Batavia mayoral hopefuls talk business with chamber crowd

The Batavia Chamber of Commerce thinks downtown Batavia is underperforming as an economic engine for the city, and that the Randall Road corridor might be overdeveloped relative to consumers' needs.

So it decided to ask the three people running for Batavia mayor what to do about it.

Mayor Jeff Schielke and challengers Britta McKenna and Alderman Alan Wolff spoke to about 100 people at the chamber's "Eggs and Issues" breakfast Tuesday morning at the Lincoln Inn and Banquets. Each was given six minutes to address the chamber's recently unveiled economic agenda for the city, then answered questions submitted by the audience.

"This really is a very important morning," said Roger Breisch, the chamber's executive director, noting it is the first time there's been a contested race for the post in years.

"I am what I am," Schielke said, saying those in the room know what he can and cannot do as mayor based on his 28-year record.

McKenna, who bills herself as a consensus builder, said one of the reasons she decided to run "is so we can have this conversation" about bettering Batavia.

Wolff talked about expanding the east side industrial parks, and his belief that any new buildings in downtown Batavia should be multiuse, combining office, retail space and housing.

Batavia has a policy of only allowing sales-tax generating businesses along Randall. Wolf and McKenna think that has to change, with other uses such as medical offices or university satellites being allowed, as they would draw regional traffic.

But Schielke disagreed.

"I remain a proponent to do everything to keep retail coming in. ... I'm not convinced of the need to transition" to multiple uses, he said.

The chamber's suggested agenda calls for a plan that includes building partnerships with the business community; a redevelopment plan for the downtown that addresses traffic flow, parking, pedestrian traffic, siting a second bridge, and the conflicts between historical preservation and development; creating a revised long-term vision for Randall with mixed-use zoning; and redeveloping entry corridors along Route 25 and on West Main Street from Van Nortwick Avenue east.