Port City’s new mayor looks to build on predecessor’s foundation
By Stefan Yablonski
The Port City has a new mayor with the same old goal — keep on improving.
“I was born in Oswego and grew up on the corner of West Utica and Dublin streets,” Oswego’s new mayor, Robert Corradino, said.
Corradino graduated from SUNY Oswego with a business degree. He married Eva McCarthy, also a native Oswegonian.
The couple has two children —Lauren, who lives in Denver, Colorado, and Joe, who resides in Oswego. They have no grandchildren.
His sister, Ida Fox, and her husband, Tom Fox, live in Oswego. His brother, Joe, lives in Henderson, Nevada, with his wife, Vicki.
“I’m retired now, but worked in the printing industry as a factory rep selling printing,” Corradino said. “I also own several residential and commercial rental properties.”
Growing up he said he wanted to be in business.
“Both my father and grandfather owned and operated a grocery store. So, it was in my DNA to be in some kind of business,” he explained.
In March of 2015, he received a call from a friend who asked him if he wanted to run for the city of Oswego Common Council 7th Ward seat.
“I had a meeting with him and asked a lot of questions. When he couldn’t answer all my questions, I asked to meet with a current councilor for the answers,” he said. “He introduced me to Billy Barlow, the 5th Ward councilor at the time, who answered all my questions.”
(Barlow’s term as mayor ends on Dec. 31. Corradino was elected mayor; he takes office Jan. 1, 2024).
“One of the best principles I learned from my parents is to treat everyone like I would like to be treated. This philosophy is what I have used in politics, business and in life,” he said.
“When I was approached to run for the council, I saw this as a perfect opportunity to give back to a community that has treated my family — going back about a 100 years — very well. My grandfather, Dominic Corradino, started a small grocery store in the early 1900s that provided for his family and helped feed the neighborhood,” he continued. “My father continued that mission when he took over the business. My mom, Emma Corradino, was one of the longest serving volunteers at the Oswego Hospital, which also inspired me.”
The best part of being a councilor is helping people who contact him for an issue or problem in the city that is important to them, he said. “The toughest part is the time it takes away from my wife and family,” he added.
“I golf for ‘fun.’ But sometimes it isn’t,” he quipped. “I enjoy watching professional baseball and football games. Italian food and a good steak are my favorite foods.”
Looking ahead
The future looks very bright and the possibilities are endless, Corradino said of the Port City’s future.
“Because of all the work that has been accomplished over the last eight years by Mayor Barlow and the common council to improve our community, we offer a great little city to visit and live. We have invested and updated many current parks as well as created new ones like Lakeside. We have paved more than $8 million worth of streets and upgraded our water and sewer infrastructure to prevent discharges into our lake and river during heavy rain storms. New apartment buildings are providing modern and safe places to live for our residents,” he said. “With the announcement of the Micron plant being built about 35 minutes from our downtown, Oswego is in a great position to capture new residents who are looking for the amenities that our city has to offer. New businesses will take a look at our city and will consider moving here because of the positive direction the city is going in. The next five to 10 years do indeed look good for Oswego!”
“There is no doubt that mayor Barlow will be a tough act to follow. But because of all his hard work improving the foundation for our community, the next mayor should be able to use that to continue the progress we have had during the last few years,” he said. “The $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative that the city won in 2016 certainly was helpful to the renaissance that we are in now — but other grant opportunities are out there and we should always look for those so we may continue to improve.”
Lifelines
Name: Robert A. Corradino
Position: Mayor of Oswego
Birth Date: Nov. 6, 1955
Birth Place: Oswego
Residence: Oswego
Education: Oswego elementary and high schools. Graduated from SUNY Oswego with a BS degree in business
Affiliations: Member of Oswego County Historical Society, H. Lee White Maritime Museum, Safe Haven Museum, Oswego Lakers Blueline Club, Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee, Mary Walker Town of Oswego Celebratory Committee, City of Oswego Republican Committee
Personal/family: Married to Eva McCarthy Corradino with two adult children, Lauren and Joseph. Brother Joseph (Vicki) Corradino of Las Vegas and sister Ida (Tom) Fox of Oswego.
Hobbies: Golf
