genesee county

By showing up at Genesee Community College this morning, more than 150 local residents demonstrated that this is a livable community, said Jill Babinski, a senior planner for the county.

But they also know things can always be made better.

In today's terms, that means "more livable," which was the focus of the forum at the college.

"I grew up in Erie County and I've chosen to live here and be here, so I think Genesee County is very livable," said Babinski, who also referred to Genesee County as the best county in the state.

"If you take into account all of the economic activity recently, companies from the outside are also judging Genesee County to be livable, because you're not going to bring your company here unless you know there are things here for your employees to do."

What makes a community livable?

That's a complex and not easily answered question said keynote speaker Vera Prosper, director of Livable New York.

It's easy to say it means it's a good place to live, work, to grow up and grow old, but what that means is different for each person and each community.

Generally, it means a place with a variety of housing to meet the needs of different people at different stages of their lives. It means good jobs, viable transportation, nice parks and sound infrastructure, up-to-date technology, smart land use planning, plenty of shopping, quality schools and accessible health care.

"These are the kind of elements that make up our living our environment," Prosper said. "They’re very tangible. They’re easy to see, easy to measure, easy to associate with livability. These are the kind of elements people look at when they’re aiming to improve livability."

Livable communities are sustainable. They are ones people want to move to, live in, and not leave.

"In order for Genesee County to at least to remain marketable, we have to address all of those isuses to get people here and to get people to stay here," Babinski said.

The County Planning Department is using the forum to kick off an update to the comprehensive plan, and the effort includes setting up a volunteer vision committee as well as 10 focus groups.

Babinski encourages residents to get involved.

"I've always believed, you can't complain unless you put in some effort," Babinski said. "We want people to put in the effort and then if they have a problem they can complain and make sure it turns out the way they want it to."

A strong community, Prosper said, is one where people are involved, and involvement spurs economic activity and better opportunities for all residents.

"It is a community's responsibility to understand what is coming up in that community and not base decisions on yesterday’s circumstances," Prosper said.

Brittany Baker has been selected by the Miss New York-USA pageant to represent Genesee County in the upcoming competition, but since there is no local event to crown her Miss Genesee, Baker asked the county legislature on Wednesday to give her permission to use that title.

Members of the Ways and Means Committee didn't feel the title is theirs to bestow, but they had no objection to her being called Miss Genesee in the competition.

Baker said she was told she needed a letter of support.

"What if I am Miss New York and go on National TV," Baker said. "I think it would be a great thing if I started out as Miss Genesee."

Legislator Ray Cianfrini said that he didn't see an issue with the legislature not objecting and offering its best wishes on her effort, but since nobody really owns the name "Genesee" it wasn't the legislature's place to grant her that title.

A graduate of SUNY Brockport, where she majored in broadcast journalism, Baker is a former staff writer for the Batavia Daily News and The Batavian.

After the meeting, Baker said she's already received a good deal of support from the community for her effort -- Salon VIP did her hair; Photos by Roth took her portfolio shots; and Next Level Fitness has provided her with a gym membership.

Next, she'll be looking for sponsors to help her raise the money necessary to enter the competition.

When the Oakfield-Alabama grad goes to New York City, she'll still be a relative rookie in beauty pageant competitions.

She admitted to the legislators that she hasn't spent a lifetime preparing to be a beauty queen, to which County Manager Jay Gsell said, "What? There isn't a picture of you as a 2-year-old in a tiara?"

"If you find a picture of me as a 2-year-old, it’s out somewhere in a cornfield in Basom," Baker said.

With its 2012 legislature, Genesee County has made history -- maybe ... probably.

In all likelihood, Genesee County has the first legislature in New York State history with a female majority.

The historical record is hard to nail down, according Mark LaVigne, deputy director of the NYS Association of Counties, but a check he conducted with all the other counties turned up none willing to dispute the claim.

He discovered Otsego County has more women on its legislature -- seven, but also has seven men, and Sallie Brothers in St. Lawrence County is the only woman on a board otherwise comprised of 14 men.

In the absense of any evidence otherwise, then, it seems reasonably certain that 92 years after women won the right to vote they claimed the majority of a legislature in New York for the first time in one of the state's most conservative counties.

"I think it’s excting," said Marianne Clattenburg, serving her first term on the legislature. "It’s a testament to the good job that the women who are here have been doing. The fact that women continue to get elected is exciting. I look forward to working with the women and all the member of the legislature."

Chairwoman Mary Pat Hancock called the legislature a "magical nine" and said she is proud to serve with all the members.

"What’s exciting to me is to lead a legislature of nine interested, educated people who really want to dedicate their time to the job and are willing to cooperate and willing to work together," Hancock said.

Reminded that he is now part of a historic minority, first-time Legislator Frank Ferrando laughed and then said he admired the women elected to the board.

"It’s just great just being a part of the legislature," Ferrando said. "We’ve got some real key people, some leaders who are women. It’s great working with them."

Esther Leadley agreed a female majority is historic, but also appropriate when a majority of registered voters are women.

"I'm proud of Genesee County," Leadley said. "You know I am. I speak out about how proud I am of Genesee County whenever I can."

Photo: From left, Shelly Stein, Annie Lawrence, Mary Pat Hancock, Esther Leadley and Marianne Clattenburg.

Mary Pat Hancock's State of the County address:

Good evening friends and family of Genesee County.  I especially recognize and welcome our three new legislators…Marianne Clattenberg, Frank Ferrando, and Shelley Stein. Thankfully, they hit the ground running and brought with them the enthusiasm, energy and knowledge that is essential to their new roles. And let me thank all of you…those present and those of you who were not able to attend this evening, for your continued efforts, cooperation and support during this most challenging time. This year has sped by, our challenges sprang up like dandelions on a spring day, but the good grass also flourished thanks to the good work of our employees, renewed energy of our constituents and the climate of possible change at the state level.

Tonight, let’s focus on us -- on Genesee County and how we managed during the year 2011 when the state’s Property Tax Cap had not yet taken effect, but the mandated service expenses were at an all-time high and continued to whittle away at funds previously available for local and essential programs. 

How did we manage? It was a year of enlightenment. Having emerged from a difficult budget process, we responded to the lethargic economy by holding the line on taxes and trimming already lean programs. Strong efforts were also made to rethink how services were delivered and which programs might be combined for mutual benefit. We looked within and beyond our county for collaborative opportunities. This was not just one lean year, with relief around the corner. The only thing that we could count on was that things would be tighter in 2012, with the Property Tax Cap, the end of the stimulus fund, and no significant Mandate Relief. It was a new reality for the local governments and for their constituents.  And neither of us liked it. Anger is one of the first stages of grief, and we were angry that fine programs, good employees, and needed services were impacted.  We were angry that bloated mandated programs continued to expand and feed on our dwindling resources. We were angry that our continued message of Mandate Relief now fell on deaf ears. In order to survive, we had to temporarily put our anger aside and reached for temporary acceptance. We picked up the increasingly heavy burdens and did our best to carry them.  

We are a resilient lot. Positive goals were accomplished, new ventures succeeded, and we did not collapse. For this evening, I needed help to look a bit deeper into the accomplishment specifics, yet also respect the fact that good as you are, there is a limit to anyone’s tolerance for sitting and listening, so I asked our department chairs to please send a paragraph to me with their selection of the most significant items to cover in their departments during 2011. Were they thrilled? NO. It is nearly impossible to put all your good efforts into a single book, or chapter….a paragraph, impossible. But impossible things are happening every day. I received the necessary information in the abbreviated form and for this I am most grateful. I take full responsibility for cutting department responses to the quick, but the full information is available in the annual reports on file. 

Something of enormous import took place this year at our Community College. Dr. Steiner retired after being associated with the college since its inception in the 1960s and its president since 1975. The perfect selection and smooth transition to a new college president was crucial to all of us and was handled with tremendous skill by the College Board. A thorough nationwide search, and an equally thorough screening process, and final interview process identified the best possible candidate. A local boy, regionally local, with just the right experience and skill sets was hired.  We welcomed James Sunser to our midst fall of 2011 and look forward to the formal inauguration ceremonies on May 5th of this year. 

Within the Office for the Aging, the fastest growing program is Health Insurance Counseling, which in 2011 served 719 Medicare beneficiaries, resulting in over $1,000,000 in savings for those using this valuable service. Support services such as home-delivered meals, transportation to medical appointments, in-home care, personal emergency response units, home safety checks, and support for caretakers can enable those who want to “Age in Place” to do so. In the past decade the number of our older adults has grown by 16%, causing increased demands on OFA services. Encouraging healthy active aging through programs like the RSVP, Living Healthy courses, exercise classes, fall prevention programs, recreation and social events are ways that OFA promotes this goal. To fill the niche for those qualifying programs not covered by any other funding, which add so much to our seniors’ quality of life, Genesee County is fortunate enough to have the Muriel H. Marshall Fund.      

The procurement card program was organized and implemented by the Purchasing Department and the Treasurer’s Office. Procedures and training materials were revised and training was provided. This program replaces a variety of processes, including petty cash and advance checks. Its purpose is to establish an efficient, cost-effective, easily monitored method of purchasing and payment for small dollar transactions. In an additional effort to lower the cost of products and services, Purchasing joined the Western New York Online Bid System. A section of this department, the Mail room processed over 177,000 outgoing pieces of U.S. Mail and by using a pre-sort discount they saved the County approximately $4,000 on first-class mail.

Cornell Cooperative Extension continued its tradition of putting the latest scientific knowledge to practical use. In this county agriculture is our economic engine, and attending to that business is the Extension’s business. Last year there was a new course at GCC…Western New York Agriculture, its success suggests that it is the first course in a targeted curriculum. An Extension outreach brought a new business to this area…goat cheese production, with its many special requirements and the provider was guided to a happy landing as a successful Ag business by Extension staff. Another venture in the works is the development of a Broccoli Industry in the East, which includes our area. Staff members: James Kingston, Jan Beglinger, and Christie Hoepting are to be especially congratulated. A collaborative effort by the Rotary Club, YMCA, UMMC, and CCE and Dr. Jain, initiated a GET FIT program for families in this area to begin to address the national concern of Childhood Obesity. The health of our young people cannot be overemphasized and this program shows great promise.

We had plenty of elections in 2011. In addition to four primary contests in September, and the General Election in November, an unanticipated countywide Special Election was held in April. Our frugal Board of Elections was able to absorb the additional costs by cost-saving adjustments in other areas. They presently have well-founded concerns that 2012 will force three to four primary dates…with the resulting extra expenses. The State Legislature must iron out their disagreements and coordinate their primary dates to avoid this wasteful extra expense...

The Office of Emergency Management Services insures that the County develops and maintains multiple emergency plans. They see that the County has the equipment, manpower and resources to respond to disasters or emergency situations. The 2011 State Homeland Security Grant Program ($101,948) will alone provide Fire Investigator Protective Clothing, Law Enforcement Equipment (ERT); provide Critical Infrastructure and security enhancements to the County emergency operations center and the County Highway Departments. It will also provide upgrades to the interoperable communications equipment and provide the funding for the Fire and EMS Reporting Management Systems. This year a Countywide Recruitment and Retention program for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel was made possible through the Federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant of $388,000.

Under the Highway Department’s banner, please include the actual Highway crews who maintain our roads and bridges and are concerned about the effects of deferred maintenance as a result of flat funding and escalating material prices.  The Parks Department, under this banner, continues to find new grants and outside funding opportunities to keep the Parks open for residents during difficult financial times. Several improvements were made to the DeWitt Recreation Area in 2011 expanding opportunities to explore this urban park. Airport fuel sales increased nearly 8% this year and the GC Airport again turned a profit…as it has done for the past nine years. We continue to explore options to replace its aging terminal facility…to meet federal safety requirements without a financial burden on our residents. Our Highway Superintendent/Water Project Director continues to investigate the future financing of the Countywide Water Project as well…so that Phase II may be implemented as planned within the next five years.

The History Department and Records Management completed two long-term projects this year. The first was the digitizing of the department’s photograph collection which includes 10,570 photographs. The second was the Archival Cataloging Project which included 742 cubic feet with a total of 1,672 items cataloged. In addition, they provided assistance to thousands of people interested in local history…generating income for the County. They were assisted by volunteers who helped them accomplish numerous additional projects. They all still had the time and strength to help us commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War….beginning with the bell ring observance of April 12th; we were helped to realize the impact of this war on Genesee County by an original display board and power point presentation. 

In 2011 Human Resources partnered with the County’s Employee Assistance Plan to provide the required countywide workplace violence training for employees. Kudos are given to all County employees covered by the County’s Self-funded Health Plan for their cooperation in providing the necessary documentation for the Health Plan Eligibility Audit that was conducted in 2011.

During 2011 Information Technology focused on updating an aging infrastructure to ensure the reliability and availability of systems that support all county departments. They also introduced a new County Website, put IPADs to use by the Public Defenders and District Attorney’s offices and addressed several compliance issues.

This past year the Genesee County Career Center assisted 4,514 job seekers, a 30% increase from 2010 with a 77% placement rate. They also served 267 area businesses by posting employer job openings and hosting businesses for on-site recruitments, as well as screening and assessing the skills of all of their job applicants. Workshops (147) were conducted on high-demand topics.

The County’s Comprehensive Planning Process continued with the Steering Committee, representing the 10 Focus Groups, making its Annual Monitoring Report to the County Legislature in September. The Planning Department continues to support other County agencies and local municipalities as they strive to create a more livable community for our residents. Agriculture remains a cornerstone of our County’s economy. The County Legislature remains committed to continued support of the Agricultural District Program and the long-term protection of the County’s agricultural base including the preservation of prime farmland. The Household Hazardous Waste Collection and an ongoing program supporting recycling are going strong and continue to attract strong participation throughout the GLOW region.

Probation supervision remains as the most cost effective form of an alternative to incarceration for the nearly 700 adults and juveniles in Genesee County. As a mandated function with strong NYS oversight, funding remains critical at the state and local level to support this vital function of the criminal and juvenile justice system. Presently the NYS reimbursement to Probation Departments continues at 12-13%, which is far short of the 48.5% required by statute. 

Quiet times are the fruit of a successful Public Health Program, 2011 was such a year. Mandates and deliverables were accomplished on time and on budget overall. Program reviews and NYS Audits proved favorable. On the flip side, it was retirement time for key personnel in the department and their departure represented a loss of valuable experience. The demands of an increasingly tight budget are being felt at every level.

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office continues to provide excellent public safety and correctional services to the residents of Genesee County. The Sheriff’s Office took a zero tolerance position with regard to underage drinking and the deputies made over 500 unlawful possessions of alcohol arrests at Darien Lake. In addition deputies took 175 drunk drivers off the roads. The jail saw an increase in population of male inmates during 2011, averaging 71 per day and Genesee Justice monitored almost 1,600 offenders. The Sheriff’s Office partnered with GCC offering the facilities at the Animal Shelter for Vet Tech Students.  Emergency Dispatch Center handled over 175,000 phone calls, including over 28,000 9-1-1 calls, leading to over 50,000 calls for service. The Sheriff’s Office was fortunate to receive over $149,000 in grant funding.

In difficult economic times, more of our citizens turn to the Department of Social Services for assistance. Caseloads in public assistance, Medicaid, Food Stamps, and HEAP continue to grow. Families are stressed and also require more help with their children...Our DSS has been doing the best possible job to deliver services while controlling costs.

During 2011 the Veterans Service Agency moved and became co-located with the Department of Social Services.  The move allowed for increased administrative support for processing all of our veterans’ claims for compensation, pensions, education, etc. at a cost saving. With the end of the Iraq War and the reduction in the military, there are more veterans returning.  Presently, there is a huge backlog of claims at the federal level and this trickles down to the local level and is causing an increased number of claims pending.  When the backlog is combined with the high rate of unemployment for our veterans, it produces a less than ideal homecoming for the individuals who earned and deserve the best.

The Weights and Measures Department had a good and productive year in spite of budget constraints. Scales and liquid measuring devices were checked, devices were inspected, milk tanks were calibrated, store packages were checked and price comparisons were performed. Consumers are paying higher prices for nearly everything, the least we can do is to insure they are receiving their money’s worth.

A long-awaited partnership with the City of Batavia was formalized in 2011. The youth bureaus entered into contract for the County to provide administrative oversight assigning 20% of the Executive Directors time for the City Youth Bureau. This collaboration reduces expenses and is mutually beneficial to both agencies. Sadly, 2011 was also the year when Debbie Kerr Rosenbach retired.  She had been the Director of the County Youth Bureau for many years and initiated many innovative programs which directly impacted the young people in this region in a most positive way. All this was accomplished during a time of shrinking resources. 

The District Attorney’s Office prosecuted a charge of predatory sexual assault against a child. It was the first time the office prosecuted such a charge. It was remarkable because of the degree of interagency cooperation which came together for the trial of this offense. The trial resulted in a guilty verdict, with a sentence of 15 years to life. A former member of the District Attorney’s Office received a high honor at the NYS District Attorney’s Winter Conference. The prestigious Robert M. Morgenthau Award recognizes those whose professional accomplishments, honesty, integrity and commitment to justice exemplify an extra ordinary high standard…congratulations to David Gann!

We are still having a difficult time even approaching a break-even financial status, or manageable fiscal support with the Nursing Home. We have made, and continue to make, positive changes based on recommendations to increase efficiency and lower costs. But for every step forward, we seem to be forced back two steps. There are additional requirements to meet new standards, frozen reimbursement levels, a changing system of payment, and increasing costs for care…all combining to add to increasing the financial burden on the County.  Presently we contribute over two and one half million dollars every year to just meet expenses. And this amount grows each year. How long can we afford this?  With the tax cap and our already high tax rate, not long. The Legislature continues to take a proactive approach as we deal with this crucial issue.

Genesee County should be very proud of the achievements of our GCEDC. The recent ground breaking by Alpina in our newly opened Agricultural Park, and even more recently the announcement of the Wave Project in the same Park promises an investment of $206 million dollars in the economic health of our area and a resulting 186 jobs. The GCEDC was able to participate in 30 project “wins” and enabled $51.3 million of investment over the 2011 fiscal year. There were additional achievements, new cooperative workforce-training programs, businesses expanding, jobs retained….do not think that all this would have happened without the inspired and dedicated work of the GCEDC and their team. Their success is our success. Great work!

The County Clerk’s Office has been busy with the implementation of several new programs made possible by contract enhancements with their computer company. They are now able to issue plastic permits for pistols, as well as image, index, and merge 210 years of mapping into the system, issue veteran’s ID cards for the popular “Return the Favor” discount program for veterans, to be announced soon. This new technology has allowed for the scanning of criminal and civil court records to allow for direct access and paper-free transmission to the Court system of these records. And, in spite of economic fluctuations and a recession in the motor vehicle industry, the Motor Vehicle Office was able to maintain sufficient revenue to operate their office with a net profit of over $600,000. Many out of county clientele use our MVO for registration, license renewals, and an increasing number of dealers who use the Genesee County MVO for all their transactions. Much of the credit for this goes to a staff that emphasizes friendly, thorough service.

In January of 2011, we sent prescription discount cards out to all of our citizens.  These were at no cost to the county. The program was introduced by the New York State Association of Counties, and during the course of this year has saved the 4,874 participants 52% on their prescription costs. As you might suspect, the program continues to grow.

I hope you can tell from this brief synopsis that our county is working hard to maintain a positive direction. And we are succeeding. The legislators are working hard to reach out to their constituents with information, petitions, meetings, and resolutions about the need for immediate mandate reform. There is legislation ready to pass…but it hasn’t happened yet. Legislator Lawrence has headed up the (Mandate) Medicaid Reform outreach and through her efforts, the other eight legislators, and the cooperation of our constituents we are turning in over 1,500 signatures from NYS citizens demanding Medicaid Reform.

Yes, we are keeping our heads above the water, but we can’t tread water forever.  I remain hopeful that 2012 is the year for State leaders to step up and work with their partners in County government to enact real reforms that will enable us to maintain and enhance the local safety and quality of life programs that will attract and keep families and businesses here in New York. You can help. This is not a political issue…it is a survival issue. In every case, when there has been a real change at the state level…it was because the people back home insisted. Let your voices be heard.

The pressures evidenced in the New York State Association of Counties state wide “9 for 90” mandate relief initiative coupled with the new state imposed property tax cap have given county governments across New York State a focused rallying cry and platform to demand change and real long-term mandate relief. These reforms and solutions must originate in Albany. The state Legislature and Executive in the past have made passing reference and lukewarm commitment to such relief. Now is the time for them, with our help, to pass real reform measures, provide real property tax relief by changing and decreasing the nine mandates…most especially Medicaid, presently consuming 40% of our tax dollars each and every year. 

In 2004-2005 our message was “Don’t Come Home without it (the Medicaid Growth Cap)." In 2012, the message to our elected State delegation and Governor Cuomo has to be “Don’t Adopt a Budget without Medicaid Reform and Local Medicaid Share Relief.”

Now that’s a plan we could live with. Right?

In retirement, David Gann still worries about how technology will change law enforcement.

"When I started, an IBM Selectric (typewriter) was state-of-the-art technology and copy machines were still brand-new," Gann said. "Now, pretty soon, we won't have paper files any more. It's interesting to see the transformation going on, but we don't know if we will be able to access these files in 50 years. We still have files in MS-DOS and we don't know how much longer we can access those."

Former colleague Bob Zickl said in a letter recommending Gann for a major award that Gann could always talk "matter of factly about the next great technical or financial catastrophe."

The predilection to fret about looming technical difficulties is only one of the qualities of the former first assistant district attorney that enamored Gann to his colleagues.

He retired from the District Attorney's Office at the end of 2011, voluntarily giving up his position so that nobody else in the office would lose a job to satisfy the county's budget ax.

With his retirement came a statewide award from District Attorney's Association, the Robert M. Morgenthau Award, given to an assistant of the highest professional standards.

It's the first time an attorney from Genesee County received the fairly new honor.

"The greatest honor was just being nominated," Gann said. "To have my professional colleagues recommend me for such an award means a lot to me."

Besides ADA Zickl, backing Gann's nomination was District Attorney Lawrence Friedman, Genesee County Court Judge (and former District Attorney) Robert Noonan, Sheriff Gary Maha, Batavia Det. Charles Dudek and Le Roy Police Det. John Condidorio.

Gann's supporters praised his work ethic, his encyclopedic knowledge of criminal statutes and case law, his even temper (Zickl said he never once heard Gann utter a profanity in 27 years of working together), his ethics and adherence to the law and his desire to see justice done.

Besides handling all felony drug cases, Gann was the DNA expert in the office and handled the DNA portion of all murder trials from January 1997 through March 2010.

The drug work, Gann said was particularly important.

"I don't think we will ever totally eliminate drugs from the community," Gann said. "What we tried to do was make sure the guys who came out here to deal to think twice before doing it. We wanted to chase them inside so they would only deal with people they knew, so they wouldn't feel comfortable with people outside and stay off of street corners."

Condidorio praised Gann's work in helping investigators make cases against drug dealers.

"(Gann has) made a tremendous impact on Genesee County, taking significant drug dealers off the street and making it more difficult for them to spread their poisons to our youth and underprivileged," Condidorio wrote.

Noonan wrote a mock "help wanted" ad as part of his recommendation that demonstrated what big shoes the DA's office will need to fill if there's ever money in the budget to replace Gann.

Among the qualifications -- more than 30 years experience in New York's criminal justice system, scores of grand jury presentations and hundreds of briefs responding to appeals.

The candidate must also have the personal strength to deal with strong-willed police officers dealing with stressful searches in order to guide them toward the proper procedures.

"It is essential that this individual have the personal self-confidence to never gloat about an intellect that exceeds coworkers, lawyers and judges," Noonan wrote.

With the award won and no cases on the court docket, Gann's days and nights are no longer spent fretting over the proper wording of a search warrant application.

He's busy helping out with Friday fish fries at St. James Episcopal Church in Batavia, or reading, or getting out to community events with his wife, Marcia.

The Ganns have no plans to leave Genesee County.

"In Batavia, a small town, everything is smaller scale," Gann said. "You tend to know everybody and that makes it more rewarding to get involved. It's part of what makes Batavia, Batavia."

Gann's biggest plan for retirement is to do more things with Marcia.

"I have a wonderful wife and I enjoy being around her," Gann said. "That's my number-one priority."

Press release:

For the eighth consecutive year Site Selection Magazine has recognized Batavia/Genesee County as one of the top micropolitans in the United States, including the number-one ranking in the Northeast. The criteria for receiving the recognition includes capital investment and job creation. Through the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), approximately $51.3 million in new capital investments were made in the county creating approximately 172 new jobs in 2011.

“Through the collaboration of the Genesee County Legislature, the City and Town of Batavia, and many others in our community, we had another successful year in our economic development efforts,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the GCEDC. "With the recent announcement of Premiere Credit and Java Equipment projects, 2012 is off to a tremendous start.”

In 2011 the GCEDC was able to participate in 30 project “wins," including four major projects that have significant employment impacts for the region. Alpina Foods, one of the most recognized dairy companies in the world, and a leading dairy producing company in Colombia and South America, will open its first specialty yogurt manufacturing plant in the United States and will be the first occupant of the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park. Alpina will create 50 jobs and invest more than $15 million in the construction and occupation of its new manufacturing plant.

The expansion at Graham Corporation will create 26 new jobs while a green technology firm, Vegetal I.D., which creates green roofs, will be adding 20 jobs over the next three years. In the Gateway I park, a new Holiday Inn Express is under construction that will create 19 jobs. The new hotel will be attached to an existing banquet hall.

“Congratulations are in order and Genesee County should be very proud of the achievements of our GCEDC,” said Mary Pat Hancock, chairwoman of the Genesee County Legislature. “The recent groundbreaking by Alpina in our newly opened agricultural park, and the recent activity at the park promises a substantial investment in the economic health of our area.

"There were additional achievements, new cooperative workforce-training programs, businesses expanding, jobs retained; do not think that all this would have happened without the inspired and dedicated work of the GCEDC and their team. Their success is our success."

The City of Batavia, in partnership with Mancuso Business Development Group, was able to complete the Masse Gateway Redevelopment Project which included the demolition of 40,000 square feet of vacant industrial space in the Batavia Industrial Center, and the renovation of approximately 120,000 square feet for commercial, residential and light industrial use. In December 2011, the first new business in the Masse Gateway Redevelopment project was secured and in January 2012 the second business was secured. Both expect to be open by Spring/Summer 2012.

“We appreciate the recognition and will continue to build upon our rich entrepreneurial history and facilitate collaborative partnerships that support and enhance opportunities for all community residents,” said Batavia City Manager Jason Molino.

Upstate New York’s City of Batavia, the hub of the Batavia Micropolitan region, continues to reinvent itself in the wake of the national Site Selection recognition. An empowered Batavia Development Corporation -- the city’s strategic alliance and economic development agency -- invested in personnel, small business development and infrastructure initiatives to support the continued growth and success of the area in 2011.

“New staff was hired, more small business loans were distributed and a newly defined action plan for adaptive re-use was adopted,” said Ray Chaya, president of the Batavia Development Corporation (BDC). “The BDC has seen confidence return to the community."

The city's Business Improvement District completed six façade improvement projects totaling more than $17,000 in reinvestment in downtown properties, with another six projects that are expected to be completed by the end of this month. The BID is also pleased to announce that it paid off early the $250,000 bond for the Ellicott Street streetscape project, which was done in conjunction with the City of Batavia.

“The Batavia Business Improvement District is extremely proud of having four new downtown businesses, which includes a Save-A-Lot Food Store. This means approximately another 35 individuals being employed within the district,” said Don Burkle, executive director of the BID.

“I can only express my deepest appreciation for the all of the partners, municipalities, and employees who continue to collaborate and are dedicated to the strategic vision of growth for our community,” said Greg Post, supervisor of the Town of Batavia. “This success is because of the partnerships that have been fostered over the last 10 years and the willingness of everyone to work together as a team to achieve a common goal for economic success."

“The chamber congratulates all of the economic development partners in Genesee County on receiving this award. It is always gratifying to be recognized for a job well done — particularly when the hard work is often done ‘behind the scenes’,” said Lynn Freeman, director of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

“The investment being made in our community, as a result of our economic development groups and the chamber, is bringing more and better paying jobs to Genesee County that will in turn improve the quality of life for all of us."

Genesee County will likely close the financial books on 2011 with an unexpected revenue surplus and County Treasurer Scott German is recommending the legislature roll the money over into its reserves.

The extra money will likely come from a windfall of $997,000 in sales tax revenue that came in above budgeted expectations.

At Wednesday's Ways and Means Committee meeting, Legislator Ray Cianfrini asked if the 2012 budget could be amended so some of this unexpected revenue could be directed at programs cut in 2012, such as Meals on Wheels, which is being forced to reduce delivery days.

In an interview Thursday, German said the legislature could do that, but his recommendation is that the money be held in reserve.

Reserves, he said, should be used for emergency expenditures, such as a bridge falling down, and not to fund programs legislators already decided already to cut.

"Under the tax cap, the legislators still had room to raise taxes if they wanted to fund those programs," German said. "The fact the sales tax came in better than anticipated, that's not a good justification to fund a program."

The treasurer said he anticipates the county will close its books on 2011 -- which happens in March -- with $13.2 million in revenue, up from the anticipated $12.2 million.

Total sales tax for the county -- which is shared among the county and various municipal agencies -- was $35.2 million, beating the 2008 record of $34.3 million.

Higher gas prices and the three-week close-out sale at Lowe's were probably the main contributing factors to the strong sales tax numbers, German said.

Is the local economy improving?

"I would hope that would be the case, but that would be speculation," German said. "I would hope business is getting better."

The Sheriff's Office plan to convert a jailed drug dealer's car into cash hit a road block Wednesday in the Ways and Means Committee.

A resolution authorizing the Sheriff to auction off the 2005 Chevy truck passed the Public Service Committee on Tuesday, but Wednesday, Legislator Ray Cianfrini had new information on the state law governing the disposal of seized assets.

Cianfrini said he wasn't concerned about the Sheriff's Office getting the money, just that proper procedures be in place and that the law is followed.

"I think there needs to be something more speicific and there needs to be more clarification," Cianfrini said. "I don’t have any trouble with the vehicle going to the Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement purposes, but what about the dispersal (of the proceeds)?"

County Attorney Charles Zambito provided Cianfrini with a copy of the state law, which outlines procedures and proper dispersal of any revenue generated by the sale of seized assets. The law is complex with multiple variables, and while the Sheriff's Office could wind up with some or all of the revenue generated by the sale of the truck, so could the District Attorney's Office, or the state, or the county.

The vehicle was signed over by Matthew Zon, who entered a guilty plea to criminal possession of a controlled substance, 2nd, and was sentenced to prison for possessing and distributing methamphetamine.

Undersheriff William Sheron said that since the vehicle wasn't seized, but signed over to the Sheriff's Office by the defendant as part of a plea deal, the procedures outlined in the law didn't necessarily apply.

"You’re looking at a state forfeiture process that if (a defendant) were reluctant in turning over a vehicle to us, then we would go through this process to seize the vehicle," Sheron said. "It’s now a common practice, as part of a plea bargain, where (the defendant) signs over title of the vehicle to relieve us from going through this process."

Zambito pointed out that even in the plea agreement, the vehicle is signed over "pursuant" to state law, which means, he believes, the process for disposal of the asset is governed by the law.

"We still have to follow the rules about what you do with the property once you get it," Zambito said.

The resolution on disposition of the vehicle was tabled until the matter can be further researched and clarified.

There's a hazardous weather outlook for portions of Western New York. The National Weather Service office in Buffalo has issued a high wind warning beginning at 5 p.m. today. Gusts of up to 60 mph are expected through 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Also, areas of blowing snow are predicted between midnight and 2 a.m.

Press release:

In an ongoing effort to define the State mandates that should be on the short list for mandate relief efforts at the State level, today the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) released a new report: “State Programs Funded by County Property Taxpayers” (attached).

“County elected officials remain committed to providing essential local services in their communities. However, to do this and stabilize our property taxes, we need mandate relief from the state. This report details for the first time the vast majority of mandates required by the State. This is a call to action and we need assistance from our Governor,” said NYSAC President Mary Pat Hancock, chairwoman of the Genesee County Legislature.

County governments are regional governments and, because of this unique relationship with the public, have been called upon by the state to provide state services locally. However, over time, reimbursement for these state programs and services was eliminated or drastically reduced leaving local taxpayers to make up the difference. In fact, in 2012 more than $11 billion in local taxes will be sent to the State treasury to subsidize State spending decisions in these areas.

"Last year, State lawmakers promised to enact meaningful mandate relief when they enacted a property tax cap. This report is designed to define what those mandates are, and to ensure that there is no doubt of the areas of concern. These are the mandates that the state should focus on to provide meaningful mandate relief,” said Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards, president of the New York State County Executives Association.

Last year, county leaders identified just nine State mandates that consume 90 percent of the entire county property tax levy collected statewide. This most recent report takes those nine mandates as a stepping off point, and identifies other major cost drivers that must be funded by local taxes each year.

In terms of Medicaid alone, counties and the City of New York will send $7.3 billion to the State in weekly installments to fund the State’s public health insurance program.

Counties are advocating for five specific mandate relief proposals, including

1. A gradual State takeover of county Medicaid costs;

2. Pension reforms;

3. Reforms to the Pre-School Special Education Program transportation costs;

4. Requiring health insurance companies to fund medically necessary Early Intervention services;

5. Timely reimbursement from the state for state services delivered locally.

“We believe 2012 is the year for State leaders to enact meaningful mandate relief that will provide counties the ability to stabilize property taxes, continue critical local services and promote the economic vitality of our communities. We cannot afford for this effort to fail and on behalf of the public, our county leaders stand ready to work with our partners in State government to make that happen,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario

Download report by clicking here (PDF)

With the ringing in of the New Year, local police agencies found themselves dealing with a bit of an uptick in domestic incident calls.

Deputy Chief Gordon Dibble said on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, for example, the Sheriff's Office responded to nine domestic incident calls and, unconfirmed, the State Police responded to six.

"I don't think it should be a surprise to anybody," Dibble said. "I haven't compared this weekend to other segments of the year, but I think there were more calls. It's a highly emotional time of the year. Things are brought to the forefront that haven't been dealt with in the year, there are financial pressures, family pressures and visitation pressures."

Dibble said law enforcement has changed a lot since the early part of his career when he was a deputy on patrol.

There is a broader range of disputes that are classified as domestics. It isn't just the husband and wife fight any longer. Disputes involving people living together, people divorced, people not married but having children together and other family relationships are classified as domestics.

And laws have changed directing how police must deal with some domestic situations.

"There are many circumstances were we must make an arrest by New York State law even when the victim doesn’t want an arrest," said Dibble, explaining the law is in place to protect victims who might be intimidated from pressing charges.

Complicating matters further are orders of protection, which include variations ranging from complete stay-away orders, limited contact and contact permitted, to no offensive conduct permitted. And orders can be temporary, long-term, canceled, reinstated and canceled again, so officers must pay attention to the details.

"Orders of protection are complicated and time consuming issues for us, but they're important issues because when things go wrong, they can go very wrong," Dibble said. "We have to be very careful with those."

A number of years ago, the Sheriff's Office along with Batavia PD and Le Roy PD, got together and drafted guidelines for handling orders of protection so that officers deal with them in a consistent way across jurisdictions.

Local law enforcement agencies, Dibble confirmed, take orders of protection very seriously.

"Is it as consistent across the state or across the country? I doubt it," Dibble said. "Within this county, it should be pretty uniform."

A caller to the emergency dispatch center reported seeing a Payloader being driven by a person who looked 12 years old with a passenger who looked 8 years old. They were last seen heading eastbound on Route 20. An officer is going looking for them. Not sure what community they were passing through when the call came in.

I've had a couple of conversations recently that reminded me how fortunate we are to live in Genesee County.

The first was with a gentlemen who came into Delavan's on Friday night. He's from Ohio but visits Batavia regularly for business. He's decided to buy a small home here rather than always packing for a hotel stay.

"I love Batavia," he said. "It's a great little city. The people are friendly, the crime rate is low, there's a lot beautiful old homes around and it's a nice area."

The other conversation was with Jeff Stephen, the dairy industry expert. Stephen had no idea I was from California when we started to talk, but he began to compare Batavia to the so-called Golden State. Batavia, he said, was a great place for a company to set up business compared to California. We have good schools, the cost of living is so much lower, it's less crowded and people in Western New York, unlike California, he said, really appreciate their jobs.

San Diego, my hometown, can call itself America's Finest City, but I think where I live right now has it beat hands down.

There's a lot of advantages to living in Genesee County that are easy to forget as we go about our day-to-day business. Every community has its problems, and it's easy as we struggle to solve them to let them become bigger in our minds than they actually are, or to forget about all of the good things around us.

All of us in Genesee County have a lot to be thankful for, from the place we live, to the neighbors who are always ready to help, to the friends we stand by and who stand by us, to the families we cherish.

On behalf of myself, Billie, Lisa Ace and our correspondents, we want to thank both our readers and our advertisers for making it possible for us to live and work in America's Finest Little City. We wish you and yours the very best. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Sheriff's Office is looking for the owner of a pair of compound bows and some accessories that go with the bows.

A Good Samaritan turned in the bows after finding the items on a roadway in Genesee County.

The bows were in carrying cases.

The items apparently fell from a moving vehicle.

Also found were three water containers and a gas can.

If anyone lost this type of property, contact Deputy Frank Bordonaro, 345-3000, ext. 3229.

UPDATE 8:34 a.m., Wednesday: The owner of the bows has recovered the lost items from the Sheriff's Office.

There's a little interest brewing in the Genesee County Legislature about getting reimbursement for services provided by the county that are used by the City of Batavia and other jurisdictions.

One example, law enforcement use of the Monroe County crime lab.

The county pays $68,213 a year to Monroe County to process evidence from crime scenes. Police departments in Batavia, Le Roy and Corfu can all send evidence to the crime lab on the county's bill.

"Even if it's just $2,500, that's $2,500 we don't have today," said Legislator Robert Bausch during the Public Service Committee meeting Monday. "It's all these little charges that we don't get back that add up."

Bausch wants to see a list of "all these little charges" at a future Ways and Means meeting.  

Legislator Jay Grasso, serving his last meeting as chairman of the committee, agreed with Bausch.

"As the economy changes, maybe we can't do all the little things we used to do," Grasso said.

Legislator Ray Cianfrini first broached the issue of seeking reimbursement from the city for crime lab use.

Sheriff Gary Maha agreed to get more information on how costs might change if the use of the crime lab by other jurisdictions was taken out.

In other items from Monday's agenda:

• The committee approved purchase of a Caterpillar 140M-2 All-Wheel Drive Grader from Milton Caterpiller, 4610 E. Saile Drive, Batavia. Grasso noted the purchase was of an American-made product from a local dealership. The purchase will be paid for in five yearly installments of $40,048.33 from the Road Machinery Fund. The total purchase price is $200,241.65.
• The committee approved a resolution declaring an old railroad car surplus material. The tanker car is currently installed on rails at the Fire Training Center on Bank Street Road. Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger said the car is sitting in an area needed for a new law enforcement firing range and it makes no economic sense to move it. The car is 40,000 pounds of solid steal. It will be sold for scrap. The proceeds will be used to help pay for the firing range. The car, as best anybody knows, was donated by a railroad company more than 30 years ago for emergency training. Yaeger said the county has other resources now for similar training.

More than a dozen veterans made sure their voices were heard Thursday at the public hearing on the proposed 2012 Genesee County budget.

Repeatedly, veterans stepped to the podium and pleaded with the legislature to ensure the next veterans services officer is properly trained.

"Besides the force reduction through attrition, thousands and thousands of servicemen are about to become veterans," said Ernie Luskey, noting the plans to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afganistan in the next couple of years.

Those veterans will have their benefits jeopardized if there isn't a properly trained, credentialed and accredited veterans service officer working for the county, each speaker said.

"There are just too many laws, rules and regulations for a veterans services officer to pick up on the fly," Luskey said. "He has to be trained."

After the meeting, County Manager Jay Gsell said the new veterans services officer will be trained.

Hal Kreter retires from the job in August (he and his wife plan to move to Twentynine Palms in California). Gsell said his replacement will be hired in July or earlier and there are training classes available in August and September.

There is money in the social services budget to accomodate the training, Gsell said.

Gsell said there are other changes coming in the proposed budget, most significantly, the tax rate is going to be reduced.

Adjustments have already been made to reduce the rate from the originally proposed rate of $9.95 per $1,000 of assessed value to $9.92.

Gsell said the direction he is getting from the legislature is to reduce it further -- to $9.85 per thousand. The current rate is $9.82.

The county is struggling with cuts to local programs while seeing state-mandated costs -- particularly pension contributions and Medicaid expenses -- skyrocket.

Taken together, the increases in those two programs push the expenditure beyond what the county could generate in property tax revenue, if the legislature raised taxes as much as it could under the recently enacted 2-percent property tax levy cap.

Medicaid alone costs the county more than 42 percent of county's tax levy, or $10 million.

Gsell said New York is one of only three states in the union that makes local taxpayers shoulder any part of Medicaid expenses, all while also providing recipients with a "Maserati" level of numerous services, and with less oversight.

"Medicaid is the entitlement with no ceiling and minimal controls as far as case management and disease management and health-living metrics are concerned," Gsell said. 

If the state took over Medicaid costs, property taxes in the county could be reduced by about $3 per thousand.

"Contrary to what Gov. Cuomo has alleged himself or through his stalking horse, Lt. Gov. Duffy, we counties are not whining or asking to be 'subsidized,'" Gsell said.

"The state put counties in this unprecedented and unenviable position 30 or 40 years ago, with no local control or discretion to fund a benefit that the state and federal governments totally orchestrate. The state alone has the power to gradually and strategically extricate the counties from this fiscal morass."

Total proposed appropriations for 2012 are $142,098,429. That's up 1.10 percent from 2011.

Anticipated revenue for the fiscal year is $112,015,617. The deficit will need to be made up either through more cuts in spending or an increase in the property tax rate.

Gsell said cuts will be made and the rate increase will be lessened when the revised budget is brought forward on Nov. 21.

Top photo: County Manager Jay Gsell; inset, veteran Paul Gaylord; bottom, legislators Esther Leadley, Robert Radley and Hollis Upson.

The proposed county budget for 2012 will cut local, non-mandated spending by $1.1 million, but because of increases in state mandated spending, the legislature will be asked to approve higher property taxes.

The rate would go from $9.82 per $1,000 of assessed value to $9.95.

This would boost the county's tax levy by $884,000, a figure believed to be below the recently approved tax cap.

The total spending plan of $142,098,429 would eliminate 21.5 county jobs, including many through layoffs.

The budget also includes a new fee on local auto registration to help pay for road and bridge repair.

Even though county departments are cutting spending by as much as 5 percent, state mandated costs are out pacing local cuts.

County costs are being driven up by state mandated expenses, particularly in social services and physically handicapped preschool children's/early intervention budget categories.

The Medicaid weekly share payments are expected to go up by $280,000 and the county's contribution to the New York retirement system will go up $703,000.

In his budget message, County Manager Jay Gsell hits Albany and Gov. Andrew Cuomo hard on the issue of mandate relief, saying that the state Legislature has reneged multiple times on promises of mandate relief and assuming the cost of the state's $53 billion Medicaid program (the county's share is $9.8 million).

A state takeover of the Medicaid burden, Gsell said, would allow the county to lower its tax rate by $3.75 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Gsell said Cuomo has called the state takeover of expenses of this state-mandated program a "subsidy" to local governments.

"His convenient re-creation of the facts of how and why New York State counties are involved in Medicaid benefit funding is one of the most egregious, disingenuous political maneuvers I have witnessed in 18+ years as the Genesee County budget officer," Gsell wrote in his budget message (pdf). 

To help balance the budget, the county will tap into its $9.76 million undesignated fund reserve for $2.6 million. Of that, $1.37 million will help pay for the nursing home.

This action will make it harder for the county to manage its cash flow to meet monthly payout obligations, especially at a time when the state is often slow to pay what it owes to county governments.

"In the private sector, this fiscal position could be akin to bankruptcy, and it could require temporary borrowing by the county just to meet our usual and customary obligations within our 12-month fiscal year," Gsell wrote.

The budget includes a $5 to $10 vehicle biannual registration fee to help fund bridge and road repairs. The fee is expected to generate $234,000 in 2012 and up to $312,000 in subsequent years. Agricultural vehicles would be exempt from the fee.

There is no salary or merit raise increase for non-union/management positions in the budget.

A tractor-trailer rear-ended one vehicle, rolled and slammed into another today on Route 19 in Le Roy, seriously injuring one driver.

The truck was driven by 44-year-old Howard Mcintyre, of Vestal, and was hauling a gravel product from Dolomite Aggregates in Le Roy. Mcintyre was northbound, going over the I-90 overpass, when a red 2008 Mazda driven by 22-year-old Gregory Wodzicki slowed in front of him.

Mcintyre was unable to stop his truck and rammed the Mazda, forcing it off the roadway. Then as he tried to correct, his wheels caught a deep culvert on the west side of Route 19. The truck flipped and landed on its side, skidding long-side-first down the roadway.

That's when 55-year-old Patricia Ireland, southbound in a 2006 Chevrolet Impala was struck. Ireland's car took the brunt impact of the flying stone product and the swinging trailer. Her vehicle's front end was destroyed and the car pushed back about 150 feet.

Ireland became entrapped in her mangled vehicle and had to be extricated. Le Roy Fire Chief Mike Sheflin estimates the extrication took roughly 12 minutes from responders' time of arrival. Ireland was Mercy Flighted to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester with serious injuries. 

Meanwhile, the truck partially left the roadway and burst into flames. Mcintyre was able to escape the flaming wreckage, but suffered internal injuries. He was taken to Strong via ground ambulance.

The driver of the Mazda, Wodzicki, and his passenger, 23-year-old Jason Hightower, both of Rush, suffered minor injuries and were transported via ambulance to Strong.

No charges have been filed. The investigation continues this afternoon. Route 19 was closed for about four hours, but has been re-opened.

CLICK HERE for video coverage from WBTA News.