Broome County IDA launches tech park survey

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BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The Broome County Industrial Development Agency (BCIDA) has launched an online community survey on the proposed Broome Technology Park in the towns

Anthony House holds fundraiser for new hospice-care facility in Hannibal

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Health Care, Subscriber Only

OSWEGO — Anthony House by Wellhouse Ministries in Oswego has plans for a new hospice-care facility in Hannibal. The organization on Nov. 9 hosted a fundraising and launch event — Journey of Hope: The Road to Anthony House — at the Lake Ontario Event & Conference Center in Oswego, per its announcement. The event included

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State comptroller audit finds Albion supervisor didn’t keep complete, accurate accounting records

Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

ALBION — A recent audit of the Town of Albion, in Oswego County, by the Office of New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli found that the town supervisor did not follow basic accounting practices by maintaining complete and accurate accounting records and financial reports. As a result, the supervisor provided financial records and reports

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As a result, the supervisor provided financial records and reports to the board that contained “significant errors, and the board lacked reliable information to manage the town’s financial operations,” according to a Nov. 8 summary of the comptroller’s audit report. The audit period was Jan.1, 2023 to June 14, 2024.

State auditors determined that the Albion supervisor did not maintain a general ledger, subsidiary revenue and expenditure ledgers, or cash receipts and disbursements journals to properly track financial activity.

The supervisor’s 2023 revenue and expenditure budget-to-actual reports were not accurate. For example, the reports failed to include $551,134 of real property tax revenue and a $109,000 expenditure for a storage building, per DiNapoli’s report. In addition, budgetary transfers totaling $27,125 were improperly reported as actual expenditures.

The supervisor also did not account for payroll-related liabilities, maintain proper cash-control accounts, and reconcile the town’s bank accounts, the comptroller’s office stipulates. Lastly, the board did not conduct a thorough annual audit of the supervisor’s 2023 accounting records, as required by state law.

The audit report includes 10 recommendations that, if implemented, will improve the Albion supervisor’s records and reports and the board’s oversight of financial operations. Those recommendations included having the supervisor attend accounting training, through the state comptroller’s office. “Town officials generally agreed with our recommendations and indicated they planned to initiate corrective action,” DiNapoli’s audit report stated.

Michael Faulkner, supervisor of the Town of Albion, wrote the following in response to the comptroller’s audit findings. “It has been and continues to be my goal to be very open and transparent with all the town’s finances. Thanks to the on-site auditor’s help, I have already implemented many of the recommendations from the audit and have a timely plan to institute the rest,” he said. “I am somewhat disappointed by the fact that it is NOT mentioned more strongly that there is no indication of misappropriation or wrongdoing.”

The town of Albion is located in the northern half of Oswego County and is governed by an elected board composed of the supervisor and four board members. The board is responsible for the general oversight of the town’s operations and finances. The supervisor, as chief fiscal officer, is responsible for receiving, disbursing, and retaining custody of town money, maintaining accounting records, and providing financial reports to the board.

Onondaga County hotel business indicators post modest improvement in October

Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Onondaga County hotels generated improvement in three key benchmarks of business performance in October. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in Central New York’s largest county rose 1.8 percent to 67.0 percent in the 10th month of the year, compared to October 2023, according to STR, a Tennessee–based

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Broome County hotels register decline in guests in October

Southern Tier, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

BINGHAMTON — Broome County hotels saw a drop in occupancy in October, as two other key indicators of business performance were mixed in the month. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county slipped 3.5 percent to 62.9 percent in the 10th month of 2024, compared to October 2023,

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State promotes registered apprenticeships as debt-free higher education

Education & Training, Subscriber Only

ALBANY — New York State is promoting registered apprenticeships as a form of higher education “that is often debt free.” It’s part of a new public-awareness campaign that involves Roberta Reardon, commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), and New York State Education (NYSED) Commissioner Betty Rosa promoting that idea. “I thank

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ALBANY — New York State is promoting registered apprenticeships as a form of higher education “that is often debt free.”

It’s part of a new public-awareness campaign that involves Roberta Reardon, commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), and New York State Education (NYSED) Commissioner Betty Rosa promoting that idea.

“I thank Governor Hochul for continuing to support registered apprenticeships, and for recognizing how essential quality training is to her plans for economic prosperity,” Reardon said in the state’s Nov. 7 announcement. “It is my hope that through this latest public-awareness campaign, educational partners will encourage young New Yorkers to consider registered apprenticeships as a viable pathway to successful careers.”

The public-awareness campaign was announced along with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proclamation of November as Apprenticeship Month in New York.

Registered apprenticeships provide New Yorkers access to quality careers through on-the-job learning and supplemental classroom instruction. Apprentices are able to bring home a paycheck to support themselves and their families, without the burden of student loan debt, Hochul’s office said.

The NYSDOL oversees registered-apprenticeship programs, in partnership with the NYSED, which approves the related instruction portion of the program. Registered apprenticeship features standardized training “aligned to real-time industry need,” regulated by rules at both the state and federal level and includes a nationally recognized and portable credential upon completion.

New York State has more than 17,000 active apprentices participating in over 900 programs across the state. NYSDOL continues to expand programming into new sectors and urges businesses of all sizes to consider using this model to meet their evolving workforce needs.

“As the State Education Department works to transform graduation requirements to better meet the needs of students and prepare them for tomorrow’s workforce, expanding apprenticeship opportunities is more crucial than ever before,” NYSED Commissioner Rosa said. “Not only do apprenticeships offer one of the most direct pathways for students to enter into a career that will pay a living wage, but they can often be completed without the financial hardships that may come from student loans. I thank NYSDOL for their continued partnership to bridge the gap between our state’s workforce and the untapped potential of our students.”

In addition to the public-awareness campaign, the Nov. 7 announcement also provided details about the New York State Apprenticeship Summit, which was held Nov. 14 in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.

It brought together workforce-development experts, advocates, and stakeholders to Albany. They collaborated on ways to expand diversity, address barriers, and attract program sponsors to this form of higher education, per Hochul’s announcement.

Regional firms honored during Economic Champions Celebration

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SYRACUSE — They created jobs, hired new employees, expanded operations, and made investments in their companies. CenterState CEO on Tuesday, Nov. 19 recognized the efforts of more than 300 regional businesses during its annual Economic Champions Celebration at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Cener at Oncenter in Syracuse. The event also included a special recognition

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SYRACUSE — They created jobs, hired new employees, expanded operations, and made investments in their companies.

CenterState CEO on Tuesday, Nov. 19 recognized the efforts of more than 300 regional businesses during its annual Economic Champions Celebration at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Cener at Oncenter in Syracuse.

The event also included a special recognition for the Oswego operations of Novelis.

The Economic Champions Celebration recognized 306 companies and organizations for “driving the region’s economy forward” through job creation, business expansions, investments in operations, new business openings, and commitments to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion).

Together, recipients were recognized for their aggregate creation of more than 4,725 jobs, over 890,000 square feet of expansions, and nearly $1 billion in capital investments, CenterState CEO said in its announcement.

“In a sign of positive economic momentum,” 118 businesses opened new storefronts, offices and facilities, 51 celebrated a milestone anniversary, 159 were received significant awards and achievements and 43 participated in efforts that advance DEI in their workplaces and community.

Companies are nominated as Economic Champions by CenterState CEO and the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce; the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance; the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc.; peers, employees and staff; as well as self-nominations.

“The annual Economic Champions Celebration is a reminder of the power of gratitude and of the importance of celebrating our individual and collective accomplishments,” Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, said. “This event is our opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the hard work of our business community. Thank you to those who choose to invest their hard-earned capital in buildings, in facilities, in their employees and in making our community a better place to live and work. My hope is that all those we celebrate through this event know they are appreciated for the role they play in the region’s growth and in Central New York’s continued transformation.”

Community Visionary Award

CenterState CEO also presented its Community Visionary Award, sponsored by Wegmans Food Markets, to Novelis, which has a plant in Oswego. The award is presented to an organization that “embodies a vision of economic opportunity and is creating a significant impact on community prosperity,” CenterState CEO said.

On its website, Novelis describes itself as a “leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider and a world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling.” Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, which specializes in aluminum, copper and metals; and a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group based in Mumbai, India, the website says.

“Novelis is a proven community leader and partner — not just in Oswego — but within the greater Central New York region,” Evelyn Ingram, Wegmans director of community engagement, said in the CenterState CEO announcement. “Novelis has built meaningful partnerships with local organizations and nonprofits, and has shown an incredible commitment to sustainability, supporting STEM education, and preparing the next generation for career opportunities in advanced manufacturing through its support of the Oswego County P-Tech program. Novelis is deeply committed to the Central New York community where its employees and customers live and work. The company and their team of nearly 1,200 employees at the Oswego plant are deserving of this year’s Community Visionary Award, and Wegmans is proud to support its recognition.”

The Novelis Oswego plant produces more than 1 billion pounds of aluminum sheet each year and represents Novelis’ first U.S. operation, CenterState CEO said. The plant stands as the company’s largest, wholly owned fabrication facility in North America.

Novelis makes “significant” philanthropic investments to local nonprofits and community organizations, and its employees contribute thousands of volunteer hours each year to their community, CenterState CEO said. Its community partnerships include initiatives focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education, health care, children’s advocacy and education, among others. This includes support for such organizations as the Oswego County P-TECH program, Oswego County Opportunities, the Oswego Health Foundation, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (The MOST) in Syracuse, Children’s Museum of Oswego, Food Bank of Central New York, and many others.

Final phase of railway work between Cortland and Syracuse gets nearly $4M funding boost

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Manufacturing & Engineering, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

CORTLAND — The federal government is providing a nearly $4 million grant for the final phase of the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway’s (NYSW) rail-line modernization project between Cortland and Syracuse. The more than $3.9 million in funding comes from the federal Infrastructure & Jobs Law to complete a “major modernization project” for the

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The more than $3.9 million in funding comes from the federal Infrastructure & Jobs Law to complete a “major modernization project” for the railway, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) announced on Nov. 11.

The modernization project will help NYSW preserve its current local workforce, add new construction jobs during the build, and attract customers to drive new business, Schumer added.

The senator discussed the funding at the old Susquehanna train station in Cortland.

It will help replace miles of near century-old rail to increase safety, reliability, capacity, and sustainability — “all of which are critical for major economic development in Central New York,” the lawmaker’s office said.

The money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. The award brings the total federal investment in NYSW’s project to nearly $10.4 million, including almost $3.5 million in FY’22 CRISI funding and over $2.9 million in FY’21 CRISI funding.

“The feds just greenlit the third and final phase of a major rail modernization project for the NYSW railway’s corridor between Cortland and Syracuse,” Schumer said in the announcement. “Many of the rail tracks are old — dating back to the early 1900s — and in need of major repair, which is why I’m proud to deliver almost $4 million from my Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to increase the railway’s safety and capacity, to help ensure major manufacturing projects like Micron’s historic $100+ billion investment and many more can have access to the modern freight rail infrastructure they need.”

The Senate majority leader said the money will help NYSW complete the third and final phase of its rail-line modernization project between Cortland and Syracuse. Phase three of the project will upgrade more than eight miles of worn, jointed rail to new continuous welded rail, lay over 3,000 tons of ballast and surfacing, and install more than 3,000 new ties on the NYSW Cortland to Syracuse main line.

More specifically, NYSW will upgrade nearly six miles of rail in the Cortland County towns of Homer and Preble, as well as 2.5 miles of rail in the Onondaga County towns of Lafayette and DeWitt.

The upgrades will enhance the corridor’s safety, capacity, operational efficiency, service life, reliability, and track speeds while strengthening regional transportation sustainability by shifting truck traffic to rail, reducing highway miles traveled, congestion, and emissions, Schumer’s office said.

In 2023, 10,749 loaded railcars traveled the entire 8.35 miles of the project, and Schumer’s office cites NYSW an indicating that is the equivalent of nearly 37,000 tractor-trailers trips being kept off the highways.

“With the steadfast support of Senator Schumer and the local governments in Onondaga and Cortland counties, we’re making transformative investments in Central New York’s rail infrastructure,” James Bonner, president of NYS&W, said in the Schumer announcement. “This project upgrades local rail infrastructure to enhance reliability and reduce highway congestion while preserving the region’s access to the national freight network. Together, we’re building a resilient, efficient future for our communities.”

“The Cortland Area Chamber of Commerce, speaking on behalf of our business community, is very appreciative of Senator Schumer’s efforts to secure funding to complete the final phase of the New York Susquehanna and Western Railroad’s main line modernization between Cortland and Syracuse,” Bob Haight, president and CEO of the Cortland Area Chamber of Commerce, said in the Schumer announcement. “This modernization will more closely tie us to Onondaga County and its rapidly growing tech industry, including companies like Micron. It will also benefit the local employers who currently make use of the railroad, help attract new business and investment to our community and preserve jobs while setting the stage for growth here in Cortland.”

Schumer also noted that NYSW’s modernization will stimulate economic development in Cortland County by increasing connectivity to Onondaga County and the Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) project in Clay, as well as interchanges with two Class I railways that provide access to other major CHIPS funded development projects across New York State’s semiconductor superhighway. They include Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF) in the Mohawk Valley, GlobalFoundries in Malta in the Capital Region, and Edwards Vaccum in Western New York.

The Women’s Fund awards $5K grants to five businesses

Small Business, Mohawk Valley, Nonprofits, Subscriber Only

Initiative helps firms in Herkimer and Oneida counties ROME — The Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties has awarded grants of $5,000 each to five women-owned businesses from Herkimer and Oneida counties to take the next big step in supporting the community. Hosted by the Women’s Fund, and sponsored by Baird Private Wealth Management,

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Initiative helps firms in Herkimer and Oneida counties

ROME — The Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties has awarded grants of $5,000 each to five women-owned businesses from Herkimer and Oneida counties to take the next big step in supporting the community.

Hosted by the Women’s Fund, and sponsored by Baird Private Wealth Management, UpMobility Foundation, and the Griffiss Institute, the grants were presented at the 3rd annual Women Investing in Women awards ceremony and luncheon on Nov. 13 at the Innovare Advancement Center in Rome. The event celebrated the vision, passion, and resilience of women-owned businesses in the two-county area.

“This initiative to support women entrepreneurs in our area began in 2022,” Ellen Rainey, The Women’s Fund board member and chair of the Women Investing in Women committee, said in a news release. “Each year we have seen an outpouring of nominations, and this year was no exception. We had more than 60 women business owners apply. The applications represented a variety of businesses making the judging process exciting and challenging.”

The five grant recipients were the following women-owned businesses.

Live Well Fitness Health and Wellness Center in Little Falls and St. Johnsville, owned by Kelly Daukontas. The business, which started in 2018, provides personal training, group fitness, and nutritional coaching and collaborates with other women-owned businesses that provide massage therapy and chiropractic services. Live Well will use the grant to fund new rubberized floors and equipment purchases.

Sarah Linder, LCSW, PC in Sherrill specializes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) evaluations for all ages and obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety in children. The practice began in 2015. The business will allocate the grant to purchase additional hardware and software for ADHD testing and expand the practice’s reach.

Spring Creek Lavender in Remsen, owned by Kara Keeley and Jane Willis, is a multi-generational lavender and cut-flower farm that provides you-pick lavender, onsite goat yoga, floral design, and lavender retail products. Founded in 2018, the farm has more than 2,000 lavender plants. The grant is for the continued development of a commercial kitchen and production/storage area.

Valentina’s Alterations and Tailor Shop in Herkimer, founded by Valentina Yudchits in 2003, provides sewing and alteration services. The grant will fund the purchase of two new commercial sewing machines.

The Brownie Company in Utica specializes in brownie treats and homemade ice cream. Owner Samantha Arscott purchases products from local farms and vendors to create the treats. She will use the funding to purchase additional commercial-grade baking equipment.

Award organizers also gave a special “rising star” recognition to 15-year-old Emily Spatto of Remsen, a young entrepreneur and children’s book author.

Applicants had to be 51 percent women-owned, located in Herkimer County or Oneida County, and in business for at least one year.

The Women’s Fund has gifted more than $700,000 to individuals and organizations over the past 27 years.

Lockheed’s Salina plant wins nearly $9M Navy contract modification

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only, Technology

SALINA — The Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) facility in suburban Syracuse has recently been awarded an $8.66 million modification to a previously awarded contract from the U.S. Navy to exercise options for Navy equipment. Work will be performed in Lockheed Martin’s plant in the town of Salina (70 percent), and Oldsmar, Florida (30 percent),

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Initiative helps firms in Herkimer and Oneida counties

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