{"id":69073,"date":"2025-10-14T14:41:26","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T18:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=69073"},"modified":"2025-10-14T14:41:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T18:41:26","slug":"genesee-county-stafford-pavilion-on-track-to-forge-court-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/10\/14\/genesee-county-stafford-pavilion-on-track-to-forge-court-agreement\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Stafford, Pavilion on track to forge court agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pavilion Town Supervisor James Thater speaking at Stafford Town Board meeting on Monday night. Photo by Mike Pettinella\/For Video News Service<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BY MIKE PETTINELLA
For Video News Service<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a bit of cleaning up of the contract language, the Stafford Town Board is indicating its willingness to allow the Town of Pavilion to use its town court building on Route 237 on a regular basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pavilion Town Supervisor James Thater, appearing at Monday night\u2019s monthly meeting in Stafford, explained that Pavilion\u2019s agreement with the Town of Le Roy to use its facilities has ended, leaving his community without adequate court space and thousands of dollars \u201cin the red.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thater said that Pavilion officials signed a 10-year lease agreement with the Town of Le Roy in August 2021 but things began to go awry when Le Roy leaders asked for a significant price increase in the spring of 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said Le Roy was looking to employ two full-time court clerks and wanted Pavilion to pay for half of one of those positions. He said that was something his town was unable to afford, adding that the situation has cost Pavilion in the neighborhood of $40,000 to $50,000 since Le Roy raised the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thater also mentioned Pavilion\u2019s inadequate and dated court space, stating that the town\u2019s judges, Phil Werner and Lawrence Dagan, \u201cdon\u2019t like being there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stafford Town Justice Robert Mattice, also at the meeting, said he has spoken with Thater about the possibility of a merger, and said, \u201cI can\u2019t see a downside to it.\u201d It was pointed out that Tuesday \u2013 the day of Pavilion\u2019s two court sessions \u2013 doesn\u2019t conflict with Stafford\u2019s scheduled use of the facility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ronald Panek, Stafford\u2019s deputy supervisor, referring to wording in the tentative agreement, inquired about Pavilion\u2019s staffing and how payment would be made. Thater said Pavilion would be looking to utilize Stafford\u2019s part-time clerk for around 10 hours per week \u2013 with hours recorded on a separate time sheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stafford Town Attorney David DiMatteo said he preferred the contract state the price at $250 per night instead of $250 per court appearance, noting that Pavilion normally would use the building for two nights, possibly three depending upon caseload. He also said any increase in cost, currently stated as 2 percent after five years, should be on an annual basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Town Board member Terry Young said he wanted the board to proceed with the agreement, provided the language was less ambiguous, with the board to revisit the pact in July 2026. The board agreed and asked DiMatteo to make the necessary changes to the document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the meeting, Thater said he was encouraged with how things went, stating, \u201cI think we\u2019re on the cusp of making it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOLAR SPECIAL USE PERMITS GRANTED<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Town Board unanimously approved special use permits for two solar farms \u2013 NY CDG Genesee 5 and NY CDG Genesee 6 at 8244 Batavia Stafford Townline Road. This action moves the project to the Town Planning Board before building permits can be issued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Catalyze solar project, on land owned by Robert and Michelle Wood, has been on the table for several years. It proposes to build two 5-megawatt, ground-mounted solar systems on the Wood\u2019s farmland. One will cover 31.08 acres and the other will cover 28.32 acres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stafford Town zoning does allow for solar arrays in industrial zones by special use permit, subject to specific conditions. DiMatteo said all of those conditions have been met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contacted on Tuesday, Mark Masse, president\/chief executive officer of the Genesee County Economic Development Center, said his agency has not received an application for tax incentives from Catalyze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TENTATIVE 2026 TAX RATE SET AT $2.02<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panek reviewed the town\u2019s tentative budget for 2026 which calls for a tax rate of $2.02 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This is an increase from $1.83 in 2025, but still represents one of the lowest rates in the county, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town will seek to collect $413,776 in property taxes to meet a $2 million budget (general and highway) — $2.7 million including the various water districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The board set a public hearing on the 2 percent tax cap for 7 p.m. Nov. 10 and a public hearing on the budget for 7:15 p.m. Nov. 10. Clerk Barbara Radley said the final budget must be approved by Nov. 20.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pavilion Town Supervisor James Thater speaking at Stafford Town Board meeting on Monday night. Photo by Mike Pettinella\/For Video News Service BY MIKE PETTINELLAFor Video News Service With a bit of cleaning up of the contract language, the Stafford Town Board is indicating its willingness to allow the Town of \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":69074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[10],"tags":[5421,5420,2702],"class_list":["post-69073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stafford","tag-town-court","tag-town-of-pavilion","tag-town-of-stafford"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-hY5","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":69079,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/10\/14\/genesee-county-stafford-town-board-meeting-october-13-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":69073,"position":0},"title":"GENESEE 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