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That, in a nutshell, sums up the philosophy of Bill Joyce, Genesee County Veterans Services director, who isn’t bound by geographical borders when it comes to assisting those who have served in the military.

Joyce is an East Pembroke resident who retired as a sergeant major after 40 years of active and reserve duty in the Army, with tours of duty in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. He accepted his current role in May 2012 and has positively influenced the lives of thousands of vets over the past eight years.

On Monday, he presented his departmental review to the Genesee County Legislature’s Human Services Committee, reporting that “I know that I’ve been busy” although the regional office has been closed due to COVID-19 and that no actual claim and appeals numbers are available.

His report indicated that his office had 6,410 contacts and provided 8,040 client services over the past year, with a portion of those visitations involving vets from outside Genesee County. During his time on the job, Joyce has become known throughout the state as someone who can be counted upon to find solutions.

“We didn’t close the office, despite COVID-19, which was not only beneficial for our (Genesee) county veterans but for our outside (the) county veterans,” he said. “Today, I had a call from a Dutchess County veteran that can’t get a hold of anybody down there. As long as I can work by email, telephone, fax, I’ll take them.”

Joyce said he has been frustrated over the Department of Veterans Affairs’ new Rapid Appeals Modernization Program, which “is nothing like it is supposed to be. It’s not rapid.”

He said that some veterans have been waiting for almost a year for their appeals to go through. But, although the regional office is temporarily closed, he said he has found other ways to network.

“The regional office was supposed to be doing the appeals – they’re no longer there, so now I’m doing virtual,” he explained. “A veteran comes to my office and we sit there in front of my computer with the judge on the other side or they’re sitting on their telephone and I’m sitting on my computer and the judge is on the computer. So, we have appeals going through and not waiting for the regional office to get back in gear.”

Joyce said he continues to take on referrals from the Department of Social Services, assisting wives and widows of veterans with pension issues and education for children in cases where the vet has a 100-percent service connected disability.

He also has a key role in proceedings at the Western New York National Cemetery located at Route 77 and Indian Falls Road in the Town of Pembroke.

Joyce has been selected to serve on a memorial committee set up to attain donations for family members of deceased veterans.

“The VA (Veterans Administration) cannot buy stuff,” he said. “It’s as simple as a golf cart for a wheelchair (bound) spouse or family member to visit their loved one (at the cemetery). This committee is formed at all national cemeteries to buy something as simple as a golf cart for family members to visit their loved ones.”

He said donations from businesses or individuals can be made through the committee, which is working on a memorandum of understanding to accept contributions.

Joyce also is organizing the honor guard in neighboring counties to be ready since construction of the cemetery is ahead of schedule.

“They had the consecration of the grounds two weeks ago and they put the sod over the ground that was consecrated and we had the honor guard there,” he said. “The building that you see from the road – it shouldn’t be there – that’s how far ahead of schedule they are. The one committal shelter that you can see from the road, it shouldn’t be there (for the same reason).”

For those wishing to view the progress at the cemetery site, drone videos are posted on the Genesee County Veterans Services website.

Joyce responded to a question from Legislator Gary Maha about the pre-need application for veterans to secure their burial plot at the cemetery.

“The pre-need makes you feel good; you know you have a place for burial,” he said. “As I tell all the veterans, when it comes to your house, it’s in two envelopes. One’s the shipping and the other one is probably a 6 by 12 with a VA emblem on the outside. Take your discharge (paper) and make a copy of it, and put it in that envelope.

“So, whatever family member is making the arrangements for you can hand that to the funeral director. Then, the funeral director calls the national cemetery administration and they see that you’re already approved (with a docket number).”

Joyce noted that the veteran’s spouse can also be buried in the same vault. More information about the pre-need application is on the website.

Despite dealing with a public health crisis that has affected all of its programs and services, the Genesee County Department of Social Services has rolled with the changes to “continue to serve the residents of Genesee County efficiently and effectively,” the agency’s commissioner said today.

David Rumsey, presenting his departmental review at the Genesee County Legislature’s Human Services Committee at the Old County Courthouse, reported that the diligence of his 107.5 employees (including a part-timer) has “come to the forefront in 2020 during the COVID-19.”

“With their ability to adapt to a new style of remote working, virtual training and a different feel for how to conduct business, they persevered and continue to serve the residents of Genesee County efficiently and effectively,” Rumsey said.

His 30-minute talk was based on a seven-page report that touched upon programming issues relating to: family visitations; child residential placements; and youth and adult protective services; budget issues relating to personnel; Medicaid costs; family assistance and foster care; and staffing developments.

Rumsey said the agency was at 50-percent staffing through June 1 (it’s back to 100 percent now) and that made it difficult to deliver services.

“All programs and services, in part, have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, adding that waivers were granted – and are still in place – for all program areas from conducting face-to-face interviews.

Child Protective Services Drop with Schools Closed

 With schools closed, child protective services decreased substantially, he said, as DSS was unable to get reports from school administrators. “We are seeing an uptick in CPS calls now,” he said.

He noted that the coronavirus hampered the agency’s ability to reunite families and perform court-ordered visitations until August, when DSS staff began supervising these visitations while adhering to all Center for Disease Control and Health Department COVID-19 guidelines.

Regarding foster care, Rumsey said the county had 69 young people in various foster care placements settings in August: 36 in regular foster homes; five in cluster homes; 17 in therapeutic foster care; and 11 in residential care. Additionally, two are at state training schools (detention) and one is at the New York State School for the Blind.

“The most prevalent reasons (for foster care) are still substance abuse and/or mental health issues of the caretakers or children” or the extreme acting out by the child(ren) that compromises the safety of the family members or community,” Rumsey explained, adding that costs to house foster children are substantial.

He said that placement in a “voluntary agency therapeutic foster home can typically average about $45,000 annually for board/admin, while placement in our own county foster homes, ranges up to $11,000 annually for board.

“We currently have 17 youth in placement with Hillside or Glove House therapeutic foster homes,” he reported.

The High Cost of Residential Placements

Rumsey said costs for residential placements for “our very high need and hard-to-place youth” affect expenditures and budget appropriations the most, with board and tuition expenses at residential treatment centers ranging from $145,000 to $230,000 annually for each of the 11 current placements.

He said that savings should be realized in 2021, however, as the state’s Family First Initiative is requiring Departments of Social Services to “reduce the number of residential placements by 30 percent and place those youth with families instead.”

The commissioner said that getting a foster child into an adoption setting takes time, thus keeping costs high. He said that of the 69 youth in foster care, 14 are freed for adoption.

DSS also intervenes when it comes to law enforcement and protective services for youth and adults, Rumsey said.

In 2019, New York State’s Raise The Age law stipulated that a youth can be prosecuted as an adult in criminal cases as long as he or she is at least 18 years old.

While the original concern was that more teens would be placed in both residential foster care and secured detention, this has not materialized, Rumsey said. He added that any increase in RTA spending or electronic monitoring should have no cost effect on the DSS budget as the state continues to promise 100-percent reimbursement on any RTA-identified youth.

Adult Protective Services Stretch Staff

Rumsey reported that Genesee County DSS has 161 cases in the Adult Preventive and Protective Services category, and that has caused additional strain on the staff.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, one worker was furloughed, which left four workers and one supervisor to oversee all the protective service for adult cases and handle preventive services (representative payee), utility referrals and guardianships,” he said.

On the subject of state-mandated Medicaid, Rumsey said New York has failed to live up to its promise to take over the administration of the program and sees “no light at the end of the tunnel.”

And, based on the requirement for a five-year look-back period for chronic care (nursing home), cases continue to take a great deal of time for eligibility determination, he said.

Rumsey said the department’s budget “remains on track despite the COVID-19 pandemic,” although a 20-percent cut of state aid looms.

“Personnel expenses are as budgeted, and we continue to experience a moderate turnover rate,” he said. “In 2020, we added two assistant county attorneys and one housing coordinator to our staff and hired a director of Fiscal Operations and Child Support (Jennifer Groff), five caseworkers, three social welfare examiners, two youth workers, an intake supervisor, intake clerk, and one part-time chauffeur. At the same time, we had one retirement, 10 resignations and two terminations.”

He said that only two of five vacant positions will be filled.

Medicaid Costs Fixed Through 2020

The county’s weekly Medicaid shares have been reduced to $153,807 per week, and will remain at the level through the first few months of 2021.

“This is the County’s local share of the entire Medicaid program, no matter how many additional people are enrolled or how many benefits are provided,” he explained.

Rumsey said the agency is providing temporary assistance for needy families at an average of 99 households per month involving around 203 individuals, with many of those being “child only” cases.

In closing, Rumsey defended and praised his employees.

“The work done at DSS does matter to our community. The job they do is not easy, and can be trying at times, and the role of this agency is often misunderstood,” he said. “Even with the additional stress the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on the staff and their families they continue to work hard and are dedicated in the services they provide. I commend them all for the job they do every day.”

County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein echoed his sentiments.

“It has been six months and we are just really starting to get into our COVID experience of what we’re going to be living in for probably the next year to year and a half,” she said. “Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for the genuine and sincere care that your staff has demonstrated to our community. It is … appreciated by all of us here at the county because it is tremendous the pressure and the stress that is on every single person in the community and your staff.”

Commitee Passes Several Resolutions

In other developments, the committee approved several resolutions (to be forwarded to the full legislature) submitted by Mental Health Services Director Lynda Battaglia and Public Health Director Paul Pettit.

On the mental health side:

• A contract with Jessica Kurzdorfer of Scottsville to provide additional psychiatric nurse practitioner hours at a rate of $95 per hour from Oct. 19 through Dec. 31. The pact calls for a maximum of 300 hours in that time period.

• A contract with Spectrum Health & Human Services in Orchard Park for crisis after-hours services from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 at a cost not to exceed $12,534. Battaglia said the number of cases has increased considerably since April.

• A renewal of a contract with Consilium Staffing of Irving, Texas, for psychiatry services at the same cost as what already has been budgeted for 2020 and 2021.

On the health department side:

• An agreement with FairBridge Inn & Suites on Federal Drive, Batavia, to provide temporary lodging for both COVID-19 isolation and quarantine of individuals who are unable to stay in their homes and have a home in which to sequester themselves. The contract, to run through Aug. 26, 2021, calls for a rate of $40 per night if the stay is at least seven days or a rate of $50 per night if the stay is less than seven days. Costs are covered by the county.

• Acceptance of a $23,130 from the state Department of Health to support the county’s Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program. The grant period is Oct. 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021.

• Contracting with Melissa Caputi of Batavia, an occupational therapist, to provide addition special education itinerant teacher services, classroom services and evaluator services in the Preschool Supportive Health Services Program retroactively for the period of Aug. 15, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The pay rate is established by New York State, with 59.5 percent of the service costs qualifying for state reimbursement, less any Medicaid payment on Medicaid-eligible children.

The engine of an airplane that went down in a swampy and wooded area off of Boyce Road in Corfu was recovered today after being dug out from under more than 10 feet of mud, Sheriff William Sheron said this afternoon.

"One of the biggest problems we've had," Sheron said, "is water going back into the hole. It's a very high water table right there."

The search for pieces of the airplane, which disintegrated on impact, Sheron said, is complete and the parts are being shipped to Nashville for further investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The search for human remains continues. Mud has been removed from the crash site, Sheron said, and crews will sift through it in an attempt to recover more remains of the deceased. That process will go through at least all of tomorrow and perhaps into Wednesday.

Attorneys Steve Barnes and Elizabeth Barnes died in the crash at about noon Friday when the 2009 SOCATA TBM-850 fell from the sky as it passed over Genesee County.

The cause of the crash remains undetermined. A few minutes before the plane veered off course and started a rapid descent, the pilot, Steve Barnes, told an air traffic controller "everything is fine."

The plane does not have what is commonly referred to as a "black box" but some flight data is recorded on the plane. Sheron said the recording disk is about the size of a SIM* card (like you have in your mobile phone) and it has not been located.

More personal items of the victims were recovered today. Sheron said the ID of one victim has been recovered and other items have been recovered that were personal to the individuals.

"My team is doing a very, very thorough job on collecting human remains," said Coroner Jeff McIntyre. 

Today, he said, the team dug as far as the mini-excavator would go, McIntyre said. By that point, no other items related to the crash were being found so, he said, he's confident they've dug down as far as needed to recover any human remains.

The human remains are being sent to the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office for examination and DNA confirmation of the victim's identities.

*The acronym stands for subscriber identity module, or subscriber identification module.

Previously:

• Small airplane out of Buffalo crashes in swampy area off Boyce Road in Corfu
• Investigation continues into cause of plane crash in Corfu
• Coroner's Office begins process of recovering remains from crash site
• Jacobs, Higgins call on NTSB to send investigators to crash site in Corfu
• Video: Press conference near site of Friday's plane crash in Corfu

Press release:

As of 2 p.m. 

• Genesee County received nine new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Elba, Le Roy and Oakfield.
  • Three of the individuals are between 0-20, two individuals are in their 20s, one individual is in their 40s, and three individuals are in their 50s.
  • Seven individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Four of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been released from isolation.
  • Eight new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states. 
  • One of the positive individuals is hospitalized.
  • One of the new positive cases is a student at Elba High School. This case was identified in the press release Friday evening. If you were not notified you are not considered a close contact.

• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Five of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been released from isolation.
  • Eleven new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Montell L. Cunningham, 27, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree strangulation, second-degree burglary and second-degree harassment. Cunningham was arrested at 7:22 p.m. on Sept. 29 after an investigation into a domestic incident that occurred on Sept. 13 on Tracy Avenue in Batavia. After arraignment in Batavia City Court, the defendant was put in jail on $2,000 cash bail, $4,000 bond, or $8,000 partially secured bond. A stay away order of protection was issued for the victim. Cunningham is due back in city court on Oct. 29. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer John Gombos, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Joshua K. Williams, 29, of McKinley Avenue, Batavia, is charged with: endangering the welfare of a child; criminal obstruction of breathing; and third-degree assault -- all Class A misdemeanors. He was arrested Sept. 23 on a warrant out of Batavia City Court. It was issued after an investigation into a domestic incident on McKinley Avenue on Oct. 7 of last year. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court with bail set by Judge Durin Rogers of one buck. Williams is due back in court on Oct. 28. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Joshua K. McKinley, 29, of McKinley Avenue, Batavia, was arrested at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 23 on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court. It was issued after McKinley allegedly failed to participate in a court-ordered program. He was arraigned in city court and put in jail with bail set by Judge Durin Rogers of one buck. He is due back in court on Oct. 28.

Danielle E. Cummings, 42, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree; unlicensed operator; following too closely; and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Cummings was arrested at 3:25 p.m. on Aug. 4 on Park Road in Batavia. The arrest was made after an investigation into a hit and run motor-vehicle accident on Park Road. She is due in Batavia City Court on Dec. 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Sean Wilson, assisted by Samuel Freeman.

Robert Scott Douglas, 40, no address provided, is charged with third-degree grand larceny. He is currently incarcerated at the Wyoming Correctional Facility. He was arraigned via Skype in Genesee County Court and ordered held on $100 bail. The warrant for his arrest stemmed from a grand larceny investigation by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay in February that resulted in a Grand Jury indictment. The case was handled by Batavia Police Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Rae Charlene Cook, 31, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. Cook was arrested at 5:20 p.m. on Sept. 30 when Batavia Police allegedly found her in violation of an order of protection while she was being taken into custody on a previous case. She was arraigned in Batavia City Court and is due back there on Oct. 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen, assisted by Officer John Gombos.

Rae Charlene Cook, 31, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with first-degree criminal contempt. At 5:22 p.m. on Sept. 30, Cook was arrested after an investigation into a domestic incident that occurred on Liberty Street at 4:43 p.m. Sept. 28. It is alleged that Cook violated an order of protection by having physical contact with the protected party. She was arraigned in Batavia City Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice. Cook is due back in court on Oct. 14. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer John Gombos, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Urban J. Lawson, 55, of West Main Street, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. At 9:26 a.m. on Sept. 26, Lawson was arrested because of an incident that occurred Sept. 22 on West Main Street in which he allegedly subjected a person to unwanted physical contact. He is due in Batavia City Court on Jan. 5. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Miah Stevens.

Lynn A. Perry, 53, of Halfmoon, no address provided, was arrested at 12:10 a.m. on Oct. 2 by troopers out of SP Batavia for driving while intoxicated and other vehicle and traffic infractions. Troopers were dispatched to a collision State Route 63 in the Town of Pavilion. Further investigation revealed a 2013 Audi was parked on the shoulder of State Route 63 and was struck by a 2019 Chevy operated by Perry. During the investigation, an odor of alcoholic beverage was allegedly present on Perry. Perry was placed under arrest after failing multiple SFSTs and transported to SP Batavia for processing. According to SP Batavia's report, Perry recorded a .11 BAC. She was issued traffic tickets returnable to the Town of Pavilion court for later this month.

Matthew J. Reed, 36, no permanent address, was arrested at 1 p.m. Oct. 20 on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court for allegedly failing to appear for a prior court date. He is due to return to court Oct. 20. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Adam Tucker.

The Genesee County Coroner's Office has begun the process of recovering human remains from Friday's airplane crash site near Route 33 and Boyce Road in Corfu, according to Coroner Jeff McIntyre.

McIntyre said it will be a long process.

"I am unsure as to how long this will take, as the plane buried itself fairly deep in mud," McIntyre said. "My office arrived on the scene yesterday at 2 p.m. along with an aircraft recovery and salvage company contracted by the NTSB. We still have not found remains." 

There are three coroners from Genesee County at the crash site along with the chief coroner from Orleans County, a forensic anthropologist from Wyoming County, along with volunteers from East Pembroke and Corfu fire departments, and staff from the Genesee County Emergency Management Office and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

"My thoughts and prayers go to the Barnes family during this tragic time," McIntyre said.

Previously:

• Small airplane out of Buffalo crashes in swampy area off Boyce Road in Corfu
• Investigation continues into cause of plane crash in Corfu

When Mary Doktor heard the sound of an airplane clearly in distress passing over her house on Boyce Road yesterday just before noon, she looked up and saw a small plane passing overhead.

She knew it was too low to the ground and the engine was sputtering, making a strange "winding" sound.

"I knew it was going down and I thought, 'Thank God, he's not hitting my house,' " Doktor said. "That's what I thought. It was scary ... .  Poor guy."

The plane, she said, was still relevantly level with the ground and the nose was not pointed down, she said.

She ran into her house to call 9-1-1 and then heard a boom.

"I ran back out and jumped in my car," she said. "I was scared at that point that somebody else's house was hit. I never even called 9-1-1."

The crash site was about a mile into the woods from Boyce Road. It wasn't possible for Doktor to get to the crash site but she could smell fuel in the air. There was no fireball, just a small plume of smoke rising in the air.

Steve Barnes,  of Cellino and Barnes, and his niece Elizabeth Barnes apparently died in the crash, though the Sheriff's Office has not yet officially released the names of the victims.

Barnes was flying a 2009 SOCATA 700N, commonly referred to by aviators as a TBM-850, with the tail number N965DM, from Manchester, N.H., to Buffalo. Barnes had been in radio contact with Boston Center but apparently lost radio contact with air controllers there and a short time later made contact with air traffic control in Buffalo.

Once contact was established, a controller informed him to maintain 8,000 feet and asked him if everything is fine. "Yes, sir," Barnes responded. "Everything is fine."

A couple of minutes later, radar shows his plan veering north. The air traffic controller says, "965 Delta Mike, stop your descent, level your wings, maintain your altitude." 

Twice more the controller tells Barnes to stop his descent. There is no response.

"965 Delta Mike, how do you hear?" The controller asks.

Within seconds, the plane disappears from radar.

"Radar contact loss," the controller says.

This afternoon, Sheriff William Sheron there was a change in plans for investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board to visit the crash site. The FAA is conducting the on-site investigation. The debris will be shipped to Nashville where it will be examined by the NTSB and the manufacturer.

TOP Photo: Genesee County Emergency Management vehicles parked this morning on land off of Route 33 near the crash site in Corfu.

John (last name withheld) is a 50-year-old long distance truck driver who has been out of work for some time due to a 20-year addiction to alcohol.

He’s also someone who has found renewed hope and strength toward living the remainder of his days in sobriety through his participation in recovery programs offered by Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

Originally from Corning and most recently a resident of Saratoga Springs, John has found himself in the Batavia area and, as a result, things are looking up for him for the first time in decades.

“I have had a problem with alcohol for my whole life,” he said while taking part in a special game day and potluck dinner recently at The Recovery Station, GCASA’s social gathering place on Clinton Street Road.

John said he was taking too much time off work “because all I really wanted to do was sit around and drink all day.”

He was able to gather the wherewithal to get into a 28-day program and was referred to a local residential facility to continue the recovery process.

He Hasn't Had a Drink in Six Months

“They referred me for a little bit of aftercare, and I’m glad that I did it,” he said. “It was the best thing that I did in my life because I haven’t had a drink in six months. That’s the longest that I’ve been without a drink in probably for 20 years.”

John said that the counselors at the residence, which houses several people in recovery, helped him tremendously.

“I’m the type of person that likes to isolate a lot and everybody over there is really open and they make me feel very comfortable. I feel that I can talk to them about any mood that I am in or anything that I am feeling throughout the day,” he explained.

He then mentioned the importance of The Recovery Station in his efforts to remain sober.

“This place has been a godsend,” he said. “You can come here and work out as they’ve invested in exercise equipment and they have many different activities throughout the week if you look at the calendar.”

John said the certified peer recovery advocates at The Recovery Station are “good listeners who have helped me considerably.”

Social Gathering Place Fills a Gap

“From what I hear because I’m not from here, this area needed a place like this, and I think that everything that GCASA is doing for this city as far as recovery goes is wonderful,” he said. “Really, I can’t give this place enough accolades.”

The Recovery Station is meeting the need for him to treat “mind, body and spirit,” John said.

“I had the mental support and counseling support, but I always wanted to have a place to come and play games and work out. It has made a huge difference thus far,” he said.

John’s downward spiral with alcohol started when he was 13 years old and hanging out with some older boys.

“It was peer pressure from the bigger kids. They said that if I would carry their beer to the campsite – we used to go camping in the woods – then they would let me drink with them,” he recalled. “That’s what got me started but what kept me drinking was that I always had a self-esteem problem. I got picked on a lot when I was a kid as I had buckteeth and was kind of skinny.”

He said that when he “found alcohol, it took that all away.”

“It takes the inhibitions away. It makes you fit in. You don’t really care what other people say about you. It just makes you feel like you’re on top of the world. That’s what kept me drunk my whole life,” he shared.

Alcohol Catches Up to You over Time

In time, the effect of alcoholism reared its ugly head.

“As you get older, your body starts to wear down and it can’t process (the alcohol) anymore and it starts to affect your health,” he said. “For me, when I start to drink in excess, it makes me very unmotivated. I’ve never been really fired from a job, but I always have quit because I didn’t want to go to work or I didn’t show up to work.”

John said he realized that he was traveling down the wrong road.

“At my last job, I knew that drinking and driving don’t mix but also I didn’t have any desire or energy to go to work because the alcohol takes all of your energy away and makes you not care about anything,” he said.

Divorced with a son, John said alcoholism didn’t cause the marital split, but admits it didn’t make things easier. Still, he is grateful for having a relationship with his son and says his self-esteem and health are improving since he stopped drinking.

However, he is aware that the battle to overcome the disease is far from over.

Support is a Key to Sobriety

“It’s a struggle if I don’t have support around me,” he said. “My whole life, and I don’t know if it’s a man thing or an ego thing, but I’ve always had a hard time accepting help from other people. I’ve always wanted to do everything on my own.”

John said he’s made a conscious effort to accept help from others and to get involved in social activities.

“That’s what has kept me from wanting to drink again,” he said.

He also spoke about how alcohol triggered the depression that has buffeted him.

“Depression is a side effect of alcoholism, for sure. A lot of people use alcohol to stop their depression, which helps for a little while,” he offered. “But then, as you get into the disease and you start to rely on it, it compounds the depression and makes it worse than it was before. It absolutely turns on you. Then the depression doubles and triples.”

John said he’s working through some issues and seeking to develop a support system and a sponsor – with the goal of being in a position to help others.

“I’m making good progress at that. I just don’t have a complete plan in place to be able to help somebody else right now but I can see that coming in the near future,” he said. “I’ve been doing a really good job about taking advice. People say the only way you can keep your sobriety is by giving it back to others and helping others. I do see that as being my long term solution to keeping my sobriety.”

Disclosure: Story by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

Now that a police collaboration advisory group is ready to address policies and procedures of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein says she is confident of a successful response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order No. 203 on police reform.

Stein, speaking by telephone this afternoon, said the level of participation and the fact that the sheriff’s agency is an accredited law enforcement bureau in New York State put the county in excellent position to draft a plan and submit to director of the Division of the Budget by April 1.

“I am extremely pleased with the number of people that have indicated their interest in serving and their commitment to making sure that our process is full and robust,” Stein said. “I think that the fact that the State of New York has already reviewed and approved our policies and procedures in the sheriff’s department, gaining that accreditation puts us well ahead … in the process.

“New York State has already seen our policies and procedures, and have already said that they are all within good policing process. I am really grateful for that process – the accreditation that happened previously and the reaccreditation that just finished up in September.”

Last week, Sheriff William Sheron Jr. announced that his department completed the reaccreditation audit in compliance with a mandate that stipulates that an accredited law enforcement agency be reassessed every five years and must show that it has followed the 133 standards during that time period.

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office received its initial accreditation in year 2000.

Stein and County Manager Matt Landers today released the list of members of their Genesee County Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative:

• Community members – Julie Carasone, Perez Dinkins, Leandro Mateos, Barb Starowitz, Tyrone Woods.
• Genesee Community College student – TBA. (Stein said a person has been identified but not yet confirmed).
• Nonprofit Community Groups -- Lynda Battaglia, Genesee County Community Mental Health Services; John Bennett, Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse; Millie Tomidy-Pepper, YWCA of Genesee County.
• Faith-Based Leader -- John Keller, Northgate Free Methodist Church.
• Educational Group -- Rachel Siebert, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.
• Local Elected Official – Gregory Post, Town of Batavia supervisor.
• Genesee County Public Defender – Jerry Ader.
• Genesee County District Attorney – Lawrence Friedman.
• Genesee County Sheriff’s Department – Sheriff William Sheron, Undersheriff Bradley Mazur, Youth Officer Howard Carlson.
• Genesee County Manager – Matt Landers.
• Genesee County Legislature – Rochelle Stein.

Former Legislature Chair Robert Bausch will serve as the moderator.

Landers said he anticipates a resident of the Tonawanda Indian Reservation to join the group, which will include several persons of color.

Stein said all committee members are invited to attend a presentation by Sheron at a full meeting of the legislature at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Old County Courthouse. She said a “meet-and-greet” – likely via Zoom videoconferencing – will take place prior to Oct. 28 but the date and time have yet to be determined.

Stakeholder groups such as these are being formed by municipal law enforcement agencies throughout the state following Cuomo’s Executive Order issued on June 12. The governor’s mandate requires the chief executive to consult with local community stakeholders and develop a reform plan to address policing procedures. The City of Batavia and Le Roy police departments previously announced their groups, developments that have been reported on The Batavian.

Landers said that group members will convene to “openly discuss public safety needs in Genesee County, and policies will be developed that allow for police to protect the public while meeting our local needs.”

Other community members will be invited to join the panel as the process evolves, he said, and all meetings of the committee will be open to the public.

“We look forward to open and respectful dialogue among members,” Stein said, “and see this as an opportunity to collaborate and better understand others’ points of view resulting in updated and new policies that offer fair justice for all.”

Press release:

“The Genesee County Health Department has received an additional positive COVID-19 test from an Elba High School student,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for Genesee and Orleans counties. “The individual has been placed under mandatory isolation where they will remain until they are fully recovered.”

The Genesee County Department of Health is conducting contact tracing that is in process. Students and/or staff will be notified and placed under quarantine if they were identified as a close contact.

"As mentioned earlier in the week, individuals identified by the health department as being close contacts will be expected to follow the New York State Department of Health quarantine guidelines," Pettit said.

“Students and staff who are symptomatic will be tested for COVID-19 in collaboration with the Genesee County Health Department,” said Ned Dale, superintendent of Elba Central School District. “The school will be conducting 100-percent remote learning through Monday, Oct. 12. In-person learning through the hybrid model is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020.”

Symptoms of COVID-19 include but are not limited to: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

For information on school statistics, please visit the New York State COVID- 19 Report Card.

Press release:

• Genesee County received three new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Elba, and Le Roy.
  • The individuals are in their 20s, 30s, and 70s.
  • The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Six new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the positive individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
• The new positive case resides in Shelby.
• The individual is in their 60s.
• The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
• Three new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

A small airplane is reported down in the area of 9115 Boyce Road in Corfu. The call to dispatch was initially placed by the Buffalo Airport and subsequently a female caller told a dispatcher the crash was in the woods behind her house.

Buffalo authorities said the plane can hold up to six passengers, but it is unknown how many people are on board.

Corfu and East Pembroke fire departments are responding with a UTV and a hazmat team is called as a precautionary measure.

First responders near the scene say the smell of fuel is in the air.

Law enforcement says the plane is due west (about a half mile) of the Boyce Road address; behind "Mr. Fry's residence." A laneway is nearby but the site of the impact, with heavy damage apparent, is accessible only by foot.

UPDATE 12:08 p.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls fire police are asked to shut down Boyce Road at Route 33 and Route 5. "The impact hole is apparent but no bodies." "We're looking for victims."

UPDATE 12:11 p.m.: "I don't see anybody -- we're going to have to do a search of the woods," says a firefighter.

UPDATE 12:20 p.m.: A crew from Crittenden Fire Department in Erie County is asked to fill in at Corfu's hall.

UPDATE 12:23 p.m.: Amherst Fire Department in Erie County is asked to stand by in their quarters.

UPDATE 12:49 p.m.: Mercy Flight (top photo) was briefly assisting in the search. It is back in service and the State Police Helicopter is doing an air search. Newstead fire is standing by in quarters.

UPDATE 1:20 p.m.: The Buffalo-based plane was returning to Buffalo from Manchester, NH, at the time it crashed. According to its aircraft registration summary, it is a 2009 SOCATA, with seven seats and a single Turbo-prop engine with 850 horsepower, referred to in the aviation industry at a TBM-850.

UPDATE 2:09 p.m.: Below is an image of the model of aircraft that crashed from the manufacturer's website, courtesy of our news partner WBTA.

UPDATE 3:27 p.m.: The plane is registered to an address that is shared by that of the high-profile law firm of Cellino & Barnes.

UPDATE 3:52 p.m.: According to Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron Jr., there were two people on board, a male and a female, but he declined to provide identification pending notification of family. There are no survivors. The Buffalo News has confirmed that attorney Stephen Barnes, a licensed pilot, was on board. The impact was severe and it created a large crater in the ground and a huge debris field. The plane nearly disintegrated; the largest part of the plane that could be found was a piece of a wing only 3 to 4 feet long. He said it will be quite some time before remains can be recovered and that will be difficult. Federal Aviation Administration personnel are on scene.

UPDATE Oct. 3, 2:09 p.m.: Below is the actual aircraft piloted by Stephen Barnes, registered as N965DM LLC. Technically it is a 2009 SOCATA 700N version, but aviators refer to it as an TBM-850, according to reader Jim Riner. He's a Byron native who now lives in Englewood, Colo., and works for Wetzel Aviation. Riner sent us this photo from the FlightAware website.

Local governments throughout New York State remain in a holding pattern as they wait for word from Albany on state aid levels and from Washington, D.C., on another federal stimulus bill.

“No update has been received by the Genesee County Manager’s Office regarding state reimbursements of mandated expenses,” County Manager Matt Landers said last night.

Municipalities were expecting to receive an update regarding state funding from Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sept. 30, one of the governor’s predetermined “benchmarks” to evaluate and inform localities of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon New York’s economy.

Until he hears something different, Landers said Genesee County is “still planning for 20-percent reductions in state reimbursements for both county fiscal years 2020 and 2021.”

The county, towns and fire districts have fiscal years that run from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31.

Villages’ fiscal years run from June 1 through May 31, except Alexander, which runs from April 1 through March 31. The City of Batavia’s fiscal year is also April 1 through March 31.

Landers and officials in other counties have been supported by repeated calls from the New York State Association of Counties for the White House and Congressional leaders to reach an agreement on a coronavirus stimulus package that would provide direct aid to local governments.

NYSAC’s latest plea to pass an updated HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act came on Thursday following its virtual Fall Seminar.

In its press release, NYSAC stated that an analysis of the modified $2.2 trillion HEROES Act -- which was moved by leaders in the House of Representatives this week and is still in the midst of negotiations – reveals that counties across the state would receive nearly $3 billion in federal stimulus.

“Every day that passes without a deal on direct aid to local governments, the deeper the economic hole that is being dug in our communities,” said NYSAC President John F. Marren. “Local governments stepped up and expended great resources to stop the spread of the virus and now, with state aid being withheld and revenue collection down, counties are being forced to cut services and lay off employees, which only depresses the economy further. It’s time for Washington to get behind a plan and get this done for the American people.”

The NYSAC report also indicated that through the Community Development Block Grant program, entitlement communities across New York State -- municipalities over 50,000 in population – would receive about $2.4 billion.

Other, smaller cities and localities, would receive $2.2 billion, and New York City, which has half of the state’s 19 million people, would receive $5.35 billion.

The House’s latest version of the HEROES Act is $1.2 trillion less than what Democrats proposed in May, and includes direct payments to individuals and families, and enhanced unemployment benefits.

The issue of sending funds to states and municipalities is one of the sticking points, but reportedly has the support of the Trump administration in the amount of $250 billion.

The president and chief executive officer of Chapin International Inc. said the company is well positioned to expand its warehousing and manufacturing operations to the Kentucky city of Mount Vernon, a small municipality that is part of the Richmond-Berea micropolitan area in Rockcastle County.

“This is just a continued expansion of organic growth that Chapin has been having over the last 15 years,” Jim Campbell said on Thursday. “We have been growing at a rate of anywhere between 4 percent and 9 percent a year for the last 15 years, so things have gone well for us.”

Calling 2020 “a big year,” Campbell said Chapin will be signing documents to finalize the purchase of the 175,000-square-foot former Eagle Manufacturing facility in the Rockcastle Business Park.

The company’s investment in the Bluegrass State is pegged at $5.495 million.

Chapin International is a subsidiary of Batavia-based Chapin Manufacturing, which designs, creates and markets high-quality compressed air sprayers and hand sprayers. The company was started in 1884 in Oakfield by hardware store owner Ralph E. Chapin, who set up the manufacturing business in Batavia.

Campbell said the company “is excited to be standing up a new operation in Rockcastle County, Kentucky” and praised leaders there for acting rapidly to make the purchase possible.

“We went down there and they had the judge, which is the county executive for them (Rockcastle County Judge/Executive Howell Holbrook Jr.), and the head of their IDA along with their state legislator and one of the county people there and another person from the state – all five people could sit down at the table and you could just finish the deal there,” he said. “All the stakeholders were in one room. In New York State that never happens; you have to go through layer after layer for permission.”

He said the deal came together “quicker and better” because the county owns the building that will be used primarily for warehousing, with about 20 percent of it designated for the manufacturing of sprayers made exclusively of plastic – not the metal sprayers that are made in Batavia. A story in another local news publication erroneously reported that metal sprayers will be made at the Kentucky plant.

“All metal sprayers are made in Batavia, New York and will stay here,” Campbell said. “We will make a couple of different models in Kentucky – products that are much larger than what we mold today in Batavia. We mold up to about a four-gallon product here. Down there, we’ll mold up to a 60- or 100-gallon container.”

Campbell said Chapin Manufacturing has been looking for more warehouse space in either Tennessee or Kentucky for quite some time because the biggest concentration of its customers is in the South and Midwest. The firm also conducts business via Chapin Custom Molding in Elyria, Ohio and Chapin International in Coopersville, Mich., and Clarence, NY.

“We needed another shipping point other than New York and this facility came available to us,” he said. “This particular facility … made product out of resin, which is like what we do. And we actually bought some equipment from an automotive company in Kentucky. So, it all came together very well for us – buying equipment from one company and just moving it a couple hundred miles to put into this other facility in Kentucky.”

He said the company simply has run out of room at its plant in Batavia.

“We have no additional space. It’s 700,000 square feet here and it’s overfull,” he said. “We’ve been renting warehouse space in other states now so, really, we’d like to do away with some of that rental stuff and put it in our own facility.”

Campbell said a couple machine tools needed to produce the sprayers for customers in that part of the country will be relocated to Kentucky, which also will free up some warehouse space in the Batavia facility at 700 Ellicott St.

He also said all employees at the Kentucky building will be local residents, and anticipates a work force of 100 within three years.

Chapin’s incentive package is modest compared to some of the tax abatements approved in New York State.

“As long as I hit my employment number, they will give us a tax break of $100,000 a year for 10 years – that’s the total incentive package,” he said with a chuckle.

Requirements for the incentive to kick in reportedly are creating and maintaining 100 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 10 years and paying an average hourly wage of $22.40, including benefits.

Campbell said the Kentucky contingent had all of the environmental aspects of the transaction in place and Chapin will be making an official announcement in the near future.

Photos: Two varieties of Chapin plastic sprayers that will be manufactured at the company's new facility in Kentucky -- a 25-gallon ATV Spreader with Variable Speed Flow Control at top and a 15-gallon 12V Deluxe Dripless EZ Mount ATV Spot Sprayer​ at bottom.

Press release:

• Genesee County received two new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Batavia and Elba.
  • The individuals are in their 40s and 50s.
  • The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Four new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the positive individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
• Two new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

A 28-year-old Buell Street resident is charged with attempted murder in the second degree after a person showed up at UMMC's emergency room on Aug. 25 with an apparent stab wound to his chest.

Police say the victim sustained a life-threatening injury that would have resulted in his death if not for immediate medical attention.

Officers determined, using evidence obtained through an investigation and an interview with the victim, that the stabbing occurred outside the water plant on Lehigh Avenue.

Jamie Dutton was identified as the suspect. He is also charged with assault in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd. He was ordered held on $100,000 bail or $200,000 bond.

The Batavia resident is currently being held in the Orleans County Jail on unrelated charges.

Batavia PD was assisted in the investigation by the Orleans County Sheriff's Office. Also assisting were the Orleans County Probation Department and the Orleans County Jail.

The investigation is ongoing and anybody with information that may assist in the case is asked to contact Det. Jason Ivison at (585) 345-6313.

Batavia Town Supervisor Gregory Post this afternoon left the door open for a downward adjustment of a proposed $2 million tax levy in 2021, a dollar amount that would nearly double the property tax rate charged to homeowners in the municipality.

Speaking at a special meeting at the Town Hall to release the tentative budget, Post summed up an impassioned, 50-minute response to town resident Michael Shultz, who questioned such a large tax increase, by emphasizing that “this is a starting point.”

“In three weeks, it probably will be a different budget as we have more information to get,” Post said, referring primarily to a third quarter revenue distribution from Genesee County and a report on town spending for the same period.

“Whatever we can do, we’d be willing to reduce the tax rate without endangering our ability to respond to the next disaster (the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the New York State economy),” he added.

Councilwoman Patti Michalak quickly finished Post’s statement by saying, “because next year could be worse.”

Town board members – as is the case in municipal governments across the state -- are facing unprecedented tension as they attempt to balance a spending plan of $4,075,787 in the general fund and $1,033,723 in the highway fund.

General Budget Breakdown

Post’s tentative general budget for the 2021 fiscal year, which begins on Jan. 1, calls for $2 million to be raised by property taxes, while using $135,899 from the town’s unexpended fund balance. Revenue is estimated at $1,939,888.

The general budget is more than $1 million less than the 2020 budget and, not coincidentally, the town is currently experiencing a $1 million shortfall in revenue due to cuts in state aid and in sales tax and other revenue from Genesee County.

In 2020, the town board allocated $992,310 from the unexpended fund balance to balance the budget. Measures put into place to reduce the tentative tax rate for 2021 could include using more than the $135,899 currently being proposed.

Should the tentative financial plan remain as is through the budget process, the property tax rate reportedly would jump from $2.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $4.61 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. On a home assessed at $80,000, for example, the tax bill would go from $196 to $368.80.

Shultz, a longtime resident of the Town of Batavia and one of four people in attendance, said when he read about a potential 89-percent increase (actually 88 percent) he was “taken aback.”

“Greg, I read your various news releases this summer and I was fully prepared for some bad news as probably my neighbors were as well,” Shultz said. “And, I expected maybe 25, 30, worst case scenario 35 percent.

Resident Said He Was Shocked

“I was totally taken aback this morning after the disastrous debate last night to read ... and (to) see a probable or potential 89-percent increase was a really shock. I’m quite frankly surprised that more of our neighbors aren’t here.”

After Post replied, “I’m sure they’ll show up eventually,” Shultz continued on, admitting that he had “very limited knowledge of how the municipal budget is established.”

“I worked for 59 years in the private sector (with a background in forest products and gypsum mining and manufacturing),” he said. “Many of those years as a plant manager at a number of facilities across the United States and Canada, and when we got into hard times like this, we got a memo – a very simple one-page memo from the corporate office -- and it said, ‘Here’s your bottom line. You do whatever you gotta do to fill it in.’ ”

Shultz surmised that putting together a budget for a town of the size of Batavia – which continues to expand its wealth through economic development and investment – has “boundaries that are much different than that.”

The resident took the approach that he didn’t understand the process, wanted to learn and “if I can, in some way, participate and help.”

He then thanked Post for his efforts.

“I don’t think you’re going to see a lot of people wanting your job. They’re not going to be running for office, so you can be comfortable with that,” he said.

Many Factors to Consider

Post said he appreciated Shultz’s “perspective,” before embarking on a monologue that touched upon topics such as: how sales tax is distributed to the City of Batavia and towns and villages in Genesee County; how state mandates make things “mindbogglingly difficult” for counties; the town’s history of zero or very low tax rates; lack of revenue from court proceedings due to the COVID-induced shutdown; town employees who are working two or three jobs; and the board’s ability thus far to cut $1.4 million in spending compared to the 2020 budget.

The supervisor said the days of relying on Genesee County’s revenue distribution likely are over.

“We have been so reliant on sales tax revenue for two or three generations .. for as long as I can remember," he said. "The biggest chunk of the Town of Batavia’s revenue has not come from property taxes, it has come from sales taxes."

He said for years he would ask, “What is the future of sales tax distribution?”

“And I never got an answer. So, that was the answer,” he said. “They don’t have a crystal ball either, and the county is in the hardest situation because they cannot bust their tax cap without losing several million dollars – maybe tens of millions of dollars in state aid. They’re no different than a school district.”

The town has received a little more than $1 million in revenue distribution from Genesee County in 2020, much less than the $2.31 million that was anticipated. He doesn’t foresee the number coming anywhere close to what was budgeted.

“Where do I get the other million dollars?” he asked. “I don’t have any other place to get it. There is no money tree in the backyard. I can’t expect the federal government or the state government to come through with anything anytime soon. They’ve had six months and they haven’t budged.”

Post said that the town has been a capable steward of its assets, boasting a five-star rating with 90 percent of its cash invested every day and utilizing friendly refinancing terms to save hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He also boasted of the town’s practice of sharing services with other towns in several areas, including assessor services, building inspection and secretarial work, and praised a full-time staff of 25 employees for “working two jobs and many of them three jobs.”

Calling Out New York State

Post, who has been in the public sector for the past 14 years, said he believes the state’s financial policies are on the brink of collapse.

“This is not a failure of the county government or mismanaging, not a failure of the town not looking far enough down the road; it’s a consequence of the failed policies of this state in supporting local communities when the s--- hits the fan.”

After Post concluded his talk -- and before taking a couple more questions about payments in lieu of taxes and whether the town receives traffic ticket revenue (the answer is a portion stays with the town) – Shultz said he appreciated his transparency.

“It was thorough and I’m sure my neighbors and I understand a little better. So, thank you for all you do and let’s carry on,” he said.

The town board will continue working on the budget with an eye on adopting a preliminary spending plan by Oct. 21. A public hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 4.

Photo: The Batavia Town Board conducted a special meeting this afternoon to talk about its 2021 tentative budget. Town resident Michael Shultz is seated in foreground. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Leah E. McCabe, 41, of Alexander, (no address provided) was arrested following a shoplifting complaint at Tops Friendly Markets in the Town of Warsaw. McCabe was allegedly captured on in store video on Sept. 22 pushing out a shopping cart full of merchandise without purchasing the items or making any attempt to do so. The value of the merchandise was $338.78. On Sept. 28, McCabe was located at her residence in the Town of Alexander where she was arrested for petit larceny. McCabe then drove herself to the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office for processing. McCabe was issued a trespass notice banning her from all Tops Friendly Markets locations, and McCabe was issued an appearance ticket scheduling her to answer the charge in the Town of Warsaw Court on Oct. 5. The case was handled by Wyoming County Sheriff's Sgt. Colin Reagan.

Brian Thomas Resch, 32, of Buffalo Road, Bergen, is charged with second-degree criminal trespass. At 12:32 a.m. on Sept. 30, Resch was arrested after allegedly entering a residence on South Lake Avenue in Bergen without permission. Resch was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Bergen Town Court Oct. 14. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy David Moore.

A 14-member Village of Le Roy Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative advisory group will conduct its first meeting at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Le Roy Village Hall at 3 W. Main St.

Le Roy Police Chief Chris Hayward today reported the names of those who will be serving on the committee that is charged with developing a plan in accordance with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order No. 203 on police reform.

The mandate, “New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative,” requires municipal police departments to adopt a plan and submit it to the state by April 1 to avoid risking future state funding.

Members of the Le Roy committee are as follows:

• Mayor -- Greg Rogers
• Chief of Police -- Christopher Hayward
• Police Department Representative -- Sean Ancker
• Business Representative -- Lori Steinbrenner
• School Representative – Superintendent Merritt Holly
• Clergy Representative – Jack Hempfling
• Citizen Representatives – Weldon Ervin, Laura Kettle, Christine Gephart, Mary Margaret Scanlan
• District Attorney’s Office – Kevin Finnell
• Public Defender – TBD
• Town of Le Roy Representative – Supervisor James Farnholz
• Legal Representative – Jake Whiting

Hayward said he is finalizing the agenda for the meeting, adding that the public is welcome but due to COVID-19 restrictions, seating is limited.

The City of Batavia Police Advisory Stakeholder Group, which has 20 members, held its first meeting on Sept. 24 and has scheduled its next meeting for Oct. 8.