New Batavia bike panel appointed

Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke appointed most of the inaugural members of the city's new Bicycle Commission this week.

He also appointed a new member to the Environmental Commission.

The bike panel was formed, at resident John Gamble's suggestion, this summer. It aims to improve safety for cyclists and respect between cyclists, motorists and pedestrians. It will also help the council implement the 2007 Batavia Bicycle Plan. However, the city is not giving the commission any money to spend.

Bicycle Commissioners are Dawn Tutt, 420 McKee St.; Gary Granberg, 114 S. Lincoln St.; Gamble, 236 N. Jefferson St.; Austin Dempsey, 1007 Towne Ave.; Jeff Smith, 426 McKee St.; and city staff liaison Noel Basquin, the city engineer.

A seventh person will be appointed shortly, Schielke said, but hadn't confirmed acceptance of the position as of Tuesday.

Gamble was one of the people who proposed the commission.

Meanwhile, Jason Ott and Ronn Gregorek were appointed to vacancies on the Environmental Commission. Ott is the webmaster for the Batavia public school district, and ran in April for the Batavia park board before being removed from the ballot because he wasn't registered to vote in Batavia. Gregorek is a geologist.