Ask Rusty: Will Social Security Be There for Me?

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Dear Rusty: I am 56 and hope to hold out to get maximum Social Security at age 70. However, with all of the talk of Social Security funds being depleted, is it wise to continue with this mindset? Will there even be Social Security benefits for folks in my age bracket? Should I think about […]

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Dear Rusty: I am 56 and hope to hold out to get maximum Social Security at age 70. However, with all of the talk of Social Security funds being depleted, is it wise to continue with this mindset? Will there even be Social Security benefits for folks in my age bracket? Should I think about starting Social Security benefits as soon as I am eligible? I am employed; however, I don’t have a large amount of savings. I contribute to my company’s 401(k) and receive the match, and I own my own home (almost paid off) with an estimated $250,000 in equity, but I won’t be able to stay in the home long term. Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Signed: Weary Worker

Dear Weary Worker: I don’t suggest changing your strategy due to fears of Social Security not being there — it will be. Although the program is facing some future financial issues, the very worst that could happen is that everyone’s benefits might be cut by 20 percent-plus if Congress fails to act to restore the program to solvency before the Trust Funds are depleted in the early to mid-2030s. In my opinion, Congress will not likely fail to act because to do so would be political suicide. The fact is, members of Congress already know how to fix Social Security’s financial issues; they just lack the bipartisan spirit and political fortitude to do so until they extract every possible ounce of political capital from the issue. So, it’s largely a matter of how long Congress will wait to reform the program.

Right now, the Social Security Trust Funds hold about $2.8 trillion in reserves to ensure full benefits will be paid. But Social Security now pays out more in benefits than it receives in revenue, so the extra money needed to pay full benefits is taken from those reserves. What is needed is reform that addresses the reality that people today are living much longer and collecting benefits for much longer than the program is structured to accommodate. Many possible solutions are on the table in Congress, including raising the full retirement age a bit to deal with the reality of people living much longer, and increasing the program’s tax revenue by withholding a bit more from American workers. The eventual reform will likely include some variation of both, as well as other “tweaks,” which further guarantee the program will be there for future generations.

As for the thought of claiming your benefits as soon as you are eligible (age 62), be aware that Social Security has an “earnings test,” which applies to anyone who collects benefits before reaching full retirement age (FRA). If you are working full time when you first become age-eligible, you likely wouldn’t be able to collect benefits because your benefit amount would be insufficient to pay the penalty for exceeding the earnings limit ($1 for every $2 over the limit) within one year. And, as you may already know, your age 62 benefit would be cut by about 30 percent from your FRA amount, while your benefit at age 70 would be about 76 percent more than your age 62 benefit.

So even if the worst-case scenario happens (which it almost certainly won’t), an across-the-board cut of 20 percent-plus to your age 70 benefit would yield a higher monthly payment than that same cut to your age 62 benefit amount. So, I suggest you stick with your current strategy to continue working and wait as long as practical to claim your benefits (up to age 70). As an aside, AMAC (Association of Mature American Citizens) has, for years, been proposing (to Congress) its “Social Security Guarantee Plus,” which would restore Social Security to solvency for generations to come and would not require an increased payroll-tax rate. Congressional reaction has been generally positive, leading us to be hopeful for a reasonable solution to the problem.

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.

Mead family brings back live auctions in Owego

Regional News, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

OWEGO, N.Y. — Plans to add live auctions to the former J. J. Newberry building in downtown Owego will help Jim Mead reinvigorate the family auction business, boost his antique business, and help fully utilize the building he purchased a decade ago. Mead operates the Early Owego Antique Center on the first and second floors

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Mead operates the Early Owego Antique Center on the first and second floors of the Newberry building at 43-45 Lake St. He first opened the multiple dealer shop in 2013, leasing space on the first floor to vendors. Within a year, the business expanded to part of the second floor, before eventually filling the entire second floor. With 10,000 square feet on each floor, the antique center currently hosts 94 vendors and 13 employees.

With a family history in auctions, Mead began thinking about adding live auctions to the building’s lower-level last year as the region emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and all the restrictions that came with it receded.

“Everyone was crying out for the social aspect and camaraderie,” Mead notes. He thought live auctions might just fill the bill for an activity people were seeking.

On top of that, hosting auctions utilizes some empty space and will bring some attention both to the Early Owego Antique Center and its vendors, Mead adds. While the auction and the antique businesses are two separate businesses, they have some synergies that should benefit each other, he notes.

“It will build awareness about the retail business,” he says. The auctions will also provide another income stream for Mead, which will help cover things like increasing utility costs.

Live auctions also fill a void that has been present since auctions switched to online platforms during the pandemic. Many auction companies have not resumed live auctions, he notes, and that leaves a void for smaller or less valuable lots that aren’t worth the time it takes to list online, Mead says.

He’s been busy meeting with people regarding potential items to sell and welcomes inquiries.

“It will help our vendors,” Mead adds of the live auctions. First, it will bring more people to the building who may decide to check out the antique offerings as well as the auction. Second, it gives his vendors another avenue to sell items that are not really moving quickly off the shelf. Instead of having an item sit there for months unsold, they may opt to just sell it at the auction instead, he says.

Mead got his start in the auction business when he was about 6 years old, working alongside his father Jerry, who founded Mead & Sons Auctioneers in 1946.

Today, Mead runs the business along with his son James, a graduate of the Mendenhall School of Auctioneering. Lucas Kaczynski, a graduate of the World Wide College of Auctioneering, and floor manager Fran Antalek complete the team. Mead says between the three of them, they can handle a large volume, plus they have a contract auctioneer they can call on when needed.

The inaugural auction is set for Feb. 25 at 2 p.m., with previewing starting at noon.

“We’ve had a lot of excitement,” Mead says, both from those wanting to sell items and people wishing to attend. “I think we’re going to have a great time.”

Entrepreneur opens new dance studio in Endicott

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ENDICOTT, N.Y. — With a desire to start her own business, Dhyani James considered a few options before deciding to open her own dance studio. She thought maybe a food truck, before the thought came to her: “I don’t know why I don’t just teach dance,” she says. James took dance classes for years and

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ENDICOTT, N.Y. — With a desire to start her own business, Dhyani James considered a few options before deciding to open her own dance studio.

She thought maybe a food truck, before the thought came to her: “I don’t know why I don’t just teach dance,” she says. James took dance classes for years and also performed in color guard. It just made sense to go with what she knows.

Starting with offering classes once a week at the Broome County Dance Center, Dancing with D got its start last spring.

“That’s where I started to gain a little bit of clientele,” James notes. Soon, she needed a space where she could offer classes more often.

James worked with the Noma Community Center in Binghamton, which offered space for her to use free of charge. However, as her clientele continued to grow, it was apparent she needed more time than the center could offer.

By summer, James began searching for a space to house her own studio. “We spent three months looking,” she says, before finding just the right space at 1301 Broad St. in Endicott. The location is appealing, close to a couple schools with a lot of foot traffic and visibility. The studio celebrated its grand opening on Jan. 14.

The space previously housed a hair salon, so some renovation work was in order. James and her family and friends completed all the work themselves, which included painting and installing flooring, mirrors, and ballet bars. James declined to disclose startup costs, but said a grant from the United Women in Faith of the United Methodist Church helped offset some of those costs.

Along with sprucing up the space, James also spent time taking classes with the SBB607 Business Accelerator Program at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator at Binghamton University. The program, which supports Black-owned businesses and Black entrepreneurs, covers a range of topics including business models, organizing finances, branding/marketing, and networking tools.

“I know how to dance because I’m a dancer,” James says. The program taught her how to run a business, too. Prior to opening her own business, she worked full-time as a medical assistant for United Health Services, and she continues to work there part time.

One of her main priorities with her new dance studio is keeping dance affordable. Between the cost of classes, shoes, clothes, and even more costs if a dancer is competing, it gets expensive fast, so she tries to keep the cost of her classes as low as she can.

James is already offering more classes, holding two to three classes most nights. She’s also already started to see new faces in the studio. “My Tik Tok Tuesday (class), I would say 75 percent of them were new faces,” she notes.

As her studio continues to grow, James says she already sees the need for an even larger space down the road. Ideally, she’d like a space large enough to host several classes taught by different instructors.

James is currently the only instructor but hopes to work with some of her older students to help with younger classes. She’s also searching for an assistant to help with some back-end tasks such as running the studio’s social-media accounts.

The dance studio offers a range of classes for children starting at age 5 and for adults.

Quanterion lands research contract

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, New York News, Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only, Technology

UTICA, N.Y. — Quanterion Solutions, Inc. has been selected for a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award titled “Internet of Things Onboarding Capability (IoTOC)” to develop cloud-based IoT acceptance test methodologies for Air Force systems integration. The SBIR, sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, is the second one awarded to

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The SBIR, sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, is the second one awarded to Quanterion in the past quarter.

Quanterion’s mission is to develop a proof-of-concept framework to test and onboard Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for Department of Defense (DoD) implementations. The framework will bring a software-defined IoT/Industrial IoT Test as a Service capability that protects an installation’s critical infrastructure while integrating new IoT technologies. The company will work with Information Directorate engineers as well as contributing scientists from national laboratories to construct the Phase I design systems.

The new SBIR effort, motivated by a collection of standards and guidelines, aims to address challenges presented by IoT heterogeneity and interoperability while integrating automated testing capabilities to improve efficiency.

“This distributed IoT testing capability is a key build on to Quanterion’s cloud-based, open end-to-end testing ecosystem for the local Rome Defense Industrial Base to more rapidly enable development and obtain Authority to Operate (ATO) accreditation of DoD capabilities,” Quanterion’s Cybersecurity Program Manager Cully Patch said in a release.

Quanterion partnered with Idaho National Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to deliver this Phase I solution.

Headquartered in Utica, Quanterion specializes in analytical services, products, and training across a range of disciplines including cybersecurity; managed cloud services; reliability, maintainability, and quality; information-systems management; software development; information and knowledge management; and C4ISR systems and software.

SBA now accepting applications for VetCert program

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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is now accepting applications for the veteran small-business certification (VetCert) program. Responsibility for the VetCert program has transferred from the Veterans Administration (VA) to the SBA in an effort to foster “stronger interagency collaboration,” the SBA said. The agency began accepting applications on Jan. 9. The program is the agency’s

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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is now accepting applications for the veteran small-business certification (VetCert) program.

Responsibility for the VetCert program has transferred from the Veterans Administration (VA) to the SBA in an effort to foster “stronger interagency collaboration,” the SBA said. The agency began accepting applications on Jan. 9.

The program is the agency’s primary certification vehicle for all veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) — important classifications that enable those businesses to qualify for sole-source and set-aside federal-contracting awards.

The “improvements in the customer experience” for veteran entrepreneurs and business owners made by VetCert will “build upon” the $25 billion in government contract spending with SDVOSBs in fiscal year 2021, the SBA contended in its Jan. 10 announcement.

“The SBA’s new Veteran small-business certification program is designed with our commitment to deliver exceptional support for our skilled entrepreneurs from America’s military community,” Isabella Casillas Guzman, SBA administrator, said in a statement. “Supporting these Veteran entrepreneurs with access to government contracting will ensure they can continue their valued service to the American people, whether working in manufacturing, retail, [research & development (R&D)] or helping us build critically needed infrastructure to promote America’s long-term growth, job creation, and wealth generation.”

Larry Stubblefield, deputy associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Government Contracting & Business Development, added, “The collaboration between the SBA and the VA means that Veterans, who have dutifully served our country, will be well served on their entrepreneurial journey and Veteran business owners will have additional opportunities in the federal marketplace.”

Pursuing federal contracts

Certified VOSBs are eligible to compete for sole-source and set-aside contracts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, while certified SDVOSBs can compete for sole-source and set-aside contracts government-wide.

As the SBA moves forward to ensure more veteran entrepreneurs have access to economic opportunities, Administrator Guzman has granted a one-time, one-year extension to the current veteran small businesses verified by the Veterans Administration Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) as of Jan. 1, 2023, the SBA said.

The SBA says it is implementing several improvements to “streamline the certification experience” for veteran entrepreneurs. These include providing veterans with a central support platform for their small-business certification needs. In addition, the agency is also providing reciprocal certification for businesses with remaining eligibility in the women-owned small business (WOSB) and 8(a) programs.

The SBA contends that the improvements also include creating a “more business-friendly” approach by streamlining the application process and aligning ownership and control requirements across the VetCert, 8(a), and WOSB programs.

VetCert background

To be eligible to apply for the veteran small-business certification program, an applicant must be considered a small business, as defined by the size standard corresponding to any NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code listed in the business’s SAM (system for award management) profile. It also must have no less than 51 percent of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans.

For certification as an SDVOSB, the entity must have no less than 51 percent of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans rated as service-disabled by the VA.

In addition, for those veterans who are “permanently and totally” disabled and unable to manage the daily business operations of their business, their business may still qualify if their spouse or appointed, permanent caregiver is assisting in that management. Eligible new applicants certified by the SBA after Jan. 1, 2023, will receive the standard three-year certification period, the SBA said.

The agency also noted that beginning Jan. 1, 2024, both veteran and service-disabled veteran small-business owners will need to be certified to compete for federal contracting set-asides unless an application from a self-certified firm is pending an SBA decision.

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Perseverance furthers at Dead Branch Ranch

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Small Business, Subscriber Only

POMPEY, N.Y. — The saying “perseverance furthers” dates back thousands of years and has been expressed variously in different ways by many different cultures. As folk wisdom, it remains applicable today, despite the frenetic pace of our modern, digitally interconnected world. Through a desire to create slower, more meaningful lives for themselves, and as the

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Through a desire to create slower, more meaningful lives for themselves, and as the result a few hard-earned lessons learned, it also summarizes the experiences of Marie and Jaya Weiss, partners and co-owners of Dead Branch Ranch, a 90-acre, off-the-grid, micro-farm located in Pompey.

Purchased originally in the 1980s, Marie inherited the farm after her husband Craig’s death in 2015. Named Dead Branch Ranch in reference to the large, unmanaged woodlot on the property, Marie and Jaya, a union carpenter and mason, respectively, first tried their hands at farming in 2019, and then began raising rabbits in 2020. Their initial goals were simple: to provide food for themselves and to sell or share any surplus product with neighbors, to transition the land back to a working farm, and to become as self-sufficient as possible. Marie neatly summarized their vision: “Being able to provide for one’s own food requirements creates a great sense of appreciation and freedom.”

Simple goals, however, often run headlong into unforeseen complications. There were numerous federal and state regulations that needed to be addressed, from the types and numbers of animals that could be raised and slaughtered on the farm, to specific methods of processing and storage, to where and to whom these products could be sold. Beyond that, the co-owners faced basic issues that all beginning farmers face of crop planning, land and livestock management, locating regional off-farm resources, planning on-farm infrastructure, and figuring out how to pay for it all in the process.

It was at this point that Marie Weiss approached the Onondaga SBDC. She wanted to expand farm production, develop direct-to-consumer and wholesale sales and distribution, and finance the purchase of additional equipment and construction of a barn. Already enrolled in the WISE Center Accelerate: Business Plan Intensive, Marie requested SBDC assistance on a broad range of topics, from regulatory issues, business management, marketing, and fine-tuning her projections for economic development grants or business loans.

With prior experience in local agriculture, and serving as Marie’s SBDC business advisor, I provided her with information on New York State licensing requirements, contacts with established growers, resources for beginning farmers, and listings of local food retailers and restaurants. After first failing to quality for a commercial loan, Marie successfully obtained $50,000 in funding through Farm Credit East, which she used to purchase farm equipment, construct a pole barn to purchase and winter-over heritage breed pigs and other livestock, and hire two or more part-time farm hands. Marie and Jaya also successfully set up their business accounting, increased direct-to-consumer sales, and are establishing wholesale relationships with several local businesses.

Business Advisor’s Tip: Perseverance Furthers. Many individuals looking to go into business, especially first-time entrepreneurs, are unprepared for the amount of hard work, the number of details, and the unexpected difficulties involved in starting their own venture. This is as true for individuals with excellent credit histories and access to resources as it is for those looking for funding and assistance. There are simply too many critical issues that need to be addressed, or roadblocks that appear at the worst times and places, to go it alone and/or without total commitment. A team including a trusted attorney, accountant, and business advisor is essential. But so too is patience and perseverance. Success is often as much about pushing through the setbacks and hard times as it is about market research and solid business planning.

Neil Miller is a business advisor at the Small Business Development Center located at Onondaga Community College. Contact him at millern@sunyocc.edu

Maple Leaf Market coming to Verona

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Regional News, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

VERONA, N.Y. — Oneida Nation Enterprises promotes its Maple Leaf Market locations as having “food offerings from regional partners,” along with domestic and imported beers. For example, on its website, Maple Leaf Markets says patrons can enjoy breakfast that includes coffee from the Utica Coffee Roasting Co. Oneida Nation Enterprises on Jan. 30 announced plans

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VERONA, N.Y. — Oneida Nation Enterprises promotes its Maple Leaf Market locations as having “food offerings from regional partners,” along with domestic and imported beers.

For example, on its website, Maple Leaf Markets says patrons can enjoy breakfast that includes coffee from the Utica Coffee Roasting Co.

Oneida Nation Enterprises on Jan. 30 announced plans for its fourth Maple Leaf Market store at the intersection of Route 365 and Route 31 in Verona.

The location is currently a SāvOn store and will become a Maple Leaf Market following renovation work.

Construction is underway with completion scheduled by Labor Day, the organization said in its announcement. The store will remain open throughout the renovation.

The new location in Verona will be the Oneida Nation Enterprises’ largest convenience store to date, per the announcement.

Described as one of Oneida Nation Enterprises’ “most popular” convenience-store locations, converting the store to a Maple Leaf Market will “elevate the guest experience even more,” Oneida Nation Enterprises contends. The transformation to Maple Leaf Market will also align with the opening of the nearby Upstate Cancer Center in Verona.

The addition of an on-site kitchen at the location will produce fresh meals, pizzas, paninis and more.

Plans also call for updating the new Maple Leaf Market with additional checkouts to provide faster service. The on-site Dunkin’ Donuts and its drive-through will also be updated for “more optimized traffic flow.”

The SāvOn diesel station currently located across Route 31 will be moving to the new Maple Leaf Market as well, “allowing for easier access for truckers.” The market will have both diesel pumps and regular gasoline pumps.

At the current location of the diesel station on Route 31, Oneida Nation Enterprises will be adding three new retail outlets. Additional details about the retail locations will be announced shortly, Oneida Nation Enterprises said.

Two company leaders acquire Bell & Spina Architects

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Small Business, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Two members of the firm’s leadership team are the new owners of Bell & Spina Architects-Planners, PC, which is based at 215 Wyoming St. in Syracuse. Dennis Spina, a founding partner, has transferred ownership to Neil Garry, the firm’s VP, and Douglas Arena, who will assume the responsibilities of president, the small

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Two members of the firm’s leadership team are the new owners of Bell & Spina Architects-Planners, PC, which is based at 215 Wyoming St. in Syracuse.

Dennis Spina, a founding partner, has transferred ownership to Neil Garry, the firm’s VP, and Douglas Arena, who will assume the responsibilities of president, the small business announced.

Garry and Arena bought the firm from Spina, the company tells CNYBJ in an email. Bell & Spina Architects didn’t release any financial terms of the sale. Spina will continue working for the business on a part-time basis, the architecture firm adds.

Garry joined Bell & Spina Architects in 2010 and is the principal-in-charge of the firm’s Rochester office. He will remain VP moving forward, company officials tell CNYBJ. Arena joined Bell & Spina Architects in 2012 and became a partner in 2017.

“We are grateful for Dennis’s leadership through the years; he has been a great mentor to all of us. Fortunately, Dennis has agreed to remain involved in a consulting capacity,” Garry said.

In his 40 years as a full-time architect, Dennis Spina has worked on a few “notable” projects that Bell & Spina Architects completed during Spina’s tenure. They included the roof and skylight replacement at the Everson Museum of Art, roof replacement at the Onondaga County War Memorial, historic preservation and restoration of the roof on the Onondaga County Courthouse, roof replacements at Steele Hall and Bird Library on the Syracuse University campus, roof replacement at The Egg: Center for the Performing Arts at Empire Plaza in Albany, and the exterior rehabilitation at McEwen Hall on the SUNY Fredonia campus.

Bell & Spina Architects-Planners is a consulting firm that specializes in the design and rehabilitation of building enclosures, with more than 35 years of work in building-envelope design, forensics, and historic rehabilitation.

With offices in Syracuse and Rochester, the firm works mainly across the state and, more widely, in the Northeast. Bell & Spina has 24 employees between the two offices, the firm tells CNYBJ.

North Country CBIT conference offers small-biz connections

Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

SARANAC LAKE — At press time, the North Country Center for Businesses in Transition (CBIT) partnership was getting ready to welcome aspiring business owners to its second Small Communities. Big Opportunities: Own a North Country Business Conference. The three-day educational and networking conference runs from Feb. 12-14 in Saranac Lake, the Adirondack North Country Association

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The three-day educational and networking conference runs from Feb. 12-14 in Saranac Lake, the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) announced. The conference is scheduled as an in-person event with a virtual option. In-person events are scheduled at the Hotel Saranac, where attendees can connect with current and aspiring business owners, business support professionals, and CBIT representatives. ANCA describes CBIT as a “regional partnership focused on retaining small businesses in northern New York.”

“The conference is designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of participants in a short amount of time,” Danielle Delaini, ANCA’s entrepreneurial economy program director, said in a statement. “We’ll cover the whole gamut, from broad topics like what it’s like living in the North Country to practical details like tax considerations, marketing strategies and business valuation.”

The conference offers attendees the chance to learn directly from current owners about what it is like to operate a business in the North Country and connect with a wide range of business ownership opportunities, Ben Dixon, executive director of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce and community liaison with CBIT, said.

Participants can meet face-to-face with owners of businesses located throughout the region. Those include Nature’s Storehouse in Canton; Done Right Cleaning in St. Lawrence County; Lafave Automotive in Vernon; and other businesses including restaurants, shops, and service providers.

Tracks and speakers

Following a virtual conference in 2021, this year’s event offers different tracks for aspiring, beginning and more established entrepreneurs, “no matter where they are in the ownership process.” Participants will have opportunities to meet with retiring owners, learn about available businesses, and learn from experts about key elements of a successful business transition, including marketing, branding, accessing capital and relocating in the North Country.

Attendees will also hear from guest speakers who have been involved in the CBIT partnership. They include Sandy Maine, founder of Adirondack Fragrance & Flavor Farm in Parishville in St. Lawrence County. She recently passed on her successful body products and candle business to her son and daughter-in-law.

In addition, Cori Deans of Keene in Essex County will speak about her experience operating Small Town Cultures, a successful fermented food business, which has “rapidly outgrown” its Lake Placid facility and will soon be moving to a larger space in Plattsburgh, ANCA said.

CBIT success story

Saying that the average business transition takes three to five years to complete, Delaini said that the CBIT partnership — which serves 14 counties in northern New York — supported 37 successful business transitions since ANCA established the Center four years ago. She said the 215 businesses that accessed CBIT services during this period represent more than 1,040 full- and part-time jobs retained in the region.

The businesses include Adirondack Awards and Promotions, a Lake Placid company that has been providing customized trophies, awards, and engraved and embroidered products for local businesses, organizations, and sports teams since 1962.

Tyler Merriam and Nick Prechel purchased the business in August 2022 with CBIT’s support.

“For people who are considering attending the conference, I would strongly encourage them to do so,” said Merriam. “Networking and connections are critical in the business world. We have received so much support from local business owners, from previous owners and sellers, and people who have gone through this process before. Building those connections and learning from them has been invaluable.”

Merriam went on to say, “And for an entrepreneur who is looking for a place-based business, I would sing the praises of this region hands down.”

In November, National Grid awarded ANCA a $100,000 grant to support the conference and other 2023 CBIT programs. Additional funding has been provided by Adirondack Foundation; Community Bank; Franklin County Government Office of Economic Development and Tourism; New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG), an Avangrid Company; and the SUNY Canton Small Business Development Center.

ANCA established CBIT in 2018 with grant funding from the Northern Regional Border Commission to address the loss of area businesses. It provides matchmaking services with potential buyers, access to planning tools, and connection with existing services. CBIT services have expanded to provide support for aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to purchase an existing business. CBIT is comprised of 13 community liaisons and partners across ANCA’s 14-county service area.

OPINION: Plenty of Work Ahead as State-Budget Process Begins

Opinion, Subscriber Only

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal, delivered recently, sets another record high for state spending. But while spending big, the $227 billion proposal falls short on specific measures designed to reduce our cost of living. To put the plan in context, Gov. Hochul is calling for 50 percent more in spending than the proposed budget in

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This year’s budget process needs to result in a final agreement that addresses the root causes of outmigration and a toxic business climate. Hopefully, those concerns are alleviated as the process advances during the coming weeks.

As inflation has impacted New Yorkers and talks of a recession loom, we cannot ask families, businesses, and localities to pay more than they already are paying. Especially troubling is the proposed $1.6 billion tax hike, which would come in the form of an extension of the temporary Business Tax Surcharge and an $800 million bump to the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax. The last thing businesses need are more taxes, and that is exactly what they could be facing.

The news isn’t good for property taxpayers, and local governments see the writing on the wall. The executive budget proposal intends to shift money away from counties in order to offset growth in the state Medicaid program. Taking nearly $1 billion away from localities will almost certainly result in higher taxes, but at the local level.

“The news isn’t good for property taxpayers, and local governments see the writing on the wall.”

Until there are wholesale changes to the criminal-justice policies contributing to violent crime plaguing our communities, any talk about supporting law enforcement is mere rhetoric. Police need adequate funding and training, but that must be accompanied by laws designed to protect them and the communities they serve. As the governor begins talks with Democrat leaders in the Senate and Assembly, I hope she stands by her stated commitment to improve public safety.

Additionally, the budget proposal calls for $1 billion to support asylum seekers flooding into our state. While this is largely a complex federal problem, New Yorkers should not be asked to pick up the slack for the nation’s failed immigration policies. A much-better solution would be working with the state’s congressional representatives and Biden Administration to address the issue from border to border, rather than throw an enormous sum of money at a band-aid solution here in New York.

There are some promising elements to the governor’s plan, including funding for critical needs like mental-health services, public education, and childcare. However, there’s a long way to go to achieve a complete, responsible, and effective state spending plan. New York does not need to break its own spending record every budget cycle in order to deliver results for the residents of the state. We have several weeks ahead of us as proposals evolve into policies. I am eager to work with my colleagues in the New York Legislature to create a spending plan that makes sense for all New Yorkers.

William (Will) A. Barclay, 53, Republican, is the New York Assembly minority leader and represents the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses all of Oswego County, as well as parts of Jefferson and Cayuga counties.

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