Morning News Briefing

City Council has begun discussion once again about construction of a new City Police Station.
The City’s intention to construct a new police station was put back on the table as Batavia City Manager Martin Moore recommended to City Council to allocate $175,000 into the Facility Reserve fund at the council’s business meeting last night.
Council President Eugene Jankowski provided an update on the progress towards the construction of a new facility…

Jankowski added that it will likely be another two years before the City has paid their debts and the approximate 18 month construction process can begin.

While Jankowski remained tight-lipped about revealing the sites possible location a reliable source indicated that the property is the city-owned parking lot bordering Alva Place and Bank Street, the current site of the Farmer’s Market.

City Manager Moore also presented his proposal to Council on where to distribute $1.3 million in unassigned fund balance, targeting eight different general reserve funds including equipment for Police & Fire, along with funds for Public Works, Administrative and Facility costs.

Part Time City Court Judge Durin Rogers secures another endorsement.
Rodgers has added the New York State Police Investigators Association to his list of endorsements.
Rogers who is a part-time city court judge and is seeking the full-time judge position this November referred to the recommendation as a “crucial” endorsement.
The investigators association represents about 2-thousand active and retired State Police investigators across the state.

Assault in Alabama lands a Batavia man behind bars.
48 year old Kevin Weber was arrested by Troopers based out of Batavia following investigation into a domestic dispute at a Town of Alabama address.
Weber was arrested Sunday night for allegedly assaulting an individual and choking them last Thursday.
He is facing a felony count of Assault, a count of Menacing along with Criminal Obstruction of Breathing.
Weber was ordered to be held without bail.

Senator Ortt organizes to oppose Gun Raffle Bill.
State Senator Rob Ortt has joined sportsmen and non-profits to oppose Democrat efforts to eliminate charitable organizations’ gun raffles.
Ortt is collecting signatures of those opposed to the ban to then present them to the Senate and Assembly sponsors of the bill.
Ortt said the sponsors of this bill don’t understand that no one walks into a raffle and leaves with a gun and that Western New York charities rely on these types of raffles to support critical operations from Boy Scouts to sportsmen clubs.