like to see the options first,” receiving a chorus of laughs from the remaining board members.

A bit later in the meeting, Superintendent Margaret Puzio remarked tongue-in-cheek that board members “had all night,” to which Burk cheekily replied: “I’ve been awake since 4:30 a.m., Margaret – make me feel better.” More laughs.

Asked later in the evening about his frantic night, Burk simply stated: “Well, it was the right thing to do.”

(Photo courtesy Batavia City School District)