New report shows creation of 344 new jobs, retention of 193 existing positions in Oswego County
L. Michael Treadwell
ooc@oswegocounty.org
‘COIDA’s programs have helped a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, services, housing, tourism/recreation, warehousing, agribusiness, mining, healthcare, energy and mixed-use.’
The County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (COIDA) on Dec. 3 presented its annual report to the Oswego County Legislature’s Economic Development and Planning Committee. The report provides an account of COIDA’s economic development activities during the 2018-2019 fiscal year, which ran from Aug. 1, 2018, to July 31, 2019.
During this productive period, COIDA supported 29 projects that have or will be investing more than $116 million in Oswego County. These projects are projected to create 344 new jobs and retain 193 existing positions in Oswego County over the next three to five years.
During the 2018-2019 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 59% and 21% 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 17 projects projected to create 291 and retain 173 jobs in Oswego County.
Some examples of projects that were assisted through this program include: R.M. Burritt Motors in the city of Oswego, Geo Hotel Co. Water Park in the city of Oswego, iFreeze in the city of Fulton, Harbor View Square in the city of Oswego, the Litatro Building in the city of Oswego, The Maples Assisted Living Facility in the city of Fulton, and Bishops Commons in the city of Oswego. These were eight projects that are projects in the Oswego DRI and planned for the Fulton DRI.
The Micro Enterprise Program Economic Development Fund provides loans to graduates of the Micro-Enterprise Training Program, a 24-hour small business training course coordinated by the SUNY Oswego Business Resource Center and the SBA Small Business Development Center, and supported by the City of Fulton Community Development Agency, the City of Oswego Community Development Office, and Operation Oswego County to provide guidance and assistance to people interested in starting or expanding a small business.
The program supported six projects projected to create 22 and retain two jobs in Oswego County. The projects that are being assisted through this program include: Great Bear Childcare in the town of Schroeppel, Maple Hollow Farm in the town of Hannibal, Woody’s on 37 in the town of Hastings, MLK Enterprises in the town of Richland, Clean Cut Lawns & Snow Plowing in the town of Oswego, and J&E Reid Enterprises in the city of Fulton.
Other forms of assistance administered by the COIDA during the 2018-2019 fiscal year included the USDA Intermediary Relending Program Economic Development Fund, which supported five projects, the PILOT Economic Development Fund, which supported two projects, and the Housing and Urban Development Economic Development Fund, which supported two projects.
Business projects assisted were distributed throughout Oswego County, located in nine towns and both cities. Projects represented numerous industry sectors, including manufacturing, services, housing, tourism/recreation, warehousing, agribusiness, mining, healthcare, energy and mixed-use. Three projects were renewable energy, solar projects, three were manufacturing, four were agribusiness, three were tourism-related, and four were mixed-use and seven were service businesses. Detail on each is provided in the COIDA annual report which may be found at www.oswegocountyida.org.
Members of the COIDA board during the fiscal year that ended in July were 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 served as the chief executive officer and Kevin LaMontagne serves as the chief financial officer
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.