Batavia Builds Budget from Ground Up, Focuses on Wastewater and City Centre

City Manager Rachael Tabelski and Water/Wastewater Superintendent Bailey Groth detail budget plans for infrastructure, equipment, and event programming at City Centre Mall

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The City of Batavia is taking a detailed, bottom-up approach to building its annual budget, with a focus on the Wastewater Fund and City Centre Mall. City Manager Rachael Tabelski and Water/Wastewater Superintendent Bailey Groth outlined plans for equipment purchases, infrastructure improvements, and a request for proposals to find a "super creative" event operator for the City Centre Mall concourse.

Why it matters

Batavia's methodical budgeting process aims to address aging infrastructure, environmental concerns, and the ongoing revitalization of the City Centre Mall, a key commercial hub. By investing in wastewater treatment, sewer lining, and finding new ways to activate the mall, the city is working to maintain essential services and drive economic activity.

The details

The Wastewater Fund budget includes $80,000 for lift station and pump repairs, new bay heaters, a remote control mower, and ultrasonic algae control units. The city also plans to continue its "robust lining program" for over 100-year-old sewer pipes, spending at least $200,000 annually to preserve the aging infrastructure. For the Water Fund, the biggest expense is a $2.7 million payment to Genesee County for bulk water, up from $2.65 million last year. The city is also proposing a 3% increase, or 10 cents per 1,000 gallons, for water rates. On the City Centre Mall side, maintenance fees will increase from $215 to $225 per square foot, and the city plans to issue an RFP for a "super creative" event operator to bring new programming to the concourse.

  • The City Council has until April 1, 2026 to adopt the 2026-27 budget.

The players

Rachael Tabelski

The City Manager of Batavia, overseeing the city's budgeting process and plans for the Wastewater Fund and City Centre Mall.

Bailey Groth

The Water/Wastewater Superintendent for the City of Batavia, providing details on infrastructure projects and equipment needs for the Wastewater Fund.

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What they’re saying

“We build our budgets from the ground up. We don't take what occurred last year and just add a percentage to it. We go into every single line and build out what each department might need or want or repair to get our numbers.”

— Rachael Tabelski, City Manager (The Batavian)

“Whoever responds to it will have to be super creative and try to win ourselves and council over that they have the ability to better utilize our concourse for different events, drawing in different things, up to and including weddings and other things.”

— Rachael Tabelski, City Manager (The Batavian)

What’s next

The Batavia City Council has until April 1, 2026 to adopt the 2026-27 budget, which will include the final details and funding allocations for the Wastewater Fund and City Centre Mall initiatives.

The takeaway

Batavia's methodical budgeting process demonstrates a commitment to maintaining critical infrastructure, addressing environmental concerns, and revitalizing key commercial spaces like the City Centre Mall. By investing in wastewater treatment, sewer lining, and finding new ways to activate the mall, the city is working to provide essential services and drive economic activity for the community.