COIDA Supports Creation of New Jobs, Retention of Existing Positions

Annual report from County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency shows its programs created 152 new jobs, retained 62 existing positions

L. Michael Treadwell
ooc@oswegocounty.org

During the 2020-2021 fiscal year, which ran from Aug. 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021, the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (COIDA) supported 21 projects that have or will be investing more than $74 million in Oswego County.

These projects are projected to create 152 new jobs and retain 62 existing positions in Oswego County over the next three to five years.

With the acquisition of additional purchase of land — between the CSX rail line and NYS 481 — the Oswego County Industrial Park in the town of Schroeppel doubles its size.
With the acquisition of additional purchase of land — between the CSX rail line and NYS 481 — the Oswego County Industrial Park in the town of Schroeppel doubles its size.

During the fiscal year, COIDA provided or approved assistance through five of its nine financial assistance programs. The two programs which supported the greatest number of projects were the Straight Lease Transaction and the Micro Enterprise Program Economic Development Fund, representing 62% and 24% of the projects respectively.

• The Straight Lease Transaction provides financial assistance to companies via real property tax, sales and use tax and mortgage recording tax exemptions as authorized by NYS General Municipal Law. The program supported 13 projects projected to create 118 and retain 53 jobs in Oswego County. Some examples of projects that were assisted through this program include: Liland Trade and Radiator Service in the town of Volney, Tailwater Lodge in the town of Albion, Tully’s Good Times Family, Inc. in the city of Oswego, SG Ontario Sun PV in the town of Sandy Creek, OYA Pulaski in the town of Richland and DePaul Properties in the city of Oswego.

• The Micro Enterprise Program Economic Development Fund was capitalized from a loan from HUD grant and matching funds from the COIDA. It provides loans to graduates of the micro-enterprise training program sponsored by Operation Oswego County, SUNY Oswego and the COIDA. The program supported five projects projected to create 13 jobs in Oswego County. The projects that are being assisted through this program include: Hannah’s Creations in the town of Granby, The Looking Glass Salon in the town of Schroeppel, Wunderland in the town of Scriba, Granger Landscape in the town of Williamstown and AllSource Fire Supply in the town of Hastings.

Other forms of assistance administered by the COIDA during the 2020-2021 fiscal year included the PILOT Economic Development Fund, which supported three projects, the Housing and Urban Development Economic Development Fund, which supported one project, and the USDA Intermediary Relending Program Economic Development Fund, which supported one project. Business projects assisted were distributed throughout Oswego County, located in 10 towns and the city of Oswego. Projects represented numerous industry sectors, including manufacturing/distribution, services, housing, tourism/recreation, energy and mixed-use. Eight were service businesses, seven projects were energy related, two were manufacturing, two were mixed-use, one was tourism related and one was housing. Seven of the 21 projects were in solar energy, representing 33% of all projects and 45% of total capital investment. Detail on each is provided in the COIDA annual peport which may be found at www.oswegocountyida.org.

The COIDA had recognized a critical need to expand the Oswego County Industrial Park (OCIP) in the town of Schroeppel. Due to the successful build-out of the OCIP, available sites had become limited. The agency completed the acquisition of an additional 185 acres during the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Adjacent to the existing park and situated between the CSX rail line and NYS 481, the acquisition doubled the size of the park.

Members of the County of Oswego IDA board, during the fiscal year, included Gary T. Toth (chairman), Nicholas M. Canale, Jr. (vice chairman), H. Leonard Schick (secretary/treasurer), Thomas Kells, Morris Sorbello, Tim Stahl,and Barry Trimble. L. Michael Treadwell serves as the CEO and Kevin LaMontagne serves as the CFO.

L. Michael Treadwell, CEcD, is executive director of Operation Oswego County based in Oswego. To contact him call 315-343-1545 or visit
www.oswegocounty.org.