SYRACUSE — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse has appointed Stephen Breen as its new chief financial officer (CFO).

“Bishop Cunningham is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Stephen Breen as chief financial officer and treasurer of the Diocese of Syracuse, effective July 23, 2018,” the diocese said in a June 19 statement. 

John Barsanti, who previously served the diocese as CFO and chief operating officer, moved into a part-time role overseeing the implementation of the diocese’s strategic plan and other special projects April 1.

Breen is a certified public accountant (CPA) who had leadership roles with The Cortland Companies from 1998 to 2016, including chief financial officer and global business leader of Cortland’s rope business, the diocese said in its announcement. 

He has previous experience with accounting firms Baasch, Winters & Breen, and Coopers & Lybrand.

Breen, a graduate of C.W. Post College, has served on the Pastoral Council of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for many years and also serves on the board of directors for ESF College Foundation and Clear Path for Veterans.

The ESF College Foundation is a “nonprofit corporation of alumni, college and community leaders committed to helping the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry … achieve its mission through resource development and resource management,” according to its website.

The nonprofit Clear Path for Veterans in Chittenango describes itself on its website as “Upstate New York’s veteran resource center serving as a hub of information, programs and resources.” 

ALBANY — New York State’s 109 industrial development authorities worked on nearly 4,500 projects and granted $1.3 billion in tax exemptions in 2016, according to an annual report from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

The $1.3 billion in exemptions was largely granted through payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreements, which allow businesses or other entities to pay an IDA less than they would in property taxes. According to the report, the net difference between payments made to IDAs and what would have been owed on property taxes was $715 million. That’s an increase of 2.9 percent, or 

$20 million, from 2015.

The report said the net tax exemptions granted in Central New York in 2016 were $39.1 million. In the Mohawk Valley, it was $17.4 million. In the North Country, the figure was $5.2 million, and in the Southern Tier, $38 million.

“IDA projects continue to produce new jobs across the state, but the pace has slowed in several upstate areas,” said DiNapoli in a release accompanying the report.

The report found that job growth in the Mohawk Valley and Southern Tier, as well as the Finger Lakes and Western New York, was slower in 2016 than in 2015. The North Country, the report said, “suffered a decline in job creation for the fourth straight year.”

Across the state, IDA-linked projects were credited with helping create 234,038 jobs and retaining 311,166 jobs. In addition, the comptroller estimated the work involved also created more than 40,000 temporary construction jobs.

The cost for every job created varied around the region and across the state. The net tax exemption — the exempted property tax minus PILOT payments made by a project — for each job created in the Southern Tier was $3,079. In Central New York it was $3,334 and in the Mohawk Valley, $4,456. The Mohawk Valley figure is 30 percent more than the state average of $3,424.

 Because the North Country lost 799 jobs in 2016, despite net tax exemptions of $5.2 million, there is no cost-per-job figure.

The report also noted that while Downstate IDAs granted $794 million in total tax exemptions and Upstate IDAs just $527 million, “Downstate IDAs had significantly lower net tax exemptions on a per capita basis — $29 — compared to Upstate — $52.”

“Although IDAs do not impose taxes, their activities can nonetheless affect taxpayers in their communities,” the report’s executive summary said. “In particular, property tax exemptions can temporarily reduce a local government or school district’s property tax base, which may then increase other residents’ property tax bills. It is therefore important for New Yorkers to be aware of and understand the financial activities associated with IDAs and their projects.” 

MANLIUS — Jim Dunaway is retiring as head of school at Manlius Pebble Hill School (MPH) at the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

“By next spring, at my fifth MPH graduation, I will be 70, and it is time to turn over the reins to a younger leader who can guide this great school into its bright future,” he wrote in a letter to the school’s board.

John Mezzalingua, president of the board, responded with a note expressing his admiration for Dunaway, noting that the school’s financial situation and enrollment has stabilized during his tenure.

“An already strong academic program is even stronger at all levels. In addition, the school successfully underwent the periodic two-year process of reaccreditation by the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) and remains the only NYSAIS-accredited school in Central New York,” Mezzalingua wrote.

He said the MPH board would oversee the search for a successor to Dunaway, “and there will be multiple opportunities for community involvement in the process; input from faculty, staff, parents, students, and alumni will be essential.”

SYRACUSE — The former North Area Athletic Club building located at 507-509 Pond St. in the city of Syracuse was recently sold. 

Masjid Bilal of Syracuse purchased the 21,330-square-foot, 3-story building for $300,000, according to a news release from Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company.

Don O’Leary and John Sposato of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage, exclusively represented the marketing of the property and facilitated the sale on behalf of the seller, North Area Athletic Club. Onondaga 

County online property records list Raymond Rinaldi of North Area Athletic Club as the property owner. The 0.4 acre property was assessed at nearly $140,000 for 2018.

DeWITT — The 8,000-square-foot office building located at 6707 Brooklawn Parkway in the town of DeWitt was recently sold. 

Bowers Development LLC purchased the 1.5 acre property for $335,500 from Brooklawn Real Estate LLC. Donald O’Leary of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company exclusively marketed the property and represented the seller in this transaction, according to a news release from the real-estate firm. David Carnie represented the buyer.

The property is assessed at $400,000, according to Onondaga County online property records. It was last sold for $315,000 in June 1998.

ALBANY — New York State’s utility regulators are threatening to undo the cable merger that created Spectrum, saying the company has failed to keep its promises to expand internet access.

The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) ordered Spectrum to pay two $1 million fines and ordered that the company unequivocally accept the terms the state set in 2016 for the merger of Time Warner Cable and Charter “or face the risk of having the merger revoked,” the PSC said in a June 14 release.

In 2016, the PSC approved the acquisition of Time Warner Cable by Charter, and required the combined company to add internet availability for 145,000 previously unserved or underserved homes or offices within four years.

The PSC said in the release that Spectrum has fallen short of required milestones toward the goal of 145,000. State staffers investigated a list of addresses Spectrum claimed to have made reachable by internet and rejected 18,363 addresses — including more than 4,000 Upstate — saying they were either along existing internet access or were supposed to be reached by Spectrum under other orders.

The PSC had previously rejected thousands of addresses Spectrum claimed to have brought internet access to.

In addition to fining Spectrum $2 million, the PSC called out the company on its claim that it was not bound by the 2016 rules. “Given the company’s continued intransigence, the commission today ordered that the company unconditionally accept all of the conditions and requirements spelled out in its 2016 order or face subsequent commission action,” the PSC said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a statement supporting the PSC. “If Charter had not agreed to the build out, the franchise would not have been approved, and the company would not have profited from the large New York State market.”

Cuomo went so far as to blast Spectrum News for its coverage of the matter. “Spectrum news coverage has not only conveniently failed to fairly cover the company’s violations, but they also make false claims as to their performance for New Yorkers. Their broadband build out is not on time. Nor is it a voluntary effort to benefit our citizens, as the company might have people believe. Instead, it was an express condition of their franchise approval, which is very lucrative.”

In its own statement, Spectrum said it has expanded its network infrastructure, “to bring broadband to tens of thousands of residences and businesses in New York State; we exceeded our last commitment and we continue to meet our merger obligations.”