Herkimer, Boonville, and Richfield win downtown transformation funding from state

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HERKIMER, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul stopped at Herkimer Community College on Monday to announce the villages of Herkimer and Boonville and the town of Richfield as recipients of state funding for downtown revitalization projects. Herkimer will receive $10 million as the Mohawk Valley-region winner in the seventh round of the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative […]

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Herkimer will receive $10 million as the Mohawk Valley-region winner in the seventh round of the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). Boonville and Richfield will get $4.5 million each as this year’s Mohawk Valley-region NY Forward winners.

“This whole region was once a diamond in the rough,” Hochul said of the Mohawk Valley region. After losing a little of its luster amid challenging times, the area is shining once again, she said.

Calling itself “a jewel with multiple facets,” Herkimer worked to improve its odds of DRI funding by completing a strategic master plan, revising zoning code, refining its proposed projects, securing commitments for private-sector investments, and more.

With the $10 million, Herkimer will use up to $300,000 to develop a strategic-investment plan. A local planning committee comprised of municipal representatives, community leaders, and other stakeholders, with support from private-sector experts and state planners, will develop the plan, which will examine local assets and opportunities to identify economic developments, transportation, housing, and community projects that align with the village’s vision for downtown revitalization.

“The DRI stands as a transformational investment that will benefit many generations to come,” Herkimer Mayor Dana Sherry said. “We look forward to additional guidance from the governor’s office and Empire State Development as we ignite the rebirth of the village of Herkimer.”

Boonville seeks to transform its downtown into a destination for tourists and residents,alike. The village has used prior public-sector grants to renovate mixed-use properties, enhance parks, improve water quality, update the village/town comprehensive plan with smart-growth principles, and achieve the Clean Energy Community designation. With the NY Forward award, the village hopes to create an improved, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, expand small business opportunities, and enhance public spaces with cultural activities.

“This generous award from NY Forward will enable us to embark on transformative projects that will positively impact the lives of our citizens and strengthen the fabric of the Boonville community,” Boonville Mayor Judith Dellerba said. “This new partnership between the village of Boonville and Gov. Hochul’s office exemplifies a shared vision for a brighter future, and together we will work tirelessly to maximize the impact of this funding, ensuring it reaches every bit of our village and leaves a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

Richfield will also build on previous investments that set the revitalization process in motion. Projects and goals include enhancing public spaces with streetscape improvements, adaptive re-use of existing buildings, increasing walking and biking options, increasing sustainability and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting small-business growth, and increasing awareness and appreciation of diverse cultural backgrounds.

Both communities will begin developing strategic-investment plans to identify projects.

“For the past decade, the village and town of Richfield Springs have collaborated on several joint initiatives to strengthen our community and bring prosperity to our residents,” Village of Richfield Springs Mayor Richard Spencer said.

“This grant will enable our small community to enact a number of projects that will benefit our community in the areas of housing, economic development, and recreation,”Richfield Town Supervisor Larry Frigault said. “Each of these projects will help improve the quality of life in Richfield.”

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative, created in 2016, helps accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. The state’s 10 regional economic-development councils nominate communities based on the downtown’s potential for transformation. Each community is awarded $10 million to develop a plan and implement key catalytic projects.

NY Forward works alongside DRI but focuses on smaller and rural downtowns with projects appropriate scaled to the size of each community.

Binghamton University accepting applications for University and Community Projects Fund

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VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University is now accepting applications for the 2024 grant cycle of the Stephen David Ross University and Community Projects Fund. Ross, a distinguished research professor emeritus, established the fund to advance working partnerships between the university and the community, the school said in its Monday announcement. Binghamton University awards Ross Fund

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People news: MACNY promotes Frame to No. 2 position

Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

DeWITT, N.Y. — MACNY, The Manufacturers Association of Central New York recently announced that it has promoted Michael Frame to executive vice president (EVP). Reporting directly to the president and CEO of the association, the EVP serves as second-in-command and a key member of MACNY’s executive leadership team, according to an organizational news release. He

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DeWITT, N.Y. — MACNY, The Manufacturers Association of Central New York recently announced that it has promoted Michael Frame to executive vice president (EVP).

Reporting directly to the president and CEO of the association, the EVP serves as second-in-command and a key member of MACNY’s executive leadership team, according to an organizational news release. He is responsible for all policy and strategic decision-making including operations, budget, programmatic offerings, talent development, and partnerships. Frame started in this new role on Jan. 4.

The EVP is a builder: developing, implementing, and leading all MACNY talent–development initiatives, per the release. This includes workforce–development programs, like the NYS Manufacturers Alliance Intermediary Apprenticeship Program, Partners for Education and Business, Inc. (PEB), and Real Life Rosies — New York’s first direct entry pre-apprenticeship program in advanced manufacturing.

The EVP also provides oversight to MACNY’s corporate and member services, including energy, grant writing, training and development, and the Career & Talent Platform. Leading the development of strategic partnerships and initiatives, the EVP engages in regional, statewide, and national collaborations in alignment with MACNY’s organizational strengths and competencies.

Frame first joined MACNY in 2022 as senior VP of workforce development and chief operations officer, the organization said.

Prior to joining MACNY, Frame had extensive experience working for several universities, including SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Florida State University, the State University of New York, and Binghamton University.

Frame has degrees from Syracuse University, Cornell University, and Cayuga Community College. He is a member of several professional and civic organizations and currently serves as vice chair of Mohawk Valley EDGE, vice chair of the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority, and as a board member of the Cayuga Community College Foundation.

CNY regions showed mixed job growth in December N.Y. report

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

The sub-regions of Central New York painted a mixed picture of job growth in December compared to the year-ago month. The Syracuse and Watertown–Fort Drum areas gained jobs between December 2022 and this past December. Meanwhile, the Binghamton and Ithaca regions lost jobs and the Utica–Rome and Elmira areas posted no job growth or losses

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Syracuse-area small businesses can apply for marketing help

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It’s Spectrum Reach’s “Pay It Forward” program SYRACUSE — Interested Syracuse–area small businesses can apply for marketing assistance from Spectrum Reach’s “Pay It Forward” program. Spectrum Reach is the advertising sales business of Charter Communications, Inc. It will offer 250 underserved small-business owners nationwide access to its advertising and marketing resources through

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It’s Spectrum Reach’s “Pay It Forward” program

SYRACUSE — Interested Syracuse–area small businesses can apply for marketing assistance from Spectrum Reach’s “Pay It Forward” program.

Spectrum Reach is the advertising sales business of Charter Communications, Inc.

It will offer 250 underserved small-business owners nationwide access to its advertising and marketing resources through its 2024 “Pay It Forward” initiative, per a Jan. 23 announcement.

Local entrepreneurs selected to participate will receive a live and streaming TV campaign worth up to $15,000 along with a custom produced 30-second commercial, marketing consultation services, mentoring and educational resources, and networking opportunities.

To apply for Spectrum Reach’s 2024 “Pay It Forward” program, underserved businesses must be legally registered to operate within a designated market area that Spectrum Reach serves.

The deadline for applications is Feb. 25, and the company will announce this year’s participants in late March.

To apply visit, https://spectrumreachpayitforward.com/

Since launching “Pay It Forward” in 2021, Spectrum Reach says it has invested more than $50 million in advertising and resources and helped more than 2,000 underserved businesses in 36 states across its footprint, from coffee shops and childcare facilities to restaurants and law firms.

About the program

Under this year’s “Pay It Forward” program, Spectrum Reach will offer each participating business a range of services, including free advertising, mentoring, and resources.

Local businesses selected to participate will receive access to Spectrum Reach’s in-house creative agency Kernel; a 30-second original commercial; and a complimentary linear and streaming TV advertising campaign that will run throughout April, Maym and June.

“Pay It Forward” will also provide businesses with support and advice from other entrepreneurs, business owners, and previous participants in the program. It’s meant to help them “navigate the challenges” of owning a business and identify opportunities for growth.

In addition to the support from Spectrum Reach’s local marketing experts, businesses will receive a free laptop and will have access — for the duration of the program — to a members-only “Pay It Forward” website featuring educational resources, webinars, news and business insights to help them build and grow a successful brand.

Syracuse University, University of Seoul ink partnership pact

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SYRACUSE — Syracuse University and the University of Seoul have developed a relationship that could lead to a university center in South Korea. Other “possible outcomes” of their partnership could be the development of new University of Seoul programs that leverage Syracuse’s study abroad and study away facilities. They could also include the exchange of

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SYRACUSE — Syracuse University and the University of Seoul have developed a relationship that could lead to a university center in South Korea.

Other “possible outcomes” of their partnership could be the development of new University of Seoul programs that leverage Syracuse’s study abroad and study away facilities.

They could also include the exchange of faculty members, joint research activities, including semiconductor research, and participation in joint seminars and workshops.

Leaders from both schools signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will advance and expand academic and cultural collaboration and exchange between the two universities.

A delegation of leaders from the University of Seoul visited Syracuse on Jan. 8 to sign the MOU, Syracuse University said in an online news release.

The ongoing relationship between the two institutions includes an MOU between the University of Seoul and Syracuse University’s School of Architecture that was signed last year.

The Jan. 8 gathering represented the second meeting between Syracuse University representatives and the University of Seoul.

The delegation visiting the Syracuse campus included Yongkul Won, the school president; Jung Hyeun Kim, dean of the College of Engineering; Kang Su Kim, dean of the College of Urban Science; Ji Hee Song, VP of international affairs; Nohjeong Park, chief secretary to the president; and Eunhwa Shin, head of international partnerships, per the news release.

They met with Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud, along with Gretchen Ritter, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer and several other school leaders. The group also toured campus.

“As we seek to deepen Syracuse University’s relationships with partners in Korea, we were pleased to welcome leadership from the University of Seoul to our campus,” Ritter said in the news release. “We are interested in collaborating across many disciplines with our Korean counterparts, and I am very excited to explore these possibilities.”

A group from Syracuse — including Syverud, Ritter and Ruth Chen, professor of practice in the Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science — had visited the University of Seoul last March.

CDC, FDA, drug makers need to deal with shortage of RSV doses, Schumer says

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SYRACUSE — Besides his role as the majority leader of the U.S. Senate, Charles Schumer is also a grandfather to three young children and doesn’t like to think about them getting sick. “… and a parent should never have to hear there isn’t enough medicine to keep their kid healthy and safe. We must do

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SYRACUSE — Besides his role as the majority leader of the U.S. Senate, Charles Schumer is also a grandfather to three young children and doesn’t like to think about them getting sick.

“… and a parent should never have to hear there isn’t enough medicine to keep their kid healthy and safe. We must do more to prevent future shortages, and manufacturers need to bolster work with federal partners to optimize their supply chains to make sure families can access this essential vaccine,” the lawmaker said.

He’s referring to vaccine doses for respiratory syncytial virus infection, or RSV.

Schumer (D–N.Y.) wants the federal government and drug makers to “get all hands-on deck” to ensure doctors across New York and the U.S. have immunization doses for respiratory syncytial virus infection, or RSV.

In a letter to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Schumer said that with new doses being distributed, it is “imperative” that those vaccines get to pediatric clinics on the frontlines “ASAP,” his office said.

He discussed the letter at Upstate Medical University with local doctors who are facing shortages of the RSV doses. Dr. Mantosh Dewan, president of Upstate Medical University, and Dr. Seth Kronenberg, president and CEO of Crouse Health, also joined Schumer for his Jan. 29 announcement.

The majority leader said it is especially important to get these doses to pediatricians because they are the first line of defense in protecting children and most often where parents go first. Secondly, the senator said it is vital the drug manufacturers work with all levels of the federal government to ramp up supply now and fix supply chain issues, so that all those who need the vaccines are able to get them.

As an example, Syracuse Community Health (SCH) told Schumer’s office that it received 30 total doses, despite ordering hundreds of doses of the RSV vaccine over months of procurement efforts.

To date, SCH has received a delivery of just 10 doses of the 100 mg formulation, critical for many of the sickest and highest risk children.

SCH sees between 20 and 30 babies per day who are in need of the RSV immunization, but SCH’s “highly limited” supply prevents providers from immunizing all but a select few children, Dr. Ofrona Reid, interim president and CEO of SCH, told Schumer’s office.

“For over 40 years, Syracuse Community Health’s mission has been to provide high quality healthcare to our patients, particularly to those [who] are uninsured, underinsured, disadvantaged or otherwise excluded from traditional healthcare,” Reid said. “Recognizing the diverse needs of our patients and community, SCH administers healthcare through the lens of equity and social justice. That is why our protracted struggle securing the new children’s RSV immunization is so concerning.”

Legal Aid Society grows along with eviction-defense program

Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

UTICA — The Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc. (LASMNY) is growing thanks to its growing eviction-defense program. The not-for-profit law office provides free counsel, advice, and legal representation in civil matters to low-income residents of a 13-county region. Serving Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, and Otsego

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UTICA — The Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc. (LASMNY) is growing thanks to its growing eviction-defense program.

The not-for-profit law office provides free counsel, advice, and legal representation in civil matters to low-income residents of a 13-county region. Serving Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, and Otsego counties, LASMNY focuses on elder law, domestic violence and sexual assault, disability, farmworker law, and foreclosures and evictions.

A $270,600 Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) has helped boost growth in LASMNY’s eviction-defense program. The organization will use the funds to develop an online intake portal for eviction-defense referrals for six legal-aid providers in the state, Christina Reilly, managing attorney for the Utica office and eviction-defense program leader, says in an interview.

“Housing in general is an item of concern in New York state,” she says. During the pandemic, emergency assistance payments made it possible for people to remain in their homes, but now that the aid is gone, evictions are on the rise.

What many don’t know is that landlords who accepted that emergency assistance during the pandemic are prohibited for raising rent within a year of receiving the funding, Reilly notes. Additionally, property owners and managers must give proper notice if raising rents more than 5 percent.

When landlords move to evict tenants without giving that notice, LASMNY is there to help. Before the pandemic, many of its clients just walked into the office when they needed help, she says, but now people often call or reach out online.

Having a central intake portal will make sure those in need are connected to the right legal-aid provider to help them, she notes. The intake portal will include legal-aid providers outside of New York City.

“We together are going to develop this portal,” Reilly says. The goal is to have the portal embedded on each provider’s website, making it easy for people to access. The first step is contracting with a company to conduct an analysis of both intake and delivery methods the providers use. After that, LASMNY will determine how to streamline that service. That will include changes such as allowing clients to schedule appointments online and developing “triage criteria” to determine which clients should be served first based on the urgency of their needs. It’s all about finding the best way to connect people with the services and resources they require.

“It’s a three-year grant, but we’re hoping to do it in less than three years,” Reilly says.

Housing issues affect more than just the tenants who are evicted, she points out. “A lot of employers are having difficulty luring people into the area because there’s not a lot of safe, affordable housing,” she stresses. Evicted employees are going to be more focused on finding a new place to live than they are on doing their job, she adds.

Eventually, Reilly would like to see the portal expand to include all the legal areas the providers cover.

In the meantime, the growing eviction caseload and planned growth through the grant means LASMNY is looking to hire at least 15 staff attorneys.

Headquartered in Utica, LASMNY also has offices in Binghamton, Syracuse, Watertown, Oswego, and Oneonta.

New York home sales fall more than 12 percent in December

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

Housing inventory hits lowest mark ever ALBANY — As 2023 ended, the inventory of homes for sale across the Empire State fell to the lowest recorded level in history, according to the housing report that the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR) released on Jan. 19. “Inventory of homes for sale across New York

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Housing inventory hits lowest mark ever

ALBANY — As 2023 ended, the inventory of homes for sale across the Empire State fell to the lowest recorded level in history, according to the housing report that the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR) released on Jan. 19.

“Inventory of homes for sale across New York dropped to an all-time recorded low” of 24,469 units in December 2023, down 17.8 percent from the 29,768 homes available in December 2022, the association said. The number of homes available for sale has declined in year-over-year comparisons now for 50 straight months.

New York realtors sold 8,611 previously owned homes in December, a 12.6 percent decrease from the 9,855 existing homes sold in December 2022. Closed sales fell for the 28th consecutive month in year-over-year comparisons.

Interest rates have started to come down in month-over-month comparisons. NYSAR cites Freddie Mac as indicating the average on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped from 7.44 percent in November to 6.82 percent in December. For comparison, a year ago, the interest rate stood at 6.36 percent.

New York sales data

Pending sales totaled 6,528 in December, up 0.7 percent from the 6,483 pending sales in the same month in 2022, according to the NYSAR data. That foreshadows a possible slight rebound in closed sales in the next couple of months.

New listings in the state edged up 0.4 percent to 5,791 in December from 5,769 in the year-ago month.

Amid the tight supply of homes, house prices rose on a year-over-year basis. The December 2023 statewide median sales price was $380,000, up 10.1 percent from the December 2022 median sales price of $345,000.

The months’ supply of homes for sale at the end of December stood at 2.7 months, down 7 percent from 2.9 months’ supply a year prior, according to NYSAR’s report. A 6-month to 6.5-month supply is considered a balanced market, the association said.

All home-sales data is compiled from multiple-listing services in New York, and it includes townhomes and condominiums in addition to existing single-family homes, according to NYSAR.

Ask Rusty: Are SS Spousal Benefits Always a Factor?

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

Dear Rusty: Both my wife and I have worked our entire lives. When we retire, will we both be entitled to a full benefit amount each, or will there always be a spousal factor in there? Also, how are those benefits calculated — based on your highest salaries throughout your career, or your ending salaries

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Dear Rusty: Both my wife and I have worked our entire lives. When we retire, will we both be entitled to a full benefit amount each, or will there always be a spousal factor in there? Also, how are those benefits calculated — based on your highest salaries throughout your career, or your ending salaries when you retire?

Signed: Looking Ahead

Dear Looking Ahead: Prior to retiring from work is a smart time to investigate how Social Security (SS) will fit into your golden years. To answer your second question first, each person’s personal SS retirement benefit is based on the highest earning 35 years over his/her entire lifetime, with earlier years adjusted for inflation. The person’s average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) — essentially the person’s lifetime average inflation-adjusted monthly earnings amount — is first determined. Using AIME, the person’s primary insurance amount (PIA) is calculated using a special benefit formula, which will yield a PIA of about 40 percent or less of the person’s AIME. The PIA is the amount received if benefits start in the month that full retirement age (FRA) is attained.

Since you and your wife were both born after 1959, FRA for both of you is 67. The age when you claim benefits, relative to your FRA, determines how much you will receive. Claim before FRA and your benefit is reduced; claim after your FRA and your SS retirement benefit will be more (up to age 70 when maximum is reached); claim at your FRA and your benefit will equal your PIA — the full (100 percent) amount you’ve earned from a lifetime of working.

Spouse benefits only come into play if the PIA for one of you is less than 50 percent of the other’s PIA. In that case, the spouse with the lower PIA gets a “spousal boost” to his/her own SS retirement benefit when claimed. The amount of the “spousal boost” will be the difference between the lower PIA and half of the higher PIA, but the amount of the “spousal boost” (as well as the person’s own SS retirement amount) will be reduced if benefits are claimed before full retirement age. Any time that SS benefits are claimed before FRA, those benefits are permanently reduced.

If one spouse is entitled to a “spousal boost” from the other, the spousal amount will reach maximum at the recipient’s FRA. Thus, if the lower earning partner’s highest benefit will be as a spouse, then that spouse should not wait beyond his/her FRA to claim. If, instead, the lower earning partner’s own SS benefit at age 70 is more than his/her spousal amount, waiting longer than FRA to claim could be prudent, depending on life expectancy.

So, as you can see, deciding when to claim Social Security benefits should consider many things, including financial need, work status if claiming before FRA, marital status, and life expectancy. But it is your lifetime earnings that determine your SS retirement benefit amount, and it is how your FRA entitlements compare to each other that determines whether spousal benefits will be paid.

Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.4-million-member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Author’s note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.

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