town of batavia

The time has come, says Town of Batavia Supervisor Greg Post, for town property owners to start paying the piper.

They've enjoyed the benefit, as well they should, Post said, of a zero-rate property tax for 35 years, and over the last 12 or 15 years, gotten that benefit while the town has spent cash reserves to keep its budget balanced.

With a drop in sales tax, increased costs for employee benefits, greater expenses in the highway department, and loss of income on certificates of deposits, the town needs to institute a property tax, Post said.

With only $2 million left in the fund balance, Post said it's time to slow the rate of deficit budgets.

"I don't want to risk our bond rating and the security and the financial future of my successor, and I don't think it's fair," Post said. "To be quite honest with you, it's possible to stretch it right down to the wire and leave and let somebody else figure it out, but I'm not wired that way."

The proposed property tax rate is $1.42 per thousand of assessed value. That will raise approximately $500,000 to help cover town expenses, but Post still projects spending more than $600,000 from cash reserves, leaving a projected fund balance at the end of 2016 of $1.4 million.

The total anticipated general fund expenditure for the Town of Batavia is $4.64 million, down from $4.92 million in 2015. Even with the $300,000 cut in spending, there isn't enough money to go around, Post said.

For the past several years, town revenue has remained flat and in some years decreased, Post said. A big portion of the sales tax that flows into the county (shared by the county government with the various towns, villages and the city) comes from the sales tax on fuel sales. With gas prices dropping from roughly $4 a gallon to nearly $2 a gallon, and the expectation that gas prices won't increase anytime soon, Post is projecting a drop in sales tax revenue for the town of $150,000.

"It's like running a business without no receipts," Post said. "You put a donation in and have a Santa Claus in the front ringing a bell hoping someone will throw enough money in to make payroll every week. That's kind of what it's been like here. You have to really work hard to leverage as many dollars as you can from every funding agency that allocates funds, make grant applications and sustain a model that supports success."

Building a sustainable local economy has been a big focus of the town board for decades, Post said, and those efforts have led to Gateway II with Ashley Furniture, Milton Caterpillar, Sanitary Sewer, and more recently Med-Tech Park and the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

But those efforts haven't come cheap. The town invested $1 million in infrastructure to support such projects and has had to forgo revenue on construction sales tax and mortgage tax, given away in the form of incentives for developers and business owners. While Post doesn't begrudge those incentives, he says he has to budget with the reality he faces, which means he can't forecast those revenues on any potential new projects in the town, no matter how big.

"If we're not in that market (of tax incentives), then we don't get those projects," Post said.

Those projects have brought into the town tens of thousands of dollars in permitting and zoning fees, Post said.

Also, those projects have increased the total assessed value of property in the town by $128 million, with some $64 million of that increase already out of PILOT exemptions and taxable with the new property tax.

Without that increase in taxable assessed value, local property owners would likely be looking at a property tax of $1.75 per thousand rather than $1.42 per thousand, Post said.

Post praised town employees for doing a great job of finding ways to cut spending and gave employees credit for saving the town about $600,000 in expenditures in 2015, but there's only so much that can be cut, he said. There's a public hearing on the proposed budget Nov. 4 and he invites residents to make alternate proposals to the proffered spending plan.

Town of Batavia volunteer firefighters are back in service after responding to College Village when a fire alarm sounded in the laundry room.

Crew members:

"They left the window open again?"

"Yep."

"They just don't get it."

In addition to heating soup and zapping microwave popcorn, laundromats are posing yet another challenge for some villagers.

The Town of Batavia Fire Department is pleased to announce our 14th annual Harley Raffle to be held this Saturday night, July 27th, at 7 p.m.

This year the lucky grand price winner will take home a 2013 Harley Davidson Fat Boy model FLSTFB or $10,000. (Winner Not Need Be Present To Win.)

ONLY 2,500 tickets were sold and we are now officially SOLD OUT!

• 1st Prize - $500
• 2nd Prize - $500
• 3rd Prize - $500
• 4th Prize - $500

GRAND PRIZE - Last Ticket Drawn Is For The Motorcycle! (Winner has choice of $10,000 cash prize or Motorcycle)

Admission to the event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! You do not need a raffle ticket to come to the event.

The event includes Live Entertainment from the band 7th Heaven from 8 p.m. until Midnight. Food from Alex's Place and beverages will also be available for purchase as well as 50/50 and Pull Tabs.

Doors at 7 p.m.

The Raffle is to take place this Saturday night at the Town of Batavia Fire Dept. Rec. Hall, 8380 Lewiston Road (Rt. 63) Batavia, NY 14020. (Across from Kmart, just down the road from the Batavia Downs.)

Everyone is Welcome! Must be 21+ to drink and anyone under 21 years must be accompanied by their PARENT or GUARDIAN.

For more information, visit us online: http://www.townofbataviafire.com/

Proceeds to benefit the Town Of Batavia Fire Department.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is investigating a number of daytime, residential burglaries that occurred on Wednesday, Jan. 16.

The burglaries happened along Ridge Road and Lockport Road in Elba, Ham Road in Alabama, and Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road in Batavia. All residences were broken into by forcing open locked rear or side doors. Property stolen consisted of jewelry and electronic devices.

The Sheriff's Office would like residents in Genesee County to be extra vigilant and immediately report anything suspicious such as someone knocking on your door asking for directions, any vehicle being operated in an unusual manner, or if you witness any vehicles or individuals that appear suspicious.

Also, keep an eye on your neighbors' residence and report anything that appears to be suspicious or out of place.  

Contact the Genesee County Sheriff's Office at 585-343-5000 to report any such incidents.

A car struck a pole and there are minor injuries. The location is 2615 Stegman Road in the Town of Batavia, west of Powers Road. East Pembroke Fire Department is at the scene. Mercy EMS is dispatched. The pole is still intact. National Grid will be called to check it out.

UPDATE 1:41 p.m.: Two children were taken to UMMC. A 6-year-old boy has ear pain and an 8-year-old girl has elbow and knee pain.

A car fire is reported on the westbound Thruway at mile marker 385.3. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 10:33 p.m.: Chief on scene, "nothing showing." Assignment held to Engine 24.

UPDATE 10:37 p.m.: A chief reports, "We have a car full of people. The car is not drivable. We'll need a trooper and a tow."

Bontrager's Third Annual Harvest Dinner Dance to benefit Genesee Cancer Assistance will be held on Saturday Sept. 24 at Bontrager's Auction Center, 8975 Wortendyke Road in the Town of Batavia.

Tickets are available the auction center or by calling Bob Stocking at 762.8585 or 409.8439.

Cost is $20 and includes a full dinner and music by the Ghost Riders. Dinner will be from 5 to 7 p.m. and dancing is from 7 to 10 p.m.

If you want to come for the dancing only, you can just show up at the door and pay $10.

A Gibson guitar that has been signed by Alan Jackson, Diamond Rio, Pam Tillis and other famous artists will be raffled off. The drawing will take place Saturday night.

No alcoholic beverages are allowed on the premises.

A three-car accident, believed to be with minor injuries, is reported in the eastbound lanes of the Thruway at mile marker 392. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE 8:52 p.m.: Traffic is backed up. Mercy Flight out of Batavia is heading to the scene. A second Town of Batavia crew is called to set up a landing zone.

UPDATE 9:02 p.m.: All patients are out of the vehicles. A landing zone for Mercy Flight still needs to be established. They need to get traffic shut down first. Oakfield ambulance is also on scene.

UPDATE 9:05 a.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 9:20 a.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne.

UPDATE 9:22 a.m.: Mercy Flight has one patient on board and is going to Erie County Medical Center. Two patients are being transported to Women's and Children's Hospital in Buffalo via Oakfield ambulance.

UPDATE 9:26 a.m.: Troopers are tied up at the accident scene. Some drivers are making illegal U-turns to get out of the traffic snarl, thereby creating a safety hazard. Several motorists have called dispatch complaining about this. The Thruway accident scene is nearest to Lewiston Road.

UPDATE 9:31 a.m.: Town of Batavia fire crews are back in service.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at the intersection of Lewiston Road and Veterans Memorial Drive. One driver is said to have lost consciousness but is now alert.

Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding. A responder at the scene says the vehicles are blocking traffic. Two flatbed tow trucks are called.

UPDATE 3:18 p.m.: A second ambulance is called and there are three patients.

UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: Mercy Flight is called to respond. A second Town of Batavia fire crew is called to set up a landing zone in a field behind BJ's Wholesale Club.

UPDATE 3:36: Mercy Flight has landed in the field. A victim who was trapped inside a vehicle has been extricated.

UPDATE 3:40 p.m.: A 61-year-old woman is being transported to UMMC.

UPDATE 3:43 p.m.: A second patient is being transported by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 3:55 p.m.: The third patient is on board Mercy Flight, which is headed to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 3:58 p.m.: All Town of Batavia fire units are back in service.

A two-car accident, blocking traffic, is reported at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Drive and Lewiston Road. There are minor injuries. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 8:14 p.m.: There are three patients, one of whom has chest pain and the other two are diabetic.

UPDATE 8:16 p.m.: The actual location is Lewiston and Park roads.

UPDATE 8:28 p.m.: So far, two patients are being transported to UMMC in separate ambulances, one for chest pain, the other for low blood sugar. The Town of Batavia fire assignment is back in service.

UPDATE 8:33 p.m.: The last patient is transported to UMMC.

This information in this story comes from WBTA.

The Town of Batavia Board approved a resolution on Wednesday night to buy 19 acres of land on Park Road to build a new shared court facility.

The approval comes four years after the idea was first discussed at a staff meeting, according to Supervisor Greg Post. He told WBTA news that in 2007 town council members proposed a merger of Elba, Oakfield and Batavia town courts to save money on prisoner transports, utilities, District Attorney's Office travel, etc.

The building was planned on unused parcel of land along Park Road in the City of Batavia., which the town agreed to buy. But state law would not permit the land to be used to consolidate municipal courts. So the town contacted newly elected Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer who subsequently announced easement legislation to address the issue.

Once in Albany, everything stalled. In 2010, the bill finally passed. And after still more delays, the town board took action this week to buy the Park Road land.

Next, the Batavia City Council will consider the sale and Post says he expects it will be approved for $150,000. He predicts each of the towns and the county will save tens of millions of dollars over the course of several years by having a consolidated court facility.

By federal law, the Town of Batavia will need to install a sidewalk along Park Road, add direction signs, and make improvements to a pond on the property. But the town plans to do even more, including stocking the pond with fish and putting in nature trails for veterans at the nearby VA Hospital. In addition, the town will rent building space to the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce for a tourist visitors' center.

The additional improvements are estimated to cost another $150,000.

If the city approves the land sale, town engineers hope to begin demolition and landscaping before winter begins.

The engine compartment of an RV is on fire on the eastbound Thruway and Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding. The location is mile marker 388.7 by the Bank Street overpass. State Troopers are on scene.

UPDATE 11:31 a.m.: The RV fire is fully involved. Both water and foam will be used to put it out.

UPDATE 11:40 a.m.: The fire is knocked down.

UPDATE 12:22 p.m.: The Town of Batavia assignment is back in service.

A possible structure fire is reported at 3643 Dodgeson Road in Alexander. The caller reported turning on the furnace and the basement started filling with smoke.

Alexander and Town of Batavia fire departments are responding. The location is between Alexander and Wortendyke roads.

UPDATE 9:43 a.m.: A firefighter on scene reports nothing is showing.

UPDATE 9:45 a.m.: Residents say the house is now full of smoke.

UPDATE 9:49 a.m.: A firefighter says the furnace temperature gauge "reads nothing, so I don't know what we've got."

UPDATE 9:51 a.m.: A firefighter says "we're gonna hit 'em with an exhaust fan, that way we can suck some of this (smoke) out." It is advised that another responding unit come to the scene in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 10:01 a.m.: A fire chief says "if you've got interior (firefighters) send them." A crew is going to check out upstairs.

UPDATE 10:25 a.m.: The situation was deemed a possible furnace malfunction and all units are back in service.

A tree has fallen in the roadway along with some wires on Pratt Road, Town of Batavia. Town of Batavia East Pemproke Fire responding.

UPDATE 3:47 p.m.: The tree is hanging over the roadway about 10 feet off the ground. National Grid is on scene. The location is at the far west end of Pratt Road, between Slusser and Killian roads.

Batavia Sports Park has the OK to continue being a place to play soccer, lacrosse and rugby games, tournaments and much more -- with the full support of the town.

The Town Board board agreed Wednesday to spend about $60,000 on the Batavia Sports Park for an additional two years. The developers of the park plan to update the driveway, parking lot and add three more regulation-size soccer fields for community use.

Board members were glad to continue supporting the effort that they say has only benefited the town -- noting it's a good example of how cooperation between the public and private sectors can be for the good of all.

Supervisor Greg Post said a report a few years ago proved the need for more sports fields, so the Town of Batavia came up with a plan.

“Rather than spend public funds purchasing land and developing a facility, it was the town's thought to enlist those members of the committee that had access to and were willing to partner with us in the creation of the concept of an athletic complex (Batavia Sports Park) on the turf farms on Bank Street,” Post said.

The partnership provided a solution in several ways. The town didn’t have to purchase the property and take it off tax rolls, develop the property and buy turf to turn it into fields, or pay public employees to maintain it.

“We are quite pleased to have collaborated with the private sector and used the turf that’s already growing on the farms for these fields that now promote themselves with soccer tournaments, lacrosse and rugby as well as other community groups being able to use them,” Post said.

The town leaders agreed that funding the improvements and expansion of Batavia Sports Park is well worth the money, based on the savings already seen and the benefit the complex provides to athletes and their families.

Dozens of homeowners along Route 5 could get a public sewer system if the Town of Batavia receives Community Development Block Grant funds.

The second of two public hearings regarding a proposal for the use of the CDBG money was held Wednesday evening. No one from the public attended.

Now the town will apply for $600,000 in CDBG grants to cover about half the cost of a putting in a public sewer line along a portion of Route 5.

Supervisor Greg Post explained that, “We have a concept plan to provide sanitary sewer facilities along Route 5 -- from the end of the existing district (near Duro-Shed, Inc.) -- that would go west to the mobile home park, which is just past Wortendyke (Road).”

He said residents along that stretch of roadway have septic tanks and most of those need repair or replacement. But that would be a serious financial burden for them.

“There are limits to what New York State will allow people to construct on facilities they have owned for generations,” Post said. “These extraordinary restrictions weren’t in effect when those houses were constructed and it leaves homeowners somewhat out of options as far as improving the value of their homes.”

About 75 residents would benefit from CDBG funds being used to install the proposed public sewer system.

“This differs from some other grant funding to improve the economic vitality or commercialization in a development," Post said. "This is essentially scoped around a residential aspect here. Using the funds this way will greatly improve the quality of their lives.”

When and if a public sewer system is installed, residents will have to connect a line to it within a certain period of time, although Post he didn't know offhand what the time frame was.

For the homeowners, there are several factors to consider, including how much they have invested in their current septic system.

As for how much it might cost residents to be part of a sewer district, Post says it's too soon to tell. The town hasn't yet applied for the grant.

"This is the first of many steps," the supervisor said.

A head-on collision with serious injuries is reported at 3265 W. Main St. in the Town of Batavia. A responder on scene says one person is unconscious and another person is semiconscious.

Mercy Flight is unavailable. East Pembroke and Town of Batavia fire departments are responding with all available manpower. Two Mercy ambulances are responding.

East Pembroke personnel are shutting down traffic at Route 5 and Hopkins Road. Town of Batavia's crew is shutting down traffic at Wortendyke Road and Route 5.

Oakfield is called to provide extrication equipment.

UPDATE 7:41 a.m.: Mercy Flight in Batavia became available and is launching momentarily to go to the scene.

UPDATE 7:50 a.m.: Mercy Flight is circling and preparing to land in a field of grass northeast of the crash site. Light winds out of the south, the flight crew is told.

UPDATE 7:54 a.m.: Mercy Flight is on the ground. Both patients have been extricated.

UPDATE 8:05 a.m.: A chief reports that a portion of Route 5 will be shut down for at least an hour. One patient is being taken to a hospital via Mercy Flight and the other is going in an ambulance. Hospitals have not been specified. Two flatbed tow trucks are en route.

UPDATE 8:13 a.m.: Sheriff Gary Maha confirmed that one of the crash victims has died and a coroner has been called.

UPDATE 8:28 a.m.: Mercy Flight is going to Strong Memorial Hospital. The next of kin is being notified regarding the death, then the name of the victim will be released.

UPDATE 9:07 a.m.: Route 5 has been reopened. All fire units back in service.

A motor-vehicle accident with minor injuries is reported on Lewiston Road, just south of Galloway Road.

Oakfield Fire Department is on location and Town of Batavia Fire Department is called to respond. Mercy medics are also called.

Be advised that the Town of Batavia Water Department will be upgrading the water-metering system. Workers will add a radio device onto the outside of existing water customers' homes.

This project is under way and will continue for another month.

If you have questions, please contact the water department at 343-1729, ext. 209.

A two-vehicle accident occurred at 4155 W. Main St. Road in the Town of Batavia.

Three people are complaining of neck injuries. The vehicles are now in the parking lot of Rite Aid.

An engine from the Town of Batavia Fire Department is at the scene and Mercy EMS. A Mercy BLS unit is also called to respond.